Backyard Soccer Readme System Requirements Windows CD-ROM Pentium/90 16 MB RAM Windows3.1 or higher SVGA video card (640x480, 256 colors) Sound card Quad-speed CD-ROM drive Installation Windows 95/98 There is no installation. To start, simply insert the CD into the drive. When the AutoPlay window pops up, click either the Play button to play the game, the Demos button to see the Humongous Interactive Catalog, or the Quit button to quit without doing anything. To run the game again, open the My Computer window and double-click on the game icon. The AutoPlay window will appear again. If AutoPlay has been disabled, you can run the game by double-clicking My Computer, then double-clicking the CD-ROM icon, and finally double-clicking AUTOBSL.EXE. Or, create a shortcut to AUTOBSL.EXE for a more permanent solution. Windows 3.1 The install program must be run before playing the game for the first time. We install Microsoft's 32-bit Windows system files, Win32s, and WinG to the hard disk if they are not already present. These files require only about 3MB of disk space. To install Win32s and WinG, just follow these steps: 1. Insert the game CD into your CD-ROM drive. 2. Open the File menu in Program Manager and select Run... 3. Type D:\INSTALL and press Enter (Be sure to replace D: with the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive) 4. Click Quick Install, and follow the prompts 5. After installation is complete, click Restart Windows to enable Win32s and WinG Install will create a Humongous group in Program Manager and add the game icons to it. To run the game, just insert the CD and double-click the game icon. Removing the Game, WinG, and Win32s The game, Win32s, and WinG may all be removed from within the installation program. Because installation of the product is only necessary under Windows 3.1, you should never have to uninstall the game with Windows 95. Note: Removing WinG or Win32s will render the system unable to run Humongous Entertainment games, or any other programs which require these libraries. To remove the game files, just follow these steps: 1. Insert the game CD into your CD-ROM drive. 2. Open the File menu in Program Manager and select Run... 3. Type D:\INSTALL and press Enter (Be sure to replace D: with the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive) 4. Click the Advanced Options button in the Welcome to Install dialog box. This will open the Advanced Options dialog box. 5. Click on the Uninstall Options button to open the Uninstall Options dialog box. Click Yes to continue. 6. Check the components (Game, WinG, or Win32s) which you wish to uninstall, then click Continue. The selected components will be removed from the system, as will the icons that they created. The computer may have to be restarted for these changes to take effect Autoplay Disabled? If you do not see the AutoPlay window your CDROM drive may not be set up to take advantage of AutoPlay or you may need to upgrade the driver for your CDROM drive. To check this: Click on Start, Settings, Control Panel and double click on the System icon. In System Properties click on the tab called Device Manager. At the top of the list you should see CDROM - click the plus sign to the left of this line and double click on the CDROM manufacturer name (appears underneath CDROM). Click on the tab called Settings and look for Auto Insert Notification: -make sure there is a check mark in the box to the left of this line - if there is no check mark, click in the box and one will appear, then click OK at the bottom. -if there is a check mark already there, click OK at the bottom of the screen. Now click on the tab called Performance (back up to the top). On this screen check to make sure you see the line "...system is configured for optimal performance" - if this line does not appear or says "Drive X is using MSDOS compatibility mode" you may need to upgrade your CDROM driver. Contact the manufacturer of the CDROM drive or of the computer system. Win95/98 Shortcut You can set up a shortcut icon in Windows 95 so all you need to do is insert the game CDROM and double click on the shortcut icon. To do this: Right click your mouse on a blank area of the desktop Click on New and then Shortcut Type in the path for the game, e.g. D:\AutoBSL.exe (Be sure to replace D: with the drive letter of your CD-ROM drive) Click on Next and name the shortcut Click Finish and the icon will be on the desktop Making Changes to the Game The Options Screen Game-specific settings may be customized through the options dialog box, which is accessible at any time by pressing the Spacebar, then clicking the Options button. How to Play Backyard Soccer Backyard Soccer is the electronic version of the game you play with your friends. There are kids from all walks of life in Backyard Soccer. Each one has unique attributes, playing ability and statistics. You can choose teams or let the computer choose for you. There are over 20 different playing fields -with surfaces ranging from grass, dirt and sand to pavement and indoor turf- and you can change the options settings to make the game your own! You start a game by picking a field, a team name and colors and then participants. You can research player statistics prior to choosing your team to make sure you get the team you want. Once you've done all that you're ready to play! Quick Start To jump right into a game: Click on the Pick-Up Window in the clubhouse. Scroll through the available fields then click on the Play Match icon at the bottom of the screen to start a game. Your team name, colors and players will be chosen randomly by the computer but you will have control of play. Playing the Game Each of the players on the field is guided by his or her own Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is based primarily on that player's unique characteristics. Twenty different personalized attributes were created for each character. This helps keep the game going by directing the players to tend the goals, set up for defense, pass the ball, etc. The only player not run entirely by his/her own AI is the player you currently control. Kick Off The visiting team kicks-off to start the match. The home team will kick-off the second half of the match. A kick-off is a way of starting or restarting play: at the start of the match after a goal has been scored at the start of the second half of the match All players stand on their half of the field and the opponents of the team taking the kick-off are at least 8 yards from the ball until it is in play. The ball is stationary on the center mark until the referee gives a signal. The ball is in play when: it is kicked and moves forward the kicker does not touch the ball a second time until it has touched another player After a team scores a goal, the kick-off is taken by the opposite team. In Play Once the ball is in play the object is to use your players to move it downfield toward the opponent's goal and then knock it in. It sounds easier than it is but with some time and effort you'll find you're racking up the goals! Interface The teams playing are represented by the two icons on the left side of the interface. Your team has a yellow border around it. Between the team icons is the score of the current game. Above the score is the type of game you're playing. In the middle of the interface is the power-up indicator. The right side of the interface shows you which player is currently under your control. You can see the player's name, position and a little information about what they're doing. The last portion of the right side of the interface is the game clock. The Controls There are options on the control tab in the Game Options notebook you may want to modify, among them the use of a single or both mouse buttons. One button control (left mouse button) Offense: If you are controlling the kicking team, you can select a player or area on the field by clicking there. The player with the ball will make the appropriate pass to get the ball to that spot. Once your player receives the pass, dribbling is easy. Place the cursor near your player, it will change to indicate that it is within that player's area, and he will begin to dribble the ball. Holding the mouse-button down will allow you to move the cursor anywhere and continue to maintain the dribble. When you are ready to pass to a teammate, move the cursor over that player (or if you're more advanced, ahead of your teammate), and click to make the pass. Shots on goal are accomplished the same way (just click the opposition's goal. Defense: Click the ball or the opponent who has the ball and the computer will send the best-positioned defender to challenge for the ball. You can also click opponents away from the play to mark-up. Two button control (both left and right mouse buttons) Offense: If you are controlling the kicking team, select a teammate or area on the field and click the right button. The player with the ball will make the appropriate pass to get the ball to that spot. Once your player receives the pass, you can use the left button to dribble to the spot indicated or click the right button to make a pass. Shoot the ball by right clicking on the opponent's goal. Defense: Left-click a spot or opponent on the field to make the best-positioned defender run there. If you click the right button your player will challenge for the ball. Advanced Strategy: An important feature in Backyard Soccer is the ability to send a new instruction to your team while the ball is in mid-flight during a pass. This allows you to make wall-passes and one-timer shots on goal. To do this, simply click near a teammate to make a pass, wait for the kick, then click another player to make the one-time pass. This is a great way to score goals! Players There are 30 players in Backyard Soccer. They each have their own unique attributes, playing abilities, historical statistics and have the potential to play differently each time you play the game. For instance, having siblings on the same team can cause one or both players to make errors, or play better, depending on their relationship! Other than the statistics you won't know anything about the players until you've interacted with them a few times. Through trial and error you'll discover each player's strengths and weaknesses. Once you determine this you can plan a winning strategy! Skill Ratings The characters in Backyard Soccer have lifelike characteristics that make game play challenging and exciting. Just like real kids, the BSL players have different combinations of strengths and weaknesses that will become apparent after playing a few games. As the coach, you'll be able to use what you've learned about the kids to make strategic decisions about player positions -who can dribble well, who can trap, who should take your free kicks, etc. Some kids can tire easily and they'll start to make more errors. Others will stop paying attention when there's not enough action to keep them focused, which can be disastrous. Pay attention to your opposing players, some may be very aggressive and should be closely watched. More subtle characteristics like these will take quite a bit of game play to discover, and will keep the game interesting as your ability progresses. Game Modes There are two major play modes: pick-up game and season league play. There are three other modes as well (friendly match, practice and spectator. You can access the pick-up game, friendly match, practice and spectator modes from the Game Options icon in the Pick-Up Window. The icons at the bottom of the Pick-Up Window will change depending on the game mode you choose. Pick-up Game You can play a single match with a team you choose or let the computer choose for you. Select a field and click on Play Match to let the computer choose a team for you, or click on Create a Team to choose your own. Friendly Match Play a single match with a league team. Select a field, then click on the Friendly Match icon. Sign in as a coach and create a league team, or use a team you've already created. You can choose to be the home or away team by clicking on the corner of the banners on the Today's Match screen and change the opposing team by clicking the arrows on either side of the opposing team banner. You'll have access to any team already played by the coach's name you pick. It's the perfect opportunity to replay the international team that knocked you out of contention for the cup or show that snooty indoor team what soccer in the sand is like! Practice Penalty Kicks Practice kicking goals or playing goalie. Select a field, then click the Practice icon. Select Kicker or Keeper mode, choose a player and you'll see the Penalty Kick screen. Kicker The slide-in interface tracks your practice score and allows you to select the type of kick the player will use. Click on the ball then move the cursor to the target area and click again. The shaded 'area of accuracy', which replaces the cursor, gives you an idea where the ball will go based on your kicker's individual characteristics. Keeper Mr. Clanky waits for the whistle, then starts his run at the ball. If you haven't turned off the "area of accuracy" hint option, you'll get a last-second glimpse of where the ball is aimed, and you'll need to quickly move the cursor to that spot and click to block the shot. Spectator Watch a game (don't forget the popcorn!) Select a field and then click on the Spectator icon. The computer will choose both teams and, when the commentator's are done talking, you can click the Play Match icon to start the game. Season League This mode allows you to create a customized team for use in season play. These teams will allow you to track the statistics of the characters during the season and the progress of the team is saved between playing sessions. A team for season play consists of 8 players, chosen from the 30 characters available. You access season league play from the clubhouse. Click on the bulletin board. Rules Backyard Soccer League rules are a hybrid of U10 and professional soccer rules: Off sides is called within the 19-yard area in front of the goal. Fouls occurring outside of the penalty box result in direct free kicks. Fouls occurring within the penalty box result in penalty kicks. Balls that go out of bounds result in the appropriate throw-in, goal kick, or corner kick. Substitutions are unlimited. No robots allowed. Special exceptions during Indoor Tournament Play: No off sides called. Throw-ins are replaced by free-kicks 1m from the wall where the ball went out. Clarification of Off Sides rule: A player can be called off sides if there are less than two opponents (including the goalie) between that player and the goal when the ball is played to him/her. Keyboard Commands Saving and Loading Games All Season game play information is automatically saved with the name you entered when you exit from the clubhouse. You gain access to it by clicking that name in the Sign In screen. NOTE: Pick-Up Game and Friendly Match information is not saved. Pausing or Quitting the Game Press the spacebar to Pause, then click the Quit button or press the spacebar again to continue playing. Important Note: If you use the spacebar to quit while in the middle of a match that game play information will not be saved. You must return to the clubhouse for information on the current game to be saved. Pauses the game, and opens the pause dialog box. To continue, just click the Play button. Quit the game. You can also stop playing by pressing the Spacebar, then clicking the Quit button. Fast-forward through the current cutscene. Same as the key, but skips only the current character's line -- not the entire scene. Displays on-line documentation. Toggles the game between running full-screen or in a window. Increases the size of the game display if your screen resolution is 1280x1024 or higher. If the game display has already been expanded, will toggle the display size back to normal. TROUBLESHOOTING INFORMATION Windows 95/98 If you're having trouble with your CDROM, sound or video card make sure you've got the most updated drivers for these devices. If you're still having problems read on: CDROM To make sure your CDROM drive is set up optimally: Click on Start, Settings and Control Panel. Double click on the System icon; in the System Properties click on the Performance tab. Now click on the File System button and then the CDROM tab. Check the Optimize Access Pattern setting and make sure it accurately reflects the speed of your CDROM drive. For instance, if you have a 4x make sure it's set up "Quad-speed or higher." Also, make sure the Supplemental Cache Size is set to large for any speed CDROM drive. Now open the HEGAMES.INI file, delete the entire [My Computer] section, save the changes, close the file and run the game. This will force all the tests to rerun. NOTE: This refers to Windows 95/98 only. Contact your computer manufacturer for help with this. Printers You want to make sure you have printer drivers that support 32-bit printing. If not, you'll need to upgrade to the 32-bit printer drivers in order to print from our game. Contact HP at 208 323 2349 for more information. Video When we say SVGA, we mean that we need a display capable of supporting a resolution of 640x480 at 256 colors (this wasn't a requirement of the original VGA spec, so we say SVGA). Almost every video adapter sold in the last six+ years is capable of this resolution and color depth. Even if you don't know it, you probably have an SVGA card. NOTE: To find your system device information on Windows 95/98 or higher click on Start, Settings and Control Panel. Double click on the System icon; in the System Properties click on the Device Manager tab and then find Display Adapters and Sound, video and game controllers in the list. Click the plus sign to the left of each line and note the manufacturer name as it appears below. Contacting Humongous Entertainment Order Department Phone (800) 499-8386 (425) 867-2596 Fax (425) 489-3446 Internet Mail custserv@humongous.com U.S. Mail Humongous Entertainment PO Box 3383 Woodinville, WA 98073 Technical Support Phone (425) 485-1212 Fax (425) 806-0480 U.S. Mail Technical Support Humongous Entertainment 13110 NE 177th Place Suite B101 #180 Woodinville, WA 98072-9965 On-line Web Site WWW http://www.humongous.com Backyard Soccer Copyright 1998 Humongous Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved