Instructions

• Getting started:
  • Click on the applet to make it "active".
  • Hit "1" for one player, or "2" for two players.
  • Hit "Q" to quit.
  • Hit "P" to pause, and "P" again to resume.
  • Hit "0" to toggle into black and white mode.
  • Hit "-" to toggle into 'slow mode' where the graphics is refreshed half as often.
  • Try "8" if there is a lot of screen flash (not guarantee to be better).
• The controls:
  • The lefthand player (Player 1)
    • "Z"=rotate left
    • "X"=rotate right
    • "C"=thrust
    • "V"=fire photon torpedo
    • "G"=shields
    • "F"=activate shields for two seconds
    • "D"=hyperspace
  • The righthand player (Player 2)
    • "M"=rotate left
    • ","=rotate right
    • "."=thrust
    • "/"=fire photon torpedo
    • "'"=shields
    • ";"=activate shields for two seconds
    • "L"=hyperspace
• Rules:
  • You are destroyed if you run into the boundaries, an asteroid, or another ship, unless you have shields on, in which case you bounce off.
  • You are destroyed if you are shot, if you run into a mine, or if if you are hit by a laser, unless you have shields on.
  • You lose points when you are destroyed, but not as many points if destroyed by the other player.
  • You gain points by shooting asteroids, or by killing the other player's ship, or by shooting mine-ships, laser-ships, seeker-ships, or by clearing mines.
  • You gain points and hyperspace (magenta crystals) or gain shields (white crystals) by picking up the square crystals.
  • Your shields protect you from being destroyed.
  • You can clear mines by running over with shields on, gaining points in the process.
  • You start with a limited amount of shields (about 5 seconds).
  • Your shields will appear dimmer as it is about to run out.
  • Whenever you get a new ship or pick up a shields crystal, you have 3 free seconds of shields.
  • Using hyperspace will randomly transplant your ship; each ship begins with hyperspace unit.
  • Your ship does have a maximum speed.
  • Your ship does lose momentum as it travels.
  • You have a maximum of four shots at a time.
  • Your ship's momentum also affects your shot.
• Exact points:
  • Asteroids: 25, 50, 100 (large, medium, small, resp.). Some asteroids require more than one shot to destroy (they get brighter as you hit them); note in this case, they are worth more points (multiple regular points by number of hits).
  • Crystals: 10-100 (slow), 20-200 (fast); they are worth less each time they bounce. Shields (white) crystals are worth only 10 points, but give you 2-10 seconds of shields. Hyperspace (magenta) crystals give you one extra unit of hyperspace in addition to the points.
  • Mine-ship: 200 points
  • Clearing a mine: 100 points
  • Laser-ship: 300 points
  • Seeker-ship: 50 points times number of hits required to kill it
  • Killing the other ship: 500 (by shooting), 100 (by ramming).
  • Destroyed by being killed by the other player: -100.
  • Destroyed by other means (running into the boundary, running into an asteroid, mine-ship, laser-ship, seeker-ship) or hit by laser: -500.