
 Warblade v1.33
 --------------

 A game by Edgar M. Vigdal + Simon Quincey

 Manual.txt v1.33 by Simon Quincey



 Warblade is a PC and Mac game. It's a shoot'em up game with the focus on great gameplay, lot's of action, bonuses, secrets and features. The demo version has only 25 levels but the full version has 100 levels. The full version also has the profile system enabled, time trial mode, an extra subgame and lots of other additional features. Higher quality sounds and graphics are included and you get exclusive access to additional addons.

 Warblade is also a shareware game. This means that you can download the free demo, play and test the game, and if you like the game then you can order the full version online.

 If you have already bought this game then thankyou very much.



Requirements for playing this game:
***********************************

 This game should run very easily on a wide range of systems. There are plenty of options in there to turn things down if your system is quite low spec. The minimum resolution supported is 800*600 and the game does default to fullscreen mode but you can easily switch to windowed mode by selecting the window/fullscreen option and restarting the game. This setting IS stored for your next game.

 NB// An 800*600 windowed game is actually 806*625 (due to window borders) so a laptop whose highest resolution is 800*600 will probably be limited to fullscreen mode only.

PC
--
Minimum: PII-350, 32MB RAM, 16MB Video, 40MB HD Space + DX7 or newer.
Medium:  PIII-800, 128MB RAM, 32MB 3D Video, 40MB HD Space + DX7 or newer.
Best:    P4-2.8GHz+, 512MB RAM, 128MB 3D Video, 40MB HD Space + DX7 or newer.
         Monitor capable of 120hz for the refresh is good (see expert settings)

The new Graphics Buffering option can use massive amounts of memory. Use with caution !

MAC
---
 The development Mac was a Mac Mini. 1.66ghz core duo, intel GMA950 gfx chip, 1GB RAM and OSX 10.4.9. There is a universal Mac binary available that allows the game to run on newer Intel based Macs and now also the older PPC based Macs.

LINUX
-----
 The newest PTK based version of Warblade is now confirmed as working ok on Linux using Cedega. I know very little about Linux so i cannot confirm this but a user has stated its working. This could mean that some other variants of Linux will run it too. Can you let us know ?


 The game supports Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP and Vista and now there is also the Mac version available. For the PC version you must have DirectX version 7 or later installed !! This can be downloaded direct from Microsoft at this address

 http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.mspx

 The game also supports windows installed joysticks and/or joypads and mouse control. Unfortunately PTK does not support joystick control in the Mac version but maybe in the future this will be added.

TIP !: For Mac user, you can try using the USB Overdrive utility to get joysticks and joypads working in Warblade (http://www.usboverdrive.com)

TIP !: Do not have too many programs running at the same time! This can make the game run slow and jerky on lower spec machines. As with any game really.

..and always check for newer or better drivers for your graphics or sound card!

 (www.nvidia.com  for geForce powered cards)
 (www.ati.com     for ATI powered cards) 



Installing the game:
********************

PC
--
 After you have downloaded the game, locate the directory where you selected to store the download. You can use the windows explorer to do this. When the file warblade.exe is located, you start the install process by double clicking on the file. When the install program starts just follow the onscreen instructions. If you keep clicking next through the whole install process, the game will be installed to the default location and a shortcut icon will be placed on the desktop. You can also select to add a quickstart icon.

MAC
---
 After downloading the warblade.dmg file, double click the icon/file and then double click on the Warblade pkg icon to start the installation of the game. The game will be installed to the application folder in a new folder called Warblade. You can then create an alias file for the game and copy that to the desktop.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*** YOUR PROFILE IS IMPORTANT ***

MAKE REGULAR BACKUPS AND ALWAYS KEEP A BACKUP FROM PREVIOUS GAME VERSIONS.
PROFILES (once updated to a new version) ARE NOT BACKWARDS COMPATIBLE.
THIS IS TO PREVENT PROFILE CORRUPTION FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF POSSIBLE BUGS.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Starting the game:
******************

 After the game is successfully installed, a shortcut icon is added to the desktop named Warblade. You start the game by double clicking on this icon. If any errors are reported or the game does not start, please locate the file named "warblade.dbg" in the logged on users "My Documents/Warblade" folder (PC) or "user folder/warblade/" (Mac), and send this in an email to

 bugs@warblade.as

 Warblade has been in development for a long time and we hope that you will see easy installation and fluid gameplay. Many bugs have been fixed in the past but the game has been converted more recently to a new development library called PTK. This may mean some new bugs have been introduced and while we use every effort to find and fix all the bugs theres always 1 more to be found.

 ** NOTE **

 Hopefully this section will never appear on your system, but if it does, heres what you need to know.

 Theres a 2nd line of error trapping that comes with the game (PC version only). If the game randomly crashes to the desktop (and its the games fault) then an error report is created in Warblades dying breath. Also, Warblade will activate the CrashReportSender.exe. This little tool will create an email to be sent to me (Edgar M Vigdal). The created email will be sent when you click the "send" button and the sender program will tell you if it was successful. It'll also automatically close when you click "ok" on the success box. The information will tell me exactly where in the game the error occurred and a few pieces of info about your system. The crashreportsender uses an mxlookup technique to send the email directly to bugs@warblade.as bypassing your email client and if you wish to send this manually then simply send the last created warblade.dbg file to the above email address. 1 other thing to know about the crashreporter is that the tool tries to find your default email address to be sent with the report (so Edgar can reply). This cannot always be found and so you should not always expect a reply...


Additional comments about the crash: In the crashreport tool
------------------------------------------------------------

 You can add whatever you like to the additional comments box. Maybe you were about to warp after a boss ? Maybe you just cleared a particular level. You can of course choose to cancel this email, but please send these reports in if you get a random crash. Sending these mails will be very helpful to us and everyone else playing the game.

 If any problems arise using this tool, then you can still help by sending the warblade.dbg file to bugs@warblade.as as it will also contain the crash report text.

 Thankyou.



SELFPLAY MODE
*************

 V1.2y onwards has a self playing mode. We would like everyone that can to allow this self playing version to run whenever possible. Overnight maybe, or while you are at work. Especially if you have seen the random crashes that seem new to v1.2x. Fixes for the random crashes have been made already but we don't know if they are a cure. Please allow the game to play itself and if it crashes send those reports in to us. The crash report sender has been fixed too, but just in case it fails please send an email to bugs@warblade.as including the warblade.dbg file as either text or an attachment. You must do this before you start another game. (Starting another game will overwrite the dbg file)

 Also please take the time to send in crash reports from normal gameplay too, or report problems in the forum.

 The selfplay mode is started by pressing Left SHIFT, Left ALT and F1 together and it will randomly play time trial and normal games. Profiles will be automatically closed and scores gained by the computer will not be saved. Its not possible to save in selfplay mode either and the collision detection is almost completely turned off so its very difficult for the player ship to be killed. The player ship will go for almost all bonus drops and diamonds without choice but it does start with 10,000 cash and does always seem to have a pretty good weapon. Try it out anyway, its fun to watch the shop, memory stations and speedy gameplay.



Your first choice:
******************

 The first question (newly added in v1.3) is a question about which screenmode to use. By default it used to be set to DirectX mode, but recently some people have had the game fail in this mode and unless it works, OpenGL cannot be chosen. So now, if DirectX fails, it won't be set and on next game run you will be asked again. This time people can choose OpenGL mode and hopefully this will allow more people to play the game. We do know though that if a mode doesn't work its almost always down to the user having old video drivers (or corrupt drivers) installed. PLEASE, make sure your drivers are all up to date !! Once a video mode is set and is successful, you won't be asked this question again. You can change the screenmode used afterwards from the options screen but of course if you change it to a mode that doesn't work you will be stuck in that mode. See below on invoking the test again.

 Next thing you should see on a new installation is a question about testing for a firewall. Selecting yes just makes the game open port 80 (a standard port) and this will hopefully make any firewall software you have open up. This will then leave you to decide if you wish to allow Warblade to communicate with the news server. All this is done before the game creates its screenmode so you can see any firewall requesters that pop open. You can choose to answer no to the test but when Warblade does try to get the latest news, your personal firewall will still jump into action. This is a 1 time question. The reason this has been added is due to firewall requesters popping up behind Warblade (in the background and seemingly invisible to the user) and these popups can make the game seem to be locked up or crashed. We suggest allowing the firewall check to happen so you can set up your firewall software correctly.

 The screenmode test and the firewall test both create a small check file in the "My Documents/Warblade" (PC) or "user folder/warblade" (Mac) folder. To force these tests to appear again just delete those files. They are called "SCREEN_TEST_DONE.tst" and "FIREWALL_TEST_DONE.tst"

 Upon running the game for the first time you will be given 4 options. This is to set up the game according to the specs of your machine. This option is only given on the games first run so any changes after this must be made on the main options screen. However, you can invoke the initial Machine Spec options by holding left shift while starting the game. If you choose a new option here you will have to re-select your profile and make it default again. If you enter your profile password instead, then it will use your previously set options. Remember that no matter what choice you make, you can alter all the settings afterwards...

 The options are :

     Very Old PC (or Mac) - P2 @ 350mhz + 16mb (3D) Video Card.
          Old PC (or Mac) - P3 @ 600mhz + 16-32mb 3D Video Card.
       Normal PC (or Mac) - P4 @ 1.5ghz + 64mb 3D Video Card.
Very Powerful PC (or Mac) - P4 or AMD @ +2ghz + 64mb-128mb 3D Video Card.

 Once the screenmode test is done and the firewall test is done and you have chosen your PC level the game will ask you to create a new profile. This game is best played while always using a profile as certain bonuses and features and new ranks can be unlocked. Shields can be given and locks opened to give rewards. Supply the requester with a username and password and you'll then be asked to log in to your new profile. Once in you will see a blank profile with many options at the bottom. Whichever profile is most used, set it as default. On next game load this profile will be auto loaded (pending you entering the password again). See the profile section for more info.



The menu screens:
*****************

 When the game has successfully started it will be showing you the title screen. The game logo, credits, settings and halls of fame will cycle periodically. You can also jump to the next screen by pressing the right cursor key. Pressing the up cursor key will take you to your highscore lists and if you keep pressing up you will cycle through them. Also, after a certain amount of time the game will start to play itself. (Pressing fire exits this demo mode.) When these screens are showing you can move the mouse to activate the menu line at the bottom of the screen and moving the mouse pointer down on the menubar will make the menu items appear.

 The menu items:

  START       : START 1 PLAYER GAME: This will start a one player game using the active difficulty setting.

              : START 2 PLAYER GAME: This will start a two player game using the active difficulty setting. Player one will start and play the game until he/she is hit/killed, then player two will get to play. When player two is killed, it will be player one's turn again and so on, until both players have lost all of their lives. The game will remember what level the player was killed on and continue on that level.

              : START 2 PLAYER GAME DUEL: This will start a duel between two players. Both players have their fighters onscreen at once. The players must compete against each other for the points and bonuses. The player that has the most points at the end of the game will be the winner of the duel.

              : START 2 PLAYER GAME TEAM: ** Not implemented yet **

              : START TIME TRIAL: (Note! Only in registered version) This will start a time trial game. In this game mode you will play 10 special levels and try to get as many points as possible in 3 minutes.

              : DEMO GAME: This starts the computer playing an early random level.

  ABOUT       : Clicking this will display the about screen.

  STORY       : Clicking this will display the story screen.

  SETTINGS    : Clicking this will display the settings screen. You can also access the Input Config from here.

  BONUSES     : Clicking this will display the bonus info screen.

  HISCORE     : Clicking this will display the highscore lists.

  HELP        : Clicking this will minimise the game and display the online Help page. NOTE! This will open up an Internet Explorer window to show the online webpage containing the most updated help text.

  FAQ         : Clicking this will minimise the game and display the online FAQ page. NOTE! This will open up an Internet Explorer window to show the online FAQ containing the most updated information.

  PROFILES    : Clicking this will display the profile selection window.

  USER MANUAL : Clicking this will minimise the game and display the manual.txt.

  QUIT        : Clicking on this menu item and selecting yes is an instant quit.



The options:
************

 On the option screen you will find the following options: You can either press the key listed below or use the selection arrows for some of the options by moving the mouse and activating the buttons:

   F1        = Start one player game.
   F2        = Start two player game. (Players take turns to play)
   F3        = Start two player game in duel mode. (Players compete for points)

   F5        = Start a time trial game. (3 minutes to get the highest score)

   1         = Select easy game mode. (Only in easy profile)
   2         = Select normal game mode.
   3         = Select hard game mode.
   4         = Select ace game mode.

   P         = Pause the game. (When the game is being played)

   M         = Toggle MP3 music on and off.

   +         = Adjust music volume up. (On the keypad only)
   -         = Adjust music volume down. (On the keypad only)
   Page up   = Adjust sound effects volume up.
   Page down = Adjust sound effects volume down.
   Home      = Adjust voice volume up.
   End       = Adjust voice volume down.

   U         = Toggle voice messages ON or OFF.
   V         = Select and load the next available voice pack.

 Please note the default soundset has changed. The older original sets are now very incomplete and you will miss many important vocal effects by using them. They are retained (at the moment) for your nostalgia. Maybe they will be completed in the future. Who knows... Why not try making your own ? See further down the manual.

   B         = Border scroll, static or black

   ALT + B   = Turn on or off the background graphics. When active a slow scrolling 2 layered starfield / nebula will be displayed. Do not use this on a slow PC !!

   SHIFT + B = Adjust background brightness. There are 6 levels of brightness and this only works if backgrounds are activated.

   D         = Adjust colour resolution. Toggle between 16 bit screen depth and 32 bit screen depth. 16 bit mode is faster, but uses less colours (thousands of colours). 32 bit mode can display millions of colours but is also slower and more demanding on the graphics card. 32 bit will work out best on a fast PC. Switching from 32 to 16 bit and vice versa will require a game restart.

   N         = Adjust the number of background stars. From 100 to 3000 stars. Use shift + N to decrease the number of stars.

   C         = Toggle the collision detection mode.
               Simple: a faster, but not so accurate collision test.
               Normal: Uses a pixel perfect collision test, but uses a bit more cpu time.

   F         = Toggle flare effects ON or OFF. If switched ON and your graphics card has a 3D accelerator, the game will create colorful flares for the explosions and weapons.

   E         = Adjust the size of the explosion. Use shift + E to decrease the size.

   I         = Toggles the bullet mode. NORMAL for standard bullets. BRIGHT for LCD displays or laptops with low refresh rates. Or FLARE FX for normal bullets with flare trails. (A little extra eye candy.)

   Z         = Toggle the background stars mode between Flares and Point stars. Flare stars uses the 3D accelerator on the graphics card to draw flare stars. Point stars is just single bright pixels.

   ALIEN GFX = Due to the conversion of all the level data and a limitation in PTK, the level loading routines have changed. The game now needs a new loading system and so we have provided a buffering option for the alien graphics. The default value here is 5 and for most people this will be perfectly fine. However, if you have a fast, powerful computer, you can raise this value and allow the game to buffer more alien graphics in memory. This DOES use a very large amount of memory though so use this with extreme caution. Setting this too high on a computer that can't handle it will slow the OS to a crawl on exit. Memory required (over and above windows being loaded, the rest of the games data, levels, sounds etc) is :- 5=42mb, 10=84mb, 20=169mb, 40=338mb, 80=676mb and 100=850mb !! Please note that when the game is loading the next alien graphic, for a new level, a small disc icon will appear in the top left corner of the game screen. For most this will flash up very briefly but for those that can buffer ALL the gfx at once it should never show up.

   F6        = Start the jukebox program. With the jukebox program you can create your own list of MP3's, MOD's, OGG's, or MIDI's to be used in the game. You can select different music pieces for every mode or section of the game. Title music, in game music, meteorstorm music and so on... You can also create a different playlist for each profile in the game. So each player of the game can have his or her own favorite music playing.

   F7        = Take a snapshot of the current display and save an image in the relevant user/warblade folder inside a screenshots folder (e.g. My Documents/Warblade/screenshots/). File will be 800*600 and in PNG format. Filename will be ScreenShotXXX.png, where XXX starts at 000 and if it exists then 1 is added. i.e. 001, 002 etc. This can be done while playing too.

   F8        = UNUSED

   F9        = Switch to the input configuration screen. Here you can select which input device to use (Joystick, Joypad or keyboard) for each player. You can also remap the keys to be used to control the fighter and this can be done for each player. Both players can also use the keyboard at the same time! Just remap the keys so that player one uses the left side of the keyboard while player two uses the right side (The keypad ?)

   F10       = This simply checks to see if theres a new version of Warblade available. If there is it will allow you to visit the download page where you will need your login info ready. NOTE! This will open up an Internet Explorer window to contact the Warblade webpage to check for any new versions.

   F11       = Toggle the News Ticker on or off. The news ticker can inform you about development news, bugfixes, new releases and more. ONLY news is sent to the game. If this option is on and there is no internet connection available then an error message will be scrolled instead. Also, if the news server is down, then another error message is displayed. Neither error will stop news from working next time or affect the game so long as your internet connection is active and the news server is functional. You can still use the version checking option (F10) with this news ticker switched on or off. There can be up to 4 different news items at any one time and they will scroll across in turn. If a certain news item has scrolled across 5 times, then that news item is disabled. If the news has been retrieved 8 times then that news is also disabled. All news items can be clicked and you will be taken to a Warblade news page so you can read the news at your leisure. Clicking a news item will also disable it in the scroller. Turning the news ticker off and back on will reset the load and scroll counts. Oh, and you won't be asked about turning this function on until you've played 25 games or more. If you are using a profile that has many more games played then you should be asked as soon as you load this new version.

One last thing to remember, if you use a software firewall like Zone Alarm, then you will need to tell it that Warblade should be allowed to connect to the internet. Or news will be blocked.

   ALT + T   = Choose between Direct X or OpenGL modes. There should be little difference between these 2 options but you must try both and see which one is supported best by your card.

   ALT + M   = This option will toggle random or sequential playing of mp3s

   NumPad *  = Next music track (ingame only and only if multiple tracks are available)

   A         = Show profile selection window

   TAB       = Show current loaded profile

   ESC       = Brings up the exit game menu. You can quit to main menu, quit to windows or you can use the newly added "retire" option. This will end your game as if you just lost your last life. Your bonus score is then added and your profile statistics saved. (these options do not ask for confirmation.)

   T         = Toggle the input (control device) between joystick/joypad and the keyboard.

   W         = Toggle Screen Mode (window or fullscreen) Changing from one mode to another does require the game to be restarted. You cannot switch modes during play.

 NOTE! Windowed mode is harder for your video card to process due to the way the buffers work, so if the game stutters please play in fullscreen mode. The game will also lock to your desktops refresh rate. If you run your desktop at 1024*768 at a refresh rate of 85hz, then the game will play at 85fps. The higher your desktops refresh rate is the smoother the game will be in windowed mode. Please see the tricks and tips section for more.

 WARNING !! If you play in windowed mode and use the locking feature of windows 2000 or XP, (also the switch user feature in XP) then you MUST minimise the game before you lock windows (or switch user). If you don't do this the game WILL crash when you try to restore it. There is currently no known fix for this DirectX issue. Please test this function before you play a long game.

   S         = Toggles the method of playing sounds ingame. Up until v1.2f the game has always used software mixing, but now you can choose hardware mixing which utilises the very latest version of the FMOD sound system. Positional audio and random frequency changes on some sound effects are included in the hardware option to enhance audio. If you use the software mode then all the sounds are played using a priority system. This reduces the load on the software mixing code and cpu. Most people should be able to use the hardware option, but older soundcards may require the old style software mixing.

 Left shift + left ALT + F will display the current frame rate.

 Some of these options are also available while you are playing the game.

  

The game controls:
******************

 You control the fighter with these keys (default)

   Default keys on PC

   Move Left     =  Cursor Left
   Move Right    =  Cursor Right
   Move Up       =  Cursor Up    (Only in shop and memory station!)
   Move Down     =  Cursor Down  (Only in shop and memory station!)
   Fire weapon   =  Left CTRL
   Fire Missiles =  Left ALT     (You must have missiles to fire!)
   Buy item      =  Left CTRL


   Default keys on Mac

   Move Left     =  Cursor Left
   Move Right    =  Cursor Right
   Move Up       =  Cursor Up    (Only in shop and memory station!)
   Move Down     =  Cursor Down  (Only in shop and memory station!)
   Fire weapon   =  SPACE
   Fire Missiles =  Z            (You must have missiles to fire!)
   Buy item      =  SPACE

 You can also choose to use a joystick or gamepad so long as you have one set up within windows. These controls can be reconfigured of course. Press F9 on the main options page. The mouse can also be made active in memory stations and the shop for quicker pair finding or buying. All you have to do is move it and the pointer will appear. The pointer auto hides again when you stop moving the mouse.

TIP !: For Mac user, you can try using the USB Overdrive utility to get joysticks and joypads working in Warblade (http://www.usboverdrive.com) Please refer to the Overdrives own documentation for use.



How to play:
************

 firstly...

***********************
***********************
**                   **
** USE A PROFILE !!! **
**                   **
***********************
***********************

 In Warblade you are in control of a CryTech Delta Fighter Mk X. You move the fighter across the bottom of the screen but you can not move up or down, only left and right. (Default keys: Move left = Cursor left, Move right = Cursor right) You can shoot bullets with your current weapon and try to hit the aliens. (Default Key: Fire = left CTRL) You only have a limited number of bullets to shoot, so when you shoot a bullet you must wait until it has hit an alien or is going off the edge of the play area before you can use the bullet again. You start off with 5 bullets but more bullets can be bought in the shop or collected as bonuses.

 The object of the game is to clean the screen of all aliens, while avoiding the bullets from them. To gain better weapons, extra points and extra features you can collect bonus items that some aliens will drop when they are destroyed. There are also bonus items that will have a negative impact on your fighter. For a list of some of the bonus items please see the bonus screen when you are on the menu screens in the game.

 Every 4th level there is a shop where you can buy ship upgrades or new weapons. You can also buy extra speed, autofire, extra lives, game secrets and much more. One tip we can give you is to BUY THE SECRETS. They are integral to progressing further in the game. Some secrets can unlock extra weapons and items as you progress. You can exit the shop now using escape or using the "exit shop" option at the bottom of the item list. If you buy a secret it will slide onto the screen and either pressing fire or escape will remove it again (when you've done reading it).

 Added to the shop in v1.2f onwards is a "savegame" option. When you enter a shop now there is an extra bar telling you how many saves you have left. You will start with 5 and each time you save it will reduce by 1. There are 2 ways to save with this new system. Press F1 in the shop to save the game and immediately quit to windows. Press F2 in the shop and you will save the game, exit to main menu and close your profile. If you re-open your profile you will be warped straight to the shop you were at when you saved. The same applies to loading any other profile with a stored savegame. Activating a "default" profile when you first load the game which has a savegame stored will also warp you straight to the shop where you saved. Saves are limited to 1 player games only. An extra save game will be added to your profile every 250 levels played up to a maximum of 5.

 NB// You won't have access to the backup functions for a profile when a savegame is active in it. If you wish to backup your profile you can copy it manually or you must end your game to have access to the backup options again. A savegame is removed from your profile once its reloaded so if you save a game, backup your profile, reload save game and do badly, you cannot just restore the profile again and reload the save again.

 There are also two sub games inside the game.

  Memory Station  : Here you must turn over the tiles to find a pair. If yu manage to find all the pairs within the time limit then you will get a point bonus. If you manage to do this two times then the tile grid will increase in size and the bonus points will also increase. You can also earn bonuses from the tile pairs such as extra bullets or speed.

  Meteor Storm    : Here you must navigate through a field of floating rocks. You can pick up extra bonus points and extra cash from bonus items. If you crash into the rocks then you will be brought back to the normal game. If you get to the end of rocks, you will get a big bonus. Pressing fire while in the meteorstorm will act like an accelerator and releasing fire will slow you down again. You will slow down faster than you speed up. The meter to the right of your ship indicates your speed. A percentage indicator is also shown under the speed bar to show how well you are playing (while using speed). There is also a distance meter so you know how far from the end of the storm you are.

 On each side of the screen there is a border. In this border there will be displayed information for each player. Player one's info is displayed on the left side and player two's info on the right side. The information from top to bottom is as follows :

  Money           : How much money the player has. This money can be used in the shop to buy better weapons, more speed for the fighter, more bullets, etc...

  Fighters left   : How many lives / fighters the player has left. You start with three lives / fighters. 1 in play and 2 on side bar.

  Points multiply : x2 or x5. If the multiplier is active any points you get from destroying an alien, collecting a bonus, etc.. will be multiplied by 2 or by 5.  So if you have the x5 bonus and get a 100 point bonus then you will instead get 500 points. This bonus is timer controlled and will only last for a set period of time.

  E X T R A       : By collecting the bonuses with the letters E, X, T, R and A on them will spell out the word EXTRA in the border. When complete you will be rewarded with an extra life.

  Rank marks      : When you destroy a big alien a rank mark will be dropped, if you catch this a rank mark will appear in the border. There are 6 different coloured version of the rank marks. If you collect all 6 marks and have enough money to enter the shop then you will be promoted to the next rank.

  Armour          : If you catch an armour bonus or buy one in the shop, it will show in the border. You can have a maximum of 2 armours. If you have an armour bonus and get hit by an alien bullet, the shield will be activated to protect you against the bullet.

  Info bars       : In the border there are also 3 bars that show the following info :-

                  S - Speed - This bar will show how much speed the fighter has. Catch speed up bonuses ingame to gain more speed or buy more speed up's in the shop.
                  B - Bullets - This bar will show how many bullets are available. In Warblade there is a limit to how many bullets you can fire and have on screen at any given time. At the start of the game this limit is 5. You can change this limit by collecting extra bullets bonuses or by buying extra bullets in the shop.
                  T - Bonus Time - This bar will show how much bonus time you have. There are certain bonuses in the game that only last for a certain amount of time. By catching the extra time bonus (or buy more extra time in the shop) you can prolong the time that these bonuses last. (i.e sheild, scoop, multiply etc..)

 There could be extra bars or counters available later on if you LEARN THOSE SECRETS !!



The time trial mode:
********************

 The timetrial mode is a special version of the game. You must try to get the highest possible score in just 3 minutes! These special levels are very action packed and very fast. The difficulty settings do not apply to the time trial mode and you are given one weapon to use while playing too. Just blast away for a top score ! There are profile locks available in time trial that can boost your game as you get better scores. Can you unlock them all ?



The profile system:
*******************

 The profile system lets you save a lot of statistics and take advantage of them as you get better. The profile saves your hiscores, completion times, levels played and a whole lot more. All this info is recorded in real time, so if you stop or break out of the game then the info is still recorded. Some of the info is only recorded after a certain number of levels are played so you can not just start and stop and start again to make fake updates to the info. Also, if you play a long game and wish to exit, please use the retire option. This will ensure that all your game stats are stored.
	
 It will save the following stats :-

- Top score (Your best score in one of the normal play modes)
- Meteor storm score (Your best ever meteor storm score)
- Time trial (Your best ever time trial score)
- Level 100 score. (Your best score ever at passing level 100)
- Perfect bonus rounds (Your total number of perfect bonus rounds) A percentage of perfect bonus rounds is also shown.
- How many secrets you have done (found) in the game (This is not the same as how many you have bought in the shop!)
- How many secrets you found in one game.
- The fastest time you have cleared a level.
	
 The rest are pretty much self explanatory.

 As your different stats get better and better, you will open the locks. Locks let you start games with certain bonus features already activated from level 1. To see what a lock will unlock, place the mouse pointer on the lock and press the left mousebutton. You will only be able to get a hint on the first locked lock in each group.

 And then there are the...... ;-) Shhhh, its a secret. Theres a LOT in this game to find for yourself!

 Please note, creating an Easy profile will mean that some ranks are unavailable to you. Top ranks are for top players (i.e. Play in Normal mode or above) A warning is included to notify you of this on the creation of an easy profile.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 THE EASY PROFILE IS INTENDED FOR CHILDREN AND SHORT GAMES. WE RECOMMEND YOU CREATE A NORMAL PROFILE !!
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Please also note, that all your family can have their own profiles. Use different names to identify them and allow each player to choose their own password. You can have up to 10 profiles in total numbered 000-009.

 Also added to the profile system are some new menu options. You can now alter your name or password, reset certain areas of your profile, or even reset it completely. You can also backup and restore profiles with a simple button click. Changing the password WILL require your old password. Changing your name will also update your local Hall Of Fame lists too... Clever huh !

 When you first run the game you will be asked if you wish to create a profile. If you decline then no stats will be recorded from your gameplay, so we suggest you DO make one to get the full enjoyment from this game. Once its created you will also be asked if you wish the news ticker to be turned on. Please see the game options menu section for info about the news ticker (F11).

 To create more profiles in future you can press A while on the menus to get the profile list. Then click New to create a new profile. Give it a password and then select "use profile". 1 profile can be set as the "default profile" so that you are automatically asked for a password for it on next game load. TAB on menus or ingame shows the active profile.

 Starting a 2 player game will unload any profile. If you then wish to play a single player game, then the profile you wish to use must be reloaded.



The hiscore system:
*******************

The hiscores are saved for each game mode. The top 20 scores are displayed during demo mode and the following modes are currently in the game

     - Easy mode
     - Normal mode
     - Hard mode
     - Ace mode
     - Meteor storm
     - Time trial

The scores are submittable to the online halls of fame where you can compete against other Warblade players around the world. Navigate to one of the halls of fame and when you move the mouse a new button will appear. This button will allow you to submit all of your best scores to the online lists. You will be prompted for your login password (the one given to you when you registered the game, sent to you by email) and then the rest is automatic. If you already have a hiscore in the hall of fame and you submit better ones then the old scores will be removed. There is only one score allowed for each player in each mode. This is done to prevent 4-5 people taking up all the hall of fame lists. The online halls of fame will display the top 100 players in the world for each mode and are refreshed every month. If a top score in one month beats a score in the "all time" lists then it is added there forever, or until its bettered.

 The submit tool is no longer compatible with warblades hiscore files from v1.32 upwards and this means that score merging and the print functions are also lost.

NOTE!! : Hiscore submission IS NOW AVAIABLE on the Mac version! This is one of the main reasons why the system was changed and the submit tool has been discontinued.

NOTE!! : Your 15 digit code is in your purchase email from EMV. If you double click that code in the email it will highlight it. You can then press Ctrl C to copy it into memory. When you click the submit button ingame the code in memory will be auto entered for you. This should help you get the correct code into the game.



The jukebox system:
*******************

The jukebox system was made to allow the user to add their favourite mp3 or module music to the game. When you are inside the game and on the menu screens you can start the jukebox program by pressing F6. The game will then minimize to the taskbar and the jukebox program will open up. (You can also run the jukebox tool directly from your Warblade folder.) In the jukebox you have options to add the path to any music file that you would like to hear in the game. You can change the music for every part of the game for example, title screen music, ingame music (multiple files), hiscore music, memory station, meteor storm music, shop music, boss level music, end music and more. Use the buttons to open up a windows file browser and browse through your harddisk(s) and select the music files you wish to add. The jukebox supports a range of file formats including MP3, OGG, MOD, s3m, IT and many others.

If you use a profile to play you can also have a different jukebox playlist for each player. So every player with a profile can have his or her favorite music that is automatically loaded when the profile is opened up. Non module format music will now also continue to play after music changes for things like memory station, bosses or shops.

Added in v1.3 is mp3 style playlist support. If you create a playlist file (must be a .m3u file) then Warblade will find this and play the listed music instead. You can only add mp3 or ogg files in this playlist. The playlist file MUST be named "playlist.m3u" and be placed in the same folder as all the other created files. i.e "My Documents/Warblade" (PC) or "user folder/warblade" (Mac). You can switch the music list you are listening to using M while on the options screens or ingame. The order is Mod -> MP3 -> Playlist and back to mod again. If no playlist exists then M will just switch between mod and mp3.

NOTE!! : Jukebox is not available on Mac, but we hope to integrate this into the game for both Mac and PC users.



The voice system:
*****************

Warblade also supports extra voice packs. So you can now have many different voice styles to use in the game and you can even make your own. (Get ready, money, bonus, etc.) You can switch between the voices with the V key or via the games menu. With each press you will activate the next available voiceset.

To make your own samples open up the file 'Wv.id' in a text editor (notepad will do) and you'll see that it contains a list of all the available words and phrases that can be used in the game. The list is showing the filename and what the sample is used for. The sampled files must be placed in a new folder and the folder must be named within the number sequence. The default folder is named '1' (one) so the next folder must be '2' and the next must be '3', and so on. Each folder should contain all the samples for a voiceset and also a copy of the 'wv.id' file. So in folder '1' there is the default female voice, in folder '2' is the robot voice and so on. The file 'Wv.id' must be present in each folder for it to work!

The samples can be in WAV, MP3 or OGG format.

So, to make your own voice set, you do the following.

 1. Make a new folder ('3' for example. If you already have '1' and '2')
 2. Copy the 'Wv.id' file to the new folder from one of the previous folders.
 3. Go through the list and record a sample for each of the commands and save the sample with the correct filename and in one of the supported formats.
 4. test the new voice pack in Warblade. Use V to change active voice pack.
 5. If you think the voiceset should be heard by all the other Warbladers out there then contact me about getting your voiceset added onsite. It would be great to see websites with voicesets on for people to use. If you would like it including on the official Warblade site, pending our own quality control, email us first so we can have a listen to some of the vocals. In the first instance, do not send the files. Email us at edgar@warblade.as or hitt.man@ntlworld.com

 Creation of good voice sets to share amongst the community of players is very much encouraged :)



Credits:
********

 Programming, graphics, game design, sound fx and level design

  by Edgar M Vigdal.
 --------------------

Additional game design Simon Quincey, Joshua Wayne and SR.
Additional Ideas by Simon Quincey, Joshua Wayne and SR.
Additional levels by Simon Quincey and Joshua Wayne.

Extended, complete voice sets supplied by Simon Quincey and Vanessa Quincey. Available to registered users.

MOD music and initial voices by Yannis Brown from the voice of Violette Brown.
Additional voice samples by Camren Harm and Angela Strauss.

MP3 music by Vandark.
MP3 Soundtrack Addon by Yannis Brown. Available to registered users.

Modpack Addons compiled by Simon Quincey. Available to registered users.

Other MOD musics by Drax, Manic, and Seth Peele.

End music MOD by Peter Hajba (Skaven of Future Crew) (Brilliant mod tune)
Endgame text by Sharlene A Wade. Thankyou.

Original v1.0 Manual by                       : Edgar M Vigdal
Extended and Maintained up to current version : Simon Quincey

Manual Translations for 1.2c by  : Polish  - Miros³aw 'Miroro' Róg
                                   Spanish - Claudio 'Micro-BIOS' Estrugo
Manual Translations for 1.2y by  : French  - Francois 'Frantic Franz' Rimbert
                                   German  - Elke 'Bonitos' Rausch

 Please note v1.2c or v1.2y information will be very out of date now. Would you like to make new v1.3 translations for us? Please email me on hitt.man@ntlworld.com !!

Beta testers : Simon Quincey
               Ray Smith
               Patrice Krystofiak
               Joshua Wayne
               Odd Rune Olsen
               Kieron G Smith
               Kurt Zakrzewski
               Sharlene A Wade
               Scott Bell
               SR

Additional V1.2 testers : Alan DeLaughter
                          Lisa Kirkham
 (many thanks you 3)      John Drake

Additional V1.2x tester : Roland Meinhard (Tirelessly stress-tested Ace mode savegames for us over a rushed 2 day period, playing over 1100 levels in one Ace mode game! Excellent reports sent back to us. Many thanks.)

Special thanks also to Shane R Monroe!

// EDGAR - Special thanks also to Simon Quincey! I think I would have given up on this was it not for his hard work and great feedback.
// SIMON - Awww shucks ;-) Its been a pleasure and will continue to be so !

// SIMON - And still we continue onwards...



Known Issues:
*************

1. Some download managers can corrupt the game download. Don't use them !
2. Anti Aliasing and Anisotropic Filtering can cause some or all of the games graphics to be corrupted. Make sure these options are set to "off" or "application controlled" in your driver options. Never have these options forced on.
3. The game can skip levels on rare occasions. No known workaround. We think this may be due to high cpu usage by other programs. Some virus checkers or automatic daily tasks could be the culprit. Always play after a fresh reboot and try not to have other programs running at the same time.
4. Invisible scooped aliens. Corrupt scooped aliens. No known fixes so far. Not seen this error in v1.3 so far but its not necessarily fixed. We need to know :)
5. End credits lockup on the loop section sometimes. Press Alt Tab and wait a while till you get to the desktop. Return to the game and it'll continue. May be fixed now in v1.3.
6. On a new installation the default screenmode is 16bit. On some Sli setups 16bit cannot be shown. If you get a blank game screen but can hear it running, quit the game, disable Sli and rerun game. Change mode to 32bit and then reload game again. If it now runs, try Sli mode back on. If you get a blank screen again, disable Sli. We do not know why this happens at the moment. If game screen is blank then Alt F4 will quit game.
7. If running this on Vista using an account which is NOT an administrator account, you will need to run this using the "run as administrator" option. Right click the exe and choose the compatibility tab.



Version History:
****************

v1.33 Released 23.09.2008
*************************
- Fixed Bug when loading saved games.
- Small internal bugs fixed.


v1.32 Released 05.06.2008
*************************
- Fixed Bug when checking numbers of malfunction levels (malfunction levels now work)
- Fixed Jukebox link now working from ingame (Vista)
- Fixed A key kept re-opening profile list
- Fixed Backspace issue while entering names into highscore table
- Fixed Potential bug with setting correct game speed for a level after a game load
- Fixed If "hurryup" sound played first "hurryhurry" would always play too
- Fixed Shield bonus icon
- Fixed Game tips sometimes not showing (added an extra tip too)
- Fixed Warp malfunction stars move better now, no longer random
- Changed Deadzone on analog joysticks (doubled old value)
- Changed Screenmode now changeable on first run after screenmode request
- Changed Hiscore file format and filename format. No longer compatible with the submit tool
- Changed Kamikaze sound effects again to fix Mac version issue
- Added Old colour flash routine back in, used for gem/money bomb explosions in non-flares mode
- Added Ingame hiscore submission (see "The hiscore system" section)
- Added Small text to level 100 credits (left and right mouse and continue)


v1.31 Released 21.04.2008
*************************
- Fixed Planet rank graphics not showing in profile
- Fixed Slidey ship movement using key control on Mac
- Fixed Endgame bonus count screen if retiring from game whilst showing a promotion screen
- Fixed Level 59 unkillable aliens bug
- Fixed Meteorstorm bars going a bit wrong in 2 player mode
- Fixed Deletion of savegames on savegame reload
- Fixed Hitmasks on many alien graphics and bullets
- Fixed Defining keys to move or fire which are same as option keys (keys can be used now, option won't work ingame)
- Fixed Problem seeing correct number of saves on a new profile until after a reload of game
- Fixed Warp Malfunctions should now always eventually appear
- Fixed Time trial timer appearing in normal game after loading a profile
- Fixed Difficulty stopped going up at a certain point. Difficulty now goes up forever !!
- Fixed Speed of Easy mode
- Fixed Speed of Time Trial, offers equivalent of about 30 seconds worth of extra play
- Fixed Submit tool, merge hiscore function is now working again
- Fixed Submit and Jukebox programs will now look in correct folder for data files
- Fixed Optimised the use of some sound effects for alien hits and explosions
- Removed Fmod
- Added Bass sound library to handle all sounds. Game now very stable on Macs
- Fixed Many samples in relation to Bass change
- Fixed All game created files (profiles, .dbg, .his etc) now save to "my documents/warblade" (PC) or "user folder/warblade" (Mac)
- Added 5 new time trial levels
- Added 5 new aliens for new time trial levels
- Added 2 minutes worth of Time Trial play to demo version
- Added TAB now opens active profile while on menu/intro screens
- Added NumPad * jumps to next ingame tune (if more than 1 ingame tune is set up)
- Added Jukebox, CrashReportSender and Submit tools to the package (oops)
- Added More mouse pointer hiding code
- Added More sound effects to Memory Station
- Added Code to stop the windows screensaver activating while game running
- Added B for Border option, static, scrolling or black
- Changed Default and minimum buffer level is now 5. To fix scooped aliens after loading a savegame


v1.3 Released 27.03.2008
************************
- Ported, recoded and compiled using the excellent PTK Development Library - New Mac version now available !!
- Fixed Bug when typing wrong profile password and retrying with correct one
- Fixed Bug when loading a save game just before a boss level
- Fixed Some filenames on music files and some sound effects and vocals
- Updated Intro animation graphics
- Updated Requester window graphics and profile graphics
- Updated Star flare and point drawing routines (Flare mode is actually faster than point mode now)
- Updated Shop secret texts and window
- Added New anagram in shop. Can you find it ?
- Added All requester windows now slide in and out
- Added Sliding distance meter in meteorstorms
- Added New level and graphics buffering option (see options section)
- Added New disc icon flashes onscreen when loading alien graphics
- Added Winamp playlist support (see jukebox section)
- Added New song on gem drop in mp3 mode
- Added Game tips at gameover bonus count
- Changed Ingame link to manual now links to online version
- Changed After level 50 the single shot bonus shouldn't appear any more
- Changed After level 150 the double shot bonus shouldn't appear any more
- Changed After level 300 the triple shot bonus shouldn't appear any more
- Changed Default fire and rockets keys on Mac (Space to fire and Z to fire rockets)
- Changed Very fast random number generator added
- Removed Border option. Simple border no longer needed
- Removed VSync option
- Removed Double or triple buffering option


v1.2y6 Released 16.03.2006
**************************
- Fixed Collision routines. Hopefully 100% fixed now (feedback needed)


v1.2y5 Released 15.02.2006
**************************
- Fixed Collision routines. Done a bit of a work around
- Fixed Crash in gameover bonus count of very long games with big scores


v1.2y4 Released 23.01.2006
**************************
- Updated Collision routines to fix crashes (feedback needed)


v1.2y3 Released 17.01.2006
**************************
- Updated Collision routines to fix crashes (feedback needed)


v1.2y2 Released 04.01.2006
**************************
- Fixed Controls in Memory Station
- Fixed Path of Big Bosses when VSync is off


v1.2y Released 03.01.2006
*************************
- Added Self play mode (please help out by running this as often as you can)
- Fixed Random crashes (initial fixing done, tests ongoing)
- Fixed Positioning of clickable highscore entries
- Fixed Voice volume is no longer adjusted by effects volume now
- Fixed Bosses and mini bosses no longer move too low at higher game speeds
- Changed Crashreportsender now backs up the warblade.dbg file to a folder
- Changed Crashreportsender bypasses email clients (see relevant manual section)
- Updated Crash reporter version number to v1.3
- Updated FMod to v3.75


v1.2x Released 15.12.2005
*************************
- Fixed Reverted back to older fmod.dll fixing many issues
- Fixed When changing voicepack and game tries to play a missing sample
- Fixed Current gamespeed is now restored properly after a save and reload
- Fixed X2 and X5 work after a save again and show their graphics properly
- Fixed Typo in a shop description
- Fixed Super gemdrops happen at the right times now
- Fixed Bonus rounds counted properly with savegames. Perfects stored too
- Fixed Bonus savegames after level 3000. Correct amount now given
- Fixed Games title corruption in windowed mode
- Fixed Options menu tidied up a little
- Fixed Skulls counted correctly after saves (please check this)
- Fixed Correct voicepack loaded for each profile now
- Fixed Character error in endgame credits
- Fixed A way to get extra savegames at the shop
- Added A new beta tester to the credits page
- Added Create a new profile popup on first run
- Added Flare trails to all the games bullets on the I menu option
- Updated Crash reporter routines to give more subroutine info
- Updated Crash reporter to provide entire "warblade.dbg" file info
- Updated Crash reporter version number to v1.2
- Fixed Submit tool urls used to upload. Now directs to correct page
- Updated Submit tool version number to v1.5


v1.2h Released 16.10.2005
*************************
- Fixed Super autofire being lost after a save
- Fixed Modules not continuing after pressing pause followed by alt tab
- Fixed Modules now fully pause when game is paused
- Fixed Crash for some users when showing intro screens
- Fixed Set to 0 option on music volume in menu
- Fixed Entering scores for both players after 2 player games
- Changed Randomness of birds raised a little
- Added A fix for fast game after alt tab (hopefully)
- Added A bonus save every 250 levels. Maximum 5 saves


v1.2g Released 15.10.2005
*************************
- Fixed Its amazing sound worked at all (bad bug), it should be tons better now
- Fixed Ship speeds across all modes
- Fixed Too many bonus drops in Ace mode
- Fixed Alien aggressiveness in Ace Mode
- Fixed Locking news ticker in fast scroll mode
- Fixed Savegames causing super auto fire loss
- Fixed Savegames causing alien lock loss
- Fixed Raised priority on Congratulations sound for a perfect
- Fixed Raised priority on Fanfare sound for an extra life
- Fixed Raised priority for big explosion sounds (big boss, guardian etc)
- Fixed Raised priority to high for all shop sounds
- Fixed Music not replaying after a pause or tab when fire key used to continue
- Fixed Splash screen not having its own memory area
- Fixed How all sounds work in combination with the pause mode
- Fixed Showing of rank marks in border
- Fixed A missing voice trigger (sometimes)
- Added New graphic to top of menu screens
- Added New sound for gaining extra time in memory station
- Added New sound for loss of time in memory station
- Changed A little more money from a big boss now
- Changed Skull in memory station to a -15 seconds tile instead
- Removed Some useless code


v1.2f Released 11.10.2005
*************************
- Added Savegames (single player only)
- Added New fmodex.dll (a HUGE list of code changes required!)
- Added Hardware sound mixing option on main menu (press S)
- Added Positional audio (part of hardware mixing option)
- Added Variable frequencies on sound effects (part of hardware mixing option)
- Added Boss.mp3 as a new sound for big boss movement
- Added Hit2.mp3 as a new sound when almost killing big bosses
- Added 2 new voice packs for download
- Added 2 Modpacks for download
- Added Ask to test firewall before screenmode is set on first run
- Added New hit effect for laser beast
- Added New effect for aliens bouncing off the scoop
- Fixed Many errors associated with the new savegame code (too many to list)
- Fixed Some errors found by introducing the savegame code (too many to list)
- Fixed Many errors associated with the fmod changes (too many to list)
- Fixed Some errors found by introducing the fmod changes (too many to list)
- Fixed Creating a folder for profiles when no folder is present
- Fixed Game timers running while game paused
- Fixed Speed of option changing buttons when clicked with the mouse
- Fixed Missing voice trigger (final one hopefully)
- Fixed Ship speed differences between different skill modes
- Fixed Blue particles getting stuck in bonus rounds
- Fixed Crash report sender crashing when Outlook or Outlook Express is not the default email client. Version number raised to 1.1
- Fixed Player 2 was unable to fire rockets
- Fixed Player 2 couldn't collect gems in a gem drop
- Fixed Correct player gets a perfect from a bomb in a 2 player bonus round
- Fixed Player 2 can now press fire when he gets a new rank
- Fixed Meteor storm meter for player 2 sometimes on wrong side
- Fixed Very fast game movement after returning from a minimised game
- Fixed Some sounds still play after a player dies and it goes to next player
- Fixed Some music still playing when game is minimised
- Fixed Flashing line on right side after alt tab while game is paused
- Fixed Ingame option keys now disabled if assigned as a player key
- Fixed Player 2 being able to fire in Time Trial mode after a duel game
- Changed Splash screen to a new one
- Changed The endgame text in 2 player mode if its a draw
- Changed Profiles for player 1 are closed if a 2 player game is started
- Changed The timing method on particles
- Changed Alt V option is no longer possible ingame. Set on main menu first
- Changed Distance bar in meteorstorm to stay onscreen longer at end
- Changed Alienattack.mp3 for a new one to remove distortion problem
- Changed Alienattack2.mp3 for a new one to remove distortion problem
- Changed Hit1.mp3 for a new one to remove distortion problem
- Changed Endgame zoom to a new smoother better looking routine
- Changed Guard.mp3 for a new sound for laser beast movement
- Changed Mother.mp3 for a new sound for hurry up ships movement
- Changed Graphic for laser beast, now animated
- Changed Made ace mode border a little darker for better visibility
- Changed Flare and particle system when an alien dies. Making the effect nicer
- Changed Engine flare on player 1's ship to be a little nicer


v1.2e(S) Released 27.03.2005
****************************
- Fixed The other big alien on level 36
- Fixed Profile bonus rounds bug
- Added Warning for newsfeed and 56k users


v1.2e Released 25.03.2005
*************************
- Fixed Getting stuck on level 98 (invisible alien)
- Fixed Animation cycle of Big Bosses - Caused invisible bosses
- Fixed Animation cycle of big alien on level 36
- Fixed Aliens getting stuck on level 65
- Fixed Game speed after a Time Trial game if set to Ace skill mode in menu
- Added More crash capture code to help find problems
- Added Check input options so 1 key cannot be used for 2 functions
- Added News retrieval message screen
- Added New profile import code for 1.2c profiles
- Added Right mouse button now speeds up the news ticker
- Changed HOF checking - now checks email address as well
- Changed News is now loaded during the show of initial splash screen
- Changed News code to add some better functionality
- Changed Meteor Storm distance meter (much nicer)
- Changed Aliens in Time Trial now also fully updated
- Changed Screenshots are now saved to a folder


v1.2d Released 18.03.2005
*************************
- Fixed Money from Big Boss (less money). Previous fix had a bug
- Fixed Missing voice trigger
- Fixed Triple Buffer mode is NOT on by default now
- Fixed A couple of Meteor Storm percentages
- Fixed Aliens WILL now speed up per 100 levels in windowed mode
- Fixed Time Trial mode playing at selected skill level fps
- Fixed An fps setting bug when loading the game and playing certain skills
- Fixed Scoop now works on both ships in mirror mode
- Fixed Both ships can now pick up gems in mirror mode
- Fixed Captured aliens now show on the mirrored fighter
- Fixed Opening of IE windows. They now open fully maximised to users desktop
- Fixed Kamikaze bonuses for player 2
- Fixed Clearing of profile on cheat detection (now fully clears)
- Added Intro animation (very nice)
- Added Flare effects to all weapons (can be turned off)
- Added Retire option in the game exit menu (press escape ingame)
- Added New particle routines
- Added Particle routine to bonus round text
- Added Particle routine to scoop (different colours for both players)
- Added Particle routine to both players ships trails
- Added Particle routine to rockets from player and hurry up ships
- Added Particle routine to Big Boss hits
- Added Particle routine to Big Alien hits
- Added Particle routine to Memory Station start and end texts
- Added Particle routine to Meteor Storm start and end texts
- Added Particle routine to Gem Drop start text
- Added Bird counter in border
- Added News Ticker (see F11 option in manual)
- Added EMV logo on startup
- Changed Hurry Up ships speeds a bit at high levels
- Changed the menu option "flare explosions" to "flare effects"
- Changed Almost all the alien and big boss graphics
- Changed Laser Beasts laser
- Changed Lots of sound effects
- Changed All sound effects are now in mp3 format
- Changed Backgrounds (higher quality, better choices)
- Changed Background stars (higher quality)
- Changed All border graphics for each skill mode
- Changed Meteor Storm distance meter is now in border
- Changed Meteor Storm distance meter swaps sides for 2 player
- Changed Game speed limiters per 100 levels have been removed


v1.2c Released 25.08.2004
*************************
- Fixed Submit tool wouldn't load if there was no default printer
- Fixed Using longnames in profile and not showing correctly in HOF
- Fixed Some other longname issues
- Fixed Bonuses from a group of aliens sometimes caused the score to go to -1
- Fixed Minimise game in windowed mode then lock the PC. Game would always crash when you try to restore it
- Fixed If submit is open it will now reload highscore list on next activation
- Added Some extra crash report info (window or fullscreen)


v1.2b Released 24.08.2004
*************************
- Fixed Problems with resetting the profile times (fastest times)
- Fixed Bug that gave all profiles the same serialcode
- Fixed Screenshot function for windowed mode
- Fixed Shop "lights" so they follow shop out
- Fixed Some holes in the shop graphics
- Changed speed of falling 2nd type aliens


v1.2 Released 22.08.2004
************************
- Fixed ? in game stats in highscore list entries
- Fixed Massive bonus scores in bonus rounds (requires a HOF reset again, sorry)
- Fixed A missing voice trigger
- Fixed Explosion sparks error (huge numbers)
- Fixed Game sometimes showed the wrong highscore on starting a new game
- Fixed Game wouldn't run if no internet connection was available
- Added Dialog box to say there is no new version after an online check
- Added Warning dialog to the F10 new version function
- Fixed By default it won't check for a new version of the game
- Fixed Old profiles now have the game settings reset
- Fixed Constantly spinning scooped aliens
- Fixed You should no longer see scores shown as a * or / or % any more
- Fixed Skull secret working again
- Added Extra joypad assignments for pause and profile view
- Fixed 1 sample filename was wrong
- Fixed Mouse showing in MeteorStorm after pressing escape twice
- Fixed Recorded gametime errors in profile AND highscore stats
- Fixed If no voicepacks available and user pressed V the game would hang
- Fixed No shield seen. May be fixed for some video cards
- Fixed Full install download cleaned up a little
- Fixed Bullet speed bonus points if max bullet speed is owned
- Added Big points bonus for all secrets in one game
- Fixed If default profile is deleted the game would still ask for a password
- Added New shop item descriptions
- Fixed A few other things which we can't tell you about ;-)
- Fixed Drunk meteorstorm secret fixed
- Fixed xC secret
- Added Meteorstorm percentages
- Updated Meteorstorm secrets and methods (for you lot to learn)
- Fixed Game should now always progress to level 2
- Fixed A few fps related bugs when playing with no vsync
- Fixed Possibly fixed the Boss crashes
- Added A new double/triple buffer mode option for different video cards
- Added Warning about ranks on new easy profile creation
- Fixed Champion rank re-added to easy profiles
- Added Option to choose sequential or random ingame music
- Fixed Meteorstorm gems are now worth 5 each
- Fixed Items from bonus locks are properly ordered
- Fixed Warp graphic not reloaded after alt/tab
- Updated A few sound effects
- Added A few more sound effects
- Added Some neat explosion graphics
- Fixed 1 pixel border misalignment
- Added CrashReportSender.exe (see "starting the game" section)
- Added Confirmation in shop of weapon already owned + other information
- Added Full new icon set
- Added New menu options in the profile (backup, restore, reset, change name)
- Fixed Text bonus values in gemstorms
- Added Something in Memory Stations ;-)
- Added Right mouse can now speed up the endgame credits
- Added WINDOWED MODE !
- Fixed A border error while viewing a profile in demo mode


v1.1 Released 31.05.2004
************************
- Added Quite a few new secret bits and bobs ;-)
- Added 2 new bonus drops
- Added Detection and notification of new Warblade releases ingame
- Added 10 second countdown in memorystation
- Added Accelerator in meteorstorm
- Added Numerous new voice triggers
- Added A few new sound effects
- Added New explosion sounds for bombs and cool new graphic effect
- Added New flare explosions for remaining enemies
- Added New lock in timetrial
- Added New Screenshot function - F7 in menu
- Added New meters next to ship for various timed bonuses
- Added New blinking lights on fighters
- Added New warp effects on fighter
- Added Bonus points for acquiring rockets over 50
- Added New effect during endgame credits
- Added MP3's now continue where they left off after a music change
- Added Chosen voiceset "welcome" is played when profile password is entered
- Added Preset menu at start (only first time)
- Added Possibility to view profiles
- Added Easy profiles
- Added Voice volume control
- Added Check for Welcome and Goodbye sounds in voice folder or default is used
- Added Framerate check for gamespeed
- Added Fireworks for winner at 2 player duel endgame
- Fixed Recorded gametime is now very accurate. Paused game time is not recorded
- Fixed Ending now has two modes
- Fixed Game will now be a bit faster evey 100th level
- Fixed If no 3D card was available the game could crash
- Fixed Shop items gfx was not showing
- Fixed Level 65 had some aliens that got stuck outside the screen.
- Fixed Starting a new game very quickly started on level 2
- Fixed Text for locks when viewing profile ingame went behind borders
- Fixed Catching a gemstorm in a bonus round meant losing the bonus round
- Fixed Pressing escape twice in memorystation quit game
- Fixed Being able to fire rocets after you die
- Fixed Being able to fire rockets in meteor storm
- Fixed Locks now always give best weapon
- Fixed Big bosses disappearing
- Fixed Jukebox issues (re-create your playlists)
- Fixed Shop rollover sound issue
- Fixed Memory station skull issue
- Fixed Money Ship now has an explosion
- Fixed Money going up to money ship is released on its death
- Fixed Multiple submit tools opening
- Fixed Many game gfx that had dirty masks
- Fixed After a pause in a gemdrop small gems would appear
- Fixed Certain sounds not heard sometimes
- Fixed The quiet lock remains quiet
- Fixed Large bonus messages were overlapping
- Fixed Secrets now remain in shop until bought AND done
- Fixed Esc, continue, pause bug
- Fixed Laser shooting offscreen
- Fixed Laser changing to single shot after pressing tab
- Fixed Bug on 250 million score lock
- Fixed A few rank related bugs
- Fixed Issue with xC secret
- Fixed Scores being randomly reset at 4th boss
- Fixed Modchange after bigbosses
- Fixed Looping of ingame modules
- Fixed Alt Tab issues during endgame credits
- Fixed Endgame credits not looping
- Fixed Alt Tab game icon
- Fixed Profile protection (ongoing)
- Fixed Pressing I ingame to turn high intensity bullets on and off
- Fixed Endless level 1
- Fixed Max money check
- Fixed If p1 has lost all lives in duel the voice still says get ready players
- Fixed 2 player mode, player 2 was holding his hit count in bonus levels
- Fixed 2 player mode, player 2 follows the rank of player one
- Fixed Player 2 remains ensign but at endgame the correct rank is shown
- Fixed When in the background the game was eating 98% CPU time
- Updated RNG for better and faster generating.
- Updated Bosses get tougher every 100 levels
- Updated Endgame bonuses
- Updated Screenshot function
- Updated Manual.txt
- Updated Accounts are now recoded and changed to Profiles
++ Lots of secret changes...


v1.0 Released 12.12.2003
************************
- First release of the full version 1.0
- Millions of bugs fixed. Many new features - too much to remember and list.
- Possibly more bugs created ;-)


Added in Beta 11 Release 4
**************************
- Fixed perfect bonus bug
- Fixed level pack verification


Added in Beta 11 Release 3
**************************
- Fixed shop secret bug.
- Added increasing perfect bonus level bonus
- Fixed bug with bullets bar 
- Added more locks to account system
- Better GDES
- Fixed some other small bugs


Added in Beta 11 Release 2
**************************
- Fixed warp malfunction bug
- Fixed alien disappearing from left edge of playfield


Added in Beta 11 Release 1
**************************
- Included the meteorgfx in the game
- Added Speed, bullets and time bars
- Fixed bug in duel playmode when getting to a bonus round
- Error when exiting hopefully gone
- Fixed some blt errors
- Added background to lock tips
- Added new secret
- Added Close Account to the account window
- Added Print Hiscores to the Hiscore Tool (Submit tool)
  * User can now print out a selected hiscore table
  * User can select font, color, background image and other settings for the print out
- Added Merge Hiscores to the Hiscore Tool (Submit tool)
  * User can now merge two hiscore files into one.
  * User can email his/her hiscore file to an email address
- Fixed Submit Hiscore
- Added Submit all hiscores button
- Fixed some levels where aliens got stuck outside of screen
- Updated all kamikaze levels, some aliens disappeared when they turned
- Updated name of bonus games mp3. Are now meteorstorm.mp3 and memorystation.mp3
- updated name of promoted mp3. It's now promoted.mp3
- Updated and added some account locks
- Added point score when full up with either Armour, speed, or bullets
- Fixed formating of score values. Now supports at least 999 billions!
- Changed some game logic
- Added check to init of memorystation to make sure there is always a pair
- Added wait to button released to showing of secret in shop
- Optimized the info showing in the sidebars
- Display meteorstorm distance meter when showing meteorstorm score


Added in Beta 11 Release 0
**************************
- Account system introduced. Very big addition!
- Collision detection with bonuses fixed
- 75 levels
- more secrets added
- web and email links added to the credit screen.
- 3D sparks added to the explosions
- Added small bullets to War.i.plasma (was missing)
- Disappearing kamikaze aliens fixed
- Scoope sound stopping fixed
- Many new ranks added
- New and very fast random number generator
- ping sound delay of missiles is now indicating distance between player and missile.
- new display format for numbers xx.xxx.xxx vs xxxxxxxx
- Player can now see how much extra speed, extra bullets and extra time he have collected.
- starting and stopping of MP3 files should be better
- switching between MoD and MP3 should be better
- and more that I don't remember ;-)


Older development info is lost
