[stella] Pressure Gauge 2

["John K. Harvey" <jkharvey@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all.  About 6 months ago I was deliberating over the miniscule number
of multiplayer games available for the 2600.  So, I decided to make a
sequel to Pressure Gauge... but better.  It's a 4-player  game (using
paddles), which is mostly finished.  I figured I'd post it to the list,
because I hit a brick wall as far as ideas.  But, I'm way ahead of myself.
Here's how to play.

PG II: Basic instructions:
	It's pretty easy.  Plug in the paddles.  Turn on the game.  The annoying
music does not stop unless you press reset or select (I came up with the
stuff while mowing my lawn this summer... couldn't get it out of my head.
Don't worry, I'll probably replace it later on).
	Each player has their own corner of the screen.  Of course, they start of
with P1 in the upper-left, p2 in the upper right, p3 in the lower left, p4
in the lower right.  The object is simple.  Press the corresponding paddle
button when it's in the "Green Zone".  It'll cause the score section in the
middle of the screen to increment.  48 correct hits later nets you the
title of game winner.  However, the winner screen is just blank again.  I
haven't decided how to finish that yet.
	That's about it for the old Pressure Gauge stuff.
	The new additions are quite cool.  There is a grey bar also within the
corresopnding player's corner of the screen.  If you press your button
while on it, nothing happens, but when it turns white (randomly, of
course), and you press the fire button in the area, you receive a prize.
It changes until you press the button, and then you receive that actual
item.  You'll understand if you try it.  Your paddle knob is then
activated.  Because of code limitations, the moveable range of the paddle
is not very large, so it moves fast.  Basically, you move a highliter
around that allows you to select someone (even yourself!) and "give" that
item to them.
	The items are:
1) Rainbow wafer - it does.... nothing!
2) Red light - stops the individual who is targeted for 3 seconds or so.
3) Green light - speeds up the targeted individual (there are 4 speeds
-stopped, slow, medium, and fast.  All players start on slow).
4) Pink down-arrow - inverts the player selected
5) Yellow Lightning bolt - stops all but the selected player for 3 seconds.
6) Yuk face - completely drains a player's score to zero.
7) Light blue 4 arrows pointing in corners thing - switches all player
positions on-screen (don't worry, your score moves with you) except the
player selected.
8) Pink question mark - picks one of the random items above.

That should be about it.  Basically, my concerns involve what to do when
someone wins.  In Super Bomberman 2, the winner of a few rounds ends up
getting a special item for the next few rounds.  Or, I could interlude with
a sub-game.  Or I could just have the game end after 5 rounds or so, and
play a fanfare for the winner.  I haven't figured anything out that far yet.	
	As far as other future plans, I plan on updating the colors of some
objects, because of bleeding problems.  Also, I need to add background
music, and a title screen that isn't blank, and plays less annoying music.
	Any ideas would be appreciated.  Also, I don't think there will be any
problems (I tested it on an EPROM and a supercharger, with no problems),
but if there are, please feel free to report them.

Thanks a bunch. Hope ya like it.  :)

	-John K. Harvey

Didn't play the original Pressure Gauge yet?  Download it hat
http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~harvey/atari2.htm

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