HARDBALL
by ACCOLADE

Designed by Bob Whitehead

A QUICK OVERVIEW OF BASEBALL

(not included)

BATTER UP!

Welcome to the most realistic baseball game ever designed.
Step up to the plate and try to knock that ball out of the park.
You can choose to bunt, steal a base, and control base
running. When your team is in the field, you can control the
type and location of the pitch as well as the fielders.

AMSTRAD DISC LOADING

Set up system and switch on as described in your instruction
manual. Insert disc and type RUN"DISC" and press
ENTER. The program will now load and run.

AMSTRAD CASSETTE LOADING

Set up system and switch on as described in your instruction
manual. Place the cassette in the Datacorder. If necessary
rewind the tape and press the STOP/EJECT key once. If you
have a disc drive, key in the following:- |TAPE then press
ENTER. (the | character is on the key next to P). Press the
CTRL key and keeping it down, press the small ENTER key.
Press PLAY on your Datacorder, followed by any key except
ESC, CAPS LOCK, SHIFT or CTRL. The game will now load
and run.

SPECTRUM CASSETTE LOADING

Turn on the computer, and select 48K mode by pressing
cursor up (the key to the right of the space bar) followed by
ENTER. The copyright sign will appear.
Press J"", and the words LOAD "" will appear
on the screen. Press ENTER, and the screen should go
blank. Place the rewound tape in the datacorder, and press
PLAY. After a short while, the edge of the screen will change
colour, and some writing will appear at the top of the screen.
The program will then start to load and run. These
instructions are for the Spectrum 128K machines only. If you
are running this software on the Spectrum 48K follow the
loading instructions in the manual.

AMSTRAD GAME RESET

To restart the game, press ESC.

SPECTRUM GAME RESET

To restart the game, press BREAK (CAPS shift with
SPACE).

SELECT GAME OPTIONS

Once the game is loaded, you may use the menu to select a
variety of game option combinations such as Home/Visitor,
which team (if any) the computer will play (for a one-player
game), and whether you want a designated hitter (DH). Each
player can either use the keyboard or joysticks by selecting
the redefine keys option, and selecting the desired keys or
moving their joystick, to the prompts.

Note: The program will work with Kempston, Interface II &
Protek joysticks. Or the Sinclair joystick when operated on a
Sinclair 128K Plus 2.

MANAGER'S DECISION SCREEN

The three screens displayed during Hardball are: The
Manager's Decision Screen, the Pitcher/Batter Screen, and
the Field View.

The game begins with the Manager's Decision Screen. It will
also appear if a player presses the SPACE key on the
keyboard at any time during the Pitcher screen. In this
Manager's screen, pressing the SPACE key will "Playball"
(starting the game action or continuing where you left off).
This screen will display a selected line-up for both teams.
"V" will indicate who is at bat and there will also be an
indication of who is on which base (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) how their
batting average. Pitchers are denoted by a P and the
displayed values are the pitchers earned runs average.

Either player can then press his fire button to bring up a full
line up which also displays the team positions and which
hand they bat/pitch with (Right, Left or Switch). Below the
roster will be the management decision options which can be
selected by moving left to select SUBSTITUTE or right to
select EXCHANGE. He can select the player to be
substituted or exchanged by moving up and down the roster
(the selected player being displayed with inverted colours).

To substitute a player move to the appropriate entry in the
roster and move left. You can then scroll the list of players on
the bench up or down within a 3-line window at the bottom of
the screen by moving up or down. Then select the desired
player to come onto the field by pressing the fire button. Note:
Once a player is substituted out(after the first pitch), he can't
return to the field and doesn't go to the bench list. The new
player coming onto the field will replace him at his current
position. Moving left or right will return to the roster.

To exchange positions choose the entry in a manner similar
to that defined above for "substitution". Then move up or
down to select the 2nd player, and press fire to exchange
their positions. If you select a player in a position for which he
is not suited, then an appropriate message ("out of
position!") will be displayed later. There will also be a
likelihood of poor pitching. Likewise to the substitution
moving left or right will return to the roster menu.

The player playing the pitching team can also select the
intentional Walk option on his management screen by
pressing fire.

Remember, press the SPACE key to start (or continue) play of
the game.

GAME PLAY

Play begins with the pitcher's screen depicting the pitcher
batter and umpire. Using the controls, the player
representing the pitcher (field team) may select a type of
pitch as displayed at the bottom of the screen. He must
select one of four choices displayed out of the following eight
pitching types:

* Fastball! (straight and very fast)
* Fastball (straight and fast)
* Offspeed (straight)
* Change-up (straight slower pitch)
* Curve ball (a big sweeping curve)
for left-handed pitchers, the ball curves to the right
for right-handed pitchers, the ball curves to the left
* Screwball (opposite of curve ball)
for left-handed pitchers, the ball curves to the left
for right-handed pitchers, the ball curves to the right
* Sinker (the ball drops - curves down)
* Slider (similar to curve ball, but curves at last moment)

Note: Even if no options are desired, this player must press
and release his fire button while the controls are in a neutral
position for the game to continue. His options will also appear
at the top of the screen and will include bunt or base
stealing (if appropriate).

Note: If you tell a runner to steal a base and the batter doesn't
hit the ball, then the catcher will attempt to throw the lead
runner out.

Once both players have made their selections, a new set of
choices are presented at the top of the screen. The pitcher
will be able to select the position of the pitch (i.e. high, inside,
etc.) and his wind-up will begin once the fire button is
released. The batter will be able to select his corresponding
location of swing with his controls and, by pressing the fire
button, swing.

When the ball is hit, action will flip to the field view screen.
The receiving fielder will be identified by flashing. The player
may use his controls to position the fielder (Back, Left,
Forward, Right) to catch the ball. Once the ball is caught, he
is presented choices as to where to throw the ball (2nd, 3rd,
HOME or 1st).

Nine Pitching Zones Over Home Plate:
2 1 2 X = always a strike
1 X 1 1 = high probability of being a strike
2 1 2 2 = low probability of being a strike

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

As a pitcher gets tired, the probability of throwing a strike
goes down.

Certain pitchers will be stronger in some pitching strikes. If a
pitch is not in the strike zone, the batter can swing but can't
hit the ball. When the ball is hit, the fielding screen is
displayed and (unless it is a foul ball) when the play is
completed, the Manager's Decision screen will be displayed
momentarily before returning to the pitching/batting screen.

When bunting with 2 strikes against you, if the ball goes foul,
it is considered your 3rd strike.

Runners have the option of running to the next base after
a hit.

"Manufactured in the U.K. under license from Accolade and
Amstrad Consumer Electronics PLC & Advance Software
Promotions Ltd."

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Document created by Frode Tenneb�, 20071227.