Zuma Deluxe Readme

ZUMA DELUXE
Version 1.0
December 8, 2003

by PopCap Games

Distributed by RealNetworks, Inc.

Thanks for downloading Zuma. We hope you enjoy the game!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

- System Requirements
- Troubleshooting / Compatibility

- DirectX®
- Screen Color Depth
- Bug Reporting

- Technical Support

- Instructions

- Introduction
- Create Your Profile
- Game Selection
- Options

- How to Play

- Controls
- Objective
- Zuma Meter
- Powerup Balls
- Coins
- Combos
- Chains
- Gaps
- Ace Time

- Adventure Mode
- Gauntlet Mode

- Random
- Specific
- Practice
- Survival

- Scoring
- Gameplay Tips

- Registration

- Benefits of Registering
- How to Register
- Buying the Game
- Problems?

- Version History
- Credits
- Software Use Limitations And Limited License
- Copyright Information

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS [back to top]

Zuma Deluxe requires an IBM PC or 100% compatible computer, with a Pentium II 350 MHz or better processor. Your computer must have at least 128 megabytes of RAM.

Operating System: you must be utilizing Windows 98, ME, 2000, or XP with DirectX® 7 or later to play Zuma Deluxe on your system.

Controls: a keyboard and a 100% Microsoft compatible mouse are required.

Sound: you must have a DirectX® certified sound card installed.

Video: you must have your desktop set to 16 bit or 32 bit color mode (256 Colors may not work).

TROUBLESHOOTING / COMPATIBILITY [back to top]

DirectX®

Zuma requires you to have DirectX® 7 drivers or later installed. These are sound and video drivers from Microsoft that are used in many games. If you need the latest version of DirectX®, go to www.microsoft.com/directx.

Screen Color Depth

Zuma requires you to be running in 16 bit color mode or better. It may not function in windowed mode properly in 256 Colors. If you are running in 256 Colors, the game will try to switch to full-screen mode.

In addition, the game may run slowly in windowed mode using 32 bit color. If this occurs, switch to full-screen mode, or change your color depth to 16 bits.

Bug Reporting

Though we've tried our best to squash all the bugs, every once in a while something we didn't expect pops up...

If you should come across a bug in Zuma, please report it.

If for some reason the program crashes, it will try to capture any pertinent data and give you instructions on how to send that data to PopCap. This is very helpful for tracking down glitches! This information is also stored in a file called crash.txt in your Zuma folder ("C:/Program Files/PopCap Games/Zuma Deluxe" by default). If you can, include this text file with any email you send to PopCap about crashes.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT [back to top]

If you are experiencing problems with Zuma, you can contact us at: support.real.com.

If you can, including the following information along with a description of your problem will help us to help you!

- Title Of Game
- Computer Manufacturer
- Operating System (Windows 98, Windows XP, etc.)
- CPU Type And Speed In MHz
- Amount Of RAM
- Sound Card Type
- Video Card

INSTRUCTIONS [back to top]

Introduction

Can you discover the ancient secrets of the Zuma? Their hidden temples in the jungle teem with traps and tricks! It will take a quick hand and a sharp eye to uncover their treasures...

Zuma Deluxe is an action puzzle game with two main modes. If you are new to Zuma, you should start with the Adventure mode, and move on to Gauntlet once you are experienced with the game.

Create Your Profile

When you first launch Zuma, you will be asked for your name. Your progress and high scores will be saved when you quit. If there are several people playing on one computer, you will want to create separate profiles for each. To do this, click on the link at the top of the screen that reads, "If this is not you, click here." A dialog will appear allowing you to select another identity, or create a new one.

Game Selection

You can choose either Adventure or Gauntlet mode.

Adventure mode is best for new players. You will explore a series of temples in search of the treasure of the Zuma. Each temple is divided into three stages and each stage has several levels. When a level is described with two numbers, such as Level 2-1, that means it is the first level of the second stage.

Gauntlet mode is better for experienced players. As you complete levels in Adventure mode, they are unlocked in the Gauntlet mode. You can then play an endless game on any of them, or on a random succession of levels, trying to earn higher ranks and the fabled Sun Gem.

Options

The Options are accessible from the first game selection screen, or by clicking the Menu button while playing the game. They include:

- Music Volume and Sound Effects: you can adjust these volume sliders separately to fit your preferences.
- Fullscreen: If this is checked, Zuma will use your entire computer screen. If it is not checked, Zuma will be played in a window. It’s up to you to decide which you prefer.
- Custom Cursors: If this box is checked, you will see special custom Zuma cursors in the game rather than Windows standard cursors. If you have a special theme installed that changes your Windows cursors, you may need to activate this option to see the cursor properly in the game.
- 3-D Hardware Acceleration: This box can be checked to improve performance for computers with good video cards.
- Help: This will show you an instructions screen on how to play Zuma.
- Check for Updates: This will check via the internet to see if there are any new versions of Zuma available for you to download. New versions may fix bugs or add new features.

HOW TO PLAY [back to top]

Controls

The controls for Zuma are very simple:

Point your mouse cursor somewhere on the screen and left click, and the stone frog will fire the ball in its mouth towards the cursor. Right click your mouse to switch the ball in the frog’s mouth with the ball color shown in the gem on the back of the frog.

To quit the game or change your options, click the Menu button in the top right.

Objective

The object of Zuma is to eliminate all the balls rolling onscreen before they reach the skull. When a ball reaches the skull, you will lose one of your lives, and when all your lives are gone, it’s game over!

How do you eliminate balls? Easy! When there is a group of 3 or more balls of the same color touching, they explode! Practice your aim to make sets quickly and efficiently!

Zuma Meter

On the top bar you will see a small orange meter that fills as you destroy balls. When you completely fill this meter, you will hear a voice cry, “Zuma!” and all the balls will roll backwards for a moment. No new balls will enter the screen after this, so you just have to clean up the remaining balls to finish the level.

Powerup Balls

You will be aided in your task by Powerup Balls that appear occasionally. These will turn back into normal balls after a while if you don’t use them, so learn to recognize the different types! All Powerup Balls can be triggered by detonating them as part of a set.

- Slowdown: All the balls will slow down.
- Explosion: This will cause a huge blast, destroying all balls in its radius.
- Reverse: This will cause all the balls to move backwards for a moment.
- Accuracy: This will give your frog an aiming beam and increased firing speed, making it much easier to get the balls where you want them to go.

Coins

From time to time you will see a golden Zuma coin appear. Shoot these with a ball to score big bonus points! If you can hit more than 1 coin on a single level, you’ll get even more!

Combos

You can make tons of extra points by scoring combos. A combo occurs when you cause two or more explosions by firing a single ball. That is, one explosion causes the balls on either side to slide together and detonate, perhaps chain-reacting into a third explosion, and so on. These take some time and care to set up, but they’re worth it!

Chains

You can get a chain bonus by completing 5 or more sets in a row. That is, each ball you fire must cause a detonation. If you can cause 6 or more in a row, you’ll score big points!

Gaps

If you can fire a ball through a gap in the balls so that it goes through and creates a set on the other side, you’ll receive a gap bonus! If you can do it through two gaps, you’ll get the rare double gap bonus! On some levels, a triple gap bonus might even be possible!

Ace Time

If you can finish a level really quickly, you may qualify for an Ace Time bonus! On the level up screen you’ll see your time and the Ace Time. You'll get bonus points for every second by which you beat Ace Time. Press the 't' key to see how much time remains to get the Ace Time bonus.

ADVENTURE MODE [back to top]

Adventure mode is ideal for players new to Zuma. You must battle through multiple temples to find the secrets of the Zuma!

Each temple is divided into three stages, and each stage is divided into several levels. When you complete an entire stage, your progress in the game is saved. Next time you play, you can skip ahead to the next stage you were working on. You can still go back and play earlier stages if you like, by clicking on the respective gateways in the Adventure screen.

When you finish a level for the first time, it will be unlocked to play in Gauntlet mode later.

You’ll get a surprise when you complete each temple. Can you discover the final secret?

GAUNTLET MODE [back to top]

Gauntlet mode is for more experienced Zuma players. You must unlock levels in Adventure mode in order to play them in Gauntlet mode. Now your challenge is to work your way up the ranks from Rabbit to Sun God, earning a Sun Gem for each temple.

Random

When you have the Random map selected, you will progress through a series of levels chosen randomly from maps you have unlocked. Difficulty will increase with each new map. The Random mode can be accessed by cycling thru all the maps with the two arrow buttons.

Specific

Use the Back and Next buttons at the bottom of the screen to select a specific temple to play. You must have unlocked the level from within Adventure mode to be able to play it. You will then play an endless game on that single map. This is also good for practicing. The longer you survive, the higher your rank will rise, until you earn a Sun Gem for the map.

Practice

If you enable Practice mode, you will play the selected level over and over, just as in Adventure mode. This way, you can try to improve your performance on specific levels.

Survival

In Survival mode, you will have a non-stop stream of balls rolling onscreen, faster and faster, until you ultimately perish. How far can you make it before being overwhelmed?

SCORING [back to top]

You get an extra life every 50,000 points.

Exploded balls are scored at 10 points each.

A combo is initiated when multiple explosions are triggered with one shot. The first explosion is scored normally. The second gives a bonus of 100 points, the third 200, the fourth 300, etc.

A chain is created when at least five subsequent shots generate five subsequent explosions. At the 5th explosion a bonus of 100 points is awarded. The bonus for every subsequent explosion is calculated by taking the previous bonus and adding 10 points. So the bonus for the fifth explosion would be 100, the 6th would be 110, the 7th would be 120, and so on.

If a gap is created along the curve, a ball can be fired through the gap to cause an explosion on the other side. The bonus ranges from 10 to 500 points. A large gap is worth 10 points, while something closer to the size of the ball is worth 500 (or 250 in Survival mode). If multiple gaps are cleared in a single shot, the best of the bonuses is multiplied by the number of gaps to figure the scoring bonus.

Another way to score points is by shooting coins that appear in certain areas along the curve. If a coin is shot, a bonus of 1/6th the level's target score (rounded down to the nearest hundred) is gained. In Adventure or Practice mode, the lowest possible coin value is 500 points regardless of the target score. In Survival mode, the lowest possible value is 200 points. The target score is equal to the number of points needed to fill the Zuma meter.

Two additional bonuses are scored at the end of each level. A bonus is given based on the distance from the last destroyed ball to the entrance of the skull's mouth. An award of 100 points per 60 pixels is given.

A second bonus is awarded for speed. The player's time to clear the level is pitted against a unique and static Ace Time. If the time is equal to or lower than the Ace Time, an award of 100 points is awarded. If the Ace Time is beaten (not tied) the difference, measured as a percentage between the two times, is multiplied by 25,000 and awarded in addition to the initial 100 points. If the time was not beaten, no bonus is awarded.

GAMEPLAY TIPS [back to top]

The strategy that should be employed when first playing Zuma is the slow and steady approach. The keys to being successful at the game are accuracy and efficiency. The game starts out slow and forgiving, so take time to fire intelligently. Watch what happens each time a group of balls is destroyed. Knowing the basic principles and physics of the game are just as important as accuracy.

The frog houses two balls at a time. The ball in his mouth is the ball "in the chamber." The color on the top of his head represents the color of the ball that is "on deck." The two can be switched at any time by clicking on the right mouse button. Use this to your advantage at times when the second color would be more useful.

Each level has a target score represented by the orange progress bar at the top of the screen. When the orange bar is filled (it will turn green), "Zuma" is achieved. The state of "Zuma" means that the balls will slow down and roll backward temporarily if they are further than 50 percent along the curve. Use this time wisely to assess the situation and ready the best strategy, like setting up combos to clear the balls quickly.

As the game gets harder, it's important to remember which scoring tactics are the most rewarding and efficient. Shooting coins is always the best way to get points. It takes the least amount of time and has the highest yield. There is a trick to shooting coins, as they always lie behind balls on the curve. It's safe to say that a coin positioned behind two lines on the curve isn't worth working on. Opportunities to hit these coins usually present themselves rather randomly. However, a coin behind only one line of balls is easy to hit with a double tapping technique. If a group of like-colored balls is directly between the frog and the gem, fire a ball of the same color directly at the gem. Follow up quickly with a second ball (of any color) and it should hit the gem. Double tapping the mouse button should fire quickly enough to avoid hitting any balls that might potentially be sucked back.

That being said, balls of a like color attract. If a group of balls explodes, the remaining balls on either end of the explosion will draw toward each other if they are the same color. This principle is used in making combos. If those two remaining balls draw together and another group of three or more is formed, it will explode, creating a combo. Two or more explosions generated by a single shot are considered a combo. With each explosion, the bonus becomes greater and greater. While the point total is very good, it's not very practical to spend a lot of time setting up combos slowly. As you play the game, it might become second nature to create these combos while doing other things. This is one of the most efficient ways of scoring.

Another bonus is the chain bonus. If five or more subsequent shots each generate an explosion, this considered a chain. Starting with the fifth, a bonus is added for each subsequent explosion. This is the easiest way to generate bonuses, but it also has the weakest point pay-off. The best time to employ this method is on the levels with a double curve. There are two independent curves generated their own ball clusters and, generally, there is much more curve exposed, so there is a better possibility of keeping the chain alive.

The final bonus is the gap bonus. This bonus is achieved when shooting through a gap in the balls to cause an explosion. The smaller the gap, the higher the bonus. The best way to employ this is using the double tap method discussed above. Firing to create an explosion on the closest part of the curve and then firing quickly at the balls behind the gap you just created is the best way to get good points. If the second shot creates an explosion, the bonus can be quite large as long as the gap is small. Watch for opportunities behind two (or more) gaps. They don't come around often, but the point yield is such that you won't want to miss it.

The single most important reason to collect as many points as possible is obtaining extra lives. An extra life is earned at 50,000 points. A good way to gather points is with speed. The faster you clear a level, the better chance you have of receiving a bonus. Each level has a pre-determined "Ace" time. Beating this time can bring in a bonus as high as 25,000 points. The best way to finish quickly is to garner as many points as possible as quickly as possible. Usually a combination of shooting gems, gaps, and chains is the best method. If the board is a double curve, take the chain bonus as far as possible while hitting any gems you can, while also paying attention to any gaps you create.

REGISTRATION [back to top]

If you enjoy playing the Trial version of Zuma, sooner or later you'll need to register!

Benefits of Registering

When you register, you will receive unlimited gameplay for a simple one-time fee. Plus, you support PopCap and help us to create more games in the future!

How to Register

Click the Buy Now button on the Zuma Deluxe game page in RealOne Arcade. Your game will be permanently unlocked once you register… there’s no need for a CD-ROM or any further downloads.

Buying the Game

Once you decide to register, follow the onscreen prompts to complete your purchase. An internet connection will be required to register the game, but will not be necessary to play after you have registered.

Problems?

Hopefully this will answer all your questions, but if you're still having difficulties, feel free to contact us at support.real.com. Include as much information as you can about the problem you're having, and we'll get back to you as quickly as we can!

VERSION HISTORY [back to top]

1.0 | Initial release!
CREDITS [back to top] Zuma was created by PopCap Games.
Game Design: | Jason Kapalka
Programming: | Brian "Ace" Rothstein
Art: | Walter Wilson
Sound: | Stephane Brault
Music: | Phillipe Charon
Level Design: | Ben Lyon
PopCap Framework: | Brian Fiete
Biz Dev: | Don Walters
QA: | Eric Harman Brenna Flood Shawn Conard Chad Zoellner
Special Thanks: | Jordin Baugh John Vechey Shanon Lyon

Beta Testers:

WhatGall
Elias
Faeremoon
Kingdom
Syrinx
WendigoWolf
MrsDbolt
BlueSky
Wolfpackmama
Dachsx2
GrukX
Bugsymcd24
Fire
Kane
Cheryl
ClaireBear
Inmost Light
Emerald
Javansdaddy
Hermitcrab
Meatboy Dogfood
Rainsford
Gregslagel
Jael
Hrach
Splam-11
Illyria
baasi1
HomerJay
NPG
Panther

Thanks to all our beta testers and players on PopCap for their valuable feedback!

SOFTWARE USE LIMITATIONS AND LIMITED LICENSE [back to top]

GENERAL PRODUCT LICENSE.

This Copy Of ZUMA DELUXE (The "Software") Is Intended Solely For Your Personal Non-Commercial Home Entertainment Use. You May Not Decompile, Reverse Engineer, Or Disassemble The Software, Except As Permitted By Law. PopCap Corporation And Its Licensors Retain All Right, Title And Interest In The Software Including All IntellectualProperty Rights Embodied Therein And Derivatives Thereof. The Software, Including, Without Limitation, All Code, Data Structures, Characters, Images, Sounds, Text, Screens, Game Play, Derivative Works And All Other Elements Of The Software May Not Be Copied, Resold, Rented, Leased, Distributed (Electronically Or Otherwise), Used On A Pay-Per-Play, Coin-Op Or Other For-Charge Basis, Or For Any Commercial Purpose. Any Permissions Granted Herein Are Provided On A Temporary Basis And Can Be Withdrawn By PopCap Games, Inc At Any Time. All Rights Not Expressly Granted Are Reserved.

ACCEPTANCE OF LICENSE TERMS.

By Acquiring And Retaining This Software, You Assent To The Terms And Restrictions Of This Limited License. If You Do Not Accept The Terms Of This Limited License, Do Not Install or Use This Software.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION [back to top]

Zuma Deluxe (c) 2003 PopCap Games, Inc. All Other Copyrights And Trademarks Are Property Of Their Respective Owners. All Rights Reserved.

jpeglib
Portions of this software are based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.

ogglib
Copyright (c) 2002, Xiph.org Foundation

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

- Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyrightnotice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

- Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

- Neither the name of the Xiph.org Foundation nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE FOUNDATION OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANYTHEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

pnglib
Copyright (c) 1998, 1999 Glenn Randers-Pehrson

zlib
(C) 1995-1998 Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler

Distributed by RealNetworks, Inc.