Velocity Dodgeball Help

Velocity Dodgeball v1.2 | Help Document v1.0 | This is an offline HTML document

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Contents

Introduction

Welcome to Velocity Dodgeball, a game designed to fully capture the fun and excitement of one iteration of the classic gymnasium favourite. The Velocity Dodgeball version of the game combines varying elements to create a fully immersive world of Dodgeball. Create your own team. Compete for cash in the Velocity Dodgeball League. Upgrade your team, or trade to improve your team's overall ratings. Challenge for the championship and raise the banner in your home arena.

Velocity Dodgeball allows two players to compete head-to-head, or play against the competitive AI, or even just watch two computer opponents pound each other. It's up to you.

This help file is designed in such a way that the most relevant information to playing the game is displayed near the top. Additional and advanced game information is placed further down the document.

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Quick Start

A Quick Tutorial Through The Screens

Main Menu
Here you should* see four options. Click "Play" to move to the game setup screen
*If you see an indication telling you that there aren't enough teams, see further sections on creating teams

Game Setup Screen
Here you will see three options, we're interesting in "Start Match", the other options will be covered later. Click on "Start Match".
You will now see a new box appear on the top-right corner of the screen. Here you can select the home team (on the left) and the away team (on the right) by clicking with your left or right mouse button on the team names.
You will also see player indications which show as P1 (Player 1), P2 (Player 2) and CPU (AI Opponent). Click with your left mouse button to change these indications to your liking.
Click "Start Match" once the match has been setup as you wish.

Pre-Game
Here you the team's average attributes are displayed. You can also change the line-ups for any player controlled teams. We'll cover that later, for now, you can start the game by clicking ">>" or returning to the game setup screen by clicking "<<".

Starting the Game
Click "OK" to begin!, the teams will take to the arena.
Once the two teams are ready, you can select your starting formation by using your left and right buttons (button definitions below). Use your "Fire 1" button to select a formation and begin the game.

Playing the game
In Velocity Dodgeball, there are three rounds. A team earns a point by winning a round. A round is won by downing all four of your opponents.
The ball falls from up above in the center of the arena. Now it's up to you to! See below for the control sheet.

In-Between Rounds
You can change your formation and begin the next round in the same manner as before. If the game has ended, both players hitting their respective "Fire 1" buttons will end the game and move to the post-game screen.

Post-Game
Here you can view data and statistics as well as the post-game summary for the game you just played. Click ">>" to return to the game setup screen.

Control Reference

Button Mapping
Player 1Player 2
LeftLeft ArrowA
RightRight ArrowD
UpUp ArrowW
DownDown ArrowS
Button 1ShiftT
Button 2CtrlY
Controls
Button
Move Player Left Left
Move Player Right Right
Move Player Up Up
Move Player DownDown
Jump for BallB2+B1 (When Under Ball)
Pickup/Catch BallB1
Throw BallB1 (Hold down for harder throw)
Select Player Closest To BallB2 (When you do not have ball)


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In-Depth on the Interface

Navigating The Game Menus

  • Throughout this manual, there are references to click on different items and options, unless specified, you can always assume this refers to clicking on the object (button/link etc.) in question with your left mouse button or LMB. The right mouse button is referred to as RMB.
  • To select an option on menu button, use the LMB. To back out of a screen, use the RMB. Note that when backing out of the screen, the mouse pointer must be outside of the area you are trying to close.
  • If it appears to brighten, or your mouse pointer changes to to become a pointing hand, then you can probably click on it. Further sections below will explain each option's varying functions.

Main Menu

  • The main menu contains four options with the following functions.

    Click WithWhat It Does
    PlayLMBTakes you to the game setup screen
    TeamsLMBTakes you to the team screen where you can create, edit and delete teams, as well as trade players
    HelpLMBDisplays this help file
    QuitLMBExits the game

  • One of the new features introduced in Version 1.2 is the Imagination Works Link (IW Link) which can be displayed at the bottom of the main menu.
    • IW Link is a quick resource for news pertaining to the Imagination Works
    • IW Link requires an internet connection
    • By default, IW Link is turned off
    • To enable IW Link, click with the RMB on the "^" button. Click it again to expand the window. Click it a third time (it now appears as an "x") to close IW Link
    • IW Link recieves information on the Imagination Works website URL from a file in your windows directory called "iworks.ini". Should the Imagination Works re-locate its website, an update will be provided prior to which will instruct you on how to keep the URL current
    • Click with the LMB on the larger button with the Imagination Works website URL to open your default internet browser to the Imagination Works website, again, you will require an internet connection
  • If a message is displayed "You Must Have At Least Two Teams In Order To Play", it is because the game has found only one, or no teams. You will not be able to click "Play" until you create some teams

Teams

  • The teams menu contains five options with the following functions.

    Click WithWhat It Does
    New TeamLMBGenerates a new team and loads it for editing
    Edit/View TeamLMBDisplays a menu listing of your teams, select from this menu with your LMB and click "Load" with your LMB
    Delete TeamLMBDisplays a menu listing of your teams, select from this menu with your LMB and click "Del" with your LMB
    Trade PlayersLMBOpens the trade menu window
    DoneLMBReturns you to the main menu

  • Team Editing I: The Initial Window- The following selections apply here

    Click WithWhat It Does
    Team NameLMBRemoves the old team name. You can now type in a new team name and press enter to finish
    Team ColorsLMBDisplays a color palette to allow you to change your team colors
    Player NamesLMBDisplays the selected player's attributes
    Save TeamLMBSaves the team and closes the edit team window
    Lock TeamLMBDisplays a password box allowing you to enter a new password to protect the team. You will not be able to make changes to the team in the edit window without first unlocking the team. Users will be prompted for passwords for line-up changes and trades
    RMBClick outside of the Edit Team window to close it. This will not save any changes!

  • Team Editing II: The Edit Player Window- The following selections apply here

    Click WithWhat It Does
    RenameLMBRemoves the old player's name, type in a new name and press enter to complete
    ImproveLMBAllows you to improve your player's attributes
    RMBClick within the window to re-display the Initial Edit Team Window

  • Team Editing III: The Attribute Window- The following selections apply here

    Click WithWhat It Does
    Any attributeLMBFinances permitting, adds another level to the selected attribute
    RMBClick within the window to re-display the Edit Player Window
    • When this window is displayed, a value called "Max Average" is shown. If the current average level of the player has met or exceeded the max. average, you will not be able to upgrade this player as his potential has been reached. The max average is randomly generated for each player
    • Upgrades cost $2000 apiece. If you have less than $2000, you will not be able to access The Attribute Window

  • Trade Players- The following selections apply here

    Click WithWhat It Does
    Team pull-down menusLMBDisplays the teams you can trade with. Select from these menus the two teams who intend to trade players
    Team player listsLMBSelects a player from the selected team to compare for trading
    Attribute text (eg. 72 -- Hands -- 68)LMBCycles the varying attributes and salaries for the selected players
    Trade (Player) for (Player)LMBDisplays the authorization windows for the trade. If a team is locked, it will require a password to authorize a trade. Otherwise, the trade completion window is displayed. Click cancel (LMB) to Cancel the trade, and Trade (LMB) to finalize it
    DoneLMBCloses the Trade Players window
    RMBClick outside of the Trade Player window to close it
    • Teams must pay the difference in salaries in order to trade, so if Team 1 wants Player 2 from Team 2 for their Player 1, and Player 2's salary is greater then that of Player 1, Team 1 must pay the difference in salaries. Team 2 will also recieve that difference. If these restriction prevent two players from being traded, the indication below the player lists which shows the financial loss or gain of a trade will display as red
    • A player's potential is the same as their "Max Average" from the edit team screen

Game Setup

  • The game setup menu contains four options with the following functions.

    Click WithWhat It Does
    Single MatchLMBOpens the Match Setup window for an exibition game
    LeagueLMBOpens the Season Window
    Game OptionsLMBOpens the Game Options Window
    BackLMBReturns to the main menu

Match Setup

  • The match setup menu contains the following options.

    Click WithWhat It Does
    Team SelectionRMB/LMBChanges the team (Only in single matches)
    Player Control (eg. P1)LMBChanges who controls which team
    Start MatchLMBAccepts the game settings and moves to the Pre-Game screen
    RMBClick outside of the Start Match window to close it
    • You cannot select the same teams for team 1 and team 2. This will cause the team names to appear in red
    • You cannot play P1 vs. P1 and P2 vs. P2. The game will display the player control options in red. Note however that you can play CPU vs. CPU if you wish to watch a game

Season Play

  • The season play menu contains the following options.

    Click WithWhat It Does
    ContinueRMB/LMBLoads your existing season for season play
    NewLMBCreates a new season (overwrites any existing one)
    CancelLMBCloses the Season Play Window
    RMBClick outside of the Season Play window to close it
    • Starting a new season
      • Once you have selected "New", you will be presented with a list of teams to be added. Select a team from the left list and LMB click ">>" to add a team. Select a team from the right list and LMB click "<<" to remove it. You can also LMB click "Add All" to add all existing teams to the league. LMB click "Cancel" to return to the League Play Menu and LMB click "Next" to proceed to the next step. Note you must have at least two teams
      • Now you must select how many meetings between each team there will be. An even number is recommended as it will insure an even number of home and away games. Increase the number by LMB clicking ">" and decrease it by LMB clicking "<". LMB click "Finish Building League" to accept this number and continue. LMB click "Cancel" to cancel the process altogether
      • That's it! Your league will now build and in just a few seconds, the League Play screen will display

  • Season Play Screen- The following selections apply here

    Click WithWhat It Does
    Play NextRMB/LMBDisplays the Start Match Window for the next league game
    Sim Next/Sim UntilLMBSimulates the next league game or if you have selected from the game schedule a game further down the list, the game will simulate all games up to and including the selected game
    Team NamesLMBDisplays the Edit Lineup Window for the selected team
    Game ListingsLMBSelect which game to simulate up to
    Arrow ButtonsLMBScroll through the Standings and Schedule lists respectively
    QuitLMBCloses the Season Play Window and saves your progress
    RMBClick outside of the Season Play window to close it (this WILL save your progress)
    • Season Standings are based on Points (PTS). This number is derived from the number of Points For (PF) minus the number of Points Against (PA). Each round you win earns you one PF and each round you lose earns you one PA
    • The CW column indicates Championships Won for each respective team
    • There are three season stages, Regular Season in which all scheduled games must be played. Playoffs in which the top two teams from the Regular Season play for the championship in one game, note that this game will not affect a team's PTS. Post Season indicating the season has been completed and the champion's name
    • The playoff game pits the top two teams from the regular season, the 2nd place team is always the home team
    • No money is earned for simulation games
    • Money can be earned from games in which you play or watch, the amount is based on the average skill levels of both teams
    • The last-place team in the regular season is awarded a cash injection to boost the team for the next season

  • Season Play: Simulating Games
    • The simulator is intended to provide game results as accurately as possible based on a team's overall skill level (not including the two players out of the line-up)
    • The simulator "plays" by first deciding who get's posession. This selection is a weighted random selection based on skill levels. The simulator will then randomly generate a number based on the posessing team's offensive skill and the defending teams defensive skill. If the offensive number is higher than the defensive, that team scores a point. Otherwise, the roles are reversed (as if the defending team succesfully got the ball and is now in posession). This process continues until one of the teams have earned 3 points
    • As mentioned prior, teams will not earn any money for winning simulated games
    • As mentioned prior, you can simulate multiple games at a time. If you wish to stop the process early, hold the "Esc" key down until the simulator stops. Please note that the process is only stopped between games and games that the simulator has already started will be finished before the process is ended

Game Options

  • The game options contains the following selections.

    Click WithWhat It Does
    Special EffectsRMB/LMBToggles on/off a number of transparent graphics from in-game. If the game runs slowly, try turning this off
    Sound FXLMBToggles on/off the sound from in-game such as the ball and player sounds
    Crowd FXLMBToggles on/off the crowd sounds from in-game
    MusicLMBToggles on/off the menu music
    RMBClick outside of the Game Options window to close it



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In-Game

Game Structure

  • Every Velocity Dodgeball game is structured in the following way
    • Game start
    • Teams enter the arena
    • Player's select formations
    • First round begins
    • Round ends, player's can select new formation. New round begins. This is repeated until one of the teams has won three rounds
    • Post-Game
  • A round begins with the dropping of the ball in the middle of the arena. A player from both teams can try to jump up and bat the ball to hit team, or stand and catch the ball. Sometimes, the ball may inadvertently leave the arena. Should this happen, a re-drop will occur

In-Game Play

  • Please refer to Control Reference for a detailed control listing


  • Player actions
    • Catching
      • Be aware that a player cannot catch a ball the moment you hit the button, their hands and awareness attributes will dictate how quickly they are able to respond as well as whether they can actually catch the ball. Additionally, the player will respond to your catch command based on the height of the ball as it is, not as it will be, that being said, a player must also be either standing or kneeling to catch based on the height of the ball
    • Throwing
      • A player in posession of the ball may throw it. Player power, accuracy and speed all play into how a ball is thrown. Power plus the speed a player is moving dictates the speed at which a ball is thrown, and accuracy dictates likely a thrown ball will go in the direction the player is heading. Also be aware that while charging for a throw, if the charge goes above the maximum, the additional charge will affect the height at which the ball is thrown
    • Jumping
      • You can jump for the ball in mid-air to attempt to bat it down and back towards your team-mates. Position your player underneath the ball (look at the ball's shadow). If your player and the ball meet at the right position, your player will be succesfull. A player's hand's attribute is also taken into account
    • Moving/Dodging
      • A player's speed attribute affects how quickly the player can move and therefore also, dodge

  • Other Concepts and Rules
    • Only when the ball is live and thrown by an opposing player can a player be knocked down. Once the ball bounces on the floor, it is considered dead. It is not however considered dead when it hits a wall, or hits a player
    • The home team is always given a minor attribute boost to represent home advantage
    • A ball, regardless whether it's live or dead will bounce off a player attempting to catch it. This is a good way to insure the ball stays on your side
    • Players can catch a live ball thrown by an opposing player without any negative effect
    • You can only directly control one player at a time, your other non-controlled players will still attempt to dodge, but will not try to pick up the ball or catch it
    • Changing a player only works if there is another one of your players closer to the ball than the player your are currently controlling


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Post Game

  • In the post-game screen, you will be able to view
    • Post-game statistics (note that financial related statistics appear only in season games
    • Post-game report, a humorous report based on the outcome
  • LMB Click on the ">>" button to leave the post-game screen and return to the Game Setup screen. If you have just played a season game, the Season Play Window will automatically load and update


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Help and Support

Visit The Imagination Works Website for additional updates and support.

Problems?

  • Q & A on Known Issues and other Troubleshooting
    • Problem: Occasionally, the game will not automatically move to the next player if your controlled player is knocked down
      • A: This is a known bug which can be resolved by manually changing players
    • Problem: Game locks when trying to continue a season
      • A1: Has a team been deleted that was referenced in the season? If so, you can no longer load that season, you will have to create a new one
      • A2: There is a known bug that occurs occasionally when the season tries to sort of the standings. If this occurs, try restarting the game by pressing ALT+F4
    • Problem: CPU controlled player is down but CPU will not change players
      • A: This is a known bug to which at this time, no fix is available. You will need to press ALT+F4 to quit the game and restart it
    • Problem: Cannot read the team names when they are displayed
      • A: This is more a bad choice of colors than a bug. While the game prevents you from selecting the same color twice for a team's three colors, it will not prevent you from choosing colors that contrast poorly. Additionally, the game interchanges which colors are used in different situations based on the requirements for the display of team colors
    • Problem: IW Link doesn't work
      • A1: Check your internet connection, this must be present for IW Link to work
      • A2: Our website is down, it is currently hosted by http://www.sitesled.com
      • A3: Our website is moved. Should a website move take place, an update file can be acquired from the Imagination Works website to update your game's URLs
    • Problem: Joystick/gamepad doesn't work for player 2
      • A: Assuming your joystick/gamepad peripheral is connected properly, it may be registered within Windows as Game Controller 1, in which case, it will only work in Velocity Dodgeball for player 1. If you have a second joystick/gamepad connected, it should work properly for player 2.


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Version Information

  • Version: v1.2 | Released October 27, 2007
    • New 800x600 resolution
    • Either player can now be the home and away team
    • Improved offensive and defensive AI
    • Removed Fortress and Doctor Dodgeball modes
    • New arena detail and graphics
    • New season box detail and graphics
    • New play-off games to determine the champion
    • New home-team advantage given
    • IW Link
    • Bugfix: Crash when a deleted team was referenced by a season
    • Bugfix: Backing out of auto-sim within season mode now functions correctly
    • Bugfix: Game sometimes missed counting when a player was hit


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Document History

  • Version: v1.0 | 7:17 PM 10/23/2007


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The Imagination Works 2007 - Please do not distribute this file or any of those associated with it without first obtaining permission from Ben Hanhart and The Imagination Works