Abandonware DOS title

Skate or die manual

S k a t e   o r   D i e
-----------------------
Note:  Skate or Die is (c) 1987 Electronic Arts. 

BOOT OR DIE
-----------
Skate or Die comes on different computers so find your instructions
below and use 'em

                Commodore 64/128             Apple IIgs
Boot or die.    1. Remove all peripherals    1. Plug in your joystick
                   and plug the joystick        or mouse.
                   into either port.         2. Stick the Skate disk
                2. (C128 owners: Put your       in your boot drive.
                   computer in C64 mode.)    3. Turn on the computer.
                   Stick the Skate disk
                   in the disk drive and
                   turn it on.  Turn on
                   the computer and monitor.
                3. At the READY prompt, type
                   LOAD"EA",8,1 and press
                   RETURN. If you have any
                   troubles loading the
                   game, disconnect any
                   secondary peripherals
                   (i.e., the fast loader,
                   second disk drive, or
                   printer) and try loading
                   again.

Toggle sound       Commodore                    S
on/off.

Abort current      RUN/STOP                     A
event and
return to
Rodney's Skate
Shop.

Control movement   Use the joystick.            Use a mouse, a
or pointer or                                   joystick, or the
player*.                                        number pad.

Action button.     Joystick button.             Mouse button,
                                                joystick button,
                                                or right SHIFT key.

* Since this game comes on a bunch of different computers, we refer
to the thing that controls movement as the "controller." The joy-
stick gives you best control, so use one if you can. When we tell
you to "click" on something, move the onscreen pointer onto it and
hit the action button.

IIgs Users: If you have two players, one has to use the keyboard
while the other uses a joystick or mouse. Speed freaks -- set it on
the fastest speed on the control panel for best performance; turning
off the sound also makes the game run faster.

HEEEEEERE'S RODNEY!
-------------------
After the title screen, you start out in the skate shop (where
else?), because you need to register before you skate. Just click on
the "Sign-In" clipboard, click the number you want, and then type in
your name. Remove a name by clicking it, then typing over it or
pressing the Spacebar. The Skate Shop is owned by Rodney, the dude
behind the counter -- he's also Lester's dad (as if you couldn't tell
by looking!). Move the pointer around in the Skate Shop and Rodney
gives you hints on how to skate. You can also click specific areas
(shown in the picture below) to do different things like see high
scores or change your board color (after you sign-in of course).

[ picture: trophey to right of Rodney is the list of high scores,
           in the lower left corner where it says Sign In is the
           Sign-in/Remove Skaters (Only in complete mode) sheet,
           The boards (one has an EA logo) in the upper right
           corner is where you can Change Your Board Color (Only
           in complete mode, and you must sign-in first) ]

LET'S JAM
---------
You're in the Townsquare once you leave the Skate Shop (there's a
picture of it below).  Choose an event by skating down a path that's
spray-painted with the event's name.  You *do* know how to skate don't
you? Just push your controller forward to move in the direction you're
facing.  Crank it right or left to go in one of those directions.
Pull back to slow, or stop completely.  You can also re-enter the
Skate Shop if you want.  Just ride your board right up the ramp and
into the shop; Rodney doesn't care.

[ picture: map of town, the center building is marked The Skate Shop
           Skater's Heaven.  Additional information is available
           about the other events starting from the upper-left and
           working down counter-clockwise:
           * COMPETE ALL - Down this path to compete in all the
             events in sequence. (Compete-mode only.)  Overall
             standings are:  1st Place=5 points, 2nd Place=3 points,
             3rd Place=1 point.
           * JOUST - Down this path to compete in the Pool Joust
             (watch out for Lester!)
           * RACE - Down this path to run the deadly Downhill Race.
           * FREESTYLE - Down this path to show your style on the
             Freestyle ramp.
           * HIGHJUMP - Down this path to test your guts, endurance
             and strength on the Highjump ramp.
           * JAM - Down this path to Skate or Die in the Downhill Jam!

EVENT STUFF
-----------
OK, here's the royal scam for you soon-to-be ex-poseurs on all the
events.  That's right, events.  The time for playing games is over.
There are five events that you can skate individually, or in sequence
with "Compete All."  But you have to have two joysticks to "Compete
All" against a buddy.  If you don't have a buddy, we'll supply
Lester.  In tie situations, skaters that were first, second, or
third place going into the tie, always win the tie.

**

DOWNHILL JAM:  Inner city, back alley blazin'.  Pop soda cans, mash
trash cans, bust a few bottles, crash flower pots and, hey, why not
each other!  You fight time and your buddy (if you ain't got one,
we supply Lester) to reach the main street first.  Careful though,
there's a reception party waiting.  The controls are like Downhill
Race, with REGULAR and GOOFY foot options available.  Oh yeah, this
time clicking while leaning the controller does the clobberin' stuff.
Click and lean *into the direction you're facing* to punch, either
high, middle or low depeinding on where you're leaning the controller.

Click and lean *away from the direction you're facing* to kick, either
high, middle or low depending on where you're leaning the controlller.
(The high and low combat moves are on the diagonals.  The middle stuff
is straight to the sides.)  If you have an odd number of skaters in
the "Compete All" mode, the odd guy skates against Lester.  You won't
get any bonus points if you skate longer than two and a half minutes
on the C64 or four minutes on the Apple IIgs.  (Note: The high score
screen on the Apple IIgs will show "Downhill Raking" -- it's the same
thing as "Downhill Jam".)

**

DOWNHILL RACE:  It's a quiet day in the park.  No bratty kids.  No
construction workers.  No park rangers.  Prime time for thrashin'!
Race against time and collect bonuses along the way.  Skate under,
through, on top of, over, and along any number of "opportunities."

Pick your own style of controls on this one.  REGULAR foot means
pulling the controller back moves you down-hill, controller forward
makes you slow or stop.  Click and forward is a jump, click and back
is a duck.  Click and right/left does a "slide turn" (a fast way to
cut a corner).  GOOFY foot means you control the skater as if you're
on the board.  Moving the controller forward moves you down-hill,
pulling back makes you slow or stop.  The duck, jump and slide turn
moves also work when you skate goofy.  Try both styles to see which
you like best.  You won't get any bonus points if you skate longer
than one and a half minutes on the C64 or four minutes on the Apple
IIgs.

**

FREESTYLE RAMP:  There's a hundred feet of wood and steel, curved
into a wide and smooth U-shape (see next illustration), just
waiting for someone like you to pop some incredible moves.  You
start on the left platform, aching to boogie.  Move the controller
forward or back to choose your entry position.  Sorry, no chanel
drops.  The channel is slam territory in this event.

After you drop in, you'll have ten passes through the ramp,
executing tricks at the left, right, or both ends.  As you make a
pass, click the button in the pump zones to increase your speed and
to select a particular trick.  You'll also need to lean the
controller either *into* the direction you're going or *away from*
the direction you're going.

TRICK       | # of Pumps Needed  | Lean Controller
------------+--------------------+----------------------------------
Kickturn    | None               | Away from current direction
Rock-n-Roll | None               | Into the current direction (a
            |                    | click or lean drops you back into
            |                    | the ramp.  Don't get too greedy
            |                    | with the timing)
Footplant   |       One          | Away from current direction
Rail Slide  |       One          | Into current direction (move
            |                    | controller forward or back when
            |                    | on the platform to rail slide.  A
            |                    | click or lean drops you back into
            |                    | the ramp.)
Handplant   |            Two     | Away from currect direction (you
            |                    | get a bonus for holding this
            |                    | move...up to a certain point!)
Ollie Air   |            Two     | Into current direction (rotate in
            |                    | the air by leaning the controller
            |                    | left or right -- opposite direct-
            |                    | ion to stop spin. 180,360,or 540!)
Aerial      | None, One or Two   | No lean (rotate in the air by
            |                    | leaning the controller left or
            |                    | right -- opposite direction to
            |                    | stop spin.  180,360,540 or 720!!)

Remember, one click in a pump zone counts as one pump.  To get two
pumps in a pass, pump once in *each* pump zone.  Over-the-channel
aerials score big, as does executing a wide range of tricks end to
end.  Gettin' stoked?  Try tweeking your aerials by clicking in mid-
air!  Sound complicated?  Ain't no better way to learn than to pull
up your pads and GO SKATE!

[ picture:  skate ramp showing the two checkerboard-shaded zones on
            the ramp to be Pump Zones, the edge to the left where
            you first stand to be the Platform, and the dip in the
            middle of the left ridge to be the Channel (also the
            Canyon).

**

HIGH JUMP:  Sheer guts event.  No two ways about it.  Go fast to get
high.  While you're in the ramp, move the controller rapidly in any
direction to build speed -- but you can take a breather while you're
in the air if you want.  You get a maximum of five passes on the
*right* side where the height marker is.  Of course, you don't have
to wait all five passes.  To actually go for it and record the
attempt, click the button *at the highest point* of your jump.  If
you time the click just right, your tweek will add a few inches.  If
not, it's time to bail.

**

POOL JOUST:  An empty pool, a sunny day, and a boffing stick.  Skate
heaven!  Rules are simple.  Two go in, one comes out.  It's a rad new
twist on the game of tag.  You get five passes to get your opponent,
then he takes the boffing stick and the tables are turned -- you're
*it*.  First one to get three slams on the other guy wins, *but* you
gotta win buy two.  There can only be one winner.  If you have more
than one skater in "Compete All" mode, then a round-robin determines
the lone winner.  The controls are a simplified version of Ramp
Freestyle, with Rock-n-Rolls, Rail Slides, Kickturns, and Ollies.
No pumping needed cause this time a click readies the boffing weapon
for action.  You can only hit the other guy when your stick is
flashing, so think and act quick.

Now we'd like you to meet a few of our local pals (if you can't find
your own to joust with.):

        Poseur Pete .......... Just wants to look for the betties.
                               Don't let him worry you.  He's a good
                               one to go against if you're still
                               learning your moves.
        Aggro Eddie .......... Knows how to blaze in a pinch.  Eddie
                               is good competition for most rakers.
        Lester ............... Deadly.  Nothing sketchy about this
                               guy, his old man, Rodney, taught him
                               how to thrash.

SKATELINGO
----------
AERIAL:  Any move which causes all the wheels of the board to be off
the ground at the same time.
BACKSIDE-AIR:  An arcing aerial in which the skater faces the ground
with his back to the sky.
BAIL:  When you abort your trick and prepare to fale.
BETTIES:  Women.
BIO:  To skate good or radical.
COPING:  The rounded top edge of a ramp or pool.
DROP IN:  To roll into the pool or ramp from a standing start.
FOOTPLANT:  A move in which the skater launches into the air with one
foot while keeping the other foot on the ground.
FRONTSIDE-AIR:  The opposite of "Backside-air."
HANDPLANT:  A one-handed handstand performed while the skater holds
the board with his hands.
KICKTURN:  A very simple, very basic move in which the skater forces
the tail of the board down, lifting the nose, in order to turn or
spin.
OLLIE:  An aerial performed without the skater grabbing the board
with his hands.
RAIL SLIDE:  A Rock-n-Roll done while sliding the board along the
edge of the ramp.
ROCK-N-ROLL:  This is any move performed which balances the board
so that each pair of wheels is on a different side of the object
the skater is balanced upon, doing a kickturn and rides back.
Usually the object is the coping of the ramp or pool.
SKETCHY:  Skating with uncertainty, or generally, poor skating.
SLAM:  You figure it out.