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Therefore if you read this document or use the information herein you do so at your own risk. ********* The Project 64 etext of the ~Grand Monster Slam manual~, converted to etext by Langguth Karlheinz. GRMOSL10.TXT, September 1997, etext #298# ********* GRAND MONSTER SLAM ------------------ (c) 1989 by Rainbow Arts GmbH Table of contents GholD World Map Rules of Play The GRAND MONSTER SLAM Designers' Notes [legal notice] [Picture of GholD Southern Continent - unimportant for gameplay] GHOLD - THE WORLD OF SIX SUNS Somewhere in the universe, beyond time and space and also beyond the limits of our understanding, the world of GholD exists. There, every morning the sun rises in another direction, following the rhythm of a six- day-week. A great variety of beings populate the lands and seas of their home world, in which "technology" is not a known term, whereas however, magic does work. The history of GholD spans several thousands of years, full of the rise and decline of mighty empires, full of great wars of Good and Bad fighting each other, but we have also to mention the times of peace and understanding, encompassing the most amazing cultural achievements. One of these achievements is the Grand Slam, which presents perhaps the best way from war to peace. This biggest sporting event of the southern continent had begun as a war between goblins and men - and today, all peoples of the world celebrate this festival of mutual understanding. From all corners of the continent, the most strange creatures comes into the big capital of the Empire of Men every 5 years in order to participate in the games. rumor is that notice of the Grand Slam had even reached the northern continents, and so, everybody hopefully expects the day when a ship out of unknown countries anchors in the harbor of HodT CrownguarD, bringing new players for the grand Games. This year, everybody's attention is attracted by the dwarves, who participate in the Games for the first time. All people respect and fear these tough little guys out of the western mountains. One can hear rumors of the champion of the dwarven as being a legendary hero, and also the king of all the proud dwarves clans is expected as a visitor to the Games. The big question is: Will a newcomer rise up into the top class of Grand Slammers - or even achieve the title? [picture of a compass - unimportant for gameplay] RULES OF PLAY Since the reformation of game rules in the year 11216, the famous Grand- Slam-Tournament has consisted of three leagues... The first match is an elimination contest with 8 players, who fight each other in pairs. The pairs of opponents, and the winners of this contest form the pairs of the second fight. Logically, only 2 players are left at the end of the second game. These two will then fight in the final in order to decide who is the winner of the first league. The winners of every fight have to participate in an intermediate game after each game. This intermediate game is called "Revenge of the Beloms".. As everybody knows, the FUMB has pushed through this game part with great vigour. The winner of the whole league must also pass a qualification, an event which is called "The Remarkable Six Faultons". Anybody who fails in this qualification (which demands great dexterity) cannot go up into the next group of competitors. The participants of the second league are veterans with considerable experience in the Games; they don't even need to pass the first league (indeed only beginners, like your dwarf, compete in the first match - or fighters who have been disqualified in the last Games). After the winner of the first elimination contest has joined them, the second group also consists of 8 players, and again there is an elimination contest in order to find out the next league winner.. The pitch is now separated by a waist high wall, thus making the game more difficult. This is especially so with the Homerun, because now you have to move up to the middle of the baseline in order to start the run (because of the gap in the barrier). After an additional (and more difficult) "Remarkable Six Faultons"- event, the winner of the second league joins the final round, there meeting only three players - the winners of the last 3 GRAND SLAM-tournaments. He has to beat them one after the other in order to finally obtain himself the yellow jerkin and the golden metal; but watch out, because all three opponents have magical powers which they use variably. The whole event is accompanied by a bonus-point-scoring system which has proven itself very helpful in evaluating the performance of individual players, and the betting business does take profit from it. 1. The Main Game: First to appear on the screen are the pairs of the first match, formed by lots, one atop the other. The gamer's character - the dwarf - appears in the top left corner. Continue by pressing fire. Now the dwarf's next opponent is presented in detail (giving name, race, profession, game skills, character, and last, but not least important, the sponsor!). Continue by pressing fire. Now the main game begins! The dwarf is placed in the foreground, and each of his opponents plays in the background. Six beloms squat at each baseline.. It is the player's task to kick his own beloms across the pitch to the opponent. If you have successfully kicked all your own beloms, you can start to make your "homerun", which means running across the pitch to the opponent's baseline. If you reach that, you are the winner! While kicking beloms, the most important things are to avoid the opponent's beloms and to hit the opponent with your own beloms as often as possible. In case of a player being hit, he remains lying on the ground for a certain amount of time. This amount of time increases in the course of being hit several times. This is then the other player's best chance to kick as many beloms as possible to the other side and to pour out a stream of vituperations on the opponent's fans! Which leads us to the so called "Pelvans", the penalty in the GRAND MONSTER SLAM. Pelvans are given if you have kicked a belom into the audience, either accidentally or deliberately. Particularly opposing fans who are very much irritated about your vituperations tend to kick a belom "into the blue". If then a pelvans is given (look at the roaring dragon at the left sideline), the pelvans-creature sinks down a rope to the pitch and places itself on the pelvans-point ("P") of the executing player. This player may now choose how to kick the pelvans to the other side: straight forward, angled to the right, or angled to the left. At the moment of shooting, the other player must already have made his mind up in which direction he is going to run in order to catch the pelvans at his baseline. (This is merely a game of chance. The player being shot at with the pelvans may choose the direction in which to run by moving his joystick before the moment when the pelvans is kicked off by the opponent. If you suppose that the pelvans will come directly towards you, of course you won't run off to either side, but rather remain in your position!) Scoring: Every single game is worth a certain number of points, which the winner will receive. Additionally, he will obtain a time bonus when having finished the game especially quickly. CONTROL: -O- Joystick left/right: Move along the baseline o Pressing fire and keeping it pressed: Collect strength for a belom-shot. The longer the dwarf keeps the fire button pressed the higher and further he will shoot. \ / o Move joystick forward to the left or right while keeping fire button pressed: Determine direction of shot. The longer you keep the joystick in the chosen direction, the greater the side- angle will become. O Let go fire button: Shoot \ / O Joystick forward, angled left/right: Special Shoot. When you determine the angle of shooting without simultaneously collecting strength, and then kick off the belom, you will make a low shot across the barrier. o | Joystick down and press fire: Irritate opposite fans! Pelvans: \|/ o Joystick up / up left / up right and press fire: Determine direction and kick of the pelvans. -O- Joystick left / in the middle / right: Determine direction in which to run when wanting to catch a pelvans. Possible only before the opponent has kicked of the pelvans. Homerun: | o Joystick up and press fire: Start on the homerun. After every main game, the pairs of this fight as shown at the start will appear once again. The losers of the game are now covered by the so called "loser curtain" (by the pelvans also called "robe of silence"). 2. The Revenge of the Beloms After every main game which the dwarf has won he has to compete in an intermediate game, giving him the chance to increase his score (but he may also loose points!). Basically, the aim of the intermediate game is to keep off the beloms (still in bad temper from the main game) by use of the so called "shove-off pole" (a pole with wooden pushers at both ends). The beloms will then try to reach the dwarf from eight directions, in order to knock him over by a precisely aimed tickling-attack. The dwarf tries to prevent them from doing so by pushing them away with the shove-off pole (so called "push off"). Of course, the dwarf is not allowed to win this game (a condition demanded by the beloms). A short notice in addition: Try to shove-off all oncoming beloms (recognizable by their trail of dust, kicked up by their about 200 feet) in an active way, rather than only blocking the way with a pole end. hoved-off beloms fly from the pitch and need more time to reach their starting point again. Scoring: The display on the right side of the screen shows how many beloms you must shoot away in the current intermediate game, before you go to the ground, In case you don't manage to shove off enough beloms, you'll lose points from your current score. In case you push off a lot more beloms, your score is increased. CONTROL: -O- Joystick left / middle / right: Aim shove-off pole. \|/ O Joystick in all six other directions: Push with the shove-off /|\ pole. This way you can cover only six of the eight directions from which the beloms will attack you.. So, from time to time, change your basic position in order to cover all eight directions in the long run. -o- Joystick left / right and press fire: Move into another basic position. 3. The Remarkable Six Faultons After every league you have to pass the qualification of the 6 faultons, who in their spare time form a successful singers' sextet, in order to go up to the next match. The dwarf's task is to grasp: By means of a well-aimed kick, he has to deliver a belom into the open mouth of a faulton. Don't be too afraid of this! The beloms have be expressively instructed that they will be spat out again by the faultons after the qualification game! In order to go up to the second league, you have to successfully "feed" 2 faultons; for the third league you will need four hits. If you don't pass this qualification you have to repeat the previous match, much to the enjoyment of the competitors; in addition you lose all your points collected during the last match. (This is also a result of a reformation of the rules. Until then, the goblins had lost every qualification in order to collect more and more points by repeating the same league over and over again. Certainly this way was an expression of their professional attitude, because the GRAND SLAM is the goblins's national sport. Scoring: Every belom delivered into a faulton's greedy mouth provides you with points. In case you don't pass the qualification, you will lose all points acquired during the qualification and during the previous match. CONTROL: o Keep fire button pressed: Determine strength of shot. O Let go fire button: Shoot. The dwarf is moved from one kick-off point to the other automatically. PC-users, attention: F1 key = "master key" Keyboard-control: ESC: Stop game P:. Pause Cursor: Control Space: Fire button [picture of HodH CrownguarD - unimportant for gameplay] THE GRAND MONSTER SLAM Once upon a time on a beautiful Nes (a Monday according to earth standards) in the year 10365 the goblins paced their bags in order to wage war against men They hadn't at this time the slightest idea that they would find their place in history as the founders of "sport" on the world of GholD. No, our little friends with their pointed ears had no idea of this when they formed their forces of no less than 7000 soldiers in actual fact they didn't have much idea about anything at all. Their extent of their ignorance became fully evident two months later after they had tried to conquer the first outpost of mankind - a desert fortress, an incident later known as the "Great Embarrassment". In order to understand properly what happened then, we should mention that goblins are quite skillful in manufacturing mechanical devices which combined with some surprising magical powers makes them rather gifted as engineers and technicians. Accordingly the main force of their military was a number of monstrous war machines mainly catapults which were drawn - by groaning and swearing pullers - through forests and swamps and over hills and mountains until finally the desert of OhgruhN was reached, sundering the realms of men and goblins. Quickly the big catapults (which unfortunately tended to produce their little defects now and then) were switched to desert operation. The magazines of the repeating catapults were filled with stones. The goblins marched on ready to overcome this last obstacle on their journey. After some days the above mentioned desert fortress was in sight. The goblin hordes set up their artillery and then shouting their terrible war cry "Bash, beat, duff them in!" they let go a veritable hailstorm of boulders against the walls of the surprised fortress. For five minutes rubble darkened the sky; then all was totally calm - in the fortress where people were recovering from the shock (luckily nobody had been hurt) and in the goblins ranks because they had no more rocks. Finally a low giggling noise then loud laughter resounded from the ramparts of the fortress when the inhabitants realized the mistake the goblins had made. A normal desert is made of sand and nothing else. Despite this the goblins tried angrily to maintain the siege. When the first experiments with sand failed to show the desired effect the marksmen filled their machines with crates pitchers spare wheels and such like even draft animals and slaves didn't get around being used in this way but it didn't help. The goblins' weapon had become useless. Eventually the commander in chief saw no other solution than to go directly against the fortress but doing this his brave army experienced their next fiasco. From the ramparts of the fortress they were attacked with the very same stones which the goblins themselves had used up some hours ago. Doubtless an amazingly clever idea produced by the chief of the fortress named Ree Sycling. And indeed no goblin reached the high battlements. Covered with bruises of every kind and look the brave goblin warriors withdrew but not without taking their stones with them which they had just received back so very unexpectedly and then ... [picture of non-observance of the 3-step-rule - unimportant for gameplay] Three years later. The great desert war between men and goblins neared its end. Exhaustion had spread itself through the ranks of both sides. Wherever one looked one could recognize hints of weakening of the fighting spirit, yes, even first tender affinities between both sides. For example: the goblins had provided men with catapult technology in exchange of regular water deliveries from the fortress thus avoiding an awful lot of running and getting bruises because the dearly desired shooting stones could now be obtained more easily. The damage on both sides proved small because at an early stage of the conflict regular breaks between shooting phases had been arranged meeting the interests of both parties. All in all it could have gone on this way for many years but weariness had descended on men and goblins and all the material used by both and so in the year 10368 a peace was signed with an impressing ceremony. In fact both sides discovered nice features in the character of the opposing side and besides they could learn a lot from each other. In remembrance of this historical event in the desert it was agreed to meet each other again every three years in order to exchange some honorable catapult shots as part of a big festival. The next group to join the party were the halflings. Being very curious as part of their very nature they soon invited themselves to the regular peace festival with every intention of participating in the catapult shooting. In order to achieve this they immediately started a war against goblins and men threw some symbolic cobble stones and after five minutes they selflessly asked for peace for being allowed to the jubilee and for fare and draught. It took no longer than the third jubilee festival to see the participation of for more peoples including elves and imps, a fact which presented the festival board with some veritable problems. At first four declarations of war arrived at the same time (luckily followed by four capitulations immediately afterwards) and secondly the catapult shooting of now seven parties against each other lead to unimaginable confusion. The organizers found an answer to this problem by introducing a slight change in the festivities. from now on big targets were to be shot at which was less fun but proved to be of an advantage in avoiding the number of bruises. Thus the memory day of the "Great Embarrassment" developed step by step into a big festival consuming several days, a festival of peace and understanding between races. Certainly it would have remained so if the powers of evil hadn't got wind of it! During a routine torture of an elf the orcs learned of the festival and it is a small wonder that a whole bunch of shady riff-raff appeared at the next jubilee. It was their leader, Brank, who stood up for the peoples of the darkness by shouting: "Let's join the party!". From then on the festivities were never the same again. According to their nature the orcs instantly created an awful mess by wheeling their catapult around by 90 degrees in the middle of a competition an opening fire on a neighboring elven team. The elven reacted the same way ... In short the way of feasting for a little while became very much similar to the early times; after the big chaos the orcs declared war (thus rather bewildering the organizers) whereas the capitulation - necessary to follow - took its time (5 years). Finally the Orcs were successfully integrated into the games which now were hold every five years. Together with them all the other peoples of darkness became participants because meanwhile the Orcs had sent messengers in all six directions, messengers, who in their turn were captured and tortured by other evil races. Finally there remained nobody on GholD who didn't learn to know - one or the other way - of the GRAND SLAM. Parallel to this development the rules of the games were decisively changed partly with the intention to reduce conflicts between competing teams: the catapults were abolished and instead the best representatives of all races threw stones at each other The competition was organized as an elimination contest. The influence of the evil races is clearly recognizable in the abolition of the targets. Thus the principal rules of the GRAND MONSTER SLAM were formed as we know them today but let's remain at some other important changes first. [picture of dwarf - not important for game play] The most significant modification of the game was the introduction of the beloms. This mountain people, nearly unknown until then, one day appeared before the board of organizers and applied for participation in the games. Well the honorables of the board looked carefully at these spherical furry beings - with a diameter of roughly 30 cm - withdrew for discussion and afterwards made a contract with the beloms. On closely looking this contract was not exactly what the beloms had originally wanted but on the other hand they were now allowed to participate in the games - or not? Probably the most famous "participants" in the Grand Monster Slam, the beloms, usually say of themselves that they are a nomad people. Indeed there is a noticeable migration of beloms from the top of the border mountains (separating the empire from the desert) down to the fertile lowlands. This migration has gone on for several hundred years and doesn't show any signs of stopping. Unfortunately for the beloms the truth seems to be different from what the beloms declare. Research has proven that the belom's homeland is indeed to be found between the rocks of the high mountains but their so called "migration of the peoples" seems to be random event, much more than a planned action. As everybody knows the beloms' bodies are very round things and every creature's common sense will easily understand that beloms are very much suited for ... erm, rolling down mountain sides. Especially in times of a high density of belom population these round little fellows crowd on narrow mountain ridges and on the mountain peaks in such a form that the great jostling leads to a massive "roll-down" an incident greatly feared by the people in the mountains who the speak o a "belom-fall". It is small wonder that only the toughest boms survive a belom-fall their form of the "survival of the fittest". The games of the Grand Monster Slam seem to take profit from this . Of course if you ask any belom about this correlation he will deny it as well as the theory that the beloms will become a sea folk in a not very far future. Beloms have already been sighted at the sea shores and beaches of the empire and the statement of some belom-leaders that these have been beloms on holiday is totally unbelievable. [picture of a rolling belom - unimportant for gameplay] Nonetheless when the next GRAND SLAM was held the stones were replaced by beloms and not before then theses cozy little balls of wool clearly recognized what they had agrees to - but under the threat of a contract of 50000 gold coins it was too late to think otherwise. At the same time further modifications of the rules were put into effect for example the tournament system introduced by the warrior people of the Eagle Mountains. From then on the GRAND MONSTER SLAM ceased to be a mass turmoil carried out in the special arena which had been build for that purpose but followed the orderly tracks of an elimination contest (much of the displeasure of the peoples of darkness). Anyway it appeared that no race on GholD remained that didn't want to take part in the games but not all of them could qualify themselves e.g. the skeletons proved to be too rickety, the vampires too bloodthirsty and the zombies too lazy. The revived mummies unfortunately tended to stagger over their own loosely hanging bandages. There was such a crowd of hopeful sportscreatures that the games moved to the biggest city of GholD, HodH CrownguarD, being the very capital of the Empire as the name already suggests. However if anyone had expected that the games would now rnove on smoothly he/she/it proved to be very much mistaken. A further change in rules (namely the kicking of the beloms replacing the former throwing) was followed by a shocking scandal when before the start of the games an unknown perpetrator filled some unhappy boms (short for beloms) with lead. This was rather disadvantageous for the elves whose Grand Slammer Bernardantilus suffered a multiple fracture of the foot. So the elves boycotted the games for some decades together with some other races friendly with them until the perpetrator (a pelvans) had been found and filled with lead in his turn. [picture of a Fan - unimportant for gameplay] Of course this wasn't the only incident worthwhile mentioning. We shouldn't forget to mention also the so called faultons, who made fun of catching beloms with their mouth and swallowing them when beloms came flying by. Despite of the rules not banning such behavior - or rather because of it - this custom produced serious consequences: the beloms collectively joined the "Society of Kicked Animals" (SKA) thus giving this formerly very inconspicuous organization considerable political weight because of the drastically rising number of members and of course membership fees. So great became the pressure of the SKA on the board of organizers that the faultons were banned from the games for good but when the faultons in their turn threatened to found a "Syndicate of Sadistic Players" (cheered by the evil races with great howling) this people of perfectly spherical amphibians could return to the biggest sporting event of GholD through the backdoor. The faulton's big mouths were from then on used for qualification game separating the individual Grand-Slam- Elimination-Rounds from each other. To cut it short: The games were ready for a new form of organization. Solid rules had to be laid down in order to avoid nasty incidents like that with the faultons and so the sports messengers of all races of GholD met in the year 11218 to give the Grand- Monster-Slam the form still valid in our day. This of course couldn't be achieved without creating discord. For example the introduction of the "three-step-rule" (which means one has to make at least three steps while crossing the pitch in the homerun) made the giants leave the games forever. Then there were the vain pelvans, obviously favorites of the emperor, which categorically demanded to be allowed participation in the games which lead to introducing the famous "pelvans" (named after the race); yes, even the beloms raised their voices once more! In the meantime they had founded the FUMB (Fighting Union of Maltreated Beloms) and vigorously pushed through the "bom-punching" as an intermediate bonus round, commonly known as the "revenge of the beloms". The newly participating pelvans couldn't help making nasty remarks and called this extension of the games procedure a "dwarf rebellion" which got them the beloms' wrath and the dwarves' hostility (people nowadays believe that dwarves try to make as many pelvans as possible during a game). Eventually the board of organizers passed the definite version of the rules therewith giving the Grand Monster Slam its current form. The Games nowadays: In the year 12847 the Grand Monster Slam appears to be more splendid than ever. The festivities accompanying the games have gone on for four cycles now and on the streets and lanes of HodH CrownguarD merry people enjoy themselves continuously while the games go on. From all parts of known GholD creatures flock to the city in order to look at the sporting show although the Grand Monster Slam stadium has no more than 1348 seats. Behind their protectively risen claws people whispered that murders have been committed in order to obtain a seat in the bowl. Nevertheless black market prices have risen to astronomical level. Fortunately for those who don't find a place in the bowl there is no reason for moaning because all can participate in the super festival accompanying the games. In addition the tv rights have been sold to the "Union of Professional Clairvoyants" (UPC) who offer their services at all public places. All in all this big event still offers one or two extra gold coins of potential profit. Besides the restaurants and inns whose business runs high during the games many little crafts shops offer "sport bandages" which are needed for first aid not only by the Slam players but also by many dedicated fans.. On the other hand sponsors overvalue the public relations effect of the Grand Monster Slam every now and then. "Filikili's craft's defile" (today an unimportant smithy in the middle of the dwarves' realm) for example couldn't manage an international breakthrough in spite of excessive arena advertisements because the greatest part ot the audience cannot read. Even the self made slogan "With Filikili's happy axe any elf you may decap" could only be deciphered by the elves present. [picture of cheerleader - unimportant for gameplay] Which brings us to the "ogrice", the public guards and help service maintaining law and order when disappointed and/or drunken fans of different races fight each other. Very remarkable indeed that the ogres, not very helpful under most circumstances, have volunteered for this task and for no payment at all! one of the ogres' most important jobs is to take all weapons from spectators on entering the stadium. Unfortunately the board of organizers had been forced to take this measure because of repeated acts of violence against referees. The most spectacular case was when a referee had been pulled into two halves by an ogre before the eyes of the audience. The ogre had been disqualified because of "accidentally" crushing a belom under his feet. Remark of palvanish eyewitness: "Looks like a halfling now.". Until today many referees are used to inconspicuously vanish in the crowd in order to avoid harassment because even the ogrice has difficulties in guaranteeing the discipline of the audience. The custom of uttering discontent by throwing smaller creatures (preferably goblins and pelvans) onto the pitch never could be abolished. Despite of all such adversities the Grand Monster Slam remains a big festival of friendship and understanding. To quote Dorin Ironhand, chair dwarf of the board of organizers on opening the current Grand Monster Slam: "Simply duff'em up!" DESIGNER'S NOTES Rolf Lakamper in charge of the game design: When I conceived the basic idea of GMS and told Hartwig about it I had no idea about what I had started: Day after day Hartwig proved his intimate familiarity with the realms of fantasy by presenting new monsters who had applied to him for participation in the Games! We selected the best players and then my work at the program began: Orcs, halflings, dwarves and elves had to be put together peacefully into the computer. The beloms developed a preference to make use of even the slightest faults in the program and to not only fly across the pitch but also through the whole memory! It was particularly interesting to provide the monsters with characters and an understanding of the play. So you will find among them the uncontrolled and lazy ogre Brunf who on the other hand has a mighty kick! A tactically experienced play is the chief feature of Gnarl whereas Stig "Firy" Grunf is the old war horse of the Games. In fact the opponents program follows several parameters like e.g. talent for observation, slyness, power of kick, laziness, resistance and so on. In this way every character has its own strength and weaknesses and with just a little experience and observance the dwarf has a really chance of winning. In case your computer starts dripping water, don't panic, this is because Zsch'luk has its in between baths! Volker Marohn, PC program conversion: When we considered how to provide the player's opponents in the Grand Monster Slam with personalities of their own we quickly agreed that a mere random figure algorithm or a control along table wasn't worth it salt. We had to give the monsters up to a certain degree a real artificial intelligence! I suggested the Heshenberg algorithm, a model creating predictable, but no stereotype reactions. Each opponent is classified by a set of reaction parameters describing his or her physical and mental abilities. We started with a set of parameters equal for all opponents. Then the appalling development of personalities began. Soon, Drunfluk reacted other than Stig "Firy" Grunf who again behaved not like Hiro-Sha but they all together didn't do what they should have done! In those times the saying was devised: if computers won't do what they should it is because: a) a power failure b) a virus c) the Hershenberg algorithm Finally we succeeded in stopping the anarchic development of our monster personalities and persuaded the creatures to volunteer for the Grand Monster Slam. Still every opponent has its own individual character with all their strengths and weaknesses. Not a single one of them is unbeatable! Read the passages on the presentation screen and observe the opponents' reactions during the game. Even though you may not be one of the quickest reacting performers of the joystick you will anyway have a real good chance when adapting your play to the opponent's weaknesses. So don't disgrace your dwarf! And if anything in the opponents' behavior should confuse you ... simply ask Professor Hershenberg! Hartwig Nieder-Gassel, graphics and design: The Grand Monster Slam is the first product to be published under the label Golden Goblins. I have sound experience in fantasy illustration based on my activities in the German role-playing-scene but the fact something as untechnological as fantasy is easily adaptable to the technical world of computers I had to discover by myself. If you dig into the very nature of fantasy you will certainly find out that a lot of work and love of detail has to be invested in the background of any fantasy action plot. If not the Grand Slam players will only appear as curious looking characters who participate in a strange sport because of unknown reasons. On the other hand if you tell the gamers that the best fighters of all races of this fantasy world meet regularly because some thousand years ago the goblins fought a war because of which they are still being laughed at today, the whole event becomes a sound thing and the gamer will then be a participant rather than a mere spectator wielding a joystick. So after Rolf had developed the basic game idea as well as the game components it was my job - and it proved to be a rewarding one - to work out the complete game background besides creating the screen graphics. This background is now presented to you in this booklet. I took the background from a role-playing-campaign I had written some years ago together with a friend of mine. We had created the fantasy world of GholD and called it to life by role-playing (based on the D&D-system for anyone who is interested in it). This proved to present enough colorful background material for the Grand-Monster-Slam. Players who are familiar with this form of gaming will find that the creatures populating the Grand Monster Slam are also familiar to them, well, most of them. Pelvans for example and beloms have been thought out by Rolf and really should be marked with an (c). Thus the Grand Monster Slam became a big fun for all of us and if the Golden Goblins some day create another fantasy style game, it certainly will be located on the world of GholD as well presenting a good chance of meeting familiar faces again. The Grand Monster Slam was developed by: Rolf Lakamper: Responsible for the project, original Amiga program, game design Volker Marohn: Pc program conversion Gisbert Siegmund: Atari ST program conversion Hartwig Nieder-Gassel: Original Amiga graphics, graphics conversion for Atari ST and PC (EGA), game design,, artwork, package design and manual Olaf Menges: Graphics conversion C64 Andreas Gortz: Graphics conversion C64, PC (CGA) Thanks to: The rest of the goblins (Bettina Wiedner, Holger Ahrens, Jorg Prenzing), Thomas Schichtel and Philip Ridgeway-LeGresley, Kristin Dodt, Uwe Schaffmeister, Rachel Gauntlett, Bernard Morell,Alexandra "Mouse" Nolle, Marc A. Ullrich and those who pack everything in plastic bags. Music: Chris Hulsbeck The lead miniature are factured by Hobby Products GmbH Setting: Fotosatz Lorenz GholD, the world of six suns, was created by Hartwig Nieder-Gassel and Jrgen Dollasek Golden Goblins is a trademark of Rainbow Arts. Grand Monster Slam (c) by Rainbow Arts ********* End Project 64 etext Grand Monster Slam manual. *********