Hamsterball
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Hamsterball is a 3-D computer game made by Raptisoft. It is based on Atari's Marble Madness which was released in 1984. The object of the game is to roll a hamster in a ball through many obstacle courses, called races, in a time limit. The races involve mean 8-balls who attempt to knock the hamsterball off the bridges and such where the ball must roll. More obstacles are saws, hammers, and 'Block Dawgs', which look like miniature irons and block the ball from entering tubes or crossing bridges. These only appear on the Toob (sic) Race and the Master Race. Each race has a theme, such as a castle theme on Tower Race, and spiraling dizziness on Dizzy Race. The easiest race is Warm-Up Race, and the hardest is Master. The Master Race uses the hardest obstacles from all the other races, such as the tar pits from Dizzy, the catapult from Tower, and Block Dawgs from the Toob race.
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[edit] Original Version Races
Image:tourney-intermediate.jpg|Intermediate Race]] Image:Hamsterball.jpg|thumb|left|Cascade race]] Image:Example.jpg|Caption1 Image:Example.jpg|Caption2
Warm-Up race-The first and shortest race. With pink atmosphere, this game is the easiest one of all 12 races. Its time pool is not added into other races. There are no enemies.
Cascade race-First appearance of 8-ball. Very easy race. The atmosphere is orange. There are some curves and triangles in this race. If the hamster touches a triangle, he will bounce.
Intermediate race-Blue race. It has 8-balls as its main enemies, but there are also hamstertraps. Near the end is a special bridge that lifts up and down.
Dizzy race-Green atmosphere. Lots of curves, most of them at the beginning. There is also a rotating circle and a curvy bridge.
Tower race-First appearance of the catapult. There are spiky bludgeons and a pink ball. Two routes lead to the goal-one harder but shorter and one longer and safer and yellow theme.
Up race -In this race, the goal is on the top of the map, not the bottom, so you will have to use elevators and vacuums to get there! This race is simple yet challenging with a purple theme.
Expert race -This race combines the challenges of sharp turns without walls with a monstrous hammer and fans that blow your hamster away. To top it all off, there is a monumental jump just before the goal. This race has a red theme and unique music to emphasize the challenge!
Odd race -This race was designed with the unique abilities to run up the walls and shrink the hamsterball to a dangerously small size. This level has an orange theme.
Toob race-Colors of this race are blue and white. The race has lots of yellow tunnels (tubes). There are 3 tube routes with 2 paths, one longer and one shorter. It is not, however, randomized. It depends on which side of the 'toob' you are hanging on to when you go through it!
Wobbly race-Colors of this race are olive-green and white. Some parts of this race can move forward-backwards or left-right when the hamster touches it.
Sky race-This is a very tight race with no sides and many spirals. It also has a few dangers including poke-pipes, a magnifying glass, and a little surprise near the end! Its colors are light-blue and white.
Master race-This is the ultimate challenge! (unless you have version 3.0) It has many of the hardest challenges from other levels such as tar and the catapult, but adds its own challenge that may take several tries to 'master'! A huge banked turn with sharp curves and an almost vertical incline! However, if you are good enough to make it through without cracking the ball, then there is plenty of time to win the level, or unlock the arena and gold-gray theme.
Impossible race-It's a very hard level! It's a red theme and impossible goal reacher.
Glass race-It's a good music and pink theme and wobbly race after level and warning to smash glass!
Neon race -This is a black atmosphere and dark level. Neonlight and 8-Ball warning.
[edit] Party Games
Races: Each of the races are available as soon as you can access through the NORMAL difficulty tournaments, and the first three are already available. When you go into it you will find that it is a two player split-screen race. They can be controlled by either the keyboard or the mouse. As these are unbalanced, it is best to let the more experienced player be the keyboard, or you can take turns. Of all the races, the Sky Race is probably the hardest to race on because there isn't enough room for two balls. The Master race is probably the most enjoyable one because of its length and variety.
Arenas: In each of the NORMAL difficulty Tournament games, there is a secret area where you can unlock a bonus arena. These areas are invisible and very hard to find. For this reason I have included special tips for these in the Hints and Tips section. Each arena displays the main idea of the corresponding race as you try to accumulate the most points, from Warm-Up's simplicity to Odd Race's oddities. Here follows a short description of each of them. If you want to be surprised then skip this section, but as surprised as you might be, you will not be disappointed!
Warm-Up: -- AVAILABLE FROM START -- A simple circle where the hamsterballs can concentrate on knocking each other off the area. There are four walls that offer a little protection, but they don't always help.
Beginner: -- AVAILABLE FROM START -- This is probably one of the most difficult arenas there are! In the center is an eight ball to frustrate al who dare stray near the center, but if you hit the walls, you will find yourself flying in another direction!
Intermediate: -- AVAILABLE FROM START -- This is a square arena with no walls and four mousetraps. These traps will easily send your hamsters flying so be cautious!
Dizzy: This arena has very small walls but its chief feature is a spinning platform in the center. It is very confusing and you will soon find out if you are clever enough to find it's unlock area!
Tower: This arena is a large square with crenellated walls and a central catapult which will fire your hamster off the arena. If you hug the walls you may find yourself beneath one of four maces waiting for a likely victim. This is truly a medieval style battle and as is the wonderful tradition in Hamsterball's levels, there is not one other level like it!
Up: This arena has two levels: The upper level is the starting position with walls on all sides save where it borders the second level. The lower level has no walls and is only accessible to the higher part via an elevater. In this challenging arena, you will have to knock your opponents off the arena twice, once on top, and once below!
Expert: For a pretty exciting level, you will be surprised to see that it is a plain circle with no walls. You will also notice an impassable hole in the center. What lies inside this hole? The answer just might blow you away!
Odd: A typical circle arena, except for the fact that 'typical' doesn't exist in this game! Half the arena is normal, and the other half is a gravity-defying wall!
Toob: One of the most unpredictable arenas is the Toob Arena: There are four pinball bumpers in place of walls and one center bumper. The majority of the open sides have tubes, and if you can get your opponent to cannon into one, you may receive anywhere from two to five points for it!
Wobble: The most difficult to unlock, and the most tipsy of them all. It is a normal arena, walls and all, except for the fact that it tips from side to side under the weight of the balls!
Sky: As a curve/coaster style arena is not likely, instead you find an arena with dynamic walls made of those annoying poke-pegs. You may find a wall appear between you and your opponent, or, more dangerously, between you and your escape!
Master: This is a circle with no walls, no safe zone, and a sloping edge. In the center are four holes. Hamsterballs may go in, but what will come back out?
Impossible: Biggest challenge yet! There's some dangerously thin ledges. Dangerous thing to roll and stay on till you reach the end long tube. You'll find two grindgears is a small path too so be careful! Then you'll see a spinning platform quite hard there so don't be too quick!and there is a serious curved trail youll need to go to a new side to the right when you get to a hard curved part! After that is one of the most dangerous parts which is a sensitive narrow curvy part so be EXTRA slow! After that you'll be seeing 3 curving side to side moving platforms - BE CAREFUL THERE! After that YOU'LL FINISH THE GAME! and it has a red atmosphere.
[edit] Object of Arenas
The object is to force your opponents off the arena by use of your own ball, the unique obstacles of the level, or by tricking them into going right where you want them, that is... off the arena!!! Each time a hamster falls down, each of the other ones will receive a point. (or multiple ones, see Toob Arena) Therefore, if there are four players and you are playing defensively, (ie. hiding), then you will have to have one more point than everyone else, and any hamster that catches up will have to be individually destroyed while you are in the arena in order for you to stretch your lead. If you are not in the arena, then you will not get the point. You will find certain strategies that match certain arenas as you play more often. As long as you have a 1 human player, you can have up to 3 computer players. If you really want to experience hamster fun, invite your friend to compete with you and two other hamsters! This is a crazed and exciting aspect of the game new to version 2.0 and is one of the highlights of the game! This is hamster fun at its best!!!
[edit] Hints & Tips:
On singleplayer you can use both the mouse and the keyboard for the levels. Although the mouse is the easiest to use it also has its disadvantages. The mouse works best on curves but on straight-aways, you may find yourself on the other side of the desk! The keyboard, on the other hand, is especially difficult because in order to go in one direction you have to either hold TWO keys closest to desired direction for straight-aways, or alternately tap those keys on curves. Here follows a list of tips on some of the levels and a hint for finding the arena (V 2.0 or later)
Dizzy: Here your chief worry will be the tar at the end of the level and the turntable; avoid the tar if you can but if you do get caught in a bubble it will trail off as you roll along. (Alternately you can break your ball as you will reappear clean) Arena: In unlocking the Dizzy arena you may come very near a 'sticky' situation!
Tower: At the crossroads go where the maces are as you can easily make the jump using the mouse. Arena: You will have to go the short way to find it!
Up: Do not go after the 'tasty button' unless you think it will take less than five seconds to get up the initial part of the ramp, and don't try multiple times to get it! Arena: This unlock area should be one of the first things you do.
Expert: This is a pretty difficult level and there is quite a steep learning curve leading to it. I suggest doing to time trials to get the hang of the steep drops. (In version 3.0 there is another level before Expert) When you get to the crossroads, head towards the fans. Some practice should make it easier against the fans and it is much faster than the other way. Arena: If you plan to unlock this area, disregard the advice for the crossroads.
Odd: By now, if you don't have a sizeable time pool, you probably won't win. So once you get sick of this level, roll back a few levels and try to get a better time. From here on you should try to get a large time pool. A trick is that after you have come to the first shrinking tube, don't get into the hole. Instead gobackwards till you reach a wall with lines. Break the ball and you will appear behind the wall. Then, move slowly to the left and you will appear on the side of the wall. roll down and break the ball again and you will appear beside the goal. Arena: From the unlock area you can see most of the remaining level. (And you probably thought it was a pointless dead end!)
Toob: On this level, try to take as many short cuts as possible where the tubes are concerned. After the pinball table, hang to the left of the tube and you will end up in a faster (and safer) route. Arena: Try to explore the 'Goal' area, in comparison to the goal, the secret area is 'so close yet so far away'!
Wobbly: By this level you may have given up on the highscores and aborted at each fall. At this level, however, some falls bring you closer than farther so you may just have a chance. At the last tilting platform, it is helpful to use the keyboard to tap 'UP' when you are trying to get down. Arena: You will need much extra time for this one, it will take a little bit longer than it does to finish the level.
Sky: Use the mouse, you will soon get the hang of the turns and curves... At the pegs, if they block you, you can try to fall down to get past them, it doesn't always work, but a few seconds always makes a difference! Arena: You may already be burnt out by the time you reach this bend.
Master: Here it is! The fact that you got here is greater proof than winning the level though. It truly is harder than all levels made before the V 1.03 release mainly because it is so hard to get past the banked turn without dying! Use the keyboard for this turn and try to go sharply up, from there steer slightly to the direction of travel and sharply opposite the direction you are falling. However, I have also found out, (to my surprise and... disappointment) that some of the children I know who have played this got away with relaxing keys after the first bend! You will find a surprise later on, I won't spoil it for you, if you fall off the edge near the pipe, it is usually close enough and often helpful. Arena: You won't find it just by falling off the beaten path, it is at the direct end of ONE of the dead ends.
Note on Arena Tips: These hints are meant to give you a nudge in the right direction, if you are not content with this, there is a web site that shows close-ups of each of the areas, it is still somewhat vague, but not to keep you guessing like the developers meant for you to. If you give up on searching for them then here is a site with all 12 locations: http://www.angelfire.com/games5/hamsterball/
[edit] Miscellaneous
The themes in hamsterball are based on simple textures used for the display. By simply editing the images you can change the look of each level for more variety. If you wish to proceed with recoloring some of the levels, be sure to make a backup of all the images you want to change. The most basic example is the floor color. The wall color is unchangeable except where it is striped. Firstly, in the textures folder each of the floor colors are 'checkers' with the color or race name before it. Once opened, there is a minute square of 2x2 pixels. All it takes is to insert separate colors for the tiles and you can change the entire look of the level! Other, more bold changes can be made to the obstacles and special effects to make the level seem like a completely different one.
Note that this has no effect on gameplay and only changes the display. An error in size or overly bold recoloring may make the display appear strange and not sufficient to play the game. Keep a backup of any files you use.
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