Some people do not think good games can be written for the Windows environment. Until Windows 95, that opinion was somewhat understandable. The number-one-selling computer game for most of 1995 was DOOM II--surely you've heard of DOOM II. Perhaps you've even played DOOM II. (Perhaps you'll even admit that you've played DOOM II!)
DOOM II does not run under Windows 3.1. Unfortunately, Windows 3.1 was the operating environment of choice for many months after DOOM II was released. Users had to exit Windows 3.1 and return to MS-DOS to run DOOM II. The reason it didn't run under Windows 3.1 was that it displayed never-before-seen, three-dimensional graphics. You, the player, walked through a series of corridors shooting bad people. The sound and graphics required most of a computer's resources, and those resources could not be shared with Windows.
Windows 95 changes everything. If you want to run DOOM II in an MS-DOS window, you can do so. Microsoft wants you to know that you can run games such as DOOM II under Windows 95. Microsoft has a problem, however; Microsoft does not own DOOM II. Therefore, the programmers at Microsoft decided to write a DOOM II-like game that contains more action, sounds, and graphics than DOOM II. The game is called Hover.
JUST A MINUTE: You must have a CD-ROM drive and the CD-ROM version of Windows 95 to run Hover, the game you learn to play in this time-out.
Here is Microsoft's description of Hover:
Play a fast-paced game of bumper cars in a huge 3D maze.
That description doesn't really say much. You have to play the game to see what Hover is really all about. The primary reason to play Hover at least one time, even if you aren't a game-player, is to be stunned by the fast-paced graphics and speed of programs running under Windows 95 that were not possible with previous versions of Windows.
Hover is a game that puts you in a three-dimensional, maze-like environment where you are pitted against an opponent who is trying to capture all three of your red flags while you try to capture all three of your opponent's blue flags. The total score you receive is based on the number of opponent flags you capture and the number of your own flags that you still have at the game's end.
Follow these steps to start the Hover game:
Figure T3.1.
The opening screen for the Windows 95 CD-ROM.
JUST A MINUTE: Depending on the release date of your Windows 95 CD-ROM, your Windows 95 CD-ROM opening screen might look somewhat different from Figure T3.1.
Figure T3.2.
Hover's opening screen.
Now you can start the game. Press F2 (or select Game | Start Game
from the menu). When the game starts, use the arrow keys to move forward, backward,
left, and right. You'll be moving and bumping around (you're in a bumper car that
bounces off many obstacles the car hits) looking for opponent flags to take. To take
a flag, just run into the flag and your hovering car will grab the flag. Figure T3.3
shows a game in progress.
Figure T3.3.
The Hover car bumps around looking for flags.
TIME SAVER: There are hot keys you can use to modify the behavior of the Hover car. The letter A key is the jump key, which enables you to jump over some obstacles as you move. S is the wall key, which leaves a temporary wall behind you to slow down opponents. D is the cloaking key, which enables you to hide yourself temporarily from opponents.
There are many options in the game and many strategies you can try. The rest is up to you. Play the game for awhile and then search the help topics so you can improve your game. Good luck!
