                  ____________________
                 /    /    /         /
                /____/____/_________/
                    /    /    /    /
                   /    /    /    /
              ____/    /    /    /____
             /        /    /         /
            /________/____/_________/

                    presents

# VROOM!
Copyright 2021 - Thomas Jentzsch (JTZ)

A post-pandemic game, best played with a LOT of friends. :)

## The Game
**VROOM!** is a 4K, one button, up to eight simulataneous players racing game for the Atari 2600. 

## Controls
### Paddles
If you have a QuadTari, plug it into the two ports of the console and plug the paddles into the four ports of the QuadTari **before** you switch on the console. 

Without a QuadTari, plug the paddles into left and right ports of the console.

### Switches
On the title screen or any time during the game, press **Select** to select a game variation. There are three race lenghts (30, 60 and 90 seconds) displayed at the top of the screen, each avalaible in four difficulties. The colors of the display represent these difficulties:
- Blue: Kids/Drunk 
- Green: Easy
- Yellow: Normal
- Red: Hard

The difficulties define the AI strength and the braking effect.

Finally you can enable so called "Super-Boosts" (twice as strong as normal boosts) by switching **Left Difficulty** to A. In total there are 24 variations to chose from.

To start a new game press **Reset**.

## Playing the Game
### Start Countdown
After pressing **Reset**, a five second countdown starts. During this countdown, each player must press the paddle button to activate her/his car for the race. Activated cars are displayed in brighter colors and with boost arrows on the track. 

Immediately after the countdown the race starts, inactive cars will be controlled by the game's AI.

### The Race
During the race, try to press the button only while your car is over a boost arrow. This will color the boost arrows and accelerate your car. Pressing the button while not being over a boost arrow will make the car brake.

The cars will slowly move to the right. Their position on the track will indicate their position in the race.

At the end of the race, the cars will move into their final positions and after a few seconds the distance covered by each car will be displayed.

## Acknowledgements
**VROOM!** has been developed and tested with **Stella**, the best emulator for the Atari 2600. Thanks to the AtariAge community for testing the game and providing suggestions.

## Legal
This game is freeware, but copyrighted; it may be freely distributed, but it **must** be always accompanied by this documentation file. This program may be included on websites and shareware or freeware compilations, but please contact me first. You **cannot** distribute VROOM! on Atari 2600 cartridges without my **explicit** permission. 
