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4th & Inches

@paradox

Published in

PC Games Docs

· 1 year ago

PRE-PAGE CEREMONIES

This is pro - football the way it's really played. Except you're the coach and you select the plays ... offence and/or defence. And you're the centre of attention on the field as well ... the quarterback, the ball carrier, the receiver, the middle linebacker or the defensive back. You call the play and execute it so the glory of winningand the agony of defeat are yours to claim.

SELECT GAMES OPTIONS

Once the game is loaded you may use either joystick to cycle through and select game options. To select the length of time for each quarter, move the joystick to highlight the Minutes per Quarter option and press the [FIRE BUTTON] to cycle through the choices - 5, 10 or 15 minutes. To select one of the playing configurations, move the joystick to highlight the ALL PROS vs CHAMPS option and press the FIRO BUTTON to cycle through the alternatives:

two player:

ALL PROS vs. CHAMPS

one player:

(computer) ALL PROS vs. CHAMPS
ALL PROS vs. CHAMPS (computer)

Once you have made these selections, press the SPACE BAR to start the game.

THE KICKOFF (and playing the same)

The play screen is divided into four sections: the field itself, the offensive play selection box, the defensive play selection box and the time/yards to go/score box.

The line of scrimmage is displayed in the centre of the field of vision with about ten yards shown in either direction. An arrow at the bottom of the field marks the 1st down yard line.

Offensive and defensive selection boxes are seperated by a series of arrows which correspond to the joystick positions. Selections are made by moving the joystick to the indicated position and then pressing the FIRE BUTTON. In one player mode your selection will be highlighted. In two player mode they will not be ... this way your opponent will not know what selections you made.

For most plays the play selection boxes will be used to select the team formation, the play to be run and a position - in three successive actions. For kickoffs and PAT (point after touchdown or extra point) plays only one action will be required. Please refer to The Plays and Playbook sections for a list of the possible selections and a description of the positions and plays.

Once both the office and the defence have made their formation selection, the players will move to the line of scrimmage. After the play and positions have been selected the play will begin automatically. After a few moments a player on each side will begin to blink. These are the players you now control. If you have selected a play pass, the quarterback will pass when you press the [FIRE BUTTON]. For kicking plays, the kick will occur when you press the [FIRE BUTTON]. After the pass occurs, the display will zoom to the reciever. The reciever will blink and if he catches it, you will be able to control his running.

As defence, you also control the blinking player. After a zoom occurs to another display you may be in control automatically of another defensive player.

To control the punter, simply press the [FIRE BUTTON]. After the punter receives the ball and begins to blink.

For field goals and extra points, as the kicker approaches the holder you control the action. Press the [FIRE BUTTON] when you want to kick the ball. .Timing is critical.

In kickoffs, you control the kicker as he approaches the ball. Again, press the [FIRE BUTTON] when you want to kick. Timing is everything and practice makes perfect.

TIMEOUTS, PENALTIES AND REFEREES

To call a time out:

Go to the Coaches' Screen (press the [SPACE BAR])
Move the joystick up until TIME OUT line is highlighted.
Press the [FIRE BUTTON].

Penalties:

Since there are no referees, there are no penalties except:
We don't want there to be any unfair advantages. So, if you're in one-player mode, unless you've called a time-out, you can only go to the Coaches' Screen once per quarter after the formations have been selected. If you do it more than once you will be penalised by 5 yards. Remember only 3 time-outs per half and before the formation is called you may go to the Coaches' Screen as often as you like.

THE COACHES' SCREEN

At any time during the game you can go to the Coaches' Screen by pressing the [SPACE BAR] (see the section on PENALTIES for a possible penalty situation). This screen is used to see the scoreboard, call time-outs, substitute players and check player statistics. For each position there is a first and second string player.

At the beginning of each game the computer will select the first string players at each position. You may select the other player by moving the joystick up or down until the player's name is highlighted and then pressing he FIRE BUTTON. For certain selected plays (double tight end plays for example) both first and second string players will automatically be substituted into the line-up. Special teams will normally be all second stringers.

However, the kickoff and punt returner will always be your first string wingback. The statistics for each highlighted player will be shown at the bottom of the screen. Along with the player's height, weight and number of years playing, there will be a qualitative assesssment of his speed and strength. The choices that are available are: SPEED! FAST, QUICK, STEADY, SOLID, STRONG, TOUGH, BIG!

SPEED! is used for the fastes players and BIG! for the slowest and strongest. In general, the slower the player is, the bigger and stronger he will be.

To return to the play field, press the [SPACE BAR]. When this occurs the play selection process will start.

THE PLAYS

TEAM FORMATION: From the following list of formations, five will be displayed and one may be selected for each play.

Offence:

Field Goal (also used for extra point)
Punt - Short Yardage
Double Tight End - Pro Set
Strongside Back - Weakside Back
Double Wing - Spread
Shotgun w/Back - Shotgun w/o Back

Defence:

3-4 (effective against run)
4-3 (effective against pass)
Flex (somewhat effective against run or pass)
Nickel (very effective against pass)
Short (Yardage) (very effective against run)

Offensive selections will always be made at the bottom of the Field Screen in the larger of the two boxes. Defensive selections will be made in the smaller of the two. The background color of these boxes will tell you which team is on the offence and defence.

PLAY SELECTION

From the following list of plays five will be displayed and one may be selected for each play.

Offence:
RUNNING PLAYS

Power, Rt Run - Power, Lf Run
Sweep, Rt Run - Sweep, Lf Run
Draw, Run - Pitch Out, Rt Run
Pitch Out, Lf Run - Offtackle, Rt Run
Offtackle, Lf Run - QB Sneak

KICKING PLAYS

Kickoff - Onside Kick
Kick (for field goals or punts) - Sideline Kick

PASSING PLAYS

Screen, Pass - Quick In, Pass
Quick Out, Pass - Short Hook, Pass
Short Curl, Pass - Turn-around, Pass
In, Medium Pass - Out, Medium Pass
Hook, Medium Pass - Curl, Medium Pass
Post, Long Pass - Corner, Long Pass
Fly, Long Pass - Strak, Long Pass

Defence:

Return (used for kicking players)
No Blitz (also No Dog) - Rt Dog
Lf Dog - Mid Dog
Rt Blitz - Lf Blitz

Note: A Blitz is a rush by a defensive back (corner or safety) A Dog is a rush by a linebacker

POSITION

From the following list of positions five will be displayed and one may be selected for each play.

Offence:

Kicker - Fullback
Lf Fullback - Rt Fullback
Lf Halfback - Rt Halfback
Lf Wingback - Rt Wingback
Lf Tight End - Rt Tight End
Lf Wide Receiver - Rt Wide Receiver

Defence:

Rt Linebk - Md Linebk
Lf Linebk - Rt Safety
Rt Corer - Lf Corner
Lf Safety -

THE PLAYBOOK

The keys to a successful offence are:

knowing what play to call
executing to perfection, in the huddle when you call a play, as the on-field leader, you must have confidence that everybody understands what to do. Here's what they'll do.

PASS PLAYS

Play to the inside of the field

Play to the outside of the field

RUNNING PLAYS

And here's where each position plays. Note that there are more than 11 positions shown. This means that there is not a player at each position on each play.

HINTS, TIPS AND OTHER FACTS

If a game ends in a tie, you will be ably to apply an unlimited number of 'sudden death' overtime quarters.
From time to time, the Coaches' Screen will be displayed automatically and will contain information about the results of play just run.
On occasion certain receives will act human and will not execute their pass routine to perfection. Remember, when going down the middle, sometimes these guys are intimidated by a defense player.
In general longer passes have lower percentage of succes than short ones.
If you select a pass play, you could always decide just to run by not pressing the [FIRE BUTTON]. However, if you select a run the [FIRE BUTTON] will not function and therefore you will not be able to 'call an audiable' and change to a pass play when the play starts.
Once a play starts the quarterback will not be permitted to run up, down, or back out of the displayed field area until he first crossed the line of scrimmage.