View manual text
Shokrok Throwdown Manual
Shokrok Throwdown is a futuristic team sports game in which creatures from
different worlds come together to compete in a dangerous arena. Form a team with
your friends and control your athlete from a first-person shooter style view.
Choose from several different creatures like the bestial Varulf or the hi-tech
Juggernaut, each of which has a unique set of skills. Play one of three
positions and fight to help your team win. Players must coordinate closely with
other team members to neutralize the opposing team's strategy and develop an
effective one of their own. Different creature/position combinations allow for
highly varied playing styles.
Shokrok Throwdown also features:
- an advanced AI for use in single or multi-player games
- 25 different single-player "levels"
- a musical score with 12 original tracks
- 18 different creature/position combinations, each with a unique set of special
abilities
- 48 different skills and abilities to master
- up to 12 players can play simultaneously
- a highly detailed stat tracker
Please visit www.darkinertia.com/shokrok
Or www.alten8.com
Getting Started
Main Menu
When you first launch Shokrok Throwdown, you will see the Main Menu. Choose one
of the following options:
Start Game - to play a customizable single player or multiplayer game.
Join Game - to join an existing multiplayer game
Solo Play - to play tutorials and the single player campaign
Options - to configure the video, audio and controls
About - to display this help menu
Quit - to exit the game
Options
Make sure you configure your options before you play for the first time. Set
your desired screen resolution first. You will have to restart the app once you
set it. Also choose Full screen if desired, and the Less Graphics mode if you
can't get a good frame rate with full graphics.
Also set your desired sound volume for the music and effects, and change any
control mappings you don't like.
Game Setup
When you start a game, first enter your name into the text box. Then, check the
box for a multi-player game, or leave it unchecked for a single-player game. If
you are not connected to the internet, make sure you do NOT check the box,
otherwise your game will lag while trying to find an internet connection.
Once you get to the game lobby, you will be able to wait for other players to
join your game. You can chat using the text box. You can change your team
affiliation (red or blue) by hitting the star next to your name. When you are
ready to start, hit the Ready button. The game will begin when everyone is
Ready. To add computer controlled athletes, hit the Add Bot button. If you are
playing single player, you will have to add bots to play a real game. The
recommended player counts are 3v3 (6 total) or 6v6 (12 total).
Team Setup
Once everyone is ready and the game downloads to all players, you will be in the
Team Setup screen. Here, you can choose creatures, positions, and a team name.
Use the text box at the top to change your team name. Left click on your
creature portrait to enter the Creature Selection screen where you can see
detailed info on all the creatures and skills. Alternatively, you can rightclick on the portrait to quickly pick a new creature. Use the S, D and X
buttons to choose to play as a Shocker, Defender or Destroyer. Use the Switch
Team button to go over to the other team. It is recommended that the teams are
even and have the same number of each type of position. The recommended
configuration is 1 shocker, 1 defender, and 1 destroyer per team (1-1-1) or 2-22 for larger games. You can also play a Royal Rumble game using just destroyers
if everyone just wants to fight. When you are done, check the Ready Box for
yourself and all the bots on your team.
Game Rules
The game consists of ten 60 second turns, with a 10 second break in-between
turns. At the end of each turn, each team will get points based on how many
shokroks they possess. To possess a Shokrok, a Shocker must capture one and
throw it into a pedestal on your side of the field (red or blue). This
"couples" the Shokrok to the pedestal. Shokroks are worth more points in later
rounds. At the end of each turn, the players reset and have 10 seconds to
discuss strategy and think about life. In a game with bots, this is also a good
time to switch control to a different bot if you want.
At the end of the game,
you will be taken to a screen which shows you a play-by-play recap of the game,
a box score, and the relative stats of all the players, as well as the most
valuable players in each position.
In games with computer controlled players (Bots), any human can take control of
a bot by looking at the bot and hitting the TAB key. The bot you will take
control of will have a yellow name. Also, you can relinquish control of your
athlete by hitting shift-TAB, which will put you into a coaching camera mode
where you can look around the field but can't control anyone. By doing this,
you can watch a game played entirely by the computer.
The Interface
In upper left corner of the screen, you'll see the chat area. The chat area is
only visible when people are chatting. Hit Enter to chat to your team or ShiftEnter to chat to everyone.
Along the top edge, you'll see the highlights ticker.
things that are going on in the game.
This shows you important
In the upper right, you'll see the clock and scoreboard. This shows you time
remaining per turn, which turn you're on, how many shokroks you possess, how
many points they are worth, and the current score.
In the lower left, you'll see the skills HUD. The four skills at the left can
be executed using the left mouse button. The highlighted skill can be changed
using the mouse wheel or "e" and "r". IMPORTANT: some skills require that you
hold down the left mouse button for a while. The two oval icon skills are
executed using the spacebar and right mouse buttons. When a skill is orange’dout, it means you cannot use that skill again for a while. When a skill is
darkened out, it means you cannot use it because you do not have enough energy
or because of the state you are currently in. Some skills have a limited number
of per-game uses, indicated by the number near the skill's icon.
In the lower middle area, you'll see messages indicating when you score in a
stat category. For example, if you Shok someone, you will see a "SHK +"
momentarily appear. See the section on stats and attributes for more info.
This area will also show why you may have failed a TD, HOLD or Scoring attempt
by telling you whether your aim or timing was good or bad.
In the lower right, you'll see your creature profile. The 8 stats shown are
used in determining how well your creature performs in various game-related
activities. When a stat name is green, it means that stat is temporarily
positively boosted. Red means the stat is being negatively lowered for some
reason. The red bar and blue bar around your portrait represent stamina and
energy. When your athlete is KO'd or TD'd or stunned, a number will appear
above your portrait indicating when you will recover.
Above the profile, you will see diagnostic messages telling you when you are hit
by a skill, positive or negative.
Energy and Stamina
Note the two bars in the lower left corner. The red one is your stamina. If
you lose it all, you will be Knocked Out of the game for a while. You lose
stamina due to being TD'd, or hurt by various special skills. It regenerates
slowly, and you get a little boost every turn.
The blue bar is your energy. Energy is used up whenever you do anything,
including running. To get back energy faster, stand still and don't do
anything. You get all your energy back at the end of every turn.
Knock Outs
When a player loses all his stamina (the red bar), he will be knocked out for a
while. Destroyers are the best at KO's, because their skills do a lot of
damage. Experiment with the different special skills available.
If you are knocked out by a Shok, you are out for 32 seconds. If by a TD, then
you're out for 27 seconds. Any other way, out for 22 seconds.
Default Game Control Setup...
Movement
W
S
A
D
Camera
Forward
Backward
Step left
Step right
In First Person View:
- Middle mouse button down and drag to zoom
- F
Look back
- T
Toggle display of energy bars
In Coaching Cam View:
- Mouse wheel to zoom
- Middle mouse button down and drag to orbit
- W, A, S, D to pan
Control Selection
TAB
Take control of the AI player you are looking at
SHIFT-TAB
Toggle Coaching Cam
Skills
SPACEBAR
Primary Skill
Right Mouse Secondary Skill
Left Mouse Special Skill
Mouse Wheel Select Special Skill
E, R Select Special Skill
1234 Quick Skill Select
Chat
Enter Send team chat message
Shift-Enter Send chat message to all
PgUp/PgDown Scroll chat history
Misc Functions
F1
Help Window
ESC
In-Game Menu (quit, options)
Lesson 1: Scoring
Overview
To score, you must first capture a Shokrok. To do this, find an unclaimed
Shokrok (yellow) or an enemy's Shokrok (blue or red). If the Shokrok is on the
ground, you can run over it to capture it. If it is coupled to a pedestal
(hovering in the air), you must jump and bring it down. Once you have a
Shokrok, you must throw it into the mouth of one of your unused pedestals (the
gargoyles). If you throw it properly, the Shokrok will then be coupled to your
pedestal and start generating points for you at the end of every turn.
Note: Only Shockers can score and interact with shokroks.
Bringing down a Shokrok
To bring down an enemy Shokrok, get a running start and jump at it using the
spacebar. If you aim properly and time your jump right, you will bring it down
with you. Try to look straight at it, and try to hit it at the height of your
jump. Beginners often jump too early. If you fail, you will get an info message
telling you why.
Your SCO (score) attribute also contributes to whether or not you are
successful. If a defender is nearby, your hand will start glowing red, meaning
you are distracted, which lowers your SCO attribute. Try to stay away from
enemy defenders.
Throwing
There are two ways to throw a Shokrok. The easiest way is to hold down the
spacebar until the camera zooms in. Then you can use the crosshair to aim and
let go of the spacebar to release. The longer you hold down the spacebar, the
stronger your throw will be, and the straighter and farther the rock will fly.
Aim for the center of the hand. To cancel aiming without releasing the Shokrok,
press left or right mouse button.
You can also attempt a quick throw. To do this, just aim and tap the spacebar.
The rock will not go very far, and it will be heavily affected by gravity, so
you must be close to your target and you must aim high.
Passing and Intercepting
If you have more than one shocker on your team, you can pass to him.
and throw it at him.
Just aim
You can also intercept a Shokrok that is thrown if you can manage to get in the
way (if you are a Shocker).
Dodge
The Shocker's secondary skill is the Dodge. To do this, hold down a direction
key (w, a, s, d) and press the right mouse button. You will do a mini-jump and
get a speed boost in that direction. Also, your Evade attribute will increase a
little while you're Dodging. This makes you harder to TD and Hold. Use it
repeatedly to get away from enemies.
More Scoring Tips
1. Watch the computer play as a shocker to learn how to time your jumps when you
capture shokroks.
2. It always helps to get a running start on your jumps.
3. The mechanics of scoring are simple: hit the spacebar to jump and grab a
rock. Hold down the spacebar to power up your throw. Let go of the spacebar to
throw.
4. If you hit the rock but get knocked back by an explosion, that means you
failed to decouple the rock. To minimize the chances of this happening, you have
to:
- have a high SCO ability
- stay away from defenders (they lower your SCO)
- aim so that the rock is in the center of your screen
- time your jump so that you are at the height of your jump when you contact
the rock.
5. When your hands turn red, that means a defender is nearby. This lowers your
SCO ability, which makes it harder to capture rocks, and also slows down the
rate at which you can charge up your throw.
6. Players with higher SCO abilities can charge up their throw faster. So, if
you are the Sylph, use your Focus skill right before attempting a capture or a
throw.
Lesson 2: Defending
Overview
When you are the Defender, it's your job to prevent enemy Shockers from scoring.
In every turn, you must keep them away from your team's shokroks for 60 seconds.
If they manage to steal one, you have to stop them from returning it to their
side's pedestals.
Throwdown
A defender's primary skill is the Throwdown. To temporarily knock down an
enemy, get close to him, face him, and hit the spacebar. The better your aim
is, the better your chances of knocking him down. Your TD stat will also be
compared against his Evade stat.
If you succeed, he will be knocked out for a little while. He will also drop a
Shokrok if he was carrying one. TD's are also useful for getting somewhere
fast, but you can only execute a TD every 4 seconds
Hold
A defender's secondary skill is the Hold. To grab an enemy, run at him and when
you're close, hold down the right mouse button. Like with the TD, aiming is
important, as is your Hold attribute vs. his Evade attribute. If you
successfully grab him, he will be immobile until you let him go. To push him
away, face in the direction you want to push and let go of the right mouse
button.
You will automatically push an enemy after one second. You cannot hold him for
longer than that. Hold's are also useful for the little speed burst you get
when you attempt one. Use this repeatedly to get around the field fast.
Distract
Defenders automatically distract enemy Shockers that they are near. You will
know you are distracting someone if their hand is glowing red. This will make
it harder for them to capture coupled shokroks from the air. So try to stay
near the enemy shocker at all times.
Lesson 3: Destroyers
Overview
Destroyers are useful in many capacities. Mainly, the Destroyer's job is to
Knock Out enemies. Their skills are especially suited for that purpose.
Destroyers primarily act to protect their team's Shockers from enemy Defenders.
If necessary, a Destroyer can also help play defense against enemy Shockers.
Throwdown
A destroyer's primary skill is the Throwdown. To temporarily knock down an
enemy, get close to him, face him, and hit the spacebar. The better your aim
is, the better your chances of knocking him down. Your TD stat will also be
compared against his Evade stat.
If you succeed, he will be knocked out for a little while. He will also drop a
Shokrok if he was carrying one. TD's are also useful for getting somewhere
fast, but you can only execute a TD every 4 seconds
Shok
A destroyer's secondary skill is the Shok. Hold down the right mouse button to
charge up your mini-Shokrok. The longer you charge up, the stronger the
resulting shok will be. Let go of the button to release. You can only hit
someone you are facing and who is close enough to you.
Special Skills
The icons on the left side of the screen represent your special skills. Every
creature has different special skills based on which position he's playing. To
select one, use the mouse wheel or "e" and "r". To execute it, press the left
mouse button. Try kicking some soccer balls at your opponent.
Some skills require you to hold down the left mouse button. Intimidate is an
example of this kind of skill. While you hold down the left mouse button, no
enemy in the red circle can do anything. This is a good way to prevent enemy
shockers from jumping to capture.
Some skills require you to aim a 3D targeter. When the targeter appears, hold
down the left mouse button, drag it to the desired spot on the ground, and
release the mouse button to fire. Press spacebar or right mouse button to
cancel targeting.
Other Controls
If you have an AI player on your team, you can choose to control him whenever
you want. Just look at him, and when his name is yellow, hit the TAB key to
take control of him. The computer will take control of the person you
previously were controlling.
If you want to let the AI control everyone on your team, you can hit Shift-TAB
to switch to the Coaching Camera. Use "aswd" to move the camera, and hold down
the middle mouse button and drag the mouse to look around. The mouse wheel will
zoom. Shift-TAB will take you back to the guy you were last controlling, and
TAB can be used to jump into the person you are looking at (yellow name).
Hold down the "f" key to glance back behind you.
anyone is about to blindside you.
This can be useful to see if
You can use "t" to toggle on and off the energy bar display over other athletes.
Some skills require the use of an aiming targeter. To aim the targeter, hold
down the left mouse button and drag the mouse to move it. When you let go of
the mouse button, the skill will be executed. To cancel execution, press right
mouse button.
Attributes and Stats
SPD
- affects run speed
EVD
-
affects how long you can be Held
affects chances of avoiding a Hold
affects chances of avoiding a TD
TUF
-
reduces stamina damage taken in most cases
reduces energy damage taken when Held
reduces how far you are pushed from a Hold
REC
-
affects your recovery time after being TD’d
affects your stamina recovery rate
affects your energy recovery rate
SCO
-
affects chance of avoiding a shokdrop if someone holds you
determines rate at which you can charge up for a throw
affects chance of capturing a shokrok
DGE
-
affects cooldown of Dodge
affects energy consumption of Dodge
affects the boost to EVD gained during a Dodge
HLD
-
affects chances of executing a Hold
affects chance of forcing a shokdrop from someone you Hold
affects energy damage inflicted on someone you Hold
affects how long you can Hold someone
affects how far you can push someone from a Hold
TD
-
affects chances of executing a TD
affects the recovery time of someone you TD
affects stamina damage inflicted on someone you TD
SHK
-
affects impulse applied to Shok victims
affects stamina damage applied to Shok victims
Weight
affects most impulses applied to you (not a Hold push)
Stats
TDS: Throwdowns
SCO: Scores (throwing to a pedestal)
CAP: Captures (from a pedestal)
HLD: Holds
EKO: Enemies you knocked out
PKO: Times you were knocked out
SHK: Shoks
DRP: Times you dropped a shokrok
DIS: Distracting the enemy while he's trying to score
FDR: Forcing the enemy to drop the shokrok
SKO: Shok-induced knockout (takes the victim longer to recover)
PAS: Passing the shokrok to a teammate
EXE: How accurately you execute basic skills (aim and timing)
Credits
Shokrok Throwdown
by
Dark Inertia Studios
Lead Programmer, Engine and Effects and Sound, Concept and Game Design:
Vijay Myneni
Lead Artist, Modeler and Animator and Texturer, Game Design:
Frankie Kwak
Original Score created by:
Siddharth Kakodkar
Webmaster:
Naveen Pai
Distributed
by
Alten8.com
Torque Game Engine
by
Garage Games.com
and the www.garagegames.com community
Special Thanks To
Everyone who helped test the game.