Chomp Help Index

How To Play

Introduction

Gameplay Description

Game Control

Scoring

Commands

Game Menu

Options Menu


How To Play

Introduction

Gameplay Description

Game Control

Scoring


Commands

Game Menu

Options Menu


Introduction

Welcome to Chomp for Windows.  This is an action arcade game closely patterned after Pac-Man(tm) for the Microsoft Windows environment.

In this game, the object is to eat all of the dots in each maze and avoid being eaten by the ghosts.  Each maze also contains large power dots which give you the temporary ability to eat the ghosts.  When you eat a power dot, the ghosts change to a blue color and start running away from you.  They won't change back without warning; they will first flash for a few seconds.  While they are flashing, you can still eat them.

Each maze level also gives you the opportunity to collect extra points by eating the fruit or other objects that appear once in a while.  At the higher levels, this is a significant number of points.


Gameplay Description

To begin the game, select New from the Game menu or press any key (except F1-F3) at the title display.

Maneuver the player using the arrow keys.  You must eat all of the dots in the maze in order to advance to the next level.  To eat an object, you simply pass over it.  Contact with any of the ghosts will cost you a life.  However, you may gain the temporary ability to eat the ghosts by eating one of the large flashing power dots at any of the corners of the maze.  When you eat a ghost, it turns into a harmless pair of eyes seeking return to the ghost cage at the center of the maze.  Once it gets there, a new ghost is born.  There are only four power dots on each maze, so you should try not to waste them.

Each level in the game is designated by an object.  For example, the first few levels are fruit levels.  The objects at the bottom of the Chomp window indicate your progress.  Once in a while, the object corresponding to the current level appears just under the ghost cage.  You may eat the object to gain extra points.  At the higher levels, these objects add a significant number of points to your score.  You must hurry to get to them, however, as they only stay on the screen for a few seconds.

As you advance through the levels, the difficulty of gameplay increases.  The power dots become less powerful, meaning that they give you less time to eat the ghosts, and the maze itself changes from time to time.

You start the game with three lives; you win an extra life when you reach 10,000 points.


Game Control

All control in Chomp for Windows is accomplished using the arrow keys.  Pressing an arrow key is equivalent to tilting a joystick in the corresponding direction and holding it down; the player on the screen continues moving in its current direction until motion in the specified direction is possible, or until it hits a maze wall, in which case it stops.  Only one keystroke is remembered; the last key pressed indicates the desired direction of motion.

You will need to be thinking ahead a little bit at all times.  For example, if you want the player to take the next left turn, press the left arrow key immediately.  The keystroke will be remembered; if you wait too long, the player may move past the turn you meant to take, and you will need to turn around.  Do not hold down any arrow key; just tap it, and be careful not to press two keys at a time.

You may pause the game at any time by pressing the Space Bar or by selecting Pause from the Game menu.  The game will also enter paused state if you minimize the Chomp window.

To interrupt the game and return to the title display, press F2 or choose Abort from the Game menu.

To exit the Chomp application, press F3 or select Exit from the Game menu.


Scoring

Dots

10 points

Power Dots

50 points

Ghosts

The first ghost you eat after a power dot gives you 200 points.  The rest of the ghosts give you 400, 800, and 1600 points, in that order.

Fruit

100 points for the fruit on the first level.  Higher level fruits give you more points.

Completing A Level

100 points multiplied by the level number


Game Menu Commands

New

Begins a new game.  You may begin a new game at any time.

Pause

Pauses the game.  You may also pause the game by pressing the Space Bar.

Abort

Aborts the game and returns to the title display.  You may abort the game at any time.

Exit

Terminates the Chomp application.  You may exit at any time.


Options Menu Commands

Settings

Allows you to adjust Chomp game speed.  The higher the number you enter, the slower the gameplay will be.  You may enter values up to 999.

Starting Level

Allows you to select the level at which the next game will begin.  You may only select levels which you have reached since you started the Chomp application.