@ Technical support and contacts
This game includes arcade, adventure and maze type game features. You need good memory and good reaction to play this game.
If you are totally blind you don't need sighted friends or relatives help. You don't need a screen reader to play this game.
This program requires 40mb free space on your hard drive, Windows 98, Me, 2000, or XP, DirectX 8.0 drivers, and a Pentium 3 processor or higher, RAM 128mb or more.
This is a real 3D sound game. If you have a surround sound system you'll enjoy this game. If you have no surround sound system, you can play this game too. Please, note! You must have minimum stereo sound system to play this game.
The unregistered copy allows you to play episode 1 with some restrictions, but after registration of this game, you will be able to play this game without any restrictions.
After installation please read this manual carefully.
The first step after installation must be configuration of the program. For this purpose you should open the program group "X hour", that will be in your start menu. Then you should start X hour configuration. You need your screen reader in this program. Use the tab key to move from one text field to another.
There are 4 text fields, which you must fill. You'll hear the name of the first text field. If you hit the tab key once again, you'll be in the text field that you must fill. You can now type the required data. Then you should hit the tab key once to hear the name of the next text field, and hit tab key once more to move to the next text field. You must fill all fields and then hit the "Ok" button.
You must configure the game one time only.
@@ Story line
You are a soldier from a very important group. This group's main task is to fight against terrorism.
However, intelligence has received information, that a terrorist group has made a nuclear bomb on their base. The terrorists plan to detonate the bomb in X Hour. The terrible ecological accident will be after this explosion. Your group must prevent this explosion. Unfortunately, all of the soldiers cannot take place in this operation, because the terrorists can detonate the bomb before X hour. Only 1 soldier must do it. In this case, the terrorists will see one soldier by himself. They will try to fight against him and will not change their plans.
You have the task: to reach the base of the terrorists, to find an entrance into the underground maze, and to deactivate the bomb. After you have completed your mission, the main forces of your group can capture the terrorists base and destroy the nuclear bomb.
This game has 3 episodes.
First episode - way to the base of terrorists.
Second episode - search of entrance into underground maze.
Third episode - deactivate bomb.
You must complete episode 1 to start episode 2 and complete episode 2 to start episode 3.
You can choose a difficulty level from easy to insane. Each level is harder than the previous.
You are on a board, about 100X100 cells in size. You'll start each episode in the cell 1X1. You can check your position at any time. Use the space bar key for this purpose.
You can move north, east, south, and west. Your first direction in each episode will be north. You can change your direction. Use the left and right arrow keys for this purpose. Use right ctrl key to move backwards. Use d to check your current direction.
You can check your way to 4 directions: north - n, east - e, south - s, west - w. If you press n, e, s, or w and hear: "The way is clear", it means that you can move to this direction through 10 cells. If you have any obstacle in your way, you'll hear a message about this obstacle. For example: "Mountain 5", which means that there are 5 cells between you and a mountain. If you hear "Wall 7", it means, that there are 7 cells between you and a wall. If you hear "mine 3", it means that there are 3 cells between you and a mine!
You have 10 lives to start with in the game. If you lose a life, you start each episode from cell 1X1 with full accoutrements. If you lose all lives, you lose the game.
You can fire on enemy helicopter, enemy tanks, and regular enemies. Use the left ctrl key for this purpose.
Use key shift to check your current score. Use the tab key to check how many lives are remaining. Use the L key to check how many shells, rockets, and cartridges are remaining.
Use the F1 key to get sound help. The game will stop, and you'll hear what keys you must use in the current episode.
Use key P to get pause in the game. Hit key P again to continue play.
You can save your current state of the game and load the game to continue play.
You can send your score to the www.vipgameszone.com and add your name to the list of the best players if your top score is enough.
@@ Start the game
You can start the game after installation and configuration.
You should find a program group, "X hour", and a shortcut "X hour". Then you can unload your screen reader and hit the enter key to start the game.
After start of the game, you'll hear the first sound of the game. You can hit the ctrl key to skip this sound. After the first game sound, you'll be in the main menu.
@@ Main menu
After start of the program, you'll be in the main menu. Use up and down arrow keys to choose menu items. Use Enter key to select current menu item.
There are 8 items in the main menu.
1. Start mission. Use this item to start the game. If you select this item, you can choose a difficulty level. Use up and down arrow keys to choose the difficulty level, and use the Enter key to select the current difficulty level. If you hit Enter on one of the difficulty levels, you'll start the game and start episode 1.
2. Load game. Use this item to load a saved game, if it was saved. If you use this item, you'll continue the game from the point from which you had saved the game before.
3. Test speakers. Use this item to make sure your speakers are in their proper positions.
4. Final score. Use this item to know your final score if the game is over. After starting of the game your final score will be 0 points.
5. 10 top scores. Use this item to hear your best 10 results. If you select this item, use up and down arrow keys to view all scores in the list. Use the ESC key to return to the main menu.
6. Learn game sounds. Use this item to learn the most important sounds in the game. If you select this item, you can choose the episode and hit the Enter key. Then you should use the up and down arrow keys to listen to the name of the sound, and use the Enter key to hear this sound. Use the ESC key to return to the menu with episodes. If you are in the menu with episodes, you can use the ESC key to return to the main menu.
7. Send score to the vipgameszone. Use this item to send your final score to the www.vipgameszone.com. If your score is enough, your name will be in the list of the best players! If you want to send your score to the vipgameszone, your computer must be connected to the Internet and you must be online. Please note! You can send your score to the vipgameszone only if the game is over. You can't do it after starting of the game.
8. Quit game. Use this item to exit the game. Also you can use the ESC key to exit the game.
@@ Episode 1
At the beginning of the game, you'll hear your task.
If you don't want to wait for your helicopter to start it's flight, press the ctrl key. This way, you can miss the start of the flight. After the start of the flight you'll be in episode 1. You fly in the helicopter. You must find your way to the base of the terrorists and land on this base. Use B to know the position of the enemy base. There is a gun in your helicopter. You have 20 shells. Also, you have a special device that can help you. It receives information from sputnik, and can inform you of obstacles and about the enemy base position. Also, you have a computer that helps you during flight. You start your flight from your base. Your base is placed on the cell 1X1. Your first direction is north. But you can change your direction. Use left and right arrow keys and right ctrl key for this purpose. You'll hear your new direction each time, when you change it. You can check your direction, by pressing D.
Also you can speed up and speed down your flight. Use PgUp and PgDown keys for this purpose. You'll start episode with default speed. Each difficulty level has it's default speed. If you'll lose life, you'll continue your flight with default speed.
You'll have obstacles on your way. They are mountains and lofty mountains. You can fly around a mountain or over it, but you can't fly over lofty mountain, only around it. You must change your height to fly over a mountain. Use up and down arrow keys for this purpose. But if you fly high for a long time, the enemy radar can target you, and an enemy missile can destroy your helicopter. You lose a life in this case. You can fly high for a short time only, but it is enough to pass over a mountain. You can check your way in 4 directions: north - n, east - e, south - s, west - w. For example, you hit key n and hear "The way is clear". That means that you can fly northward 10 cells and there are no mountains on your way. If you hit e and hear "The way is clear", you can fly east 10 cells. If you hit n and hear "Mountains 5", it means that there are 5 cells between you and a mountain. If you hit s and hear "Mountain 3", it means that there are 3 cells between you and a mountain. If you hit key n and hear "mountain 0", it means that there is a mountain under you. If you touch a mountain, you lose a life!
If you play easy difficulty level, you'll hear messages not only about mountains, but about enemy guns too. Also you'll hear messages about mountains or enemy guns if they are right in front of you next cell. But you'll hear these messages in easy difficulty only.
An enemy helicopter will appear from time to time. It will fly around your helicopter. You must destroy it. You can use your radar to target the enemy helicopter. Use Enter to turn on and turn off your radar. You can turn on your radar at any moment. You can't turn off your radar if the enemy helicopter flies around you. If your radar is active, you hear target sound with default frequency. If the enemy helicopter is right in front of you, you hear the frequency quicken.
At this moment you can shoot. Use the left ctrl key to shoot. If you've shoot the enemy helicopter without your radar you earn more points than with it. If you hit left ctrl key when the enemy helicopter isn't right in front of you, you lose a shell. If the enemy helicopter flies around you three times, you'll lose a life. If you destroy the enemy helicopter, you earn points. But if you destroy the enemy helicopter without your radar, you earn more points. There are some lines of enemy guns on the board. All of these lines are situated from north to south. But there is a way in each line of guns. Width of this way is 20 cells in easy difficulty level, 18 cells in normal difficulty level and 12 cells in insane difficulty level. You must find way in each line of enemy guns. For example: you fly eastward. Suddenly you hear gun shots. You must turn your helicopter to the west. If you continue flying east, you lose a life. If you turn your helicopter northward or southward, and continue flying, you lose a life. If you fly west and hear gun shots, you must turn your helicopter to the east. You can try to pass the line of enemy guns many times, until you have found the way. Your helicopter uses fuel. When you start you have 10 points of the fuel. Use key f to check up how many points of the fuel are remaining. If you haven't enough fuel, you can come back to your base to get more. You can only do this 3 times. Your base is situated in the cell 1X1 on the board. When you start you have 20 shells. Use key l to check up how many shells are remaining. If you haven't enough shells, you can come back to your base, to get more, but you can only do this 3 times. In this episode you must find the enemy base. Use key b to know where the enemy base is. When you fly over the enemy base or over your base you hear message "Base is below". If you want, you can hit the down arrow key to land on the base. If you have landed on the enemy base, you start episode 2. If you have landed on your base, you can start to fly again and continue episode 1. Each time, when you lose a life, you start episode 1 from the beginning.
You are on the base of terrorists. You must find an entrance to an underground maze. There are 25 bunkers on the base. Entrance to the underground maze is in one of the bunkers. You have a rocket launcher and 15 rockets. Also you have a special device that can receive information from space sputnik. You can use this device to know, where the next bunker is situated. You can also use this device to check your way. You must check your way, because there are many mines on the territory of the base. The base is situated on the board 100X100 cells. Your helicopter has landed in cell 1X1. You start your movement from this cell. Use space bar key to know your current position on the board. Your first direction is north. You can change your direction. Use left and right arrow keys for this purpose. Use right ctrl key to move backwards. Each time, when you'll change your direction, you'll hear your new direction. Use key d to know your current direction. Also you can speed up and speed down your walking. Use PgUp and PgDown keys for this purpose. You'll start episode with default speed. Each difficulty level has it's default speed. If you'll lose life, you'll continue your walking with default speed. If you'll fall to the land, you'll continue your walking with current speed. You must find a bunker, where the entrance into the underground maze is. Use key b to receive coordinates of the next bunker, in which you have to get too. You must go to one bunker, then to another and so on. There are terrorists in each bunker. You'll fight against them. Use left, up and right arrow keys for this purpose. If you hear the terrorist's voice from the left, you should hit left arrow key. If you hear the terrorist's voice right in front of you, use up arrow key. If you'll beat the enemies, you'll continue the game. In each bunker you'll find new rockets for your rocket launcher. In one of the bunkers you can find the entrance into the underground maze. You must check your way because there are many mines on the territory of the base. There are mines around all bunkers and around the board. Use keys n, e, s, w to check your way. Use key n to check way to north, key e - to east, key s - to south and key w - to west. If you hit key n and hear message "The way is clear", it means that you can move to north through 10 cells. If you hit key e and hear message "mines 5", it means that there are 5 cells between you and a mine. If you hit key s and hear message "bunker 7", it means that you can move this direction and you can find a bunker in this direction. If you'll appear on the cell with a mine, you'll lose a life. If you'll appear on the cell with a bunker, in which you haven't been before, you'll come in this bunker and can find new rockets or the entrance into the underground maze. If you'll appear on the cell with a bunker, in which you were, you can relax only. An Enemy helicopter flies over you. It will shoot from time to time. When enemy helicopter shoots, you must fall to the land. If you continue movement, when enemy helicopter shoots, you'll lose life. Use down arrow key to fall to the land. Use up arrow key to continue movement. Also enemy tanks will try to kill you. When an enemy tank has appeared on the screen, you hear enemy tank sound. Also enemy tank will shoot and you'll hear it's shots and explosions. You have a rocket launcher to destroy the enemy tanks. You must fall to the land to use your rocket launcher. Use down arrow key to fall to the land. Then you can use left and right arrow keys to target enemy tank. When enemy tank is right in front of you, you'll hear target sound. If you hear target sound you must shoot fast. If you are not in time, you'll lose a life. Use left ctrl key to shoot. If you lose a life you'll start this episode from cell 1X1 with 15 rockets and your direction will be north. If you want you can return to your helicopter and get new rockets for your rocket launcher. But you can do this only 3 times. If you have found the entrance into the underground maze you'll start episode 3.
@@ Episode 3
You have made it to the underground maze. You have a rifle with silencer, 16 cartridges and a gas-mask. You can't use an electric torch because the enemies are searching for you in the maze. You have a special device that can inform you about obstacles in the darkness. There are 16 rooms in this maze. There are 16 buttons in these rooms. Each button has it's own number from 1 to 16. You must find button number 1 and hit it. Then you must find button number 2 and so on. In easy difficulty level you must find 2 buttons to deactivate the bomb. In normal difficulty level you must find 4 buttons, in hard - 6 and so on. All buttons are in the rooms, but only one button can be in one room. If you hit button number 3 after number 1 or button number 2 before button number 1, you lose a life. You start the episode on cell 1X1. Use space bar key to know your current position. Your first direction is north. Use left and right arrow keys to change your direction. You will hear your new direction each time, when you change it. Use key d to check up your current direction.
Also you can speed up and speed down your walking. Use PgUp and PgDown keys for this purpose. You'll start episode with default speed. Each difficulty level has it's default speed. If you'll lose life, you'll continue your walking with default speed. If you'll stop, you'll continue your walking with current speed.
There are many walls around you. You can't touch the walls because there is high tension on all walls. If you touch any wall you lose a life. You can check up your way. Use key n to check up way to north, key e to east, key s to south and key w to west. If you hit key n and hear "the way is clear", it means that you can walk north 10 cells. If you hit key e and hear "wall 5", it means, that there are 5 cells between you and a wall. This way you can know where the walls are. If you have found a room you should walk around the walls of this room to find a door. Each room has one door. If you press key n, or key e, or key w, or key s and hear "door 3", it means, that there is 3 cells between you and a door in this direction and you can go into this room. You will hear when you'll pass the door. In the room you must find a button. Each button is situated in one of the corners of the room. In the room there is 1 button only. You should walk along the walls to find the button. If you stay on the cell with the button you hear the message "Button". In this case you should hit down arrow key to stop your walking. Use key b to check up the number of the button. Use enter key to hit the button if you want. If you'll hit the right one, you'll earn points. In easy difficulty level - 225 points, in normal - 250 points and so on. Use up arrow key to continue walking. Also you can find cartridges and gas-masks in the room. If you have found cartridges, you hear message "Cartridge", if you have found a gas-mask, you hear message "gas-mask". In this case you should hit down arrow key to stop. If you have found cartridges and you want to get spare charger you must hit enter. If you have found a spare gas-mask and you want to get the gas-mask you must hit enter key. Use up arrow key to continue walking. In the beginning of the episode you have 16 cartridges, and a spare charger. Use key l to check up how many cartridges you have at any moment. If there are no cartridges, hit the c key to use your spare charger. Remember, that you can only reload your rifle 6 times. You can acquire the new spare charger in the usual way by stopping. Please note, if you hit enter key on the cell with new cartridges and you already have 1 spare charger, you lose this charger. You'll start this episode with 1 spare gas-mask. If you've used your gas-mask, you can hit G key to change gas-masks. You can acquire the new spare gas-mask in the usual way by stopping. Please note, if you hit enter key on the cell with a gas-mask and you already have 1 spare, you lose it. In some rooms there will be gas. You need the gas-mask to save your life. But you must change your gas-mask after a room with gas. Remember, that you can find spare gas-masks only 5 times. Enemies search for you in the maze. You hear their steps from time to time. If the enemy shoots, you must stop walking, target he and shoot the enemy. Use down arrow key to stop your walking. Use left and right arrow keys to target enemy. Enemy must be right in front of you. Use left ctrl key to shoot the enemy. If you'll shoot enemy, you'll earn points. In easy difficulty level - 225 points, in normal - 250 and so on. If you are not in time, you lose a life. Enemies will not search for you in the rooms, but in the corridors only. There are snare-mines in the maze. If you appear on the cell with a snare-mine, you hear mine 1, mine 2 or mine 3 sounds. If you hear mine 1 sound, you must hit key 1 to deactivate this mine. If you hear mine 2 sound, you must hit key 2. If you hear mine 3 sound, you must hit key 3. If you'll deactivate snare-mine you'll earn points. In easy difficulty level you earn 25 points, in normal - 50 points and so on. If you are not in time, you lose a life. Note! Before playing x-hour, review the game sounds. If you have found all buttons you complete the game. If you lose a life you'll start your walking from cell 1X1 with 16 cartridges a spare charger, and new gas-masks. Your direction will be north.
@@ Sound help
You can use sound help in each episode. Use key F1 to receive sound help.
If you hit F1, game stops and you will hear invitation into sound help. Use up and down arrow keys to move through list of help items. You'll hear action's name and keys for realization of this action.
This way you can know what keys you can use in current episode.
Use ESC key to close sound help and continue game.
You have sound help in all episodes.
@@ Keys in the game
@ Menu
1. Up and down arrow keys to choose the menu item.
2. Enter key to select the menu item.
3. ESC key to place you back in the main menu.
@ The keys for all game commands.
1. Press the Space bar to locate your position on the board.
2. Press the D key to know your current direction.
3. Press N key to check up your way to the north, E key for east, S key for south, and W west.
4. Press the Left and right arrow keys to change your direction
5. Right ctrl key to move backwards
6. Left Ctrl key to shoot.
7. Ctrl key to skip the beginning or the end of the episode, if you are impatient!
8. Tab key to know how many lives you have remaining.
9. Press the Shift key to know your current score.
10. Press the PgUp to speed up your moving.
11. Press the PgDown to speed down your moving.
12. Press the P key to pause the game.
13. Press the ESC key to exit the game.
14. F2 key to save the game and return your back to the start menu.
@ Episode 1
1. Press the Up and down arrow keys to change the height of your helicopter.
2. Press the Down arrow key to land on the base.
3. Press the Enter key to turn on or turn off your radar.
4. Press the F key to know how much of your fuel is remaining.
5. Press the L key to know how many shells you have left.
6. Press the B key to know the position of the enemy base.
@ Episode 2
1. Hit the Down arrow key to fall to the floor. You need to do this to target the tanks, and when the helicopter starts to open fire on you.
2. Press the Left and right arrow keys to target the enemy tanks.
3. Hit the Up arrow key to continue your movement.
4. Press the B key to know the position of the next bunker, where you need to be.
5. Press the L key to check how many rockets are remaining.
@ Episode 3
1. Hit the Down arrow key to stop walking.
2. Hit the Up arrow key to continue walking.
3. When you in a room, and you here the message, button, if you press the b key, it will tell you the number of that particular button, if you are on the same cell. If the number is correct, press Enter to activate the button.
4. Press the Enter key to get the new cartridges, if you are on the cell with the cartridge's message. Like wise press the Enter key to get a new gas-mask, if you are on the cell with the new gas-mask message. Note! You have to stop before you can collect any of the above.
6. Press the C key to reload your rifle if you have a spare charger.
7. Press the G key to change gas-mask if you have a spare gas-mask.
@@Points system
@ Episode 1
If you destroy the enemy helicopter on the easy difficulty level with your radar you earn 225 points, without radar you earn 450 points. If you destroy the enemy helicopter on the normal difficulty level with radar you earn 250 points, without radar you earn 500 points. If you destroy the enemy helicopter on the hard difficulty level with radar you earn 275 points, without radar you earn 550 points and so on. If you complete episode 1 you earn extra points. The amount of points depends on the difficulty level and from the amount of lives you have remaining.
@ Episode 2
If you destroy the enemy tanks in easy difficulty level you earn 225 points. If you destroy the enemy tanks in normal difficulty level you earn 250 points. If you destroy the enemy tanks in hard difficulty level you earn 275 points and so on. If you beat the enemy in the bunker you earn points: in the easy difficulty level 25 points, in the normal - 50 points, in the hard - 75 and so on. If you complete episode 2 you earn extra points. The amount of points depends on witch difficulty level you are at, and from the amount of lives you have remaining.
@ Episode 3
If you kill the enemy guard in easy difficulty level you earn 225 points. If you kill the enemy guard in normal difficulty level you earn 250 points. If you kill the enemy guard in hard difficulty level you earn 275 points and so on. If you hit the right button with the right number on the easy difficulty level, you earn 225 points. If you hit the right button with the right number on the normal difficulty you earn 250 points and so on. If you deactivate the special mines you earn on the easy difficulty level you score 25 points, on normal - 50 points, on hard - 75 and so on. If you can complete episode 3 you earn extra points. The amount of points you can get, depends from each difficulty level and from the amount of lives you have remaining.
After payment for X hour order, you'll receive from the vendor your product ID. You'll receive it by e-mail. Before registration of your copy, you must install the X hour game on your computer. You must copy the product id to the windows clipboard. Then you must start the registration program. You can do it from the program group "X hour". The Short cut "X hour registration" will run this program. Then click on the button "Register". At this moment your computer must be connected to the internet and you must be online. If you have any problem with registration of your copy, please, contact us: support@vipgameszone.com
You must register your copy of the game 1 time only.
After registration you can play x-hour without any restrictions.
1. Igor Khmelevtsov - project manager, script writer and programmer. I am from Israel. I am 42 years old, professional programmer. I am married with one daughter. I have 2 high educations: first speciality is history, second - computer science. I am totally blind.
2. Alina Khmelevtsov - producer, script writer, sound maker. I am Igor's wife. I have 2 high educations: first speciality is builder, second - computer science.
@ Testers team.
Thanks to these people the game became what it is, and more fun. They worked very hard for about 2 months. They worked for you. Its been a pleasure to work with these people. Its a great team!
1. Erick Baude
My name is Erik Baude. I am 24 years old and I am from nj. in the USA or rather New Jersey in the United States of America. I am almost totally blind and my screen reader is jfw or Jaws for windows. I am working on developing some ideas for several games for the blind, but at the current point in time I do not work and so can enjoy playing and testing new games for the blind like this one. This is a really great game and has quite a number of challenges and the levels all connect rather well with one another.
2. Karl Belanger
My name is Karl Belanger. I am 16 years old, and live in the state of New Hampshire in the US. I have been an avid player of computer games for several years.
3. Michael Maslo
I am from the United States. I am 39 years old and I am a Customer Service Representative for the Federal Government. I am married with no children and love playing games for the blind. I want to sincerely thank you for this opportunity to test this great product!
4. Mario Percinic
My real name is Mario Percinic although everyone on the internet knows me as Alf I’m 23 years old and I’m studding computer science in Croatia Zagreb. For the last 3 and half years I’ve been in the accessible gaming community, and I’ve played almost all the games that are available on the blind market. Except computers and the thinks related to them, I’m a musician and I play bass in a few bands here in Croatia.
5. Simon Dowling
I am Simon Dowling, and I am 31 years of age, I live in Birmingham England. I am not working at present, so I can enjoy my hobby of playing games developed for the blind on the pc. I am totally blind, and my screen reader is hal. Its been a pleasure to be able to test this game.
@ We also want to say thanks to the people, who helped us with this
program:
1. Erlen Yanovsky for help with the sounds.
2. Jafar Sidek for help with testing
3. Jason White for help with the X hour documentation
4. Ken Downy for help with testing.
5. Peter Laursen for help with testing.
@@ Technical support and contacts
Our company site is: www.vipgameszone.com
E-mail for technical support is: support@vipgameszone.com
Our contact E-mail is: contact@vipgameszone.com
Our address:
Box 2176
14100
Tiberias
Israel