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Pole Position for Atari 8-bit Computers FAQ

by BHodges

Version  1.0
Created  11/1/03

This document Copyright 2003 by Brian Hodges.  This FAQ is not to be posted
without explicit permission by me.

All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.

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Table of Contents

I.    Introduction
II.   Getting Started
III.  Playing the Game
       A.  Driving and Basic Gameplay
       B.  Qualifying Times
       C.  Scoring
       D.  Tips
IV.   My Top Score
V.    Game Review
VI.   Version History
VII.  Contact Information

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I.  Introduction

This is a FAQ for the Atari 8-bit computer game Pole Position.  It contains
information on how to play the game and a mini-review.

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II.  Getting Started

Press Option to change the race you will be running.  Press Select to change
the number of laps for that race.  The default settings are Malibu Grand Prix
with 4 laps.  The four races you can choose are (increasing in difficulty)
Practice Run, Malibu Grand Prix, Namco Speedway, and Atari Grand Prix.  You
can choose to have between 1 - 8 laps.

Press Start when you are ready to race.

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III.  Playing the Game

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A.  Driving and Basic Gameplay

The accelerator is always on, press the joystick button to brake.  Press up on
the joystick to shift into Lo gear, press down to shift into hi gear.  You
steer by pressing the joystick left or right.

On the Practice Run, there are no other cars.  In the other races there are.
If you hit a car or an obstacle on the side of the road, you will wreck.  Your
car will regenerate, but you will lose valuable time.

In the three actual races, you must first qualify, then race.

Prepare to Qualify

You get 90 seconds to qualify.  To qualify you race until there is no more
time left.  Your position is determined by your lap time (see Qualifying Times
section).  There are no time extensions, so you will only get a chance to
complete one lap.

Prepare to Race

During the race, you have a 75 second timer.  If you complete the lap before
the timer runs out, your time is extended by 54 seconds, otherwise your game is
over.  When time runs out, your car will steadily lose speed and come to a
stop.  If you manage to cross the finish line during this time, you will
receive a time extension.  Complete the required number of laps to finish the race.

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B.  Qualifying Times

Here are the times you must beat in order to start the race in that position:

Position        Lap Time
1st (Pole)      58"50
2nd             60"00
3rd             62"00
4th             64"00
5th             66"00
6th             68"00
7th             70"00
8th             73"00

If you're time is over 73 seconds, you didn't qualify and your game is over.

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C.  Scoring


Progress           50 points per every 5 meters traveled
Passing            50 points per every car passed
Time Bonus        200 points per second left on timer at race finish

Qualifying Bonus

1st (Pole)      4000 points
2nd             2000 points
3rd             1400 points
4th             1000 points
5th              800 points
6th              600 points
7th              400 points
8th              200 points

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D.  Tips

-  Since the accelerator is always on, you don't have to worry about getting a
  good jump at the start.

-  If two cars are blocking your path, go ahead and slow down.  Wait for an
  opening.  This may cost you time, but not as much as if you had crashed.

-  Switch into hi gear when your speed reaches 100 mph.

-  Your top speed in lo gear is 105 mph and 195 mph for hi gear.

-  Remember that you must switch back to lo gear after a crash.

-  Instead of braking, switch to lo gear when going around curves.  It also
  helps to stay on the inside of the curve.

-  Cars will never pass back by you.  Once you have passed a car and it has
  disappeared offscreen, it is gone for good, you don't have to worry about
  it hitting you from behind.

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IV.   My Top Score

My top score is 30,400 points.

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V.    Game Review

This is a fun title, anyone with an Atari 8-bit computer should give this one
a try.

Pros

-  Better than the Atari 2600 port.
-  This is a fun racing game.
-  Pretty good graphics.

Cons

-  Does any else ever find it strange that when you start the game on the pole,
  there will still be cars ahead of you in the race.
-  Missing the "Prepare to Qualify" digitized voice from the arcade game.

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VI.   Version History

1.0  11/1/03   Created FAQ.

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VII.  Contact Information

You can contact me at [email protected]

I would appreciate hearing what you thought of this guide and any thoughts
you have for improving it.  Be sure to let me know if I have missed anything.

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End

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