GEMini Atari/GEMini_Atari_CD-ROM_Walnut_Creek_December_1993.iso/files/games/arcade/ibsguard/guardian.txt

Text File | 1990-10-04 | 14.3 KB | 427 lines

    IBS GUARDIAN from DETO SOFT is released as a Shareware item.
It is not a free program, but has been released so that you might
use it on a trial basis.  If the program is not for you and you
have no intention of making it part of your library, just delete
the files or give your copy to a friend.  If, on the other hand,
you enjoy and use this program the writers anticipate
compensation.  A charge of $10.00 is asked for the program,
though you may remit any amount that you feel the program
warrants or your wallet can part with.  You determine the worth
of the program--any remittance is appreciated.  Should you find
bugs lurking in the program, or should you wish to make comment
on the program, you may do so by writing to the address below or
by leaving e-mail on GEnie Services in the mailbox of d.edwards8.


***************************************
*                                     *
*        D. L. Edwards                *
*        52 Smith Rd.                 *
*        Bellville, OH  44813         *
*                                     *
***************************************

Remember that your support of DETO Software determines its
future.

                 Thanks,
                 Dan Edwards & Ted Oney


Disclaimer:

    Neither the writers of this program nor Deto Soft make any
warranty, express or implied, with respect to this program or the
accompanying documentation as to quality, performance, or fitness
for any purpose.  It is the responsibility solely of the
purchaser/user to determine the suitability of the products for
any purpose.
    In no case will Deto Soft be held liable for direct,
indirect or incidental damages resulting from any defect or
omission in the program or its documentation, including, but not
limited to, any interruption of service, loss of business,
anticipated profit, or other consequential damages.



IBS GUARDIAN

GAME MANUAL



INTRODUCTION

    If you already have played the PD game of IBS Starsearcher,
you'll be well on your way to playing this enhanced game of IBS
Guardian.  If you have not seen or played Starsearcher, this
manual should help get you started.
    Most of the commands are the same for Guardian as they were
for Starsearcher, however the keys for single-key entry of
commands have been relocated, and new commands exist for this
game.
    The new keys for the general commands are the function keys.
Be careful if you've been playing Starsearcher for a while.


NEW IN IBS GUARDIAN:

    In addition to the new key location for single keystroke
entry of commands, you'll find that the Guardian has three decks
as opposed to Starsearcher's one.  Two shuttle bays exist on
Guardian.  Guardian's engines can be shut down to conserve power.
    You were permitted to make one trip to home base with your
ship in Starsearcher in order to get supplies, repairs, and
crewmen.  With the Guardian you'll send the shuttles as often as
you like for supplies etc.  Returning the Guardian itself to home
base ends your game.
    In this new game you can destroy all the enemy crafts in a
battle then locate a new battle and continue your game.  This can
go on for as long as your supplies and power hold out.  Beware of
starting a new battle when in doubt about power.  It's better to
return to home base and live to tell your grandchildren about
your adventures as captain of the Guardian.


PLAYING THE GAME OF IBS GUARDIAN:

NAVIGATION

     Movement of the IBS Guardian is accomplished by entering
NAVIGATION or NAV.

     After accessing the navigation section, you must enter the
command for the direction you wish to move.  To swing the ship to
the left, you must enter TO PORT.  Entering TO STARBOARD will
bring the ship around to the right.  Also, advancing or
retreating from the enemy can be accomplished with ADVANCE and
RETREAT.

     Power units required to move the ship one degree either port
or starboard are ten ( 10 ).  It is best to keep this movement to
a range of from ten to one hundred power units, though any
movement can be accomplished.

     Power units for advance and retreat are set at a minimum of
100.


PROBE

     A certain amount of skill must be acquired to properly use
the probe.  This will, however, come with usage.  PROBE is the
key word to enter to access this useful tool.  Once this command
has been entered, you will be asked for the x,y coordinates.

     The game screen grid is set up on a 40 by 20 grid in
relation to a column/row format.  When the enemy is attacking,
the shields of the entire enemy fleet must be lowered as each
ship fires.

     The enemy will become visible momentarily on the screen
--time enough for the experienced probe user to sight a ship for
probing.  Once you believe you have located the approximate
position of an enemy ship, the probe can be accessed.

     Enter the approximate x,y ( column/row ) coordinates into
the probe.  If the coordinates are incorrect, the probe marker
will show as a flash.  If, however, the coordinates are correct,
the enemy ship will show within the probe marker.  At this time a
weapon can be fired, or the coordinates will be saved for later
use.  ( See RECALL in this manual )


LASER

     The use of the key word LASER will activate this section of
the weaponry.  The laser is non-directional, therefore, if no
enemy is within direct laser sights, you will need to navigate to
port or starboard.

     Though the strength of a laser burst is relatively small,
its strength, as with other weaponry, increases with nearness to
the target.  Remember, however, that the IBS Guardian, as with
the enemy, becomes more susceptible to damage in relation to the
nearness to enemy fire.


MISSILE

     To fire a missile at an already identified target, you must
activate missile control by entering MISSILE.  When missile
control has been reached, you can enter the x,y (column/row)
coordinates as obtained by the probe.


TORPEDO

     After entering TORPEDO, firing can be accomplished exactly
as with the missile.  The torpedo is about half the strength of a
missile.


RELIEVE CREW

    There are three shifts of crewmen aboard Guardian.  They
must be rotated during the course of the game or they will fall
prey to fatigue.  If this occurs the ship will be lost.  Entering
RELIEVE CREW will change shifts.  The crews should be relieved as
often as you see fit, but should, under no circumstances, be
allowed to work beyond 29 minutes real time.  A half hour real
time is the limit of their endurance.


HOMING

    Enter HOMING to locate a new battle or return to home base
and end your game.  LOCATE ENEMY will cause homing to find your
next battle.
     Returning to home base is accomplished by entering HOME or
HOMEBASE.  You'll want to do this when power is getting low
aboard the Guardian.


CREW

     Any crewman may be removed from one area and placed into
another with CREW.  You will need to enter the number of crewmen
to be removed from the specified area.

    Next you're asked to which area the crewmen should report.
Enter the number of the area to which you wish to move, and the
crewmen will relocate.

     An area which cannot operate due to a shortage of crew can
be helped by an area which has no further use.


EMERGENCY

     If Computer Control (discussed later in manual) is not
functional and you lose all communication facilities, you can use
EMERGENCY to get help.  This special communications channel is
nearly indestructible and is in operation even when Computer
Control has failed.

     Nearly all posts will be temporarily deserted by crewmen in
order to rush repairs on the mainframe computer.  This emergency
repair results in a tremendous expenditure of power units, but
Computer Control should be operational in very short time.


SELF DESTRUCT

     Though it is hoped that this command will never be needed,
it must be mentioned none the less.  If at any time a captain
finds that his crew and ship cannot possibly defeat the remaining
enemy craft, he is under order of the officiating powers of
United Earth to SELF DESTRUCT.  Entering Self Destruct or
DESTRUCT will accomplish this.

     Under no circumstances should the Guardian fall into the
hands of the enemy.



*** COMPUTER CONTROL ***


COMPUTER CONTROL

    The last main command can be entered to access the mainframe
computer aboard the ship, your main communications link.  COMP or
COMPUTER will connect you with the mainframe.


********** COMP **********


STATUS

    The status of your crew and the ship's damage, along with
weapon availability, can be accessed with STATUS or STATS.  Using
this command will keep you updated.
    Remember: Computer Control must be accessed before accessing
status or any further command in this manual.  Also remember that
you will get only the status of the current deck.  Switch decks
to get the status of the others.


SEARCH

    The command SEARCH will cause the ship's computer to scan
the battle area for any existing enemy vessels and report the
number found to you.


RECALL

    When the probe is used, the x,y coordinates are stored
directly in the ship's computer.  If the last coordinates used
were correct in identifying an enemy craft, then these
coordinates can be obtained for missile or torpedo placement with
RECALL.  Therefore, an enemy craft can be located, then you can
go about other business without losing the coordinates.
    Once a missile or torpedo has been fired, the coordinates
are reset to zero, otherwise they remain unless the probe is used
again.


COMMUNICATIONS

    A communications link can be set up with COMMUNICATIONS or
COMM.  The medical and repair teams can be reached anywhere in
the ship by this means, and the shuttles can be launched.


** The remaining two commands **
** are used with COMM **


MEDICAL TEAM

    A correct procedure for reaching the medical team is: COMP
COMM  MED  (each item must be entered separately).  MEDICAL,
HOSP, or HOSPITAL will work for the last entry.
    When the medical team has been reached, enter: RELOCATE
after which you must specify an area in need of the team's
attention.


REPAIR TEAM

    The repair teams are reached the same as the medical team
with the exception of specifying REPAIR for the link after
communications has been reached.  There are three repair teams
aboard Guardian, one for each deck.  The repair teams cannot
leave their assigned decks, so have the proper deck selected when
moving a repair team.


LAUNCH SHUTTLE

    You can launch a shuttle to get more supplies.  After
selecting the shuttle bay from which to launch (press the 2 key),
enter LAUNCH SHUTTLE or LAUNCH.  If the shuttle makes it through
it will return with supplies.


    ** NOTE **  When an area of the ship has too few crewmen or
is too severely damaged, it is non-functional.  Medical attention
to the wounded or repairs to the ship will only take place if the
captain directs the specific crew to the area in need.





** SHIP AREAS **

    All areas of the ship are referred to by numeric notations.
When an area must be specified, be sure to use the correct number
from the list below.




NUMERIC CODE       AREA                CREWMEN

Deck 1

    1.............LASER...................5
    2.............PROBE...................5
    3.............BRIDGE..................6
    4.............NAVIGATION..............5
    5.............HOMING..................5

Deck 2

    6.............COMPUTER................7
    7.............LIFE SUPPORT............5
    8.............HOSPITAL................5
    9.............ENGINE..................4
    10............COMMUNICATIONS..........5

Deck 3

    11............HOLD ONE................2
    12............HOLD TWO................2
    13............MISSILE.................8
    14............BAY ONE.................4
    15............TORPEDO.................5
    16............BAY TWO.................5



** COMMANDS **


    Below are listed three keys to select deck, bay, and engine
on/off, and the commands available in IBS Guardian.  The commands
are listed in such a manner that command words working within a
certain context are listed indented and below the initial
command.  An example is if first you input NAV, you could then
input any of the four directions listed below NAVIGATION.  The
keys used for single key entry are also listed.


KEYSTROKES:

     1     DECK SELECT
     2     BAY  SELECT
     3     ENGINE ON/OFF

KEYSTROKES:   KEY WORD:

     F1     NAVIGATION or NAV
        A  ADVANCE
        R  RETREAT
        P  TO PORT
        S  TO STARBOARD
     F2     PROBE
     F3     LASER
     F4     TORPEDO
     F5     MISSILE
     F6     COMPUTER or COMP
        Z  STATUS or STATS
        S  SEARCH
        R  RECALL
        C  COMMUNICATIONS or COMM
           M  MEDICAL or MED or HOSPITAL or HOSP
              R  RETURN
           R  REPAIR
              R  RETURN
           L  LAUNCH SHUTTLE or LAUNCH
     F7     HOMING
        L  LOCATE ENEMY
        H  HOMEBASE
     F8     RELIEVE CREW
     F9     CREW
     F10    EMERGENCY
     ESC    DESTRUCT


NOTES:

    The game of IBS Guardian is much more complicated than IBS
Starsearcher.  You should, therefore, watch your damage closely
so that important areas of the ship can be repaired and the crew
can receive proper medical care.
    Don't forget to relieve your crew on a regular basis.  More
often than not, your game will end because of neglecting this
rather than by damage to the ship.
    NEVER leave an area after just sending out a shuttle.  If
the Guardian leaves the area to seek out another battle, the
shuttle crew will never find it.  You'll find it best to send a
shuttle out shortly after entering into battle.  This gives the
shuttle plenty of time to make the trip to home base and return.
If the shuttle fails to return after a lengthy period of time, it
has probably been destroyed.  Scratch one shuttle.
    Be certain you have enough power to engage in another battle
before locating more enemy ships.  Once started, a battle cannot
be left.  Your only recourse at that time would be to self-
destruct.
    If you want to make the most of the power available to the
Guardian, kill the engines when not needed.  Over a period of
time this may save enough power to engage in further battles.