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1995-09-15
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Copyright 1995 Crush! Limited. All Rights Reserved.
**********************
* "MORTAL COIL" (tm) *
**********************
This is a pre-release version of the forthcoming
Action/Strategy game from Vic Tokai Europe. We hope you
enjoy playing it.
WARNING: The default 'Mature' mode installation may be unsuitable
for players aged 15 or under. Installation of the 'Standard' mode is
recommended, or password protection of the 'Mature' mode. See 'Context
Sensitivity' notes in 'Miscellaneous' section for more details.
1. INSTALLATION & CONTROLS
2. MISCELLANEOUS
3. BEDTIME READING
4. A WORD FROM THE CREATORS
5. CONTACT ADDRESS
1. INSTALLATION & CONTROLS
------------------------------
SPECIFICATIONS
This game needs all of the RAM you can give it, so if
you're playing on 4Mb or 8Mb, free up as much as you can.
Remove HIMEM.SYS, EMM386, any TSR's, SMARTDRIVE etc. (use
the same configuration that you use for any other DOS game
that has the same requirements as "Mortal Coil").
If you have an 8Mb system but cannot free enough space,
the 4Mb version can be loaded, which has reduced graphic
detail.
This release has been designed to run on a 100% IBM PC or
compatible Personal Computer configured to minimum MPC
Level 2, including SVGA colour graphics card, MS or
compatible mouse, x2 or x4 speed multi-session CD-ROM drive,
minimum 4Mb of USEABLE RAM, Soundblaster or 100% compatible digital
sound card.
The game will also require a minimum of 10Mb of your local
hard disk space. If you can make more available during
installation the game will operate more smoothly and efficiently.
Failure to install on a system with the above
configuration is likely to result in errors. In common
with most DOS games, this application may be launched
from a Windows DOS shell, but this is not a Windows
application and is not guaranteed to perform optimally
(if at all) when Windows is active.
NOTES
The player is encouraged to familiarise themselves with
the Video View (`W' key), and the functionality of the
four video monitors, which can be user configured at any
time to show a variety of different views and mission
data, such as map and resources. See the `Control During
Mission' section for further details.
LOADING
· The first time you use the game on a system, you
should type the following from the \MCOIL directory
on your CD:
INSTALL
This will run a batch file which creates the
necessary directories on your local hard disk, which
will be used by the game for temporary storage. It
also allows you to configure the game for your
system (for example Sound Card configuration), and to
select 'Mature' (default) or 'Standard' mode play.
· To run the PLAYABLE version if you have 8Mb of useable RAM or
more, you should type:
COIL
This will execute the version of the game that you
can play, including the graphic sequences.
· To run the PLAYABLE version if you have 4Mb of useable RAM, you
should type:
COIL V4
The 4Mb version differs from the 8Mb version in that it
features less detailed graphics and other memory
critical changes
· To alter any pre-set configuration after
installation, you should type the following from the
\COIL directory on your local Hard Disk Drive
SETUP
CONTROL
In this version control will be available from keyboard,
and keyboard/mouse combinations.
ATTRACT MODE
The game will self-play after showing the game logo. To skip
through the attract mode hold down SPACE BAR for a few seconds.
To start the game press ESC key.
MISSION BRIEFING
When you see text displayed on screen in a list, these
are your menu choices. Continue will usually take you
forward.
Move the mouse pointer over the menu options and BB will
describe each option.
Select Option - Left Mouse Button
Return to Previous
Menu - ESC
Start Mission - Select `Continue' from
menus
MISSION GAMEPLAY
Weapons
Personal - 1
Hand Grenade* - 2
Variable* - 3
Variable* - 4
Thermal Detonator*- 5
Gas Mask* - 7
Radiation Suit* - 8
* = if collected
Health Restore (to 100%)
if Health Pak in
Inventory - 0
Movement - Cursor Keys
Run - RIGHT SHIFT
Fire Weapon - ENTER
Open Door/Use Switch - SPACE BAR
Jump - ALT
Crouch - CROUCH
Strafe - <, >
On-screen map
& Motion Tracking - M
Look Up - A
Look Down - Z
Waypoint Mode / Map
(see Video View
for controls) - TAB
TEAM CHARACTER to be LEADER
Candy (default) - F1
Dan - F2
Dred - F3
Peech - F4
TEAM FORMATIONS
Back To Back - F5
V - F6
Flanks - F7
Single File - F8
TEAM GROUPING
Tight - F9
Medium - F10
Loose - F11
PRE-DEFINED TEAM ACTIONS (SET-PIECES)
(the most appropriate action is chosen by the game code
depending upon the current play situation; these send the
team off to perform pre-determined `set-piece' actions
depending upon the location - such as storming a door (if
unlocked), controlled movement around a corner or `T'
junction, etc.)
Strategic - X, Bullets
C, Grenades
Reactive - B, Bullets
N, Grenades
`Go' / Resume - V
Explore
Auto assigns team
with waypoints to
extremity markers - E
Return (cancel waypoints)- T
ENVIRONMENT
Detail Level
Toggles screen detail
to provide faster
rendering on slower
systems (default is
320 x 200; toggle is
degraded to stretched
160 x 200) - D (toggle)
Increase Screen Size - +
Decrease Screen Size - -
Gamma Brightness - G
Gamma Darkness - H
PERSPECTIVE / PLAYER CAM
3rd Person View - 6 (toggle)
Move Camera In/Out/
Left/Right - CTRL/Cursor Keys
Move Camera Up/
Down - CTRL/< or CTRL />
Rolling Camera - 6 (toggle)
1st Person View - 6 (toggle)
VIDEO VIEW
In this mode, the video windows are multi-functional and
can display different things. The default is top left
monitor displays Candy's view.
Enter/Exit Video View - W
Move screen pointer - <, >, J, M (or mouse)
Change Function - K (Left Mouse Button)with pointer
over RIGHT triangle beneath
one of the monitors. Each
'click' cycles you through
the monitor views or modes
(sequence is Candy view, Dan, Dred,
Peech, Mission Map, Resources,
back to Candy view etc.).
The LEFT triangle beneath any
monitor cycles in the opposite
direction.
Thus you can configure the
four monitors to show you any
combination of information
you desire.
CONTROL LEADER - K (Left Mouse Button) with
pointer on the display of
monitor of choice.
All usual first-person
control functions now operative.
MAP MODE - Map is shown (small) simply by
cycling through modes until map
is displayed.
WAYPOINT MODE - K (left mouse button) on monitor
displaying Map mode. Map now
enlarges to fill entire screen.
Zoom in/out - + or - (on num.keypad)
Map L/R/U/D - Cursor keys
Pointer
Movement - < > J M (or Mouse)
Select
Agent(s) - Function keys
F1=candy
F2=dan
F3=dred
F4=peech
or K (Left Mouse) with pointer over
agent (or agents) of choice
(Drop down menu appears with your
choice of options - click to
toggle selections - includes
fight/avoid combat; collect/leave
collectibles; investigate/ignore
doors; done to confirm selection)
Draw Waypoint - After above, move pointer to
first waypoint setting and press
K (or Left Mouse).
A line will be drawn showing
path. HINT: Choose small,
multiple waypoints rather than
long, single paths for greater
efficiency. Move pointer to next
waypoint and press K (Left Mouse)
to confirm. When all waypoint
paths are set press L (Right Mouse).
(Drop down menu appears with
choice of final options - click
to choose one of three options:
Guard sets up agent frozen
in one direction of your choice;
Sweep sets agent to patrol the
area of the final waypoint
destination, and
Return commands player to return
to Team Leader and formation when
reached waypoint.
Select Execute to have the command
performed at once, or choose Done
if you want to issue other waypoints
to other agents and have them all
commence upon your final agent's 'Execute'
command.
If Guard selected, move pointer (and in turn a small
line (at end of waypoint) to
direction you wish agent to face.
Then click on `Execute' in the drop down menu to
activate agent.
To alter a waypoint when set, click on
the final waypoint or a sub-waypoint
marker, and drag it to the new location.
RESOURCE MANAGER - When two or more agents are in
the same proximity, you can
`trade' weapons, ammunition and
other inventory items between them.
To do this you click the pointer on an
item and drag it to another character.
With ammunition, you can also choose
to `Spread' an item evenly among the
agents close to you (arrows pointing
outward icon) or you can choose to give
all of an available item to just one
agent (arrows pointing inwards on
icon).
2. MISCELLANEOUS
--------------------
USER VOICE REPLACEMENT
Users may substitute their own words or sounds to replace
the majority of the spoken words in "Mortal Coil".
To do this, first create your phrase as a .WAV sound
file.
Then name the file to match one of the files in the sub-
directory on the CD, located in the directory
\SOUNDS\VOICE.
Now find the directory on your local hard drive called
\CANDYDAT and create a sub-directory called \VOICE (e.g.,
from the prompt C:\CANDYDAT> type MD VOICE, then CD VOICE
so the prompt reads C:\CANDYDAT\VOICE>
Copy into your local \VOICE directory your .WAV file.
Your sample will play in place of the original file from
now on. To restore the game to its former glory, simply
remove the sound files from \VOICE that you do not
require.
For example, Candy saying "At the Waypoint" is contained
in the file CANDY2.WAV on the hard disk, so whatever you
wish to replace this with, name it CANDY2.WAV, put it in
your local \VOICE sub-directory and your own sample will
play whenever Candy would usually say "At the Waypoint,
Over".
CONTEXT SENSITIVITY
In this release, the game is supplied in `Mature' mode,
which we expect would appeal to an audience of age 15+.
The install utility gives you the option to install the
game in `Standard' mode, which we recommend for users
under the age of 15 years of age, or for those who do not
relish occasional harsh language or graphic effects. The
main advantage of context sensitivity will be apparent in
the full version of "Mortal Coil" rather than this demo
release.
It is the intention of the designers that the game is
aimed at a more mature player, and as such, is not
restricted in the scope of its content; that the player
is not nannied at the expense of the effect. Equally,
players who may be offended by some of these inclusions
have the option to turn them off, or password protect
them from other family members.
It is hoped that by providing options to our players, we
will be seen as taking seriously our content
responsibilities, at a time when the interactive industry
seems to be under more pressure on this subject than
Hollywood! By providing these options, we are providing
helpful gameplay switches for users, and hopefully
encouraging players that might otherwise not have
considered products of this nature.
3. BED-TIME READING
-----------------------
THE STORY SO FAR...
"Mortal Coil" is set in the year 2005, but relates to a
man-made problem more than two hundred years thereafter.
You see, the European Union is just the beginning of a
much larger move by the `first world' powers to create a
much larger political, economic and military group - the
first world government. It joins together to colonise
space. At first it mines the planets around Earth for
valuable minerals, with the intention one day of
colonising each planet for each G7 nation - for example,
Planet Germany, Planet Japan, etc. Man can achieve this
because as we all know, mankind is the only life in
space. We're just surrounded by dead rocks. It was this
complacent thinking that led to the problem.
Three hundred years after man took a small step onto the
moon, in 2269 mankind took a giant leap onto Alpha
Centurai and started drilling there.
An indigenous lifeform had survived under the crusty
planet surface there for centuries - a lifeform not
unlike ants on planet Earth; they built intricate nests
and served colonies. Highly intelligent they saw man as
an aggressive alien invader. They had one advantage over
man. They could travel in time. And so a nesting group
was sent back in time to 1995, to establish colonies
close by to key installations, and just in case, they
would poison the food chain. Man would slowly die, and
by the time it realised it was under attack it would be
too late.
Mortal Coil was the name of the government agency set up
in the late 20th century by the burgeoning first world
power to investigate unusual attacks on key military
installations. If terrorists were making the attacks,
they weren't making any demands, but had succeeded in
causing massive devastation to an otherwise top secret
plan (the `Space Colonisation Programme'). Mortal Coil
employed only the best, smartest special agents. Part
mercenary, part spy. Smart, tough, ruthless. Candy was
the best the agency had.
As was usual, agents for Mortal Coil were treated like
mushrooms. The agency considered that the less they
really knew the more effective and focused they would be.
They underestimated Candy.
The world had never seen anything like the events on
2005. If it hadn't been for Candy and her team, the
World may never have seen anything again.
The mission included with this release is Mission 5, the
UnderSea Nuclear Dumping Station. The invading Shatarian race
are sabotaging the station, stealing nuclear waste in their own
underwater vessel, and them releasing toxic waste into the sea.
Unless you can stop them, that is. If you fail, the sea is polluted
and the food chain irrevocably damaged.
The full release includes missions in a hot, steamy jungle, aboard a
space construction platform in Earth's orbit, inside an abandoned
germ warfare research and storage installation in the Nevada Desert,
around an air filtration farm in Tokyo, and around the streets of London.
If you succeed in completing those within a set game time, you get a
special bonus mission aboard the Shatarian's space craft! Phew!
THE CHARACTERS
CANDY
25 years old, female, English. Real name Emma
Monroe. Head strong, very tough, very fit, attitude with
a capital `A'. Deep, sexy voice. Likes a laugh, despises
most of the men she has ever met. The main focus of the
game storyline, Candy has worked for Mortal Coil for some
years. She knows too much to ever be allowed to leave.
Clearly a problem for her superiors, she is nonetheless
the most effective agent they have.
DAN
28 years old, male, American. Full name Daniel R.
Malone. A sensitive yet tough former marine with a
conscience. He's tall, he keeps himself fit, enjoys a
laugh with the lads. Troubled by a messy divorce, he
moved to Europe for a new start, and was `between jobs'
when the Shatarians attacked his apartment block
(Unihab). Candy rescued him; the two became friends and
she persuaded him to join her team at Mortal Coil
(previously she had only ever worked alone).
DRED
32 years old, male, Jamaican. Real name Joseph
Hodge. Married with three children. A lot of brawn but
not overly blessed with brains; but that doesn't mean
he's stupid. A life in the military has proven to be an
ideal career for him. He joined Mortal Coil when Candy
and Dan rescued him - he had been trapped by the
Shatarians his unit had been trying to overthrow. They
enlisted his help at that time, and Candy was so
impressed by his courage, she invited him to join the
elite team.
PEECH
20 years old, female, European. Real name Nena
Pietreich. Born in Germany, she travelled with her
military family throughout Europe when younger and has an
undetermined accent. Despite her young age, she rose
very quickly through the military ranks on leaving
school. A determined, loyal, quick-thinker, Peech
doesn't suffer fools gladly. She was rescued alongside
Dred by Dan and Candy, and likewise, proved so effective
in supporting them at that time, that she earned a place
on Candy's MC squad.
BB
Highly intelligent, self-aware robot device, called a
`Military Recorder'. These units are built from the same
material that flight recorders - or black boxes - are
made of (hence the nickname `BB'). Military Recorders
are sent out with agents on undercover assignments to
provide on-the-spot intelligence and additional fire-
power. It also records the actions of the agents, and in
the event an enemy wipes out the agents, the recorder can
be recovered for subsequent analysis.
Speaks with an educated human-like-voice, but slightly
stilted. Sounds like a tall person.
PROFESSOR SHATARIAN
Male, early 50's. The stereotypical mad scientist, as
honest as the day is long. Has no real comprehension of
everyday matters, but an incredible capacity when it
comes to science and technology. He is a genius. He was
the government scientist that first analysed the samples
of goo the Mortal Coil team collected, and espoused the
theory of an alien life-form. The prospect of
communication with a higher life-form excites him
greatly, and the aliens get named after his research,
discoveries and theories; they are known collectively as
"The Shatarians". The Prof. stumbles and mumbles a lot.
More of the background to the characters and how they
meet is played out in the graphic sequences in the full
release of "Mortal Coil".
4. A WORD FROM THE CREATORS
------------------------------
This CD contains a special version of one of the game
missions, and should give you a good flavour for the end
product. At the time we finished this version for you,
the overall game was not complete, and we still have some
tidying up to do... `tarting up' some texture maps,
character animations, game map puzzles, and finalising
some features such as network play, load/save game,
difficulty levels, and `sub-titles' for those that don't
have digital sound cards.
At Crush! we see ourselves as creators of interactive
entertainment, and hope you enjoy the game as an overall
product rather than `just' for the technology or the
graphics. We have created an enjoyable story, and with
the mix of rendered sequences and spoken words from the
characters, the game atmosphere should play an important
part in your enjoyment. Next stop the movie! Offers
please ;-)
Credit where credit is due, and this has been a team
effort. So, `big how' to the Crush! crew, plus we would
like to thank all those people that have contributed in
some way, and you'll see them listed in the credits page.
Special thanks to the voices for our characters - Dani
Behr, Ed Bishop, Fiona Allen and Brian Bowles.
Details on how to play the game are above, and if you
have any problems please contact Vic Tokai Europe at the
address below.
If you enjoy playing this demo release, please buy the
full release of the game. It will be a more improved
version of this, featuring 6 main game missions, plus a
special bonus mission for those that complete the first 6
within record time. The rendered sequences will feature
`interactive' sections, allowing you to examine the
storyline (rather than just sit and watch the same thing
each time). There are also play options not included on
this demo version, plus a smashing manual, nice box and a
free jewel case. Oooh! Suit you Sir!
From the team that gave up many nights in order that you
could spend yours in our game fantasy -- a big thanks for
playing the demo, and a big hope that you'll buy the full
game. Do we have to beg or what?
-- Crush!
Newbury, England, September `95
5. CONTACT ADDRESS
----------------------
In the unlikely event that you experience any
difficulties please contact the supplier of this Demo
Release for assistance.
If you would like more details of the full release of
"Mortal Coil" or would like to contact the Publishers,
write to:
Vic Tokai Europe
Department MC
Tokai House
9 Duncan Close
Moulton Business Park
Northampton
NN3 1WL
United Kingdom
DO NOT SEND YOUR CD TO VIC TOKAI UNLESS INSTRUCTED TO DO SO!
All trademarks in above text acknowledged.
"Mortal Coil" is an original work of fiction. Any similarities
to any persons events or places living dead or otherwise in Newbury
is unintentional.
"Mortal Coil" (tm)
Copyright (c)1995 Crush Limited. All Rights Reserved.
PC CD ROM version produced under license by Vic Tokai Europe Ltd