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ARGONAUT.TXT
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1992-02-27
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*** ARGONAUT ***
(c) 1988, 1992
Jim Chen
2103 Reynolds Street
Falls Church, VA 22043
(703) 536-2560
* INTRODUCTION *
ARGONAUT is my variation of the classic space war computer game. Instead of
Klingons, three warring alliances -- Axis, Bloc, and Cabal -- take on the
Federation. You play Captain Jason of Federation warship Argo, commissioned
to cease hostilities near Federation base Xanadu. The object of the game is
simple and timeless: destroy your enemies before they destroy you.
* HOW TO PLAY *
ARGONAUT.COM is the only program you need. There are two command line
switches; you can invoke either, neither, or both.
/R Confines each alliance to a specific region in space. The default
game allocates warships randomly. Using the /r switch results in a
more difficult game, since you run the risk that an enemy alliance
will have ships configured in a virtually invincible formation.
/S Turns on game sounds. The game defaults to silent operation.
* LAYOUT *
The game screen is divided into three parts. The upper left corner is the
visual map. To the extent your ship's mapper is functioning, this corner will
display your immediate surroundings. The upper right corner is a command
panel that displays the stardate, your ship's name, your position, the alert
level (red, yellow, green), and the most essential commands. The bottom of
screen contains requested reports and a scrolling narrative of the ongoing
battle, which may be abbreviated if your radio is damaged.
* GAME COMMANDS *
The essential game commands are single keystrokes, mostly clustered along the
top row of the keyboard. Always identify ships by their initial letter. For
example, refer to the Argo as A. There are also certain "hidden" commands
that do not appear on the command panel. These commands give additional
information not available through the standard commands. For a greater
challenge, don't use the hidden commands. Your enemies have no access to this
information, and refusal to use this information (depending on your philosophy
of life) either levels the playing field or constitutes stupid strategy.
Standard commands:
0 Computer. Request a computer report on war conditions.
1 Shields. Flush remaining engine power to reinforce your shields.
2 Engines. Move as many total units as you have engines.
3 Phasers. Maximum range 30 units. Damage normally ranges from 0.20 to
2.00 units off the target ship's shields.
4 Photons. Maximum range 10 units. Damage normally ranges from 0.20 to
3.00 units off the target ship's shields.
5 Tractor beam. Maximum range 35 units. Draws the target ship toward
you and prevents further movement.
6 Scanner. Maximum range 10 x undamaged scanner units.
7 Mapper. Reports the exact locations of ships displayed on the map.
8 Transporter. Maximum range 10 x undamaged transporter units.
Reinforce a friendly ship or take over an empty ship. You may
transfer your command to the new ship.
9 Radio. Maximum range 25 x active radio units. Reports the location
and condition of allied ships.
- Hyperspace. Warp into a new position. Your shields will be damaged.
= Self-destruct. All ships within blast range will also explode.
Tab Do nothing and pass your turn.
` Let the autopilot run the ship for one turn. If war conditions have
significantly deteriorated, the autopilot may surrender your fleet.
Esc Resign command and let the autopilot continue the war.
Hidden commands:
All the hidden commands provide information. Not using the hidden commands
will not affect the choices available to you.
Bksp Display a map of the entire war zone.
R Roll call. The listing of all ships includes an abbreviated status
report and a code indicating if and how a ship has been eliminated.
S Shot distribution report.
L List alliance statistics. Tracks overall alliance performance and
predicts the likelihood of success for each alliance.
* THE SHIPS *
There are four types of ships in the game.
1. Battle cruiser. This is the Argo's class. Heavily armored for long wars.
Each fleet is led by one battle cruiser.
2. Cruiser. Each fleet has three standard cruisers.
3. Scout. Each fleet has one of these lighter, faster, but weaker ships.
4. Starbase. The Federation starbase Xanadu will participate in the war.
It is heavily armored and armed but unable to move. It cannot hyperspace,
but its self-destruct blast range can be awesome. In a regional game
selected with the /R switch, Xanadu is particularly vulnerable.
* TIPS *
All ships not controlled by you are on autopilot. The autopilots are ruthless
in pursuit but clumsy in navigation. They often collide. Collisions destroy
one ship and cripple the other.
The surest way to win a war is to assemble your fleet in a formation that
concentrates your firepower on opposing ships and wipes them out before they
can respond. The principal disadvantage of a tightly packed fleet is that the
ships tend to collide. Also, a suicide mission can wipe out the entire fleet.
In each game, one enemy ship will have a vendetta against Captain Jason. This
ship will break formation and attack Jason's ship until the captain resigns or
dies. Sometimes this ship will be destroyed as it numbly navigates through
devastating enemy fire in pursuit of Captain Jason. At other times, this ship
has a clear shot at the captain and could bring him down.
Be careful when choosing to self-destruct. The blast range is indiscriminate;
Federation ships can fall victim to a Federation blast. Also, each blast has
an extra range where ships are showered with shrapnel. Depending on the
condition of the ship, shrapnel can be fatal or merely crippling.
* FINALLY *
ARGONAUT's source code is written in Turbo Pascal and should compile on
version 3.02 or above. The compiled program here is intended for use with any
monitor.
I hope you enjoy ARGONAUT. I am distributing the program as shareware. Feel
free to distribute copies to your friends, as long as you attach this
instruction sheet with my name and address on it. If you use ARGONAUT in a
commercial environment, please remit $20. I would appreciate a contribution
from home users as well. I will honor requests for the Pascal source code
if the requests are accompanied with a contribution, a floppy, and a self-
addressed stamped envelope.
Happy hunting.