1,000 Game Manuals/1000gamemanuals.iso/Atari 2600/Secret Quest.txt

Text File | 1995-04-04 | 12KB | 327 lines

                      ATARI (R) 2600 (R) Game Manual

                            SECRET QUEST (TM)

By Nolan Bushnell
Video game designer
and Atari Pioneer.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the product
documentation in this manual. However, Atari Corporation is constantly
improving and updating its computer hardware and software, it is
unable to guarantee the accuracy of printed material after the date of
publication and disclaims liability for changes, errors, or omissions.

Reproduction of all or any portion of this manual is not allowed
without the specific written consent of Atari Corporation.

Atari (R), the Atari logo, 2600 (R), 7800 (TM) and Secret Quest (TM)
are trademarks or registered trademarks of Atari Corporation.

ATARI (R)
Copyright (C) 1989, Atari Corporation.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086. All rights reserved.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

SAVE THE HUMAN RACE! .................. 1
  Getting Started ..................... 1

PLAYING THE GAME ...................... 2
  Your Quest .......................... 2
  Moving Around the Stations .......... 2
  Finding and Using Objects ........... 3
    Weapons ........................... 3
    Oxygen Bottles and Energy Pods .... 4
    Sonic Keys ........................ 4
  Status Screen ....................... 5
  Destroying a Station ................ 6

SAVING A GAME ......................... 7
  Save ................................ 7
  Restart ............................. 7

STRATEGY .............................. 8

SCORING ............................... 9


SAVE THE HUMAN RACE!

First there was one alien space station, then there were three. Now
there are eight. If left unchecked, laser gates, dragons, and other
evil creatures will wipe out the human race.

To destroy each station, you'll have to confront the aliens in
face-to-face combat and discover the secret destruct code. Once you
have the code, use it to activate the station's self-destruction
mechanism. Then the race begins. Can you get to the teleport room
before the station explodes into the vacuum of space?

Are you ready? Remember, you'll need precision battle skills, a keen
sense of direction, speed, and pure guts to save the human race.


Getting Started

1. Insert the Secret Quest cartridge into your Atari 2600 or 7800
   console as explained in your Owner's Manual.

2. Plug a controller into the left controller port.

3. Switch on your television. Then push the 2600's [Power] switch to
   the ON position. The Secret Quest title screen will appear.

4. Enter your initials by moving the directional control on your
   controller up or down until the letter you want appears and left or
   right to move between the two entry positions. You must enter both
   initials in order to start the game.

5. Press [Reset] or the fire button to start play. During play, you
   can press [Reset] to return to the title screen.


PLAYING THE GAME

Your Quest

Destroy all eight alien space stations. The secret orders you received
list basics on how to destroy a station. The rest is up to you.

1. Search through the rooms and find the secret destruct code on each
   level.

2. Find the self-destruction mechanism and activate it by entering the
   secret destruct code(s).

3. Race to the teleporter room and escape the alien station before it
   explodes. The teleporter automatically sends you to the next station.

Along the way you pick up weapons and other objects and fight alien
creatures such as Spinner and Dragon. Fighting aliens takes precious
oxygen and energy, which you can replenish each time you destroy all
aliens in a room.

The game ends when you destroy all eight stations, run out of oxygen,
or don't make it to the teleporter room in time after activating the
self-destruct mechanism. When the game ends, the title screen appears
with your total score.


Moving Around the Stations

Use the directional control to move around the stations. Each time you
pass through a door the screen changes to show the next room.


Finding and Using Objects

If you're good, you will find weapons, oxygen bottles, energy pods,
and sonic keys. To pick up an object, walk over to it and touch it.
You will be able to pick up all objects you find, but you can have
only one active weapon or sonic key. You can change the active
weapon/sonic key from the status screen as described in Status Screen.
To use an active object, press the fire button.


Weapons

{pictures of Energy Sword, Sonic Blaster, Particle Beam}

You will need weapons to fight the aliens. There are three weapons to
find: the energy sword, sonic blaster, and the particle beam. When you
touch your first weapon, it appears in your hand as the active weapon.

Press the fire button to use the active weapon. You may have to zap an
alien a number of times to destroy it.

Each weapon has a strength and energy value. Stronger weapons do more
damage to the aliens. When you use a weapon, you lose energy units.

The following chart shows the strength and energy depletion value of
each weapon type.

                Strength   Energy
Weapon           Value      Used
---------------------------------
Energy Sword       2         1
Sonic Blaster      4         2
Particle Beam      8         4


Oxygen Bottles and Energy Pods

{pictures; Oxygen Bottles look like seltzer bottles, Energy Pods are
rounded rectangles with an intermittent spark}

Each time you destroy a room full of aliens, an oxygen bottle or
energy pod appears. Touch these objects to replenish lost oxygen and
energy. Fighting aliens depletes energy and/or oxygen. Exploring
depletes oxygen at the rate of one oxygen bottle every minute. The
game ends if you run out of oxygen. If you run out of energy, the game
continues, but you will not be able to use any weapons until you find
more energy.

Indicator bars at the bottom of the screen show how much energy and
oxygen you have. Each mark on the indicator equals 16 units of energy
or one bottle of oxygen.


Sonic Keys

{picture of Sonic Key, looks like a horn}

Sonic doors appear throughout the space stations. In order to open a
sonic door, you must have a sonic key. These keys are scattered around
the stations. When you come to a sonic door, make sure the sonic key
is active, then press the fire button to open the door and reveal a
secret stairway. Activate a sonic key from the status screen as
explained under Active Object in the next section. Each sonic key can
only be used once.


Status Screen

You can look at the status screen any time during the game by pushing
the [TV Type] switch on the 2600 console up and down. To return to the
game screen, push the [TV Type] switch up and down again. On the Atari
7800 switch between the game and status screens by pressing [Pause].

The status screen shows the following:

o  Current Station When you destroy a station, it disappears from the
   status screen. The current station flashes.

o  Current Level A stack of bars indicate how many levels the current
   station contains. The current level flashes.

o  Active Object The active object is either a weapon or a sonic key.
   To change active objects, press the fire button until the object you
   want appears.

o  Re-entry Code If you want to exit the game so you can return later
   at the same station, write down this code so you can restart at the
   status screen. (See Saving a Game for more information.)

{screen shot}


Destroying a Station

Your secret orders specify the following procedure for destroying a
station. The procedure is dangerous and risky, but it's the only known
way to destroy these evil space stations.

1. On each level of a station, look for a code symbol. (Station 1 has
   only 1 level; all others have multiple levels.) To move to different
   levels within a station, use the stairs and sonic doors. You might
   want to write down the code(s).

2. When you have found the codes on all levels of a station, search
   for a room with a flashing horizontal bar. This room contains the
   self-destruction mechanism. When you arrive at this room, move the
   directional control forward to display codes and left or right to move
   between the entry positions. Be sure to enter the codes in the correct
   sequence.

3. When you have entered all codes, press the fire button, and race to
   the teleporter room. A number countdown appears to show you how many
   seconds you have to make it.

4. When you arrive at the teleporter room, touch the teleporter to
   escape the station before it explodes into smithereens. Once you touch
   the teleporter you are transported to the next station.

{picture of a Teleporter, looks like a glowing tube}


SAVING A GAME

You can leave a game in progress and start again later at the same
station with the points you've already earned. Any number of games can
be left and resumed, as long as each game is started with a different
set of initials.


Save

To leave a game you wish to restart later, follow these steps:

1. Note the initials you entered when you started the game.

2. On the 2600 push the [TV Type] switch up and down to display the
   status screen. On the 7800 push [Pause].

3. Write down the re-entry code sequence that appears at the bottom of
   the screen.

4. Continue playing or switch off your system.


Restart

Follow these steps to restart a game:

1. Start a new game.

2. Enter your initials. You must enter the initials you used when you
   started the game you want to resume.

3. When the game screen appears (the first room of station 1), push
   the [TV Type] switch (or [Pause] on a 7800) to display the status
   screen. You can only restart the game from the first room of station 1.

4. Push [Select] to begin changing codes. (The first code will flash.)

5. Move the directional control forward or backwards to change codes
   and left or right to move between the codes. Be sure to enter the
   codes in the correct sequence.

6. Push [Select] to return to the game screen at the previous level.


STRATEGY

Learn your way around the stations by drawing a map as you go.

If you are in a multi-level station, write down the code you find on
each level so you will be able to remember the entire code when you
enter the room containing the self-destruction mechanism.

Avoid losing all of your energy. If you lose all of your energy, you
can't use a weapon. If you can't use a weapon to destroy aliens, you
will not be able to get oxygen. If you can't get oxygen, you will not
live long. Neither will the human race.


SCORING

The following list shows the number of points you earn each time you
destroy an alien.

Dragon ...................................... 750 points
Snake ....................................... 700 points
Firecracker {short, sparks from antenna} .... 650 points
Ghost ....................................... 600 points
Stomper {smiling stick-figure} .............. 550 points
Squid ....................................... 500 points
Medusa ...................................... 400 points
Spinner {two rotating balls} ................ 350 points
Floater {diamond, eye in center} ............ 250 points
Machine {on treads} ......................... 200 points
Chopper {prop on top} ....................... 150 points
Potato Man {brown with legs} ................ 100 points
Bear Trap {snapping jaws} ...................  50 points



ATARI (R)
Copyright (C) 1989, Atari Corporation.
Sunnyvale, CA 94086. All rights reserved.

Printed in Hong Kong.         N.C.4.89. C300016-170 Rev. A