1,000 Game Manuals/1000gamemanuals.iso/Atari 5200/Rescue on Fractalus.TXT

Text File | 2001-11-05 | 22KB | 534 lines

 RESCUE ON FRACTALUS!

 BY ATARI/LUCASFILM

 WANTED: AIR PILOTS
 ------------------

 All right!  Listen up!  you've got a right to know why you're here --
 why they suddenly need us Air Pilots.

 A life and death struggle is raging throughout this grubby galactic
 quadrant.  It's us against the Jaggies and they've just upped the
 stakes.  They've dug in on Fractalus, the most inhospitable planet
 this side of the Kalamar system.  It's a neat trick.  Our highly
 trained Ethercorp pilots were holding their own in space battles, but
 down on Fractalus it's a different story.  We're losing anywhere from
 five to fifty Space Pilots at a clip.  Our job's to rescue those
 spacers.

 Go ahead--laugh.  I admit it's funny.  Five years ago, the Corps
 couldn't phase us out fast enough.  "No need for Air Pilots in
 Ethercorps," they said.  "Those dogs have had their day."  Well,
 great, but those Space Pilots can ONLY fly space.  To be fair,
 they'll save us in the end, but now we have to save THEM--especially
 those golden "Ace Pilots."  We can't win without them!

 Here's how it works.  They've rigged up a Mother Ship to ferry us
 within booster range of Fractalus.  That's where it gets sticky.  The
 Jaggies have got defenses on that planet--gun emplacements, saucers--
 the works.  And Fractalus is one hot cauldron of craggy mountains and
 canyons, covered by the worst air you've ever flown in.  It's thick
 cyantric acid--it'll dissolve your flight suit within minutes.
 Finally, there's the planet's hyper rate of rotation.  The nine
 minute days have driven more than one pilot nuts.

 But there's good to go with the bad.  You'll have Valkyrie Fighters,
 the best pure flyers we've got.  And don't call them V-Wings--that's
 not correct terminology.  To make room for those Space Pilots they
 had to strip out a lot of the offensive weaponry.  But they did
 install a Dirac Mirror Shield.  It can take a big hit, but you pay
 for each one out of your energy reserve.

 The one offensive weapon they left us is hot: the AMB -- Anti-Matter
 Bubble -- Torpedo.  It'll destroy a target if it hits anywhere near
 it!

 Finally, each Valkyrie's been fitted with the Etheric Navigation
 System, a computer-enhanced viewscreen which overlays your forward
 main window.  It lets you see where you're going in Fractalus' acid
 fog atmosphere.

 That's it.  Get going.  Forget the past--just go get us a future.

 YOUR MISSION
 ------------

 Sorry.  No time for a briefing now.  Ethercop pilots are down--out of
 action.  They need help--fast!

 First, we toss you out of the Mother Ship, straight down to
 Fractalus.  That part's all automatic.  But you're on your own when
 you hit the atmosphere.

 Your job is to fight through the Jaggi defenses and find stranded
 pilots.  They won't be jumping up and down waving at you.  So, use
 your instruments and viewscreen to find their crashed ships.  They'll
 wait inside until you land in range.

 The rescue's a snap.  As son as you shut down your engines, the pilot
 will come running and knock on your rear airlock door.  Let the
 spacer in.

 When you pick up your quota of pilots, or run out of energy it's back
 to the Mother Ship.  As you get better, we advance you to higher
 Levels--the more hellish parts of Fractalus.

 Got it?  Prepare for Mother Ship Launch.

 CODE RED!
 ---------

 1.  Insert your cartridge for Rescue on Fractalus! into your Atari
     5200 SuperSystem.  Turn on your system and TV.  Place the overlay
     on your controller and plug it into jack 1.

 2.  Set the difficulty level:  Use the Level # key to raise the
     level; the Level * key to lower it.

 3.  Press START to begin the game.  Your ship will be launched
     automatically.

 4.  Use the joystick to fly the Valkyrie Fighter when you enter the
     atmosphere of Fractalus.  You'll know you're on your own when the
     message MANUAL appears at the top of the screen.

 5.  Jaggi Gun Emplacements appear as green domes on the mountain
     peaks.  Watch for cross hairs to appear on the Main Window when
     an enemy is near.  Line the enemy up in the cross hairs on the
     Main Window or Targeting Scope.  Launch a torpedo by pressing
     any of the red fire buttons.

 6.  Locate a pilot by watching for a "blip" on the Long Range Scanner
     or a flashing green beacon on the surface of Fractalus.  Fly
     towards the pilot keeping your ship's altitude low.

 7.  Pilot in range: Watch the Long Range Scanner on your instrument
     panel.  When the pilot "blip" is centered near the bottom of the
     Scanner, press the LAND (1) key to land the ship.  Press the
     SYSTEMS (2) key to turn off your engines and shields.  The
     screens will display: PILOT IN RANGE.  If the pilot is not in
     range the screen displays: PILOT TOO FAR.  Take off again by
     pressing THRUST (6) and move your ship closer.

 8.  Rescue the pilot: Press the AIRLOCK (3) key to open the airlock
     when the pilot knocks on the door.  The air lock automatically
     closes after the pilot climbs safely inside.

 9.  Take off: Press THRUST (6), and search for the next downed pilot.

 10. The Mother Ship will return to your sector to check on your
     progress.  If you're in trouble--low on energy, taking a lot of
     heat--the Mother Ship will try to show up sooner.  When it's
     near, the Mother Ship light on the control panel will begin
     flashing and the message MOTHER SHIP! will appear at the top of
     the screen.  If you've rescured your quota of pilots or are low
     on energy press the BOOSTERS (7) key to fire the boosters.  Your
     ship will automatically leave Fractalus and dock with the Mother
     Ship.

 SCORING
 -------

          Event                      Point Value
          -----                      -----------

 Each second of flight.......................1
 Gun emplacement destroyed.................100
 Saucer destroyed..........................250
 Pilot picked up...........................200
 Ace picked up............................2000
 Pilot returned to Mother Ship (bonus).....500
 Pilot returned over quota (bonus)........1000
 Level Completed...................Level X 200

 Note: If you return to the Mother Ship before you have rescued your
 quota of pilots you may continue at the same level, but you will not
 receive a bonus for completing that level.  If you continue at a
 lower level, you forfeit your previous score.

 INSTRUMENT DETAIL
 -----------------

 1.  Score
     Resets automatically when you begin a new game.

 2.  Compass
     Gives you a sense of direction when making turns or finding your
     way back to an overflown pilot.

 3.  Wing Clearance Bars
     Shows how far the nearest mountain is to the tips of your wings.
     Helpful for making tight turns in canyons.

 4.  Thrust Level
     Shows your engine thrust level.  The more lights turned on, the
     higher the thrust.

 5.  Dangerous Altitutde
     This column lights up when your ship moves close to the ground.
     All lights are lit when you land.

 6.  Artificial Horizon
     Indicates your ship's current bank (left/right) and climb
     (up/down)

 7.  Altimeter
     The red bar represents the attitude of the terrain.  The light
     blue bar shows your ship's altitude.  Your altitude above the
     ground is determined by the amount of light blue showing.  If
     there isn't any light blue, you've either landed or crashed
     (or you're about to).

 8.  Targeting Scope
     Targets Jaggi gun emplacements and saucers, and downed ships.
     When there is more than one object, the cross hairs target the
     closest one.

 9.  Main Window
     Enhances visible light with computer imagery.

 10. Cross hairs
     Appear on the Main Window to target any visible enemy.  A second
     set of cross hairs on the Targeting Scope is always displayed.

 11. Enemy Lock-On Indicator
     These lights flash while the lock-on system is analyzing stray
     radiation.  When an enemy gun emplacement begins to lock up on
     to your ship, these lights go out, then turn on again one by one,
     starting at the left.  When all six lights are on, the gun
     emplacements will fire.  You can cause the gun emplacements to
     "lose lock" by evasive maneuvering.

 12. Energy Level Indicator
     Displays the energy level and changes color as your energy level
     is depleted; flashes and beeps when it gets critically low.
     Additional energy is available from each rescued pilot's energy
     cell.  Your energy cells will be completely recharged each time
     you return to the Mother Ship.

 13. Long Range Scanner
     The Scanner picks up the pilot's emergency beacon and displays it
     as a blip.  The V shape on the Scanner shows the field of view in
     front of your ship; your position is at the bottom of the V.
     When you are within two units of a downed pilot the Scanner will
     begin flashing and beeping continuously.  Then you can pick up
     the pilot.

 14. Shields On
     This light indicates when your Dirac Mirror Shields--a low power
     version of the Mother Ship's invisibility shield--are activated
     and drawing power.  The shield surrounds your craft with a
     powerful Dirac wave which reflects all known forms of energy--
     however, it can't handle the side of a mountain at full throttle!

 15. Mother Ship
     This light flashes, a bleep sounds, and a MOTHER SHIP! message
     appears at the top of the display when the Mother Ship is in
     range.  You should pick up more than half your quota of pilots
     before the ship reappears.

 16. Air Lock Open
     Light indicates when the air lock is open.

 17. Range to Pilot
     Shows the relative distance to the pilot indicated on the Long
     Range Scanner.  When no pilot is sensed, "0" is shown.

 18. Enemies Destroyed
     Shows the number of gun emplacements and saucers you have
     destroyed.

 19. Pilot Quota/Rescued
     Shows the number of pilots you must rescue and bring back to the
     Mother Ship in order to advance to the next level.  Every time
     you pick up a pilot, this number is decreased.  It flashes when
     you've reached your quota and counts the number of pilots you've
     rescued beyond your quota.  An admirable feat!

 FLIGHT CONTROLS
 ---------------

 JOYSTICK
 You control your Valkyrie Fighter with the joystick and number keys
 on the controller.  Since your ship is a true flyer, go easy on the
 joystick.  Experienced pilots make small adjustments with the
 joystick rather than forcing it from side to side.

 START Starts the game

 RESET Restarts the game from the beginning.  The current score is
 lost.  During the game, RESET only works after pressing PAUSE.

 PAUSE Freezes the screen during a mission.

 6  THRUST INCREASE
 You can select eight different engine thrust levels.  The faster you
 fly, the faster the Valkyrie Fighter responds to flight control.
 And the higher the game level the faster you fly!  After you've
 landed, this key becomes your "launch key"--press it and your engines
 will lift you off the surface.

 9  THRUST DECREASE
 Decreases your ship's thrust, but doesn't turn off the engines.

 7  BOOSTERS
 Fires the booster rockets to return to the Mother Ship if it's
 orbiting in your planetary sector.  You can't leave Fractalus without
 firing your boosters--you will only get as far as the upper reaches
 of the planet's dense cloud cover.

 1  LAND
 When a pilot is in range, this key will put the ship into an
 automatic landing maneuver.  If your altitude is too high, the
 message TOO HIGH will appear.  Fly to a lower altitude and try again.

 2  SYSTEMS
 After you land, use this key to turn all systems on and off.  If you
 leave your shields and engines on, the powerful energy field around
 your ship will burn any nearby life forms to a crisp.  Knowing this,
 the downed pilots will not leave their ship until your engines are
 off.  Don't turn the engines on again until the pilot is safely
 inside and the air lock door is closed.

 3  AIR LOCK
 You must open the air lock doors to let the pilot inside.  The air
 lock will automatically close when the pilot is safely inside the
 ship, or if the engines are turned on.

 0  DEMO
 Press this key to observe video recordings of missions flown by
 Droidcraft (the screen message will read DEMO DROID).  These droids
 are not skilled enough to rescue pilots.  They are only used to
 clear out the dreaded Jaggi gun emplacements.

 Good luck!

 *
 Increases starting level of game.

 #
 Decreases starting level of game

 JOYSTICK
 All FIRE buttons = Launch AMB Torpedo

           Dive

             ^
             |
 Bank                  Bank
 Left    <--   -->     Right

             |
             v

           Climb

 THE GOOD STUFF
 --------------

 AIR PILOT'S CRIB SHEET

 LANDING

 When you first land, you will hover on your shields a few centimeters
 above the ground.  While "hovering" you can turn your ship towards
 the pilot's crashed ship.  If you've managed to land in range, turn
 your systems off and you'll get the message PILOT IN RANGE.  The
 downed pilot will now run towards your ship, even if you can't see
 him (if you can see his ship, you'll see the pilot).  If you turn
 your systems on again before the pilot is safely inside your ship,
 the shield's high energy field will vaporize him!

 If you land beyond a downed ship, the message SHIP OFF SCOPE will
 appear on the screen.  If this happens, turn your systems back on--
 don't lift off--note the current heading on the compass, and execute
 a 180 degree turn.  If you are still too far away, use the thrusters
 to move within range.

 Before taking off with your pilot, it's a good idea to destroy the
 wrecked ship.  This will keep the Jaggies from stealing our
 technological secrets.

 ACE PILOTS

 If you see a pilot wearing a purple helmet running towards you,
 you've just rescued an Ace Pilot.  Ace Pilots are worth ten times
 more than a regular pilot--2000 points vs. 200 points.  They are also
 packing more power in their energy cells.  And they're rare--not many
 get shot down.  After all, they ARE Aces!

 LEVELS

 When you first begin the game, you may select a level from 1 through
 16.  After you complete a mission, you will continue at a higher
 level; in fact, you may skip up to three levels at a time if you are
 extremely brave.  The bonus for completing a level will be higher if
 you skip levels.

 Levels 1 through 3 are training levels.  For Level 1, you enter a
 sector of Fractalus that has been cleared of the dreaded Jaggies by
 our Droidcraft.

 On Levels 2 and 3, you enter the planet's atomsphere above a region
 which has only a few Jaggie gun emplacements.

 The higher levels (4 and above) you have more emplacements, saucers,
 and pilots, and the Jaggies become even more aggressive, tenacious,
 and accurate.

 Levels 1 through 15 will take place near Fractalus' South Pole where
 it's summer during this time of year.  This will save you from the
 mindshattering short day ordeal since the sun never sets on that part
 of the planet.

 JAGGI GUN EMPLACEMENTS

 On Levels 2 and above, you will find Jaggi Gun Emplacements on the
 peaks of some mountains.  These automated emplacements fire
 high-energy ion beams at your ship.  You can avoid being hit with
 some slick evasive flying or by knocking out the emplacements.  Your
 Dirac Mirror Shield will reflect most of the enery from a direct hit
 but your energy level will drop and you will be thrown off course.

 Since gun emplacements will still be able to hit your ship while you
 are on the surface, be sure to destroy any in the vicinity before
 landing to rescue a pilot.

 SAUCERS

 On Levels 4 and above, the enraged Jaggies will fly their inertialess
 saucers directly into you.  These "suicide" saucers can either be
 shot down with your AMB torpedoes or dodged.  If they hit your
 shields, they will drain off more energy than a gun emplacement hit.
 The saucers tend to occupy the higher altitudes, although they have
 been known to dive into the canyons when especially irritated.

 NIGHT FLYING

 On Level 16 and above, you'll be dropeed closer to Fractalus'
 equator.  Here--as you streak through the nine minute days and
 nights--you'll have a chance to work on your NIGHT FLYING skills.
 When night flying, you're "flying blind," so to speak--there's not
 enough light to activate your Main Window viewscreen.  So, you'll
 have to rely upon your instruments and wits alone.

 MODIFIED VALKYRIE CLASS FIGHTER
 -------------------------------

 Powered by:    Twin 27,000 kg F-27 Firedrake afterburning turboject
                engines.

 Boosters:      Twin 80,000 kg ARD/VARC anti-matter reaction drives.

 Wing span:     12.8 meters

 Wing area:     67.1 square meters

 Length:        18.4 meters

 Mass:          20,315 kg

 Max Cruising
 Speed:         8,640 km/h (mach 7.2)

 Range:         2,150 km at mach 3.4 cruise/climb

 Accomodation:  Crew of 1; 20 passengers

 Shields:       Dirac Mirror Shield

 Sensors:       Long Range Etheric Navigation System

 Armament:      Anti-Matter Bubble (AMB) Torpedo generator.

 First Flight:  February 29, 2184

 Progressive development of the F-27 Firedrake yielded a small family
 of twin-engined, twin tailed, V-Wing designs.  The largest of these,
 the Valkyrie Class Fighter, was originally used as a light bomber and
 ground attack craft, but has been modified for behind-the-lines
 combat in the Jaggi War of '84.

 IMPORTANT!
 ----------

 Flying rescue missions means defeating the stubborn Jaggi defenses.
 So, you may wonder: "Who are the Jaggies?  What are the like?  What
 if I'm captured by them?"

 First, the name Jaggi is a short, pronounceable word for J'hagga Ri
 Kachatki--an "intelligent" life form from the star system Tepdi Vad
 Neroleil Rahcre, located in the distant, outlying dark sector of our
 galaxy.

 Second, don't worry about being capture--they don't take prisoners.
 That much we do know about them.  Experience also teaches us they're
 tenacious, suicidal fighters, choosing to do battle in the most
 inhospitable environments.  Fractalus is an ideal example.

 Although the Ethercorps have yet to capture or recover a complete
 Jaggi, we do have this report from Ethercorps intelligence.

 Twenty hours ago, Lieutenant Ace, Yolea Malura, crashed on Fractalus.
 This morning, her Commander made Etherwave contact with her.  This is
 a transcript of her final transmission:

 "Lieutenant Malura to Mother Ship.  Hope you can read me.  I've been
 down here in this atmosphere so long it's starting to get to me.  I
 kept the air locks closed as best I could, but they were pretty torn
 up.

 "During the nights I see brief flashes of other ships fall to the
 surface, but during the days there's nothing to see but this awful
 yellow acid--smog.  I had my shields on for awhile, until I realized
 the Jaggies could still track me.  I'd fry anyone trying to rescue
 me... so I turned them off and waited.  You'll never believe how
 LONELY it is down here, waiting--but it's not quiet.  The acid makes
 a continuous sizzling sound, very faint but always there, as it eats
 away at the hull of my ship.

 "Hey, what's that!  I think I see a pilot running towards me!  I knew
 you guys wouldn't let me down!  Wait.  There's something weird here.
 He doesn't look quite right--his helmet's green?  Commander!  We
 don't have any...MY GOD!  What the...it's a...it's going to....
 [scream]."

 There was nothing more except Etherwave static.  And we haven't been
 able to raise her on the Emergency Frequency.  Get those spacers off
 that hellhole and fast!

 CREDIT
 ------

 RESCUE ON FRACTALUS! was created by the Lucasfilm Computer Division
 Games Group.  David Fox directed the project and created the concept,
 transition scenes, animation, and documentation.  Loren Carpenter of
 the Lucasfilm Computer Graphics Project did the 3-D fractal landscape
 image generation and co-created the concept.  Charlie Kellner was
 responsible for animation, music, sound, and flight dynamics; Gary
 Winnick provided animation; David Levine provided support; and Peter
 Langston, the Games Group Leader, contributed to the concept and
 designed night flying, music, and sound.  Special thanks to George
 Lucas.

 * Trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. and Atari Corp.
 c 1984 Lucasfilm Ltd. and Atari Corp.  All Rights Reserved.

 Rescue on Fractalus!, Fractalus, Ethercorps, Etheric Navigation
 System, Etherwave, Jaggi, Jaggies, J'hagga Ri Katchatki, Tepdi Vad
 Neroleil Rahcre, Modified Valkyrie Class Fighter, V-Wing, Firedrake,
 Droid, Droidcraft, ARD/VARC, Dirac Mirror Shield, Anti-Matter Bubble
 (AMB) Torpedo, Kalamar and the names of all their characters and game
 elements are trademarks of Lucasfilm Ltd.  Atari, Corp. authorized
 user.

 Trademark and c 1984 Lucasfilm Ltd.  All Rights Reserved

 Atari 5200 and 7800 are trademarks of Atari, Corp., Sunnyvale, CA
 94086.

 END