Season's Greetings & Games Unlimited

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Text File | 1993-11-10 | 23KB | 686 lines

SHAREWARE This game is shareware. You are encouraged to distribute the PUBLIC DOMAIN version only. The full game is not PUBLIC DOMAIN, please do not distribute. Hard Disk Installation 1) Place the original game disk in floppy drive A or B 2) Type INSTALL followed by Enter 3) Follow the on screen instructions Playing the Game from Hard Disk 1) Change to the Pandemonium directory, ie. CD \PANDEMON followed by Enter 2) Type PAN followed by Enter Playing the Game from Floppy Drive 1) Always backup your original game disk 2) Place game disk in floppy drive 3) Type PAN followed by Enter Introduction Pandemonium is an action strategy game for one player. The player is in control of a gang of red coated characters called, the Bobbins. Bobbins are cute, small and vicious. The player is presented on the playing screen as King Bobbins, dressed in purple. King Bobbins can be directly controlled by the player and through him the player can issue various orders to other Bobbins. The object of the game being for King Bobbins to collect all the valuables which can be found hidden in the castles of Bobbinia. The Game Section ```````The King and his Bobbins may enter or exit a chosen ```````castle at any time. Castles vary in size and difficulty, ```````they are depicted in a platform and ladders fashion. Castles are usually difficult to negotiate for three reasons. First they are inhabited by various nasty characters. Second bridges will have to be built for negotiating gaps, and stairs for accessing new levels. Choosing the right places for construction is important as building takes valuable resources and time. The speed at which items are built depends on the number of Bobbins on the job. As the complex is inhabited by characters which will do anything to hinder your progress some Bobbins will have to protect the rest of the party. Last, ways will have to be found to negotiate other dangers and solve various puzzles. The player starts the game with the King only. More Bobbins may join the party later in the game. Game Controls The mouse (highly recommended) or the keyboard may be used to play the game. The cursor keys reflect mouse movement, the ALT key the left mouse button (LMB), and the Spacebar the right mouse button (RMB). The cursors or the mouse may be used to move the cursor. General Controls F2 Pause Game F8 KingTV screen F9 Control helmets, on/off F10 Bobbin flags, on/off ESC quit current game Icon Controls Icon Left Button Right Button Key Choose TV character TV ON/OFF Ideas Book Initiate Idea procedure - Bomb Give Bomb Global effect Musket Give Musket Global effect Balloons Give Balloon Global effect Bin Cancel command - Tool Build (if pick-axes) Global effect Button Give Button Global effect Pick-Axe Give Pick-Axe Global effect Sp. Arrow Follow King Global effect KingTV Point to the key icon and press LMB to choose the key character. Press RMB to switch on/off the KingTV feature. To select an able Bobbin: Keys 1-7 or, point to Bobbin with cursor and press RMB, or point to helmet and press RMB. To select the King press LMB over the King's head at the bottom of the screen. To lock or unlock a Bobbin: Point to Bobbin and press LMB and RMB at the same time. Locked Bobbins will not obey party commands and they will have to be ordered, and armed individually. Locked Bobbins carry yellow flags. Give idea to Bobbin Some actions need an idea to be performed. To give an idea to a Bobbin select the book of ideas icon and point to the selected Bobbin. If the Bobbin carries the right object and it is at the right place something special will happen. Ideas only last for a few seconds. While an idea is active, a bulb will flash over the Bobbin's head. To direct a Bobbin: Point at the destination on the playing area and press LMB. If the cursor remains white that means that the Bobbin can reach its destination without any further assistance. A red cursor means that there is either no way because the way is blocked or that the route is far too long. Arm Bobbin Point at the icon and press LMB. The icon is then highlighted if the item is in stock with the exception of batons and pick-axes. Point to the Bobbin you would like to give the item to, and press LMB or point to the Bin icon and press LMB to cancel. Press RMB if you wish to give that same item to all Bobbins automatically, locked Bobbins are excluded in such cases and they will have to be armed individually. Bobbin movement At the start of any level all Bobbins will follow their King. However, if the player selects a Bobbin and directs it to some place the Bobbin will remain there and patrol that area if possible. If the player wishes a patrolling Bobbin to once more follow its King the spiral arrow icon should be selected first. The cursor should then point at that particular Bobbin and LMB should be pressed. For all Bobbins to follow, excluding any locked Bobbins, point to the spiral arrow icon and press RMB. Build bridge or stairs ```````Any Bobbins carrying pick-axes can be ordered to build a ```````set of stairs or bridge a gap if there are sufficient ```````building materials. Select the building tool icon and point to where you want to build. If the place is legal any Bobbins that carry pick-axes will automatically converge to that point and start building. If the general/red flag appears then it is physically impossible to build because the Bobbins do not carry pick-axes, or there are no building materials, or the site is illegal. In general you are not allowed to cover doorways, sacks or other impassable objects. Stairways can be built leading up or down a level. Bridges may also be built. Throw bomb ```````Bobbins carrying bombs will automatically throw their ```````bombs at any boulders that block their way if they have ```````been given an idea . Fire muskets ```````Bobbins with muskets will first have to load and then ```````shoot. They do this automatically. If a Bobbin with a ```````loaded musket is engaged in any other activity the musket ```````will have to be reloaded. Close combat ```````Bobbins with batons will automatically engage enemies in ```````close combat. More than one enemy character may be ```````engaged at any one time. Balloon travel ```````If a Bobbin is given a balloon and currently selected as ```````the main character it can travel up or down a level. To ```````choose the direction point above or below the Bobbin and ```````press LMB. After the Bobbin has reached its destination ```````the balloons will fly off the screen. Trading with the Arab ```````When the Arab Trader is present in the playing area ```````trading can then take place. Select trade mode by moving ```````the cursor over the Trader and pressing RMB. LMB will buy ```````items, RMB will exit. Brain Games ```````Three brain games sections can be found in the game, the ```````Master-mind Section, the Potion Brewing Section and the ```````Slide Tiles Section. These are challenges set up by ```````Logistix the Wizard to be found in the later levels. Master-mind ```````The player can solve the puzzle by finding the correct ```````set of heads on the blackboard. Each time three heads ```````have been selected by the player a number will appear on ```````the same line indicating how many of them have been ```````chosen correctly. ESC Quit/end section Potion Brewing ```````The player will have to brew his or her own spell in an ```````effort to try and match the colour of the disk on the ```````wall. Pressing once on the red, green or blue flasks ```````will change the colour of the potion. Blue flask add blue ingredient Red flask add red ingredient Green flask add green ingredient White button reset potion ESC Quit/end section Sliding Tiles ```````Try to reassemble the three flags on the blackboard by ```````moving the tiles around. Not all flags have to be ```````reassembled. It is advisable to first assemble the ```````smaller flag to ensure that at least some points will ```````come your way. ESC Quit/end section Mission Screen Here you are going to be told about your successes or failures. BOBBIN: Start the next level. TERMINAL: Save or Load a game, exit to DOS, sound controls. PAGE: Request extra information (not always available). Save/Load screen ->DISK: Save game in highlighted (yellow) position. <-DISK: Load old game found in highlighted (yellow) position. KING: Return to the Mission Screen. BIN: Start an all new game. SPEAKERS: Switch music or sound on/off. TERMINAL: Quit to DOS. Most actions will need the user to confirm his or her action by typing Y OR N on the keyboard when requested by the game. Enemy Characters Enemies in the game come in many different types and sizes. Some may have to be dealt with, others may have to be avoided. Different types of enemies may need different methods to tackle. Some will attack from a distance, others will close in and others will not bother you unless go close enough. Robins with Staffs ```````These characters are armed with staffs and will usually ```````attack the Bobbins on sight. They are competent in close ```````combat but have got a limited attack. Robins with Bows ```````These characters are armed with bows and arrows and will ```````usually stay at a safe distance and fire arrows at their ```````victims. Monks with staffs ```````These characters are armed with long staffs and will ```````usually attack the Bobbins on sight. They make tough ```````opponents and in close combat they can only be matched by ```````the knights. Men at Arms ```````Men at Arms are armed with swords and shields and will ```````usually attack the Bobbins on sight. They are not very ```````skilful however, but still quite dangerous. Knights ```````Knights are very well armoured and carry a sword and ```````shield. They make very tough opponents as they are very ```````difficult to kill. They are also particularly difficult ```````to attack when in packs. Merlins ```````Merlins are small characters with limited spell powers. ```````They can however attack from a different level while they ```````are out of any real danger, though they have a very low ```````stamina. Cavemen with batons ```````These characters are armed with batons and will always ```````attack the Bobbins. They have average strength. Cavemen with stones ```````These characters carry sacks full of stones which they ```````will throw at their enemies from a safe distance. While ```````their stones do not carry much weight their rate of fire ```````has to be seen to be believed. Berserk Cavemen ```````This type of caveman is very dangerous at close combat as ```````he uses his warcry to scare his victims to death. He will ```````always engage when close to his victim where his warcry ```````is extremely effective. He is not difficult to kill, ```````however. Troglodytes ```````These characters are quite rare and quite nasty. They ```````tend to throw boulders to their unfortunate victims from ```````safe distances and when their victims least expect it. ```````They also have a very novel way of escaping. The Angry Bees ```````Some of the castles have become homes for these nasty ```````little creatures. When alone they hardly pose a serious ```````threat but when found in swarms they should be avoided. Guard Men at Arms ```````Guard Men at Arms are armed with swords and shields. ```````They are quite skilful and may prove dangerous. They will ```````protect the Evil Wizard. Guard Knights ```````Guard Knights are very well armoured and carry a sword ```````and shield. They make very tough opponents as they are ```````very difficult to kill. They will also protect the Evil ```````Wizard. The Evil Wizard ```````The Evil Wizard is the one you want to kill to win the ```````game. Unfortunately he can teleport himself out of ```````trouble, so a way will have to be found to deal with this ```````slippery customer. The Big Fat Bird ```````````````The Big Fat Bird lives in some of the castles and ```````````````tends to stay close to its nest. It is known to ```````````````be extremely aggressive as it tends to have a go ```````````````at anything within its beak's range. The Mad Witch ```````````````The Mad Witch rarely makes an appearance but when ```````````````she does she may prove quite nasty. She will fly ```````````````over her victims and bombard them with explosive ```````````````pumkins which should be avoided. The Counts ```````````````The Counts may well prove a very dangerous foe ```````````````and they should be dealt with as soon as a way is ```````````````found. Otherwise they should be avoided, if ```````````````possible. Bon-Bons ```````````````The Bon-bons are large creatures that will ```````````````usually be found sleeping at some corner. When ```````````````waken up the hungry Bon-Bons will immediately ```````````````look for their favourite food, gold coins. General Popov ```````````````General Popov may be found in one of the castles ```````````````guarding the passages in his little tank. Stay ```````````````clear of him and his tank as he is not to be ```````````````trusted. The Ramming Party ```````````````The ramming party consists of three knights in ```````````````heavy plate armour protected by tower shields, ```````````````and carrying a heavy ram. Very hard to kill but ```````````````not impossible. The Deadly Worms ```````````````There are two types of worms that can be found ```````````````inside the castles. Both types are deadly and ```````````````they should either be avoided or dealt with in ```````````````unorthodox ways as their tough body can absorb a ```````````````lot of damage. The Big Bad Dragon ```````````````This big Dragon is known to be one of the most ```````````````dangerous opponents that may be found in the Land ```````````````of Bobbinia. His ability to fly and breath fire ```````````````make him a match for anyone. Parashute Bombs ```````````````Parashute bombs drop slowly and usually explode ```````````````when near the bobbins. They can take out the whole ```````````````party in one go. Timeless Butterflies ```````````````These are known to inhabit some of the castles in ```````````````Bobbinia. It is said that they have some magical ```````````````abilities but this could be far from true. They ```````````````are usually found in large numbers. Redhood ```````````````Redhood tends to wonder in the land of Bobbinia ```````````````looking for her way back home. Unfortunately the ```````````````Mad Witch is after her. If you come across her do ```````````````give her a hand. Shoots ```````````````These can be found in some of the castles and are ```````````````used by the castles' inhabitants as a fast way of ```````````````transport. Some of them might be locked and will ```````````````have to be unlocked. Volcanoes ```````````````In some of the castles small volcanoes can be ```````````````found in some of the levels. It is said that some ```````````````of them may still be active. Care should be taken ```````````````when passing near one. Cannons ```````````````Some cannons may be found in some of the castles. ```````````````The resourceful adventurer might find a way to ```````````````use them to his or her advantage. Cannons would ```````````````have to be loaded firsr. Gun Powder Kegs ```````````````These may be found in some of the castles. They ```````````````could be used in many different ways but they may ```````````````also prove to be a serious danger to the party. ```````````````Treat with caution. Rocks ```````````````Rocks and other objects may be found inside the ```````````````tunnels. These will usually block your way. Ways ```````````````will have to found round these obstacles. ``````````````` The Castles of Bobbinia These are mainly inhabited by unfriendly characters and they are full of secrets which you will have to discover. Exploration is vital as useful items may be found at any corner. Ways will have to be found to negotiate dangers, solve puzzles, free imprisoned friendly characters, gain access to what seems to be non accessible areas, and get rid of non destructible enemies. General Advice To successfully complete a level all Bobbins should exit the castle. When playing try not to rush things. Give yellow flags to two of the Bobbins and arm them depending on what you have available. Place them round building sites to protect the workers and/or round the King. Send armed Bobbins forward to scout the area and leave one behind to protect your flanks. To storm difficult upper or lower levels, arm some Bobbins with loaded muskets and then give them balloons to fly to these levels. Well armed Bobbins (loaded muskets) can easily invade and clean up other platform levels. They also make quite good scouts when they work away from the main party. Always pick up useful objects and try to use other items found in the castles to your advantage. Be careful of the Merlins which can attack while on another platform. Explore the castles and make a rough sketch of each one of them, it will help to find your way round. Always save the game when a new level has been completed. Hardware configuration The machine should have at least 640K of RAM and a VGA display for the game to run. A 386 machine and a mouse are both highly recommended. The game supports the Ad-lib and Sound Blaster sound cards.