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-
-
- The Adventures of Captain Comic
-
- Introduction
-
-
- The Adventures of Captain Comic started out as an experiment to
- test the viability of two theories, the first as to whether a
- real arcade type game can be done on a standard IBM PC with an
- EGA card, and sencondly, given the first can be done, if it is
- possible to make any money doing it. Well, I've come to a
- conclusion on the second point, but I'll let you judge the first
- point for yourself.
-
- This product is copyrighted material, but can be freely used or
- distributed by complying to these two simple restrictions:
-
- 1. The program and graphics (including world maps)
- may not be distributed in any modified form.
-
- 2. No compensation is be collected for any disk handling
- costs.
-
- Although not a requirement for use or distribution, I would
- strongly appreciate any questions or suggestions about the game.
- All questions, suggestions, and contibutions towards future
- products (subtle hint), can be mailed to me at the following
- address:
-
- Michael A. Denio
- 11675 W. Bellfort #102
- Houston, TX 77099
-
-
-
-
- The Adventures of Captain Comic
-
- Instructions
-
-
-
- I. Game Objective
-
- You are Captain Comic, galactic hero. Your mission is to
- recover three treasures from the planet Omsoc, which
- have been stolen away and hidden somewhere on the remote
- planet of Tambi.
-
- Your task will not be easy, you will need to gather tools to
- increase your fighting and defensive capability, navigate
- dangerous terrain, and avoid or destroy a hoard of deadly
- creatures. It will take all of the Captain's skill and wit
- to see the treasures returned to Omsoc.
-
-
- II. Starting the Game
-
- - This program requires an IBM PC, XT or AT and an EGA display
- adapter with 256K of RAM. The program will also function
- with the IBM PS2 line using EGA emulation.
-
- - Insert the Captain Comic Program Disk in your default disk
- drive and type 'COMIC'.
-
- - A title will be displayed while the game loads. When the
- game has finished loading, press any key to view the text
- introduction. After the text introduction, the game will start.
-
-
-
- III. Game Control
-
- Left Arrow - When pressed quickly, makes COMIC face from
- right to left. When facing left, moves COMIC
- to the left.
-
- Right Arrow - Operates the same as left arrow, but moves
- COMIC to the right.
-
- Space Bar - Makes COMIC jump. Jumping height is increased
- by the length of time the space bar is depressed.
- A certain amount of left/right directional
- control is available to COMIC while in the air
- by using the left/right movement keys.
-
- Insert Key - After COMIC has gathered at least 1 can of
- BLASTOLA COLA, this key will allow him to
- fire. Note that with the addition of every
- can of cola, COMIC can have one more fireball
- in the air simultaneously. When he has all five
- cans, COMIC's stream of bullets can reach across
- the entire playfield. While the fire key is
- depressed, COMIC's "Fire Energy" is decreased.
- When the level of energy reaches zero, COMIC
- will no longer be able to fire. The fire
- energy level recharges when the fire button
- is released.
-
- Alt - When COMIC has possession of the DOOR KEY, this
- key is used to open doors. To open a door and
- pass through, position COMIC in front of the
- door and press Alt. The door will slide open
- and COMIC will disappear, finding himself
- elsewhere...
-
- Caps Lock - When COMIC has possession of the WAND, this
- key is used to teleport to another place on the
- screen. Press Caps Lock and COMIC disappears
- in a cloud of smoke, and re-appears in a new
- place on the screen. The teleportation is not
- random, and when used properly, can allow COMIC
- to reach places on the screen that are normally
- inaccessible.
-
- Esc - Used to Pause or Quit the game.
-
- F1 - Turns sound ON
-
- F2 - Turns sound OFF
-
-
-
- IV. Game Rules
-
- COMIC starts the game with 5 lives, and no objects in his
- inventory. COMIC uses two different types of energy during
- battle, weapon energy and shield energy. Weapon energy is
- self-charging, and recharges when not in use. Shield energy
- can be recharged by picking up extra shields located on the
- playfield.
-
- When an enemy comes in contact with COMIC, the shield energy
- is reduced. After the shield energy reaches zero, any further
- contact with an enemy creature will destroy COMIC. COMIC can
- also be killed by falling off the bottom of the playfield
- area of the screen.
-
- Points are earned by shooting enemy creatures, gathering
- objects on the planet's surface, and for excess shield units
- remaining after charging.
-
- Extra lives are earned at every 50,000 points, by gathering
- a shield while current shield energy is already at max, and
- for every treasure collected.
-
- The game will end after COMIC retrieves all three treasures
- or when all spare lives are exhausted. The treasures include
- rare gems, a sack of rare coins and a jeweled crown.
-
- The following tools can be found during COMIC's adventure on
- Tambi:
-
- SHIELD - Restores COMIC's shield energy. Points are
- scored for excess shield units.
-
- BLASTOLA COLA - Increased COMIC's firing ability. Up to five
- cans of cola can be collected for a shot max
- of five fireballs in air simultaneously.
-
- CORKSCREW - Makes COMIC fire in a corkscrew type wave
- pattern. This is very useful for destroying
- creatures which crawl on the ground below
- COMIC's normal line of fire.
-
- DOOR KEY - Allows COMIC to open doors found in various
- places on Tambi.
-
- BOOTS - Increases COMIC's maximum jumping distance.
- This is useful in reaching ledges which were
- previously too high to jump to.
-
-
-
- LANTERN - There are a few places on Tambi which will
- appear dark to COMIC without the aid of this
- device.
-
- WAND - This is certainly the most powerful tool to be
- found on Tambi. Undoubtedly placed on Tambi
- by a powerful wizard, the wand gives its
- possessor to ability to teleport through walls
- and across voids.
-
-
- V. Hints
-
- - The Captain will have travel through 8 distinctly different
- areas on Tambi. The tools found and enemy difficulty varies
- from place to place. If one approach seems impossible, try
- another. Once you discover the best way to traverse on Tambi,
- the Captain's job will be much easier.
-
- - When the game starts, the Captain will have a very low offensive
- capability, and thus firing should be restrained to short range.
- As COMIC gains in offensive capability, the most effective way to
- fire will be in short bursts by holding down the FIRE key. COMIC
- will not fire any faster by repeatedly pressing the FIRE key.
-
- - As firing ability grows, try firing simultaneously while at the
- start of the jump. This will destroy most of the enemies that are
- waiting in the wings.
-
- - Learn where to jump. Some of the gaps in the ground can be crossed
- only by leaping, but there is a large number of places where COMIC
- can cross by simply walking over the gap. Unfortunately, this can
- only be learned through trial and error. As a general rule however,
- for short gaps, COMIC can walk over a one step gap for every step
- down his destination.
-
- - Remember it possible to win. More than that, its possible to win
- without losing a single life. (It's just not easy.) Current high
- score at the time of release is 1,344,500 points.