LSD Docs/LSD Docs.iso/FILEZ/lsdspr16.dms/lsdspr16.adf/Terpod.doc.pp/Terpod.doc

Text File | 1978-01-09 | 12KB | 271 lines

TerrorPods Documentation
------------------------

    This documunet is brought to you by The Duplicator of M.A.A.D.

It is intended for Pirate use only... Don't help those hypocrite PD bastards
by giving them TerrorPods or these docs!  (In stereo where Available)

Screen Display
--------------

The screen border displays a number of useful readouts, these will be
updated every 2 seconds. The following is a crude text graphics rendition
but its better then the one you had before!

           +-----------------------------------+
           |  A           BBBB       C     D   |
           |                                   |
           |                                G  |
           |                                G  |
           |                                G  |
           |   E                     F         |
           +-----------------------------------+

A. Fuel and Detonite levels.  The upper reading is Fuel and the lower
   reading Detonite.

B. Damage indicators. Each one will turn red as you sustain a direct hit
   from a missle or are blasted by a Terrorpod. (See Shields, 5 hits and you
   are destroyed!)

C. Missile counter status display. This contains the number of missles which
   have been primed ready for launch. (See weapon systems).

D. Points scored to date. (see points scoring)

E. X position in world co-ordinates.

F. Z position in world co-ordinstes. You are limited to 8000 units forward
   into the crater, at 8000 units a low level defence barrier is operative
   impeding any further progress.

G. Intelligence panel. These are important but you will have to determine
   their function for yourself.

Controlling the D.S.V.
----------------------

Cursor keys  Movement left, right, forward, back (also joystick)
Space Bar    Activate shields when held down or lock onto target during
             missile launch sequence.
E            Loads DETONITE into a missile warhead
A            Commence missile launch sequence
D            Dispatches Surface drover
T            Commence trading operation whilst the drover is in contact
             with an instilation.
M            Activate and Deactivate high altitude mapping system
R            Non target specific radio broadcast
S            Commodity status display
W and Return Switch between weapon systems and information systems
N            Turn off the Cabin background noise
F1-F10       Warp movement to the selected sector F1 sector 1 etc..
HELP         Access the load, save and game managment functions.

The mouse moves the sights. The interpretation of the mouse buttons depends
on whether the information system or waepon system is selected, this is
explained in detail below.  In either mode when the sights touch the left or
right hand of the screen the D.S.V. will start to accelerate in the
coresponding direction.

Shields
-------

To activate the shields hold the space bar down, whilst active they surround
the D.S.V. with a semi-opaque protective field. This field will divertany
incoming missiles and Terrorpod blasts, it should be remembered that shields
use vast quantities of Zenite and that they only need to be active when the
missle strikes.

Warp Movement
-------------

By pressing F1 to F10 you will transport immediately to the processing heart
of each of the ten colonies. This technique uses considerable quantaties of
fuel and you should check your fuel level before attempting this operation.

Mapping Systems
---------------

Mapping can be selected by pressing 'M'. The normal screen display will
transform into a high altitude scanner allowing you to view a wide section
of the crater around your position. Every activity continues as normal but
many of the D.S.V. functions are iinoperable in this mode (Shields, Weapons,
Warp, etc.. will not work).  However this allows you to move more quickly
about the crater and the extended field of vision will enable you to
pinpoint Terrorpod activity and map your surroundings. This mapping facility
cannot be used when the drover is active.

Information Systems
-------------------

These enable you to both collect and distribute information. The left mouse
button will interrogate the object under the cursor and report its identity,
colony identity and purpose.

The right mouse button will activate the Radio Transmitter. This allows you
to send coded messages to the object you are pointing at. (Object Specific)
For non object specific broadcasts the Radio Transmitter can be activated by
pressing 'R'. Be careful which message you transmit and when you send them
as they all have limits as to how many times they can be used. The list of
valid radio transmission codes is as follows:

'INDE'**  Instillation indestructable
'RACO'**  Re-activate current object
'DMTO'**  Defensively mine the object
'EFRS'    Emergency Fuel Rod supply
'EDES'    Emergency DETONITE supply
'EZES'    Emergency ZENITE supply
'EQUS'    Emergency QUAZA supply
(** Object specific)

Weapon Systems
--------------

Phasar Systems
--------------
Activated by the left hand mouse button, the phasers appear as a pair of
fast moving blasts of energy from the top corners of the video screen
accompanied by the shrill screech of the launch system.  These are DETONITE
driven and will detroy anything they hit.

Energy Beam
-----------
Appears as a flickering beam on the screen strecthing from the top of the
D.S.V. to the sight position. It is activated by the right mouse button. The
beam can be used to rebuild installations which have been blasted by the
Terrorpods or by your stray fire, it operates by pumping QUAZA crystals into
the object to facilitate regeneration.  The amount of QUAZA required is
dependant on the type of object you are trying to regenerate.

Missle Systems
--------------
Missiles are the only known way of destroying a Terorpod, use them
sparingly. The launch and strike sequence is as follows:

  PRIMING THE MISSLE

  Prior to launching you must ensure that primed missles are available, do
  this by checking the missile counter status display.  If it is zero or
  blank you will need to prime a missile before you can eneter the launch
  sequences.  To do this press 'E'. This removes Detonite from your stores and
  loads it into a warhead.

  MISSILE LAUNCH

  1. Commence the launch sequence by pressing 'A".
  2. The launch control screen will scroll into view followed by the
     sighting window in which horizontal and vertical sighting markers will
     appear.
  3. The upper sighting counter will start to count down. If you launch by
     mistake, just leave the sighting operation alone, when the counter
     reaches zero the launch will abort.
  4. Before the sighting counter reaches zero, select a target by scrolling the
     sighting window with the cursor keys or joystick until you have a clear
     view of your target and it is centered in the sighting markers.
  5. Press the space bar or joystick fire button to lock the sights on the
     target and lauch.
  6. The lower guidance counter will now start to count down and the horizontal
     and vertical drift indicators will appear in the sighting window.
  7. To keep the missile on course you must try to hold the drift indicators
     inside the sighting markers. You do this by using the cursor control keys
     or joystick.

     If you manage to keep the drift indicators inside the sighting markers
     the missile will detonate and destroy the target, if you have drifted off
     course the missle will self-destruct.

Trading
-------
Trading represents the strategic element of the mission. The purpose is to
exchange commodities with other installations, enabling both you and the
installations to achive the comodity levels required to survive and
ultimately complete your mission. The colonies cannot complete their process
without your interaction and provisions.

  TECHNIQUE

  To trade with an installation you use the surface drover. The drover is a
  small self contained tracked vehicle. It does not use fuel as it moves
  about the crater, a useful technique for scavenging. The instructions
  listed below cover the despatch, docking, and trading procedure:

  1. Despatch your surface drover by pressing 'D'
  2. Steer the drover to the installation you wish to trade with.
  3. A message will report when you have made contact with the installation.
  4. Pressing 'T' will start the trade sequence. You will be presented with
     one of three options.
     1. The normal trading screen with two lists of commodities to be
        exchanged. With this option you can trade with the installation as
        detailed in 5. below.
     2. A status screen becuase the object you have contacted does not have
        trading facilities.
     3. A component ready screen when a terrorpod component is available
        and the intallation has check to see that you have enough
        commodities to trade for it. All manufacturing installations have a
        constant supply of feul. You must confirm or abort the exchange.
  5. Your commodities are shown on the left hand side and those of the
     installation you have made contact are on the right. Each line contains
     the name, unit value, and quantity of each commodity.
  6. Each commodity has a unit value, colonies will regaurd each commodity
     differently. For example, Colony 'A' may regaurd DETONITE as an
     important and rare and therefore value it very highly i.e. a unit value
     of 8. However, when moving along to colony 'B' there may well be a
     surplus of DETONITE production facilities and therefore it will only
     warrant a unit value of 2.
  7. To trade commodities select one line from each list by pointing with
     the mouse and clicking the left button. When you have selected the
     commodities you may increase the quantities to be traded by pressing
     on the '>' rectangle and decrease by pressing on the '<'. You may
     change your selection at any time and all quantaties will be zeroed
     ready for re-calculated.
  8. When you have completed your selection click on 'CONFIRM' and your
     drover will return to you with your new cargo having deposited your
     traded commodity with the target installation.
  9. You may abort the operation at any time by clicking on the 'ABORT'
 10. You may recall the drover whenever no trading is taking place by
     pressing 'D'.

  Status check
  ------------
  To activate the status display press 'S'. The trading window will scroll
  into view and you will be shown your commodity levels.

SCORING POINTS
--------------
Scoring points is as follows:

For each installation left standing     50
For each missile shot down             100
For each Terrorpod hit with phasar     100
For each intelligence coup             ???
For success in the end game           5000
For each Tripod destroyed by missile  1000
For each spoiler hit with a phasar      30
For your residual 'ALUMA'               50/unit

Help screens/Pause Game
-----------------------

Accessed by pressing the 'HELP' key

Save Game       Obvious
Load Game       Obvious
Show Keymap     Displays a list of the keys and their uses
Set Difficulty  (1-Easy 6-Impossible) You cannot reduce the difficulty
                level once it has been set.
Re-initialize   Loads and initialized game from disk and restart.
Resume game     Go back to TerrorPods.


So there ya have it...  Goodbye and gooluck from M.A.A.D.:

     The Duplicator, Wayward, Amigo, Arthur Dent, Snatch, The Inspectre,
     Guillotine, Picasso, The Stainless Steel Rat, Jeff, & Lucifer

Bartles & Jaymes would like to that you for your support...