INFODROID INSTRUCTIONS LOADING INSTRUCTIONS: Use joystick port No.2. All instructions are based on use of a joystick. Keyboard control alternating bottom row left-right, 2nd row down, third row up, top row fire. INTRODUCTION Somewhere in the distant future, when mankind and friends populated the universe, there existed a planet which was the administrative capital of the universe. Effectively the planet was one big city. Communication between the intersteller organisations was essential for their operational efficiency, and although electronic means were used for 90% of correspondence, it was still necessary to deliver small packages and important documents. For this reason the Droid Despatch Company was formed as a cooperative venture between all the companies that used the planet. Several proposals were considered as to the best method of operating a droid despatch system and the one finally chosen was a series of speed platforms which would connect all the major companies, with droids collecting and delivering packages via these causeways. The system proved successful and soon the speed platform system spanned the entire planet, with private operators controlling the droids. However, because of the packages' value, some unscrupulous operators found it more profitable to steal, rather than deliver them. The droid manufacturers soon responded to these developments by producing droid defence and attack equipment. The life of a droid operator is hard, but there are large rewards. You as player will take the role of a droid operator, fighting against other company droids, and the pirates. The transport system used by the droids consists of fifteen! major causeways interconnected by junction rooms. In either side of each central causeway are moving platforms which travel progressively faster as you move from the centre. On the causeway are lifts which lead to company offices, information rooms, junction rooms or garages. The object of the game is to travel the network picking up packages and delivering them to their destinations thereby earning you credits. The game ends if you go bankrupt. Your droid starts off with standard equipment but you can buy additional hardware throughout the game to facilitate movement through this dangerous environment. All equipment can be damaged and will therefore need repair or replacement. THE GAME Travel on the speed platforms is achieved simply by moving the joystick in the direction of travel. Other droids on the system are mainly neutral, but there are pirates which will destroy you and steal your information. If this happens you must start again with a new droid. Basic equipment consists of; Fuel energy quota. Forward thruster-enables forward motion. Automatic Platform Alignment System (A.P.A.S)-detects alignment to ensure the droid lands on the platform. Without this, energy is consumed to keep the droid from falling. Automatic Platform Centering Device (APCD)-Centres the droid on the platform once it has landed. Energy is again used up very quickly without this system. Gyro Rotator-turns the droid in the direction of travel. Standard shield-Protects against collision (but not shield penetrators). Navigation Unit-Displays current position as track and number. THE MENU SYSTEM Control of the droid in any room is achieved by use of the menu system. This is represented by a cube with up to eight choices on each face. To examine a face, press the fire button and move the joystick in the appropriate direction. The cube will revolve and above it the icons available on that face will be displayed. Use the joystick to point the central arrow at the relevant icon and a description of its function will appear. To activate that function press the fire button while holding the joystick in that direction. The game starts in the Infodroid Interface Room of which there is only one. Here you can alter some basic parameters of the game. MUSIC There is a choice of four tunes or sound effects. PARTS CONDITION DISPLAY There are a total of eleven parts which could be fitted to a droid at anyone time, and icons for these can be found on two faces of the cube. Selecting these will indicate their presence/condition. CBM 64 VERSION In the centre at the bottom of the screen are indicators showing the condition of six of these parts so that their status can be monitored throughout the game, (they flash if damaged and go red if broken or absent). It is possible to change this status line to display any of the eleven parts, by highlighting a particular box using the icons <[] and []>, then selecting the desired part and pressing the fire button. To save indicator space, a twelfth icon acts as a combined thruster condition display, which shows the status of all four thrusters at once. The navigation unit is displayed to the right of the status line. Its condition is only displayed while you are on the causeway. The text will flash when the system is damaged. AMSTRAD VERSION In the centre at the bottom of the screen are 11 indicators showing the condition of all your parts so that their status can be monitored throughout the game, (they are green when fully operative and turn dark red when critically damaged. If they are destroyed or not fitted then they turn grey). ITEM DESTINATION Any items being carried will be displayed here,and selecting one will show its destination address and value. REPLACEMENT When a droid is destroyed you will be automatically returned to this room, and you must buy a new droid before resuming play. EXIT This is the exit to the causeway. THE SPEED PLATFORM SYSTEM Companies, garages etc are accessed through lifts found on the central causeway. Most rooms are signposted e.g. spanners indicate a garage. Each panel on the causeway is numbered, so an address consists of the track name and panel number. A constant readout of your position is given by the navigational system on the status line. To enter a room, stop on the lift panel, press the fire button and pull the joystick down. Most speed platforms are not continuous, so watch out for signs indicating the end of the causeway or your droid will fall off! ROOMS JUNCTION ROOMS These connect the causeways. On entering you will face the exit to the causeway you have just left. Rotate the cube to face another exit and it's address will be displayed. Activate any icon to move onto that causeway. INFORMATION ROOMS These are almost identical to the Interface room where the game starts except there is no option to buy a new droid. COMPANY DESPATCH ROOMS Here the droid can pick up and deliver the packages which form the basis of its work. Four faces of the clubs are used, one to exit, one to collect, one to deliver packages and to show them destinations. The collection face shows a list of packages to be delivered (if any are available), and selecting one displays whether the item is too heavy to carry, and if it is not, the address to which it must be taken and the price paid for the job. Prices are related to the distance of delivery and the actual value of the package. To accept a job press the fire button, while holding the joystick in place. The delivery face displays what the droid is carrying. You can only deliver if the package is addressed to that company. Press fire to deposit the package and you will be credited the appropriate amount as indicated on the left of the status line. GARAGES All garages supply energy but prices vary. Activate the energy icon on the recharging face and the gauge on the left of the status line will show when the batteries are full. Two other services may be available at garages; repair and replacement. The repair face displays the components the garage is capable of fixing. Select one and you will be told whether it is fitted and the price of repair. Press fire to repair that component. You can also buy and sell secondhand components by selecting the appropriate face of the cube and using the same procedures. Although these components are cheaper, their quality is suspect. You must always sell an old component before replacing it with a similar new or second hand one. The replacement face may display new standard components as well as specialised parts which will greatly enhance your progress and survival on the platforms. Not all garages stock the same equipment so it is necessary to shop around. Buying, selling and repair of standard and special equipment is carried out in the usual manner. SPECIAL PARTS DIRECTIONAL THRUSTERS The forward thruster is standard, but side and back thrusters are available which make jumping more efficient as the droid does not need to turn first. BOOSTER This device boosts the thrusters so more than one lane can be jumped at one go. SHIELDS A standard shield is fitted to all droids, but pirates have various shield penetrating devices which will destroy it. Additional shields are therefore available - electro, photon and atomic. These give increasing levels of protection, but for each shield there is a penetrating device which can shatter it, so no shield can give total protection. Credits Design: A DENTONS DESIGNS GAME © 1986 BEYOND SOFTWARE All Rights Reserved The unauthorised copying, hiring, lending, publishing in printed form or broadcasting of this cassette, disk or documentation is prohibited. Guarantee If this tape fails to load it will be replaced free of charge, if returned with details and proof of purchase. If the tape shows any form of damage whether physical or due to the use of faulty equipment, please include £3.00 to cover replacement costs. This guarantee does not affect your statutory consumer rights.