DOGFIGHT: 2187 ENGLISH INSTRUCTIONS DOGFIGHT: 2187 THE SCENARIO It is the year 2187. Scientists have discovered an anomaly in the Alpha Centauri sector. Word has it that a hole has been torn in the space time continuum and planets appear to be bursting asunder in far off galaxies. Could it be that the age old prophecy of the old ones has come to pass? Could it be that the old stories were true and not merely folklore invented to frighten children? One man... Rhett Dexter believed that the stories and prophecies were true - the prophecies that spoke of an invasion from another dimension. The old ones had believed in just such a threat and had secreted 100 pieces of a warp field generator around the universe designed to close any hole in the space time continuum that had been created by an invading force. But of course the old ones had left the Earth many many centuries ago before man had even started his climb up that long ladder of evolution. So, no one knew for sure if the pieces of the generator existed or even if the stories themselves were true. Rhett Dexter was determined to comb the galaxy to try and find and assemble the generator and save mankind and all other sapient life forms in the universe, in spite of their disbelief. Enlisting the aid of a few believers in the prophecy, Rhett manages to steal the World Corporations' new experimental interstellar fighter due to be unveiled at the summit of the free worlds. His exploits in achieving this were daring and touched with a spark of the kind of inspiration that one only finds when Lady Fate steps in to lend a helping hand. But those exploits are for another day. Suffice it to say that he managed to steal the craft and was soon winging his way on the course he had projected to take him into the anomaly sector... into the unknown. His one thought was to prove the existence of the threat to the Universe and try, if he was able, to avert the disaster he believed was imminent. As he travelled towards Alpha Cenlauri his thoughts turned to the old World War 1 and World War 2 Holovids he had been recently watching. He remembered how he had admired the bravery and daring of those old-time pilots as they went into deathly battles in the sky in such primitive aircraft, and how he himself as a routine interplanetary shuttle pilot had always dreamed about being one of those daring old-time pilots full of bravado. Now here he was piloting the most sophisticated fighter craft that the minds on Earth or any other planet for that matter had ever constructed. His heart raced as he realised that in that vast unknown he himself could very well be facing his own war... his own personal dogfight... HE PUNCHED THE BUTTON FOR HYPERSPACE... AND SMILED. THE GAME The game is a split screen simultaneous interactive combat in space. The views presented through each screen are those of the occupant of each ship. Players can opt for 1 player mode, 2 player mode, or 2 players against the computer mode. In 1 player mode the left screen shows the enemy craft controlled by the computer. In 2 player mode the left screen shows the 2nd player's craft together with other independent enemy craft, while the right screen shows the 1st player's craft together with other independent enemy craft. In 2 players against the computer mode the two screens show enemy craft controlled by the computer. The screen consists of a main screen showing the view into space in which ships, planets and objects to be collected are seen. Below the main screen are five minor screens which show 1) Weapon in use 2) Enemy ship 'schematic' showing vulnerable points which must be hit to enable destruction as opposed to just damage 3) Countdown clock showing how much time is left for the player to complete his mission. 4) Number and type of objects collected to date. 5) Galactic Compass. The hole is situated at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical lines. So aiming for that, will always bring you to the hole. Your position is shown by flashing the dot. In addition to the four minor screens a radar scope shows the position of planets, objects and enemy ships relative to the player's own position. This is three dimensional, which shows if objects are above, below or to the left or right of the player. Included in the console is a fuel and shield indicator which informs the player as to whether or not he needs to abort combat in order to seek a planet for refuelling or recharge his shields. A scrolling message area is situated above the main viewer. OVERVIEW The object of the game is to scour the universe for pieces of a generator which when assembled near the hole in the space time continuum will generate a warp field which will close the growing hole through which the enemy ships are emerging. There are 9 pieces necessary to collect to build a complete generator but the player may only carry 2 pieces at any one time. He must collect 2 pieces and deposit them at the site of the hole before he may carry on to collect the next 2. If an enemy ship is carrying a piece of the generator while you are attacking, he will drop the piece, undamaged. You destroy him, you may then pick up his discarded piece. The planets and all pieces of the generator are shilded by a cloaking device as long as they are protected by enemy ships. Therefore they don't show up on your radar scope until all the enemy ships in that area are destroyed. Refuelling of ships and recharging of shields is done by flying through rotating vector graphic squares situated on various planets. Although you must destroy all enemy ships in that area before the planet becomes visible on your scope you may find, at random locations that enemy ships will regenerate and attack you whilst you are refuelling/recharging your shields in which case you must break off refuelling/recharging in order to defend yourself. Up to 4 ships may appear and attack you on screen at any one time. There are a 100 pieces of the generator scattered around the universe and you may collect any 9 in order to complete a generator. However it will be the task of the enemy ships (ie: the 2nd player/computer) to destroy you before you (or both players should the third gameplay option be chosen) can collect enough pieces to construct a complete generator. The Universe consists of 256 sectors. Warping to a sector can only be done once you have refuelled or collected a piece of the generator. To Warp, push the joystick in the direction you want to go and press the fire button. Different enemy ships require different numbers of direct hits to ensure destruction. The most vulnerable point on each ship is displayed on the minor screen showing the enemy battle 'schematic'. A three dimensional animated starfield is shown on the main screen to enable the player to achieve a real sense of orientation whilst flying through space. A 30 minute time period is allocated for the player to complete his mission. Should that time elapse without completion, the hole in the space time continuum will continue to grow irrevocably and, the destruction and domination of our universe will be a foregone conclusion. The hole is shown as a grid consisting of 9 squares for each piece of the generator deposited at the hole, one square will disappear. Until finally no squares appear once all 9 pieces are collected and deposited. CONTROLS FOR SPECTRUM & AMSTRAD USE KEY DEFINE PLAYER 1 (and one player game) PLAYER 2 Joystick (Port 2) - Directions and fire Joysick (Port 1) - Directions and fire Commodore key - Slow down F3 - Slow down Left shift - Speed up F5 - Speed up X - Change weapon Up/Down cursor - Change weapon OTHER KEYS S - Sound Toggle (music or FX) Run/Stop - Pause on/off Restore - Abort game TO LOAD: SEE LABEL INSTRUCTION Player One and Player Two will be using this craft. When both players are in the same segment of the galaxy, then these crafts will be visible on screen. RED ALERT INDICATOR SCORE RADAR SCOPE COUNTDOWN CLOCK GALACTIC COMPASS NUMBER OF OBJECTS COLLECTED WEAPON TYPE FUEL INDICATOR — ENEMY SHIP SCHEMATIC - SHIELD INDICATOR