ZOIDS - THE BATTLE BEGINS ZOID HISTORY Zoidstar At the heart of the Galaxy, millions of light years from Earth, lies the Red Planet of ZOIDSTAR. Its rock and desert surface is scorched and barren. Its lifeless atmosphere hangs in a perpetual heat haze. What little water there is simmers on the point of boiling. Over vast spans of recorded time, this desolate planet has been the scene of centuries of searing battle, conflict without quarter, warfare without end ... Galactic Wars Here strode an ancient race of galactic warlords, their entire civilization geared to conquest ... the ZOIDARYANS. On Zoidstar stood the cities where they planned their imperial domination. Deep within these cities were the mammoth construction plants that spawned the terrifying war machines known as ZOIDS. Possessed of devastating firepower the ZOIDS carried the warlords into battle. Nothing could withstand them. Through the epoch of the Galactic Wars they subjugated whole star systems. No mercy was shown to the victim worlds. Heroic Combat When all the known worlds had been conquered the ZOIDARYANS turned their Zoids upon each other. Fierce duels to the death of one or both combatants satisfied their lust for battle, but HEROIC COMBAT threatened disaster for the Zoidaryans. They bore offspring only rarely, their survival depending on their great life expectancy. The escalating death toll of Heroic Combat would inevitably lead to the extinction of their race. Androids were developed, programmed to pilot the ZOIDS into battle. ZOID continued to fight with ZOID and the survival of the Zoidaryan race was secure. The androids became increasingly sophisticated, eventually taking over the design and construction of new and even more terrible ZOID war machines. The Meteor Storm When the skies over Zoidstar burned in a blaze of colour the end of the Zoidaryan race was nigh. Gazing in wonder at the stunning spectacle in the skies above them the ancient Warlords were unaware of the devastation to come. ZOIDSTAR was doomed by the poison from the skies. Within fourteen days, every living organism on ZOIDSTAR had perished. Only machines survived. Zoid Wars Left to their own devices the androids continued to create even more fearsome ZOIDS. Supplies of ZOIDAR POWER began to dwindle. Now ZOID turned on ZOID as the only means of obtaining the fuel necessary for existence. No longer the Heroic Combat of the great age. Only the strongest and most cunning would survive in this new and hostile environment. The Blue Moon The Zoidaryans kept a battle force of ZOIDS on stand-by out in the galaxy. When the meteor storm struck the battle force attempted a landing on the Blue Moon, a frozen and inhospitable world. The majority of the convoy carrying the ZOIDS and their androids survived, but the Zoidaryan Battle Cruiser crushed and burst into flames. The surviving androids soon discovered that the icy cold was their worst enemy. The ZOIDS had to be made capable of survival ... to be transformed from cold metal into boiling fluid machines. Thus the Zoids on the Blue Moon began their mutation into a new fighting force. The RED ZOIDS were being created. The Red Zoids Attack On the Blue Moon Heroic Combat wan an impossible luxury. Their unity forced upon them by the desperate need to survive, the RED ZOIDS learnt how to operate together as a unified fighting force. For the androids, now encased in a silver coating to protect them from the temperature inside their heat-engorged war machines, the urge for combat was superseded by the urge for conquest. The RED ZOID battle squadrons were made ready for the return to ZOIDSTAR. The Blue Zoids Attack The BLUE ZOIDS on Zoidstar still locked in individual combat, were taken by surprise. The devastating onrush of the RED ZOIDS threatened to destroy them completely. City after city fell to the RED ZOID IMPERIAL LEADER, REDHORN THE TERRIBLE, a mutant monster hell-bent on destruction. The BLUE ZOIDS were forced to unite. Away from the carnage the androids, programmed for survival, set to work to create a BLUE ZOID that could challenge the might of REDHORN THE TERRIBLE. The centuries of conquest, war and combat gave shape to a new and menacing champion, THE SUPREME BLUE ZOID COMBAT LEADER ZOIDZILLA! Earthman Into the maelstrom of this never ending struggle plunged a small and insignificant spacecraft. A BLUE ZOID petrol reached the wreckage first and the androids recognised a HUMANOID pilot, still living. The humanoid from another Galaxy was repaired. Called EARTHMAN after his home planet, he quickly learned the ways of this new and terrifying world. He became skilled in the art of ZOIDTHOUGHT, the means by which a pilot communicates directly with the ZOID which carries him. Connected to the Zoid via a neuro-emphatic reflex arc, the Earthman learned to merge minds with the machine. They became as one. A Fateful Mission The battle raged and the EARTHMAN quickly showed himself to be a fearless and cunning adversary, a quality not often found in androids. For the BLUE ZOID BATTALIONS the war was not going well. A plan was devised by the EARTHMAN which would strike at the very heart of the enemy. He would merge minds with the MIGHTY ZOIDZILLA and be landed in the middle of the RED ZOID city complex, there to seek out and destroy in Heroic Combat, REDHORN THE TERRIBLE. A spacecraft which could carry ZOIDZILLA was created and the mission began. At the last moment disaster struck. As the spacecraft descended it was hit by an enemy missile and destroyed. A RED ZOID patrol was despatched to recover the wreckage, but there was no sign of any HUMANOID LIFE. In the explosion ZOIDZILLA had been shattered into pieces. As a precaution against the BLUE ZOIDS capturing the pieces and rebuilding ZOIDZILLA, the RED ZOIDS buried the six pieces under six different city domes. Without their leader the BLUE ZOIDS waited for the inevitable RED ZOID ATTACK. LIVE THE GAME. BECOME THE MACHINE! You are EARTHMAN. Incredibly, you have survived the crash landing in the midst of enemy RED ZOID territory. The RED ZOIDS failed to notice that a small SPIDERZOID has also survived. You climb into its command capsule and merge minds with the machine. Instantly you are as one. Your eyes are closed. Your body motionless. Into your mind the ZOID projects his experiences. Everything you see and feel will help you make the right decisions. You do not control the ZOID, you are the ZOID. INSTRUCTIONS The joystick and/or keyboard represent the neuro-emphatic reflex arc. By using these you can communicate your decisions to the Zoid. The screen represents the images the ZOID is projecting into you mind. Do not expect to see things as you would with your eyes. You must learn to interpret these images. They have been designed over many centuries to be efficient. Remember, a ZOID'S primary driving force is to survive. If the ZOID feels his existence is threatened, his own feelings will effect the decisions you make. OPTION SCREEN (Spectrum 48K) 1. KEMPSTON - plus Keyboard 2. KEYBOARD - or other joysticks plus Keyboard 3. RE-DEFINE KEYS 4. LOAD PREVIOUS GAME - Saved onto tape OPTION SCREEN (Amstrad 464,664,6128) 1. JOYSTICK 2. KEYBOARD 3. LOAD PREVIOUS GAME - Saved onto tape SCREEN LAYOUT All other images will be projected onto this screen in much the same way as a thought may pop into your mind. +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | ZOIDTHOUGHT | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ +--------+ +--------+ +------------------+ +--------+ +--------+ | ZOID | | | | | | | | | | I.D. | |SCANNER | | | | STATUS | | GUNS | | | | | | | | | | | +--------+ +--------+ | | +--------+ +--------+ | MAP | +--------+ +--------+ | | +--------+ +--------+ | | | | | | | | | | | MOVE | | INFO. | | | | RADIO | |MISSILES| | | | | | | | | | | +--------+ +--------+ +------------------+ +--------+ +--------+ +--------------------------------------------------------------+ | | | INFORMATION | | | +--------------------------------------------------------------+ ZOIDTHOUGHT Represents the state of mind of the ZOID. With experience this signal can be interpreted. MAP The RED ZOID CITY NETWORKS cover a large area. This map screen will only ever show you a very small section of this territory. The map will be displayed in two possible magnifications. (a) LONG RANGE MAP (i.e. Not Magnified) Taken straight from your ZOIDS computer banks and showing all the features of the latest intelligence reports. (b) SHORT RANGE MAP (i.e. Magnified) Displays a magnification of that area of the map in your immediate vicinity. Your position is shown at the centre. Onto this map your ZOID projects the signals from his short range RED ZOID DETECTOR. INFORMATION Used to display STATUS and other helpful information. EIGHT ICONS You can select any of these eight options by moving the cursor to the relevant icon and pressing Fire. 1. Zoid I.D. Used to identify enemy RED ZOIDS. These are detected by your ZOID and their position and movement displayed on the Short Range Map. To identify a Zoid, move the cross over the Zoid you wish to identify and press Fire. 2. Scanner Scans the immediate vicinity for objects on or just under the ground. (triangle) = ZOIDAR POWER POD/RAW MATERIAL (circle) = A PIECE OF ZOIDZILLA Any objects shown on the scanner will be automatically picked up by your ZOID, otherwise, they will be ignored. 3. Status Calls up information about the Status of your ZOID (Zoidar Power Pods, Missiles, Guns, Damage) and also your progress (Number of pieces of ZOIDZILLA collected). 4. Guns If an enemy RED ZOID launches a missile attack, and if your ZOID is able to counter the missiles sophisticated masking system, you will see the missiles flight path towards you on the Short Range Map. The Guns form your defensive weaponry. When under attack the Guns are used to shoot down incoming enemy missiles. A 3-Dimensional Perspective Enhancer is projected over the image of the incoming missiles to assist you in aiming the gun. Any missiles which you fail to hit will strike home, damaging or destroying you. 5. Missiles (Short Range) These missiles form your ZOIDS offensive weaponry. Using missiles you can attack enemy RED ZOIDS, POWER PLANTS, MINES, BEACONS OR CITY DOMES. Select the target by moving the cross over the desired location on the Short Range Map and pressing Fire. The missiles are equipped with cameras and must be guided through the hills and mountain ranges to the target. Once a missile is launched you will see its progress towards the target as shown by the camera and then presented to your mind by the ZOID. You will be in direct control of the missile's flight path. The target will first appear as a cross on the horizon. You will need very quick reactions to hit a target. 6. Radio Base Allows you to communicate directly with base. There are two requests you can make of base. (a) Long range missile strike against a POWER PLANT, MINE, BEACON OR CITY DOME. Select the target by moving the cross over the desired location on the Long Range Map and pressing Fire. Once launched, the long range missiles home in on their target. It takes approximately 30 seconds for a missile to reach its target. (b) To despatch a spacecraft to pick up a piece of ZOIDZILLA which you have found. The pieces are too large for you to carry. Every time a spacecraft collects a piece of ZOIDZILLA your own ZOID is upgraded, becoming larger and more powerful. 7. Information Identifies any features seen on the Long Range Map. Move the cross over the feature that you want to identify and press Fire. 8. Move Use the cross shown on the Long Range Map to trace out the route you want your ZOID to follow then press Fire. The ZOID will follow this route if he is able to. If he feels threatened or becomes involved in combat he may override your decision. SCENARIO Your mission is to recover the six pieces of ZOIDZILLA. Once this has been done the BLUE ZOID COMBAT LEADER will be reconstructed. You will once more have a chance to merge minds with the powerful machine and become ZOIDZILLA, trying to seek out REDHORN ThE TERRIBLE and destroy him in Heroic Combat. The RED ZOID territory contains ten ZOID CITY NETWORKS, separated by mountain ranges but connected by relatively passable valleys. Each network contains eight CITY DOMES, one POWER PLANT, one MINE and one BEACON. The CITY DOMES contain the massive construction plants within which the androids make new RED ZOIDS. The dome is a powerful force field which protects the City from missile attack. The POWER PLANT provides the ZOIDAR POWER necessary to fuel the RED ZOIDS. It is also connected directly to each of the eight CITY DOMES and provides each of them with the power necessary to keep their protective force fields in place. The POWER PLANT is of immense importance to the CITY NETWORK. It has no protective force field itself, but if attacked, it switches its ZOIDAR POWER supply to an incredibly powerful Deflector Shield. This has the dangerous effect of draining the network of ZOIDAR POWER temporarily, but the POWER PLANT survives. The MINE provides the raw materials necessary for RED ZOID production. The BEACON sends out a continuous signal which alerts REDHORN THE TERRIBLE and MAMMOTH THE DESTROYER of any intrusions by BLUE ZOIDS into that CITY NETWORK. At the beginning of the game, you are somewhere in a valley between two impassable mountain ranges. The pieces of ZOIDZILLA have been buried under six different CITY DOMES with no more than one piece allocated to any CITY NETWORK. Four CITY NETWORKS, therefore, have no pieces of ZOIDZILLA at all. (Note: Where the pieces are buried may be different every time you play the game). To find a piece of ZOIDZILLA you must first destroy the CITY DOME. Once you are inside the destroyed CITY you can use your SCANNER to see if a piece of ZOIDZILLA is present. ENEMY RED ZOIDS IN ASCENDING ORDER OF POWER 1. Hellrunner Long-legged mutant Red Zoid. Mounted with guns for defence but has no missile system for attack. Very fast moving. Hellrunners are used to patrol all important locations. If their location is attacked they are then despatched at great speed to bring help, usually in the form of Spinebacks. Hellrunners which are destroyed are easily replaced by correctly functioning CITY DOMES; i.e., those with sufficient ZOIDAR POWER and RAW MATERIAL 2. Slitherzoid A sleek, merciless mutant Red Zoid with concealed Gun and Missile Systems. Slitherzoids travel between the MINES, POWER PLANTS and CITY DOMES carrying supplies of RAW MATERIAL and ZOIDAR POWER PODS. If a Slitherzoid is destroyed these may not be damaged and can be picked up by your ZOID using your SCANNER. Slitherzoids can be replaced by correctly functioning CITY DOMES. 3. Spineback A ferocious and mean mutant Red Zoid with Gun and Missile Systems. A sinister and deadly opponent. Spinebacks are kept on stand-by inside CITY DOMES. If alerted by Hellrunners they will attack intruders without mercy. Spinebacks which are destroyed can be replaced by correctly functioning CITY DOMES. 4. Serpent A mutant Red Zoid with terrifying speed and power. Equipped with Gun and Missile Systems. There is usually one Serpent for each city network. He has set patrols, looking for intruders to destroy. If destroyed himself, he cannot be replaced. 5. Mammoth the Destroyer A cruel renegade Zoid who has defected to the Red Zoids. Heavily armoured, he has special ultra-sonic radar ears which - can detect signals transmitted from the BEACONS. Equipped with very powerful Gun and Missile Systems, he roams between the CITY NETWORKS. He is irreplaceable. 6. Redhorn the Terrible Sleek and merciless, Redhorn is the ultimate Red Zoid mutation. He is the imperial Red Leader and deadliest enemy of the Blue Zoids. Like Mammoth, he roams between the CITY NETWORKS. If alerted by a BEACON he makes straight for the enemy. He is irreplaceable. BLUE ZOIDS IN ASCENDING ORDER OF POWER 1. Spiderzoid The most deadly of the original Zoids because of its great speed. 2. Scorpozoid Heavily armoured fighting machine. Usual in rear-guard. 3. Trooperzoid Heavily armoured ground attack machine. The front runner in any Zoid conflict. 4. Tank A four wheel drive gun carrier. 5. Great Gorgon A huge heavy attack Zoid. 6. Mighty Zoidzilla Supreme Zoid combat leader. The most menacing Zoid ever created. LEFT Moves gunsight or <- 5 <- RIGHT moves cross over -> 8 -> UP the map ^ 7 ^ DOWN v 6 v FIRE Selects or fires FIRE 0 FIRE DEFAULT De-selects SPACE SPACE HOLD Freezes game H H ABANDON Abandons held game. A A Press release to confirm. RELEASE Releases held game G G SAVE GAME Have blank tape ready. S S You cannot save game if your ZOID feels threatened.