Can you become the millionaire of outer space? Start the game with the rags on your back and end it with millions of credits in the bank. For 2-4 players.

The object of the game is to amass the greatest amount of money. This is accomplished by establishing vast interstellar shipping lanes, and purchasing stock in the companies that control those trade routes. During the course of the game, stock appreciates in value as the shipping companies become larger. Also, smaller companies can be merged into larger ones, and stock in the smaller firm is converted into stock in the larger one as described below.

Each turn, the computer will present the player with five prospective spaces to occupy on a 9 x 12 matrix. These spaces will blink very slowly and one will have a small diamond in it. You may move the diamond to whichever blinking spot you wish by pushing the SPACE bar. Hitting the M key will choose that space for your output.

There are four possible moves a player can make:

1. He can establish an unattached outpost - if he selects a space that is not adjacent to a star (large red circle), another unattached outpost, or an existing shipping lane, this space will be designated with a white diamond. He will then proceed with stock transactions, as listed below.
2. He can add to an existing lane - if he selects a space that is adjacent to one, and only one, existing shipping lane, the space he selects will be added to that shipping lane and will be designated with the first letter of the company that owns that lane. If there are any stars or unattached outposts also adjacent to the selected space, they too will be incorporated into the existing lane. Each new square adjacent to a star adds $500 per share, and each new output adds $100 per share to the market value of the stock of that company.
3. He may establish a new shipping lane - if there are five or fewer existing shipping lanes established, the player may, given the proper space to play, establish a new shipping lane. He may do this by occupying a space adjacent to a star or another unattached outpost, but not adjacent to an existing shipping lane, he is automatically issued five shares in the new company as a reward. He may then proceed to buy stock in any active company, includng the one just formed, as described below. The market value of the new stock is established by the number of stars and occupied spaces as described in (2) above.
4. He may merge two existing companies - if a player selects a space adjacent to two existing shipping lanes, a merger occurs. The larger company takes over the smaller company (if both companies are the same size prior to the merger, then the survivor is determined by alphabetical order of the two company names - the earlier survives). The stock of the surviving company is increased in value according to the number of spaces and stars added to its lane. Each player's stock in the defunct company is exchanged for shares in the survivor on a ratio of 2 for 1. Also, each player is paid a cash bonus proportional to the percentage of outstanding stock he held in the defunct company. Note: After a company becomes defunct through the merger process, it can reappear elsewhere on the board when, and if, a new company is established.

Next the computer adds stock dividends to the player's cash on hard (5% of the market value of the stock in his possession), and offers him the opportunity to purchase stock in any of the active companies on the board. Stock may not be sold, but the market value of each player's stock is taken into account at the end of the game to determine the winner. If the market value of a given stock exceeds $3,000 at any time during the game, that stock splits 2 for 1. The price is cut in half, and the number of shares owned by each player is doubled.

The computer randomly determines whose move it is and presents the information in the pattern of dots at the upper right hand side of the graphic display. There is one dot to the extreme right of the display for each player in the game. The dot beside row one is for player one, row two is player two, etc. One of the rows will have two dots in it. That signifies whose turn it is.

Note: the player may look at his portfolio at any time during the course of his turn by typing "S".

CLOAD (ENTER)
RUN (ENTER)