Cosmic Cruiser ============== Introduction ------------ A raiding party from the Rallom Empire has taken over one of Earth's far flung space stations. The only Earth crft in the vicinity is an outdated Cosmic Cruiser - and you are the pilot! A priority signal sends you on what could turn out to be a suicide mission. You have been ordered to save the space station crew at all costs. As you hurtle toward your destiny, a daring plan forms in your mind. The only chance you have is to use your exterior laser cannon to blast open the station portals, then, by making use of your body propulsion unit, you will have to pluck out the crewmen from the station and transport them to your Cruiser. Your plan requires split-second timing and nerves of steel. As you transport your ward back to the Cruiser, you must make snap decisions. If you use your hand laser the blast will blow the crewman into space; can you get back to your laser cannon in time to blast the Rallom fighters, or will you have to secure the rescued crewman to a nearby satellite to allow you to move more quickly? You see the space station in the distance. The adrenalin pumps through your body. Will you succeed? Game Objective -------------- By using your external mounted laser cannon you must blast away the portals of the revoling space station to gain access to your imprisoned buddies, but beware, not all the portals contains imprisoned crewmen - some are manned by Rallom warriors. Sometime after your rescue mission commences added dangers in the form of Rallom Fighters arrive to bomb you with alarming accuracy; this hostile action makes your task infinitely more dangerous and difficult. Tactics ------- When you blast a portal containing an imprisoned crewman you must wait until the portal revolves around to the front of the screen again, and then the crewman will emerge. You must then pick him up and transport him back to the relative safety of your Cosmic Cruiser. During these manoeuvres you will be under constant attack. Remember that, whilst carrying a crewman, your speed will be reduced, and you may find it necessary to secure the crewman to a nearby satellite to enable you to return to your laser cannon with more speed. Start of the Game ----------------- You may select which method of control you prefer to use, either joystick or keyboard. Once your selection has been made the game will begin. Game Begins ----------- Your first priority is to get to your laser cannon, mounted on top of the right hand side of the cruiser. As you pass over the cannon you will lock-on to the gun automatically, using your 'left' and 'right' controls you can guide the direction of your cannon. To rescue the crewman you must blast away the portals on the revolving outer rim of the space station. Once you have opened some portabls you should move away from your cannon by using the 'up' control. You may now collect a crewman from the opening in the space station. Now that you have a crewman, you must transfer him to the open hatch on the top left hand side of your battle cruiser. Be careful to avoid touching one of the floating satellites as the crewmen will become attached to it. You can remove the crewman from the satellite by passing over it. The alien warriors who were guarding the crewmen begin to come after you. You must destroy the alien warriors by using either your hand gun or the laser cannon. If you fire your hand gun while carrying a crewman, he will float away from you and become very vulnerable to marauding aliens. Play Notes ---------- THE SPACEMAN Can move in any direction on the screen by using the keyboard or joystick. He carries with him a laser pistol at all times. CREWMEN They can be rescued as they emerge from the open hatchways. By passing over him he will automatically attach himself to you. If he drafts away because you have bumped into the cruiser, or have fired your hand gun, he can be retrieved by passing over him again. ALIEN WARRIORS Emerge from hatchways in the space station. Once out they immediately head for the hero. If they make contact with him or with a crewman, both are destroyed. If the hero is killed you lose a life. The alien can be destroyed by either your hand laser or the laser cannon. ALIEN FIGHTERS Come into the game after the first level. They can only destroy you by firing missiles at you. You must use your cannon to destroy them. LEVELS As you play through the levels, the frequency and nastiness of the aliens increases. A level is completed when eight crewmen have been rescued or killed by the aliens. After you have completed the first level, the Rallom fighters arrive and will begin to fire missiles at you, making any rescue of the crewmen all the more difficult. Game Controls ------------- Keyboard: The play keys have been laid out in a way so as to offer the player a wide variety of combinations of keys to make play as comfortable as possible. Left - All keys on the bottom row, beginning with SHIFT and then every alternate key from thereon, i.e. SHIFT, X, V, N, etc. Right - The remaining keys on the bottom row, i.e. Z, C, B, M, etc. Down - Any of the keys on the second row, i.e. A, S, D, F, G etc. Up - Any of the keys on the third row, i.e. Q, W, E, R, T, etc. Fire - Any key on the top row will enable you to fire your hand laser or the laser cannon if you are in position behind the cannon. To locate yourself on the laser cannon, move towards the cannon and as you pass over it press any fire key. The normal left/right controls will now move the laser cannon. Use of a joystick can be selected at beginning or play. At the end of the game you will be given the opportunity to enter your name on the high score "Role of Honour".