MASK (Gremlin Graphics / Byte-Back) [Instructions taken from Byte-Back budget re-issue inlay. JimG] THE BATTLE CONTINUES!!! Join with the forces of MASK, skillfully commanded by the brilliant strategist Matt Trakker, and combat the evil of the villainous VENOM in their quest for domination of the world. No longer need you stand by and passively observer the evil deeds of Mayhem and his co-conspirators. Here is your chance to dig deep into your cunning and put your skills to the test against possibly the greatest master criminal the world has ever seen, fact or fiction. This classic conflict of good versus evil is portrayed with a realism and excitement that can only take its lead from the world's most famous collection of superheroes and supervillains. There are creations of adventure, there are creations of combat, but there is not a creation quite like MASK!!! LOADING INSTRUCTIONS Type LOAD "" and press ENTER. Then press PLAY on your cassette recorder. Never use LOAD "" CODE or any program that requires the tape player to be stopped before loading is complete. Make sure the program is compatible with ALL issues of the SPECTRUM including +3. Make sure the joystick option includes Sinclair or Kempston. Once loaded you will find yourself on the first of four locations:- * Boulder Hill * Prehistoric * Far Future * VENOM Base There are two agents to be rescued in each location, with the exception of the first, on which Matt must find his own MASK and ONE other agent. The rescue operation consists of locating an agent and then finding his MASK. In order to locate an agent, you need to collect and activate a scanner (one per agent) which is depicted at the bottom of the screen. The scanner will point in the direction of the hidden agent and thus enables you to make your way towards him. Each scanner can only be operated when four pieces of a security key have been assembled together in the window at the bottom of the screen. Collection of the keys and other objects is achieved by driving over the chosen symbol in Thunderhawk. You are able to collect any of the following: [Bombs / Security Keys / Scanner / Repair Kit / MASKs - see MASK1.GIF] N.B. CBM64/128 users will find a picture of the object they have collected to the right of the panel at the bottom of the screen. There are keys on each level, eight of which operate the two scanners, the rest of which are bogus. You are only allowed to carry six pieces of key at any one time, and if you attempt to pick up a seventh you will be made to drop one. By pressing "W" an assembly screen showing the collected pieces, many times magnified, will appear in the centre of the screen. Decide which pieces of the key will connect to form a letter, and assemble them as follows. Press one of the following digits on your keyboard: 128-SPECTRUM 1 2 3 4 5 6 to assemble the piece of the key that is in the corresponding position on the Assembly Screen. If you attempt to assemble two non-matching keys - the computer will not let you. If you wish to change your mind whilst on the Assembly Screen, press SPACE to cancel all previous assembled pieces. Once this has been done successfully, press the key formed in the window to activate the scanner. Remember, you must have collected a scanner before you can activate it! Continuing to drive around in Thunderhawk, you must now follow the scanner pointer (at the bottom of the screen) towards the missing agent. During your travels you will encounter two MASK containers which can be examined by driving over them. A MASK can only be collected once you have rescued the agent to whom it belongs. Agents will be imprisoned in various doorways, not all of which will seem obvious venues for abductees. Once you have identified a potential hiding place, drive into it. If you have chosen correctly the agent will automatically jump into Thunderhawk. If you are wrong, nothing will happen. You will have to blast your way past obstacles using one of the bombs which you are able to collect during the course of the game; you are only permitted to carry three at any one time. To drop a bomb once collected, press SPACE. Any loiterers near the bomb will be blown up along with the intended target, including Thunderhawk should it be included. When the agent has been rescued a status sheet, identical to that shown when examining a MASK, will appear. Once both agents have been collected, take them back to the vortex and then embark upon your journey to another level. In order to survive, you will regularly need to repair damage to Thunderhawk. A repair team will fix two units of damage; if you have totalled less than two units of damage, you will not be allowed to pick up the kit. To add pressure, a time limit is set throughout the game. This can be found ticking steadily away at the bottom of the screen. During your exploration through space and time you will encounter the following:- BOULDER HILL Switchblade - super intelligent helicopter bomber Jeeps & Tanks - will give chase on sight Falling Boulders Freight Trains PREHISTORIC Pterydactl - devious rock-dropping winged beast Snapping Turtles - are partial towards Thunderhawk Running Dinosaurs Spitting Volcanoes Running Lava FAR FUTURE UFO Mothership - generates tiny flying saucers, which launch overhead attacks Skimmer - hovering fighter vehicle - deadly Black Hole - gravitational magnetism - avoid at all costs! Delta Wing Fighter Monorail Bombing Gun Emplacements Bubbling Radioactive Waste VENOM BASE Switchblade - the helicopter (see Present Day) Erupting Snakes Land Mines Acid Pools Laser Turrets - may be temporarily disabled by shots Giant Spiders Tanks To complete your mission, all agents and their MASKs must be retrieved and the VENOM snake base totally destroyed. This is achieved in three stages: 1. Bomb the snake head to stop it shooting at you. 2. Bomb the lower coil to reveal the metal doors. 3. Bomb the doors and return to the time vortex.