Skull From Games Machine Enter the Catacombs ... Hunt the Treasure ... Avoid the Traps ... WATCH OUT FOR SKULL! Introduction """""""""""" The object of the game is to collect treasure from a maze without losing lives and thus to achieve the highest score possible. Each item of treasure is worth a number of points, the more treasure collected, the highter the score. There are a number of hazards within the maze, pitfalls, trapdoors, portcullis and wandering SKULLS. The SKULLS will attempt to guard the treasure by catching you but you may find within the maze a green cross which will give you a period of safety during which you may attack the SKULLS. Other features of the game are: - Top ten highest score table. - Game in progress save/load - Merge highest scores with table on tape - Halt or pause game - Print screen on printer. - Display a short term plan of the maze - Lock or unlock a portcullis with a key - Safety ladders to lower levels of the maze - Lucky charm bracelet to show proximity of skulls - Inventory of collected treasure - Totally random maze generation - 9999 levels of maze - Score up to 999999 SKULL Keyboard Overlay """""""""""""""""""""" Hold - 1 Plan - 2 Print - 3 Key - 4 Rotate Left - 5 Back - 6 Forward - 7 Rotate Right - 8 Tape Menu - 0 Merge - T Return - Y Save - S Load - L Restart - CAPS SHIFT Scoring """"""" On entering a square which contains an item of treasure, the treasure will be added to your haul. An inventory is shown on the top right of the display. Scoring is as follows: A Cross 10 points A Key 7 points A Gold Coin 5 points A Bronze Coin 2 points A Pair of Gems 15 points Using a key to open or close a portcullis will decrease your score by 7. Buying a plan will cost you 25 points or any points you have less than 25. Movement """""""" The normal cursor keys (5, 6, 7 and 8) without shift are used for movement within the maze. Keys 5 and 8 will cause a quarter turn left and right respectively. Key 7 will advance your position by one square, if free to do so. Key 6 will allow you to take one step backwards if free to do so. Movement forwards or backwards may be blocked by a wall of the maze or by a portcullis. Hold the Game """"""""""""" The game may be held at any time with Key 1. The screen will be replaced with the 'holding' page. This page shows the high score table. The game may be restarted by pressing the 'Y' key. Plan view """"""""" The plan can be called up with Key '2'. A plan 'costs' 25 points. Each item of treasure within the maze is shown on the plan. Also your own position and direction (arrow), any SKULLS, pitfalls (filled square), trapdoors (empty square), or ladders to lower levels (x). The plan will only be present for a fey seconds after which it will slowly disintegrate. Printing """""""" Key '3' will usually allow the screen image to be printed. Keys and Portcullis """"""""""""""""""" While wandering through the maze you will occasionally 'trip' a portcullis into falling. If you have no keys you (and the SKULLS) will no longer be able to pass that point. In the early stages of the games it is easy to wander into a dead-end only to see the 'flash' indicating that a portcullis has fallen behind you. If you have a key you may unlock it by first facing the portcullis and then pressing Key '4'. If you have no keys you will have to wait for a trapdoor to open beneath you. A portcullis may be closed, if you wish, by pressing Key '4' while looking towards the opening you wish to lock. A key may only be used once and your score is decreased for each key used. Tape Menu """"""""" Four options are available in the tape menu (Key '0'). Save: Save the current game position and high score table onto a tape. Load: A new game position and high score. A tape load error will not affect the current position and high score table. A verify may be carried out by first 'SAVE'ing the game, then 'LOAD'ing the same game without altering the programme in memory. Merge: Will read the high score table from tape and compare it with the current high score table. From these twenty entries the top ten will replace the current high score. Thus in order to obtain an 'all time high' score table the current high score table can be merged with a previously saved table the new table may then be saved onto tape. Return: Either continues with the present game or if a LOAD has occured, continue a previous game. Restart or Break """""""""""""""" A game may be terminated at any time, by pressing CAPS SHIFT and BREAK together. A new game can now commence. Crosses """"""" On obtaining a cross (by stepping onto the square containing the cross) there will be a period of 15 seconds during which you can attack the SKULLS. This period will be indicated first by an inverse video cross (at the top right of display) for a period of ten seconds, then five seconds of flashing. During these 15 seconds any SKULL encountered will have gems set into their eye sockets. On stepping into the same square as the SKULL the two gems will be collected but you will be unharmed. Lucky Charm Bracelet """""""""""""""""""" Below the 3D view of the maze a bracelet can be seen. The number of effigies on the bracelet show the number of SKULLS in the maze. The colour of the effigies indicates the proximity of the SKULLS. CYAN 4 or more steps away GREEN 3 steps away MAGENTA 2 steps away RED 1 step away A SKULL behind a portcullis will not affect the colour of its effigy unless another route to you exists. Ladders, Trapdoos and Pitfalls """""""""""""""""""""""""""""" A pitfall will throw you down to a lower level and a life will be lost. In a pitfall you fall through a multi-coloured hole. A trapdoor has a one in five chance of opening beneath you in which case a life will be lost. Do not hesitate while standing on a trapdoor; STEP OFF THE TRAPDOOR IMMEDIATELY. A ladder will enable you to safely descend to a lower level. High Score Table """""""""""""""" On obtaining a score which is greater than another in the high score table you will be requested to enter your name. Up to ten characters may be entered, upper or lower case. Each character entered will be placed below the cursor (down cursor); left and right arrows may be used ('5' and '8') to re-position the cursor. The name will be accepted on pressing the 'enter' key. To avoid entering your name each time, pressing (right cursor) ten times will show the previously entered name. Left and right keys may now be used, if desired, to 'edit' the name. It is suggested that a print-out of the high score table be used as evidence of your high score.