L'AFFAIRE VERA CRUZ Written by Gilles Blancon You have just been appointed Detective Sergeant in the Crime Squad at Saint Etienne (Loire). As an Officer of the Police and in your capacity as a Judicial Police Officer, you are capable of leading any criminal investigation. No sooner have you taken up your new post when you are called upon to investigate what the press are fast terming - THE VERA CRUZ AFFAIR. On the 8th August, 1986, you are notified by the caretaker at the 'Forest' apartment block of the discovery of a body. It has been provisionally identified as one of the residents and, from the caretaker's description, it is believed to be a case of suicide with a shotgun as the weapon involved. You and your team must go to the scene to ascertain the facts. Once this is complete you will have to carry out the actual investigation, using the methods at your disposal. LOADING AND START UP The program is in two parts, once the first part has loaded STOP THE TAPE. MSX 1, MSX 2: Cassette version: Press Shift during start up. Press play on tape. Key RUN "CAS:" on the keyboard and press RETURN. The program will load automatically and once loading is complete stop the tape. Disc version: Insert the disk and switch on the computer and the program will load automatically. AMSTRAD: Cassette version: Insert your tape. For the 664 and 6128 key in | TAPE (To get |, press SHIFT and @ simultaneously) on the keyboard. Then for all Amstrad cassette computers, press the CTRL key and the small ENTER key by the numeric keypad. The message RUN" will appear on screen. Press play on tape. The program will load and run automatically. Disc version : Insert the disk and key in | CPM (to get |, press SHIFT and @ simultaneously) on the keyboard. The program will load and run automatically. SPECTRUM: Key LOAD"" on the keyboard. The program will load automatically. PRINCIPLE OF THE GAME Has the resident at the FOREST really committed suicide as the caretaker believes? You must start your investigation by carrying out routine inquiries at the scene of the crime. HOWEVER, a word of advice, AN INVESTIGATION CANNOT END WITHOUT EFFICIENT AND EXHAUSTIVE INQUIRIES. These serve as a basis for research and often evidence. Remember this ... 1. The Forest Residence: The scene of the Crime. The victim is lying on the floor in the middle of the room. As you study this macabre scene you notice that various items are slightly disarranged. You mustn't touch anything, but you are able to take photos. MOVING THE CAMERA - Use the cursor keys. TAKING A PHOTO - Press COPY for Amstrad, INS for MSX and SPACE BAR for Spectrum. Make sure that you have made a note of ALL the details and, when you are ready press ENTER. Disk versions will load automatically, while on cassette versions you will need to press PLAY on your tape recorder. If you change your mind before the second part is activated, press R and you will return to the scene of the crime. It is time to summarise the evidence and as you speed back to your office you make a list of suspicious details. Key in each piece of evidence, separating each one with a space and, once the list seems complete, press ENTER. 2. The State Police Force The State Police Force is one of the oldest French institutions since its origins date back to the Marshalsea during Napoleon's time. Its experience regarding judicial affairs has led it to computerise very quickly, far in advance of similar services in other countries. This is one of the reasons why, in addition to traditional methods (such as comparing evidence / interviews / alibis, etc.) you can use the DIAMOND COMPUTER NETWORK. Utilising this sophisticated system, you will be able to communicate with other police services, justice departments, prison administrations and, of course, with the National Police. Access procedures for the Diamond Network. Code M (Message) A message addressed to any service must include the code for that service and its base town. The message must include the type of information required in as much detail as possible. The reply from the service contacted will arrive in the form of a listing in a few minutes. Code P (Printer) If you have an 80 column printer you will not need to take notes manually. All you have to do to keep track of your evidence is to press the P key. To deactivate press the same key again. N.B.: All messages must be confirmed by pressing ENTER. Services you can contact on the Diamond Network. Another Police Squad Computer Code GIE + name of squad. If you want to contact the St Galmier squad (42) write GIE St Galmier opposite 'ORIG', and then make up your message in the form - INFORMATION ON 'xxx' AFFAIR. If the squad you communicate with is concerned with that particular case it will reply giving you all the information in its possession. There is one police squad per town. District squad for judicial information. Computer Code BDRJ. There is one police squad per district (as opposed to town) which will tell you if a particular person is wanted by the police. You address your requests to BDRJ St Etienne in the following way - IDENTIFICATION OF DUPONT LEON - and if this person is wanted you will be told by whom and why. Judicial Research and Comparison Centre Computer code CRRJ. The police force has a research co-ordination centre. If you wish to know the record of someone known to the judiciary or to make a comparison on a particular object which could be a clue, you can contact this service using CRRJ LYON and should compose your message as follows - INFORMATION ON 'OBJECT'- (as much information as possible) or ON 'A CERTAIN PERSON' (Christian name and surname). If the person has a record you will get a photograph and some information. Police Headquarters. Computer Code PREF. To get the name of the owner of a vehicle from the registration number, you should address your messages to PREF St ETIENNE (if it is 42 vehicle, the number of a vehicle corresponding to a town) then input the message IDENTIFICATION No 1111 AA 42, for example. If the registration is useful to the inquiry you will get the information you require. Prisons. Computer Code PRIS. If you wish to obtain some information on a detainee you should address your request to PRIS BEAUMETTES or PRIS ST PAUL, with a message such as - INFORMATION ON DUPONT LEON. If this is useful to the inquiry you will quickly get a reply. Police Station Computer Code CIAT. Certain police stations may have dealt with something, or someone! , connected with your investigation, it might be useful to contact them to get additional information. You can call them up using, for example CIAT MARSEILLE, then compose your message to read - INFORMATION ON 'xxx' AFFAIR. Traditional Methods. Option S : Statement. To hear someone's statement you need to know their name and address (or where they can be found). Option C : Comparison of Evidence. You can compare an alibi or other evidence of one person with certain facts collected during the investigation. But this comparison can only be carried out on the basis of a statement. Option E : Various Examinations. In your capacity as a Judiciary Police Officer you can carry out different examinations such as graphological examinations or an Autopsy (e.g. AUTOPSY VERA CRUZ). Option A : Arrest. If you are certain of someone's guilt, it only remains for you to arrest him. FINAL ADVICE : Watch out for arbitrary arrest. Have you got all your facts right? Have you got an airtight case? In case of difficulty check your keyboard is in capital letters. Now it's up to you. Good Luck. -- End of Instructions -- See VERACRUZ.GIF for a map of France showing various relevant towns & districts. -- End of File --