THE VINDICATOR! Invaders from a distant star have lain the Earth to waste; mankind has survived... but only just. Small pockets of humanity lie scattered across the desolate landscape and in one is a man, waiting to fight back, waiting to strike a blow for his world, his kind. HE IS "THE VINDICATOR". Battle through tortuous mazes to infiltrate the alien computer system, and build a device capable of eliminating the star born invaders. Take to the air against the mechanised legions, race across the planets surface in your high-powered jeep, then face the Giant Guardian of the catacombs in his underground lair. Be quick, be skillful, be "The Vindicator"!! LOADING ======= CASSETTE 1. Place the cassette in your recorder ensuring that is fully rewound. 2. Ensure that the MIC socket is dosconnected and that the volume and tone controls are set to the appropiate levels. 3. If the computer is a Spectrum 48K or Spectrum + then load as follows. Type LOAD "" (ENTER). (Note there is no space between the two quotes). The " is obtained by pressing the SYMBOL SHIFT and P keys simultaneously. 4. Press PLAY on your recorder and the game will load automatically. If you have any problems try adjusting the volume and tone controls and consulting Chapter 6 of the Spectrum manual. 5. If the computer is a Spectrum 128K then follow the loading instructions on-screen or in the accompanying manual. NOTE The 48K version is split into three sections. The first is loaded as normal but the second and third sections will need to be loaded during the game. After each section has loaded stop the tape. There are on screen prompts to help you. Progress onto Section Two and Three can only be achieved through Section One, however once you have obtained the access codes you can enter them and proceed onto Section Two and from there onto Section Three. GENERAL CONTROLS ================ The game maybe controlled by keyboard which is fully redefinable or the Joystick. SECTION ONE =========== THE COMPLEX Having infiltrated the first enemy stronghold you must battle your way through the four levels of torturous mazes to find the computer rooms which will give the locations of the hidden bomb components. But first you must kill the Alien Guardians who are carrying ammunition cartridges for your rifle. These creatures also guard rooms containing lift passes and colour-coded computer pass cards essential to your quest. Lift doors and computer rooms will not open without the correct cards. Each computer, once succesfully accessed will set an anagrammatical puzzle. A correct answer is rewarded with a view of the map, showing the location of a bomb component, your position and any lifts on that floor. Incorrect answering results in system shutdown and you must therefore try again, if you have a passcard. Also, the atmosphere in the complex is of a toxic nature combatted only by the supplies of oxy-gum to be found within the many storerooms. Keep an eye on your direction, conserve your oxy-gum and pass-cards and your trigger finger at the ready... It's tough, but not that tough! CONTROLS UP ---------------------------------------- ^ | ----------------------------- ---- | | | | | | | | LEFT<- ->RIGHT | | | |C | | | | A| B | ---- | v | | | ------ | DOWN | | | | D | | | | | ------ | FIRE - Fires Bullets | | | ---- | | | | | E| | | | | ---- | | ----------------------------- ---| | ---- -------- | || | --- | H| | G | ---- F|| | |I| ---- -------- | || | --- -------| ----------------------------------------- STATUS AND SCORING KEY A - Gun F - Oxygen Level B - Gameplay area G - Score C - Bomb Components H - Direction D - Floor and Lives I - Lift Cards E - Computer Cards HINTS & TIPS * Don't pick up oxy-gum every time you see it. Remember it's location for when your supply is low. * Making a map is imperative as the Alien complex is huge and losing your bearings could prove fatal. * The first computer card is LEFT2, DOWN3, LEFT1. * If you run past a door quickly, you needn't fight the Alien. SECTION TWO =========== THE TORTURED LAND Having blown up the Alien Vanguard and their base, you must now make your way across miles of enemy terrain to the final encounter with the Dark Overlord. You have commandeered a fighter plane and must first launch a strafing run on your way to the catacombs location. Clear a path through some of the tighter parts of the map with your bombs, but don't waste them. Having strafed the landscape you must then return to your jeep and blast your way through to the entrance to the catacombs. Legions of Robot tanks and helicopters await you and should you survive you must face the Mutoid Guardian of the underground headquarters. Be warned... this guy's no shrimp! CONTROLS JEEP PLANE UP UP UP ^ UP UP LEFT ^ UP RIGHT \ | / \ | / \ | / \ | / LEFT <---- ----> RIGHT LEFT <---- ----> RIGHT / | \ / | \ / | \ / | \ DOWN | DOWN DOWN LEFT | DOWN RIGHT v v DOWN DOWN FIRE - Fires Bullets FIRE - Fires Bullets SPACE BAR - Fires Grenades SPACE BAR - Fires Bomb STATUS AND SCORING On screen scoring displays, your current score, number of lives, bullets, bombs and grenades remaining. HINTS AND TIPS * Try to bomb the enemy bunkers. These are the most lethal! * Watch where the enemy appears from and learn to avoid him. SECTION THREE ============= THE CATACOMBS Deep in the bowels of the Earth, the evil Gog awaits, surrounded by his mutant hordes, each intent on your destruction. Torn and weary from your epic quest you must descend into Hades, your heart pounding as wave after wave of gibbering, howling horrors leap and bound from the shadows, guns blazing and fangs gnashing. Use the lifts to descend where possible. Some lifts only move in one direction and some not at all. You will find levers to open trap doors which will aid your descent. Gog has discovered your plot and is preparing to leave and destroy the Catacombs. You must hurry. Survive their onslaught and you will reach Gog's lair at the Earth's core. He's big, he's bad and he's more than a little annoyed, so give this guy a hotfoot he'll never forget! CONTROLS JUMP/LIFT UP ^ | LEFT <--- ---> RIGHT | v CROUCH/LIFT DOWN STATUS AND SCORING On screen scoring displays the score and number of lives and time remaining. HINTS & TIPS * A map could prove useful. * Watch your step. * Do it to them before they do it to you! THE VINDICATOR It's program code, graphic representation and artwork are the copyright of Imagine Software and may not be reproduced, stored, hired or broadcast in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Imagine Software. All rights reserved worldwide. THIS SOFTWARE PRODUCT HAS BEEN CAREFULLY DEVELOPED AND MANUFACTURED TO THE HIGHEST QUALITY STANDARDS. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR LOADING. If for any reason you have difficulty in running the program and believe that the product is defective, please return it direct to: Mr Yates, Imagine Software, 6 Central Street, Manchester M2 5NS. Our quality control department will test the product and supply an immediate replacement if we find a fault. If we cannot find a fault the product will be returned to you at no charge. Please note that this does not affect your statutory rights. CREDITS Programmed by Paul Owens. Graphics by Mark Jones. Music by Jonathan Dunn. Produced by D.C. Ward. (c) 1988 Imagine Software.