GALACTIC GAMES

INTRODUCTION
""""""""""""
Successor of our modern Olympics, the Galactic Games are the true pinnacle
of stellar sport. Held every 0.00002 of a galactic revolution, they are
organised by the AAA (Astronomical Athletics Association) and make full 
use of the bizarre physical forms that inhabit the Galaxy to produce
competitive events that are just that little bit different.

LOADING
"""""""
SPECTRUM 48/128K/+
Ensure the cassette is fully rewound. Type LOAD "" and ENTER, then start
the tape.

AMSTRAD CPC
Cassette: Ensure the cassette is fully rewound. Owners of disk machines
should select the appropiate filing system using TAPE. Press CTRL key 
and small ENTER key together, then start the tape and press any key.
Disk: Ensure the disk filing system is selected: using DISK Insert the
disk into the drive and type RUN 'DISK', then ENTER

COMMODORE 64/128
If using a 128, first select 64 mode.
Cassette: Ensure the cassette is fully rewound. Press the SHIFT and RUN/
STOP keys together, then press PLAY on the recorder.
Disk: Insert the disk into the drive. Side A up. Type LOAD "*",8,1 and
press RETURN.

OPTIONS
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EVENT SELECTION
When the preliminary program has loaded, players leave the title screen 
and open the Games by pressing any key. The opening ceremony involves the
lighting of the Galactic Games Flame by a plasma bomb, ferried by warp
cruiser to the host planet from the legendary site of the first Games.

Galactic Games (TM) is a multiload program - there are five different 
events and an option of entering the 'Galactic Games Championship' in
which the player enters all events.

Cassette users should first reset their tape counters to zero at the 
start of the cassette , then play the five events in order, noting down
the counter readings at the start of each program segment in the boxes
provided below. On subsequent occasions you will be able to rewind or
fast-forward to any required event.

		------------------------------------
                - TAPE START         -     0000    -
                ------------------------------------
                - 100m SLITHER       -             -
                ------------------------------------  
		- SPACE HOCKEY       -             -
                ------------------------------------
		- PSYCHIC JUDO       -             -
                ------------------------------------
		- HEAD THROWING      -             -
                ------------------------------------
		- METAMORPH MARATHON -             -
                ------------------------------------

Disk users will be prompted if it necessary tu turn the disk over.

NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Events 1-4 can be played either head-to-head against another player or
against a computer controlled opponent. Event 5 is a one-player game.

In games 1-3 the computer takes control if it detects that the same FIRE
control has been pressed in response to both "PLAYER READY?" questions.

In game 4 the computer takes control if, when player 2 is asked to press 
FIRE, you do nothing.

GAME CONTROLS
"""""""""""""
Throughout the instructions, the controls are referred to as UP, DOWN,
LEFT, RIGHT, FIRE and QUIT. For joysticks the first five controls are 
self-explanatory. For keyboard equivalents and the key used for QUIT
consult the tables below

                  UP	    DOWN    LEFT     RIGHT     FIRE	QUIT
SPECTRUM
Cursor	         6/up     7/down   5/left   8/right     0         T
Player 1 keys     Q          A       Z         X        C         T
Player 2 keys     O          K       B         N        P         T

AMSTRAD CPC       N.B: Space/Fire to select 1/2 Player on Amstrad
Player 1 keys                       JOYSTICK
Player 2 keys     J          /       X         Z      SPACE      ESC

COMMODORE 64/128
Player 2 keys     @          :       K         H        up     RUN STOP


QUITTING AN EVENT
"""""""""""""""""
Players may end an event at any time by pressing the QUIT key. An on 
screen prompt then offers the choice of continuing with a new game in
the current event, or returning to the event selection menu.

1. 100m SLITHER
"""""""""""""""
Players control specially-bred racing worms, which move by bunching up
the central body and then sliding forward (similar to the motion of a 
caterpillar). A single movement cycle begins by pressing DOWN, which locks 
the head and bunches the body, drawing the tail forward. Pressing UP now
extends the body so flat and causes the worm to slide forward. Repeating 
this action at speed drives the worm forward along the track, although for
maximum speed you must find the right rhythm for the up and down strokes.
Press DOWN and then RIGHT for a super-slither.

To lubricate its passage along along the ground, the worm exudes slime 
from a gland when FIRE is pressed. If the slime gland runs dry, the worm 
will start to overheat. Unless the player slows down to allow the gland to
recharge the excessive friction will eventually make the worm burst into
flames. The slime level and temperature of the two worms are displayed on
meters at the top of the screen.

Both worms are always displayed on the screen, even if one player races 
much faster than the other. The two lanes scroll sideways independently,
and the progress of each worm is indicated by the trackside numbering.

A worm is disqualified if it fails to complete the course within 
70 seconds.

2. SPACE HOCKEY
"""""""""""""""
Space hockey is played with black holes for goals at the left and right of
the field. Thus players have a tendency to be sucked into the goals if 
they stay too close, whereas the puck - a living creature - does it's best
to stay out.

Player control is simply by means of the UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT 
controls, with FIRE acting as a brake. The brake is essential for players
to retain control because, being spheres themselves, the players will 
rebound from the puck, and each other, on impact.

The best tactic is to ram the puck in the required direction and press 
FIRE immediately after the impact so that you don't rebound, and can 
regain control rapidly.

The main screen window shows the area around the puck (and thus not
necessarily either of the players). The location of this area relative to
the entire hockey field is displayed in the second box at the top of the
screen, as are markers for each player (this let you find your way back to
the puck if you disappear off the main screen). The background grid on the
main screen also offers some indication of the puck's location: the 
squares get narrower near the goals.

Players score three points if the puck falls into the opponent's black 
hole, and one point if the opponent falls into either black hole. The
scores are displayed in the boxes at far left and right of the screen.

A match consists of four rounds of 60 seconds each. The round number and
time remaining are displayed in the other two display boxes.

3. PSYCHIC JUDO
""""""""""""""" 
The left-hand window of the split-screen shows Player 1's view of Player
2, while the right-hand window shows Player 2's view of Player 1. The two
players, whose over-developed brains are located in their stomach, belch
bolts of psychic energy at each other and defend themselves with mental
shields.

To attack, press FIRE to transfer psychic energy from your reserve (upper
bar) to your bolt (lower bar). When the bolt is at the required strength,
release FIRE to launch the bolt. You will see it travel away from you, and
towards your opponent. Steer the bolt using LEFT, RIGHT, UP and DOWN, 
trying to avoid any shields your opponent may have erected.

There can only be one psychic bolt travelling at a time, so if your
opponent gets his attack in first, you are forced into defensive mode. 
Here, you control the erection of mental shields in front of selected 
areas of your body in an attempt to catch the on-coming bolt. The larger
the shield and the longer you hold it, the more energy is drained from 
your reserves - however, if you catch the bolt a portion of its energy is
transferred to your reserves. The joystick controls the erection of shields
as follows:

	1 ..... UP and LEFT                    ----------
        2 ..... LEFT                          -     |    -
        3 ..... DOWN and LEFT                 -  1  | 4  -
	4 ..... UP and RIGHT                  ------------
	5 ..... RIGHT                        -      |     -
	6 ..... DOWN and RIGHT              -    2  | 5    -
	                                  -         |       -
      1+4 ..... FIRE and UP                 -       |      -
      2+5 ..... FIRE                         --------------
      3+6 ..... FIRE and DOWN               -       |      -
                                           -     3  | 6     -
    1+2+3 ..... FIRE and LEFT             -      ------      -
    4+5+6 ..... FIRE and RIGHT           -     -        -     -
                                         -------        -------

During defence, the drain on the psychic energy reserve depends on the size
of shield and the time for which it is held. You can alter the shield 
pattern during the flight of the bolt if the attacker uses evasive 
maneouvres.

The shield appears as a dark area over the selected area of the body. If 
the bolt hits the shield, the shield flickers and the energy reserve 
increases. If it hits the unprotected areas, the player flickers and the
energy is lost.

There are two strategies. First, allow your opponent to attack you, and try
to catch his bolts with your shields. This drains him and adds the bolt
energy to your reserves, if you catch it, but drains you if you miss. 
Second, you can try attacking your opponent and rely on your ability to
dodge your bolts around his shields. In practice, a combination of the two
strategies will be required as the relative energy reserves of the players
shifts during a round. For example, if you're low on energy, wait for your
opponent to launch a bolt and try to catch it. Or if you have much more
energy than your opponent, try to finish him off with a single well-aimed
attack.

The game consists of 60-second rounds, played on a best-of-five basis. The
time remaining in a round is displayed in the central window at the bottom
of the screen - if a round times out without either player losing all his
energy reserve, it is replayed. The rounds won by each player are displayed
at the far left and right of the score area.

4. HEAD THROWING
""""""""""""""""
The participants in this event have detachable heads: the object is for
players to throw their own heads as far as possible down the field. The
throw has several stages.

First the combined head and body makes a run up to the throwing line by
alternately pressing the LEFT and RIGHT controls - the faster the 'waggle'
the faster the Hruntan runs. The speed is displayed by a moving bar in the
left-hand box at the top of the screen.

Just before crossing the line, the players must press and hold FIRE. This 
freezes the action, while the second display box shows the head rotating up
from the horizontal to the vertical. This is the angle at which the head 
will be thrown when FIRE is released: for maximum distance, you should get
it as close to 45 degrees as possible.

When you release FIRE, the head is thrown and the second box now displays
the length of throw. Once the head straightens out into level flight, some
extra distance can be gained by pressing UP and DOWN alternately - this
waggles the ears to generate lift.

Finally, the throw only counts if the nose sticks in the ground on impact,
so before landing the player must press FIRE again to make the head rotate.
Pressing FIRE too early means the head will topple right over: too late,
and the head will not tip enough to stick in and be counted.

So the lenght of the throw depends on four factors: the speed at the end of
the run-up; how close the Hruntan is to the throwing mark at the end of the
run; the angle that the head is thrown; and the amount of lift generated by
ear-waggling. Each player has three attempts - whoever achieves the 
greatest distance wins the round.

A throw is disqualified if the player steps over the mark, or if the nose
fails to stick in the ground.

5. METAMORPH MARATHON
"""""""""""""""""""""
In this event, the player has to negotiate an obstacle course against the
clock. The creature tackling the marathon is a Metamorph, capable of 
altering its body shape to suit the terrain. The player must decide which
form is most appropiate to the current section of the course.

At the top of the screen are five displays, which have the following
functions:

The box at the top left is the speed/power meter and indicates either the
speed (when running or flying) or the stored jump energy (for jumping).
The box below it shows how much of the course the player has covered so 
far.

The third box displays four red bars which represent the total energy 
left. Movement and heavy impacts cause more rapid energy loss, finding
power pills restores energy. the marathon ends if the metamorph runs out
of energy.

The fourth box displays the elapsed time in minutes and seconds, while 
the final box displays the active control keys for the currently selected
body shape.

The metamorph has five forms available, as follows:

REST STATE
At the start of the marathon, the metamorph is in its rest state, depicted
as a pulsing blob of unstable cells. Pressing LEFT, RIGHT, UP and DOWN
while in the rest state will transform the metamorph into one of its four
mobile forms. Conversely while in one of the mobile forms, the rest state 
may be achieved by pressing FIRE. To convert from one mobile form to
another the metamorph must first return to the rest state.

RUNNER
This form is acquired by pressing RIGHT. the metamorph sprouts legs and 
will run towards the right if the LEFT and RIGHT controls are pressed 
alternately. The metamorph's speed depends on the ratel of 'waggle'. This
form can only travel over level ground. Hitting a wall at speed costs 
energy.

BURROWER
This form is acquired by pressing LEFT. The metamorph converts to a 
smooth, streamlined bell-shaped which can pass horizontally through
certain obstacles (to the right only). this movement continues as long as
the UP control is pressed. The burrower can also move over level ground
but at an increased energy drain.

JUMPER
This form is acquired by pressing DOWN. the metamorph grows a spring-like
piston, enabling it to jump to great heights. (Falling a great distance 
in any form other than the jumper will cause excessive energy loss on 
impact). Pressing DOWN  tensions the spring (the time that DOWN is held
determines the strength of jump, as indicated on the speed/power meter).

Also, simultaneously holding either the LEFT or RIGHT control stores a 
left or right bias to the jump. When the controls are released and the
metamorph is on the ground then the piston is triggered, causing the
metamorph to jump straight up, to the left or to the right. A series of
consecutive bounces can build up the jumping height.

FLYER
This form is acquired by pressing UP. The metamorph sprouts helicopter
blades which allow it to fly either vertically, or diagonally up and to
the right. The blades are spun up to speed by pressing LEFT and RIGHT 
alternately - the speed/power meter indicates the flying speed.

Once the metamorph lifts off, the player can either continue 'waggling'
to rise vertically, or pressing UP (without waggling) to fly across the
course at the speed stored during the 'waggle' phase. Releasing the 
controls causes the flyer to lose its aerial velocity and drop from the
sky until it lands, or you 'waggle' back up to flying velocity again.  
  
