MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
Epyx / U.S. Gold


OPERATION: Atombender
I.M.A. Special Terrorist Unit
MISSION BRIEFING for the Spectrum 48K.


TOP SECRET


CONFIDENTIAL
AGENT'S EYES ONLY!
OFFICE COURIER ONLY!


TO: Special Agent 4125 - Mission Briefing

1. Subject: Mission of vital importance to national and
global security. Operations to begin immediately.
Utmost urgency.

2. Situation: During the past three days, key military
computer installations of every major world power have
reported security failures. In each case, someone gained
access to a primary missile attack computer.

Only one person is capable of computer tampering on
this scale:

	    Professor Elvin Atombender
	(hereafter referred to as "Elvin")

We believe that Elvin is working to break the computers'
launch codes. When he succeeds, he plans to trigger a
missile attack that will destroy the world.

3. Mission: You must penetrate Elvin's underground
stronghold and stop him. To succeed you will have to
evade the scientist's robot guards, break his security code
and find his control centre. Your predecessors, Agents
4116 and 4124 (may they rest in peace), were able to send
back some information about Elvin's installation. It is
detailed in the following pages.

Your only weapons will be your keen analytical mind
and your M1A9366B pocket computer. Good luck.
The world is depending on you.


DOSSIER: ELVIN ATOMBENDER

Sex: Male  Age: 62	[graphic 1a]
Race: Caucasian
Height: 5'4"
Weight: 120lbs
Hair: No  Eyes: Yes
Traits: Avoids people, hates animals, likes M&Ms

Childhood: Elvin was a
nice boy - his mother loved
him. In school he loathed
sports but excelled in
mathematics. He seldom
caused any problems (at
least none with any global
consequences). At home,
Elvin spent most of his
time gaping into his computer screen, and this did not
prove harmful to anyone, either.

Oh, there was the time Elvin broke into the phone
company's computer system and changed the records.
Angry at his parents for some real or imagined crime,
the playful youngster added a long distance call to their
monthly bill. A five-and-a-half hour call to Afghanistan.
His parents were tolerant. They were sure he would
eventually grow out of his passion for tinkering with
other people's computers. "Let him have his fun." his
mother would say. To which his father would reply,
"Kids will be kids". There was, of course, no way for
them to know what the future would bring.

Turning point: It was during his days as a college student
that Elvin was transformed from a promising young man
into a snivelling evil-doer. He had become obsessed with
a new computer game, "Giggling Penguin Invaders From
Outer Space In The Vicinity Of Ursa Minor". (Elvin had
always hated penguins from Ursa Minor).

The game's score counter went up to 100-billion, and
Elvin was determined to "max it out." After playing the
game for several days without sleep, he had vaporized
enough penguins to pile up 99,999,999,785 points.
One more tuxedoed avian and he'd have it.

Elvin shook out his joystick hand. A 250-point penguin
waddled onto the screen. Elvin's eyes lit up. He took
aim. And then, at that precise moment, the power failed.
Elvin's game was lost; he'd never get a score that high
again. In that instant, something snapped in Elvin's mind.
He was consumed by a single maniacal obsession. He
would repay the world for the injustice it had dealt him.

For many years. Elvin waited. He became a distinguished
professor, a renowned expert in computers and robotics.
Then, eight years ago, he disappeared. His whereabouts
were unknown until now.


INTELLIGENCE REPORT

Elvin's stronghold
Using a fortune he amassed by raiding the computer
systems of various financial institutions, Elvin constructed
a vast, underground stronghold packed with computer
equipment. There, in seclusion, Elvin spent four years
working to breach the security of military computer
installations around the world. As you know, he has
succeeded.

Our computers estimate that he will break the launch
codes and trigger the missile attack in exactly six hours.
This is the amount of time you will have to complete
your mission.


[graphic 1b]


Elvin's stronghold has 32 rooms. Some of them are used
as living quarters and others are computer rooms. But
(here comes the strange part) our intelligence indicates
that each room has a series of floors, or catwalks, which
are connected by lifts. The last agent who tried to crack
Elvin's stronghold gave the following report:

(excerpt) "I have just entered what appears to be a living
room ... (static) ... peculiar. All of the furniture seems to be
on catwalks high above the floor ... not sure how to get up
there ... (static) ... I can see a fireplace and a sofa directly
over my head ... how can anyone live like this? Hold it ...
(static) ... I think a robot may have seen me ... aaarrrgh!!!"
(transmission terminated).

Clearly, Elvin has constructed the rooms of his
stronghold in such a way that only he can negotiate
them easily. The floors and catwalks often end quite
abruptly dropping off into space. And, of course, they
are guarded by Elvin's nasty, human-seeking robots.
Devilishly clever that Elvin.

Elvin's robots
Height: 1.57 metres  Weight: 67 kilos
Armour type: ablative (AC:-4)
Vcc: 5 megavolts
Weaponry: high-voltage ionic plasma generator
Energy reserves: 3.14 megajoules (estimated)
Maximum angular velocity: 1.2 megaradians/fortnight
Longitudinal velocity: 
Alpha class:	2.5 x 10^-8c
Beta class:	1.2 x 10^-8c
Gamma class:	5.9 x 10^-9c
Omega class:	0c
Photovoltaic threshold: 0.12 lumens
Entropic conversion rate: 2.71828 ergs/nsec
Thermionic coefficient: 6.07 therms/hour


[graphic 1c]


Elvin's security system
Our intelligence indicates that Elvin uses three types of
codes (or passwords) in his security system. One code
deactivates the robots, another operates the lifts and the
third code (a password) unlocks the control room.

Now comes the REALLY strange part.

We believe that Elvin hides the passwords in his
furniture.

Elvin, who is extremely absent-minded, frequently
forgets the passwords for his security computer.
His solution is to scatter them haphazardly around the
house. You can find one of his passwords in the sofa.
Or the stereo. Or the candy machine. But you must find
them. Without the passwords, you will almost certainly
end up like Agent 4124 (but we don't want to think
about that, do we?)

Once you find the codes, using them should be relatively
easy (for the most part). You should be able to log onto
a security terminal as you enter each room and deactivate
the robots or reset the lifts (if necessary) from there.
This should present no problems. However, the control
room password is another matter. Realising the importance
of this particular code, Elvin has broken it into dozens of
pieces, scattering them throughout the complex. You will
have to find and retrieve all of the pieces and match
them up like a puzzle to form the password.

With the completed password. you can gain access to
the control room where Elvin is preparing to launch the
missiles. You have to stop him. Or the world is going to
be terminally late for dinner tonight.


OBJECTIVE

To succeed at IMPOSSIBLE MISSION you must penetrate
the rooms and tunnels of Elvin's underground
stronghold, avoid his robot defenders and put together
his secret password. Then you can enter Elvin's control
room and put a stop to his plans.

You score points by finding puzzle pieces and putting
them together and by reaching Elvin's control room
before time runs Out. As your skill at the game increases,
you can achieve higher scores by completing the
password and reaching the control room with more time
left on the clock. But each time you play, the rooms and
robots will be rearranged, and the puzzles will be
different.


STARTING PLAY

After the game is loaded, a score board is displayed.
This screen also allows keyboard/joystick selection.

You begin play with your agent in an elevator. The display
of the screen is your pocket computer.


CONTROLS

* In the elevator: Push the joystick forward or back to
go up or down. Push the joystick left or right to move in
either direction along the corridor. Running off the edge
of the screen takes you into a room.

* In the rooms: Push the joystick left or right to move
in either direction. If you press the fire button, your
agent will perform a mid-air forward flip that you won't
believe (this is especially useful for somersaulting over
pesky robots).

* On lifting platforms: If you're standing on a striped
lifting platform in one of the rooms, you can push the
joystick forward or back to go up or down.


GAME PLAY

As you explore Elvin's stronghold, your pocket computer
(at the bottom of the elevator screen) will display a map
of the rooms and tunnels you have entered. In every
room, you should conduct a search.

Searching for codes
Search every object or piece of furniture in the rooms for
codes and password puzzle pieces (if you can avoid the
robots). You can do this by standing directly in front of
an object (sofa, desk, fireplace or whatever) and pushing
the joystick forward.
The word "Searching"	[graphic 1d]
will appear in a box on
the screen. You will also
see a horizontal bar
indicating the length of
time it will take to search
the object.
You must continue holding the joystick forward until the
bar disappears. If your search is interrupted for any
reason., you can go back to the object and resume
searching where you left off. But if you leave the room
or commence searching another object you'll have to
start the search from the beginning.

When you have finished searching the object, one of
four things will appear in the box.

* The words "Nothing here".
* A picture of a sleeping robot. This represents a
SNOOZE password which allows you to temporarily
deactivate the robots in a room.
* A picture of a striped lifting platform with an arrow
above it. This represents a LIFT INIT password which
allows you to reset all of the lifting platforms in a room
to their original positions.
* A puzzle piece. This is part of the password which
allows entry to the control room. It will be entered into
the memory of your pocket computer automatically.

Using the security terminals
You can use the SNOOZES and LIFT INITS at any
security terminal. These terminals are usually located
near the entrance to each room. They look like
television sets with darkened screens facing toward you.

To use a security terminal, move directly in front of it
and push the joystick forward. The screen of the security
terminal will enlarge to fill your display. You can select
one of three functions with the joystick (press the fire
button when the arrow points to the function you want):

* Reset lifting platforms. To use this option, you must
have a LIFT INIT password in your possession.
(Your pocket computer displays the number of LIFT INITS
you have.)
* Temporarily disable robots. To use this option, you
must have a SNOOZE password in your possession.
(Your pocket computer displays the number of SNOOZES
you have.)
* Log off.

Code rooms
Elvin's stronghold contains two code rooms where you
can earn additional passwords. Walk up to the console
and push the joystick forward as if you were searching it.
A sequence of squares will flash on the wall, each with
a musical note, and a white glove will appear. Use the
glove to touch each square in a sequence so that the
notes are sorted in ascending order (from low to high).

If you produce the proper sequence of notes the
checkerboard will flash and you'll get a SNOOZE or a
LIFT INIT password. You can do this as many times as
you like, but the sequence gets longer each time. You can
quit at any time by touching the purple bar.


[graphic 1e]


Pocket computer
Your pocket computer is an amazing device. It allows you
to play with the puzzle pieces right on the screen,
twisting them around to figure out how they go together.


[graphic 1f (left)]


To activate your pocket computer you must be standing
in one of the elevators or corridors. Press the fire button
to turn on the pocket computer. Note: You can't use the
pocket computer in any of the rooms. Pressing the fire
button in a room will cause you to do a somersault.
When the computer is activated, the map of Elvin's
stronghold will vanish and a glove will appear. Use the
glove to put the puzzle pieces together forming the
password that will let you enter Elvin's control room.

Using the glove
* To move the glove, move the joystick in the desired
direction.
* To activate a function key, "point" to it with the
glove and press the joystick button.
* To pick up a puzzle piece in the memory window,
"point" to it with the glove and press the joystick
button. Then you can move it by moving the joystick.
* To drop a puzzle piece, press the joystick button.
* To make a copy of the selected puzzle piece, "point"
to it with the glove and press the joystick button.
* To put back a copy of the selected piece, "point"
to the desired window and press the joystick button.
* To select a puzzle piece that isn't selected, "point"
to it with the glove and press the joystick button.
* To find out if two pieces match, "point" to the desired
window and press the joystick button.

Solving the puzzles
* Some pieces are upside down or backwards (or both)
when you find them, so if a piece doesn't seem to match
anything, try flipping it with the function keys.
* Pieces must be the same colour, or they won't match,
If two pieces with different colours look like they should
match, then use the colour keys to change them.
* A completed puzzle looks like a computer punch card;
a solid rectangle with several little holes in it.
* A completed puzzle may be upside down or backwards
when you finish putting it together (you may have to flip it
around before it is recognised as a solution).
* There are four pieces in each completed puzzle, and nine
puzzles in the game. Each time you complete a puzzle, one
letter of Elvin's password will appear at the bottom of the
pocket computer screen.
* When you have all nine of the letters in the password,
you can open the door to Elvin's control centre and save
the world.

Control room
The door to Elvin's control room is in one of the green
rooms. When you have completed the password, position
your agent directly in front of the door and push the


[graphic 1g]


joystick forward. The door will open, and you'll finally have
the last laugh.

Using the phone
When you touch the phone key on your pocket computer
it dials up the Agency's main computer (to get some help
with the puzzles). But there is a charge for using it. Each use
of the phone costs two minutes on the game clock.

The Agency's computer will give you three choices. Select
the one you want with the glove, then press the fire button.

Correct orientations of leftmost pieces. The computer will
flip the two puzzle pieces in the memory window to orient
them correctly (right side up and forwards, instead of upside
down and backwards). A red mark will appear to the left of
each piece that has been flipped.

Have we enough pieces to solve the upper left puzzle?
The computer will look at the upper puzzle piece in the
memory window and tell you whether you've found all
three of the pieces that go with it to make a puzzle.

Hang up. Hangs up the phone.


[graphic 1f (right)]


SCORING

The game clock (on the pocket computer display) starts at
12:00. The game ends when the clock reaches 6:00.
Each time you fall off the bottom of the screen or get
zapped by a robot, you are penalised ten minutes. Each time
you use the phone, you are penalised two minutes.

When the game ends, you are awarded points as follows:
1 point for each second remaining on the clock.
100 points for each puzzle piece found.
100 points for each SNOOZE or LIFT INIT found.
500 points for each puzzle solved.
1,000 points for completing the mission.


HINTS

Here are some playing hints from the author of
IMPOSSIBLE MISSION.

* Some rooms are harder than others. If a room seems too
hard (presumably because you don't have any passwords to
reset the lifts and turn off the robots), come back to it after
you've acquired some passwords.

* Each type of robot has a different behaviour program.
Some robots move faster than others, some of them shoot
lightning bolts, and some have no sight or hearing. So watch
them closely. You can often figure out what program a robot
is running before you try to get past it.

* Your pocket computer will let you combine any two
pieces that don't overlap, but this isn't always enough.
Puzzle pieces which don't overlap may not really belong
together. If you find that it's impossible to finish a partially
completed puzzle, you may have combined the wrong
pieces.

* You don't have to somersault over every hole in the floor
If a gap is no wider than a lifting platform, try stepping over
it. But don't let up on the joystick until you get to the other
side or you'll fall.

* If you have to cross a very large chasm, you can actually
have one foot in the abyss before you press the fire button
to jump. If you do this just right, it will give you the extra
distance you need.

Well, that's all you'll get out of me. The rest is up to you.
After all, saving the world isn't supposed to be easy.



Manufactured in the U.K. under licence from Epyx Inc. by
U.S. Gold Limited, Unit 10, The Parkway Industrial Centre,
Heneage Street, Birmingham B7 4LY.

(c) 1983 Epyx Inc. Epyx is a registered trademark of Epyx Inc.
Impossible Mission is a registered trademark of Epyx Inc.
Copyright subsists on this program. All rights of the
producer reserved. Unauthorised broadcasting,
diffusion, public performance, copying
and re-recording, hiring, leasing,
renting and selling under any exchange
or repurchase scheme is prohibited.
