The Planets (c) 1986 Martech Games Ltd
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INTRODUCTION

The year is 2007, Life on planet Earth is coming to an end. A series of monumental
natural disasters has thrown the Earth's climate into a deadly spiral - a second
Ice Age has already begun. The skies are black with volcanic dust. Massive
earthquakes hamper the world's futile attempts to cope with the changing
environment. All seems doomed. Into this darkening chaos an Alien life force makes
its presence known.

CONTENTS (48K Spectrum)

    Program      Summary
    Spacecraft   Main Program
    Weird        Alien Game

    Planets
1.  Mercury
    Venus        Data to be loaded into the Spacecrafts navigation system. You
    Earth        can then travel to any of the three planets currently held in
2.  Mars         the computer.
    Jupiter      Notice that Earth is always resident.
    Earth
3.  Saturn
    Uranus
    Earth
4.  Neptune
    Pluto
    Earth

CONTENTS (128K Spectrum)

    Program      Summary
                 Main program including all the planetary data necessary for
                 Spececrafts navigation system.
    Weird        The Alien Game

THE GAME

Your Spaceship is a 'Type 224' space explorer, ideal for the hazardous task you
must undertake.

You are on a routine mission within the solar system. For the past month the
problems which beset Earth have intensified. As each day passes the news which
reaches you worsens, Is life on Earth coming to an end?

News of the signal from deep space and the mysterious capsule are communicated to
you. The capsule has landed in mountainous region of Switzerland.

A robot has examined the capsule. It has one word engraved on its surface, ENIGMA.
There is a combination locking mechanism.

You have a hunch that the word LIFE will open the capsule. Your superiors order
your immediate return to Earth. You are given clearance to land your unmanned
surface lander near the capsule so that your hunch can be put to the test.
Besides, you are the most experienced and highly regarded Space Pilot alive.

As you travel to Earth the alien game codenamed WEIRD is transmitted to you. You
will have to find time to look at this and hopefully solve the secrets it
contains.

You have arrived at Earth, Your surface lander must land near the capsule and
attempt to open it. If you manage to open the capsule your spacecraft will be made
ready for hazardous journey to come.

'TYPE 224' EXPLORER

The 'Type 224 is ICON DRIVEN. The control panel displays the six main ICON
OPTIONS. Use the space bar or joystick to move the pointer to the desired icon and
press ENTER or FIRE to select that option. 

Selecting some options will open a window providing you with further SUB-ICONS.
These options can be selected in the same way.

If you change your mind or wish to quit any option, press the key 'Q'. In other
words, 'Q' always de-selects.

CONTROL PANEL

    |------------|----------------------------------------------|------------|
    |            |                   MESSAGES                   |            |
    |------------|----------------------------------------------|------------|
    |            |                                              |            |
    |            |                                              |            |
    | MANIPULATE |                                              |    MAPS    |
    |            |                                              |            |
    |            |                                              |            |
    |------------|                                              |------------|
    |            |                                              |            |
    |            |                                              |            |
    |  EXPLORE   |                VISUAL DISPLAY                |    DATA    |
    |            |                                              |            |
    |            |                                              |            |
    |------------|                                              |------------|
    |            |                                              |            |
    |            |                                              |            |
    |   TRAVEL   |                                              |  DATABASE  |
    |            |                                              |            |
    |            |                                              |            |
    |------------|----------------------------------------------|------------|
    |                                                                        |
    |                             INSTRUMENT PANEL                           |
    |                                                                        |
    |------------------------------------------------------------------------|

ICON OPTIONS

1. Manipulate
If you manage to retrieve an alien capsule choose this option to allow examination
of the capsules surface and manipulation of the locking system. It is a good idea
to make note of the contents of any capsules you manage to open.

Joystick     Keys       Action
 
Left         N          Selects the position
Right        M
Up           A          Turns the combination
Down         Z
Fire         Space      Attempts to open the capsule
 
2, Exploration Systems
SUB ICONS (a) Surface Lander, (b) Robot Explorer.

(a) Surface Lander
Select this option if you wish to launch the planetary surface landing craft. The
lander is an unmanned craft but it is controlled by the mothership and is able to
send back information and pictures on its surroundings and status.

It is controlled by one verticle VARIABLE THRUSTVECTOR and four directional
THRUSTVECTORS.

             Joystick    Keyboard

Left         Left        N
Right        Right       M
Forwards     Up          A
Backwards    Down        Z
Verticle     Fire        SPACE

The instrument panel display will change to that of the lander once you are ready
to launch it. Once launched, the lander will travel towards the planet under
TRACTOR BEAM CONTROL. At a height of 10 kilometres (1000 metres) you must take
direct control.

The lander now falls towards the planets surface under the influence of gravity.
The greater force of gravitational attraction the greater will be the
acceleration of the lander as it falls.

On planets with a high gravity therefore, you will need to make greater use of
the VERTICAL THRUST to control your rate of descent or ascent.

On planets which have atmospheres the lander may encounter strong winds and hence
you will need to make greater use of the directional thrustvectors.

Once the lander is launched the visual display will be split into two sections.

The right hand second will show a representation of the side view of the lander
falling towards the planets surface. The left hand section will show a computer
generated SURFACE GRID. This device enables you to assess the effects of wind 
and drift.

The approximate position of the capsule on the planets surface has been
programmed into this system and a box symbol will appear on the screen to show
you where this is. If you cannot see this symbol you will need to explore the
planets surface. Once you have found the capsule, try to land as near as possible
to it.

Your surface lander cannot survive landing at a speed greater than 20 metres per
second. If it is destroyed, you will have failed in your mission to save the
Earth.

To leave the planet choose the surface lander option more. To allow the TRACTOR
BEAM CONTROL to lock onto the lander you must  be travelling at less than 20
metres per second at 10000 metres altitude.

Once locked on, the lander will be accelerated automatically to the required
escape velocity and will dock safely with the mothership. If however, you miss
the beam, the landing craft will be lost and you will have failed in your mission
to save the Earth.

(b) Robot Explorer
This robot is a highly sophisticated search and retrieve surface explorer. Select
this option if the capsule is within range of the landers detectors, It is
controlled by selecting four possible operations which will appear as icons at
the bottom of the screen.

Anti-Clockwise
One unit represents a 90 degree turn in an anti-clockwise direction.

Move
One unit represents a move in a forward direction by one surface unit.

Clockwise
One unit represents a 90 degree turn in a clockwise direction.

Grab
One unit represents one attempt to retrieve the selected target object.

The robot explorer is able to operate efficiently even in the most hostile
environments. The signals which it sends back to you will be shown on the visual
display and are from its SPECTROVISOE. The Spectrovisor can operate in virtually
any known conditions, even in the complete absence of light.

It analyses a 90 degree arc of the immediate terrain which it is facing. A
trained operator can understand the resulting visual display and navigate the
robot accordingly. All Space Pilots are skilled robot explorer operators, but
when did you last take a refresher course.

Terrain            Colour

Plain              Yellow
Hole               Black
Rock               Magenta
Mountain           Cyan
Liquid             Blue
Turbulent Liquid   Black
Ice                White
Lava               Red
Target objects--|
eg Capsule      |  Green
   Lander     --|

You must try to find the capsule, retrieve it using the grabber, and then get it
back to the surface landing craft for examination. The capsules are too large to
take with you when you leave the planet so you must use the MANIPULATE option
whilst you are still on the surface.

The robot explorer has a limited fuel cell, if it runs out of power or is
destroyed, the signal from the SPECTROVISER will cease. You only have three
robot explorers, so look after them.

3. Travel
Select this option if you wish to travel to the destination planet i.e, the
planet currently shown as the destination planet on the instrument panel.

To change the destination planet see 4(a) long range map.

If necessary, load the relevant program data into the COMPUTER. Messages will
inform you when to do this.

Once the navigation systems are ready the IONDRIVE will be engaged. Your 'Type
224' will be accelerated through the space time continuum towards your chosen
destination.

How long this journey takes will obviously depend on the distance. If hazards
are encountered you may need to control the LASER DEFENCE SYSTEM (L.D.S)

LASER DEFENCE SYSTEM

Joystick      Keyboard

Left          N
Right         M
Up            A
Down          Z
Fire          SPACE

A window will open displaying a measure of any damage suffered. Damage can only
be repaired by landing on EARTH.

4.Maps
SUB ICONS (a) Long Range Map, (b) Short Range Map

(a) Long Range Map
Use the 'N' or 'M' keys or the joystick to move the cross hair over the desired
planet. The name of the planet and its distance from you is shown on the
instrument panel. Press FIRE or SPACE to select this planet as the destination
planet i.e. the planet you wish to travel to next.

(b) Short Range Map
Displays current planetary system, showing that planets moons.

5. Planet Information
SUB ICONS (a) Gravity (b) Sidereal Rotation Period

These options may give you vital information on the current planet.

(a) Gravity
Compares the rate of descent under the influence of gravity of two spherical
objects, one on Earth and one on the current planet.

(b) Sidereal Rotation Period
Compares the time taken for Earth and the current planet to orbit the Sun i.e.
one year for each planet measured in Earth days.

6. Database
Martech Database System (MDS) V2.1

This database contains useful information about the solar system and also
enables access to some important commands. It was updated on your last visit to
Earth. Unfortunately in your eagerness to get underway you forgot to bring the
instruction manual.

Summary
To save the world you will need to understand the capsules and their contents.
The alien game will help you do this. The entire Solar System is a clue. If you
solve the capsules, you will know what you must do. The 'Type 224' is able to
do this.

If you are successful you will discover how to prevent the end of life on
Earth. You will also discover how to claim an exciting prize. The first person
to correctly claim this prize - wins!!!

(c) SOFTWARE COMMUNICATIONS LTS. 1986. All Rights Reserved.

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Complete Instructions type in by Paul Thompson, March 2003
