THE SPECTRUM GAME DATABASE

SPY VS SPY

PUBLISHER
Beyond

AUTHOR
Mike Reidel, Tag & The Kid

YEAR
1985

CATEGORY
Arcade Strategy

DESCRIPTION
Spy V Spy is a two player arcade game, where the idea is to set
traps for the other to walk in to. Game utilizes SIMULVISION 
(revolutionary split-screen display depicting both players 
activities simultaneously!) and SIMULPLAY (no more need to wait 
your turn).

CONTROLS
Keyboard - Redefinable, to move through start menu use 6 & 7 for 
	   select and 8 to change option, 
default keys are:
	PLAYER ONE              PLAYER TWO
          Up       - Q            - O
          Down     - S            - K
          Left     - X            - N
          Right    - C            - M
          Fire/Act - 1            - 0


INSTRUCTIONS
The two spies from the pages of MAD Magazine, the White Spy and
the Black Spy, are trapped in a building near an airfield. The
objective of the game is quite simple - controlling one of the
spies, with a friend or the computer controlling the other, you
must get out of the building and reach the plane on the runway.
However, you can't leave the building until you find the correct
door, and the guards won't let you go through the door unless you
are carrying four objects. Since you can only carry one object
at a time, you need to find a (hidden) briefcase. And your
opponent will stop at nothing to prevent you from doing this...
 
You must search each room for useful objects, which simply
involves looking behind each of the fixtures and fittings; if an
object is behind something then it will be added to your
inventory if when you look there. However, your enemy also wants
the same objects and will try to get there before you! The hunt
is further complicated by the fact that the spies can set traps
for each other.

If the two spies are in the same room then you are unable to
search or use traps, in which case you can either enter
hand-to-hand combat or leave. The advantage of hand-to-hand
combat is that if you win, you will be able to recover your
opponent's inventory, but of course you might lose... This is
where you must think strategically; if for example you had failed
to find any objects, you could wait while the other spy does all
the hard work and then ambush him.

You can set traps for your opponent by using the Trapulator
device, displayed on the side of the screen, which shows six
icons, the first five of which are booby traps. The icons
represent a bomb, a large spring, a bucket of water, a gun and
string, a time-bomb with a 15 second fuse [the alarm clock icon]
and a map, which shows object locations. The traps must be set
according to their type. The gun and string, for example, can
only be tied to a door, while the spring or bomb can be left
under any piece of furniture. All of the traps, except the time
bomb, can however be defused. A fire bucket will douse the fuse
of a bomb while a pair of scissors will get you past the gun and
string. These defusing items are located around the building but
they can also be moved around by picking them up and dropping
them in a different location. One important point to remember
when setting traps is remember where you put them!

If you are playing against the computer, you can set its
intelligence at the start of each game, with one being the lowest
and five the highest. You can also change the size of the
building from anything between 6 and 36 rooms. Points are scored
for killing the other spy but they are also deducted for being
killed, as well as for using the map. Note also that you have a
time limit: the plane will not wait forever!

SCORES RECEIVED
Crash: "An exciting and demanding game, should last for ages."
93% (CRASH #19, August 1985)

SEQUELS/PREQUELS
This great game is followed by 2 sequel episodes: 
"The Island Caper" in 1987 and "Arctic Antic" in 1988. Both 
playable but with lack of idea and omissions in scenario.


TIPS/CHEATS

   (if all those infos above are not enough to boost your skills, 
    additional help comes from: Enterprise (Tom Hoot) BBS in 
    Austin TX. <thoot@neosoft.com>, Speccy adaptation is done 
    by Aleksandar Lukic, alexlux@EUnet.yu ) 

You travel throughout a selectable, yet randomly generated maze of 
interconnection rooms. While setting and defusing booby-traps, 
engaging in hand-to-hand combat, searching for the Top Secret 
briefcase (guess its not secret anymore) and looking for the only 
way out, you must collect your passport, secret plans, money, and 
a key in order to escape from the foreign embassy before your plane 
take off without you. 

GAME OPTIONS:

When SPY vs SPY has finished loading into your computer, you will be
presented ith OPTION screen. You will be able to select and modify 
the following options:

 1. Number of players
 2. Difficulty level
 3. 'Intelligence Quotient' of the computer (one player mode only)
 4. Airport exit revealed or until the end.

MOVEMENT:

The rooms that you are in, are three dimensional. Pressing 'up' 
will move you towards the rear of the room. Pressing 'right' or 
'left' will move you right or left. If you move from room to room, 
you will notice that a Movement Status Indicator bar (located below 
your room) is scrolling from right to left and being updated with 
each new room you have entered.  These symbols can show you how to 
go back to where you've come from. Just like "Bread Crumbs". 
For examples, if you move one room to the right and two rooms 
towards the rear, you will see, reading from right to left, two 
"down" arrows and one "left" arrow. To find your way back, follow 
the arrows reading from right to left, each arrow will be "erased", 
one by one as you enters in the rooms. 

OBJECT MANIPULATION:

First, move within range of any object (you will hear a short tone 
and see a flash). Then press fire button. Any object within a room
can be opened or lifted and may reveal one of the hidden items you 
are looking for. If you're not so lucky, it will activate a BOOBY 
TRAP, blowing you to smithereens....

OPENING DOORS:
Again, move within range if any closed door. Press the fire button
and the door will open.

GAME ELEMENTS
-------------
HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT:

The combat mode exists only when both spies are in the same room.
SIMULVISION ends, and the spy that entered the common room appears 
on the same screen as the Spy that was already there. Both spies 
have the options of attacking, leaving, or avoiding the other Spy.
In the combat mode, spies cannont search objects, or use the 
Trapulator (no map or traps). Doors, however, still work, and so do
any traps that might be connected with them. If spies are not within
range of any object when pushing fire button, they use their clubs 
with which they can hit the other Spy on the head or jab him in the 
stomach. 

To smash him on the head (swing the club downward), keep pressing 
up-down while fire is held down. To jab, keep pressing left-right. 

When the fire is first pushed down, the Spy will automatically face 
his opponent, regardless of which way he was facing or moving. To 
move your Spy during combat, release the button ad move as normal. 
Hitting the other spy weakens him, and about 7 solid blows are 
needed to "Kill" him. However, Spies will recover strength over a 
period of time.

If a Spy is carrying anything when he enters a common room, the 
object is lost or hidden in the common room, depending on the type 
of object. Traps and remedies are lost, while inventory items and 
the briefcase are hidden somewhere in the room. The winner of the 
combat sequence can search the object ut, and either regain or gain 
possesion. YUMMY!!
NOTE: At the beginning of each new game, both Spies will start out 
in the same room only a few steps from each other. Soooo, don't 
become the victim... keep your guard up!

TIME:

Both players start out with equal time to travel the maze, however, 
there are several time penalties. You lose time when you set a 
booby-trap. When setting a trap, you will hear several beeps. This 
will tell you that the trap was properly set and it reminds you to 
watch your trapulator, which will be deducting appropriate time. 
However, if you are the victim of a booby-trap or the loser in a 
hand-to-hand combat the clock will continue to count down even 
though you are 'unconscious'. These losses of time can never be 
regained. When time is about to run out the red button on top of 
the TRAPULATOR will flash and sound it's warning. Both players can
never run out of time at the same time. Therefore, one player will
outlive the other. The surviving player will continue his search for
the briefcase required objects and the exit. If you are playing
against the computer and the computer has time remaining, you can 
abort the mission. Even after your spy's demise, the traps he has 
set remain. The game is by no means over just because one player's 
time has run out. 

BOOBY TRAPS:

As players move through the maze of rooms, they may select any of 
the five booby-traps. The booby-trap arsenal contains: Bombs, 
Springs, Buckets of Water, Guns with Strings tied to the Trigger 
and Time Bombs. The Time Bomb needn't be hidden. In fact, it is 
activated immediately and is the only booby-trap that cannot be 
carried or neutralized! The Gun with a string and the bucket of 
water can only be attached to a closed door. All other traps may be 
placed behind or in anything found in any room.

Spies can carry traps in and out of rooms, placing them where they
wish when they are ready. Booby-traps are depicted in black while 
the remedies are shown in color.


TO PLACE AND SET A TRAP:

1. Press the fire button... TWICE! You have just accessed the
TRAPULATOR. Bomb icon starts flashing. 
2. To make the booby-trap of your choice flashing (i.e. to become 
active), use keys.
3. Press fire. The booby-trap is now held by your spy.
4. Position the Spy in front of the hiding place you have selected. 
Watch for a brief flash in your Spy's room. This flash indicates
the Spy is properly positioned.
5. Press fire. The booby-trap will disappear* and you will hear the 
short 'beeps'. These indicate that the trap has been set AND that 
time is being deducted from the time remaining before your flight 
leaves.

*NOTE:
In the case of the Gun with a String trap, only the gun will no 
longer be visible. As you move your Spy about the room, the string 
will stretch and follow the Spy. Position him in front of a closed 
door, watch for the flash, press fire and the trap is set.

Once a trap has been set, EITHER Spy has can set it off! A Time Bomb
will go off in 15 seconds once selected. Any Spy(s) in the room at 
the time of detonation will be zapped. Unlike other traps, the Time 
Bomb is not set off by he searching of the Spies. Listen carefully 
for them. They come in handy if you are being chased. 
The unfortunate Spy will lose 7 seconds of actual time.  Also, 20 
seconds will be deducted from his game time, for a total penalty of 
27 gaming seconds. The other player will be awarded bonus points 
for each trap set off by the opposition. If the boobytrappee has 
been in possesion of the briefcase, the other Spy can use this time 
to attempt to locate the victim and grab the briefcase!!

To add insult to injury, when a player sets off a trap, he gets 
zapped while the other Spy laughs hysterically.


REMEDIES:

Except for the Timb Bomb, each of the traps has a disarming remedy
hidden throughout the maze. Each type of remedy is always hidden in
the same type of location. For example, the scissors are used to
disarm the Gun with string.  Scissors are only found in the First 
Aid kits hanging on the back walls. As with traps, remedies can be 
picked up and carried from room to room. Spies can NOT carry more 
than on thing at a time except inside the briefcase.


BOOBY-TRAPS AND REMEDIES
------------------------

 TRAP       USEABLE   REMEDY    LOCATION
 ========   ========  ========  =========
 Bomb       All but   Water     Red fire
            Door.     Bucket    box on Left Wall
 ---------------------------------------
 Spring     All but   Wire      White tool
            Door.     Cutters   box on Right Wall 
 ---------------------------------------
 Water      Door      Umbrella  Coat
 Bucket     ONLY                Rack
 ---------------------------------------
 Gun with   Door      Scissors  First
 String *   ONLY                Aid kit
                                on Back Wall
 ---------------------------------------
 Time Bomb  ANYWHERE  None!     N/A
 ---------------------------------------


* How to place it? Hook up gun for some object (painting, desk, 
..) i.e. press fire in its proximity, then walk to desired door, if 
the door was open, 1st fire will close it and 2nd will set trap. If 
the door was already closed, one press on fire is enough.

TRAPULATOR:

Located to the right of each of the rooms is a calculator-like, 
state of the art, Trapulator. You can use it to SELECT BOOBY TRAPS 
and to pin-point your LOCATION. 

The first 5 icons are selectable booby-traps. However, the sixth 
button in the lower righthand corner calls up a map of the embassy 
you have broken into. The map will apprear in the room that your 
spy is occupying. The room your Spy is in, will be the one blinking 
on and off. Rooms filled in cyan indicate that your Spy has been in 
that room at least once. Any required inventory items are 
represented by a dot. The map does NOT tell you what item or how 
many are in a particular room, just that something you are looking 
for is there. The map does NOT show the location of the other Spy, 
or doesit reaveal anything about the other floor of the embassy (if 
there is one).

INFO BAR:

At the top of the rooms (screens) is info bar. On the left is a 
digital clock which indicates the time left until your plane takes 
off (with or without you)! 
On the right is your INVENTORY. It displays items you have 
successfully collected. Its also indicates if an item is been taken 
from you (the item will now appear on the opposition's info bar). 
Left to right, should be your passport, money, key and the secret 
plans.

INVENTORY:

Your mission being to escape the embassy, before time runs out you 
must manage to find, fill, and keep the briefcase, locate the only 
exit and board your plane with ALL of the following: PASSPORT, 
traveling MONEY, the KEY, and the secret PLANS.

It is helpful to know that these items are never found in any of the
remedy locations. Use the briefcase to hold all these items. Carry
them with you or hide them. There is only on of each in any game.
Protect the briefcase at all costs. If an item is found and you do 
not posses the briefcase your spy will be carrying a white satchel 
and the item contained will be flashing on the Trapulator.

EXIT:

There is only one way out of each embassy building. The exit door is
marked. You can NOT leave without all of the required inventory. The
airport guard will see to that!

SPLIT LEVEL EMBASSIES:

Some of the embassy buildings are two stories high. Your Spy can 
climb from floor to floor by using the ladders. Holes in the floors 
are often hidden by carpets. Use fire key to cover/uncover such an 
opening. Then use keys to move up or down.

LADDERS AND RUGS:

If you enter a room with a lader, you can activate it by moving 
within range and pressing the fire button. Pressing once will lower 
the ladder to ground level, enabling you to move your Spy up the 
ladder to the upper floor. If you do not push your spy up the 
ladder, but push the fire button a second time, the ladder will 
raise back up. 
If you enter a room with a rug, standing within range of the rug, 
pressing the fire button will lift the rug and reveal a hole. Move 
your player over the hole and he will climb down the ladder to a 
lower floor. Also you can cover a hole by standing near it and 
pressing the fire button.

"BREAD CRUMBS":

You can re-trace your steps by using the small character indicators
just below the front edge of your room. These guides (not available 
in the higher levels) actually point the way back to where you have 
just come from!


SCORING:

Points are awarded or deducted for the following:
+80 winning at hand-to-hand
-20 losing at hand-to-hand
+30 for placing a booby-trap
-80 for being the victim of a trap or airport security guard's boot
+60 only for stealing other player's inventory item
-70 calling up the help MAP
+40 using a remedy sucessfully


RANKING:

At the conclusion of each game, players will be awarded the title or
rank they have earned. Bonus points and time penalties are 
calculated by the computer.

