Tau Ceti Docs

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TAU CETI

The story begins in 2047 with the invention of the Interstellar drive. Using hydrogen scoops mankind could collect fuel from the thin spread of hydrogen between the stars. This made it possible for the exploration and colonisation of nearby systems.

In 2050 the first wave of colonists left Earth for four nearby G type stars, Alpha Centauri. Tau Ceti, Van Maanen's Star and Beta Hydri. Seven months later the first wave of colonists arrived at Tau Ceti and began to build a civilation on the third planet, an inhospitable desert world with very little life. For over 90 years the colony grew and prospered. The Cetans built over 30 cities across the planet and a strong trade based on mining, robot technology and hydroponics.

Then, in 2150 disaster struck this and one other of mankinds four growing colonies. A vicious plague, Encke's syndrome swept across the planet. Once contracted the disease was invariably fatal and as it swept from city to city the few remaining colonists finally admitted defeat and fled, leaving the planet to the robot maintenance systems.

Two years passed and on Earth a cure for the disease was found and links between the two remaining colonies, Alpha Centauri and Beta Hydri, were resumed. About this time all radio contact was Iost with the automatic systems remaining on Tau Ceti III as a massive meteor smashed into the planet.

As the remaining starbases recovered from the loss it was decided to recolonise Tau Ceti and Van Maanen's star. In 2164 the first expedition left for Tau Ceti. A single ramscoop entered the system and safety landed on the planets surface. Minutes later, a mayday message was received, followed by total silence. Experts decided that the robots, so skillfully designed by the first colonists, had run amok after the meteor impact. After seven years, and the successful recolonisation of Van Maanen's Star, a second expedition was organised. The only way to stop the defence systems without destroying the remaining buildings was to send in an armed ground-skimmer to shut down the massive Fusion reactor in the planet's capital city, Centralis. A single skilled pilot might be able to succeed where fifty would surely fail, and like a fool, you volunteered!!!

CONTROLLING THE SKIMMER

The gal-corp armed skimmer is a powerful and dangerous craft and challenging for even the most experienced pilots. The skimmer is equipped with ...

A single mounted ruby laser

Defensive shields

Eight (8) heat seeking missiles + targeting system

Eight Anti missile missiles (AMM's)

Eight starlight flares

Infra-red night sights

A hoffman 360 degree scanner and 4-way selectable viewscreen to avoid blind spots

Planetary compass and computer ADF (automatic direction finding) beacons

A JCN command computer (guaranteed fully debugged for normal use).

On loading the program you will be presented with a view of the skimmer's instrument panel. The screen is divided into three areas. The large window on the left is your viewscreen, below that is a long blue area. This is your contact with the skimmer's powerful inbuilt computer. Finally on the right of the screen are five information windows. At the top is a compass and real­time clock along with a message showing the view selected, the city you are in and the ship's flight state. Below that is the scanner, and below that three more smaller windows The first gives the pilot's name and the scanners complement of missiles/AMMs and flares. The second shows speed, shield energy, fuel remaining, laser temperature and height and the third displays 2 ADF's - the upper one locked onto the city and the lower onto your LANDER (if in the same city).

The skimmer operates in two modes, flight mode and ground mode. In flight mode control of the program is via single keys or a joystick. In ground mode you are in direct communication with the crafts computer via the computer window. On loading the program will go into a demo sequence. To stop the demo press BREAK.

The commands available are given below along with a short description.

HELP

Lists commands as below.

LAUNCH

Normally ground mode is only active when you are docked. Launch will send the skimmer out onto the planets surface and activate flight mode.

MAP

The computer will display a map of the planet showing information about the cities. Use Left, Right, Up, Down and Fire keys to move the cursor over the map and fire to select a function.

RODS

This will allow you to assemble cooling rods found throughout your mission.

REACTOR

When docked with the Main Central Reactor on Centralis will give you access to the reactor room.

LOOK

Shows a view inside the building. Also any objects of use there.

WAIT

Waits 5 Earth minutes (about 1 / 12 of a Cetan "spin")

STATUS

Gives a damage and progress report (also available in flight)

EQUIP

Allows access to a building repair, refuelling and rearming facilities (if any)

NAME

Use at the start of the game to give the computer a pilot's name

PAD

An on‑screen note pad. Allows you to make notes of progress etc.

NEW PAD

Selects a fresh page in the note pad

SAVE

Saves game to tape

LOAD

Loads a game from tape

KEYS

Allows you to totally redefine the single key commands in flight mode

QUIT

Abandons a game

SCORE

Gives a rating of your progress so far

PAUSE

Freezes the game (fire restarts)

SIGHTS ON

SIGHTS OFF

To start the game type LAUNCH (and press ENTER)

Your skimmer will leave the safety of the lander and venture on the surface of the planet.

Exploration of the planet is carried out in FLIGHT MODE. When first loaded the following keys are used (but you may redefine any or all of these for your own preference/Kempston or cursor joysticks etc.)

Left............................. 0

Right . .                        P

Increase thrust              S

Decrease thrust            X

Fire laser                      N

Fire missiles                 M

Fire flare                      F

Fire AMM                     A

Status report                R

Infra red on/off              I

Increase height             H

Decrease height            G

Jump (if near jump pad) J

Land                            L

Pause BREAK (fire restarts)

FINALLY A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIRWOMAN....

Please try to avoid wanton destruction of unarmed buildings. Gal-corp central do want to COLONISE this world after you've finished with it and each undamaged dwelling will save millions on next years budget!!

GOOD LUCK

.................

Message ends

A MESSAGE FROM GAL-CORP CENTRAL

TAU-CETI III GENERAL INFORMATION

Tau Ceti III has a very short day, approximately equal to one Earth hour. The cetans call this period a “SPIN” and group 16 spins to a "DAY"'. As the planet has no moon you will need to use the Infra-red equipment to see anything after sunset.

Many of the buildings on the planet's surface are equipped with DFPs latest model energy screened airlock, recognisable by the characteristic flickering pattern, and your craft will allow you to dock with these buildings if you wait for the airlock to open to full aperture and fly in SLOWLY!

Once inside a building the computer will return you to ground mode giving you fulI access to any facilities available.