********* Welcome to Project 64! The goal of Project 64 is to preserve Commodore 64 related documents in electronic text format that might otherwise cease to exist with the rapid advancement of computer technology and declining interest in 8- bit computers on the part of the general population. If you would like to help by converting C64 related hardcopy documents to electronic texts please contact the manager of Project 64, Cris Berneburg, at 74171.2136@compuserve.com. Extensive efforts were made to preserve the contents of the original document. However, certain portions, such as diagrams, program listings, and indexes may have been either altered or sacrificed due to the limitations of plain vanilla text. Diagrams may have been eliminated where ASCII-art was not feasible. Program listings may be missing display codes where substitutions were not possible. Tables of contents and indexes may have been changed from page number references to section number references. Please accept our apologies for these limitations, alterations, and possible omissions. Document names are limited to the 8.3 file convention of DOS. The first characters of the file name are an abbreviation of the original document name. The version number of the etext follows next. After that a letter may appear to indicate the particular source of the document. Finally, the document is given a .TXT extension. The author(s) of the original document and members of Project 64 make no representations about the accuracy or suitability of this material for any purpose. This etext is provided "as-is". Please refer to the warantee of the original document, if any, that may included in this etext. No other warantees, express or implied, are made to you as to the etext or any medium it may be on. Neither the author(s) nor the members of Project 64 will assume liability for damages either from the direct or indirect use of this etext or from the distribution of or modification to this etext. ********* The Project 64 etext of the Mission Asteroid manual. Original document released 1983 by Sierra On-Line. Converted by Paul David Doherty , retrieved from the section of the Preserving Classic Adventures (PreCAP) Project . MISAST10.TXT, November 1996, etext #113. ********* Mission Asteroid Manual ----------------------- ============================TOP SECRET=============================== MISSION ASTEROID (tm) By Ken and Roberta Williams ============================TOP SECRET=============================== Alright, Cadet! A-TEN-HUT! You're going to get a chance to be a hero. At this very moment, a huge asteroid is just seven hours away from a collision with Earth. That's all the time you have to navigate your spaceship to the asteroid and destroy it. If you fail, the whole planet will be blown to smithereens! I told the general you're the only one for the job or my name isn't Commander Horatio Q. Kumquat! What's that? You've never piloted a spacecraft before? Well then, you're going to learn -- and fast! Now listen up! You're wasting precious seconds with all your questions. I'll answer a few, and the general will fill you in a bit. If you have any more questions, you can figure them out for yourself as you go -- we haven't the time now. What? You want to get to the spaceship? Not so fast, cadet. I'm glad to see you're so eager, but no one just takes off in a billion dollar military rocket. There's a little matter of orders, physical training and red tape. If you'll come with me now, I'll drop you at Mission Control. ============================TOP SECRET=============================== I don't know anything more about your mission, cadet, but I can give you a few tips. Listen to your old Commander Kumquat. The military system might not be perfect, but everything you need to complete your mission is on hand. Search every nook and cranny of Mission Control and your spaceship. I'm certain you'll find the necessary supplies. Along the way, you will have a computer to help you -- regular military issue. I've used one myself, and it's a fine gizmo. It only understands commands of one or two words, though. Simply give the order and press . To go in different directions, you only need to type a letter: N for North, S for South, W for West, E for East, U for Up and D for Down. Sometimes a single letter isn't enough and you'll need to give it more information. For instance, if you want to go through a door, tell it to GO DOOR. To take a closer look at an object, such as a sign, type LOOK SIGN. If you see something you think you might need on your journey, a key for instance, tell the computer to GET KEY. To leave it behind, type DROP KEY. Occasionally this gizmo will ask for more information about a command. For instance, you might type OPEN DOOR, and the computer will ask "WITH WHAT." Type in WITH KEY. You'll be meeting various people at Mission Control. If you want to speak to one of them, tell the computer. If you want to talk to a secretary, type TALK SECRETARY. Be careful who you talk to -- this is a TOP SECRET mission! ============================TOP SECRET=============================== Don't be alarmed if the computer doesn't automatically follow your orders. Keep trying different ways to say things. Sometimes it will be helpful to look back at your recent commands. Press the key, and the last few commands and description will pop up on the screen. Press again to return to the scene. Let me tell you something else. You've never been in space, or Mission Control either for that matter. The building is a virtual maze, with so many doors and hallways you might think you will never get out. Do as I do when I go to see the general. Keep a map of where you're going and where you've been. It also helps to mark what you did in each of the rooms, especially if you're forgetful like most cadets. It is important to look into every room along the way, and check out all of the directions; just make sure you know where you are. Here's the type of map I keep. It works pretty well. [see SIERRMAP.GIF] ============================TOP SECRET=============================== I have something important to tell you. Come closer. We have developed a device that, used properly, can save your hide (and ours, since you're our only hope) if you should blow up. Its code name is "saving a game. " If you get blown up, it's the only way to begin the mission again without starting over. It also lets you take five now and then. You know, catch a few ZZZs. You will find directions for saving a game on your TOP SECRET Player Guide. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Think you've got all that, cadet? Enough talk! I've got just a few more things to tell you before you're on your own. Think about all you'll need to successfully complete your mission and blow up that asteroid. Mission Control is a TOP SECRET building. Don't forget to get the password you'll need to begin your assignment. Space is a pretty big place, and that rocket isn't like driving a car. Do you have everything you need to navigate and control that spacecraft? And do you have everything you need to destroy the asteroid? Check your inventory before you embark on your journey. You can do this by typing INV and pressing the key. Well, cadet, that's about all the help I can give you. You hold the fate of the world in your hands, so snap to it! The minutes are ticking away! ===============================NOTES================================= ===================================================================== WARRANTY NOTICE Sierra On-Line, Inc. wants your continued business. If you fill out the enclosed product registration card and return it to us (we have already paid the postage), you are covered by our warranty. If your software should fail within 90 days, return it to your dealer or directly to us, and we will replace it free. After 90 days, enclose $5 and return the disk directly to us. Sorry, without the registration card you are not covered by the warranty. Sierra On-Line, Inc., Sierra On-Line Building, Coarsegold, CA 93614 WARNING Unauthorized copying of this program disk and the documentation may be a violation of Federal Criminal Laws (Title 17 USC Section 506). Violation may carry a fine of $25,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year for a first offense. Sierra On-Line, Inc. may have remedies under Federal Civil Laws (Title 17 USC Section 501) for unauthorized and unlawful copying of their copyrighted material. Mission Asteroid (c) 1980, Sierra On-Line, Inc. HOD-122 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sierra On-Line (tm) TM designates a trademark of SIERRA ON-LINE, INC. 1983 ===================================================================== [inlay card:] PLAYER GUIDE - COMMODORE 64 MISSION ASTEROID (tm) LOADING INSTRUCTIONS To begin your mission, check to make certain there is no cartridge in your cartridge slot. Turn on your monitor, disk drive, then your computer. Insert your adventure disk into the drive and type LOAD"MISSION",8,1. In a few moments you will find yourself looking toward the Mission Control facility. SAVING A GAME GETTING READY You'll only need to do this once. Get a blank disk, or one with information you don't care about. This will be your "saved game" disk. If there is anything on it, you'll lose it in the next step. When you are ready to save the game, take out the Mission Asteroid disk and insert your "saved game" disk. Type INIT DISK in the command space and press . When the disk drive stops whirring, take out the "saved game" disk and insert the Mission Asteroid disk. You are now ready to save a game. Press to get back to your mission. You'll want to save a game when (1) you want to take a break and turn off the computer or (2) you've progressed far enough into the game that you don't want to start at the beginning if you die. When you reach a point you want to save, type SAVE GAME in the command space and press . Take out the Mission Asteroid disk and insert your "saved game" disk into the drive. Type in a name to help you remember where you halted (for instance, type DOCTOR if you are in the Doctor's office) and press . Take out the "saved game" disk and insert the Mission Asteroid disk. Then press to continue your mission. RESTORING THE GAME Insert the Mission Asteroid disk into the drive and turn on the computer. When the first screen appears, you're ready to restore the game. Type RESTORE GAME in the space for command and press . Take out the Mission Asteroid disk and insert the "saved game" disk. Type in the name of the game you want to restore, then press . Take out the "saved game" disk and insert the Mission Asteroid disk into the drive. Press and you should be at the point where the game was saved. TM designates trademark of Sierra On-Line, Inc. (c) 1983 Sierra On-Line, Inc. HOD-801 ===================================================================== [sleeve notes:] HI-RES ADVENTURE (tm) #0 MISSION ASTEROID (tm) COM 64 VERSION BY DOUG WHITTAKER DISKETTE SRL 812 WARNING: This is MORE than an Arcade style endeavor. Enter the world of computer adventure. Each Sierra On-Line adventure takes several weeks to master, providing hours of fascination and intrigue. The player must use their imagination and logic to unlock the mysteries of each adventure. Map skills are a must since our adventure games contain over a hundred full-color computer-generated images which lead you in every direction. So, muster up all your wit, logic and perseverance for this is a Sierra On-Line adventure and a challenge to your ingenuity. An asteroid of overwhelming proportions is on a collision course with the planet Earth. As an astronaut, it is your duty and hazardous adventure to rocket to the asteroid and alter its course. But, there is no time to waste! If procedures and instructions are not followed precisely, disaster is eminent. "...continues in the high quality tradition of 'Wizard and the Princess' ... it's a well-done winner." - The Book of 1983 Software ********* End of the Project 64 etext of the Mission Asteroid manual. *********