********* Welcome to Project 64! http://project64.c64.org 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. 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. 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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. Therefore if you read this document or use the information herein you do so at your own risk. ********* The Project 64 etext of the Short Circuit manual Converted to etext by Andrew Fisher. ********* SHORT CIRCUIT Its program code and graphic representation are the copyright of Ocean Software Limited and may not be reproduced, stored, hired or broadcast in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Ocean Software Limited. All rights reserved Worldwide. Short Circuit runs on the Commodore 64/128 micro computers. THE GAME Number 5 is alive! - A robot in the SAINT (Strategic Artificially Intelligent Nuclear Transport) series has gone haywire. A million to one chance resulted in a lightning bolt striking the automaton and bringing it to consciousness. Now the scientist who put him together wants to take him apart again to find out what went wrong. The President of Nova Robotics wants to capture him before the weapons he is carrying kill millions of civilians - and the security chief wants to blow him up so that he can get home in time for dinner. You are Number Five. . . . You are alive and you aim to stay that way! CONTROLS The game is controlled by Joystick in port 2. Part 1 Joystick - move in that direction SPACE BAR - select active program FIRE - activate current active program Note When in search mode you may pick up any object by pressing fire (just nudge the joystick if you want to pass by) Part 2 Left/right - move left/right Up - jump Up left/up right - jump left/right Down - duck Down left/down right - duck left/right FIRE - fire in direction of travel F7 - pause game F5 - restart game Note It is possible to play the second part of the game on its own for practice. F1 will start part 1 F3 will start part 2 GAMEPLAY The action is divided into two parts... First you must escape from the factory complex before anyone at Nova realises you are missing. Before you leave you must collect the hardware and software needed to activate your laser and jump mechanisms and find the technical manual to help you build the decoy robot in the second part. You will begin with the ability to search and manipulate objects. You search an object by facing it, selecting SEARCH as your current program and pressing fire. You will then be informed of any objects found and if you press fire again it will allow you to take the item(s). When you have a choice of more than one object, pressing fire will take the object and nudging the joystick will reject it. To manipulate an object you select UTILISE as your active program and press fire. You can then choose between HIDING, USING and DESCRIBING an item in the same way as stated for SEARCH. You can only carry four objects at once so choose carefully. In this section you must solve puzzles and outwit the security guards for only then can you leave the complex and make your bid for freedom. Once outside the chase begins. Pursued by security forces ordered to kill and other Saint Robots programmed to deactivate you, the odds look slim. They will not give up their hunt and the only hope for survival is to build a decoy robot to be destroyed in your place. The guards are deadly but remember the "code of Robotics". You can only stun your pursuers and causing death to living creatures will deplete your conscience energy. If your conscience level is totally used, you will automatically deactivate. If you manage to locate the van before the Nova helicopter arrives you will have your chance. Create a dummy robot, fool all your adversaries and live happily ever after. GOOD LUCK NUMBER 5. STATUS AND SCORING A panel is displayed continuously on screen with the following information. 1 2 6 3 4 5 1. Score 2. Time 3. Current program 4. Energy bar 5. Conscience bar 6. TV monitor display PART 1 Points are awarded for the essential objects held at the completion of the section. Also for using certain objects and for time remaining at the end. PART 2 Points are gained for distance, disabling pursuit robots and guards and for preserving the wildlife. Robot......3000 Guard......1000 Wildlife...35-100 (each) All the score gained in part 1 is carried forward to part 2 and in this game there is only one life... Yours! HINTS AND TIPS Part 1 * Search all objects thoroughly (drawers, top, etc.) * Make a map. * Locate all of the objects. Part 2 * Time the guards (their patrols are regular) * Learn the points at which everything enters the gameplay * Practice makes perfect Designed by John Meegan and John Brandwood. Programming by John Meegan. Graphics by Karen Davies. Music by Martin Galway. Produced by D. C. Ward. (c) 1987 Ocean Software Limited. Short Circuit is a trademark of Tri-Star Pictures Inc. and PSO Presentations. (c) 1986 Tri-Star Pictures Inc. and PSO Presentations. All Rights Reserved. Documents typed up by Merman/People of Liberty/ROLE for Hokuto Force, 5th December 2003