BRATACCAS
~~~~~~~~~

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Brataccas the first Interactive Video. This product will work
on the Atari 520ST, the Commodore 512K Amiga and the Apple 512K Fat Mac.
The sticker on the front of the package indicates which you have
purchased (Irrelevant as you wouldn't be reading this file if you'd
purchased the original yourself, would you ??).

QUICK LOADING INSTRUCTIONS
To participate immediately in the Interactive Video, please follow these
instructions:
If you have difficulty at any stage, please refer to inside Brataccas
for more detailed instructions.

1. Set up your computer but leave the power off.
2. Insert the disk into your main or internal disk drive (Amiga owners
Kickstart first).
3. You can now turn your system on.
4. Brataccas will load automatically.
5. The title screen will load, you should then wait for the main program
to load and the message "PRESS ANY KEY" to appear, if you do so, the main
program will load and run automatically.
6. You can now control the hero Kyne, with the mouse on your computer
and begin your journey into Brataccas.

BRATACCAS INSTRUCTIONS

All works of art must bear a price in proportion to the skill, taste,
time, expense and risk attending their invention and manufacture. These
things called dear are, when justly estimated, the cheapest. John
Ruskin

THE STORY SO FAR

You are now Kyne, Kyne is our hero.

Kyne is a fugitive, a man with a price on his head. Framed for a deed he
did not commit; that dreadful felony genetic fraud -- 'The Crime Against
Humanity'. He is now hunted by authority and underworld alike.

Kyne was a government scientist, a genetic engineer. A brilliant and
creative worker, he developed a process for the creation of a superbeing.
Naively, Kyne hoped his creation would be put to work for the benefit
of mankind but predictably it was not to be so. The government in their
infinite wisdom had decided that a race of killing machines, an army of
domination and death, was an apt use for such technology.

Faced with such a prospect, Kyne stopped work and refusing to reveal
details of his research when into hiding, choosing to forsake his career
rather than work on a project so repugnant to his morals.

The government issued a warrant for Kyne's arrest claiming that he was
plotting to sell these genetic techniques to the underworld, thus making
him guilty of crimes against the human race. Instructing security
forces throughout the Earth system, to find him at all costs, the
government declared him dangerous -- wanted dead or alive.

Meanwhile, the underworld's interest was aroused. As a fugitive he might
be persuaded to work for them; his skills had many diabolical uses and if
he did not submit, they could always sell his corpse to the authorities.
And so the forces of lawlessness joined in the search.

Kyne, forced to flee from Earth, now knew that he must clear his name and
expose the government -- the alternative was to face a life of hiding,
living with the fear of death or imprisonment. He knew that somewhere
evidence must exist and all of his searches led to one place, a small
mining asteroid in the outer Solar System.....Brataccas!!!

You are Kyne, but can you survive the Brataccas experience...

THE PLACE CALLED BRATACCAS

Brataccas is a self-contained world. The first of the outer asteroids to
be colonized; it was initially used extensively as a forward base for
exploration. As the years passed, Brataccas became a favorite haunt of
asteroid miners, the only place where it was possible to break the tedium
of their humdrum existence.

Prosperity bred corruption and lawlessness. Organized crime moved in.
Brataccas became a shadow world; a dangerous place to venture into; a
center of duplicity and double-dealing. An ideal cover for the activities
of the corrupt government officials who are Kyne's persecutors.

The human race moved onward toward the stars. Brataccas now ostracized,
had become a self governing unit. A place of legend. Your only
destination.

The incandescent clouds of the teleport fade; you are now on Brataccas.
You have little knowledge of your mission. You know only that you stand
tried and convicted in absence, of a crime you did not commit -- 'The
Crime Against Humanity'. Your only hope is that somewhere within the
depths of Brataccas lies proof of your innocence.

But what is it? Where is it? You can only guess.

There is no help at hand. The asteroid inhabitants understand only bribery,
corruption and opportunism. You are in danger; you must get moving; your
only way forward is down the lift and out of the arrival bays.

But what will you find beyond the sliding door? Brataccas....a world of
mystery and surprise.

The framed picture of an ABP patrol craft hanging on the wall reminds you
that the Asteroid Belt Police are never far away. You must keep moving....
whilst you stand still other characters in this world are living their
day. Whether you like it or not the world of Brataccas grinds on.....

There is only one way forward.....

MEET THE INHABITANTS

There is a cast of characters in Brataccas, approximately 60 in all,
although some of these characters are clones, in appearance, they are not
identical in personality.

YOU -- OUR HERO

Your name is KYNE. Your dress is alien. Forced to wear the cumbersome
helmet of the newly arrived earthman on Brataccas, who is as yet
unaclimatized to the peculiar semi-pressurized atmosphere. Armed only
with a simple sword (for percussive energy-based weapons are banned to
protect the atmospheric integrity of the Brataccas environment) you are
free to do as you wish and go where you will. Initially, to almost all
the other characters you are an unknown quantity and your presence on the
asteroid is a secret; it is up to you when you choose to reveal your
identity, you will be asked......

THE SNITCHES

Gossip is their trade and their habitate is the bars and entertainment
areas. Each is instantly recognizable as an individual. Learn this well
for some are friendly, some are not. For a list of those who will/will
not, might/might not, do/do not, have/have not betray/betrayed/about to
betray you would you now please turn to page 27.

(Typist note: Page 27 of the instruction book is printed "This Page
Intentionally Left Blank".)

THE BAR OWNERS

They remain behind their respective bars and serve drinks and gossip all
day. They will readily take information from snitches and sell/pass it on
to the police or henchmen when it suits them. One of them knows your
true identity from your earth days....make sure he does not recognize you
when there are other people about. To find out which barman this is, please
turn to page 27 of this booklet. (Typist note: Again, this page of the
instruction book was intentionally left blank.)

THE POLICE

All Asteroid Belt Police (ABP) look alike. They all carry swords and are
generally nasty. They don't seem to like anybody or anything. Their leader
is Commander Stopp. They are never corrupt...are they?, they therefore
are very, very unlikely to respond to bribery.

COMMANDER STOPP

Horribly disfigured in a space laser fight. He now finds it necessary to
move around the asteroid in his custom built 'hoverdish'. With his red
beard and bald head he is an obvious character. He is the chief of
police, he is also the man who....

THE GUARD DROIDS

The droids are mechanical robots which hover about. Their only task is to
protect the official areas of the asteroid. They will seek out intruders
and check that such intruders are carrying valid passes. They will
destroy anybody who is trespassing. If a droid is killed in action
another will be sent to take over that droid's duties.

THE BUREAUCRATS The next five characters perform official duties.

Asteroid Administrator He administers the asteroid
Police Dispatcher He dispatches the police
Droid Dispatcher He dispatches the droids
Comms Controller He controls the comms
Tannoy Operator He operates the tannoys

Illuminating stuff eh....A further explanation of their duties and what
will happen if you kill them is contained on page 27 of this booklet.
(Typist note: Page 27 is blank).

THE HENCHMEN

They are the servants of the evil Kol Worpt. They can be seen going about
their business of collecting information and protection money or simply
enjoying themselves in the bars. They have their informers. They are
probably as good as you are at sword fighting so do not challenge them
lightly. When one of them, easily identifiable from the table on page 27
(again, blank), has collected his protection money from 'the person giving
it to him' he will take it to 'the person he is taking it to', he does
this on a fairly regular basis (BIG HINT).

LASH

Lash is Kol Worpt's hired assassin. He is a creature of habit. His habit
is killing people. He is easily identifiable by his green skin and
reptilian appearance. His speech also is sssssssslurred. He isssss by
any measssssure a sssslimey character. This hissssing is normally heard
just before you die. He is an expert swordsman and should be challenged
only when you feel lucky. You should also bear in mind that his alien
skin is as tough as the blade of your sword, so fighting him is pointless,
just run for cover.

KOL WORPT

A truly evil being. Easily identifiable in his white suit beautifully cut
around his gross frame. This small bald arch villan will stop at nothing
to keep his secrets safe. You are advised though to allow him to live
for he alone does not have the information you need. For details of the
other person/persons holding information please turn to page 27 of this
booklet (Typist note: The guys that wrote this booklet are real funny,
everyone knows that page 27 is blank).

THE ENVIRONMENT AND OBJECTS

It is possible to pick up/put down the passes, bottles, money bags,
electro bombs, and the evidence. You will find these objects on tables
and shelves around the asteroid. Very rarely will you find them on the
floor. Try dropping something in front of other characters. You may
carry multiple objects. Scattered around Brataccas you will find many
strange objects and devices such as:

Switches. They can be used to turn other objects such as lifts, cameras,
tannoys and video screens on and off. You can therefore exercise a
degree of control over the communications and working of the asteroid.
Turning these things on and off is a crime so do not get caught.

Cameras. Committing murder is one things, doing it on video is another.
You never know who might be watching as images are sent to the police
throughout the asteroid.

Tannoys. If you want to know what the police are up to just listen to the
official(?) tannoys.

Video Screens. Keep an eye on these. Playing space invaders is all very
well but watch out for the news flashes.

Pass. Extremely useful if you want to stay alive. And avoid....

Electro Bombs. Very, very useful if you want to stay alive. They give out
a massive pulse of electro magnetic radiation when activated by contact
with electronic circuitry.

Money Bags. The root of all evil, they can be traded, it pays (pun) to
remember where they are.

Scrolls. They are.......well, thats for you to discover.

The evidence!!!!! What is the evidence?

CONTROL AND INTERACTION

On the screen your window into the world is represented as a room. This
room will have entrances, exits, lift shafts, wall, etc., all of which
you will find have 'normal' properties. That means that if you walk
across a lift shaft you will fall down it, walk into a wall and you will
bounce off, walk into a door (these are automatic for convenience and just
to make the coding more difficult, we like it that way) and it will open
and you can pass through. Just to make things easy (and even easier to
program, we like it more this way) we make the passing through a door a
complete event, you cannot stop half way through. This technique of
'implied action' i.e. once you have decided to do something such as pick
an object up, go through a door, stab somebody, etc., then from your input
up to the conclusion of that action is controlled (most of the time (we
like it anyway)) by the program.

When you meet a character in a room he will either ignore you or you may
enter a 'situation'. In a situation, and heavily dependent on the
circumstances prevalent at the time one of the following may occur:

Whilst you may not be involved in a normal conversation, you may observe
others talking. Watch them closely because many tips and snippets of
information can be acquired here. They may well be discussing you and
your mission.

A multiple choice conversation is where your choice of response to a
question will effect the immediate and future flow of the game. These
multiple choice sessions normally start when the character interacting
with you asks a question and you Kyne responds 'MMMMM....SHALL I....', at
this point all activity freezes until you have made your choice, so as
not to prejudice you in the time taken to choose your reply. What happens
then is that the bubble you are speaking will cycle round the possible
responses including a number of valid replies and 'SAY NOTHING'. For
example a multiple choice conversation between you and a Snitch might
be:

Snitch to Kyne: "WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING?"
Screen Freezes
Kyne: "MMMM.....SHALL I....."
Cycle Start "ASK FOR INFORMATION?"
"ASK ABOUT EVIDENCE?"
"ASK WHERE CAN I GET A DRINK AROUND HERE?"
Cycle End "SAY NOTHING"

When the option you require is showing you press the left mouse button,
the game then restarts and the consequences of your choice will be acted
out.

Should a character wish to fight with you he will normally say something
aggressive like "COME HERE YOU **** ****" whilst drawing his sword. The
more observant amongst you will probably realize that this character
is hostile. The less observant of you will shortly die. Remember that
for all offensive actions there are equal and opposite defensive actions.
It is very useful to try and learn in what sequence the opposition might
string his action together, you may spot an opportunity to attack (VERY
BIG HINT). Remember all characters have different levels of combat
skills and therefore all have different aggressive styles (VERY VERY BIG
HINT).

You may get yourself arrested or taken somewhere (BIG HINT). This will
mean that you the player will lose control and you will be taken to a
destination. The exact mechanics of this arrest will be determined by
previous game play: If you have previously been arrested and escaped you
will be 'wanted' therefore no questions will be asked other than 'Do you
wish to resist arrest or submit?'. If you are a known killer the police
may not bother trying to arrest you but kill you on sight.

IF (WANTED &&! = DEAD (SUSPECT)--{
ARREST (SUSPECT, JAIL_LOCATION);
}
Sorry wrong terminal!!

You may also find yourself challenged along the lines of "DO YOU
HAVE...." or "ARE YOU CARRYING....." It is wise not to lie as characters
will be able to see what you are carrying and will react to a false
reply.

GENERAL POINT

You will see from the previous examples that there are numerous
opportunities for the characters to observe what is going on and have
their experience enhanced. This can be done from conversation, from
action or from location. With the benefit of this experience the
characters behavior will change and when next encountered he will react
accordingly.

THE FIRST QUEST

Play it and see. You may learn what your quest is. Obviously the answer
is on page 27 for those of you who cannot wait.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG

Everything.

IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH

We consider this product to be a life simulation therefore we consider
staying alive to be a fundamental requirement and condition of
participation.

SCORE AND LIVES

There are none. How many lives do you want anyway. There are worse things
than death on Brataccas.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Now it's your chance to participate in the world of Brataccas. By
pressing any key on the keyboard Brataccas proper will load and you can
now control Kyne with the mouse.

On each machine, one key enables you to load the options menu at any time,
on the Amiga it is the Help Key. Within this document whenever we refer
to the option key, it is this key on your system.

By pressing the option key on the keyboard, the Main Options screen will
load within several seconds, and you will be able to select the main
options described below. At this point you may choose how to continue,
by pressing the appropriate function or number key as shown on the
screen. This is the method of making a choice on this screen and all
subsequent option screens.

MAIN OPTIONS

Use the following function keys on the Amiga for:

F1 to reenter the world of Brataccas
F2 to save the current state of Brataccas
F3 to load a saved state of Brataccas
F4 to start Brataccas afresh
F5 to enter Movie Mode
F6 to choose the control device

At any time on the other option screens, you may return to the Main
Options menu by pressing the option key (Amiga HELP).

F1: Reenter Brataccas Option

The use of the F1 key at this stage will take you back into the world of
Brataccas to the same position at which you left it. At any stage in
Brataccas you may use the option key to get back to the Main Option
screen. This also allows you to pause the software.

F2: Save the Current Game Option

If for any reason you wish to temporarily cease participation (like sleep
or a wish to maintain an advantageous position) you may at any time save
to disk the current state of Brataccas. You will need a separate disk
on which to save the state of Brataccas. On the Amiga it need not be
specially formatted as Brataccas handles this automatically and it may be
used several times over. However this disk may only be used with
Brataccas, as the format is incompatible with your machines standard
operating system, and all existing information on this disk will be
destroyed. This disk must not be write protected when used.

Upon selecting the F2 key from the Main Options menu, you will be faced
with a new screen asking you to choose which file you wish to save the
current state onto. You may save up to 5 different states of participation
on one disk. Remove your Brataccas disk and insert the disk onto which you
wish to save. To save a state press the appropriate key (F1 through F5
on the Amiga). The current state of Brataccas will then be saved. You
will need to replace the Brataccas disk when requested.

F3: Load a Previously Saved Game Option

This option allows you to reestablish an old state of Brataccas that has
previously been saved with the save game option. Select F3 from the
options menu. You load a file in the same manner as you save a file.
Remove the Brataccas disk and insert your save disk. Now press the
appropriate key to load your saved game. e.g., if you saved your old game
under F4 then press F4 to reload it. The software will also tell you if
that file is not used and nothing will be loaded. Once loaded remove your
save disk and reinsert the Brataccas disk. You may then return to
Brataccas in the state loaded.

F4: Start a New Game Afresh Option

By pressing F4 you will reset the state of Brataccas and reenter the
world afresh. It will take a few seconds for it to load off disk.

F5: Toggle Movie Mode Option

Pressing F5 will toggle the software in and out of Movie Mode. This will
run constantly until the Option Key is pressed, in which case you will be
returned to the Main Option menu. You may then press F5 again, to
toggle back to normal playing mode. Movie mode puts Kyne under computer
control and allows you to set back and watch him do the hard work.

F6: Set Control Mode Option

Pressing F6 will allow you to choose whether to control Kyne with the
mouse or keyboard. It will also allow you to choose which keys work in
which direction, to suit your own personal requirements. Any key may
be used in each option (except the option key and function keys). The
default settings are Z for left, X for right, O for up, K for down and
the space bar for action. If you make an error selecting your keys go
back to the main menu and repeat the process.

HOW TO CONTROL KYNE

You are now ready to control Kyne and take a truly active part in the
world of Brataccas.

Because of the wide range of possible movements, control appears to be
more complex in Brataccas than in a conventional product. However, there
is no need to feel daunted by this; every movement works on the basis of
IMPLIED ACTION.

IMPLIED ACTION means that the computer will interpret all moves in a
logical manner, i.e., you imply a movement to the computer rather than
give specific instructions. As a participant in Brataccas, you will come
to realize that this logical interpretation allows you to control the hero
Kyne in an intuitive way.

As Kyne appears on screen, he will walk, run, jump, pass through a doorway
and fight with his sword exactly how and when you want him to. True, you
might need a certain degree of practice and experience before you have
completely mastered your control techniques.

The best way to become skilled in Brataccas control is by practice.
Nevertheless one or two examples and explanations here will point you in
the right direction.

There are four basic stances Kyne will be in:

FACING FORWARD where Kyne appears to be looking at you.
FACING LEFT
FACING RIGHT
FACING AWAY where Kyne has his back to you.

There are also two modes of action Kyne will adopt:

NORMAL which allows normal movement such as walking and running.
ACTION which allows combat movement with your sword if it is drawn.

In Brataccas there are several methods of control: the keyboard, the
standard mouse supplied with your computer. The control device is
selected from the Main Options screen; the default is the mouse.

With each control movement there are four basic terms to describe their
use. These are single movement; emphasized movement; action; and double
action. (Note that these terms are used throughout this User Guide).
We will now describe some combinations of these movements. You may wish
to try each to see which you find the easiest.

MOUSE CONTROL OF KYNE

SINGLE MOVEMENT represents the standard manner of mouse movement --
across a surface in left and right, and up and down directions. This
allows Kyne to walk and jump, the down direction allows you to pick up
objects off the shelves and tables.

EMPHASIZED MOVEMENT is the same as single movement but with the addition
of holding down the right side mouse button on the mouse. This allows Kyne
to run, turn around, walk through doorways, and proceed with other more
decisive movements.

DOUBLE ACTION involves holding down the right and left side buttons on the
Amiga mouse. If you hold down both buttons and push the mouse up Kyne will
draw his sword. If you hold down both buttons and pull the mouse down,
Kyne will put away his sword. Double Action motions left and right
control the more vicious fighting actions.

KEYBOARD CONTROL OF KYNE

SINGLE MOVEMENT represents simple keyboard actions -- pressing Z for left,
X for right, O for up and K for down (these are the default settings, use
the main options screen to modify them). This allows Kyne to walk and
jump. Note that these keys may be changed to the ones of your choice from
the Main Options screen. Pressing down will pick up objects off the
shelves and tables in Brataccas.

EMPHASIZED MOVEMENT is the same a single movement but instead of a single
press, a rapid double press and release is used. This allows Kyne to run
turn around, walk through doorways and proceed with other more decisive
movements. Emphasized movement down will pick up objects off the floor.

ACTION CONTROL involves the pressing of the action key (usually space
bar). This stops Kyne when walking or running and allows him to stand
still. Holding down the action key puts Kyne into ACTION mode --
allowing right arm combat movement with the sword with the up, down, left
and right keys. Action also selects the option you want when the multiple
choice thought-bubbles appear (See Controlling Kyne's Thoughts later).

DOUBLE ACTION cannot be used with the keyboard as it can with the mouse.
Instead, to draw the sword use an emphasized movement up with the action
key held down, and to put the sword away use an emphasized move down with
the action key held down (the space bar is the default action key).

Below are some examples of how Kyne move in a particular stance with a
particular control movement:

Facing right state
Single movement right Walks right
Single movement up Jumps right
Emphasized left Turns and faces away

Facing away state
Single movement left Turns and walks left
Emphasized movement up Walks through center
doorway or into a switch

Facing left state
Emphasized left Runs left
Double action up Draws sword
Action up Parries with sword
Action right Retreats right with
sword
Action on its own Stops Kyne

The important point to remember is:
IMPLIED ACTION works on the basis which is both logical and natural.
Therefore the actual memorizing the movement details is far less
important than practicing and following your instincts as to control.

CONTROLLING KYNE'S THOUGHTS

At certain times during the course of using Brataccas you will need to
control Kyne's thoughts as he comes across various situations. This is
done by using the multiple-choice thought-bubbles. The software
automatically shows the thought-bubbles with the options appearing within
it. When a thought-bubble appears, the world of Brataccas will freeze
and you will have as much time as you require to make your choice. An
example of the use of thought-bubbles is when carrying multiple objects,
selecting which object to put down.

The thought-bubble appears and a question such as "MMMM, SHALL I..." is
displayed. Within the thought-bubble the options then appear one after
another. At the end of the list the first option reappears and the
sequence repeats as before. To make your choice of which action you wish
Kyne to perform, press the left mouse button when the option you require
is visible. One of the options displayed allows you to get out of this
situation without performing any action; this is signified by the bubble
displaying "do nothing" or a similar message.

Kyne then performs the action appropriate to your choice. Brataccas then
continues. The bubble showing your choice will be displayed for a short
time.

Remember that you can take as much time as you wish; everything else in
Brataccas is frozen while you make your decision.

CONTROL SWITCHES

One additional feature which we will reveal at this stage are the various
control switches around Brataccas. These can be toggeled on and off by
walking into them as if they were central doors.

We will leave you to discover their various functions....more details
Inside Brataccas.

FINALLY INTO BRATACCAS

If you have just loaded Brataccas, you will see Kyne standing in the
teleport in the upper left hand corner of the Arrivals Bay. At this point
you can take control of Kyne and begin your exploration of Brataccas.
We recommend at this stage that you experiment with your overall control
of Kyne. Beware! Your presence will already have been detected. The World
of Brataccas never ceases to move.

It does not really matter whether you have fully digested the information
in this booklet. Your ability to control Kyne (and your awareness of
prevailing conditions!) will improve each time you participate in
Brataccas. There will come a time when you do not have to think about
control; it will come so naturally that you can devote your entire
attention to surviving and participating.

After a while, Kyne will not be a mere character on screen. YOU will become
Kyne -- his thoughts and problems will be your own.

End..........