MEDWAY BOYS & IKARI

PRESENT

DAMOCLES

(By NOVAGEN)

ALL DOCS, AS EVER, TYPED BY THE ONE AND ONLY...

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Game Load Instructions
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DAMOCLES is fully memory resident and you can remove your game disk pnce
loading has been completed.

AMIGA : Consider identifying a blank disk, which need not be formatted, for
the gamesave option.
Connect joytsick through Port 2. Switch on disk drive, monitor and
computer.
On the call for the WORKBENCH, insert your Damocles disk in Drive 0 for the
game to autoload.

ATARI ST : Buy an AMIGA

Game Description
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Damocles is a game of exploration and discovery in which you are a 21st
century soldier of fortune - a mercenary. Your fight, should you choose to
take on the challenge, is against the forces of nature. Your objective, in
any event, is to gain a fortune in return for your endeavour.

You have been invited by the State President to thge planet Eris for work
that offers a rich reward, if you succeed. The comet Damocles, in its
present trajectory, is on a collision course with Eris and will destroy the
planet. You will be asked to prevent this catastrophe.

When those origionally charged with finding a solution were seen to be
failing, the President called for your assistance. unfortunately, you were
unexpetedly delayed en-route and now, on your arrival, there are only a few
hours remaining before the comet hits!

And so the game begins - with you having landed at Eris Capital City
Spaceport. Your car awaits. The key, which you need to pick up, is in the
spaceport building. Board the car and drive along the exit road. the State
Office is the first building along this road that you can see. For a full
briefing, walk in. It's up to you. In Damocles, you choose the action!

Gameplay
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In Damocles, the player is never 'killed'. Your ability to play the game
never ends, even if the comet hits Eris or, through your own doing
something worse happens! Although you could conceivably be left with
nothing to play with - or you could posses everything worth playing for,
you choose your end of game.

Playfield
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The Damocles playfield is the Gamma solar system of nine planets and their
nineteen moons in orbit around the star Dialis. All of the planets and
moons are accessible to you by flying to them in a suitbable spacecraft.
Some have seas and islands, others are barren but are cratered or have
features, some are featureless and there are two gas giants on which you
are not able to land.

Transport
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You arrive in the game able to walk from your interstellar craft, which is
not refitted for further flight. A car awaits you, which you can only use
after you have collected the key from the spaceport building. All transport
in the game requires you to be holding its matching key for you to be able
to use the vehicle. (There is one exception with the 'Quit' option - see
later).

There are three different types of craft :
1. Cars and other ground based vehicles.
2. Aircraft, which are restricted to the planet or moon that they are on.
3. A number of spacecraft for interplanetary flight.
All craft have varying capabilities, some are good, some not so good.

Objects
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Your interaction with the game is principally through the objects that are
to be found. Many of these have a use. You can pick up and hold objects to
relocate or use at any time by taking these into your inventory. You can
generally hold up to a maximum of ten objects at a time.

Please note that there is no limit to the number of objects that you can
drop in any one place but an excessive concentration of objects will
significantly slow down the game graphics.

Clues
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Following from the 'State Office' briefing, there is a straight forard
'trail' that leads to a solution, for which you are suitably rewarded. It
is rewarding to play and affords a useful insight and experience of some of
the gameplay available, but occupies only about 20% of the full gameplay
installed. There are a number of interlinked ways to varying solutions and
remembering that your objective is to maximise your fortune, the
experienced player will want to investigate these other options.

Exploration
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The Damocles playfield is vast. You can of course explore everywhere, and
might eventually find all that there is to find. However, this approach is
not recommended: for example, there are over sixteen million individually
numbered but identical pyramids on Midas. Even the most ardent adventurer
would find a simple search somewhat tedious.

In exploring, look for differences. Certainly significant buildings are
worth a look inside, but also a structure that may be commonplace
elsewhere, if sited individually, could also be interesting. Similarly, one
pink building among many of the same type in green would have a purpose.

Trading
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An important part of the gameplay is the value of many of the objects that
you can find. You must sell an object to be credited with its value.

This can be accomplished at any of the Trading Posts thta you can find that
do not already have an object for sale in the window. You can of course buy
the displayed item, it you can afford it. the price is shown on the wall
panel. Where you can sell, the money shown on the panel is that offered at
these premises for the object currently selected in your inventory. Drop
the object and leave the room for the transaction to be complete.

Time
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Your panel clock is tuned to the time countdown to the Damocles' impact
with Eris. If Eris continues to exist when this clock reaches zero, you'll
have succeeded.

Your space travel around the system is at speeds near to the speed of
light. Very quick and convenient for you, but note the rapid decay of your
Eris based time clock!

Compared to the speeds that you can attain, the planet and moon rotations
and even the comet, appear to move at a leisurely pace. But beware! This
can be misleading. The comet is moving relentlessly on.

In-Flight Effects
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In space flight, an ecliptic plane lock operates to encourage your flight
to remain within the plane of the system. During rapid space flight,
Benson, your in helmet PC, affords a playable view by compensating for the
effects of acceleration and for relativistic distortion.

Similarly to provide you with simple flight controls, in space your engine
speed and direction are regulated to take account of gravitational fields
and appropriate deceleration is applied for you to enter above the planets
and moons. Above their surfaces, you will move faster at high altitudes. A
red panel light shows ground proximity.

Controls
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Bensons Panel
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See later.

Communication
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With Benson in communication mode, you may be asked to, respond. This is
indicated by a question mark (?) following text. Press "O" to respond
"OK" - "YES", otherwise NO is assumed.

Walking
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Walking is initiated by use of the joystick as shown:

Joystick Forward : Move Forward
" Forward Right : " Forward Right
" Forward Left : " Forward Left
" Right : Turn Right
" Left : " Left
" Backward : Move Backward
" Backward Right : " Backward Right
" Backward Left : " Backward Left

You are able to RUN by pressing 'R'. To return to walking pace, press 'R'
again. A white panel light indicates 'run' mode.

Transport
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To BOARD a vehicle or craft, walk near to it and press 'B'.
To LEAVE parked transport (to walk away) press 'L'.
POWER forward is selected by pressing a number key on the main keyboard
(not the Keypad) from 1 through 9 with 0=max.
For reverse, select a Function Key F1-F10. For fine adjustment to selected
speed, press keypad ')' or '(' keys.
To stop, or hover in flight press <SPACE BAR>.

GROUND VEHICLES are steered by the joystick as shown:

Joystick Right : Turn Right
" Left : " Left

AIRCRAFT need sufficiemt speed to take off. Landing too heavily will result
in a crash! On the ground they behave as ground vehicles (above) but are
controlled for direction in flight as shown:

Joystick Forward : Dive
" Forward Right : " Right
" Forward Left : " Left
" Right : Turn Right
" Left : " Left
" Backward : Climb
" Backward Right : " Right
" Backward Left : " Left

SPACECRAFT are flown as for aircraft, but can attain escape velocity. to
activate escape sequence, in flight, press <ESC KEY>.

Elevators
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Elevators (lifts) in buildings are generally indicated by a floor number
being shown. Stand centrally and select a floor number on main keyboard
keys 1-9, 'B' for a basement and 'G' to return to ground level. If number
selected does not exist as a floor number, the lift will not operate.

Objects and Inventory
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All object and inventory controls are though the Keypad and the cursor
control keys.

To pick up an object, stand near to it and press the <UP CURSOR KEY>.
Provided you have inventory capacity available, its name will be shown on
your inventory display panel. To review names of objects held, toggle the
<LEFT CURSOR KEY> or <RIGHT CURSOR KEY>. To drop an object, select its name
to be shown in the inventory display panel and press the <DOWN CURSOR KEY>.

Where an object has a player controllable use, it can be activated if it
shown selected in the inventory display window and the <ENTER KEY> is
pressed. An auxillary central 'use panel' will scroll on giving
instructions to operate the object via the keypad keys. This use panel will
remain activated unless the object is dropped, or an alternative object is
activated.

Combat
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Craft have a defensive missile capability. In general play, you do not have
an enemy, but if you provoke an attack, this is relentless. Unless you can
destroy the enemy ship, it will ultimately find you and home in for the
kill. Depress the joystick 'fire' button missile.

Quit Situation
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In all events, bar one untenable situation, you can extricate yourself from
any difficulty (eg. the loss of a craft) by quitting. You will be
re-located near to Dialis in a craft (that does not require a key).
Press <HELP> key.
Benson response : 'F1=SAVE F2=LOAD F3=QUIT OTHER=RETURN TO GAME'
Press FUNCTION KEY F10

SAVE GAME FACILITY
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Important ENSURE THAT YOUR DAMOCLES GAME DISK (WHICH SHOULD IN ANY EVENT
��������� ALWAYS BE WRITE-PROTECTED) IS REMOVED FROM DRIVE. NOTE THAT A
SAVE WILL WRITE TO ANY ENABLED DISK AND WILL CORRUPT EXISITING
DOS FILES. USE ONLY A 'SAVES' DSIK THAT YOU IDENTIFY ACCORDINGLY.

You can svae out a current gameplay status to pick up later from where you
left off. At any point in the game:

Insert your 'saves' disk, write enabled.
Press <HELP>
Benson response : 'F1=SAVE F2=LOAD F3=QUIT OTHER=RETURN TO GAME'
Press Function Key F1
Benson response : 'SAVE NUMBER 0-9'
Press a single number to identify the file.
Benson response : 'PRESS RETURN WHEN READY'
Press <RETURN> - Any other key to abort.

TO RELOAD GAMESAVE
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At any point in the game, to re-load a previously saved gameplay:

insert your 'saves' disk in drive.
Press <HELP>
Benson response : 'F1=SAVE F2=LOAD F3=QUIT OTHER=RETURN TO GAME'
Press Function Key F2
Benson response : 'LOAD NUMBER 0-9'
Press required file number
Benson response : 'PRESS RETURN WHEN READY'
Press <RETURN> - Any other key to abort.

'MERCENARY' GAMESAVES
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If you have a winning gamesave from 'Mercenary - Escape from Targ' that is
in the same computer format, this can be loaded into Damocles. Your
inventory holdings will then reflect your previous inventory, and the
author will know a thing or two about you.

You can only load your Mercenary Save before your Damocles gameplay is
commenced. On arrival at Capital City Spaceport, BEFORE you pick up the car
key: Follow the re-load gamesave procedure as above but instead of
selecting F2, press Function Key F3 for an 'Escape From Targ' save and F4
for a 'Second City' save.

[NOW SEE PICTURE FILE < CONTROL.PANEL.PIC > ]

BENSON'S PANEL

1. Benson text messages

NAVIGATION:
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2. In Space - Name of nearest body
Otherwise current location
3. Vehicle Speed
4. In Space - Gamma System co-ordinates XX:YY:ZZ
Otherwise, Planet/Moon co-ordinates 999:999
5. Near City, or land base,
co-ordinates +/-99:+/-99 (RED = -)
6. In Space - Distance to nearest body
Otherwise, Altitude in metres
7. In flight elevation from horizontal
8. Compass

INVENTORY:
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9. Inventory capacity available gauage
10. Inventory selection window
11. Cash held (Intergalactic Credits)

PANEL LIGHTS:
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12. Ground proximity warning
13. Attack warning
14. 'Run' mode selected

CLOCK:
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15. Time to predicted Damocles impact

AUXILIARY PANEL:
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16. Control panel for an object currently in use

T: (Outside) temperature
P: (Outside) pressure


KEYBOARD SUMMARY
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K=KEYPAD C=CURSOR F=FUNCTION

O Answer 'OK - YES'

R Toggles Run/Walk

B Board Vehicle

L Leave Vehicle

UP ARROW C Pick up object

DOWN ARROW C Drop object

LEFT/RIGHT ARROW C Select inventory item

<ENTER> K To reveal control panel. For controllable object
selected from inventory

IN ELEVATOR

1 - 9 Select floor level

B Select basement

G Return to ground floor

IN VEHICLE

1 - 9 Select forward power

0 Max. forward power

F1-F10 Select reverse power

) ( K Fine adjust power

<SPACE> Stop power


<HELP> Then select option key:

F1 Save current gameplay
F2 Re-load a gamesave
F10 Quit current situation

<RETURN> To pause game

** YES --- ITS PHANTOM LORD AGAIN .... BACK AFTER A LONG LONG BREAK **

** SEE YA LATER **