NEWSFLASH

"1st January 2099. The Earth is chronically over populated. The
Government has decreed that the Colonization Program be put into
force. Shipments have already begun. Pack up your belongings and be
ready to go as soon as you are notified."

The world's food resources can no longer cope with the massive
increase in population. It has become necessary to colonise distant
planets and send people there to live and work.

Most of the planets are bleak, cold, and generally not very pleasant.
This one is no exception. It has been selected because it is rich in
iron ore. The intention is to get the humans to mine it whilst they
are there, after all they may as well be occupied doing something
useful!

However the major drawback on this particular planet, as far as the
human are concerned, is that the planet is inhabited by distinctly
hostile alien animals. A fence has been erected to keep them out of
the compound where the humans live, but they are determined to gnaw
their way through the fence to eat the crops, which the humans must
grow in order to survive.

You play the vital role of the maintenance droid who must constantly
patrol the colony ensuring that the fence is kept in good repair to
prevent the aliens from intruding and also harvest the crops when they
are ready, after all the humans do need to eat occasionally!

Whilst the colony is still developing, a ship from Earth arrives when
ordered to deliver extra food, guns, fencing and other miscellaneous
useful items, just so the humans don't think they've been neglected
entirely, but as the colony grows and becomes more independent the
visits become less frequent.

GAMEPLAY

Keep the aliens out of the colony and off the crops, which isn't quite
as easy as it may sound. As you gather in the crops be sure to plant
more seeds, otherwise you could end up with a colony of starving
humans!

Fences

These come in three types of varying strengths, steel mesh is the
strongest, then wooden and finally barbed wire. As they become damaged
you can repair them in their store rooms by dropping them and picking
them up again.

Buildings

There are seven of these around the compound. Three fencing stores, a
general supply room, storage room for organic supplies, droid charger
room and control centre. You must use the control room for ordering
supplies and switching the beacon on and off.

Supplies

You can order extra supplies, such as fences, seeds and death traps
from the ship. Everything arrives in crates which must be taken to the
appropriate rooms and dismantled. When the ship is close to landing
you must return to the control centre and activate the landing beacon.
A word of warning -- this uses a lot of power so its best to leave it
till the last possible moment, but whatever you do don't forget it!

Power Source

Power is needed to run the beacon, the death grids on the main gates,
the portable death traps and the charging room. If you use too much
then things will start to switch off, if you use too little the
generator will overload - with disastrous consequences.

Remote Droid

Just to give you a bit of assistance, the remote droid once fitted
with a battery will go around quite independently helping you keep the
aliens at bay.

Aliens

Although they prefer your mushrooms, the aliens will gnaw away at
anything that happens to be in their way: fences, seeds, crates, solar
panels, you name it and they'll eat it!

Crops

Mushrooms - what every humanoid likes best! These only grow in grassy
areas when you have planted the seeds and cannot be gathered until
fully grown.

Solar Panels

The more solar panels you have out absorbing the sun's rays, the more
power you have.

Display Panel

At the top of the screen is the display panel. This gives you your
shield level and laser level both of which can be recharged by going
into the droid charger room. There is also a clock, E.T.A. display to
let you know when the ship is about to land, and a status readout for
the beacon. Four boxes display what your droid is carrying, the remote
droid's battery level and the generator power level. A radar grid
gives your position on the map and the mode indicator shows whether
you are in fire or pick up mode.

Controls

Select the drop mode in order to harvest your crops of mushrooms
and solar panels.

Stay in this mode to pick up and drop seeds and fencing. Keep an eye
on the display panel and as soon as the four boxes which indicate what
you're carrying are full you will start to drop things!

Fire operates your laser against the aliens.

Joystick or keyboard.

Keys are redefinable.

LOADING INSTRUCTIONS

Type LOAD "" and press ENTER.

The program code, graphic representation and artwork are the copyright
of Mastertronic and may not be reproduced, stored, hired or broadcast
in any form without the written permission of Mastertronic. All rights
reserved.

(c) Mastertronic Limited 1987

Design: Words & Pictures Ltd., London