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Shuttle Orbiter.txt
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1997-07-15
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---------------
SHUTTLE ORBITER
---------------
A single player video game for the
Atari 2600 Video Computer System and Sears Video Arcade
Intended for use with the left joystick controller and a color =
television.
GAME BY: Bill Hood
Cover Photo: NASA
Graphics: Jean Baer
Typesetting: Colonial Composition
Prep Dept. Coordinator: Elaine Adkins=20
Printing: Monarch Services
Any cartridge which fails will be replaced when returned to:
The Avalon Hill Video Game Company
4517 Harford Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21214
As with any video game, turn off television and game when not in =
use.
(c)1983
The Avalon Hill Video Game Company
All Printed Material, Video Game and Audio Visual Display =
Copyrighted
SHUTTLE ORBITER IS AVALON HILL'S TRADEMARK NAME FOR ITS SPACE =
SHUTTLE=20
MANEUVERING GAME Atari and Atari 2600 Video Computer Systems are =
trademarks of=20
Atari, Inc. Sears and Sears Video Arcade are trademarks of Sears Roebuck =
Co.
INSTRUCTIONS
=20
MISSION
You are the pilot of the space shuttle Challenger. Your mission is to=20
complete the construction of a space station in as short a period of =
time as=20
possible. There are ten sections remaining to be transported to and =
installed=20
in the space station. The sections are available at the orbiting =
Factory.=20
Additional fuel is available at the orbital Depot.
=20
SETUP
=20
Ensure the joystick you intend on using is securely plugged into the =
LEFT=20
controller port. Insert the game cartridge and turn your game system on.
GAME LEVEL SELECTION
=20
When first turned on or after pressing RESET, the title display will=20
indicate game level 1. To play a more difficult game, move the joystick =
up=20
(or down) to select game 2 or 3. For a practice session (no orbital =
debris),=20
select game Q. When the desired game level is displayed, press the =
joystick=20
fire button to initiate liftoff.
THE ORBITAL DISPLAY
Once in orbit you will see the Orbital Display. At the top of the =
screen is=20
a view of the earth and various objects in orbit. The white object =
represents=20
the Challenger. The gold object is the Space Station under construction. =
The=20
red object is the orbiting Factory, and the green object is the orbital =
Depot.=20
Orbital debris is not displayed.=20
On the lower half of the screen is the Altitude Indicator. The bars=20
indicate the relative orbital altitude of the Challenger, Space Station, =
Factory, and Depot. This indicator is helpful in matching orbits for=20
rendezvous.
The elapsed time since entering orbit and the remaining fuel on-board =
are=20
displayed at the bottom of the screen.
BASIC ORBITAL MECHANICS
Maneuvering between orbits follows one basic principle, If you are at =
a=20
lower altitude than another object, you will orbit the earth faster than =
the=20
object. If you are at a higher altitude than another object, you will =
orbit=20
the earth slower than that object. The greater the difference in =
altitudes,=20
the greater the relative orbital speed.
If you desire to rendezvous with an object that is ahead of you, you =
should=20
choose an orbit with a lower altitude to gain on that object. When you =
are=20
near the object, you should increase altitude to match the orbit. Adjust =
your=20
position by moving slightly higher to drop back, or by moving slightly =
lower=20
to move ahead. Then return to the same orbit as the object you seek.
Fire main engines
Alternate (Raise orbit)=20
Astronaut/Shuttle-\_ ^
Control \ --------- =20
| o | Fire CMTs
Fire CMTs <| O |> (Advance)
(Drop Back) | |
---------
v
For Main Engines=20
(Lower Orbit)
=20
MANEUVERING DISPLAYS
When you are close to another orbiting object, you will automatically =
be=20
switched to a maneuvering display.
You must first rendezvous with the Orbiting Factory in order to pick up =
a section of the space station.
You maneuver the shuttle by changing orbits. If you pull down on the =
joystick the orbit will lower and
the Factory will move upward and to the left on the display, If you =
push up on the joystick,
you will raise your orbit and the Factory will move down and to the =
right on the display.=20
To keep the shuttle and Factory from drifting together or apart, you =
must adjust your orbit=20
so that the middle of the Factory is horizontally centered with the =
shuttle.=20
You can maneuver forward or backward in your orbit without gaining or =
losing altitude by using the=20
Compensated Maneuvering Thrusters (CMTs). You control the CMTs by =
pushing the joystick left=20
or right.
Once you have maneuvered the shuttle close to the Factory, press the =
fire button once to gain control of=20
the astronaut. Note that the blue band above the clock shifts to white =
whenever the joystick controls the=20
astronaut and returns to blue when the joystick controls the shuttle.
Move the astronaut out of the shuttle to the door at the top of the =
Factory. Safety precautions require that=20
the astronaut be tethered and that he remain in sight of the cockpit. =
Additionally, the Challenger's engines=20
cannot be fired while an astronaut is outside the shuttle. If the =
astronaut cannot reach the door you will=20
have to return the astronaut to the shuttle and maneuver the shuttle =
closer. When the astronaut reaches the=20
door he will be provided a section for the space station. Return the =
astronaut to the shuttle and press the=20
fire button once to stow the section and regain control of the shuttle. =
If you chose to pick up a second=20
section, press the fire button again to gain control of the astronaut =
and repeat the above procedure.=20
Be sure you are controlling the astronaut so you don't mistakenly drive =
the shuttle into the factory.=20
When you have loaded the shuttle, press the fire buffoon so that the =
band above the clock is blue and=20
maneuver the shuttle away from the Factory toward your next destination. =
You will automatically be=20
switched to the Orbital Display when you sufficiently clear the Factory. =
When the shuttle is low on fuel,=20
rendezvous with the Orbital Depot. You must line up the nose of the =
shuttle into the slot on the left side of the Depot without bumping into =
it. Maximum fuel load for the shuttle is 9000 kgs.
ALIGN TOP OF SECTION WITH TOP OF MARK
In order to complete the space station, you must properly insert the =
last=20
ten sections into the proper place. After you rendezvous with the Space=20
Station, move the astronaut out of the shuttle near to the rotating =
station.=20
If you hold down the fire button while the astronaut is out of the =
shuttle=20
the space station will slow its rotation to facilitate insertion of the=20
section. The section must be inserted so that it properly fits one of =
the gaps=20
in the left side of the space station. If the section hits the space =
station=20
or is inserted into the wrong gap, it will be damaged and you will have =
to=20
return it to the Factory for replacement. If the station is inserted =
correctly=20
it will remain attached to the space station. If you have carried a =
second=20
section in the shuttle, return the astronaut to the shuttle and press =
the fire=20
button TWICE to get the second section.
=20
The earth recently passed through the tail of a comet and a ring of =
debris=20
is forming around the earth. The ring is orbiting in the opposite =
direction of=20
the shuttle. When you are near the ring the display will automatically =
shift=20
from the orbital display until you have passed through the debris.
WINNING
You win the game when you successfully install all ten sections of the =
Space Station. The elapsed time in orbit and game difficulty level will =
be=20
displayed.
LOSING
You lose when you run out of fuel, failing to complete the space =
station.=20
The elapsed time in orbit is displayed above the game difficulty level =
and=20
the number of sections successfully installed.
PLAYING TIPS
=20
Any time the shuttle hits the Factory, Depot, Space Station, or debris =
it=20
will be damaged and leak fuel. The greater the number of hits, the =
greater=20
the rate of fuel loss.
Any time the Challenger hits an object there is at least a 25% chance =
you=20
will damage your cargo. Due to packing constraints, if you are carrying =
two=20
sections and hit an object, you will definitely damage one section - =
possibly=20
both. You can only examine the sections at the Factory or Space Station. =
If=20
the section has no prongs on the right-hand side, it is damaged and =
cannot be=20
used. If one of the two sections being carried is damaged, the good =
section=20
will be brought out first by the astronaut.
The shuttle consumes more fuel carrying two sections (damaged or not) =
than=20
carrying one section, and more fuel carrying one section than with no =
cargo.
Only one refueling should be necessary for the truly proficient pilot.
GAME CONTROLS
No switches other than the ON/OFF, COLOR/BW, and RESET switches are =
used.
=20
You can pause the game by pushing the COLOR/BW switch to the BW =
position.=20
To resume, push to the COLOR position. The RESET switch will start a new =
game.