Amiga Format 44/af044.adf/Instructions

Text File | 1993-01-06 | 15KB | 353 lines

HIRED GUNS
DEMONSTRATION
For all 1mb Amigas (Inc. 1200 & 4000)


A DMA Design game
by Scott Johnston
Copyright © DMA Design 1992-93

Release 0.7 (demonstration version)
Version 37.14
Thursday, 5th January 1993, 11:15 PM
These notes by Scott Johnston & Steve Hammond



Welcome to the Hired Guns demo. What follows is a brief overview of the game,
scenario, controls, hard disk installation and memory requirements.
The finished game should be available around March '93 (with a PC version not
long after). So until then you'll just have to play with this demo - feel free
to use the "Duplicate*" program and pass copies around. Bear in mind though
that the copyright resides with DMA Design and the contents of the disk
may not be altered in any way without permission.

If you have any suggestions or bug reports then please write or fax a note to
the author.

        Scott Johnston.
        DMA Design,
        Discovery House,
        Dundee Technology Park,
        Dundee,
        Scotland.
        DD1 1TY.

        Fax [phone].

*Unfortunately the Duplicate program will not work on an Amiga 4000.


1. MEMORY REQUIREMENTS
----------------------
The following points also apply to the full game.

RUNNING FROM FLOPPY DISK
When running from floppy, Hired Guns requires a full 1mb of memory to run. As
a result it will take over the machine and you will be unable to multitask.

RUNNING FROM HARD DISK
Once installed correctly onto your hard disk, Hired Guns will need a total of
2mb of memory to run, 1mb of chip ram and 1mb of fast.
This means that Hired Guns will not work from hard disk if you have an A500
or an A1000.

    MACHINE        RUN FROM    RUN FROM
            FLOPPY DISK?    HARD DISK?

    A500        NO        NO, NOT ENOUGH CHIP RAM
    A500(1MB)    YES        NO, NOT ENOUGH CHIP RAM
    A500+        YES        YES, WITH 1MB EXPANSION
    A600        YES        YES, WITH 1 MB EXPANSION
    A1200        YES        YES
    A1500        YES        YES, WITH 1MB EXPANSION
    A2500        YES        YES, WITH 1MB EXPANSION
    A2000        YES        YES, WITH 1MB EXPANSION
    A3000        YES        YES
    A4000        YES        YES



2. HARD DISK INSTALLATION
-------------------------
Drag the "Hard Disk Install" icon into a drawer on your hard disk that you
would like Hired Guns to be installed into. Run the installation from within
that drawer then click "Install". A drawer called "HiredGunsDemo" will be
created containing the game (if it does not already exist).
Approximately one minute later you will have a working version on your hard
disk.
You may have to select the destination drawer window and choose "Update" from
the Windows menu on the workbench to show the Hired Guns drawer. (1.3 users
will have to close the window and reopen it to register the change.)


3. SCENARIO
-----------
FULL GAME
Numerous events led up to this point. From his military days - five years and
an entire star system away - Rorian Deevergh has amassed a group of people who
are collectively hunted by the authorities. Some of them he can even call
friends. In the high technology future of 2707, all credit transactions are
relayed to a central authority. Names and ID are automatically logged. When
you're effectively criminals, normal life becomes almost impossible.
Skills are difficult to sell. For each ability possessed by a human, there is
a robot who can do the same - cheaper and more reliably. The only area in
which humans can excel is in killing. For a price Rorian's group will take on
illegal jobs where their rare skills are at a premium. Payment in rare metals.
No questions. Nobody cares. If you live, that's your business.

Such as now. The patron who is funding the current operation will probably
remain unknown forever. What matters is the successful completion of the task,
in this case a rescue. The political implications of extracting a set of
hostages have been glossed over. It is almost routine. Half payment up front,
half on completion. If one terrorist organisation holds hostages of another
terrorist organisation then nobody much cares. Both oppose the authorities
and that can only be good, right? That's why the authorities can't and won't
be called in. That's why a group of mercenaries fit the job profile perfectly.
That's why red tape and protocol can be ignored. What does it matter who gets
in the way? The target zone is on a backwater world called Graveyard. That
wasn't its intended name. A corporate competition to name the place faded
from view. So much was planned for this little planet before funding ran out
for the terraformers. These days it is seldom talked about and visited even
less.

But this is not a simple hostage extraction. Things don't fit into place
neatly. It will become apparent that there is a great deal more to this
mission than expected. Something that may kill them all.

Events of the past are about to make themselves felt.

THIS DEMO
Tesseract Battle Systems often hold simulations of various scenarios. If you
know the right contacts it's possible for civilians to gain a place in one of
the scenarios for a day. Naturally this doesn't come cheap - the bribe level
is high - but the training is invaluable. This time the conditions are from
the planet known as Graveyard. A few years ago, Rorian, Cheule, Jennillee
and CIM undertook a training exercise in the Battle Simulator. It stood
them in good stead for the day in 2707 that they would have to go to
Graveyard for real....


4. GAMEPLAY & OBJECTIVE
-----------------------
CAMPAIGN DEMO
Tesseract Battle Systems: Simulation Suite 127.
Program "Graveyard-20"
Training Objective: Reach Exit and thereby escape.

The area comprises several levels each with their own hazards. The purpose of
the exercise is to promote team work, to familiarise yourselves with the
conditions of Graveyard and of course to improve weapon skill. Security doors
will be in place over the map. Several will require security wafers to open.
These are concealed in various places. A crucial item which you may not be
familiar with is the Psi-Amp. These are use to create various `effects' up to
and including creation of matter (the Bridge Effect) amongst other things
depending on the version. Teleport units will be used in strategic locations.
This will test your problem solving ability. Moveable frictionless blocks may
be found and used to block passageways and so on. They will play a significant
role. You will encounter creatures, some of which `hatch' from eggs. All are
hostile. Some are more dangerous than others.

ACTION DEMO
Tesseract Battle Systems: Simulation Suite 131.
Program "Graveyard-22"
Training Objective: Reach Exit and thereby escape.

The area has been specially designed to test the participants reactions and
strategy when under pressure. Two teams will play against each other. The first
person to reach the exit will be the winner. As usual for these scenarios there
is a time limit (in this case 15 minutes).



5. CONTROLS
-----------
Hired guns features a simplified and hopefully intuitive control method. Each
mercenary has access to four overlaid panels. Any one of which can be brought
to the front and viewed by clicking on the appropriate tab at the top of a
panel. Here is brief description of the options available on each.

3D VIEW
This is the main panel on which you can move around in the 3D world. The main
window shows what the character can see from their eyes. As you drag the mouse
around, the pointer changes to reflect whatever action will happen if you
press the left mouse button). Some `hot spots' have a different action if you
use the right mouse button. Try moving your character around. Every time you
click the `forward' hot spot your character will walk about 2m directly ahead.
When he (or she) turns the view will spin 90 degrees in that direction.
Clicking with the left mouse button when the pointer is a cross-hair in the
centre of the view will use whatever item the character is holding (see STORE
below). Also doing this when standing behind a pushable block (the white metal
blocks with handles) will push forwards. Clicking with the right button will
pull a block. When a character is standing over an object on the ground an icon
will appear at the bottom left of the panel. Clicking on this with the left
button will pick it up and put it directly into the characters pack.

STORE
The Majority of the encounters your characters will make will probably end in
blood shed. Whether its the enemy or your team that meet a grisly death depends
on your armament. There is plenty of hi-tech. weaponry to choose from,
fortunately your characters arrive already equipped. By selecting to the store
panel the characters inventory can be viewed. The items on the left show what
is carried in their pack, the item on the right is currently ready for use. If
this is your first time on this panel then try putting a gun into the hands on
the right. Click with the left mouse button when the cursor is a right facing
arrow on the pack. This will move the item into the characters hands ready for
use. Similarly by clicking when the pointer is a left facing arrow will move
the item from the characters hands back into their pack.
To use an item click with the left mouse button when the pointer is a cross-hair
in the centre of the view on the 3D view panel. When a gun runs out of
ammunition, click with the right button instead. If there is suitable ammunition
available then it will be automatically loaded into the gun. On the store panel,
clicking with the right mouse button over an
item in a characters hands will also use that item.

D.T.S. (DIGITAL TERRAIN SCANNER)
By now you're probably completely lost. This is when your character's D.T.S.
module comes in handy. Most characters will start the game with one of these
in their store. If a character's D.T.S. is destroyed or they simply do not have
one (like the two characters on the right) then this panel will simply fill with
the static. A D.T.S. module will basically perform an auto-mapping function for
its user. Some models do more but they tend to be rather expensive. Again, by
clicking on the hot spots you can scroll around a plan view of a cross-section
of the map in which your character is located. The red cross-hair marks your
characters position and direction. Note that by clicking the right mouse button
the D.T.S. will centre back onto your characters position.

STATS
This panel will show a selected range of statistics about your character.

Fitness
    This is the main indication on how well your character is. As he takes
    hits this value will fall. Once it reaches 0% then it's death. Note
    that the green/red bar at the top right of each panel gives a quick
    reading of the fitness value.
Physique
    A general measurement of how big and strong a character is. With a high
    physique a character can withstand more damage and carry more items,
    however the general bulk and weight will be greater - which can be a
    disadvantage when trying to survive falls (hint: drop as much of your
    inventory as possible to save weight).
Psionics
    Most non-engineered organic lifeforms exhibit some form of natural Psi
    energy. This is seemingly required to get the best out of the rare
    psionic amplifiers. The higher this rating then the more ambitious an
    effect the user will be able to achieve.
Experience
    This reflects the wisdom and skills that a character accumulates
    throughout life. As this rating increases and certain levels are
    attained the characters physique and psionics will be permanently
    boosted.

AUTO-LEADER
This is a handy function for allowing up to four characters to be moved at once.
By electing one character to be the leader the others in the team will follow
him/her. On each panel there is an orange light at the top right-hand corner.
When this is activated (by clicking on it with the left mouse button) is
signifies that the character is part of a team. It can be deactivated by
clicking on it again. When you try to move a team member that character will
automatically become the leader and the other members will try to follow.
When first forming a team all members must be in close proximity (no more than
4m from each other).
BUG WARNING - There are still some problems with the implementation of this
function. Characters can get stuck behind obstacles or jump off lifts, etc.

KEYBOARDS CONTROLS
Pressing HELP during the game will bring up an information screen reminding
you of the following keys....

    CTRL R        Restarts the current map.
    CTRL W        Pauses the current game and returns
            control to the workbench screen. Click
            on the gadget in the Hired Guns window
            to go back into the game.
            (Only available to hard disk users).
    CTRL ESC    Exits Hired Guns.
            (Only available to hard disk users).


6. GAME FEATURES
----------------
FEATURES SHOWN IN THIS DEMO....
- Four 1st person perspective 3D views on screen.
- Up to four independent players on one machine.
- True 3D levels.
    Each level can be up to 42,320m3.
- Auto-mapping.
- Transparent water effect.
- On-line encyclopedia.
- Hard disk installation.
- Full use of 1mb or more of memory.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES IN THE FULL GAME....
- Customisable graphics
    Edit the characters graphics to you liking. You can even put yourself
    in the game!
- Guild VII Digital Terrain Processor.
    Continent-wide recognisance and survey system.
- Choose from a selection of 12 characters.
- Loads of original music and sound effects.
    1.2mb.
- Four background graphics styles.
    Outdoors, caves, hi-tech. installations, tombs, etc.
- Mouse, joystick and keyboard support.
    Supports parallel port joystick adaptor for an extra two joysticks.
- Probably 80 hours or more of playing time during the
campaign game.
    1,735,120m3  of total playing area.
- Extra 20 stand-alone action orientated levels.
- 24 types of enemy.
- 8mb of data packed onto 5 disks.
- Comprehensive literature.


7. CREDITS
----------
CONCEPT, DESIGN, PROGRAMMING,
MAPS, EDITOR, SOUND EFFECTS, ICONS,
HARD DISK INSTALLATION & HARD WORK
 Scott Johnston

GRAPHICS
 Graeme Anderson
 Scott Johnston
 David Osborne

ORIGINAL MUSIC
 Brian Johnston

DOCUMENTATION
 Steve Hammond

CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONS
 Jamie Grant

DEVELOPMENT SOFTWARE
 Brian Watson

GRAPHICS TOOLS
 Russell Kay

MED V3.00 MODULE PLAYER
 Teijo Kinnunen

DISK IO & DATA COMPRESSION
 Rob Northen Computing

TEA BOY
 Mike Dailly

QUALITY ASSURANCE
 David Hally (first to complete demo)
 Gary Timmons (finds lots of bugs)
 Mike Dailly (no side step, sorry)
 Scott Cheetham
 Derrick Angus
 + development team

Thanks to Commodore for an excellent machine, espe
cially for the best multitasking O.S. around (well, 2.0 up
wards  anyway!). Plus lots of thanks to every Amiga devel
oper out there for supporting it and continuing to
make it great.