Arena Earth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                   ARENA EARTH IS NOW SHAREWARE!

           If you enjoy Arena Earth PLEASE send $15.00 to
                           Tim Basham
                           7293 Stout
                       Detroit, MI. 48228

Many, many hours went into this game. It would be nice to receive
some shareware donations and know the hard work was appreaciated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                           
                           ARENA EARTH
                           -----------


        In a distant galaxy, a race of aliens evolved. The Mokadons
live barbaricly. Wars rage on a planet that has survived a
millennium of constant conflicts. The land is barren of any known
life and completely void of vegetation of any form. The planet
and the Mokadons were doomed to extinction unless something could
be done to bring the people back together. In a last attempt to
save the troubled race, a fleet of space voyagers were sent out
on a mission to find any answer that would help. They traveled
light years throughout the universe always searching.
        Back on Earth, war had also raged. Although this planet was
not so lucky. A nuclear holocaust destroyed all life as we know
it. Scattered tribes of humans quickly killed themselves off in
futile battles over food and turf. Eventually, the planet staged
a comeback. Thick vegetation began to grow and flourish. Tropical
rain forests once again began to reach out to the sky. The Earth
became a rich green forest.
        The Mokadons, weary in their search, finally voyaged into our
galaxy. Finding Earth was not a difficult task. The Earth
thrilled the Mokadons. It was their Eden. They had finally found a
place which reminded them of the way their planet used to be.
They could once again live their lives in peace. 
        Small fights began to break out in the ships over territory
which hadn't even been seen yet. Mokadons which had remained
passive over the long journey had lost all control over
themselves. They wanted to be one of the first beamed on this
green planet. As the confusion and violence grew, one of the
Mokadons managed to get to the transporter bay. Overpowering a
guard, he managed to transport himself onto the surface of Earth.
Following him was a Mokadon security officer. Both beamed down to
the surface before the transporter bay could be secured. The
Mokadons beamed down various cameras to track the two aliens. 
        Then the most unusual event happened. The Mokadons on the
ship began to cheer them on as the two searched for each other in
the rich vegetation. Useful items were beamed down to the fight to 
make it a battle of wits instead of firepower. The Mokadons loved it.
Images were beamed back to their home planet and the population 
stopped their bickering. They all huddled around large viewing 
screens on the planet's surface to cheer on their favorite Mokadon.
The escaped Mokadon managed to set up a spiked trap and caught the
security officer in it. A long and lingering death came to the
officer which was disliked by the population. 
        With a few rules and equipment, the Mokadons had a new sport
to keep the population happy and united. Explosive implants were
placed in the skulls of the contestants to ensure a quick and
painless death. Also, referee drones are sent down to attack any
contestants who lingers in one spot too long. The winners are
considered heroes. Champions of ARENA EARTH.




OBJECT OF ARENA EARTH:

        The object of Arena Earth is simple. To win over your
opponent by catching him in traps or by direct confrontation.

STARTING ARENA EARTH:

        Insert Arena Earth disk 1 and double click on A_E_RUN.PRG.
Arena Earth will load. You will then be asked to select one
player or two players.
        If you select one player you will be asked to select a skill
level. Skill one being the easiest and three being the hardest.
        If you select two players you will be asked to select Dial,
Answer, or Null Modem. You will be asked to type in the phone
number of your opponent if you select Dial. Your St will then
call your opponent and connect. You will be placed in terminal
mode where you can talk to one another. Selecting Answer will
cause your ST to wait for a call from your opponent. After you
connect, you will be placed in terminal mode. For the Null Modem
option, you will need two ST's connected with null modem cables.
Just click on Null and you will be placed in terminal mode. To
play the game from terminal mode, just hit Escape.

AREA OF PLAY:

        Arena Earth in played to a 900 square grid. Each grid on the
scanner represents 9 squares in a tic-tac-toe pattern. You are
not permitted to cross the borders of the grid.

MOVEMENT:

        Movement is accomplished by using the mouse to click on a
direction arrow. The up arrow moves you forward one square.
Clicking on the left arrow turns you in place to the left.
Clicking on the right arrow turns you in place to the right.

PICKING UP, DROPPING, AND USING ITEMS:

        To pick up an item, simply click on the item on the screen.
It will then be placed in your inventory. To view your inventory,
click on the up/down arrow on the left side of the screen. You
have a limit of 15 items to carry.
        To drop an item, click on and highlight the item in your
inventory. Then, click on the DROP ITEM button. the item will be
dropped in front of you. You can drop only one item at a time.
There can only be three items in a square.
        To use an item, click and highlight it in your inventory. 
Then, click the USE button and the item will be used. Use this
function for using a weapon, loading ammo, or healing yourself.
It also can be used to hold a knife for cutting spikes. After
using the knife, click on the trees to cut spikes. Items in your
hands will be shown on the right side of the screen next to the
forward move arrow.

COMBAT:

        To attack your opponent, just point at him and push the
mouse button. If you aim well, you'll see the hits. A laser does
more damage than a gun. A gun uses ammo clips and a laser uses
energy packs.

SETTING TRAPS:

        To place a trap, click on the items needed in your
inventory. Then, click on the SET TRAP button. If it is a valid
trap, it will be placed in the square. Trap making is left to
you. Try different combinations of items. No trap will require
more than three items. Some traps will cause light damage and 
some can be devestating.




DRONES:

        Drones can be used to guard items, attack, or for recon.
Clicking on a drone in your inventory and clicking on a drone
function button will put a drone to use. The drone function
buttons are located in the right bottom corner of the screen.
         The first is used to send a drone to search for your
opponent. If he is found. the drone will stay above him and
report his position. The only way to destroy a recon drone is to
click on the sky view button to the left of the forward movement
button. You will get a sky view with the drone flying above you.
Then, shoot him. Sending out a drone costs energy.
        The second button lets the drone attack when someone walks
into the square. The drone will swoop down and attack. This
functions costs energy.
        The third button causes a selected item in your inventory to
be dropped and guarded by a drone. If someone attempts to pick up
the item, the drone will fly down and destroy all items in the
square, then attack. This function costs energy.

PULSE RATE:

        Placing traps and moving causes your heart rate to increase.
If your pulse goes over 180, you will begin taking damage. The
higher you pulse rate goes, you begin to jitter more. This makes
it move difficult to pick up items and aim your weapon. Resting
or moving slower will keep your pulse low.



COMMUNICATION:

        To communicate with you opponent in two player mode, just 
press the space bar. You will be instructed to enter your 
message. Messages are limited to 22 characters. Your opponent's 
game will be on hold until you hit return to send your message to 
him.


PAUSING THE GAME:

        To pause the game just click on the pause button. The 
game will be paused until you hit any key. In two player mode, 
your opponent will recieve a "GAME PAUSED" message. Only the 
player who paused the game may unpause it.

QUITTING THE GAME:

        To quit the game, click on QUIT. You will have the option 
of restarting the game, or quitting all together.

REMARKS:

        Thank you for your purchase of Arena Earth. Several 
months of hard work are involved in the making of this game. 
Learning a new computer language as I went along, I was able to 
complete my first commercial release. This program was written 
and compiled in GFA 3.0. Sound by G.I.S.T. and Replay 4. Graphics 
with Cyberpaint and Degas Elite.

Programming......................................Tim Basham
Graphics.........................................Tim Basham
Sound............................................Tim Basham
Concept..........................................Tim Basham
Play Testing.....................................Ron Breuer
Additional Ideas.................................Ron Breuer
Helpful Routines.................................Larry Berman
Extra Equipment..................................Grag Nowisatko
                                                 Larry Berman

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                   ARENA EARTH IS NOW SHAREWARE!

           If you enjoy Arena Earth PLEASE send $15.00 to
                           Tim Basham
                           7293 Stout
                       Detroit, MI. 48228

Many, many hours went into this game. It would be nice to receive
some shareware donations and know the hard work was appreaciated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



                       Enjoy Arena Earth!
                        sysTim  software 
                            (c) 1990