Darklyte 1993
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By Howard Tilley.
Introduction.
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This is the introduction, it has nothing to do with stoats. This game was
written in STOS and used as my A level computing project, so I have decided
to put it on the public domain circuit to see if it blows a fuse. Please
feel free to distribute it to your friend (if appropriate), but do include
this document as it contains my address.
The game is entirely mouse driven with the exception of the keyboard and
joystick routines which are also mouse driven. You will probably find it
useful, therefore, to have a mouse plugged into the 'puter.
Just double click on the DARKLYTE.PRG file, and then send the faulty
program back to me at the address below when it destroys your ST, and fills
your house full of radioactive waste.
I would also appreciate letters and other forms of communication which I
can guarantee that I will reply to all letters and probably to the 'phone.
If you like this program then please REGISTER your copy. To do this please
send œ2.99 and a blank formatted disk and I will fill it full of games, and
other stuff, like samples and stuff,(this includes P+P).
I have many other programs, that I will send you, even the source code to
any of the programs if you ask.
Demon - a dungeon master type game with many levels, objects, monsters,
spells, and other things of general interest.
Stradegy - a puzzle game with excellent graphics and sampled sound.
Terramoon - a graphic arcade/adventure game based around space exploration
and blasting enemy vessels.
(it's similar to Star Trek: The next generation), this
also has powerful samples.
The address is :
Mr H.Tilley,
33 York road,
Church Gresley,
Swadlincote,
Derbys.
DE11 9QG.
Please allow 28 days for delivery, 8 months cheque clearance, and 12 years
for me to learn to write.
And now... The game itself.
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This section is to do with the game, I cannot fully guarantee that it has
nothing to do with stoats, but I will try not to mention them too often.
When the game has loaded, the main screen will appear. The game is a space
game similar to the Space crusade/Hero Quest. You will notice that firstly,
there is a mouse pointer on the screen, and that there is a grid where 4
droids are displayed at the top and four enemy droids are displayed near
the bottom. There are many pits towards the centre of the game grid, and
grass and metal surround it. This is the area of the screen where all the
action takes place. This is where the droids attack each other, and other
game functions occur.
You will probably already have noticed that there is a white arrow point-
ing to a droid on a pedestal at the bottom left of the screen. This is the
way you know which droid you are going to control. If you press the right
mouse button, the arrow points to the next droid, and after the last one it
will return to droid number one. As you press the right mouse button you
will also notice that a graphic of a clipboard in the botton right of the
screen changes to show some different text, and sometimes a different
graphic. This is quite normal. Stoaty, stoaty. The graphic shows you which
weapon, the droid the arrow is pointing at, has. The green number at the
bottom of the clipboard tell you how many moves the droid has, and the
canister to the left of the clipboard shows how much energy the droid has.
When the energy (a green bar) is gone, so is the droid. You must move the
droids using the four arrows at the bottom centre of the screen, just click
on the arrows, and the droid will move. The droid cannot move if the square
you want it to move to is occupied, (either by another droid, a pit, some
water, a swamp etc...). You will notice that the green number, which shows
how many moves the droid has, decreases as the droid moves. Stoaty, stoaty,
down my throaty!
The object of the game is to destroy the enemy droids. You must move the
players droid so that they face and enemy droid and then you can attack!
The combat sequence.
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To attack, simply click on the sword icon at the top-left of the screen.
When you attack a droid, or when they attack you, you will see on the
clipboard a picture of both the droids. The one on the left is the droid
attacking, and the droid on the right is defending.
Under these droids are three numbers. The number under the left droid is
the attack number. This is relevant to the attacking droids weapon. The
number under the defending droid is the defending number, it is relevant to
that droids armour level. ( You can see your droids statistics by clicking
on the graphic of them on the pedestals ).
The third number is next to the word 'HIT' this is the result of the
attacking droids number subtract the defending droids number. This number
is the defending droids damage number, and that droids suffers an energy
loss of that damage number. (If you were attacked and wounded, you will see
the energy bar decrease - and if it reaches zero the droid will explode !)
The same applies for the enemy, but you will not be able to see the enemy
droids energy (yet!).
Attacking a droid uses a move, so if it looks like the sword icon has no
effect, you are probably out of moves. If you are not facing an enemy droid
the clipboard will tell you!
Other features.
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Under the sword icon is the picture of two droids with an arrow pointing
to each of them in a circle. This represents the 'End turn' icon. You must
click on this when all the droids have used up their moves or if you want
to end your turn pre-maturely. When you do so, the enemy have their turn to
move and attack you.
You will also see the picture of a droids head and shoulders with bolts of
lightning emenating from them. This is the 'Scan enemy' icon. Just click on
it instead of the sword icon and you will scan the enemy you are facing.
(it uses up a move). You will then be able to see the enemy droids stats:
Moves, weapon power, energy, armour, and the type of weapon it has.
Under this icon is the graphic of a question mark. This is the 'Use item'
icon. Each droid has six items. They can be used at any time, and when you
do so they turn dark grey to show they have been used up.
The equipment icons are :
An injection - This restores the droids energy back up to maximum.
A microchip - This gives the droid 9 moves.
A powerglove - This gives the droid a greater damage on the next attack.
A shield - Better defending when you are next attacked.
A target - This makes the enemy droids confused and on their turn,
they will move towards the first game square and not you.
However, if a droid runs into an obstacle during this
journey they may well be 'un-confused' and move towards
one of your droids as normal.
A skull - This gives the droid an enormous advantage in the next
attack round. The commander droid only starts with this
item.
All these items can only be used once.
Combat rewards.
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When you destroy a droid, the players droid will recieve some gold. The
amount depends on the type of enemy droid destroyed. You will also earn
experience points. This is also dependant on the enemy destroyed but also
the weapon used. (The harder you make the game for yourself, the more
experience you get!) For example. Attacking a strong droid with a weak
weapon will get more experience than attacking a strong droid with a strong
weapon, or a weak droid with a weak weapon.
Note.
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It is worth pointing out here, that each time you use a weapon it will
decrease in power. (The power level is found by clicking on the weapon
graphic on the clipboard). When you do this, the bar running along side the
game grid will light up to show the number of uses this weapon has left.
The weakest weapon has infinate uses (it looks like a small penknife).
When the uses of a weapon has reached zero, the droid will revert back to
this weakest weapon.
Transferring gold from one droid to another.
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If you wish, you can transfer gold from one of your four droids to another
by clicking on the T.G icon on the graphic background. You must make sure
that the current droid (the one the arrow is pointing to) is facing the
other droid. When you do so, you will see both droids on the clipboard and
their gold amounts underneath. Just click on the gold number you wish to
give gold to and one gold piece will be transferred to this amount from the
other (if necessary), you can transfer 5 pieces at a time by clicking with
the right mouse button, or 10 (with both buttons).
Clicking on the arrow will take you back to the game.
Ground features.
----------------
On the ground you will see many different things. Many have some sort of
effect when a droid is moved onto them. They consist of toll gates, where
you must pay a price to pass, shops (to buy equipment - click on the arrow
to return to the game), and weapon fix shops (to restore a weapons uses
just click on the word 'YES' if you have the gold and a suitable weapon
it will increase by one). You will also find squares where you may pass on
but the enemy cannot, the vice-versa. You will also see exit squares where
you must guide a droid to when you have destroyed the enemy droids.
When you have completed the level, each droid recieves bonus experience,
according to the level. Click on 'OK' to get to the next level.
Game Over.
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This occurs when the Commander droid is destroyed. You mission, apart from
to destroy the enemy is to protect the commander. It's not very strong, but
has the skull (see above). When the commander is destroyed it's game over -
even if the other droids live!
Thats it! Enjoy ! But for those with problems here are a few of the common
ones that could occur.
Q. I click on the arrows to move the droid but nothing happens. Why?
A. Make sure that the droid has 1 or more moves (the green number in the
base of the clipboard), and that the way you want to move to is not
occupied. Also by clicking too near the edge of the arrows will not
work, click near the centre.
Q. I move a droid to a weapon fix point (a sword on the grid) but nothing
happens.
A. Make sure that the droid has some gold (click on the offending droid on
the pedestal to see it's statistics), and a weapon other than the small
penknife like blade (which has infinate uses). If you have no gold, then
the shop square becomes useless too.
Q. I have killed all the enemy droids but the game will not progress.
A. Move a droid to the exit square. (it's a flight of stairs leading down).
Q. My stoat, although friendly, is refusing to eat his greens, what am I
doing wrong?
A. My best recommendation is that you force feed the thing with brussels,
and then cook it for Sunday dinner with a nice side salad. ( Gas Mark
6 is best ) - oh , and don't forget to turn it over when it's golden
brown.
That's it, I am off now, bye.
H.Tilley. 5:40 p.m Sunday, 25th April, 1993.
Don't forget to register that copy if you want lots of other games...
That's it, End Of File.
P.S, are you P.S'ed off with me by now ?