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by Daniel Fielding
(C) 1995 DECON
Finished: 30th August, 1995
Credits:
All planning, code, graphics, sample editing, level design, etc. by D Fielding
Playtested by Adam and Annis Fielding, my faithful brother and sister
Music by Misfit
High Score Table music by Mad Max
Written using 100% Pure STOS
Extensions used: Misty, STE, Control, Extra, Missing Link
Samples created with Stereo Master
Thanks to:
ST Format
STOSSER
Capcom for SF2 (excellent game, although not on the ST)
Midway for Mortal Kombat 2 and 3 (both brill)
BBC 2 for Red Dwarf
Right, now all that's out of the way, it's time to get on to the instructions:
DEATH CHASE - the remix
Overview:
---------
Death Chase is a one or two player split screen shoot-em-'up. Players take
control of hardened Cyborgs, on a mission to clean out level after level of
rooms. There are 18 different weapons, each of which with its own fire rate
and power.
Two player 'Team' sees both players co-operating to destroy all baddies on a
level. Two player 'Death Chase' is a totally different kettle of fish, with
points only being awarded for the other player's death. Baddies that get
killed should have just stayed out of the way!
Plot:
-----
The year is 2163. Earth Scientists have just created a new type of warrior,
a machine (pretty alike to the Terminator!) which is covered with human tissue,
thus disguising it more efficiently. This new 'weapon' has been designed
for a single purpose - to wipe out all crime on planet Earth! A pretty steep
order? Well, it would be, but these CybOrgs can withstand multiple hits from
even the most powerful weapon. However, don't be fooled into thinking that
they are immune - if shot / clobbered / smashed up / flamed / electrocuted
enough, they drop like anyone else.
Scientists have also unveiled a new type of weapon. Nicknamed 'Laser' weapons
(because of the narrow beams of energy they use), they use high voltage
electricity to kill or injure. These weapons also have a phenomenal rate
of fire compared to other non-'Laser' weapons. For example, the Laser Pistol
can fire 3 shots in the time it takes a standard pistol to fire 2.
Finally, criminal organisations no longer consist of a few punks with baseball
bats and big guns. Neo Crime is a much more serious matter, with people
(nicknamed 'Eliminators') kitted up in amazingly thick Titanium alloy, allowing
them to withstand up to 6 times more punishment than normal flak armour. This
doesn't mean that there aren't any normal guards - oh no, there're still
tonnes of them too!
Loading:
--------
Thanks to my well smart 'Death Chase Boot Up' program (which took 5 minutes
to write, but slightly longer to compile, test and pack) this couldn't
be much simpler. Simply select the option you want when the menu pops up,
wait a mo, then double click on the file icon that appears.
For those of you who are interested (don't all shout at once), all that the
auto-loader does is much around with three desktop.inf files, renaming to
achieve the desired result.
The game takes a while to load and unpack. However, after it has loaded in
all of the samples, images and whatever, it no longer needs to access them,
so you can save your levels on a different disk. The only problem with this
is that your high scores will get saved onto the wrong disk, but that doesn't
matter to much 'cos you can move them afterwards.
Controls:
---------
In a one player mode, player one can use either keys or a joystick plugged into
port 0.
In two player, player one uses keys and player two uses the joystick.
Keys are:
\/\/\/\/\
On the title screen:
A - left
D - right
Right Shift - select
In the game:
A - rotate left
D - rotate right
Right Shift - fire current weapon
Left Shift or W - run fowards (W must be pressed alone, Left Shift can be
used with other keys)
Space Bar or X - Change current weapon
Joystick controls are:
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
In the game:
Left - rotate left
Right - rotate right
Up - run fowards
Down - change current weapon
Fire - fire current weapon
You will probably find that keys are better, as they are more sensitive and
thus that much better for precision work such as that required in this game.
When playing two player, give the better player the joystick as a sort of
handicap!
The Title Screen:
-----------------
When the DECON logo appears, press any key to get rid of it. You will then
have to wait a few seconds for the disk to access, before the title screen
appears.
Using keys/joystick, move the cursor left and right over the desired option,
then press fire.
Options are:
\/\/\/\/\/\/
Start Game: Begin a new game with the currently selected options
Options : Configure the game to your requirements.
Options:
--------
Most things you could possibly want to vary in the game can be varied here.
Simply press the number next to the option to activate/toggle it.
1> Toggle screen frequency - normal TVs have a screen update rate of 50 times
per second (50Hz). However, some TVs and monitors can
cope with the higher rate of 60 times per second (60Hz),
which makes the display more stable and also speeds up the
game/music slightly.
To find out if you TV can cope with 60Hz, press 1. If the
screen starts to flicker wildly, press 1 again to return
to 50Hz.
DISCLAIMER - misuse of 60Hz on a TV which can only cope
with 50Hz could possibly damage it, although I have never
heard of this. However, I hereby disclaim any damage done
to TVs or Monitors via misuse of this option.
2> Toggle game mode - there are three games modes to choose from.
'Solo' - is a one player mode. In it you get points for
killing badguys. When all badguys on a level are killed,
you move onto the next level. The game continues until
you die, whereupon you lose all of your score and weapons,
although you may continue from the beginning of the level.
To end the game, press 'Esc'
'Team' - is a two player co-operative mode. In it, both
players get points for killing badguys. When all badguys
on a level are killed, you progress to the next level.
The game continues until you die, whereupon you lose all
of your score and weapons, although your partner retains
his/hers. Should you die, a quick tap of the fire button
returns you to the beginning of the level, although all
dead baddies and damaged furniture stay that way.
To end the game, press 'Esc'
'Death Chase' - is a two player battle to the death. In it
you are only awarded a point for each time the other player
dies, so it is in you interests to stay alive for as long
as possible, whilst killing the other player tonnes.
Should you die, a quick tap of ye olde fire button will
place you back into the level in a random location,
although all of your weapons will be gone. The game
ends when the timer runs out, whereupon you will be
prompted to load another level. To return to the title
screen, click on QUIT or RETURN without typing anything.
3> Toggle Sound - selecting this option toggles the sound between 'On' and
'Off'. While 'Off', all sounds (including those on the
title screen) are disabled.
4> Toggle Music - selecting this option toggles the music between 'On',
'Random' and 'Misfit...'. There are four different in
game tunes to choose from. Choosing the 'Random' setting
makes the game play a different piece of music every time
a level is started.
5> Change Treble - selecting this changes the treble of all music and sounds.
6> Change Bass - selecting this changes the bass level of all music and sounds.
7> Exit - selecting this option returns you to the title screen
8> View High Scores - selecting this options takes you to the High Score table,
where you can view the hundred best (or, indeed, 'least
awful') scores.
High Scores:
------------
Death Chase has two high score tables, each comprising 100 names and scores.
Table one is dedicated to 'Solo' and 'Team' scores, whilst table two is
dedicated to 'Death Chase' scores.
After every game, the program attempts to save the hiscores to the current
directory of the disk in the drive. It is recommended that you make a
back up of the Death Chase disk, and save any extra levels you make onto
the back up. That way, you'll get less confused with high scores, etc. And
hey, if your original gets fried - at least you'll have a working copy.
(What do you mean, you just lost that too?!)
Start Game:
-----------
Back to more important issues, like how to play the game!
Having selected 'Start Game', players will be prompted to enter their names.
Names can be up to 20 characters long, and can contain any character physically
typable. If the name entered is more than 20 characters, it will truncated
(that means chopped off at the end!). If no name is entered, a random one
will be given to the player from the choice of 30 that I made up (or borrowed).
Having entered names, one of two things could happen:
i) The computer loads in a level automatically. This usually happens on 'Solo'
and 'Team', where you play through the levels in sequence.
ii) The STOS fileselector (yuck!) appears. This occurs on 'Death Chase', or
when a suitable level cannot be found by the computer. Simply double click
on a file name to load it. Clicking on return or quit without typing anything
returns to the title screen. Clicking on previous causes the folder you
are in to close.
How to play:
------------
After the level has loaded, you will be presented with a blank screen with
a status panel at the bottom and the words "GET READY" in the centre. Pressing
any key starts the level. However, if you have not played before, it might
be a good idea to get a look at the status panel. Player one's info is on
the left, player two's is on the right.
____________________________________________________
_____________
| Pic of | Weapon name
| current |
| weapon | Ammo left
------------- Armour
Health
----------------------------------------------------
Your first priority should be to stay alive for as long as possible. While
playing the game, keep an eye on your Health and Armour readings. Your
health will never decrease as long as you have some armour. However, as soon
as your armour is gone you are very vulnerable, and should both your armour
and health reach 00, you will die - possibly horribly, depending on how you
died!
Next priority - your weapon in use, and how much ammo it's got in it. Unless
you know the level inside out, you should always have a good reliable weapon
handy, which is both fast and pretty powerful, and so can take out both weak
and tough baddies. If a weapon's ammo is low, then change to another weapon
with more ammo, as changing gun halfway through a fight can be very offputting.
Also, remember that the Double Barrel Shotgun and the Minigun get through
more than one bullet / shell at a time.
Now that you know all of this you are ready to start. Press any key to dismiss
the 'Get Ready' sign and get a glimpse of the game.
Who am I, and what do I shoot?
------------------------------
Each player has their own screen. This allows them to go their own completely
different way should they wish.
Death Chase is played in a series of rooms. Only one room is displyed on each
player's screen at once, and that is always the one that they are in!
Player one is the little bloke with a white shirt and blue trousers. Player
two looks pretty alike to player one, only he has a yellow shirt.
So, you can safely assume that everyone else is a badguy! Security guards
(the weedy ones) wear a blue uniform, and Eliminators (the well 'ard ones)
wear a yellow suit of armour.
Movement:
---------
Death Chase uses the old, old technique of rotating left and right, and running
in the direction you are currently facing. This can be quite tricky at first
(especially on joystick), but bear wih it. It was the only way I could get all
of player 2's controls onto a single joystick anyway!
To move from one room to another, your sprite must walk onto one of the exit
arrows at the edge of the room he is in. Having stepped onto this arrow, he
will be whisked into a new, and probably into a load of baddies too!
TIP: Secure one room before moving on to the next. That way, if you need a
breather, you can just go out the way you came in. The only baddies who
could possibly follow you are the Eliminators, and it is pretty unlikely.
Scenery:
--------
Death Chase features 23 pieces of scenery, most of which simply get in the
way and do nothing (except geting blown up).
However, there are a few important bits that are outlined below.
Tables - there are three types of table. A table with nothing on has no
special effects. A table with a gun on it will give you a new weapon
should you run into it. Finally, a table with a small bluish box
on it will boost your health or armour should you run into it.
Lockers - there are also three types of locker. An open, empty locker has
no special effects. A closed locker can be opened by running into
it. A locker containing a gun gives you a new weapon should you
run into it.
Mines - these are small hemispheres on the ground, which can cause big trouble
if you tread on one. However, they can also be shot from a distance
to set them off without harm (to you at least)
TNT crates - these are red boxes which, when shot, can make a big bang!
Walls - walls are special because they are indestructible to all weapons except
rocket launchers, flamers and other explosive devices (such as mines)
Doors - these open when you run through them
Types of baddy:
---------------
Below are the exact specifications for the two types of baddy.
Security Guards: Wear a blue uniform. They only take one hit from any weapon,
but are certainly not wimpy. In mass, they can beat the crap out
of you, so be warned. They can carry any type of gun up to
(and including) the Laser Gun.
Security guards always remain in the same room. Further more,
when you leave the room they cease to move. However, should
you re-enter, they will come after you again.
Eliminators : Wear a yellow suit of body armour. They can take up to 75%
damage before snuffing it. They are slightly more rare than
Security Guards (unless you make a level full of 'em). They
can carry any type of gun, even the well cool ones like a
rocket launcher or a flamer.
Eliminators are cunning little buggers. They can move around
the play area, from room to room. If they spot you, you
can bet your bottom dollar that they'll come after you. Also,
the have a nasty habit of waiting for you to fire a warning
shot into a room, before coming out and pounding you!
'Choose your weapons...'
------------------------
Death Chase features a vast array of weapons - 18 different types to be exact.
They are split into three categories - hand to hand weapons, which can only
be used on very close targets; ranged weapons which have limited ammo, and
can be fired up to three 'squares'; and special weapons, which are basically
blimmin' good!
Weapon Name Speed (/6) Damage Ammo
Fists 4 12% -
Dagger 5 12% -
Metal bar 4 25% -
Light sabre 5 25% -
Chainsaw 6 25% -
Laser gauntlet 6 37% -
------------------------------------------------------------
Pistol 4 12% 6
Laser Pistol 5 12% 6
Crossbow 3 12% 5
Auto Las Crossbow 4 25% 10
Pump Shotgun 3 37% 6
Double Barrel Shotgun 1 75% 10 (uses 2 per shot)
Laser Gun 6 12% 20
Mini-Gun 6 25% 60 (uses 3 per shot)
Heavy Laser 6 37% 20
Las-Blaster 2 62% 10
------------------------------------------------------------
Rocket Launcher 1 Makes 3x3 5
explosion
Flamer 6 Makes 5x1 30
explosion
Pretty neat, huh?
"It's not so much a convenience... it's more like a way of death"
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Yep, it happens to all of us in the end. We all bite the bullet (or get chinned
by a laser gauntlet) eventually (some more than others... eh, Adam?). But,
lucky for you, those science boffins have your characters resurrectable.
You die when your health reaches 0. After having witnessed your tragic death
(hur hur! More on that later), you can press FIRE to get another attempt.
Shame that you lose all of your groovy weapons (except your fists), and
get a measly pisol with 6 bullets in return, but hey... that's life (or death,
as the case may be)
As for methods of death, there are 4 different ones. The most interesting being
the 'electrocution'... hur hur hur! Watch with awe as your character is
repeatedly zapped with mega high voltage, before all of his limbs pop off
simultaneously.
Oh well... you've gotta laugh!
Giving up on Death Chase:
-------------------------
To quit your current game, press ESCAPE.
To quit forever (until next time)... press Control and C. Fun!
Or even better... press Control and Alternate and Delete
You know where you can stick it!
--------------------------------
Yes, if you want to contact me (no hate mail or death threats please), write to
Daniel Fielding
6, Broom Road,
Lakenheath,
Suffolk,
IP27 9ES
ENGLAND!
And don't ask about Death Chase II... 'cos I really haven't got a clue whether
I can be bothered to write it after the amazing amount of time this took!
However, my next game... well, I'm not sure about that either. But you can
bet that it will be good (sort of).
By the way... I reckon that I am the best at Mortal Kombat II - after all,
inbetween programming stints for Death Chase, I played that - if anyone
out there can beat my record, please tell me. My record is... (are you
ready for this?)... I can win it with Scorpion on very hard without the
cheat mode, losing not a single round. And I beat Jade too! So ner.
And if you manage that, go back and try it with Shang Tsung, then Sub
Zero.
And if you manage that, go away and play Street Fighter II. 'Cos I
won it on Level 8 with Ken without cheating, losing only a single round (I
hate Blanka!), and getting a perfect on every single boss.
HAH!
The End
(C) 1995 DECON