Parallax / Ocean Software 1986
Screenshots: « play/stop »



Scenario
A space probe has landed you, and four of the world's most experienced astronauts on an artificial world divided into five broad horizontal zones; Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon. The inhabitants seem hospitable and friendly until you stumble across vital information being switched across the zones by a controlling computer intelligence. Information revealing an imminent attack upon Earth!

Contact your four allies in the other zones in an attempt to break free and destroy the computer, in your spacecraft IBIS. You begin in Alpha zone and must proceed through each area locating your colleagues and finally reaching the Intergalactic Teleport at the exit in Epsilon zone. The way is fraught with many hazards - good luck!

Controls

Joystick in flight
Left: Turns anti-clockwise
Right: Turns clockwise
Up: Dive
Down: Climb
   
Keyboard in flight
Space: Landing gear up/down
F7: Shields on/off
Return: Display datacards and passwords
Fire: Shoot lasers
   
Joystick on ground
Left: Turns anti-clockwise
Right: Turns clockwise
Up: Taxi forward
Down: Blast off
Fire: Initiate leaving sequence
   
Keyboard on ground
Space: Landing gear up/down
F7: Shields on/off
Return: Display datacards and passwords
   
Joystick on foot
Left: Move left
Right: Move right
Up: Move up
Down: Move down
Fire: Shoot stun gun (if carried)

Operate on-board computer
Use joystick to move cursor over required option. Press fire to select. Follow on-screen instructions for other operations. Warning! IBIS can only land on a clear surface with the landing gear down. Any other circumstances will incur damage to the engines or the landing gear itself.

Scoring
Points are scored for eliminating aliens, shooting Turrets. Max - Shoot turrets, shoot flying aliens, shoot surface aliens and shoot underground aliens - Min.

Game play and features
Shields and lazers - Press F7 to operate shields. With these in operation, the fuel is used more quickly (when on the ground no fuel is used at all).

Exploring
Activating the fire button when landed indicates to the on-board computer that you wish to leave the ship. You will be asked what you want to take with you. The left hand column shows the potential inventory. Guiding the cursor over this will transfer you selection to the right hand column for exit. Underneath are three standard options: 1. Standard kit; supply of oxygen, stun gun and ammunition. 2. Stay aboard. 3. Exit craft. N.B. The gun enables you to stun (one shot) or kill (two shots) the alien scientists or eliminate (one shot) the robots in the hangars.

Hangars
You can enter any hangar at any time. To re-enter the ship, stand beneath and press fire; you will materialise inside IBIS. Hangars are strategically important. They are the principal areas for locating computer data vital to the mission's success. Scientists can often be found in hangars (see below), as can robots who must be shot on sight! Several computers are situated inside these hangars:

Computer bank: Credits are drawn from the computer bank using datacards obtained from stunned scientists.

Computer shop: From which items may be purchased with credits. The inventory will be automatically transported to the IBIS for later use.

Central Intelligence Unit (C.I.U. or "Big One"): The main alien control mechanism planning the invasion on Earth. To extract information from these computers, you must obtain one datacard from each grade of scientist on each level. When you insert the relevant card, the computer gives you a letter of the password to enable you to progress to the next level. The letter it gives corresponds to the grading of the card (and the scientist it is obtained from), i.e. if a third grade card is inserted, then you will be given the third letter of the password. The card is automatically returned to you as it can then be used to extract credits from the Computer bank. There is one C.I.U. on each level which cannot be accessed without having a scientist with you. This is the computer that requires the complete password. If encountered early on, take note of its position!

Data cards: These gather information for passwords and enable you to gain credits from the computer bank. They are extracted from stunned scientists, and are of five grades (denoted by the first digit, as shown in the lower information screen). Up to two cards can be held at any one time.

Scientists
The scientists hold the key to the C.I.U.'s, in the form of datacards. To extract a datacard from a scientist, you must first stun him (with one shot) and walk over him. You are then given the option of taking his card. The first scientist whose card you do take, will be automatically taken with you when you return to your ship (kidnapped). He will be useful later on when you need to enter your password into the main computer. If you do not need the scientist, you may shoot him again to destroy him.

Important! When you do achieve the complete password (with the kidnapped scientist accompanying you) and you enter this into the main computer, the scientist is transformed into one of your 'aliens' whom is then considered rescued. This allows progression to the next level.

Aliens
These will impede your progress and shoot at you, causing damage to the IBIS. They must be avoided or eliminated with your lazer.

Black holes
These take the form of pairs of square black openings with an arrow between them on the surface. Passing over a black hole, in the direction of the arrow, you will be sucked in and shot out of the adjacent one, at a faster velocity. These help you build up extra speed throughout the game; a necessity on later levels as speed will be crucial to fly through traps. N.B. Passing through against the arrow results in your speed being halved.

Hyperspace ports
Appears similar to a black hole, but has a flashing centre. If you pass over one of these, you will be randomly transported to a different location on the same level.

Hints and tips
• Ensure landing gear is up when not required.

• When on foot, if man gets shot by an alien, he is stunned and his oxygen level decreases.

• When entering your four digit code into the computer, ignore the hyphen and do not press Return - wait for response.

• You will be destroyed if you enter the next level without having fulfilled certain conditions - see 'Scientists'.

• Scientist will not cooperate in accessing main computer unless drugged.

Loading instructions
Position the cassette in your Commodore recorder with the printed side upwards and make sure that it is rewound to the beginning. Ensure that all the leads are connected. Press the Shift key and the Run/Stop key simultaneously. The screen message should follow Press Play on Tape. This program will load automatically. For C128 loading, type go64 (Return), then follow C64 instructions. When loading is complete, press fire button to start.

Product information and credits
This software product has been carefully developed and manufactured to the highest quality standards. Please read carefully the instructions for loading. If for any reason you have difficulty in running the program, and believe that the product is defective, please return it direct to: Mr. Yates, Ocean Software Limited, 6 Central Street, Manchester M2 5NS. Our quality control department will test the product and supply an immediate replacement if we find a fault. If we cannot find a fault, the product will be returned to you at no charge. Please note that this does not affect your statutory rights.

Its program code, graphic representation, and artwork are the copyright of Ocean Software Limited and may not be reproduced, stored, hired or broadcast in any for whatsoever without the written permission of Ocean Software Limited. All rights reserved worldwide. Parallax runs on the Commodore 64/128 computers.

Produced by D. C. Ward
Music by Martin Galway

© 1986 Ocean Software Limited.

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