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-
-
- The Adventures of Captain Comic
- Revision 3
-
-
- Introduction
- ------------
-
- This software is being distributed under the Shareware concept, where you
- as the user are allowed to use the program on a "trial" basis. If you
- enjoy playing Captain Comic, you are encouraged to register yourself as
- a user with a $10 to $20 contribution.
-
- Registered users will be given access to the official Captain Comic
- question hotline (my home phone number), and will be the first in line
- to receive new Comic adventures.
-
-
- This product is copyrighted material, but may be re-distributed
- by complying to these two simple restrictions:
-
- 1. The program and graphics (including world maps) may not be
- distributed in any modified form.
-
- 2. No form of compensation is be collected from the distribution
- of this program, including any disk handling costs or BBS
- file club fees.
-
-
- Questions and contributions can be sent to me at the following address:
- Michael A. Denio
- 1420 W. Glen Ave #202
- Peoria, IL 61614
-
-
- For a more timely response to game hint type questions, please include
- a phone number and a schedule of times during which you may be reached.
-
-
-
- Revision History
- ----------------
-
- Revision 1 ( 5/01/88):
- - Original Software Release.
-
- Revision 2 (11/28/88):
- - Added definable keyboard option.
- - Keyboard definitions can be saved (KEYS.DEF) for future play.
- - High score file (COMIC.HGH) by can be deleted to "clear" high
- scores.
- - Several minor bug fixes.
-
- Revision 3 ( 2/20/89):
- - Revised player control. Jumping in cramped areas is now more
- consistent with the "feel" of jumping in open areas.
- - Major bug fixes. This version contains no known bugs.
-
-
-
-
-
- The Adventures of Captain Comic
-
- Instructions
-
-
-
- I. Game Objective
-
- You are Captain Comic, galactic hero. Your mission is to
- recover three treasures from the planet Omsoc, which have
- been stolen away and hidden on the remote planet of Tambi.
-
- Your task will not be easy, you will need to gather tools to
- increase your fighting and defensive capability, navigate
- dangerous terrain, and avoid or destroy a horde of deadly
- creatures. It will take all of the Captain's skill and wit
- to see the treasures returned to Omsoc.
-
-
- II. Starting the Game
-
- - This program requires an IBM PC, XT or AT and an EGA display
- adapter with 256K of video memory. The program will also
- function with the IBM PS2 line (not Model 30) using VGA.
-
- - Insert the Captain Comic Program Disk in your default disk
- drive and type 'COMIC'.
-
- - A text page will be displayed before the entire game loads.
- If you wish to define your own custom keyboard setup, press
- "K" here. Pressing "Esc" will exit the game, and pressing any
- other key will continue game loading.
-
- - If you pressed "K" at the text page, you will now be in keyboard
- definition mode. To define control, simply press the desired
- control keys as prompted. When finished, you will be asked if you
- wish to save the setup to disk. "Saved" setups are automatically
- loaded at the start of a new game.
-
- - When the game has finished loading, press any key to view the
- introduction screens. After the introduction, the game will
- start.
-
-
-
-
-
-
- III. Game Control
-
- Left Arrow - When pressed quickly, makes COMIC face from
- (Move Left) right to left. When facing left, moves COMIC
- to the left.
-
- Right Arrow - Operates the same as left arrow, but moves
- (Move Right) COMIC to the right.
-
- Space Bar - Makes COMIC jump. Jumping height is increased
- (Jump) by the length of time the space bar is depressed.
- A certain amount of left/right directional
- control is available to COMIC while in the air
- by using the left/right movement keys.
-
- Insert Key - After COMIC has gathered at least 1 can of
- (Fireball) BLASTOLA COLA, this key will allow him to
- fire. Note that with the addition of every
- can of cola, COMIC can have one more fireball
- in the air simultaneously. When he has all five
- cans, COMIC's stream of bullets can reach across
- the entire playfield. While the fire key is
- depressed, COMIC's weapon energy is decreased.
- When the level of energy reaches zero, COMIC
- will no longer be able to fire. The weapon
- energy level recharges when the fire button
- is released.
-
- Alt - When COMIC has possession of the DOOR KEY, this
- (Open Door) key is used to open doors. To open a door and
- pass through, position COMIC in front of the
- door and press Alt. The door will slide open
- and COMIC will disappear, finding himself
- elsewhere...
-
- Caps Lock - When COMIC has possession of the WAND, this
- (Teleport) key is used to teleport to another place on the
- screen. The teleportation is not random, and
- when used properly, can allow COMIC to reach
- places on the screen that are normally
- inaccessible.
-
- Esc - Used to Pause or Quit the game.
-
- F1 - Turns sound ON
-
- F2 - Turns sound OFF
-
-
-
- IV. Game Rules
-
- COMIC starts the game with 5 lives, and no objects in his
- inventory. COMIC uses two different types of energy during
- battle, weapon energy and shield energy. Weapon energy is
- self-charging, and recharges when not in use. Shield energy
- can be recharged by picking up extra shields located on the
- playfield.
-
- When an enemy comes in contact with COMIC, the shield energy
- is reduced. After the shield energy reaches zero, any further
- contact with an enemy creature will destroy COMIC. COMIC can
- also be killed by falling off the bottom of the playfield
- area of the screen.
-
- Points are earned by shooting enemy creatures, gathering
- objects on the planet's surface, and for excess shield units
- remaining after charging.
-
- Extra lives are earned at every 50,000 points, by gathering
- a shield while current shield energy is already at max, and
- for every treasure collected.
-
- The game will end after COMIC retrieves all three treasures
- or when all spare lives are exhausted. The treasures include
- rare gems, a sack of rare coins and a jeweled crown.
-
- The following tools can be found during COMIC's adventure on
- Tambi:
-
- SHIELD - Restores COMIC's shield energy. Points are
- scored for excess shield units.
-
- BLASTOLA COLA - Increased COMIC's firing ability. Up to five
- cans of cola can be collected for a shot max
- of five fireballs in air simultaneously.
-
- CORKSCREW - Makes COMIC fire in a corkscrew type wave
- pattern. This is very useful for destroying
- creatures which crawl on the ground below
- COMIC's normal line of fire.
-
- DOOR KEY - Allows COMIC to open doors found in various
- places on Tambi.
-
- BOOTS - Increases COMIC's maximum jumping distance.
- This is useful in reaching ledges which were
- previously too high to jump to.
-
-
-
- LANTERN - There are a few places on Tambi which will
- appear dark to COMIC without the aid of this
- device.
-
- WAND - This is certainly the most powerful tool to be
- found on Tambi. Undoubtedly placed on Tambi
- by a powerful wizard, the wand gives its
- possessor to ability to teleport through walls
- and across voids.
-
-
-
-
- V. Setting Game Features
-
- When COMIC finishes his adventure on Tambi, he may record his
- score for posterity. The file "COMIC.HGH" contains the game's
- ten top scores. At some point, you may wish to clear these
- scores and start fresh. This is accomplished by deleting the
- file "COMIC.HGH".
-
- Although saving your custom key setup is a very useful feature,
- you may wish to return to the default key setup as described in
- this document. This is done by deleting the file "KEYS.DEF".
-
-
-
-
- VI. Hints
-
- - The Captain will have travel through 8 distinctly different
- areas on Tambi. The tools found and enemy difficulty varies
- from place to place. If one approach seems impossible, try
- another. Once you discover the best way to traverse on Tambi,
- the Captain's job will be much easier.
-
- - When the game starts, the Captain will have a very low offensive
- capability, and thus firing should be restrained to short range.
- As COMIC gains in offensive capability, the most effective way to
- fire will be in short bursts by holding down the FIRE key. COMIC
- will not fire any faster by repeatedly pressing the FIRE key.
-
- - As firing ability grows, try firing simultaneously while at the
- start of the jump. This will destroy most of the enemies that are
- waiting in the wings.
-
- - Learn where to jump. Some of the gaps in the ground can be crossed
- only by leaping, but there is a large number of places where COMIC
- can cross by simply walking over the gap. Unfortunately, this can
- only be learned through trial and error. As a general rule however,
- for short gaps, COMIC can walk over a one step gap for every step
- down his destination.
-
- - Remember it possible to win. More than that, its possible to win
- without losing a single life. (It's just not easy.)
-
-
-
- Solution to Level I : The Forest
- --------------------------------
-
- Objects to be found: BLASTOLA COLA, SHIELD, KEY
-
- Tactics: First grab the cola, and start moving to the right. You won't
- be able to shoot very well, so use firing for defense only.
- When you get to the right edge of the screen, the view will stop
- scrolling. Keep walking and you'll move on to the next section.
- After getting the shield and the key, you want to exit on the
- SECOND door after the castle. Note that this is the door to the
- RIGHT of the door that is directly under the ledge where you
- found the key. Press the ALT (Open Door) key when COMIC is
- positioned in front of the door.