============================================================================== AstroFire Instructions (29th April 1994) version 1.0s ============================================================================== (C) Owen Thomas 1994. All Rights Reserved. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AstroFire is an arcade game featuring stunning 256-colour raytraced graphics. Blast your way through 75 levels of asteroids and alien ships, collecting power-ups to boost your fire-power and your defences! Do battle with 18 different types of enemy craft! This is the Shareware Version - please give copies to all your friends. Only Episode 1, INTO THE STORM, is available as shareware. Register now and you will receive two more episodes, WHIRLPOOL OF DEATH and HEART OF THE FIRE, each with different background graphics and enemy craft. Registration costs just $29.95 (US Dollars) or œ19.95 (Pounds Sterling). See CREDIT.DOC for instructions on paying by credit card, CSERVE.DOC to order on-line via CompuServe, MAIL-US.DOC for instructions on paying by cheque in the USA or MAIL-UK.DOC to pay by cheque in the UK. If you enjoy playing AstroFire, please register and support the shareware concept. Owen Thomas ORT Software ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Requirements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AstroFire requires: - 286 or faster IBM-compatible PC (386 or better recommended) - Colour VGA graphics AstroFire can be run from a non-write protected floppy, but it will load VERY slowly. Installation to a hard-drive is strongly recommended. AstroFire also supports Sound Blaster cards (but NOT Adlib). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Starting AstroFire ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ To start AstroFire: 1. Switch to the drive where the game is installed (eg. C:) 2. Switch to the subdirectory where the game is installed (eg. CD \ASTRO) 3. Type ASTRO Alternatively, you can start AstroFire with one of these switches: ASTRO -QUIET Starts the game without sound. ASTRO -SCREENSHOT Disables the "PAUSED" message when you press P. This is to help journalists take screen shots. If at any point you want to restore the original High Score table or Option settings, just type RE-INIT at the C: prompt. Before you run AstroFire, I advise you to skim through the following list of common problems and solutions. This could save a lot of wasted time and help you enjoy the game more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Common Problems and Solutions ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * If the graphics appear either too dark or very washed out, don't forget to try adjusting the settings on your monitor. Different monitors give very different results! * If the game runs slowly on your computer, there are three solutions: (1) Don't use Joystick Control (select the Keyboard Option instead). (2) Switch off all sound effects. (3) Buy a faster computer. * If you can't get your joystick to work, check the stick is centred when you start the program and when you select Joystick Control from the Options Menu. * It is not advisable to run AstroFire under Microsoft Windows because (1) you won't get any Sound Blaster effects and (2) the game may run slowly or even halt completely. * If you have a Sound Blaster compatible card, but are unable to get any sound effects to play: (1) check you're not running the program under Microsoft Windows, (2) check that AstroFire displays a "Sound Blaster Detected" message whilst it is loading up, and (3) check that you have selected Sound Blaster sound on the Options screen. If that doesn't work, all I can suggest is that you choose PC Speaker sound effects instead - sorry, but sound cards are notoriously idiosyncratic! * If the program locks up or "behaves oddly", there may be a conflict with your sound card. Try starting AstroFire without sound (ie. ASTRO -QUIET). * If the program displays a message telling you it is unable to find a particular file, it is likely that the copy you have received has been tampered with in some way. Obtain a new copy of AstroFire from a reputable source and try again. * If you receive a message telling you there is "Insufficient Memory" try booting your computer with a minimum boot disk or modify your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS files (see your DOS manual for further instructions). * It is not advisable to install AstroFire on a compressed hard drive. If you are using a program such as Stacker or Double Space, try installing AstroFire on a different, non-compressed hard drive. If you need further assistance, the fastest way to contact me is via CompuServe. My user number is 100334,412. Alternatively, you can write, enclosing an SAE, to: Owen Thomas (ORT) 2A Berceau Walk Watford Herts WD1 3BL UNITED KINGDOM PLEASE DO NOT PHONE THIS ADDRESS. Try to give me as much information as possible: what happens, when it happens, what error messages you get, which version of the game you are using, what computer you have (make AND type: eg. Dell 386sx, Gateway 486dx), which version of DOS you use, what type of sound board you have, what memory managers you're using (eg. EMM386, 386MAX) and whether you're using a disk-compression program (eg. Stacker, Double Space). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Playing The Game ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The keys are as follows: Left Arrow Rotate Ship Left Right Arrow Rotate Ship Right Up Arrow Thrust Ship Forwards Alt Fire P Pause Game S Toggle Sound On/Off Esc Quit Game The rules are pretty simple: kill everything! There are two information bars at the top-left of the screen. The first, marked 'S', represents your shields. Each time your ship is hit, your shields are depleted - when they reach zero you die! Fortunately, you can boost your shields by collecting red power-up gems. The second bar, marked 'W', represents the strength of your weaponry. You can boost your fire-power for a short period by collecting gold power-up gems. If your weapon reaches full power it will release a devastating ring of laser bolts - very useful when you're in a tight corner! You start the game with three lives and you can gain more by collecting mauve power-up gems. The number immediately to the right of the bars tells you how many lives you have left. The number at the top-right of the screen is your score. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hints ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If the game is too easy or too hard, try changing the difficulty level on the Options Menu: on the easy level, your ship will be able to take more hits; on the the hard level, power-up gems will appear less frequently. Try to stay in the centre of the screen and never let your ship build too much momentum. To slow your ship down, just thrust away from your direction of travel. If your ship is hidden off the edge of the screen, don't just hang around waiting to be hit - take a chance and just accelerate ANYWHERE. Keep the number of asteroids on the screen to a minimum by picking off the larger rocks one at a time: shoot one large rock, shoot all the smaller rocks released, and only then shoot the next large rock. Shoot the UFOs from a distance - the closer you are, the more likely you are to be shot yourself. Some of the alien craft home in on your ship. You can confuse them by moving off one side of the screen and appearing on the other. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Disclaimer ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Great care has been taken to ensure this program is virus-free and is safe for you to use. However, you use this program at your own risk. I cannot accept responsibility for any damage caused to your computer, or to any data held on your computer, by the running of this program. That's the English version - here's the legal stuff: THE PROGRAM IS PROVIDED "AS-IS". NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE AS TO IT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON. I WILL PROVIDE NO REMEDY FOR INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM IT, INCLUDING SUCH FROM NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, EVEN AFTER NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. ============================================================================== *** FILE ENDS ***