Time Bandit Introduction Time Bandit adds the elements of a text adventure to the environment of an arcade game, embracing two different playing systems that had remained separated in the past. Time Bandit is primarily an arcade game: designed by game players for game players. We've tried to include colorful, detailed graphics, fast, responsive action, and an endless variety of screens and levels. You'll find everything from frenzied shoot-em-ups to a lively dot-eating game. Some of the lands contain text-adventure messages. In these lands, we test not only your arcade skills, but your logic and wit as well. You must answer riddles, manipulate items, and solve the mystery enshrouding the land. We've strived for an overall design that is original enough to be entertaining, and complex enough to be stimulating. We can only hope that the end product of our labors will be as enjoyable for you to play and explore as it was for us to create. Activating Your Time Machine (Requirements & Loading Instructions) Time Bandit runs on the Amiga, making extensive use of the machine's special color graphics. A television or color monitor is required. A precision joystick is highly recommended for this type of game, though keyboard controls can be used. In the Dual-Player Mode however, at least one joystick is required. Follow this procedure to load the program: 1. turn on the computer. 2. Boot your machine if kickstart if it is needed. 3. When the machine asks for Workbench, place the Time Bandit master in drive DF0. 4. If you have Kickstart in ROM, then simply place the Time Bandit master in drive DF0 when you turn the machine on. 5. The program will start automatically. Beginning the Journey The Title Page appears when the program starts. This page lets you set the controllers used in the game. To change the controller for Bandit One, press F1 until the desired device (Keyboard, Joystick1, or Joystick 2) is dispplayed. Press F2 to change Bandit Two's controller. You can start a game by pressing 1 for a one-player game or 2 for a two player game. Any other key advances you to the High-Scores page. The High Scores Page displays the permanent and daily high-scores. For the complete record of the adventures of any Time-lord, press the function key (F1 - F6), corresponding to the score you wish to see. Press 1 or 2 to start a game, or any other key to return to the Title Page. The Demo begins automatically if a game is not started. The Demo takes the Bandit through all the lands. Watching it may give you some valuable pointers on playing the starting levels. Press Q to quit the demo. TRAVEL You begin each leg of your venture from the Timegates. You move the Bandit across the landscape, firing missiles. The landscape is dotted with landmarks, each representing a GATE to a different time and place. By moving into one of these Gates, you will be transported to a new land. the new playing field will appear, along with the name of the land, and each Bandit's special information (score, life level, etc.). Some lands feature special objects: One-way doors allow you to pass only in a certain direction. They are shown as green arrows pointing in the way you can pass. Ladders and pits give you access to upper and lower areas. Red, pulsing transporter disks are used to transport yourself to other sections of the land. You may encounter other oddities in some lands, but we'll let thos come as surprises... OBJECTIVES Once you have entered a new land, you are trapped! In order to escape, you must use the pulsating KEYS (worth 150 cubits) to open the pulsating LOCKS (worth 250 cubits). When you pick up a key, it will appear beneath your score. You can then open any lock. You can carry only one key at a time, and it only opens the first lock you touch. When all the locks are opened, you can reach the WAY OUT. You will then be returned to the Timegates to choose another land. Collect the various treasures along your journey. The first treasure in each land is worth 100 cubits, the second 200, the next 300, and on and on! Shooting the Evil Guardians (anything that moves) is always fun. Not only do they crackle and sizzle, but depending on your degree of bravery (Manner), you will be awarded up to 50 cubits bounty! Your current Manner and bounty value are shown beneath your score. Regeneration is vital to the Bandit's survival. You receive one extra life for every 1000 cubits you earn. Each land in the Timegates has 16 different levels: four major phases (1 to 4), each, with four sub-levels (A to D). Each time you re-enter a land, you advance to the next level. As your skill increases, you will be able to go farther into each land, seeing new areas, creatures, and situations appear. the name of the land and the current level are displayed on the bottom of the screen as you play. It is the ultimate goal of the Bandit (and the ultimate challenge from us) to conquer the game: defeat phase 4-D (the sixteenth level) of each land, find all the Great Artifacts, and reach..whatever happens at THE END. HAZARDS A large and colorful array of creatures will assail you on your adventures. they enter the lands by way of Portals located generously about each land. Portals appear as magic pentagrams, crossbones, and white transporters. Before a creature emerges, you may notice strange activity inside the Portal. Beware running over it! A creature may ambush you! You begin your venture as a stout Bandit with 10 life levels, but if any of the Evil Guardians touch you, you lose one life level. If you are hit when your life level (displayed beneath your score) is empty, you are DEAD! ADVENTURES Some lands contain mysteries which must be solved in order to claim some special reward or escape from the land. Scrolls, books, and signs may contain valuable clues. The Bandit can read them simply by moving over them. Other objects might include items which you can pick up and carry. Occasionally, the Bandit will be asked to answer a question or decide some action. If you wish to exit a message without inputting anything, press your fire button (ESCAPE if using the keyboard). To answer, just type in your response and press Return. You should generally follow one of these examples: Verb/Noun format for actions -- "You see a hammer lying next to a box. Command?" GET HAMMER Return OPEN BOX Return Direct format for specific questions-- "Do you accept the King's Quest?" YES Return "The guard asks, "Who sent you?" KING QUARK Return Some hints: The verbs GET and USE are the basis of many commands. If one command doesn't work, try restating it in a number of different ways. Don't hesitate to write down notes and special codes. Read everything very carefully; subtle clues and changing text are easy to overlook. DUAL-PLAYER MODE AND "SHADOWS" When you select a Two-Bandit game, two people can play at the same time. Both will be playing in the same land, but each will have his OWN viewing screen. Bandit One is dressed in yellow, and his viewing screen is located in the upper left of the screen. Bandit Two is dressed in light blue, with his playing screen in the upper right. You can work together against the Evil Guardians, or shoot it out between yourselves! The first Bandit to die will return as a SHADOW! The shadow can haunt the other Bandit, aiding or hindering his progress, depending on how mischievous the Shadow feels (highly dependent on the circumstances of his death). the Shadow can shoot creatures (and the other Bandit) and steal treasure, though his score will never advance. The shadow is temporarily stunned when hit by a creature or shot by the other Bandit. CONTROLS Keyboard Arrow Keys: Move your bandit in the desired direction. Pressing more than one key causes diagnol movement. Spacebar: Fires a missile in the direction your Bandit is facing. Escape: Exits adventure messages OPTIONAL CONTROLS -- Joystick: Moves your Bandit in the desired direction. Use the fire button to fire a missile or exit adventure messages. P: Activates your unlimited Timestop spell. Press the space-bar to resume normal play. Volume (on monitor): Controls the loudness of game. One useful game technique is THE PIVOT. This allows you to stand in a single spot and fire missiles in different directions. To execute the pivot, move the bandit into the desired place and stop moving. Then simply hold the fire button down and turn in the directions you wish to spray with your missiles. To continue moving, release the fire button.