READ ME FIRST INTRODUCTION Welcome to Brataccas the first Interactive Video. This product will work on the Atari 520ST, the Commodore 512K Amiga and the Apple 512K Fat Mac. The sticker on the front of the package indicates which you have purchased. QUICK LOADING INSTRUCTIONS To participate immediately in the Interactive Video, please follow these instructions: If you have difficulty at any stage, please refer to inside Brataccas for more detailed instructions. 1. Set up your computer but leave the power off. 2. Insert the disk into your main or internal disk drive (Amiga owners Kickstart first). 3. You can now turn your system on. 4. Brataccas will load automatically. 5. The title screen will load, you should then wait for the main program to load and the message "PRESS ANY KEY" to appear, if you do so, the main program will load and run automatically. 6. You can now control the hero Kyne, with the mouse on your computer and begin your journey into Brataccas. BRATACCAS INSTRUCTIONS Must bear a price in proportion to the skill, taste, time, expense and risk attending their invention and manufacture. These things called dear are, when justly estimated, the cheapest. John Ruskin THE STORY SO FAR You are now Kyne, Kyne is our hero. Kyne is a fugitive, a man with a price on his head. Framed for a deed he did not commit; that dreadful felony genetic fraud -- 'The Crime Against Humanity'. He is now hunted by authority and underworld alike. Kyne was a government scientist, a genetic engineer. A brilliant and creative worker, he developed a process for the creation of a superbeing. Naively, Kyne hoped his creation would be put to work for the benefit of mankind but predictably it was not to be so. The government in their infinite wisdom had decided that a race of killing machines, an army of domination and death, was an apt use for such technology. Faced with such a prospect, Kyne stopped work and refusing to reveal details of his research when into hiding, choosing to forsake his career rather than work on a project so repugnant to his morals. The government issued a warrant for Kyne's arrest claiming that he was plotting to sell these genetic techniques to the underworld, thus making him guilty of crimes against the human race. Instructing security forces throughout the Earth system, to find him at all costs, the government declared him dangerous -- wanted dead or alive. Meanwhile, the underworld's interest was aroused. As a fugitive he might be persuaded to work for them; his skills had many diabolical uses and if he did not submit, they could always sell his corpse to the authorities. And so the forces of lawlessness joined in the search. Kyne, forced to flee from Earth, now knew that he must clear his name and expose the government -- the alternative was to face a life of hiding, living with the fear of death or imprisonment. He knew that somewhere evidence must exist and all of his searches led to one place, a small mining asteroid i the outer Solar System.....Brataccas!!! You are Kyne, but can you survive the Brataccas experience... THE PLACE CALLED BRATACCAS Brataccas is a self-contained world. The first of the outer asteroid to be colonized; it was initially used extensively as a forward base for exploration. As the years passed, Brataccas became a favorite haunt of asteroid miners, the only place where it was possible to break the tedium of their humdrum existence. Prosperity bred corruption and lawlessness. Organized crime moved in. Brataccas became a shadow world; a dangerous place to venture into; a center of duplicity and double-dealing. An ideal cover for the activities of the corrupt government officials who are Kyne's persecutors. The human race moved onward toward the stars. Brataccas now ostracized, had become a self governing unit. A place of legend. Your only destination. The incandescent clouds of the teleport fade; you are now on Brataccas. You have little knowledge of your mission. You know only that you stand tried and convicted in absence, of a crime you did not commit -- 'The Crime Against Humanity'. You only hope is that somewhere within the depths of Brataccas lies proof of your innocence. But what is it? Where is it? You can only guess. There is no help at hand. The asteroid inhabitants understand only bribery, corruption and opportunism. You are in danger; you must get moving; your only way forward is down the lift and out of the arrival bays. But what will you find beyond the sliding door? Brataccas....a world of mystery and surprise. The framed picture of an ABP patrol craft hanging on the wall reminds you that the Asteroid Belt Police are never far away. You must keep moving....whilst you stand still other characters in this world are living their day. Whether you like it or not the world of Brataccas grinds on..... There is only one way forward..... MEET THE INHABITANTS There is a cast of characters in Brataccas, approximately 60 in all, although some of these characters are clones, in appearance, they are not identical in personality. YOU -- OUR HERO Your name is KYNE. Your dress is alien. Forced to wear the cumbersome helmet of the newly arrived earthman on Brataccas, who is as yet unaclimatized to the peculiar semi-pressurized atmosphere. Armed only wit a simple sword (for percussive energy-based weapons are banned to protect the atmospheric integrity of the Brataccas environment) you are free to do as you wish and go where you will. Initially, to almost all the other characters you are an unknown quantity and your presence on the asteroid is a secret; it is upto you when you choose to reveal your identity, you will be asked...... THE SNITCHES Gossip is their trade and their habitate is the bars and entertainment areas. Each is instantly recognizable as an individual. Learn this well for some are friendly, some are not. For a list of those who will/will not, might/might not, do/do not, have/have not betray/betrayed/about to betray you would you now please turn to page 27. (Typist note: Page 27 of the instruction book is printed "This Page Intentionally Left Blank".) THE BAR OWNERS They remain behind their respective bars and serve drinks and gossip all day. They will readily take information from snitches and sell/pass it on to the police or henchmen when it suits them. One of them knows your true identity from your earth days....make sure he does not recognize you when there are other people about. To find out which barman this is, please turn to page 27 of this booklet. (Typist note: Again, this page of the instruction book was intentionally left blank.) THE POLICE All Asteroid Belt Police (ABP) look alike. They all carry swords and are generally nasty. They don't seems to like anybody or anything. Their leader is Commander Stopp. They are never corrupt...are they?, they therefore are very, very unlikely to respond to bribery. COMMANDER STOPP Horribly disfigured in a space laser fight. He now finds it necessary to move around the asteroid in his custom built 'hoverdish'. With his red beard and bald head he is an obvious character. He is the chief of police, he is also the man who.... THE GUARD DROIDS The droids are mechanical robots which hover about. Their only task is to protect the official areas of the asteroid. They will seek out intruders and check that such intruders are carrying valid passes. They will destroy anybody who is trespassing. If a droid is killed in action another will be sent to take over that droid's duties. THE BUREAUCRATS The next five characters perform official duties. Asteroid Administrator He administers the asteroid Police Dispatcher He dispatches the police Droid Dispatcher He dispatches the droids Comms Controller He controls the comms Tannoy Operator He operates the tannoys Illuminating stuff eh....A further explanation of their duties and what will happen if you kill them is contained on page 27 of this booklet. (Typist note: Page 27 is blank). THE HENCHMEN They are the servants of the evil Kol Worpt. They can be seen going about their business of collecting information and protection money or simply enjoying themselves in the bars. They have their informers. They are probably as good as you are at sword fighting so do not challenge them lightly. When one of them, easily identifiable from the table on page 27 (again, blank), has collected his protection money from 'the person giving it to him' he will take it to 'the person he is taking it to', he does this on a fairly regular basis (BIG HINT). LASH Lash is Kol Worpt's hired assassin. He is a creature of habit. His habit is killing people. He is easily identifiable by his green skin and reptilian appearance. His speech also is sssssssslurred. He isssss by any measssssure a sssslimey character. This hissssing is normally heard just before you die. He is an expert swordsman and should be challenged only when you feel lucky. You should also bear in mind that his alien skin is as tough as the blade of your sword, so fighting him is pointless, just run for cover. KOL WORPT A truly evil being. Easily identifiable in his white suit beautifully cut around his gross frame. This small bald arch villan will stop at nothing to keep his secrets safe. You are advised though to allow him to live for he alone does not have the information you need. For details of the other person/persons holding information please turn to page 27 of this booklet (Typist note: The guys that wrote this booklet are real funny, everyone knows that page 27 is blank). THE ENVIRONMENT AND OBJECTS It is possible to pick up/put down the passes, bottles, money bags, electro bombs, and the evidence. You will find these objects on tables and shelves around the asteroid. Very rarely will you find them on the floor. Try dropping something in front of other characters. You may carry multiple objects. Scattered around Brataccas you will find many strange objects and devices such as: Switches. They can be used to turn other objects such as lifts, cameras, tannoys and video screens on and off. You can therefore exercise a degree of control over the communications and working of the asteroid. Turning these things on and off is a crime so do not get caught. Cameras. Committing murder is one things, doing it on video is another. You never know who might be watching as images are sent to the police throughout the asteroid. Tannoys. If you want to know what the police are up to just listen to the official(?) tannoys. Video Screens. Keep an eye on these. Playing space invaders is all very will but watch out for the news flashes. Pass. Extremely useful if you want to stay alive. And avoid.... Electro Bombs. Very, very useful if you want to stay alive. They give out a massive pulse of electro magnetic radiation when activated by contact with electronic circuitry. Money Bags. The root of all evil, they can be traded, it pays (pun) to remember where they are. Scrolls. They are.......well, thats for you to discover. The evidence!!!!! What is the evidence? CONTROL AND INTERACTION On the screen your window into the world is represented as a room. This room will have entrances, exits, lift shafts, wall, etc., all of which you will find have 'normal' properties. That means that if you walk across a lift shaft you will fall down it, walk into a wall and you will bounce off, walk into a door (these are automatic for convenience and just to make the coding more difficult, we like it that way) and it will open and you can pass through. Just to make things easy (and even easier to program, we like it more this way) we make the passing through a door a complete event, you cannot stop half way through. This technique of 'implied action' i.e. once you have decided to do something such as pick an object up, go through a door, stab somebody, etc., then from your input up to the conclusion of that action is controlled (most of the time (we like it anyway)) by the program. When you meet a character in a room he will either ignore you or you may enter a 'situation'. In a situation, and heavily dependent on the circumstances prevalent at the time one of the following may occur: Whilst you may not be involved in a normal conversation, you may observe others talking. Watch them closely because many tips and snippets of information can be acquired here. They may well be discussing you and your mission. A multiple choice conversation is where your choice of response to a question will effect the immediate and future flow of the game. These multiple choice sessions normally start when the character interacting with you asks a question and you Kyne responds 'MMMMM....SHALL I....', at this point all activity freezes until you have made your choice, so as not to prejudice you in the time taken to choose your reply. What happens then is that the bubble you are speaking will cycle round the possible responses including a number of valid replies and 'SAY NOTHING'. For example a multiple choice conversation between you and a Snitch might be: Snitch to Kyne: "WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING?" Screen Freezes Kyne: "MMMM.....SHALL I....." Cycle Start "ASK FOR INFORMATION?" "ASK ABOUT EVIDENCE?" "ASK WHERE CAN I GET A DRINK AROUND HERE?" Cycle End "SAY NOTHING" When the option you require is showing you press the left mouse button, the game then restart and the consequences of your choice will be acted out. Should a character wish to fight with you he will normally say something aggressive like "COME HERE YOU **** ****" whilst drawing his sword. The more observant amongst you will probably realize that this character is hostile. The less observant of you will shortly die. Remember that for all offensive actions there are equal and opposite defensive actions. It is very useful to try and learn in what sequence the opposition might string his action together, you may spot an opportunity to attack (VERY BIG HINT). Remember all characters have different levels of combat skills and therefore all have different aggressive styles (VERY VERY BIG HINT). You may get yourself arrested or taken somewhere (BIG HINT). This will mean that you the player will lose control and you will be taken to a destination. The exact mechanics of this arrest will be determined by previous game play: If you have previously been arrested and escaped you will be 'wanted' therefore no questions will be asked other than 'Do you wish to resist arrest or submit?'. If you are a known killer the police may not bother trying to arrest you buy kill you on sight.