The Adventures of Captain Comic Introduction The Adventures of Captain Comic started out as an experiment to test the viability of two theories, the first as to whether a real arcade type game can be done on a standard IBM PC with an EGA card, and sencondly, given the first can be done, if it is possible to make any money doing it. Well, I've come to a conclusion on the second point, but I'll let you judge the first point for yourself. This product is copyrighted material, but can be freely used or 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. Although not a requirement for use or distribution, I would strongly appreciate any questions or suggestions about the game. All questions, suggestions, and contibutions towards future products (subtle hint), can be mailed to me at the following address: Michael A. Denio 11675 W. Bellfort #102 Houston, TX 77099 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 somewhere 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 hoard 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 RAM. The program will also function with the IBM PS2 line using EGA emulation. - Insert the Captain Comic Program Disk in your default disk drive and type 'COMIC'. - A title will be displayed while the game loads. When the game has finished loading, press any key to view the text introduction. After the text introduction, the game will start. III. Game Control Left Arrow - When pressed quickly, makes COMIC face from right to left. When facing left, moves COMIC to the left. Right Arrow - Operates the same as left arrow, but moves COMIC to the right. Space Bar - Makes COMIC jump. Jumping height is increased 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 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 "Fire Energy" is decreased. When the level of energy reaches zero, COMIC will no longer be able to fire. The fire energy level recharges when the fire button is released. Alt - When COMIC has possession of the DOOR KEY, this 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 key is used to teleport to another place on the screen. Press Caps Lock and COMIC disappears in a cloud of smoke, and re-appears in a new 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. 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.) Current high score at the time of release is 1,344,500 points.