Spindizzy

Scenario

As we all know, working for the corporation is a hard life and the mission you are to be sent on this time is far from the usual run of the mill stuff. The back room boys have discovered a new dimension that contains a strange artificial world hanging in space.

Of course, they want it mapped and as Trainee Assistant Cartographer for Unknown Worlds, the job has fallen to you. Because of the Company’s far from noble motivations (it’s all government sponsored work you know), time is money. The more time you spend out there the more money the company can claim. The Remote Scout Craft you are given is an old fashioned Geographic Environmental Reconnaissance Land-Mapping Device, known as GERALD. The craft is expensive to maintain so your time is limited. If you do not move fast the mission will be terminated.

The ships computer holds the initial radar map of the surface and your task is to explore each area, collecting energy in the form of jewels, for which you will be rewarded with extra time.

Since this world is hung in the infinity of space, falling off is not a good idea. Should you lose or destroy your craft it will be re-created and beamed back to the last location visited, but this will cause an enormous power drain resulting in the loss of valuable time.

So there you have it - do a good job and the rewards will be great, otherwise… well, you don’t want to be a Trainee Assistant Cartographer all your life - do you?

Playing the Game

Use the joystick to control G.E.R.A.L.D.

STATUS DISPLAY

On the left hand side of the screen, the time left to play, the areas left to visit and the number of jewels collected are displayed.

The box at the bottom shows you which switches are activated.

CONTROLS

Pressing the SPACE BAR or THEC64 Joystick button TL will stop your craft on any frictional surface.

MAP

Press ‘M’ to display the map, or THEC64 Joystick button A . Unexplored areas are marked in red. Visited areas in yellow. Any area where a jewel was seen but not collected is marked with a blue ‘J’.

VIEWPOINT

F1, F3, F5, F7 will alter your viewpoint, or press THEC64 Joystick button B (each press changes the view). The compass in the lower right hand corner of the screen points North at all times to help with orientation.

ABORT MISSION

Hold the SPACE BAR down until your time runs out, or press and hold THEC64 Joystick button TL to speed up time.

PAUSE

Press ‘P’ to pause the game. Whilst paused the border will flash. Any other key will restart the game. Alternatively, just press the MENU button on THEC64 Joystick.

EYE STRAIN

Press ‘I’ to alter GERALD’s shape, or press THEC64 Joystick button TR.

Other Functions

SCORE

Press ‘S’ to display your current score at any time during the game, or press THEC64 Joystick C button.

COLOUR

Press ‘C’ to toggle between colour and monochrome display mode.

CREDITS

Press ‘ESC’ from the title page will display the credit message.

HINTS

Due east of the starting screen is a beginners section. In this area are simple demonstrations of some playing techniques. Time will run slowly in this section allowing you time to experiment.

Some screens will give a clue as to a switch to activate. This will cause some features to appear or disappear. Occasionally two switches may need to be used together. The clue appears in the bottom left hand corner of the screen.

Lifts maybe used but may need to be switched on. Ice is slippery and trampolines are bouncy!

Make a map; it will help you to find short-cuts (there are quite a few).

Credits

PROGRAMMER: Paul Shirley
DESIGN: Paul Shirley
STORY: Garg
THANKS: Fred, Bodge, Richard, Wally, Rabbit, Mark, Duncan, Susie