Alien Syndrome manual

1. Alien Syndrome
2. manual

ALIEN SYNDROME



They've got us.  Those vile and treacherous parasites have infiltrated

one of our outcolonies.



The only way to get rid of them is to blast them into oblivion.  But

then hundreds of ex-earthling hostages will not escape.



Get the hostages out.  Now!  Before the blast gets all of you.





Get Rid Of 'Em!



It happened.  The dreaded alien mega-virus has infiltrated one of our

most important outcolonies.



All of its inhabitants are being held hostage by this vile and

vicious breed of post-universal parasites.



They're slimy.  Poisonous.  Treacherous.  And nearly indestructible.



Somebody's got to save our outcolony.  And the people in it.  And you

have volunteered.



You'll go in armed only with your rifle.  But hidden throughout the

sectors is more sophisticated weaponry.  And it's yours for the taking.



These alien creatures feed off human energy.  So you must rescue the

hostages before going on to the next sector.



Before teleporting to the next sector, you also must confront one of

the Super Aliens.  They're hideous.  Horrific.  And 1000% pure hatred.



Find their weak spots.  It won't be easy.  Then find your way into

the next sector.  And the next.  And the next.



And, oh yes.  One more thing...



We've planted a time bomb on the outcolony.  The entire lab -- with

you in it - will be blown into oblivion.  Because we can't afford to

have this vile virus spread any further.  No matter how many lives it

will cost!





Power Up

Loading Instructions by System



For Atari ST



1. For a one-player game, plug a joystick into port #1.  For two

   players, plug the second joystick into port #0.  (Player 2 may also

   play using the keyboard.)

2. Insert the Alien Syndrome disk 1 into the disk drive, then turn on

   the drive and the computer.  Follow onscreen directions to insert

   disk 2.

3. Press the F1 key to view the menu.  Follow the onscreen

   instructions.  Press F10 to start the game.

4. The character selection screen will appear.  To select your

   character, move the port #1 joystick right or left.  Then press the

   fire button.



For Commodore 64 & 128



1. For a one-player game, plug a joystick into port #2.  For two

   players, plug the second joystick into port #1.

2. Turn on the disk drive and the computer.

3. Insert the Alien Syndrome disk into the disk drive and type

   LOAD"*",8,1 and press RETURN.

4. To choose a two-player game, press the fire button on the

   second-player joystick.

5. When you get far enough in the game, you will have to turn the disk

   over and reinsert.  Follow the onscreen instructions.

6. To turn the music off, press the F3 key.  To turn it back on, press

   the F5 key.

7. Press the fire button to view the character selection screen.  Move

   the joystick right or left.  Press the fire button to select your

   character.

8. For two players, press the fire button on the second-player

   joystick.



For Amiga



Note: Unless you are using the keyboard to play, do not touch any of

the keys during the game.  You may inadvertently restart the game.



1. For a one-player game, plug a joystick into port #1.  For two

   players, plug the second joystick into port #2.  (Player 2 may also

   play using the keyboard.)

2. Insert the Alien Syndrome disk into the disk drive, then turn on the

   computer.

3. Press the F1 key to view the menu.  Follow the onscreen

   instructions.  Press F10 to start the game.  Note:  Amiga 1000

   requires a Kickstart 1.2 or higher version disk.

4. The character selection screen will appear.  To select your

   character, move the port #1 joystick right or left.  Then press the

   fire button.





On Board



Our outcolony is the newest and most advanced of its kind.  It's made

up of several sectors.  With teletransfer stations between each one.



Unfortunately, the alien parasites have taken over every one of these

sectors.  And they've placed a grotesque Super Alien at each

teletransfer point.



Each sector has its own unique features -- such as electronic doors,

hidden passages, and surprise bonus bays for extra points.



And each has its unique dangers -- such as hidden traps, holes in the

floors, and more.



There is also a map of each sector that's always available.  It shows

you the shape of the sector as well as where the hostages can be found.





Seen on the Screen



Before you rush right outt there and get yourself in trouble, why not

familiarize yourself with what's on the screen?



[Illustration omitted from etext]





Taking Control



OK.  Ready?  Now start ridding the lab of these hideous pests.  And

saving the hostages.



Here's how to maneuver, once your adventure begins:



To move:  Push the joystick or use appropriate keys.



To fire laser exterminator:  Press the fire button or appropriate key.



To rescue hostages:  Touch them.



To earn bonus points:  Touch the "?"s along the walls.



To pick up a new weapon:  Touch it.



To see a map:  Touch the maps along the walls and the locations of the

hostages will be displayed.



To exit to next stage:  First rescue the hostages.  Then go through the

EXIT doors.



To pause:  On the Commodore 64/128, press the RUN/STOP key.  Press

again to continue.



To reset:  On the Commodore 64/128, press the RUN/STOP key to pause the

game.  Then press the Q key to reset.





Upgrading Your Weapons



Hidden throughout the lab is a vast arsenal of highly sophisticated

weapons.



They're much better than the rifle you brought with you.  So when you

do find one, simply touch it.  This weapon becomes your current means

of defense until you find another.



And when you exit the lab, you'll take your current weapon with you.



Here's a listing of the weapons you'll find -- and how they work:



Fireball (FB):  This state-of-the-art weapon shoots large rolling balls

of fire.



Laser (L):  So powerful, it can blast through groups of aliens with one

shot.



Flame Thrower (F):  This weapon sprays a steady stream of lethal fire.



Bomb Launcher (B):  This is useful with things get intense and it will

help with some of the Super Aliens.



Shot (S):  This is the standard rifle given to you at the start of the

game.





Meet the Super Aliens



Guarding every EXIT (teletransport station) is a Super Alien.  They're

bigger, badder, meaner -- even uglier -- than all the rest.  And -- you

guessed it -- they're a lot harder to destroy.



Each Super Alien has a weak spot.  And when you hit it in the right

place you'll see a flash.  Even then, it will still take several shots

to destroy it.  Even with more sophisticated weaponry.





Your Name in Lights



If you have gained enough points to rank within the existing scores,

the "Name Entry" screen will appear and your score will be listed in

order.



When this happens, you'll be able to enter your initials next to your

score.  And your initials will remain there until you're aced out by

future scores.



To place your intials on the screen on the Commodore 64/128, move the

joystick to select a letter.  Then press the fire button to make your

selection.  When you're finished entering your name or initials, press

the END key.  On the Atari ST and Amiga, type in your name, then hit

RETURN.





Winning Tips



* Study the patterns of each group of alien attackers to figure out the

best strategy for attacking.



* Use your maps to learn positions of the remaining hostages.

Remember, studying maps uses up time.



* Develop strategic ways to play each sector.  For example, remember

where certain weapons are kept and head for those areas first.  And

try to pick up hostages in a time-saving order.



* Keep moving all the time.  When you stop, the aliens sense your

presence and converge on you in hordes.



* Certain weapons are better than others for destroying the Super

Aliens.  Experiment with different weapons.