Transarctica - Manual AUTHOR: ANDRE ROCQUES PROGRAMMING: ANDRE ROCQUES LOUIS-MARIE ROCQUES MICHEL PERNOT GRAPHICS: JEAN-CHRISTOPHE CHARTER ERIC GALAND PASCAL EINSWEILER MUSIC: FABRICE HAUTECLOQUE SUMMARY ------- Technical Details Summary Introduction Your World Controls Reception Page Control Panel The Engine The Private Wagon The General Quarters Maps Missile Launchers Events Locations Train Combat TECHNICAL DETAILS +++++++++++++++++ LOADING THE GAME: ATARI / AMIGA: insert the game diskette into the disc drive then switch on the computer. PC: having loaded MS.DOS, insert the diskette into drive A (or B) then type START. MAClNTOSH: click the START icon twice, then select the PLAY option in the COMMANDS menu, INSTALLING ON HARD DISC: ATARI: recopy all the files of the diskette into a directory on your hard disc. Leave the START.PRG programme of the AUTO file and copy it as on the other files. Cancel the AUTO file on your hard disc. In order to start the game, leave the diskette in the DRIVE (for protection test), then select the START.PRG programme on your hard disc AMIGA: copy all the files into a sub-directory on your hard disc. Start the game by T.X, having first placed the diskette in drive A. PC: insert the diskette in drive A (or B), then type: INSTALL <source reader> <destination reader> (INSTALL A:C: or INSTALL B:C: or INSTALL A:D: or INSTALL B:D:). Then follow the instructions given on the screen. In order to start up the game, all you have to do is to go to the subdirectory concerned and type START. MACINTOSH: copy all the files in a directory on your hard disc. You will start the game from this directory by clicking twice on START. TECHNICAL PROBLEMS : Specific problem of the PC: the programme stops on loading: check that your MS.DOS is not installing resident units on starting up the machine, which would mobilise too much central memory. SUMMARY ++++++++ 24 December 2022, "Operation Blind" a scientific experiment of remarkable daring takes place THE DEFINITION -------------- The "Blind" team, led by the renowned Professor John Merrick, aim to save a world ravaged by the Greenhouse effect by exploding thermo nuclear devices simultaneously at each pole This will cool the savage rays of the sun by throwing quantities of dust and steam high into the atmosphere. The scientists miscalculate. The experiment works all too well and the world is pitched into an intense Nuclear Winter. Civilisation perishes under a blanket of snow and ice. Centuries later the survivors eke out a miserable existence living most of their lives on huge trains, the only source of transport, travelling constantly between those towns that still exist: pathetic shadows of their former selves, used now only as meeting and trading points for the giant trains. Controlling the trains and the rail network is the sinister and powerful Viking Union. They will tolerate no threats to their profitable monopoly. An ice locked world suits them just fine. You play an idealist, Captain of the Transarctica. Inspired by ancient writings you set out to discover more about the now mythical sun. On your travels you learn about "Operation Blind", and also of "Operation Sun". At last! A chance to fulfil your dream! Transarctica combines adventure and strategy: to restore the sun you must successfully manage and build up your train: to do this you must become adept at using maps, avoiding obstacles controlling steam engines, mining, spying, trading and fighting the battle trains of the Viking Union. A pen and paper for making notes will come in very useful. Morning and every evening, I would read you this passage aloud: "Sun a common noun 1. The Sun: a heavenly body which produces the light of day. Example: The distance from the Sun to the Earth By extension: One sun: one heavenly body radiating its own light at the centre of a system. 2. The luminous disc of the Sun, the appearance of this heavenly body for an earthbound observer. Example: The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. 3 Radiation, light and heat of the sun. Example, it is sunny, sunny. Protect yourself from the sun. Expose yourself to the sun. Sunburn: burning caused by the rays of the sun. I closed the old encyclopaedia, I got up, opened the window of the compartment and stayed there for a long time, lying down with my eyes closed, my face lashed by the icy squalls. I remembered the first time I read this text in the abandoned library of Alexandria. What a revelation! Ever since, I searched for other writings on this myth. This had caused me a lot of problems with the Administrators, and the railway agents were supervising me constantly. Everything rocked when I discovered an article dating from the twenty first century in the "Blind" project, which referred to the "ultimate solution" to save the planet from perishing. I then became an "Amnbivalent", and the Administrators of the Viking Union had put a price on my head YOUR WORLD ++++++++++ THE PLANET EARTH: This is a constantly frozen planet, surrounded by an opaque layer of clouds. The sun can no longer be seen, it has become a mystical heavenly body, certain allusions to which can be fouud in ancient writings. Apart from the mammoth, the only means of transport is the steam train. Coal is the main source of energy, making it possible to warm oneself and fuel trains. There are two types of coal: lignite and anthracite. Lignite is used like currency: it governs all transactions. The most currently used unit is the "Bak" (100 kg of lignite). Lignite can also be used as fuel. Lignite is referred to as "Lignite-money". Anthracite is richer than lignite, and is exclusively used for fuelling steam trains. THE VIKING UNION: This is the only train company which manages the immense railway network, linking the various cities. It is directed by the "Administrators" and employs a colossal army. It is not a totalitarian power it does not deal with the administration of towns - but its monopoly of all means of transport gives it unquestionable authority. Also, to preserve its ice locked monopoly, it is making efforts to seek out and destroy every thing which has anything to do with the Sun. It regards you as an "Ambivalent" as an enemy to be destroyed. THE PLAYER You are the chief of the "Ambivalents", those curious beings who seek out the old myths about the sun. You have made numerous converts, but only a few have followed you in your armed struggle. Your greatest victory to date is the theft of one of the Viking Union"s greatest trains: the Transarctica THE QUEST: This is the first day of the new year 2714 (Viking calendar) At the head of the Transarctica and a small group of men, you are travelling the world to find information on the mysterious Project Blind, you have a dream to restore the sun to the world. THE GAME: To progress successfully in the game you must build up the size and strength of the Transarctica. Additional wagons etc can be bought with Lignite- money from various industrial towns. Extra Lignite money can be gained by trading at commercial towns, with wandering nomads or by mining. You must also avoid the battle trains of the Viking Union, and other hazards such as wolves: intelligence gathering by your spies is vital. THE RISKS: The Viking Union will do anything to destroy the Transarctica. Train combats always end in the death of one train or the other. Other dangers threaten you: mole men, the "Hordas" and other hostile animals. Moreover, a train stopped on the ice condemns its travellers to certain death. Boiler explosions, running out of coal, minefields, are thus to be avoided.... In the end, suicide may be a fairly sweet solution. CONTROLS ++++++++ The game works entirely with the MOUSE. On the keyboard, the numeric pad (figures from 1 to 9) emulates the movements of the mouse. You can move around block by block by using the CONTROL key with these figures. The RETURN key or the SHIFT key (for doing capital letters) replace the left button of the mouse: the ALT key is the right button). On the joystick movements are made naturally in all eight directions. The firing button corresponds to the left button of the mouse and the ALT key on the keyboard, the right button PAUSE KEY: Press key <P>. TO LEAVE THE GAME: Type <CONTROL> X RECEPTION PAGE ++++++++++++++ This is the page which appears after the presentation. It presents the following options: To start a new Game you can select the difficulty level. To play a saved game, Messages will tell you of the disc changes to be made. To cancel the train combats phase from the game (see the chapter "Train Combat"). The result of the battle will then be calculated by the computer. To switch in-game music on or off, as far as your machines capabilities allow. CONTROL PANEL +++++++++++++ During almost all the game, the control panel will be present at the bottom of the screen. DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------- | 2 1 2 | | A B ...
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