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- Situation: Critical -
- SOFT-DOCS -
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- "The Most Challenging Battles in the Galaxy" -
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- Written by: The Whip -
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OVERVIEW
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The situation is critical. Hostilities have broken out
between Humanity and Xorlons, the rigidly programmed robots from
the eastern arm of the galaxy. As top field operative in
Humanity's Covert Operations Group, you can stop the war before
it really gets started by destroying Xorlon outposts and
knocking out strategic industrial centers on the planet's
surface.
To accomplish this, you will be phased in to their secret
headquarters where parts of a nuclear bomb are hidden. You must
find and assemble the parts, set the bomb to detonate, then
steal a ship to escape through a hazardous grotto - before the
bomb explodes. Once on the planet's surface, your challenge is
to knock out strategic enemy targets as scores of Xorlon ships
attack you.
If you are successful in crippling an outpost, you will be
assigned to destroy another, better-defended base. YOU are the
only agent who will be sent; if you die before disabling all the
outposts, a bloody war will be fought in the galaxy.
GAME SETUP
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After the diskette has loaded, the screen will flip between
the title and high score pages. Press any key to display the
main menu. SITUATION: CRITICAL is pre-set to recommended
settings (keyboard for Phase I and joystick for Phases II & III)
It is suggested that you play the games in their pre-set modes
before making changes.
Pre-set Keys:
Phase I: Phase II & III:
pre-set for Keyboard pre-set for Joystick
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Move Fire Move Fire Bomb
---- ---- ---- ---- ----
W O W
A S D K ; A S D Space K
X . X bar
Special keys:
'ESC' pauses the game
CTRL-S toggles sound
CTRL-R restarts game
All three games can be played either on keyboard or
joystick. In keyboard mode, you can re-set keys to you
preferences.
To the left of the menu, you will see the current settings
for game play - the letter K for keyboard or J for joystick, and
an arrow pointing to the game that is selected. If ENTIRE is
selected, all the games will have their input mode shown and
there will be an arrow next to ENTIRE.
To play a single game, select the number that corresponds
to the desired game or type 4 to play the entire SITUATION:
CRITICAL scenario. If you wish to play using the displayed
settings, press the space bar to go directly to the selected
games.
After entering the number of the game you want to play, a
menu will appear describing the current mode of input. (If you
pressed the wrong number, press 'ESC' to get back to the main
menu). Under the title line is the input line which will read
REDEFINE KEYS if the keyboard is chosen, or SET JOYSTICK if the
joystick is active. If you choose to redefine the keys, just
press the key you wish when prompted. To set the JOYSTICK,
follow the directions on the screen. (If you make a mistake,
hit 'ESC' to get back to the menu so you can try again).
When you are satisfied with the set up, press 3 to start
the game. If you have chosen ENTIRE, you will have to set the
conditions for all three games before playing. NOTE: The
joystick need only be set once because the readings are saved to
disk.
GAME PLAY
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Phase I
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Objective:
Find five pieces of a bomb and assemble them. Each piece
is a small animated box that is picked up when you move over it.
When you pick up a piece, it will be displayed in the upper
right hand corner of the screen. After you have picked up all
five pieces, you will be able to board the escape ship by moving
on to it.
Controls:
The joystick controls the direction of movement. When
button 0 is held down, you will continue to move in the prior
direction and the joystick will control the direction of firing.
Releasing the button will let you move normally again.
On keyboard, pressing a defined movement key will move you
in the designated direction. Hitting a fire key will not affect
the current direction of motion. To stop movement, press the
move-stop key.
Defenses:
The only thing between you and death is you armored space
suit. The lower left-hand corner of the screen displays the
status of your armour which weakens each time you are struck by
either Xorlon, a mine, or a bullet. The initial strength of the
armour depends on the conditions on each planet. If the armour
goes below zero...
Opposition:
In enemy headquarters deep within the planet, you're up
against the Xorlons, eyeball to visual-sensor. Some Xorlons
shoot at you with laser pistols; others lay mines. Immobile
shapes which are not bomb pieces are touch-sensitive disruptors
which give high voltage shocks. The Xorlon complex has an
automated door-closing program which seals any door after it has
been passed through twice. If you're not careful, you could get
trapped. Then your only chance is to face and kill the
formidable "keeper" and escape through the door he was guarding.
Phase II
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Objective:
To escape from the grotto before the bomb you assembled
explodes. Your position on the screen is a measure of your
velocity - when the ship is at the far left, you are flying
slowly; when the ship is at the far right, you are flying at top
speed. The faster you fly, the better your chances are of
getting out before the bomb explodes. The timer sets
automatically when the bomb is assembled. As you're phased to
more challenging Xorlon outposts, you'll have less time to
escape.
Controls:
Joystick: The joystick controls the direction of movement;
holding down button 0 will fire a stream of bullets, and
pressing button 1 will drop one bomb.
Keyboard: Pressing a movement key starts motion in the
designated direction. To start the machine gun, press the fire
key; to stop firing, press any undesignated key. The fire key
doesn't affect the movement of your ship.
Pressing the bomb key will drop one bomb, but unlike the
fire key, it WILL affect motion. Pressing any undefined key
will stop your spaceship.
Defenses:
Your ship can sustain 99 hits before it is destroyed.
Contact with rock, shrapnel and laser beams are all considered
hits which are displayed in the lower right corner of the
screen. To defend yourself from enemy attack, use your machine
gun. Bombs should be used sparingly because they will be needed
in the final phase of your mission.
Opposition:
In the grotto, you face Xorlon-built defense systems which
include laser screens, laser guns, and ground-to-air missiles.
Each requires at least 4 machine gun hits to be destroyed. To
bring down a laser screen, you must destroy one of the
generators on the side of the screen.
The spindly red waving shapes are electrostatic refueling
depots. To refuel, simply fly through one - the longer you stay
in it, the more fuel you take on.
Phase III
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Objective:
To disable as much Xorlon industry as possible without
getting shot down. The crosshairs indicate where a bomb will
hit when dropped. Bomb anything that looks "Xorlon-made" i.e.
roads, buildings, ships, powerlines, oil refineries, etc. Each
direct hit will earn you points which are displayed in the lower
right corner of the screen, You have to discover which targets
are best.
Controls:
Joystick: The joystick will control the direction of
movement; holding button 0 will fire a stream of bullets, and
pressing button 1 will drop a bomb.
Keyboard: To start movement in the designated direction,
press a movement key. Press the fire key to start the machine
gun; press any undefined key to stop it. The fire key will not
affect the current motion. Pressing the bomb key will start
dropping bombs, but like the fire key, will not affect motion.
Press an undefined key to stop the motion of your spaceship.
Defenses:
You are flying the same ship on the planet's surface as you
flew in the grotto, so any damage sustained in the grotto will
be carried over to the assault.
Opposition:
You face the Xorlon flying aces in their rays, skimmers,
wasps, and needle ships. You are also threatened by
anti-aircraft fire and ground-to-air missiles. Xorlon ships
must be hit four times to be destroyed.
There is also a drone refueling ship which is travelling
north, the same direction you are heading. You MUST refuel in
flight or you will run out of fuel and crash. To refuel, put
the nose of your ship under the tail of the refueling ship.
If you make it through all three phases, you will be given
a new suit of armour and sent to a more challenging planet where
you will receive an undamaged ship for your next mission.
Note: High scores will be saved only when the complete game of
SITUATION: CRITICAL is played.
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Written by: The Whip 3-10-85
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