Looty !!! ===== === Written by Mark Hogben with the amazing Blitz Basic 2!!! (Inspired by a classic idea by J.F. Cain) Gfx and Music by ME (unfortunately - see included text file..) (Thanx to Dmx for some of the samples) Additional gfx by Tina (That's my sister, that is..) THE PLOT === ==== Ooh, arghh! (and all that), this 'ere Dark Armada, sailed the old stormy seas, lootin' and piratin' all over the world, dreaded by all good sailors everywhere - the scourge of the oceans. Left adrift in a small boat as a joke by his chums on a college sailing trip, Andy Linky awoke to find himself crashing against the dark foreboding planks of the Dark Armada. Having heard of the great amassed treasures stowed away on that dastardly vessel, (even he was not so socially inept as to not have encountered the tales), rather than following good sense, by swimming frantically away as fast as his lanky limbs could carry him, he decided to beat the sinister pirates on board at their own game, and recover all the lost treasures on board. Then he could really prove just what a brill chap an' all he was to those nasty people back at the ole Uni of Cowflood.. THE GAME === ==== Basically, you must run from hold to hold in the mighty Dark Armada, collecting all the treasure you can find. Simple, huh? Well, not quite. For a start there are mean, ugly, and distinctly green looking pirates gallavanting all over the shop, and they don't like stowaways very much. Nonetheless, they're pretty dumb, and won't harm you unless you get too close.. Then there are the locked partition doors, for which you will need the right keys, lying somewhere in each hold. And being completely uncoordinated, you can only manage to hold one key at any one time. There are also dislodged planks which, by some mystical fluke of nature, slide back and forth, or up and down, acting as lifts. Learn to use them, as you will need to master them quickly to advance anywhere in the ship. (HINT: they will "collect" you - if you stand in the right spot!" Watch out too for the crumbling platforms that vanish periodically. (They also reappear later, by some curious phenomenon..) Oh, and sometimes, the treasure will be booby-trapped... (if you see a bomb, run away as quick as you can..) Holds are interlinked by crap-looking wooden doors, that really outline the problems with a brown-dominated colour set. Pressing while standing in front of them, enters through them. (Presumably after opening them.) Flags, when collected, allow you to restart on the level in which they are found. They are naturally very rare. Little blue discs emblazoned with Andy's stupid face will give you extra lives - GRAB THEM!!! You'll need them. ***** All twenty holds from the original are included. There are a few more to discover as well... The full game and designer has.. 50!!! As you collect treasure, your Loot counter will increase, and Treasure decrease. When the latter reaches 0.. you've won! Joystick in the Left port (1) controls Andy. Either Mouse button drops one life - for those times when you get stuck by bad planning! HINTS ===== - There are a few things different from the original speccy game, so don`t expect to just sail (groan) through it, because you finished the old version. Key collection is different, for example. And I`ve opted for NO Partition numbers, to force you to experiment and deduce what to do next.. You`d be surprised how much more involving the game becomes as a result!!! (Though there is a way to get the numbers up..) - Multiple vertical platforms are best tackled by standing at the edge of one, and letting another one pick you up. Note that they only do this while they`re moving DOWNWARDS. Practise makes perfect.. - Try to find the "Psycho" room. You`ll recognise it as the one with the weird background pattern.. This room acts as a sort of secret passageway to other rooms - if you can suss the bizzare door connections! THE FULL GAME === ==== ==== Register now for your complete updated game! For the measly sum of FIVE POUNDS, you will not only get the sourcecode, but also the 50-level designer I wrote specially for this game! (Hang on, I'm sure that line appeared with Kastle Kumquat... Get that game - It's brilliant, and I didn't write it either.) - WATCH OUT FOR "DARKSTORM" - THE Dungeon Master RPG to get - on PD!!! Send Your Kind Dosh To: ==== ==== ==== ==== == Mark Hogben, 161 CANTERBURY ROAD KENNINGTON ASHFORD KENT TN24 9QB. Thanks, me hearties! Tally ho! TECH NOTES: ==== ===== 1) You may have noticed that sometimes, when opening partition doors, getting keys, etc., the game noticably slows down. This is due to the method I`ve used to double buffer & background save everything. It is NOT Blitz's fault! Anyone want to suggest a decent RectsHit() routine to do it quicker? (Mine had problems when lots of shapes were next to each other - too much variable managment to be worthwhile!). 2) On an accelerated Amiga (like my wonderful A1200, for example), the game will run smoother in some places - but it is nearly as good on even the slowest A500. However, the music playing routines go a bit AWOL with respect to timing, on speedy machines - THAT IS BLITZ'S FAULT, NOT MINE! 3) No parrots or rats in the game, since I used to hate the b*****ds in the original (as they just appeared at random, giving you no chance to get out of the way). If you want them in, TELL ME! 4) I may do an AGA upgrade in the future, if enough people are interested.. Otherwise, 4XDMA fetch mode is all I`m likely to add. 5) I hate to say it, but anyone buying a CD32 (or MegaDrive CD, or SNES) is a bit of twat.. Wait for the Saturn, Project Reality and JAGUAR(!), see what happens, and, in a few years, make your VHS-equivalent choice..