

*********

The Project 64 etext of the Countdown to Shutdown documentation.
Converted to etext by Lewis Moody(?). Supplied and formatted by Frank
Jeno Kontros <jeno@kontr.uzhgorod.ua>, the Non Stop Cracker.

CDTSD10.TXT, November 1996, etext #126.

*********


COUNTDOWN TO SHUTDOWN DOC
-------------------------
Presented by  Lewis Moody


I: Power Plant Analysis

  This  is  a  breeder  reactor  Delta  9  class energy facility.
There  are  over  2,000  rooms,  8 levels and dozens of automated
defenses.  Each  room  contains  two  video  cameras, one at each
end,  affording  you  total  visibility. Some elevators and doors
are  inoperative  and  must  be  repaired  to  gain  passage. The
heart of the plant is the Core Room.


II: Main Objective

  Direct  your  Android  Crisis  Team  through  the massive power
plant.  Find  the  Core  Room.  Using  the  proper tools cool the
core  to  below  1000'C. Warning if the temp. is allowed to reach
10,000'C  overload  and  shutdown  will  occur.  Time  is  of the
essence.


III: To Begin:

  Plug  joystick  in  Port  2.  When disk has loaded you will see
the  "Assignment  Screen".  Choose  desired assignment by pushing
1,2 or 3 on you keyboard:

  1. Central  Mission  -  layout  of  rooms and positioning tools
     remain  constant.
  2. Possibilities  of  androids  and  positioning  of  tools are
     different every time you play.
  3. Resume Operation - loads a previously saved game


IV: The Android Crisis Team:

  After  you  have  loaded  your disk select variation 1 You will
be  presented  with  the  Key  Command screen. You will use these
keyboard  commands  to  control  your  androids.  We will explain
this in detail a little later. Right now let's meet your team.

  Press  the  SPACE  BAR  and  you  will  see  the Android Select
Screen  there  are  8 screens one for each of your androids. Each
screen   details   the   abilities   of  one  of  your  androids.
Abilities  are  shown  as  percentages  and  are  labeled  either
skills  or  attributes.  Skills  refer  to an androids functional
abilities   and   attributes  define  innate  capabilities  those
abilities  built  into  the  androids  original  design. Here are
quick definitions of skills and attributes.

  Scientific:   Ability to cool the reactor core.
  Technical:    Ability to fix doors and elevators.
  Medical:      Ability to repair other damaged androids.
  Combat:       Marksmanship using laser pistol.
  Intelligence: General citric if an androids movement.
  Power:        Ability to use tools.
  Strength:     Ability to withstand attack.
  Mobility:     Speed of movement.

  Below  the  Abilities  section  is  an  inventory  of equipment
the  android  is  carrying.  All  androids  start  with  a  laser
pistol  and  can  carry  up  to  eight  items at a time. Push the
joystick forward to review all 8 Select Screens.


V: Entering the Power Plant:

  1. Locate  Android Select Screen of android you wish to send in
     (Push joystick forward)

  2. Press  Space  Bar.  This  automatically  switches  you  from
     Android Select Screen to the power plant.

  3. Pull joystick back and android will enter plant.

  To  remove  any  android  from  the plant you must use the SAME
elevator  you  used  to  enter  the  plant.  Let's  try  it  with
Android  #3.  Push  the joystick forward commanding Android #3 to
return  to  the  elevator.  The  next  thing  you will see is the
Android  Select  Screens.  This  means  Android  #3  has left the
power plant.

  You  can  send  many  androids  down  into  the  power plant or
venture  ahead  with  just  one  android.  (See  Android Control)
It's up to you.

  (NOTE)  You  can  never  have more than two of your androids in
the  same  room  at  the  same time. And the first room you enter
from the elevator only allows one android.


VI: Moving Through the Power Plant:

  The  entry  complex  is  monitored  via video cameras placed in
each  room.  A  camera  will be activated only by the entry of an
android   into  that  room.  Move  each  android  (you  can  only
control  one  android  at  a  time)  forward  and  back, left and
right  by  pushing  your  joystick  in  the desired direction. To
travel  safely  between  floors use the elevators. In emergencies
jump   through   craters   (see  hazards).  The  joystick  button
operates the androids laser pistol.

  Once  inside  the  power  plant.  You  will see the Information
Control  Panel  along  the  bottom  of  your  screen.  Monitor it
carefully. It contains the following information:

  1. CORE TEMP:  Constantly  increasing it must not be allowed to
     reach 10,000'C
  2. TIME: Track amount of time spent on each mission. At the end
     of  a successful emission time spent can be used to evaluate
     you and your teams performance.
  3. ANDROID:  Identifies  (by  number)  which  android  you  are
     controlling.
  4. SHIELDS:  Tracks shield power. Shields protect androids from
     radiation.  If shield power drops to 0 androids may begin to
     lose their abilities.  The only way to increase shield power
     is  through  the use of special equipment found in the power
     plant.
  5. PACE: Reflect pace of your androids movement. Careful normal
     reckless  Speed  is  also  affected by which android you are
     using.
  6. FACING: Monitors which video angle you are viewing, north or
     south.  Be  sure to periodically check both angles.  You may
     actually miss something quite important because you're using
     the wrong camera.
  7. EXITS:  Shows  location  of  doors and elevators (EWU = East
     West & Up)
  8. LEVEL: Shows what level of the power plant you are on.
  9. BEACON:  Homing Beacons are found throughout the plant. When
     you  find  one  and  activate it an arrow on the Information
     Control Panel  will  indicate  the direction of an important
     object:  an  injured  android,  an  up elevator or a special
     tool.
  10.LASER PISTOL: Monitors the power remaining. This is shown on
     a gauge just to the left of the  Homing  Beacon indicator. A
     black  line  moves down the gauge as shots are expended. The
     only way to replenish it is too send your android OUT of the
     power plant  by taking the elevator originally used to enter
     the plant on level 1.
  11.SCANNER GRID:  Just to the left of the laser pistol gauge is
     the  Scanner  Grid.  When  operating this grid indicates the
     number and position of defensive droids (see hazards) in the
     surrounding  area.  You must find and activate a scanner for
     this grid to work. On screen instructions will detail how to
     operate scanner grid.


VII: Android Control:

  As  you  move  your  android  through  the power plant you will
need  to  perform  a  variety  of  functions;  examine  rooms for
useful   tools,   repair  broken  doors  and  elevators  activate
certain  equipment  and  so  on.  To  perform these functions you
will  not  only  need  to monitor your control panel but also use
the  special  Key  Commands  to  control  your  androids. Use the
following Key Commands to activate the desired Android Control.

  [D] Drops a tool an android is carrying.
  [E] Examines the contents of a room.
  [H] Prints key commands on screen
  [I] Gives an inventory of tools an android is carrying.
  [P] Adjusts the speed your android is traveling, careful normal
      or  reckless  (speed  also depends on the androids mobility
      factor)
  [R] Switches angle of view (north and south video cameras)
  [S] Allows you to select another android.  Here's how:  Press S
      on  the  keyboard  and  you  will  see  the  Android Select
      Screens.  Review the androids by pushing forward or pulling
      back  on  the  joystick.  Press  the  SPACE BAR  to  select
      Android.
  [T] Transfers  all  items  from one android to another when two
      androids are in the same room.
  [U] Enables  you  to  use  an item an android is carrying.  On-
      screen direction will instruct you on how to use a tool.

NOTE:  To open a door place your android directly in front of the
door switch and move the joystick in the direction of the switch.
To fix a jammed door  switch place your android directly in front
of  the  switch  and  press F on the keyboard.  Your android will
become immobile while fixing the switch.  The higher the androids
technical ability the quicker the switch is fixed.


IX: Tools:

  As  you progress through the many rooms of the power plant it's
important  that  you examine each room to discover valuable tools
and powerful weapons. Pressing E will examine a room if something
is  found  on  screen direction will instruct you how to proceed.
(Remember your android can only carry 8 items at a time).

  Some  examples  of  valuable  tools at Techni Kits aid infixing
jammed doors.  Medi Kits used to repair injured androids. However
its important to remember  that the effectiveness of an item will
depend  on  the  particular  skill of the android using it  F  or
example  an  android  with a high medical ability will be able to
make better use of a Medi Kit.

  There  are  lots  of  different  tools  and  weapons throughout
the  plant  its  up  to  do to discover them. You will be shown a
complete  screen  of  detailed  technical  information  for every
item you find.


X: Hazards and Obstacles:

  Finding  the  Core  Room  is  only  half  the  battle. You will
also  be  forced  to deal with radiation and the plants automated
defense system. This system consists of...

  1. Defense Droids:  Installed  to keep out intruders (like your
     androids)
  2. Plasma:  Bothersome  bacterial  blobs that seek to eliminate
     any irradiated beings (again just like your androids).
  3. Radiation  will  become  more and more intense the closer to
     the  core your androids go.  Your androids will need to find
     and activate radiation shields before going to far down.

  Defense  droids  and  plasma  can disable your androids contact
with  either  will  reduce both your androids physical skills and
attributes.   Prolonged  contact  will  completely  disable  your
androids!

  Also  a  series  of  explosions  has  left  large  crater  like
holes  in  the  floors  of  some  rooms.  Androids can try to use
them  as  shortcuts  to  the  lower  levels  but the fall usually
reduces the androids abilities.


XI: The Core Room:

  Once  you  have  made  your  way down to the bottom (8th) level
and  located  the  Core  Room  find  and  make  your  way  to the
inspection   window.   There   you  will  find  two  robot  arms.
Position  your  android  in  front  of  the  arms.  Activate  (by
pressing  U)  Damper  Field  Units  (which  you should have found
somewhere  in  the  plant  and  cool  the core down below 1000'C.
Once  you've  done  that  your  mission  has come to a successful
conclusion. Nice Job.


XII: Saving a Game:

To save a game do the following:

  1. Press Q to quit.

  2. You  will  be asked do you want to save your position (y/n)?
     If  you  press N you will erase the game you are playing and
     you will go back to the  Assignment  Screen.  If you press Y
     you will go to the Save Game Screen. Type your file name and
     press  RETURN.  You  will see the letter a through F Press a
     letter and you will save your game to a chosen letter.

  NOTE:  You  can  save  a  game to any of the listed letters but
if you save over an existing game that game will be erased.

  After  you  have  pressed  a  chosen  letter  you will actually
return  to  your  game. Saving does not end play but only saves a
position.

*********

End of the Project 64 etext of the Countdown to Shutdown
documentation.

*********
