

                           {UCONTACT SAM CRUISE}U - Preview



  It was just another day in the office. The sun was hot as it streamed in

throught the ventian blind, making zebra stripes on the desk. The whole city

felt as if it was embalmed and I felt myself drifting off into an uneasy sleep.

Suddenly I was awakened by the telephone ringing. It was foxy dame called Lana.

She wanted me to meet her on the top of the Hotel Royal. Said she had something

important to tell me. Frankly the whole thing stank but doesn't everything in

line of work? I took those mean streets on the case of the Bali Budgie.



  Microsphere, the people that brought you {BSKOOL DAZE}B and {BBACK TO SKOOL}B has

moved to the world of Raymond Chandler for its latest inspiration. In the game

Sam has to solve a case.  By following clues and ridles along the way in true

detective fashion he has to try and piece together the facts and solve the

mystery. However snipers and inevitable gangland heavies are out in force to get

hime. Unconcerned passers-by go about their day to day business as bullets whizz

around from the hidden guns. There are various ways in which Sam can fail in his

mission such as running out of money or getting chucked off a very tall building

by the Mafia. The Mafia may be fairly easy to avoid, but everything in this game

coasts money, even walking around. The money acts as your energy level. Sam

starts in the game with 50 dollars in his pocket but funds can be topped up by

somersaulting onto stray dollar bills which occasionally float along the

sidewalks. If Sam gets shot by a sniper, then Sam has to use a first aid kit.

Eight of these are supplied at the beginning of the game and once they're gone

then Sam will have to go to the hospital and the case will be over. He never

actually gets fataly wounded enough to die, even when he goes flying off the top

of a building on the end of a Mafiosa boot! Building can be visited and actually

walked around inside by Sam. The action inside the building is viewed through

the windows blinds can be pulled down and lights switched on and off. If Sam is

near a phone then the phone icon lights up on the table at the bottom of the

main screen and he can make a call. He only has one phone number at the

beginning of the game and phoning his office might provide him with some useful

clues. Extra phone numbers can be collected by following up clues along the way

If Sam gets framed during the game then the police will come along and arrest

him. Like all good private detectives Sam carries a large array of disguises

with him and if the police are hot on his trail then he can change into one of

these at the press of a button. If the police get wise to one of these disguises

then the disguise icon will light up at the bottom of the screen at which point

he's better think of something else to do. If he does get arrested then the

police are usually sitisfied with his claims of innocence and release him on

bail. Points are scored for the amount of time Sam manages to stay on the case.

As his money icon goes down so his experience points go up. Useful clues and

messages are scrolled along the table at the bottom of the screen and these will

help Sam along the way if he gets stuck.



{+1Control Keys:}N



  {BQ}B - Up                       {BG}B - pick up object

  {BA}B - Down                     {BI}B - Information

  {BO}B - Left                     {BR}B - Forward roll

  {BP}B - Right                    {BK}B - Knock/use key at the door

  {BD}B - Change disguise          {BL}B - Switch on/off light

  {BF}B - Fuse                     {BH}B - Hang up phone

  {BS}B - Saerial somersault       {BT}B - Use telephone

  {BB}B - Pull/Draw blind





M. Wiegers, FidoNet: 2:283/502



{+1SOLUTION:}N



                  Borrowed from CRASH (Issue 38, March 1987).



From the start, go to the top of the Hotel Royale. Find the body and answer the

phone. Get the key from No31 and ring up 7337 twice. After that ring 7162.



Go to No15 and pick up the ringing phone twice. Pick up another key. Ring 7162

until you are told about the Fat Man having two keys. Go to the top of the

building which is to the left of No19. Jump onto the side of the wall and then

carefully climb down the fire escape. When you get to the bottom, wait until

the Fat Man gets underneath (the fat guy in the white suit) and jump on him.

Having knocked him over, walk on a bit and you'll find another key. Now head

towards the green room which is the furthest to the right in the Hotel Royale.

To get past the gangster go into room 27, cross the roof, go across the police

station roof and onto the roof of No31. Go down through No31 and continue until

you get to the hotel.



Once you're in the green room change your disguise to that of a Nun. Now answer

the telephone. Next go left to the building with the catwalk (it's next to

No74). Go onto the roof and jump onto the edge of the building. When the guard

is at the far side, jump onto him and knock him over. Run past him and into

No74 where you will pick up another key. You should now have all four keys. The

next task is to get the grappling hook from No74. To do this, get picked up by

the gangster inside No74. When he drops you outside, run quickly back into No74

and you'll be able to pick up the grappling hook before he gets back, as long

as the police don't recognise you. With the grappling hook in your possession

go to the top right hand corner of the building next to the fire escape. Face

right and press C and you'll throw the grappling hook.



[ If you were wondering how to get past the gangster in front of the police

station here's how: Make him follow you as far left as possible, go to the top

of No31 and jump off the roof. If your calculations are correct, you'll knock

the gangster over as you land and you can then run past him). ]



Jump onto the side of the wall and cross the rope. Once across, press down and

you'll find a safe with 4 locks. Pick up the budgie and then drop onto the top

of No19. Press the fuse and keep going down and get out as fast as possible.



With the budgie in your possession, head towards your apartment. Ring up Lana

(7162), and when she is half way up the stairs telephone the police (999). As

long as you are wearing a blue disguise she'll be put in jail - otherwise

you'll be shot. The case is now closed.



