Here's my lastest version. It's about 95% complete.

 

To do List:

 

2. Add more strategies.

3. Determine if there is a large bonus at level 20 or 30

 

 

*********** MANUAL BEGINS ***********

 

 

 

 

BLASTER

 

BY ATARI, INC.

 

 

To insert your ATARI 5200 game cartridge, hold the cartridge so the name on the label faces you and reads right-side-up. Then carefully insert the cartridge into the slot in the center of the console. Be sure the cartridge is firmly seated, but do not force it in. The POWER ON/OFF switch is located on the lower right side of the ATARI 5200. Press this switch to turn the power on AFTER inserting your game cartridge. See your Owner's Manual for further details.

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1. Attention Valiant Spaceship Pilots.

2. Game Play

3. Using the 5200 Controllers

4. Scoring

5. Game Stages and Levels

6. Helpful Hints

7. Score Ledger

 

 

 

1. ATTENTION VALIANT SPACESHIP PILOTS! ***Large snazzy font***

 

 

It is the year 2085,

 

The Robotrons have destroyed the human race.

 

You escape in a stolen space shuttle.

 

Your destination:

 

Paradise

 

A remote outpost 20 million light years away.

 

Does paradise exist?

 

Can civilization be started again?

 

These questions will be answered at the end of your journey.

 

But first, you must

 

Blast... or be blasted!

 

 

2. GAME PLAY

 

In a Valiant Spaceship the player defies space and time while vying robots, Androids, Star Cruisers and other fearsome foes. The player must BLAST enemies or stay out of their way to protect his or her shields (and his or her turn.) A shield may be hit three times before it disintegrates. GAME ACTION IS DIVIDED INTO STAGES. Each stage may have one or several goals. Some of the more-important goals are to...

 

+ BLAST enemies and planetoids.

 

+ Pick up spacemen (in time tunnel or space)

 

+ Dock with Energizers E's (restores shields)

 

+ Fly through the Magic Arches (on the Robot Grid)

 

You start the game with three ships. Every time you score 50,000 points, you win a bonus ship and musical fanfare exalts your bravery. You can accummulate an unlimited number of reserve ships. When you lose your last ship, the game ends. When your game is over, the level and stage are reset to level one and stage one.

 

After losing one of your ships, you re-start from where your previous ship was destroyed. Figure @ shows a typical BLASTER spacefield and Figure @ shows a two-player game in progress.

 

 

OBJECTIVE

 

The player takes control of a spaceship and must fight against wave after wave of enemy fighters, while trying to rescue the stranded astronauts that represent the last surviving remnants of the human race. Enemies attack the player both with weapons, and by making 'suicide runs' at the player's ship.

 

Use your weapons of your Valiant Spaceship to score as many points as possible. (See Section 4 for information on SCORING.) Use strategy and quick thinking to destroy or avoid the on-coming enemies, while trying to rescue as many spacemen as possible. Your ultimate goal is to fly your spaceship as far as you can, searching the vastness of space for the rumoured Paradise.

 

Figure 1 - Typical BLASTER battlefield.

 

Figure 2 - Two-Player Game.

 

Your Valiant Spaceship.

 

Your ship consists of four powerful ion lazers with unlimited lazer blasts.

Your ship also contains three powerful levels of shields. Once all three levels are destroyed, your ship explodes. Fortuntely you start with three ships and are rewarded a new one every 50,000 points. You see a total of 4 ships next to your score, but you can accumalate an unlimited amount of ships.

 

Blaster consists of four stages which repeat consecutively.

 

Your first mission:

 

Robot Grid

 

 

Robots

 

Throughout the Robot Grid are numerous lazer-firing Robots. Although they remain still their lazers are deadly and they try to block you from flying through the Magic Arches. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.)

 

Magic Arches

 

The Magic Arches cannot be destroyed. Flying through them gains you points which increases with each consecutive arch that is flown through (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.) Watch out though! If your ship hits any part of the Magic Arch, you will lose a shield level.

 

Walls

 

Avoid the walls. They cannot be destroyed and will destroy your shields if hit. The Robots sometimes hide behind them to protect themselves while firing at you.

 

Destroyers

 

Destroyers are fast-moving deadly spaceships that fire powerful lasers at you. If they can't hit you with their lasers, they try to ram you. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.)

 

 

Your second mission:

 

Time Tunnel

 

Space Men

 

In this level you're goal is to rescue the last remaining Space Men by running directly into them while flying through the tunnel. The more consecutive Space Men you rescue, the larger the points scored. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.)

 

 

Your third mission:

 

Outer Space

 

Death Rider

 

The Death Rider's laser-bomb is very deadly but fortunetly for you they can be destroyed. Destroy the Death Rider before they fill the screen with their powerful laser-bombs and overwhelm you. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.)

 

Master Mind

 

The Master Minds are slow but persistant. Like their counter-part, the Cyborg Ducks, Master Minds count on you to ignore them as you battle with more powerful and fast-moving enemies. Their weapons are strong and will damage and destroy your shields if you ignore them for too long. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.) In upper levels, Master Minds move faster.

 

Cyborg Ducks

 

Like their counter-part, the Master Mind, Cyborg Ducks are slow but very crafty. If you ignore them for too long for more powerful enemies, they will sneak up on you and quickly destroy your shields. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.) In upper levels, Cyborg Ducks move faster.

 

Space Robots

 

The Robots are back from the Robot Grid level but these robots fly. They may move slow compared to other enemies in the level but their lasers are accurate and deadly. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.)

 

Destroyers

 

Destroyers return from the Robot Grid level to wreck havoc on you while you battle the numerious enemies in this level. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.)

 

 

Your forth mission:

 

Planetoids

 

In Planetoids your flying through a planetoid field, trying to either dodge or destroy all planetoids in your path. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.)

 

Saucers

 

While dealing with the many planetoids flying at you at a fast rate, Saucers are trying to destroy you with their lasers or by raming into you. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.)

 

Space Men

 

The Space Men are back from Time Tunnel level. You're goal is the same. Rescue as many Space Men as possible but this time you must content with the Saucers and Planetoids. (see Section 4 for more information on Scoring.)

 

'E's

 

The 'E's replenish your energy. They also give you 5000 points and advance you into light-speed to the beginning of the next sub-level, Robot Grid. The E is hard to run into but if you're successful, try to blast as many enemies flying bast you at high-speed for a huge bonus score.

 

 

Players can select their starting stage at the start of the game; choosing from Robot Grid, Time Tunnel, Outer Space, or Planetoids

 

During the game, Spacemen must be rescued by 'running' into them.

 

An energy meter in the top center of the screen tells the current player how much energy sheilds he or she has left. The player can take exactly three hits before he or she dies. Upon death, one of the player's ships is lost.

 

 

3. USING THE 5200 CONTROLLERS

 

Use your 5200 controller (Figure @) with this ATARI game cartridge. For one-player games, plug the controller into controller jack 1 on your console. For a two-player game, plug a second controller into jack 2. In two-player games, the player using jack 1 controls game selection and starts the game.

 

Figure 4 - 5200 Controller

 

KEYPAD OVERLAYS

 

For your convenience, two keypad overlays are included with this game (Figure @). Slip the tabs into the slots above and below the keypad on your controller.

 

 

PLAYER SELECTION

 

Press the left # key (or, on your overlay, the square marked 1-2 PLAYERS) to choose a one or two-player game. The screen will display player one and player two's scores if two-players option is selected or just player one's score if just one player is selected. Stop at your choice. (See Figure @.)

 

LEVEL AND STAGE SELECTION

 

Press the right * key (or, on your overlay, the square marked LEVEL SELECT) to cycle through the starting level or stage. Stop at the level or stage you want to start on. (See Figure @.)

 

Figure @ - Player and Level Select Display (Menu)

 

START

 

Press START to begin your mission. Pressing START again will restart your game on the same stage and level.

 

RESET

 

Press RESET to return to a display of your current game selection (Figure @). You can then restart that game or select a new variation.

 

PAUSE

 

To suspend a turn in progress, press the PAUSE key. The action immediately freezes in its present position on the screen. To continue play, press PAUSE again. If PAUSE is kept on for more than a minute, the screen will turn black. To return to your game hit pause once to return to the game screen, then again to continue your game.

 

CONTROLLER ACTION

 

Move your joystick in the same direction you want to move your valiant spaceship.

 

To fire your laser weapons, press the bottom red buttons on the front right and left sides of the 5200 Controller (see Figure @). You can fire your weapons as long as you depress the fire button. Your supply of lasers is unlimited.

 

 

4. SCORING

 

Your score for hitting enemies can depend on the distance the enemy is from you and hitting more than one of a group of enemies.

 

a. Robot Grid

 

Robots 100, 200, 300, or 500 points

The closer the Robot is to you, the higher the points scored.

 

Magic Arches 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, or 5000 points

With each consecutive Magic Arch that is passed through, the points scored increases by 1000 with 5000 being the maximum.

 

Destroyers 100 or 500

The closer the Destroyer is to you, the higher the points scored.

 

b. Time Tunnel

 

Spacemen 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800 or 2000

With each consecutive spaceman that is rescued, the points scored increases by 200 with 2000 being the maximum. If a spaceman is missed, the points scored is reset to 1000.

 

E 5000 points

Your shields are returned to full when flying into the E

 

 

c. Outer Space

 

Missiles 100

 

Space Robots 500, 1000, 1500, 3000

The closer the Space Robot is to you, the higher the points scored.

 

Master Mind 400, 1000, 1500, 3000 depending on distance

The closer the Master Mind is to you, the higher the points scored.

 

Death Rider***Tie-fighter like ships***, Master Mind***Satellite looking ships***, Cyborg Ducks, and Destroyers***Plane***

 

These enemies fly in groups. Each enemy destroyed gets you 100 points. If you destroy all the enemies in the group, you get a bonus score depending on how many enemies there are. Two = 1000, Three = 1500, and Four = 3000.

 

 

d. Planetoids

 

Planetoids 100

 

Saucers 500

 

Spacemen 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800 or 2000

With each consecutive spaceman that is rescued, the points scored increases by 200 with 2000 being the maximum. If a spaceman is missed, the points scored is reset to 1000.

 

5. GAME STAGES AND LEVELS

 

BLASTER lets you start at any one of the four stages of the first eight levels. (See Section 3 for information on how to select the difficulty level of your choice.)

 

 

6. STRATEGY

 

Here are a few tips to help you succeed in your mission:

 

a. STAY ON THE OUTSIDE. During 'Planetoids', try staying to the farthest point of any direction and pick off the meteors from the outside. Then when you hear the second warning sound for the Energizer, move into the center of the screen. Unless your down to almost no energy, don't worry about getting hit while getting the Energizer since once you get it, you will get fully recharged.

 

b. In upper levels of Outer Space, try to destroy the Death Riders first since their lasers move faster than the other ship's lasers.

 

***picture of Death Rider (Tie-fighter)***

 

c. There is a special surprise on level 5 of 'Planetoids' but the strategies for this level remain the same as the other levels of 'Planetoids'.

 

 

 

 

 

7. SCORE LEDGER