Starglider 2

STARGLIDER 2

============



THE SAGA CONTINUES...



2 years have passed since the Egron's unsuccessful invasion of Novenia.

The wreckage of commander Hermann Kruud's awesome StarGlider fleet lies

scattered across the post-nuclear wastelands of the once beautiful

planet.



The heroes who liberated Novenia in the museum-piece fighter are now

leading very separate lives...Jaysan is living it up in luxury and

generally enjoying himself, while Katra is helping Novenia's massive

redevelopment project.



One day, news of the gravest importance reaches the High Council - the

Egrons are gearing up to remove the thorn of Novenia from the Empire's

side once and for all. The Imperial Prator has decided to build a giant

beam projector around the planet Millway, and point it right at Novenia.



Jaysan reluctantly agrees to join Katra on a daring mission to destroy

the beam projector's components before they can be assembled.



ICARUS - Draggon Industries' prototype policecruiser is commandeered,

and the duo blast off, spacewards...



STARGLIDER 2, Argonaut Software's blockbuster, features:



- Ultra-fast, smooth animated 3D solid graphics.

- Fly from planet to planet and moon to moon encountering weird aliens,

such as space whales, walkers, pac-worms, Egron fighters and the

Starglider 2 ship itself...

- Race through subterranean tunnel networks, avoiding obstacles and

collecting new weapons.

- Responsive controls - pitch, roll, and loop-the-loop, with incredible

out-of-ship view.

- Patchwork landscapes, light shading and the most glorious sunsets

this side of Alpha Centauri!





BY HAND



Jaysan, Katra, and Agro - I have compiled the following dossier in order

to assist you on this, a most hazardous and dangerous of assignments.



I cannot emphasise strongly enough the severity of this mission - if you

succeed, the advance of the evil forces in our galaxy will be set back

by many years, and the people of the Solice System will be freed of

Egron occupation.



However, if you fail, the planet of Novenia will be destroyed, and the

might of the Egron military machine will march on, devouring planet after

planet, solar system after solar system, its greed for domination and

destruction knowing no limits.



The final shakedown testing of the Icarus is now complete - the stardrive

has been fitted and the craft has been stripped of all unnecessary weight.

We have sent sub-etha messages to all the Service Depots in the Solice

System, and we can only hope that they have received them.



As long as our spy satellites remain undetected, we shall attempt to

transmit updated intelligence reports concerning Egron movements in

the system.



We are now certain that the Egrons are building powerful beam projectors

on each of the seven moons of Millway, and are going to use these to

protect a vast space station during its construction. It is this space

station that will be turned against Novenia, unless it can be destroyed

first.



I look forward to greeting you on your return.



Axle Handrel

Chairman of the Novenian Council.





THE SOLICE SYSTEM



A brief outline by Ramnic Yathnuc - Chief Astronomer on the planet Candour



The closest star system to that of Novenia, Solice consists of five

planets, some of which are orbited by one or more moons. There is also

a large and perilous methane asteroid belt situated between the outer

planets of Apogee and Millway.



I have provided a brief description of each of the planets, and their

respective moons, in order of their proximity to Solice. The information

concerning Egron presence is based upon data relayed from our

reconnaissance satellites hidden within the asteroid field - but I

believe that up-to-date intelligence reports are to be transmitted

directly to the Icarus on a frequent basis.



It is worthy of note that the satellites have picked up frequent activity

of an erratic nature between many of the planets and moons. It is

believed that a large number of cargo-laden space pirates and bounty

hunters have infiltrated the area, hoping to find rich pickings in the

remnants of the Apogean civilisation, as well as minerals and equipment

within the mines and factories on the other planets. These marauders bear

alleigance to no flag, and it is likely that they will attack and destroy

any spacecraft that seems particularly inquisitive within 'their' ope-

rating areas - or at least use their highly unstable TeleTrac teleport

tractor beams to empty your cargo hold of its contents.



DANTE

Colour: Red

Gravity: Very low

Diameter: 262,144 spacials

Distance from Solice: 3,102,000 spacials

Egron presence: Low key occupation force



The nearest planet to Solice is Dante - a naturally radioactive,

inhospitable burnt-out rock, plastered with perilous lava-belching

volcanoes and searing geoplasmic gas emissions.



The denizens of Dante are an oddball collection of creatures, mostly

mutated horribly into gross parodies of normally evolved lifeforms.

Combined with small clusters of Egron occupation squadrons - mainly

consisting of the heavily-armed walkers and stompers - this makes

Dante one of the most undesirable ports of call to all but the most

desperate or inquisitive of ships.



VISTA

Colour: Blue

Gravity: Low

Diameter: 248,690 spacials

Distance from Solice: 4,084,500 spacials

Egron presence: Minimal



Second out from Solice is the cool, serene planet of Vista. Covered with

endless swamps and cloudless blue skies, life on Vista bears little

resemblance to the turmoil to be found on Dante. However, Vista is still

close enough to the sun for a variety of strange and wonderful beings to

live in a fair state of extreme mutation.



A key point of interest are the powerlines left behind by a previous

scientific expedition from Broadway - one of the moons of Millway. These

are similar to those found on the planet Apogee, although these may

malfunction due to their age.



APOGEE

Colour: Grey

Moons: Enos and Castron

Gravity: Average

Diameter: 524,288 spacials

Distance from Solice: 815,700 spacial

Egron presence: Complete domination



Next out from the sun is Apogee - the principal planet of the Solice

system.



Once a thriving independent planet, Apogee is now the major political

and economic base for the Egron occupation force in the solar system

(note that the major military strength lies on Aldos, the outermost

planet).



Apogee is now a barren wasteland - a textbook example of Egron excesses

and indulgence. Pollution and radiation have destroyed all the natural

lifeforms on Apogee, leaving a land of smouldering rocks and pools of

industrial waste.



Of great interest is the network of tunnels which were bored throughout

Apogee to provide fast, economic and ecologically acceptable transport

for the population of Apogee.



The twin moons of Apogee:



ENOS

Colour: Light grey

Gravity: Very low

Diameter: 131,072 spacials

Distance from Apogee: 495,677 spacials

Egron presence: Heavy



The first moon of Apogee, Enos is perhaps even more ravaged by the Egron

fleet than its parent planet. Largely similar to Apogee in terms

of environment, Enos has little to offer any visitor, unless they are a

licensed Egron scrap collector, or a suicidal starpilot looking to lose

a fight with a big piece of Egron machinery.



Although Enos is now devoid of intelligent lifeforms, it was once almost

entirely covered by a dense petrified forest, the remnants of which

permeate the moon's scarred surface. The number of trees remaining is on

the decline, as entrepreneurs and bounty hunters raid the forests to sell

arborial examples to tree collectors throughout the galaxy.



CASTRON

Colour: Dark grey

Gravity: Very low

Diameter: 147,456 spacials

Distance from Apogee: 698,305 spacials

Egron presence: Heavy



The second moon of Apogee, Castron is one of the most peculiar lumps of

rock ever to be formed by the Big Bang - instead of a molten or solid

core, it is made almost entirely of compacted sugar crystals.



Castron was once the home of the most popular item of confectionery in

the known universe - the Castrobar. The Egron-blasted wastelands of

Castron once gloried in the prosperity of massive galaxy-wide Castrobar

sales, rivalled only by the products of the distant planet of Mars in

the Milky Way galaxy.



Before the Egron occupation the career options for school-leavers on

Castron were quite simple - they either went to work in the Castrobar

factories, or they became dentists.



Castron has a modern set of super-efficient Egron powerlines that should

be very well suited to the inductive refuelling facility provided by most

Novenian-designed spacecraft, as well as an extensive underground tunnel

network.



MILLWAY

Colour: Deep red

Gravity: Very high

Diameter: 1,048,576 spacials

Distance from Solice: 2,209,168 spacials

Egron presence: Very heavy level of high-altitude patrols



Millway is the fourth planet out from Solice and is the only gas giant in

the system, and noted for its seven almost indentical moons. The deep red

colour of the surface is the result of the swirling methane, hydrogen and

ammonia in the atmosphere.



Although landing on Millway is not possible - it has no surface as such,

and flying too close to the layers of gas may prove to be fatal - Space

Whales and other weird and wonderful creatures can be found drifting high

in the upper atmosphere.



The seven moons of Millway:



BROADWAY, APEX, ESPRIT, QUESTA, WESTMERE, SYNAPSE & WACKFUNK

Colour: Deep red

Gravity: Very high

Diameter: 65,530 spacials (approximation)

Distance from Millway: 987,654 spacials

Egron presence: Very heavy



Millway's seven moons are of particular importance - they all possess

unusually odd magnetic properties, and it is this peculiarity that seems

to have attracted the Egron fleet to the Solice system. All are cold and

lifeless wastelands of methane slush, populated mostly by scientific

research teams whose favourite pastime is to hijack the fast Egron "Emma 2"

jetcars and drive them recklessly all over the moon whilst waiting for

their experiments to finish. This pastime has been somewhat hampered by

the recent arrival of several million tons of Egron construction equipment,

along with several million badly paid Egron workers.



The Egron presence is particularly bad news for Professor Halsen Taymar,

the eminent nuclear munitions expert, who was leading a pioneering research

team on Broadway at the time.



Recent intelligence reports indicate that there is now even more intense

activity on all of the moons, and Egron space trains seem to be ferrying

large quantities of refined materials to each moon on a regular basis.



ALDOS

Colour: Light-mid blue

Gravity: Extremely low

Diameter: 147,456 spacials

Distance from Solice: 16,225,190 spacials

Egron presence: Very heavy



Fifth, and furthest out from the sun, Aldos is cold and miserable. Due to

it being nearest to where we estimate the construction site of the Egron

space station to be, it has the heaviest Egron military presence of all

the planets.



The Egron's approach to ecology and rural preservation is as caring and

thoughful as always - almost all accessible parts of the planet are

covered in nuclear waste and pollution. The only remaining visible

evidence of terrestrial life on Aldos are the strange parallel lines which

were probably carved into the planet surface many millions of years ago to

mark the position of the sun at particular times of the year.



The lone moon of Aldos:

Q-BETA

Colour: Pale blue

Gravity: Extremely low

Diameter: 131,072 spacials

Distance from Aldos: 298,440 spacials

Egron presence: Absolute



Q-Beta (Queer Beast, as it is known on Apogee) is as cold and nasty as its

mother planet, Aldos. Unusually for a moon, recent neutro-probe readings

indicate a strange yellow moon to be orbiting Q-Beta, although radio-

telescope probes deny its existence. These strange readings require

further investigation, but take great care.





TUNNEL NETWORKS IN THE SOLICE SYSTEM



Many of the moons and planets that make up the Solice system are home to

a large network of Apogean designed tunnels. The principal network is,

unsurprisingly, situated on Apogee itself. A similar tunnel system was

also constructed under the moon Castr�n, as well as a number on the moons

of the planet Millway.



These tunnel networks were designed to provide fast, safe, efficient and

pollution-free transport, and until the Egron occupation, they were used

by millions of citizens every day.



The networks were designed for computer-controlled transport vehicles,

which travelled deep below the surface, following a pre-defined route

amongst the huge matrix of junctions and interchanges. Flying a craft

through these networks without the aid of the Tunnel Navigation System

may prove to be rather difficult, as all the tunnel sections tend to look

the same, and you may come across defensive energy barriers and iris doors.

Another problem is the huge magnetic coil which was used to keep the

transport craft central within the tunnels - its discharge will limit your

power considerably.



There are only three tunnel sections which differ from the large steel

cylinders, and they are as follows:



1. Junctions and Interchanges

Junctions are the points where a choice of two directions is available -

either a right or a left fork. As a number of the tunnel networks consist

of concentric rings, it is important to make a note of your location, and

try not to double-back on your previous route. However, you may make

u-turns at any point in the tunnels.



2. Tunnel Exits

Exits can be easily recognised by their large coloured markings. When

entering a tunnel it is worth noting your coordinates in case you wish to

leave by the same exit.



When exiting a tunnel network, be sure to limit your speed, as the

expulsion force of the tunnel may well throw your craft into the upper

atmosphere, or even into space.



3. Service Depots

Most of the tunnel network sections contain Service Depots - large square

grey hangars which were constructed to provide maintenance and repair

facilities for vehicles travelling through the tunnels. Since the Egron

occupation, the tunnel networks and their inhabitants have become the

sole surviving populations, and many depots have formed small resistence

groups, sabotaging the Egron war machine wherever possible.



The tunnel depot technicians have become very skilled in the construction

of weapons, including particle beam lasers, and incendiary devices of

varying destructive force, and they may be able to repair any damage to

your craft.



It is in some of these depots that you will be able to trade goods for

services, if the depot inhabitants are unwilling to give their services

for free.





THE ICARUS PATROLCRAFT



Introduction by Karl Draggon

Five years before the Egron invasion of Novenia, Draggon Industries began

work on a massive research and development project to design and construct

a successor to its popular Police patrolcraft - the Medusa IV. Rather than

modify the design of the Medusa even further, we decided to start with a

clean sheet and develop a new breed of patrol craft, incorporating all the

latest technological advances in weapons and navigation control.



The craft was only four months away from flight testing when the Egron

attack fleet struck - razing our test laboratories - along with most of

urban Novenia - to the ground.



Fortunately, many of the development team survived the invasion, holed up

in underground bunkers, and once the Egrons had been repelled by the

Novenian resistance, work continued on the project, and three months ago,

the first flight of the Interplanetary Combat and Reconnaissance Universal

Scout - abbreviated to the Icarus, took place in the vast desert on the

southside of the planet.



Icarus Technical Specification



Plasma Engines and Stardrive

The Icarus is powered by the latest generation of high performance Plasma

Drive power unit whose computer controlled management system ensures that

energy used is directly proportional to thrust.



Maximum speed on a planet: 24,000 spacials per second (estimate)

Maximum speed in space: 200,000 spacials per second (estimate)

Both these values are given for an unladen craft.



Draggon Industries have further developed the plasma engine with

co-operation from engineers on the planet Cosworth, to incorporate a

revolutionary sixteen chamber neutrino-fuelled semi-automatic latent

energy drive booster, known as the 'Stardrive'.



The Stardrive, quite simply, allows the Icarus to travel at up to eight

times its normal maximum terrestrial speed whilst operating outside of

the confines of planetary gravitational pull, and without the energy -

wasting side effects of afterburn.



To utilise the Stardrive, take the Icarus up to maximum speed, and select

Stardrive mode. The plasma drive charges up for a few seconds, and then

activates the Stardrive - the obvious effect when this happens is the

blurring of the space dust as it shoots past the craft.



Please note that if the Icarus reduces speed sufficiently, or collides

with an object (such as another craft, or an asteroid) the Stardrive will

be automatically deactivated.



Energy Absorption Shields

Being a police patrolcraft, Icarus has been designed to withstand random

pot-shots from aggressive life-forms who may be involved in acts of civil

unrest, and the inclusion of the latest model of the Valium Dynamics Inc.

energy absorption hull shield with its advanced and reliable Hi-Lev� cell

renewal system will ensure that the Icarus is safe from all but the most

determined and well-armed of troublemakers.



The shields are excellent protection against enemy lasers and other low

and medium-power weapons, and will even withstand a direct collision with

another craft, although this will probably severely deplete the shield's

energy reserve.



Interface Bus and Weapons Systems

Probably the most important new feature in the Icarus is the inclusion of

a galaxy-wide standard expansion bus (PicoChannel) which allows a whole

range of weapon and control system enhancement modules to be easily

attached and operated. The Icarus supports up to five PicoChannel-compati-

ble weapons, and these are available from Depots on a wide variety of

different worlds.



1. Gas Plasma Lasers

PicoChannel port number one comes fitted with standard gas plasma lasers.

These dual-beam lasers are of the hi-intensity armour piercing variety,

suitable for attack against most lightly armoured or low-shielded targets.

A fully functioning laser cell will allow approximately 250 bolts to be

fired before it requires recharging.



2. Projected Time-Warp Cuboids

Port number two is reserved for time-warp energy cubes. These amazing

devices are small computers housed in a compact cube. Put as simply as is

possible, the computer controls an electromagnetic chamber which has the

ability to store a slice of projected time. When the seal to the chamber

is opened, or destroyed, anything within close proximity to the cube is

trapped in time, and then projected backwards an arbitrary amount, say one

second - which has the effect of making moving objects collide with their

time-warped clones.



This remarkable device was developed by Professor Halsen Taymar as a

practical project for his PhD, and its use was subsequently banned by all

members of the Free Worlds Federation after Taymar demonstrated its power

by trapping the entire cast of his least favourite soap opera in a one

week infinite time-warp cycle. This feat had a number of knock-on effects

- Professor Taymar was given a job at the head of an advanced weapons

research team on the moon of Broadway, and the plot of the soap opera was

altered by the time-warp cubes to such an extent that the lead character

found out that she was actually her own grandmother. The audience ratings

soared sky-high, and nobody noticed that every new episode was the same as

the previous one. Some may argue that this was the case beforehand, anyway.



If Professor Taymar's research team can be located, they should be able to

provide you with the cuboid launcher - a device which interfaces directly

with the laser cell, allowing you to use the cubes in addition to your gas

plasma lasers (although they use around twice as much energy).



3. Fire and Flee Missiles

The third PicoChannel port is designated for a visual targetting

intelligent computer guided homing missile tube, known as the Fire and

Flee (F&F) missile system. These missiles are extremely potent, and are

able to destroy almost anything except objects protected by Neutron

shielding (such as tunnel entrances).



When activated, the F&F computer system enters Target Identify Mode, and

scans all objects within range that pass under the cross-hair sights. If

an object is identified, the secondary targetting sight is activated, and

it tracks the target as long as it is within visual range of the Icarus.

If the primary cross-hair locates a more obvious target, it will switch

the secondary sight accordingly.



The targetting system is just that - an aid to locating a target. It is

up to the pilot to launch the missile by pressing the fire button. Once

the missile is airborne, its homing circuitry will attempt to guide it

to its predefined destination, taking the optimum route.



F&F missiles can be obtained in some of the more technically advanced

Service Depots, and the Icarus is capable of carrying the launch tube,

targetting hardware, and up to four F&F missiles at a time.



4. Bouncing Bombs

Port four on the PicoChannel bus is reserved for the "Humbug" bouncing

bomb - an extraordinary device which is launched from the topside or

underside of the Icarus, and spins backwards so that when it hits the

ground, it bounces up again, travelling along until it comes into contact

with a target, or its outer casing is destroyed, when it is detonated.

However, if launched in space it will simply fall away into the void.



Humbugs are extremely powerful, its inner casing containing a highly

compressed contact explosive MMF - the most powerful non-nuclear charge

ever devised. They can penetrate all shielding and defences, with the

except of a multi-sourced beam projector field (such as those being

constructed to protect the Egron Space Station) - although they are able

to destroy the beam projector itself.



The Icarus' bomb bay can accomodate a maximum of four Humbugs, and they

are available at the highest technical level Service Depots.



5. Neutron Bomb

The fifth and final PicoChannel port has been assigned to the ultimate

weapon - the Neutron bomb. With the intensity of a hundred suns, it is the

only weapon in existence with enough force to destroy the Egron Space

Station, and safeguard the future of Novenia.



The only man in the galaxy with the technical expertise to design and

build the Neutron bomb is Professor Halsen Taymar, the eminent nuclear

physicist and designer of the famous Projected Time-Warp Cuboids.



The Icarus has been specially modified to accommodate the bomb - and it

has been installed with a Forslook proximity-lock field to allow the bomb

to be lowered from the bomb bay and slung beneath the craft until it is

fired.



The Forslook will hold the bomb a small distance from the Icarus to prevent

accidental detonation, and will alter the distance as the craft banks and

turns. It also incorporates a dedicated version of the F&F missile guidance

system, with our reconaissance blueprints of the space station's MagnaFlux

focussing coil imprinted upon its imaging circuitry.



Please note that the Neutron bomb can destroy ANYTHING upon impact, so be

sure to have your target well within range before releasing it, and get

away from the blast area as soon as the bomb has been released. If you

wish to check that it has hit its target, select the rear view option.

And remember - use the Forslook.



Tractor Beams

Much of the development time put into Icarus has been spent on the design

and testing of the revolutionary identify-and-lock Tractor Beams, which are

controlled by Imperial Business Machine's latest Piers-2 computer system.



Quite simply, this system allows you to point the cross-hair at an object,

for instance, a cargo crate, and select the tractor beam. The computer will

analyse and attempt to identify the 'target' and, if successful, will

project a tractor beam at the object.



The beam's energy field envelopes the object and, once under your control,

allows you to rotate it, in order to examine the object (useful with

incendiary devices). You may then draw the beam closer towards the Icarus,

bringing the object with it, and finally teleport it aboard, or

alternatively press the Tractor Beam key and switch the lock off.



The Tractor Beam does have a number of obvious limitations - firstly, it

can only manipulate objects which are not fixed to the ground by means of

building foundations and, secondly, it cannot contain objects which are of

a greater mass that the Icarus itself.



Cargo Bay

Although not primarily designed to carry copious quantities of cargo,

Icarus has nevertheless been designed to accomodate three items of

non-military hardware (as well as a range of PicoChannel compatible

weapons reserves).



Objects that have been successfully captured using the Tractor Beam are

stored in the cargo bay. You may check your inventory, give objects to

Depot Managers, or jettison cargo in space if it is not desired.



Visual Analysis System

An obvious by-product from the development of the Piers-2 identification

computer incorporated in the Tractor Beam hardware is the ability to

analyse and identify objects.



Once an object has been located with the cross-hair sight, the computer

will attempt to match its videoprint with those stored in its databanks.

If the object is successfully identified, its name will be displayed on

the microscreen other wise vou will be informed that no records have

been found.



Audio Analysis System

As well as visual analysis of objects, the Icarus' resident computer system

incorporates an audial spectrum analyser which will sample incoming sound

waves and try to match them with sound patterns stored in its data library.



The computer system lays dormant unless it recognises a sound close to the

Icarus, at which point its.analysis option can be selected.



Status Report Processor

Throughout the mission, the Icarus will receive updated intelligence

reports from our spy satellites located deep within the asteroid belt.

These communications will contain information concerning the current status

of the beam projectors, the space station, as well as intelligence reports

from our passive spies secreted within the Egron construction force (Egron

construction crews as so badly paid that we are able to buy information

from some of the less loyal workers).



The latest intelligence report can be recalled at any time by calling up

the Status Report processor.





Refuelling the Icarus



The Icarus is an extremely versatile craft, and this flexibility is true

for all aspects of the craft's operation, not least when it comes to

refuelling the plasma drives and recharging its energy shields and laser

cells. The energy induction system has been designed to utilise almost any

source of natural or artificial power.



The craft can replenish itself using a number of tested procedures,

although there are many untested possible energy absorption techniques to

be found throughout the galaxy. Only these five have been known to be

worthwhile to some degree:



1. Powerline Induction Refuelling

The standard form of induction refuelling, as pioneered with the modified

AGAV craft during the Novenian invasion. This process has now been refined

quite considerably, to take advantage of the new breed of tesla beam

powerlines that can be found throughout the Solice system.



To refuel your plasma drive, energy shields and laser cells, fly the Icarus

into the tesla beams that spark between the pylons of the powerlines. Keep

as close to the beams as possible, without colliding with the pylons -

skilled pilots can fly all the way along the powerlines upside-down, thus

avoiding the pylons altogether.



The rate of induction is directly proportional to your velocity, so fly as

quickly as possible.



2. Geoplasmic Emission Refuelling

The planet Dante, despite being a hellish and nasty place, does have a

little to offer the more daring explorer. For example - if you are lucky

enough to catch one right up close to your ship, a geoplasmic gas emission

can give a fair increase to your plasma drive, energy shields and laser

cells.



3. Volcanic Emission Refuelling

Perhaps a little more lucrative than this, although only for the skilled

pilot, is in-flight refuelling above an active volcano. The perilously

high, narrow apertures at the top of the volcanoes pour out a continuous

stream of molten rocks and blasting hot gases. Refuelling can be

achieved by sitting in the wake of these gases, and these are at their

strongest just above the lip of the crater.



However, be sure to avoid the stream of rocks, as they will quickly destroy

your ship if you hover at too low an altitude. The safest (!) method is to

sit a little way up above the crater, although this naturally makes it

harder to align your ship with the stream of gases. Plasma drive, energy

shields and laser cells are all replenished using this method.



4. Asteroid Methane Fragmentation Refuelling

Although the asteroid belt situated between the planets of Apogee and

Millway is a perilous place to take even the most well-shielded space

craft, navigating the asteroids does have advantages other than the

collection of minerals.



If you can catch an asteroid in your Tractor Beam, it will become unstable,

and ultimately explode. However, quantities of fragemented methane are

released, and these are trawled by the Icarus' power inductors, and

converted into fuel for the plasma drive, energy shields and laser cells.

Ther quantity of methane caught by this method is dependent upon the speed

of rotation of the asteroid within the tractor beam.



5. Solar Energy Refuelling

Perhaps the most hazardous method of refuelling the Icarus, but still

available to the desperate pilot, is solar refuelling - converting the

discharged corona energy of the sun directly into fuel.



The method itself is quite simple - fly as close to the sun as possible,

and scoop up the free energy. However, even the composite construction of

the Icarus will not be able to withstand the intense heat generated by a

burning star. Keep an eye on your microscreen for temperatute warnings at

all times.





THE CONTROL PANEL



The Icarus' control panel is both one of the most advanced, and simple to

operate of all interplanetary combat and patrol vehicles. It incorporates

a number of radical departures from normal cockpit design, the main two

being its head-up and holographic instrument displays.



The following diagram depicts all the major control panel instruments, and

they are each described below.



A) Grid Co-ordinates

This instrument shows the current location of the Icarus while flying

across a planet or moon. It is displayed as four numbers - a two-digit

X-position, and a two digit Y-position.



B) Digital Clock

The clock displays the amount of elapsed time since the mission began. It

uses Galactic Standard Time (GST) - a decimal system comprising of 9999

minutes in each day.



C) Score

This display shows the number of points accrued since the beginning of

the mission.



D) Cross-hair Sight

This head-up display is used for targetting weapons, and locating objects

for identification or Tractor Beaming.



E) Refuelling Indicator

Whenever the inductive refuelling system is operative these indicators

pulsate.



F) Local Area Scanner

An advanced radar, the Scanner shows all objects within range of the

Icarus.



G) Compass

A standard 360� compass, showing your direction using North, East, South

and West notation.



H) Currently Selected Weapon Indicator

This animated holographic instrument shows which PicoChannel weapons system

is currently selected.



I) Bouncing Bomb Indicator

This instrument show how many "Humbug" bouncing bombs are present in the

bomb bay.



J) Fire and Flee Missile Indicator

This instrument shows how many F&F homing missiles are present in the

missile tubes.



K) Laser Cell Status

This instrument shows the current status of the gas plasma laser cells.



L) Energy Shield Status

This instrument shows the current status of the Valium Dynamics' shield

cells.



M) Fuel Indicator

This instrument shows the current status of the Plasma Drive fuel cells.



N) Artificial Horizon

A standard tri-axial artificial horizon, which shows the orientation of

the Icarus at all times when flying across a planet or moon.



O) Velocity Indicator

This instrument shows the current speed or velocity of the Icarus (note

that Stardrive speeds are not displayed, as they are out of range of the

indicator!).



P) Altimeter

This instrument shows the current altitude of the Icarus when flying across

a planet or moon. It is inactive when in space.



Q) Microscreen

This screen is used to display incoming intelligence reports, and Icarus

status information, as well as feedback from the various navigation and

weapons systems.





Loading Instructions

�

Type LOAD ""<enter> for 48K version or select Loader for 128K version.



Joystick Control

Pushing the joystick left and right causes the Icarus to turn or roll to

the left or right. Pushing the joystick forward or pulling the joystick

back causes the Icarus to dive or climb. To fire the currently selected

weapon, press the fire button.



Starglider 2 uses a joystick control system known as One Hand mode, to

accelerate and decelerate. Simply hold down the fire button and push the

joystick forwards or backwards.



Keyboard Control

Q Icarus Nose Down

A Icarus Nose Up

0 Icarus Bank Left

P Icarus Bank Right

Space Bar Fire Weapon

Caps Shift Select Weapon

I Identify Object Under Crosshair

L Patchwork ON/OFF

T Tractor Beam ON/OFF

R Report Status

W Increase Velocity, when not in one hand mode

S Decrease Velocity, when not in one hand mode

D Stardrive ON/OFF

Symb/Shift Rotate Object In Tractor Beam

Break Abort Game

C Collect Object In Tractor Beam

Enter Pause Game

I Inventory When Game Paused

J Jettison Object When Game Paused

S Save Game When Game Paused



Painting With Rolf (128K Only)

T & G Rotate Shape in X axis

Y & H Rotate Shape in Y axis

U & J Rotate Shape in Z axis

I Start Animation Forwards

J Stan Animation Backwards

N Frame Step Backwards One

M Frame Step Forwards One

Z & X Cycle Through The Shapes

Caps Shift Stop The Shape Rotating

R Reset The Shape To Stan Position

E End Animation

D Draw With A Shape / Clear Screen

Enter Return To Options Menu





The following play guide information is only relevant to the Spectrum

version of Starglider 2.



(1) All planet colour references should be disregarded.



(2) There are no stompers on DANTE due to galactic energy shortages.



(3) The age old power lines on Broadway no longer exist due to a fatal

collision with a Space Pirate ship which had suffered severe damage

after doing battle in orbit around Millway.



(4) The tunnel networks have been cleared of all defensive energy barriers

and iris doors after constant complaints of traffic congestion from

local inhabitants.



(5) Tunnel exits are not indicated by coloured markings as they were

considered to be an eye-sore.



(6) Fire and Ree Missiles have been replaced by the more efficient high

energy pulse laser. When activated, the laser behaves in exactly the

same way as the fire and flee missiles, and only four charges can be

carried in the launch tube at once.



(7) The Icarus does not have a rear view option due to lack of space.



(8) There is no audio analysis system because in space no one can hear you

fly.



(9) Geoplasmic Emission Refuelling is no longer possible due to the new

ecological policies of the inhabitants, who now insist that the Icarus

uses ozone friendly gases instead.







The Game by Gary Sheinwald and Chris Humphries



Published worldwide by Telecomsoft

First Floor, 74 New Oxford Street

London WC1A IPS

ENGLAND



Telecomsoft and Rainbird are registered trademarks of

British Telecommunications pic.



� Argonaut Software 1988