
                           Star Fighter 3000
                             Pilot's Manual

N.B. This text is best viewed at a display width of 76 columns or more. If
your editor supports it you can generate a contents list by doing a 'List of
found' search for ">>".

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>> - Contents -
   ============

  1 - Loading Instructions -
  1.1   Machine Requirements
  1.2   Graphics Display
  1.3   Sound Output
  1.4   Running the Game from CD-ROM
  1.5   Hard Disc Installation

  2 - Introduction -
  2.1   The Game
  2.2   The Enemy ...

  3 - Using the Desktop Interface
  3.1   The Icon Bar
  3.2   The Main Window
  3.3   The Choices Dialogue Box
        a) General options
        b) Display options
        c) Graphics options
        d) Sound options
        e) Key definition
        f) Mouse options
        g) Joystick options

  4 - Using the Menu -
  4.1   The Main Menu
  4.2   The Configure Menu

  5 - Levels & Pyramids -

  6 - Controls & Information -
  6.1   Flight Controls
  6.2   In Game Controls
  6.3   Weapon Selection
  6.4   Camera Select
  6.5   Spacecraft Views
  6.6   Camera Control
  6.7   Head-Up Display Information

  7 - Using the Map -
  7.1   Map Control Icons
  7.2   Radar Information and Control

  8 - Tactics -
  8.1   Defensive Tactics
  8.2   Friendly Formations
        a) Getting a formation together.
        b) Attacking with a formation.
        c) Knowing when to retreat.
        d) Re-allocation of targets.
        e) Friendly fire & losses.

  9 - Flight Control & Weapon Systems -
  9.1   The Predator Mk-IV : Flight & Control
  9.2   Defence Systems
  9.3   Attack Systems
  9.4   Taking Flak
  9.5   Docking
  9.6   Flying Other Ships
  9.7   Bonus Coins and Parachutes

  10 - Credits and Contact Details -
  10.1  Credits
  10.2  Contact Details

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>> 1 - Loading Instructions -
   ==========================

>> 1.1 Machine Requirements

  Star Fighter 3000 requires a computer with RISC OS 3, 4 or 5 (minimum OS
3.1). It is compatible with StrongARM and the Iyonix PC. At least 4Mb of RAM
is recommended; the game MAY work on a 2Mb machine but memory is likely to
be very tight.

  An ARM 3 or better processor is recommended to use the higher detail
levels. A fast ARM 7 machine is generally sufficient to play the game in
full-screen mode at 'max' detail and 'medium' speed. For desktop play a
StrongARM is recommended.

  The 'nested' Window Manager (i.e. version 3.8 or later) is required for
the game's desktop interface. This is available as an upgrade for RISC OS 3
machines but only as part of Acorn's Universal !Boot
(http://www.riscos.com/ftp_space/generic/uniboot/ ). On older machines the
game may also need to load various modules from your !System directory,
including the Toolbox (http://www.riscos.com/ftp_space/generic/toolbox/ ).

  Unlike some earlier versions of the game an updated version of the Shared
C Library from Castle Technology Ltd is no longer required on machines
running RISC OS 3 or 4.

>> 1.2 Graphics Display

  To run the game full screen you will require a suitable screen mode
definition. The game's native screen resolution is 320 x 256, which modern
VGA monitors may not be able to display (except squashed vertically, also
known as 'letterboxing'). Alternative resolutions are therefore supported
but they require an extra scaling step which may reduce the frame rate.

  The game will run at the correct speed regardless of the frequency of the
mode, but for best effect a 50 Hz or 100 Hz mode is recommended. Mode
definitions for a non-letterboxed 320 x 256 100 Hz display on a VGA monitor
such as an Acorn AKF60 are available from various sources.

  For optimal performance in the desktop it is best to use a screen mode
where neither colour translation nor scaling is necessary. This implies 256
colours with standard palette and a display scale of 50% (assuming standard
eigen factors of 1,1).

>> 1.3 Sound Output

  Upon being loaded the game will automatically decide whether to use (in
order of preference) SharedSound, 16-bit sound or 8-bit sound.

  If the SharedSound module is detected then the game's sound will be mixed
with any other sound sources, such as an MP3 music player. Otherwise the
game will attempt to claim exclusive use of the sound system. If this claim
fails then the game's sound will be disabled.

  N.B. It is strongly recommended that SharedSound be used on machines with
16 bit sound, since this eliminates the possibility of conflict with other
applications.

>> 1.4 Running the Game from CD-ROM

  Where possible, configuration and high scores are stored in the standard
location for program choices rather than inside the application directory.
This means that the game can be run from CD-ROM (or other non-writable
media) so long as you have a !Boot structure or external !Choices directory
(part 19990915-001 from RISCOS Ltd).

>> 1.5 Hard Disc Installation

  The game can be installed and run from hard disc; simply drag the
!Star3000 application icon to the directory viewer where the game is to be
installed. Early versions of Star Fighter 3000 required the insertion of the
original floppy disc before the game would run. This version is not copy
protected in that manner.

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>> 2 - Introduction
   ================

>> 2.1 The Game

  Welcome to Star Fighter 3000, The highest rated game show ever on a
Fednet universal satellite channel. The year is 3037, and peak-time TV has
acquired its most successful audience participation show ever.

  A result of the intensified battle for advertising revenue and military
hardware between the two rival broadcasting companies, Fednet and TrashTV,
lucky viewers were selected from thousands of applicants to take part in
the Star Fighter UEP [Ultimate Expansion Programme].

  The idea was simple ... Assemble an enormous military attack force around
progressively difficult strategic locations (mostly belonging to TrashTV),
invite viewers to take part in the ensuing battle, and broadcast the
results ...

Unfortunately, the battle soon escalated into a universal conflict. TrashTV
quickly made a number of allies, (mainly on the promise of cheap
advertising), each being a powerful military force in the galaxy.

>> 2.2 The Enemy ...

  The Dark Lord, 'He who is master of all that is evil' as he likes to be
called. The commander in chief of a synthetic super-race based on several
artificial death stars and leader of a brutal regime.

  Thorg, an egotistical tribal warlord and leader of a primitive
civilisation, hell-bent on sculpture and universal destruction.
Intelligence reports indicate he is highly unstable as the result of
generations of inter-breeding, and likes to dress up in a squirrel costume
and play conkers in his spare time.

  The I.C.T. Corporation - Pioneers in experimental terraforming for
military research. Previous customers include both Fednet & TrashTV.

  It's your job to eliminate them, and everybody else that stands in the
way of Fednet's rightful position as the only purveyor of quality
entertainment through the known universe. Destroy their buildings,
Exterminate their armies, Grind them into the dust, all for points and
prizes.

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>> 3 - Using the Desktop Interface -
   =================================

  This version of Star Fighter 3000 runs under the Window Manager, allowing
you to return to the desktop at any time to continue with other work. You
can even play the game in a window, whilst other applications continue to
run in the background! Interactive help is provided on all aspects of the
desktop interface, and in most cases this should be sufficient.

>> 3.1 The Icon Bar

  When you run the game its application icon is installed on the icon bar.
Clicking SELECT on this icon will open the main game window, whilst
clicking ADJUST will open the Choices dialogue box.

  The icon bar menu provides the following options:

  Info         - Leads to a window giving information about the program.
  Help...      - Opens this game manual.
  Choices...   - Opens the Choices dialogue box.
  Quit         - Quits the application.

>> 3.2 The Main Window

  The main window displays the same graphics that you would see in full-
screen mode. Mouse clicks (except for MENU) and key presses are passed on to
the game, though the latter only when the window has the input focus. The
window will gain the input focus when you click on it - to get the input
focus without side-effects hold down the Shift key when clicking.

  If the mouse is being used for flight control then the pointer will be
hidden and all mouse clicks (including MENU) will be claimed by the game.
You can free the pointer by pressing F12 to remove the input focus from
the game window; this will also suspend the game if configured to do so.

  A pane attached to the bottom of the window displays the current speed of
the game in frames per second (FPS). Adjacent to this figure, a slider
provides a visual indication of whether the game is running slower than the
configured speed. This pane can be shown or hidden using the Choices
dialogue box.

  The game window provides a menu:

  Full screen  - The game takes over the entire screen, removing the
                 distractions of window furniture. Multi-tasking is
                 suspended when not in the desktop, which allows the game
                 to run much faster. You can return to the desktop by
                 pressing F12.

  Suspend      - Ticking this option will pause the game and free up CPU
                 time for other tasks. Suspension of the game is total, and
                 thus distinct from the in-game pause facility (which allows
                 continued control of camera views, for instance). You can
                 configure the game to suspend itself automatically when it
                 loses the input focus (see 'General options').

  Scale view   - Leads to a dialogue box, which allows you to change the
                 extent of the game window so that it takes up more or less
                 space on the desktop. Either enter a percentage scale in
                 the writable field, use the adjuster arrows, or select
                 from one of the standard scales.

  Screenshot   - Leads to a standard save box from which you can drag a
                 file icon to a directory display or type in a complete file
                 path. The game's current screen display will be saved to
                 this location as a Sprite file.

  Choices...   - Opens the Choices dialogue box (see below).

  Help...      - Opens this game manual.

>> 3.3 The Choices Dialogue Box

  This dialogue box is split into several pages in order to keep it to a
manageable size. Use the radio buttons down the right-hand side of the
window to control which page is displayed.

  The 'Cancel' button discards all changes. The 'Set' button confirms any
changes and configures the game appropriately. The 'Save' button acts like
'Set', with the addition that it writes the new configuration to file so
that it is remembered next time the game is run.

  You can keep the dialogue box open by clicking any of these buttons with
ADJUST rather than SELECT. This is particularly useful with 'Cancel', to
reset the dialogue box from the internal configuration.

a) General options

Speed limiter [Value]

  This is the minimum time interval between frames, in centiseconds.
  Reducing this value should speed the game up (if the computer is fast
  enough); increasing it should slow the game down (and free up CPU time
  for other tasks). The 'Slow', 'Medium' and 'Fast' speeds available from
  the configure menu correspond to values 5, 4 and 3. In full screen mode,
  the frame rate is also restricted by the monitor refresh frequency
  (typically between 1 and 2 cs per frame).

Suspend when focus lost [Off / On]

  If enabled, the game will be suspended when the main window loses the
  input focus. This can prevent a potentially fatal loss of control whilst
  playing the game in the desktop.

War backdrop for menu [Off / On]

  Turning the backdrop off should make the in-game menus more responsive on
  slow computers.

Big ships launch missiles [Off / On]

  A-T-A missile launch from big ships and space stations was broken in
  earlier versions of the game and hence has not been thoroughly play
  tested. You may wish to disable this option if a mission seems
  unreasonably hard.

Lasers hit bonus coins [Off / On]

  In earlier versions of the game, lasers would hit any bonus coins in their
  path. The default is now for lasers to pass straight through coins, but
  you can restore the original behaviour by setting this option.

Reset view when hit [Off / On]

  If enabled, the view will automatically be reset to the player's
  spacecraft (as though f9 had been pressed) whenever it is hit by incoming
  fire.

Rotate objects on map [Off / On]

  If enabled, ground objects on the map are drawn in 3D and rotate
  continuously. If disabled, the map is drawn as a static 2D plan view.

Flight controls [Keys / Mouse / Joystick]

  Use these radio buttons to choose the type of user input device to be
  used for the principle flight controls (roll, dive, climb, thrust and
  fire). When mouse or joystick control is configured, you can still use
  the keyboard for other commands (e.g. to control camera views and
  formations).

b) Display options

Initial display mode [Full screen / In a desktop window]

  Use these radio buttons to choose whether the game starts in full-screen
  mode or in a window on the desktop. (If the game starts in full-screen
  mode then you will still be able to return to the desktop by pressing
  F12.) You must save the configuration for this option to take effect.

Full screen mode [320 x 256 / 320 x 480 / 640 x 480 / 640 x 512]

  Click on the adjacent pop-up menu icon to choose the resolution of the
  screen mode used when the game takes over the whole screen. VGA monitors
  may not be able to display the game's native resolution of 320 x 256.
  Alternative resolutions require an extra scaling step.

Scale mouse pointer [Off / On]

  If enabled, the game's mouse pointer shapes will be scaled when
  appropriate. This option affects display in a desktop window or in full
  screen mode with 480 lines. You may wish to disable it to avoid pointer
  shapes being cropped at larger scales or in screen modes with small eigen
  factors (this is a video hardware limitation).

Display frame rate [Off / On]

  If enabled, the current speed of the game will be displayed in a pane
  attached to the bottom of the main window.

Initial scale [Value]

  This is a percentage scale to be applied to the main window when the game
  is first loaded. Click on the button below to insert the current scale
  into the writable field. You must save the configuration for this option
  to take effect. To change the current scale, instead use the 'Scale view'
  dialogue box.

c) Graphics options

Detail level [Very low / Low / Medium / High / Very high / Max / Custom]

  This controls the quality of graphics rendering in the game. You can
  select from one of a number of pre-set detail levels (which correspond to
  those in the in-game menu) or else select 'Custom' and change the
  individual settings yourself. Choosing a pre-set detail level will update
  the sliders to show the new values. 'Custom' detail will automatically be
  selected if you change any of the sliders.

Texture map detail [Very low / Low / Medium / High]

  You can select from a number of texture mapping algorithms, each of which
  gives a different trade off between accuracy and speed.

Objects plot distance [Slider]

  The distance beyond which no objects are plotted.

Objects height cut-off [Slider]

  The height above which no ground installations are plotted.

Hills & clouds cut-off [Slider]

  The height above which not even mountains or clouds are plotted.

d) Sound options

Sound enabled [Off / On]

  Allows you to completely disable all sound output from the game.

4 channels / 8 channels

  Use these radio buttons to select the maximum number of simultaneous sounds
  to allow. Mixing 8 channels of 16 bit linear sound is quite CPU intensive,
  so it is only recommended for more powerful machines (e.g. StrongARM).

Volume [Slider]

  Allows you to set the volume of game sound output with finer accuracy than
  the pre-set levels available in the in-game configure menu. The volume
  does not change as you drag the slider; to hear the new volume level you
  must ADJUST-click the 'Set' button.

Play game music [Off / On]

  Allows you to disable the game music, for instance to listen to an audio
  CD instead.

Sound effects [Mono / Stereo / Reverse stereo]

  Stereophonic sound effects require more calculation than monophonic
  effects, so you may wish to disable them to obtain better performance on
  slower machines. You should select 'reverse stereo' if your speakers are
  the wrong way round.

e) Key definition

  This window lists the keyboard controls used by the game, all of which
may be redefined (except for return to desktop, which is always F12). The
current key definitions are displayed down the right-hand side, adjacent to
their function name.

  Click SELECT on one of the displayed keys to redefine it - the icon will
be highlighted to show that it is awaiting your input. You may press any
key except F12. When a key press has been recorded the highlight will move
on to allow rapid definition of multiple keys. You can de-select the
highlighted icon by ADJUST-clicking on it.

  The flight control keys may only be used when neither mouse nor joystick
control is enabled.

  (Note: Users with a non-UK keyboard configured will see only key numbers
rather than key names. Foreign keyboard layouts may be defined by adding a
suitable message file to the !Star3000.Keyboards directory.)

f) Mouse options

Intercept mouse driver [Off / On]

  To allow mouse control in the desktop without disrupting other
  applications, the game intercepts low-level communications between
  the mouse driver and OS kernel. If you disable this then the game
  will revert to more conventional methods, but mouse control will
  only operate in full screen mode. This option is not available on
  RISC OS 3.1 machines.

Sensitivity [Slider]

  The sensitivity of flight control using the mouse can be configured from
  low (takes a long time to react) to high (reacts quickly, but can be
  difficult to control). A slider allows finer adjustment than selecting
  one of the pre-set levels from the in-game menu. Control sensitivity is
  also affected by the configured mouse pointer speed unless mouse driver
  interception is enabled.

Auto-centre controls [Off / On]

  With auto-centring enabled the flight controls will gradually return to a
  neutral position when mouse movement ceases.

Mouse buttons

  Configuration of mouse buttons works on the principle of tying actions
  to buttons. A display field shows the action currently configured for
  each mouse button. To choose from a list of available actions, click on
  the adjacent pop-up menu icon. Some actions replace the flight control
  keys ('Fire weapon', 'Thrust') whilst others give access to commonly used
  commands. 'Change weapon' cycles through your available weapon systems
  (skipping any that have been exhausted) so that you don't have to reach
  for the keyboard in the heat of battle.

g) Joystick options

Port number [Value]

  Some interfaces support more than one joystick, which are then identified
  by a number from 0 to 255. Usually you should configure the port number
  to 0.

Switched / Analogue

  Use these radio buttons to specify whether your joystick is of the
  switched ('Atari') or analogue ('PC') variety. The flight controls should
  still work but may behave strangely if you configure the wrong type of
  joystick.

Calibrate joystick

  Click this button and follow the on-screen instructions to calibrate your
  analogue joystick to return its full range of values. This will only work
  if your joystick software supports Acorn's calibration SWIs.

Joystick buttons

  This is similar to the configuration of mouse buttons. Up to eight
  joystick buttons are supported, and you can choose an action to tie to
  each. For more details see 'Mouse options'.

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>> 4 - Using the Menu -
   ====================

  All options on the menu can be selected / altered using the return key or
clicking the mouse. Use the cursor arrows or move the mouse to select
different options.

>> 4.1 The Main Menu

Start Game   - Start the currently selected mission.

New Game     - New game clears all progress on the current level pyramid,
               and starts a new game.

Select Level - This toggles through whether the game should start on the
               Easy, Medium, or Hard level pyramid. Alternatively, you can
               enter a password.

               Selecting 'Pcode' displays the password for the last
               completed mission and allows you to enter a new code, which
               if correct, will select and set up the correct pyramid to a
               previous setting and start the game.

Configure    - Selects the configuration menu.

Quit         - Quits the program.

>> 4.2 The Configure Menu

  Although the original in-game Configure menu has been retained in this
version of Star Fighter 3000, it doesn't give access to all the options
available from the Choices dialogue box (see 'Using the Desktop
Interface') and often a more limited range of settings is available.

  Some earlier versions of the game saved configuration to file every time
it was updated. You now have to explicitly save configuration (using the
desktop interface) if you wish to retain settings between sessions.

Volume       - Alters the sound & music volume.

Control      - Select Keyboard, Mouse or Joystick control. Mouse control
               has 3 levels of sensitivity, 3 being the highest. Joystick
               may be either switched (Atari-type) or analogue (PC-type).

Setup        - Setup allows you to customise the game format by cycling
               through 6 options, each of which can be selected and altered:

- Setup Backdrop [On / Off]

  This toggles the war backdrop. Turning the backdrop off will speed up
  the menu.

- Setup Detail   [V Low, Low, Medium, High, V High, Max]

  Reducing the detail level will speed up the game (especially on 'V Low',
  if your eyes can take it). The configured detail level affects both the
  texture map and the distance at which you can see objects.

- Setup Music    [On / Off]

  Toggles the in game music.

- Setup Speaker  [On / Off]

  Switches the internal speaker on & off. Unlike other options, the speaker
  state is not configured on start up.

- Setup Keyboard

  This option allows you to redefine the ship control keys. On selection,
  you will be prompted with Left, Right, Dive, Climb, Thrust & Fire. Press
  and then release the required key at each of these prompts.

- Setup Speed    [Slow / Medium / Fast / Max]

  This sets the maximum speed of the game, the default being 'Medium'. 'Max'
  is unlimited just so people with fast computers can show off.

- Setup Stereo   [On / Off / Reverse]

  Turning off stereo sound effects will speed up the game. Reverse stereo
  is for people with their speakers the wrong way round.

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>> 5 - Levels & Pyramids -
   =======================

  There are 3 levels of competition, Easy, Medium and Hard. Each level is
represented by a separate pyramid with 36 missions to complete over 8 sub-
levels.

  Completion of a mission will award you a performance based credit bonus
and allow you to select one of the two missions directly above it.
Completed missions are indicated by arrows / red squares. Missions
completed at the top of the pyramid return selection to unfinished missions
at the bottom.

  Every time a new game is started, the score and ship status is reset, and
you will get enough cash to see you through the first mission, 1200, 1400
and 1600 credits for the first mission on each pyramid, with increments of
100, 200 and 300 credits for every sub-level up.

  Selecting 'New Game' from the main menu will clear all progress on the
current pyramid and return you to the bottom.

  Each level has 12 bonuses spread randomly throughout the pyramid,
indicated by highlighted mission icons. Each bonus may earn you:

Gamble       - Gamble with your ship's equipment (1)
Sponsorship  - Earn cash from companies eager to advertise (1)
Cash Prize   - Complete a mission in 1 life to receive cash
Bonus Level  - 1 minute of parachute drops (2)
Upgrade Ship - Randomly upgrades ship (1)
Multiplier   - X all bonus coins and end-of-mission score
Penalty      - Downgrade ship (1)

1) You will not get these when flying special spacecraft.
2) You will not get this on enclosed levels (e.g. I.C.T. hyperspace
   facilities) or when flying special spacecraft.

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>> 6 - Controls & Information -
   ============================

  Note that most key controls and the action of mouse or joystick buttons
may be redefined from the defaults listed here.

>> 6.1 Flight Controls

Keyboard controls:

         Z              - Roll left
         X              - Roll right
         '              - Dive
         /              - Climb
         Return         - Fire selected weapon
         Right Alt      - Thrust

Mouse controls:

         Mouse Left     - Roll left
         Mouse Right    - Roll right
         Mouse Up       - Dive
         Mouse Down     - Climb
         Left Button    - Thrust
         Middle Button  - Cycle weapons:
                           (a) Lasers
                           (b) Air to ground missiles
                           (c) Air to air missiles
                           ...and any super weapons
         Right Button   - Fire selected weapon

Joystick controls:

         Joystick Left  - Roll left
         Joystick Right - Roll right
         Joystick Up    - Dive
         Joystick Down  - Climb
         Button 1       - Fire selected weapon
         Button 2       - Thrust
         Button 3       - Cycle weapons (as above)

>> 6.2 In Game Controls

         S            - View ship status
         M            - View map
         E            - Release ECM
         P            - Pause game
         R            - Re-group your formation
         A            - Break formation for attack
         T            - Toggle head-up display
         Escape       - Quit game
         f12          - Return to desktop or lose input focus

>> 6.3 Weapon Selection

         f1           - Lasers
         f2           - Air to ground missiles
         f3           - Air to air missiles
         f4           - Cycle super weapons

>> 6.4 Camera Select

         f5           - Reset normal view
         f6           - Tracking camera

>> 6.5 Spacecraft Views

         f9           - Reset view to player
         f10          - Cycle through view types:
                         (a) Player
                         (b) Friendly spacecraft
                         (c) Enemy spacecraft
                         (d) Player weapons
         f11          - View next instance of type

>> 6.6 Camera Control

         'Up Arrow'   - Forward view
                        (+ Right Ctrl for up)
         'Down Arrow' - Rear view
                        (+ Right Ctrl for down)
         'Left Arrow' - Camera left
         'Right Arrow'- Camera right
         'Page Up'    - Zoom camera in
         'Page Down'  - Zoom camera out

>> 6.7 Head-Up Display Information.

During game play, the following information is shown on screen:

Score                Shown on top left

Shields - Green      Shows shields power out of total (red)
        - Orange     Shows ship is under attack
        - Flashing   Ship is damaged and repairing

Speed                Sliding speed indicator shown over shields

Current Weapon       Shown on top right + quantity

E-C-M                Shown on top middle

Direction + Grid Ref Shown on top right

Formation Grid       Only displayed when friendly troops are in formation.
                     This displays all ships and their relative positions.

Distant ships        Shown as a cross, colour indicates type:

        - Red        Enemy ship
        - Green      Friendly ship
        - White      Missile / Unclassified
        - Orange     Credit

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> 7 - Using the Map -
   ===================

  The detail map (large) displays the complete combat area in varying
detail and scale, showing all ships' locations, type and status. All ground
objects are shown, including mission targets. To scroll the map use the
cursor keys, or move the cursor to the edge and click the mouse. Selecting
an area in the global map (small) will also move the detail map to that
area.

  To control the map cursor, use the mouse or alternatively the current
flight controls (either keys or joystick, if configured).

>> 7.1 Map Control Icons

SMALL MAP    - The global map (small) shows airborne spacecraft and ground
               targets only. Red, green & white crosses indicate enemy
               ships, friendly ships and the player's ship respectively.
               Selecting here will scroll the detailed map view.

ZOOM ICONS   - Scales the current map view.

RADAR ICON   - Toggles drawing of ground objects on the map.

BRIEF ICON   - Brings up a text brief outlining the general details of the
               mission and combat statistics. To close the mission brief,
               de-select this icon.

VIEW ICON    - Allows a detailed ground view of any ground targets from a
               local position. If a camera view is available from a given
               map location then the cursor will change to a [View Target]
               prompt.

STATUS ICON  - Displays current ship setup, and allows player to purchase
               equipment (only on mission start or when docked in
               mothership). Note: This is NOT available during special ship
               setup missions (ie. prototype combat craft etc.)

>> 7.2 Radar Information and Control

Fighter Spacecraft - These flash between their I-D Code and their current
                     direction.
The 1st letter indicates type: [E] Enemy
                               [F] Friendly

The 2nd indicates status:      [A] Attacking
                               [P] Patrolling flightpath.
                               [F] Flying in formation.

Large Spacecraft - These flash a large 'S' symbol, and their current
                   direction. This applies to all large craft except Fednet
                   motherships which show up as an 'M'.

Airborne Targets - Aircraft with a special mission significance show their
                   status instead of a direction:
- A Cross indicates that the ship has to be destroyed (or be destroyed
prior to it reaching its destination.)
- A Heart indicates that the ship must survive (or be safely escorted to
its destination)

Airborne Weapons - Any item classified as a weapon will be displayed as a
                   red missile + direction.

Direction indicators - Most items displayed on the radar screen will
                       display a current direction. The colour of this arrow
                       indicates its type:
  GREEN - Friendly ships.
  RED   - Enemy ships.
  WHITE - The player ship.

Ground Mission Targets - Targets which must be destroyed to complete a
                         mission are shown by a small flashing 'x'.

Information points - Indicated by a flashing 'I'. Clicking on one of these
                     will give a detailed briefing on a particular location
                     or target area. To close the location briefing,
                     de-select the main briefing icon.

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>> 8 - Tactics -
   =============

>> 8.1 Defensive Tactics

  General principles (1) - "Do not spread your attack force too thinly. If
there is something to attack, it is safe to assume that it may attack you.
It is more important to finish a mission at a steady pace than to waste
licence payers fees on scrap metal."
(Advanced pilots manual Pg 56, Vol II)

  Most of the missions will require you to re-dock with the mothership when
finished. If this is so, and the mothership is under enemy attack, you must
defend it to the death to avoid being stranded on an enemy planet.

>> 8.2 Friendly Formations

a) Getting a formation together.

  On some missions, you may have to locate members of your attack force and
request they join from a patrol. A close fly-by the leader of the friendly
formation will signal a request to join the attack force, and all following
will join. It is good defensive practice (and good manners) to allow the
formation to settle behind you before moving into dangerous areas.

b) Attacking with a formation.

  Pressing 'A' will send your formation in to battle with the nearest
airborne targets. They will always attack on a one to one basis (ie. 2
enemy craft nearby, 2 will break formation), the rest stay with you for
defence.

  If you wish to raise the stakes, pressing 'A' again, will send in more of
your formation, increasing your chances of victory, but also your potential
losses.

c) Knowing when to retreat.

  Keep a careful eye on your attack force - Fednet military advocate the
use of C&C (Care and control) at all times.

  General principles (2) - "Care and Control - Every pilot lost to the
enemy increases their strategic advantage. Do not abandon your fellow
pilots unless it looks dodgy, in which case, leg it back to the mothership
and let them fight it out"
(Advanced pilots manual Pg 5, Vol I)

  You will receive radio updates from time to time from your attack force.
If things get too rough, 'R' will re-group your formation. However, be
careful not to force your wingmen into retreat if it puts them in a
vulnerable position as they leave the battle scene. If consistently fired
upon while trying to re-group, they will return to combat.

d) Re-allocation of targets.

  When an enemy target is destroyed by a friendly craft, the nearest enemy
targets to the player will always be selected for attack. If none are
found, the friendly ship will attempt to rejoin your formation. This serves
2 main purposes:

  a) It is good defensive practice to defend the formation leader.

  b) Formation pilots are fully aware that it is common for flight leaders
to swan about enjoying themselves while they get pounded to bits.

e) Friendly Fire & Losses.

  Friendly pilots will tolerate a certain amount of friendly fire before
switching sides and trying to kill you. This can however lead to some quite
exciting battles as the formation you have left will leap to your defence.
You will also receive points for attacking your own team, it is a game show
after all ...

  In the sad event of a friendly pilot dying in combat (while he / she is
still on your side), it should be remembered that it is extremely bad
manners to pick up the  bonus coins left behind.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> 9 - Flight Control & Weapon Systems -
   =====================================

>> 9.1 The Predator Mk-IV : Flight & Control

  The ship you will be flying for most of the missions is the Predator Mk
IV standard issue combat fighter. The Predator is fitted with two FedEng
hyper drive thrusters with built in gyroscopic stabilising units. These can
be upgraded to provide better acceleration and faster turning speed.

  To further assist the ship's turning capabilities there are also
stabilising wings on either side of the ship engines. These are designed to
use the ship's aerodynamic properties to increase the turning speed where
the atmosphere is dense enough. Consequently the turning power of your ship
is reduced when you are at high altitude or the atmosphere of the planet is
thin. However as air friction is reduced your ship will be able to attain
higher velocities.

  The standard ship's engines and control power have 6 upgrades available.
Fednet combat research suggest that engine power is more useful when the
atmosphere is dense (eg. Earth, Ice Planets etc.) and the control rate more
useful for planets with a thinner or no atmosphere (eg. Deathstars etc.)

  When your ship is turning there is a reduction in speed which can be used
to your advantage to slow down quickly by rolling with the engines off.
This speed reduction can also be a disadvantage to you if you are being
attacked by ground fire, it's best to keep moving in these situations.

>> 9.2 Defence Systems

  The most important defences are your shields which have 7 upgrades
available. The shields are slowly replenished by the ship's CFG (Central
Fusion Generator), however if you are docked with the mother ship your
shields will be charged at a higher rate.

  ECMs (Electronic Counter Measures) are your only other defences. Known to
the troops as the ADD (Annoyed Duck Device), these work by sending a high
frequency energy wave from your ship destroying all missiles in the
immediate area. ECMs require very high quantities of power to be activated
and consequently drain a small amount of energy from your shields banks.

'The best form of defence is attack!', quote from Ohlan Farn's best selling
paperback, 'Star Fighter Pilot - Man or Mouse ?'.

>> 9.3 Attack Systems

  The Predator can be fitted with a wide selection of weapons including
Lasers, Air to Ground missiles (A-T-G), Air to Air missiles (A-T-A) and a
selection of currently classified super weapons.

  Laser Cannons have 7 upgrades available which will increase the number of
beams fitted and the destructive power of each beam.

  A-T-G missiles, when selected, will highlight the currently locked onto
object with green outline. Once fired they will identify and home into the
most vulnerable point. A-T-A missiles highlight the currently locked onto
ship in red.

Note - Missiles only have a certain amount of fuel and will detonate if they
don't reach their target within a certain time.

  In addition, when using missiles on ground guns, satellites or large star
cruisers, there is a possibility that the missiles will be shot down by the
laser fire. It is good combat practice to try and draw the laser fire away
after you have fired missiles at these targets.

>> 9.4 Taking Flak

  When your ship is hit by laser fire the power surge generated can
temporarily jolt the gyroscopic stabilising units causing the ship to roll.
This effect can be more dramatic when hit by missiles or crashing into
objects.

  If your shields are critical and you take a hit, the C.C.S. (Central
Control System) may shut down in order to route all available power to
charging the shield banks. Whilst the C.C.S. is down, the ship is very hard
to control and very vulnerable. With the damage critical there is a
possibility that further hits might damage your engines, control or shield
banks or cause a total system overload destroying your ship, doing you
serious injury in the process.

>> 9.5 Docking

  The Fednet mothership will accompany you on most missions. If there are
any enemy fighters in the area the mother ship will attack, but cannot
deviate from its pre set flightpath. It's also necessary that you are
docked before you can purchase any ship upgrades.

  The docking bay is situated to the rear of the ship and uses the FedEng
matter tractor beam to help secure safer docking.

  It's a good idea to follow the mothership slowly and wait until it's on
straight level flight before attempting to dock. Don't attempt to dock too
quickly or at a steep angle as this might prove fatal.

Note: During dock, any enemy fighters that you were engaged in combat with
will automatically attack the mothership.

  On entering the docking bay the camera will change to an internal view of
the mothership and all pilots controls will be overridden. To initialise
the launch sequence when docked engage your thrusters and you will be
automatically released from the tractor beam.

>> 9.6 Flying Other Ships

  FedEng are responsible for manufacturing over 70% of the known fighters
in the universe and on certain missions you will have the opportunity to
fly new ships as they are developed, or customised versions of the
Predator. It is important that you read the mission brief to get an idea of
what these ships are capable of.

>> 9.7 Bonus Coins and Parachutes

  When you destroy a ground object or a ship, bonus coins will be left in
its place for you to collect. These bonuses consist of cash awards, extra
missiles or extra lives. There is also the occasional 'damage' coin thrown
in by Fednet master control, to keep you on your toes; these coins will
instantly drain all your power if collected.

  Strategic command will occasionally drop parachutes into the combat arena
and you will receive the message 'Parachute Drop Detected'. Parachutes are
marked on the map and if you are quick to respond you can collect yourself
a mystery prize.

                        END OF PILOT BRIEFING
                              GOOD LUCK

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

>> 10 - Credits & Contact Details -
   ================================

>> 10.1 Credits

                         STAR FIGHTER 3000

                            Release 3.21

                            Programmed by
       The World Federation Entertainments Network © 1994

                      Sound & Music - A. M. Perrins
              Artwork  - Tod Original Design & Chris Mills
           Typesetting & Printing - SmartDTP & Annie Berwick
                 Additional Routines - Gordon J. Key
          Testing & Gameplay - Peter Moleworth, S. P. Hammond

           Gamecode & Design - T. D. Parry & A. P. Hutchings

                        For iSV Products / APDL :
                 Additional programming - C. J. Bazley
                     Additional Artwork - Ramuh
                     Licensing - Nathan Atkinson

                             - WARNING -
             Software Piracy destroys Software Production

  This program uses CBLibrary, which is © 2003 Christopher Bazley. This
library and its use are covered by the GNU Lesser General Public Licence.

>> 10.2 Contact Details

  Star Fighter 3000 is distributed without any warranty but feel free to
send bug reports or suggestions to the address below. Check the web site
for future updates

  Email: mailto:cs99cjb@gmail.com

  WWW:   http://starfighter.acornarcade.com
