Spectrofon #02 31 января 1994

Игры

Expertise - parsing the game "ShadowFire", the continuation of game "Enigma Force".

          EXPERTISE



   Today we look at the game
"SHADOWFIRE" (Beyond 1985). This
game is a continuation of the program "ENIGMA FORCE", of which
told in the first issue
magazine.


   Before moving on to talk about our new adventures
heroes who would like to address
to all the readers here on what
issue. According to our records, the firm has a program Beyond
"SHADOWFIRE TUNER". It is not clear what it is: a game in which 
we meet again with the force

"ENIGMA", or perhaps it
program editor "SHADOWFIRE"?
First, the program no
one of us has ever seen.



Secondly, we can not say exactly what the game has
relation to the order of "ENIGMA". We
would like to clarify this
question and, therefore, appeal to
to all fans and collectors
computer games: If you have
there exists a program "SHADOWFIRE
TUNER ", or if you have something
know about it - please contact us. We
happy to acquire this program and share it with all
our readers. Especially,
as you'll see later, the firm
"Beyond" has progressed significantly
from game to game and "SHADOWFIRE" -
characteristic proof of this.



   Rejecting cartoon
in the second leg of the series, the authors
able at the expense of free memory to expand the gaming space, 
make interesting strategic elements in the game, as well as to 
supplement it with new characters. In "SHADOWFIRE" increased 
the number of personal characteristics of heroes, that closely 
this program closer to a rare for "ZX-SPECTRUM" genre RPG 
(Role-Playing Games). However, Of course, not to say that

"SHADOWFIRE" refers to the RPG. We
only say that the elements of role-playing games are here.
Details about the genre Role-Playing
Games you can find out if
read the article "Role-playing:
evolution of the genre, "published
in the "ZX-Revue" N1 1994.



   "SHADOWFIRE" may be
quite complicated even for
experienced players. There are many
all sorts of devices for which no purpose is so easy to 
understand. Management is based entirely on the pictogram. Each 
location of the playing area has its own name, which creates

illusion of reality, time and place of action. Things are 
moving in real time. In the game, at first, have to learn 
quickly and confidently control the characters, Before you 
start the mission. Know that "SHADOWFIRE" - a hard nut to crack 
and split it will not be easy. 



    SHADOWFIRE (Beyond 1985)

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


   So, General Zoff, who
You seemed to have destroyed in
"ENIGMA FORCE", quite unexpectedly for all stays alive and 
continues to do evil. 


   This time he stole
Krayksisa - a security officer of the Empire in order to obtain
secret information about new
developments. Kidnapped well
known expert squad "ENIGMA"
Zarqa. Command requested the detachment of the Empire "ENIGMA" 
release Krayksisa and finally arrested

Zoffa and grab his space station-fortress. This is the tie of 
the game. 



   Ship squad safely

flew to space station

which settled down and Zoff

his associates. From this moment

You start the game.



   Before you begin

the assignment recommend it
Nogo wait after downloading and

computer will show you a demonstration
diffraction version of the game.



   DESCRIPTION OF CHARACTERS

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

                SILC. Humanoid.

          Permanent commander

          detachment. Has high
          Kim, the level of combat

          training. Merciless

          the enemies of the Empire. Ho
          well-owns all of the form
          DAMI weapons and techniques

          melee.



             SEVRINA. Humanoid.

          Flight engineer. Beautiful
          LIMITED Specialist

          complex systems Schiff
          rozamkov. Merciless to

          enemies of the Empire. Otley
          is obtained a high level

          endurance.



               Manta. Humanoid.

          Pilot. Engineer

          electronic equipment.

          Familiar with the devices

          teleportation. In force

          "ENIGMA" proposed py
          Mandership Empire ne
          ed operation begins.



                 Maul. Android.

          Included in the squad

          since its formation
          tion. Model differs
          is high

          intelligence. Excellent

          owns all kinds of

          weapons. One of the reliability
          dignity of - a big load
          lift. Insufficient
          current - low speed

          movement.



                ZARKA. Humanoid.

          The expert group. Well

          Spoken languages ​​Coro
          levstv Galaxy. From
          differs by force and you
          noslivostyu. Not bad

          owns all kinds of

          weapons.



                Torik. Humanoid.

          Motherland - Planet of Birds

          Reason. ACT has
          sobnostyu fly. Two

          large wing allows
          exist to develop high

          movement speed.

          Proposed composition of
          They are a number of leadership
          perii before

          operation.



         INDICATION

         --------


   Top of the screen clean
information. On the left there are portraits of heroes, whose 
images are in the game will be painted in different

color. The color depends on which team performs a hero. Under
window with the image of the heroes is an indicator messages. By
During the game on the scoreboard messages
which is located in
center of the screen will
from time to time commented on some of the events. Before
This message indicator flashes that you have paid
attention to the news ticker.



   Clock, leading the countdown
time, show how
time left in the squad for
implementation of the first mission (releasing Krayksisa). In 
that case, if you do not have time, Krayksisa executed, and 
your mission will fail. True to the Game

This will not end and you will be able to
continue it, but still the kidnapped security officer
did not return. And it will agree, is unpleasant.


   The center of the top of the screen is a window that 
displays the scene. If the hero located on the ship, you will 
see here an image vehicle. If the hero is on station

Zoffa, then the window will be shown a plan of the station and
sprite characters.


   In the right-field upper
screen depicting the portrait of the hero you choose to 
control. In another case, you can see here the image of the 
Emperor, who is closely following the surgery. 


   The lower part of the screen
icons control the game.
Immediately after booting you will be
asked to select the control and
then you go directly to the game. After selecting
control, you can use the following options:

OLD GAME - continue the game.

NEW GAME - start a new game.

SAVE GAME - save the state.

LOAD GAME - load condition.


________________________________


  Note: In the appendix we

  offer a full disco
  vuyu version of this game. When

  Selecting SAVE GAME coc
  Toyan game will be saved

  on disk in a file "sf.data"

  regardless of the

  behalf of the shipment. If desired,

  you can have two different

  shipped to the state. For

  This must be rewritten

  file "sf.data" to another

  floppy disk and insert it into

  drive at the time of retrieval
  Ci / unloading the second consists
  of.
________________________________



   In the center of the screen contains the same information 
about the current state of play: 

MISSION: INCOMPLETED
(Mission failed)
KRYXIX NOT RESCUED
(Krayksis not released)
ENIGMA FORCE LOSS:
(Loss of detachment "ENIGMA")
ENEMY CAPTURED:
(Captured by the opponents)
ENEMY KILLED:
(Killing enemies)


    Once you start
game in the bottom of the screen will appear six pictograms 
depicting the main characters in full growth. At this point you 
can proceed to action. 



     WORK with icons

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

   Consider in order all kinds of menus, which you will
enjoy.

1. Character menu.


   Here you get just after
select an icon hero.



   On the left side menu - Indicators:

a) Force
b) Stamina
d) the vital energy
e) The weights of uniforms, which
bears the hero.


   If the power indicator comes
to zero, then your hero
dies. The force can
to recover, if the hero
rests.


   Endurance depends strongly
how much time the hero
spent in combat, as well as from
distance, to overcome them without
recreation. This characteristic, as
and the power can be restored
at rest.



   Vital energy decreases
each character in the course of
time.


   Weight indicator Uniform
can reach the red scale. In
this case, the hero loses sharply
perdvizheniya speed and endurance. It is not recommended to 
overload the hero weapons. 


   The right side of the screen are icons depicting the color 
monitors and the icon go to the previous screen. Cursor on a 
monitor, you will get into other kinds of menu.



          Green Monitor -

      exit to menu movement.


          Red Monitor -

        exit to menu contractions.

           Yellow Monitor -

        access to the MENU ITEMS.


2. MENU movement.



   Here on the left by arrows
indicates the possible direction
movement. If the arrow is painted over, your character can move 
in this direction. 


   Move the cursor to this icon and press the "FIRE". Your 
character will go in this direction. 


   There are, however, instances where
hand painted over, but the icon is not selected. Such
situation usually occurs before
closed doors. Then you will need to first open the door
(You can instruct it to make or use the magnet Sevrine
key-card), and then boldly
pass.
2

   On the right, in the upper window menu
describes where the dislocation character. Under this window are
icon depicting the monitors to return to the other menus
game.


 MENU bout.



   The left pane displays the characters that are in the same
location (or adjacent)
c your chosen hero. In the
if the adjacent location of someone is, and its
Images in this window is not, you
should deploy the hero, using the icon inspection space, and 
indicate the direction tsetralnom in the window (see below).


   Central window - the possible
direction of attack, displacement
or change the direction of gaze of the character.


   In the right window - the icon



        attack



        Defense and



        retreat.


   Next to the icon of Defense

        icon located


        inspection of the space.



  Here, like all types of menus -
pictogram exit.


   You will be able to attack the opponent by selecting the 
icon of attack and then, in the central window,

direction of attack. When your character successfully completes 
the task, he moves to place dead

opponent.


   Icon of defense is ineffective, it can be used
as preparation for the upcoming
fight, if you see that
Enemies are approaching, but the hero still
not ready to meet them. True
heroes begin to defend itself automatically as soon as 
attacked. But win a few seconds with this

icon possible. Must
just in time to include it. Topics
Thus you protect the heroes from an unexpected enemy attack.



   The icon you need to retreat, when the hero, because for 
some reason, you need to avoid the bout. In this case, you 
select the icon retreat, and set the direction of the central 
window. 



   If you need to look at
parties, then use the icon in the inspection. Then choose in 
the central window the desired direction. If the other side, 
where you are sent a glance the hero, turns out to be one of 
the characters in the game, then in the left pane of the menu 
screen you will see its image. 



4. MENU ITEMS.


   Menu items is divided into three
window. The left pane displays all
items that are in
one location with your hero.

   Tsenralnoe window displays
items, which the hero carries
themselves.

   In the right window - the icon
action with objects.



       - Take object



       - Throw object



       - Apply the subject



       - To take up arms.


   Last pictogram applies only to weapons. When you
choose it, your character takes the weapon from the stowed 
position in the military. 



   All of these icons used for actions with objects and
certain types of equipment.


First you choose an icon
actions, and then hover over to the object with which
this action is needed to produce.
Items that you will use, can be like a hero (central window) and
in one location with him (left window).



   Separately on the service icons, which is in any
menu. This icon:



     - Browse the contents of



     - Cancel the command.


   The same icon when you select takes you to a higher menu.

    WEAPONS AND EQUIPMENT

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

   Before the operation, our heroes
got everything you need. When
You begin the game, select
one of the heroes and go to the menu items. In the left window, 
you see all items

is on the ship the order. It should be noted that in one screen 
all items do not fit, and you

have to use the icon "Browse content".


   A few words about weapons. Y
his squad in abundance:



There is everything from gas balonchika, ending with heavy
hand plazmostrelami and blasters. Arming their heroes in
accordance with their forces and capabilities. Do not overload 
the heroes of heavy weapons. Pay close attention to the 
indicator weight. When you issue weapons

Remember that the more it is heavier,
the higher its killing power.



      On other subjects.

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

      - Teleportator.


   Each teleportator can work both on reception and on
transmission. Needed for fast
perbroski all squad members to
enemy station and back.



   Manage teleportatorom can only Manto, hence
a teleportator should give
it and the need to leave the ship. Otherwise
If your heroes are not able to return to the ship.


   Teleportatory being moved
only those characters which
are in their field of action.
Field of action teleportatora covers one location. Teleportator 
can use if install it on any surface. That is, if teleportator 
a mantle in his hands, his should be put on the floor, using 
the icon to "throw the subject. "Wrap teleportator can only 
Manto. 



       - Control panel.



   Spacecraft squad
"ENIGMA" has only one one-place boat. Therefore, to fly from 
the ship to the station Zoffa can only be one character. Steer 
can only Manto. When he turns on the station,

then, using teleportator, throws all the other squad members. 
Remote control Manto uses when all the necessary preparations

implemented.


   In order to send
Manto to the station, select
icon "to apply the subject"
and then select the icon with
remote control.


          In the left window will appear

       image of three Space
       optical shuttle. Each

       of them corresponds to three

       different docking ties
       Lamas Zoffa station. You can
       zhete choose from

       them. After that Manto

       transferred to the station and

       may cause others.



       - Tools.



   They should give Sevrine.
Without tools, it can not
open locked doors and hatches.



   COMMUNICATIONS Ticker

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

   These messages, as mentioned above, comment on some event or 
action heroes. 


   When docking the boat with Manto
Station Zoffa receive the message: "ZOFF V PENETRATED".


   When attacking the enemy says: "(name of the hero) IS UNDER
ATTACK ".


   If you give unenforceable
command, the computer will respond the message about the 
impossibility execution. For example:

"SEVRINA CAN NOT SEE ANY LOCKED
DOORS ". Sevrina not see here
closed doors.

This message is issued if you
Sevrine gave command to open
door, which is already open. Or, if the door to this location
no.


   When you try to open the door to improper key I get a 
message "KEYCARD INCORRECT". In game, there are other messages, 
but You do not soostavit labor deal with them. Especially since 
the computer itself will inform you of pass the mission. Say

only one thing: often look down
in the initial menu, which is recorded statistics and 
commentary on the stages of missions. 


   Two words on how the computer displays of the characters. On 
the game screen you can watch fixed sprites

Your heroes.
In that case, if in one location there are several
characters, the computer shows
them interchangeably.


   We have already said that all events occur in real
time scale. So when
You give the command, remember that
Your hero needs some
time to execute it. On
the quest hero
will not be available to management.
True, in cases where
character attacks of the enemy, you
can interrupt its actions and
give the other team.


   Depending on the issued
jobs in the upper left-hand window of the information screen 
image hero is painted in a variety of

Color:


Blue - the color of the move.
Red - the color of the attack.
Yellow - the color of the retreat.
Green - the color to work with tools
           ments.
Blue - the color of Defense.


   If someone from the lost heroes
too much effort, then its image on the information screen
begins to blink first
(Bright / normal), and then, if
approaching the point of no death - blink (flash). With the 
death of his hero's image disappears from the screen and the 
information from all menus.



   Take care of Manto (he was especially)
and Sevrinu - without them you will
very difficult to do the job.



   In conclusion, we would note that releasing Krayksisa,
You will get another job,
then another. And only then
You will realize that the problems in this
game must be solved otherwise.
Your strategy will vary
from game to game. Not once you
will have to begin all over again and again to rethink their 
tactics. Not one day will leave you on study of gaming space,

as well as items that you
find there. Try to time
present themselves in the squad "ENIGMA". Think! And especially 
not in a hurry - you have time will suffice.




   We deliberately did not give hints. You will be interested by
deal with this gorgeous
game. We hope that the game will cause a huge interest in all 
of our readers. 



   Discussion of the game, we will continue in the next room on 
the pages of the section with the world a bit. We hope that you 
will have enough time to thoroughly prepare for it. 



            *