COLONY
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Mastertronic 1987
"Planet Selezyak... Inhabited
metal culture very low-
mountain level... Minerals on
there is no planet. There is no water either.
There is no atmosphere. Nothing on the planet
there is no Whatever happened, everything works
spent and live poorly."
Kir Bulychev
"Alice's Journey"
(in Ukrainian)
...The ship was preparing to depart. The droid team is nimble
loaded the last bales of seeds into the main granary of the colony.
And the captain, he has already checked all the systems several times, but there is nothing
advised the only colonist to do:
- Remember, can: we left you everything
necessary for the first time. Be it my will, you would be half of it
did not receive these stocks. In general, all this is colonial
program... But understand this: there will be no more gifts!
It will be necessary - please: call the ship, hand over the mushrooms,
earn credits And on loans, order everything you wantnecessary. It’s your happiness that the Earth needs these mushrooms so much, and on this
The planet has ideal natural conditions for them! Well, don't be bored
tin!
Unloading has ended. The ship rose smoothly to the sound of a whistle
anti-graves and disappeared behind the low clouds. The robot colonist remains
alone on the planet. Apart from the aborigines...
* * *
This is how the game "Colony" by Mastertronic begins. Game
quite smart, as Matroskin would say, “economic.” And
Of course, since “Mastertronik” wrote it, I’ll be able to run,
and shoot. However, it's better in order.
ROBOT.
Your robot has 2 modes: shooting and working with
objects. They are switched with the "MODE" key. Total robot can
carry up to four items. To post an item, you must accurately
stand next to the area where you want to place it.
For example, when you sow seeds, you have to
demonstrate extraordinary combinatorial abilities, otherwise
the planted seeds will prevent you from standing up correctly to
plant new ones.
Indicators are located in the upper left corner of the screen
weapon energy and the robot's protective field. When you save up
loans, you can buy yourself better weapons and protection. And
be careful - if the energy is almost zero, do not leave
far from the charging point. Although squanderingenergy of the colony
no use.
In addition to the main robot colonist, you have at your disposal
There is also a robot defender (remote droid). True, not to him
It would hurt to buy batteries. This robot is stupid, but useful: how
As soon as the battery is inserted into it, it starts running, firing at
all sides with laser discharges (including your main
robot if it doesn’t have time to get out of the way) and even repair
broken fence.
ENERGY.
Energy is the lifeblood of your colony, it supplies and nourishes
everything. In order not to spoil the fragile ecology of an alien planet, the thermal power plant is for you
construction was prohibited. You will have to get all your energy from here.
sun.
To receive solar energy and convert it into
colony batteries, you have solar panels.
Initially, as many as three “compartments” were built up with these panels; actually
In fact, two will be enough. Just don't forget well
protect them from evil insects.
There is an indicator on the panel at the top of the screen
energy - the word "POWER"; its color changes depending on
completeness of the colony's batteries. Don't forget to keep an eye on him!
Too little energy is bad: the robot cannot recharge,
the power fence is turned off, the buoy cannot be used. But also
overfilling the battery is not good: it will explode and blow
shreds of the colony along with a fair amounta piece of the planet.
However, “there cannot be too much gold.” How
Once the battery starts to fill up, excess energy is easily
reset; for example, turn on the buoy for a couple of minutes. And find out
how much energy is currently available while recharging the robot.
INSECTS.
As I already mentioned, on the planet, in addition to your colony,
There are also local residents - hefty insects. Of course they
disgusting and evil, and also ossified in darkness and ignorance.
So it is the duty of an earthling to help them develop a kind and humane
civilization; but not now, but some other time.
For now, the Earth is only interested in mushrooms. And it is necessary
Well, what a coincidence - these mushrooms are also very popular among local insects.
interested... In general, it’s no wonder they won’t give a robot a laser!
Some insects can only gnaw on everything they need.
gets in the way; others still shoot. Fence by
the perimeter will delay them for a while, but not for long. So
the robot will have to destroy them himself: with a laser, ram, fire
stationary perimeter guns.
The main thing is to keep insects away from solar panels.
and mushrooms! Ladybugs are especially dangerous.
FENCE.
When you start the game, the colony is already fenced
perimeter. True, the cheapest fence is wooden. This
wood to local termitesone tooth, that is, the mandible. Fortunately,
You have at your disposal three types of fencing plus one more
surprise.
You are already familiar with the first type - wooden. Serious
It won't provide protection, but it's still better than nothing.
A wire fence is not much stronger. But here's the third one
type - steel... Of course, overgrown ants will gnaw and
steel mesh if you feel like it, but not right away, not right away at all.
And the promised surprise is traps. The robot can run around
them unhindered; but an insect, standing on such a trap,
instantly turns to ashes. Unfortunately, this also burns
the trap itself, so you should only set them in the most important
places. However, traps are inexpensive.
The southern entrance to the base, as well as one of the mushroom
plantations are protected by a security fence. If only there was more! She
acts as a trap, but does not disappear. Her only one
disadvantage - the power fence turns off when depleted
the colony's energy storage facility.
If you walk around the colony and see a happy ant,
happily gnawing on a fence - you can shoot an ant, but
Take the gnawed piece of fence with you. For what? Now
you'll find out.
STORAGE.
There are several buildings on the territory of your colony. One
one of them is a charging point for the robot, another one is a remote control
buoy control, and that's itthe rest are storage facilities.
In these storages you can replenish the stock of sections
fence, seeds, solar panels - almost anything! A
you can hand them over. For what? Well, for example, we need to put it somewhere
unnecessary fence sections.
Moreover, if the fence is chewed by insects, you can find it here
they will fix it. Of course, they can also fix a solar panel.
But mushrooms don’t repair; it's a pity. By the way, bye
the robot is in storage, game time stops.
Sooner or later the storage supply is depleted; fortunately, with
You can always order more land - of course, not for nothing.
MUSHROOMS.
And now it’s time to remember why it all started.
For the sake of mushrooms, of course! The very ones that are desperately needed on Earth.
And they look like ordinary fly agarics...
These mushrooms grow in special greenhouses from seeds, and
maybe a dispute. Initially, all greenhouses are already filled with these
seeds, so the first minutes of the game turn into crazy
race: collect mushrooms faster before you get to them yourself
you know who. Moreover, even a slightly nibbled mushroom
picky earthlings will not count you. And the careless founders
the colonies didn’t even bother to fence off the greenhouses! By the way, no
forget to visit the storage facility in the outskirts, in the southeast of the colony.
However, there is no need to rush there: it is protected by a security fence.And when all the mushrooms have been collected or eaten, it’s time
sowing In the same storage facility where you donated mushrooms, you can now
collect seeds and get started. The work is not easy: already planted
seeds often make it difficult to get up to plant new ones. True,
Until the seed begins to grow, it can be picked up and replanted.
I think it’s not worth sowing all greenhouses. Believe me,
Even with two or three plantations you won’t have any trouble. Of course
Before the mushrooms ripen, you can fence off the greenhouses with a steel fence;
but even its persistent beetles, if they don’t gnaw through it, then at least
they'll take a bite. And this means changing the fence and going to repair the damaged one
section to the warehouse. Meanwhile, the beetles are approaching a new section
fences... In short, you won't be bored.
SHIP.
For each mushroom deposited in storage, you receive 30
loans. And with these loans you can order whatever you like
anything: improved equipment for the robot, batteries for
robot protector, robot protector itself, any fence,
solar panels, new seeds and a few other things.
To place an order, simply go to the appropriate
building (it's east of the center of the colony) and call a ship with
Land (menu item "order supplies"): here you can order
necessary equipment. Interestingly, they don’t charge for delivery:
a reason to think about whether the price is full for youthey pay for mushrooms. Right there in
At the top of the screen, under the current time, the time appears
arrival of the ship. Don't forget to turn it on closer to this time
radio buoy so the ship knows where to land. If this is not the case
to do, he will simply drop the load and the bales will scatter all over
territory of the colony. Half of them will be lost, and also
insects will find half of the remaining half before you.
And if the landing was successful, then the ship, incidentally
having destroyed all insects in the area of the colony, he will take the collected
you will pick up mushrooms and carefully unload everything brought at the landing
site (this is where the robot defender first stands).
It’s worth hurrying, taking it all to storage:
ants don't sleep! Yes, and one more thing: under no circumstances stand
on the landing pad when the ship is “landing”. Otherwise
he will simply crush you.
* * *
So, now you know about the world that awaits you
colonize, almost everything. Of course, a few things are still
remain mysteries. No wonder: "Colony" is a smart game,
and does not reveal all his secrets at once.
Firstly, a protective robot. It can be ordered from Earth;
but why? After all, there is already one of these in the colony, and to get rid of
It is not easy, if not impossible. When the charge runs out
batteries, it just stops. I confess, one day Idischarged into
he has about a dozen clips of his laser - but at least he cares.
Another mystery is the spare robot (spare droid). It can be
order, but what to do with it next is unknown. Judging by
As the name suggests, he could be something like an extra life. But
here's how to use it? And isn't its purpose connected with
a mysterious building with a sign "Robot bay" ("Droid bay")?
And finally - the main secret. It is still unknown - has
does the game have a logical ending? Is there some kind of
"congratulation"? In the message that is issued upon death
robot, there is a clear hint of this. So this mystery awaits too
their researchers.
And let more milk mushrooms end up in your body!
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