So, gentlemen, today we turn our attention to
another masterpiece. We will look at a game that can rightfully
enter the golden collection of the best programs for "ZX-SPECTRUM". This
The game is called "HIJACK". It was written by Electric in 1986.
Dreams Software, known to many for games such as "ALIENS",
"BACK TO THE FUTURE", "THE EXPLORER", etc.
"HIJACK" for many players is still
For now it remains a secret behind seven seals.
Descriptions of this game in the collections "500 games" and "Best games"
they never lifted the veil on the secrets of this game. Most
detailed description published in the collection "BEST GAMES N1"
despite all his verbosity, there’s really nothing
clarified, moreover, individual “observations” of the author of the description,
they set a novice player on the wrong trail.
In this article we will try to figure out the game if not
in full, then, in any case, sufficient for understanding
goals, as well as tactics and strategies leading to traditional
happyend.
HIJACK
──────────────────────────────
Electric Dreams Software 1986
So, you are the US Secretary of State.
However, your position is not reported anywhere. Or maybe you
acting as vice president? But that's not the main thing. All that matters is
one thing: you are the secondthe face in the White House after the President himself. And
your new day begins with troubles: captured by bandits
school bus. Your task is to,
using all available methods (financial, political,
military), to prevent the death of hostages. Otherwise
The position of ambassador to Tibet awaits you (you must understand in China).
In general, there, in the West, things are very bad with
geography of the east. But let's get back to the game.
The goal is clear. How to start taking action? A little about this
later. Now let's get acquainted with the controls and interface
games.
After downloading the game, you can enjoy the wonderful
48th "speaker" music. For those who want to postpone unpleasant
news and listen to music again, we recommend pressing the "T" key.
For any other key you are prompted to select a control and
Separately assign keys for the "PICK UP" and "QUIT" commands. After
this smart program will determine how satisfied you are with your
choice (y/n). And finally the game begins.
INTERFACE
---------
The screen is divided into three parts. At the top of the screen
located (from left to right): time counter
terrorists to fulfill their conditions, as well as pictograms with
portraits of all the officials with whom you will have to
work. There are ten of themperson:
1. PRESIDENT - PRESIDENT.
2. MILITARY ADVISER - MILITARY ADVISOR.
3. POLITICAL ADVISER - POLITICAL ADVISER.
4. FBI AGENT - FBI AGENT.
5. CIA AGENT - CIA AGENT.
6. MILITARY ASSISTANT - MILITARY ASSISTANT.
7. POLITICAL ASSISTANT - POLITICAL ASSISTANT.
8. PUBLICITY OFFICER - PRESS SECRETARY
9. FINANCIAL OFFICER - FINANCIAL ADVISER.
10. SECRETARY - SECRETARY.
In the same part of the screen, on the left under the time counter,
There is an elevator indicator, which is made in the form of arrows.
A flashing arrow means the floor you are on is
The elevator has arrived.
There are indicators at the bottom of the screen (on the left
to the right): the presence of any object or item, three
resource indicator (more on them a little later) and an indicator of your availability
carry any item with you.
In the central part of the screen the main
action.
You control your character using keys
"left" - "right". The up and down keys control the cursor
to select certain icons. You can view the item at
in the lower left window using the cursor.
The key you select for the "PICK UP" command allows you to
take some items with you. By pressing the "QUIT" key you
you get to an additional menu where you can customize the palette
flowersunder prehistoric monitors, turn on or off
sound accompaniment (if the neighbor behind the wall cannot sleep),
leave or remove the window with the name of the office (better than this
do not do so as not to get lost in the corridors of power).
There are two options here - continue the game or interrupt the game.
The "QUIT" command stops the game, i.e. you can use this command
use for a pause in order to have time to have a quick snack and again
continue the game.
If there are other characters in the same room with you,
then their icons at the top are painted white. This
means that you can select this character with the cursor for
communication.
COMMUNICATION WITH CHARACTERS
---------------------
Communicating with the characters of the game you are like a second person in White
At home, you give orders to everyone except the President. To the President you
you cannot order, you are only allowed to ask for
anything.
PRESIDENT. When you contact the president, you find yourself in
communication menu:
REQUEST FINACIAL SUPPORT - request for financial support.
REQUEST POLITICAL SUPPORT - request for political
support.
REQUEST MILITARY SUPPORT - request for military support.
REQUEST DEADLINE EXTENSION - request to postpone the deadline
term.
REQUEST TRANSPORT - request for transport.
QUIT - exit.
At the very beginninggames The President is not in the mood to communicate with
you, and his attitude towards you leaves much to be desired. Sami
you understand - his prestige is at stake. And he can't
risk your political image. So it's no use asking
him immediately about financial, political or military support.
The biggest thing he can do for you at the beginning of the game is
at least somehow delay the deadline. This means that the president
will personally ask the terrorists to delay execution at least a little
their threats.
SO, TIP: Once you start the game, wait
president in his office and ask him to postpone the deadline
term. And this is the only thing he can do for you
this minute. As soon as he manages to talk to
terrorists, you will have more time to solve the main problem.
MILITARY ADVISER.
RETURN TO YOUR OFFICE - return to your office. (This
the phrase can be used in communication with other characters,
so we won’t mention it anymore).
HELP MILITARY ASSISTANT - help your assistant.
GO TO HIJACK - head to the location where the bus was hijacked. (And
this phrase occurs when communicating with other characters, not
We will mention it further).
FIRE YOU - I will fire you! (The ability to say these
You won’t have words soon).
POLITICAL ADVISER.
HELPPOLITICAL ASSISTANT - help your political
assistant. (Hereinafter we will consider characteristic
phrases you use when communicating with characters).
FBI AGENT.
QUESTION EMPLOYEE - interrogate an employee. When choosing this
options the agent will ask you to select a person for interrogation. It is necessary
understand that after communicating with an FBI agent, taciturn
employees become more flexible.
CIA AGENT.
RESEARCH HIJACKERS - research the hijackers. That is,
find out what they are trying to achieve, understand their requirements, etc. When
By choosing this option you are asked to determine the volume of the report: 3.8
or 12 minutes.
MILITARY ASSISTANT.
DEPLOY MILITARY FORCES - deploy military forces.
When giving this order you will have to indicate the quantity
deployed combat units.
POLITICAL ASSISTANT.
SEND DIPLOMATS TO HIJACK - send to terrorists
diplomats for negotiations. Here you also need to indicate
number of diplomats sent.
PRESS SECRETARY.
ISSUE A PRESS RELEASE - prepare a message for
public. Here you will need to specify the type of message:
newspaper article, press conference or television
performance. Just remember that if you are in a bad financial situation
You may not have enough money for expensive television. In thiscase, the type of message is not available due to financial difficulties,
is shaded and not selected.
FINANCE ADVISER.
RAISE FUNDS QUICLY - quickly collect money.
RAISE FUNDS SLOWLY - collect money slowly. That is, not
It's worth being in a hurry.
SECRETARY.
FUND AN EMPLOYEE - find an employee. Here you indicate
the character you need at the moment. According to this
team secretary invites you to go to his office and
wait for the named character.
COMMUNICATION FEATURES
-------------------
Of course, communication with the characters is somewhat difficult because
which is sometimes difficult to find in this huge building at the right moment
specific person: either the elevator goes to the wrong floor, or else
anything. But if you study the map well and be on time
use the services of a secretary, then find the right person for you
will not be difficult.
Now about the principles of communication: try as much as possible
pester people less with your talented leadership. Everyone has
your nerves are as tense as yours. So try to communicate
briefly and as rarely as possible. Otherwise, instead of clear
answers like “yes, sir!”, you will be answered “yes, I already do
this is for you!" up to “stop getting on my nerves” and “leave me alone!”
In general, “leave me alone!” (GET LOST!) most often saidPresident. But
That’s why he’s the President to answer like that. But if you need these
the secretary will say the words - your affairs are bad. If you don't know how to
communicate with people. Too boring. In general, the character's inclination
to the quick and accurate execution of your orders is determined by its
parameters. Let's look at them.
CHARACTER SETTINGS
-------------------
In the liaison officer's room you can find it in one of the cabinets
dossier for each employee. Right up to the President. There it is
You can evaluate the parameters of all the characters in the game. Total parameters
two:
EXP (EXPAND) - the amount of character capabilities. What is she
higher, the more sociable the character, the more opportunities he has
to realize your plans.
LOYAL - the amount of loyalty of the character towards
to everything that is happening and to you, in particular. The higher this value,
the more willingly and quickly the character carries out your orders.
Accordingly, the lower, the worse. Up to failure of execution.
Of course, it is desirable that both parameters be
maximum. But, as a rule, they depend on how
you are acting successfully. To solve short-term problems you can
try to improve the character’s parameters by “pitting” him
FBI agent.
You can determine the value of the parameters using the indicator under
employee data. By the way, the data providescharacter name,
place of work and position.
Parameters vary from minimum values,
designated as (-), to maximum (+).
It should now be clear to you that the parameters are not yet
approach the maximum, you will not be able to use
additional remarks in communication with subordinates. This also applies
President: get political and other support from him
impossible until he, simply put, is satisfied with the way things are going.
RESOURCE INDICATION
------------------
At the beginning of the article, three types of resources were mentioned:
military, financial and political. Let's take a closer look at them.
The main ones are financial resources. Indicator of these resources
located at the bottom center.
It is clear that without finance you will not be able to order
messages for the public (and these brave messages are so loved by
President! Take note). Yes, and other orders
lack of money cannot be carried out. In order for finances
you were not sung by romances, contact a financial advisor (again
not too often).
Military and political resources are constantly growing, and if
you don't turn to a political aide or
military assistant, with a request to send him to the terrorists
diplomats or military personnel, that is, there is a chance that these types of
resources up tocomplete exhaustion.
True, in this regard, as in the case of finances, there are
some “doctor” who will help you improve your situation. In case
with political resources it is a political adviser, with military
military advisor. But just don’t forget about their personal parameters and
your tediousness.
ABOUT SECRET CODES
-----------------
Look at message boards often, there may be
access codes to information networks are recorded. Without them you are not
you can get complete information.
PICK UP KEY
---------------
A few words need to be said about this opportunity. Sometimes
it is necessary to have the latest information at hand. So you
you can grab a file on everyone from the same room of the liaison officer
employees and carry this dossier with you at all times. When choosing
right window using the command cursor, you can always
gain access to the information you need (this, of course,
only if you took the item with you using
PICK UP options, in the left window). What exactly will you wear with
depends on what information you currently have
most interested. You can only carry one item.
This could be a dossier on employees, information from a CIA agent about
the demands of terrorists, as well as simply dataabout quantity
diplomats and military personnel sent to the crime scene and those who remained
in reserve. Moreover, information changes over time and you do not
you will need to run to the communications room to clarify the data. Those.
all the latest information will be at your fingertips.
In order to get rid of unnecessary items
use the urns. (PICK UP option on the ballot box - and everything is fine,
you can take another item).
ABOUT TERRORISTS
-------------
Terrorists usually make one of two demands
(DEMANDS): Either payment of a large sum of money or release
political prisoners. You can find out about the demands of the bandits
as stated earlier, from the report of a CIA agent. Subsequent reports
agent usually contain the characteristics of bandits, namely
what group they belong to. At the FBI office you can (if
get the code) look at the data for three types of groups:
EX-GREEN BERETS - Former Green Berets.
DESPARATE ESCAPED PRISONERS - Desperate fugitives
prisoners.
FAIRLY HARMLESS POLITICAL LOONIES - Very harmless
political suckers.
Each group name is preceded by a three-letter code.
It is these letters that the CIA agent uses in his report.
USEFUL TIPS:
----------------
1. Don't count on helpPresident, not yet
reassure the public with strong television appearances.
2. Don’t forget to ask the President for an extension in time
deadline.
3. Don't bother your subordinates.
4. Remember that with positive parameters
political advisor and assistant, sent diplomats
work more effectively: terrorist demands melt away
eyes.
5. Distribute diplomats and military evenly.
6. Carefully monitor your characters' parameters.
P.S.: Despite all of the above, this is only
the surface of the iceberg of this interesting game. Curious players
notice that there is a secret door in the President's office, open
which is only possible by entering a three-digit code. When
this door can be opened - it is unknown.
Only one thing is clear: we need to use all means and
resolve the conflict, reduce the demands of the bandits to a minimum. A
what's next? Storm? We don't have an answer to this question yet.
And one more mystery, but this is just for your information (since
This happened only once): after about half an hour
During the game, military adviser Sanders suddenly disappeared.
Desperate searches led nowhere. I had to call for help
secretary and FBI agent. Both went searching and disappeared for a long time.
I had no more strength to wait in my office and had to catch it againsecretary and order her to find a military adviser, to which she
replies that he is already looking for him.
A whole half an hour! Despite all that, this is usually
it takes no more than three minutes. The FBI agent also could not find and
question Sanders. Hoping for a glitch in the program, we go down,
to the FBI office and on one of the walls we read: WHERES PETE? (WHERE IS PETE?).
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