The Sentinel (c) 1986 Firebird Software
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The object of the game is to absorb the Sentinel and replace him as ruler of
the landscape. Once achieved, you may hyperspsce into a new world to begin
the struggle afresh.

Once you have loaded the game, the title screen will be displayed. Press any
key and you will be asked to input a landscape number from 0000 to 9999. 

After you have entered the landscape number and hit return, you will be
prompted for an 8-digit secret entry code, unless you choose landscape 0000,
which does not require an entry code.

After a short delay you will be shown an aerial view of the selected
landscape which shows the relative positions of the Sentinel (standing on
the tower - he may be a little difficult to spot, owing to the monochrome
graphics!) and the Sentries, if any. Pressing any key will take you onto the
landscape's surface. The Sentinel and sentries will be inactive until you
expend or absorb energy. This allows you to have a look around and plan your
assault on the Sentinel.

Once activated, the Sentinel and Sentries slowly rotate, scanning the
landscape for squares which contain more than 1 unit of energy. If they can
clearly see such a square, the Sentinel/sentry will reduce the energy to 1
unit by absorbing 1 unit at a time and creating a tree randomly on the
landscape. Therefore a robot becomes a boulder and a boulder becomes a tree.

You absorb things and create things by turning on your sights and centering
them on the square surface below the objects to be absorbed/created.
Boulders, however, act as an extension of the square surface, ans sights
should be aimed at the side of the boulder. Boulders can be stacked and have
things placed on top of them.

The amount of energy you have is shown at the top left of the screen in the
form of Robot, Boulders and Tree icons. A coloured (non-blue) Robot icon is
worth 15 energy units.

To move around the landscape, you must create a Robot and then, with the
sights still on, press the transfer key. You will now be in the new Robot,
facing your old Robot, which you can now absorb.

The indicator on the top right of the screen is the scan warning. If a
Sentinel/Sentry spots you, this indicator will be filled with specks. You
have about 5 seconds to move out of view before your energy is drained 1
point at a time. Once all of your energy has been drained, then you have
been absorbed and the game ends.

The total amount of energy in a landscape remains constant, so if a unit of
your engery is absorbed, a tree will be tandomly placed on the landscape.

If the Scan warning indicator is only half-filled with specks, this means
that the Sentinel/sentry can see you, but cannot see the square that you are
standing on: so it cannot absorb your energy. In this situation, it looks
for a Tree near you and transforms it into a Meanie.

The Meanies' job is to flush you out, which it does by forcing you to
Hyperspace. The Meanie rotates quickly, making a low clicking sound, until
it can see you. You will then Hyperspace to a new location.

Hyperspacing effectively wastes 3 units of energy, because it creates a new
Robot in a random position and automatically transfers you to it, leaving
your old Robot behind. You are likely to end up at the same height or lower
but never on your original square. If you Hyperspace will less than 3 units
of energy, you are destroyed.

Once the Sentinel has been absorbed, you can no longer absorb energy,
although you can still create objects and transfer to other Robots. 

Once you Hyperspace, while standing on the Sentinel's tower, you will be
given the 8-digit entry code for a new landscape. The landcape that you are
given = Present landcape number + Energy after the Hyperspace.

KEYS :   

Pan left        S         Hyperspace      H
Pan right       D         U-turn          U
Pan up          K         Absorb          A
Pan down        M         Transfer        Q
Create Tree     T         Quit            BREAK
Create Boulder  B         Pause           P
Create Robot    R         Unpause         ENTER
Sights on/off   SPACE     Music on/off    Z

ENGERY VALUES

Tree    1       Sentry  4
Boulder 2       Sentry  4
Robot   3       Meanie  1

LOADING INSTRUCTIONS

Type LOAD"" Press the ENTER key and then press the PLAY button on your
recorder.

Program design by Geoff Crammond
Spectrum version programmed by Software Creations
Cover illustration by David Rowe

GUARANTEE

If this program is faulty and fails to load, please return it to the
address below and it will be replaced free of charge and postage refunded.
This offer does not effect your statutory consumer rights.

No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without the prior
consent of the copyright holder. The only exceptions are as provided for by
the Copyright (photocopying) Act or for the purpose of review.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Copyright subsists in all Firebird Software, documentation and artwork. All
right reserved. No part of this software may be copied, transmitted in any
form or by any means. This software is sold on the condition that it shall
not be hired out without the express permission of the publisher.

Firebird is a Registered Trade Mark of British Telecommunications, plc.

(c) Britsish Telecommunications plc, 1986

Complete Instructions typed in by Paul Thompson, March 2003