Encounter manual

Encounter

Game Description
Encounter is a fast-action game in three dimensions. Your view is through the forward command window of a probe vehicle. Your instrument panel combines a radar scanner and warning lights.

You are exploring a vast plain littered with mysterious cylindrical obelisks. Your incursion has triggered a relentless attack of alien saucers and homing missiles. You can move freely over the battlefield, provided you avoid the cylinders, and can fire at will. Shots fired by the saucers, and your own shots, will rebound from the cylinders.

Beware, you can be shot from any angle, including from behind. The homing missiles, which are not stopped by the obelisks, are particularly dangerous.

Levels
The game can be progressed through eight levels. Each level displays a different landscape and presents you with new enemy strategies. On eliminating all of the enemies at one level, take a 'stargate' to the next level. There is an audible warning. The position of the gate is indicated on your scanner, as a blip. Head towards this quickly, and you will see a black rectangular hole. Line up with the center of this gate and then proceed through.

You will be propelled at high speed through a hail of spheres, which you must avoid hitting, to attain the next level. When the gate appears, an extra shield is awarded (subject to a maximum of nine). If you fail to pass through the gate in time, or fail to negotiate the spheres, you are returned to the previous level and loose one shield. You may re-start at any level that you have completed in the play session, by pressing a number key corresponding to the level required. A buzzing sound acknowledges that this level is accessible to you. Then press the Fl (START) key to begin play at the level selected.

Controls
(Atari: Keys in brackets. Do not use RESET)

Select skill level  Press F5 (OPTION)
Begin game (*)      Press F7 (START)
Fire shots          Joystick fire button 
Travel              See diagram below 
Pause game          Press SPACE BAR
Then to continue    Move joystick
Quit Game           Press F1 (SELECT)

* To begin at a previously achieved level, press appropriate NUMBER KEY first

                    Forward
 Turn Left       _    / \    _     Turn Right
                |\     |     /|
                   \   |   /
                     \ | /
 Rotate Left <-------------------> Rotate Right
                     / | \
                   /   |   \
                |/     |     \|
 Reverse Turn    -    \ /    -     Reverse Turn
 Left               Reverse        Right

Helpful Hints
You are warned of a saucer's presence by a yellow indicator on the instrument panel. A trace on the radar screen identifies the position of the saucer relative to you at the center. A blue light will flash when the saucer fires a shot. Its target is your position. Move at an angle towards or away from the saucer to avoid being hit. You are warned of the approach of a homing missile by a flashing red light and the sound of its low menacing whine, which increases in pitch as it approaches. Its position is shown on your radar screen. Turn towards the missile and back away to gain time, but be wary of hitting cylinders behind you. You must shoot the missile, or it will hit you. Just don't stand still!

Game Load Instructions
Cassettes have a duplicate copy recorded on the reverse.
Disks have Commodore and Atari versions on the same side.

Commodore 64/128 (Use joystick Port 2)

CASSETTE
Switch on computer. Insert the cassette into the recorder.
Hold down "SHIFT" key and press "RUN/STOP" key. Press the "PLAY" button as then directed.

DISK
Switch on disk drive first, and then switch on computer.
Insert the game diskette with the label facing up.
Type LOAD"E", 8 and press "RETURN". When the READY prompt appears, type RUN and press «RETURN".

Atari (Use joystick Port 1)

CASSETTE
Insert the cassette into the recorder. Press the "PLAY" button on recorder until it locks in the down position. Hold down the "START" button ("START" and "OPTION" together on XL computers) and switch on computer. After you hear a 'bleep', press the "RETURN" key.

DISK
Switch on disk drive and wait for the 'busy' light to go out.
Insert the game diskette with label facing up. Switch on computer (whilst holding down "OPTION" key on XL computers).

Novagen