INCREDIBLE SHRINKING SPHERE (ISS) MANUAL----------------------------------

The planet Sangfalmadore is the Sphere Corps' battle training arena, also
called the Death Run.
  Colonel-in-Chief Matt Ridley, a frustrated desk-bound officer of the
Corps' elite, decided to test his skills behind the controls of a Fighter
Sphere and attempted to complete the Death Run.
  Ridley couldn't handle it! His Fighter Sphere has been disabled by
Assassin Spheres and he's now stranded somewhere within the run.
  Your task aboard a Fighter Sphere is to find a route through the traps
and assassins of Death Run and locate Ridley. This will enable an
automatic Shuttle Sphere rescue. Sounds easy, but can you handle it?

CONTROLS

The game uses either joystick or keys for Fighter Sphere control; the
joystick plugs into port #2. The direction of the joystick movement can be
selected as normal north or isometric north according to preference (see
below).

KEYS

Pause - RUN/STOP (move joy to go on)
Quit  - RUN/STOP and then Q
        You can also press RESTORE
F1/F7 - Change joy direction (arrow on title screen shows joystick north!)

As an alternative to the joystick the following keys may be used in the
game:

Fire  - RETURN
        (also used for placing ammo dumps)
North - ;
South - /
West  - X
East  - C

The spacebar is used to exit from the "Place Ammo Dumps" screen.
  Press "X" in the title screen to have a look at the tiles of the game!

HOW TO PLAY - NO FRILLS!

For those who don't like reading long instructions before playing!

PLACING AMMUNITION DUMPS

At the beginning of the game, or on reaching a new level, the player has
the option of placing ammo dumps almost anywhere within the current level.
  There are four plate maps to each level; you can install up to four ammo
dumps on empty tiles throughout the level.

 1. Move stick up/down to Choose Plate and press fire.
 2. A cursor appears over the mini map for that plate. Move cursor to
    required position over an unoccupied tile and press fire to place ammo
    dumps. The letter A will appear on the map if you have chosen an
    allowable tile.
 3. Place cursor on any side edge of the plate map and press fire to
    return to the Choose Plate option.
 4. Press space to exit into Death Run at any time.

You can now attempt to play ISS. Good luck, without reading the rest of
the instructions you'll need it!

HOW TO PLAY BETTER

The training arena:
  The plates within the training area are in tiers, four deep. The plates
consist of numerous tectonic tiles. These affect your Fighter Sphere
control. The Fighter Sphere also affects tiles. Most tiles have their own
timer; once a Fighter Sphere passes over one, a countdown begins before
the tile changes into deadly Fighter Sphere vapouriser!
  So don't hang around and remember the deeper the level the faster the
timers!
  There are few exceptions. One is wall-supporting tiles. These don't
change so on some plates 'hugging' the walls could be your only chance of
survival.

Fighter Sphere:
  The Incredible Shrinking Sphere or Fighter Sphere, armed with a 70mm
cannon, is able, with the help of tiles, to alter its molecular structure.
  Fighter sphere mass, volume and velocity is affected by contact with the
tectonic tiles. Sphere velocity is also affected by the Sphere's mass. The
heavier you are the slower your acceleration!
  The ability to negotiate the hazards of Death Run depends upon skilled
control of this weapon. Watch out for the Sphere's momentum. Learn how to
contain the inertia!

Tectonic tile effects:
  On the title screen move joystick, or press "X" to start a demo summary
of the tectonic tiles.

Tile name                  Tectonic effect

ISMO Assassin Generator    Avoid them, they manufacture Assassin Spheres!
                           Deadly!
Speed traps                Alter Sphere speed, not always wanted!
Decrease mass              Decrease Sphere's mass or weight. A lighter
                           Sphere is able to traverse damaged tiles and
                           prevent ramp collapse. Increase Sphere's
                           maneouverability!
Increase mass              Increase Sphere's mass or weight. If heavy
                           avoid damaged tiles - high mass and speed
                           needed for opening moving walls. Sphere less
                           responsive!
Increase volume            Increases Sphere's size or volume. Sphere
                           navigation is more difficult through narrow
                           channels.
Decrease volume            Decreases Sphere's size or volume. Easier to
                           navigate. Sometimes essential!
Mass, volume or inertia    This is a chance, anything may change! Risky!
                           But can be worth it to shortcut the run.
Chaotic bounce             Sphere repelled at speed!
Shields                    Provides short-term photon protection from the
                           assassins, essential if you want to survive!
                           Sphere glows when shield is activated. You will
                           hear a warning sound before it dissipates!
                           Remember where shield icons are placed and keep
                           topping up!
Revolver                   If caught your Sphere will start to spin at
                           increasing speed. Once top speed is reached
                           your score will reduce! Press fire to be
                           released!
Ammo supply dump           Once the route through a plate is learnt use
                           less or no dumps for increasing bonus! Dumps
                           have infinite supplies of ammo! A higher bonus
                           is awarded for placement on deeper plates.
                           Plate four is the deepest one!
Reward                     Easy score increase toward extra lives! Don't
                           be too greedy! Remember the timer!
Penalty                    An easy way to lose score!
Black holes                These provide access to deeper plates in a
                           level. They have no timers!
White holes                These provide access up through the plates in a
                           level. No timers!
Exit                       This is the exit to the next level. If you lose
                           a life, then you have to begin the whole level
                           again.
Binary rebound booster     Rebound at full speed in opposite entry
                           direction. On deeper levels this tile is needed
                           to open moving walls. Generally this tile is
                           trouble!
Prison                     If you pass too close you will be caught and
                           the Sphere will be immobilised for a time. This
                           could mean death, if you don't have a shield!
Damaged tile               If you are too heavy damaged tiles collapse
                           changing into deadly Fighter Sphere
                           vapourisers!
Ramp                       On deeper levels the only route to a level exit
                           is via the ramps! These allow the sphere to
                           jump over the walls! The ramps need to be
                           approached at high speed. If your sphere is too
                           heavy then the ramp will collapse.
Shortcut                   These are the moving walls. These sections of
                           the walls can be pushed open if your sphere is
                           at high speed and mass. Using these walls could
                           be your only way to complete a level!

CONTROL PANEL

The control panel on the bottom of the screen shows the Sphere's speed,
ammo and mass or weight in addition to your score.
  Speed is shown on the left hand side, weight on the right. The bigger
the Sphere is in the control panel the heavier you are!
  The Sphere's volume is shown by your Fighter Sphere changing size on the
screen.

SCORING

Bonus points are awarded for ammo dumps placed on deeper plates; the less
ammo dumps you will will increase the bonus! Completion of a level gives
big bonuses...
  You will get a new Sphere every 50000 points. You can get a maximum of 7
Spheres...

HINTS AND TIPS

  * Try to play without ammo dumps, because you get a bonus of 10000
    points...so you'll get very quickly a new extra life!
  * Try to get a shield every time! Without one it's too hard to play!
  * Use the middle weight of the sphere, because you will get the best
    control over the sphere and ramps and damaged tiles will not collapse!

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