Purple Saturn Day

HERBULOT/BOUCHON

PURPLE SATURN DAY

ON THIS DAY, THEY
COME TO VANQUISH
YOU, FRIEND

EXXOS

Authors : REMI HERBULOT/DIDIER BOUCHON
Series director : JEAN PHILIPPE ULRICH
Atari ST program : REMI HERBULOT
Graphics : DIDIER BOUCHON
Sound effects and music : STEPHANE PICQ
Amstrad CPC program : YVES LAMOUREUX
Amiga program : FABRICE DECROIX
IBM PC program : REMI HERBULOT
Spectrum program : ALI CHAOUCHI
Apple II GS program : LAURENT SEBILLEAU
C64 program : MAIN AGILE
Soft manager : OLIVIER ROGE
Technical director : YVES LAMOUREUX
Graphics overlord : MICHEL RHO
IBM PC graphic adaptation : EMMANUEL FORSANS
C64 graphic adaptation : FREDERIC AUTECHAUD
Photos : OLIVIER ROGE
Tests : BOB MORLOK/ROCKY C132/DESTROY 1°
Packaging : MICHEL RHO
English translation : JOHAN ROBSON
German translation : BEATE VIALLE
Italian translation : JULIE MITTON
Spanish translation : NEREIDA ESPINOSA
Cover art : GRABUGE
Press attachés : SABINE ROBERT/NELLY DESCLAUX
Executive producer : EMMANUEL VIAU

© EXXOS 1988

LOADING THE PROGRAM

(1) First, switch off your computer. Count to five (slowly), then follow the
instructions specific to your machine.

(2) During the load, don't touch either the mouse or the keyboard.

ATARI ST:
---------
Switch back on. Insert the disk.
Double click on the ERE.PRG icon if it isn't an automatic loading
program.

AMIGA:
------
Switch back on. When asked for the Workbench, insert the program
disk. If the program is not on autostart, then double click on the
disk icon, then on the ERE icon.

For AMIGA 1000, load KICKSTART first.

PC AND COMPATIBLES:
-------------------
Switch your computer back on. Start as usual with your DOS disk,
then replace it with the program disk. Type in "ERE" and hit the
RETURN key.

If you have a mouse, first load the driver, following manufacturer's
instructions.

If you haven't, see the instructions for keyboard or joystick at the
end (GENERAL COMMANDS).

PANIC BUTTON (PC and compatibles only):

In case of emergency, hit the ESC key to clear the screen and
display a studious-looking A>. Hit ESC again to get back to serious
play!

1. THE AIM OF THE GAME, FRIEND:
------------------------------------
The PURPLE SATURN DAY Games are held every Saturn year. Eight species
take part, including humans (that's you!).
The eight competitors are divided into four pairs. The two individuals
of each pair compete against one another in four competitions.
The winners of these quarter-finals go on to the semi-finals and then
to the final.
The outright winner receives a kiss from the Purple Saturn Queen!

2. THE FOUR COMPETITIONS:
------------------------------
The four competitions are symbolized in four windows at the top of the
podium. From left to right:
- Ring pursuit
- Tronic slider
- Brain bowler
- Time jump

In each window are displayed the latest scores: your score (at the top)
and your opponent's (below yours).

3. TRAINING:
-----------------
Facing the empty podium:
click on one of the four windows representing the four competitions. A
robot will act as your opponent.
Keys F1-F2 = ........ pause
Keys F9-F10 = ....... quit the competition.

4. TO TAKE PART IN A COMPETITION:
--------------------------------------
Click on the Saturn triangle at bottom center screen. The competition
table will display. At the bottom of the pyramid you'll see all eight
competitors grouped into their pairs.

Score totals will appear beneath each character's label. The human and
his opponent are privileged to open the proceedings.

Click on a competition panel to compete. You are free to choose the
order of competitions.
Click on the cross at bottom screen, under the pyramid, to quit the
competition. The other species will then compete to finish the first
round. The winners will the be raised a level in the pyramid for a
further confrontation without you. The ultimate winner receives the
final reward on the podium.

5. CHARACTER IDENTITY FILES
--------------------------------
Click on a character label at bottom screen to consult his species' ID
file. 6 characteristic icons appear beneath the triangle:
- Agility
- Mental fluid
- Agression
- Temporal flux (ability to move through time)
- Size
- Eyesight

Beneath the species' name (upper right) are four windows containing top
scores and success percentages in each competition: Ring pursuit, Tronic
slider, Brain bowler and Time jump for the selected race.

Click on the triangle at the top of the character ID file to return to
the pyramid.

6. EVOLUTION OF SPECIES
----------------------------
As the competitions are held each Saturn year, the various competing
species tend to evolve and change. For example, a Golgos competitor on the 3rd
Purple Day won't necessarily have the same characteristics as the Golgos
competitor on the 45th Purple Day.

Species' evolution and performances are recorded on the disk.
DO NOT WRITE-PROTECT your disk!

RING PURSUIT
(Mastering Space)

* THE AIM
---------------
The idea is to fly in Saturn's asteroid ring right around the planet.
Wrecked space-ships have been placed as markers along your route. There are two
kinds of marker:

RED MARKERS: you must go by to the right of them.
YELLOW MARKERS: you must pass to the left.

This competition is a DUEL in which time counts for little. To win, you
must score as many points as you can. Only the competitor who is in the lead is
obliged to pass the markers correctly.

You score points:

- when you're in front
- by going to the correct side of the markers, when you're in front.

You increase your opponent's score:

- by going by the wrong side of the markers, when you're in the lead.

You are allowed:

- to push your opponent
- to move away from the center of the asteroid belt in order to catch
up with your opponent.

* COMMANDS:
-----------------
- Mouse forward: ........ accelerate
- Mouse back: ........... slow down
- Mouse left: ........... move left
- Mouse right: .......... move right

* CONTROL PANEL DESCRIPTION
---------------------------------
TOP:

- opponent's score on the left
- your score on the right.

SMALL SCREEN LEFT:

- short-range radar
* yellow: ............. your position (always in center)
* blue: ............... your opponent's position
* red and white: ...... the markers

- relative distance of opponent's ship.

SMALL SCREEN RIGHT:

- your position relative to the planet
- distance travelled:

BOTTOM:

- left: .......... clock
- right: ......... speed
- center: ........ light which flashes when you're in front.

TRONIC SLIDER
(Mastering Energy)

* THE AIM
---------------
The idea of this competition is to get as many fragments of pure energy
as you can. You'll be piloting a scooter on an orbital game area.

THERE IS A TIME LIMIT.

* GAME DESCRIPTION:
-------------------------
An energy-ball moves around the game area. You must make it fragment by
firing at it. The energy fragments are now yours to take. Just fly your scooter
over them to pick them up. Don't forget that your opponent is also playing...

Once you've picked up the pure energy fragments, the initial
energy-ball will reform, and you start all over again.

You can push your opponent to shake off some of the fragments he has
collected.

To pilot the Tronic Slider, don't hesitate to make slides and 90-degree
turns.

* COMMANDS:
-----------------
- Mouse forward: ........ accelerate
- Mouse back: ........... slow down
- Mouse left: ........... move left
- Mouse right: .......... move right

- Mouse with right button pressed:
* back: ........... turn round
* left: ........... turn left
* right: .......... turn right
* forward: ........ fire laser

- Left mouse button:
* fire laser

* CONTROL PANEL DESCRIPTION
---------------------------------
TOP:

- opponent's score on the left
- your score on the right.

SMALL SCREEN LEFT:

- short-range radar
* yellow: ............. your position
* blue: ............... your opponent's position
* red: ............... energy

- relative distance of opponent's ship.

SMALL SCREEN RIGHT:

- collected energy fragments:
* left: ............... your opponent's catch so far
* right: .............. your catch so far.

BOTTOM:

- left: .......... clock
- right: ......... speed
- center: ........ light which flashes when the pure energy is
fragmented.

BRAIN BOWLER
(Mastering Mental Waves)

* IMPORTANT
-----------------
This game may seem complicated at first. In fact it is revolutionary!
Read the following instructions carefully, and you'll soon be playing an
amazingly exciting game!

* THE AIM:
----------------
Both competitors face a brain-wall. The two sides of the brain are the
two players' territories.

Each player controls an electro-ball which he fires at the wall by
clicking on the mouse button. The balls bounce off the brain-wall and return to
their starting-point.

The idea of the game is to re-activate your side of the brain by
guiding the electrical charges which move along the circuit towards the six
pins linked to the central EXXOS.

THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT.

* GAME DESCRIPTION:
-------------------------
The targets placed on each side of the brain can change their state
when struck by an electro-ball.

You can hit a switch to open or close it. This will block or release an
electric charge onto its circuit.

You can hit a charge which is blocked at one end of a bridge, to make
the charge cross the bridge.

You can take the energy from one of the four condensors (round
components which light up when penetrated by an electric charge). The
electro-ball will then return full of energy! This energy will let you activate
one of the eighteen chips, by hitting it with the energized electro-ball.

The re-activated chip will turn red. However, it won't be permanently
reactivated until it has been penetrated by an electric charge, at which point
it will turn green.
Red chip: ........ vulnerable
Green chip: ...... permanently re-activated.
This is extremely important, because your opponent will do all he can
to steal the energy from your condensors, de-activate your chips (if they're
red), open and close doors to block your progress, etc, etc!
Of course, you can (and should) do the same to him!

Once all the chips on your side have been penetrated by a charge and
all 6 pins linked to the central EXXOS have been lit up, then the game is over!
The first competitor to finish is the winner.

* TARGETS:
----------------
[Pictures of targets - see PurpleSaturnDay_Targets.jpg]

right: your side of brain and your score

left: your opponent's side of brain and score

* COMMANDS:
-----------------
- Move mouse: ........... move ball
- Mouse button: ......... fire ball

TIME JUMP
(Mastering Time)

* THE AIM:
----------------
Jump as far as possible into the future.
To make your jump, you must capture energy three times, by clicking on
sparks which cross the screen.
The energy you catch will fuel a gravity-catapult which will fire you
through time and space.
DANGER: this competition has C132 classification.

* GAME DESCRIPTION:
-------------------------
Click a mouse button. This will "wind up" the catapult and release the
energy sparks. You must then click to wind up the catapult completely,
release... you jump, friend!
Your trajectory will lead you past the "crown of seven suns". Beyond
them, you will exceed the speed of light and therefore enter another dimension.
The more energy-sparks you captured, the further you will plunge through
mind-altering visions of space-time contraction, a vertiginous spectacle of
theoretical vacuum, intrinsically extrapolational!

NOTE: You can slow the energy-sparks down. Do this by pressing
repeatedly when winding up the catapult. These forward/backward movements, if
they're long enough, will slow the sparks down. The idea is to get as close as
you can to rupture-point, when the ship will start vibrating.

* COMMANDS:
-----------------
Mouse button: ......... wind-up catapult
clicking on sparks

Mouse movements: ...... movement of aim-sights.

* CONTROL PANEL DESCRIPTION:
----------------------------------
TOP:
- opponent's score on the left
- your score on the right.

SMALL SCREEN RIGHT:
- current magnetic Field tension

BOTTOM:
- left: .......... clock
- right: ......... speed
- center: ........ light which flashes when particles escape.

GENERAL COMMANDS

You can use a joystick or the keyboard:

JOYSTICK: as for the mouse. Fire button: mouse button.

KEYBOARD: [Diagram of keyboard controls - see
PurpleSaturnDay_KeyboardControls.jpg]