«

[lone lee]

Man I loved this game, it's a real gem, but the controls annoyed me so much I'm seriously going to put up a simple guide for this game and host it somewhere. It took me several hours to figure out simple things like how to save the game, how to go through doors, how to move "normally" in buildings (not leaping like a frog), what's cool, what's not and so on.

Now that I think of it the controls aren't that bad, but as most very old games that happen to be more complex than Pong go, you need a manual very badly, and this game's manual is nowhere to be found.

I see many here felt it just as annoying as I did, so if anyone have questions about this game I might help (PM me).

Edit: great, I see someone posted the manual formerly found on HotU a couple posts back. It's considerably hard to read as it is, but this and the guide that comes along with the manual in the zip might prove useful. At least I hope I can figure out all the several blanks I still have in this game's controls.

[Japo]

This is the reference I use, I made a plain text file from the manual:

COMBAT
******

F1
examine, open / close (door, filer, safe, drawer...)

F2
microfilm (content)

F3
place bug (in suitable furniture)

Space
shoot

NumPad
move

Shift + NumPad
jump

5 (NumPad)
crouch / get up

F4
access computer
(each terminal provides one letter of the password after examining with F1)

F10
select grenade type
(fragmentation red, gas green, white normal)

F5 / F6 / F7
throw grenade close / mid / far

F9
place trap (booby or remote-controlled)

F8
detonate remote-controlled trap


DRIVING
******

F10
enable / disable automatic following
(steering manually disables automatic following)

- / =
decrease / increase speed

Space
switch car (when pursuing)

F2
escape to safety (when pursued)

F1
arrest suspect (when pursuing)

[Saccade]

I uploaded the manual for this ages ago - I wonder why it's not up..?

[ed]
LOL
I guess that's why.
I must've not removed the watermark...
The copy protection is cracked, so you can just choose any and it'll work.

Japofran's key list is pretty much all you need to play the game, if you can figure out the mini-games (they're not that hard and easy mode gives hints).

[jpfagapeu]

Originally Posted by Saccade

I uploaded the manual for this ages ago - I wonder why it's not up..?

Do you still have a copy of it? Could you link to it or email a copy. I can't find it anywhere.

How are people getting past the old fashioned copy protection, naming the head of the random agency, without the manual?

[Luchsen]

The manual will be added tomorrow.

[Luchsen]

Now I see. It's from HOTU, hence it wasn't and won't be added. <_<

[deanolium]

Hey there,

Wow, interesting to still see interest in this game. I'm the guy who scanned the manual for HotU (after spending stupid amounts for this on eBay just for the manual) several years back, though I doubt I still have the original scanned file (before it was then marked with the HOTU seal) on a workable hard disk.

I still think this is one of the most underrated Sid Meier games (along with Sword of the Samurai, though only a small section was Sid's) which could really do with a little updating and improvement - in particular make more interesting plots which requires less mechanical working once you know what to do.

One curious thing I've also found is that there's an error in the original floppies -- I think it's the high score file is set to read only (or something like that) which stops the game from appending all the recent scores to the list -- which gives me the feeling that the game was probably 90% done and then was rushed out (also note that the manual describes a more interesting Double Agent behaviour which was changed in the technical suppliment -- originally, cities with Double Agents in the CIA would provide you with false information; so you'd have to try and figure out whether your data was accurate, before narrowing down who might be the double agent. Which was changed to the mediocre the-bad-guys-will-be-more-aware-of-you -- I wonder if this was due to time constraints or just because it made the game too hard?)

// deano

[deanolium]

The other thing which also suggests the game was unfinished is the lack of consequence if a Mastermind finishes the main plot (for the unaware; each case is usually a minor part of a much larger plot which gets more complete each time you fail - usually culminating in things like an explosion in the Olympics) -- indeed, if the Mastermind succeeds in the large plot, then the next case is a repeat of this. It feels like the game is bugged by doing this -- perhaps they didn't have time to put in code for a failure ending?

[Saccade]

Originally Posted by deanolium

Hey there,

Wow, interesting to still see interest in this game. I'm the guy who scanned the manual for HotU (after spending stupid amounts for this on eBay just for the manual) several years back, though I doubt I still have the original scanned file (before it was then marked with the HOTU seal) on a workable hard disk.

Hi Deano!

Cool - I don't suppose you happen to have the original manual to scan still, do you..?
I was gonna clean the watermark, but plundering another ship's booty is kinda frowned up. Even between pirates.
If you don't, would removing the watermark from HotU copy be acceptable? Seeing as you are the originator of the scan...

I printed out the manual and use it for reference (the mugshots help sometimes) nearly every time I play.

If I put the amount of effort into doing real life stuff as I do in playing this game (the piles of notes!) then I'd probably be queen or something.

[deanolium]

I do have the original manual still; though right now it's in storage. I'll have a hunt around in case I still have the original scans, to save some work, otherwise I can rescan the thing (especially now I can get better quality scans).

Originally Posted by Saccade

Hi Deano!

Cool - I don't suppose you happen to have the original manual to scan still, do you..?
I was gonna clean the watermark, but plundering another ship's booty is kinda frowned up. Even between pirates.
If you don't, would removing the watermark from HotU copy be acceptable? Seeing as you are the originator of the scan...

I printed out the manual and use it for reference (the mugshots help sometimes) nearly every time I play.

If I put the amount of effort into doing real life stuff as I do in playing this game (the piles of notes!) then I'd probably be queen or something.