--- RISE OF THE ROBOTS FULL MANUAL --- TYPED IN BY REBEL/TRADERS DREAM MANUAL SUPPLIED BY SONIC/INDEPENDANT WARNING ------- EPILEPSY WARNING PLEASE READ BEFORE USING THIS VIDEO GAME OR ALLOWING YOUR CHILDREN TO USE IT. Some people are susceptible to epileptic seizures or loss of consciousness when exposed to certain flashing lights or light patterns in everyday life. Such people may have a seizure while watching certain television images or playing certain video games. This may happen even if the person has no medical history of epilepsy or has never had any epileptic seizures. If you or anyone in your family has ever had symptoms related to epilepsy (seizures or loss of consciousness) when exposed to flashing lights, consult your doctor before playing. We advise that parents should monitor the use of video games by their children. If you or your child experience any of the following symptoms: dizziness, blurred vision, eye or muscle twitches, loss of consciousness, disorientation, any involuntary movement or convulsion, while playing a video game, IMMEDIATELY discontinue use and consult your doctor. PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE DURING USE - Do not stand too close to the screen. Sit a good distance away from the television screen, as far away as the length of the cable allows. - Preferably play the game on a small television screen. - Avoid playing if you are tired or have not had much sleep. - Make sure that the room in which you are playing is well lit. - Rest for at least 10 or 15 minutes per hour while playing a video game. SET UP ------ SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS AMIGA 500+/600/1500/2000/3000 Recommended spec Minimum spec 2 Mb RAM 1 MB Chip RAM Second floppy drive Joysticks 30Mb hard disk space AMIGA 1200/4000 Recommended spec Minimum spec 2 Mb RAM 2Mb RAM Second floppy drive Joysticks 40Mb hard disk space LOADING INSTALLATION -------------------- Commodore Amiga 600 and 1200 Running Rise from floppy: Switch off the computer. Insert disk #1 into the floppy drive and turn on the computer. Rise will load and run automatically. Follow the on screen prompts. Installing Rise onto an Amiga Hard Disk: Turn on your computer and insert the Hard Drive installation disk. At the CLI prompt type and follow the on screen instructions Amiga CD-32 Insert the CD as described in the CD32 manual. INTRODUCTION ------------ THE GAME Rise of the robots is a "new generation" computer game conceived to combine state-of-the-art programming design and graphics display. "Rise" was created using the Auto Desk 3-D Studio CAD software package. 3-DS is fundamentally a rendering package. Objects such as the robots are created by Mirage's artists in a basic component form, simple geometric shapes such as spheres and cylinders. Once assembled, the hundreds of shapes form a complete object which are then coloured and textured: the rendering process. All objects can be lit and viewed from any angle and while they move under animation the given attributes of colour and texture appear realistically highlighted or shadowed under the differing light sources. The main combat action of the game employs a specially designed artificial intelligence system by which the computer controlled opponents learn a player's style of play and then create strategies to meet this. THE TEAM Rise is the result of a convergence of the varied specialisms of Mirage's in- house project team; "Instinct". The interiors are the work of Kwan Lee, a professional interior designer, the robots themselves come from the imagination of Sean Naden who is a trained technical illustrator. Programming and animation has been performed by Andy Clark and Gary Leach. The entire Rise project is the original idea of Sean Griffiths, the games designer, a veteran programmer in the games industry, with a string of successful titles to his credit. BRIAN MAY Brian May has earned himself a place on rock history as one of the most accomplished and talented contemporary guitarists. With Queen he contributed to their unique sound through his unmistakable guitar style, vocals, writing and production. It was Brian's solo album "Back to the light" which first attracted the Mirage team. Brian was approached regarding two tracks off his million seller. "The Dark" and "Resurrection" were ideally suited to the style and tone of "Rise of the robots". Brian was extremely impressed with the game (computer games was an area that he had not previously worked in, but had always held an interest). INTRODUCTION ------------ THE STORY Rise takes you to a future world, highly industrialised, where technologies have developed and crashed together to create a supreme super-tech society. Over centuries of technical progress, the planet has paid a heavy price. Life is only sustainable in huge city-states that constitute civilisation, the land and oceans beyond have been plundered for raw materials and are irretrievably polluted. Now, all life support: food, water and breathable air is manufactured in population centres. A ruling politico-military class controls the production of these resources and manipulates the human underclasses accordingly. Internal social disorder is commonplace, both military and trade wars between city states are regularly instituted as a means of population control. The servants of society are robots. The city state Metropolis 4, the setting for Rise, is the home of Electrocorp, the planet's major robot manufacturer. Electrocorp produce a huge range of machines for all possible applications, ranging from crude industrial droids right up to highly sophisticated military and bio-simulatory models. The Electrocorp manufacturing complex is entirely run by droids, managed day-to-day by the ultimate in robot technology, the polymorphic Supervisor class droid. The Supervisor is unique and has successfully run the Electrocorp plant for several months, that is, until she becomes infected by a highly pernicious computer Ego-Virus corrupting her behavioural programming and creating a vicious psychotic personality. The only way to stop the Supervisor as she proceeds to take over the factory and reprogram its robot-workers, is to send in a human-based Cyborg to seek out and destroy her. You, the player, are the Cyborg. You have been chosen for this task, you will cause minimum damage to the immensely valuable Electrocorp plant, you will cause maximum damage to any droid which may try to hinder you in your mission, you must locate the Supervisor and terminate her activities. PROFILES -------- PRO :> FILE THE CYBORG STRENGTHS Agility Intelligence WEAKNESSES Can suffer mental fatigue CONTROLS UP - Jump DOWN - Crouch LEFT/RIGHT - Shuffle towards/away from opponent (away = autoblock) FIRE-1(F1) - Punch/kick FIRE-2(F2) - Block (PC joysticks only) MOVES F1 - Jab F1 + UP - Flying kick (towards/away) F1 + DOWN - Low punch F1 + AWAY - Kick F1 + TOWARDS - Big punch DOWN + TOWARDS + F1 - Low kick DOWN + AWAY - Crouch autoblock SPECIAL MOVES DOWN + UP + F1 - Turbo Head-Butt AWAY + TOWARDS + F1 - Shoulder Barge FACT FILE The Electrocorp Cybernetic Organism model ECO 35-2 represents the ultimate development to date from Electrocorp's Sci-Bio Technology team. The ECO 35 series Cyborg is the first anthropomorphic droid to successfully meet the corporation's design and performance spec for this secret project. The ECO 35 is a full biped android, mirroring the human physical form. The cyborg utilizes a conventional composite structural skeleton made from a wide range of materials, with certain exoskeletal elements where this is deemed to serve the design better. For example, the torso and skull are monocoque, allowing free space inside for the complex control and energy generation units. The skull unit itself is an immensely strong cross-fibre multimaterial alloy. This unit houses the implanted human CPU - the brain. Where the bio tissue of the human CPU contacts the skull structure the laminated fibre alloy has been specially graded such that the contact surface is 100% organic. It is anticipated that eventually the implanted brain will bond with the contact lamination's open DNA structure thus creating a true, totally integrated biomechanical - a massive step forward in sci-medical technology. The question yet to be answered is whether an ECO can survive long enough for this theory to become fact. The Cyborg's chassis engineering and power system has endowed the ECO 35 with considerable strength, many times greater than that of resident human CPU's original body. It has been observed that this feature tends to greatly increase the Cyborg's self confidence and aggression potential, making it a formidable combatant, ideally suited to hand-to-hand combat in sensitive locations where environmental damage through weapons use is undesirable. The Cyborg is the perfect choice for the Rise mission. PRO :> FILE THE LOADER DROID STRENGTHS Solid Build Powerful Arms WEAKNESSES Slow Limited tactical ability CONTROLS UP - Jump DOWN - Crouch LEFT/RIGHT - Shuffle towards/away from opponent (away = autoblock) FIRE-1(F1) - Punch/kick FIRE-2(F2) - Block (PC joysticks only) MOVES F1 - Punch F1 + UP - High kick F1 + TOWARDS - Mid kick DOWN + AWAY + F1 - Low kick DOWN + F1 - Low punch DOWN + AWAY - Crouch autoblock SPECIAL MOVES TOWARDS + TOWARDS + F1 - Double fork-slash FACT FILE The loader droid is a mass-produced robot in use in a wide range of applications in manufacturing plants across the planet. The loader is now considered to be old technology and is being replaced by the more sophisticated BHFO3 Builder type droid. It is indicative of the quality of the design and construction of this particular machine that it is still in use, even within the Electrocorp production lines. This droid has never been assigned combative tasks, and posses no self-defence software other than the regular standard hazard avoidance procedures. Of course reprogramming is possible and it is probable that this droid could make a formidable opponent. The Loader has exceptionally powerful arms, which could be capable of delivering damaging blows, the rugged construction of the droid would also withstand much physical punishment. PRO :> FILE THE BUILDER DROID STRENGTHS Powerful Arms Efficient Blocking Tactics WEAKNESSES Vulnerable Legs Slow Speed CONTROLS UP - Jump DOWN - Crouch LEFT/RIGHT - Shuffle towards/away from opponent (away = autoblock) FIRE-1(F1) - Punch/kick FIRE-2(F2) - Block (PC joysticks only) MOVES F1 + UP - Uppercut F1 + TOWARDS + AWAY - Backhand F1 + DOWN - Hard sweep DOWN + AWAY + F1 - Low hand sweep DOWN + F1 - Low punch DOWN + AWAY - Crouch autoblock SPECIAL MOVES DOWN + AWAY + UP - Pile Driver DOWN + TOWARDS + UP - Bomber Jump FACT FILE The BHFO3 Builder droid (Code Name: Prime-8) is designed to supersede the more primitive Loader class. The huge BHFO3 is designed to be able to carry heavy plant components around the engineering floors of manufacturing units. BHFO3 carries a highly developed power transfer system. From the high energy eletro-magnetic server housed in the massive thorax, it is able to instantly switch bolts of energy though to slave units within its limbs. The rapid response, especially of the Builders arms, results in these huge masses of metal sweeping through the air to deliver blows with a force of several tons. The Builder droid's rather top-heavy design, coupled with its limited intelligence, dictates a rather static combat style, the Builder tends to crouch rather than use its full height of some 3 metres. This tactic affords protection for its lower limbs and presents a squat armoured bulk to an attacker which can be difficult to penetrate. PRO :> FILE THE CRUSHER DROID STRENGTHS Agility Speed WEAKNESSES Vulnerable CPU Housing Vulnerable Arms when extended CONTROLS UP - Jump DOWN - Crouch LEFT/RIGHT - Shuffle towards/away from opponent (away = autoblock) FIRE-1(F1) - Punch/kick FIRE-2(F2) - Block (PC joysticks only) MOVES F1 - Jab F1 + AWAY - Kick F1 + TOWARDS - Claw jab DOWN + AWAY + F1 - Low kick DOWN + F1 - Low punch DOWN + AWAY - Crouch autoblock F1 + UP - Flying punch SPECIAL MOVES DOWN + TOWARDS + F1 - Pincer Mincer FACT FILE The Crusher droids were introduced into the Electrocorp production halls when a series or Builder class droids developed autonomous routines and destroyed an entire production line. When not required to act as production line "bouncers", Crusher droids are used for entering hazardous areas on the production lines to free jammed machinery and extract waste materials. As a machine specifically designed to destroy, the Crusher droid, once under the control of the Supervisor, is an opponent which presents an immediate serious threat to the Cyborg. As a combat droid, the Crusher class robot is formidable due to its speed and pincer arms, which must be avoided at all costs. Its insect-like form can also confuse some combat droids' sensory equipment. PRO :> FILE THE MILITARY DROID STRENGTHS Speed Tactical Intelligence Heavy blow-force WEAKNESSES Vulnerable CPU Housing Vulnerable Limb Joints CONTROLS UP - Jump DOWN - Crouch LEFT/RIGHT - Shuffle towards/away from opponent (away = autoblock) FIRE-1(F1) - Punch/kick FIRE-2(F2) - Block (PC joysticks only) MOVES F1 - Jab F1 + UP - Uppercut F1 + TOWARDS - High kick F1 + AWAY - Spin kick DOWN + AWAY + F1 - Low kick DOWN + F1 - Low punch DOWN + AWAY - Crouch autoblock UP + F1 - Aerial side kick SPECIAL MOVES DOWN + UP + F1 - Catapult Spin AWAY + TOWARDS + F1 - Cyber Slash FACT FILE The Military Class Droid (Code Name: The Exterminator) has been designed specifically for combat and security applications. The Exterminator is Electrocorp's generic combat class robot has rapidly become the standard machine in all of the planets military organisations. The Exterminator recruited by the Supervisor is a top secret development model and features modifications not found on production military droids. The Exterminator has a titanium alloy skeletal chassis with laminated polymer mouldings protecting all important components. Extra armour is carried on the thorax to shield the CPU and central power supply. The Exterminator droid has advanced artificial intelligence and is readily trainable alongside its human comrades. The Exterminator is the first pure combat droid with the Cyborg will meet in its search for the Supervisor. PRO :> FILE THE SENTRY DROID STRENGTHS Tactical Intelligence Speed Aerial agility WEAKNESSES None Identified CONTROLS UP - Jump DOWN - Crouch LEFT/RIGHT - Shuffle towards/away from opponent (away = autoblock) FIRE-1(F1) - Punch/kick FIRE-2(F2) - Block (PC joysticks only) MOVES F1 + UP - Mile-high kick F1 + TOWARDS - Mid kick F1 + AWAY - Punch DOWN + AWAY + F1 - Low kick DOWN + F1 - Low punch DOWN + AWAY - Crouch autoblock SPECIAL MOVES DOWN + DOWN + F1 - Flying Jet-kick FACT FILE Designed by Electrocorp's Japanese subsidiary, the formidable Sentry droid is a further development of the technology used in the Exterminator droid's construction. Up until the Rise mission, the Sentry droid has been a pure research model employing prototype systems under test for future incorporation into a new generation of combat robots. Now the Supervisor has employed this model to be her first line of defence in a direct attack on her command floor high in the Electrocorp tower. A fundamental difference between the Sentry and the Exterminator class droid is the Sentry's greater size. During this model's development it was necessary to incorporate a higher output central power supply in order to support the added energy-greedy systems, such as the super-rapid CPU and all-mode threat sensor hardware. The new power supply demanded a larger and stronger chassis, but which still retained basic humanoid articulation and agility, and so the 3.5 metre Sentry came into being. The particular Sentry model enlisted by the Supervisor in her defence, carries radio frequency particle defence shields and a dorsal jet pack to enhance the droid's already considerable leaping ability. The Sentry droid is coloured red for easy recognition during battlefield testing. Airborne agility and limb articulation in excess of the industry standard humanoid model, turns this robot into a high category threat for any opponent. PRO :> FILE THE SUPERVISOR STRENGTHS Tactical Intelligence Morph-capable Speed WEAKNESSES None Identified SPECIAL MOVES Mutilation Melting & re-form FACT FILE The 'parent form' of the Supervisor is that of a stylised female. This shape was arrived at by allowing the development robot to decide its own persona characteristics both physical and intellectual, these fundamental bases are immutable, yet the Supervisors design does allow extended periods of 'morphing' into other three dimensional shapes to suit particular tasks. The Supervisor droid is a total departure from conventionally engineered robots. This machine is the product of Electrocorp's New Technologies Division and remains a secret to the outside world. The Supervisor droid relies on the known principles of electrical flux physics for its basic form, the entire structure of the Supervisor is engineered from the base atomic level which has enabled the designers to build a component structure of unprecedented complexity. It is the radical 'loose' atomic structuring of all the robot's components that allows morphing to take place. The Supervisor droid employs a molecular polarising system to enable rabid form changes. Minute current fluctuations impulsed from the CPU alter the molecular bonding of the 'parent form' and allow macro changes in the robot's 3-D shape. Techniques borrowed from biotechnology have been used to create linking receptor molecules which effectively memorise their 'home-position' and enable the Supervisor to snap back into her original shape after morphing. This entire process is remarkably power-efficient due to the fact that the robot's structure super-conducts, with no power demands of any component exceeding pica-volt level. It is without a doubt a consequence of a flaw in the Supervisor's radical technology, that she has developed the 'Ego Virus'. It is evident that her resident personality has become corrupted, most frighteningly, emulating psychopathic conditions found historically only in human subjects. This behaviour disorder coupled with the Supervisor's super-intelligence and physical morphing abilities ensure that she poses the greatest threat to the Cyborg and in turn, the whole of Metropolis 4. HOW TO PLAY ----------- STARTING THE GAME Once you have Rise installed on your hard drive, you need only access the directory and at the prompt type , this will start the game. OPTIONS SCREEN The various game options are selected by highlighting the selection of your choice using your predefined computer keyboard keys and confirming with the fire key. If you have nominated joystick control during the installation, use the joystick to highlight your choice and confirm using the fire button. ONE PLAYER GAME This option pits you against the computer. You take control of the Cyborg and you must battle your way past the series of formidable Electrocorp Robots who protect the Supervisor, the ultimate opponent. The droids you encounter have a mounting intelligence factor. Upon selecting the one player game you will next see two options: Mission Briefing and Training. TRAINING This option lets you, the Cyborg, select between the individual robots. Using your predefined keys or joystick choose your preferred combat opponent, confirm your choice using the fire key or fire button. You may select any robot except the Supervisor with this option. MISSION BRIEFING This option puts the Cyborg into the security services directed mission where you must first meet each robot in a mounting order of combat skill and aggression. It is only by following the mission briefing and by battling your way past all the opposing robots, that you will finally meet the ultimate challenge... The Supervisor TWO PLAYER GAME Within this option you are able to select an opponent for the Cyborg from the range of Electrocorp Robots. You will not be able to play one robot against the other - Electrocorp's Droids are programmed not to engage one another in combat - but you are able to pit the Cyborg against a clone. The morphing Supervisor remains under the control of the computer at all times. HANDICAP SYSTEM (2 PLAYER MODE ONLY) This options allows a handicap to be imposed on a player who may be more skilled than his opponent, allowing for a fairer contest. Using the slider bar, increase or decrease your strength and power according to how you wish to balance the contest. DIFFICULTY LEVEL Here you are able to select the difficult level of play from Beginner, Easy, Medium or Hard to determine the aggression and skill level of your opponents. TIMER The time is displayed at the top of the screen and counts down as the bout progresses. In the event of a knock-out, the time remaining contributes proportionally to your bonus score. You can select the length of the bouts from 30,60, or 90 seconds. You may also select the 'No Timer' option. CINEMATICS This option allows you to turn the cinematic sequences that link the different encounters on or off. BOUTS Each encounter with an individual robot is divided into separate bouts. For each encounter you can choose through this option the total number of bouts from 3,5 or 7 bouts. SHADOWS This option allows you to turn the robots' shadows on or off. Some slower computers may run faster with shadows turned off. SCREEN SHAKE This option allows you to turn the screen shake on or off as the robots engage each other in combat. Turning off the screen shake may speed up the action for slower computers. SCORING Each player's score is displayed on the screen above the starting position of the particular fighter, i.e. on the left or right of the screen. The most important way of building a hefty points score is through landing powerful strategic hits on your opponent. The use of special moves is an essential factor when building a respectable points tally. POWER OF BLOW Very important for amassing a credible score. The longer you hold down your nominated keyboard power button, or fire button for joystick users, the more power you will deliver with your blow upon its release. Be careful, using high power kicks and punches leaves you open to fast counter-attacks. SPECIAL MOVES Each droid has its own special move or moves derived from its own unique abilities. These moves are devastatingly powerful when they connect, they can cause massive damage and will contribute greatly to the user's points score. Special moves are, however difficult to execute and will require practise to master. +-----------------------------------+ | | | IF YOU'RE STUCK AND NEED ADVICE | | CALL OUR UK HELPLINE NUMBER ON: | | 01604 60 40 60 | | | +-----------------------------------+ THE CREDITS ----------- MIRAGE Produced by Peter Jones, Sean Griffiths and Andy Wood Designed & Directed by Sean Griffiths Senior Artists Sean Naden and Kwan Lee Character Design Sean Naden Set Design & Construction Kwan Lee Senior Programmers Andy Clark (Amiga) and Gary Leach (PC) Project Assistance Gina Jackson Musical Co-ordination Richard Joseph and Andy Wood Game Soundtrack Richard Joseph Game Music Jason Page with conversions by Graham King Produced by Richard Joseph Marketing & Publicity Julia Coombs and Declan Brennan Distribution Roy Campbell, Dave Cotton and Andy Wood Script Writing Jim Murdoch Quality Control Paul Baddeley, David Capewell, Carl Carter, Matthew Hawkesford, Lee Salt and Thomas Wardle "Ressurection","The Dark" and other incidental music composed & performed by Brian May. Published by Queen Music Ltd./EMI Publishing Ltd. Published by Queen Music Ltd/Les Editions Marouani in France. TIME WARNER INTERACTIVE Senior Producer Ken Humphries Marketing Tony Adams, Jeff Tawney, Rob Letts and Andrea Simpson Special Thanks to Boz Anderson, Connie Booth, Ciaran Brennon, Rick Brookfield, Darren Bullivant, Acclaim, Dave Eardley, Steve Eardley, Rachel Fitzhugh, Nick Garnell, Christoph Gomez, Keith Healey, George Hill, Joel Hochberg, Geoff Holmes, David Klein, Helenka Lewandowska-Grey, Karen Lockwood, Steve McEwan, Neal McCleave, Florence de Martino, Sarah Mould, Randy Scott, Graeme Struthers, Randy Their, Ray Wain, Kevin Shepard, John Lawrence, Harold Gilmen, Christopher Payne, Meach Meakin, John Eaton, Makoto Orii, Jack Tretton, Kerry Burgess, Deborah Jones, Julie Walker and Clare Barnett. Extra Special Thanks to Jim Beach, Dan Van Elderen, Julie Glover, Roger Harris, Paul Johnson, Justin Shirley- Smith, Michael Thomas, T.T., ... and the unrivalled Mr. May for doing everything we asked him for, plus a whole lot more. Manual and Packaging Designed by CAMEL Advertising and Marketing