The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

SYNCRON

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Arcade Shoot-'Em-Up

Author             : Gary Partis

Standalone Release(s)   : 1990: SYNCRON, Superior/Blue Ribbon, £2.99

Compilation Release(s) : 1988: SUPERIOR COLLECTION 3, Superior/Acornsoft, £9.95

Stated compatibility    : Electron

Actual compatibility    : Electron, BBC B, B+ and Master 128

Supplier            : SUPERIOR/ACORNSOFT

Disc compatibility     : ADFS 1D00, CDFS 1D00, DFS 1D00

Instructions

You must endeavour to complete sixteen death-defying missions; on each mission you have to collect a batch of power orbs, destroy as many targets and alien spacecraft as possible, and then search for the HQ Building which you have been commissioned to destroy.

Each power orb is positioned in a huge contrainer situated amindst defence pylons and force-fields. The orbs are guarded by a fleet of alien spacecraft. Watch out also for the land-based missile launchers.

To collect an orb, you must first locate an orb container and then shoot at it.

The container will disintegrate revealing the orb within. Now, fly over the orb (don't shoot at it) and your spacecraft will scoop it up. You can only carry one orb at a time; after an orb has been collected, find a runway and fly between the dotted lines on the runway to land your spacecraft. The orb will be deposited and your spacecraft is now able to pick up another one.

When you are on a runway, you can view the status screen which shows your current score and tells you how many more orbs need to be collected on the mission.

When you have amassed the required number of orbs, you must shoot alien spacecraft and bomb the land targets until you have scored 10,000 points on the current mission. You should then locate and bomb the HQ Building to complete the mission.

Your spacecraft is equipped with a hyperspace-jump facility, but hyperspacing is a notoriously dangerous practice - it is estimated that you have only a 65% chance of ahcieving a successful hyperspace-jump.

A bonus spacecraft will be awarded to you for every twenty alien spacecraft that you destroy.

Your mission begins at level A (the Alphia base). Once you have completed a level, you move on the next one. You may restart the game at this new level by pressing the appropriate letter (A-P) at the start of the game. You can only attempt later levels after you have completed all the preceding levels. Therefore, at the start of the game you can only select level A. It may be useful to draw simple maps of each level that you reach, and use them to plan your route accordingly.

Game Controls

Z - Left,   X - Right,   <SPACE> - Turn Spacecraft Around,   <RETURN> - Fire/Bomb

H- Hyperspace-jump (Very risky!)

After landing on a runway:-

<CTRL> - View current status,   <SPACE> - Relaunch spacecraft

Q/S - Sound Off/On,   <COPY>/<DELETE> - Pause On/Off,   <ESCAPE> - Retire

Scoring

Destroying alien spacecraft:

Alien Spacecraft 1 .................... 150 points

Alien Spacecraft 2 .................... 190 points

Alien Spacecraft 3 .................... 230 points

Alien Spacecraft 4 .................... 270 points

Alien Spacecraft 5 .................... 310 points

Alien Spacecraft 6 .................... 350 points

Bombing a land target .................  70 points

Collecting an orb ..................... 120 points

Depositing an orb ..................... 120 points

Instructions' Source   : SUPERIOR COLLECTION 3 (Superior/Acornsoft) Inner Inlay

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