

                    SPACE SHIP OF DEATH -- Instructions
                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Background:

     The year is 2150.  Space travel and life is now commonplace for humans.
     Space has opened new frontiers and crime has followed.  The top crime
     boss is recruiting new assassins to do his dirty work.  You wish to
     become one of his men because you would be paid well and live a life
     of luxury.

     The Space Ship of Death is the place where your assassination skills
     will be tested.  The boss transports groups of his prospective men
     to this ship to let them fight it out to the death!  The first
     person to achieve fifteen kills will become an official assassin!







Objective:

     Your mission is a simple one, kill others before they kill you!
     This is accomplished by using weapons that you construct from
     parts which are laying about the ship.  Each weapon is made of two
     different parts, both of which must be in your possession for the
     weapon to function.  Also strewn about the ship are defenses to the
     different weapons.  These defenses are complete when they are found.

     You can only carry FOUR items at one time, and only TWO of them can
     be defenses.  The weapon parts and corresponding defenses are below:

     Weapons                                     Defenses
     -------------------------------------------------------------
     Machine Gun & Ammo Clip.....................Bullet Proof Vest
     Laser Pistol & Battery......................Mirror
     Atomizer & Uranium..........................Radiation Suit
     Vial Cobra Venom & Hypodermic Syringe.......Poison Antidote
     Gas Grenade & Deadly Gas....................Gas Mask
     


     Once in possession of both parts of a weapon, it may be used
     indefinitely.  You can [L]eave any item you are carrying in any
     room you desire.  It will become necessary for you to change your
     weapons and defenses, since your target may change their defenses.

     NOTE:  There are SIX sets of each weapon and SIX of each defense type.
            This makes a total of 90 items.  As the ship fills up,
            the harder it will be to find the objects you need.  Right
            now the Ship's capacity is 20 people.

     You will be given 60 moves per day.  If you get killed on a certain
     date, as a penalty you cannot play until the next day even if you have
     moves remaining.  The number of moves you have can be adjusted up or
     down by using the Ship's Computer to squeal on other would-be
     assassins.  This will be discussed in detail later...

     Before entering the Space Ship, you must [P]ick a target if you do not
     already have a target.  This target is the person you must hunt down
     and kill.  You cannot use your weapons on any other persons in the
     ship except for your target, this is what tests your skill.


Ship Commands:

     [N]orth, [E]ast, [W]est, [S]outh, [U]p, and [D]own are obviously
          used to choose a directions to move through the Ship.  All
          exits are told to you, there are no secret passageways.

     [T]ake -> Allows you to add an object that is in the room to your
          inventory if you have space for it.

     [L]eave -> Allows you to drop an item from your inventory.  This
          command will be used often as you will need to shift around the
          objects you are carrying often.

     [K]ill -> If you locate your target, use this to attempt to kill them.
          This command will not work unless you have a complete weapon.
          Note:  If your target has the defense to the weapon you use, he
          will fight back with his complete weapon if he has one!  Thus
          when attacking, be cautious and try to have some defenses as well
          as your weapon.



     [I]nventory -> This gives you a list of what you are carrying.
          Feel free to use this command whenever necessary due to the
          fact that it does not count as a move.  It's a FREE command.

     [C]omputer -> This accesses the Ship's computer to allow you to add
          to squeals on others' locations or to read previously entered
          squeals.  This option can also be accessed when not in the Ship.
          This is also a free command.

     [H]elp -> This will print a summary list of commands in case you
          forget them.  (Free command)

     [Q]uit -> This command is used to end your turn for today.  If you
          have moves remaining, they will be stored for the rest of the
          day in case you return later.  If you don't play again until the
          next day, these moves are lost and you start again with 60
          moves.





Squeals:

     By using the Ship's Computer, you can gain or lose moves by ratting
     on your opponents.  Using the computer costs you credits.  You are
     given FIVE credits per day for computer use.

     For ONE credit you may read the squeals.  This will give a list of the
     last 15 squeals which were entered into the computer.  However, it will
     not tell you if the person is still at that location, you could waste
     moves going on a wild goose chase.  You will be told how many of the
     squeals are still true, but not which ones...

     For TWO credits you can add to the squeals.  To execute this option
     you must also have at least 20 moves remaining.  You will GAIN twenty
     moves if you give the correct location of a person that has not already
     been squealed on.  However, if you leave a false squeal, you will
     LOSE twenty moves!  A smart player will see a good use for losing
     moves...  Also, you cannot gain moves by correctly squealing on
     yourself!



Stun Traps:

     There are only two of these objects floating around the ship.  You
     can [T]ake these traps and leave them wherever you desire.  The
     strategy is to [L]eave them in the room of a living person, preferably
     the person who is out to kill you!

     These traps are perfectly safe to walk by, pick up, or carry around.
     They are set by [L]eaving them in a room.  They only go off when a person
     [E]nters from the Main Menu into a room with a trap in it.

     Whenever you [E]nter the ship, you risk setting off a stun trap.  If
     one has been left in your room, it will go off, you lose twenty moves,
     and drop everything you are carrying!  The stun trap is then randomly
     transported to another room.

     NOTE:  You may use Stun Traps on ANY person, not just your target!





HINTS:

   - Use the NEWS and the SQUEALS to help give you hints on where your target
     might be before you enter the ship and try to find them.  The News can
     give you ideas on what weapons/defenses your target has been using and
     the general area they might have been.  Reading the Squeals can really
     help you find your target...

   - Whenever you run into a live person while in the Ship, SQUEAL on them
     using the [C]omputer...  If the computer already has the squeal you
     won't be penalized, but if its a new squeal you get 20 more moves!

   - If your sysop doesn't provide you with access to the ASCII map, then
     map it out yourself.  The Ship has 4 decks and 105 rooms!  Its hard to
     be a good assassin if you get lost all the time!

   - Watch your moves.  When you are running low, try and find a place to hide
     in an out of the way area.  Don't end your day standing in the middle
     of a hallway or busy intersection.  Too many people will pass by you
     and you have high odds of being killed!


MORE HINTS:

   - Switch your weapons/defenses occasionally.  If you continually kill
     people with the same weapon, your hunter will notice that from reading
     the News and will make adjustments...

   - When you [R]evive yourself after being killed, make sure you Enter the
     ship and move.  Upon reviving your body becomes alive in the ship and if
     you don't move you are a sitting duck.

   - If you go to Pick a target and there are None to select...  Go ahead and
     enter the ship and use some of your moves to hide in a different area of
     the ship.  Then call back later in the day as new targets may become
     available.

   - MOST OF ALL HAVE FUN!!!

