Astrocade Tape Program Archive Record
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Program Name:  Rescue Force (aka Chopper Rescue Force)
Filename:      rescue_force_[greg_miejski].wav
Released by:   Greg Miejski
Appearance:    Astro-Bugs Club Tape #3 (Nov 1983)

Game Instructions
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This is a helicopter flight rescue simulation game in which the player controls the movements of a helicopter.

The game takes place over a partly deserted city of Detroit II. One of the main targets of a nuclear strike. Earlier, there was a warning of a bomb strike and most of the residents left the city. But a few hopefuls stayed behind with the belief that it wasn't true. Now the strike has been confirmed, and it is your job to save the people still left in the city. The player must land on top of the buildings in order to pick up the people.

The game starts with the player warming up his or her helicopter on a platform above the underground missile silo into which the player must return the people. To move, push the joystick horizontally to initiate the constant sideways movement of the helicopter. Moving the joystick up and down will position the ship vertically. The author suggests that you move to the upper-middle of the screen and move around to get the feel of the helicopter. The knob and trigger have no use during play.

At the top of the screen is :P:0 which stands for passengers; PS:0 which stands for passengers saved; OS:?? which stands for on-screen passengers (tells how many people are in the building presently on the screen) and PD:0 which stands for the number of people dead.

The number of people in each building ranges from 11 to 15 and changes in every game. Passengers is the number of people in the helicopter at that time. Limit of 16 at one time. Passengers saved is the number of people brought to the silo. In order to save people the passengers must be let off on the platform between the two buildings. People dead is the number of people who died as passengers in helicopter crashes. This number doesn't mean much because there is no limit, but it does mar a perfect mission.

A strange thing about the four player compatibility of this game is that the players don't compete against each other for the best score, but are all on the same team, so they all do their part in saving all the people.

Each player starts out with 6 helicopters, each using separate hand controllers. If any player boosts the number of saved people to 100 or better all players are awarded a free helicopter.

The helicopter, in order to pick up people must be set perfectly on the top of a building and not moving in any direction. The same goes for setting people on the silo platform.

Now, the player must think in 3-d to be able understand the movement of the helicopter. At all times the blade on top must be kept away from the buildings. If the chopper is in either side position the main body may go in front of a building because it is far enough away not to hit the building. But if the chopper is facing you the tail of the chopper will hit the building and destroy the helicopter.

The helicopter will get progressively harder to land because of stronger winds. The only score is the number of people saved. The total number of people dead will be displayed after the game is over, and this includes the number of people not saved.

Description
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This is a 2000 baud BASIC program for use with a Bally Astrocade and Astrobasic.

Loading Instructions
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Plug audio cable into Astrobasic cartridge and headphone jack of computer speakers, then load program from Astrobasic with

:INPUT

Press GO.  Then start playing the wav file; the program will start to load.  After the program finishes loading, type RUN and then press GO.

END OF FILE
