TIPS FOR PLAYING MACHINE NATION
===============================

ABOUT SPEED
-----------
The scrolling on this game should be quite fast, even on a 286. If however
you are running this game on a fast 386/486/586 it may be too fast to play..
If you have a turbo button then use this to slow the computer down. However
another option is to introduce a delay in the program by typing:
                machine s1
(or run the batch file 'runslow.bat').
This causes the game to run at a playable rate even on a very very fast
PC.


TIPS
----
        1) Watch the demo a few times and take note of where the demo ship
           moves and what it picks up.
        2) Become familiar with the landscape, ie where the pickups are and
           where the force fields are.
        3) Try to keep away from the edges of the screen so that you have
           room to manoeuvre.
        4) Keep looking ahead to see whats coming.
        5) You may find it useful to pause the game and sketch down a
           diagram of the landscape. (W for pause).
        6) Keep trying!

Remember! If you find this game too easy or too hard, registered users can
design their own levels.

A joystick is recommended to play this game! However, should you not have
one you can control the ship as follows:

     You can use the arrow keys for directional movement, with either
     of the CTRL keys to fire.

     Or, D for UP, C for DOWN, N for LEFT, M for RIGHT, Alt for FIRE

     Or, alternatively, (and the way I prefer and find more natural),
     Q for UP, A for DOWN, O for LEFT, P for RIGHT, and SPACEBAR for FIRE.
     I use 2 fingers of my left hand for Q and A, and 2 fingers of my right
     hand for O and P, with the SPACEBAR being pressed by the thumb of the
     right hand.

     Or, a combination of the above.

** The Game **

You control a fighter ship flying over a machine landscape. Your must
get to your mother ship. Below the machine city is a barren planet, long
since deserted by any humanoids.

Your ship can fly at two heights. To get underneath any bridges you will
need to lose height by flying over the "lose height" pickups. Flying low
uses more fuel, BUT THE ENEMY SHIPS CANNOT HURT YOU. Also you cannot fire
weapons at this height.

There are various pickups that will give you fuel, bonus points, weapons,
extra lives, stop the scrolling, speed up and slow down the ship.
Please see inbuilt help screen in the game for details of what these
pickups look like.

The enemy ships will attack wave after wave, trying to destroy you.
Although they have no fire power, they dont mind crashing into you!

** Weapons **

You have a choice of 3 different weapons, standard fire, scatter fire
and whirlwind fire. Whirlwind fire can only be used 5 times, and then
you revert to standard fire. You can of course pickup extra whirlwind
fire, or scatter fire.

** Note **

This games requires VGA to run, and at least a 286 12MHz.

SOUNDBLASTER USERS
==================

The default base I/O port is 220 and the default interrupt number is 7 .
You can change these by typing:
        machine pX iZ where X is 2 for port 220 or 4 for port 240
                and Z is 2 or 3 or 5 or 7 for interrupt 2,3,5 or 7


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