THE KILLING GAME SHOW DOCS ------------------------------- Written by Mr.Thompson / Defjam ------------------------------------------------------------------------ LOADING INSTRUCTIONS -------------------- Always switch your machine off for at least 30 seconds before loading the game. Failure to do so may result in virus contamination of the KILLING GAME SHOW master disk. See the Virus Warning and the Warranty Notice in this manual for futher information. ATARI ST VERSION ---------------- Insert Disk 1 of KILLING GAME SHOW. Switch on the monitor/tv then your computer. Insert Disk 2 when prompted. KILLING GAME SHOW is played with a joystick plugged into the second joystick port. AMIGA VERSION ------------- Switch the computer on. Insert a Kickstart disk if so prompted. When the display prompts for a Workbench disk insert Disk 1 of KILLING GAME SHOW into the internal drive. Insert Disk 2 when prompted. KILLING GAME SHOW is played with a joystick plugged into the second joystick port. LOADING TIPS ------------ Should the title screen not appear within 45 seconds there may be a problem with your computer system. Check your computer connections and that the above instructions have bin correctly carried out. If you are sure your computer is functioning (i.e. other software loads success- fully) and are still unable to load KILLING GAME SHOW then you may have a faulty disk, in which case you can obtain a free replacement from Psygnosis Ltd. All Psygnosis products are fully guaranteed. VIRUS WARNING --------------- This product is guaranteed by Psygnosis to be virus free. Psygnosis Ltd accept no responsibility for damage caused to this product through virus infection. To avoid virus infection always ensure that your machine is swithed off at least 30 seconds before trying to load this game. THE KILLING GAME SHOW --------------------- Incredible! Sensational! Unbelievable! It's the hottest holo programme of the century! IIIIIIt's THE KILLING GAME SHOW! Bored with the drudgery of normal holo progs? Then get a life and tune into Channel KGS to experience thrills and spills like never before in the deadliest show this side of Klaxos 9. THE KILLING GAME SHOW is broadcast for your delight and delectation all night, every night on Channel KGS; it's THE deadly contest where contestants push themselves to the limit to win first prize: their life!... there IS no second prize! Welcome one and all to Channel KGS, glad you could make it! And so will you be once you've experienced THE KILLING GAME SHOW! But before we get into the action lett me tell you a little bit about the game of the century: we've constructed 16 Pits Of Death on eight of our costom-built satellite moons. Take a look in the sky right now and you might see them twinkling right back atcha. They look kinda pretty from down here don't they? But close up they ain't so nice: each satellite has one helluva huge cylinder sunk into it. Now these here cylinders have two Pits Of Death in 'em which in turn are packed with HALFs - that's Hostile Artificial Life Forms to you an' me - specially created by our very own scientists. An' they're here to do what they do best: KILL!! But - just to add a little spice to the proceedings - we've added a splash of DOLL (Deadly to Organic Life Liquid) to each pit. That don't seem too bad does it? Oh, no? Well wait 'till it starts rising up to fill the pit. . . anything organic in its way is history! Now you may be wonderin' what's the big deal in watching customised aliens whizz 'round a pit that's slowly fillin' up with liquid. Well, lett me remind you of our crazy contestants, or MUGs as we like to call 'em! These, shall we say, less-than-willing participants are law breakers and as such deserve everything they get. Intent on causing unrest and spreading vicious lies about our generous sponsors, 21st Century Inc we feel these anarchists should be given the chance to argue their pathetic cases, first hand. It seems we have a little time before the first MUG enters Pit One so let me fill those of you new to our game in about our unlawful participants. To give you edge-of-your-seat action and entertainment you'll never forget we provide our MUGs with limited-protection body armour, at no expense to them! - we're all heart at KGS. Here's how: as soon as a suitable MUG is arrested (an' I must admit we're not to fussy about who we choose) we take him (or her, we're nothing if not fair!) off the authorities' hands and prepare them for the game of - and for - their life. What we do is surgically alter the contestants,just to give 'em more of a chance of coming out alive, you understand. Here's a MUG we prepared earlier... We remove the bottom half of the body, just above the groin, an' yes we do anaesthetise most of them... dependent on their crime really.Then we strip the flesh from their worthless bones with a method developed and patented by 21st Century Inc science division - it's not unlike sandblasting to watch ... is it? Of course, to help keep the beneficiaries alive, we do our best to protect what vital organs they have left from unreasonable harm. Our skilled surgeons then replace their frail skin with a coating made up of a strong malleable metallic element. This element is especially reinforced around the arms 'cause they need these limbs to not only 'walk' round each pit but also to pick up and use weapons and tools. Also attached to the arms are touch-sensitive, vacuum suckers that enable the MUGs to climb walls. Now, what the contestants have to do is travel from the bottom of each pit to the top, before the DOLL get 'em. Sounds easy don't it. Well it ain't! Not only are our HALFs out for blood but each MUG has to solve intricate puzzles to access higher levels while avoiding some very entertaining traps. But, again cause we're all heart, we've scattered weapons around each pit for the MUG to pick up an' use. Plus some pretty nifty tools essential to winning. Of course even if the MUG makes it out of the pit it ain't all over, there's another 15 to go . . . but you'll probably never see beyond the second one anyway . . . Well, it looks like we're ready to roll. Number one pit is active and in goes the first MUG! So sit back and enjoy the life an' death thrills of THE KILLING GAME SHOW . . . CHANCE OF A LIFETIME -------------------- Carl felt uneasy as he paced down the crumbling stone corridor. He had been attending meetings here for mounths now as part of the underground movement fighting to displace the 21st Century Government Inc. There were several groups, each spread across a number of cities, all of them working to expose the corruption rife within the power group. Things had been going well until his group began to receive reports that the safe locations used by someof the other groups had been located and raided by the secret police. There was only one way that the locations could have been discovered - a traitor was working from the inside leaking information to the authorities. Carl was mystified as to how the person in question had got past the movement's thorough vetting procedure. Still, however it had been done, it was too late to worry about it now. The first priority was to eliminate the mole before more harm was done. Carl was fairly sure, as he approached the door to the 150 year old bunker they were using as a base, that it was still safe. But for how long? Putting his ear to the cold metal he tapped out the entry code. There was half a minute's silence and then there was a soft tapping from the other side. He waited a similar interval and then tapped the relevant answer. Half a minute later the heavy door swung open. Half silhouetted in the dust-filled room stood Lynnette, his closest friend and colleague. Around her were the rest of the group, silent and smiling uneasily, each one with a strangely foreboding look in the eye. The instant he took in the scene, Carl knew there was something terribly wrong. In a flash he turned and ran madly down the tunnel. Behind him there was much commotion, but he continued to run, expecting any moment to feel a steel slug bite into his back and bring his panic to a sudden end. Now there was the sound of running feet behind him, and almost unconsciously he sprang upwards, his hands grasping the bottom rung of a rusted steel ladder that headed up into a cool shaft, rapidly losing itself in the darkness. As he used every bit of strength he could summon to pull himself up, three or four bullets snapped past his legs, ricocheting off the metal ladder and sending echoes tumbling back down the tunnel. Carl did not wait to listen to them. He was already fumbling his way up the ladder and, although his soft shoes made no sound against the rungs, it seemed as if his rapidly beating heart was banging with unbearable loudness against the walls of the chamber. Without warning, a couple of widely aimed shots whistled past him and he flattened himself against the reassuring steel. He clung there for a minute desperately trying to regain his composure, but he soon continued his panicked climb when the sounds of boots on metal drifted up from below. The first man was moving too quickly though and it was only moments before Carl could hear laboured breathing from only metres beneath him. Stopping, he turned himself about on the ladder and thrust viciously downwards with his right foot. He felt his shoe make contact with a shoulder, there was a muffled gasp, and then a scream as his pursuer plunged down the narrow shaft. Carl continued upwards, an immense sense of relief washing over him when he realised that the police had given up the chase. Soon he arrived at the top of the shaft. There was an ancient bracket protruding from the wall which had once held a ventilation fan. Above it was an old steel cap, with mangled slots through which he could glimpse the grey sky. Hoisting himself onto the bracket, Carl swung his legs upward and heaved against the cap. After a few fruitless kicks the rusty bolts finally gave way and it flapped over to clang noisily against concrete. He had not got more than half way out of the shaft when a pair of rough hands seized him from behind and he felt a needle being thrust into his lower back. That was the last he felt before everything went black. . . Carl came to in a low-ceilinged cell. He wasn't alone - around him were many other people, some of whom he recognised. Obviously the raids had been becoming morefrequent, and more successful. He looked around at those within the cell, but all other eyes were downcast and none acknowledged him. Then his eyes came level with a tired old face he could never forget - Old Al, one of the few remaining founder members of the movement. The old man managed a weak smile as Carl Crawled over towards him. "It's good to see you again Al, but I'm not glad that it took this to bring us back together". "They've done their worst this time Carl," the old man croaked, "You want to know why we're not dead? Because they want to make an example of us all, a warning. The reason we're here is because we are going to 'star' as contestants in an abominable holo contest we can't win". "What if one of us was to make it?" Carl inquired. The old man looked at him hard and long before replaying. "If YOU were to make it Carl, you'd be an international hero. . . nothing could stop you then. . ." Carl was about to shrug off the possibility when the two were interrupted by the sound of the cell door being opened. Two armed men entered and indicated that Carl was to follow them. YOUR OBJECTIVE -------------- Once 'kitted out' to take part in THE KILLING GAME SHOW you're placed at the base of the first Pit Of Death. Then HALFs are released and the DOLL is pumped into the pit. Your objective is to escape alive. Your armoured torso provides a certain amount of protection but you'll have very little time to familiarise yourself with its idiosyncracies. Scattered throughouteach pit are camouflaged containers concealing weapons, tools or access keys. Shoot them to reveal what they contain and crouch over the object to collect it. Jumping at a wall activates your climbing equipment. Should you fall,pushing the joystick in the direction of a nearby wall enables you to grab on, if you're close enough. You may only carry one weapon and one tool at any time. Should you not make it to the exit (an occurrence you'll have to get used to) a video replay of your last attempt is shown so you can see where you went wrong. You may take over at any point during the replay and continue your attempt to escape. CONTROLS -------- Joystick (in port 2): UP:Jump/Ascend /|\ | / | \ LEFT:Move left < -----|----- > RIGHT:Move right \ | / | \|/ DOWN:Crouch/Descend Fire : Fire Current Weapon Hold Down Fire: Use Current Tool KEYS Spacebar : Pause ESC(while paused): Quit F(during replay : Fast Forward ----------------------------------------------------------------------------