TIMETRAX - (C)1986 BUG BYTE


THE GAME
--------
It's post holocaust and the game starts in your cosy cellar. The
most powerful 8 Minds in creation have had their key belongings
stolen by the Evil One and placed in time. As they search they
open the Time Portals and the Dark Ones are pouring into Earth
History. You must find the items, return them and seal the
portals by lining up the correct 4 Runes and casting a spell.

CONTROLS
--------
Joystick: use joystick to control your hero.
Fire + Up = move through a door.
Fire + Down = Options mode.

Each leap reduces energy.


LOADING
-------
LOAD"CAS:",R


SCREEN LAYOUT
-------------

+-------------------------------------------------+
|                                                 |
|                   Action                        |
|                                                 |
+-------------------------------------------------+
|                                                 |
|  Visual            Menu                Eye      |
|  Display                               Display  |
|                                                 |
|  Energy      Item storage boxes     Function    |
|  Display                            Button      |
|                                                 |
|           Time      Title store                 |
+-------------------------------------------------+


OPTIONS MODE
------------
Joystick to change OPTIONS and fire to select.

FLIP  = changes options list.
LOOK  = search for hidden items.
HOLD  = pause
QUIT  = end game
BACK  = back to game from HOLD.
CAST  = you must have two or more tiles.
        Joystick L/R + Fire to select 2 tiles. If combination
        creates a spell it appears in Menu Window. Select YES to
        CAST. (You lose the tiles). NO to Return.
R     = Leave options mode.
DROP  = Use Joystick to select item, fire drops it.
SWAP  = status light 'green' means in use.
TEST  = You need 4 or more RUNE Tiles to try this.
        Joystick L/R + five to select combination. When 4th Tile
        selected, Eye display indicates nearness to Cosmic
        Pattern and finishing the game.
        Eye closed = 1 Tile out.
        1/2 Open = 1 tile in wrong position:
        Fully open = 1 tile in correct position.


ENERGY: Gained by the potion and Restore spell.  Lost by 
leaping, contact with creatures, falling etc.

WEAPONS: Certain weapons only operate in certain Time Zones.
Shots left are red boxes in Ammo display. Put 'IN USE' to load
or fire. It unloads if DROPPED. To Load, have weapons 'IN USE'
and 'TAKE' Ammo. Ammo not available in one Time Zone unless you
visit another one.
Pistol/Bullet: Crossbow/Bolt: Wand/Gem.


SCROLLS
-------
Scrolls/Potions: To use SWAP when IN USE (light is green).
10 available, each holds 2 Tile combinations. Tiles appear in
visual display. Cannot cast spell unless you own the Tiles.

POTION: Restores some Energy.

CHESTS: 3 Chests: each need a key. Have key IN USE to LOOK, TAKE
or DROP items.

RUNE TILES: 15 different tiles, you can carry no more than 10.

CHARACTER ITEMS: 8 items - each one belonging to one of the
Minds. Dagger, Book, Helmet, Clay Doll, Skull, Map, Emerald
Scarab, Battle Axe.

SPELLS: Warp Ahead/Back = One time zone future/past.
Timestop   = pauses time except for player.
Reveal     = If in front of Chest, show contents. If you meet a
             Character, possessions are shown. You cannot TAKE
             any revealed items.
RESTORE    = Same as potion
OPEN       = If in front of a chest can LOOK, TAKE AND DROP in
             option mode.
CHARM      = If in a Meeting can charm whilst trading. Spell
             broken when go AWAY.
BANISH     = Banish all creatures for about 30 seconds.
CHARGE     = Reload weapon in USE.
ORACLE     = Shows one of 4 Tiles in the Cosmic Pattern - cannot
             be taken.

MEETING. Face appears on meeting a great Mind. Always in option
mode and can:
AWAY  = Leave meeting.
CAST and SWAP = see options mode.
KEEP  = Do not exchange.
DEAL  = Exchange items (if you have space)
DROP  = Offer to character. If character wants it will offer
        exchange.

If you KEEP item, character may offer other items. If you offer
own character item they will force an exchange. They will all
offer in exchange for a more valued one - unless they are
CHARMED.


THE PORTALS
-----------
Last about 7 seconds. A portal appears somewhere in time every
10 seconds. You only see ones on your screen. They follow a
fixed schedule every 10 minutes. You should map these; make a
cosmic coordinates table using the game clock.

TIME ZONES:
ZONE                YEAR      MINDS PRESENT
Wilderness          2100 AD   Lazer Sky the Sand Rat
Holocaust           2000 AD   None
Gothic              1900 AD   Prof. Wells/Black Flay the Ghoul.
Dark Ages           1000 AD   Bella the Witch/Drew the Hermit.
Golden Age          5000 BC   Ra Chealsa the High Priestess.
Ice Age            10000 BC   Stone Eye the Necromancer
Dawn of Man        50000 BC   Grunt the Barbarian.

RATING: Nine grades depending on: proportion of Cosmic Pattern
decoded, number of spells cast and number of flying creatures
destroyed. Fire = New game.

HINTS: Always face ahead before entering Options Mode. The
Guardian is indestructable. The pistol is usually on the start
screen. Ammunition is always in the same place, look in 
Furniture, Bushes, Nests, Alcoves etc.
Items never start in the same zone as owner. At the start of the
game each screen has at least one item, in addition to those
in chests, held by characters, or ammunition - each screen has
less than 10 possible locations.

ITEM REPLACEMENT Rune Tiles lost through spell casting and
anything DROPPED are re-distributed in time and space (unless
you are in a meeting).


Timetrax is a game by: Paul Clanoy
Conversion by: B.D.L.
