TRON MAZE-A-TRON for Intellivision

 TRON MAZE-A-TRON

Cartridge Instructions

(1 Player Vs. Computer)

*TRON MAZE-A-TRON is a trademark of and used under license from Walt Disney

Productions.

In the computer fantasy world of TRON, the power-hungry Master Control Program

(the MCP) seeks to control the human race. You are Flynn, the daring, young

programmer, transported into the heart of the computer, to find and disable the

MCP.

MAZE-A-TRON is played in ROUNDS. Each round consists of two PHASES--the Circuit

Maze (Phase I) and the Master Control Program (Phase II). Each time you complete

both phases of a round, you automatically advance one GAME LEVEL.

Game Level affects both DIFFICULTY and SCORING. Difficulty increases with each

level up through Level 12. Scoring increases with each level up through Level 99.

OBJECT OF THE GAME

Phase I (Circuit Maze). Store up energy and zeroes as you move Flynn through the

Maze. Find the RAM Chips and clear them to zero in the shortest time. Avoid

losing turns.

Phase II (MCP). Find pairs of numbers (BIT PAIRS) in the two center columns that

match the bit pair at the TOP of the two outer columns. Turn the matching bit

pairs in the center column to BLACK, before the move off the screen. Watch out

for laser blasts from the MCP. Three hits--one turn lost and return to the Maze.

If the OUTER columns move off screen, you return to the Maze and start the next

round.

You can lose 2 turns. When you lose your third turn, the game ends.

CHECK YOUR CONTROLS

SELECT MAZE SPEED

DISC: Fast

1: Medium Fast

2: Medium

3: Slow

STOP (0): Stop screen movement for 2 seconds if you have at least 30 energy units

(Phase I)

PRACTICE (Enter): Select practice mode

ZERO/FIRE (UPPER SIDE KEYS): Sets black 1 in RAM chip to black 0 (Phase I)/Fires

bit gun to turn numbers in bit stream to black (Phase II)

FORCE SHIELD (LOWER SIDE KEYS): Activate Force Shield (Phases I & II)

DISC: Move Flynn through Maze (Phase I)/Move bit gun sight (Phase II)

IMPORTANT: You cannot use the ZERO/FIRE and the FORCE SHIELD buttons

simultaneously.

WHEN YOU SEE THE GAME TITLE, SELECT A GAME SPEED.

DISC: FAST

KEY 1: MEDIUM FAST

KEY 2: MEDIUM

KEY 3: SLOW

Game speed is not the same as game level. Game speed only affects the STARTING

SPEED AT WHICH THE MAZE MOVES in Phase I. Maze speed increases from this starting

point with each level you achieve. Game speed does not affect Phase II game play

(except in Practice Mode).

AFTER SELECTING GAME SPEED, CHOOSE PRACTICE MODE OR GAME PLAY.

To practice press the PRACTICE KEY.

To go directly to game play, press any other key or the Disc.

PRACTICE MODE

Practice Mode takes you directly to Phase II -- the Master Control Program. Phase

II game play is described below. The only difference between Practice Mode and

Phase II game play is in scoring. Practice Mode is played at level 0, but you

still get 100 points for each matching bit pair turned black. If you pop the

stack or get hit 3 times by the lasers, you return to the Maze, with the Question

"PRACTICE?"

If you go to Practice Mode immediately after selecting game speed, the speed of

the Bit Stream will vary, depending on the speed you selected. In actual game

play, game speed does not affect the speed of the Bit Stream.

MAZE COMPONENTS

As you move through the Maze, you will encounter different computer chips. Some

will help you. Some should be avoided.

I/O (INPUT/OUTPUT) TRANSPORT

(large vertical chip)

* Jump from circuit board to circuit board.

* Enter from top or bottom.

BUS

(made up of four parallel lines)

* Circuit "wiring" that forms the maze.

* Cannot be crossed. Move around them.

ZAPS

(pulses on bus wires)

* Electric impulses in the circuit "wiring" that drain energy if you

touch them.

* Avoid at all times.

LATCH

(chip with image of a lock on it)

* Collect zeroes to use in the RAM chips.

* Enter from either side.

RECOGNIZERS

(horseshoe shape)

* The guards of the MCP that seek to destroy you. If they touch you with your

Shield off, you lose a turn and return to starting point. Contact with your

Shield or a ROM Force Field disables them. (They are harmless when blue.)

* TOUCH ONLY WITH FORCE SHIELD ON!

FLIP-FLOP

(chip with images of arrows on it)

* Use to change direction of screen movement.

* Enter from either side.

TRANSFORMER

(has vertical stripes in middle)

* Absorb energy for Force Shield. The longer you stay, the more energy you gain

until Force Shield is fully charged.

* Enter from either side.

FORCE FIELD & ROM CHIPS

(chips close together with X-shaped force field between them)

* The deadly read-only memory chips. If you touch the Force Field without your

Shield ON you lose a turn and return to the starting point.

* Pass through Force Fields with Force Shield ON. Lead Recognizers through ROM

Force Field to disable them.

RESISTORS

(thin, vertical, single lead top and bottom, horizontal stripes)

* No use or danger. Just part of the Maze.

RAM CHIPS

(chips with numbers on them)

* The object of your search . Turn all numbers in the chips to black zeroes.

* Enter from top to turn left number black. Enter from bottom to turn right

number black. If you turn a number 1 black, remain in chip and press ZERO (top

side) button (if you have zeroes stored from Latches).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GAME PLAY -- PHASE I

(Circuit Maze)

When the game starts, you see a readout along the bottom of the screen. This

tells you:

LEFT: Energy units if force shield (starts at 25).

CENTER: Number of zeroes stored (starts at 0).

RIGHT: Number of turns remaining before game ends (starts at 3).

The readout remains on screen for a couple of seconds, then disappears . A

current readout appears any time you are sent back to the starting point.

THE MAZE STARTS TO MOVE when the figure of Flynn appears. This is the figure you

control. This is you! Use the Disc to move through the Maze. Do not move off the

screen or you return to the starting point, where you, Flynn, first entered the

Maze.

MOVING IN THE MAZE

Move around the green BUS lines. You cannot move through them.

In danger of moving off screen? CHANGE DIRECTION OF SCREEN MOTION by stepping

into either side of a FLIP-FLOP. You must exit the same side entered.

Or STOP SCREEN MOTION FOR 2 SECONDS, by pressing the STOP (0) key on your hand

controller. The cost--30 energy units, if you have them.

MOVE FROM CIRCUIT BOARD TO CIRCUIT BOARD by stepping into an I/O TRANSPORT. Your

"de-materialized" form is transported across the circuit boards, then "re-

materialized" at some point on the same board or on a different board. You have

no control over your point of reentry. It is possible to end up back where you

began.

It is also possible to be transported directly into a RAM Chip section (cluster

of chips with numbers on them).

RETURN TO GAME STARTING POINT

Cause: Move off screen

Result: Return with all energy and stored zeroes intact. No loss of turns.

Cause: Touched by Recognizer or ROM Force Field without Force Shield up.

Result: Return with all energy and stored zeroes intact. One turn lost.

SUCCEEDING IN THE MAZE

1. YOUR FORCE SHIELD protects you against Recognizers and ROM Force Fields. You

start with 25 energy units in your Shield. This is not much energy. Energize your

Shield by finding and moving into a TRANSFORMER.

You can enter either side of a transformer, but must exit from the same side. The

longer you stay in the transformer, the more energy is absorbed. When maximum

charge is reached, the Shield stops charging.

(Details of energy gain and use are below.)

2. GATHER ZEROES for later use in clearing the RAM Chips, by moving into a LATCH.

You can enter from either side of a latch, but must exit from the same side. The

longer you stay in a latch, the more zeroes you gather. You hear a series of

RISING NOTES each time 1 ZERO is gathered and stored. Maximum number of zeroes =

255.

3. AVOID RECOGNIZERS. If they touch you without your Force Shield on, you will

lose one turn and return to game starting point.

Activate your Force Shield WHEN THE RECOGNIZER IS ABOUT TO TOUCH YOU, by pressing

the FORCE SHIELD BUTTON.

Keep your Shield on until the Recognizer turns blue (harmless)

Avoid wasting energy. Do not keep your Shield on while waiting for the Recognizer

to reach you. Take the offensive! Activate your Shield and go after the

Recognizer.

Stay away from the sides of the screen. A Recognizer may be waiting just off-

screen and touch you before you have time to move or get your Shield up.

4. STAY AWAY FROM THE ZAPS. They drain energy at an alarming rate (200

units/second).

Whenever you touch a ZAP, you her a BELL-LIKE TONE. If you continue to touch it,

you continue to lose energy, until all of you energy is lost.

5. LOOK FOR RAM CHIP SECTIONS NEAR THE ROM CHIPS. ROM chips have Force Fields

between them that cause you to lose a turn if you pass through them without your

Shield on. ROM Fields can also help you. Lead a Recognizer through a ROM Field

and the Recognizer will be disabled, just as if it touched your shield.

6. BE CAREFUL OF GREEN BUS LINES AND RAM CHIPS. It is possible to get stuck in

them if you move too far. The result is that you will be moved off the screen.

KEEPING ENERGIZED

Your Shield appears whenever you absorb energy from a Transformer or use your

Shield. The COLOR of your Shield indicates its approximate strength.

PURPLE: WEAK

YELLOW: FAIRLY STRONG

RED: VERY STRONG

You automatically gain 15 energy units when you disable a Recognizer. (Of course,

you also use energy, so it tends to even out.) You absorb energy from a

Transformer in bursts of 10 units. You hear and see each burst absorbed. Maximum

energy for your Shield is 255 units. When you reach this point, you stop

absorbing energy.

NOTE: Your Shield is visible BUT NOT ACTUATED when it is being charged. You must

still press a FORCE SHIELD button if you need to defend yourself against a

Recognizer.

DO NOT RIDE A TRANSFORMER OFF SCREEN OR YOU WILL BE RETURNED TO THE GAME STARTING

POINT.

ENERGY COST

Activate Shield: 20  units/second

Touch ZAP: 200 units/second

Stop screen movement for 2 seconds: 30  units

FINDING AND CLEARING THE RAM CHIPS

There are 4 different circuit boards in the computer maze. Each is made up of 38

sections. There are only 5 DIFFERENT KINDS of sections, which are repeated and

strung together in different orders for each different circuit board. The

structure of each circuit board is permanent. It does not change from game to

game.

Learn the structure of each circuit board and you will find the RAM chips more

quickly. RAM CHIPS ARE LOCATED ON 2 OF THE CIRCUIT BOARDS. YOU ONLY NEED TO FIND

AND CLEAR 1 SET OF RAM CHIPS. Remember: Use the I/O Transports often to increase

your chances of quickly finding the RAM Chips.

Turn all numbers within the RAM Chips to BLACK ZEROES.

To turn a number black, enter the RAM Chip from the top or bottom.

Enter from the TOP to turn the LEFT number black.

Enter from the BOTTOM to turn the RIGHT number black.

Do not move your man more than half-way into a RAM Chip (about waist-deep is

right) or you could get stuck and be moved off screen. If you enter a RAM Chip

and turn a NUMBER 1 black, remain in the Chip and press either ZERO BUTTON on

your hand controller. If you have zeroes stored up from Latches, the black 1 will

change to a black 0. If you are out of zeroes, nothing will happen. You will have

to go get some zeroes from a Latch and return.

Be extra careful now not to move off screen or be touched by a Recognizer without

your Force Shield on. Once you have found the RAM Chips, you do not want to be

sent back to your starting point.

Your chances of clearing all RAM Chips on your first sweep through are very

small. There are Flip-Flops on either side of both RAM sections (at varying

distances), however, so you can reverse screen direction and make a second or

third pass through the RAM Chips.

ONCE YOU HAVE SET ALL THE RAM CHIPS TO BLACK ZEROES, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY GO TO

PHASE II OF THE GAME--THE MASTER CONTROL PROGRAM!

SCORING--PHASE 1

BONUS POINTS You receive bonus points, based on the amount of time you take to

complete Phase I of the game.

2 minutes or less: 5000 points x game level

2 to 5 minutes: 4000 points x game level

5 to 10 minutes: 3000 points x game level

10 to 20 minutes: 2000 points x game level

over 20 minutes: 1000 points x game level

Maximum Bonus Points = 95,000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GAME PLAY -- PHASE II

(Master Control Program)

You are now face-to-face with the Master Control Program, which is working

furiously to restore the system which you disabled by clearing the RAM Chips.

When the MCP first appears, you see a readout along the bottom of the screen.

This tells you:

LEFT: Present game level.

CENTER: Total points scored so far. This includes points scored in previous round

and bonus points.

RIGHT: Number of laser hits that will return you to the maze.

In a couple of seconds, numbers (called BITS) will begin to appear.

Look at the 2 BITS at the TOP of the BIT STACK (the outer two vertical columns of

numbers). Now look at the BITS moving up both sides of the BIT STREAM (the inner

two vertical columns). Is there a PAIR in the Stream that matches the PAIR at the

top of the Stack?

If so, you must turn the MATCHING bit pair BLACK, before it disappears off the

top of the Stream.

1. Use the DISC to move your "bit-gun" sight over the first bit in the matching

pair.

2. Press either FIRE BUTTON.

3. Repeat for the second bit in the matching pair. You must turn BOTH bits in the

matching bit pair black.

Keep watching for matching bit pairs. Turn ALL matching bit pairs black. YOU HAVE

UNLIMITED "AMMO" IN YOUR BIT-GUN, SO KEEP FIRING!

LOOK OUT FOR LASER BLASTS!

While you're firing at the bits in the Bit Stream, watch out for the "eyes" of

the MCP. These deadly orbs fire "laser blasts" back at you. If the blasts reach

the blue columns near the stack, they will hit you! Three hits and you return to

the Circuit Maze, WITH ONE MORE TURN LOST, to start the next round.

TO AVOID BEING HIT, ACTIVATE YOUR FORCE SHIELD when you see the laser blasts

coming. (Press either FORCE SHIELD BUTTON.) The MCP warns you when it is ready to

fire--Its glowing orange eyes turn red with rage.

You have unlimited energy in your Force Shield in Phase II, so you can use it as

often as you like. HOWEVER, YOU CANNOT FIRE YOUR BIT GUN WHILE YOUR FORCE SHIELD

IS UP.

A laser hit by the MCP is not the same as the loss of a turn.

3 laser hits = 1 turn lost and return to the Maze (or the end of the game if you

already lost 2 turns).

3 turns lost = the end of the game.

POPPING THE STACK

If a matching bit pair in the bit stream makes it all the way to the top of the

Stream and moves off screen, WITHOUT BEING TURNED BLACK, the TOP PAIR IN THE

STACK WILL ALSO MOVE OFF SCREEN. This is called "POPPING THE STACK".

The result of popping the stack is that you now have a NEW BIT PAIR AT THE TOP OF

THE STACK. You must look through the moving Bit Stream to find matching pairs for

the new top bit pair. Then turn the new matching pairs black before they, too,

move off screen (popping the stack again). This can be tricky, especially at

higher levels.

WHEN THE ENTIRE STACK POPS, YOU WILL BE RETURNED TO THE CIRCUIT MAZE, TO BEGIN

THE NEXT ROUND OF THE GAME. You do not lose a turn when you return to the maze by

popping the stack. The first and last bit pairs in the stack are RED, so you know

when you are nearing the end of the stack.

SCORING--PHASE II

While in Phase II, you receive 100 points times your present game level for each

MATCHING bit pair that you turn black (You must turn BOTH bits in the pair black

in order to receive any points.)

EXAMPLE: If you have made it to the MCP for the 3rd time, you are playing at

Level 3. You therefore receive 300 points for each MATCHING bit pair that you

turn black.

Your points for turning a matching bit pair black are added to your score AFTER

THAT PAIR MOVES OFF SCREEN. If you are returned to the Maze or the game ends

before a black bit pair moves off screen, you will not receive the points for

that bit pair.

Your total score accumulates from round to round, until the game ends. To display

your final score at the end of the game, press the DISC. Your score will be

displayed for a few seconds; then the screen will start moving again. Display

your score as often as you like. TO RESTART THE GAME, press any KEY.

GAME LEVELS

During Round 1 of the game (both phases), you play at Level 1. When you return to

the Maze after Round 1, you begin Round 2 at Level 2. The Maze will move faster

and when you advance to the MCP, the Bit Stream will move faster.

With each new round that you start, you advance 1 level. The Maze and Bit Stream

both move faster, until you pass Level 12. LEVEL 12 IS THE LAST LEVEL AT WHICH

GAME DIFFICULTY INCREASE.

Game level also affects scoring (see pages 18 and 24). For scoring purposes,

there are 99 game levels. The levels from 12 to 99 do not increase in difficulty.

They are used only as the multiplier for your scores.

Example: If you reach Level 20, you will be playing at Level 12 difficulty, but

your score for EACH matching bit pair will be 100 points x 20, or 2000 points.

GOOD LUCK, FLYNN! KEEP THE STACK INTACT!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

©1982, 1998 Intellivision Productions, Inc.