From ddc9952d79a30824be1b4d56dba2c42c2724f2ed Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "B. Watson" Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2021 16:51:49 -0400 Subject: Reorganize and expand docs --- GAMEPLAY.txt | 128 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 128 insertions(+) create mode 100644 GAMEPLAY.txt (limited to 'GAMEPLAY.txt') diff --git a/GAMEPLAY.txt b/GAMEPLAY.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ab937ee --- /dev/null +++ b/GAMEPLAY.txt @@ -0,0 +1,128 @@ + +Note: This manual is nowhere near complete! + +User's Manual for Atari 8-bit Taipan +------------------------------------ + +To play Taipan, first load the game from disk or insert the +cartridge. See RUNNING.txt for details on how to load the game. + + +Gameplay Summary +---------------- + +Taipan is turn-based. Each turn consists of a trading phase (when your +ship is in port) and a transport phase (when your ship is sailing to +another port). If you're attacked by pirates during transport, there +is also a combat phase. + +During trading, you can buy and sell cargo at any port. Hong Kong is +your home port: that's where your bank and warehouse are located, +so when you're in Hong Kong you have the option to Visit Bank and +Transfer Cargo. + +Hong Kong is also where the shipyard is located. If your ship is +damanged, repairs are available (for a price) when you arrive in +Hong Kong. + +There's also a gentleman known as Elder Brother Wu in Hong Kong. He +loans money and collects donations for the local church, and is +rumored to have connections with Li Yuen's pirate gang. + +When you're ready to leave port, choose Quit Trading from the menu. +You'll be asked for a destination, and then your ship will set sail. +This is the transport phase of the turn. + +During transport, you might encounter a storm at sea. If this +happens when your ship is heavily damaged, there's a chance your +ship will sink, so make sure to keep your ship in good repair. Even +a well-maintained ship can be blown off course (to some other port +besides your chosen destination). + +You also might get attacked by pirates. If this happens, you enter the +combat phase of the turn. Otherwise, you'll arrive in port and begin +your next turn. + +During combat, you have three choices: Fight, Run, or Throw Cargo. If +your ship doesn't have any guns, don't bother trying to fight. Running +away is always an option, but the enemy will chase you, so you can't +always escape right away. Throw Cargo means you have your crew throw +some of your cargo into the water, in hopes that it will distract the +pirates or satisfy their greed, allowing you to get away safely. + +When the battle first starts, you choose between Fight, Run, or Throw +Cargo. During the fight, you can change your orders at any time by +pressing the key for the new order (F, R, or T). + + +Details +------- + +Once the game is loaded, you'll see the title screen, with a picture +of a sailing ship (a lorcha, to be exact). At the title screen, you +can customize gameplay before starting the game, using these keystrokes: + +B - Change background color. This cycles through all 16 hues available + on the Atari. +T - Change text brightness. Cycles through 4 levels, from bright to dark. +S - Enable/disable sound. This controls the "whistle" alert sounds in the + game, but not the key click sound. On XL/XE machines, the keyclick + will be disabled; on 400/800 it will be enabled. +Space or Return - Start the game. For the disk version, the rest of the + game will load from disk (once it's loaded, you can turn off the drive; + Taipan doesn't use it). For the cartridge version, the game starts + immediately. +Escape - Shows help, listing the above keystrokes on the bottom line of the + screen. Each press of Escape cycles to the next keystroke. + +When the game starts, the first thing you'll do is "name your firm". This +is the name of your trading company, and can be anything you like, up to +22 characters. The name doesn't affect gameplay; it's just for fun. + +The next screen offers you the choice of starting with either: + +1 - Cash, and a debt (but no guns) +2 - 5 guns, no cash, and no debt. + +Your ship has a cargo capacity of 60 units either way, but each gun +takes up 10 units so option 2 gives you only 10 units for carrying +cargo. Later in the game, you'll get the options to buy guns and +upgrade your ship to higher capacity. + +If you choose option 1, you can start trading immediately, but +remember to pay back your debt to Elder Brother Wu (he lives in Hong +Kong; go there to make payments). Very Bad Things can happen to those +who ignore this advice. The debt has interest that accrues every turn, +so don't wait too long. You'll also have to run if you get attacked +(or throw cargo, once you've bought some): You won't have guns to +fight back with, at first. + +With option 2, it takes longer to start trading. You'll have to sail +around to different ports, waiting to be attacked by pirates. If you +defeat them in battle, you'll collect plunder from them in the form +of cash, which you can use to start trading. However, you won't get +very rich with only 10 cargo units on your ship, so upgrade as soon +as you get the offer! + +Once you've made the choice, the game proper begins. You'll start out in +Hong Kong. Whenever you're in a port, the Status screen is displayed. This +shows lots of information [todo, fill in] + +Trading in the world of Taipan works just like real life: buy low and sell high. +There are 4 cargo types, in order from least expensive to most: + +General Cargo - this is the miscellaneous stuff that cargo ships +carry. It might be raw materials (sugar, tar, coffee, pig iron), or +finished goods (casks of wine, clothing, jewelry). To simplify gameplay, +these are lumped together as one category. + +Arms - Weaponry. Muskets (flintlock and otherwise), swords, etc. You +can't use these to fight other ships; they're just cargo, but +commanding a better price than General Cargo. + +Silk - Bolts of raw silk cloth. Pretty expensive stuff. + +Opium - A highly addictive drug, but not without medical uses. It's +risky to trade in opium becase it's illegal in most ports. However, +the potential gains may be worth the risk. + -- cgit v1.2.3