Star Heritage:Translation:The User Guide

Hi all!

This is the user guide for Star Heriritage which I have translated to English. It should not be confused with the PC remake, I am translating the original ZX Pentagon (Scorpion) version.

Hereby I appeal to all forum members to help me correct the following translation.

We're glad to present to you our new project, the game "Star Heritage". You are to assume the role of secret agent of the Central Union of Human Colonies who has suffered a crash on an unknown planet, far from the interstellar routes. You can control the hero's actions by giving him commands in Russian, and you won't need to type them on the keyboard. The comfortable interface, developed specifically for this game, will help you communicate with the program in a comfortable way.

The control panel is located in the lower third of the screen and consists of several windows with different functions. Let's look at them closer:

The leftmost window displays the hero's main parameters. They're shown in the form of a histogram, every column whereof is responsible for one value.

H -- Health
S -- Strength
St -- Stamina
E -- experience
L -- Level

Health indicates the "life energy" of the hero. Zero value corresponds to death. Health is decreased during long walks and fights. Food, rest and some medicine help to heighten it.

Strength is a measure of the physical strength of the hero. This parameter is especially important for close combat and affects the damage that your strikes inflict on the enemy. Strength depends on the same factors as Health.

Stamina indicates how easily the hero can withstand enemy's strikes in fights. As health, stamina lowers during walks and grows when resting.

Experience grows throughout the game. The higher it is, the more easily the hero will be able to defeat his enemies and tolerate hardship.

Level. When this value reaches the maximum your level is increased by one. The level has a global effect on the resting parameters, except for Experience. You'll be stronger and more enduring.

The higher your level, the easier it is to fight in close combat. Experience and level can be increased only through the exploration of the game universe.

To the right of the information window is the calendar, schematically showing the time of day (morning-day-evening-night). Having a rest takes a forth of the day. The same time is spent during a walk from one location to another. The time of day is an important factor: it affects the behavior of other game characters (at night people tend to sleep, while predators go a-hunting, and so on).

In the center of the panel is placed a compass showing the directions on the planet. It'll help you to move around.

In the rightmost part of the screen is the command window. It is this menu by means of which you'll control the hero.

To perform an action you should no more than choose it from the list.

The command menu includes the following items:

1. Go. Upon choosing this command you are given a list directions (north, south, west, east). On the compass the possible exits out of the current location will flash. Having chosen a direction, you'll go where it points. We should remind you that moving between locations take one forth of day. That is, if you have left in the morning then you'll arrive at the destination during day. If don't want to go anywhere, then choose Cancel.

2. Rest. A rest will let the hero to partially restore his vigour.

Remember, that long walk without rest leads to a quick loss of energy. A too long sleep should be avoided as well: you may just freeze without motion. And be careful for there are places where it deadly dangerous.

3. Inventory. This option shows the list of items you carry and lets you examine any of them.

4. Examine. If you want to inspect something without your inventory this is the option.

5. Use. The most comprehensive command. In the game you'll come across a great amount of objects capable of being used. Some of them, whose use is evident, do not require explanation. For example to use a door means to enter it.

However, often you'll need to specify a second object, relative to which you're going to use the first item. For example, USE KEY DOOR -- open the door with the key.

6. Drop. Lets you drop an unneeded item on the ground.

7. Take. By means of this option you can pick up an item. Weight matters, so you can't take everything.

8. Talk. Use this command to communicate with other characters, know from them important information and receive items. If the conversation has been accepted you are offered a list of phrases you can say. Just type the number of the required phrase.

9. Give. this command will let you give an item from your inventory to another character. This option also lets you conclude sell/buy treaties.

Then follow service commands helping the user to work with the program with maximum of comfort.\:

10. Music (128) -- to turn music on/off

11. New Game.

12. Change Colors. In case you have BW display on which it is difficult to distinguish colors, this option switches between BW and Color mores.

13. Save Game. At any moment can save the game on the disk. You are given four slots for this purpose.

14. Load Game. Lets continue and previously saved game.

Everything said above concerned the main mode of the game, the mode of exploration. Another mode is Combat. You enter it is you attack somebody, or are attacked. Then a anxious melody will play and you'll see "Combat!" on the screen. Be ready, as soon as you press "choose" the fight will begin.

In the right window of the panel will appear a sand-glass, to the left whereof are shown your parameters, and to the right - those of the enemy.

The column over the picture of a heart shows the value of health - yours and enemy's. Over a picture of a fist is displayed the power of strike. This parameter is constantly changing and your task is to blow a strike when it's at the maximum. But remember about time: not much of it is give for a strike. Until the time column is deceasing you can strike one (and only one) time. The enemy is not idle, though, and endeavours to strike you. Then sand-glass is turn over and everything repeats begins over again, until one of the fighters beats the other.

That all info, we hope it'll help you finish our game. Your impressions and notes about the program send at the address:
125130, Moscow, PO box 51, "STEP" Creative Group.