Shadowfire
Written by: Denton Designs
categories: strategy
Platforms: Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K
Sections: controls instructions hints/cheats sequels/prequels reviews general facts notes
The treacherous General Zoff has captured Ambassador Kryxix of
the Empire. Unfortunately, the Ambassador is carrying the plans
for a revolutionary new kind of spacecraft, the Shadowfire. With
it, Zoff would be able to ravage the Empire at will. The crack
Enigma team - whom you control - must rescue the Ambassador
before he cracks under interrogation and gives away the location
of the plans!
You have one hour and forty minutes to carry out your mission.
There are three main objectives for you to fulfil:
1. Rescue Ambassador Kryxix.
2. Capture General Zoff
3. Capture or destroy his ZOFF V starship.
You can accomplish these tasks in any order. The game opens with
the Enigma craft moored alongsie the ZOFF V. Your first task is
to beam some or all of your team aboard using the abilities of
the droid Manto.
Having selected your means of control (joystick or keys), you
will see the Enigma team screen, showing the surviving members
of the Enigma team. From left to right, the characters are:
1. SYLLK - Insectoid; excellent fighter; wears armour;
very strong.
2. SEVRINA MARIS - Human; crack locksmith; excellent markswoman
3. MANTO - Transport droid; weak self-defence; only team
member with transporter ability
4. MAUL - Weapons droid; excellent self-defence; tough
fighter; well armoured; slow moving
5. ZARK MONTOR - Human; team leader; expert in close combat;
strong
6. TORIK - Avian; good fighter; very fast; quite weak
STATUS SCREEN : When you select a character, you will see a
screenful of icons. Each Enigma character has four screen:
Status, Objects, Movement and Battle. The first you will see when
you select a character will be the Status screen. The icons show:
1. Running figure - Agility; shows speed of movement
2. Strong arm - Strength; shows strength (or weakness); may
change length during the mission
3. Heart - Stamina; shows physical endurance; will
change if character is injured or tired.
4. Scales - Weight; when a character picks up an object
a green bar appears; if the object is too
heavy the bar will turn red. Simply drop
something to restore the bar to green.
5. Green monitor - Gives access to character's Movement screen.
6. Yellow monitor - Gives access to character's Object screen.
7. Red monitor - Gives access to character's Battle screen.
8. Arrow/Screens - Quit; select this when you want to return
to a previous screen. This icon can also be
used to cancel a command.
OBJECT SCREEN : This screen is entered by selecting the Yellow
monitor icon and enables you to manipulate objects. At the left
of the screen are the objects in the same location as the
character. In the middle are the objects (if any) carried by the
character. Along the bottom a bar registers the weight of objects
carried. On the right of the screen are the icons which allow you
to manipulate objects:
1. Finger on Button - Activate weapon, transporter pad, etc.
2. Gun/Knife - Ready for use; selects which object will
be held for immediate use. Move the cursor
over the icon desired and press ENTER.
(Make sure you use this icon when you arm
a character!)
3. Hold briefcase - Pick up object; move cursor over this icon
and press ENTER; the item will then appear
in the middle of the screen as a carried
object.
4. Drop briefcase - Drop object; move cursor over this icon and
press ENTER, then select the object carried
and press ENTER again; the item will
reappear on the left of the screen as an
object in the same location as the
character.
The remaining icons on this screen are the Green monitor
(Movement), Red monitor (Battle) and Quit. Tools are normally
activated using the Activate icon; however, specialist objects
such as the Self Destruct Unit may require an additional command
icon. Such objects are activated using this command icon. Weapons
are automatically activated in combat situations, but only if the
character has a weapon held at the ready.
MOVEMENT SCREEN : This screen is entered by selecting the Green
monitor icon and enables you to move characters from location to
location. At left are a number of arrows. The filled arrow(s)
show possible directions for the character to move. In the middle
of the screen is a text descriptio of the character's current
location. At right are three other icons: Red monitor (Battle),
Yellow monitor (Objects) and Quit. To command a character to move
simply place the cursor over any of the filled arrows and press
ENTER.
You can only move a character in the direction(s) indicated by
a filled arrow. Occasionally a character may refuse to respond.
Either they are faced by a locked door and require a keycard or
they are about to be attacked.
BATTLE SCREEN : This screen is entered by selecting the Red
monitor icon and enables you to command a character to do battle.
At left will be displayed characters standing in the location
selected. In the middle of the screen are the attack/retreat
indicators. On the right are the icons which allow you to command
a character to fight or retreat:
1. Right arrow - Attack; commands character to do battle; if
they win they will advance into the enemy's
location.
2. Left/right arrow - Defend; commands a character to stand fast
and do battle.
3. Left arrow - Retreat; commands character to retire to
next location.
4. Square with detail - Location scan; enables you to look into
current or adjacent locations; then you
can count or identify other characters,
who appear on the left of the screen.
(The eight directional arrows are used to choose the direction
of attack.)
MISSION COMMAND SCREEN : This appears above the character screens
at all times. It shows (from left to right) Status icons; View
screen; and Character in play. The Status icons change colour
according to a character's status:
White - Inactive, ready for command
Blue - Moving
Magenta - Attacking
Cyan/Brown - Defending
Yellow - Retreating
Green - Picking lock (Sevrina)
Flashing - Character weak
Black - Character dying
The View screen will show the current location of the character,
plus any other characters within sight. The Character in play
screen shows the character currently in play.
OTHER CHRARACTERS
1. Ambassador Kryxix - appears as a green icon; must be rescued!
2. General Zoff - magenta icon; must be captured alive.
3. Captain Churl - white/grey icon; Zoff's second in
command.
4. Marshall - Marshall icon; humanoid or robotic
officer.
5. Squad Leader - Squad Leader icon; both humanoid and
robotic.
6. Trooper - Trooper icon; both humanoid and robotic.
OTHER ITEMS
1. Projectile Pistol - light short range weapon
2. Laser Rifle - medium weapon, effective at medium range
3. Rocket Launcher - very effective when fired at adjacent
location
4. Smoke Bomb - very effective when used in current
location
5. Time Delay Unit - freezes time for all except the activator
6. Tool Kit - allows Sevrina to open locked doors
7. Key Card - colour coded; opens certain locked doors
8. Self-Destruct Card - activates the ZOFF V's Self-Destruct
Unit
9. Self-Destruct Unit - when activated, begins a 4-minute
countdown (in real-time) until
self-destruction.
10. Transport Beacon - can only be operated by Manto; can only
be used after it has been dropped in a
location.