Blaster Instructions

with artwork by Dean Hickingbottom

http://www.fognog.com

Installation instructions

Run the “BlasterSetup.exe” program on your PC and follow the instructions on-screen. Blaster can be installed anywhere on your PocketPC, including a memory storage card.

To Play…

Select “Blaster” from the Today menu.

The aim of the game is to blast the attacking alien space craft as you journey from the Earth to their home planet and on to their base, dodging their missiles and collecting power-ups as you travel.

To start, touch the screen with your stylus and you will be given a menu with the following options:

Training Mode

It is recommended that you complete your flight training before you start to play the game proper. You will be allowed to practice manoeuvring your ship and learn to tell the difference between a power-up and an attacking spacecraft!

Easy, Normal and Hard

Play the game at one of three difficulty levels. The harder the level, the more points you get for each attacking craft that you destroy.

Sound and Music on/off

These two buttons turn on and off the sound effects and music. When the button has a cross displayed, it is turned off.

Exit

End the game.

The Controls…

Use your stylus to steer your ship around the screen.

The big select button fires your normal weapons.

Pressing any of the smaller buttons fires a special weapon, if you have one.

Pressing the record button ends the game and returns you to the title screen.

The screen…

Your current score is shown in the top right corner of the screen, the highest score you have achieved is shown in the top left.

If you have a special weapon (see later), the type and number are shown below your score.

At the bottom is a bar showing your ship’s health. When your health reaches zero, its game over.

Power-ups

Powerups are contained in blue force fields and come down from the top of the screen and float around the lower half for a while before flying off. In the centre of the power-up is an icon showing you what type it is:

Repairs – increases your ship’s health. If you are at 80% health or more, you will get an extra ship
Autofire – increases you autofire rate
Laser Power – increases your ships laser power
Thrusters – increases your ships movement speed
Shield – adds a shield. This will protect your ship from damage, but its strength is reduced each time it takes a hit.

There are also standard weapon power-ups. These fire when you press the select button as normal. However, you only get a limited number of shots – so don’t waste them!

Special weapons are contained in red force fields and are activated by pressing the smaller buttons. Again, you only get a limited number of shots – up to a maximum of 5. Your ship can only be fitted with one type of special weapon at a time. If you pick up a special weapon power-up when you already have a special weapon fitted, the old one will be replaced by the new.

To collect a power-up, fly your ship into it.

Bonus Points

If you completely destroy an attacking wave, a bonus orb will float up from the last ship destroyed. Fly into it to collect your bonus.

When you collect a bonus orb, the number of points awarded floats up from the orb's position

The screenshot on the right shows a ship with a shield (in green) which is about to collect a bonus orb

Registration

Just buying Blaster will get you automatically registered. As a registered user, you are entitled to free updates and you might get your name in the Blaster Hall of Fame if you’re good enough!