Bill Trost
and
four productions present
Star Gypsy

1.	The Saga Of the Star Gypsy
2.	Installing the Game
3.	Description of Controls
4.	Gameplay Hints
5.	Project Notebook
6.	Author Information
7. 	A Note On Freeware And The Power Of Voodoo

The Saga Of The Star Gypsy

You alone are the last hope of your tribe.  Once a proud clan of gifted seers, your bloodline has been hunted by the Otherworlders for centuries.  But, in you, the ancient prophesies are coming to fruition.  It has long been sung amongst your people,  a lone gypsy shall sail a ship to the stars.  The hunted will become the hunter.  The Star Gypsy shall give his people something they have not had in over 500 years, peace.

Installing The Game

The Stargpsy.zip file should contain the following programs:
StarGpsy.txt (Text Version of the Documentation)
setup.bin (Installation data file)
Setup.exe (Double Click this one to install the game)
StarGpsy.dat (Main game data file)
Checkstu.ttf (Font file.  {optional}  Copy this into your font directory in the control panel of Windows 95)

Description Of Controls

The U.S.S. Gypsy is designed to be as intuitive as possible.  You start the game with three Lives which are kept track of by the indicator in the lower left corner of the screen.  Flight is controlled with the LEFT/RIGHT ARROWS.  Your weapons systems consist of two standard projectiles.  Your main weapon is the Blaster Cannon which has unlimited ammunition and is fired using the SHIFT KEY.  You begin your mission with three Frag Bombs that are launched using the CTRL KEY.  Frag Bombs explode on impact with an enemy ship and do extra damage against the sector bosses.  Additional Frag Bombs can be picked up in every sector.  The indicator in the upper left corner of the screen keeps track of the number of Frag Bombs you currently carry. 

The following FUNCTION and CONTROL KEYS are also active during your missions:	

		ESC:  Reset Game
		   F1:  Display Help Screen		   
 		   F2:  Reset Game
	ALT + F4:  Quit Game And Return To Windows
		   F5:  Boss Key
	           F8:  Toggle Menu Bar
        CTRL + P:  Pause Game
        CTRL + S:  Toggle Sound FX
	CTRL + M:  Toggle Music

	 
	Gameplay Hints
	
Save your Frag Bombs!  They do TEN TIMES more damage against the Bosses than your Blaster Cannon does.  
Take out Homing Missiles fast!  They can survive several hits from your Blaster Cannon and will destroy your ship on impact EVEN IF YOU HAVE SHIELDS!
Unfortunately, your Shields can not be maintained when you warp from sector to sector.
DOUBLE YOUR FIREPOWER by collecting a Wingman!  They will only stay with you to the next sector though.

Project Notebook

Thank you for trying STAR GYPSY.  My goals with this game were to create a fun little windows shooter that I could play when I was bored with whatever I was supposed to be working on and to make it small enough that it could be open on my desktop without getting in the way.  I am very satisfied with the results and I hope you are too.  It is not an easy game by any means but with a little practice it can be beaten.  (I've done it!)   It took me MANY hours to build this teeny little game as I did all of the programming and the all original art.  (Ah heck!  I did EVERYTHING.  Who am I trying to kid?)   For the next Four Production, Evil Depths, I am collaborating with Kevin Burns, who I have worked with before on the CRPG War Wizard II.  We are just getting underway on the game and already it is looking pretty darn good.  If you liked this game you will NOT want to miss Evil Depths.  Well, I have babbled on enough but,  as a reward for actually reading this far, check out the very bottom of this file for instructions on how to start the game with nine lives.

<updated 2-9-97>

Sorry, due to my incredible good fortune, development of Evil Depths is on hold.  I really doubt it will ever see the light of day.  DOH!



Author Information

I am a Art Major at SDSU and have an A.A. in Pictorial Arts from Palomar College.  STAR GYPSY,  while not my first Klik & Play game, is the first one I have actually felt confident enough to finish and release.  I have also created artwork for the MicroGenesis CRPG War Wizard II.  I am looking for my big break into the gaming world.  With 14 years of computer, art and gaming experience I think it is about time.  If you are with a gaming company and need an artist please keep me in mind.  I can be contacted at four96@aol.com.  Thank you once again for trying STAR GYPSY.

<updated 2-9-97>

Well in the time since I wrote the paragraph above I have been lucky enough to get my "big break"! :O)  I am now an artist at Sony Interactive Studios and working on a cutting edge PC project.  I still would very much like to hear from you if you enjoyed Star Gypsy.  I can now be contacted at
btrost@sonyinteractive.com  

A Note On FreeWare And 
The Power Of Voodoo

This is a Freeware game.  That means NO ONE, not even me, can charge money for this game.  The author retains all rights to this game and all of its components and it should not be included in any compilations without my consent.  There will be a voodoo curse placed on anyone who tries to thieve my art or ideas.

Star Gypsy, Evil Depths, and Four Productions are c 1996 Bill Trost

To start STAR GYPSY with NINE LIVES!:  On the screen that says "START CREDITS QUIT" click the left mouse button once in each of the FOUR corners of the screen.  Get it?  Four corners...Four Productions.. >groan<.... well jeepers.. at the time it seemed clever.
