

                      MOONLORD ST
                   By Clayton Walnum

                   -----------------
                   COPYRIGHT NOTICE:
                   -----------------

This program and its accompanying documentation are copyright 1991, 1992
by Clayton Walnum.  All Rights Reserved.  MOONLORD is shareware, and while 
it may be distributed freely, if you enjoy the program, you should send 
a $10 registration fee to the author at the address below.  Your support 
of shareware programs is greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

This program and documentation may be distributed only as an ARCed file 
containing all three of the game files (MOONLORD.PRG, MOONLORD.DAT, and 
MOONLORD.TXT) in unmodified form!  The ARC file must be named 
MOONLORD.ARC.

---------
THE STORY
---------

     Moonlord Planetinsky was a bitter man.
     Even though he had succeeded in virtually single-handedly defeating 
the last alien attack (the entire Titanian Territorial Guard had been 
stymied by the aliens' unusual strategies), even though he returned home 
a hero to the adulation of thousands, he found that, deep inside where 
it really counted, he was still as insecure as a new-born cub.
     It was the name, you know.
     It sounded so much like a title of office that people could rarely 
resist bowing when introduced.  It was a matter of amusement for most, 
but Moonlord hated it.
     His childhood had been no laughing matter, either.  He had always 
been the one with the cootiumphaloids (imaginary creatures about the 
size of a temphibootawep; if the other kids said you had them you were 
an outcast), and now as an adult, he still found that his unusual name 
was anything but an asset.
     Why, he often thought, couldn't he have been given a normal name 
like Fredolotington Alnertopater or Eddyboperty Elnopilersop?
     So he become tough -- the toughest starfighter on the Saturnian 
moon of Titan.  Nobody -- nobody -- dared cross him.
     Now it seemed he had another job to do.
     Moonlord stepped off the Sliderwalkatron and crossed to the 
headquarters of the Titanian Territorial Guard, clutching the 
telegramomessagecard in his left hand.  It was from Leeryup Coddledoop, 
Commander-in-Chief of the TTG.  He snickered to himself as he remembered 
the last time he had seen Leeryup, tucked into a hospital bed, every 
part of his body except the bones swollen like over-filled
cameladesertliquibags.
     "Guess he won't bow to me again!" Moonlord said out loud.  A few 
people glanced in his direction, but none let his gaze linger.  Moonlord 
was a hero -- and they loved him -- but they knew better than to draw 
attention to his peculiarities.  He drew a deep lungful of smoke from 
his smokyngstickolungolator, and then exhaled a swirling blue
tornado.
     When he stepped into Commander Coddledoop's office, the gray-haired 
man behind the desk stood up and saluted.  Even though Moonlord was a 
civilian, he now received the same respect as that awarded to an Admiral 
of the fleet.  To say the least, the TTG were inordinately impressed by
Moonlord's handling of the last alien invasion.
     Moonlord sat down without returning the salute, and stared at the 
Commander, saying nothing.
     The Commander sat slowly, fighting the urge to bow.  Heavens, but 
old habits died hard!
     "Uh...ahem," he began eloquently.  "...uh...To say the least, the 
TTG were inordinately impressed by your handling of the last alien 
invasion."
     Wow, thought Moonlord, Deja vu.  But he said nothing.
     "We have a tiny problem," the Commander tried again, "one that 
requires your...er...delicate touch."
     Moonlord's eyebrows climbed his forehead.  "You wouldn't by any 
chance be referring to the new fleet the aliens have sent out, would 
you?"
     "Well...it's a problem kind of...er...similar to that."
     "Similar?"
     "Um...very close to that, actually."
     "How close?"
     "Sort of...well...'identical' would be the appropriate word, I 
guess."
     Moonlord sighed.  "Are you or are you not referring to the new 
alien fleet?"
     "I believe that would be an accurate paraphrase of my previous 
remarks."
     "Have you ever considered politics?" Moonlord asked.
     "Well..."
     "Never mind.  It was a rhetorical question."
     Moonlord stood up and crossed to the Commander's newly installed 
compudigibinotometer-ST, the one that had recently replaced the long-
loved compudigibinotometer-XE, and called up the galactic map.
     The aliens were everywhere.
     "Let the good-times roll," Moonlord muttered.
     "Excuse me?" said the Commander, standing to get a better look at 
the screen.
     "I'll take the job," Moonlord said, turning toward the Commander.  
"I'll show those alien scum that they can't mess with Titan."
     The Commander positively glowed.  "Thank you, thank you, thank 
you!"  He was so delighted that he forgot to control his inner impulses.  
Before he knew it, he was bending at the waist, performing an elegant 
bow.  "Ohhhhh, nooooo..." he groaned.
     It was the Commander's opinion that hospital food hadn't improved 
much since his last stay. 

--------------------
PLAYING MOONLORD ST
--------------------

     Moonlord must be run in low resolution.  When you run the program 
(make sure the file MOONLORD.DAT is in the same directory as the 
program), the first thing you'll see is the title screen.  After you've 
finished admiring Maurice Molyneaux's excellent work, click the left 
mouse button and select a level of play.  Those who've never played 
Moonlord before should select the novice level.  Moonlord is a tough 
game to complete and, until you've developed good strategies, you won't 
have a chance on the expert level.  The novice level allows you a higher 
energy allotment, and the aliens' attacks have a lesser chance of 
damaging your ship.
     After selecting your level, you'll see the galactic map, 
represented on your screen by a 18 X 8 grid.  Each square in the grid is 
one sector of the galactic milieu, and hidden within these 144 sectors 
are the 50 alien craft you must locate and destroy.  Since aliens always 
travel in pairs, only 25 sectors actually contain the enemy.
     To make your job a little easier, there are two starbases you can 
dock with, to stock up on supplies and make repairs.  There's one at 
each end of the galaxy, and, of course, just like the aliens, they're 
randomly placed at the beginning of each game, forcing you to explore.
     To win the game, you must locate and destroy all 50 alien craft.  
You have only 100 Galactic Standard Days in which to complete your 
mission.  It'll take careful conservation of supplies and planned 
movement, so those who like to leap into the fray without a strategy 
will find failure a constant companion.
     Though there's only one way to win the game, there are many ways to 
lose (can't make it too easy for you, now can we).  The first is to run 
out of time.  You've got 100 days.  No extensions.  All begging will be 
ignored.
     The second way to lose your hero status is to allow your energy to 
run out.  Keep your eye on it; when it's gone, so are you.  Don't forget 
to check the status of your weapons, either.  If you should be in the 
heat of battle and find that both your weapons systems are down, you'll 
have to resort to ramming (more on that later) the aliens.  That means 
heavy damage.  Also, every time you ram an enemy, you're taking a one-
in-ten chance of destroying your own ship.
     Finally, use of your ship's warp capabilities is a risky venture, 
indeed.  Each time you decide to utilize them, you're taking a one-in-
ten chance of destroying your engines and ending the game.

-----------
THE BRIDGE
-----------

    Below the galactic map, you'll find the bridge.  This is where 
you'll gain access to the ship's main functions.  There are four systems 
available to you here: scanners, cruise engines, a status display, and 
warp engines (weapon systems are accessed from the scanner display).  To 
select a system, just place the mouse pointer over the system name and 
click the left mouse button.
     Note that at times some of your systems will be damaged and thus 
unusable.  You can tell at a glance which systems are down; their 
entries in the systems menu will be disabled.  The only exception to 
this is the long-range scanners.  They work automatically each time you 
move, so they have no menu entry.  You can check them on the status 
display (see the section "Status" below)

-------
CRUISE
-------

     To move your ship from one galactic sector to another, select the 
"cruise" command.  You are allowed to move in any of the eight compass 
directions, but you should note that diagonal moves are actually counted 
as two moves, and the required energy and time are deducted as if the 
move were completed with two non-diagonal moves.  When you click on the 
cruise systems, you'll be asked to select your destination sector.  
Simply place the mouse pointer over the sector and click the left mouse 
button.  Your ship will appear in the target sector.
     Each sector of movement uses 10 units of energy and one day of 
time.

-------
STATUS
-------

     Throughout the game, it's important to keep close tabs on your 
ship's condition and supplies.  You can't afford to be stuck far from a 
starbase when your energy is almost depleted, and it helps to know what 
weapons are functional before you spring into battle.  All this 
information is available in the status display.  To view the status 
display, select the "status" system from the bridge menu.  The status 
display screen will then pop into view.
     Your ship's six systems are displayed on the left, each followed by 
a number indicating how many days are needed to repair that system.  A 
zero means the system is fully functional.
     On the right, information on supplies, as well as the time 
remaining and the number of aliens remaining, can be found

----------------
DAMAGED SYSTEMS
----------------

     Damaged systems must be repaired before they can be used.  Damage 
is measured by the number of days the crew requires to complete repairs.  
If you don't need the damaged system right away, you need do nothing.  
The crew will automatically get to work, applying their best efforts to 
the restoration of your ship.  Remember: one sector of movement on the 
galactic map consumes one day.  A system that requires three days to 
repair will be operative after a move of three sectors.
     If you find you must make repairs immediately, before continuing 
with the game, you may do so by selecting the "repair" system from the 
status subsystem menu.  Use the mouse to tell the ship's computer how 
long you wish to wait for repairs, by placing the mouse pointer over one 
of the arrows and clicking the left mouse button.  When you're satisfied 
with your selection, press the right mouse button.  The repairs will be 
made, and the status screen updated.
     If more than one system needs repair, the times are not added 
together.  Each system has its own crew.  For example, if your photon 
launchers require four days to repair, and your short-range scanner 
needs two days, it'll take only four days to fix both systems.  Given 
the above circumstance, if you should select only two days of repair 
time, the short-range scanner will be operational, while the launchers 
will require two additional days of repair before you can use them.
     Don't forget that the time you spend waiting for repairs will be 
subtracted from the time available to your mission.  Sometimes, it's 
better to continue crippled then to waste a lot of time waiting for 
repairs to be completed.

-----
WARP
-----

     Should you find that you must move a long distance in a minimum 
amount of time, the warp engines may fill your need.  Unfortunately, the 
warp engines are still experimental; their safety and reliability cannot 
be guaranteed.  You have no control over where you'll end up, and each 
jump carries a one-in-ten chance of leaving you engineless, helplessly 
afloat in the timeless void of space.  In other words, the game could 
come to an abrupt ending.
     Each jump consumes one day and 30 units of energy.  Due to its 
undependability, you may have to jump several times before you get where 
you want (or at least in the general area).

--------------------
LONG-RANGE SCANNERS
--------------------

     You have two types of scanners on your ship: long-range and short-
range.  The long-range scanners are used to fill in the galactic map, 
and since they function automatically, you need do nothing except repair 
them when they become damaged.
     The long-range scanners examine the sectors adjacent to your 
position and mark the galactic map appropriately.  Empty sectors are 
indicated by a white dot, aliens are represented by a red circle, and 
starbases by a blue circle.  Your current position is marked by a green 
circle.  In most cases, your position marker will be outlined in yellow.  
However, if you should be in a sector containing aliens or a starbase, 
your marker will be outlined in red or blue, respectively.

---------------------
SHORT-RANGE SCANNERS
---------------------

     The "scan" system on the bridge menu activates the short-range 
scanners.  When you select this system, the short-range scanner display 
will pop up.
     The short-range scan allows you to see your current sector in 
greater detail.  Each sector of the galactic map is divided into 36 
smaller sectors.  Suns, aliens, starbases, as well as your own ship are 
all represented by icons on the short-range scan display.  Four systems 
commands are available from the short-range scan sub-system (SRSSS) 
menu: bridge, cruise, phaser and photon.
     To return to the bridge, select the "bridge" option.

-------------------
SHORT-RANGE CRUISE
-------------------

     You may move about in the short-range display in much the same 
manner as in the galactic map.  Select the "cruise" system from the 
SRSSS menu, press the left mouse button, then use the mouse to select 
your destination.
     Unlike the galactic map, your movement here is somewhat restricted.  
You can't move through a sun, an alien, or a starbase.  If anything is 
in your way, you must maneuver around it.  Also, "diagonal" moves are 
not allowed.  This is because, as I mentioned before, diagonal moves are 
interpreted as two non-diagonal moves.  Since the aliens will attack 
each time you move, only single moves are allowed.
     Movement on the short-range display consumes no time, but uses 
three energy points per sector.

--------
PHASORS
--------

     The phasers are the first of your weapons systems, and your most 
powerful.  When activated, they release a burst of electro-magnetic 
energy in every direction, damaging any alien craft on your scanners.  
Nothing can block their energy beams, not even a sun.  The amount of 
damage done depends on the number of alien craft present and the 
distance they are from your ship.  Damage is cumulative.  You may have 
to fire more than once to get the job done.
     To activate the phasers, select the phaser system from the SRSSS 
menu; then use your mouse to tell the ship computer the amount of power 
to allocate.  (Click on the arrows to increase or decrease the amount, 
and then press the right mouse button.)  Each power point will be 
subtracted from your remaining energy, so be stingy, allocating just 
enough to get the job done.

--------
PHOTONS
--------

     Photon torpedoes (globes of compacted light energy) can be used to 
fire on any alien craft that is in alignment (horizontally, vertically, 
or diagonally) with your ship.  Their range is sufficient to strike any 
ship on your scanners, and a strike is always fatal.  To fire a photon, 
select the photon system from the SRSSS menu, and then use the mouse to 
click on the appropriate point on the photon aiming compass.
     Firing a photon consumes no energy, but nothing comes for free.  In 
order to fire photons, your launchers must be in working order, and you 
must have photons on hand.  At the start of the game, you are given 10 
photons.  You'll be restocked only when you dock with a starbase.  
Obviously, you're going to have to use them judicious

--------
RAMMING
--------

     If you should find yourself in the midst of battle with all your 
weapon systems down, you can still defeat the aliens by ramming them 
with your ship.  Because your ship is much larger than the aliens', this 
will always be fatal to the enemy.  However, by resorting to such 
desperate measures, excessive damage may be caused to your ship.  
Specifically, up to three systems may be damaged, and there's a one-in-
ten chance that the damage will be sufficient to cripple your ship 
permanently, thus ending the game.

----------
STARBASES
----------

     When you set out from Titan Base, your ship will be carrying all 
the supplies it can hold.  It'll be necessary at certain points in the 
game to stock up.  For this reason, there are two starbases, one at each 
end of the galactic milieu.
     The starbases move from game to game, and will not be marked on the 
galactic map until you locate them -- one of your top mission 
priorities, obviously.  Once you locate a starbase, you must -- if you 
plan to restock your supplies and make repairs -- go to the short-range 
scanners and dock with the base.  Docking is accomplished by moving your 
ship on top of the base.  All your supplies will be restocked, and all 
systems will be repaired.

-----------------
MISSION COMPLETE
-----------------

     All missions, regardless of success or failure, will be evaluated 
by the personnel at Titan Base.  Your score is based on the number of 
aliens you destroyed, as well as the amount of time and energy you used 
(the less, the better).  Also, you'll get much higher scores at the 
expert level than you will at the novice level. 
     At the end of the game, if you want to play again, press the left 
mouse button.  To exit back to the desktop, press the right mouse 
button.

------
KUDOS
------

     I wish I were an artist, but I'm not.  Though I designed all the 
game screens and icons, it was Maurice Molyneaux who made them come to 
life.  He took what were only barely acceptable displays and turned them 
into a professional-looking piece of work.  Thanks, Maurice!

-----------
SHAREWARE:
-----------

If you enjoy this program, please do your part to support the
shareware concept.  The required $10 fee is very reasonable for
the hours of enjoyment you can get from a game.  Simply print out
the following form, fill it in, and drop it in the mail with your
check or money order.  (If you don't have a printer, just send a
check along with your name and address.)  You may also use your
Visa or MasterCard.

Note that the C source code for this game, shipped via first
class mail on a single-sided disk, is available for an additional
$9.
  
The author will respond to all contributors.

--------------------
C-MANSHIP COMPLETE:
--------------------

Also, don't forget Clayton Walnum's book, C-MANSHIP COMPLETE, the
only programming manual for the Atari ST that teaches both basic
C programming and GEM applications programming.  John Jainschigg
of ATARI EXPLORER said of C-MANSHIP "Within its genre, it has all
the earmarks of a classic text."  And according to Charles F.
Johnson of CodeHead software, "C-manship is a terrific way to
learn the C language in general and ST programming in particular.
Highly recommended!"

-----------------
MASTER POPULOUS:
----------------

Check your favorite bookstore for Clayton Walnum's new book,
MASTER POPULOUS, published by Howard W. Sams & Co.  This complete
guide to Bullfrog's phenomenal game includes full strategies for
improving game play, as well as an interview with Peter
Molyneaux, the creator of POPULOUS, and an in-depth preview of
the forthcoming POPULOUS II.  MASTER POPULOUS is also available
from Taylor Ridge Books, at the address shown below.

---------------------------------------------
THE ST ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE WORKSHOP, VOLUME 1:
---------------------------------------------

THE ST ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE WORKSHOP, VOLUME 1, by Clayton Walnum,
covers the basics of 68000 assembly language programming, including 
the 68000 instruction set, disk files, printer output, picture loading, 
and more.  The book and its accompanying disk are priced at $24.95 plus 
$3 P&H ($4 outside U.S.)

---------------------
AES QUICK REFERENCE:
---------------------

The first book in the TRB Reference Series, AES QUICK REFERENCE features
a complete guide to the AES library of functions, as well as an
overview of the TOS operating system.  In this 100-page volume, each
AES function is covered thoroughly, including a brief description of the
function, sample calls for both assembly language and C, and notes on
function usage.  Also included are complete program shells that assembly
language or C programmers can use as templates for their own programs.
AES QUICK REFERENCE is $11.95 plus $3 P&H ($4 outside the U.S.).  An 
optional disk that contains the shell programs is an additional $5.

-----------------------
THE GFA-BASIC TOOLKIT:
-----------------------

Written by John Hutchinson of Fair Dinkum Technologies, THE GFA-BASIC
TOOLKIT provides novice to intermediate programmers with over 50 useful
routines they can plug directly into their own programs.  There are
routines for file handling, picture loading, playing digitized sound,
displaying video special effects, saving picture files, controlling a
blitter chip, and much more.  THE GFA-BASIC TOOLKIT is $34.94 plus $3
P&H ($4 outside the U.S.), which includes a disk containing all the
routines, plus an extensive demo program.

------------------------------------------------------------
| Mail to: Clayton Walnum                                  |
|          c/o Taylor Ridge Books                          |
|          P.O. Box 78                                     |
|          Manchester, CT  06045                           |
|                                                          |
|    Name: ______________________________________________  |
| Address: ______________________________________________  |
|          ______________________________________________  |
|          ______________________________________________  |
|                                                          |
| Visa/MC #_____________________________ Exp. __________   |
| Signature: ______________________________________        |
|                                                          |
| __ Moonlord Registration -- $10                          |
| __ Moonlord C source code -- $9 (Free shipping)          |
|                                                          |
| __ C-manship Complete with DS disk -- $29.95 + $3 P&H    |
|    (SS disks are $5 extra. Postage outside U.S. is $4.)  |
|                                                          |
| __ Master Populous -- $16.95 + $3 P&H ($4 outside U.S.)  |
|                                                          |
| __ The ST Assembly Language Workshop, Volume 1 -- $24.95 |
|    + $3 P&H ($4 outside U.S.)                            |
|                                                          |
| -- AES Quick Reference -- $11.95 + $3 P&H ($4 outside US)|
| -- AES Quick Reference disk -- $5                        |
|                                                          |
| -- The GFA-BASIC Toolkit -- $34.95 + $3 P&H ($4 outside  |
|                             the U.S.)                    |
|                                                          |
|  When ordering more than one title, include only $3 P&H  |
|  ($4 outside the U.S.) for the first book and $1.50 ($2  |
|  outside U.S.) P&H for each additional title.            |
------------------------------------------------------------


*EOF

