                                  THE QUIRKERS                     

I will randomly generate, up to 1000, MOUSE EARED QUIRKERS on an 80 x 25 grid. 
These Quirkers can also create GHOST Quirkers and when you fire you may be 
attacking a GHOST and NOT the real Quirker star ship. Thus their only weapon 
is their CLOAKING device to generate a GHOST ship. It appears that about half 
of the 1000 Quirkers are Ghosts, or they simply just VANISH. 

While you are maneuvering your star ship towards the Quirker, the Quirker may 
shift left, right, up or down, or that Quirker may NOW be a ghost ship and 
another one appear in a totally different quadrant. 

Quirkers will be generated either one or two at a time, and sometimes even five
at a time, but ONLY ONE of them is the REAL Quirker. 

Even while firing on a Quirker it is possible that the Quirker can change it's 
position and the LASER could miss the target. 

Bumping into a Quirker is very costly. This cost depends on the type of options
that you currently have set up. (This is defined later). 

It is possible, even though AUTO PILOT is active, that any of the random 
Quirkers could be generated ON TOP of you. If you are unlucky enough to have 
this occur, then it will cost you the same amount of fuel as a crash.

Press any key or E to END
                 * STARS *                REFUELING STATION          

Stars will be generated at random quadrants andor points in time.

Bumping into a star is just as costly as bumping into a Quirker star ship. 
For each star that is generated your MACH factor will slow by .0267.

There is also a little help that could appear. This help is a refueling station
and it will appear as  and you have x amount of fuel units to DOCK. 

If you attach or pass through the FUELING BASE you will receive an additional 
1,000 units of fuel. This additional fuel could be helpful if you have crashed 
into a Quirker or a Star. Remember, the BASE won't stay there very long, be 
alert, keep your eyes open. Laser fire does NOT count against the fuel units 
time limit NOR does Auto Pilot seek out the Refueling Station. The Refueling 
Station can SHIFT positions left, right, up or down or any or all of these. 

If Auto Pilot is ACTIVE you may OVERRIDE (to some extent) the Auto Pilot. 
Simply depress one of the arrows and your direction will change accordingly. 
However, it may take a little time to recover from this OVERRIDE or to even 
notice that you have attempted to override the Auto Pilot. The system may 
be so INTENT on aligning and firing on a Quirker that it may take a while. 

Press any key or E to END
                                 THE FIRELIGHT   

The FIRELIGHT is a marvelous star ship. I will let YOU control the FireLight 
or YOU may let the COMPUTER control the FireLight at some point in time. 

You have 10,000 UNITS of fuel when you leave your home base. The object of the 
game is to destroy as many Quirkers as you can AND compare your FUEL cost per 
Quirker HIT as well as how much fuel do you have left over, if any, relative 
to what is considered to be GOOD. You will be RANKED at the end of the 1,000 
Quirkers OR if you exhaust your fuel supply prior to the 1,000 Quirkers. 

                                    MANEUVERING 
The FireLight may travel at MACH speeds of from 1 to 9 (9 the fastest) and 
MACH factor of '0' is classed as HYPERMACH which is GREATER than MACH 9. 

Using the ARROWS will cause your STAR SHIP to MOVE in that direction and will 
CONTINUE to move in that direction until YOU change directions. 

If you attempt to exit the GALAXY you will wrap around, that is if you are on 
the edge of the screen, you would then appear on the opposite side.
There is an AUTO PILOT associated with the FireLight, however, you may only 
activate this when x number of Quirkers have been destroyed. The advantage of 
the Auto Pilot is that the Auto Pilot knows the shortest path and whether the
Quirker that is being chased is the REAL one or a GHOST. 

NOTE: With AUTO PILOT ON and AUTO FIRE OFF you will CRASH unless you FIRE. 
Press any key or E to END
                                 THE FIRELIGHT   

                              MORE ABOUT WRAP AROUND 

Since the Galaxy is a grid 80 x 25, and it cost 1 fuel point per quadrant to 
fire your laser, and with Auto Pilot active it costs 15 points to change any 
direction or 5 points to move a quadrant, then it appears that some serious 
thought must be given as to whether it is better to WRAP AROUND or to shift 
directions. The point cost in fuel is not to bad unless it is Auto Pilot. 

It appears that if the FIRELIGHT just completed a function, and the next 
Quirker appears in the opposite diagonal corner, it would be better to wrap 
around and then turn and fire, providing there are no more than 25 quadrants 
difference between them.

EXAMPLE: 

The FIRELIGHT is now located at quadrant HORIZONTAL 10 and VERTICAL  2. 
The new Quirker is located at HORIZONTAL 75 AND VERTICAL 22. The FIRELIGHT 
would most likely have to shift DOWN (15 points) and MOVE 20 (100 points) then 
shift (15 points) and FIRE (from 2 to 75 is 73 points). This is a total of 
203 points. (This is EXTREME ENDS). If it were to wrap around I would move 
from quardant 2 to 75 (35 points), turn (15 points), and fire (20 points) for 
a new total of only 70 points. 

Press any key or E to END
                                 THE FIRELIGHT   

                                  LASER FIRING           

To FIRE LASER in the direction you are going depress the MARK+BOUND+SPACE keys.

You may also use your lasers at either FULL or HALF power. Half power will 
NOT fire beyond where the enemy ship CAN be. However, remember a QUIRKER ship 
COULD go CLOAKING and another one, the real one, appear just beyond.  
If you do NOT attack the Quirker star ship soon enough it WILL move in some 
unknown direction. In fact, the enemy ship COULD move during the time that 
the LASER FIRE is ON THE WAY. Obviously if the calculation is to STOP the 
fire at a given quadrant (HALF POWER) and the ship has moved just one position 
further, you would MISS. Thus this is the reasoning for possible FULL POWER. 
The Auto Fire Control computer, however, KNOWS if this has occurred. 
You MAY FIRE through a star if you have FULL laser power. But if you have 
HALF laser power you WILL have to FIRE AGAIN. Game commences at half power. 
You may activate AUTO FIRE CONTROL when a certain amount of Quirkers have been 
destroyed. The FIRE CONTROL computer KNOWS if a Quirker has moved or if it is 
a ghost Quirker and adjusts accordingly and ceases firing until realigned. 
This option is also in MANUAL control, simply PRESS any of the fire control
keys (MARK or BOUND or SPACE) and YOU will stop firing at that point.

Press any key or E to END
                                AUTO PILOT COMPUTER 
The AUTO PILOT associated with the FIRELIGHT WILL chase the Quirker until 
a CRASH occurs or the Quirker is destroyed by laser fire. 

During the course of chasing the Quirkers if any stars are encountered they
will be avoided. Since the Galaxy is a little lopsided (80 x 25) the shortest 
path that is computed may look a little strange, but that's life. 
If Auto Fire Control is NOT active but Auto Pilot IS active then if you are 
heading towards the Quirker you better FIRE the LASER before you crash. 

                                AUTO FIRE  CONTROL 
When the FireLight is lined up in the proper direction, that is, the point is 
facing towards the enemy ship, the LASERS WILL FIRE. The star ship can wrap 
around up, down, left or right, however, the LASER fire DOES NOT wrap around. 

If the FireLight is lined up and is in the process of firing the laser towards
the enemy ship, and the enemy ship shifts quadrants, the laser fire will STOP. 
The FireLight will realign and then REFIRE the LASER. You may STOP the laser 
fire also, when in Manual Mode, by depressing the Fire Control key, if you 
see that the Quirker has moved out of range. 

NOTE: FIRE CONTROL INACTIVE  
      When firing with HALF power in manual operation the laser will ONLY 
      proceed forward for the amount of quadrants that the enemy ship can be. 
      EXAMPLE: If I am proceeding LEFT and the enemy ship is to my right and I 
               fire the laser, NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. 
Press any key or E to END
                                 PROGRAM CONTROL 
 
During the course of the game you may desire to change an option or check your 
score. This can be accomplished by INTERRUPTING the PROGRAM by depressing  
the letter I. This will cause the program to halt and display OPTIONS of: 
 
               AutoFireLaserMachPauseHelpScoreQuietEnd

        Auto:  Allows the setting or resetting of AUTO PILOT CONTROL. 
        Fire:  Allows the setting or resetting of AUTO FIRE  CONTROL. 
        Laser: Allows the setting of the LASER to FULL or HALF power. 
        Mach:  Allows the MACH FACTOR setting to be changed (19  0).
        Pause: Allows the STOPSTART (PAUSE) Action screen displayed.
        Help:  Displays this series of screen displays for refresher. 
        Score: Display all totals accumulated (by you) to this point. 
        Quiet: Any CRASH, LASER HIT or STAR EVASION BEEPS. ON or OFF. 
        End:   ENDOFJOB  AT ANYTIME and let's you start a new game. 

        Includes any andor all messages associated with the options. 

Refueling stations will ONLY appear if you have need. That is, if you have 
ever crashed into a Quirker or a star, and it is time for the station to be 
generated, then it WILL appear, else it will NOT appear. I will ONLY generate 
a maximum of up to 6 refueling stations. 

Press any key or E to END
                                 PROGRAM CONTROL 

                                 STATUS  LINES

During the time the action screen is displayed, there will be two STATUS lines
of information at the BOTTOM of the screen.  The following lines are examples:

$$$$ (DO NOT REMOVE THE DOLLAR SIGNS  A FLAG TO PROGRAM TO GET STATUS LINES)

This will maintain a running total of Quirkers, Stars, Laser power setting,
Fuel consumption (that is, what's left) and then a short message of either:

MANUAL CONTROL        AUTO PILOT          AUTO  FIRE      AUTO PILOTFIRE
QUIRKER * CRASH    * STAR  CRASH *      PROGRAM  PAUSED   STAR ** EVASION
** FUEL  LOW **    **ALERT ALERT**      *FUEL  STATION*   *LOADING  FUEL*

As the various items are generated or destroyed (Quirkers  Stars) their fields
will be updated. As fuel is consumed or loaded it will be updated.  Obviously
the short messages will appear as they occur.  Usually one of the messages on
the first line, of the 3 above, will be displayed constantly, as this is your
mode of operation.  Whenever another message overrides this it will reappear.

Press any key or E to END
                               **  MESSAGES  **

MANUAL CONTROL      You are controlling the FIRELIGHT totally.

  AUTO  PILOT       The computer is controlling the directional attacks.

  AUTO  FIRE        The computer is controlling the firing of the laser.

AUTO PILOTFIRE     The computer is controlling the ENTIRE attacks.

QUIRKER * CRASH     You crashed into a Quirker star ship.

* STAR  CRASH *     You crashed into a Star.

PROGRAM  PAUSED     The program is STOPPED until you restart it.

STAR ** EVASION     Under Auto Pilot the computer just evaded a star.

** FUEL  LOW **     Displayed if fuel level between 950  750 units.

**ALERT ALERT**     Displayed if fuel level less than 250 units.

*FUEL  STATION*     A Fuel Station is available to DOCK to and get 1,000 units.

*LOADING  FUEL*     You have DOCKED and you ARE loading 1,000 units of fuel.

Press any key or E to END
                               ****  MAGIC  ****

There are TWO times where a little MAGIC could be utilized. This is when the
program displays the first request of: Do you require HELP: YN or at the
end of the display that describes the scoring (which follows).

At this time there are keys, somewhere on the keyboard, that will allow the
program to BEGIN with Auto Pilot and Auto Fire BOTH ACTIVE from the beginning.
In either case the keys involved are the SAME keys. Surely your smart enough.

Before you can normally activate either of these options the total number of
Quirkers generated must be somewhere greater than 200, which is not to bad
considering there are 1,000 Quirkers generated.

This was utilized for debugging purposes and I thought I might as well leave
it in the program just to add a little thought to the game.

BITS  PIECES:
When you interrupt the program for a request, and the response is completed,
the game continues where the FireLight and the Quirker were last positioned.
In order to conserve fuel units the INTERRUPT routine is INACTIVE during LASER
FIRE.

Press any key or E to END
                               **** SCORING ****

                                    TARGETS    < FUEL COSTS >
                                                AUTO   AUTO  MANUAL    LASER
                                               PILOT   FIRE CONTROL FULL  HALF
                                                                
Destruction of a Quirker ship.......  + 1       +100   +100    +100 
Destruction of a star.........................  100   100    100  25

Refueling connection.......................... +1000  +1000   +1000 

Direction change..............................   15    10      5 
Movement......................................    5     5      2 

Laser Fire per quadrant.......................    1     1      1 

Collision with Quirker........................ 1500  1000    800 
Collision with a Star......................... 2000  1000    800 

The fuel costs under HALF or FULL Laser power is in ADDITION to the fuel costs
listed under AUTO PILOT ANDOR AUTO FIRE OR MANUAL CONTROLS. 
When in Auto Pilot and a STAR IS EVADED this is a freebe, costs you nothing. 

(There are MAGIC KEYS that will cause Mach 0, Auto Pilot and Auto Fire NOW.)

Press a key(s)                 
