Tusker
action adventure game for Commodore 64, 1989
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COLLECTING OBJECTS AND WEAPONS
The hero is able to pick up a wide range of things, these are divided
into two categories, weapons and objects.
The weapons are: a gun, knife, machete and a slingshot.
The objects are: a water bottle, book, pocket watch, gold nuggets,
bottle of acid, bottle ofmedicine, hammer, chisel, key, box of
matches, idols and a plank of wood.
In order to pick up either weapons or objects, you must position the
hero facing the item you want, with his feet level with it. When in
the correct position, press the SPACE BAR and the hero will
automatically crouch down and retrieve the item. The collected item
will be automatically added to the hero's inventory and an appropriate
icon displayed in the status area.
Whenever an object or weapon is collected, it becomes the current item
the hero is using - this is shown by the fact of its icon being
displayed in the status area. To change the weapon the hero is using,
press the F7 key, this will cycle one at a time, through the complete
inventory of weapons until the one you want is displayed in the status
area.
To select an object for the hero, use the F1 key and follow the same
procedure as for weapon selection.
USING WEAPONS
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Certain weapons require a specific object to be displayed in the
status area in order for the weapon to function correctly. For
example, the gun needs ammunition - so the appropriate object icon has
to be displayed as well as the gun.
STATUS AREA
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OBJECT WEAPON ENERGY WATER
The above illustration shows the main functions within the status
area, from left to right they are:-
1. Icon of object in current use.
2. Icon of weapon in current use.
3. Accumulated score and life counter - this automatically alternates
between showing how many lives you have left and your score.
4. Your reserves of energy - as your energy is used up this will
progressively turn to black.
5. Your reserves of water - as your water supply is used up this will
progressively turn to black.
FIGHTING
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There are two methods of fighting. Bare-handed or holding a weapon.
When you start the game you will have no weapons, only hands and feet,
with which to defeat your opponents. The moves available are as
follows. (All the following are joystick moves with the fire button
pressed.)
TO FIGHT BARE-HANDED:
Slow Uppercut Punch
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Rapid Left Punch \--------------- ---------------/ Rapid Right Punch
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Kick
TO FIGHT WITH THE KNIFE:
Upward Slash ___ ___ Upward Slash
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Stab \--------------- ---------------/ Stab
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Kick
FIGHTING WITH THE MACHETE:
Upper Cut Stab
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Swipe ___ || ___ Swipe
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Stab \--------------- ---------------/ Stab
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Kick
FIGHTING WITH THE GUN:
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To Fire \--------------- ---------------/ To Fire
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Kick
FIGHTING WITH THE SLINGSHOT:
To fire - First, face the direction in which you want to release a
projectile then press FIRE to start the slingshot
spinning.
Depending on the length of time of the spin, and the
position when button is released,the distance the
projectile will travel will be set.
BASIC MOVEMENT:
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The joystick controls below move the hero around the screen and are
without fire being pressed:
Up the screen
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Diagonally up ___ || ___ Diagonally up
the screen |\ || /| the screen
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Left across /--------------- ---------------\ Right across
the screen \--------------------------------/ the screen
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Diagonally down |/ \| Diagonally down
the screen ммм ммм the screen
WATER BOTTLE
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The reserve of water you carry is indicated in the status area. It is
important that a careful eye is kept on this as you will lose a life
if you run out of water.
Therefore, it is essential that your water reserves be replenished as
often as possible, for example, in the dessert there are many cacti.
Find the water bottle and the knife and then, selecting them both as
object and weapon - stab an appropriate cactus towards the front of
the screen.
ENERGY RESERVES
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You will need as much energy as possible to combat some of the
opponents you encounter, so keep a careful eye on how much you have
before throwing yourself into reckless combat.
PLACING OBJECTS DOWN
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In order to solve some puzzles and overcome certain hazards, some
objects have to be put in particular places.
To place an object, first make sure that the appropriate object icon
is displayed in the status area - if not then use the F1 key to make
the selection.
Position the hero so that his feet are level with where the object is
to be placed and that the hero is facing the target location. If you
now press the SPACE BAR the object will be placed down, or used in
some manner depending on the puzzle or hazard confronting the hero.
Once this has happened, the icon will disappear from the status area.
Objects cannot be placed just anywhere, there are specific locations
for all placeable objects.
There is also a special object drop function. This is activated by
having the appropriate icon displayed and performing a punch action
with the joystick. This is only used once in the game, so be on the
look-out for a lofty puzzle that would alter the outcome of the game.
DESCRIPTION OF OBJECTS
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The following descriptions are to help you identify the many objects
you will have to find throughout the game. Also, careful reading of
the descriptions may give you a few hints about some of the puzzles
you will encounter - on the other hand they may not!
KNIFE
Will give you a cutting edge in combat, but don't be thrown by its
simple appearance, there's magic in the air.
MACHETE
Stanley could never have found Livingstone without one.
GOLD NUGGETS
Could relieve you of a weighty problem and lead to a more balanced
outlook.
POCKET WATCH
There is no time like a present.
IDOL
Three little monkeys could be well placed to reveal all.
KEY
Unlock a native's good nature for the present.
MEDICINE BOTTLE
Which doctor would mean only one bottle.
FLASK OF ACID
Unshackled, you could get a quick burn through the jungle.
BOOK
They say one's destiny is mapped out, well not till you lift this
problem from your chest.
CLENCHED FIST
It's all you've got in the beginning.
BULLETS
There is a strong case for having these, but don't count on them
forever or you may come up blank.
BOX OF MATCHES
Strike out and go on ever forward and don't idol away too much time.
SLINGSHOT
Victory sometimes can be little more than a stone's throw away -
unless you forget to look underfoot.
HAMMER AND CHISEL
It would be a shame not to get all tooled up.
PLANK
Walking it could span out the quest.
WATER BOTTLE
Refreshments not always being on tap could have prickly consequences.
ORB
Mystery.
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Some useful keyboard shortcuts
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[PAUSE] - stop/continue game
[F9] - quick load game state
[F12] - quick save game state (still stored after leaving the site)
[F11] - toggle fullscreen mode
[ScrollLock] - quick switch control ports
[PageDown] - make a screenshot (320x200)