Microdeal
£24.95
Long ago, when 8-bit Ataris reigned supreme, Microdeal brought out a
16K cassette based simulation/game called Space Shuttle. It looks
like they've now dusted off the concept and produced a completely
new version for the ST. The basic idea behind it is the same as
before – to complete a Space Shuttle mission from launch into orbit,
locate and retrieve a faulty communications satellite, and return to
your landing site on Earth. In an attempt to add a competitive
element, Microdeal have added point-scoring, high score, and other
features to the basic simulation, making it more of a game than a
serious simulation.
As you'd expect, this implementation is light years ahead of the old
version. It's apparent right from the colourful title sequence
showing a 3-D rotating cube with different graphics on each face.
Improvements extend through to the packaging, too –the disk and
instruction booklet are enclosed in a glossy, high quality cardboard
box. But then at about three times the price of the old version I'd
expect a few improvements!
Initially
you play the part of the Mission Controller, your aim being to make
the right decisions about launch and landing thus scoring bonus
points. These decisions include choosing launch site, preparation
time, landing site, and gambling against inclement weather
conditions which could cause launch delays (and cost you bonus
points).
Overall, I found this section of the game rather pointless in more
ways than one! The authors seem to have made it almost impossible to
score any bonus points here, and no amount of skill or strategy on
your part seems to change this. Points are lost when electric storms
cross the launch site, and this seems to happen virtually every time
you play. Very demoralising!
At this
stage you take the pilot's seat. Immediately before launch, the
heatshield slides back giving you a view corresponding to the chosen
launch site. (How come, if the Shuttle's sitting vertically on the
launchpad?) As the
Shuttle lifts off, the view scrolls down giving occasional glimpses
of clouds and airships (Airships? Yes, airships!) before the sky
darkens and stars appear.
In the
centre of your control panel are three mouse operated 'thermometer
style' slider bars, controlling pitch angle, wing roll angle, and
thrust power. You have to continually adjust these during the launch
to stay on the ideal launch trajectory, which is shown graphically
on a display alongside the sliders. As the launch progresses your
actual trajectory is plotted along with this, so you can see how
well (or badly!) you are doing. Points are accumulated for staying
on track.
The control panel includes digital displays showing current
altitude, velocity and time into mission. The launch trajectory is
marked with ten significant 'events', which should each
occur at a
given time, altitude and velocity. Hitting them at the prescribed
values is not easy, even at the easiest of the six difficulty
levels. If you do manage it, you get more bonus points. Certain
events have to be achieved at a specific roll angle or thrust
setting, and several others require you to initiate an action via
the keyboard, such as releasing the external fuel tank. Again, this
seems unreasonably difficult to achieve – but perhaps I'm just
getting old and my reactions aren't what they were!
However badly you handle the launch, you eventually find yourself in
orbit. The screen now shows the Orbital Manoeuvring System control
panel, used to rendezvous with the wayward satellite. Three digital
displays show how far ahead/behind, left/right, or above/below you
the satellite is. By firing the appropriate manoeuvring engines
using those sliders again you can change the Shuttle's orbit to
match that of the satellite. Achieve this before all the OMS fuel
has gone and you're rewarded by the satellite drifting into view and
– you guessed it – bonus points!
The next screen shows a side view of the Shuttle, with the satellite
and the Earth in the background. With a few deft mouse clicks you
open the Shuttle's cargo bay doors, get a crewman suited up for a
space walk, and guide him outside propelled by his nitrogen fuelled
jetpack. By clicking on any of the jetpack's eight direction
controls you can steer your man to the satellite. You have to attach
him to the top of the satellite and then get him to tow it back into
the Shuttle's cargo bay. Yet again this isn't easy.
Every time you fire the jetpack, not only does your man move in the
direction chosen, but the satellite randomly changes ITS direction
of movement. Also, your man can only move at one speed. Clicking
twice on the same directional control doesn't make him travel
faster, so he can't catch up with the satellite if it's moving away
from him. Nor can you make him stop by firing the jetpack in the
opposite direction to his current motion. All very unscientific,
illogical, and frustrating.
I never did get the hang of getting back to Earth. You have to
'de-orbit' the Shuttle by flying it through an S-turn to slow it
down. The idea is similar to the launch, where you have to keep as
close as possible to a predefined path shown on your instruments.
Deviation from this causes the Shuttle to heat up – deviate for too
long and the Shuttle gets frazzled.
Control is via the three sliders again, this time controlling wing
attitude, height, and air brakes. So far, I've managed to fly it
round the first bend of the S-turn, but then the program drives ME
round the bend! No matter what I do I always seem to end up as a
fireball.
The final screen is rather odd. You still feel you're in the pilot's
seat of the Shuttle, but through the windscreen you see a rear view
of the Shuttle as it glides down towards its landing site. Using the
same controls as for de-orbit you have to guide the shuttle down
onto the runway, remembering to lower the landing wheels before you
touch down, of course. The instrument panel now shows side and plan
views of your approach, plotting your progress down onto the runway.
Perversely, there's no predefined path marked on these displays, so
it's a bit hit and miss –usually miss, as every flight I've made has
terminated abruptly 120 feet under the runway surface!
In conclusion, I was disappointed by Shuttle II. It doesn't seem to
know whether it's a game or a simulation. As a game, it seems too
complex and too difficult to score points, even at the easiest
level. As a simulation it has too many game elements and chance
items. It could be much improved by better instructions,
particularly with respect to descriptions of the slider controls and
how you should use them in each phase of the flight.
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