Oberon #03: Scroll: Dark Star Game Review
Mentioned teams/groups
Mentioned software
Dark Star
(Design Design Software)
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Another space shooter/simulator game. Of course, it shouldn't be placed alongside games like Elite and Academy, but that doesn't make it any less interesting.
It all started when a new race appeared in the Palactica, subjugating all to its will. On every planet of the Federation, strongholds of the invaders were built, and some were turned into bastions. A dark, impenetrable night of slavery descended over the Palactica. Until...
Until it became clear that there was a very powerful rebel movement. Several races, uniting their efforts, created their rebel base on one of the abandoned fringe planets. Work was underway to create a starship capable of resisting the invader fleet. This type of starship was to be named "Liar".
The work on the Liar was conducted in complete secrecy. But all that is hidden eventually becomes known. This time was no exception. Through an extensive network of spies and informants, the tyrants' government learned of the secret base. The most elite units of the star fleet were dispatched to destroy the base. And they successfully completed their mission - the planet turned into a radioactive molten desert.
However, the punitive expedition was somewhat delayed - the experienced Liar-class ship managed to take off and embark on a test flight. The ship was equipped with new types of weapons and defenses. Of course, these were just prototypes, but that didn't make them any less formidable.
Liar-1 conducted all tests of the new equipment and returned to the base. But the base was no more... And then, the desperate crew made the decision to either die or destroy the fleet and bases of the invaders.
And the great odyssey of the super-powerful lone ship, daring to challenge the entire fleet, began...
When you load this game, you will enter the main menu, consisting of seven items:
1. Play game
Start the game.
2. Read the instruction
Read the instruction, which is a model of brevity:
* Fly through the Universe.
* Shoot at everything that moves.
* What doesn't shoot can be ignored.
* Fly through all rectangles.
3. Define the playing keys
Redefine the ship controls.
By selecting this item, you will enter the key definition submenu:
1 Left - left
2 Right - right
3 Up - up
4 Down - down
5 Accelerate - increase speed
6 Decelerate - decrease speed
7 Fire - fire.
There are also two additional items:
8 Return to main menu - return to
main menu
9 Select joystick - joystick selection submenu.
4. Change the game
Change game settings. This mode is so extensive that we will consider it a bit later.
5. Load an old Hi-score table and keys
Load previously saved settings, keys, and score table from disk.
6. Save the current Hi-score table
Save the current game settings, keys, and score table to disk.
Now, regarding game settings. The Game option menu serves this purpose:
1. Change game format
Change game parameters:
1. Normal
Normal game.
2. Normal, but no planetary shields
Normal game, but planets have no defenses.
3. Unlimited numbers of enemy ships
Unlimited number of enemy ships.
4. No planet
No planets, i.e., battle in space.
8. Return to main menu
Return to the main menu.
9. Return to option menu
Return to the settings menu.
2. Change Skill Factors.
Change difficulty level - map size.
1. Easy
Easy.
2. Fairly easy
Fairly easy.
3. Normal
Normal.
4. Fairly difficult
Fairly difficult.
5. Difficult
Difficult.
6. Pretty damn devastating
The hardest.
3. Change enemy missile.
Change parameters of enemy missiles.
1. None
Play without missiles.
2. Slow and inaccurate
Slow and inaccurate.
3. Fast but inaccurate
Fast, but inaccurate.
4. Slow and accurate
Slow and accurate.
5. Fast and accurate
Fast and accurate.
6. Pretty damn devastating.
You will not survive...
4. Change sound Effects.
Turn sound effects on/off.
1. No noise
No sound.
2. Your firing only
Only your shots.
3. Explosions only
Only explosions.
4. Firing and explosions
Your shots and explosions.
5. All sound except hyperspace
All sounds except the sound of hyperspace flight.
6. Full sound
All sound effects.
5. Change display format.
Change the cockpit appearance.
1. Normal
Normal view. Information is displayed in both the top and bottom lines of the screen.
2. Pretty Graphic Mode
Same, but there is an image of the ship's nose at the bottom.
3. Slimline Topic
All information is displayed in the bottom lines of the screen.
4. Wide-Angle Mode
There is absolutely no information on the screen.
Well, now you are familiar with the tedious but necessary information about the menu, made all the settings, and set off on your journey.
And what will you see there? And how to control the ship?
First, about the controls. There are only eight control keys.
1 - planet or galaxy map
Q - increase speed
A - decrease speed
Z - left
X - right
N - down
M - up
Space - fire
All keys, except the first one, can be reassigned.
The entire game consists of three main modes - flights and battles in space, battles over the planet's surface, hyperspace travel.
Space flight.
The main (and if you chose no planets, the only) mode of the game. In space, you will encounter various objects. Mostly enemy ships and their missiles.
But it’s not all bad; your ship is designed to refuel at standard energy terminals, which look like pulsating blue rectangles. To refuel the ship, you just need to fly through them.
Since space is vast, you need a map to make flights. The onboard computer displays it to you as:
As you can see, besides the location of planets and your current position (the large flashing square, now just a large blue square), the map shows the degree of protection of each planet by color.
Blue - easy. Red - well-protected planet. Purple - strongholds. Green - well-protected citadels.
After completely liberating a planet, it disappears from the map (as does the ability to fly through it in transit). So be careful not to corner yourself in the heat of battle.
For interplanetary flights, there are hyper-tunnels - yellow pulsating rectangles. But more on that later.
Yellow half-moons are planets. To land on a planet, fly directly towards it.
Flight over the planet.
First, about the map provided by the computer:
The arrow indicates your ship, and the direction of the arrow indicates your flight direction. The occupiers' base is marked with a large square. The fields of dots on its outskirts are ordinary enemy settlements. The two squares in the center are a fortified area protected by a force field (unless, of course, you turned it off in the settings). To destroy the base, you need to fly through its center, directing the ship "to the bullseye" on the map. Missile launchers will start rising from the silos and firing at you.
In the area of the protective field covering the center, your computer will detect and show safe corridors. Follow them; any deviation from the corridor will immediately lead to a loss of energy.
The small blue square on the map is an energy fuel terminal. If the ship is low on energy - hurry towards it.
The purple rectangle is the enemy spaceport. It is subject to complete destruction (though not necessarily).
To take off from the planet's surface, you need to gain maximum speed at minimal altitude and then sharply ascend. But all this only if the planet is liberated - if there is even one base on the planet, you will not be able to take off.
Hyperspace travel.
As mentioned earlier, interplanetary flights are carried out using hyper-tunnels. The entrances to them are usually arranged in groups of four and look like yellow pulsating rectangles. The upper one corresponds to the tunnel for flying up (on the map), the lower one - down, the right one - to the right, and the left one - to the left. If there is no planet on one side of you (on the map), then there will be no tunnel corresponding to the flight in that direction.
When you enter a hyper-tunnel, the computer will provide you with information about a safe flight route. If you deviate from the recommended course, you will lose energy.
Well, that's basically it. Fly, dare, liberate.
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Contents of the publication: Oberon #03
- From the Authors The editorial of the third issue of Oberon reflects on its wide distribution across Russia and nearby countries, overcoming production challenges, and its aim to cater to various readers, including gamers, programmers, and hackers.
- How to Write in Oberon - M.M.A Guide on submitting articles to Oberon using ZX-WINWORD. Detailed format and process explanations for text, graphics, and music. Insight into editorial practices and preferences.
- Scroll - M.M.A A historical overview of the game THE EIDOLON on ZX Spectrum, covering its restoration process and gameplay mechanics, including level challenges and story background.
- Scroll Dark Star is a space shooter game where players pilot a ship against a tyrannical alien race. Players customize settings, navigate space, and combat enemy forces on various difficulty levels. Strategic planning and skill are vital for successful gameplay.
- Scroll - M.M.A Detailed gameplay mechanics for the game with Mechnotech klp2. Strategy involves disarming reactors and managing droid transformations. Insight into different droid types and weapons available.
- About Everything - M.M.A Discussion of reader interactions with the 'Oberon' editorial team, including feedback on previous issues and commentary on game compatibility and magazine content improvements.
- About Everything - M.M.A The autobiographical article explores the author's role in Samara's ZX Spectrum scene, detailing his contributions and aspirations. M.M.A positions himself as a leader and innovator in the community. It highlights the importance of local distribution and cultural impact.
- Amiga rulez? - M.M.A Critical essay on contemporary computer culture, contrasting IBM and Amiga platforms. Discusses societal impact of IBM standardization and advocates Amiga as a symbol of creativity and individuality. Reflects on the evolution of computer usage and preferences since the ZX Spectrum era.
- What Should 'Boot' Be - Unbeliever The article explores the evolution of boot programs for ZX Spectrum, discussing early developments and key innovations over time. It highlights significant breakthroughs in automation and design, including fully assembler-written boots and the introduction of modern features. The text concludes with reflections on ideal boot characteristics from a contemporary user's perspective.
- Letter from Queen Software An open letter from Queen Software criticizes ZX-WINWORD's design and Russian keyboard layout, denounces 'Mortal Compot' and the degradation of games, and shares views on demoscene events and computer emulation.
- Review - Unbeliever The review provides insights into various 128K exclusive games for the ZX Spectrum, highlighting titles like 'Space Gun', 'World Championship Soccer', and 'Night Breed'. Special attention is given to their graphical prowess and gameplay mechanics. Furthermore, the article addresses the acquisition of Spectrum software via the Internet.
- Review of Assemblers - Maxsoft Review of various assemblers for ZX Spectrum, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. Focus on EDAS 3.3, AFS, XAS, ZX-ASM, ALASM, MASM, and TASM 4.1. Each assembler is evaluated on performance, features, and usability.
- Our Answer - M.M.A Critical analysis of the electronic journal FAULTLESS, highlighting plagiarism issues and content quality. Discussion on the comparison with OBERON and other journals. Suggestions for improving FAULTLESS are provided.
- Our Response - Alex Noman Debate over the compatibility and capabilities of Scorpion and Profi computers with the ZX Spectrum. Critique of programming claims by Chung Software regarding outdated languages and methods. Discussion on operating systems like CP/M and iS-DOS in the context of their utility in modern computing.
- Our Response Exploring the varied interpretations of the term 'hacker' in Russian, highlighting distinctions and misconceptions.
- Hardware - Dr.Death Connection instructions for AY-3-8910 on Spectrum-compatible machines. Solutions for common audio issues in Russian computers. Advice for improving digital sound compatibility.
- Hardware - Dr.Death Discussion on modifying SCORPION ZS 256 for better performance, focusing on timing issues and TURBO mode. Explanation of improvements and potential problems with multicolors. Suggestions for further upgrades.
- Hardware - Poltergeist Corp. Analysis of hardware issues with Profi, a ZX Spectrum clone, focusing on INT signal problems causing graphic flickering. A solution is proposed involving a simple hardware modification. The author shares their success and the widespread adoption in Samara.
- Let's Gurm A microdrama illustrating the chaotic interaction between computer components during a printing task.
- Let's Feast Satirical story depicting an alternate reality where American culture and symbols are humorously twisted by Soviet influences.
- Let's Feast The story humorously describes Popov's efforts to help Papuans progress, amid desert struggles, political intrigue, and personal challenges.
- Let's Discuss Overview of military jargon known as 'Army Absurdities' collected by students, highlighting unique language and instructions used in military training and communications.
- Let's Feast Satirical article describing military humor and fictional military equipment.
- Literacy Campaign - Paul Atrides Analysis of hacker misconceptions and societal attitudes, exploring hacker culture's roots and ethical dilemmas.
- Primer - Paul Atrides Article discusses the role and activities of Russian hackers in the late 1990s, highlighting notable cases and categorizing different types of hackers. It covers the operations, risks, and impacts of hacking on international and local levels. The text also examines the societal perception of hackers and their portrayal in media.
- Contest - M.M.A A contest involving identifying songs from poorly translated lyrics, inspired by a radio segment. Participants guess the song and artist. No specific prize yet, but a free journal issue is promised.
- Contest A poetic reflection on personal struggle, misunderstood communication, and the burden of saving the world.
- Contest A poetic reflection on isolation and inner dreams, contrasting with harsh reality.
- Contest The article presents a poetic tribute to the community, emphasizing themes of unity, immortality, and strength through metal music.
- Advertisement Advertisement in Oberon magazine offers free publication and discusses available software, hardware, and stores related to ZX Spectrum.
- Advertisement Advertisement of computer repair and upgrades with pricing for various services. Options include drive connection, signal normalization, and memory upgrades. Specific services for different computer models like Pentagon and ATM.
