IN SEARCH OF THE MOST AMAZING THING
(c)1983 Spinnaker Software
AUTHOR: Tom Snyder Productions, Inc.
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Manual for C64 (hand typed)
[Note by transcriber: This program has been written in BASIC and 
at times it will appear very slow in drawing graphics. Just relax,
the intent is to take your time, unlike all the shoot'em ups kids 
are accustomed to! The program is intended to make you think, and 
thinking takes time... It is good to think once in a while.
Also watch the demo. Once you choose demo do not touch your 
keyboard except to quit the demo. Again the program will put out
screens very slowly.]

INTRODUCTION:

As a boy your Uncle Smoke Bailey found The Most Amazing Thing, 
and then lost it. The Most Amazing Thing holds great powers and 
may be able to reveal the meaning of life. The Most Amazing Thing 
is now a golden metallic ball but it changes form throughout 
the ages. Smoke wants you to continue the search for this object 
and when you find it, bring it back to Metallica. 

Smoke has a B-Liner for you to use on your journey. The B-Liner 
is a combination of hot air balloon and dune buggy. You will have 
to learn to fly through storms and fog. The B-Liner has special 
tires so you can drive on the sticky tar ground of Darksome Mire 
without sinking in. Also, you will be equipped with a jetpack that 
will allow you to fly short distances. 

When you enter the underground city of Metallica, you should go 
to Smoke's apartment. Smoke has very interesting things to tell 
you about the Mire People who live in odd huts and speak with 
their antennae. He will tell you about trading chips or songs 
with the Mire People in exchange for clues about The Most Amazing 
Thing. You will also learn about the feared Mire Crabs that you 
should avoid, Popberries that you can eat, Night Rocks that give 
you fuel for the B-Liner, and Bunchmarks that you see from time 
to time. 

Smoke will give you things that he collected on his travels. 
You can trade these things with the robots at the Metallican 
Auction for chips. These chips will let you buy gizmos at the 
Galactic Store to outfit the B-Liner. You can get software for 
the B-Liner computer and meters that will help you on your trip. 
So go quickly, because if you are clever, persistent, and lucky 
you might find The Most Amazing Thing and bring it back. Your 
Uncle Smoke Bailey is counting on you. Once The Most Amazing 
Thing is found, its location will change. This allows a player 
to search for The Most Amazing Thing again and again, each time 
looking for new clues that will lead to the new location.


LETTER FROM UNCLE SMOKE:

Please, Kiddo. Don't go runnin' out into the Darksome Mire until 
you come to me for plenty of advice. Remember, no one has ever 
flown the B-liner before, so even if you buy every balloon gizmo 
in the store, flying the B-Liner will be a risky business. It 
will take a lot of patience and practice to be a good pilot, but 
don't give up. You'll get the hang of it. And I may just be the 
only one who can help you find The Most Amazing Thing!

Smoke Bailey

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LOADING THE PROGRAM:

1. Turn on your disk drive. Wait for the red light to go out.
2. Turn on the monitor and the computer.
3. Put the IN SEARCH OF THE MOST AMAZING THING disk into the 
    disk drive and close the door.
4. Type LOAD "SPIN",8
   Press the RETURN key.
5. Once READY appears on the screen, type RUN
   Press the RETURN key.
   Your program will appear shortly on screen.

SAVING THE GAME:

1. Do not put a write-protect sticker on the disk. A write-protect 
    sticker will not allow you to save the game.
2. Go inside the B-Liner.
3. Go to the B-Liner computer and press the joystick button.
4. Press the S key to save the information collected so far.

NOTE: It is a good idea to save the game frequently while playing.

TAKING CARE OF THE DISK:

1. When you have finished playing with the program, open the 
disk drive door and remove the disk.
2. Be careful not to bend the program or touch the exposed part 
of the disk.
3. Turn off the computer.
4. Return the disk to its sleeve and place in the album cover.

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HINTS FOR GETTING STARTED:

* Look through The Most Amazing Thing book (these docs).
* Take the elevator in Metallica down to Smoke's apartment.
* Ask Smoke for some advice.
* Take some relics Smoke has given you to the Metallican Auction 
   and sell them.
* Buy equipment at the Galactic Store to outfit the B-Liner.
* Fill your fuel tank by driving to a Night Rock and drilling.
* Shake a Popberry loose from a Popberry tree and eat it.

HINTS FOR GETTING ALONG WITH THE MIRE PEOPLE:

* The DICTO in the B-Liner will supply you with the Mire 
   People's language.
* The CULTS program in the B-Liner will tell you what the Mire 
   People like.
* When the Mire People get upset or disappear you should think 
   about offering them your MUSIX.
* If the Mire People ask what quest you are on, you must say 
   that you are looking for The Most Amazing Thing.
* To give chips to the Mire People, press R for red chips, Y for 
   yellow chips, and G for green chips.
* Remember, be cautious when dealing with the Mire People!

DARKSOME MIRE TRIBES:

FASTAK      NUTRILE    MUFFIJI     FONDEF      CAMAWHY
THOMIZEK    HOGAAN     UNDEFLAS    KARTOFF     LOGRETCH
MUHILL      FORTHEL    ODASK       ZYZY        WATERSI
MAXAZE      LASKA      TORBION     GIRFLEEZ    BERIBEY
SOLVAQUE    TRELISS    SLOPING     JAVE        PAELAZI
OTHER HANDY HINTS:

Getting Around: 

* Use the joystick to fly the jetpack and drive the B-Liner.
* Use the joystick and joystick button to command the Flight 
   Control Panel.


Getting into the B-Liner or Entering Metallica:

* Use the jetpack to go over to the ladder on the outside of 
 the B-Liner or to move to the top of the hatchway into Metallica.
* Press the joystick button to enter either of these two places.


Getting Fuel for the B-Liner:

* Drive the B-Liner onto the Night Rock and get out.
* Use the jetpack to go to the B-Liner drill platform.
* Press the joystick button to get fuel.


Finding Food:

* Drive the B-Liner onto a Popberry tree and get out.
* Use the jetpack to climb into the tree branches.
* Press the joystick button to shake the branches.
* Use the jetpack to go to the fallen Popberry.
* Press the joystick button to eat the Popberry.

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THE GALACTIC STORE:

Here is a catalogue of gizmos you can buy at the store for your 
journey. Some of them are useful for your trip and some are not 
very helpful. Think carefully before you buy.

Flight Control Panel Meters:

These terrific meters will help you operate the B-Liner.

DIR-?: Shows what direction the B-Liner is moving - 10 green chips
HIGH?: Tells how high the B-Liner is above ground - 7 green chips
HOME 1: Directs you back to Metallica - 9 green chips
STORM: Warns about approaching storms - 8 green chips
FUELO: Measures how much fuel is in the B-Liner - 6 green chips
AUTOP: Automatically flies the B-Liner back to 
        Metallica - 10 green chips
RADAR: Help locate huts - 8 green chips
HUT 1: Points to the nearest hut - 9 green chips

Metallican Household Items:

These items could be fun to own but are not necessary for flying 
the B-Liner.

POSIX: Electronic trash destroyer - 25 green chips
HOVAK: Radio-controlled pencil sharpener - 18 green chips
ESSEX: Digital lawnmower - 19 green chips
LIFT 5: Spare elevator button - 29 green chips
WINDG: Ultrasonic robot dog groomer - 23 green chips
XXX-2: Macrowave oven for cooking robot food - 22 green chips
GASEX: Fuel gauge for a robotcycle - 21 green chips
NAMEX: Electronic letter opener - 24 green chips
TURBO: Robot toothbrush - 23 green chips
ABCDE: Learning game for robot children - 28 green chips
TAKOM: Microwave burglar alarm - 26 green chips
ZENER: Radio-controlled back scratcher - 22 green chips
FAZER: Electronic food defroster - 21 green chips
YUKAL: Robot Halloween costume - 20 green chips
PLAXI: High-speed infared window washer - 19 green chips

Computer Software:

These are practical programs you can buy for the computer on 
the B-Liner.

MAP-H:  Locate every hut in Darksome Mire, one culture at a 
         time - 8 green chips
CULTS:  Contains facts about the people of each Mire 
         Culture - 8 green chips
DICTO:  Translates important words and phrases used by all 25 
         cultures of Darksome Mire - 8 green chips
MUSIX:  Enables you to create original songs to trade with the 
         Darksome Mire cultures - 9 green chips
TRAC4:  Mystery software - 9 green chips

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THE B-LINE FLIGHT CONTROL PANEL:

The flight control panel comes supplied with the Burner, Drop, 
and Where Switches. The B-Liner pilot decides which meters to 
buy at the Galactic Store to outfit the panel. This panel shows 
all the meters a pilot could have on board.

Burner: This switch makes the B-Liner go up.
Drop: This switch lets out hot air so the B-Liner can go down.
Where: This switch shows the location of the B-Liner on the 
        Darksome Mire map.
DIR-?: Shows what direction the B-Liner is moving.
High?: Tells how high above the ground the B-Liner is.
Home1: Directs you back to Metallica.
Storm: Warns about approaching storms.

Center of control panel: Your location on Darksome Mire.

Fuelo: Measures how much fuel the B-Liner has.
AutoP: Automatically flies the B-Liner back to Metallica. 
Radar: Helps find hut locations.
Hut1: Points to the nearest hut.


A TIP ON FLYING THE B-LINER:

In Darksome Mire, you have to pay attention to how the winds 
blow. As you travel along you will find that the winds come 
from different directions at different heights. So you will have 
to keep going up and down until you find a wind that will take 
you in the direction you want to go.


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A NOTE TO PARENTS AND EDUCATORS:

Anyone from the age of 10 years old and up will enjoy this game. 
In Search of the Most Amazing Thing challenges players at all 
levels of sophistication with a rich variety of experiences that 
are educational, creative, and entertaining. The player in the 
role of the B-Liner pilot goes in search of The Most Amazing 
Thing in the land of Darksome Mire. 

From the beginning, decision-making, organization, and note-
taking are essential parts of the program. A B-Liner pilot 
travelling in Darksome Mire must constantly use his or her own 
judgement to decide the best plan of action under each new set 
of circumstances. For example, in order for a pilot to deal 
effectively with the many different cultures he or she will come 
in contact with, the pilot must keep track of vital information 
about each culture. Careful note-taking can bring a pilot that 
much closer to finding The Most Amazing Thing. 

Mapmaking and an understanding of trading are other key points 
in this program. A good pilot will have to use the coordinate 
system on the map of Darksome Mire to help plot a course of 
travel. There will also be a lot of trading and bargaining, so 
a traveler must become adept at dealing with different exchange 
rates so as to make the most advantageous deals. 

Fun and education are constant companions in In Search of The 
Most Amazing Thing. This program offers many ways to stimulate 
a child's natutal interests and curiosity. And you, as a parent 
or educator, can help a child toward further growth and leaning 
simply by becoming involved. In fact, In Search of The Most 
Amazing Thing can be a terrific opportunity for family members or 
an entire class to work together as a team. This kind of 
cooperative effort can be a rewarding experience for everyone. 
This game can be played many times. Once The Most Amazing Thing 
is found, its location will change. This allows a player to 
search for The Most Amazing Thing again and again, each time 
looking for new clues that will lead to the new location.


-END-