UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Here is the text of the original manual:

SEA DUEL

Unique strategy game that pits a destroyer against a submarine in an intriguing naval battle of wits. Play solo...just you versus the computer; or challenge another player to an exciting match. Maneuver your vessel into a firing position and attack your opponent with a volley of depth charges or torpedoes. Hits score points. Six points wins the game.

Sea Duel is a thought-provoking, tactical thriller with unique screen action called Multiple Simultaneous Movement. It's a unique featuer that allows you and your opponent to program your moving and firing actions at separate times yet it displays the actual battle action taking place at the same time. With such movement, there is absolutely no advantage in playing first or second. So let the battle begin and fire away!

OBJECT OF THE GAME:

Out-maneuver another player or the computer by being the first player to score 6 or more hits against another vessel.

HOW TO PLAY THE GAME:

1. Slide ON/OFF switch to "ON" position (note - the simulator does not have an on/off switch; it is always on). Listen to a few bars of the song "Anchors Away" (note - the simulator currently does not simulate the game's sounds) and see a computer graphic of the American flag appear on the screen.

2. Press the GAME button to select a certain style of play: you against another player; or you againt the computer. Each time you press the GAME button you will see the following symbols appear on the screen under the labels "SHIP" and "SUB"...the symbol representing a PLAYER looks like a stick figure, shown here (original instructions included a graphic representation of the stick figure); the symbol representing the COMPUTER looks like this (original instructions show graphics of a blocky "C"). The placement of these symbols under the "SHIP" and "SUB" labels determines the style of play. For example:

(Image of stick figure under both SHIP and SUB) - Two player symbols mean you match wits against another player. You each choose a vessel to move and fire. In a two-player game, whoever chooses the destroyer plays first.

(Image of "C" under SHIP and stick figure under SUB) - A computer symbol under the ship and a player symbol under the sub mean the computer move and fires the destroyer and you move and fire the submarine. In this style of play, you (the sub) play first.

(Image of stick figure under SHIP and "C" under SUB) - A player symbol under the ship and a computer symbol under the sub mean you move and fire the destroyer and the computer moves and fires the submarine. In this style of play, you (the destroyer) play first.

3. Now select the Skill Level by pressing the SKILL/SCORE button. Choose either 12 or 18...which means either 12 unites of ammunition and 12 units of fuel or 18 units of ammunition and 18 units of fuel. A unit of ammunition is used if you fire once; a unit of fuel is used if you move one square on the screen. The more difficult Skill Level is 12. IMPORTANT, once you run out of fuel or ammunition (screen displays a 0 under either "FUEL" or "AMMO"), you can no longer move and fire respectively. In a two-player game, the amount of fuel and ammunition is the same for both players and should be decided upon before play begins. When you play against the computer, your fuel and ammunition supply is limited to either 12 or 18 units...the computer, however, has an unlimited supply. IMPORTANT, if you forget to select a Skill Level, the easier 18 unit level is automatcially set by the unit.

4. Press the GO button. The destroyer and the submarine appear on the screen. The destroyer is composed of three squares and looks like this (graphic representation of three blocks lined up in a row); the submarine is composed of one square and looks like this (graphic of a single block).

5. Notice the Player Indicator at the top of the screen. In a two-player game, it moves from the "SHIP" label to the "SUB" label and back again to designate whose turn it is to move and fire. If you are playing against the computer, the Player Indicator only appears under your vessel label not the computer's.

6. Notice the Move/Fire Indicator on the left side of the screen. Each player's (or the computer's) turn is composed of TWO distinct segments of moving and firing. In a two-player game, the Move/Fire Indicator moves from the "1st" label to the "2nd" label and back again to designate which part of the segment you or your opponent are programming in. If you are playing against the computer, the Move/Fire Indicator only appears when you are programming in...it will not appear when the computer is entering its moving and firing patterns.

HOW TO PROGRAM MOVING AND FIRING ACTION

On each turn...you, another player or the computer may program TWO distinct segments of moving and firing action for you vessel. Here's how you do it:

Look at the "Move" panel on the keyboard. Notice the 4 directions indicated by the 4 arrows. When you press one of these arrow buttons, you'll propel your vessel one square on the screen in the direction the arrow indicates. Remember, one square moved on the screen uses up 1 unit of fuel, so every move you make must be well-planned. IMPORTANT, if you press either the east arrow -> or the west arrow <-, the destroyer will appear and move horizontally on the screen; if you prss either the north arrow /\ or the south arrow \/, the destroyer will appear and move vertically on the screen. Look at the "Fire" panel on the keyboard. Notice the 4 directions indicated by the 4 arrows. When you press one of these arrow buttons, you'll fire 1 depth charge (if you're the destroyer) or 1 torpedo (if you're the submarine) in the direction the arrow indicates. Remember, every time you fire, you use up 1 unit of ammunition...so think before you shoot.

Not it's time to show you the sequence of moving and firing in the TWO segments. Take a look:

1st Segment: Press one move direction button (graphic showing the 4 move arrows). Press the same or another move direction button (same graphic with 4 move arrows). Press one fire direction button (same 4-arrow graphic). Press the same or another fire direction button (same 4-arrow graphic). Now press GO button to move into the 2nd segment.

2nd Segment: Press one move direction button (graphic showing the 4 move arrows). Press the same or another move direction button (same graphic with 4 move arrows). Press one fire direction button (same 4-arrow graphic). Press the same or another fire direction button (same 4-arrow graphic). Now press GO to either start the Battle Action or set up your opponent for his or her turn at programming.

IMPORTANT, ON YOUR TURN, YOU MAY DO ALL OF THE ABOVE MOVE AND FIRE DIRECTIONS IN THE ORDER SHOWN, PART OF THE ABOVE MOVE AND FIRE DIRECTIONS IN THE ORDER SHOWN OR NONE OF THE ABOVE MOVE AND FIRE DIRECTIONS DEPENDING ON YOUR GAME STRATEGY.

PLEASE NOTE, the GO button must always be pressed after the 1st Segment in order for you to move into the 2nd Segment. VERY IMPORTANT, in order for your turn to be completed, you must program ALL OR PART OF THE 2ND SEGMENT...OR NONE OF THE 2ND SEGMENT AT ALL. To program NONE of the 2nd Segment, just press the GO button (your vessel will not move and not fire, in this case).

Why not try some practice programming at this point. If you have followed carefully Rules 1. to 6., the unit should now be ready to program.

Be sure to watch the screen to see the movement and firing action of whatever vessel you're programming. This Instant Display feature is invaluable, for if you see an action you do not wish to occur, just press the CLEAR button, erase that entry and begin to program the entire 1st Segment again with no penalty of wasted fuel or ammunition.

Here's your first practice program:
Press /\ move button
Then press -> move button
Then press /\ fire button
Then press -> fire button
The 1st Segment of programming is completed
Now press GO (Move/Fire Indicator moves to "2nd" on screen)
Press \/ move button
Then press <- move button
Then press \/ fire button
Then press <- fire button
The 2nd Segment of programming is completed.
Your turn is over.

Here's another. Press CLEAR button during this practice session to start anew:
Press <- move button
Press <- fire button
The 1st Segment of programming is completed
Now press GO (Move/Fire Indicator moves to "2nd" on screen)
Now press -> move button
Then press -> fire button
The 2nd Segment of programming is completed
Your turn is now over.
Press CLEAR button just to delete above moves. Here's another practice program. Do the following when you want to remain in the same position and not fire:

Do not program in any more or fire directions. Just press GO button. Move/Fire Indicator moves to the 2nd Segment. Even though your vessel did not move or fire, the 1st Segment is completed. Now if you want to stay in the same positionn and NOT fire again, press GO button again and the following happens:

In a two-player game, your 2nd Segment is completed. The Move/Fire Indicator moves back to the 1st Segment. Hand over the unit to your opponent for his or her first programming attempt.

In a you-versus-the-computer game, the 2nd Segment is completed, but by pressing the GO button, you've activiated the Battle Action (see Rule 8. for more information).

The above are just a few possibilities. When you actually play the game, you'll devise many other variations.

Here's a closer look at the firing patterns of the destroyer and the submarine, shown in Diagrams 1. and 2. Notice the destroyer's firing power with the depth charge covers a 9 square area...the submarine's torpedo is only 1 square wide but it is not limited in distances as the destroyer.

(Two diagrams are displayed. The first shows how the ship fires 3x3 squares of "depth charges" to either side or off the front or rear of the ship. The second diagram shows how the submarine's shot is a single square, but it travels from the sub to the edge of the screen in whatever direction it was fired.)

7. Because Sea Duel is a game of strategic positioning, any programming you do must be hidden from your opponent. So after you secretly program the 1st and 2nd Segments of the moving and firing action, your turn is over...you then press the GO button and the following happens:

In a two-player game, the Player indicator moves to the opposing vessel's label. The Move/Fire Indicator moves back to the 1st Segment. Your opponent takes the unit from you and secretly programs his or her TWO distinct move and fire Segments. Then your opponsent presses the GO button and the Battle Action takes place on the screen...both players should observe this interaction!

In a you-versus-the-computer game, the opposing vessel's movements are automatically programmed by the computer. So as soon as you finish your programming and the GO button is pressed by you, the Battle Action takes place.

8. BATTLE ACTION: Sea Duel's Battle Action is unique Multiple Simultaneous Movement which displays the moving and firing action of both vessels together even though they were programmed separately. Here's what happens when a complete sequence of moving and firing action has ben programmed: the vessels move into the firing positions that were entered for them in the 1st Segment of programming...the destroyer and the submarine fire alternately; then the 2nd Segment of programming action occurs...the vessels move into their firing positions...the destroyer and the submarine fire alternately. The Battle Action just described displays the complete sequence of moving and firing action that was programmed by both players. Remember, if you programmed only part of the sequence or none of the sequence, the Battle Action would display on what you programmed.

9. As soon as the Battle Action is over, the SCORE flashes on the screen. The Score is the number of successful hits you make against the other vessel. In order to discover the amount of ammunition and fuel you have left, just press the SKILL/SCORE button before you begin to program. Notice the number of ammunition units will appear right above the "AMMO" label on the screen; the number of fuel units will appear right above the "FUEL" label on the screen. The number of successful his (the SCORE) made by the destroyer will appear under the "SHIP" label and the number of successful hits (the SCORE) made by the submarine will appear under the "SUB" label. IMPORTANT, each player's ammunition and fuel subbply should be kept secret from his or her opponent. Also, when playing against the computer, remember the computer has an unlimited supply of ammunition and fuel, so its amount never appears on the screen.

10. Continue to program and play as above. As soon as a Score of 6 or more hits is achieved by one of the vessesl against another vessel, the game is over. When this happens, the SCORE will continuously flash on the screen.

HOW TO WIN THE GAME:

Whoever scores 6 hits or more against another vessel wins the game. It is possible that a draw may result, if both players achieve the same score of 6 or more hits at the same time. If this happens, a new game is played to decide the winner. For another example of a draw situation, see Rule 3., under "Watch out for the following..." on page 7.

WATCH OUT FOR THE FOLLOWING WHEN PLAYING SEA DUEL:

1. Pay special attention to the GO button when programming. For example, if you wish to skip over the entire 1st Segment of moving and firing action, just press GO and you'll move right into the 2nd Segment of programming. If you press GO button again, you'll either start the Battle Action or set up your opponent for his or her turn at programming.

2. If the CLEAR button is pressed when you are programming, it totally erases all previous programming of your turn...you are always returned to the 1st Segment to begin anew. IMPORTANT, you cannot press CLEAR button after your turn is over and after you have pressed the GO button...it will not be functional at this point.

3. It is possible during the course of play that you will run out of either ammunition, fuel or both...if your "AMMO" score is "0", you cannot fire; if your "FUEL" score is "0", you cannot move. During programming, if you do run out of fuel, ammo or both, the SCORE automatically flashes on the screen and an "0" appears under "AMMO", "FUEL" or both. In a two-player game, if both players run out of fuel and ammo before one of the vessels has scored 6 or more hits, then a draw is declared. In a you-versus-the-computer game, if you run out of fuel and ammo and neither vessel has scored 6 or more hits, the computer is declared the winner.

4. HERE'S AN IMPORTANT GAME PLAY CAUTION: it is possible for the submarine to actually be underneath the destroyer before programming and during Battle Action. If this happens, you will see only the 3 unit destroyer which looks like this (graphic of three squares in a row) on the screen. Don't be alarmed, though, for the submarine is present directly below the destroyer. In this position, if the destroyer fires, the submarine will not be hit; but if the submarine fires (as shown in the diagrams, below) it will hit the destroyer.

The X (referring to an X in each diagram) represents the location of the submarine under the destroyer. In Diagram 3, if the submarine is positioned under the middle unit of the destroyer, it can only fire in the directions indicated by the solid arrows for a hit; the directions indicated by the broken arrows represent misses. In Diagrams 4 and 5, the submarine is positioned under one of the end units of the destroyer. In these positions, the sub fires in the directions of the solid arrows for hits...unfortunately, if the sub fires in the directions of the broken arrows, the result is a miss!

(There are three diagrams that show the submarine under each of the three squares of the ship. Basically, they're trying to illustrate that if the sub is under the ship and fires a shot that will occupy the same square as any other part of the ship, it's a hit.)

5. After a game is over, to start a new game just press the GO button. The PLAYER (stick figure) and COMPUTER (C character) symbols appear for you to select a certain style of play.

Whew...I told you the instructions were verbose. If you didn't understand all that, just try playing the game - it's not hard to figure out.

Simulator Note: To simulate the effect of turning the game off and back on (to abandon a game that's not going well) by using the browser's refresh button. Also, the simulator does not currently feature sound, so you will not hear any sounds mentioned in the instructions.

Every attempt will be made to get the "random factors" and "computer player strategies" as close as possible to the original game, but this version will probably feature a lot of guesswork and probably won't be all that similar to the Microvision cartridge. That's assuming the thing ever gets finished.