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Helix Colony

Helix Colony: Buy on Tape

Helix Colony is a game for the unexpanded Commodore VIC-20. Make sure that any expansions are removed, disabled, or hacked away before loading and running Helix Colony.

Once Helix Colony is loaded, start it with RUN.

A Note from Agent Anzu

It is the year 1999. Earth has entrusted you to establish the Helix Colony in the Procyon system.

You have sixty days.

DIRECTIVE: EXPLORE THE PLANET

Use the joystick to move your craft around the planet in four directions. Each move consumes one energy. If you have 0 energy, your craft cannot move.

Your craft is equipped with a sensor that records its readings on your PlanetDisplay. It tells you how many gamma geysers are adjacent to your craft, up to four. The current reading is in the lower left-hand corner of your PlanetDisplay.

DIRECTIVE: BUILD GAMMA MINES

So far from Earth, your survival depends on energy self-sufficiency. Your Hab landed with a limited amount of energy, so you must build gamma mines over gamma geysers to sustain the colony. The Hab itself consumes one energy per day.

When you think you know where a gamma geyser is located, based on sensor readings, press the Fire button. Your ship will land. Move the joystick toward the sector on which you want to build a gamma mine. A gamma mine costs 50 energy to build.

If you built the mine on a geyser, the mine will produce an extra 3 energy per day, which you can use to explore and build additional mines. A mine built anywhere else produces no energy.

DIRECTIVE: PROTECT YOUR CREW

Unfortunately, gamma geysers are lethally radioactive, and invisible to the eye. If you fly your craft over one, the ship and its pilot will be destroyed. Only six of you made the trip, so heed your sensor readings!

You can safely fly your craft over gamma mines.

EVALUATION

After sixty days, your colony will be evaluated.

© 1980, Beige Maze