Using revolutionary Nano technology, small micro machines the size
of molecules can be programmed to perform special duties. Injected
into flotation tanks, they immediately attempt to fulfil their program.
By the year 2005, the multi-national company Senclair dominated all
aspects of modern life med task, which could be anything from
repairing damaged tissue to building electronic components.
All from 1 tiny pre-programmed molecule.
Tony 'Flabby' Defresco, substantially larger than several billion
molecules, was responsible for programming the micro machines with
their specific tasks.
It was the futuristic equivalent of putting caps on toothpaste tubes.
Not that Tony would recognise the irony in that. He never cleaned his
teeth.
Unfortunately for mankind, Tony was about to deliberately upset the
Earth's evolutionary cycle in the most alarming manner possible.
Abusing his position in the most spectacular fashion, Tony had begun
to inject D.I.Y. micro machines into his own nervous system.
Tony's original enfeebled plan was to regenerate his own system,
henceforth making himself muscular and sexy.
Like the man on the coffee adverts.
When the machines in his system finger-printed his DNA code, Tony
saw possibilities beyond his most sweaty, bed-wetting fantasies.
The micro machines set to work in his system in their unseeing,
calculating way. Tony began to experience the odd involuntary
twitches and sudden bladder release, but no matter. Tony stank
anyway.
And no-one really gave a toss when he would occasionally hop about
like a startled hippo.
And before long, Tony's plan began to take on its own unstoppable
momentum. Since his chocolate cake-filled youth, Tony had
cultivated his defecatory existence to avoid even the briefest of social
intercourse.
Tony stank like a fall-pipe and had a head not unlike a bacon fry.
But it didn't matter.
Because people were useless.
And so, when Tony developed an airborne toxin from his hybrid micro
machines, capable of destroying everything living on the planet
without his recognisable DNA code, Tony decided he wanted to be a
God.
A God with chocolate around his mouth instead of a flowing white
beard.
At 19.48 Eastern time on the 27th of January 2007, Tony's D.I.Y. DNA
launched itself from a Senclair flotation tank. Replicating at a
geometric rate, the majority of life on the planet was extinguished
within 48 hours.
Tony, having stocked-up on Twinkies and pork pies at his local
convenience store, (it was better when you didn't have to pay),
positioned himself at his workstation and began to re-animate
whatever amused him. The swarm of airborne micro machines was
part of his consciousness after all.
Tony had become a God.
Just a bit of a useless one.
10 years on, and Tony's mentally unhinged evolutionary cycle had
gained a firm root on the planet. Things that were never meant to be
galloped and rolled about the plains, having fights with anything that
moved and anything that didn't move, in a constant state of fevered
aggravation.
The human survivors were few and far between; scientists forming
small outposts deep underground in an attempt to find a solution to
defeat the virus.
One such scientist was Kimberly Stride.
Struggling day and night against National Lottery style odds in an
attempt to find an anti-virus, she soon realised.......that she couldn't.
So she built a bomb instead.
"I'll blow its ass off the face of the earth" she shouted assertively to her
sweat-sheened pervert assistant, Orville McCandle.
But Orville had his own semi-erect, secret agenda. As Kimberly
regained consciousness, strapped half-naked onto her penis-shaped
Cruise missile, she felt a twinge of remorse at her choice of assistant.
Orville had his finger on the Auto Destruct. She had only one available
option:
Fly that baby into the heart of the Beast.
Tony didn't care.
He knew they were there, and what they were doing, but by now he
had evolved into something much larger and stupendously more
dangerous than 'Fatty' Defresco.
Tony was the Machinehead Core.
Tony's new creations had built onto him. And into him. He was
immobile, but that came as no change. They fuelled him day and night
and he created whatever popped into his once flabby head.
Even though Tony was the Machinehead, God of his New World, the
nostalgic memories of fondant fancies and chips slipped occasionally
through his Deity-like mental defences.
He couldn't think like that.
He was the Machinehead Core.
He could murder a Savaloy.
The preceding will be shown in an animated Introduction
Sequence.
THE GAME
Theme: Comic Sci-fi
Style: 3D tactical shoot 'em up / Drive ‘em up
Target Age: 14 and upwards
No. of Players: 1 PLAYER + NETWORK PLAY (PC)
Machine: PC/CD-ROM, Sega Saturn && Sony Playstation
OVERVIEW
BLAM! will be a game that contains all the shoot 'em up excitement
and action of a console/arcade product, but with extra strategy
elements added specifically for the PC market - notably, presenting the
player with the ability to actually change the game map during play.
The differences between this new venture and all that Core has done
previously will not only be evident in a stretching of the technical
envelope, as far as the latest, high-end machines are concerned, but
will also extend to a groundbreaking graphical look-and-feel. This will
not be just because we now have more colours and a Silicon Graphics
workstation to play with, but because the artist appointed to work on
the product has a unique vision unparalleled in this industry.
Viewed in first-person perspective (with the option of an external
viewpoint) from the visor of the heavily armoured and highly
manoeuvrable 'Vorpal Blade', the player takes on the role of Dr.
Kimberly Stride, a bio-scientist hell-bent on destroying the virus core.
The game has one ultimate goal, to reach and vaporise the
nanotechnological parasite known as the Machinehead. Unfortunately,
Orville (the geek) is now controlling your fate, so various sub-missions
have to be accomplished before you can be eventually released.
BLAM! takes place on an Earth that has been devastatingly
transformed into an industrial, mechanised nightmare by the
Machinehead and its nanotechnically enhanced army of machines.
GAME STRUCTURE
The location of the Machinehead has been pinpointed somewhere
within a heavily defended area of the former United States known as
"The Grid".
The Grid
The Grid is the Machinehead’s last line of defence where the
Machinescape and real world combine into a hellish landscape -
deceptively nice and normal to begin with - but not for long.
In the virus core lies regenerated versions of all the previous bosses,
plus the physical embodiment of the virus whose voice is strangely
familiar.
VIRUS CORE The Machinescape
An important strategic aspect of the gameplay will involve the player
entering a cyberspatial area known as the 'Machinescape'. In this area
the player may affect parts of the game map itself. The area is
basically the virtual mind of the Machinehead entity and will be as
hostile an environment as any other in the game.
General Layout
Cyberspace is a circular arena. In the centre sits the sentinel who
sends out a revolving beam which rotates like the hands of a clock-
face.
Five Teleports (corresponding to your Cyber keys) are positioned at
regular intervals around the outer wall. When in contact with one of
the Teleport pads and in possession of the corresponding key, you will
be transported through to the Cyber Chamber (i.e. 1of 5).
Cyber Chambers
These contain the segment of the real world that has been 'captured' by
the Machinehead. These segments will be depicted in a specific texture
or wire frame or some other freaky effect. As you enter the chamber,
the real world segment will be pulled through and the Cyber segment
will be sent back to its rightful place.
You can, if you wish, peruse the segment in order to memorise it or
recognise it and its position in the real world.
If not, leave by the exit. If the terminal is in the vicinity of the segment
being changed, it will visibly happen before your eyes (as long as you
are pointing in the right direction).
The Sentinel
This is a non-physical entity who sits in the centre of Cyberspace (like
a main processor in a computer), searching for and destroying any
other viruses that may affect the Machinehead virus.
It sends out an all encompassing beam (in a wedge shape), which, if it
comes into contact with the player’s brain pattern (i.e. touches you),
will activate its army of bugs to try and impede your progress.
To prevent this from happening the player can hide behind craftily
placed shields jutting from the landscape. On later levels there will be
fewer shields and even the exciting possibility of two beams.
THE MISSIONS
Mission 1 : The Train
You must find and then guide a cargo train to a bunker hidden within
the spider-infested city. Orville needs the train’s cargo to power his
electricity generator. On your way to the chambers your basic aim is to
reach the central room and destroy the queen.
This will result in a confrontation with the another agent who says that
his teleport device has only enough power for one. You must kill him.
Area 1: Petrified Forest
A desolate landscape level depicted as a petrified forest, scattered with
electricity pylons and a steel mill in the centre. Your mission objective
is to find the mill and then a hangar. Inside lies an old cargo train full
of minerals needed to fuel Orville’s laboratory. The train is useless
until you have been into Machinescape and connected the virus to the
train - bringing it to life.
Along your way be ready to blast the small egg-sacks that generate
baby spiders but do not pose much of a threat. You must follow the
train down a short track until it disappears into a tunnel. Entering the
tunnel will warp you to the next area.
Area 2: Train Yard Wastelands
The train is now moving down the network of tracks. Some have dead
ends, some drop into gigantic craters and others are blocked by debris.
Your aim is to guide the train across the wasteland and into the tunnel
entrance, avoiding the above and also the larger spiders which are
guarding the queen at the end of area 3.
Along the way Switch boxes can be manipulated allowing the train to
cross over onto other parts of the track. This will be a key puzzle
element of this level. The debris can only be moved by finding a
Machinescape terminal, then moving into Machinescape itself and
destroying the obstruction.
Unfortunately, as the train has been infected by the virus, 6 other
kamikaze locos have been created. These carry Machinehead created
cannons which will try to halt the train by blocking the track from
various points. These must be destroyed if you are to succeed. This is
achieved by getting ahead of the train on the track, finding a switch
box and flipping it so that the Mech-train is destroyed - either over the
edge of a cliff or into a pile of debris.
Area 3: Cityscape
The train has now reached the other end of the tunnel. Here the terrain
is more rocky and demolished buildings litter the landscape.
The aim of this mission is to guide the train through the wasted
cityscape toward the bunker where the teleporter lies. However, all is
not so simple as parts of the track have crumbled away. In order to
succeed you will have to construct Machinescape bridges and remove
any rubble which may be blocking your way as well as keeping a look
out for giant spider webs that will slow down the train.
Also, certain bridges are only wide enough for the train to pass - safe
points in the structure have to be found if you don’t want to get
shunted over the edge.
Once at the end of the bridge, the train will begin its final climb
towards the bunker entrance. Unfortunately, the bunker has been
infested by the nasty, unfeasibly large arachnid Queen and her
minions. These must be destroyed before the train can be guided into
the bunker.
Mission 2: The Agent
Another agent has been sent to help you. His mission was to destroy
the termite hills (one of the main creation networks). Unfortunately,
due to a very poor termite disguise, he has now been captured and is
being held in the egg chamber. You have to rescue him and then use
his teleporter to exit the level.
Area 1: Swamp
A vast swamp awaits you. Eventually you will come across the two
massive termite hills that tower the level. One is on your side of the
river but the other cannot be reached unless a bridge is built.
Area 2: Termite Hill 1
The interior is maze-like, with loads of tight corridors, alcoves,
stalactite and stalagmite formations and sealed-off chambers. These
must be opened; by lowering the sealed wall you can gain access.
Some chambers contain newly hatched warrior termites, but others
may contain energy or Machinescape terminals.
Upon finding the main chamber you will encounter a wide abyss
circulating the central area. The last key needed rests on the central
area and the only way to get across is to raise 3 circular ledges up, one
inside the other. This is achieved by finding the chamber with the
Machinescape terminal and collecting all the Machinescape keys.
After collecting the final key and entering Machinescape yet again, a
bridge is activated across the river - allowing access to the other
termite hill. You must fight your way over the bridge, taking care as
falling off it will mean instant death.
Area 3: Termite Hill 2
Once across the newly formed bridge you can concentrate on the real
mission; finding the agent. You must search through an interior of
dark, corpse strewn passageways and large, open chambers which have
strange walkway networks spiralling upward towards the roof.
Eventually you will reach the egg chamber. The agent has been strung
up, high in the centre of the chamber, directly above a cylindrical
chamber which is protecting the queen. Exploring the chambers will
reveal Machinescape keys. On finding the Terminal and accessing
Machinescape, part of the protective chamber surrounding the Queen
is lowered. After all 4 parts have been dealt with, the Queen is now
vulnerable.
After you have destroyed her, the agent is dropped to the floor. He has
the key to the teleport chamber, but the teleport has only enough power
to send one entity through. You must shoot the agent and he will then
dropped the key. Your remaining objective is to find the teleport
chamber and escape.
Mission 3 : The Satellite
The Machinehead has sent a spy satellite into orbit. Your ultimate goal
is to destroy it. Firstly, a control station has to be reached in order to
call the satellite. Then by guiding the satellite down the highway you
can use it to take out a bridge at the other end.
Finally, you are teleported up into the clouds, on a sea of floating
rubble. The satellite can be reached from here. Once inside the
satellite, your aim is to find the reactor and activate the auto destruct.
Area 1 : Mountain pass
This level is portrayed at night. Your first mission objective is to find
the control station to activate the spy satellite in orbit. You have to
reach the top by following the crumbling road and using your
headlights for vision.
Area 2 : Highway
The spy satellite has been activated and now serves as one of your
most powerful weapons. Still at night, several Juggernauts shoot
across your path. Your aim is to reach the end of the highway and then
destroy a bridge that spans over the road.
The satellite cannon is continually targeting the trucks throughout the
level, but stray shots are also fired on the road ahead. Dodge them or
die. Road tunnels act as a temporary safe haven from the cannon; don’t
hang around though, as the satellite will still fire - sending pieces of
the roof crashing to the floor.
Area 3 : Above the city
Dawn is just breaking. You have been teleported onto a vast network
of floating debris where bits of the city have been dragged up into the
air. Machinehead created propellers are holding the chunks of earth
high above the desolate city-scape. You have to get to the satellite
which is at the other end of the level.
By accessing Machinescape terminals, the propellers can be used to
your advantage. Some are not active but some are spinning slowly and
can be used as rotating platforms. Others are at full speed and landing
on these will force you into the air.
By switching some of the props from spinning at full speed to slow
spin, or vice versa, you can access other parts of the level.
Bunker 3: Inside the Satellite
After entering the satellite from below, your aim is to find the central
control network and blow it up - thereby destroying the satellite. The
only thing stopping you is the security system, the rat infestation, and
the crazy scientists. You must be quick to find the teleporter once the
net has been wasted, or its bye bye baby.
Mission 4 : Machine Head
A mad blending of the real world and the Machinescape - similar in
many ways to the Wizard of Oz. A yellow brick road must be followed
and will eventually lead to the core of the virus. Your basic mission
aim is to simply reach and destroy the Machinehead.
Area 1 : Grassy Meadow
You are stuck on a grassy meadow. The road runs straight up the
centre and through a locked gate at the top of the map. Cliffs line the
sides of the meadow and cannot be passed. Parts of the floor have been
raised up and others lowered, creating maze sections for you to alter -
i.e. by using the Machinescape terminals.
Towers that line the road have to be opened and explored (by
collecting real world keys). Some of the tower entrances may be
covered by the raised earth.
Area 2 : Prezzy World
The place where the virus is reproduced and also where some enemies
are grown. A large central hub in the form of a carousel is surrounded
by a yellow brick road that spirals to the summitt. The road is littered
with prezzy boxes. Each prezzy must be opened, one after the other, by
finding real world keys. Some presents contain weapons, others cyber
keys, but some contain baddies.
Area 3 : The End
The epicentre of the virus; the core. A vast room filled with millions of
wires, terminals, and enemies. In the centre lies the physical
embodiment of Machinehead. Blast it into oblivion.
The Machinescape
Visited on nearly every level, it is depicted as a tunnel with 3 doors on
either side. Numbered cyber keys must be collected from the real
world, each door having a specific key tagged from 1 to 6.
Some levels will have less keys so fewer doors can be accessed (fewer
puzzles). Inside each door lies a platform on the edge of a great void.
The object to be affected in the real world rests on this platform. By
entering the doorway the object is either teleported into the real world,
ripped into Machinescape, or triggered to change operation (i.e. the
propellers on mission 3-3).
Once the object manipulation is complete, you will be warped back to
the real world. Machinescape terminals cannot be accessed unless you
have at least one cyber key.
SUB-MISSIONS
The sub-missions have to be completed before Orville will release you.
Failure to comply with Orville’s requests will result in you being
blown to bits as he presses the destruct button.
1. The Train (Cityscape) - including ruined buildings, cars, trucks,
bridges, river etc.
2. Lt. Calgary (Termite Swamp) - including the termite hills, maggot
river, swamp islands etc.
3. The Satellite (Sub-zero Wastelands) - including mountains of ice,
rock formations, canyons, road networks, tunnels etc.
4. The Virus Core (The inner mind of a lunatic) - including the
yellow brick road, the big top, grass meadows etc.
FMV - Introduction / Mission Briefings
In an animated introduction sequence, Kimberly will be shown first as
her normal self, hard at work in the bunker. Then, after Orville’s
vicious attack, transformed into the hideous Frankenstein type
creation, concealed inside the Vorpal Blade - and it's game on from
there....
Each Mission begins with Orville giving Kimberly precise instructions
on how to finish each specific task, depicted as full screen FMV.
Orville will also contact Kim in-level at certain points, giving you
additional information.
PANEL DISPLAY
BLAM! will have 3 Panel Displays: one for the so-called 'real world'
of the Grid, one for the cyberspatial world of the Machinescape and
one for the external Vorpal Blade view:
DISPLAY ICONS (the Grid)
When the player is playing through the Grid, the Vorpal Blade helmet
will contain the following:-
1. Mission Area Map: The player's position in the game world is
indicated by a white dot. The map a scaled top-down mini-map will
show all non-moving objects as colour co-ordinated dots, including
puzzle objects, keys, weapons, terminals etc.
2. Scanner: The player is situated at the centre of the Scanner, with
enemy objects shown as glowing green dots that fade out as the scan
pulse crosses over them.
3. Power Indicator: The Vorpal Blade’s shields are directly related to
this Power Indicator. The Indicator reduces incrementally when the
player takes a hit. When the Power Indicator is empty, the Blade’s
shields are down and consequently completely vulnerable to enemy
fire. To power-up the Blade’s shields, the player must find and collect
raw energy, usually ejected from a deceased enemy but sometimes
found in secret areas.
4. The Time-bomb: When your Power indicator is depleted to one
quarter, the bomb will start ticking from 3 minutes down to zero. The
only way to stop the bomb is to find raw energy. Failure will result in
you being vaporised.
Note: the time bomb will only pause, not reset, when energy has been
collected; at least not until you complete the mission.
5. Weapon Indicator: Each of the 7 slots in this will highlight if and
when the player collects a particular weapon.
6. Current Weapon Display: This shows an icon of the currently
selected weapon.
7. Weapon Battery: The weapons available all run from the same
power source, but as some weapons are more powerful than others,
different amounts of battery charge are used up, depending on the
selected weapon strength (see weapons). The default battery power is
200 units of energy.
8. Grid keys: These can only be used in the real world. A maximum
of 5 keys can be collected in any 1 level.
9. Cyber Keys: These are only used in the Machinescape to access the
5 teleports.
MACHINESCAPE PANEL DISPLAY
When Kimberly is blasted through into the Machinescape Cyberspace
environment, the Vorpal Blade helmet will contain all the above Grid
display with the exception of only 3 weapons being available. As you
are only a stream of consciousness, your map and scanner are inactive.
The graphical look of the display will change to be in keeping with the
Machinescape graphical look.
Machinescape energy: your energy level in Cyberspace will constantly
decrease. Upon reaching zero you will be dragged back into the real
world. Energy can be replenished by collecting raw energy or by
shooting one of the many Cyber enemies. However, doing this will
cause the other Cyber enemies to home in on you, hoping to steal your
life force.
WEAPONS
BLAM! will have 2 sets of possible weapons - 1 set for the Grid and 1
set for the Machinescape Cyberspace world:
GRID WEAPONS
In the Grid, The Blade is fitted with 1 default weapon, but has the
capacity to be loaded with up to 6 more. Each weapon will appear on-
screen when it has been collected and selected.
1. PLASMA (default weapon)
Close-quarters weapon, firing a low-level electrical charge. Each shot
depletes 1 unit of battery energy.
2. FLAME-THROWER
Medium-range weapon, launching a white hot stream of napalm.
Tapping the fire button will launch small spurts and uses 3 units. By
holding down the fire button, you can use the Thrower to its full
potential, but much more weapon energy is used up.
3. M-44 MISSILE
Standard missile that fires straight forward until contact is made; then
it detonates with a small explosion. Each M- 44 launched will use 5
units of battery power.
4. SMART MISSILE
Targeting missile that homes in on the desired enemy; medium
explosion on contact; may destroy other close-by enemies. Each smart
missile fired will use 8 units of battery power.
5. GRENADE LAUNCHER
Lobs a small explosive device out to the cross hairs; take care not to
use 1 of these when falling off a cliff, or you’ll end up in the
explosion. Detonation radius depends on how long you hold the fire
button down. The battery power lasts a maximum of 15units.
6. CLUSTER GRENADE
Launched as one object, then splits into smaller particles in mid-air,
creating more widespread damage. The number of particles depends on
how long fire is held down. Battery power lasts to a maximum of 20
units.
7. PLASMA BOMB
R-TYPE style power-up weapon which creates either a small Plasma
burst, or, if fire is held down, a huge ball of unstable particles that
implodes anything close by. Uses up to a maximum of 40 battery
power units.
NB: Each weapon has a detection radius; anything within this takes a
hit.
COLLECTING WEAPONS 2-7:
There are 2 ways of collecting weapons 2-7:
(i). The weapon will be hidden somewhere in the gameworld and the
player must find it and walk over it to collect it.
(ii). The weapon will form part of an enemy vehicle and will appear
when that enemy has been destroyed. Once again, the player must
walk over the weapon to collect it.
The most powerful of the above weapons will either be hidden in well-
defended / hard-to-get-to locations, or as a part of a well-armoured and
heavily armed enemy.
The player can also collect a weapon that he/she currently holds; this
will give you a vital 20 battery units.
WEAPON POWER-UP
As all weapons use the same battery, you will need to find either small
battery units (these add 50 units of charge), or find a new replacement
battery cell. Doing this will completely recharge all battery power to
200 units and give you a further 200 empty units (the maximum number of
battery cells you can carry is 3 or 600 units). Other ways of
powering up your battery are:-
(a). Find and collect another weapon of an identical type (as described
above).
(b). Destroy scientists plus certain other enemies (they will drop their
battery units).
MACHINESCAPE WEAPONS
In the Cyberspatial environment of the Machinescape, Kimberly’s
downloaded consciousness can use 1 default weapon, but will be able
to collect 2 more, making a total of 3 Machinescape weapons. Each
weapon will appear on-screen when it has been collected and selected:
1. THE SHOK (default weapon)
(Details to be decided)
2. NUCRON GRENADE
(Details to be decided)
3. ATOM SPLITTER
(Details to be decided)
COLLECTING MACHINESCAPE WEAPONS:
There are 2 ways of collecting weapons 2 and 3:
(i). The weapon will be hidden somewhere in the gameworld; the
player must find it and run over it to collect it.
(ii). The weapon will form part of an enemy vehicle and will appear
when that enemy has been destroyed; once again, the player must run
over the weapon to collect it.
The most powerful of the above weapons will either be hidden in well-
defended / hard-to-get-to locations, or as a part of a well-armoured and
heavily armed enemy.
The player can collect a weapon that he / she already has, giving extra
battery power units.
MACHINESCAPE POWER UP
The Cyberspatial weapons will still use battery power in exactly the
same way as real world weapons do.
CYBERSPACE TERMINALS
On approaching a terminal it will open out and light up. Consequently,
pressing enter in the vicinity will warp you through to Machinescape.
ACCESS TERMINALS
To access / interface with a Terminal, the player must move him /
herself right up to the Terminal. Pressing space will either cause a door
to open, the train tracks to switch direction, or some other level
specific task.
TELEPORTER
Running over it will activate the teleporter and send you whizzing
through the air in a million little balls, through to the teleport receiver
(or something).
SPECIAL ITEMS
SUPER POWER MAX: Found only in the most secret of places, this
little beauty will completely replenish all weapon batteries and defence
shields to full power.
INVINCIBILITY PACK
Gives you 30 seconds of invulnerability, enabling you to reach
previously inaccessible areas; enemies can be rammed into, destroying
them instantly.
Note: All pick-ups / power-ups dropped by enemies (when destroyed)
have a short lifespan before disintegrating.
GAME PROGRESSION
If you are required to move to an exit, but find it more entertaining to
coast about brainlessly, a text message will pop up:
e.g. 'Hurry up, Dr Stride'.
at which point Orville will activate your bomb timer in sporadic bursts,
scaring you into getting your head together.
GENERAL ENEMIES
These pop-up on most levels and aggravation factors will become
tremendous in later stages.
RANDOM TRIGGER ENEMIES
Flies
Machine camera flies bomb about trying to locate your position.
When they arrive on screen they dart about for a few seconds, stop and
hover while taking a few shots at you, and then shoot off. (Only to
arrive again 30 seconds later etc.)
Periscope Gun
Pops up with a specific recognisable noise and FX Sprite (in case it
arrives behind you), swivels round to home in, fires out a spray of
shots and then departs swiftly and silently.
Bouncing Bombs
Arrives with a whining noise, bounces at high speed, crashes
(hopefully not into you) and explodes massively.
Gun Emplacement
Small outpost installation; homes in on your general direction and then
blasts you with low power pulses.
LEVEL SPECIFIC ALIENS
LEVEL 1
Small spiders
Ejected from cocoons.
Medium size spiders
Burst out from the ground to attack.
Scientists
Will wave at you optimistically in hope of rescue. Will be shot in
large quantities, dropping weapons, power-ups etc.
Skull
Arrives at the end of the level as the train reaches the tunnel.
This giant quadruped gallops about, attempting to severely damage
you and will appear regularly through the next 2 levels.
Flying Spiders
These charming little arachnids drop out of the sky, trailing webs.
They then land, get up and attack.
BUNKER 1 (Boss Area)
Arachnid Queen
Defends the Teleporter and fills the final chamber.
This super spider enjoys eating small babies for breakfast; it will try to
defend its eggs and young, so be very careful. When destroyed, it will
provide you with plenty of memorable power- ups.
LEVEL 2
Scientists with guns (mutants)
A hybrid group of scientists created after a scientist meeting in which
they decided large, mutated gun arms and blank stares were preferable
to being massacred during the first 3 levels.
Caterpillars
Segmented enemies which follow the landscape in much the same way
as, say, a caterpillar would. If shot in the centre the creature will split
into segments with independent motion. This will cause even more
problems. Shooting it in the head will completely destroy it.
Termites
General termite enemies which act in much the same manner as the
spiders.
Large Maggots
These stay in 1 position on the game map and fling acidic spit at you.
Small Maggots
These drop out of the ceiling and attempt to locate and physically
connect with you to draw on your energy and block your course.
Super Nasty Termites
These termites are the Vinny Jones of the termite world. Take a lickin'
and come back kicking.
BUNKER 2 (Termite Hill 2)
Large Maggot Boss
Behaves in a very grotesque fashion, perhaps spitting acid and birthing
small contact maggots at the same time.
LEVEL 3
Little Fireflies
Fly vacantly about, glowing slowly at first, they then begin to pulse,
finally firing a seething ray of magma.
Super Jet Bomber
A half mechanical, half organic craft which slings out bouncing
bombs at an alarming rate. It appears at the end of the level as a
prelude.
Large Supertanker Vehicle
Patrols the Superhighway at alarming speeds, only halting to reverse
over people.
Vans
With a simple weapon system, it patrols the highway and then homes
in on you.
Cars
Operate in a similar way to the vans, but explode violently on impact.
Jetpack Scientists
Fly around on high-powered jetpacks, desperately trying to blow you
up.
Vulture
Sits on outcrops until triggered, then hovers above you in circles,
diving occasionally to attack you, maybe even picking you up and then
dropping you.
Grasshopper
Attempts to hop onto you, knocking you off the flying debris. Either
jumps platform to platform or defends specific platforms.
NB: Transparent polygon satellite missile targeting system must be
created for this level.
BUNKER 3 (Satellite)
Special Scientists
Special scientists have some really powerful weapons, not unlike your
Plasma Bomb.
Defence System Boss
Something large and robotic, also containing elements of defense.
LEVEL 4
Specifically on this level, enemies have two states - easy and nasty.
On first progressing through the level, the enemies appear to be
stomach churningly useless but upon opening the final gate, all the
previous life-forms disappear, to be replaced by eye-wateringly hard
things.
Easy Zebedee/Nasty Zebedee
Bounces around harmlessly, then bounces towards you and explodes
(replacing generic bouncing bomb).
Easy Penguins/Nasty Penguins
Similar hopping procedure to Zebedee, but mutates into a heavy
weapon-throwing mutant.
Easy Toy Soldier/Nasty Toy Soldier
This little nasty wobbles about, his little cog rotating on his back and
subsequently mutates into a sniper weapon who will stand stationary
and take pot-shots at you.
Easy Chattering Teeth/Nasty Chattering Teeth
Hop about aimlessly with an enfeebled 'plip plop' noise and then
mutate into a rotten set of molars, with the sole object of latching onto
you and hurting you.
NB: Possibilities on this level include an amount of specific enemies
shot on first run through equal to the amount of shots needed to
destroy them in the mutated period (i.e. shoot 10 easy soldiers and it
takes 10 shots to destroy the nasties when they mutate), together with
the possibility of enemies splitting into more enemies when shot (to be
discussed).
Flying Pigs
Flies around the carousel level, dropping zebedees everywhere.
Specific Present Boxes
Upon opening certain boxes, you will be treated to a number of
unamusing consequences, all of which will seriously lower your power
e.g. boxing gloves
eyeballs
explosions
clown-face jack-in-a-box
It is also important to remember that boxes may also contain power-
ups and other such gifts.
BUNKER 4 (The Finale)
All previous level enemies attacking you in finite groups as they are
released.
Key chambers
Will contain all previous bosses.
Machinehead Core
Reminiscent of the MCP out of Tron, but with a missile or bomb.
EXIT- BUNKERS
The bunkers are not only the boss areas but also the home of the
teleport device which warps you to the next area.
GAME-OVER MAN
The game ends when you have lost all energy supplies and have no
tries left.
GAME OVER SEQUENCE
When Dr. Kimberly Stride finally reaches and destroys the virus core,
Orville releases her from the Vorpal Blade, but in true comic strip
tradition, a nasty little twist in the tail awaits.
LOOK-AND-FEEL Sort of a William Gibson / Benny Hill, crossed with hard edge comic
Sci-Fi.
KEY MARKETING POINTS
A highly original and extremely funny storyline that unfolds as the
game progresses.
4 Huge missions to explore, each with 4 sub-levels.
A full 3D polygon virtual landscape awaits, with huge mechanical
structures, long dark tunnels and desolate cityscapes.
Shadow and lens flare effects, the ability to raise and lower vast areas
of terrain.
CREDITS
PROGRAMMED BY
Daniel Scott
PROGRAMMING SUPPORT
Martin Gibbins
GRAPHICS
Andy Sandham
Stuart Atkinson
GRAPHICAL SUPPORT
David Pate
ORIGINAL CONCEPT
Andrew Sandham
GAME DESIGN
Richard Morton
Andy Sandham
Stuart Atkinson
Daniel Scott
Martin Gibbins
DESIGN DOCUMENT AND LEVEL DESIGN
Richard Morton
ORIGINAL MUSICAL SCORE
Nathan McCree
PRODUCED BY
Adrian Smith
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Jeremy Heath-Smith
BLAM! Machine Head is a Core Design production.
TM & (c) 1995 Core Design.
BLAM! MACHINEHEAD CONTROLS.
All the controls at present are temporary
Arrows keys for forward, Backwards Left & Right.
Space bar fires the selected weapon.
Number keys 1,2,3 & 4 select different weapons .
W and S keys allow you to look UP / DOWN.
Q and A keys moves the bike UP / DOWN.
J key allows you to jump over objects if you get stuck.
+ and - keys allow you to select the other 2 test. levels.
