SPOILER ALERT!
CATCH 23 - Hint Sheet
On starting the gameYou are dropped on the island at 1 of 5 different locations dependent on the prevailing winds. Near each of these locations is a 'SAFE'-house. Make a note of these as you will need to save and load the game periodically. There are other safe houses, but they are not necessarily near drop locations (see in-game map).
Shuttle Routes
See in-game map for shuttle routes. Take note of mines/doors/other shuttles as you travel.
Saving the Game
It is important to save the game regularly. 'Safe' houses are shown on the map as green circles. Once in the house click on the word 'SAFE' to save the game.
Mines
The battery on your detector only lasts 15 minutes of game time. There are more batteries in buildings, if you can find them, and as rewards for shooting things. However, if you do run out of battery power avoid isolated shuttle stops as they tend to be mined, also beware some isolated transmitter rooms.
Armoured Vehicle Patrol
They patrol set routes and NEVER deviate from these routes, though they may turn to face you if you get too close. Patrols may be destroyed by CAREFULLY placing bombs on their routes. Set the bomb timer for its maximum delay, unless you know when the tank will return. If a patrol detects you and starts turning towards you, your Dangerometer will increase rapidly... Run away backwards as turning takes time.
Bombs
If you wish to quit a saved game then set your timer for current (or past) time. Also, be careful with short timers as you may be blown up if troopers corner you in that area. Bombs exploding in your current zone will make that zone more dangerous (viz. your dangerometer) and make it less dangerous in adjacent zones. Try not to blow up buildings with doors unless you know them to be booby trapped.
Transmitters (see map)
On entering a transmitter room check the object on the table to your right. This will give you a clue to the owner's identity.
The owners are :-
2. Marcel Guerre - Tin of Wax ZONE - 10
3. Anatoli Romanov - The Planets by Martech ZONE - 1
4. Cris Stavros - Bowl of sugar cubes ZONE - 4 (N.B. spelling)
5. Sean Connolly - Container of Whiskey ZONE - 8
6. Mario Notrianni - Video Cassette ZONE - 14
7. Homero Guevara - Sphygnomanometer (blood pressure) ZONE - 13
8. Rudi Appel - Green Rosette ZONE - 11
9. Olaf Stenmark - Bullet in glass case ZONE - 14
10. Tracey Court - Pair of field glasses ZONE - 3
11. Colin Lassiter - An Esky (Aussie cool box)ZONE - 1
12. Oswald Osvaldo - Pair of Crampons ZONE - 2
13. Ann Roberts - Compass ZONE - 5
14. Professor Wang - A Teapot ZONE - 7
15. Zacharias Nuemann- Some sheet music ZONE - 8
16. Professor Ning - Painting of an eagle ZONE - 5
(* 17. Catch23 - an anti-clue, NOT the book by Joseph Heller. N.B. In Zone 6, but cannot access 17 until the previous 16 have been linked. *)
You must type the name of the owner at the LOGON stage.
This code will refer to an element in the fuel formula for the CK23 interceptor.
The format of the clue is :- 2 digits (Atomic weight), 1st letter of element, number of letters in the name of the element, last letter of the element.
Any other entry will result in garbage.
Note that the owner's name is also a clue as their initials are the element's Atomic symbol.
A succesful link will put an arrow on your direction indicator to point you to the next transmitter in the loop.
It is advisable, but not essential, to follow the loop as finding the last few transmitters can be difficult.
If you logon with the wrong name, the zone you are in will become EXTREMELY dangerous.
The Complex - (Zone 6)
This zone will be extremely dangerous after you have been dropped and will stay dangerous for some time. It is very tricky to negotiate a path through the mountains especially if you have no batteries in your detector as the key route is mined (which is also a clue). All shuttles entering the complex lead to dead-ends.
This zone conceals both the 'CK23 interceptor' and transmitter 17. You cannot blow up the CK23 with your own bombs as they are not powerful enough to penetrate its shielding; only transmitter 17 can accomplish your mission.
SCORING (Atari ST / ZX Spectrum)
The following will add to your score :-
1. Shooting foot patrols - 100 points
2. Blowing up buildings - 200 points / building
3. Destroying Tanks - 500 points
4. Activating Transmitter - 1000 points
5. Activating Transmitter 17 - ?????? points
Best time for completing the game - 2 hours 38 minutes
Best score - 83700 points.
Good Luck,
Ian Mc.
ANSWERS TO CLUES
1. Platinum
2. Magnesium
3. Argon
4. Not yet...
5. Not yet...
6. Not yet...
7. Not yet...
8. Not yet...
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10. Not yet...
11. Not yet...
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13. Not yet...
14. Not yet...
15. Not yet...
16. Not yet...
17. No way!!!