ALIEN INVASION is a MULTIJOY game (and has nothing to do with the classic space-invaders game). If you own a special piece of hardware called the "MULTI JOYSTICK INTERFACE", you can play this game with up to six players simultaneously using up to six Atari/ Amiga type digital joysticks with up to three independent buttons.
If you don't have a MULTI JOYSTICK INTERFACE, you can still play ALIEN INVASION with a maximum of five players, using up to two standard pc-joystick(s) and up to three players using the keyboard controls. For more infos on this topic read chapter 'Joysticks'.
System requirements:
The game runs on DOS,Win95,Win98 and Win2K,WinXP (using the DosBox from SourceForge) in 640x480 256 colors (using vesa-capability of most newer graphicscards) with a soundblaster 'compatible' soundcard. The game may also run completely from a DOS-boot disk.
For sound output the environment-variable 'blaster' should be set correctly (in 'autoexec.bat' or in 'alien.bat'). Use parameter 'NoSound' if you want to disable sound output.
The two settings displayed at the bottom right of the starting-screen (Sound, NoMj) could be changed by using the parameters NoSound (sound off), Hardware (use multijoy-hardware).
Hint: There are some more multi-player-games than only this one for the MultiJoy-Hardware. Read here for more Infos.
ALIEN INVASION INDEX:
The GameScoring
Useful Hints
Battles+Missions
Editing Missions
Weapons+Aliens
Game Objects
Screenshots
Joysticks
Multijoy
More Infos
Download the Game
Future of Alien-Invasion
Feedback
Copyright
THE GAME [Index]
Evil aliens came from the black void of outer space to attack
unsuspecting peaceful space installations of the humans with
mindless violence.Well, it was the fifth time this century they did that, and so the human colonists escaped using the emergency exit while automatic communication systems send a distress signal calling the Space Marines to fight off the aliens.
Join the Space Marines! Beam into alien-infested space stations and sweep the corridors from evil, purple aliens! Wield mighty weapons against the numerically superior monsters! Reduce nasty aliens to purple spots on the floor! Beat the enemy from outer space in a game of mindless violence!
You got killed by too much mindless violence directed against you? Don't worry - you will be back in the game within a moment, controlling a hybrid alien elite fighter armed with a deadly rocket launcher. Now, it's your duty to hunt the evil Space Marines that attack your species with unparalleled cruelty.
Got killed again? Well, the aliens are somewhat short of elite fighters, so you will have to take control of a simple standard alien to fight against the Space Marines. No long range weapons this time - use your claws and teeth against the human invaders!
Each mission begins with the marines being beamed to the space station near their mission targets. The mission ends when all marines have reached their exit points or got killed. There is a time limit for each mission, too, and if this limit is exceeded the mission is aborted and considered a failure.
If the Space Marines complete a mission, they will be moved on to the next mission in the campaign. The winner is the player with the most total points after completing a hole battle.
SCORING [Index]
For each mission there is a minimum point value the
marines (all marines of all teams) have to collect
to complete the mission. Only primary targets will
count for this minimum number.Additionally there is a setting for each mission how many marines must survive to complete the mission.
| POINTS | ACTION |
|---|---|
| 10,12,14,16 | marine deactivating primary target (blinking pyramide) increases missionscore |
| 10,12,14,16 | hybrid-alien (player controlled) reactivating primary target decreases missionscore |
| 6,8 | secondary target (rotating pyramide) does not affect missionscore |
| -5 | marine kills marine from an other team |
| -10 | marine kills marine from his own team |
| 1 | marine kills alien |
| 2 | marine kills player-alien |
| 4 | marine kills hybrid-alien |
| 10 | player-alien/hybrid kills marine |
| 20 | marine reaches the exit point alive |
All team members still alive as marines will get the points if any marine of their team scores. Hybrids and aliens score for themselves only. All scores will only count if the mission is completed successfuly. ESC aborts the game without counting the score.
USEFUL HINTS [Index]
BATTLES+MISSIONS [Index]
Normaly you will start with the first mission of a battle.
If the mission is successfuly completed, the next mission
will start automaticaly.
The winner is the player with the most total points
after completing a hole battle.To gain access to a mission of a battle, first press 'L' in the Scorescreen, choose the battle you want with the left/right cursor keys and then select the mission with the up/down cursor keys. Normaly you should continue with the mission in orange color. Red color means this mission is not accessable, green means you have successfuly finished this mission once before.
Editing Missions [Index]
The game has a build in level- and map-editor.
Creating a level with it is done in minutes.
For drawing walls there is a function called "auto-draw"
that automaticaly adjusts surrounding walls.
Each level also has some specific settings (mission-time, number of aliens ...).For changing parameters specific to each mission (or "level"), you may need the 'master password' for this level which the creator of this level chose to protect his work from getting messed up.
If you want to create a new battle the easiest way is to edit the missions of the battle called BATTLE4.
The file ALIEN.INI contains the names of the missions and the names of the battles and may be changed to add new levels or battles, but if not correctly changed the game may no longer work correctly.
GAME OBJECTS: WEAPONS + ALIEN TYPES [Index]
| WEAPON | RANGE | DAMAGE | TARGET | DELAY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol | 8 | 3 | first | medium |
| Laser | 15 | 4 | all | medium |
| Flamer | 4 | 8 | all | long |
| Cannon | 12 | 3 | first | short |
| Shock | 8 | 8-range | all | medium |
| Mine | 1 | 9 | all | - |
| Rocket | max | 9 | first | medium |
| AlienBeam | 10 | 4 | all | long |
| ALIEN | COLOR | SIGHT | HITS |
|---|---|---|---|
| STANDARD | PINK | 2 | 8 |
| KILLER | BROWN | 16 | 6 |
| GUARD | ORANGE | 8 | 12 |
| MASTER | YELLOW | 4 | 20 |
| HYBRID | PlayerColor | ? | 6 |
| PLAYER | PlayerColor | ? | 8 |
| PlayerAlien | PlayerColor | ? | 8 |
MORE GAME OBJECTS [Index]
ENTRY POINTS (A-H in blue color)here each mission starts for player A-H
EXIT POINTS (A-H in red color)
reaching this point alive gives additional score of 5 points
ALIEN ENTRIES (holes in floorplates)
color shows level of alien activity
can be closed (disabled) by marines
can be used by player-aliens to randomly 'beam' to other entry-points
SHORT JUMPS (blinking arrow)
teleport over min 1 field in indicated direction
LONG JUMPS (blinking double-arrow)
teleport over min 3 fields in indicated direction
KEYCARDS (colored cards with the text 'key')
give access to the corresponding door
DOORS (blue,olive,green,orange,red,white,pink,gray)
keycards needed for: blue, olive, green, orange, red
white : only marines can pass these doors
pink : only aliens can pass these doors
gray : no key necessary
TELEPORT RECEIVER (field in moving blue/white)
destination points if beamer is used
BEAMER (item with red and green dots)
teleports to a randomly chosen teleport receiver
1ST AID PACK (chest with red cross)
increases your health by five hitpoints
SCREENSHOTS [Index]
Here are all six players at their starting locations.
The A-F in red mark the points that should be reached after completing the mission.
Dead players get control over a elite alien with a rocket launcher.
When a elite alien dies the player gets control over a standard alien.
All player aliens can 'teleport' if standing on a alien entry/exit point.
JOYSTICKS [Index]
If you don't have a multi joystick interface, you can play
ALIEN INVASION with a maximum of five players, using up to two standard
pc-joystick(s) and up to three players using the keyboard.This is the default setting. If you want to use the interface-hardware this could be changed by using the parameter 'hardware'.
When using the interface-hardware this game supports the standard- button and the extra-button. Press your extra/super-button while in scorescreen to activate extra/super-button support.
Against only one button it's possible to fire weapons while standing on an other weapon without changing weapons!
standard = fire weapon
extra = change weapon
super = 'not used yet'
THE MULTIJOY HARDWARE [Index]
The MultiJoy-Interface supports six digital joy-
sticks (known from C64, Amiga, Atari) with up to
three independant buttons.Theoreticaly four additional buttons are possible as combinations from the first three! BUTTON: 4=1+2, 5=2+3, 6=1+3, 7=1+2+3
Most joysticks have more than one button, but normaly all those buttons only activate the same first button.
If you want more than one button you should buy yourself a joystick with all nine cables connected and then connect your extra buttons as discribed in the official MultiJoy-Package.
Build your own MulitJoy hardware for parallel port (multijoy11.zip 200KB)
HINT: This hardware may be replaced by USB-Joysticks in the future.
MORE INFOS [Index]
For more MultiJoy games go to Unofficial Multijoy HomepageIf you want more information about the following topics read the text about MULTIJOY:
Hardware requirements
Supported chipsets
Where to find a VESA driver
How to play without an interface
Where to find the latest MULTIJOY games
Questions about the Hardware
The MULTI JOYSTICK INTERFACE
How to get/build a MULTI JOYSTICK INTERFACE
How to build a MultiJoy-Joystick
DOWNLOAD THE GAME [Index]
This Dos-based game should run on MS-Dos, Win95, Win98, Win98se.For Win2K or WinXP install the DosBox from SourceForge to run the game including sound.
Download MultiJoy game Alien-Invasion V1.1 (AlienV11.zip, 280KB).
Installation: Unzip archive to C:\Alien. Edit Blaster-setting in 'Alien.bat'. You may append optional parameters to Alien.exe. Save and exit. Double-click Alien.bat to start the game! (For directly starting 'Alien.exe' the variables blaster and multijoy have to be set in your autoexec.bat.)
May be i will release some new missions/battles here too.
DOWNLOAD BOMBER MEN [Index]
Download MultiJoy game Dynamite-Men (dynamite.zip 50KB) also known as dynablaster or (atomic) bomberman.HINT: There is a nice windows remake (NapalmBomber3D 4MB) out there but not for MultiJoy. Homepage http://www.delphigl.de
FUTUTE OF ALIEN-INVASION [Index]
May be i will write a 'Alien Invasion - The Return' with better
sounds and music and more graphics and may be some
more enhancements for the Windows operating system
with USB-Joystick support.
This means a nearly 'unlimited' amount of joysticks on
a single computer. But i realy don't know if i ever
will find the time for this.Please feel free to send comments to the creator of Alien Invasion: Heiko Zügel
FEEDBACK [Index]
Of course, you may have questions this text didn't
answer. If you need to know more about the details
or if you are just curious about some aspect of the
game, don't hesitate to contact the author!
Any bug reports, suggestions, questions and comments
are welcome. Well, bug reports are not welcome, but
most important.Email: hzuegel@yahoo.com
COPYRIGHT [Index]
Alien Invasion - Copyright (C) 1993/94 Heiko ZuegelAll Rights Reserved.
'Alien Invasion' is not public domain software. It is copyrighted software, Copyright (C) 1993-2001 Heiko Zuegel. You may NOT however re-distribute modified versions of the game.
You MAY copy it, give it to your friends, upload it to a BBS or something similar, but: Don't charge any money for it and only distribute the whole original archive, with all the files included. If you want to include this game on a CD ROM, you must send me a free copy of the CD.
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