Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    
    Have you rescued the girl yet? SDI was a little disappointing compared
    to CoD. If I had to battle all those nasties in SDI I'd expect more!
    
    Anyway, this game is high on my must-buy list. Just waiting for
    a couple of others to make a mail-order buy worthwhile...
    
    -Ray
    

    
    make that Hitler, not Hittler.  The time is 1940, you're in 
    Ft. Dix, New Jersey.  The rocket pack, blaster, and, of course,
    your secret decoder wheel suddenly appear on your desk.
    
    Your job is to defeat the Nazis.  But since this is based on the
    movie serials, they also have some extra toys like a rocketship
    and a base on the moon.
    
    They have just kidnapped the professor and his daughter, if you
    hurry you can catch the zeppelins in the mid-atlantic.  But first
    you have to load up the exact amount of lunarium needed to get there
    into the rocket pack (that's why you need the secret decoder wheel).
    
    Then you have to figure out how to take off.  Even superman must
    have crashed a few times :-)  You get 3 tries, then it says after
    much practice you get into the air.
    
    Note: you have a limited amount of lunarium to power the rocket
    pack.  And there are 5 pieces to the rocket you have to find to
    get to the moon.  Meanwhile the zeppelin fleet is conquering the
    world.
    
    great graphics, good game except for that wheel
    
    -Dave

    For those of you who are waiting to ask:  The game can not be loaded
    on to hard disk or into memory.  The instructions state that they
    have used a special format on the disks.  They claim that this allows
    the game to load faster than it would from a hard disk.  Don't believe
    it.  Much of your time will be spent waiting for screens to load.
    (They hide some of this by making you read long screens of text.
     This works great the FIRST time you play.  Once you know what those
    screens say, they become a nuisance).
    
    The graphics are very impressive.  They have done a nice job.  I
    really like the opening sequence with the big "1940,"  the city
    in flames and the "godless goosesteppers."  But they do take a long
    time to load.  The silliest one is when you are flying.   The show
    a cloud background.  Rocket Ranger flys across the screen.  Total
    flight time:  about half a second.  Total cloud background:  about
    10 seconds.
                 
    As for game play, some of it is frustrating.   Shooting down fighter
    planes is difficult (they mask this by saying "what do you expect?
    You are flying at 300 miles per hour!")  They show the planes being
    hit, but don't show you being hit, you just drop off the screen
    for a moment.
    
    There seems to be plenty of variety in this game.  There are many
    different ways that you can "branch" through the story line.  There
    is a lot of reading involved, but much is intuition.  Only clues
    are given.  The only instructions for the code wheel is the hint
    that you should use it, but no clues as to how it is to be used.
    Once you figure it out, it is quite easy.  It is a nuisance tho,
    because it is used frequently.
    
    You can't save a game.  They say that the average game is under
    an hour, so saving a game is not necessary.  I would prefer being
    able to save a game, because it would allow you to start again halfway
    through the game, instead of at the beginning every time.
    
    Some of the game play reminds me of "The Three Stooges."  In that,
    some of the games are well done, others are not so hot (Larry running
    for the replacement violin...ugh!)  I did knock out a Nazi guard
    in my first fight.  But I'm still having a tough time with the fighter
    planes.  I have yet to see a zeppelin.
    
    Well, enough for now.  Cinemaware is doing a fine job with each
    new title.
    
    P.S.  Does anyone know what "Includes `Reel Talk'" means?  There
    was a sticker on the box proclaiming this `feature.'  I haven't
    seen anything yet.
    
    Randy
               

    re .3
    
    If you want to see a zepplin, this is the only I have done it.  At the
    very start of the game, you can fly to the destination Atlantic an
    intercept the zepplin that is carrying the professor and his daughter
    to Germany.
    
    I think the Reel Talk is digitized voice.  The only time I have
    heard it was when I flew to Germany to try and rescue the professor
    and his daughter.  After I shot down all the fighters and landed,
    I was captured and interagated.  The reel talk is when they question
    you.
    
    I have had some minor successes in this game but I now always run
    out of time.  The Natzis capture the USA before I can get all the
    pieces of the rocket.  The best I have done is 4 pieces of the rocket.
    It looks like there should be a total of 5 pieces.
    
    If anyone manages to win this game, maybe post a hint.  I would
    at least know it can be done.
    
    

    re .4
    
    Yes, the game can be won. I successfully  defeated the Nazis' on about the
    15th try at the game. A friend of mine and myself played the 15 games
    of the course of a week or so. If you've gotten 4 parts of the rocket
    you are doing quite well, your assumption of 5 parts is correct. I
    believe they tell you this in the documentation though.
    
    Tips on winning RR:
    
    Xerox the back of the decoder wheel, the part with the Map of the world
    on it (make serveral copies). As you play the game jot down notes on
    this as you receive information from your agents. Also we had to do
    some research as to some of the geographical locations the agents made
    reference to (ie. "south of the gulf of sidra"). Some of these
    locations we were not sure where they were located on the map. This
    should help you in locating key german facilities.
    
    possible spoilers follow.....one at a time, and in order of increasing
                                 value to winning the game.
    
    RESCUE THE BARNSTOFF'S (DR & daughter Jane). This is key in slowing down
    the german's. How to do this- fly to the Atlantic early in the game. I
    believe the zepplin is shown on the takeoff map during the takeoff
    sequence. The zepplin is carrying the barnstoff's. When you get to the
    Atlantic you will be bombarded by lunarium bombs. Do not just avoid
    these, shoot them up. If you cause the screen to turn gray you were
    successful if not, you didn't blow up enough bombs. Then you are onto
    another screen of the zepplin but you are much closer. This time shoot
    out the gunner in the gondola (bottom part of the zepplin where the
    pilot is), be careful to take single shots and do not hit the zepplin
    or KAPOW! You will see a green flash on the gondola when you hit the
    gunner, at this time just avoid the bombs until the screen turns grey.
    Do not continue shooting. Next you will be inside the gondola. This is
    where 'reel talk' comes in. You will dialogue with the voluptuous Jane
    and her father the Doctor. If you can convince them that you are
    friendly then they will let you fly them home to the USA. If not,
    you'll see I'm sure.....
    
    We've successfully rescued them twice during one game.
    
    spoiler 2....
    
    Locate the Lunarium Bases early and organize resistance there quickly.
    This is very important as you will soon have a constant supply of
    lunarium coming in and without lunarium you can't get very far in the
    game.
    
    spoiler 3....
    
    first and addition to spoiler 2..... there are 2 lunarium bases, don't
    confuse these with the rocket bases.
    
    spoiler 3....
    
    for the originator of reply .4 fighting the planes. If you watch the
    planes you'll notice that they fly certain patterns, learn these so you
    can litter the screen ahead of the planes path with blast from you gun.
    Then pull out of the way. Be satisfied with taking out one or two
    planes at a time. There are a couple of patterns where you can take out
    more than 1 or 2 planes...you'll figure it out. The best position we've
    found is to hang down towards the bottom of the screen with you shots
    hitting just below the center of the screen, so you are firing up at an
    angle. Start in this position, then identify the pattern, then move if
    you need to. Hope this gives you some success.
    
    spoiler 4......
    
    This is probably the most important thing to winning the game. Do you
    really want to know.
    
    Okay, here goes. It is having a game STRATEGY. The following is how
    we've managed to win....
    
    1st- You must redeploy you agents to Europe.
    2nd- Rescue the barnstoff's.
    3rd- Redeploy agents that have successfully ORGANIZED RESISTANCE or
         germans have taken control over the country which that are in. Put
         them in a new country in this order of priority.
    		1. Europe
    		2. Africa
    		3. South America
    		4. North America
    	 The more countries that you successfully organize resistance in
    	 before the germans gain control, the longer it will take for the
    	 germans to gain control of the world. Thus providing you with the
    	 time you need to win the game.
    4th- Fly 1 or 2 missions maximum before heading back to the War Room to 
    	 manage your agents. (Use only one agent per country, until you
    	 have more agents than countries left). Hit key targets in this
    	 order of priority:
    		1. Lunarium Bases
    		2. Key German Facilities (early in the game)
    		   this will slow down the germans efficiency by 5 or 10%
    		   each time your successful
    		3. Rocket Bases (later in the game this becomes more
    				 important than "2")
    		4. Avoid guessing where something is if you can. Cause if
    		   you guess wrong it cost you 2 months.
    5th- When you get to the moon be prepared, you don't have much time
    	 left.
    
    Hope this helps. Have fun!
    
    				-Paul
    

    Paul, I want to thank you for the information in the previous reply.
    I had given up trying to get the zepplin.  Knowing that it could
    be done, I tried again until I did get the gunner without blowing
    up the zepplin.  You were right, I did find out what happens if
    you can't convince the Barnsdorf's that you are friendly.  I was
    really upset when it happened, because it took me so many trys to
    get in.  But, fortunately I convinced them the second time I got
    in the zepplin.
    
    I have reached the moon 3 times so far, the first time the guards
    shot me 3 times before I got them.  The last 2 times, the screen
    went black while I was fighting the guards.  Has this happened to
    anyone else?  I did not try to rescue the Barnsdorf's the second
    time.  I have 3 guesses as to the problem, if someone knows which
    is correct please let me know.
    
    1) There is some time limit on the fight and thats how it is enforced.
    2) I have done sonething in the wrong sequence, or I must not go
    to the moon if the Barnsdorf's are captured.
    3) The program has a bug.
    
    It has been pretty frustrating , spending an hour getting to the
    moon, to have the lights go out on you.
    

    re .6
    
    	CONGRADULATIONS, on getting to the moon! Hang in there you're
    almost there. You're first conclusion is correct. If you remember when
    you first reach the moon there is a "title" screen we'll call it, which
    describes the moon, also it makes some comments about the fact that you
    are a male. Because of this you will be affected by the lunarium in the
    mines. The way you are affected is loosing you vision.
    
    slight spoiler follows.....
    
    So shoot quick and accurate! Try to learn the pattern that the guards
    appear in, this should help in getting by the guards. The time we got
    by, we actually shot the last guard in the darkness!
    
    Good Luck!
    
    				-Paul
    

    I have done alot of flying as Rocket Ranger, and 98% of the time
    the sceen is the same.  But, two times I have seen a duck flying
    across the screen, then after Rocket Ranger zooms by a flying saucer
    appears on the screen for a moment.  It was quite an amusing suprise.

    re .8
    
    Yes, seeing the duck & the flying saucer was a nice touch to the
    programing on RR.
    
    I was playing Cinemaware's TV Sports Football the other day, and they
    have this half time screen with a sports anoucner making comments about
    the game down on the football field. This screen usually has a marching
    band in the background or some cops chasing a fan of the field ....Well
    here I sat in front of my Amiga and who should appear in the background
    hovering above the stadium, none other than Rocket Ranger himself! It
    was quite amusing he justed hovered there on the left side of the
    screen and then fired up the rocket pack and zzzzooooooooommmmed across
    the top of the screen. It was great. I even exclaimed, "Hey there's
    Rocket Ranger!", to my friend who was sitting there with me. Another
    nice touch by Cinemaware.
    
    -Paul
    

    what an amazing security protection scheme the decoder wheel is!!!
    
    you cant photo-copy the wheel cos it is 2-colours...one colour (red)
    is masked when you use the red cellophane so that the real figures
    show up ONLY via the wheel. If you enter the wrong ammount of lunarium
    you end up in Davy jones locker!
    
    sooooo unless you want to spend hours writing down all the possible
    combinations from the wheel for each country you have to buy the
    original!
    
    That has to be the smartest protestion scheme I've seen in quick
    awhile!
    
    Phil (who would NEVER copy/pirate/crack disks himself!)

    
    

    does anyone have a cineware catelogue????
    
    I'd like to have a look at other games they have done...
    
    Phil

    almost forgot
    
    ******************* SPOILE ON BEATING GUARDS ****************

    the guards who challange you to boxing matches have 2 phases
    of operation
    
    (1) They put their fists up then down and look at you. THIS IS WHEN
        YOU SLUG THEM
    (2) Fight mode - pointless trying to swing at them when they are
    swinging at you cos you always miss and they always get you. here
    KEEP YOUR GUARD UP and watch the punches. generally they swing:
    
       left/right/left/right/body blow
    
    although there are some variations. 

        ******************* SPOILE ON BEATING GUARDS ****************

        
    The guards get harder to knock out with every rocket piece so the
    guard you fight for the first rocket piece is easier than the guard
    you fight when you have 4 rocket pieces and need the 5th.
    
    ******************* SPOILE ON BEATING GUARDS ****************

    
        push joystick foward - guard up
    push joystick down   - guard down
    push joystick left/right - sway left/right
    push joystick foward/press fire button - uppercut
    push joystick down/press fire button - body blow
    push joystick left/press fire button - roundhouse to head.
    
    and a final note on the guards
    
    ******************* SPOILE ON BEATING GUARDS ****************

    Often the match depends on who gets the first couple of punches
    in.
    
    
    Cheers 
    
    Phil
    
    

    
    

    re .11
    
    	My personal opion is that anything Cinemaware has done prior to
    Rocket Ranger is very limited in its playability. So that only leaves
    you with TV Sports Football (very good sports simulation). Lords of the 
    Rising Sun is due out the end of March.
    
    
    	-Paul
    

    ok team - I could really use a couple of spoilers here.....
    
    ***************** SPOILER ************************
    
    
    I have made it to the moon and confronted the nymphet guards with
    the machine guns - how do I get to them - my screen moves SOOOOOOOOOO
    SSSSSSSLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
    that I never have time to get all guards
    
    is is possible to just sit in 1 place and get all guards
    
    how do you defend against shots - do you duck down out of sight
    like you so at the Lunarium base with all the machine-gun posts
    on earth????
    
    BIG SPOILERS APPRECIATED!
    
    Phil

    I disagree with .13, but everyone to their own. The list is :-
    
    Defender of the Crown
    Sinbad & the throne of the Falcon
    SDI
    King of Chicago
    The three Stooges
    Rocket Ranger
    TV Sports football
    

    Will there be a TV SPORTS: Baseball,soccer,volleyball,etc.
    
    Matt
    

    Well - I finally beat Rocket Ranger (after playing the game about
    1000 times!!!)
    
    just as well - I was beginning to believe that the chances of
    winning were soooooo low it wasnt worth bothering with!!!!
    
    now that I've beaten the game however I doubt If I would play it
    again - just cant be stuffed waiting for all those screen loads
    anymore!!!
    
    mabye thats why Cineware made it so hard...
    
    Cheers
    
    Phil

    Will you just tell me what happens at the end. I've got as far as
    the moon, but....
    
    Martin

    Re .-1 - I'll tell you by EM if you REALLY want to know.......
    
    but not here.....

    ok - see EM