Instructions for: Lifeguard by Romantic Robot ---------------------------------------------- Introduction. ------------- The Lifeguard is a unique utility designed to automate the process of discovering unlimited lives. The Lifeguard is for the exclusive use with any ZX Spectrum and a corresponding Multiface. It loads into the Multiface's own 8K RAM extension and does not take any Spectrum RAM. Thus you can run a game as usual, STOP it with the Multiface RED button and use the Lifeguard to search and disable the algorithm keeping track of the number of lives, bullets, ammo etc. Installing the Lifeguard in Multiface. -------------------------------------- This section originally went on about how to install the program in the Multiface. For Z80 Emulator users, simply use the .TAP file included with the emulator, or a snapshot of it. Enuring you are running the Multiface with Z80, press any key, the program will reset and upon pressing key F5 will be presented with the Lifeguard menu. All references to the 'red button' or STOP button have been replaced with F5, the key used to activate the Lifeguard software. Using The Lifeguard. -------------------- Once you load your game in the usual way, make a note of the CURRENT number of lives (not displayed on screen, but physically COUNT them!). Eg. If your game starts with 10 lives, and you have already lost 2, the number to note is 10-2=8 ! Press F5 and you will see the following menu:- +----------------------------------------+ | (S)earch : (C)ustom: 00 | | (F)lip : DEC A / DEC HL / CUSTOM | | (L)ives=003 : 1 = up 2 = down 3 = set | | (N)ext poke | | Number of pokes = 000 | | Counter = 000 00000 | +----------------------------------------+ To call up an option, press the letter in brackets. To quit, press and you will be returned will be returned to your game. To give yourself unlimited lives, you will first have to enter the current number of lives into the LIVES counter, decide (FLIP) which instruction or CUSTOM you wish to test out. SEARCH for the poke and then try it out with NEXT. See below for these stages in greater detail. LIVES: Having pressed '1' or '2' to increase/decrease the CURRENT value of lives (or bullets, ammo etc.), press key '3' to set this value. FLIP: Nearly all games use the DEC A or DEC (HL) to decrease the value of lives etc. If DEC A does not work in a particular game, press F to FLIP to DEC (HL). You can also FLIP to search for a CUSTOMised value if you wish. CUSTOM: Pressing 'C' will allow you to enter a value into a special location which can be used as described above. Use '1' or '2' to increase or decrease the value and '3' to set it. This option enables you to search for all manners of things. For example, INC A (dec: 60) can be used to increase the number of aliens you have to shoot. So if you put 60 on the 'C' counter and have the right value on the LIVES counter, you could stop the aliens increasing, or stop a clock etc. SEARCH: This option searches through the program looking for either DEC A, DEC (HL) or CUSTOM, depending on what you have chosen with 'FLIP'. After a search has been completed, the number of possible locations is stored and displayed in 'Number Of Pokes'. NEXT: Once the Lifeguard has found some potential POKEs, you can try them out with 'Next'. The number of pokes is shown and so is the Counter below, displaying which one is being tested. Finally, and most importantly, there is also the relevant current ADDRESS which the Lifeguard tests by POKEing it with '0' and then automatically jumping back into the game. Now try the game and see if you succeeded in doing whatever you wanted to do! If yes, then make a note of the address (if you press F5 it will still be there) and perhaps you can use the 'Toolkit' in Multiface next time and POKE this address with '0'. If not, then re-enter Lifeguard with F5 and press 'N'ext again - so long as the Counter did not reach the number of pokes available. If you have test out ALL the pokes available, then FLIP to the other DEC instruction or try out the CUSTOMised instruction and SEARCH again. It is a good idea to test just before losing a life, as you can see the effect quickly: if you lose a life and the number of lives DOES decrease then there is more work for the Lifeguard. As an example, here are a couple of games with their pokes: +------------------------------------------------------------+ | GAME | FLIP | LIVES | COUNTER | ADDRESS | +------------------------------------------------------------+ | Kinetik | DEC A | = 4 men | 4th POKE | 49165 | +------------------------------------------------------------+ | Gyroscope | DEC (HL) | = 3 men | 1st POKE | 33922 | +------------------------------------------------------------+ A message from the typer of these instructions .... ---------------------------------------------------- I have copied these instructions out perfectly from the original photocopy and verified the above addresses with the person who sent me the copy and the addresses above DO NOT WORK ! The correct ones are as follows: Kinetik - could not find it ! Gyroscope - Infinite Lives = 53922 Infinite Time = 59146 (clock is stuck on 59!) I do not know whether this is a misprint or a cockup on the emulators behalf and I do not wish to speculate either !