Difference between revisions of "4A Flyer"

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Start your engine, fly into the sky, navigate through hazardous weather conditions, search for and destroy enemy planes, and land safely - without running out of fuel! Feel the excitement and motion of flight as you pilot your own plane with 4A Flyer!
 
Start your engine, fly into the sky, navigate through hazardous weather conditions, search for and destroy enemy planes, and land safely - without running out of fuel! Feel the excitement and motion of flight as you pilot your own plane with 4A Flyer!
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==Gameplay==
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While not a flight simulator for the purist, this game is still entertaining enough with you being at the controls of a plane charged with carrying top-secret cargo to four different airports. You need to take off, navigate and land safely to complete the missions under different weather conditions. In addition, you can search and destroy enemy planes if you are so inclined. The flight physics are very simplified, so the learning curve is minimal. Good graphics and excellent controls responsiveness.<ref>{{cite web|title=TI-99/4A Gameshelf Assembly|url=http://tigameshelf.net/asm.htm}}</ref>
  
 
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Revision as of 18:32, 9 March 2020

4A Flyer
4A Flyer Manual Front Cover
4A Flyer Manual (Front Cover)
Publisher(s) Triton
Original Retail Price $19.95 (USD)
Programmer(s) John M. Phillips
Part# TRI-BDAF
Format(s) Solid State SoftwareTM Command Module
Release 1986 (1st Quarter)
Genre(s) Action, Flight Simulator

4A Flyer is a Flight Simulator game released during the first quarter of 1986 on Solid State SoftwareTM Command Module for the TI-99/4A home computer system. It was programmed by John M. Phillips and published by Triton. 4A Flyer originally retailed for $19.95 (USD).

Advertising Blurb

Introduction of Manual

Fasten your seat belt and prepare for take-off with 4A Flyer! You are the pilot of the 4A Flyer combat plane! Your mission is to carry top-secret cargo to four separate airports. But watch out! Enemy planes will do all in their power to stop you from reaching your destinations.

Start your engine, fly into the sky, navigate through hazardous weather conditions, search for and destroy enemy planes, and land safely - without running out of fuel! Feel the excitement and motion of flight as you pilot your own plane with 4A Flyer!

Gameplay

While not a flight simulator for the purist, this game is still entertaining enough with you being at the controls of a plane charged with carrying top-secret cargo to four different airports. You need to take off, navigate and land safely to complete the missions under different weather conditions. In addition, you can search and destroy enemy planes if you are so inclined. The flight physics are very simplified, so the learning curve is minimal. Good graphics and excellent controls responsiveness.[1]

Manual

Introduction

Fasten your seat belt and prepare for take-off with 4A Flyer! You are the pilot of the 4A Flyer combat plane! Your mission is to carry top-secret cargo to four separate airports. But watch out! Enemy planes will do all in their power to stop you from reaching your destinations.

Start your engine, fly into the sky, navigate through hazardous weather conditions, search for and destroy enemy planes, and land safely - without running out of fuel! Feel the excitement and motion of flight as you pilot your own plane with 4A Flyer!

In 4A Flyer, you:

  • Pilot the plane through take-off, flight, combat, and landing sequences.
  • View the sky and horizon through the cockpit window.
  • Control the motion of the plane as you rush to intercept enemy planes.
  • Battle enemy planes.
  • Face dangerous weather conditions.
  • Monitor your fuel and power gauges.
  • Hear exciting sound effects.
  • Use keyboard or Joystick Controllers.

Flying Weather

It's perfect flying weather - or is it? Develop your skills under clear blue skies or hone your skills under a variety of weather conditions. The choice is yours. Just remember, different types of weather bring different dangers during flight!

Selecting the Weather Option

When the title screen appears, you can press any key to play or press W to activate the random weather option. If W is not pressed, the default weather is clear skies. There are three types of weather which provide additional challenges to the pilot, snow, rain, and heat. When you press W on the title screen, the program randomly assigns one of these three weather conditions to the current game. After each landing at one of the four airports, the weather may change.

The four weather conditions are the following:

  1. Clear - blue sky, green land
  2. Snow - blue sky, white land
  3. Rain - grey sky, green land
  4. Heat - blue sky, red land

Clear weather is perfect flying weather, presenting no danger to the flight. Clear weather is only displayed if W is not pressed on the title screen.

Snow becomes a hazard when flying at high altitudes. Watch out for ice forming on the wings.

Rain presents dangers when landing. Be careful not to reduce your speed too quickly during a rainstorm.

Heat affects the engine power during flight. Monitor your engine power carefully to avoid overheating.

The Cockpit

You see the instruments panel and the view through the cockpit window. The instruments show the status of the flap and landing gear, the amount of fuel and power, the speed, heading, altitude, and the pitch of the plane. And artificial horizon indicator shows the actual tilt of the plane. The flight computer displays exact information about the altitude and heading of enemy planes, and the location of the closest airport. Become familiar with each flight instrument and its purpose before attempting flight.

1. Cockpit Window

Shows the runway, sky, horizon, enemy planes, and current weather conditions.

2. Flight Computer

The center rectangle below the cockpit window is the flight computer. When in combat mode, it displays the altitude (in feet) and heading (in degrees)) of enemy planes, and the number of times you have been hit by the enemy.

NOTE: It is important to remember that during the combat mode, the third row of numbers on the flight computer displays the number of times you have been hit, not the enemy plane.

During the landing procedure, the flight computer displays the heading you must take to find the nearest airport.

3. Altitude Indicator

Displays your altitude in feet, based on ground level.

4. Pitch Indicator

A line divides the pitch indicator in half. When blue appears above the center line, the nose of the plane is heading toward the sky. When green appears below the center line, the nose of the plane is heading toward the ground.

5. Gear Indicator

Displays the status of the landing gear, either up or down. The gear must be up shortly after take off to allow for a smooth flight, and down during landing.

6. Artificial Horizon Display

The artificial horizon display looks like two side-by-side triangles. The triangles tilt left or right when the plane is banking.

When the plane is banking in one direction, the sky and ground appear to be slanted in the opposite direction. Use the artificial horizon display to keep track of which direction the plane is banking.

7. Fuel Gage

Shows the amount of fuel in the fuel tank. The fuel gauge is filled with red when the fuel tank is full. When the engine power is at its maximum, the fuel is consumed more quickly.

NOTE: When you land at each airport to deliver your cargo, the plane is automatically refueled.

8. Engine Power Gage

Displays the level of engine power. The engine power gauge is filled with red when the engine power is at its maximum. The amount of engine power needed varies depending upon the speed desired.

9. Flap Indicator

The flap is a movable part of each wing. When the flap is fully raised and the plane is in the air, it causes the plane to slow down by ten knots.

10. Speed Indicator

Measures the speed of the plane in knots.

11. Heading Indicator

Displays the plane's heading in degrees. The heading can range from 0 to 359 degrees, as in a circle.

12. Brake Indicator

The word "brake" appears in the lower right corner of the instrument panel when the brake is engaged.

Controlling the Plane

Pilot the 4A Flyer plane by using the Joystick Controllers or using the keyboard.

Using the Joystick Controllers
To pilot the 4A Flyer plane, use the joystick as outlined below.
Press Action
Forward (toward the FIRE Button) Pushes nose of plane down
Backward (away from FIRE button) Pulls nose of plane up
Left Banks plane to the left
Right Banks plane to the right
FIRE button Fires at enemy planes
NOTE: The ALPHALOCK must be in the OFF (up) position when using the Jousctick Controllers
Using the Keyboard
To pilot the 4A Flyer plane, use the keys indicated below.
Press Action
E Pushes nose of plane down
X Pulls nose of plane up
S Banks plane to the left
D Banks plane to the right
Q, "." (period) V, Y Fires at enemy planes

Flight Controls

There's more to flying than steering the plane! A pilot must monitor all the other cockpit instruments and the weather conditions, as well as steer the plane. The keys in this section have specific functions to make your flight a successful one.

Special Keys and Their Functions

Several keys have specific functions furing flight.

Press Action
1 Increase engine power
2 Decrease engine power
I Raises flap
M Lowers flap
G, ";" (semi-colon) Raise/lower landing gear
B, "/" (slash) Apply/release brake
C, "," (comma) Enter/exit combat mode
L,F Begin landing sequience
W Selects weather oprions on title screen

Your First Flight

Prepare for take-off! It's time to guide the plane down the runway, then into the sky. You're ready for your first flight!

Getting Off the Ground

There are two methods that can be used to guide the plane through the take-off procedure. Although one method is longer than the other, the longer method may be easier to use until you get a feel for the speed needed for take-off.

Long Take-Off Procedure

Step 1: Press B of "/" (slash) to apply the brake. Step 2: Press and hold 1 to increase the engine power. Step 3: Press B or "/" (slash) to release the brake. Step 4: Press X or pull back on the joystick lever when the speed reaches an adequate level to pull the nose of the plane up.

Short Take-Off Procedure

Step 1: Press and hold 1 to increase the engine power. Step 2: Press X or pull back on the joystick lever when the speed reaches an adequate level to pull the nose of the plane up.

NOTE: If you should receive a message during the take-off procedure, refer to the Message Center section of the manual for assistance.

External links

  • "TI-99/4A Gameshelf Assembly".