Activision
THE DREADNAUGHT FACTOR
Video Game Cartridge Instructions

THE DREADNAUGHT FACTOR BASICS

Sit tall. Breathe deep. And gather all your courage. Zorban Dreadnaughts, the
most imposing battlecraft ever, fill the heavens and threaten planet Terra.
Pilot your Novaray Hyperfighter through the stargate and stop the goliath
aggressors by destroying their vital energy vents. Skill and cunning are your
only advantage. If any dreadnaught reaches the stargate...Terra may be lost!

Insert game cartridge into your video game console with power OFF. Then, turn
power ON. Slip game overlay onto either hand controller. Select game level by
pressing appropriate number, 1-7, on controller keypad. (See "Game Chart".) Use
of Controller.

DISC: Your hyperfighter's directional accelerator/decelerator. Press right rim
to increase your velocity. Press left rim to reduce your velocity (fighter's
can't stop completely). Press top or bottom of disc to move up or down.

SIDE BUTTONS: Your hyperfighter's weaponry controls. Press either upper button
to fire laser bolts. Press either bottom button to drop strontium bombs.

To begin play, press controller disc.

Reserve Novaray Hyperfighters. You start each game with 10 Novaray
Hyperfighters. In game levels 1-4, you receive 2 additional fighters for each
dreadnaught you destroy. You receive 4 additional fighters for each dreadnaught
you destroy in levels 5-7.

Scoring. You earn points for destroying each dreadnaught target and prematurely
detonating in-flight tracking missiles launched from the dreadnaught. The point
value of each destroyed target and tracking missile flashes on screen. Bonus
points are awarded for each dreadnaught you destroy.

Turn power OFF before removing The Dreadnaught Factor cartridge.

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PLAYING THE DREADNAUGHT FACTOR

Your mission starts from the colored stargate. Unsuspecting Terra basks behind
you as you press the controller disk. Hear a hiss like friction on metal as your
Novaray Hyperfighter blasts through the stargate to begin its "attack pass".

Attack Passes. Pilot your fighter toward the Zorban Dreadnaught. Fire your laser
bolts and drop your strontium bombs, or steer above or below the gargantuan
dreadnaught. LASER BOLTS destroy dreadnaught rocket cannons, launchers, towers
and bridges, and can intercept in-flight "trackers" fired from dreadnaught
weaponry. STRONTIUM BOMBS destroy silos, energy vents and engines.

Once beyond the dreadnaught, your fighter accelerates through an auxiliary
galactic portal and returns to the stargate, ready for another attack pass. The
dreadnaught flies closer to the stargate only when an attack pass is completed.

Reducing a dreadnaught's firepower. BRIDGES coordinate the overall rate of fire
of the dreadnaught. Destroy all the bridges with your laser bolts to reduce the
firing rate 50%. SILOS house the planet-destroying mega-missiles. To save Terra
from these missiles, drop strontium bombs on all the silos.

Slowing down a dreadnaught. The four actinium engines, located at the rear of
each dreadnaught, power the behemoth battlecraft through space. Drop strontium
bombs on each engine to slow the dreadnaught's approach velocity (See "Game
Chart".) The thunderous roar of the engines lowers in pitch as each engine is
destroyed.

Destroying a dreadnaught. Destroying all 16 energy vents with your strontium
bombs creates a lethal pressurization deep within the dreadnaught and the entire
space-faring fortress explodes. Unfortunately, your own hyperfighter is also
smothered by this violent blast.

Victory or defeat. The Dreadnaught Factor ends when you destroy the entire
Zorban fleet, when any dreadnaught reaches the stargate with at least one
missile silo intact, or when you lose all of your Novaray Hyperfighters.

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ZORBAN DREADNAUGHTS

Zorban Dreadnaughts approach the stargate one at a time. The first dreadnaught
always belongs to the Delta-1 class. Successive dreadnaughts may belong to any
of the following:

Dreadnaught Classes Description Delta-1 wide, triangular-shaped Titan-Claw two
segments joined together Beta-Flame very long and narrow Torus-Ring ring-shaped
with a hollow center Janyx Razor very wide, jaggedy and short

Dreadnaught Weaponry. Each dreadnaught is heavily fortified with a wealth of
weaponry. Weapon fire varies in speed. Only the dreadnaught's on-screen
artillery may be active.

Small Cannons

Fire dual-rockets straight ahead starting with the 1st dreadnaught. Turn and
fire starting with the 5th dreadnaught. Launch splitting "Tracking Bees"
starting with the 8th dreadnaught.

Large Cannons

Recoil as they fire gigantic rockets starting with the 3rd dreadnaught. "Hornet
Trackers" are launched starting with the 10th dreadnaught.

Towers

Fire long-range "Swarm Trackers" beginning with the 2nd dreadnaught.

Silos

Each dreadnaught has five silos. Fire planet-destroying mega-missiles when
dreadnaught reaches the stargate.

Large Launchers

Fire "Drone Trackers" from the start. Launch "Yellow Jacket Trackers" beginning
with the 12th dreadnaught. Can repair themselves between attack passes.

Small Launchers

Fire quick-flying "Queen Trackers" starting with the 6th dreadnaught. Launch
"Yellow Jacket Trackers" beginning with the 12th dreadnaught. Can repair
themselves between attack passes.

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THE DREADNAUGHT FACTOR GAME CHART

               PRACTICE NOVICE INTERMEDIATE CHALLENGE ADVANCED EXPERT IMPOSSIBLE 
Game Level     1        2      3            4         5        6      7 

Stargate Color Gray     L-Blue Dk-Blue      Green     Orange   Red    Purple 

Number of 
Dreadnaughts   1        1      2            5         10       15     100 

Starting Parsec Distance From Stargate  
               93       92     91           90        89       88     87 

Dreadnaught Velocity Measured in Parsecs in Parsecs per Attack Pass 

4 engines      9        10     11           12        13       14     15 
3 engines      7        8      9            10        11       12     13 
2 engines      5        6      7            8         9        10     11 
1 engine       3        4      5            6         7        8      9 
0 engines      1        2      3            4         5        6      7 

Rate of fire increases as level of game play increases.

Dreadnaught weapon fire never hits your hyperfighter in Game 1.

Overall firepower cannot be reduced by destroying bridges in Game 7.

1 parsec=3.26 light-years or 19.2 trillion miles.

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JOIN THE ACTIVISION "DREADNAUGHT DESTROYER" CLUB

If you defeat the entire Zorban fleet of dreadnaughts on game level 4 or higher,
please send us a picture of your planet-saving triumph (TV screen), and we'll
mail you the Dreadnaught Destroyer emblem, along with our congratulations. Be
sure to write "The Dreadnaught Factor" on the bottom left hand corner of the
envelope.

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HOW TO BECOME A DREADNAUGHT DESTROYER

Tips from Tom Loughry, designer of The Dreadnaught Factor.

Tom Loughry is a new member of Activision's design team. He studied Physics at
Cal Tech and enjoys hiking, camping and collecting fossils.

"I have found that there are several strategies you can use to destroy the
Zorban Dreadnaughts. In fact, your attack plans should vary depending on the
class of the approaching dreadnaught and the stage of battle. Here are some tips
to help you through any phase of the game.

"First of all, no matter what the circumstances, never attack a dreadnaught
head-on. Their fire rate is too overwhelming at any game level. I strongly
suggest either continually zig-zagging back and forth over the dreadnaught
during your attack passes, or dipping in from above or below the dreadnaught.
Fire your weapons and accelerate away from its direct line of fire.

"Also, it is critical to keep track of the dreadnaught's distance from the
stargate. If it's closer than 50 parsecs, then try to bomb as many engines as
possible to slow it down, and if it's closer than 30 parsecs, then immediately
destroy its silos. That way, Terra is safe even if the dreadnaught reaches the
stargate -- unless you lose all your hyperfighters.

"Find out which dreadnaught weapons give you the most difficulty and eliminate
them first. But, remember, the only way to ultimately defeat a dreadnaught is to
bomb all of its energy vents. Don't waste time or attack passes trying to
destroy every target.

"One final tip: your laser bolts destroy dreadnaught artillery that is blue or
yellow, and your strontium bombs destroy the artillery that is black or red.

"When the safety of Terra is insured and The Dreadnaught Factor has been reduced
to zero, drop me a line. May God bless you."

Thomas J. Loughry

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©1983 Activision
M-004-03 