cloudflare V1.0 THE GOLDEN CROSS User Manual
- June 5, 2024
- cloudflare
Table of Contents
cloudflare V1.0 THE GOLDEN CROSS
About The Game
This indie game is plot-based with a mix of dialogue, action, adventure and puzzles. It is targeted at casual gamers so it’s not for hard-core or action- oriented players. The gameplay and puzzles are not overly complicated, but hopefully fun and challenging for the target audience. The game is set up as a book and similar to reading a book it’s played chapter by chapter. There is a mix of interactive and non-interactive chapters where the later are focused on plot development. As typical the non-interactive (plot) chapters are concentrated in the first half of the game. Puzzles (mini-games) will be encountered in many of the interactive scenes. This includes mandatory puzzles which are integrated into the plot and optional bonus puzzles for those who enjoy a word unscramble mini-game. A chapter and puzzle list are included at the bottom this manual to help potential purchasers determine if this game is right for them.
Getting Started
When you start the game for the first time there will be a brief introduction
and then you will be asked to identify your input preferred device by using
that input device. At this time mouse, keyboard and game controller inputs are
supported. For game controller press the Left Stick button. For keyboard press
the F1 key. For the mouse click the RIGHT mouse button. Note mouse and
controller can’t be used at same time due to one of the software components
used so it’s best just to use the input selected. You can switch inputs by
using Reset on the game menu but be aware this does a full reset so you will
need to start a new game. It is possible to jump right into the game, but you
will need to review the Input Map for your selected input device. The Input
Maps are included later in this manual, but also available on the Help Menu.
To access the Main Menu use following:
- Controllers – Y Yellow Button
- Keyboard – ESC key
- Mouse – Icon lower left
Controlling Samantha
Samantha’s abilities are limited to keep the interactive chapters relatively easy for casual players. She can walk/run, jump/double jump, crouch/stand, interact with objects, inventory plus view character profiles and collected clues. Since this is a third-person game the camera follows Samantha and she always moves forward. Her speed is determined by a walk/run toggle. She will crawl forward if the crouch/stand toggle is set to crouch. Note Samantha can only run if she her stamina number is above zero. It starts at 500 but goes down when she runs and up when she is not. If running and it hits zero Samantha will switch to walking. Having stamina left so Samantha can run when needed becomes an important issue during some threats. If you pass over an energy pickup Samantha’s stamina will be topped up. To change directions Samantha must turn right or left and of course she can’t go backward. Samantha’s movement can get stopped by obstacles such as walls or rocks, steep inclines, low ceilings etc. You may need to rotate her, jump or double jump, or crouch. ie: Chapter One has a steep incline and will require a double jump at some points in the incline.
Controller Inputs
Using XBOX as base. Most controllers should work.
- Left Stick Up move player forward
- Left Stick Button Speed toggle – walk/run
- Right Stick Rotates player right or left
- Right Stick Button Jump
- A Green Button InteractionA
- B Red Button InteractionB
- X Blue Button Toggles player’s inventory
- Y Yellow Button Menu
- DPAD Up UI Up
- DPAD Down UI Down
- DPAD Right UI Right
- DPAD Left UI Left
- Left Shoulder Button Toggles character profiles
- Left Shoulder Trigger Identify controller input
- Right Shoulder Button Toggles collected clues
- Right Shoulder Trigger Height toggle – crouch/stand
Keyboard Inputs
The following are used for keyboard input.
- W – Moves player forward
- D – Rotates player right
- A – Rotates player left
- R – Toggles speed – walk/run
- Space – Jump and double jumps
- ESC – Menu
- Enter – Interaction A, Interaction B
- C – Toggles collected clues
- G – Toggles players inventory
- P – Toggles character profiles
- H – Toggles height – crouch/stand
- Arrows – UI right, left, up, down
Mouse Inputs
In this mode you will use a virtual joystick for player movement. (Up-forward, left-turn left, right-turn right.) To rotate in place move stick to left or right edge of running shoe. (Left-handed players will probably want to use the Options Menu to position the virtual joystick on the left side of the screen.)
Left-click – interaction A , Right-click – interaction B
Typical on-screen buttons will be used for game interaction. Starting at lower left – menu, crouch/stand toggle, jump, virtual joystick, running shoe is used walk/run toggle, character stamina number, character profiles, clues toggle, inventory toggle.
Interactions
As Samantha moves around and gets close to a character or objects an interaction may be triggered. Character interactions are automatic. Object interactions are typical. ie: If Samantha gets close to an interactable object an examine or use icon may pop up. Use the interaction input to perform the interaction. If the interaction triggered was an examine a use icon may pop up when the examine interaction is completed. Use the Inventory Toggle input to bring up the inventory. Use the UI inputs to highlight the applicable inventory item then InteractionA input to select it, then interaction again to use the item on the interactable object. (Use the UI inputs to select the inventory item.) The Clues and Profiles interaction are similar to inventory interaction except after you select an item you need to use InteractionB to display a collected clue or a character profile. Puzzles include instructions on how to interact, but typically include using the UI inputs and the interaction input. Gold coins and energy pickups are automatic. The energy pickup will top up Samantha’s stamina.
Scoring, Achievements and Leaderboards
Scoring is provided for competitive players. Points are awarded for interactions, completing puzzles and interactive chapters. Of course there are deductions for retries. To accumulate the most points minimize retires and maximize interactions. And there are achievements for game milestones and leaderboards for players that want to best a friend.
Chapter List
The chapter list identifies the type of chapter and approximate playing time. Of course actual time will vary for every player. Plot chapters are short scenes where you watch characters interact as the plot evolves. Adventure/Plot chapters are interactive where Samantha interacts with objects and solves puzzles to find clues. Action chapters are interactive where Samantha has to avoid or escape from a wide variety of hazards and solve puzzles to find clues.
Action
- Chapter 1 – Action 30 min
- Chapter 2 – Plot 4 min
- Chapter 3 – Adventure/Plot 12 min
- Chapter 4 – Plot 6 min
- Chapter 5 – Plot 5 min
- Chapter 6 – Adventure/Plot 9 min
- Chapter 7 – Plot 4 min
- Chapter 8 – Adventure/Plot 20 min
- Chapter 9 – Plot 2 min
- Chapter 10 – Plot 3 min
- Chapter 11 – Plot 3 min
- Chapter 12 – Plot 3 min
- Chapter 13 – Plot 5 min
- Chapter 14 – Plot 4 min
- Chapter 15 – Adventure/Plot 15 min
- Chapter 16 – Plot 4 min
- Chapter 17 – Plot 3 min
- Chapter 18 – Adventure/Plot 15 min
- Chapter 19 – Adventure/Plot 15 min
- Chapter 20 – Action 20 min
- Chapter 21 – Plot 5 min
- Chapter 22 – Action 30 min
- Chapter 23 – Plot 3 min
- Chapter 24 – Action 30 min
- Chapter 25 – Action 15 min
- Chapter 26 – Plot 5 min
- Chapter 27 – Plot 4 min
- Chapter 28 – Action 30 min
- Chapter 29 – Plot 7 min
- Chapter 30 – Plot 2 min
Puzzle List
- 1 Tower of Hanoi
- 3 Slider
- 1 Jigsaw
- 1 Knights Tour
- 1 Safe Cracking
- 4 Lock Picking
- 2 Panel
- 1 Custom
- 17 Optional Word Unscramble
Most of the puzzles are incorporated into to the game and must be completed to find a clue. Many include countdown timers to make them a bit more challenging.
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