Varth Operation Thunderstorm (arcade version). . FAQ FOR THE ARCADE GAME / \ / \ ___________ __________ ____ ____¬® ______ _ / \ |_ |_ ´ | .| |. || || | \ \ // / . \ | | . ; |/ | | \|| || | \ \ // / / \ \ | |_´ _´ | | | || | \ \ // / / \ \ | |_ ; | | | == | \ / / /=====\ \ | | | |___| |___| || | \ / /_/_______\_____\|____| |_________________|____||____| \ / \/ Copyright ©2002 Williams Jiménez García All Rights Reserved =========================================================================== by Williams Jiménez García (a.k.a Lord Willow) Wrote on 1 June 2002 Version 1.4 =========================================================================== This is my firts a very basic Varth FAQ which includes only what could fit in text only format. For screenshots, movies, *.cmx files for playback, game glitches, coming soon in my home page and the next version 2.0. This FAQ is for private and personal use only. It can only be reproduced electronically, and if placed on a web page or site, may be added as long as this disclaimer, credits and the above copyright notice appears in full. This FAQ is not to be used for profitable/promotional purposes; this includes being used by publishers of magazines, guides, books, etc. or being incorporated into magazines, etc. in anyway without my permission. This FAQ was created and is owned by me, Williams Jiménez García. All copyrights and trademarks are acknowledged that are not specifically mentioned in this FAQ. Please give credit where it is due. ============================ VARTH FAQ INDEX ============================ 1.- About Varth 2.- History 3.- Controls, Boms, Pods & Weapons 4.- Planes, Stages & Bosses 5.- Hidden icons 6.- Bonus & Secret Bonuses 7.- Tactics, Tips & Tricks ============================================================================= 1. About Varth ============================================================================= "Varth" is an arcade vertical shooter scrolling game wrote by Capcom in 1992. You can be a one of two smalls planes, you have a lot of weapon, bombs and upgrades, and two protective Pods like in R-Type, R-Type2, X-Multiply, etc. You had to fight your way a through 30 stages for defeat a DUO the ultimate stage. the game have certain complexity, is not too simple. I will assume the reader is already familiar with the basics movement in vertical shotter games. Some technical information: cpu: 68000 , 10.00MHz cpu: Z80 , 4.00MHz - for audio audio: YM2151 , 3.58MHz audio: OKI6295 , 7.58KHz Video Screen: raster Orientation: vertical Resolution: 224 x 384 Frequency: 60.00Hz Audio Channels: 1 Input Players: 2 Control: joy8way Buttons: 3 Coin Slots: 2 Varth is supported by the following emulators and plataforms: GAME EMULATOR PLATAFORM Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) Calice32 Windows Varth - (92/06/12 - ETC) Callus DOS Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) Callus95 (Patched) Win95 Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) Final Burn Alpha Windows Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) Kawaks Windows Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) MAME (Multiple E.) Arcade M. Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) Nebula Windows Windows Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) [sound only] Nebula Jukebox Windows Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) RAINE DOS Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) RCPS (RiscCPS) RISC OS Varth - Operation Thunderstorm [sound only] tROMbone Windows Varth - Operation Thunderstorm (World) Ultracade - Capcom ? Classics 2 Name Rom: varth.zip Size: 2119Kb Rank: 7 ============================================================================= 2. History ============================================================================= The colony-planet "VARTH" was located in a remote region of the galactic system. On this planet everithing was controlled for the 6th generation "DELTA-7". Suddenly the evil spirit "DUO" appeared and took over "DELTA-7". Duo orderd "DELTA-7" to manipulate the humans so that they would start the final war and destroy each other. As people had lost the ability to thinks for themselves and had total faith of in the computers they had no choise but the start the war. The colony lost the 80% its population. But that wasn't enough for DUO, DUO then commanded his robot army to exterminate the remainig humans. In the aftermatch, only two planes were left undestroyed because they were equip_ ped with old 4th generation computers,and thus could not be controlled by "DELTA-7". These two planes, TANIKURA-SABER and DAKAO-SCIMITAR are the last hope of the people of Varth. This is "OPERATION THUNDER STORM". Hearing a loud explosion, people looked a DELTA-7. Seeing nothing left but a huge mushroom cloud, the people realized the war was over. It was said that the explosion of "DUO" whit-in a 50 mile radius leaving only a huge crater behing... The end. ============================================================================= 3. Controls, Weapons, Bombs & Pods ============================================================================= 3-1) Controls: - Joystick or buttons(if you use a pc emulator): move the plane in 8 directions. - Button 1: principal weapon fire. - Button 2: lauch bomb. 3-2) Weapons: it´s of tree types: - Machine Gun Shot: standard weapon whit built-in rapid fire. - Laser Shot: powerful piercing shot. - Wide Shot: attacks enemies in a broad range. 3-3) Bombs: You have a tree types of bombs, depending of the weapon that you uses. - Frontal fire and 4 explosion whit splinters (weapon -> wide shot). - 5 homing plasma (weapon -> machine gun). - 5 central explotions and grid of thunders (weapon -> laser shot). 3-4) Pods: when you star the game following a pod select screen, it show two selections: - Smart-fuzzy pod. - Fixed-front pod. They protect the plane against enemis's bullet and can shots missiles: - Homing Missile: chases enemy and destroys it. - Normal Missile: goes straight ahead. - Napalm Missile: does extensive damage! ============================================================================= 4. Planes, Stages & Bosses ============================================================================= 4-1) Planes: Data Player #1 Code n°. EK-0131S Aircraft TANIKURA F7W -SABER- Engine J33S -KINSEI- (9032 lb)*1 Wingspan 31ft 09in Length 29ft 06in Weight 12ft 04in 9992 lb Maximum speed 553kt Ceiling 55256ft Range 4096nm Armament V61k 30mm Vulcan HLC-5 Zoom Laser WR-7 A.A.Rocket 2 smart Pods Data Player #2 Code n°. SD-D819HGS Aircraft DAKAO M-2451 -SCIMITAR- Engine HR0 4D2-MAX- (6773 lb)*2 Wingspan 32ft 04in Lenght 35ft 11in Height 10ft 03in Weight 12671 lb+1000 lb Maximium speed 492kt Ceiling 55773ft Range 4128nm Armament V61k 30mm Vulcan HLC-5 Zoom Laser WR-7 A.A.Rocket 2 smart Pods 4-2) Stages & Bosses summary +-------+---------------+-----------+----------------------------------------- | STAGE | PLACE | BOSS | BONUS pts. +-------+---------------+-----------+----------------------------------------- | 1 | CITY RUINES | SPIDER | 10000 + BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 2 | CITY-HIGHWAY | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 3 | OVERFLOW CITY | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 4 |MECHA-SATELLITE| SATELLITE | 24000 + BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 5 | CITY OUTSIDES | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 6 | CITY | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 7 | NOCTURNAL CITY| DRAGON FLY| 24000 + BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 8 | SKY | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 9 | OCEAN | NONE | PERFECT BONUS + *B.S. AND/OR **P.Cl. | 10 | CITY HARBOR | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 11 | OCEAN |CROBER FOUR| 36000 + BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 12 | LAVA'S OCEAN | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 12+1 | DUNE'S CITY | NONE | BOMBER AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 14 | FOREST | NONE | BOMBER AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 15 | RAILWAY |STELL GOLEM| 35000 + BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 16 | CITY-HIGHWAY | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 17 | LAVA-DESERT | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 18 | FOREST´S DIKE | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 19 |RANGEOFMUNTAINS|BLOODY HAWK| 40000 + BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 20 | OCEAN | NONE | BONUS STAGE + *B.S. AND/OR **P.Cl. | 21 |MECHA-SATELLITE| SATELLITE | 10000 + BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 22 | DUNE'S CITY | DRAGON FLY| 30000 + BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 23 | OCEAN |CROBER FOUR| 60000 + BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 24 | RAILWAY |STEEL GOLEM| 100000 +BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 25 | OCEAN |BLOODY HAWK| 150000+20000(SMALL PLANE)+BS. AND/OR P.Cl | 26 | BASE OUTSIDE | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 27 | HANGAR'S BASE | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 28 | HANGAR'S BASE | NONE | BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR | 29 | DUO'S BASE |DUO1stSTAGE| NONE | 30 | DUO'S BASE |DUO (final)| 850000(max) + REMAINING STOCK BONUS + +-------+---------------+-----------| BOMBER STOCK AND/OR PODLESS CLEAR +---------------------------------------- *B.S: Bomber Stock *P.Cl: Podless Clear *Mecha=mechanic ============================================================================= 5. Hiding Icons ============================================================================= All stages have hiding icons, but i can't tell you all for now, however the most important are ever the flags, helmets, race car, astrofighter, the green duck and in minor matter the small stations. - Flag: these asimmilate a finish flag of the F-1, Indy races. These appears on formation of 5 in the stages 4, 20, 24. - Helmets: most of appears on stage 20. - Race car: this appears on the pair stages from stage 2 to stage 20. - Astrofighter: this icon assimilate a astronauta armado. - The green duck: read secret bonuses. - The small stations: for activate them, you must go through besides him. ============================================================================= 6. Bonus & Secret Bonusses ============================================================================= At the end of each stage appear the screen of "stage clear", this is a summary whit the bonus for concept of bosses defeat, bombs, especial bonus and podless clear. If you want more information relation the defeat bosses bonus see separated 4-2 (Stages & bosses sumary). 6-1) Bonus: a) Bomber stock bonus: +-----+------------+ |Bombs| Bonus pts. | +-----+------------+ | 0 | NO BONUS | | 1 | 1000 | | 2 | 3000 | | 3 | 10000 | | 4 | 20000 | |5-MAX| 30000 | +-----+------------+ b) Especial bonuses: - On the stage 9 if you derived the 5 planes at the final of stage you obtain a Perfect Bonus = 100000 pts. - On the stage 25 when you defeat the boss "Bloody Hawk", after explode the cockpit transform in a plane, if you destroy him obtain 20000 pts. - Bonus stage at stage 20. This have hidden icons, helicopters with powers-up and boats with bombs. If you continue the game on stage 29, first appear a extra stage similar to bonus stage. c) Podless clear: if you defeat the boss and appears the stage clear screen without pods obtain = 50000 pts. 6-2) Secret Bonuses: - Ryu (Street Fighter II)1000 pts: on stage 4 Mecha-satellite, first our plane combat around the Mecha-Vulcan. When arrives at South-East of Mecha-Vulcan appears 4 tree and then converge 2 tanks, shoot quickly on West trees and appears shining on the ground. If you do it appear Ryu with his DRAGON PUNCH "Shou Ryu Ken" [Rising Dragon Punch/Fist]. While Ryu shout "Shou Ryu Ken!" continue shooting quickly and will appears icons, items, cars randomly. - The Green Duck: on the bonus stage (20), move to the left and shoot quickly then appears a green duck if you shooting quickly this change to pod items. ============================================================================= 7. Tactics, Tips & Tricks ============================================================================= I will assume the player is already familiar with the basics of such a game, i.e. how to use diagonals to dodge, close combat, etc. For now i just tell you essencial tips, because i'm preparing a complete summary, this will be in the version 2.0 just wait!. - If you are expert, uses the smart pods however never protect of the all bullet. - Remember the distance of the pods to plane make a "death point" when you uses the fixed pods. - Warning with the enemy planes when appears for the sides of the screen, they ever shoot laterally. - Become useful the time of invincibility when you bomb and catch powers-up, bombs, pods items, flags, helmets, etc. Except the small stations. - Careful with the stages 10 henceforth, some tank and enemy planes and the bosses shoot lasers. Anyhow are unprotected against them. - When you need close combat, i recommend uses Napalm Missile (some bosses). - The bombs means point, however those can be charged when you carry 3 or less. - If you have a partner, when the planes are together the pods spin around the planes, but be careful. One time separated depending the time together will have a explotion or a plasma shoot. - Sometimes if you dead, appears a windmill take and restore the full power.