Short Circuit for Amstrad CPC 464 Help

[johnny5]

Hi Everyone,

First off - great site I always wondered what happened to ocean.

I wonder if any of you ocean games fans can help me?
I used to play Short Circuit on the Amstrad CPC 464. As a kid i loved the movie and also loved the game.

It has driven me nuts for years that I could never complete the first level. Can anybody please tell me how to do this just to put my mind at rest? I've seen solutions on the net to the Spectrum version which was similar but not the same as the Amstrad one.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Bill Harbison]

Anyone know who did the Amstrad version? Didn't Paul Owens program the Spectrum version?

[Gary]

I don't recall PO doing it, although I'm pretty sure Ronnie Fowles did the graphics.
Was it that Simon Golding bloke?

[JamesHiggins]

If memory serves me right, the Amstrad Version was actually developed by the one and only Johnny Amstrad!

[Simon Butler]

Elmer was finishing Short Circuit when I first started at Ocean.
I think Gary may well be right that Ronnie was doing the graphics.

I remember it being a mighty fine looking game although I never actually played it.

If you check the loading screen there is an RF in the bottom right hand corner.

Well done Mr Bracey. Your elephantine knowledge of all things Ocean has served you well yet again!

[JamesHiggins]

Amazingly Mr Amstrad actually had his copy in the office...

The full credits list is as follows...

Designed by John Meegan and John Brandwood, Programmed by John Brandwood, Graphics by Ronnie Fowles and David Thorpe

[ukmarkh]

I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that OCEAN had an Arcade Alley... Is this true?

[Mark Jones Junior]

Paul Owens DID program the Speccy version. And yes we had an Arcade Alley where all the games we were working on were set up by Steve Lavache and put on free play.......

....for research purposes!

[tarjei]

Hi.

Had to create an account just to post on this...

I myself never quite finished the first part of the game either and it's got me pissed too! (The second part just required a good joystick, two pots of coffee, the reflexes of a 12 year old and lots and LOTS of time.)

As for the problem...

I managed to find the jump and laser upgrades, but after that I just got stuck. I tried to run out of Nova corp. but the guards always busted me. I never figured out what to do with the fire manual, the remote, the A.I research papers or even the S.A.I.N.T. manual.

Now, I have a hunch you're supposed to stage a fire-alarm or suchlike to distract the guards so you can roll past them, but I never managed to find out how

I also never knew what to do with the second password that you get after jumping past the other robots (Near the laser amplifier.)

...

Now: Years later, I decided to try this game out again, and DAMMIT I'm still stuck in the same place! I experienced a sudden urge to cheat a bit and look a solution up from the bowels of internet but alas, only c64 and spectrum versions are being covered. Seeing as how they differ quite a bit from the CPC version, It seems I'll never be able to finish this game.

As number five would -and did- say (in the sequel) "I AM REALLY PISSED OFF!"

...

Excuse the rant and sorry if this went off topic

If you're stuck before the bit where you just can't get out even though No. 5 is loaded with lasers and doing leapfrogs, I MIGHT be able to help, but if you're stuck where I am...

I share your pain.

P.S. Any hints would be welcomed.

Yours truly, Tarjei the Terrible.

[Gary]

Tarjei,

The only person who may be able to help you with this is John Brandwood who programmed the game.
I met up with John last week and I am sad to say I don't think he would be of much assistance. He sat on a barstool with glazed eyes, drooling from the mouth while repeating 'Renegade... green blood...Z80... cheatcodes...'
I am afraid it may be too late and that age has gotten the best of him and his mind is addled.

On the other hand, it could just be the 30 pints of Guinness he consumed (in a lunchtime!)....

His carer, a Mr. J. Higgins, might be able to shed light on this as he was there to witness this phenomenon.

[mrak]

Hi all, stumbled across this site as part of a desperate search. I am mere INCHES from a complete solution for this game.. Tarjei, Johnny 5, for your benefit, I will present all I can recall of the Short Circuit 1 solution.. but together we must vault the last hurdle. Here's what I have so far:

• You need to use the SECURITY NOTES and PASSWORD to access the SECURITY CONTROL Computer behind the low-level security door. This allows you access to the rest of the building using your low-level security pass (NB: The security system is checked every 10 minutes, so you'll need to re-enable the security system periodically)
  
• Using the BUNCH OF KEYS and the PASSCARD, sneak into the storeroom to the East of the room that you started the game in. This room contains the JUMP ACTIVATOR HARDWARE.
  
• Use the JUMP HARDWARE and JUMP UTILITY to jump past S.A.I.N.T ROBOT NUMBER 1.
  
• Collect the LASER HARDWARE and second password
  

That brings everyone up to the section where Tarjei is stuck...

• Next you grab the FIRE MANUAL from the filing cabinet near the centre of the map, the Second PASSWORD from behind the robot sentry and the SECURITY NOTES and return to the security computer. This takes some doing, as you have to make two round trips to carry all those items into the security control room.
  
• I typically leave the SECURITY NOTES in the cupboard that initially contains the FLOPPY DISK, carry in the other items, and then swap the PASS CARD for the NOTES in order to be carrying all three necessary items at once (FIRE MANUAL, SECURITY NOTES, PASSWORD 2)
  
• You use these three items to Deactivate the sprinkler system in the building.
  

And this is where I become stuck. No idea how to start the fire... Except...

Well, I got a little impatient and loaded my SHORTCRT.DSK rom file into a standard Windows text editor.. It allowed me to read the inventory list for the game which appeared in plain text. One of the items listed was a "LIT CIGARETTE". In the spectrum or C64 versions of the game, you set off a fire placing this cigarette into a trash can.

Now, in all my time playing this game, I've never encountered a LIT CIGARETTE, nor have I found a trash can! So now we're edging closer, I'm throwing it back to you guys... Any ideas on how we set off the alarm?

[Bill Harbison]

No idea, but I admire your persistence!

[Mark Jones Junior]

Well at least ya got value for money if it's lasted you this long!

[britnostalgic]

I know of this cheat... pause the game and hold down the keys OCEAN.

Ronny Fowles did the graphics - maybe he'll know where the trash can or ciggys he drew are hiding.

[metr]

Hey, I don't know if you already got your answer, but here you can see a walkthrough video.

Hope it helps !