Title - Helper (ヘルパー)
System - NEC PC-8801
Author - 落合和彦 (Kazuhiko Ochiai)
Publication - Program Pochette - '85 Volume 4
Preserved By - Dustin Hubbard (Hubz)
Recommended Emulator - j80

Loading the Game –
- Run your PC-8801 emulator and make sure it is in PC-8801 mode.

Disk Version

- Insert the disk file.
- If game doesn't autoboot you may just need to reset the emulator.

Description & Instructions

Save the villagers from the monsters! You must touch each villager for a period of time and then they will sometimes start following you. If they don't they will respawn later. Take them to the top of the screen while avoiding monsters. After the timer in the upper right goes to zero the level will end and you'll see the villagers dance as well as get a bonus for how many you saved. Touching the monsters causes you to lose lives.

Controls -

Numpad 2 - Move down
Numpad 4 - Move Left
Numpad 6 - Move Right
Numpad 8 - Move Up
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Magazine Article Translation from Google Gemini (FYI This may not be 100% accurate!)

● I'm going out of my way to save them from a terrifying monster, but I hate these shy villagers!

Helper

FOR PC-8801シリーズ (N88 BASIC)
FOR PC-8801 Series (N88 BASIC)
Gameplay Description (Top Left)

    ● Rescue the timid villagers!

The person in the bottom right of the screen is you. The rest are all villagers. Move with the numeric keypad, overlap with a villager, and rescue them by bringing them to the top of the screen.

But they won't follow you easily. There are also shy villagers, which makes it tough! How many can you save within the time limit? When the time reaches 0, the screen (level) changes.

(Attention) Box

    This program uses POKE statements to define extended commands.
    Therefore, it is recommended to SAVE the program after typing it in and before executing RUN.

Author's Portrait & Bio

BY (Kazuhiko Ochiai)

    The 1-Screen Minister, Kazuhiko Ochiai, is finally taking a break for exams!

    (In his own words) "I've been doing computers up until now, but since I'm already in my third year of high school, it's dangerous if I don't start studying for exams soon. It's a shame, but I think I'll make this my last one for this year. I'll be back to sending things in starting next year, so please look forward to it then (and don't forget my name!!)...... Then again, maybe I'll send just one more."

(Variable List)

    X,Y ・・・・・・・・・ Own coordinates

    K ・・・・・・・・・・・ Own movement direction

    V(n), W(n) ・・・ Increments for own up/down/left/right movement

    X(n), Y(n) ・・・ Enemy coordinates

    V, W ・・・・・・・ Enemy movement coordinates

    P ・・・・・・・・・・・ Number of times the enemy moves

    A(n), B(n) ・・・ Villager coordinates

    E, F ・・・・・・・・・ Coordinates of the following villager

    M, N ・・・・・・・・ Movement coordinates of the following villager

    H ・・・・・・・・・・・ Number of the villager being followed

    J ・・・・・・・・・・・ Enemy movement number

    A, B ・・・・・・・・ Coordinates of a block

    G ・・・・・・・・・・・ Number of villagers rescued

    O ・・・・・・・・・・・ Number of remaining villagers

    Z ・・・・・・・・・・・ Remaining time

    T ・・・・・・・・・・・ Level number

    S ・・・・・・・・・・・ Score

    R ・・・・・・・・・・・ Bonus

    C ・・・・・・・・・・・ Erase/Use Character Data Address

    U ・・・・・・・・・・・ Enemy Character Data Address

    C(n,m) ・・・・・ Own Character Data Address

(Program Description)

    10 Initial Setup 1

    20 Machine Language & Character Data

    30〜60 Initial Setup 2 & Screen Setup

    70 Own Movement Processing

    80 Following Villager's Movement

    90 Own Display & Remaining Time Display

    100 Judgment on whether a villager is being followed

    110 Enemy Movement Processing & Judgment on whether self was touched

    120 Judgment on whether a villager was rescued

    130 Level Clear Processing

    140 Villager's Dance

    150 Score Display & Game Over Judgment

    160 Game Over Processing

(Machine Language Explanation)

    BA00〜BA22 Reads coordinates and DATA

    BA23〜BA3B Character Display Processing

    BA3C〜BA4B Data for person's character (1)

    BA4C〜BA5B Data for person's character (2)

    BA5C〜BA6B Data for enemy's character

(Pochette's Backstage)

    <Why was your masterpiece rejected!?> — Masterpiece Research Part 3... In the case of Fukuda O-hito — His program was a copy of the Famicom game "Mario Bros." done in BASIC, which was first selected by the editorial department. And what's more, it moves at an incredible speed! It's so original to get fired up about that, you'd think he'd make the turtles move properly. It's hard to time your jumps, though. Uso uso (Just kidding).