From: tsr@atarihq.com NES-OO-USA Instruction Manual TABOO - The Sixth Sense(tm) Tradewest --- Important Notice TABOO is not intended for children for under the age of 14 yrs. and then may only be used if parental guidance and advice is freely available at all times during the product use. TABOO is offered for curiosity value only, no mystical or magical claims are guaranteed or inferred. All possible care has been taken to ensure that TABOO incorporates all of the ancient magical symbolic references and traditions associated with this type of product and follows the authentic technique to our own knowledge and experience of the method of divination of the Kings. No responsibility is accepted in any form whatsoever relating to TABOO and any such effects influences or miracles incurred divulged resulting or directly connected with TABOO whatsoever. For entertainment only. USE TABOO AT YOUR OWN RISK TABOO SHOULD NOT BE PURCHASED BY MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF 14 YEARS OF AGE --- Controlling Your Destiny Name Scroll Start game by pressing any button. You are prompted to enter your name, date of birth; Month, Day, Year, Gender. Use the control pad left/right/up/down to move the cursor over selected letter and by depressing either Button A or B you can write the letters onto the Taboo scrolls. If you make an error or select the letter simply move the cursor over the RUB symbol and depress either Button A or B to remove it or "Rub out" the required characters. Move the cursor to the END symbol after each correct complete entry. Question Scroll Once you have entered all of the "Personal Information", you will be presented with the Taboo Question Scroll. Here enter your personal question to link with Taboo, The Sixth Sense. Once your question to the oracle has been entered, move the cursor to "END" and press either Button A or B. Shuffling Cards The cards will now begin to shuffly. Move the control pad in the required directions to influence the shuffling of the cards. Taboo has begun. When you have finished viewing each card press any button to continue on to the next situation. --- Personalized Lucky Numbers At the end of each TABOO reading you will be given the option to glimpse your very own exclusive lucky number as predicted by TABOO, THE SIXTH SENSE, using your own minute psychic vibration and stimulus. Simply input the 2 letter postal code for any state's lucky number with the A and B buttons. Or you can select one or more lucky numbers, up to seven, with the "Select" button. You can also control the minimum and maximum number from which TABOO can choose by using the Control Pad. Left/right controls the minimum and up/down controls the maximum. There is no such thing as luck, there is only chance, and what chance do you stand! We all make our own chances and now it's your chance to make it. --- Introduction Peering back into the shady twilight of man's past, when the forces of nature and the elements were supreme, there existed three things, life, the present and the future. Man had no need for further complication in his uncluttered life and sought only truth, the first two he already held, life and the present, the future had always been just beyond his grasp, the third he sought, the truth of the future. The future is woven into the very fabric of our lives and all things which happen shape the very future of our lives. Clinging onto the merest of truths in the hope that their knowledge would bear fruit. Man, during his early and uncluttered past developed the technique to divine the future. This technique is TABOO. Some events bring forth oceans of change, others merely raindrops. But everything will shape our future to a greater or lesser degree. All things that are worldly and all things that are fantasy, the conscious, the sub-conscious, the hopes and fears and fates of all of mankind were collected and arranged by, so that order follows disorder, present follows past, future follows present and unknown follows known. There is no mystery or magic in the order of the universe, all things are as they should be, night follows day, day follows night, in the never ending cycle called time. --- What Is Taboo TABOO is the Nintendo Entertainment System version of the occult and ancient tarot system of divination of future events. All that the tarot is and was has been incorporated into the depth of this cartridge. It's mysteries and untold riddles encoded in the minute electronic circuitry of today's high tech components. The meeting, if you like, of an ancient miracle together with the modern miracle of science and technology, to serve you, as a high priest would an emperor. Your own personal link with the future, your glimpse into the unknown, into the future. The Time Machine The Order of the Universe The order of the universe has been recorded within TABOO and it's collection may be used by those among us who can detach from the powers and pressures of the modern world, transcending the barrier of space to peer through that small fleeting window in time, that is TABOO and glimpse the future. TABOO, the N.E.S. cartridge is not a game, but a technique based upon the ancient art of fortune telling or prediction as used by Nostradamus, possibly one of the greatest predictionists of all time. The method of prediction by tarot is very simple and very old. A tarot deck consists of some 78 cards which are almost certainly the predecessor of the modern European/American playing cards, as will be seen later, bears a striking resemblance to the enigmastic tarot cards of lore. The standard tarot deck and the one upon which taboo is based consists of 78 cards arranged in two distinct groups. The Major Arcana The Major Arcana or Trump cards, consist of twenty-two picture cards numbered from one to twenty-one, plus one un-numbered card (The Fool). The Minor Arcana The Minor Arcana consists of fifty-six cards arranged in four suits (a la conventional playing deck) numbered from one (or ace) to ten with the addition of four court cards, Page, Knight, Queen and King. The Page and Knight being combined in the modern conventional deck to become one card the Jack or Knave. The suits upon the tarot deck are as follows: WANDS CUPS SWORDS COINS Each of the TABOO screen images represents the symbolic or original representation of the sacred designs of the tarot cards including the descriptive title printed at the bottom of the image. --- Brief History of Taboo The Major Arcana Prior to the eighteenth century all tarot cards were printed in Italian with later decks being printed with French text. The word Tarot is French and derived from the Italian word TAROCCHI. There is no direct translation of the word and it's meaning has been lost for hundreds of years. TABOO is the future we wish to glimpse. The titles of the twenty-two Major Arcana cards are listed below in their usual order, with Roman numerals and their conventional names. 0 THE FOOL 1 THE MAGICIAN I 2 THE HIGH PRIESTESS II 3 THE EMPRESS III 4 THE EMPEROR IV 5 THE HIERPHANT V 6 THE LOVERS VI 7 THE CHARIOT VII 8 JUSTICE VIII 9 THE HERMIT IX 10 THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE X 11 STRENGTH XI 12 THE HANGED MAN XII 13 DEATH XIII 14 TEMPERANCE XIV 15 THE DEVIL XV 16 THE FALLING TOWER XVI 17 THE STAR XVII 18 THE MOON XVIII 19 THE SUN XIX 20 JUDGMENT XX 21 THE WORLD XXI The Minor Arcana The cards are listed below in their usual order King of Swords .. of Staffs .. of Cups .. of Coins Queen of Swords Knight of Swords Page of Swords 10 of Swords 9 of Swords 8 of Swords 7 of Swords 6 of Swords 5 of Swords 4 of Swords 3 of Swords 2 of Swords Ace of Swords The earliest surviving tarot cards in existance and dated in the 14th century, are Italian in origin. The more recent Italian decks to have survived near complete were hand painted during the 15th century, these are known as the Charles VI pack and the Visconti Sforza pack, but their sheer existance and beautifully designed and crafted nature do little to shed any light upon the dim beginning of the cards. These rarely seen and seldom forgotten images known as the Major Arcana have survived in their present form for hundreds of years. Many attempts have been made to reduce them to a mere deck of cards including the removal of the lower half of the design and the replacement with a reversed top half (as per the modern court cards, e.g. King, Queen, etc.) losing much of the significance of the design to improve the cards for card games. Taboo is Not a Game! But, exactly who created the magical, mystical images for the Major Arcana cards and why, is still a mystery. The sheer fact that the cards have survived the centuries in their original form is some testimony to the latent power that is stored within the startling and often disturbing images of the Tarot. SWORDS The suit of Swords corresponds to the ancient element of Air, which because of it's invisibility was believed to be the breath of God. CUPS The suit of Cups corresponds to the ancient element of Water from which all life emerged. WANDDS The suit of Wands corresponds to the ancient element of Fire, which it is said spray forth from nothing and could alter or transform anything and everything it touched without it's self being changed. COINS The suit of Coins corresponds to the ancient element of Earth, the entrusted base clay from which we all are formed and to which we will ultimately return. --- What Taboo Can or Cannot Do TABOO cannot predict a fixed and fated future, it can predict a series of events that may come to pass, if all the events and situations within the reading continue on their path undisturbed and unhindered. It will predict the answer to your question at the moment of the asking, if you strive to overt the fated future, then the future as told may not come to pass. TABOO does not so much try to predict but rather tries to assess the quality of the feeling at the moment of the asking and predict the probable outcome. Each moment has particular qualities attached to it and each moment has a past, a present and a future. The past has lead up to this point, the future will follow this point and will be based upon what has previously happened. Our future is dictated by the past conditions and with the experience gained from the past we select our futures. The TABOO system in essence emulated this moment and presents the past, present and future as a series of changes. The future as revealed by the TABOO reading tends by experience to represent a period of approximately six months, thus the cards preesent the future not in a fated concrete way, but as a way to illustrate opportunities, motives and hidden influences, some of which can fail to materialize due to changing circumstances. TABOO presents events as they may be or causes us to search our usually hidden subconsciousness, where stark disturbing images of our future is revealed. --- Taboo the Predictor Because the ancient images which appear on the TABOO cartridge are connected with our inner most fears, hopes and desires, they should be treated with a kind of respect, this is not to assume they are sacred, but what they represent is our innerselves and should be treated accordingly. As per the ancient method of storage of Tarot cards in a square of black silken cloth to free it from all stray influences and vibrations, black being a neutral color, your TABOO cartridge has been covered in a black silken velvet, a cloak of velvet to free the cartridge from outside inflence both negative and positive. Whether this tradition has any significance is obviously open to debate but should any such psychic vibrations try to operate on your cartridge when not in use then this velvet will protect it's neutral balance, promoting unbiased readings for all users. Asl Taboo Your Personal Questions. Taboo is best employed to answer questions about your personal fate or fortune. You alone influence the placement of the cards. Your desting is the subject which TABOO is prepared to describe. The future that TABOO sees is yours to reveal. --- How to Use Taboo The process of selecting ten images from a series of seventy-eight is called choosing a spread. When this has been accomplished, you are ready to read the answer to your question. When you have entered all of your personal details (the details of the questioner) you are requested to enter a question for which you require an answer, you may ask TABOO almost anything you wish to know and assuming the question is reasonable then the cartridge will return to you its' predicted outcome to your question. An example question would be... 'WILL I PASS MY DRIVING TEST?' Once the question has been asked then the cartridge will allow you to shuffle the images to your liking and then proceed to deal the images into the celtic cross arrangement. It is important for some kind of ritual to be acknowledged whilst intending to use the TABOO cartridge to attune one's mind to the feeling of the images so that during the shuffling period of the experience you will feel the way you wish to shuffle and the cartridges will do so accordingly. During the period you should concentrate upon the question you have asked of they cartridge and exactly as the Tarot system, the TABOO cartridge will act upon your input so that your inherent vibrations can adhere to the certain images present in the cartridge. The first card dealt will represent your person, the following ten will represent the answer to your question, the ten positions, within the celtic cross have been given traditional names to help us understand their significance within the spread. These are as follows: 1. Significator 2. Crossing Card 3. Crowning Card 4. Base of the Matter 5. Past Influences 6. Forthcoming Influences 7. Where one finds Oneself 8. Views of Others 9. Hopes & Fears 10. Final Outcome The positional meaning of the cards are as follows: 1. Present position 2. Immediate influence 3. Goal or destiny 4. Distant past 5. Recent past events 6. Future influence 7. The questioner 8. Environmental factors 9. Inner emotions 10. The final result 10 3 9 6 1 5 2 8 4 7 Card 1. SIGNIFICAATOR, this covers him/her. This card represents the circumstances or general atmosphere which surrounds the questioner, about the question they have just asked. Card 2. CROSSING CARD, this crosses him/her. This card shows the influences working against or with the questioner and can be either of a good or bad nature. Card 3. CROWNING CARD, this crowns him/her. The crowning card shows influences which will be brought to bare or influences which may come into being if present trends are continued. Card 4. BASE OF THE MATTER, this is beneath him/her. This shows the base of the matter or problem relating to the question posed by the questioner and can represent the hidden subconscious root of the problem or background to the situation. Card 5. PAST INFLUENCES, this is behind him/her. This card depicts the broad sphere of events and influences which have existed in the distant past whose culmination have lead up to the present situation. Card 6. FORTHCOMING INFLUENCES, this is before him/her. This card shows the effects or situations which will operate within the very near future. Card 7. WHERE ONE FINDS ONESELF. This card shos the questioners present state or attitude within surrounding circumstances. Card 8. THE VIEWS OF OTHERS. The questioner is in the house of this card, this represents the situation as it appears to others or the opinions of the questioners close friends or relatives. Card 9. HOPES AND FEARS. The hopes and fears card represents the inner feelings, desires and dreads of the questioner or how he would or would not like the situation to end or be fulfilled. Card 10. FINAL OUTCOME, this is how it will be. This card contains the answer to the questioners problem or question, it should be read with regards to all the other cards laid before the questioner and in essence contains the answer sought. Should you find that you are unable to draw any conclusion from the cards spread before you, then try again or leave the question open until another day when you may be more physically recpetive to the cards. TABOO is rather like a long distance telephone call or journey, occasionally you will call and nobody is in or there is no reply, you will just have to wait for another opportunity. --- An Example Spread Questioner: Young Girl aged 24 years, worried about the forthcoming driving test, would like to know if she will pass first time. Name: CAROLE DOB: 02:11:64 Question: WILL I PASS MY DRIVING TEST FIRST TIME? She shuffles the cards, very nervously. The spread was as follows: 1. Significator - 7 of Coins, indicates that her present position was a time of hard work and careful decisions were needed in order to reap rewards. 2. Crossing Card - 9 of Coins, illustrates that the influence acting upon her now is a period of good luck or accomplishment. 3. Crowning Card - The World, her goal or destiny, would be reward of hard work and perseverance. 4. The Base of the Matter - The Wheel of Fortune image dictates the approaching end of a situation or problem. 5. Her Past Influences - Six of Wands, recent past events which have previously lead to this point are conquest, triumph or gain. 6. Forthcoming Influences - The Hermit, in the near term she will experience the search for knowledge, solitude or self-denial. 7. Her Present Influence - The Five of Wands shows where she fins herself at the moment, which indicates suffering labor, struggle or strife with little result. 8. Views of Others - Four of Wands represents the completion of or profit from a project. 9. Hopes and Fears - Three of Wands indicates an ability in business or practical enterprises. 10. The Final Outcome - Two of Wands. The final outcome of the situation as has been presented by all of the other cards viewed as a while will be determined by her culmination of events revealed before, will be the achievement of goals or needs. Conclusion: Carole subsequently took her driving test and did indeed pass first time as the cards so clearly indicated. --- The Major Arcana The Major Arcana is represented by a service of twenty-two cards whose striking images portray that of a journey through life. The journey has now come full circle and we may begin again. 'For all things that can be seen and all things that we know are re-born.' Ext. from the latin 'Book of Mars' 738BC The cards of the Major Arcana, each have been inscribed with evocative symbols representative of each of the major stages of the journey. No card is a beginning or an end in it's own right, no card is wholly good or wholly evil. They are transitionary descriptions and images to display the changing situations in life, the ever changing circle of events which shape our lives and destiny in individual ways. The culmination of effort of centuries of man years. TABOO, The Sixth Sense --- The Minor Arcana The 56 cards of the Minor Arcana is divided into four suits, these are as follows: 1. WANDS 2. CUPS 3. SWORDS 4. COINS Each of the four suits is divided into fourteen cards. The arrangement is not so dis-similar to that of the conventional playing card deck. The Minor Arcana tarot suits are numbered from one to ten surmounted by the Page, Knight, Queen and King of that suit. Each of the four suits has it's own particular type of general meaning these are as follows: WANDS represent enterprise, action, possibilities and change. CUPS represent emotions, spiritual feeling, good and fortunate news. SWORDS represent conflict, struggle, battling the odds, intellectual problems and invention. COINS concern material matters and problems, money matters. --- TABOO WARNING TABOO will display the reading to the quesiton of your asking, assuming you have a genuine problem or situation, but the reading gained may not be the reading you wished to hear! This may concern the actions of a loved one or other problem. But do not be so foolish as to dismiss the answer completely, the truth may haunt you forever, rather use the information you have been priviledged to gain for your advantage or knowledge. For all future situations as they present themselves are not yet fact, the future shown is only as it may be if current circumstances continue along their present course unhindered or the current situation prevails, any effects may change your destiny or the destiny of others. --- TABOO RECORDS PREDICTION CHART Today's Date____________________________________________________________ Name____________________________________________________________________ Date of Birth___________________________________________M/F_____________ Question________________________________________________________________ Card Meaning Personal Card 1. Significator Card 2. Crossing Card 3. Crowning Card 4. Base of the Matter 5. Past Influences 6. Forthcoming Influences 7. Where One Finds Oneself 8. Views of Others 9. Hopes & Fears 10. Final Outcome Conclusion______________________________________________________________ ---