Prince of Destruction ･ Single Player Quick Start & Walkthrough
Note: Print out this document so that you can read it as you play. (Alternatively, you can commit it to memory. Your choice.)
1) Double-click the POD Master icon.
2) Unless you are using a Power Macintosh, you will be presented with a Choose a Mode dialogue. If you have a 68040 Mac, we recommend clicking Compatible; otherwise, click Faster.
3) Splash screen and startup music (a distorted snatch of Dies Irae, from Mozartﾕs Requiem).
4) Now, the Information dialogue. You can read this (itﾕs a synopsis of the documentation and background material) or just click OK.
5) Next, the Select a Character dialogue. We recommend you start with Nanoc the Barbarian (aka ﾒChunkyﾓ), so just click OK.
6) You appear atop a monolith. There is a pentagram (five-pointed star inscribed in a circle) in the middle of it, and a magician standing near the top of the screen facing down to you. (Yes, things can be hard to recognise directly from above. Sorry about that.)
Background in less than four lines: youﾕve been here before, when you left Nestaria (think: a Utopia created and ruled by Nestar, a powerful magician). Suddenly, youﾕve been summoned back (just when you thought you were out, they drag you back in). Nestaria was idyllic and peaceful. You left to seek adventure. What gives?
7) Walk up the screen (use the 8 key on your numeric keypad, or the ] key) to the magician.
(You will walk across the pentacle which is inactive.)
8) Press T, to talk. Type in the word "Hello" and press return/enter.
(The magician replies.)
9) Press T, then type "Name" and return/enter.
(Red words in computer character responses indicate words they understand OR words theyﾕre emphasising. Not all recognised words will be hilighted, but most will, and clues are given as to the others.)
10) Talk is non-modal. You can walk while you talk (and backspace over the characters entered).
11) Once youﾕre done talking, you can turn around (using numeric keypad 4, 6 or [ and ¥) and walk onto the [now active] pentacle. (The pentacle is activated once you say something ﾐ anything ﾐ to the magician.)
12) You arrive in a room with a pentacle, a key on a table, and a (locked) door outside which a poleaxe-armed soldier (not friendly) marches up and down.
13) Walk into the table (note that you can turn as you walk forward; you can also go backward with the numeric keypad 2 key, or the ' (quote) key). You automatically pick up the ﾒmaster keyﾒ, a gift from the keeper that unlocks most doors. (In one fell swoop we eliminate 25% of the tedium of most computer RPGs!)
14) Nowﾕs a good time to learn about the various ancillary displays. Unless you have a 12" monitor, you have a number of alternative ﾒsidebarsﾓ. Use the left/right arrow keys to go through a series of sidebars, including a map of ﾒthe worldﾓ, inventory, transcript, and online help.
14) Ignore the new pentacle for a second. When you walk into the door now, you will automatically unlock it. Choose your moment well, because the dude on the other side of the door will attack you on sight!
15) Fight with your left hand. Manoeuver with your right. (You can play one-handed on the numeric keypad, but most people find it much harder.) You can use the command, option, and control keys for attack, throw, and parry respectively.
16) Assuming you defeat or run past the poleaxe dude, you can go to the room to the left, containing two hobgoblins (with maces), some trees, and any number of wandering monsters. In the top left of the room is a worn patch of ground. Searching that area (with the E key) will reveal a secret passage. There are no hidden objects without some clue as to their presence, so do not search without some good reason (visual or logical). E.g. something that looks out of place (such as disturbed ground) or looks like something that might be worth searching (such as a body).
OK. Youﾕre on your own. Use the online help sidebar to familiarise yourself with the controls. Note that there is a 60 minute timeout in unregistered copies, progress is not allowed beyond level 5, and that O (open) and P (save) do not work until you register. Prince of Destruction autosaves every four screens you enter, and you can continue a saved game by double-clicking in Finder.
Other Hints
Tomes of Knowledge only take you to level 5 even if you have registered. There are more powerful tomes about.
Most of the giant armoury maze can be ignored.
There is no benefit to fighting and killing for its own sake.
Talk to everyone whoﾕll reply.
Some people, especially important ones, will behave differently depending on what youﾕve done.
The story isnﾕt just about your character. Some subplots contain your characterﾕs actions rather than merely comprising them.
One obstacle has been added to the story since version 1.0.6 of POD. It will come as no surprise to those who have already completed earlier versions.
