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- THE ELDER SCROLLS: ARENA
- DEMO
-
- Welcome to the world of Tamriel, known by its inhabitants as
- the Arena. This demo is barely a glimpse at what awaits you in the Elder
- Scrolls: over four hundred towns, twelve million square kilometers of
- cities and wilderness, and more fortresses, dungeons, and crypts than we
- can count. Choosing any single location to showcase the game was very
- difficult indeed as it is so large and diverse in its offerings. So we
- invented one, a dungeon filled with some of our favorite cryptdwellers.
- But you should see what we left out ... there is only so much we could
- squeeze onto one disk.
- We also invented a character for you to play, a 10th level Spellsword
- of above average attributes, all chain armor, an unbreakable ebony longsword,
- and a respectable spellbook.
- The Elder Scrolls: Arena will be coming to your local computer
- entertainment store in February 1994.
- Visit your local retailer or order your copy direct by contacting
- Bethesda Softworks at: (301) 963-2000, fax (301) 926-8010, or 1370 Piccard
- Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850.
- Please read the follow section on playing Arena, then type "arena" to
- enter the crypt, or "install" first to configure the demo to your soundcard.
- May your sword be sharp and your spells close at hand, for your adventure
- begins here ...
-
-
- ****************************************************************************
- How to Play The Elder Scrolls: Arena
- ****************************************************************************
-
- On-Screen Buttons
- There are many options that you can invoke while exploring the
- world of Tamriel. To the right of your character's face are two rows of
- buttons. The button and the action it represents are explained in the
- following list:
-
- Mouse GENERAL CONTROLS
- Left clicking while cursor is an arrow
- will move you in the direction of the arrow.
- The further the arrow is from the center of the
- screen, the faster you will move.
-
- Left clicking an object while the cursor is an
- 'X' interacts with it, the interaction depends
- upon whether you are in 'talk', 'cast', or
- 'attack' mode. (see below)
-
- Right clicking while left mouse button is depressed
- will cause you to jump.
-
- Right clicking an object while cursor is an 'X'
- identifies it, if it is not generic.
-
-
- Crossed Swords icon - ATTACK
- Clicking this will draw your weapon and put you
- in attack mode. From here holding down the left
- mouse button moves you in the same direction as
- the arrow. Holding down the right mouse button
- and moving the mouse swings your weapon. You
- may still jump using the 'J' key. Shift+J will
- do a standing long jump. Clicking this icon
- again will sheath your weapon.
-
- Sunburst icon - CAST
- Cast a spell. Left clicking the icon will cause
- your spellbook to appear. You may pick the
- spell you wish to cast, and the target of that
- spell.
- To save time in recasting the same spell, you
- can right click the icon again. If you have the
- spell points, you will cast the last chosen
- spell again.
-
- Fingers picking gold icon - STEAL
- Steal something. When this icon is clicked a
- prompt will come up asking, "Target?". Pick the
- target on the screen. If it is a person, there
- will be an attempt to pickpocket him or her. If it is
- a barrier, such as a chest or door, an attempt
- will be made to unlock it.
-
- Hand grabbing icon - USE
- Use something. When this icon is clicked an
- inventory of usable magic items will come up.
- Pick the item you wish to use and then follow
- any onscreen prompts that may arise, such as
- "Target?" for a ring spell. Note: Only from the
- 3D walk-around menu can you use an item. If you
- want to use a healing potion, you must use it
- from here, as you will be unable to use it from
- the character sheet.
-
- Snake-staff icon - PLAYER STATUS
- Player Status. Clicking this icon will pause the
- game and show your current status, and other
- items such as the date and time of day, or any
- reputational issues that may affect your status
- at your current location. Other information on
- this pop up will be your current condition,
- health, spells that are currently affecting
- you, and spells that are currently active.
-
- Parchment with lines icon - LOGBOOK
- This icon represents the 'Logbook', a journal of
- your travels. This feature is deactivated for the
- demo.
-
- Campfire icon - CAMP
- Camp icon. Left clicking this icon will cause
- you to rest. During rest you will slowly regain
- lost hit points, spell points, and fatigue. You
- may camp anywhere outside a city's walls. You
- may not camp inside a city unless you have
- purchased or snuck into a room in a tavern and
- are currently inside the tavern where you have
- that room. The amount you heal per hour of rest
- is greatly affected by where you sleep. The
- nicer the accommodation (ie...expensive), the
- more you will heal per hour.
-
- Automap icon - AUTOMAP / CONTINENTAL MAP
- Left clicking Map icon:
- Left clicking this icon will bring up your
- automap parchment, upon which will be inscribed
- all the places you have currently visited. Pay
- close attention to this map, it may be the only
- thing to provide you clues when searching for
- something.
- You can make notes on the map by left
- clicking the map where you wish to place the
- note and then typing. Hit 'Enter' to get
- back the pen or right click the mouse
- button. You can erase notes by clicking the
- line you wish to erase and then hitting the
- 'ESC' key.
- Left clicking the compass points on the automap
- will scroll the map so you can see a larger
- area. Left clicking the center of the compass
- will center the map on your location. As a
- note, any locations that are marked
- automatically by the automap, (ie not by you)
- will be left of the first character in the
- sentence. Therefore an inn that is marked on
- your automap will be to the left of the first
- character in its name.
-
- Right clicking Map icon:
- Right clicking the Automap icon in the game will
- bring up the Continental Map, from which you can
- travel to other cities, towns, or villages. This
- feature is deactivated in the demo.
-
- ESC key - SETUP MENU
- Setup menu. This will pause the game and bring
- up an option menu from which you will be able
- to do the following:
- 1) Play saved game - Loads a game from a save
- list. Deactivated in the demo.
- 2) Save game - Save the current game.
- Deactivated in the demo.
- 3) Detail - Helpful for speeding up
- gameplay on slower machines.
- Adjust the detail level to
- minimum to maximize the speed.
- 4) Sound - Allows you to increase or
- decrease sound effects.
- 5) Music - Allows you to increase or
- decrease the volume of the
- music.
- 6) Drop to DOS - Drops out of the game and
- into the world of DOS.
- 7) Continue - Exits back to Arena.
-
- Character portrait - CHARACTER SHEET
- Clicking your name/face along the bottom row
- in the game will bring up your Character sheet,
- from which many options are available. This is
- deactivated in the demo.
-
- MOUSE CONTROLS
- The mouse is your direct interface to the world of Arena. You
- will use it to define actions or choices while exploring the
- land. As you look at the screen, you will notice that the mouse
- cursor can change into one of 10 cursors, either an arrow, a
- sword, or an 'X'. When the mouse is an arrow and the left mouse
- button is depressed, you will walk in
- the direction designated by that arrow cursor. The further
- towards the edge of your screen the arrow gets, the faster you
- will walk. When the arrow is a sword, it is used to pick or click
- icons on the walkaround menu. When the arrow is an 'X', whatever
- is under the 'X' will be interacted with, depending upon what
- mode you are in. For further explanations, see The 'X' below.
- Jumping is accomplished by clicking the right mouse button while
- the left mouse button is being depressed. If you are standing
- still at the time you will jump straight up. If you are running
- you will do a running broad jump. The distance you can jump is
- determined by your Strength, and the Speed at which you were
- running. Since characters with a higher Speed rating can run
- faster, they will also be able to jump farther.
-
- The 'X'
- Placing your 'X' cursor on a monster or door and right clicking
- will identify the monster or store. Therefore, placing the cursor
- on an equipment store's door and right clicking will display the
- equipment store's name, and will inscribe that name onto your
- automap for future reference.
-
- While the cursor is an 'X' you can manipulate your environment:
- Placing the 'X' on another person and clicking your left mouse
- button will allow you to talk to them, pickpocket them, or cast a
- spell at them, depending upon what mode your cursor is in.
- (Normal, Steal, Cast)
- Placing the 'X' on a door or chest will display your assessment
- of the lock, or allow you to try and unlock it, depending upon
- what mode your are in. (Normal, Steal)
- Placing the 'X' on treasure and left clicking will give you a
- picklist of the treasure available for you to pick up.
-
- Consult the previous section on Onscreen buttons to get a
- detailed description of how each is accomplished.
-
- KEYBOARD
- Note: Mouse is required for game and demo to operate correctly.
-
- ESC Setup menu
- Up arrow Walk forward
- F1 Character Sheet
- Dn arrow Walk backward
- F8 Compass on/off toggle
- Left arrow Turn left
- A Attack - weapon draw/sheath toggle
- Right arrow Turn right
- C Cast
- CTRL + arrow Run forward, run backward,
- J Jump
- SHIFT + J Jump forward from standstill
- M Automap
- P Pick/Steal
- R Rest, Camp option
- S Status of character
- U Use
-
- Notes: Due to memory restrictions, there are limits on the types of treasure
- found in this demo. You will not find any weapons, armor, or magic
- items. Rest assured, however, they are to be found in the game.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- ****************************************************************************
- The Elder Scrolls: Arena
- ****************************************************************************
-
- TES: Arena is the first chapter in one of the most all-encompassing
- CRPGs ever created. Arena heralds a new level of CRPG interactivity and
- depth.
-
- +12 million square kilometers +18 unique character
- of world to explore! classes!
-
- +150,000 word story! +Full character generation!
-
- +Full screen, first person, 360 +Over 400 cities, towns,
- degree rotational movement! and villages!
-
- +Create thousands of spells! +Over 2,500 magical items!
-
- +Both interior and exterior +Accurate date, time,
- exploration! location and weather depiction!
-
- +Complete automap with notation +Quests from escorting a villager
- capabilities! to rescuing the Emperor himself!
-
- The Elder Scrolls: Arena is the next generation in CRPG entertainment.
-
- Recent press quotes include:
-
- "TES: Arena gets back to the roots of the rich, sophisticated,
- role-playing experiences without losing the technological
- pyrotechnics of its competitors ... If TES: Arena captures the
- imagination of other gamers as it has mine, it may well be the
- game that establishes the new formula in CRPG's."
- - Johnny Wilson, Editor, Computer Gaming World
-
- "TES: Arena surpasses all other role-playing games in depth
- and realism! A must buy for RPG fans!"
- - Russ Ceccola, Assoc. Editor, Electronic Games Magazine
-
- "Pushing the edge of the envelope in light-sourcing and 3-D
- technology ... [Arena's] attention to character generation and
- story may be the most careful design work since Roe Adams III
- consulted with Lord British on Ultima IV."
- - Computer Gaming World
-
-
-
-
- "A landmark work! You owe it to yourself to get The Elder Scrolls:
- Arena!"
- - Michael O'Brien, PC Games Plus
-
-
-
- We hope you enjoy the demo.
-
- - The Bethesda Team
-
-
- BETHESDA SOFTWORKS, 1370 Piccard Drive, Rockville, MD 20850
- Tel: (301) 926-8300 Fax: (301) 926-8010
-
-