Odyssey: The Legend of Nemesis/Odyssey: The Legend of Nemesis.iso/Odyssey Read Me

Text File | 1995-12-21 | 15KB | 314 lines

ODYSSEY:  THE LEGEND OF NEMESIS

Before playing Odyssey: The Legend of Nemesis, you need to have
QuickTime 2.1 installed on your computer. You may already have
QuickTime 2.1. To check, simply open your System folder. Then, open
the Extensions folder. Select the file called QuickTime™ by clicking
on it once. From the File menu, choose Get Info. A "QuickTime Info"
box will appear. If the Version number is 2.1 or higher, STOP! You already
have the necessary version of QuickTime.

If the version number is lower than 2.1, open the System Stuff folder
located on your Odyssey CD. Then, open the file called About QuickTime 2.1.
Follow the instructions for installing QuickTime 2.1. You're now ready
for Odyssey: The Legend of Nemesis!

If you need technical assistance getting Odyssey to run, call
[phone].


Welcome to Odyssey: The Legend of Nemesis, the new role
playing game for the Macintosh.  The game takes place on an
archipelago - a chain of islands - each with its own strange
culture to explore and try to change for the better.  Odyssey
was written in such a way that one can play it with very little fore-
knowledge.  Simply run the game and start exploring the world
you have, by fate, come into.  But first you should understand
how to control your character.


Controls

Odyssey is controlled by numerous keyboard commands,
almost all of which have mouse-only equivalents.  All keys are
fully configurable via the Configure Game Keys section of the
Preferences Dialog.  On first starting Odyssey one should
investigate this dialog (accessible through the Edit menu) and
set the keys as one sees fit.  Controlling the game with the
mouse-alone involves clicking in association with various
modifier keys.  Try command-clicking(which will try to
perform an action on a given area), option-clicking(which will
look at a given location), and shift-clicking (which will
position the target and attack whatever happens to be under it -
more on this later).

Windows

There are three main windows in Odyssey:  the view window,
through which the player sees a bird's eye view of the Odyssey
world, with the player's character always center screen; the
inventory window, in which the player manipulates their
inventory; and the message window, in which the player
receives various messages about events in the game.  One can
switch between the windows by clicking on them, or by using
the window-switching menu items or the window-switching
game keys in the Preferences Dialog.  If the "Automatic
Window Switching" preference is turned on, when the player
presses a key for a window that is not active, that window
becomes active automatically.  For instance, if the Inventory
Window is active, and the player presses the North key, and if
that key is different from any key associated with the inventory
window (such as the "up inventory" key) then the View
window will automatically become active.

Statistics

When you first create a character, you will be given three
statistics that indicate how strong, intelligent, and dexterous
your character is:  stoutness, sagacity, and nimbleness
respectively.  Each of these scores is out of twenty, and the
higher your score the better, though you will never be able to
roll a character with full statistics.  If you do not like the
statistics you are given, you can re-roll until you are satisfied.
The player also starts out with "health points", which will
decrease when the player is attacked, resulting in his/her death
when they are reduced to zero.  Health can be regained slowly
over time or through special devices.  Similarly, the player will
soon gain psionic points, which allow the player to use psionic
powers.  These decrease as the player uses the powers, but also
come back slowly over time.

Movement

Movement in the world of Odyssey is possible in the four
cardinal directions:  North, South, East and West.  This can be
accomplished either by the keyboard commands or through
using the arrow cursors (clicking without any modifier keys) in
the view window.  Odyssey will also move your character to a
specific spot in the view window if you command-click on that
spot.  One can then move between different levels (world
maps, towns, dungeons, etc.) in the Odyssey world through
entrances usually designated by one of the following:  cave
openings, buildings, stairs, ladders, or glowing mirrors.  The
player can stand on one of these portals and either command-
click on it or use the "enter" key or menu item to travel to the
new level.

Looking

You can look at any part of the world by holding down option
while pressing one of the four cardinal directions:  if there is
anything of interest there, a message will be displayed in the
message window describing it.  Equivalently, you can option-
click in a square directly adjacent to the player character to
look at the contents of that square.

Targeting

Using the target is instrumental to numerous actions in
Odyssey.  The target can be moved around the screen by
holding down shift and pressing a direction, such as shift-
North.  Also, holding down the shift key and moving the mouse
around the view window will cause the target to move.  The
target can also automatically target objects or non-player
characters by pressing the "cycle target" key.  To hide the
target, one can hold down option while pressing the "cycle
target" key.

Opening

You can open doors, trunks, or coffers by pressing the "open"
key or menu item while standing next to the object you wish to
open.  If there is more than one object to open around the
player character, the game automatically opens only the first
one it finds.  If you wish to open a specific door, trunk, or
coffer, target the object first, and then press open.   You can
also command-click on a door, coffer, or other openable object
to try to open it.

Picking-up Objects

Picking up objects is simply accomplished using the "get" key
or menu option.   This will, one by one, pick up the objects that
surround you, starting with the objects underneath you.  You
can pick up a particular object by targeting it and then using the
"get" key.  You can also command-click on an object to pick it
up:  the cursor will change to a hand when you are holding
down the command key and have your cursor above an object.

Using Objects

Once an object is in your inventory, you can use or equip it by
first hi-lighting it and then pressing the "select" or "alternate
select" key or the "use/equip" menu items.  You can also
double-click on an item to use/equip it.  Some items, such as a
long sword, are automatically put into your right or left hand.
All one-handed weapons are automatically put into your right
hand, while all shields and torches are automatically put into
your left.  If you wish to put the object into the "other" hand -
say the long sword into your left - use the alternate-select key.
Once an item is equipped - in your hand or on your body - you
can unequip it by using the select key or double clicking on it
again.  You can view exactly what your character has equipped
by double-clicking on the animating character icon in the
upper-left-hand corner of the inventory window, or by using
the "maximize/minimize character view" menu item, from the
Game menu.  If you so desire, you can equip and/or use items
by dragging them up on to the maximized character view.

Getting Descriptions of Objects

You can get information about an item by holding down the
command key while double clicking or selecting it.  There is
also a menu item for this feature.

Dropping Objects

This is simply accomplished by holding down option while you
double click or select an item.  If you wish to drop it next to
(instead of under) you, hold down option and press a direction
using the inventory window directional keys, or use the "drop"
menu item.

Psionics

Psionic powers work just like objects:  they are scrolls that you
can pick up and can get descriptions of.  In order to use them,
first the player character must discover a way to gain psionic
abilities.  Once that is accomplished, psionics must be
"equipped" in the same way that weapons are.  Then the
psionic can be used via the "use psionic" key or menu-item in
the view-window.  Each psionic costs a certain number of
"psionic points" to use, the amount of which is indicated by the
number written next to the psionic in the inventory window.  If
the player does not have enough psionic points for a given
psionic, he/she will be unable to use it.  Some psionics -
particularly combat psionics - require the target be set on a
particular agent or object.

Combat

You can attack any living being in Odyssey, friend or foe.
Simply target the enemy, and then use the attack key (or the
left-attack key if you wish to attack with the weapon in your
left hand).  You can also shift-click on an enemy to attack
them.  For most weapons you must be directly adjacent to the
opponent in order to attack, though pole-arms have a slightly-
longer reach and thrown weapons can go quite a distance.
Usually you want to have some sort of weapon equipped when
you attack:  see the "Using Objects" section above.  It is also
advisable that you be wearing as much armor as possible
during combat, which must similarly be equipped to have any
effect.  If the "Combat Autotarget" option is on, when the
player presses the attack key and has nothing targeted, the
game will automatically target and attack one agent
immediately adjacent to the player, if any.  WARNING:  the
person standing next to you could be your friend, and attacking
them would be considered a social faux pas.  Some psionic
powers can be used in combat:  they too must be equipped, a
target must be selected, and the psionic key pressed.

Resting

After combat, the player will often have fewer than his
maximum health points.  Similarly, using psionics will
decrease the number of psionic points the player has.  Both
these statistics are regained slowly over time.  To expedite this
process, the player can go to sleep, waking up whenever they
want, or once their health and psionics are at full.  However, if
the player is attacked while he/she sleeps, attacks will do more
damage than usual.  Even if the player is at full health or
psionics, they can rest so as to pass game-time quickly.

Talking

The player will meet many non-player characters (agents) with
whom the player can converse.  Simply press the talk key while
standing next to an agent, or command-click on them.  If the
player is standing next to multiple agents, the player can pick
the specific one they want to talk to with the target, or the game
will pick one automatically.  Once in the talk dialog, the agent
will start speaking to the player.  The player then responds with
one word questions.  For instance, almost all agents will
respond when asked their name or job, by simply typing
"name" or "job".    Often the player can figure out other things
the agent might know about by analyzing their answers to the
above questions.  For instance, if farmer Bob, when asked his
job, replies with "I raise Warthogs", the player should then ask
Bob about warthogs by typing "Warthogs".  Sometimes the
agent will ask the player specific questions, to which the player
should reply accordingly.  Conversations are vital to Odyssey,
and finding out all that an agent has to say is crucial to a
player's success.

Lighting

A totally black square in the view window indicates a spot
which the player cannot see at that point in time.  This can be
due to one of two reasons:  either the location is out of the line-
of-sight of the player (perhaps it is behind a wall, trees, a
mountain, or other visual obstruction); or the spot may not have
enough lighting to be visible.  At night-time, the radius in
which the player can see via natural lighting is decreased
dramatically, and in dungeons the player will hardly be able to
see at all.  Torches and lanterns, when equipped in either hand,
can help the player to see farther in the darkness.  Later on, the
player will find special Psionic powers and other objects which
will help illuminate the world of Odyssey.

Interface

All of that may seem like a lot of information, but we have
found that people have a fairly easy time picking up the
interface of Odyssey:  The Legend of Nemesis.  For the most
part, the game's interface works as one would hope a
Macintosh RPG would, and we have found that comprehension
of the game's interface comes quickly to most.

Gameplay Notes

It is important to note that Odyssey is not the type of game
where the player is supposed to kill everything they see.
Though there are savage monsters who wander the surface of
the islands who the player will have to fight off and kill in
order to survive, there are also many very nice people who the
player can talk to and help out.  It's a good idea not to attack
something unless it attacks you first (though if a ferocious
beast comes running straight up to you, teeth gnashing, it's
probably a good idea to get in the first blow).

Getting Started

NOTE:  Hard-core RPG fans should probably check-out here,
lest  Odyssey:  The Legend of Nemesis  prove too
easy for them.

As you start out the game, you have washed up a beach, all
your possession lost.  In other words, you're in no position to
defend yourself against the monsters which will soon attempt
to rip you to pieces.  As you head down the beach to the south,
already you will see a monster coming to get you.  However,
you may be able to survive if you duck into the small cave
opening you see, which has a fire-bucket next to it.  So walk to
that entrance and press the "enter" key or command-click on
the entrance.  Soon, you will find yourself in a small
subterranean cave.  Walk around the room to familiarize
yourself with it.   Notice that there are some items around the
room (torches on the table) to be picked up.  Try picking them
up with the "get" key or by command-clicking on them.  You
will notice (if you are observant) that there is a person in a bed
in the southeast corner of the cave.  Walk over to him and try
talking to him with either the "talk" key or by command-
clicking on him.  If he's still in bed, he's probably still asleep,
and you won't be able to talk to him until he wakes up.  So,
walk around the room a bit, until the character wakes up.  Now
go talk to him.  Ask him about his name, his job, and anything
else you may think of, such as the island, or maybe your staff.
But, most importantly, ask him for help.  Once he gives you
some advice, you should be able to acquire several items which
will help you to survive on the world of Odyssey.  Try
equipping these, as described in the using-objects section
above.  Once so equipped you should be able to leave the old
man's hut and fight off the monsters.  But keep an eye on your
health bar.  As you become more confident, explore the rest of
this strange island you find yourself on...