CD Action 21 B/cdactioncoverdisc/LOM/README.TXT

Text File | 1997-12-10 | 20KB | 342 lines

LORDS OF MAGIC
Demo Version 1.01
Readme File
12/9/1997


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About This Document:

Thank you for installing the LORDS OF MAGIC demo version.


INTRODUCTION
Our goal with this project is a strategy game that offers the same enjoyment
we get from reading Tolkein novels or playing D&D.  We want to pull you out
of your mundane existence and let you experience a full fledged fantasy world,
with magic and fantastic creatures, and evil overlords threatening the sanctity
of life itself, a world where YOU get to make the decisions that will lead to
glorious victory...  or ignominious defeat!

This demo was designed to give you a healthy taste of the mystical world of
Lords of Magic, a fantastic world called Urak, and stimulate your appetite for
a whole lot more!

In the realm of Urak you will discover elves and dwarves, giants and ogres, dragons
and pixies.  The peace of Urak is threatened by a Dark Lord, an evil entity known
as Balkoth the Destroyer, Lord of the Death Worshipping Dark Elven people, whose
ambition to please the god of death, Golgoth, knows no bounds.    Can the world survive
against this mad monarch?

You play the Lord of the Life Worshipping Elven race (the sworn enemy of Balkoth), and
can choose to play as a Mage, Warrior or Thief, at easy, medium or hard difficulty;
even seasoned gamers should probably start with easy play mode, as some of the concepts
are relatively new to the world of computer strategy games, and might take some getting
used to.

You start with your fledgling Lord unit and a band of loyal adventurers which differ with
the difficulty modes;  YOUR LORD IS YOU!! IF YOUR LORD DIES THE GAME IS OVER!!

Each unit has certain basic attributes and a level of experience.  The longer you keep a
unit around, and the more combats they survive through, the more powerful they become
(including mages).  EXPERIENCE IS THE KEY TO LORDS OF MAGIC!!!

To select a party, right click to deselect anything else, then left click on the party.
On the bottom panel, pictures appear showing you which units are in the current party,
how healthy they are, how experienced they are and, in the case of military units, how
many figures will represent that unit in combat.     Double clicking on any of these
units in the bottom panel gives a more detailed description of the unit capabilities; to
close this verbose description panel, click on the "close box" in the lower right corner
of the popup panel.

To move your party, click somewhere else on the map.  a series of "move balls" and an "X", show
the extent of your command.  Your party can move as far as the green balls extend.    Click again
on the "X" to move your party.

To split your party, select any units on the bottom panel, then click on the map as above to move
them out.  To combine armies, select one and move them into the other.

To enter caves, dungeons or buildings, simply move the units onto them.  Different things react
differently, so moving into a cave, for example, will usually begin combat with whoever is inside.

Your immediate goal is to find and conquer the great temple of the Life worshipping Elven people.
Once you have done this, you will be granted a stronghold, and can manage resources to build up
your forces, and ultimately defeat Balkoth and save the world.


DEMO LIMITATIONS
This demo is limited in that you can't move beyond a certain distance from your capital
city.  Additionally, the demo ends after a certain encounter (I'll let you guess with whom)...
which should limit the game to 20 or so turns maximum.  You also cannot upgrade your
buildings or stronghold in this demo version, limiting your resource management and unit
development to a small scale version of the full game.

In the full retail version of the game, you will be able to play any of the eight faiths (though
to play Death, you need to complete the game as someone else first...).  One of the things that
is really interesting is that playing as the life wizard, for example, will be a very different
game from playing as the Chaos Warrior, not to mention the difference between the difficulty
levels;  There are 24 starting characters, with 3 difficulty levels, which offers you 72
starting positions in all, each with the potential for an entirely different game experience
from the others.




The rest of this document contains last-minute information about LORDS OF MAGIC,
and other information not found in the Help Files.  This README file
also addresses general problems and questions concerning the game or
your computer. Should you experience any problems with LORDS OF MAGIC,
please refer to this file for additional help.

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                TABLE OF CONTENTS

          I.    MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
         II.    GENERAL TECHNICAL ISSUES
        III.    GENERAL GAME ISSUES



I. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
-----------------------

Pentium 100 mhz
16 MB of RAM
135 MB of Hard Dive (HD) space
4X CD - ROM
Windows 95
SVGA that supports 32,000 colours at 640 x 480
Windows supported sound card with DAC
100 MB of virtual memory

For Premium Performance:

Pentium 133 mhz
32 MB of RAM
360 MB of HD space
12X CD-ROM
Windows 95
SVGA that supports 32,000 colours at 640 x 480
Windows supported sound card with DAC
200+ MB of virtual memory

II. GENERAL TECHNICAL ISSUES
----------------------------

Due to memory procedures of Windows 95, reserve as much hard drive space
as possible for virtual memory in order to gain optimal game performance.
Users on lower-end CPUs who want to increase game speed should turn off
Ambient Sound and Music from the "Options" panel accessed from the diskette
icon on the lower left side of the main game screen.  It is also recomended that you run a
defragmentation utility program PRIOR to install.

Installation Options:

Full Install     - Copies all files on to the HD. Requires 360 MB.
Large Install     - Copies all files except the animations and music onto the HD. Requires 190 MB.
Special Install - Copies all files except the animations, music and sound effects onto the HD.
                  Requires 135 MB.  Limits variety of voice files.

III. GENERAL GAME ISSUES
------------------------
On-Line Help
Hot Keys
Start Conditions
Military Buildings & Training Experienced units
Intelligence Report & More Barter - Political States (Manual Errata)
Thief activities
Great Temple
Overland Curse Spells (The purple cloud on your units)
Miscellaneous
More Combat Tips- Fleeing, Rallying, Controling Party Members

ON-LINE HELP
At any time during the game, you wish to reset the help messaging system, open the options panel
and click on the "RESET HELP" button.  This will reactivate the help system for all panels.

HOT KEYS
The list of Hot Keys which control game functionality via the keyboard may be obtained by hitting F1.
An auto center on movement feature has been added and is accessed from the options panel.  This
feature can be toggled on and off and will automaticly center the screen on any units that move
through your sight radius durring other players turns.

START CONDITIONS
Be warned: the Hard setting of gameplay is extremely difficult.  Creative strategies, such as
long journeys to barter or sell a unit for mercenaries may be required.  If you get the Great
Temple by turn thirty, you are doing well for Hard.  This does not mean that you will have it
easy from that point forward.


MILITARY BUILDINGS & TRAINING EXPERIENCED UNITS
In addition to units gaining experience through success in combat (as described
on pages 65 - 66 in the manual), they can now also receive experience from champions
serving as stewards in the military buildings.  A champion stationed in his
corresponding building (Warrior in the Barracks, Thief in the Thieves' Guild,
Mage in the Mage Tower), will impart that building with a portion of his experience,
which is then awarded, at the time of training or hire, to any new recruits produced
at that building. The experience conferred is based on the upgrade level of the
building, and how long the steward is stationed there, calculated as follows:
A 1st level building can hold up to 10% of the steward's experience points, a 2nd level
building 20% and a 3rd level building up to 30%.  One tenth of this maximum passes into
the building each turn the steward remains there, so after ten turns of stewardship, the
steward can confer no more of his experience to that building. Each building can have
only one steward at a time, so if multiple champions are stationed in a single building,
the champion with the most experience points becomes the steward. Below the building's
portrait are two numbers indicating the amount of experience points currently awarded
to new recruits, and the increase (if any) over the next turn if that champion remains
as steward.  The amount of experience in a
building never deteriorates but will be reduced to zero if it destroyed or changes owner.

    The Creatures of Urak also have associated experience levels (used for detection of thieves,
spell resistance and other level modifiers throughout the game), but their experience level
never increases through combat or any other means.  All recon creatures (produced at the
Thieves' Guild) are first level, the two creatures produced at the Mage Tower are level three
and five, and the creatures brought forth from the Great Temple are level eight.  The exception
to this are the fire creatures which are first, fifth, eighth, and tenth level respectively.


INTELLIGENCE REPORT & MORE BARTER - POLITICAL STATES (MANUAL ERRATA)
    The Intelligence Report, as described in Chapter 5, provides information on the military
strength, resource holdings, artifacts acquired, and spell knowledge of other faiths.
This information is based upon previous encounters and interactions, (including barter,
combat, spying, and prisoner interrogation), with other faiths.
Click on one of the faith symbols on the upper portion of the Intelligence Report to view
your current information on that faith.  Several pieces of information are provided:
    A phrase on the upper left side describes the accuracy of information, based on your level
of contact with the faith in question. The more interaction you have with a particular faith,
the greater the accuracy will be. Over time, information that may once have been quite accurate
will become less reliable without continued contact.
    The column running down the left side of the report provides information on the selected
faith's resources.  The bottom number within a particular resource shows an estimate of that
faith's total holdings, and the number above shows the per turn change to this (based on that faith's
estimated income and expenses).  Below the resource information, the level of this faith's
Stronghold is shown.
    In the center of the report, are headings for "Artifacts" and "Spells".  As your intelligence
on a particular faith increases, symbols may appear underneath these headings representing the
acquired artifacts, and spell knowledge possessed by this faith.  If you engage in combat with
another faith and they use spells or artifacts against you, this information will be transferred
to your Intelligence Report.
    On the right side of Intelligence Report is a column that describes each faith's attitude
toward the selected faith.  Other faiths' attitudes towards you will change depending on their
base affinity towards you modified by any barter, combat, and spying which occurs between you.
Political attitudes between faiths are divided into eleven stages, ranging from good to bad as follows:

DEVOTION-PACT-KINSHIP-TRUST-EMPATHY *NEUTRAL* DISTASTE-AVERSION-HOSTILITY-HATRED-LOATHING
(MANUAL ERRATA)
Manual states a different list then the list above.  Also the manual states that the attitude of your people
towards other players may be different then thier attitude towards you.  This is not true.  You always feel the
same way towards them, that they do towards you.

    The bottom of the report provides an estimate of the military power of the selected faith,
indicated by the temperature bar.  The two vertical black brackets within the temperature bar
represent the range of accuracy of your information.

BARTER
    Bartering in Urak is very easy to use and quite powerful, but can sometimes lead to unanticipated consequences.
Pay attention to the "tone" of the deal, as this determines the political effects of the deal after the exchange.
If you want to win favor with a particular faith, and a representative of that faith approaches and offers a trade
that seems disadvantageous to them, DON'T ACCEPT IT.  If you do, their people may feel that you have deliberately
ripped them off, and their attitude toward you will deteriorate.  "Trade" is the most powerful way to affect political
states, but is not effective beyond certain ratios. If you wish to offer a gift, then set the tone of the deal to
"Gift".  If you instead were to offer a sizeable amount of resources to another player in "Trade", while asking for
little in return, the payoff (in political effect) would be very small compared to the effect of the same exchange
made as a "Gift".


THIEF ACTIVITIES
    When you detect another player's thief attempting to sneak about, you will see a "cloaked"
graphic with a "unit -detected" crosshair graphic on the thief.  DonÆt assume the thief came to steal,
or spy on you, he might just be using your roads to get to his target.  When one of your thieves
sneaks about Urak and gets detected the same "unit-detected" graphic appears on him.  Level
differences are the most important factor in ANY thieving activity, and Capitals have their own innate
detection abilities, so be wary near any Capital.


OVERLAND CURSE SPELLS (THE PURPLE CLOUD ON YOUR UNITS)
There are a two types of spells in Lords of Magic that, once cast on a unit, can only be removed by a DISPELL MAGIC
spell or by EXORCIZING at the Temple in any Capital (not the Great Temple).  Exorcizing will remove all aflictions
from a unit; Dispell Magic can be used to cure Golgotha's Gift but NOT Polymorph.  Golgotha's Gift affects overland
recovery rate of hit points, and will not spread to units with an experience level less than that of the original
caster. If a unit is not surrounded by the purple cloud, it is not a carrier of Golgotha's Gift.



MISCELLANEOUS
When you liberate your Great Temple, you will now immediately receive 10 followers in your Stronghold
and may receive additional Champions. After that you will receive followers every seven days as
described in the manual.

Any artifacts obtained from combat when a Champion is not present will be held by the party but will
not appear until a Champion joins that particular party to claim them.  There is no limit to the amount
of artifacts that may be carried by any party member.

Lords of Magic features an "auto-save" that does not appear in the load game dialog.  This "auto-save"
is done prior to every battle and to reload the auto-save prior to the battle, restart the game (select "New Game")
and then select the "Last Save" button found on the main menu interface.  If you save a game in between battles
the "Last Save" button will restart the game at the point you last saved.

It is not possible to cast overland spells when you can no longer move.  Additionally, some overland spells,
such as "Commune with Nature" will consume the remaining movement points of the casting mage's party.

Renegade parties will roam across the scrolling map and will attempt to occupy your empty buildings.
If renegade adventurers inhabit a building for more than one turn(day), they will raze the building.

Gold Mines, Crystal Mines, Ale Breweries and Fame Statues will provide a daily income of their
associated resource equal to their level. For instance, level four Gold Mine, once captured and held,
will provide an income of four gold per day(turn).


MORE COMBAT TIPS- FLEEING, RALLYING, CONTROLING PARTY MEMBERS
During combat, the three members of a military unit may be selected individually by left clicking
on the them (on the battle map) while holding down the 'Ctrl' key.

You may select any unit in combat, and center the combat map on it by right clicking on the portrait
on the interface panel.  Left clicking on a portrait will select that party member, but will not center
the combat map.

Warriors have the ability to Rally military units such as Cavalry, Infantry or Missile units once per
day.  This offers a very small increase in both the Attack and Defense of these units, for that battle only.

If you wish to prevent your enemy from fleeing combat, hit the Flee button yourself, look at where
your units seem to be headed then cut off the enemy by preventing him from reaching the "Flee" location.
The Flee button is not instantaneous and orders can be given to any unit that is in the process of fleeing.

Under extremely rare circumstances, you cast a teleport spell an a opponent, or battle on some rare
coast tile combination, resulting in a unit getting stuck somewhere out of reach on the combat map,
just use the Auto-calc button to complete the combat.  If the results are not satisfactory, use the "Last Save"
feature mentioned above.

REMEMBER- if you want time to think or plan your next move during combat, use the space-bar or
pause button to stop the action.  While the action is stopped, you can plan your next move and even
issue orders to your units.  This tactic is particularly useful for your delicate but powerful mages.
If you find yourself frequently pausing the combat, you should try customizing the combat speed with the
the "," and "." keys.  This will allow you to set the pace of the real-time action.



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