Note to users of previous versions-- I now have an E-Mail address, listed at the end of this documentation.
Very Important: Ensure that your Monitors Control Panel is set to EXACTLY 256 colors before playing the game. Any other setting may cause a crash.
Playing the Game
In The Odyssey your goal is to save the city-state of Athenia from destruction at the hands of the sinister Chaos Master. To do so you will have to discover and do a great deal. This documentation will help get you started.
Introductory Walkthrough
Follow the steps in this tutorial and you will know how to perform most of the necessary actions in The Odyssey. An online help feature (activated by selecting the relevant item in the help menu) explains the game's commands and features.
First, watch the introduction-- an encounter between your character and the Seer Damocles. Click on the window with the talking head in it (the cursor will change to a mouth when you move it over this window) to give permission for the next character to speak. Eventually the encounter will end and the game proper will begin.
Here you are faced with an immediate threat-- two frothing Chaos rats! Use the arrow keys to move your character (the fellow in armor with the spear) around the room. Once you get the hang of this, move up to one of the rats and select the fight icon (with a bloody scythe on it, in the gadget window (the window with the row of pillars and the game's name in it)). Now select one of the rats. A menu appears, with a list of possible attacks. Pick punch. If you're lucky, an ARGH icon will appear over the rat and it will take some damage. Continue in this manner until both the rats are dead. Choose different attacks if you like.
The rats left some meat behind, which you'll need when you get hungry. Move over one of the pieces of meat, then find the icon of the kneeling man (in the lower right corner). Click on it. A window will appear showing all the objects in your current position, which you can freely manipulate. In this case there is a piece of meat. Drag it around. Click on the look icon (with an eye, in the gadget window) or select Look from the command menu, then click on the piece of meat. A message will appear telling you its vital statistics. Then click on the Use icon (a grasping hand, in the gadget window) and click on the meat. A message will appear informing you that your character isn't hungry right now. Use this process later to eat when you are hungry.
Now you have time to talk to the Seer more closely. Click on the talk icon (with a mouth on it, in the gadget window) or select Talk from the command menu. Then click on the Seer (the old man in the toga). Click on the talking head window until a dialog box appears asking you what you want to say to the city's resident fountain of wisdom. Type in 'chaos master' and proceed to become illuminated. Then type 'bye' to leave.
Now try scrolling the map. Click on the scrollmap icon (with the map and the arrows, in the gadget window). Now move the cursor up to the top of the screen (so it changes to a long vertical arrow) and click. The map will scroll to reveal more of what's above your character. Try walking around in this manner. You can restore the map to its original position by clicking on your character in scrollmap mode. You can also scroll the map by a single step in any direction by clicking in the desired direction a short distance from your character (so the cursor changes to a short arrow). You will want to scroll the map when fighting distant enemies with missile weapons, or looking down a long hallway.
You can also move your character with the mouse, though the keyboard is recommended. To try this, click on the walk icon (with the running feet, in the gadget window) and then click the cursor in the desired direction. Your character will take a step. To run in that direction, move the cursor far away from your character so it becomes a long arrow. Now when you click the character will move twice as fast, though will become easier to hit. You can run with the keyboard by holding down the shift key as you press the arrows. To block, move the cursor over your character (in walk mode) and it becomes a little shield. Click and a small amount of time will pass by with your character unmoving but making himself particularly hard to hit. You can block with the keyboard by pressing the spacebar. This is useful if you're about to be hit by a flying missile and you can't get out of the way, or if you need to defend yourself while an ally runs up to the rescue.
Now you are ready to explore Athenia and take the first, tentative steps towards removing the menace that towers over it. Go for it!
Questions and Answers about The Odyssey
Q: I've found a key. How do I use it?
A: First move your character up to the door you wish to try to unlock. Then click on the use icon or select Use from the Command menu. Click on the key. While a box is around the key, click on the door you wish to open. Note: keys only open one door. Once you've used a key once, you can throw it safely away, unless you want to use it to lock the door again.
Q: It says that my character is hungry. How do I eat?
A: First you must have some food in the Objects Present or BackPack window. Refer to 'Getting and Storing Things' section if you don't know how to use these windows. Then click on the use icon or select Use from the command menu. Then click on the food. A message will appear telling you how much you had to eat to satisfy your hunger.
Q: How do I talk to people?
A: Click on the talk icon or select Talk from the Command menu. Then click on the person you wish to talk to. Read each bit of text, then click on the window with the talking head in it when you are ready to continue. Sometimes a dialog box will appear asking you what you want to say next. You must type in a word or two (not a complete sentence) naming the subject you wish to bring up. Often typing in a subject the other character has mentioned (e.g., Farmer Paul says, 'The crops are terrible.' This might induce you to ask about 'crops') will produce illuminating results. The computer is not infallible at recognizing synonyms, so if your first attempt fails try using a different word.
Q: How do I pick up and drop things?
A: Move your character over the object you wish to get or the square you wish to drop an object into. Click on the icon of the stooping figure in the lower-right corner of the lower right window. A window will pop up containing the title 'Objects Present'. You may drop objects by dragging them into this window, or pick them up by dragging them out. You may drag an object over the stooping-figure icon to drop it without bothering about the Objects Present window. You may also move around leaving the Objects Present window open.
Q: How do I carry things around?
A: Click on the icon of the backpack in the upper-right corner of the lower-right window. A window will appear with the title 'BackPack'. Store an item by dragging it into this window; equip or drop an item by dragging it out. You may drop an item into your backpack by dragging it over the backpack icon. You may also move around leaving the BackPack window open.
Q: Is there any way to move more quickly, to get away from monsters? And is there any way to make myself harder to hit?
A: There are some magical items that allow you to do those things, but the easiest way is by running and blocking. To block, press space or click directly over your character in walk mode. A small amount of time will pass, during which your character will be much harder to hit. To run, hold down the shift key as you press the arrow keys to move, or click far away (instead of near) from your character in walk mode, when the cursor resembles a long arrow (instead of a short one). This will move your character more quickly than ordinary movement, but will make him easier to hit.
Q: I've gone into a dungeon, and found it exceedingly dark. How can I brighten things up?
A: There are several ways, but the easiest is by buying a torch at Mr. Jones's shop.
Once you got one, drag it into your right or left hand and it will be lit automatically. Drag it out to unlight it. Torches have a limited lifespan as light, and an even more limited lifespan as weapons.
Registered owners of The Odyssey will receive the official The Odyssey Hint Book and Strategy Guide, with complete maps, combat strategies, and solutions to every puzzle. If you're stuck at a difficult part of the game, this guide has the solution.
Remember, if you play this game and like it (and you want your Hint Book!), send your shareware fee ($25.00) to me--
