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Getting started Hardware and Software Requirements 1 Installation and Configuration 1 Game Files 1 Sound Blaster Support Files 2 Graphics Driver Files 3 Creating a new character Character Types 4 Human 4 Elf 4 Dwarf 5 Wizard 5 Archer 5 Fighter 5 Character Attributes 6 Strength 6 Speed 7 Aim 7 Dexterity 7 I.Q. 7 Power 7 Hit Points 7 Armor Class 7 Playing the game Gaining Experience 8 Interacting with other characters 8 Regular 8 Merchant 8 Civilian 9 Bartender 9 Healer 9 Teller 9 Trainer 9 Beggar 9 Questor 9 Guard 9 Moving Around 10 The party's spokesbeing 10 Talking to other characters 11 Saving, Restoring and Restarting a game 11 Quick Reference Card Single Letter Commands 12 Function_Keys 12 D C G A M E S Version 4.0 PLAYER'S USER GUIDE (c) DC Software, 1989-1995 7908 Kettlewood Court Plano TX 75025 214-491-1579Getting started Hardware and Software Requirements This system requires a 386SX or better processor, as well as a VGA or SuperVGA graphics card. It will use extended or expanded memory if available, but it is not required at this time. You should try to make as much conventional memory available as possible. Use the MS-DOS 'MEM' command to find out how much conventional memory you have. It should be close to 600KB at least. The game system will also support the a Sound Blaster and AdLib compatible card for voice and music playback. It will recognize the equipment and use it automatically. If you have a Sound Blaster compatible card, you can help the system determine how it is configured if you have a line like the following in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file: SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 T3 The actual values on the right side of BLASTER= depend on your configuration and should have been set when you installed your card. Installation and Configuration This game is probably packaged into one or more ZIP files. You will need to extract the contents of some or all of these ZIP files into a single directory in order to play the game. The following files should be present: FILES Description WORLD*.* World Landscaping files WORLDO*.* World Object and Character files *.PCX Graphics images. *.SCO Compiled script objects. *.SCR Script sources (may not be present, it's up to the game developer!) *.DTA Various binary data files DCCTOKEN.DAT Game's tokens and associated codes. *.VOC, *.CMF Miscellaneous Voice and Music files. *.RSC Archived voices for the game's characters. Graphics Driver Files In addition to the above, you should have the following files in your game directory: DCFONTS.7X5 Graphics font file. Same file for all graphics modes. DCOBJECT.mde Object graphics blocks for mode 'mde' from table above. DCPEOPLE.mde Character graphics blocks for given mode. DCBLOCKn.mde (n = 0 to 9) Landscaping graphics blocks for given mode. DCSYSTEM.mde System graphics blocks for given mode. Where '.mde' is one of the following: Mode Resolution Colors Description VHI 640x480 16 VGA high resolution (recommended for VGA) VLO 320x200 256 VGA ow resolution (second best) VH1 640x480 256 SVGA high resolution (best option!) VH2 800x600 256 XVGA high resolution (memory hog, but wow!) VH3 1024x768 256 UVGA high resolution (super wow!) Note that the following modes are now obsolete: CLO, CHI, ELO, EHI, MGA and TDY. In addition to the above, you should have an executable file (usually called DCPLAY.EXE, but it may have been renamed for your game), as well as documentation files (*.TXT, *.DOC, READ.ME, etc.). Note that the following files are NOT part of the game itself. They are saved game files and may be erased if they are present in your original delivery: PARTY.DTA - Holds the initial character creation right after you've gone through the game's initialization sequence. If this file is present, the game driver skips the initialization and goes right into the game itself. SAV*.* - Holds saved instances of the game files. These files should NOT be part of the distribution. Note that the game system can handle up to 1000 saved games. The current game is stored as SAV*.000 (or slot zero), while your saved games are stored as SAV*.nnn where nnn is a number between 001 and 999.STARTING A GAME To start playing from the very beginning, type the following: C:\> cd \mygame C:\mygame> dir SAV*.* C:\mygame> dir party.dta If you find any files above, the game has already started, so you should consider if you need to delete them or keep going. To start the game playing type: C:\mygame> dcplay Creating a new character When you start an adventure, the game designer may have chosen to create the player character for you, but most likely you will be allowed to create your own. If the game driver detects that the player character has not been fully created, you will be presented with a screen in which you may select your character's type, name and attributes. Character Classes When choosing a character class, you should consider the special attributes and restrictions (if any) that the character class has. In the default configuration for DCGAMES, a Fighter cannot use any magical items, but can use any weapon, armor or shield. A Wizard on the other hand, cannot use weapons very effectively, but instead must use it's Power and intelligence to overcome obstacles. In the end, it becomes a matter of preference. Do you prefer the powerful fighter, able to wield mighty weapons into battle, conquering all by a combination of skill and strength, or do you prefer to be a magic user, using your mind instead of your muscle. The standard DCGAMES environment includes the following character classes, which differ mostly in their abilities and attributes. Human Human beings have no special abilities, but neither are they restricted in the kind of weapons, armor or shields that they can use. While they can't cast magic spells (no power), they can use any magical item. Elf These creatures are not very strong. They can not wear or wield heavy equipment, but they can cast magic spells, recovering their power faster than wizards. However they gain power very slowly as they gain experience. Dwarf These cave dwellers tend to be small in stature, but very strong and agile. They cannot use missile weapons or shields, nor cast spells. Wizard A wizard is a being born with natural magical abilities. Their high I.Q. let's them gain Power points very fast as they gain experience and advance to higher levels. Unfortunately, they are not very good with weapons, and can only use one-handed, blunt or edged weapons (no missile weapons). This means that in hand to hand combat they are likely to be killed. They can't use any kind of shields, as it would hinder their ability to cast spells, and can only use very light armor. Archer An archer is a highly trained fighter, whose training has focused on missile weapons, concentrating on Aim and Speed rather than Strength and Dexterity. Armed with a good missile weapon, they can be very effective in a fight. They can only use light armor and cannot use shields. Fighter A fighter is a human being that has trained extensively in the use of heavy weaponry. They are very strong and agile, and have learned to rely on their skills. A good fighter knows he/she can count on their weapons and their own skills at all times. They have a deep contempt of magical items (other than magical weapons), and will never use any magical item (like rings, amulets, gems, scrolls or staffs). If you are given the opportunity to create your character, you will be able to allocate some points to your different attributes. What attributes you assign these points to depends on the character class you choose. Character Attributes All characters have attributes such as strength, speed, I.Q., etc. Some attributes are more important than others, and different character types have different attribute requirements. For example, a Fighter has no need for a high I.Q., strength is their primary need. On the other side, a Wizard has no need for strength and needs all the I.Q. it can get. When a character's attributes exceed a certain value, the character will get additional effect when using the attribute. For example, a very strong person will do extra damage points when using contact weapons, and will be able to carry heavier things than normal for that character class. The following table describes the "additional effect" of a high attribute: Attribute Value Effect Less than 9 May reduce effectiveness 9 to 15 No special effect 16 to 18 +1 effect 19 to 20 +2 effect 21 to 30 +3 effect 31 to 40 +4 effect 41 to 50 +5 effect... (and so on) There are ten (10) character attributes: Strength In hand-to-hand combat, you will do more damage when using contact weapons. You will also be able to carry 10 additional pounds for each "additional effect" point. Speed Speed is important in a battle, as it may allow you to strike more than once per round. If your speed exceeds that of your current foe by more than 10 points, you will be able to strike twice. If it exceeds it by more than 20 points you will be able to strike 3 times. Aim Aim betters your chance of hitting a target with a missile weapon. It doesn't affect hand-to-hand combat. In general, you can expect to hit a target about 1 out of 2 times. An additional point from aim will better the chances to 2 out of 3 another point will make it 5 out of 6, and any more points will always hit. Dexterity This attribute is important in combat, as it helps in avoiding getting hit! It also helps to avoid traps when you try to break the lock in a chest or door. A character with dexterity under 9 might have trouble using weapons, and might harm him/her-self during combat. I.Q. A wizard's I.Q. will help him/her gain extra power when promoted to a new level. A wizard with a low I.Q. might actually loose Power when promoted to a new level! Power A magic user (Wizard or Elf) consumes POWER points when casting a spell. Power is replenished with time and rest. Hit Points This is the amount of damage that a player can take before dying. Note that a player with only 1 h.p. is unconscious. Extra hit points are earned when you are promoted to a new level. Armor Class This attribute depends on the armor you are wearing, as well as the magical items and/or spells that may protect you at any given time. The higher your a.c. the less damage you suffer after being hit. Luck Increases your chances of opening locked doors, avoiding traps, etc. Charisma May get you better deals when trading, etc. Playing the game Gaining Experience When you play the game, you will get experience points for every point of damage done to a monster during battle. You will also get experience and a monetary reward for performing services for other characters (quests). The game designer may have added other ways of obtaining experience, such as completing certain tasks, or entering a certain place, etc. As your experience accumulates, you will be automatically advanced to a new level. Every time you advance you will receive additional hit points as well as some additional points in one or more attributes, depending on your character's type: Type Gains attribute points for Human Strength Elf Power (very slowly) Dwarf Strength and Dexterity Archer Aim and Speed Wizard Power Fighter Strength Interacting with other characters You will encounter many different characters during the course of your adventures. The character class will direct a character's actions to a great extent. The following are the standard classes of characters, but remember each character is an individual, and the following is just the expected behavior for a character of any given class. Regular This is someone that might be interested in joining your party. Talk to them before you ask them to join your group. Once they join, if you ask them to leave you have to share your gold with them and they take any item they are carrying with them. There is a maximum of 6 characters in a single party, so choose your companions well. Use the Vacate command to ask a character to leave your group. Merchant Merchants buy and sell items. Their merchandise varies a lot, but they usually concentrate on certain 'types' of items like weapons, armor, food, magic potions, magical items, etc. Merchants will usually buy only items of a type similar to the merchandize they carry. For example, an armorer (sells armor, shields, etc.) would not be interested in buying a Magic Book. Civilian This character will not usually join in your adventure. You can talk to it, but that's about it. Bartender The bartender at the local pub is a good source of information, but drinking in excess will get you no where. Healer Can heal your wounds, cure your poisoning, resurrect your dead and remove cursed items (for a price, of course). Teller These person can usually give you a good lead, but their words may be cryptic and usually expensive. Trainer Your character's can train to gain Strength, Dexterity, Aim or I.Q. This is an expensive but quick way of building your character's attributes. Beggar While most beggars are worthless scum, and will try to steal your money, beggars have been known to give good tips when treated right. Questor This person will give you a quest. If you accept, you will have to go and get a specific object, for which the questor will pay well. Finishing a quest will also give you additional experience. A questor may also ask you to find and bring a person. This normally implies a rescue mission. Guard A guard will not let you approach the door or passage it is guarding. Talking to them can lead to a fight, unless you are prepared to give it the password required. Some guards have been known to take bribes. Moving Around You move around by using the arrow keys (up, down, left, right) or the key pad (make sure NUMLOCK is NOT set). When you see a town or an entrance or exit, press the 'E' key to Enter or Exit through the door. Time passes every time you move. Your characters consume energy and eat when they need to automatically out of the group's food supply. If you run out of food they will go hungry and will starve to dead eventually, so load up on food if you are going away from civilized areas for an extended period of time. Poison will also take it's toll on a character, so be careful and carry some potions if you can find them. They can usually be bought in the towns. When the characters get tired, they must sleep to recover. An exhausted character will start loosing hit points as they move around, so find a safe place and rest there. Hit points are regained every two steps (if you're healthy and well fed). A character's attributes may be modified by artificial means. The modification may be temporary or permanent depending on how it was obtained. Temporary modifications will go away when you rest and must be re-invoked when you wake up. Some magical items may have a limited number of uses, so you should remove them before you sleep. Otherwise, their effect will be re-invoked when you wake up, using a charge unnecessarily. If monsters appear while camping out, you may not have regained all of your hit points, and the monsters will have the initiative (first strike) because they caught you unprepared for battle. The party's spokesbeing To set or change the party's "primary" character, type the number of the character (1 through 6). If you want to see the statistics on the entire group, press 0. The primary character remains selected and is highlighted on the screen. Commands like Get, Drop, Wield, Remove, Talk, etc., are always performed by the primary character. Thus, if you talk to a merchant, and buy something, it will be placed in the primary character's back pack. Food and Gold are the general exception. They are always shared by the entire party. If a food item is put in the backpack, it probably means that it's not regular food! Some food has been known to have strange effects (one of which is poisoning!). Talking to other characters When talking to other characters, you can use "keywords" to conduct a conversation. Most characters will respond to keywords like Hello, Name, Job, Join, Bye, etc. The conversation may reveal other keywords, which in turn may lead to more. Some characters will show you a menu from which you may interact with it. If the character is interested in idle chat, you will see a 'Talk' option in the menu, otherwise, the character is interested only in doing business. If there is a price associated with an option (such as buying an item), it will be shown to the right of the menu entry in either gold pieces (GP) or silver pieces (SP). Remember that there are 10 silver pieces in every gold piece. Saving, Restoring and Restarting a game Saving the game often is highly recommended. You can save up to 999 copies of the game (in slots 1 to 999). If you need to stop playing, press F10 to suspend the game. The current game is always saved in slot 0. When you come back, the game will continue where you left off. To go back to a saved game (restore) press F4 and indicate the slot number that you want to load. Should you want to restart the game from the very beginning, press F6. If you choose any of the above option by mistake, press <ESC> to return to the game. Quick Reference Card Mouse Interface Button Window Items Action R World vehicle, door, chest, sign Use R World NPC Talk to R World Anything else Get L World Any object or npc Look R Menu menu option Select Option R ICON BAR Variable. Look at the icon's picture for a clue. R Group Stats Individual Player Display Stats R Player Stats Worn/Wielded Item Remove R Player Stats Backpack Item Wear/Wield R Player Stats Anywhere Else Display Group L Player Stats Any item Worn/Wielded/Backpack Look at it. Single Letter Commands 0 - Show party summary stats. 1-6 - Select's primary character. A - Attack a group of monsters. C - Camp Out. Rest for a little while. D - Drop an object from your back pack. E - Enter or Exit another world. G - Get object you are standing on or next to you. I - Inventory. Look's in your backpack. L - Look. To examine something closely. N - iNvoke a magic scroll or a gem. Q - Quaff (eat or drink something in your backpack). R - Remove weapon, armor, shield, ring, amulet or staff. S - Spell. Cast a magic spell (Wizards and Elves only). T - Talk to other characters. U - Use object. V - Vacate. Let someone out of your party. W - Wield or Wear weapon, shield, armor, ring, etc. X - eXit a vehicle or dismount. Z - Zap a monster with a magical staff. Function Keys F1 - HELP F2 - To SAVE the current game. F3 - Toggle Sound/Music On/Off F4 - To RESTORE a saved game. F6 - To RESTART a game from scratch. F10 - Save game to slot 0 and return to DOS. ESC - Cancel last operation. During a battle, stop fighting mode and try to escape.