THE SPECTRUM GAMES DATABASE OUT OF THE SHADOWS PUBLISHER Mizar Computing AUTHOR Bob Waller CATEGORY Adventure INSTRUCTIONS FOR PLAY INTRODUCTION You are in a fantasy world of monsters and magic in which your only Friend is a merchant living nearby As you move around the surface you will encounter hostile creatures, stairs to the dark regions below and containers holding various items of use and value. As you gain in experience you will venture deeper into the depths below in search of your chosen quest. This is not on arcade game but a realistic adventure which allows the full use of tactical skills as well as the cut and thrust of conflict giving you many hours of enjoyment as you pit your skills against more and more deadly foes. Your scenario can be saved and restored as often as required while you explore the hundreds of different locations on your way to achieving your quest. THE DISPLAY The display provides information on your character's current state and gives a map of your immediate surroundings. The right hand side of the screen provides a scrolled commentary on events. Any portion of the map which is obscured by a wall is blanked out so that you can only see those things that are really visible. So - be careful you never know what may be lurking round the comer MOVING AROUND Using the GO command (see commands) you may move around the map. Movement off an edge will put you on the edge of the next map. Stairs lead to rooms below or above. Falling through a hole will take you to the room below. ATTACKS Of course any other inhabitants (apart from the merchant) are hostile and will attack you on sight. You may fight, run away or possibly use magic. Monsters may be attacked with any weapon you have, or bare-handed if you have none. Your chance of hitting a monster (or dodging if it is attacking you depends on both its dexterity and yours The amount of damage you inflict depends on your strength. Possession of an item of armour automatically protects the relevant part of your body. The maximum amount of injuries you can sustain is called your hit points. The percentage of your life left is shown by the length of the life bar on the screen. Experience points are gained by slaying monsters. Every 1000 experience points raise you an experience level which adds to your abilities. The number of experience points gained per monster depends on the type of monster and your experience level. POSSESSIONS There are over 50 different types of item that you can acquire. These may be found in treasure containers or bought from the merchant. Of course the more you carry the greater your burden and the sooner you get out of breath. As night falls or when you venture below a light becomes essential. Remember- Monsters can see in the dark but you cannot. THE HOME Characters ore created in their home on the sacred healing cross. THE MERCHANT The Merchant lives in a shop not too far from your home. He offers a 24-hour service and will buy or sell most items. Food cannot be found only bought from the merchant. RACES You con choose to be an elf a human or a dwarf. Elves are more dextrous, less strong have fewer hit points and greater spell power than humans. Dwarves are less dextrous, stronger have more hit points but less spell power. QUESTS At the creation of your world you may request any one of 6 unique quests. Your aim is then to find your chosen quest and return it to the special cross in the centre of your home. If at home any time before or after achieving your quest you may set up a new scenario keeping your existing character and possessions or starting a brand new hero. COMPETITIONS When setting up your scenario you con give it a name This allows you to have competitions with your friends by all using the same name for your scenarios. When you return your quest to your home you will be told how long it has taken you and hew many times you hove saved the game. The winner is the one who does it quickest and with the least saves. COMMANDS The commands available are listed below. All words are separated by spaces and the command is completed by pressing (enter} Any word may be shortened to its first 4 letters. Caps shift/0 deletes the last character. In the following table anything in brackets is optional. COMMAND ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTION INFO REQUIRED ANOInt or bodypart Use ointment to heal part of body HEAL ATTAck or A (direction) Attack in the direction given (monster container etc.) BLOW BUY (quantity) item Buy item(s) off merchant CAST SLEEp CAST SLOW CAST BLASt CAST TELEport (UP or DOWN) COST (class) Cost of items in copper pieces DISCard (quantity) item Discarded items are lost for ever DRINk POTIon Restores you to full health EAT FILL Puts oil in lantern GO or G (direction) Moves you about INFO LANTern or (ON or OFF) Turns lantern on or off LIGHt LIST (class) Tells you how many of each item you hove LOOK or L Looks in container MARK or M (direction) Place or pick up marker OPEN or O Attempt to open container QUIT Stop playing RING or R Put on magic ring or take it off SAVE Save game to tape SELL (quantity) item Sell item(s) to merchant SMITe (direction) Use magic rod STAFf (direction) Place staff (as monster barrier) or pick it up TAKE (quantity) Take treasure TORCh ON or OFF UNLOck Attempt to unlock container USE, WEAPon weapon name Prepare weapon for attack or DRAW WAVE Use magic wand WEIGht (class) Weight of items in copper pieces WISH (quantity) item Use wish spell HOME (results depend on SHOP experience level) The last direction is always remembered so only give a direction if you need to change it. Furthermore the last command is also remembered so just pressing (enter) will repeat the last command and direction; just entering a direction will repeat the last command with the new direction. Example GO N(enter) Moves you north (enter) Moves you north again E(enter) Moves you east A(enter) Attack east (enter) Attack east again S(enter) Attack south LIST COST and WEIGht will give the next class if no class is entered. COMMAND EXAMPLES BUY 3 TORCHES or BUY 3 TORC BUY HELMET or BUY HELM CAST TELE DOWN ANOINT L.ARM or ANOI L.AR G NE COST ARMOUR or COST ARMO LIST MONEY or LIST MONE USE DAGGER or WEAP DAGG or DRAW DAGG DIRECTIONS N, S, E, W, NW, NE, SW, SE CLASSES WEAPons, ARMOur, BAGGage, MAGlc, STAVes,SPELls, MONEy, GEMS, QUESts BODY PARTS HEAD, CHESt, L.ARm, R.ARm, L.LEg, R.LEg GENERAL FACTS NOTES