QUEST ADVENTURE

OBJECT
The object of QUEST ADVENTURE is to find a map, hidden in a
world inhabited by gruesome monsters guarding their territory
and various pieces of treasure. On the way, you must also
locate an ancient scroll which will provide you with a valuable
clue.

CHARACTERS
You may play the role of one of five characters, each with its
own advantages and disadvantages. Each character has five
attributes which vary throughout the game. These are:
                  Strength
                  Luck
                  Dexterity
                  Constitution
                  Charm

The Spectrum determines the initial value of each attribute by
rolling three imaginary dice and adding the results. The machine
also holds a number, known as the Combat Adds, which is used
when fighting. This is calculated by adding one point for each
point by which each of the first four attributes exceeds 12, and
deducting one for each point by which each attribute is less
than 9.

Should any attribute other than charm fall bellow zero, your
character dies and you must start the adventure again.

Each character has a maximum value assigned for each
attribute. These are as follows:

Character         Max    Luck  Dexterity Constit- Charm
               strength                   ution

Wizard            25      25     25        30       30
Cleric            25      20     20        30       30
Rogue             30      20     15        50       20
Fighter           50      20     10        50       10
Simpleton         40      15     10        40       40

COMBAT
When your chosen character engages in combat on your
behalf, you must name a weapon and an opponent. Once you
have done so, the computer remembers them, even if they
cease to exist. Thus you start off by saying, for example, 
"fight the hobbit with the sword" 
which initiates a round of combat. To initiate the next round
with the same opponent using the same weapon, you may say,
"fight"
If you wish to change weapons to the broadsword for example,
you may say,
"fight with the broadsword"
Similarly you can change opponents by saying,
"fight the dwarf"
For each round of combat, the computer calculates and compares
the combat hits for each side. For the player, the combat hits
are calculated by adding together the combat adds of the
character, the weapon and the total thrown on the number of
dice assigned to the weapon.

The combat hits for your opponent is the sum of his combat
adds and the total thrown on the number of dice assigned to
him. The difference between the combat hits is applied to the
combatant who scores the lower number of combat hits. In the
case of the player, the difference is subtracted from his
constitution, although this may be reduced if a shield is being
carried. In the case of your opponent the number of dice
thrown and the combat adds for the next round are reduced. If
the combat adds fall below zero, your opponent dies.

For example, suppose the hobbit has 3 dice and a combat adds
of 4, whilst your character has his own combat adds of 2 and a
sword with 3 dice and combat adds of 4. In addition, he is
carrying a 3 point shield. His constitution is 4 points.

Suppose the result of all the dice throws is:

Hobbit dice total (3 dice) = 15
Player dice total (3 dice) = 8
Thus the hobbit has 15 (dice total) + 4 (combat adds) @ 19
points. Your character has 8 (dice total) + 4 + 2 (combat adds) =
14 points.

Thus the hobbit wins, and your character has 5 points against
him. However, his shield takes 3 points, so only 2 points are
deducted leaving him with a constitution of 2. He would be well
advised to run away!

Of course, monsters do not wait for you to start fighting! If they
take you by surprise, you get nothing credited for your weapon.
In the above example, had the hobbit attacked first, your
character would score only 3 points to the hobbit's 15. The
character's constitution would fall below zero and hence it
would die.

You can find out how many dice and adds an object or
opponent has by typing 'help'.

e.g. 'help sword'
     'help hobbit'

Wizards can use their magic powers in combat, as we shall see
later.

LANGUAGE
A string of up to 32 characters can be typed in at any time when
the flashing cursor appears on the top line of the screen. This
string can consist of one or more commands separated by
'and', '.' or ';'. Each instruction must start with a command. As
soon as the machine loses track of what you are trying to say it
gives up and will not look at any unused commands e.g. if you
type 'get the sword and fight with it'
and there is no sword, the 'fight' clause will be ignored.

Only lower-case characters are recognised.

A list of the main commands is given later. It is not a complete
list - you will need to find the others by experiment.

PLACES AND OBJECTS
The locations and their contents are always the same at the
start of each game. In general you may collect objects and
carry them around or put them down as often as you like. In
most cases, things will stay where you leave them.

You move from place to place by specifying the direction in
which you wish to move. Not all directions are possible in some
places, and sometimes routes are blocked by obstructions
(doors or monsters). you have to remove them.

MAGIC
All the characters can perform a certain amount of wizardry,
although of course the wizard is the most able to do this. If you
want to use a spell, you must first buy the ability to learn it,
which you need do only once. Having done this, you can cast
the spell when required, but each has a minimum required
dexterity, and costs strength points. The strength used to cast
a spell is restored at the rate of one point per minute.

The following spells are available:

 1.      Magicglow - acts as a lamp for the blink of an eyelid
 2.      Dooropen - unlocks most (but not all) locked doors
 3.      Magiczap - hits a monster with points equal to your
         dexterity. The monster does not get any hit points.
 4.      Longlight - turns an oil-less lamp on for three minutes
 5.      Healme - increases constitution by one point
 6.      Firebolt - hits a monster with a firebolt of strength
         (combat adds + 1 dice)
 7.      Iceblast - hits a monster with an icesheet of strength
         (combat adds + 2 dice)
 8.      Enchantshield - trebles the number of hits taken by a
         shield.
 9.      Stoneit - turns a monster to stone
10.      Zaphim - destroys a monster outright
11.      Superstrength - hits monster with sum of attributes +
         25
12.      Stealer - increases player's constitution by one point
         and reduces fighting ability of monster.

The cost, minimum required dexterity and strength of each
spell are as follows:

Spell               Cost         Min. Dext     Strength              
                    (gold pieces)                  used

Magicglow                 2           8             1
Dooropen                  2           8             5
Magiczap                  2           7            10
Longlight                 2           9             7
Healme                    3           9             2
Firebolt                  3          10            15
Iceblast                  3          10            18
Enchantshield             3          15            20
Stoneit                   4          20            20
Zaphim                    4          16            25
Superstrength             4          20            20
Stealer                   4          20             5

Each character can learn a subset of the full repertoire of
spells:

Wizard                     - All spells
Cleric                     - All except stoneit, zaphim,
                             superstrength and stealer
Rogue                      - Magicglow, healme,
                             dooropen
Fighter                    - Magicglow, healme
Simpleton                  - Magicglow, dooropen


SUPPLIES
There are a small number of objects which you can buy for cash
at any time. These are:-
a rapier                  5 gold pieces
a shield                  5 gold pieces
bread                     1 gold piece
a stake                   5 gold pieces
a maze                    9 gold pieces

SAVINGS GAME
Games can be saved at any point simply by typing 'save'. The
machine prompts you as required. You can resume a saved
game by typing 'load'. Note that you should not press the
SPACE key whilst the tape recorder is being used.

COMMANDS
The main commands are as follows:-

north (or n)       drop                    look (or l)
south (or s)       eat                     status
east (or e)        light                   inventory (or inve or i)
west (or w)        buy                     ready
up (or u)          fight                   load
down (or d)        quit                    save
leave              score                   copy (enable printer
                                           output)
go                 help                    nocopy (disable printer
                                           output)
open               hint                    spells
get                cast                    wait (suspend until a
                                           key is pressed)

HINTS
To get you started, there is a lamp in the hut. You will be able to
see better with it switched on.

Bear in mind that most of the creatures you will meet are
distinctly unfriendly, although there are a few dwarves who will
give you useful information from time to time. Above all,
remember that things are not always as they seem!



       SALES OFFICE
       60A, St. Mary's Street, Wallingford,
       Oxfordshire OX10 OEL.
       Telephone: (0491) 36307.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Re-edited Juan F. Ramirez's work to fix typographical and minor errors
by Frode Tennebø, 20090108.
