Games PC DIE BY THE SWORD User Manual

™

DEVELOPED BY

A WORD FROM TANTRUM

Die by the Sword is the beginning of a new generation of games and technology. Once you play and become accustomed to the greater control of your character, you will never be able to go back to the old technology that limits your control. The physical based modeling technology created by Treyarch, called VSIM, is a huge leap forward for games, bringing with it new techniques of gameplay that were never possible before. This technology is just in its infancy and we haven't begun to scratch the surface of its possibilities. Imagine someday hooking your whole body up to an input device and having the character in the game react exactly as you do. While it's been attempted before, it's never really been possible to do it as accurately as we can with VSIM. And while you may not want to play a game where you have to hook your whole body up to an input device, VSIM is not bound by any restrictions that would prevent this.

There is a lot to VSIM. You have never played anything like it before,

so it will take some practice. You should definitely start with the tutorial. As you play, you will learn new techniques. You will develop your own unique play style that will be different from all other players. The increased control requires more practice than other games before it. Take your time. Look through the manual and try out the different moves that we suggest. Once you master it, you'll never go back.

The VSIM technology is really the future of animation and character control. Die by the Sword will become a classic and be forever known as the game that set the standard.

ÐAlan Pavlish

Tantrum

DIE BY THE SWORD MANUAL

INDEX

GETTING STARTED	4
STORY	5
MAIN MENU	8
Tutorial	8
Quest	8
Arena	8
Tournament	10
Options	10
Sound volume	10
Music volume	10
Control	10
Video Mode	10
Detail Level	10
Gamma Correction	11
Key Layout	11
Custom Moves	11
Credit	11
Quit/Back	11

SAVE/LOAD	11
GAME CONTROLS	12
MOVE EDITOR	16
CAMERA CONTROL	23
CHARACTER PROFILES	24
ITEM DESCRIPTIONS	33
STRATEGY GUIDE	34
Introduction	34
Movement	34
Arcade Motion Control	34
VSIM	37
VSIM Techniques	38
Tips, Hints and
General Rubbish	43
CREDITS	48
CUSTOMER SUPPORT	50
LIMITED WARRANTY	51
INTERPLAY WEBSITE	54

GETTING STARTED

After inserting the Die By The Sword CD-ROM into your CD-ROM Drive, follow the on-screen instructions to install the game to your

hard drive. This wonÕt take long and you will only have to do it this one time. You will always need to insert the Die By The Sword CD into your CD-ROM drive for future gameplay.

If your system does not have Autoplay Enabled, please follow these simple instructions to install Die By The Sword.

1.Double click on ÔMy ComputerÕ, and then double-click on the icon for your CD-ROM drive. (Usually D:) Go to the ÒDieÓ directory.

2.Double click on the file named ÔSETUP.EXEÕ to begin installation.

3.Follow the on-screen instructions to install the game to your hard drive.

Once the installation is complete, click on the Start Menu Button then go over to Programs. Move your mouse cursor to the Tantrum group and you should see Die By The Sword. Move your mouse cursor here and then click on Die By The Sword to start playing.

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THE TALE BEGINS

One rainy morning in a pub overlooking Writhedale, Enric and Maya had finally lost their last coin in a game of cards to a fat merchant. Enric pounded his fists on the table in frustration. The game was undoubtedly rigged. City life had become boring, so the duo took this loss as a sign to seek adventure. Questioning the barkeep turned up little information. No beasts, no bandits, and no warsÉ the city was rife with crime, but to them it was as safe as a newbornÕs crib. The barkeep offered up a round of drinks Òon-the-houseÓ, and Enric and Maya eagerly accepted. It was an excellent way to pass the time. Then it came like wildfire, a rumor blazing through the streets. Always a center for gossip, the pub was engulfed by talk of the treasure to be had and the horrific creatures to slay. The mountain range nearest Hanithburg on the fringe of the civilized lands was swarming with fearsome beasts and ghastly monsters roaming the area attacking travelers. So terrible were the beasts that theyÕd tear a person apart just to hear him scream.

With a twinkle in their eyes, Enric and Maya were off on horses recently ÒliberatedÓ from a deserving fat merchant.

After a rugged journey of many days, they reached the base of the Great Mountain range. The forest was crawling with hungry creatures that saw them as lunch. With a knowing grin and wink they charged headlong. The pair seemed invincible. Enric charged giving Maya enough time to dart behind for a killing blow. This battle alone was worth the long journey to get here.

When dusk came, not a beast still stood. All were slain or fled; the forest was silent. Getting away from the stench of the dead, Enric and Maya made their

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way closer to the mountain, stopping for a moment to clean themselves in a deep creek. Coming upon a druid ruin, they made camp. Maya took first watch as Enric drifted into a deep dreamy slumber.

Drifting into his subconscious, Enric found himself alone in the forest in a dense, soupy fog. Disoriented, he drew his sword. Sensing something to his right, he turned just in time to avoid a bolt of lightning that whizzed by his face and seared his beard. Staggering backwards, he was not prepared for the dark globe, nearly invisible due to the light, that struck his chest and pinned him against a tree. It expanded and wrapped around Enric, chaining him to the tree. His sword arm was useless. He was helpless.

In a blinding flash of light, a man in robes appeared with Maya floating beside him. She looked dead. Reacting, Enric strained to break free. The black tendrils stretched a bit which surprised his captor for a brief moment, before they tightened knocking the breath from him.

ÒFree her and I might let you live,Ó Enric growled through clenched teeth.

Looking amused, the wizard replied, ÒAnd why would I do that? I have what I need. Her soul is the last. Her strength will turn the Crystal away from Life and towards Death.Ó He looked to Enric who stared back with fire in his eyes. ÒBah, ignorant peasant. You havenÕt a clue as to what I am sayingÉÓ

Anger rising, Enric lashed out, ÒTake me instead!Ó

Pausing a moment, the wizard spoke, ÒTrue, you both are very strong indeed. But for my purposes I only need one human soul, and herÉattributes are a bit

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more appealing than yours.Ó Looking into the distance he continued, ÒSpending over a year in a volcanoÕs labyrinth does get one a bitÉ anxious.Ó Looking back to Enric, ÒWell then, your trivial existence amuses me so I will not kill you. If you should happen to be still alive when next we meet, I will be known to all as ÔMaster RastegarÕ!Ó In another flash of light, he was gone.

Enric awoke with a start. He was back at the ruins! He turned quickly looking for Maya. She was looking at him with a slight grin. Maya taunted, ÒAww, did the mighty Enric have a bad dream?Ó

ÒThis place be cursed Maya. I saw you caught by a damned mage!Ó Enric replied intensely.

Softening, Maya pointed out, ÒWell IÕm still here. DonÕt worry ya big lug, I can take care of myself.Ó

Enric got up and sat with her near the fire. ÒI would take this mountain down for you, stone by stone.Ó

ÒI know ya would,Ó Maya said staring into the fire. ÒOh, by the way, there be kobolds about. I saw some tracks by the stones.Ó

ÒKobolds, eh?Ó

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The Main Menu

THE MAIN MENU

The first Die by the Sword screen displays the Main Menu. The Main Menu allows you to select Tutorial, Quest, Arena, Tournament, Options or Quit.

Tutorial

This is a tutorial for people to get used to the controls of movement and fighting without the pressure of combat, and with text and verbal instruction throughout. It is designed to introduce the player to all the basic control elements. We highly recommend that you complete this before attempting the full game.

Quest

Choosing Quest begins the main adventure game. You assume control of Enric and fight against impossible odds. He wouldnÕt have it any other way. EnricÕs quest is to rescue Maya and destroy

the evil wizard.

Arena

The Arena allows you to hone your fighting skills, since you can choose what opponent, and how many you want to fight. Just think of it as another opportunity to hack on bad guys.

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In the Arena, you can experiment and perfect various moves that you havenÕt yet attempted in the Quest game. In addition to fighting as Enric, you can also choose to fight as one of the enemies that appear throughout the Quest. This gives you the unique opportunity to better understand the nature of their movements and attacks, knowledge that will help you when confronting them.

After clicking on the Arena menu item, the next screen you will see is the Arena setup screen. On the left side of the screen, your choices are: Choose Arena, Multiplayer, Enter Arena, and Main Menu. You can change characters by clicking on the character portraits. This will bring up a character menu. Click on the face you want and youÕre set.

CHOOSE ARENA enables you to set your fight in Lava Pit, Pit of Ennui, Mosh Pit, or Pit of Love. Make special note of the arrows on the right side of the menu. These arrows let you scroll down and choose the last arena.

MULTIPLAYER sets the method in which 2-4 players can participate. Your options here are:

IPX Connection for Directplay, Modem Choose Arena Connection for Directplay or Serial Connection

for Directplay.

ENTER ARENA begins an Arena match based on the selections that are currently on screen.

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MAIN MENU returns you to the Main Menu.

Tournament

Battle through an increasingly difficult horde of opponents to become an arena master. If you need to quit your tourney before completion, and would like to start it again, simply select the save name you entered when you began the tourney.

Options

Choosing this from the Main Menu allows you to set game options such as Sound volume, Music volume, Control, Video Mode, Detail Level, Gamma, Key Layout, Custom Moves, or Credits.

SOUND/MUSIC VOLUME lets you adjust the volume level to suit your preferences. Press return to move the skull to the volume you want.

CONTROL Gives you the choice of Keyboard Arcade, Keyboard VSIM, Joystick Arcade, Joystick VSIM, Mouse VSIM, or Gamepad Arcade. It may take a bit of experimenting to find which one suits you best. (See Game Controls for more information.)

VIDEO MODE Lets you choose either high or normal resolution. (This option not applicable if using hardware acceleration since hardware acceleration is always in max resolution.)

DETAIL LEVEL Lets you control the quality of the graphics displayed. Lower detail levels will allow you to run at a higher frame rate for faster play.

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RE-ENABLE 3D CHECK Checks if 3D support is installed when you start the game.

GAMMA CORRECTION lets you adjust the brightness levels of the game. Press return to move the skull to the gamma level desired.

KEY LAYOUT Customizes the keys to your liking.

CUSTOM MOVES Here is where you can swap a characterÕs special moves with ones that you have created. The column on the left is the currently active special moves, and on the right are the moves in the characterÕs library. Use the tiny skulls to select moves, and the yellow arrows to actually move them.

Custom Moves Option

CREDIT See the names of those that made this game possible.

BACK exits this menu. (QUIT goes back to the Main Menu and exits the game you are in.)

SAVE \ LOAD

In both Quest and tournament mode, your game will be auto-saved at specific points. The save games are attached to character names. For instance if you name your character Bob, YouÕll need to load Bob for the next time you play, To reload a saved game, go to Either Quest or Tournament and select the name you had before.

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GAME CONTROLS

Die by the Sword supports game control through Keyboard, Mouse, Joystick or Gamepad. The Joystick and Keyboard can be used together while the Gamepad functions independently to control gameplay.

Keyboard Controls

BODY MOVEMENT

W,S	Move forward and back (double tap for quick move)
A,D	Turn left and right
Q,E	Sidestep left and right (double tap for quick move)
Caps Lock	Crouch
Spacebar	Press and hold to crouch, release to jump/press again in mid-air to flip

CClimb a ledge

Keypad *	Action (pick up items, open doors, pull levers, search bodies, etc.)
SWORD MOVEMENT (Arcade Mode)
Keypad 6	High swing
Keypad 5	Middle swing
Keypad 4	Downward bash
Keypad 3	Block high
Keypad 2	Block middle
Keypad 1	Block low
Keypad /	Sheath/unsheath sword
Ins	Special move
Home	Special move
Page up	Special move
Delete	Special move

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SWORD MOVEMENT (VSIM Mode)

Keypad 1	Sword down and left
Keypad 2	Sword down
Keypad 3	Sword down and right
Keypad 4	Sword left
Keypad 5	Sword down
Keypad 6	Sword right
Keypad 7	Sword up and left
Keypad 8	Sword up
Keypad 9	Sword up and right
Keypad 0	Extends sword arm
Keypad /	Sheath/unsheath sword
Keypad Enter	Block mode
MISCELLANEOUS
Keypad +	Damage sensor (tell relative damage of limbs and shows health bar.
	Green means good health, yellow is moderate, red is critical.)
Keypad -	Compass
F3	Shows all health bars
F4	Toggles on/off ÒDamage SensorÓ
F5	Toggles on/off ÒCompassÓ

Mouse Controls

BODY MOVEMENT

Use standard ÒBody Movement Keyboard ControlsÓ for movement.

Mouse Buttons

Right Button

Sheath/unsheath Sword

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Left Button (When sword is unsheathed) Block mode Left Button (When sword is sheathed) Performs action

SWORD MOVEMENT

The movement of your sword is controlled by moving the mouse back and forth.

Joystick Controls

ARCADE MODE
Stick	Move forward, backward; sidestep left, right
Twist	Rotate left, right
Trigger (When sword is unsheathed)		Launch arcade attack
Trigger (When sword is sheathed)		Action
POV Hat	Modifies trigger (i.e. POV forward + trigger creates high attack)
Thumb Button	Crouch/jump
Right Top	Sheath/unsheath sword
Right Bottom	Climb
VSIM MODE
Stick	VSIM control of sword
POV Hat	Move forward, backward; turn left, right
Trigger	Crouch/jump
Thumb button	Sheath/unsheath sword
Right Top	Action
Right Bottom	Climb

Gamepad Controls

Pad	Move forward, backward; spin left, right
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Left Trigger	Crouch/jump
Right Trigger+ Pad	Sidestep left, right
WITH SWORD UNSHEATHED:
A, B, C	Primary arcade attacks
X, Y, Z	Blocks low, mid, high
X, Y, Z (double tap)	Special attacks

MSheath/unsheath sword

WITH SWORD SHEATHED:

B Action

CClimb

Camera Controls

3RD PERSON VIEW

RRaises camera far above you. Lowers when pressed again.

FToggles between fixed or floating camera. (Fixed camera prevents auto-switching into combat mode.)

SCOUT CAM
2	First person scout cam	A	Turns camera Left
1	Gets you out of scout cam	D	Turns camera Right
W	Turns camera up	F	Zooms in
S	Turns camera down	R	Zooms out

LOOK-AROUND CAM

Keypad (.) Activates Look-Around cam (Holding this down keeps you in Look-Around mode. Keypad numbers move the camera.)

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MOVE EDITOR

The Move Editor is a companion utility to DBTS which allows the user to create custom moves for any of the Arena-playable characters. These moves can be imported into the game for use in either Arena or Quest mode. To run the Move Editor, either select it under Die By The Sword in the Start Menu, or go to the Die By the Sword directory and double mouse click on the ÒWinmedit.exeÓ.

Moves recording is that moves are recorded in three separate tracks, representing the two arms and the body. The tracks can be recorded separately or together (though not both arms at once). Once each track is recorded, they can be individually adjusted to sync all the motions together for a perfectly timed move.

Moves are saved according to character (not user), into a library of moves for that character. Four of these moves at a time can be brought into active use and assigned to keys in the Game. The libraries include four default moves for each character.

The Move Editor mimics the function and likeness of a tape recorder to make things as intuitive as possible. Since play control requires much of the keyboard, the interface is largely based on the mouse.

The Move editor uses the VSIM control system for the motion of the sword while creating moves. All action takes place on screen which consists of the Game Window, the Menu, the Track Selectors, the Frame Selectors, and the Control Buttons. They work as follows:

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MOVE EDITOR MENU

Game Window

Miscellaneous

Control Buttons

Frame Selectors

Track Selectors

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