Games PC SIEGE OF AVALON-ANTHOLOGY User Manual

WIN 98/Me CD ROM

Just outside the gates of Avalon, a 12-year war realizes its climax... The uneasy alliance

of seven western kingdoms created the Citadel of Avalon as a mighty fortress. But in

the last eight months, the Citadel has become a city of refugees, a city under siege.

The Sha’ahoul, under the banner of the Shaman Warlord Mithras, are

waging a genocidal war against the Citadel. Av a l o n ’s garrison is depleted.

Now is the time for courage. For a hero.

Now is the time for the birth of a legend.

"Rated 4 out of 5 stars."

ZDNet.

"...continual evolution

of the game's storytelling

and technical elements

is an extremely

promising prospect."

Nick Stewart, Adrenaline Vault.

"...heavily story driven as a

good book must inevitably be,

Siege of Avalon offers a fresh

concept in commercial

game development."

Cory Harrison, Gamers Syndicate

Play as a fighter, scout, or mage, and choose from h u n d reds of pieces of w e a p o n ry and armor to customize your character's appearance and abilities.

Interact with over 350

characters, as you become

immersed in this richly detailed role-playing adventure. Recruit allies

in you travels, who will

follow you into battle and

obey your commands.

Face numerous foes as you explore exotic, beautifully rendered settings in your quest to free the fortress of Avalon from the might of the Sha'ahoul Hordes.

WIN 98/Me CD ROM

USER MANUAL

I n t ro d u c t o ry Tutorial to Siege of Av a l o n ,

a Role-Playing Game.

Contact Inform a t i o n :

Developer:

Digital Tome, L.P., Web: www. s i e g e - o f - a v a l o n . c o m

Publisher:

Global Star Software 6225 Kenway Drive Mississauga Ontario L5T 2L3 Canada

Tel: 1.905.795.9880 Web: www.globalstarsoftware.com

Customer Support: Our Technical Support team is available: Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm Eastern Time Zone Tel: 1.410.933.9191 E-mail: support@talonsoft.com Web: www.talonsoft.com

TalonSoft P.O. Box 43730 White Marsh, MD 21236

Digital Tome, L.P. Web: www. s i e g e - o f - a v a l o n . c o m

43 4

Table of Contents

Getting Started...........................................................................................................................6

Minimum Requirements..........................................................................................................6

Installing the Game.....................................................................................................................7

Starting the Game........................................................................................................................7

Introduction to Role Playing.......................................................................................8

The Main Menu.........................................................................................................................8

New Game.................................................................................................................................................8

Load ............................................................................................................................................................8

Save ............................................................................................................................................................8

Options .......................................................................................................................................................9

History ........................................................................................................................................................9

Credits ........................................................................................................................................................9

Exit...............................................................................................................................................................9

Resume.......................................................................................................................................................9

Character Creation ..............................................................................................................10

Fighter.......................................................................................................................................................10

Scout.........................................................................................................................................................10

Magician..................................................................................................................................................10

Training Points and Abilities............................................................................................11

Adventuring for Beginners..........................................................................................11

Highlight Colors .........................................................................................................................12

Green Highlight.......................................................................................................................................12

Yellow Highlight......................................................................................................................................13

Red Highlight...........................................................................................................................................13

Purple Highlight......................................................................................................................................13

Blue Highlight..........................................................................................................................................13

Containers.........................................................................................................................................13

Inventory Screen..........................................................................................................................14

Player Statistics and Abilities................................................................................14

Primary Stats..................................................................................................................................15

Strength....................................................................................................................................................15

Coordination............................................................................................................................................15

Constitution .............................................................................................................................................15

Perception ...............................................................................................................................................15

Charm .......................................................................................................................................................15

Mysticism ................................................................................................................................................15

Combat .....................................................................................................................................................15

Stealth ......................................................................................................................................................16

Base vs. Adjusted Primary Stats .....................................................................................16

Training and Items......................................................................................................................16

Awards and Titles........................................................................................................................17

Mapping your Travels ...............................................................................................................17

Equipping Weapons...................................................................................................................18

Saving and Loading Games ...............................................................................................18

Quest Logs, Adventure Logs, and Journals............................................................19

Combat................................................................................................................................................19

Spell Casting...................................................................................................................................20

Mana and Health.........................................................................................................................21

Some Helpful Tools and Tips...............................................................................................21

Special notes for newer RPG players ...............................................................................................22

Conquering the Day...............................................................................................................................23

Playing beyond the Tutorial.......................................................................................23

Allies......................................................................................................................................................23

Hints about Party Members...............................................................................................25

Game Chapter Skipping........................................................................................................26

Player Statistics and Abilities, Advanced Elements .....................27

Additional Stats ......................................................................................................................................27

Secondary Abilities................................................................................................................................27

Uninstalling the Game.....................................................................................................30

Technical Support (U.S.A. & Canada)..........................................................................30

Assistance Via Internet / World Wide Web...............................................................30

Legal Notices.............................................................................................................................30

Getting Started

▲

We maintain an active online presence for gamers at http://www.siege-of-avalon.com and encourage you to visit at your earliest convenience. If there are any updates to this document they will be available at our web site. We also provide an assortment of other information about and support for the game, and have an excellent discussion forum where you can interact with other players and perhaps get playing hints.

Minimum Requirements

* Windows 95/98/ME * Pentium-II 450-MHz, P3-550 or faster suggested * 64 Megabytes of system RAM, 128 Megabytes suggested

* Monitor and video card capable of displaying 800 x 600 resolution; video card with

16-bit color capability and at least 4 Megabytes Video Ram (AGP port suggested) * DirectX-7a2 (or better), DirectX-compatible video and sound card. * 16-bit (or better) stereo sound card, mouse, and keyboard * Optional: Internet connectivity (not used for game playing) to Online Community.

Latest news can be found at this Internet address: http://www.siege-of-avalon.com/

Installing the Game

Inserting the CD may automatically prompt you to install the game. If your game does not automatically start the installation procedure then you can manually start the installation by double-clicking on the installer program in your Windows Explorer display. This program will be located either on your CD-ROM drive, or, if you have downloaded the game (or update) from the Internet, in the directory into which you downloaded the program. This game uses a standard Windows SETUP program, and additional information about this issue is available at the game’s Web site. Whether or not your game automatically installs, remember these points: * Before installing any sizable game, it is a very good idea to run ScanDisk to check the hard

drive for errors and Disk Defragmenter to organize it so that the game receives the best start-

ing environment. These are Microsoft Windows utility programs that are usually installed and,

if so, are located in the Programs / Accessories / System Tools tabs from the Start Menu. Help

for these programs can be found in the Help tab of the Start Menu. * Be sure other programs are not running while the setup is active.

If your game does not automatically install then follow these instructions for manual installation.

1. Double-click the My Computer icon on the desktop.

2. Find the CD-ROM drive letter and double-click on it (the letter of your CD-ROM is usually D:

and/or indicated by a CD-ROM icon). If you downloaded the game installer (or update) via the Internet, find the path where you have downloaded the program.

3. Run the installation program (actual name varies depending on package, see the

README.TXT).

4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Starting the Game

To play, close all other applications and then click the Windows Start button. Click Programs, then Digital Tome, and then Siege of Avalon. This is the game’s Program Group where you can access information, tools, and important links relevant to the game, as well as the game itself. Make special note of the “Configure Game” tool here, as you may wish to use it later make adjustments to the game settings, like the brightness of the game screen. General help and other resources to enhance your gaming experience are located here, so remember to look at what has been provided at your next opportunity. Be sure to disable any other programs (email, chat, etc.) that may attempt to pop up messages or otherwise try to assume control of the computer while you are playing the game. Click on Digital Tome Game Loader to bring up a small window that provides easy access to the supporting Web site, game updates, and the game itself. Click on Play Siege to start the game. The game will load and fill your computer screen. If you have never played the game before we strongly suggest that you let the opening proceed fully, since this will present you with a detailed background story (the “History”) vital to understanding the situation and the characters in this richly textured fantasy world (press Next at the bottom-right of the history display to advance through all the pages). If you have read this information before than you can hit the ESC key or click the mouse during the introduction (before the history is displayed) to skip over this section and move immediately to the Main Menu of the game. If you encounter any difficulties with getting the game to load and start, there is excellent help available to you immediately on the game’s Web site, especially on the Support page.

Introduction to Role Playing

▲ ▲

A Role Playing game can be described as an adventure in which the player assumes the role of an extremely configurable main character. You decide who the “star” of your story will be by designing the starting nature of your game character, and then with your decisions you direct his evolution and maturing. Your game character is your avatar (or alter-ego, if you like); you have unique, real control over his nature, capabilities, and conduct. The game defines the settings and the storyline of events playing out around you, but you define your character in this world and what you will make of each game situation. As you delve into the game you are likely to find, as other gamers have, that you identify with this character you’ve created. Few other forms of computer gaming allow you to inject yourself, or any fantasy version of yourself, so fully into the story - the star of your own epic adventure. Siege of Avalon is a game based on quick wits, a careful tongue, and a large sword. It is the twisting tale of a city plagued by war, a story of heroic knights, fair maidens, powerful enemies, and magic. Life, especially for the heroes living within Avalon and the foes lurking without, is much more than a simple game of checkers. The factors they must consider when facing an enemy, talking to a stranger, or simply getting involved in their community, will test their every ability. They must ensure that they have the physical fitness, communication skills, and proper equipment in order to solve the problems they will encounter every day.

The Main Menu

The Main Menu is displayed after the introduction, either by pressing a key during the opening animation, or by clicking Exit after you have read the introduction. You can also access the Main Menu during the game by pressing the Esc key. Note that it is a very good idea to fully read the introduction so that you will have a better understanding of what is going on when you start the game.

New Game

Choosing this option will start a new game, and display the Character Creation Screen. Due to the nature of Siege Of Avalon, you can play the game a number of ways, and may replay the game as a different character. For more information on creating a character, refer to the “Character Creation” section below.

Load

Choosing this option will display the load screen, where you can resume a previous game from any of the points where you saved it. Selecting a game from the list on the right displays a picture of the area where the game was saved. To load a game, select the desired game slot and click the Load button at the bottom right of the screen. Any description you have provided for your saved games is displayed to help you make your choice.

Save

Choosing this option will save your current game. This allows you to quit playing the game and come back to the same place later. To save your game, select a slot and type a description for the game. Then click the Save button at the bottom right.

Note: this Save command is distinct from a Quick Save, which is performed when you press the F2 key while actually playing the game. Quick Save only saves a single snapshot of your current game (titled “Quick Save” in the list of saved games) as a

precaution before you engage in some action that you may wish to quickly undo (this makes it easier to explore “trial” decisions without having to restart from the location of the last formal saved game).

Options

Choosing this from the main menu will display the options screen, where you can customize some of the settings of the game. To access the options screen during game play, simply press the “O” key. * Sound Effects Volume - Moving this slider to the right will increase the volume at which

sound effects are played during the game. * Music Volume - Moving this slider to the right will increase the volume at which background

music is played during the game. * Object Shadows - This toggles the presentation of shadows that are cast by all characters

during the game. Turning this option off may increase the speed at which the game

will run on slower machines. * Spell Key Assignment - This table lists the magic spells currently known by the player and

gives a short description. During the game, you may find that it is easier to have quick access

to these spells via the function keys rather than choosing them from the spells bar. Assigning

a function key to a spell means that during the game, you can select a spell to cast by pressing

its assigned function key. To assign a key to a spell, click on the row of the spell to which you

wish to assign a function key, and then press the desired function key. Acceptable function

keys on your keyboard are labeled from F5 to F12. (F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, and F12 can be

assigned to spells.) In addition, allies who have magical abilities will each have their own set

of Spell Keys. (Other function keys are used for other purposes within the game.) Note that

you cast a spell by clicking the right mouse button while the target of the cast is currently

highlighted on the screen by the mouse cursor.

History

This option will display the five-page introductory story, which displays itself otherwise the first time you start the game. Credits Choosing this option will display the credits screen showing those who are the lead contributors to this game. Note: there is another set of “movie style” credits played by the CD version of the game with the closing animation when you win the final battle at the end of Chapter 6.

Exit

Choosing this option will display a confirmation dialogue. Choosing Yes will exit the game. Choosing No will cancel the exit command and return to the main menu.

Resume

Choosing this option will return you to the game currently in progress. This option will only be available if you have started a game.

Character Creation

▲

This section of this document is structured as a tutorial. Follow each of the steps below in order, and you will quickly find yourself immersed in this epic adventure. Soon, you will come to find your game character an extension of your own self, as the decisions you make shape the game experience. Selecting New Game from the Main Menu displays the character creation screen. Here is where you will begin the process of creating your “avatar,” the character you will play in the world of Avalon. You can change the physical attributes of your character, his appearance (gender selection will be supported in the sequel game, Pillars of Avalon), and his abilities. In the upper left of the screen is a box labeled Appearance. This is what your character will look like in the game. You may change the color and style of his shirt, hair, etc. by clicking on the arrows beside each option and selecting the desired change. This is purely a matter of your personal taste, and none of these selections will affect your character’s performance in the game. When you have finished making your character look his best, you need to assign his name by clicking inside the black box labeled Name and typing one in. Be creative! What do you think a man of your selected features would be named in a fantasy version of the Middle Ages? Below the Name box is another required option labeled Training Style. This determines your starting “natural skill abilities” and how some of the game characters will react to you when you enter the game. This game is not set on a strict “class” system, so while this selection will determine certain aspects of your gaming options and available quests, you will be allowed to “evolve” your character with very few limits resulting from your initial choice of fighter, scout, or magician.

Fighter

The fighter is the most popular of the professions. He takes up arms against even the most powerful foe, for he knows that those with the courage to meet might with might will obtain honor. He is the knight, the mercenary, and the champion who defends the meek. He is a master of weaponry and defense. Fighters need high combat, strength, constitution, and coordination abilities to prosper.

Note: Descriptions of abilities can be found in the “Player Statistics and Abilities” section later in this document.

Scout

The scout is cunning, quick, and deadly. He cloaks himself in shadows to obtain the secrets

of the enemy. He prefers strategy to strength, although his skill with the dagger and the bow are not to be underestimated. He is the spy with information that will destroy his opponent, the silent visitor in the night. Scouts benefit greatly from high marks in their stealth, coordination, perception, and combat abilities. A scout may need a higher strength to use a high-powered bow.

Magician

The magician spells his destiny. He uses his paranormal powers to surprise and confuse his enemies. His robes refract his enemy’s mightiest magic, and in his hands are the fires of creation and destruction. He protects his companions with unprejudiced philosophy and the power of the supernatural. Magicians are more effective if they have high mysticism, constitution, coordination, and perception abilities.

+ 10 hidden pages

Games PC SIEGE OF AVALON-ANTHOLOGY User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual