How To Play
It's easy to learn to play DUNJONQUEST. Since the rules of the game are actually programmed into the computer's memory, there is very little you need to know to play the game. There are, however, a few basic things you should be familiar with to make the best decisions during play. The following paragraphs describe the use of the INNKEEPER and DUNJQNMASTER segments of the game system, the commands for controlling your character, gaining experience, evaluating treasure, and resurrecting a character who dies. The final section describes what to expect from the monsters inhabiting the dungeon. The specific monsters are described in more detail in the Monsters of Apshai section. You will find that all of this becomes very clear when you play the game.
THE INNKEEPER
The INNKEEPER creates a character-your playing
piece for the game. This simply involves answering yea or nay to a series of questions put
to you by the INNKEEPER.
Generating a Character
As you enter the Inn, the INNKEEPER greets you and asks if he
should create a character for you. For your first game you'll probably want the INNKEEPER
to create one for you, so you would want to answer YEA to his question. In later forays
into the dungeon you may want to enter in characters created in other fantasy role-playing
games, or you may want to reuse a previously generated character (see EXPERIENCE). You may
take the same character into the dungeon as often as you like, or until the character dies
(see ON DEATH AND DYING).
If you have answered YEA, the INNKEEPER generates a character
randomly and displays its attributes on the screen. For example:
INTELLIGENCE 10
INTUITION 7
EGO 9
STRENGTH 14
CONSTITUTION 11
DEXTERITY 9
THOU HAST 125 PIECES OF SILVER
CHARACTER NAME?
Once you have decided on a name for yourself, all
of the above information should be written down so that you can reuse it at a later date.
Silver pieces are your spending money for the supplies you need in the dungeon. The
INNKEEPER will keep track for you of how many silver pieces you spend until you enter the
dungeon. At that point, the INNKEEPER forgets, so you should make a note of how many you
have left after you have purchased your equipment.
Purchasing Equipment
The INNKEEPER will query you for purchases of swords, shields,
armor, a bow, arrows, and healing salves. For each of the first three categories, several
items are listed in the order of their effectiveness, with the first item being the least
effective. For example, under armor the INNKEEPER displays the following list:
TYPE
WEIGHT OFFERED PRICE
LEATHER 9 30
RING
MAIL 22 100
CHAIN
MAIL 31 150
PARTIAL
PLATE 47 250
FULL
PLATE 63 1000
Leather armor is the least effective type and full plate is the
best. It is also true that the more effective types of weapons and armor weigh more, which
has an effect on the amount of fatigue you expend (see FATIGUE).
Bargaining for Your Equipment
Appearing next to each item for sale is an "offered
price." You can bargain with the INNKEEPER to buy an item for less by entering a
number less than the suggested price. You can, however, only purchase those items listed.
Any other items, such as magic weapons, magic armor, and, alas, more money, have to be
found in the dungeon.
Levels of Play
There are two ways in which you can control the level of
difficulty of the game. The first is by choosing the dungeon level (1 through 4). These
are arranged by relative difficulty with the first level being the least difficult.
You may also choose from among three monster speeds: slow, medium
or fast. This speed controls the amount of time you have to react to an encounter with a
monster. Depending on the speed you choose, a monster will allow you a certain fixed
amount of time to choose your course of action before it attacks you. However, once you
execute a command, the monster will immediately take its move whether or not you've used
up your time allocation for the turn. Now get ready to tackle the monsters
THE DUNJONMASTER
Entering and Exiting the Dungeon
When you first enter the dungeon, you will be just inside the door
of the first room on that level. You will always enter a level of the dungeon at the same
place. From that point on, you are free to roam about on the level as you please. To leave
the dungeon or to move to a different level, you must first exit the dungeon, then
re-enter at the entrance to the next level. Each of the four levels of the dungeon are
described in detail in the Chambers of the Dunjon section.
The Display
The DUNJONMASTER both draws a map of a portion of
the dungeon and displays your status, including the number of the room you are currently
in, your physical condition, and how much weight you are currently carrying. Part of the
display is reserved for reporting messages that are of immediate importance to you (see
Figure 1). There are a number of possible messages, and more than one of these may appear
at the same time. These messages are self-explanatory during play, but a few are included
in Figure 1 as an example. The circled numbers in the figure correspond to the
descriptions under the sample display.
COMMANDS
Altogether there are 18 commands available to you
for maneuvering your character through the dungeon. These commands are discussed under
three major headings: movement, special, and attack commands. Tables 1 through 3 summarize
these commands and their meanings, and each is described in the following paragraphs. Note
that none of the commands in Tables 1 through 3 should be followed by a carriage return.
Type only the appropriate key.
Key Description
1) This number is the number of the room you
are currently in. Passageways are also assigned room numbers.
2) Shows that, at the moment,
you are not wounded. See ON DEATH AND DYING.
3) Shows that you have all of
your endurance available. See FATIGUE.
4) Shows how much weight you
are carrying.
5) Lines 5, 6, and 8 only
appear when appropriate. Line 5 shows that you killed the monster you last fought with.
6) These two messages show how you
fared during the last round of combat. The first line shows that you hit the monster while
the second shows that he hit your shield. Again the specific messages vary with the
situation. Unless you are in combat, there will be no message here.
7) Shows how many normal and magic
arrows you have left (see Attacking with Bow).
8) Shows the name of the
monster currently in contact with you. The name shown depends on the monster type present.
9) Shows the total number of
monsters you have slain in this foray.
Table 1. Movement Commands What you enter Meaning #0 to 9 Move forward 0 to 9 feet R Turn Right L Turn Left V Turn around (volte face) |
Table 2. Special Commands What you enter Meaning O Open Door E Examine wall for secret door S Search for traps G Grab treasure D Drop treasure -- followed by message DROP SOME -- enter the two digit number of the treasure you want to drop Q Hearken (Query) ! Speak to monster H Apply one healing salve Y Drink a healing potion |
Table 3. Attack Commands What you enter Meaning A Normal attack T Thrust P Parry F Fire a normal arrow M Fire a magic arrow |
Movement
There are four commands that allow you to move from one spot to another
(see Table 1). During a turn you may move up to nine feet. Moving forward always takes one
full turn, regardless of how for you move. The distance just indicates the speed you move
at. You may also turn to the right or left, or turn around. Since turning does not take
any time, you may combine it with your forward movement for one turn.
To move out of the space you are in, you must move forward. Therefore,
for example, to take two steps backward, you must first turn around, then move two feet
forward. On the next turn you may turn about again.
Note that to move, you must enter a whole number from 0 to 9. You
cannot use fractions or decimals. Do not enter a "+" in front of the number and
do not type 09. Type only the number itself: 9.
It is also important to remember that (although the actual speed
varies) moving at maximum speed makes you tired (see FATIGUE). You should not need to run
for more than a few turns at a time since a monster will never follow you out of a room.
(Of course, if there's a monster in the next room . . .)
Special Commands
The nine special commands vary from healing yourself to attempting to
talk to a monster. Each of these commands is summarized in Table 2 and described in the
following paragraphs.
Opening Doors. One thing that you'll be doing a lot in
the dungeon is opening doors. Nearly every room has at least one (see also Secret Doors).
To go through it, you must first open it. Go up to within one foot of the door and face
it. You can then open it by typing the letter 0 (no carriage return needed). The door will
then open (showing the next room if there is space on the display to do so) and you can
move through it.
Once you open a door; it will stay open until you "reset"
that level. That is, if you go on to a different level of the dungeon and then return to
the current level, or if you turn off the computer for a while, that level will reset, and
all doors will reclose until the next time you open them. You can return to the Inn
without resetting the level.
Secret Doors. Secret doors work similarly to regular
doors, except since they are hidden from view, you must first search for them using the E
command (see Table 2). You must be facing the wall you want to examine, but you do not
have to be near the wall. For example, you could systematically search for secret doors by
turning to face each wall in turn while standing in the middle of a room.
Whenever you search for and find a secret door, the message:
A SECRET DOOR!
flashes on the screen and the location becomes visible. You may then position yourself
and open the door normally using the 0 command.
There is a chance that you will miss a secret door, so you may want to
double check just to be sure. Don't be too surprised either if you find that after going
through a secret door, you have trouble finding it again. Perhaps a passing monster has
come by and closed it.
Traps. A trap may come in any one of a number of forms
ranging from darts that spring out from a treasure chest to a pit in the floor of the
room. They can be anywhere in a room, but a room does not have to be trapped. You can
search
for a trap using the S command described in Table 2. As with secret doors, it is possible
to miss a trap, but again, you can search all you want. When you search for and find a
trap, its location becomes obvious and you can usually avoid it by going around it or
leaping over it. To leap over a trap, you only need to avoid stopping too near it. For
example, if you know a trap is three feet directly in front of you, you can avoid it by
moving six or more feet forward.
Finding Treasure. All treasures in the dungeon are
described in the Treasures of Apshai section. To find out what kind of treasure is in a
particular room, you must first move to within one foot and grab it. (Before doing so, it
may be wise to search for traps.) This is done by typing the letter C. The DUNJONMASTER
then displays the number of that treasure which can be referenced to the Treasures of
Apshai section. The DUNJONMASTER keeps track of all of your treasure for you and lists
each at the end of your adventure, back at the Inn (refer to EVALUATING TREASURE).
Note that if you find a sword in the dungeon, you must leave behind
your old sword before you can use the new one. Swords are jealous of their possessor's
attentions! You always have the option of ignoring the new sword and keeping your old one.
Magical Treasures. Some of the treasures in the
dungeon are magical in nature. These items have special properties, which are sometimes
lost when the item is removed from the dungeon. For example, you might be fortunate enough
to find a ring that helps shield you from attack. But if you should take that ring out of
the dungeon and then return with it later (i.e., you turn off the computer), that ring
would no longer help you because its magical powers would be gone. On the other hand, a
sword would most likely retain its magical properties after you leave the dungeon.
Dropping Treasure. If you should decide after picking
up a treasure that you don't want it, you can put it down again at any time by typing the
letter D, and then entering the number of the treasure you want to drop (see Table 2).
When dropping treasure, the number must contain two digits. For example, to drop treasure
number 1, you would enter: 01. To drop treasure number 19, you would type: 19. Note that
you cannot drop treasures that you do not have.
Hearken. All characters visiting the dungeon have special
listening powers. By typing the letter Q (see Table 2) you can sense the presence of
another creature in the next room, even on the other side of a wall or closed door, This
command only works if you are facing the wall or door you want to listen at. It is similar
to the find traps and secret door commands in that there is a percentage chance you will
not hear anything, even if there really is a monster lurking in wait for you, When this
command is used the DUNJONMASTER tells you that you found NOTHING or the name of the
lurking creature.
Speaking with Monsters. Speaking with monsters is
another ability you have as a traveler in the dungeon. The command (see Table 2 again)
gives you a chance to avoid fighting with a monster. If the monster is in a good mood when
you speak to it, it will tell you to pass by and leave any treasure it is guarding
untouched. However, if you then attack it or disturb the treasure, the monster will pursue
you. But beware! Some monsters hate all adventurers!
Healing. There are two items you may use to heal your
wounds: salves and potions. Either of these may be taken at any time, including during
combat. However, the monster would then get a free swing. You can rest while you are
healing yourself.
Salves. Each salve, purchasable from the INNKEEPER,
will heal some of the wounds you have taken. This percentage will vary from time to time.
The DUNJONMASTER keeps track of how many you have, and, upon applying one (by typing the
letter H) automatically adjusts the count remaining. You can see the change on the WOUNDS
portion of the display. If you attempt to use more salves than you have available, the
DUNJONMASTER will display the message:
NONE LEFT
Potions. These valuable items work the same way as salves, except potions are more powerful and heal a larger percentage of your wounds. Potions must be found as treasure and cannot be purchased from the INNKEEPER. To execute this command, type the letter Y.
Attack Commands
There are five types of attacks to choose from during a
given turn: normal attack, thrust, parry, fire a normal arrow, and fire a magic arrow (see
Table 3). As always, none of these commands should be followed with a carriage return.
Attacking with Sword. To attack with sword, you do not
have to be facing the monster, but you do have to be close. If you try to attack when you
are not within range, the DUNJONMASTER will display the message:
TOO FAR TO HIT
and you will instead rest while the monster charges you.
A normal attack is a simple swing of the sword, whereas a thrust is an
all out attack. A thrust increases your chances to hit and damage the monster, but it also
makes it easier for the monster to hit you. A thrust also costs substantially more in
fatigue. For a normal attack, type the letter A; for a thrust, type T.
A parry helps shield you against the monster's attack while conserving
fatigue, but it makes it more difficult for you to hit the monster. Parrying allows you to
rest without letting your guard down, A parry is executed using the P command.
Attacking with Bow. When attacking with a bow, you
must be facing the monster (and the further away the better, since he cannot hurt you
unless he is within the melee distance). If you try to fire an arrow while the monster is
within striking range of you, it becomes much easier for the monster to hit you (you
cannot fend off his attack),
Both normal and magic arrows are good long range weapons; however, a
magic arrow is more likely to hit its target and it does more damage. Magic arrows can
only be found in the dungeon, since no one who has them is likely to sell them.
Firing either type of arrow generally allows you to regain spent
fatigue.
To fire a normal arrow, type the letter F To fire a magic arrow
(assuming you have one) type the letter M.
FATIGUE
Expending Fatigue
Your fatigue rating simply determines how much energy you have at any
given time. Exceptional exertion results in spent fatigue, but what constitutes
exceptional exertion and how much fatigue you expend depends on your character. Walking
normally and firing arrows generally allow you to regain fatigue. Activities such as
running, fighting, and carrying heavy loads all cost varying amounts of energy.
The amount of energy you expend for any activity is also affected by
the wounds you have taken. The more wounded you are, the more it costs you in fatigue to
perform an activity.
If you use up more fatigue than you have (if a negative number is
displayed for FATIGUE), you fall on the floor and pant. You will not be allowed to attack
or move until you have recovered (that is, until a positive number is displayed).
The DUNJONMASTER keeps track of and displays for you the amount of
energy you have left. Therefore, if the display reads:
FATIGUE: 100%
you have all of your energy available.
Regaining Spent Fatigue
While you cannot accumulate more energy than you started
with, you can regain previously spent energy in a variety of ways. The fastest way is to
stop your movement altogether (although this may be dangerous). You can also regain it
while firing an arrow or simply walking more slowly. Executing any of the special commands
also allows you to gain back fatigue. Each time you rest, however, you have a chance of
meeting a wandering monster (see MONSTERS).
EXPERIENCE
Each time that you successfully venture into the
dungeon you acquire experience points, which basically means you become a better and more
powerful adventurer. This number is determined for you by the DUNJONMASTER and is based on
what you accomplish while in the dungeon. Essentially, as you gain experience, you become
able to handle more difficult situations.
More specifically, you will notice improvements in your character.
These improvements come in "jumps" and may not be immediately obvious. One
improvement is that it becomes easier for you to hit a monster and more difficult for the
monster to hit you.
Once the program is loaded, it keeps track of your experience points on
a cumulative basis, That is, if you return to the Inn to purchase more supplies, the
DUNJONMASTER remembers how many experience points you earned on that adventure and adds it
to the experience you get on the next adventure, The DUNJONMASTER will continue to do this
until you turn off the computer or until you generate a new character, At that point it
forgets all of your experience. If you intend to keep a character for use in future
sessions, you should make a note of the final number of experience points before you turn
off the computer. This number can be re-entered at the beginning of a new session and the
DUNJONMASTER will add any new experience to that number.
EVALUATING TREASURE
Once you are safely back at the Inn, the INNKEEPER
lists all of the treasure you found during the adventure, From there you must determine
the value of each item using the treasure key in the Treasures of Apshai section and add
them together along with any money you had previously. If you intend to keep your
character for use in future sessions, you should make a note of the total so that you can
re-enter it at a later time. Likewise, you should make a record of all of your
possessions, including the number of normal and magic arrows you have left, the type of
armor and weapons you have, etc. Also note any changes in your attributes, since these are
permanent and must carry over from adventure to adventure.
ON DEATH AND DYING
Wounds
Any time a monster attacks you, there is a chance (depending on the
type of armor you are wearing) that it will penetrate your armor and wound you. The
DUNJONMASTER keeps track of and displays how much damage you have taken on a percentage
basis. The number displayed next to WOUNDS is always the percentage that you have left.
For example, if the display reads:
WOUNDS: 90%
you are still relatively healthy because only 10% of you has been wounded.
You may heal yourself at any time with either a salve or a potion (see
Healing). You can continue to function normally until you reach 0% or less (except that
your fatigue expenditure increases). At that point you are dead. However, there is a
chance you can be "raised from the dead.' The following paragraphs explain this
phenomenon in more detail.
Getting Yourself Resurrected
If after all that hard work you should find yourself
dead, don't panic. All may not yet be lost. After all, you are not the only adventurer in
the dungeon and some kind soul, having stumbled across your body lying on the floor, may
drag you out to safety and see to it that you are resurrected. Of course, for having gone
to all the trouble, he would most likely want something in return as a thank you.
If you should die, you may simply be eaten by a wandering monster. This
is the worst case. You may also be found by one of three characters: a dwarf, a wizard, or
a cleric, all of whom will ask for some type of payment. The DUNJONMASTER tells you
immediately which of the four cases has occurred.
Monsters. If you are found by a monster, your
character and all its possessions will be eaten. Fresh adventurer is considered to be a
delicacy by the monsters inhabiting the dungeon.
The Dwarf. The second worst case is to be found by
Olias the Dwarf. While he will not eat you, he will take all your money, including any
gems and jewels, and any magical items you might have. This includes magic swords, armor,
and arrows. You will be alive, but you will be very poor.
The Magic-User. Lowenthal the wizard is only slightly
easier to please than Olias. In return for your life, he will take any special magical
items you might have, leaving you with your cash, gems, jewels, weapons, and armor.
The Cleric. The fortunate ones, will be found by Benedic the
wandering priest. This kind soul (if he can find his way out of the dungeon), after
resurrecting you will simply ask that you make a donation to his sect after you get back
to the Inn.
MONSTERS
Although a complete description of the types of
monsters in the dungeon is contained in the Monsters of Apshai section, it is helpful to
know that monsters can be either fixed or wandering. With a fixed monster, each time you
read in a level of the dungeon, that monster (and all other items) reappears exactly where
it was previously. These monsters are normally there to guard a particular treasure. A
wandering monster is generated randomly by the DUNJONMASTER and may appear anywhere at any
time on the appropriate level. You do not have to fear running into the most powerful
monsters on the first level of the dungeon. Some discretion is used in generating them and
only first level monsters are generated for the first level of the dungeon. Don't be
surprised though, if you find what first appears to be the same monster on more than one
level and then discover it to be tougher than you remembered.
Neither fixed nor wandering monsters ever follow you out of a room, but
unless you kill a monster, it will be waiting for you when you go back into that room.