THE SPECTRUM GAME DATABASE
ARCHON II: ADEPT
PUBLISHER
Ariolasoft
AUTHOR
Lynsoft UK
YEAR
1985
DESCRIPTION
Board-strategy (turn based) with combat (arcade) phases
CONTROLS
Keys: Chaos side Order side
Q Fire P Fire
3 4 Cap.Lo B N Sym.Sh
A L
Joystick: Kempston, Sinclair
INSTRUCTIONS
Long, long had the Master of Order struggled with the Mistress of
Chaos. Ancient as time, changeless as death was their conflict --
waged in mundane realms by magically potent Adepts. No more. The
old, secure wellsprings of magical energy are failing. To control
the new sources, the Adepts are bringing forth new armies of
reluctant Demons and Elementals long unsummoned. Change is at hand
and the battle would find an end.
This is that battle. The ending is yours.
(MANUAL WRITTEN BY JON FREEMAN)
(MANUAL DESIGNED BY WILLIAM GIN)
SOFTWARE (C) 1984 FREE FALL ASSOCIATES.
THE TWO SCREENS
The game is played on two screens. On one -- the main screen -- you
and your opponent (human or computer) take turns maneuvering your
pieces (called icons) into favorable positions.
When you move to a space already occupied by one of your opponent's
icon, the game shifts to the second display, the battleground. There
you must fight a fast-action battle to determine which icon will
return to the board in possession of the disputed position.
THE MOVES
You begin the game with 4 Adepts on a side. On each turn you may use
whatever magical energy you have left to: 1) move an Adept or 2) use
an Adept to cast a spell (including Summon which lets you bring new
icons into the game) or 3) move an icon conjured up (with a Summon
spell) on a previous turn.
WINNING
You win if you occupy all six power points at once or if you triumph
in the Apocalypse (evocable with a special spell). You also win if
your opponent runs out of magical energy or icons.
THE BOARD
The main board is composed of four bands representing the classical
elements of Earth, Water, Air and Fire. Additionally there are four
squares which are not part of any band. Two are black, neutral
squares representing the Void. The others are citadels, the home
squares of Order and Chaos. While the Void squares can be occupied
by icons just like any position in the four bands, the citadels
remain empty throughout the game.
There are 6 flashing power points. Two are the Void squares. The
other 4 move from turn to turn through the outermost corners of
each of the four elements. Occupation of the 6 power points is the
major goal of the game.
MOVEMENT
If the hollow square (or "frame") is on your side, it's your turn.
Use your joystick to move the frame atop the icon you want, and
push the button. Next, use the joystick to move the icon (or the
frame, in the case of the Adepts) to your intended destination and
press the button again. (If you accidentally press the button over
an icon you don't want to move, press the button again without
moving your stick to cancel the selection and start over. Once
you've moved an icon at all, you cannot cancel your selection.
NOTE: The rule for cancelling an Adept move is different. See Magic
Spells below.)
Elementals and Demons (conjured up with the Summon spell) slide
freely along the element they are on. You may slide them as far as
you like with two restrictions: they cannot pass another icon and
they cannot end their move atop a "friendly" icon. Alternately, you
may jump them from one element to an adjacent one on a turn.
No icon may slide and jump on the same turn.
Adepts can teleport anywhere on the board, but it costs them a bit
of magical energy to teleport from one element to another.
MAGIC SPELLS
Instead of a move, on any turn an Adept can cast any spell if it has
enough energy for. Simply select the Adept with the frame, press the
button, and then press the button again. Instead of canceling your
Adept's move, this action produces the message "SELECT YOUR SPELL".
Move the joystick forward and backward to produce the different
choices described on the next page. Press the button to select the
one you want. If you change your mind and decide you would rather
return and move the Adept (or another icon) instead, select "CANCEL
SPELL". To cancel a spell after you've already selected it with a
button push, move the frame over your citadel and press the button
again.
Magic lies at the heart of the action -- and so does the fact that
it costs. The amount of magical energy you have (shown by a
vertical bar next to the board when it's your turn) varies
throughout the game. You gain energy from each power point you
occupy and - for the first few turns only - from your home citadel.
Moving icons is mostly free, but it takes magical energy to maintain
each Demon and Elemental on your side and substantial amounts to
cast spells. The cost of different actions is shown by the mark
which appears next to the energy bar as you explore your options.
You will not be allowed to take actions you do not have enough
energy for.
The effects of spells are limited to the elements the conjuring
Adept is on. Adepts cannot cast spells from a Void square and
Adepts are immune to all spells except Heal.
THE SPELL LIST
SUMMON -- This is far and away the spell you will use most often.
When you select it you may choose among 4 Elementals and 4 Demons
by moving the frame from monster to monster. The cost in energy
goes up as you move up the column of choices.
Remember, Adept magic only within the element of the conjuring
Adept. An Adept in Fire cannot, for instance, summon an icon to the
band of Earth.
You may summon an icon and direcly attack an opposing icon, but it
takes extra magical energy to do so. Adepts are immune from such
attacks. For them, you must use icons already on the board.
HEAL -- This spell cures half of an icon's wounds and all paralysis.
WEAKEN -- Use this to cut an enemy icon's current lifespan in half.
IMPRISON -- Cast this spell and the imprisoned icon cannot be moved.
The cost in of maintaining imprisoned icons falls on the imprisoner
and not the original conjurer.
RELEASE -- Use this when you can no longer afford to keep an icon
imprisoned -- or no longer need to.
BANISH -- Very expensive to cast. On the other hand, an icon you
can't defeat can be very expensive to try and live with. And
occupied power points on elements without Adepts make very tempting
targets.
APOCALYPSE -- This spell begins a battle that ends the game. In that
apocalyptic battle, your icon's lifespan, missile power, and missile
speed depend on your magical energy, icons remaining, and Adepts
left, respectively. Use to put a hopelessly overwhelmed enemy out
of his or her misery or as an act of suicidal desperation.
COMBAT TIPS
ATTACK METHODS -- On the battleground, icons hurl, hammer, flame,
sing, fling, stare and otherwise harass the enemy in whatever
direction you move the joystick while simultaneously pressing the
button. (See the hints under Attack Styles below for some exceptions
and variations.) The lifelines at either end of the arena indicate
the current lifespan (health/strength) of the two battling icons.
When an icon is wounded, its matching lifeline is reduced. When its
lifeline is gone, the icon is dead, the battle over.
IMPORTANT: Except for the Juggernaut and the Wraith, you cannot
move icons while pressing the joystick button.
THE ATTACK INTERVAL -- Combat is fast but you can't just fire away a
rapidly as your finger twitches. It takes a moment after all to
conjure a whirlwind or generate a tidal wave. At the exact moment
your joystick button can launch another attack, the computer rings
a bell -- a high note for Order, a lower one for Chaos.
ATTACK STYLES -- Each icon is most effective when it is used in
friendly -- or at least neutral -- elements and when its special
strengths and weaknesses are understood and exploited. You will
mostly learn what you need to know painfully, on the battleground.
The hints below are intended only to help you begin thinking about
how to use the 6 icons which have the most unusual attack styles.
1. Adept missiles can be steered as long as you hold the button
down. Of course, Adepts cannot move as long as the button is down.
Nothing comes free.
2. The Gorgon does not wound; it paralyzes. After every hit from a
Gorgon's eye beams, an icon moves more slowly. When it can no longer
move, it dies.
3. Wraiths are not nice. They are invisible except when they're
trying to hurt you (and to "reload"). They can move even while they
attack. Their circular attack aura steals the life force from all
caught in it. Wraiths can leave battles stronger than they entered
them. They can be devastating in the hands of the skillful.
4. When the Firebird explodes it cannot be hurt nor can it move. But
unlike Archon's Phoenix, you can end the explosion early by
releasing the button.
5. Sirens don't have to aim. Press the button and they start singing
and their opponents start dying. If you're attacked by one, don't
waste time wondering what to do or the problem will solved for you.
6. Juggernauts are in effect their own missiles. In "missile" mode,
they only travel in straight lines and they are invulnerable --
except to the song of the Siren.
"ADEPT" MAGICAL ENERGY
(These numbers represent relative bar graph lengths)
Normal Starting Energy 56
Income: Corner 9
Void 4
Costs
Summon Elemental 12 - 16
Summon Demon 16 - 24
Maintain Elemental 2
Maintain Demon 4
Heal/Weaken/Imprison Elemental 7 - 8
Heal/Weaken/Imprison Demon 8 - 12
Banish Elemental 24 - 28
Banish Demon 32 - 44
Apocalypse 36 - 72
BATTLEGROUND
EFFECT OF CONTACT WITH BARRIER
ELEMENT MISSILES ICONS
Earth Destroyed Stopped
Water Slowed Slowed
Air Deflected Slowed
Fire No effect Wounded
COMMAND SUMMARY
When the game is loaded, first you choose input device, then option
screen is displayed. Here you can:
1) Define number of players - keys 3&4;
2) Select who play first - key 5;
3) Choose levels for each player - keys 1&2;
4) Begin the Battle when you are ready - key 0.
Or wait awhile and the computer will begin playing a game against
itself.
Note: Since the player who moves first has an advantage, the player
who moves second receives additional magical energy to keep play
evenly balanced.
Beginners start with more magical energy. Advanced players start
with less.
Further the lower a player's rank compared to his or her opponent's,
the slower the opponent's icons will move, the slower their missiles
will travel and the longer it takes them to attack.
When it's your turn the selection frame will appear on your side of
the board. Use the joystick to place it over the icon you want to
move and press the button. Next, use the stick to move the icon (or
the frame again in the case of the Adepts) to the desired location
and press the button again.
If you change your mind, press the button again before you move the
icon.
How to Move and Fight on the Battleground -- When you move into a
space occupied by an opposing icon, you must fight for the disputed
territory. Use your joystick to move your piece. To fire, move the
stick in the direction you want to aim and press the fire button at
the same time.
How to Cast Spells -- Place the frame over an Adept and press the
button, then press it again. Move the joystick forward and backwards
to scroll through the list of spells. Press the button when you see
the spell you want.
If you change your mind, choose Cease Conjuring. If you change it in
mid-spell, move the frame over your citadel and press the button.
Casting spells costs magic energy. Occupying power points increases
your energy. The amount of energy you have is shown by the bar that
appears next to the board when it's your turn to move. See the
"chart" showing the relative costs & income amounts of each action.
Note: If you lose all your Adepts, the Apocalypse spell is
automatically invoked.
Music (Theme from Adept) c 1984 by T.V. Dunbar.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
1. Against the computer, your Wraiths will be visible. (Since the
computer actually "knows" where they are, it seems only fair that
you know as well.)
2. To give a beginner the best possible chance against a skilled
player (computer or human), follow the instructions on first page of
the Command Summary card to choose the Beginner level for the least
skilled player and the Advanced level for the most skilled one.
3. The Command Summary card instructions referring to XL owners
apply only to owners of Atari computers. (thanks a lot, I don't
need it, I'm Speccy owner ;-)
ELECTRONIC ARTS (R)
2755 Campus Drive San Mateo, CA 94403 (415) 571-7171
105406
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The instructions are taken from "The Project 64" page (yep, that's
c64 site, sometimes these people can be usefull ;-)
'Speccy adaptation' is done by Aleksandar Lukic, [email protected] .
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