DARKMERE
========
VIRUS WARNING
This product is guaranteed by Core Design Ltd. to be virus free Core
Design Ltd. accept no responsibility for damage caused to this product
through virus infection. To avoid the risk of infecting this product with
a virus, please follow these simple procedures:-
1. Before loading the disks, make sure that they are write protected.
This prevents any virus writing itself to them.
2. Always switch your machine off for at least 30 seconds before loading
the game. Failure to do so may result in virus cntamination of the
master disks.
3. Never put the disks through a virus killer as this will destroy the
information on them.
LOADING INSTRUCTIONS
This Game requires an Amiga with at least 1 Meg of RAM.
1. Turn off your computer
2. Plug a joystick into port 2
3. Turn on the computer.
4. Insert the Amiga Kickstart disk if so prompted into the computers
internal drive (Amiga 1000 only).
5. When the Workbench icon appears, insert disk 1 and follow the on screen
instructions.
LOADING TIPS
Should the title screen not appear within 45 seconds of turning on your
machine, there may be a problem with your computer system. Check your
computer connections and that the above instructions have been correctly
carried out. If you are sure your computer is functioning correctly (ie
other software loads successfully) and are still unable to load, then you
may have a faulty disk.
Core Design Ltd, will replace free of charge any disks that have
manufacturing or duplication defects. When returning damaged products,
please return DISKS ONLY directly to Core Design Ltd, for immediate
replacement.
THE STORY
High atop the crag the castle sits, bearing silent witness to the evil that
has overcome the land. Beneath it, the village, bathed in darkness save
for the faint glow of the flickering torches as they struggle to stay
alight. In its deep shadows creeps evil in all its forms. Whilst
overlooking it looms the castle. It's towers seem to reach up, struggling
to escape the darkness that is all around Amongst them screams the wind,
lashing its way from spire to spire, seemingly trying to draw the castles
very walls crashing down. In a tower which the wind seems even more intent
on destroying, a window is illuminated by a strange light. Within its
walls he sits, alone, dying. His hand rests on a glowing orb, its eerie
light throws his drawn features into high relief. His eyes focus and the
interminable blackness as his mind escapes to happier times.
THE AIM OF THE GAME
You play the part of Ebryn on a quest to discover the dark secrets of the
Curse of Darkmere put upon your fathers Kingdom. Ebryn must find the cause
and then the cure for the Darkmere. You will have a real world to explore
with many characters to interact with. These you must question to find out
information to complete your quest. Some will stand in your way whilst
others will help you. But most will want something in return.
YOUR MAGIC BLADE
Although you will have only one weapon throughout the game, its powers can
and must be increased. Your blade will glow when evil is near and thus be
used as an early warning of danger.
If you kill an evil character with the sword then your energy will be
increased as the blade draws power from its victim. If however a good
character is killed then your energy will be decreased as the sword will
draw its power for you. Thus being "good" is rewarded but being "evil" is
punished.
MOVEMENT CONTROLS
Using the Keyboard
To move Ebryn in the desired direction you can either use the cursor keys
(up, down, left, and right arrow keys) or
Q for Up
A for Down
M for Right
N for Left
Whilst using either method pressing the Space Bar will Fire and pressing
the P key will cause the game to pause.
To access the Menu Scroll press the Enter key or hold down the Space Bar
(fire button) for a short period of time.
Using a Joystick.
With a Joystick placed in port 2 push the Joystick in the direction you
wish him to move. To access the Menu Scroll whilst using the Joystick
press the Fire button.
Movement up and down is handled automatically when stairs, ladders or ropes
are walked into.
COMBAT
Press and hold the fire button with one of the 3 directions below to fight
Fire + Down - Crouch and defend yourself
Fire + Up - Slash into the air
Fire + Left or Right - Slash at body
These directions are used regardless of the direction in which Ebryn is
currently facing.
INTERACTION
If the fire button is depressed for more than a second without the Joystick
being moved then a Menu Scroll will appear over the play area listing the
available actions. Select which action you wish to carry out by
highlighting the desired option and pressing fire.
Example-
You select the action DRINK, and press fire. Another scroll will now
appear detailing the available items which you can drink. Move to the item
you wish to drink and press fire. Once this action has been carried out
you will return to the main menu once more where another action may be
chosen or exit selected.
In order to effect an item you must either have it in your possession or be
touching it.
Being able to question other characters plays an important role in the
quest. When you begin Ebryn will only have access to a small vocabulary of
words. As you progress your vocabulary will be extended. For example at
the start you will only know the words.
Malthar, Orcs, Darkmere
Now let's say you question a character about the Orcs. You may get the reply
"They live far to west lord,"
The word "West" will now be added to your vocabulary. On questioning
another character about the West he might reply,
"That's where the Black mountains lay"
So the words "Black Mountains" will be added to your vocabulary, and so you
build your vocabulary as you continue into the quest.
To aid in the ease of use of the system, only items relevant to the action
selected will be displayed. For example, if you select the verb DRINK the
list of items will be reduced to these items which you can drink.
All these options will be displayed as pull down scrolls placed over the
main area of play.
DEATH
Ebryn will die if his energy is reduced to zero. Energy can be lost in the
following ways.
1. Being hit during a fight
2. Attacking a good character.
To replace lost energy one must find food and drink. Various strength
potions may also be found throughout the quest along with time reverse
potions and other useful items which, although not needed to complete the
quest, are useful.
SAVING THE GAME
The game may he saved at anytime if you have a time reverse potion. Should
you choose to drink this potion then when and if you die within the game,
the game will restart from where you drank the potion. All conditions will
now revert to those when you drunk this potion.
SCREEN LAYOUT
The main playing screen will be viewed from above in isometric 3D. At the
bottom of the screen will be the staus panel. This will include the
following 6 pieces of information.
1. Your energy (this will glow when you have drunk a potion and will only
stop when that potions effects have worn off)
2. Your enemies' energy (whilst attacking)
3. A picture of the item or person in which you are in contact with.
4. A description of the item or character ie Manuscript, Hagar the Dwarf
5. Your location description ie "Fennel Street"
6. A picture of Ebryn
TIPS ON PLAYING
examine all objects
re question all other characters, you might have learnt something new
examine corpses
pick up everything but examine them before you use them
examine keys, some open doors other chests
Exits from the screen will either be self obvious, in the case of doors or
lanes or indicated by an arrow if facing South or East.
Except in the case of ORCS, characters that are killed remain on screen.
Their bodies gradually decay and this will attract scavenging creatures
that may not take too kindly at their meal being disturbed if you return
too quickly after despatching your enemy.
The only way to increase Ebryns knowledge is to question the various
characters that you find. Only then can you find the cause and eventual
cure for the Darkmere. It will be wise to question them thoroughly as
information that you think unimportant may be of great use later on.
Many of the problems you will face on your journey can be solved in more
than one way. There is usually a brain or brawn solution for each problem.
It is up to you to discover what these are, but the balance will be
different for each player.
Your father, Gildorn can help you 8 times during your quest. Press the
help key or select help from the menu and Gildorn will advise you on your
next move.
CREDITS
Produced by Jeremy Heath Smith
Game Design by Mark K Jones
Programming by Paul Hodgson, Andrew Buchanan, Stewart Gilray
Graphics by Mark K Jones
Music and Sound Effects by Martin Iveson
Playtesters Jamie (Darkmere) Morton, Troy Horton, Darren Price and David
Ward
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