Computer Buyer 1996 May/buyer-0596.iso/games/fg/fg_demo.a00/README.TXT

Text File | 1995-11-28 | 10KB | 216 lines

            Fantasy General Demo

Hi! We know you're anxious to begin Fantasy General, but before you do,
please be sure that your system meets the following minimum system
requirements:

    486/33 Mhz IBM PC
    8 Megabytes of RAM
    MS-DOS 5.0, 6.0, 6.2x or DR-DOS 6.0
        ****  Windows '95 users should restart in MS-DOS mode.  ****
    An Uncompressed hard drive with at least 30 MB free
    An SVGA graphics card with a color VGA monitor
    A 100% Microsoft (or Logitech) Compatible Mouse
    Microsoft mouse driver version 8.20+ (Microsoft Bus Mouse
        users should use the most current version of the
        mouse driver 9.01) or Logitech mouse driver version
        6.24+
    CD-ROM drive


NOTE: THERE IS NO MIDI MUSIC IN THIS DEMO. THERE ARE DIGITAL SOUND EFFECTS.

TO SKIP PAST THE CINEMATIC HIT THE SPACE BAR OR ESCAPE KEY


                RULES BRIEF

   After the opening animation, the strategic map is displayed showing the
Island of Keldonia, the realm of Dragga, the Orc King. Buttons in the form of
jewels line either side of the screen. When a button has an icon in it, moving
the pointer over it causes a description to appear at the top of the screen.
Left-clicking will activate that button's function. If the button has no icon,
is not illuminated, or the caption at the top of the screen is in red, then
that function is currently unavailable.

   There are three jewels illuminated when the demo begins: Manage Your Army,
Allocate Gold, and Quit Game. The blue Save Game button is not darkened, but
no games can be saved from this demo so it does not function.

               Army Management and Gold Allocation

   Left-clicking on Manage Your Army displays the forces of Archmage Krell,
one of four characters that will be available in the full version. The army
has one open slot for a new unit which can be purchased from this screen. The
units in the army are displayed across the top of the screen, and the
different classes of units are listed down the left side.

   Left-clicking on an existing unit brings up the unit's statistics at the
bottom of the screen. Each unit has different advantages and characteristics
above and beyond its class. For example, units of a magical nature can resist
magic more effectively. Mortal units are able to upgrade and are not as
vulnerable to Mechanical units.

   Left-clicking on a class button from the left side of the screen shows the
units of that class that are available for purchase. Purchasing the unit is
accomplished by left-clicking the Purchase button on the lower right side of
the screen. The new unit is added to the army and the appropriate amount of
gold is deducted from the treasury. Only one unit can be purchased prior to
the first battle.

   After the first battle, based on gold allocation, a unit may be upgraded to
a more advanced type if one has become available. To upgrade a unit, select
the unit to be upgraded, then left-click on the new unit grade of that class.
The Upgrade button will change from red lettering to  gold.  Left-clicking on
the Upgrade button will convert the old unit to the new grade of unit,
deducting the appropriate amount of gold from the treasury. Not all units may
be upgraded; this will be indicated when a unit is selected.


   Gold allocation is handled using the Allocate Gold screen. This is where
strategic decisions about the focus of the army are made. Each class of unit
can have up to 15% of the monetary rewards allocated in order to research the
next higher grade of unit.

   The classes are listed down the left side of the screen,  with the share of
the reward to be spent on them in the Share column. There are up and down
arrows on either side of the Share column for each class which are used to
adjust the amount to be spent on research for that class. Whatever remains
determines how much will be left to purchase new units. This is shown in the
Treasury, which appears at the bottom of the screen.

   To the right of that are columns entitled Mortal and Magic. Mortal starts
at 0, and Magic starts at 100. This indicates the proportion of gold spent on
that type of unit. This amount can be adjusted using the up and down arrows on
either side of the Magic amount.

   As each type of unit is researched, the box  that corresponds to that class
fills in with the new unit's icon. At the end of each battle, a notification
is given of the new grades of unit available. This process may take longer
than one battle, based on the differences from one grade to the next. There
may not be an improvement for a given type of unit during the course of this
demo.



   After the unit has been purchased and gold has been allocated for research,
the strategic map reappears showing Keldonia when the Manage Your Army and
Allocate Gold screens are exited. Enemy held areas are darker and contain the
icon of the Shadowlord, a gold skull on a black shield. Left-clicking on this
icon commits your forces and begins deployment.



                    Deployment and Unit Icons

   A tactical map appears showing the deployment area for the Archmage's
forces.  At the bottom of the screen are side-by-side boxes. The box on the
left lists the current unit, the box on the right lists whichever unit the
pointer is over. The deployment area is a group of lighter colored hexes
surrounding a town. Left-clicking on the map in one of the lighter colored
hexes deploys the current unit. Once deployment is complete, the battle
begins.

   On the tactical map, each unit is represented by the unit icon. The number
below the unit icon box shows the unit strength. Some units start with a
strength of 15, others with 10. This indicates the number of hits the unit can
take before being destroyed. As a unit goes through combat, it sustains
casualties in the form of strength points killed or wounded. A unit can also
suffer from morale results which influence its effectiveness in combat. For
example, a broken unit has a red sphere to the left of the strength marker. A
unit with a magic item has a gold sphere to the right of the strength marker.
The strength indicator also reveals when the unit has completed its move by
changing to a darker shade.

                    Movement and Combat

   Left-click on a unit to begin its turn. Each unit can move and attack, or
if it begins a turn next to an enemy unit, can attack then move. When a unit
is selected, the range of movement is indicated by the lighter colored hexes
that surround it. Left-clicking on a target hex causes the unit to attempt to
move to that hex. If an unseen enemy unit is encountered while moving, the
unit stops next to the enemy. An attack may be ordered whenever a unit ends
movement next to an enemy. Some units, such as Siege Engines may even attack
enemy units they are not adjacent to. The pointer turns into a sword when
moved over an enemy unit that is an eligible target.

   When an eligible target is indicated, the projected losses for each unit is
shown at the bottom left of the screen. The top line is the friendly unit, the
line below is the enemy unit. The number to the left of the skull indicates
the projected strength points killed, the number to the left of the stain
indicates the number wounded. Wounded strength points can be recovered by
resting the unit. Strength points that are killed can only be recovered with
replacements or in between battles. A unit is destroyed when it has lost all
its strength points. A unit that is surrounded and cannot retreat surrenders,
effectively being destroyed.

   Left-clicking a second time on a selected unit, or left-clicking once on an
enemy unit, shows the unit's statistics in a window with three buttons at
the bottom. If a letter appears in any of the buttons, it may be left-clicked
to reveal some further information about that unit such as special abilities,
magical spells, or magical items. Left-clicking in the center of the the
statistics shown will bring up a screen showing more detailed information
about the unit. Right-clicking exits this screen.

                          Buttons

   Many Fantasy General controls are operated by buttons visible on either
side of the screen. When no unit is selected, the set of buttons that are
active are referred to as the Main Menu. Once a unit has been selected, the
Unit Menu becomes active.

                          Main Menu

   The left side Main Menu buttons are:

Fast Load Game
Fast Save Game
Cast Magic Spell (if the character possesses magic, see below)
Toggle Animation
Toggle Music
Toggle Sound Effects
Load Game Menu
Save Game Menu
Quit Game
Purchase Unit Menu
End Turn

The right side Main Menu buttons are:

Show/Hide Computer Move
Spot/Hide Units
Show Score
Show/Hide Wounds
Tactical/Strategic Map
Aerial/Ground Units
Hexsides On/Off
Show Terrain
View Mode On/Off
Go To Unit
Next Unit

The left side Unit Menu buttons are:

Recruit
Rest
Disband Unit
Examine Unit
Abort Move
Cast Spell
Take from Next List
Exit Unit Menu

The right side Unit Menu buttons remain the same.

A Note About Spellcasting

   The Archmage Krell character can cast one powerful spell each turn. This is
done from the Main Menu using the blue spell casting button. Left-clicking on
this button causes four other buttons to appear which are used to choose which
spell Krell casts that turn. The four spells are Fireball, Fear, Weakness, and
Whirlwind.

   Some units can cast magical spells also. Their power is used from the Unit
Menu by left-clicking on the red spellcasting button.