The Hacker's Encyclopedia 1998

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Ultima VII - The Black Gate Player Reference Card To load Ultima VII, go to the drive that contains your game. (If it is in C type drive, type 'C:<Enter>') Then go to the subdirectory containing your game. (If you choose our default directory, type 'CD\ULTlMA7<Enter>') Finally, type 'ULTIMA7' to begin the game. MAIN MENU After the game loads, an introductory sequence automatically begins, but it may be skipped by pressing <Esc>. Then the main menu appears, listing four options: ∙ View Introduction, ∙ Start New Game, ∙ Iourney Onward, and ∙ View Credits. To select one of these options, single-click it with the mouse or use the arrow keys and press <Enter>. To exit the introduction, character creation or credits, press <Esc>. VIEW INTRODUCTION The introduction reveals how and why the AvatarTM has returned to Britannia. Information presented here is very relevant to your quest. This scene is the same one that you see the first time you run the game. START NEW GAME This is where character creation takes place. it must be selected the first time you play the game. When you are asked to name your character, type the desired name (up to 14 letters) at the flashing cursor and press <Enter>. Next, you determine the gender of your character. With the mouse or space bar, select the gender of your choice and press <Enter>. JOURNEY ONWARD After you first create a character, this option takes you to the beginning of the actual game. In future sessions, this option returns you to your last saved game. VIEW CREDITS This option lists all of the many people who worked on Ultima Vll. INTRODUCTORY WALKTHROUGH This section guides you through the first few minutes of Ultima Vll. It doesnt reveal any deep secrets, but it does introduce you to all of the basic actions you may perform in the game. It assumes you are using a mouse, which is highly recommended by both lolo and Lord British. The scene opens as you, the Avatar, step out of a red Moongate into the Britannian town of Trinsic. Before you stand your old friend lolo and the stable master, Petre. Conversations. When lolo addresses you, read each line of text and then click the left mouse button ('left-click'). Continue until lolo has finished speaking, at which point he automatically joins your party. Next, Mayor Finnigan approaches you. Again, left-click after each line of text. Finnigan asks you to investigate the Trinsic murder. Position your mouse cursor (represented by a green arrow) over the word 'Yes' and left- click to answer him. Finnigan asks if you've visited the stables. Put the cursor on the word 'No' and left-click. He suggests that you visit the stables and you can begin moving around. Moving. You (the Avatar) are always in the center of the screen. The stables are through the doorway to your north (i.e., toward the top of the screen). Position the cursor so that it points upward (northward) and right click. You step to the north. Continue moving the cursor and right-clicking until you enter the building. Examining Things. When you (the Avatar) enter the stables the roof disappears, allowing you (the player) to see inside. A horrible murder has occurred! You can look at each object in the stables by left-clicking on it- Place the cursor over the gold key (lying just west of the body) and left- click. The word 'key' appears (to identify it, if you couldn't tell what it was). Perhaps the key will provide a clue. Move the cursor to the left of the key and click the right mouse button twice ('double-right-click'). You walk to that location. Notice that moving around is accomplished by right clicking, and all other actions, like talking and examining objects, are accomplished by left-clicking. Using Things. You don't want to be disturbed during this investigation, so close the door by placing the cursor on it and double-left-clicking. Taking Things. The key may be a clue. Place the cursor so that the tip of it overlaps the key. Click and hold down the left mouse button ('left-click- and-hold'). As you continue holding, move the cursor around. If the mouse was properly positioned, the key is attached to the cursor. Don't let go yet! To give yourself the key, move the cursor (and key) over your character and release the left button. The key will vanish. Examining Yourself (and other things). Find out if you have the key by double-left-clicking on your character. An image of your character appears (your Inventory Display) with blue lines indicating the locations of equipment and clothing. The key is in your right hand. Put the cursor on the large red check mark and left-click-and-hold. This lets you move your inventory window; move it to the upper right corner of the screen by dragging it in that direction. Release the button when you are satisfied with the new position. You can remove your Inventory Display by left-clicking on the red check. Talking to People. Perhaps your companion lolo knows more about the murder. To speak with him, double-left-click on him. His portrait appears, along with speech. Responses you may select appear in the center of the screen. Left-click 'Murder' to discuss the murder with him. When you are finished talking to lolo, left-click on 'Bye' to end the conversation. Further Investigations. There are other things you might try while inspecting the stables. It's a good idea to examine everything. Be sure to check out the dead gargoyle at the north of the stables, as well as the bag Iying on the ground. You can see the bag's contents by double-left-clicking on the bag. Iry removing items from the bag, such as the torch. Once the torch is on the ground, you may double-left-click; on it to light it. Double- left-click; on it again to extinguish it. (Note that while the torch is lit you cannot move it into any container.) In general, open the inventory of everyone in your party and both single- and double-left-clich on every object. You may discover all sorts of handy things . When you've finished here, you'll want to leave. You can walk continuously by right-click-and-holding. You always walk in the direction the cursor points. The farther the cursor is from the center of the screen, the faster you travel. Luck be with you as you journey onward! COMMANDS Ultima VII is an entirely mouse-driven game. All action commands are controlled by the two mouse buttons. However, for those who do not have a mouse, all commands may also be performed from the keyboard. USING THE MOUSE The key point to using the mouse is knowing that the left button is used to perform actions involving the hands, and the right button is used to perform actions involving the feet. The mouse will generally appear in one of two forms: a green, straight arrow for normal activity or a red, jagged arrow for combat. Left Button Righl Button Click Look Take One Pace Double-Click Use/Talk/Attack Find a Path Click-and-Drag Move Items Walk Continuously MOVING YOUR CHARACTER (RIGHT-CLICKING) To make yourself walk, simply point the arrow in the direction you wish to travel and right-click-and-hold. The farther the arrow is from you, the longer it gets, and the faster you travel. To stop moving, release the right button. When danger is near, your speed is limited in proportion to your dexterity. Double-right-clicking on a point on the screen makes you walk to that location, providing no obstacles bar the way (e.g., a locked door). MANIPULATING OBJECTS (LEFT-CLICKING) The left mouse button is used to look, move, use or attack. Look To bring up a short description of an object, left-click; on it. Move Many objects may be moved from one location to another. To move something that is portable, left-click-and-hold on the object. The cursor changes to a hand to indicate that you are holding an object. Move the cursor over the desired destination and release the mouse. Releasing the item over a character places the item inside that character's inventory. If his Inventory Display is open, dropping the item on a container within the display places the item inside of that container (see Inventory Display). If a container is not in anyone's inventory, it must be open (its display visible) to drop an item into it. If an object is too heavy or too large to fit inside a container, or if you can't reach it, a message saying so appears in red above the object. Use To use an object, double-left-click on it. Each type of item functions uniquely when used. For example, using an unlit lamp will light it; using a lit lamp will extinguish it. Some objects may be used on other objects (e.g., a bucket on a well). Double-left-clicking on such an item turns the cursor into green cross-hairs. Moving these to the target item and left-clicking uses the first item on the second. Double-left-clicking on many usable objects brings up a display that provides more information about that object. For example, double-left- clicking on a chest brings up a display that reveals the contents of the chest. The contents may then be moved and manipulated like any other object within the world. The bodies of fallen foes are treated like chests for these purposes. In addition, the displays themselves may be moved in the same manner as moving an object--left-click, drag, release. Single-clicking on the red check at the left side of the display or pressing <Esc> will close that display. 'Using' a person has several meanings. Double-clicking on a person while not in combat will initiate a conversation with that person. (For more information on how conversations work, see Screen Display.) However, doing so while in combat mode indicates that you wish to attack that person. If you are clicking on a member of your party while in combat mode or while your Inventory Display is up, that member's Inventory Display will appear. 'Using' the Avatar will bring up your character's inventory (see Inventory Display). To use a cart, double-left-click on a chair in the cart. Once all of the characters are seated, move the cart as if you were moving the Avatar. A boat operates under the same principle, but you must double-left-click on the sails instead of a chair. To stop using a cart or boat, double-left-click again on the chair or the sails, respectively. Attack While in combat mode, double-left-clicking the cursor on another person who is not in your party or on an object initiates an attack on that person or object. If you are in combat mode, and in any attack mode other than Manual Mode (see Combat) you automatically attack any nearby hostile foes. KEYBOARD HOT KEYS Key Function <C> Turns combat mode on ond off <I> Opens up the Inventory Display of each party member beginning with the Avatar <Z> Opens up the Statistics Display for each party member beginning with the Avatar <S> Opens up the Save/Load Window. <R> Turns all audio effects on ond off. <U> Displays a scroll showing the version number of your copy of Ultima VII <ALT><X> Exits Ultima VII and returns to DOS. <H> Changes the handedness of the mouse by swapping the functions of the left and right mouse buttons. The left button is now used to move around and the right button to manipulate obects. This H toggle affects only the mouse not keyboord commands. <Esc> Closes Save/Load window if it is open If Save/Load is not open closes all open displays and windows USING THE KEYBOARD Though using a mouse is highly recommended, the keyboard may be used as a substitute if you have no mouse installed. Walking The arrow keys may be pressed to walk one step in the desired direction. Holding the shift key down while pressing an arrow key will allow the Avatar to take three steps instead of one. If <Num-Lock> is on during play, every step will be a triple one. Manipulating Objects Press <Spacebar> to make the hand cursor visible. Now the arrow keys will move the cursor instead of the Avatar. Holding down <Shift> will increase the rate at which the cursor travels. Treat <Ctrl> as if it were the left mouse button. For example, a single 'click' identifies an object, while a 'double-click' uses it. If you are in any attack mode, there is no red cursor to remind you, but 'double-clicking' still initiates an attack. DISPLAYS In Ultima VII, the entire screen is devoted to displaying the map. Any messages or other relevant information appear over the game map, at various places. During conversations, a portrait of the character you are speaking to appears in the upper left corner of the screen, with all of his text appearing to the right of the portrait. If any other characters interject, their portraits appear in the lower left corner of the screen with their text just to the right of their portrait. During conversations, your portrait appears in the center of the screen, with your word options appearing to the right of your portrait. Selecting a word or phrase from your options initiates a response from the character you're talking to. Text that identifies an object appears just above that object. Text that appears just above a character icon means that that particular character has spoken. INVENTORY DISPLAY When you double-left-click on yourself your Inventory Display appears. This is also true of any character in your party, As long as you have first brought up your own Inventory Display. Dove/Flaming Sword. At the left of the Inventory Display is either a dove (non-combat mode) or a flaming sword (combat mode) icon. Left-click on this icon to switch from one mode to the other. During play, the color of the cursor arrow indicates whether you are in non-combat mode (green) or combat mode (red). Containers. Double-left-clicking on any container in your inventory reveals the contents of that container. Disk. On the right side of the Inventory Display is a disk icon. Left clicking on this brings Up a window that permits you to load or save a game, turn sound and music on and off, or exit the game. Heart. Below the disk is a heart. Left-clicking on this icon reveals the Status Display. Numbers. At the bottom of the Inventory Display is a number next to another number (e.g., '24/36'). The number on the left is the weight that the character is carrying expressed as stones. The number on the right is the maximum number of stones that the character can carry. When buying items from shopkeepers, you are told if an item is too heavy for you to carry. In addition to weight, items also have volume. Sometimes you are told that you cannot carry an item because your hands or your packs are full. By rearranging your equipment (e.g.,putting a weapon in your pack or buying another back pack), you may be able to carry the new item. Current Attack Mode and Protected Holo are described in Combat. SPELL BOOK Double-left-clicking on the spell book in your Inventory l)isplay brings up its display. To cast a spell, double-left-click on that spell's icon. To select a spell without casting it, left-click on its icon in the spell book. The buckle on the bookmark moves to that spell. There are six spells (Fire Blast, Paralyze, Lightning, Explosion, Death Bolt and Sworai Strike) that may be cast in combat by double-left-clicking on a target as if attacking it. If the spell book is in vour hand and the book was closed while that spell was selected (the bookmark's buckle was on that spell), using the mouse to attack causes you to cast that specific spell (as long as you have the spell points and reagents neceessary) Also, if you (the Avatar) are not in Manual Mode and have your spell book ready (in hand), you cast spells automatically. Status Display The Status Display lists a character's current attributes, both primary and secondary, and whether that character is unconscious, poisoned, charmed, hungry, protected, cursed or paralyzed. PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES Strength, Dexterity and Intelligence are the primary attributes, with values ranging from range from I to 30. The higher an attribute is, the better. The remaining attributes are secondary statistics. Strength determines several things, including how much you can carry, how much (if any additional damage you do with a hand-to-hand weapon, and how many Hits you can take before dying. Dexterity affects such things as how fast you are and how well you pick locks. Faster characters can move and attack more often than slower ones. Dexterity determines your Combat skill. Intellegence determines several things, including your Magic skill and how well you cast certain spells. SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES Combat. Your base combat skill is derived directly from your dexterity. It determines how likely you are to hit in combat with normal weapons. Magic. Your base magic skill is derived directly from your intelligence. It determines the maximum number of Mana points you can have. Hits are derived directly from your strength. They are reduced by damage, poison and hunger. When your Hits reach 0, you are unconscious. Mana records the current number of Mana points you have at that moment. The less active you are, the greater the rate at which Mana points return. Level indicates your overall prowess. As you gain experience (see below), your level increases. As your level increases, you have the opportunity to raise one or more of your primary attributes. In addition, Hits usually increase as your level does. Experience points (Exp) are a measure of your accomplishments. Every time you solve a quest or slay a monster, each member of your party gains experience points. After earning the required number of points, a character's level increases. Training points are accrued with experience points. To increase strength, dexterity, intelligence, combat or magic, you must find a trainer who teaches expertise in that specific attribute. If you pay the trainer's fee and 'trade in' training points (representing your study and practice with the trainer), the attribute you are concentrating on increases. COMBAT In the lower left corner of each character's Inventory Display is an icon representing the attack mode for that character when he is in combat. The following attack modes are available: ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- Icon | Avatar | Other Members | Attack Mode | Description ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- * * * | Yes | No | Manual | You may direct each ? ? | | | | combat action. O | | | | ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- o | Yes | Yes | Attack Weakest |The Character will attack ^ | | | |the weakest opponent. O | | | | ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- * | Yes | Yes |Attack Strongest|The Character will attack ^ | | | |the strongest opponent. O | | | | ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- * | Yes | Yes | Defend |The Character will be less \|/ | | | |effective at hitting more O | | | |effective at dodging. ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- * * * | Yes | Yes | Attack Nearest |The Character will attack ^ | | | |the nearest opponent. O | | | | ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- * | Yes | Yes | Flee |The Character will flee O | | | |any opponent. \/ | | | | ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- * * * | No | Yes | Bezerk |The Character will never \|/ | | | |flee, regardless of wounds O | | | | ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- * * | No | Yes | Random |The Character will attack >O< | | | |a random foe. * * | | | | ------+--------+---------------+----------------+-------------------------- * | No | Yes | Protect |The Character will attempt /- | | | |to protect the party O o | | | |member in protect mode ------+--------+---------------+----------------+------------------------- If the Avatar's attack mode is anything but Manual Mode, he selects targets on his own (according to the rules of his attack mode) and fights those opponents without any further input from the player. The player may override control at any time (by double-left-clicking on a specific target to attack it, right-click-and-holding to lead the Avatar in a certain direction, etc.). When not in Manual Mode, the Avatar does not select fleeing or disabled (sleeping, paralyzed or unconscious) targets on his own, and breaks off an attack once any of these eonditions are met. To make the Avatar pursue an enemy to the death, double-left-click on the opponent after it has already fled or been disabled. Flee Mode If a party member is seriously injured, he may flee. Neither the Avatar nor party members in Berserk Mode will ever flee. Normally, fleeing characters might drop some of their possessions. Party members who have been set to Flee Mode will make an orderly retreat and will not drop any of their possessions. Protected 'Mode' and Protect Mode You may designate a party member to be protected by clicking on the 'halo' just above that character's attack mode icon. It turns gold, indicating that this party member is to be protected. Only one person in the party may be protected at any one time. Note that if if you have not designated any party member to be protected ('turned his halo on'), an injured party member may turn his own halo on and call out to other party members for protection. Any party members that are in Protect Mode will follow this injured character around and attempt to protect him. Effectively, any protecting character's main concern is for the welfare of the protected individual, and he will fight anyone who attacks the protected character until there is no longer a threat.