-------------------------------- ROGUE - THE QUEST FOR THE AMULET -------------------------------- How long has it been? How many lifetimes have passed since I began my sojourn through this maze of underground passageways, of damp dimly-lit chambers? How long have I been alone, the only human among a menacing crew of hideous subterranean beasts, stumbling over forlorn reminders that others have passed this way before me....never to return! Long before I forgot the warmth of the noonday sun or the refreshing coolness of the evening breeze, I forgot my name. Call me what you will. I am the Rogue. As I wander, I hold fast in my mind the one object that stands out from all the others: the sacred Amulet of Yendor. This precious gift was left behind by magicians of old to remind mankind of its origins. Stolen by the evil Dungeon Lord, who despised its beauty and purity, the Amulet has remained hidden in the deepest reaches of this tortuous maze, calling those who seek it to sure destruction. Long ago I began my quest for this object, this prize spoken of only in hushed tones by even the bravest Knights and Guildmasters around the dying embers of evening fires. Long ago, the magic Amulet of Yendor began burning its way into my heart, began drawing me here to my uncertain fate. Through these unlit corridors I wander, stumbling in the dark, encountering new ordeals at every turn. In one chamber, heat causes my suit of armor to burn the very skin it was designed to protect. In another, a chill penetrates to the bone, turning my limbs to ice. Everywhere, I am relentlessly pursued by beasts and demons. I cannot begin to count them. There are creatures of every low and mean quality lurking in here. Formless slimes and aquators, bats and goblins, centaurs, and that most hideous and unnatural of creatures, the Ur-Vile. Fortunately, my ever ready mace serves to quickly dispatch many of my adversaries. Against other, stronger beasts, I must defend myself with other weapons: arrows, daggers, magic wands or deadly potions. I stumble from battle to battle, taking care to rest occasionally, or to partake of few morsels of food. One gift the magicians make available to true seekers of the amulet-and them alone- is the gift of life after life. Yet even this gift is tainted with a curse by the Lord of the Dungeon. For each time I sleep the sleep called death, I find myself carried, unknowlingly, back to the very first room of the highest level of the dungeon, from whence I must again begin the tortuous, unpredictable journey time and time again. Why does nothing now look familiar? I this another Dungeon Lord's tricks - or is it my rapidly eroding memory that makes everything seem changed. I wake from the sleep called death to find that nothing is the same. Everything is transformed, familiar yet treacherously rearranged. As I plumb the uncharted depths of this Dungeon of Doom, I wonder. Where am I? Is this a passageway I've trudged before? Is this the chamber in which I left my cloak of chain mail? Does this wall conceal a trap door I found and lost lifetimes ago? On my way I must aquire the provisions that make themselves available to me - despite the fact that they were left behind by the miserable victims of this place. Here a bit of food, and there a suit of armor from an unfortunate owner. Quivers of arrows for my sturdy short bow...oh yes, and magic wands, enchanted staffs, and potent elixers, some powerfully good, some horribly evil. Manuscripts of ancient texts, meaningless to my eyes, which vanish in thin air before I can understand them. And of course gold! A king's ransom of it, yet useless unless I somehow make my way to the very bottom of the dungeon and back again. As I collect these objects and put them in my knapsack, I must discard others...or use them at once to fend off the adversaries that dog my every step. Still, even my few possessions are affected by the Dungeon Lord's spells. Potions which in lifetimes past revitalized me now send me sprawling on the floor, clutched in spasms, burning with fever. Armor which served me in battle after battle becomes a crushing burden, cursed by Dungeon Lord. Each time I venture into these depths, I am constantly attentive. Should my guard slip for a moment, I will fall prey to the horrors that surround me. In my mind, shining like a beacon in the darkness, the Amulet of Yendor beckons me on, deeper and deeper. One day I shall hold it in my hand, caress it in the void, then race, level by level, back to the surface. There I shall hold it high, deliver it once again to the light of day, and reclaim again the name so long forgotten. YOU ARE THE ROGUE Your quest through the Dungeons of Doom for the fabled Amulet of Yendor will challenge your wits, courage and prowess. Monsters lie waiting for you to falter or act with foolhardy courage. For you protection, you have been given armor, and enchanted mace, a bow and a quiver of arrows. At the beginning of your quest you have food to last one meal. But in the dark passages and rooms of the Dungeon you will find more food and weapons left behind by less fortunate seekers of the Amulet. As you descend, you must search for these hidden treasures, gold pieces and magical potions to help you achieve the highest of honors. A triumphant quest for the Amulet of Yendor and immortal enshrinement in the Guildmaster's Hall of Fame. Getting Started Insert the Rogue disk into drive A or B. At the DESK TOP, move the pointer to the appropriate drive icon and double-click to open the Rogue disk, then move the pointer to the ROGUE.PRG icon and double-click the mouse again. IMPORTANT NOTE: Some early versions of the Atari 520 ST do not have the operating system built-in (resident in ROM). These systems require that you first load TOS (Operating system) for a disk before you can play Rogue. Because of the varying file size of DESK accessories that are loaded along with TOS, Rogue may have trouble loading due to memory limitations. If this should occur, you can prevent a DESK accessory from loading by changing its file extension from .ACC to anything else. To change the file name of a DESK accessory, do the following: 1. Load TOS in drive A. 2. Click on the drive A icon to see the files on the TOS disk. 3. Click on one of the DESK#.ACC icons so that it is highlighted. 4. Select the FILE pull-down menu and click on "Show Info." 5. Use the backspace key to delete the last character of .ACC. For example, changing DESK1.ACC to DESK1.AC will prevent the file from loading when you boot TOS. 6. Click on "OK" when finished. 7. Repeat steps 3-6 to remove additional DESK accessories. 8. Reboot TOS, then follow normal loading instructions for Rogue. STARTING PLAY When the Rogue title screen appears you'll see a small menu screen at the bottom that says: "Rogue's Name" and a blank box to enter your Rogue character's name. Here you have a choice: you can give your character a name or simply press return and the game will name the character "Rodney." PLAYING ROGUE The Rogue game screen is divided into three windows. In the title bar of the Rogue window is the name of your character followed by the current dungeon level. The main body of the window is divided inth three sections: On top are four command buttons for moving your character UP a level, DOWN a level, SEARCH a room, and REST. The main section is the level map which shows your Rogue character moving through the dungeon rooms and dungeon level you are exploring. The bottom of the screen is the status area which provides information on your character's state. The level map may either be 'zoomed-in', which shows a small area around the Rogue character in great detail, or 'zoomed-our' which shows the entire level. The game may be played wither way, and you may wish to zoom-in or our thoughout the game. To zoom-in or out, click the mouse in the small box with the diamond in it in the upper right-hand corner of the Rogue window. If you're using the keyboard, pressing the key will work also. MOUSE MOVEMENT 1. To move your character using the mouse, just move the mouse pointer over an area a short distance from the Rogue character and click the mouse. The Rogue will run toward the area where the mouse was clicked. 2. If you hold down the key and click on something on the level map, you will be given a short description of what that object is. 3. To pick up something in the dungeon, simply move on top of it. If you wish to walk over an object without picking it up, hold down the key while you are moving. 4. To fight a monster in the dungeon, you want to move the character so that it runs into the monster. You might try positioning the pointer such that when you click the mouse, the Rogue character has to run over the monster to reach the pointer's location. COMMAND BUTTONS The four command buttons allow you to go up or down stairs, to rest and to search for secret doors and booby traps. To execute a command, simply point the mouse at the botton and click. The buttons will only work if they are not "dimmed." If all the bottons are dimmed, it means that one of the other windows besides the Rogue window is currently selected. To select the Rogue window, just click anywhere inside of it. Resting and searching will be explained later in greater detail. STATUS AREA The bottom of the Rogue window has three bar charts. The first bar chart shows you how healthy your character is. The green area of the chart shows you his current "hi-points." The grey area shows his potential hit points. As your character gains experience in the dungeon, his maximum number of hit points will increase. As monsters injure you, the green area will slowly be replaced with red. Be careful! If the green goes away completely, your character will die and the game will be over. When you are not fighting, the green area will slowly move back until you are at full hit points again. If you are resting, the hit points will come back faster. The next bar shows your current strength. It works the same way as the hit point chart, but resting will not restore your strength, and you won't die no matter how low your strength gets. However, the lower your strength is, the less able you will be to battle monsters. The final bar chart shows the strength of the armor you are wearing. The stronger your armor, the harder it will be for enemies to hit you. In the are of the right of the last bar chart, a message will appear from time to time telling you that you are hungry. It is a wise idea to eat at the earliest opportunity when this message appears. PLAYING WITH THE KEYPAD An alternate way to move your Rogue character is with the numeric keypad instead of the mouse. | | | | | | | |<--FAST PLAY | \| |/\| | /| | |<--UPSTAIRS |<-| | | |->| | |<--DOWNSTAIRS |/ | |\/| | \| | | | |<--ZOOM IN/OUT | | | | | | Þ ^ REST____| |_____SEARCH Pressing the <*> (asterisk) key turns "fast-play" mode on and off. When Fast-Play is OFF, the rogue moves one space every time you press the direction key. When Fast-Play is turned ON, the character will move in the direction pressed until he comes upon something interesting. PACK WINDOW The pack window shows you every object you currently have in your possession. At the bottom of the window, the amount of gold that you have accumulated is shown. FULL BUTTON If you click on the diamond button in the corner of the pack window, the window will expand to the width of the screen and a very short description of the objects in your Pack will appear next to their icons. To return the window to its small state, click on the diamond box again. "USE" DIALOG BOX To use any item in the pack, simply click on the item. A dialog box will pop up allowing you to use the item. NOTES BOX If the object has not been identified, the next line will contain a "notes" area. Here you may type notes to yourself concerning the object for later use. DIALOG BUTTONS Also contained in the dialog box will be a series of buttons describing what you may do with the selected object. Your specific options at this point will depend on what object has been selected. Most objects may be thrown or dropped. Here is an explanation of some of the other buttons: WIELD/UNWIELD Weilding an object makes it your current weapon. Any creature you attack will be hit with this weapon. If you unwield an object and don't wield another, you will be fighting with your bare hands! WEAR/REMOVE You may wear or remove armor or rings with this command. You may not wear more than two rings at a time. You must remove one piece of armor before you can put on another. IDENTIFY If a button appears saying "IDENTIFY." you have the power to identify that object. Identifying an object will give you greater information on its purpose. MESSAGE WINDOW The window at the bottom of the screen contains important information on your character's quest through the dungeons. Three messages appear in the window at one time, but it will keep track of the last 10 messages you received. If you miss a message, you can click on the message window to make it active, then click in the arrows at the right edge of the window to scroll to previous messages. When you find the message(s) you missed, scroll forward again so that new messages will appear in the window. MENU COMMANDS At the very top of the Rogue screen are three menus. The first menu, "DESK," includes the desk accessories, if any, that you have installed, and a menu entry called "About Rogue." If you choose this item, information about the creators of Rogue will appear. The next menu is the "File" menu. It has the following entries: * QUIT - This will abandon the current game and return to Desktop. * SAVE GAME - This will save the current game for later play. * RESTORE GAME - This will bring back a game that was saved earlier. The next menu is the "Command" Menu. It has the following entries: * Again(Repeat the last Throw, Shoot or Zap command.) * Reweild(Wield the previously wielded object.) * Show Rank(Display your character's current rank.) * Hall of Fame(Show Guildmasters' Hall of Fame.) * Change Name(Change the Rogue Characters name.) FUNCTION KEYS At the top of the keyboard are ten function keys. The first four of these may be used as "short-cuts" in Rogue. F1 - Repeat the last Throw, Shoot or Zap command. F2 - Wield the previously wielded object. F3 - Display your character's current rank. F4 - Show Hall of Fame. F5 - Change Rogue characters name. TAKING ON DUNGEON DWELLERS If you find yourself suddenly being attacked by one of the monsters, you do battle by moving directly towards it. Blow by blow descriptions of the battle will appear in the Message window. Sometimes, a monster will be sleeping and you can sneak by or attack it unawares. But, remember: discretion is the better part of valor - it's most discrete to let a sleeping moster lie. Every action in ROGUE, including fighting, is a random event. Therefore you must devise a play strategy that includes all possibilities. If you are defeated in battle, pull yourself up by your bootstraps and fight again. If your strategy in discovering the secrets of the dungeon or battling your adversaries fails you, try another. Here are some examples: * Practice fighting the monsters at easier levels to develop a strategy for the more difficult adversaries you'll encounter deeper in the dungeon. * Stalk certain foes with your bow and arrow, remaining safely at a distance. * Magic wands and staffs are also effective for fighting powerful adversaries from a distance. RESTING After a particularly grueling encounter with an adversary, you will probably find that your Hit Points have diminished due to blows administered by your opponent. You can regain Hit Points while resting. To rest, click on the Rest box. You rest one turn with each click. If you press and hold the key as you click, you will rest ten turns with each click. But be on guard, for even while pausing to catch your breath, there is no respite from the denizens of the dungeon. NOTE: Resting does not restore you strength. Searching Sometimes the forces of the dungeon will prevent you from finding all the ins and outs of a level. You may have to search down the entire length of a wall of several rooms in order to find hidden doorways or passageways. To search for secret doors or hidden traps, you select and click the "Search" box. Here's a step by step outline of the search feature: 1. Place the Rogue character at the place or point where you want to search. 2. Point and Click the Search box. The eight spaces surrounding the Rogue character will be searched. 3. The hidden object may be revealed if it is present. If not, nothing will appear. However, don't be so easily fooled. Try again if you're sure there's something hidden at this spot, one time may not be enough. 4. You search one time with each click. If you press and hold the Shift key as you click, you will search that area 10 times in one click. 5. If you still haven't located anything, move the Rogue character further down and search the next spot by clicking the Search box. Continue searching dead-end passages in this manner. MASTERING YOUR WEAPONS As mentioned earlier, you fight monsters by moving directly into them and bludgeoning them with your mace - a club with a spiked ball on the end. However, there may be times when you wish to avoid hand-to-hand combat. If this is the case, you can also choose to Zap a particularly troublesome monster with Magic Wands or Staffs. Outlined below are step-by-step commands for Throwing, Shooting, and Zapping. THROW AN OBJECT Select the object you want to throw from the Pack window. Clicking on the object's corresponding letter will bring up a dialog box containing options to Wield, Throw, or Drop the object. Remember, you must first Wield an object before you can throw it. When you are ready to shoot, click the Throw box and a window with direction boxes will appear. Point to and click in the direction of your adversary. If your aim is true, the monster will be "hit" and the results printed in the Message window. If not, the weapon will zoom past. To throw again, repeat(or press the key to repeat previous command). NOTE: If you first wield the object you wish to throw (double click when selecting) your accuracy will improve. SHOOTING ARROWS Arrows and Crossbow Bolts can be "thrown" as described above, but they inflict much more damage if they are shot. To shoot an arrow, first select and wield the bow, then select the arrow with one click. When the dialog box appears, select "shoot". When the direction window appears, point to and click the appropriate direction arrow. ZAPPING Select the item you want to ZAP with from the Pack window. Clicking on its icon will bring up a dialog box with ZAP being one of the selections. After selecting ZAP, choose the direction as you did with Throw and Shoot. WEAPONS PERFORMANCE Certain weapons and other objects in your Pack window have numbered values beside the icon caption. Objects such as arrows, darts and crossbow bolts have three numbers: the first number indicates the quantity, the second number indicates how likely the object is to hit the monster, and the third number indicates how much additional damage it will do. The higher the number, the more effective the object. Other objects have two numbers, the first indicating the probability of hitting, and the second the additional damage. PICKING UP AND USING OBJECTS Everything you encounter in your sojourn can be picked up and put into your Pack - until it's full. When this happens, you will have to use or drop an object. To drop an object, refer back to the Rogue Commands section To use an object such as a potion, scroll or food, just point and double-click its icon in the Pack window. The effect or double clicking will vary depending on the type of object you clicked. If you're not "wielding" or "zapping" the object, the game assumes you want to drink a potion, eat food, read a scroll or put a Magic Ring on your finger. SAVING A GAME To save a game, select "Save Game" from the pull down File menu. RESTARTING A GAME To restart a saved game from your disk, select "Restore Game" from the pull-down File menu after starting up Rogue.