Blazing Games - Ultimate Retro Project - Volume 5 - Episode 56

Ultimate Retro Project
Episode 56: Modern Melee Combat

Playing the Game

Once you have selected the arena you want to compete in, you are placed in the arena (you are the guy with the circle around him) and can then move around , fight, and pick up items using the game commands. The map is the big thing that takes up the large portion of the screen. All commands are handled using the command bar on the right side of the screen.

Game Commands

The command bar on the right side of the screen is where you will select your actions.

• ^ = North, v = South, > = East, < = West - move in the indicated direction, if there is a monster in that direction you will automatically attack the monster. Note that your default weapon is your fists which don't do much damage so you will probably want to find a better weapon and equip it using the inventory command..
• Get Item - Gets an item in an adjacent location by prompting you which direction to pick up.
• Inventory - Go to the inventory system. This brings up a window with your currently equipped items, your storage, and the item that is on the ground beneath you. Drag items around. Note that weapons and armor have strength requirements, so if you are not strong enough, you many not be able to equip certain combinations of weapons, armor, and shields..
• Use Equipped - Uses currently equipped usable item. This is set in your inventory screen and can be a scroll or a potion..
• Fire - Launches arrow (or if you don't have an arrow throws a rock) in prompted direction.
• Cast - casts a known spell. To learn a spell, equip a spell scroll (in the usable slot) and then use the "Use Equipped" command. The chance to learn a spell is based on your skill in the appropriate spell skill.
• Character Sheet - Your character information. You can spend advancement points to increase your attributes by clicking on the attribute..
• Rest - rest a round and regain a point of mana.

Alternatively, you can use the keyboard to control the game (you may have to first click on the game screen before it will accept your keyboard input). The cursor key moves you. G is get, I is inventory, U is use, S is fire (shoot), C is cast, z brings up the character sheet, and space bar is for resting. The dialog boxes also use keyboard shortcuts, with space or enter used to close message boxes. Moving inventory items around, however, does require the mouse as you have to drag objects from one location to another.

Character Advancement

The skill system this game uses is very flexible allowing you to develop your character exactly the way you want that character to be. As you gain levels, you earn advancement points. When you view the Player Properties, you have the chance to spend some or all of these points to increase the skill levels of the character.

To increase a skill, you simply spend the number of improvement points equal to the level you are increasing the skill to. If you want to increase the skill by more than one point, the number of improvement points is equal to the cumulative of all the single point increases. For example, increasing Strength from 4 to 5 would cost 5 points. Increasing Strength from 5 to 10 would cost 40 points (6+7+8+9+10).

Spell System

Before you can cast a spell, you need to learn it. To learn a spell, you need to find the spell scroll in the arena. Set the spell as your usable item (using the inventory command) and exit the inventory system then use the spell. If you do not know the spell, you will be told how likely it is to learn the spell. If you already know the spell, you will cast it from the scroll which will not cost you any mana. Attempting to learn a spell will use up the scroll even if you fail to learn the spell. Once a spell is learned, you can cast the spell any time provided you have enough mana.

The Fire Magic spells cause fire damage to an opponent. The spells from weakest to strongest are Fire Spark, Fire Bolt, and Fire Ball.

The Energy Magic spells cause energy damage to an opponent. The spells from weakest to strongest are Energy Shock, Energy Bolt, and Energy Ball.

Protective Magic absorb some of the damage you would receive in damage. The spells from weakest to strongest are Shield, Armor, and Field.

Healing Magic recovers health. The spells from weakest to strongest are Minor Heal, Heal, and Major Heal.