ABANDONED PLACES 2

THE STORY
 
Four hundred years ago, to the day, the four heroes Kalynthia defeated and destroyed 
Bronagh the prince of Evil. Pendugmahle, the mighty creator of Bronagh, has returned 
to take his revenge upon Kalynthia and its peoples for the death of his protege.

Crossing the plane between the two worlds he has emerged into a dimension in which 
good defeated evil over four centuries ago. The people of Kalynthia have become 
complacent in their contentment and their belief in the forces of evil has diminished. 
The revenge of Pendugmahle has been swift, the souls of the people have been sown with 
the seeds of evil.

There was an ancient legend of a great order, known as the Ancient Order of Arbitrion, 
lead by a mighty hero named Dowegen. It was said that the ancient heroes of Kalynthia 
were frozen in a diamonised state only to return when summoned by the Mighty Sword of 
Life, KUHARK. Which could only be recalled by the order of Arbitrion.

The direct descendants of Dowegen and the leaders of the ancients knew that the 
only hope for the kingdom of Kalynthia was the return of the ancient heroes. After 
much effort and persuasion the Order of Arbitrion was reconvened in an attempt to 
recall the Sword of Life.

From the corners of a dank cellar, a few pairs of dark red glistening eyes made up 
the audience to the few who gathered to form the conjurers circle. A deep glow began 
form the centre of the circle, which soon became a brilliant ball of light from which 
the great Sword suddenly burst forth. The ancient order had been drained of life and 
it has been left up to you to use the sword to choose the heroes which you must lead 
to defeat Pendugmalhe and his minions.

LOADING INSTRUCTIONS

PLAYING FROM FLOPPY DISK:

To load Abandoned Places 2 from disk place disk 1 into the internal drive and turn 
on your Amiga. Change the appropriate disk when requested to do so by a disc icon 
with the relevant disk number.

INSTALLING TO HARD DRIVE:

Place the hard drive install disk into the internal drive and turn on your Amiga. 
Follow the on screen instructions. For more details see section at the end of this 
file.

SAVE GAME DISKS:

It is a good idea to have a number of disks ready to save your game. Each save will 
take a whole disk, further saves will overwrite the previous position.

As you progress through the game you will need to save your game & position. Each 
save game requires a entire disk to save your game and future saves will write over 
your previously saved game. Do not use the disks which contain data you wish to save 
as it will be DESTROYED!

BEGINNING THE QUEST

After loading the game you will presented with an options screen.

OPTIONS SCREEN
   ______________________________
  /                              \
  |      CREATE PARTY            |
  |                              |
  |     START A NEW GAME         |
  |                              |
  |     CONTINUE OLD GAME        |
  |                              |
  |     SEE INTRODUCTION         |
  |                              |
  \______________________________/

All menu choices in AP2 are made using the LEFT mouse button.

CREATE PARTY

Before you can start for the first time you must choose your party. This is done by 
clicking on the CREATE PARTY option.

START A NEW GAME

After creating your party you can now select START GAME to begin your adventure.

CONTINUE OLD GAME

The continue old game option is used to reload a previous game position. Click on 
the option then follow the on screen information.

SEE INTRODUCTION

Before you first play the game you may like to watch the intro for some background 
information.

CHOOSING YOUR PARTY

Before starting your quest you must select your party of 4 heroes.

At the top of the screen there are four boxes containing portraits of your current 
party. When you click on one of these boxes the party member will be placed into 
the selection box on the left of the screen.

You can now either choose a different character with the arrows below the box or 
change the abilities of the selected character are in the display window on the right 
of the screen.

CHARACTER GENERATION

The party the character generator starts with is an ideal party for beginners. Select 
the character you want to modify by clicking on the picture at the top of the screen. 
The portrait will be placed in a small window with 2 arrows on each side. If you are 
not satisfied with the character you can select another character.

By using the arrows (left for previous character, right for the next character.

The class and the name of the character are below the picture. You can modify the 
name any time by clicking on it. You must enter at least one letter to continue! 
When selecting your characters, you can choose any combination of fighters and 
mages. You are not restricted to having 2 fighters and 2 mages. However, it is 
unlikely that you can survive for long with a party that does not contain at least 
one of each type.

There are 3 types of mage subclasses in the game; each has its own strengths and 
weaknesses. Your mage subclasses can be seen from your spell points, the highest 
spell points being your subclass.

You can increase/decrease the character's ability scores by clicking on the up/down 
arrows. You always modify the ability with the small red arrow next to it. Each 
character starts with 100 ability points, and each time you modify a character's 
attributes their points will be updated. You may notice that setting your ability from 
14 to 15 costs more ability points setting your bonuses for a higher ability, and you 
are penalized for any attribute less than 6. More details later, in the section 
CHARACTER SHEET.

You can not have any score set to 1 and you can't leave the character generation 
program if any of your characters has such an ability. You are also restricted by 
having only two of your scores set to 15, as it is the highest attribute your 
characters start with.

Repeat the above process with all of your characters. When you are finished click 
on exit to go back to the main menu.

 STARTING THE GAME
   _____________________________
  /            |                \
  |            |                |
  |        A   |      B         |
  |            |________________|
  |____________|         |   E  |
  |            |   D     |      |
  |     C      |         |      |
  |____________|_________|______|
  |    F                        |
  |_____________________________|
  \_____________________________/

The game is fully point n click controlled, with the addition of an intelligent 
pointer system. That means your pointer will always change its form to an icon if it 
positioned over a special area of the screen. e.g. you see a small disk appear if you 
move over the system menu

The game display is divided into six sections

A: play window
B: select window
C: action window
D: movement
E: compass/system
F: message window

AREA A - THE PLAY WINDOW

Your play window is where everything from the games world is shown. It may show 
you:

1. What you see around; section 3D interface
2. Character sheet; section character sheet
3. A town; section towns
4. A shop; section towns
5. The inside of a chest; section 3D interface

AREA B - SELECT WINDOW

In the select window you can;

1. Change the current item (the pointer) with any item of your inventory.

The inventory screen is a five by five grid where each of your items carried by the 
SELECTED character will be shown. If you right click anywhere over the gaps between 
the inventory slots, and your current character is a mage, the window will show you 
your available spells.

2. Cast/ready spell.

If you right click anywhere except on the spell icons the window will change to 
your inventory. See spells.

3. Some system message will appear here.

AREA C - THE ACTION WINDOW

In the action window you can;

1. select your current character.

Left click on the portrait of the character you want to select. If you are not in a 
touch-spell mode (section spells) the new character will be selected, and its portrait 
will have a green border around.

In touch spell mode the pointer is a blue hand when it is positioned over a portrait, 
and left clicking will cast your spell on that character.

If a portrait is ghosted it means your character is dead!

Alternatively, you may use the numbers 1-4 for selection, in this case you don't 
have to move the pointer over the action window.

2. Change order of your characters.

Right click on a character, the pointer changes into a double headed arrow.

Right click on another character to change with the previously selected one, or 
cancel this mode by clicking on the same portrait again.

3. Activate the character sheet.

This is done by clicking on the bars next to the portraits. Alternatively, you can 
press the space bar.

4. View magic/health points.

The yellow bar is your health, the other 3 are (green, red, blue) cosmos, elemental 
and necromancy spell points, respectively. Each bar shows your current points 
compared to the maximum possible. i.e. 17 of 34 or 200 of 400 will have the same 
size. If you want to know the exact values activate the character sheet.

4. Change the current item (your pointer).

This can be done to any of the items used by the characters, by left clicking on the 
hand you want your item to be changed. However, if the selected item is still in use 
(its icon is ghosted) you can not change it.

5. Use an item.

If you right click on the hands of your characters, you will use the item currently 
held there. More details in section `items'.

If you use an empty hand of a fighter you will attack with bare hands, but if you 
use an empty hand of a mage it cast the previously readied spell. If the spell is a 
touch type spell, the mage will cast it on himself; you don't have to select your 
target.

AREA D - MOVING AROUND

There are three ways of moving in the game's world, you are free to use whichever 
method you feel most comfortable with.

1. Clicking on the arrows with your mouse.
2. Use the lower half of the numeric keypad (#1-6) or optionally use the cursor keys 
   for turning and going forward and backward.
3. In your play window when your pointer changes its form into an arrow, clicking 
   the right mouse button will follow the movement that the pointer represents.

AREA E - COMPASS-PAUSE - DISC OPTIONS

Your compass always shows the direction you are heading. Sometimes if you are 
teleported to another location in the dungeon that looks the same, or your party is 
spun around, this is the only way you can notice the difference, so always key an 
eye on your compass, especially if you are stuck in a level.

PAUSING THE GAME

Right click in the compass area with a disk-like pointer will pause the game.

DISK OPTIONS

Left click will bring up a menu where you can.

1. Save your current game - position.
2. Quit game, goes back to the main menu, but your game position is lost!
3. Continue playing.

AREA F - MESSAGE WINDOW

The message window normally displays anything you should know whilst playing. Each 
message has its priority and you will only see the ones that are still valid.

e.g. If one your characters gains/loses a level, this is a very important message, 
so this message appears instantly in the window replacing anything else.

III. CHARACTER SHEET

The character sheet always shows you these selected characters abilities, scores.

You can switch between your ability scores and your health/spell points by right 
clicking anywhere except on the item slots.

You may switch back to the display where activated the character sheet, by either 
clicking on the X icon or pressing the space bar.

All the numeric values shown here work in the following way;

The higher the better 

If your score is normal it is shown in grey.
If your score is under normal value it is shown in green.
If your score is very low or not available it becomes red.
If your score is higher than normal (magical) it becomes blue.
 
a. Name:  The characters name.
b. Class: Either fighter or mage.

FIGHTER

A fighter cannot cast spells, but gets bonuses for non-magical attacks.

MAGE

A mage cannot use most weapons, but excels with magic.. They are the ones who heal 
your wounded characters, so it is sensible to have at least one mage in your party. 
If you want only one mage we advise to start with a necromancer, who can heal wounds 
in first level.

The difference amongst the three different mage subclasses is that each class gets 
some spells at different experience levels, and regenerates the spell points from his 
own sphere (subclass) twice as fast.

A necromancer (necromancy sphere) is strong in healing spells.

A conjurer (elemental sphere) is good in attacking spells.

A voider (cosmos sphere) is a mix between the two previous spheres, and he is the 
best in the highest level attack - spells.

c. Sphere: Your mage's subclass. None if it is not a mage.

d. Level: The character's level see experience.

e. Food: Your food level. If it is 0 your character is starving and will lose health 
   continuously!

f. Money: The amount of money your character has.

g. Exp: Your actual experience points see Experience.

h. Ability scores: There are penalties for values under 6, bonuses above 13. The 
   maximum ability score is 20.

i. Strength: How strong your character is. You will make an additional fix damage 
   on a monster if your strength is above 13, but your attack will be weakened if 
   your strength is under 6. If you are carrying too much weight your attacks will 
   be slower. A strong character can carry more items before being penalised. This 
   is a primary ability for fighters. 

j. Intelligence: Each time you rise to another level you maximum spells points are 
   raised. An intelligent character can get bonus spell points up to 34 level. And 
   a less talented one can lose them all. This is a primary ability for mages.

k. Wisdom: You may have a higher chance to withstand a magical attack. See section 
   Spells. Also your magic points will regenerate faster.

l. Dexterity: This modify's your basic defence, your attacking speed, and the chance 
   of hitting a monster.

m. Constitution: Adds bonuses and penalties to your maximum health, each time you 
   get a new level. Your health points may regenerate faster.

n. Defence: How easily can you be hit by a monster or a spell. There is NO maximum 
   defence score !

o. Health/spell points: The first value is your current status, the second is tour 
   maximum score.

Health: Your character's health. If it is 0 the character is dead.

Always track your health and heal your wounded characters, before it is too late.

Cosmos:  Cosmos - magic points
Element: Elemental - magic points
Necron:  Necromancy - magic points

You can equip some items by placing them in specific icon slots around the mans 
outline. Those items will only be active if they are put there. i.e. Carrying armour 
in your back pack won't stop your enemies attacks. You must put your armour on!

There are items with which you cannot not be equipped and some which only appear in 
there correct positions; In either case a message will be displayed.

There are items which only help for a specified class. Always try on an unknown item 
on both mages and fighters and check your ability scores. Before you decide to change 
an item to something new check all your abilities and try to fight monsters as well.

Some magical items are just not as good as they seem to be!

IV. ITEMS

There are items that work equipped like armour, necklaces, robes etc. See above. 
Others must placed into the characters hands and must be used.

Torches and shields must be held in hands, but they are used automatically.

Some artifacts (greater magical items) have an automatic whose use always active 
PLUS they can have a bonus effect when used!

While an item is in use, its icon is ghosted. You cannot replace that item or use 
it again, until your hand is free again.

Each item has a speed that modifies how long are they in use. Magical items are 
normally faster than the normal ones. Some items have a charge which tells how many 
times you can use them. When such an item expires it disappears from your hand. There 
are items that have great magical powers when held in hands, but only a few charges 
for spells; These items should not be used for spell casting except for emergency 
cases!

Weapons are melee/short and long ranged. Melee weapons can only be used successfully 
with your first two characters in your party - those are the ones standing in front 
of your foes. Long range weapons may be used from anywhere.

V. SPELLS

A. TO PREPARE SPELL

1. Select the spell level by clicking on the numbers 1-7. You don't have to select 
   a new level if the shown is the one you require.
2. Right click on the spell icon to ready a spell for the selected spell caster. 

B. TO CAST A SPELL

1. Select the spell level.
2. Left click on the spell icon. If the icon is ghosted you cant cast that spell. If 
   an icon is empty your mages level is not high enough to know how to cast that spell. 
   Each spell has its `speed/casting time' as do the weapons, this is the time you 
   should wait between casting the same spell again.

Spells cost different amount of magic points from each sphere e.g. Healing spells 
take a lot of necromancy points. Higher level spells are always more effective than 
the lower level ones.

For some healing spells (touch - spells) you may have to select your target. In this 
case the pointer changes into a blue hand. Touch - spells can be cancelled by clicking 
onto any touch - spell again.

If you attack a monster with magic there is always a chance that it can fail or can't 
do the amount of damage you expected. This happens especially when attacking powerful 
monsters.

You may find locations in dungeons where your spell points regenerate faster. 
These points are normally well hidden!

C. MISSILE SPELLS (to attack long distance):

Magic missile, meteor storm, swarm, power bolt, globe of air, globe of water, 
fireball, might strike, globe of fire, lightning bolt, globe of energy.

D. ATTACK SPELLS (a square ahead):

Fire storm, cone of cold, fire area (surrounding spell), breeze of death lightning 
area, discharge energy, disintegrate energy blast, finger of death.

E. HEALING SPELLS:

Cure light wounds, cure serious wounds, heal body, restore body restore party, 
resurrect body, resurrect party.

F. HOLD SPELLS (hold your opponents):

Sleep, dream, hold creatures, hold everything.

G. MISCELLANEOUS SPELLS:

LIGHT:               LIGHT UP YOUR WAY
CREATE FOOD:         FOR HUNGRY MOMENTS
FIRE:                BURN ENEMY
LEVITATE:            HALVES DAMAGE FROM FIRE, YOU MAY WALK ON WATER, AVOID SOME 
                     TRAPS, GO UP IN PITS, STEP OVER PITS GOING DOWN.
CREATE POTION:       POTIONS ARE HANDY IN ANTI-MAGIC AREAS.
CREATE ILLUSIONWALL: SOME MONSTERS CANT SEE YOU THROUGH WALLS.
TRUESEEING:          ILLUSIONWALLS DISAPPEAR, SOME HIDDEN THINGS APPEAR.

EXPERIENCE

Your experience level depends on the amount of experience points you have. The 
highest experience level in this game is 20. High level characters can cast more 
effective spells, can regain their health/spells faster, can fight stronger monsters. 
You gain experience points for casting spells, and successfully attacking monsters. 
More powerful your enemy is, the more experience you get, Some magical items may 
give you additional experience.

3D WINDOW

This is the view seen by your characters as they travel the inner world. It is here 
that you will see the attacks of the fearsome monsters, the effects of your spells 
and items or treasure you may find.

By using the left button on the mouse you can manipulate the 3D window in a number 
of ways.

Pick up any items you can see directly in front of you.

Use a selected item in a characters inventory e.g. a key in a lock.
 
Press buttons and pull levers located on the doors and walls.

Drop an item on the ground by positioning the item in the lower half of the 3D 
window and clicking to drop it.

Using the right button will allow you to move your party. Place your cursor arrow 
on the right or left of the window to turn or in the middle to continue straight 
ahead.

Unlike most games switches are very area sensitive; you cannot activate the hidden 
switch just by clicking on the middle of the wall, you have to be where it is.

The pointer changes into a hand when it is above a switch. This is something other 
games don't do at all. Positions of hidden switches on the walls may vary in the 
same dungeon!

ENTERING THE TOWNS AND CITIES

ENTERING A SHOP

BUY AN ITEM

Click on the picture of the shop with an EMPTY pointer. It will switch the select 
window to the list of goods that are available. If it is more than 1 page (Blacksmith) 
you can turn the pages with the right mouse button.

Select the icon of the item you want to buy. You will be told what it is, and its 
price. It you accept their offer click on the same item again. Your current item 
(pointer) will be the item that you have bought, and selecting the window switches 
back to your inventory.

PAYING

If your character doesn't have enough money he collects the money from the others, 
pays for the item, then shares the remaining money. If your entire party can't afford 
the item, a message appears.

SELL AN ITEM

Get the item in the pointer, and click on the picture of the shop. You will be told 
if they want to buy that item, and they money they will pay. If you accept it simply 
click on the picture again and your item is sold.

You can switch your select window between your inventory and the shops stock any 
time by clicking on the picture with an empty pointer.
