RANARAMA by Steve Turner HINTS AND TIPS -------------- To play RanaRama you are advised to read the detailed instructions carefully. However, in order to get you started, here are some brief hints and tips: 1. The aim of the game is to start on the top level of the dungeon and to defeat each warlock that you encounter. 2. Don't get sidetracked. The warlocks are the key to the game. Seek them out, destroy those around them, then jump on them. 3. Keep moving from room to room. As long as you are making new ground, you will come across energy crystals and warlocks. Use the maps to plan your progress. 4. Don't go down to other levels until you have plenty of runes and higher spells, or you won't last more than a few seconds. 5. If you lose your Power spell and are mortal, the first priority is to get a Glyph of Sorcery and fire up a new Power spell. 6. Use runes sparingly. Only increase your fire power or shields when you have runes to spare. 7. Use Glyphs of Power to attack all the creatures in a room in one go. 8. When the time comes to change levels, if the Glyph of Travel takes you too deep, return and try another. Mervyn the sorcerer's apprentice is trapped in an evil dungeon after escaping from an invasion of warlocks. Life wouldn't be so bad if he hadn't inadvertently changed himself into a frog, whilst concocting a potion to improve his looks. Help Mervyn seek out the evil warlocks and destroy their mis-shapen guardian hordes. Blast their looming weapon generators and defeat the warlocks themselves in ritual magic combat... and if you have enough strength after all that - who knows, you might succeed in turning him back into a human Mervyn - el Wimpo or Rambo? Only if he gets the right potion!! The aim of the game is to start on the top level of the dungeon and defeat each warlock that you encounter. Each warlock is guarded by groups of evil creatures - You earn extra points for destroying these creatures, but they do not affect the main course of the game. Some of the rooms in the dungeon contain tomb-like weapon generators which create vicious weapons such as spinning knives. Destruction of the weapons earns you nothing but you can shoot the generators for extra points. Some rooms also have mysterious symbols embedded in the floor. The symbols are called Floor Glyphs and are of four different types. One type is used to weave magic spells, another may be fired to destroy some or all your enemies in the room. The other two types are used to reveal a plan of the current level of the dungeon or to transport you to a new level. When you defeat a warlock you should strive to capture the magic runes which he releases because you may then use them to conjure spells to make yourself stronger in attack and less vulnerable in defence. When you have cleared the top level of the dungeon you will be strong enough to proceed downwards to tackle the more aggressive warlocks and their guardian creatures which lurk below. CONTROLS -------- The game can be controlled by joystick only on the Commodore. However, you may use either the Joystick or computer keyboard on all other machines. Make your selection by pressing the appropriate key or FIRE button when the control menu is displayed after the game has loaded, JOYSTICK CONTROLS KEYBOARD EQUIVALENT UP A, S, D, F, G DOWN Z, X, C, V LEFT B, N RIGHT M FIRE H, J, K, L To fire an Offence Spell. Press FIRE with a direction selected. To use an Effect spell. Press FIRE with no direction selected. To activate a Floor Glyph. Stand on the Glyph and press FIRE with no direction selected. To pause the game. Press P key. Press FIRE to restart. (Inoperative during ritual combat) To set auto-fire. Press W key. Press again to unset. During ritual combat. Press LEFT or RIGHT to select a pair of letters and press FIRE to rearrange the pair. PLAYING THE GAME ---------------- Mervyn the frog is transported to one of the rooms in the top level of the evil dungeon. Your aim is to explore each room in turn to track down the evil warlocks but you will probably also have to battle with the evil hordes which guard each warlock. In some rooms there are also squat, tomb-like weapon generators which are the source of spinning knives and other weapons. You can destroy the generators to score extra points. Each room lights up as you enter it and the aerial viewpoint shows you the magic Floor Glyphs which you may use to help you in your quest. The Floor Glyphs are square marking on the floor and to use one you must be stationary on it before you press the FIRE button. They are explained in more detail below. When you locate a warlock, leap on top of him and you will lock him in a ritual combat game. The letters of the word RANARAMA will be scrambled before your eyes and you must put them back in order before the time runs out. Press LEFT or RIGHT to select a pair of highlighted letters and press FIRE to reverse the order of the pair. Having defeated a warlock his runes are scattered to the four corners of the room he inhabited, Collect as many of his runes as you can before they fade and die because you can use them to increase your power and resilience. FLOOR GLYPHS ------------ To activate a Floor Glyph step on to it, stop and press FIRE. GLYPH OF SEEING All the room and doors (including invisible doors) which you have explored so far are shown on a map together with your position. If you obtain the SEE Effects spell during the game the position of warlocks is shown in red. GLYPH OF POWER A magic bolt of varying intensity is released killing, some or all of your opponents in the room. The Glyph disappears after use. GLYPH OF TRAVEL A side view, of the dungeon appears and you may use UP or DOWN to travel to another level or press FIRE to leave the Glyph. But be careful, you may not be able to return the way you came. Do not be tempted to explore lower levels before you have won sufficient runes and spells. GLYPH OF SORCERY This Glyph is the key to building your power and resilience. At least five screens of information may be accessed using UP or DOWN to scroll through the screens. The first screen shows the currently active levels of the four types of spell available and the runes which you have collected to date. Subsequent screens give more details on each currently active spell and on spells which may be cast using the runes collected. For more details see the section headed ALL ABOUT SPELLS. ALL ABOUT SPELLS ---------------- SPELL TYPES AND LEVELS There are four types of spells — Power, Offence, Defence and Effect you start the game with weak versions of each spell but as you collect runes by defeating warlocks you may cast stronger versions. You need more and more spells to build up your psychic powers so that you can safely tackle the stronger creatures which you encounter at lower levels of the dungeon. You must be careful to maintain a balance between the different types of spells. A strong, Offence spell for example will enable you to destroy the more aggressive creatures more quickly but it will also drain a weak power spell so rapidly that you may die. You start the game with Psychic, the second weakest Power spell, with a Mortal Power spell (the weakest Power spell) in reserve. If you do not succeed in boosting your power level by capturing energy crystals or by casting a stronger Power spell you will eventually fade and die and drop from the Psychic level to the Mortal power level. If you fall a second time you lose the game and must start over. You also start the game with the weakest Offence spell (Zap) so that you will have to fire and strike the stronger creatures or weapon generators several times before they are destroyed. Your Defence spell (Protect) is also weak so that you are poorly shielded from the attacks of others. Your initial Effects spell is called FIND and it enables you to locate invisible doors. If you suspect there is a door hidden in your current room, stop. CENTRE the joystick and press FIRE. The FIND spell will then reveal any hidden doors. CASTING NEW SPELLS Find a Glyph of Sorcery, step on to it and press FIRE. The first screen shows the currently active levels of the four types of spell. You may obtain more details on each spell by scrolling, up or down to new screens. If you progress well in the game by defeating the warlocks and collecting the runes that they surrender then new spells of each type become available to you. These are shown on new screens and an audible tone informs you that you may cast the new spell in exchange for one or more of your runes. Press FIRE to cast the new spell. ENERGY CRYSTALS As you explore you will stumble across these crystals floating in the rooms. When they sense your life force they will close in on you, be absorbed and boost your power level. THE EVIL GUARDIAN HORDES ------------------------ DWARF WARRIOR 1st Level Fighter Recruited from the Kuri, a tribe of dwarfs long corrupted by the nether forces, not very intelligent, they lust for gold, drink and a good fight. Score 100 points. FIRE GOLLUM 2nd Level Fighter But a pale shadow of a true elemental, these unfortunate creatures were the creation of the wise in their attempt to overthrow the Netherlords at the end of the great Dark Age. Hateful of their creators, the few that survive serve the Netherlords who cherish their abilities of constant light and warmth in the depths. Score 200 points. BISECT 3rd Level Fighter A hideous creation, of the Netherlords, spawned in the depths by mixing the life pattern of insects and man. Protected by their exoskeletons, they are formidable warriors. Score 300 points. GUARDIAN 4th Level Fighter Not a living creature, but an armoured shell animated by the dark arts of the Netherlords. Protected by magic, they can resist the magical attacks of lesser creatures. Score 400 points. DEATH SERPENT 5th Level Fighter Spawned from the heads of dead warriors, these snake like creatures are fast and deadly. Score 500 points. GHOUL 6th Level Fighter Almost invisible, these undead creatures drain the energy of living things at a shuddering rate. Score 600 points. ARACHNAE 7th Level Fighter An ancient race of man eating spiders, these creatures are found in the deeper levels. Frogs are a particular delicacy of theirs. Score 700 points. GARGOYLE 8th Level Fighter A magical creature created by dark forces, these are the epitome of evil. Most deadly of the creatures lurking in the depths, they are fast and cunning. Score 800 points. WARLOCKS -------- WIZARD Levels 1 to 4 These cowardly leaders of the undead will only volunteer for ritual combat if you are of a lesser status than they are. If they run from you they are weak. Equipped with various missile spells and attack spells and resistent to missile attacks warlocks are best defeated by ritual combat. Score 500 to 4000 points. NECROMANCER Levels 5 to 8 Powerful in attack, defence and magical combat, these towering Netherlords possess powerful runes which are your key to ultimate success. Do not tackle them without a high Defence spell and Power level of 4 or better. Score 4500 to 8000 points. MAGICAL WEAPONS --------------- Weapons are mostly impervious to your attack and their destruction wins you no points but you may prevent their creation and earn 500 points by destroying their tomb-like generators. MUNCHING MOUTH To avoid its rapid strikes you must run from the room or hide. SPINNING KNIVES Slow as individuals they attack in large numbers if you do not destroy their generators. ORBITER Four glistening steel balls rotating round a pulsing ball of energy, an orbiter is slow enough to shoot. ENERGY BALL A spinning ball of pure energy renowned for its bodyline tactics. CREDITS ------- Designed and programmed by Steve Turner. Published by Hewson Consultants Ltd. (C) Craftgold Ltd., 1987 and (C) Hewson Consultants Ltd, 1987. Commodore conversion by Gary Foreman. The program and data are copyright and may not be reproduced in part or in total by any means without the written permission of Hewson Consultants Ltd. All rights reserved. No responsibility is accepted for any errors. Our policy is one of constant improvement. Therefore, we reserve the right to modify any product without notice. Hewson Consultants Ltd., Hewson House. 568 Milton Trading Estate, Milton, Abingdon, Oxon. 0X14 4RX. MADE IN GREAT BRITAIN.