ERA OF MAGIC
____________

Era of magic is a very complex, tactical, turn based RPG.   I strongly recommend that you read this
overview before playing the game, or refer to it after playing the game for a short while.   



Controls in main menu:

    -Use mouse pointer so select new game or continue.
    -After clicking on new game, enter a name.



IN-GAME CONTROLS:

   -Everything, apart from renaming things, can be done with the mouse in Era of Magic.

   -To walk somewhere, just left click on your chosen destination.  

   -To scroll the screen, hold down the right mouse button, and move the mouse in the direction you wish to scroll.
    You can also you the arrow keys for this.


----Viewing a characters stats in detail:

        -On the right you will see a tablet displaying characters main stats.
         click on this to view a character in detail.

        -You can now do the following things:

            *View and change character attributes and skills.
            *Equip items.
            *Equip battle items. - These are items you wish to use in battle.
            *Use items - some items can be used outside of battle (eg potions)
            *Rename your character - click on the N next to you character window

        -The controls for the above should be obvious. 




        -To view the party inventory click on the "I" toggle button in the upper left corner next to
         your gold. You will see your inventory appear at the bottom of the screen.
         Click on the icons on the left to view equipable or useable items.  You can also
         view item stats and see who, if anyone, is using each item.


----BATTLE EXPLANATION AND CONTROLS:


        -The first thing that happens when you enter a battle is that any NPCs in the
         area decide whether or not to join in and help you, help the enemy, or just watch.

        -You will then enter the placement stage of the battle.  You have as long as you wish
         to move all your characters to suitable starting locations for the battle.  Click on
         you characters and then click where you wish them to walk to.  Note that they are 
         only allowed in a certain distance of your original starting location.
         
        -Once you have finished placing your units, click on the sword in the lower left
         of the main screen to begin the battle.


        -Melee attacks: To attack an enemy with a melee unit,  click on the enemy you wish
         to attack (if the enemy is not in range it will not flash red and you will not be
         able to select the unit).  Once you have selected the unit you wish to attack you have
         to chose exactly where you want your character to attack the enemy from.  Move the mouse
         over your chosen attack location and then left click.


        -Ranged attacks:  Just click on the unit you wish to attack. If it is in range
         and not fully obstructed you will be able to attack it.  Note that a percentage 
         appears showing how badly your characters view of the enemy is obstructed.  


        -Using Magic and Items in battle:  Left click on your players stats tablet.  You 
         will now see your characters stats in detail as well as a box at the bottom where
         you can choose to use battle items (if you have any equipped) or magic.  MAGIC IS COOL!
         To cast a spell, chose one by clicking on it's icon. Then click the "Use" button and
         select a target.  If you wish to view a spells details, click on the "?" button.  Aslo
         displayed is the mana cost of the spell.  Some spells can only be cast a certain number
         or times (depending on the level of the spell) per battle.  This is also displayed with 
         a wand icon (eg 1/4 means that you have 1 cast left out of a total of 4).


        -Enemy/character stats and status box:  During a battle you will see a box at the bottom of the 
         screen displaying all the characters, NPCs and enemies taking part in the battle.  To view
         one of the units stats or status, click on it's name and then click on the "stats" or the "status" tags.



----Stats Basics:


        Level: Your characters level.  The value shown is brackets is your character actual level, the first value
               is the level at which your character will fight given how injured he is.  An injured character will
               have a relative decrease in his/her stats.

        Hp:  Health points.  Heal using heal spell, or by using potions.

        Hp lim:  If your health is below this level, your characters stats will not reduce any further relative to 
                 his health.  It is good to have a high Hp lim because it means that your character can fight well
                 even while he/she is injured.



        Physical/Fire/Water/Earth/Air damage : This is the damage that your character inflicts with his/her normal attack. 
                                               Some creatures have higher resistances to certain types of damage.

        Fire/Water/Earth/Air resistances : Indicated my the "R" preceding their values, these resistance are the the percentages
                                           by which elemental damage is reduced by.  A unit with a value of > 100 will absorb 
                                           the elemental damage.  Eg. a water elemental absorbs water damage.  

        AC: Armour class - the first value is your actual AC, the second is the resultant percentage decrease in damage (of all types).

        
        Luck:  Luck gives a percentage increase to all stats during a battle.  There are three values displayed:
               -The first is the character luck for the current battle (luck, for all units, is calculated at the beginning of a battle). 
               -The value in brackets is the maximum possible value for luck a character could have.
               -The third value, a percentage, is the resultant percentage increase in all stats as a result of the characters current luck.
               
               -Note that a character with a high overall luck (value in brackets) has the potential to get a low luck for
                an individual battle, but is more likely to get a greater bonus.  A character with 0 luck has no chance of any type of bonus.
    

        Accuracy: A units chance of successfully hitting an enemy in an attack.  Again there are two values - one the actual ACC
                  the other the resultant percentage.


        Dodge:  A characters chance to dodge an attack.  Again it follows the convention of two values, one a percentage.

        
        Speed:  This is the movement speed of a character (ie how for it can move each turn).




        Status effects: all the following status affects are currently possible in the game:


          slow            -movement+=50%
          haste           -extra movement
          blind           -half acc
          precision       -acc=100
          fatigued        -ddg=0
          alert           -ddg*=2
          broken armour   -AC=0
          stone skin      -AC+=20
          burns           -receive 30% of damage dealt (in f_dam) during an attack (attacker's AC is ignored and he has no chance to dodge)
          Fire blessing   -fire dam += 15% of total dam,+ 30 fire res
          frozen          -receive 30% of damage dealt (in w_dam) during an attack (attacker's AC is ignored and he has no chance to dodge)
          Water blessing  -water dam += 15% of total dam,+ 30 water res
          crushed         -receive 30% of damage dealt (in e_dam) during an attack (attacker's AC is ignored and he has no chance to dodge)
          Earth blessing  -earth dam += 15% of total dam,+ 30 earth res
          Shaken          -receive 30% of damage dealt (in a_dam) during an attack (attacker's AC is ignored and he has no chance to dodge)
          Air blessing    -air dam += 15% of total dam,+ 30 air res
          Poison          -lose 22% of hp max at end of round
          Regen           -gain 10% of hp max at end of round
          high risk       -half AC,half ddg,half acc,tripple P_dam
          low risk        -AC+20,double ddg,100 acc,half P_dam
          forgetfulness   -35% chance of skipping a turn
          concentration   -35% chance of having a second turn
          poison strength -this is what % of hp is lost when poisoned (reduces by 1 reach round like all stts)





----Treasure chests:


            -You can find items all sorts of items in treasure chests.  You can also use them 
             as storage. Placing an item in a chest will mean that it will remain there even if
             you leave the area.  

        Lock picking:

            -When you click on a chest that is locked, a lock pick menu appears.

            -Begin my removing the cover.


            -Now Right or Left click over the lock to move the pick point.

            -When you have the pick point set to your chosen location, click on the green
             button to begin picking the lock.  Keep a close eye on the timer bar - when it
             becomes red there is a chance that the lock with fail to be picked or that it will become jammed.
             If the timer bar ends before all the rings have been picked, you will have failed to 
             pick the lock and there will be a chance of it jamming (depending on the level of the lock an how many rings have not been picked).
             At any point during the picking process you have the option to stop the process and force the lock.
             The chance of the lock being forced open is displayed as a percentage.  If you fail to force open the lock, 
             and you had only picked a few of the rings, there is also the chance of the lock jamming.

             It is actually really simple - just try it a few time to get the hang of it.

             -Jammed: A lock that is jammed can only be opened by a master locksmith.... :p



----General note from the programmer:

    Unfortunately I have stopped working on Era of Magic.  This is because I am having trouble motivating myself to make 
    any more.  However, if you have played it and enjoyed it and would like me to make more, send me an email at www.james_lohr@hotmail.com
    if I get enough people wanting me to finish it, I promise that I will.  It doesn't need to be a lot of people, only about 20 
    so if you want more, send me an email.  I'm not asking for donations or anything - just positive responses. 

    Thank you, 
        
        James Lohr














    
