Inside Mac Games Volume 2 December/IMG Dec 94.toast/More Goodies/Goodies from October/Walkthru's & FAQ's/Realmz un-official FAQ - 8⁄3⁄94

Text File | 1994-08-04 | 27KB | 570 lines

Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Realmz un-official FAQ - 8/3/94 *read before posting questions*
Date: 3 Aug 1994 16:08:30 GMT
Organization: Boston University
Lines: 559
Message-ID: <31ofdu$[e-mail]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: helmholtz.bu.edu
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL0]

Since someone has referred someone else to this un-official FAQ, I guess I
should make it a little more useful...

Added answers others have posted.  Included some tips on strategy as well as
some ResEdit tips other people have posted for the Update bug fix and removing
some of the menu embellishments and digitized sounds.

Reorganized this document so that it goes: general "What is it?" and system
questions first.  Technical or "How do I?" questions next, and finally tips and
strategies at the end.  Section headings will now be marked with a '%'.  So for
people who save and want to search through with some pager can search for the
following four strings:

%general (included for consistency--not that you couldn't see it just below...)
%playing
%strategy
%tips ("tricks" of the trade as opposed to general strategy)

Updated and changed questions will be marked with a '~' to let you know I added
it recently.  (Hows this Dave? =)

Big changes to version 1.3 so there are some changes to the FAQ.

===============================================================================
                   REALMZ FAQ
                Updated 7/29/94
===============================================================================

%general

Q) What is Realmz?

A) "The coolest share-ware game ever!"  (just kiddding...=)

A) Realmz is a fantasy role playing game, where you can generate characters of
    various classes (fighters, magic users, thieves...) and wander around
    in this world trying to complete quests and kill monsters, while
    accumulating wealth, experience, and various other items (weaponry,
    armor...)

    (Added:) It is a top down "Ultima" style RPG.  Your party of up to six
    characters take turns attacking when in combat, and you can control
    what weapon or spell each character attacks with.  Unlike Ultima, this
    game as "zoom in's" from the landscape to battle map.

Q) Where do I get Realmz?

A) If you have membership at America Online or CompuServe you can be the first
    in your neighboorhood get it.  If not, wait patiently a few days while
    some nice person uploads it to sumex-aim.stanford.edu and you can
    anonymously FTP it from there or any good mirror thereof.

~    At the time of this posting, there was no full FTPable version 1.3, so
    to get the latest version, you need to download Realmz 1.2.x and Realmz
    1.2.x-->1.3_patch.

Q) What are the system requirement's for Realmz?

A) The author states: 2 Meg RAM, 13 in. Monitor capable of 256 colors and 6 Meg
    of hard drive space.  Let me add that it's not the 13 inches that's
    important but the ability to display 640X480 pixels.  I am able to
    play quite well on a Powerbook Duo 270c, whose monitor is only 8.4
    inches.  And the more memory you have the happier the program will be.
    I also think that a machine with a 68020 or better is also required.

~    Please note:  Version 1.2.1 requires 1800K but can be maximized at
    2500K where as Version 1.2.2 requires 1900K but but is maximized at
    3000K.  Version 1.3 has the same requirements as 1.2.2

    Also IMPORTANT: Author also states there are problems running Realmz
    on AV macs.  Some players have found the game "runnable" with the
    system extensions off.  For AV mac owners, downloading Realmz may,
    itself, be a game of chance.

    Try to turn off any extensions you don't need and disable screen savers
    to reduce the risk of crashing the game.

Q) Sometimes when I enter a building, I materialize _inside_ a wall or outside
    of another building and there's no where to go after that.  What can I
    do?  Is this a bug?  Will the patch fix this?

A) There are a few minor bugs with the scenario files for versions before
    1.2.2.  The patch will fix this, but if you have a saved game, the
    saved game will be corrupted by the bug.  Register your game, save your
    characters and send them back into the scenario.

    Let me emphasize this point: the patch WILL NOT fix a saved game.  You
    will have to restart the game in order to fix the "appearing" in walls
    our outside the crypt bug.

Q) When I use the 1.2.x-1.2.2 patch I get this error about not being able to
    verify the size resource.  How can I get the 1.2.x-->1.2.2 patch to
    work?

A) Make a copy of your original.  Use ResEdit and delet the Size 0 and Size 1
    resources in the copy.  Apply the patch program.  Test the new version.
    Delete old version and copy if new version works.  (thanks to Ken
    Anderson)

Q) The fancy script and dark menus really bother me.  Is the author going to
    fix this?

A) I hope not.  I think it's a nice change from the boring ol' Chicago font.
    But if you really really don't like all the digitized sounds and funky
    menus, then you can delete all the mctb resources, change all the
    MENU items and delete the Theldrow FOND, all FONT resources, leave the
    BlackChancery FOND, and leave the BlackChancery sfnt.  You can replace
    many of the SND resources with zero length sounds to remove them, or
    just play with sounds off.  (This will be good for your career, anyhow)
    (thanks to Mark Phaedrus, You'll have to take his word for it, because
    I like mine the way it is).

~    The new preferences window for version 1.3 will allow you to turn off
    black menus and the script font for menus.  There is also a "reduced"
    sounds option.

    Either way, remember that Tim worked hard to put them in, so pay the
    registration fee and then take out what you don't want.  You're getting
    more than you paid for, right?  The more support Tim gets the more
    scenarios we get.  Ugly menus are not a good excuse for playing without
    paying.

Q) How can I consult the manual, tip sheet, or spell list while playing Reamlz?

A) You can send Reamz to the background by selecting the "Hide Reamlz" in the
    Application menu.  This will allow you to open another application.

Q) How can I print out the spells database without half of it getting cut off?

A) Try changing your Page Setup from Portrait to Land Scape (thanks to Marc
    Nimchuk @ Univ. of Alberta)

%playing

Okay that's for people that haven't gotten it.  The following is for people
who have been playing without reading the manual.

Q) How do I target spells (or missile weapons for that matter)?  How do I
    target stuff that's off the screen?

A) After you select the spell (or the weapon) you get a line that starts at
    your character icon and ends in a little box.  The number in the box
    tells you how many targets you may select.  Move the box onto the icon
    of the monster and hit "T" for "T"arget!   If you are allowed more than
    one target, repeat this step.  If your target is off the screen and yet
    still within range, pull the target box to the edge of the screen and
    click the mouse button.  This will scroll the screen over in that
    direction.  (warning: some users have complained about crashing the
    program by trying to hit targets off screen, though this has never
    happened to me.) When you're done, hit the space bar.

    Hit <return> to rotate spells like Wall of Fog, Wall of Force, Wall of
    Ice before targetting.

Q) How do I use a missile weapon?

A) Equip the character with it (most characters can be holding a melee weapon
    and a missile weapon).  When in combat mode, click on the little icon
    next to the character's weapon.  It is a small rectangular icon just
    right of the character's weapon icon and it has a small scimitar and
    a bow in it.  Click on it, and you'll switch weapons.  The weapon icon
    of a missile weapon will be "raised" and you can click on it and you
    target it like a spell.

Q) What's the difference between Guard, Delay, and Finish?

A) You can end a character's attack turn in one of the following ways:
    attacking something, or one of the above.  Guard will "save" your
    attack for later when a poor unsuspecting monster wanders too close
    to you.  Delay should be done before you move.  It's good when the
    character is trapped behind other characters, you can "wait" to move
    until after another character has moved.  Finish simply ends the round
    with no attack.

Q) How can I check to see what abilities and stamina a monster has [left]?

A) Use Command-Click and where normally you're player's combat info is
    displayed, the monster's combat info will be displayed.

Q) How can I get information on items to see whether a certain character can
    use it or what it's attributes are?

A) Use option-click to look at info on items before picking up or buying.

Q) The text during battles is too fast!  I can't read everything!  What can
    I do?

A) You can slow the game to a crawl if you change the preferences setting.
    What I find helpful when attacking with spells and missile weapons is
    to look at the text box when hitting the space bar.  Sure you miss out
    on seeing your spell/weapon hit the monster, but you can see the text
    if you're attention is on it.  (I work in a vision lab, trust me, you
    can see if if you try.)

~    Version 1.3 has "slowed" text during battle.

Q) Why do I have negative experience points?

A) Because experience in this game is counted down not added up.  You attain
    the next level when the counter gets up to zero and then it resets to
    a more negative number.

Q) After I go to a shop all my money dissappears!  What happened?

A) You have to remember to "share" your money before you leave (since you had
    to pool your money to buy stuff when you came in).  Turn the "Forget
    money protection" ON in the preferences menu so that it will ask you if
    you want to get the money before you leave.

~    Version 1.3 has a preferecne to automaticall convert your gems to gold
    if you don't have enough to buy something.

Q) How do I put scrolls in scroll cases?

A) You can't put the scrolls you find into scroll cases.  You can USE them
    whenever you want.  Create your own scrolls, buy yourself some blank
    parchment.  Set up camp and the character with the scroll case and the
    parchment will have a create scroll button.  Then create the scroll and
    it will give you the usual spell window and you cast the spell as you
    would usually.  A scroll will appear in your scroll case.

Q) Why can't I use scrolls?  Can I use a scroll more than once?

A) Some characters can't use some scrolls.  I think clerics can only use
    cleric's scrolls (a clerical spell in scroll form).  See above about
    putting scrolls into scroll cases.  To check whether a character can
    use a scroll (or any item for that matter) go to trade and put that
    character in the left side and start clicking on stuff.  A red dot
    will show up on the item and you'll get a little clunk sound.  Try
    giving the scroll to a character of a different class, or one with
    more wisdom/intelligence (depending on whether cleric or magic user).

    Scrolls are good because they can be created before a battle.  During
    the fight, when a spell-caster runs out of spell points, he/she can
    then use scrolls, which already used spell points to create and now
    can be used

    Opps... incomplete info:  Paladins can use clerical scrolls and thieves
    can eventually use magic user's scrolls.  And you can also option click
    on an item at anytime to see an information window that tells you all
    about it and who can use it.  (Thanks to Dave Wetzel -  Editor: "Oh
    yeah... totally forgot about that, but I often determine who gets what
    after a fight when I'm dividing up the plunder.)

~    I've discovered that my 8th level paladin has a 100% chance of
    successfully reading magic users' scrolls.  Go figure.

Q) When I'm picking locks (bending bars, breaking down doors...), and I see
    these yellow/green bars and the timer, what does it mean?  Is there
    something I am supposed do during this to increase my chances of
    success?

A) Nothing and nothing.  As far as I can tell, it's just a fancy way to tell
    you your thief is working hard.  Do consider finding your thief the
    Gloves of Thievery and the Magic Thieves tools.  They increase your
    chance at success.

Q) Do monks and thieves increase their ability with levels?

A) Hmm... I know monks fight better.  As far as I can tell, improvement depends
    on your ability scores.  Characters with good constitution tend to get
    more stamina points at advancement time.  And I also know that my thief
    has improved from 9% to 11% success on backstabbing someone.  I assume
    all her other scores have improved too (note that I chose a female
    thief because of the dexterity bonus).

    Something else to keep in mind: more stamina gives more stamina at
    promortion time, more wisdom for clerics/paladins for more spell
    points; more intelligence for enchanters/magic users more spell points
    _and_ more spells.  Dexterity for thieves...

Q) Sometimes a magic-using character is not given the opportunity to cast
    spells even when they are conscious and have plenty of spell points.
    What gives?

A) Ah ha!  I guess it's hard for a character who has been hit during a turn to
    cast any spells.  If you think of all the things that happen in one
    "round" of a combat as simultaneous, then I suppose it would be hard to
    concentrate on casting a spell while someone is beating you to a pulp.

    But they can use a scroll instead of a spell if they've been hit.

Q) What the heck is an ion stone for?

A) Each color of ion stone is for a different class of character.  You can
    equipt it to increase that character's perfornace.

Q) Why am I a 3rd level cleric with only 2nd level spells?

A) Clerics get all the spells for a certain level all at once, but they only
    get new spells something like every other level.  Consult the appendix
    in the manual for advancement.

~Q) Why am I a 6th (7th, 8th...) level paladin with plenty of wisdom but am
    still without spells?

A) Because there was a bug in the 1.2.x versions.  This is fixed in version 1.3
    but you will have to attain another level before the program checks to
    see if you deserve spells.

Q) I get a dialog box that asks if I want to do something, and I decide I
    don't want to do it because my party is too wimpy.  When I return the
    monster or situation is gone!  What gives?

A) You only get one shot at nearly all of the quests.  If at any point you get
    these types of dialogs, say "YES"!  Risk it!  You won't have a second
    chance if you run away.  Just save more often, and you can restore to
    the previous state before you get killed be the quest.  You can say no
    to random encounters like giants, orcs, kobalds, goblins, shantiles...
    But never pass up an opportunity to fight a demon, dragon, wizard...
    Same thing holds true if you take the dagger from the old woman, her
    shop stays closed for the rest of the game.  High price to pay for
    being greedy.  How do you select the answer to the questions?  Try to
    choose the most noble, proud, brave, fool-hardy thing.  Don't be afraid
    to take risks, but don't be unkind.

    "It's better to be dragon chow than to sit in the tavern at the city
    of Bywater telling everybody that _you_ were the one that got away"
                                -Matt Hicks

    There are a FEW exceptions to this rule.  The beastmen corral will ask
    if you want to do it later.  You can do it later.  There are many ways
    to get into the spider tower.  If you refuse to help the king's cleric,
    you can still do a frontal assult through the front door or a sneak
    attack through the secret passage.

    If you've already blew it on some of them and want your second chance,
    register your game and restart the adventure with your old characters
    in a "new" party.  You'll feel more confident with your entire arsenal
    of weaponry and armor.

Q) What's the main difference between novice to veteran difficulty?  Is the
    veteran mode have harder monsters but less treasure and experience or
    is it harder monsters withs more experience and treasure?

A) It's the latter.  You get more experience, more gold, the same "magic" items
    but I noticed that the shops carry better stuff (especially Madame
    What's-her-name's Magic shop).  I found it much easier to attain higher
    levels and hoard treasure.  You will attain levels faster if you have
    low level characters in a veteran's game.  Each scenario has a
    "recommended number of levels".  For the City of Bywater it is '6',
    which means best for 6 1st level characters or one 6th level character.
    As you exceed the recommended levels, you will not get as many XP.

Q) For one reason or another (encumbrance bug, missed quest...) I want to drop
    a character and add another one and it says levels exceeded, or I want
    to take my characters back through the same adventure and keep all
    their possessions, what do I do?

A) Register your game!  When you do; there will no longer be a restriction on
    levels (although the number will still be there to indicated the
    difficulty of the scenario) so you can put any level character back
    into the party and they keep their possessions when saving the game.
    That is, the "character" file is update as well as the save file.

More playing tips and strategies:

%strategy

Q) Is there a better way to kill monsters that are separated from you by a
    wall or a mountain than to wander all over the screen to track it down?

A) Of course!  If you are intent on hunting it down and killing it by hand,
    there is a button called "shift".  While the cursor is an arrow, you
    normally click to make the character move in that direction.  If you
    press "S" you can scroll the window in that direction without moving
    your character, so you don't have to wander aimlessly looking for a
    break in the wall.  Keep in mind that the battle map is just a zoom in
    of the dungeon/surface map.  If you remember the terrain before you
    enter the combat, you'll find that it's pretty much the same after.
    Another thing that helps is that sometimes the monsters aren't even on
    the screen and you don't know which way to wander... try "R" for reveal
    friends.  You'll find that it also reveals your enemies too.

    If you just "F"inish each character's attack turn, and repeat for 4 our
    5 rounds, the battle ends anyway. (Thanks to Richard Drysdall)

    But the best way to kill monsters from far away, that I've found is to
    have an enchanter in the party able to cast Lightening Strike.  This
    spell's range is up to 20 units away and if you have enough spell
    spell points can inflict up to 24 points of damage (if I recall
    correctly).  Very efficient.  Cannot be blocked by walls, slagtites,
    mountains...etc.  Other good spells for range killing include Flame
    Spikes and Cosmic Blast.

Q) What are some of the "hard" monsters?

A) Orcus (and henchmen) in the temple at the sunken town of Waterford.
    Red Dragon in the Kobold Caverns.  Lots of Crab-Squid things and 3
    Green Dragons in a different part of the same cave.  You can also
    summon a demon at the pentagram in the same cave.  The Skeletal giant
    that's locked behind the iron door.  And you can find a good fight at
    the Spider Tower.  Where are these places?  You can find them in the
    tip sheet included with the game.

Q) I've been hacking away at [monster x] for ages.  It it possible to kill it?

A) Of course!  Maybe you need strong characters?  (Come back when you are.)
    Perhaps a different strategy?  Better weapons?

~    In version 1.3 some monsters need magical weapons with a minimum plus
    value to even score a hit.

Q) Can I retreat from a hopeless battle?

A) Yes, but you must run far enough away.  If your characters has more
    moves/turn than the monster, you might make it, otherwise, you're
    better off standing your ground and take your shellacking like a
    man (er.. apologies from un-PC-ness).  If there is enough distance
    between you and the monster, the game will ask: "Run away? Stay and
    fight?"  (The game crashes on me when the last character runs away,
    so you might have to sacrifice on character to save the rest.)

Q) I've got wimpy 1st level characters.  How can I get some gold to buy some
    awesome weaponry and armor before venturing forth?

A) There are ways to "get" magical items without a fight.  The King will give
    you a lot of generic stuff for just agreeing to go on his quest.  But
    how do you get past the magistrate to get into the castle?  Well,
    don't ignore poor little beggars in the streets.  If you scratch her
    back (or her dog's back) she'll scratch yours (in a manner of saying).
    And besides, you could bribe the magistrate?  Or maybe show him a bad
    forgery and then apologize for it?  He might find it funny and let you
    in anyway.  There's a lame giant that has a stash of magic armor/
    weapons that he'll let you in on if you help him.  (He's near the lake
    where all the other giants are.   If you take the dagger from the old
    woman being attacked in the town, you'll have one awesome weapon, but
    you're better off letting her be, and buying the dagger from her later.
    The arena is always good for 50 gold pieces (and whatever the monster
    might be carrying) a shot.  Also, pick up as many weapons and armor as
    you can carry and sell it back to the shops (if your mac doesn't crash
    when doing so).  You can accumulate a lot of money this way.

Q) My characters often bleed to death and I hate to have to use up one turn of
    one of my characters' attacks to bandage them.  Besides, often monsters
    are too close and pummel me after I finish bandaging.  What can I do?

A) I keep a weakling thief around for tasks like picking locks, acrobatic
    maneuvers, and launching arrows from a long distance.  The character
    can dish out much more than it can take.  It often misses when in
    melee, so I hide it behind everyone else.  I use it to safely bandage
    bleeding characters without feeling that I've wasted a valuable attack.

Q) My party has kicked butt, earned lots of gold.  With that gold we have armed
    ourselves to the teeth.  But now my characters are so weighted down
    that I only have one move per turn.  What can I do without dropping
    any of my precious armor or hard earned gold?

A) The weight is more likely due to the gold than anything else you may be
    carrying around.  Go to a shop or temple and have the gold changed to
    gems (or jewelery... don't recall if that's possible).  Gems are worth
    more than gold so you will get fewer gems than gold, thus lightening
    your load.  There is a nominal fee for converting gold to gems but if
    your gold is becoming a weight problem, it's likely that you will not
    mind loosing a few gold pieces per gem.  There is no fee for converting
    back, though.  To convert click on the bag with the jewels directly
    under your party's amount of pooled gold.

~Q) I can't finx the orc king's daughter (the lame giant, ...).  Where do I
    look for them?

A) Most of these are random encounters.  You have to be wandering in the
    general vicinity to "find" these encounters.  ie.  The orc princess is
    somewhere in the forest just east of the city of Bywater.  Were exactly
    depends, but turn on constant search and you'll be more likely to find
    these, and also more likely to get attacked by random monsters.

    With the exception of Orcus, which some people have trouble finding.
    He's at the altar in the north eastern corner in the ornate temple in
    the city of Waterford.  When you find him, but the characters you most
    want to keep alive in the circle, and do not smash the orb or be too
    brash with him.  You'll find he has a bit of an ego that is easily
    insulted.

%tips

Q) What are some "neat" bugs, cheats, or "pro" strategies for this game?

A) WARNING!!! THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS.  Granted that some of these
    are just bugs that may be done away with soon, and others are just
    little tricks that I've learned.

~    1)    Missile weapons NEVER miss (until patch 1.3 is out).  Patch is
        out, but missile weapons still hit more often than hand held
        weapons because (I think) missile weapons hitting is not based
        on armor class but on the monster's ability to dodge the
        missile attack.

    2)    Try casting a minor attack deflector spell on yourself and sit
        and watch the monster knock itself out.  If you're character is
        visible, you can step away and toward a monster during your
        turn and it gets a free shot at you every time to step away or
        step close.  Little does it know...

    3)    Don't you hate it when a magic using monster charms one of your
        party and you have to kill him/her?  Just charm him/her back if
        one or your spell casters has a charm spell.

    4)    Neat thing with "Wall of.." spells:  Although you cannot cast
        them if you are blocked by an obstacle (wall, tree, stalagmite)
        the wall will still extend through the obstacle to the other
        side.  One fun thing to do is; blink yourself onto the other
        side of a thin wall (works great at the arena and in the looted
        graveyard) then cast a Wall of (Force/Ice/Thorns) and orient it
        such that you are casting it on your side of the wall, but a
        part of it is on the other side.  Sit back and relax as dumb
        monsters kill themselves trying to get to you.  Great fun.

    5)    Helm of Kranak +1: put it on; take it off.  You notice now you
        have a -1 to hit undead and -1 to hit magic using.  Repeat
        until you have -128 for each and then do it one more time and
        you will have +127 for both!  (Thanks to Richard Drysdall)
        I've inflicted as much as 143 points of damage on a poor little
        zombie (the screen didn't flash unconscious or death, it
        flashed destroyed!).

        ONE WORD OF CAUTION!  Okay, okay... quite a few words of
        caution.  If you attack a magic using monster that is protected
        by the reflect attacks spell; then you can end up inflicting
        all that damage ON YOURSELF (imagine my surprise when I swung
        at the Guardian (Beholder) in the Wizard's tower and smacked
        myself with 130 points of damage!  Yes... it killed me.)

    6)    Characters wearing rings of regeneration don't need to be
        bandaged:  the lose a stamina point per round and they gain a
        stamina point per round.

~    7)    Good way to deal with archers and magic using characters:  they
        tend to deal with attackers that are near by before launching
        arrows or spells.  If you don't have a character with a missile
        weapon, but have a 1st level Enchanter, you can Summon a
        monster to do your bidding and place it near the archer/spell
        caster.  It will keep it busy for you. (Thanks to Dave Wetzel)

~    8)    Okay, so you want better weapons and armor, but can't afford to
        buy it?  Get into the castle; agree to go on the quest for the
        spider tower (this should be the first thing you do anyways).
        The king let's you take what you want from the castle's armory,
        right?  Well, heck, clean 'em out!  Take as much as you can
        possibly carry.  EVERYTHING if you can manage it.  Go to the
        store and sell everything you don't plan on keeping.  You'll
        have enough gold to buy the stuff you really want.

    More stuff as I discover it.

(Whew, this unofficial FAQ is getting very official.)

More questions?  Ask, and I'll try to answer.

Cheers,
Ivans



--
-----------------------------\||/----------------------------------------------
|[e-mail]     =={}==   "Wholly devoted to live and to die,      |
|Boston Univ. Coll. of Eng.  /||\                 for the sake of the call"   |
|Dept_of_Biomed._Engr.________||______________________--_Steven_Curtis_Chapman|