-.\" $NetBSD: phantasia.6,v 1.7 2002/09/26 16:29:26 wiz Exp $
+.\" $NetBSD: phantasia.6,v 1.13 2009/05/26 01:34:32 dholland Exp $
.\"
.Dd April 1, 2001
.Dt PHANTASIA 6
.Op Fl abHmpSsx
.Sh DESCRIPTION
.Nm
-is a role playing game
-which allows players to roll up characters of various types to fight
-monsters and other players.
+is a role-playing game that allows players to create characters of
+various types to fight monsters and other players.
Progression of characters is based upon gaining experience from fighting
-monsters (and other players).
+monsters and other players.
.Pp
-Most of the game is menu driven and self-explanatory (more or less).
+Most of the game is menu-driven and more or less self-explanatory.
The screen is cursor updated, so be sure to set up the
.Ev TERM
variable in your environment.
-.Pp
-The options provide for a variety of functions to support the game.
-They are:
-.Pp
+.Sh OPTIONS
.Bl -tag -width aaa -offset indent
.It Fl a
-Get a listing of all character names on file.
+List all character names on file.
.It Fl b
Show scoreboard of top characters per login.
.It Fl H
Print header only.
.It Fl m
-Get a monster listing.
+List monsters.
.It Fl p
Purge old characters.
.It Fl S
-Turn on wizard options, if allowed, if running as
-.Dq root .
+Turn on wizard mode, if allowed.
+(Wizard mode is restricted to the super-user.)
.It Fl s
-Invokes
-.Nm
-without header information.
+Skip printing the header.
.It Fl x
Examine/change a particular character on file.
.El
+.Sh PARTICULARS
.Pp
-The characters are saved on a common file, in order to make the game
-interactive between players.
-The characters are given a password in order to retrieve them later.
+The game is multiplayer and game data is saved in a shared common
+location.
+Characters are password-protected to prevent abuse.
Only characters above
.Em level
zero are saved.
-Characters unused for awhile will be purged.
+Characters that are left unused for sufficiently long will be purged.
Characters are only placed on the scoreboard when they die.
-.Sh AUTHOR
-Edward Estes, AT\*[Am]T Information Systems, Skokie, IL
-.Sh PARTICULARS
-.Ss "Normal Play"
+.Pp
+The world is based on a Cartesian coordinate system.
+New characters are placed randomly near the origin (center).
+.Ss Normal Play
A number of the player's more important statistics are almost always
displayed on the screen, with maximums (where applicable) in
parentheses.
.Pp
-The character is placed randomly near the center of a Cartesian
-system.
Most commands are selected with a single letter or digit.
-For example, one may move by hitting 'W', 'S', 'N', or 'E',
-(lower case may also be used, at no time is the game case dependent).
-One may also use 'H', 'J', 'K', 'L',
-for movement, similar to
+For example, one may move by hitting
+.Sq W ,
+.Sq S ,
+.Sq N ,
+or
+.Sq E .
+Lower case may also be used; the game is not case-sensitive.
+One may also use
+.Sq H ,
+.Sq J ,
+.Sq K ,
+and
+.Sq L
+for movement, as with
.Xr vi 1 .
To move to a specific (x, y) coordinate, use the
.Ic move
-('1') command.
-The distance a character can move is calculated by
+.Pq Sq 1
+command.
+A character can move a maximum distance of
1 plus 1.5 per
-.Em level .
-Moving in a compass direction will move the player the maximum
+.Em level
+at once.
+Entering a compass direction will move the player the maximum
allowed distance in that direction.
.Pp
-A player may see who else is playing by using the
+The
.Ic players
-('2') option.
-One may see the coordinates of those who are the same
-distance or closer to the origin as he/she.
-.Em Kings ,
+.Pq Sq 2
+command shows who else is playing.
+The exact position is shown for those who are a similar distance or
+not as far from the origin.
+.Em Kings
and
.Em council of the wise
-can see and can be seen by everyone.
+can see and be seen by everyone.
A
.Em palantir
removes these restrictions.
.Pp
One can talk to other players with the
.Ic talk
-('3') option.
-In general, this is a line or so of text.
-To remove a current
-message, just type \*[Lt]return\*[Gt] when prompted for a message.
+.Pq Sq 3
+option.
+This sends a line of text to everyone.
+To remove the current message, just type
+.Aq return
+when prompted for a message.
.Pp
The
.Ic stats
-('4') option shows additional characteristics of a player.
+.Pq Sq 4
+option shows additional characteristics of a player.
.Pp
-One may leave the game either with the
+The
.Ic quit
-('5') option.
+.Pq Sq 5
+command exits the game.
.Pp
One may rest by default.
Resting lets one regain maximum
.Em energy level ,
and also lets one find
-.Em mana
-(more is found for larger levels and further distances from the origin).
+.Em mana .
+More mana is found at larger levels and further distances from the origin.
.Pp
-One may call a monster by hitting '9' or 'C'.
+One may call a monster by hitting
+.Sq 9
+or
+.Sq C .
.Pp
-Use 'X' to examine other players.
+Use
+.Sq X
+to examine other players.
.Pp
One may quit or execute a sub-shell by hitting interrupt.
-Quitting during battle results in death for obvious reasons.
+Quitting during battle results in death, for obvious reasons.
.Pp
-Several other options become available as the player progresses in
+Several further commands become available as the player progresses in
.Em level
and
.Em magic ,
-or to other stations in the game (
-.Em valar ,
+or to other stations in the game
+.Em ( valar ,
.Em council of the wise ,
.Em king ) .
These are described elsewhere.
In general, a control-L will force the redrawing of the screen.
.Pp
Other things which may happen are more or less self-explanatory.
-.Ss "Fighting Monsters"
+.Ss Fighting Monsters
A player has several options while fighting monsters.
They are as follows:
.Bl -tag -width skirmish -offset indent
.Ic luckout
is lost.
.El
-.Ss "Character Statistics"
-.Bl -tag -width quickness -offset indent
+.Ss Character Statistics
+.Bl -tag -width energyXlevel -offset indent
.It Em strength
determines how much damage a character can inflict.
.It Em quickness
-determines how many chances a character gets to make decisions while
-fighting.
+determines how many chances a character gets to make decisions while fighting.
.It Em energy level
specifies how much damage a character may endure before dying.
.It Em magic level
.Em age
increases, many personal statistics degenerate.
.El
-.Ss "Character Types"
+.Ss Character Types
Character statistics are rolled randomly from the above list, according
to character type.
The types are as follows:
very high
.Em quickness
and above average
-.Em magic level
-are
-.Em elves
-selling points.
+.Em magic level .
.It Em dwarf
very high
.Em strength
.\" .El
.Pp
Not only are the starting characteristics different for the different
-character types, the characteristics progress at different rates for the
+character types, but the characteristics progress at different rates for the
different types as the character goes up in
.Em level .
.Em Experimentoes Ns '
is summarized in the following table.
.Pp
.TS
+nokeep ;
l c c c c c
l n n n n n.
Type Strength Mana Energy Brains Magic
can overcome the player, and how much
.Em poison
the player can withstand.
-.Ss "Spells"
+.Ss Spells
During the course of the game, the player may exercise his/her
magic powers.
These cases are described below.
find trading posts, or discover the
.Em grail
while cloaked.
-Calling a monster uncloaks, as well as choosing this option while cloaked.
+Calling a monster uncloaks, as does choosing this option while cloaked.
.It Ic teleport
.Em magic level necessary :
40 (plus level 12)
Throws up a shield to protect from damage.
The shield is added to actual energy level, and is a fixed number, based
upon maximum energy.
-Normally, damage occurs first to the shield, and then to the players actual
+Normally, damage occurs first to the shield and then to the players actual
.Em energy level .
.It Ic transform
.Em magic level necessary :
.Em council of the wise .
Allows the player to pick which monster to fight.
.El
-.Ss "Monsters"
-Monsters get bigger as one moves farther from the origin (0,0).
+.Ss Monsters
+Monsters get bigger farther from the origin (0,0).
Rings of distance 125 from the origin determine the size.
A monster's
.Em experience ,
.Em quickness
remains the same, regardless of size.
.Pp
-Also, nastier monsters are found as one progress farther out from the origin.
+Also, nastier monsters are found as one progresses farther out from the origin.
Monsters also may flock.
The percent chance of that happening is designated as
.Em flock%
in the monster listing.
Monsters outside the first ring
may carry treasure, as determined by their treasure type.
-Flocking monsters, and bigger monsters increase the chances of treasure.
+Flocking monsters, and bigger monsters, increase the chances of treasure.
.Pp
-Certain monsters have special abilities; they are as follows:
+Certain monsters have special abilities, as follows:
.Bl -tag -width "Assorted Faeries"
.It Em Unicorn
can only be subdued if the player is in possession of a
His characteristics are calculated based upon the player's.
The player is given the chance to ally with him.
No magic, except
-.Ic force field
+.Ic force field ,
works when battling
.Em Morgoth .
.It Em Troll
.It Em Wraith
may make a player blind.
.El
-.Ss "Treasures"
+.Ss Treasures
The various treasure types are as follows:
.Bl -tag -width "type twelve/thirteen"
.It Type zero
.It Type nine
.Em golden crown
\- allows the player to become
-.Em king ,
+.Em king
by going to (0,0).
.br
.Em blessing
The more valuable treasures have a greater chance of being cursed.
A cursed treasure knocks
.Em energy level
-very low, and adds 0.25
+very low and adds 0.25
.Em poison .
-.Ss "Rings"
+.Ss Rings
.Em Rings
are only carried by
.Em nazguls
All
.Em rings
rest the player to maximum and cause him/her to hit much harder
-in battle with monsters (assuming one has chosen to use the
+in battle with monsters (assuming the
.Em ring
-for battle.)
+is being used for battle.)
.Pp
Two types of
.Em rings
are cursed and come either from
.Em nazguls
or
-.Em Dark Lord .
+.Em Dark Lords .
After a few times of using these types, the player falls
under the control of the
.Em ring ,
The only way to get rid of a
.Em ring
is to have a monster steal it.
-.Ss "King"
+.Ss King
A player may become
.Em king
by finding a
may also
.Ic teleport
anywhere for free by using the origin as a starting place.
-.Ss "Council of the Wise, Valar"
+.Ss Council of the Wise, Valar
A player automatically becomes a member of the
.Em council of the wise
upon reaching level 3000.
Members of the council have a few extra options which they can exercise.
These are exercised with the
.Ic intervene
-('8') option.
+.Pq Sq 8
+option.
All
.Ic intervene
options cost 1000 mana.
Only one valar may exist at a time.
The current valar is replaced when another player finds the grail.
The valar is then bumped back to the council of the wise.
-.Ss "Wizard"
+.Ss Wizard
The
.Em wizard
-is usually the owner of the game, and the one who maintains
+is usually the owner of the game and the one who maintains
the associated files.
The
.Em wizard
.It Ic change players
When examining a player, (game invoked with
.Fl x ,
-or use 'X' from within game), the
+or
+.Sq X
+is used from within game), the
.Em wizard
may also change the player.
.It Ic intervention
character's statistics also progress at the maximum possible rate, selected
from the other character types.
.El
-.Ss "Special Places"
+.Ss Special Places
Certain regions of the playing grid have different names.
In general, this is only to give the player some idea of
his/her present location.
resides.
It is associated with no particular coordinate on the playing grid.
.El
-.Ss "Miscellaneous"
+.Ss Miscellaneous
Once a player reaches
.Em level
5, the game will start to time out waiting for input.
.Em mana
and
.Em charms
-a player may posses, based upon
+a player may possess, based upon
.Em level .
.Em Quicksilver
-is always limited to to a maximum of 99.
+is always limited to a maximum of 99.
.Pp
.Em Books
bought at a
Players with
.Em crowns
are identified with a '*' before their character type.
-.Ss "Inter-terminal Battle"
+.Ss Inter-terminal Battle
When two player's coordinates correspond, they may engage in battle.
In general, the player with the highest
.Em quickness
and treasures.
.Em Rings
do not work for inter-terminal battle.
+.Sh AUTHORS
+.An Edward Estes ,
+AT\*[Am]T Information Systems, Skokie, IL
.Sh BUGS
All screen formats assume at least 24 lines by at least 80 columns.
No provisions are made for when any of the data items get too big
git.ckatri.com / bsdgames-darwin.git / blobdiff