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SOFTWARE © 1983 FREE FALL ASSOCIATES
MANUAL WRITTEN BY JON FREEMAN AND PAUL REICHE III.
ARCHON
THE MANUAL
THE STRATEGY SCREEN
THE GAME. ARCHON depicts the eternal struggle between light and Darkness as a contest of action and strategy
between opposing forces wrought from myth and legend.
The light Side and the Dark Side are equal in number, balanced in strength, but not identical. Their aim, however, is
the same: conquest of the five "power points" or the elimination of the OPPOSite side.
ICONS. The various fantastic creatures at your command
are represented by specific images-"icons"-stylized pictures of knights, goblins, manticores, and the like.
There are 18 icons-a total of eight different kinds on each
side. None of yours are identical to any of the icons on the
other side.
THE TWO SCREENS. ARCHON is played on two
screens. On one-the strategy screen-you and your op-
ponent take turns maneuvering your icons into favorable
positions. When you place an icon on a square already
occupied by one of your opponent's icons, the game shifts
temporarily to the second display, the combat arena.
HOSTILITIES. In old-fashioned and-admit it-somewhat dull board games (chess, backgammon, and their ilk),
the "defending" piece gets removed quietly from the board,
and the "attacker" wins the "battle" -and the squarewithout a blow being struck.
In ARCHON, we do not allow such docility, such rank
defeatism on the part of the defender. No! If you wont that
square, you have to fight for it! When you try to occupy a
square held by the enemy, the disputed square expands
to fill the entire screen ... and then, in the words of a
certain orange-skinned monster of comic-book fame,
"IT'S ClOBBERIN' TIME!!!"
VALKYRIE
ARCHER
MANTICORE
BANSHEE
GOLEM
KNIGHT
GOBLIN
TROLL
UNICORN
KNIGHT
GOBLIN
BASILISK
DJINNI
KNIGHT
GOBLIN
SHAPESHIFTER
WIZARD
KNIGHT
GOBLIN
SORCERESS
PHOENIX
KNIGHT
GOBLIN
DRAGON
UNICORN
KNIGHT
GOBIN
BASILISK
GOLEM
KNIGHT
GOBLIN
TROLL
VALKYRIE
ARCHER
MANTICORE
BANSHEE
INITIAL STRATEGY SCREEN
THE LUMINOSITY CYCLE. ARCHON's strategy
screen changes. While some squares are always white or
always black, others-"Iuminance" squares (marked 0 in
Figure Two)-vary in brightness throughout the game in a
simple pattern: black - dark - barely dark - barely light light - white ... and reverse. Back and forth, throughout
the game, the cycle continues, the luminance shifting after
every other turn.
Your fortunes in the game tend to ebb and flow with the
luminosity cycle. This is because icons of the Light Side are
harder to defeat on light squares than on dark ones. Conversely, Dark Side icons are stronger on dark squares and
weakest on white ones.
POWER POINTS. The five "power points" are indicated on the screen by flashing red symbols. Icons on power
points heal faster than usual and are protected from the
effects of magic spells. If your icons occupy all five power
pOints, you win the game.
MOVEMENT. If the hollow square or "frame" is on your
side, it's your turn. (Simple, eh?) Use your joystick to move the
frame atop the icon you want. Once you push the button to
confirm your choice, you must move that icon somewhere.
(If an icon has nowhere to go, the computer will not allow
you to "pick it up:') Once you move the icon to its destination
(again, with the joystick), push the button again, and the
obedient image will freeze in place.
Movement comes in three flavors: ground, fly, and teleport.
Ground movers cannot move through occupied squares;
fliers are restricted only in where they land. Fliers can also
move diagonally; ground icons cannot. Only the Wizard and
the Sorceress can teleport, but for practical purposes you
can think of them as fliers in disguise.
On any turn, you can move an icon as far as its range
allows in any direction or combination of directions. It can
stop on any square not already occupied by one of your
own icons.
Note: If you change your mind while maneuvering a
ground mover, you must backtrack. Otherwise, the computer, being very literal-minded, will assume you are trying
to extend your move unlawfully.
•• •
•
•
•
•• •• •
.. ..
THE COMBAT ARENA
COMBAT. Action in the combat arena is Immediate and
simultaneous; there is no taking tums. Joysticks direct movement of the icons. Pressing the button initiates an attackswinging a sword, firing an arrow, casting a fireball-in the
direction the joystick is pOinted. You can attack or move in
any of eight directions: up, down, left, right, and the four
diagonals. Important: your icon cannot move while the
button is pressed.
Combat is of three general types. Knights and Goblins are
sword-swingers and club-wielders; they must be very near
an opponent to inflict damage.
The Banshee and the Phoenix inflict damage in a Circular
area around themselves; the longer the opposing icon is in
that circle, the greater the damage it sustains. Such "area"
attacks need not be aimed.
All the other icoos ''throw'' missiles of some sort and can,
consequently, do damage from a considerable distance.
See the QUICK REFERENCE CARD for a detailed comparison
of the speed (,'Attack Speed") of and damage done (,'Attack
Force") by the different missiles.
THE AnACK INTERVAL. While combat is fast and
furious, you can't just fire away as fast as your finger twitches.
It takes a moment to raise a sword into position to strike;
longer to conjure even a fast fireball; and the better part of
two whole seconds (!) to rip a boulder out of the ground and
lift it high enough to throw.
Pushing the button before your icon is ready to strike will
accomplish nothing-except to keep your icon from moving.
At the exact instant you can launch another attack, the
computer rings a bell-a high note for the light Side, a
lower one for the Dark Side-to let you know.
BARRIERS. The obstacles or barriers in the arena go
through luminosity cycles of their own. Be careful: they can
be as tricky as an opponent!
Normally, a barrier is impenetrable. However, when its
cycle changes a barrier's luminance to exactly match the
color of the background, the barrier disappears ... for a
few seconds. You can walk over it, shoat past it, anything.
It's gone.
Furthermore, for a few seconds before a barrier vanishes
and after it reappears, you can walk or fire a missile through
it, but you (or the missile) will be slowed down.
If this seems at all confusing, just remember that the more
solid a barrier looks, the more solid it is. If you have any
doubts, avoid the barriers entirely-and get out of the way
of oncoming missiles.
LIFE, DEATH, AND WOUNDS. The "lifelines" at
either end of the arena indicate the current lifespan (health/
strength) of the two battling icons. When an icon is wounded,
its matching lifeline is reduced in proportion to the severity
of the wound. When its lifeline is gone, the icon is "dead"
and combat is over.
A victorious icon returns to the strategy screen in control
of the disputed square. However, a seriously wounded icon
is easier to defeat the next time it is forced to fight. Even the
strongest icon can be worn down by waves of attackers.
On the strategy screen, wounded icons are healed slowly
by the simple passage of1ime; more quickly, by resting on
a power point; or instantly and completely, by a Heal spell.
MAGIC
Magic is arguably the most significant strategic element
in ARCHON. Only the two mages (magicians)-the Wizard
and the Sorceress-can cast spells, and each mage can
cast each spell only once. While the spells are powerful, they
have one drawback: each spell weakens the mage casting
it, leaving that mage progressively less able to defend itself
against direct attack.
A spell may be cast instead of a regular move on the
strategy screen. Simply move the frame atop your mage,
as if you were going to move it. Push the button, and the
usual message appears. Without moving the icon, however,
just push the button again, and you will get a new message:
"SELECT YOUR SPELL:'
Push the joystick up or down to survey the spells still available, and push the button when you find the one you want. If
further ac1'ions on your part are required, additional messages will direct you appropriately.
Remember that you can't conjure the same spell more
than once, and you can't cast a spell against power pOints
or icons on them. Details are given below.
cannot move onto a square already occupied by one of
your own icons (as usual). You cannot teleport onto or off
a power point. You cannot teleport an imprisonedicoi1."
(See IMPRISON.)
ADDITIONAL NOTE: Do not confuse this spell with a mage's
normal three-square movement. That is minor magic, on the
same order as casting fireballs, and is not bound by the
restrictions of the seven major spells.
TELEPORT
EFFECT: Two effects are possible. Most often, the spell
reverses the flow of 1'ime: i.e., the direction of the luminosity
cycle of the delta squares. Squares that had been growing
gradually darker would now grow lighter-until the cycle
peaked. However, if the spell is cast when the luminosity
cycle is at either peak, Shift Time will cause the cycle to shift
abruptly to the opposite extreme (from black to white, or
vice versa).
ACTIONS REQUIRED: None after selecting the spell.
RESTRICTIONS: None.
EFFECT: This spell moves-teleporfs-any one of your icons
any distance from one square on the strategy screen to
another.
ACTIONS REQUIRED: After selecting the spell, move the
frame to the icon you want; push the button; and then
move the icon to its destination-just as if it were a normal
move.
RESTRICTIONS: You cannot move an enemy icon. You
HEAL
EFFECT: This spell instantly heals any icon of all wounds it has
sustained in the combat arena.
ACTIONS REQUIRED: After selecting the spell, move the
frame to the wounded icon, and push the button.
RESTRICTIONS: You cannot heal an icon resting on a power
point. You can "heal" an already healthy icon, but why
bother? -
SHIFT TIME
SPELLS
EXCHANGE
EFFECT: This spell causes any two icons on the strategy
screen to trade places.
ACTIONS REQUIRED: Move the frame to one of the icons you
wish to transpose, and push the button. Then do the same to
the other icon.
RESTRICTIONS: Neither icon can be imprisoned or on a
power point.
SUMMON ELEMENTAL
EFFECT: This spell allows you to attack any enemy icon with
a new, temporary icon representing one of four elementals-animated spirits of the ancient elements of earth, air,
fire, and water. Combat is conducted in the combat arena
as usual, except that the elemental vanishes after the battle,
win or lose.
ACTIONS REQUIRED: Once the spell is selected and the elemental appears on your side of the strategy screen, move it
. to the icon you wish to attack. In the combat arena, direct
the elemental just as you would any other icon.
RESTRICTIONS: You cannot attack an icon on a power point.
You cannot direct the elemental to a vacant square or one
occupied by one of your own icons. You cannot choose
which elemental will respond to your summons.
REVIVE
EFFECT: This spell restores to the game an icon previously
lost ("killed") in combat.
ACTIONS REQUIRED: The procedure is Similar to a Teleport
spell or a normal move, except that the revived icon comes
from a special display by the side of the strategy screen, and
its destination must be a vacant square next to the mage.
RESTRICTIONS: You cannot "revive" an icon not already
dead. One of the (initially five) squares adjoining your mage
must be vacant, and you must put the revived icon on one
of those vacant squares.
IMPRISON
EFFECT: This spell keeps an icon on the strategy screen from
leaving its square. The iean can fight its attackers in the combat arena, but it cannot be moved off its square. Important:
an imprisoned mage cannot cast spells! Imprisonment is
temporary. A Dark Side icon would remain imprisoned until
the delta squares turn black; a Light Side icon would be
freed when delta squares turn white.
ACTIONS REQUIRED: Once the spell is cast, move the frame
to the target icon, and push the button .
RESTRICTIONS: You cannot imprison an icon on a power
point. You cannot imprison any icon at a time when the luminosity cycle would automatically free it.
CEASE CONJURING
This is not a spell; it is a way to avoid casting a spell if you
miscalculate. If you change your mind while selecting a
spell, or if the spell you want is unavailable or canceled, you
may push the button when CEASE CONJURING is displayed.
This will allow you to start your turn over.
QUESTIONS
Q: Some of the icons aren't very distinct on my Tv, and
I'm having trouble telling them apart. What can I do?
A: Buy a new Sony TV or, better yet, a computer monitor.
Seriously, if you must put up with the limited resolution of the
average television set, color smudging at certain
luminances will make recognition of the icons more
difficult. Nonetheless, the icons are quite distinct on most
squares, and in a short time they will all be quite distinctive.
Indeed, like classmates on the first day of school, despite
their initial strangeness, they will soon become so familiar
that you'll wonder how you could ever have failed to
recognize them instantly.
Q: Why does the frame stay on the screen when I'm
moving an icon from one square to another?
A: It marks the icon's original location and serves as a
point of reference, especially if you change your mind
and have to backtrack.
Q: I'm having trouble moving my Wizard. When I push
the button and try to move it, only the frame goes
anywhere. I figured I wasn't pushing the button hard
enough, so I pushed it again and got the list of spells!
What am I doing wrong?
A: Nothing. The Wizard and the Sorceress teleport from
one square to another without actually walking over the
intervening squares. While it looks different from the
movement of other icons, the mechanics are actually the
same: just move the frame instead of the icon, and push
the button when you get to your destination.
Q: When my friend casts SHIFT TIME, the screen changes
immediately. When I do it, it waits a turn before anything
happens. Why?
A: You had the first move. All luminance changes take
place after the second player's turns. (That's one of the
advantages of playing second.)
Q: When there are obstacles toward the bottom of the
arena, I have trouble running my icon along the lower
wall. (It doesn't always seem to fit.) Sometimes when I try,
though, instead of bouncing backward, the barriers pop
my icon on through to the other side!
A: True. Yup. So whafs your question?
Q: What happens if my icon is on top of a ''fuzzy'' barrier
when it turns solid?
A: Your icon will be thrown off the barrier, just as if it had
run into the obstacle from the side.
Q: Sometimes when I'm "firing" really fast, I don't hear
the "reload" sound. Am I going too fast for the computer
to keep up?
A: (Pause for laughter.) No. If you happen to have the
button pressed and the joystick already pOinted at the end
of the attack interval (what some people called the "reload
time"), the computer won't bother sounding the bell;
instead, it simply launches your attack.
Q: Is it possible for two icons in the combat arena to kill
each other? If so, who gets the square?
A: Yes, "double kills" are possible. You can even get killed
by a "dead" icon if it has already launched an attack.
(Zapping an Archer, for instance, would have no effect on
an arrow already in flight.) In such cases, the disputed
square on the strategy screen will simply be empty. The
same thing happens when an elemental wins a battle.
Q: My attacks often go in the wrong direction, and
sometimes I can't seem to fire at all. What's wrong?
A: You're pushing ·the button while you're still moving your
icon. Make sure the joystick is in "neutra'" -or at least
&ANSWERS
pOinted in the right direcHon-before you press the trigger.
Your "nonexistent" attacks are probably stopped by a wall
or barrier right next to you before you can notice them, or
else you're simply pressing the trigger before your attack
interval is up.
Q: Why does the "pause" key only work in the combat
arena, and why only when the computer is playing?
A: The "pause" function exists to keep the computer's
icon from killing off yours when something outside the
computer's knowledge (like the doorbell) requires your
attention. It is unnecessary on the strategy screen because
the computer takes only a second or two to move, and you
can take an unofficial "time out" as soon as it's your turn.
When your opponents are of the human persuasion, you
can ask them to stop for a moment. (If they refuse, perhaps
you should recruit new opposition.)
Q: My Archer aHacked 'Ihe Dragon on a black square.
She got killed, but she did hit it with an arrow, so I
know the Dragon was wounded. On my very next turn,
I aHacked the Dragon again, but it was no longer
wounded. Why not?
A: Favorable luminance provides a certain magical
enhancement to an icon's lifespan. One of the benefits of
this luminance bonus is that "nicks and scratches" (a
category into which, under the circumstances, your single
arrow wound fell) are not permanent. This bonus is also the
reason a badly wounded icon may make what seems tb
be a miraculous (if only partial) recovery between battles.
On a white square the Dragon would have lacked this
benefit, and every minor wound would have remained.
(What were you doing attacking a Dragon on a black
square, anyway? What are you, suicidal?)
Q: Why don't Trolls in ARCHON regenerate the way they
do in Lizards &; Lunkheads? And why can't I find the
Phoenix in my L&L Beast Book?
A: Because it isn't there.
Look, folks, despite what the Head Dragon might like
you to believe, fantasy was not invented in 1974, and l&L's
interpretations of mythological beasts are hardly definitive.
Role-playing games-L&L, Demons & Dimwits, Monsters &
Morons, etc.-draw their subject matter (if not their game
mechanics) from the same sources we do: 5000 years of
myth and legend and a close reading of certain contemporary writers of fantasy and science fiction. If you don't
approve of our Trolls, complain to the troll union.
Q: Why can't I make copies of ARCHON for my friends?
A: Someone always asks. One answer is that ARCHON
disks are copy-protected, but that's begging the question.
(And yes, we know copy protection is not perfect, but if you
have the time and talent to get around such devices, we'd
really rather you worked on games of your own, instead.)
The handful of people at Free Fall AssOCiates would
rather develop games than do anything else, but if we
can't pay our bills creating games, we'll have to do
something less fun for us-and (if you enjoyed ARCHON
enough to want to copy it) probably less fun for you.
Royalties are our only income, and every illegal copy of
ARCHON represents money we'll never see: pizzas we
won't eat, paperbacks we'll never get to read.
We have the same dreams you do, probably. We'd like
to be rich and famous, and this seems to be our only
chance. When you come up with an original game or a
fancy utility, you'll feel the same way.
Most of the games you see may be rip-offs of arcade
games and other designers' ideas, but ours aren't. Our
games are original products of our own bizarre imaginations and many months of work. We don't rip off other people, and we don't think we deserve to be ripped off, either.
Thanks from Anne, Jon, and Paul.
THE OPPOSING
LIGHT SIDE
An ancient man of vast supematural
power, the WIZARD is the leader of
the light Side. In baffle, the Wizard
casts devastating balls of fire. He
rarely ventures from the safety of his
home power pOint, however, and is
more commonly used to cast one of
the seven spells. (See MAGIC SPELLS.)
VAlKYRIES are beauteous blonde war
maidens from the legions of Valhalla.
Each of these ferocious females is
endowed with two great magical
gifts: first, the ability to stride the
air as if it were solid ground; and,
second, an enchanted spear, which,
when thrown, returns to her hand of
its own accord.
Resembling a great white horse with
the tail of a lion and a sharp, spiral
horn set at its brow, the UNICORN
is swift and agile. The beautiful
creature can fire a blinding bolt of
energy from Its magical horn.
The DJINNI is a magical being from
another dimension, a plane of
tempest and storm. In form he is a
huge, superbly muscled man whose
body is partly flesh and partly swirling
currents of air. A cousin to the wind
itself, the Djlnni can raise a small
tornado with a gesture and control
it with a thought.
The ARCHERS are fearless Amazon
warriors of legendary skill with their
fine, whitewood bows. They are
endowed with magical quivers that
can never be emptied.
The PHOENIX is a flaming bird of
immense size and power. In baffle it
can explode into a seething mass
of fire, scorching anyone on the
perimeter of the blaze and burning
severely any enemy unfortunate
enough to be caught near the
incandescent core. Not only is the
Phoenix unscathed by its own flames,
but, while undergoing its fiery metamorphosis, it cannot be harmed by
any a1tack known.
A GOlEM is an artificial being,
shaped from stone and gleaming
metal, and animated by magic.
Roughly man-shaped, it is huge,
twice the height of a man. Its
weapons are boulders ripped
from the earth and hurled with
devastating force.
The KNIGHTS are foot soldiers armed
and armored against foes far larger
than themselves. Although they
cannot withstand more than one
blow from many of their enemies,
they need not be mere cannon
(or dragon) fodder. Provided they
are swift and clever, their speed of
affack gives them a chance to survive and triumph.
FORCES
DARK SIDE
The equal of the old Wizard only in
power, the eternally young and ever
beautiful SORCERESS is his counterpart in all ways. Her lightning bolts
are swifter and surer than his fireballs,
if a shade less potent. Fierce in battle
but safest on the black power point,
she is most often used to cast the
seven spells. (See MAGIC SPElLS.)
The SHAPESHIFTER is a doppleganger,
a demonic creature without true
shape or form, save what it steals
from its enemies. In battle it becomes
the mirror image of its opponent,
strongest on squares where its enemy
is weakest, turning the enemy's
powers against itself. It has no fixed
lifespan: all wounds that do not
prove fatal will heal as soon as it
assumes a new form.
The BASILISK is a small, crested reptile with the scaly body of a lizard
and the bulbous, glowing eyes of a
gorgon. Although it is relatively shortlived, the beast's quick movements
and deadly glanCE! make It a terrifying opponent.
The DRAGON, a monstrous, serpentine reptile, is without peer in
the combat arena. One gout of
its flaming breath will kill many
creatures, and a second blast is
almost always fatal. Highly mobile
and very difficult to slav, its awesome
powers make it second in value only
to the Sorceress.
The MANTICORE resembles a large,
golden lion with a human face and
a scorpion's thorny tail. This nasty
appendage bristles with great quills
like spikes, which the fell beast can
fling over its head with surprising
accuracy.
The BANSHEE is an undead spirit that
feeds off the souls of her opponents,
a ghostly apparition that attacks with
her keening wail, draining the life
from anyone in range of the sound
(the shaded area around her).
Prolonged exposure to the terrifying
shriek can be fatal.
A dweller in coves and dark places,
the misshapen TROLL is a shambling
giant, dull but strong, clumsy but
hard to slay. Like the Golem, it
carriers no ready-made weapons;
instead, it seizes boulders, tree
trunks-whatever comes to handand catapults the massive objects
at its enemies.
GOBLINS are hideaus dwarves,
twisted of limb and misshapen of
feature, unfriendly and often violent.
Their mutual antagonism is kept in
check only by the powers of the
Sorceress. On dark ground their
gnarled clubs are more than a
match for the swords of the Knights,
and if well-directed they can bring
down the most potent of enemies.
PLAYING HINTS
STRATEGY SCREEN: OPENINGS
CONSERVATM OPENING. This involves moving your
unfavorably located icons onto more favorable squares
(white squares for Light icons, black squares for Dark icons).
The idea is to establish a strong, balanced position early
on. Since the corner icons (the Valkyrie/Banshee) are
mobile and especially vulnerable to magical attack (via
the Summon Elemental or Teleport spells), these are often
the first to be moved. Being a ground-mover, the Unicorn/
Banshee will be stuck on the "wrong" square until you clear
an escape route, either directly by moving the Knight/
Goblin in front of it or indirectly, and more slowly, by moving
other Knights/Goblins and then adjacent icons in the
back rank.
MAGICAL ASSAULT ("BIG JWU" OR "MAJOR MANA"
OPENING). The aim here is to wipe out the strongest enemy
icon right off the bat, before it can do any harm. This is most
easily done with a combination of spells: Imprison, Summon
Elemental, Teleport, and, if needed, Reverse Time. The first
spell holds the victim immobile while you attack with an
elemental and then one of your strongest icons teleported
across the board. Shift Time may be used to prevent the
imprisoned icon from getting away before you can finish
it off.
MONSTER ROMP. This is risky but fun and sometimes surprisingly effective. Just fly or teleport one of your strongest
icons (the Djinni/Dragon or Phoenix/Shapeshifter) to the
other side of the board, and take it on a rompin: stompin'
tour of all the occupied squares unfavorable to the icons
stuck on them. This procedure tends to throw new players
into a panic, which is always helpful. More experienced
players will either imprison the attacker or counter with a
monster romp of their own. Rapid attrition on both sides
follows such a counterattack.
STRATEGY SCREEN: GENERAL HINTS
STAY ON YOUR COLOR! The effect of a square's luminance
on the life of your icons is large-often as much as 50%.
Attack on unfavorable squares only if you have an overwhelming superiority over the defending icon.
PLAN AHEAD. Most successful attacks require more than one
move to execute. Before taking a square, consider what
you will do afterwards. What icon will continue the assault
if the first attacker dies?
AVOID TRAFFIC JAMS. Make openings in your front line for
ground-movers to pass. The greater your force's mobility,
the greater its flexibility and strength.
PROTECT YOUR MAGE! The Wizard/Sorceress may be a
tough hombre in the combat arena, but doom is nigh
should you lose your mage early in the game. Since power
points are immune to magic spells, it is a wise idea to keep
your Wizard/Sorceress "at home:'
STRATEGY SCREEN: SPELLS
TELEPORT. This spell is handy for tossing a slow or unfavorably placed Icon Into your opponenfs back rank to raise
a ruckus. Altematively, you can teleport a wounded icon out
of danger.
HEAL Never heal the Shapeshifter! Since it regenerates
completely between battles, the spell would be wasted.
SHIFT TIME. Use this spell to prolong an imprisonment by
reversing the flow of time before the luminance cycle peaks,
freeing the enemy icon. Conversely, especially if you are
playing second, you can free your own imprisoned icon
early by casting the spell at the opposing luminosity peak:
in that case, the cycle will jump to your peak, and your icon
will be freed. A more s'trategic use of the spell could allow
you to make a concerted attack on the power pointsand possibly win the game-by keeping the luminance
favorable.
EXCHANGE. An enemy advance can be frustrated temporarily by exchanging a menacing intruder (e.g., an
opposing Dragon/Djinni) in your territory with a weaker
icon (a Goblin/Knight) from your opponent's rear ranks.
SUMMON ELEMENTAL Since elementals are neutral beings,
unaffected by changes in luminance, they are well suited
to attacking an annoying enemy icon that remains on
squares favorable to it. The spell is also de rigueur against
mages that venture from their home power pOints.
REVIVE. Revive only s'trong icons. Also, avoid placing a
revived icon on an unfavorable square, or it may die again
immediately.
IMPRISON. The real trick with this spell is timing, coupled
with Shift Time, if necessary, to prolong the effect. Imprison
a threatening intruder to blunt an attack, or immobilize a
strong icon on a delta square; then attack when the luminosity cycle is most favorable.
& TIPS ON STRATEGY
COMBAT ARENA: GENERAL HINTS
DON'T MOVE IN STRAIGHT LINES. Monsters are tricky; you
should be, too. Dodge and weave. Don't become
predictable.
HIT AND RUN. Don't just fire a shot and then sit there waiting
for a retaliatory strike. Take your finger off the button immediately after firing, and boogie on out of there! If yo~
something, it can probably hit you.
USE DIAGONAL SHOTS! Although difficult to master, 45°angle shots will improve your performance dramatically.
Few players manage consistent diagonals.
TRAP YOUR OPPONENT IN A CORNER. This is especially helpful for sloggers with slow, easily dodged missiles and for the
poor infighters (Knights/Goblins).
FEINT! Trick your opponent into attacking by moving into
the line of fire momentarily. Then, in the interval before
the enemy icon can attack again, close in and loose your
own attack.
CONFUSE YOUR OPPONENT. When at close range, dodge
back and forth to keep from being nailed. This is especially
important when you cannot afford an exchange of blows
and is vital for a Knight/Goblin.
KNOW YOUR ICON'S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. Different
icons require different tactics-sometimes radically different-and the nature of your immediate enemy should also
affect your course of action.
COMBAT ARENA: THE ICONS
WIZARD. Avoid using the Wizard in combat unless attacked.
In a fight, approach to mid-range but no closer. Stay in the
open; fireballs are easily stopped by barriers.
SORCERESS. Avoid combat if pOSSible! The speed of her
lightning bolts makes the Sorceress effective at long range.
Ploy defensively, and use the barriers to trap an enemy
long enough to zap it.
UNICORN/BASILISK. Speed and distance are their prime
weapons. Never close, especially if the opponent is in the
open. Try to use lines of barriers as alleys for fire.
ARCHER. The Archer's arrows are not fast, so she must get
fairly close to ensure a hit. Slower targets, of course, allow
greater range.
GOLEM/TROLL The advantages of these slow-moving
creatures are their long lives and deadly attacks. (Those
boulders hurt!) Since the rocks travel slowly, the Golem/
Troll must get close to the enemy. Be aggressive!
DJINNI/DRAGON. You have power to spare here, so be
brazen in attack. Avoid the possible entanglements of
cluttered terrain when fighting an icon with a fast attack.
VALKYRIE. The Valkyrie is basically a tougher Archer with
a more damaging but slower-moving attack. Use similar tactics.
PHOENIX. Get close-the closer, the better. Trap fast foes in
corners. Avoid firing alleys, and use the explosive attack
defensively when necessary to keep from being hit. Never
sit still when vulnerable.
SHAPESHIFTER. The success of this icon is solely dependent
on the proper battleground. Avoid white squares like the
plague! Ignore the Knights. (Why take a chance on getting
killed for so small a prize?) Attack strong icons on black or
dark squares.
MANTICORE. This beast has the advantage of a broader
attack than its counterparts, especially on diagonals.
Be bold against weak opponents, but remain at mid-range
when fighting more dangerous adversaries.
BANSHEE. The Banshee requires-and rewards-great skill;
she is worth the extra effort needed. Stay out of firing lines
until the moment of attack; then come in from the side,
where the area of effect is greatest. Release the joystick
button immediately after pressing it, and follow the opponent closely to prolong the exposure to the scream. Avoid
the Golem (sometimes known as "the Banshee curse").
KNIGHT/GOBLIN. Where these infighters are concerned, he
who hesitates ... is dog food. Move quickly but erratically.
Get in close and stay there! Dodge back and forth or circle
your enemy to avoid return fire and fluster your opponent.
Never stand still, and attack constantly. In a Knight-Golbin
conflict, use feints and stop thrusts. Accept an exchange of
blows only if you have a significant luminosity advantage.
ELEMENTALS. The four elementals are quite different from
one another. The Earth elemental should be played like
a Golem/Troll, which it greatly resembles. Of the other
three, Fire has the fastest and most damaging attack, and
Water the longest lifespan. Tactically, you can think of Fire
as a Wizard, Air as an Archer, and Water as a ManHcore.
Regardless of which elemental you have, however, be
aggressive!!! Remember that its wounds don't matter, since
it will not outlast the battle, anyway.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Designer Paul Reiche III (pronounced RICH-ee, which he'd
like to be), a young man of 22, is no newcomer to games.
While still in high school, he and two friends formed Fantasy
Art Enterprises to publish a pair of role-playing supplements,
The Necromican and Booty and the Beasts. A meeting with
Jon prompted the creation of The Keys of Acheron, a sequel
to Jon's Hellfire Warrior, and some graphics design for other
ASI games. Publication of his Dungeons & Dragons module,
Temple of Poseidon, led to a stint at TSR, publishers of D&D.
There, in the frozen wastes of Wisconsin (which may be-redundant), he developed Vampyre (a Dracula game),
Legion of Gold (a Gamma World module), and new rules
for D&D.
Programmer Anne Westfall is older than Paul. She was
raising two children, managing a ranch, and growing wine
grapes in the great Sonoma wine region, when she decided she needed more of a challenge. Returning to school,
she discovered computers at the age of thirty, and her life
was never the same. At Morton Technologies, where she
helped establish their software division, Disco-Tech, she
spent two years designing, developing, and programming
Survey 80, an integrated package of three elaborate,
technical programs for surveyors and subdivision planners.
After being enticed (by extracurricular considerations, one
suspects) byJon into joining Automated Simulations, she
entered the world of game programming, albeit in BASIC.
Designer Jon Freeman is also older than Paul. A cofounder of Automated Simulations, Jon was responsible for
the design and development of most of that company's
games, including two award-winners, Temple of Apshai (for
which he designed the Dunjonquest system) and Star Warrior. His writing credits include The PLAYBOY Winner's Guide
toBoard Games, The Complete Book of Wargames, a
dozen game manuals (including his favorite, Crush, Crumble and Chomp!), and various stories and articles.
Sharing a mutual dissatisfaction with the company's direction, Jon and Anne (who were by then sharing a house and
a preposterous collection of books, records, tea, and wine)
led the hegira from ASI in December, 1981, to form Free Fall
Associates, an independent game development firm. After
learning the ins and outs of the Atari computer and teaching
herself assembler language, Anne and Jon collaborated on
Tax Dodge, a thematically unique, technically superior,
adult maze game that owed nothing to a certain widely
imitated "eating" game. To stay au courant and to provide
a reasonable working environment, the current Free Fall
offices boast a pleasant lake view, copies of every consumer electronics magazine known to man, and an impressive array of electronic gear.
Paul has been accused of being a tall, blond alien, but he
insists he comes from a cattle-ranching family in Nebraska.
He admits to liking large American cars, wind-up toys, and
punk rock. Aside from this he seems as normal as any other
Berkeley resident.
In her currently nonexistent spare time, Anne enjoys birdwatching, river-rafting, and hiking, as well as classical music.
An ardent libertarian, Jon enjoys (if that is the proper term)
a number of odd distinctions, including the authorship of
one of the most obscure science-fiction novels ever published, an appearance on two of the least known N programs in the Western world, and a role in what must surely
have been the lowest-budget karate movie ever made.
Paul is single but taking applications. Jon and Anne are
married and intend to stay that way. While they are both
native Californians, all three have lived elsewhere, and no
one is eager to repeat the experience. The three share a
common interest in science fiction and fantasy, dinosaurs,
martial arts, games of all sorts, and free-lancing.
ELECTRONIC ARTS
2755 CAMPUS DRIVE SAN MATEO, CA 94403 (415) 571-7171