--- deliantra/Deliantra-Client/resources/pod/intro.pod 2006/05/23 23:14:46 1.1 +++ deliantra/Deliantra-Client/resources/pod/intro.pod 2006/05/25 23:32:01 1.5 @@ -1,102 +1,197 @@ -=head1 Pclient is a Crossfire+ and Crossfire game client. +=head1 CFPlus - a Crossfire+ and Crossfire game client. -=head2 Features +=head2 What's Crossfire+ - Basic Game Concepts -=over 4 +In the words of Frank Tore Johansen, the author of the original Crossfire +game: -=item Fullscreen Map +"Crossfire is a multi-player graphical arcade and adventure game made for +the X Windows systems environment. It has certain flavours from other +games, especially gauntletand the rogue-like games. Any number of players +can move around in their own window, finding and using items and battling +monsters. They can choose to cooperate or compete in the same world." + +In the years of development that have followed, Crossfire has grown to +encompass hundreds of monsters, thousands of maps to explore, an elaborate +magic system, over 15 character types, a system of skills, and many, many +artifacts and treasures. + +Crossfire+ is freely distributed under the GNU license and the code may be +obtained from L. + +=head1 Getting Started + +First of all, don't be daunted by the apparent complexity of Crossfire - +in reality, Crossfire is quite easy to play and character generation is +simple. Later on, when you have some experience playing the game, you may +wish to read the full manual. + +=head2 User Interface Basics + +# very short description of all ui elements + +=head2 How to create a new Character + +When you start up Crossfire, you will be asked for a character name and a +password (you may need to open the B dialog for this using +the button at the top of the screen). If you are playing for the first +time, type any name you like; this will be your character name for the +rest of the life of that character. Next, type in any password. Remember: +you will need to remember the same password again to play that character +again! You can use B to save your settings, including name +and password, but if it gets lost recovery is difficult, so remember your +password or write it down at a safe place. + +One more note: it's not a good idea to use "real" passwords to your +computer accounts! Doing so may make your system vulnerable to +unscrupulous Crossfire server administrators. + +Your next step will be to generate random (primary) stats for your +character (to see the stats, you might have to open the B +using the button at the top of the screen). You aren't limited to the +number of times you can roll your stats - so have fun. Notice that the +stats are always arranged that the B stat has the highest value, the +B stat has the lowest. You may rearrange the order of these values +when you decide that you have rolled some decent stats. Two points: you +can never roll a character with better stats than an average of straight +15's, and you can't roll higher than 18 in a stat. + +When you roll your character, the stats displayed are the stats you will +get as a human (which are unmodified). When satisfied, you can step +through a number of races, each with special bonuses in stats. + +The manual shows how your basic stats will be changed by choosing a +different race. The difference between the natural stat limit and 20 +indicates the bonus/penalty assigned to rolled primary stats. For example, +a troll has a maximum strength which is 5 higher than 20-that means he +will begin with an additional 5 points added to his strength roll. On the +other hand, a troll can never get above 15 in intelligence. This means +that your rolled character will have 5 less in intelligence if you choose +that race. You should also note that any bonus to an ability can't raise +the final number above your racial maximum, and no penalty can give you an +ability score less then one; the lowest it can ever get is one. + +=head3 Selecting a class + +While each class has its particular strengths and weaknesses, in summary +its just a fact that some classes are easier to play than others. + +For beginning players, the "simple fighter" characters are the easiest +to play successfully. The B, B, and B are among +good earlier choices. As you gain experience with using Crossfire+ you +may wish to branch out into other "fighter" characters such as the +B or B, or try your hand at playing "spellcaster" characters +like the B, B, B or B. The "exotic" races +(e.g. B, B and B) and the B class +are the hardest classes to master. + +One more note: You will probably find any character class that has a low +natural B (for example, the B class) will have a fairly +difficult time at higher levels. Skills, and most importantly, spells, +will be more difficult learn. Plan to spend a lot of loot on grimores, +prayer books and skill scrolls. + +=head2 Playing the game + +#TODO biggers house, binding keys etc. + +=head1 Hints for Beginning Players + +# TODO: you are in the beginners house +I'm on the starting map, what do I do now? You should be in a city square +with a few sign posts in the middle. Move over the signs and apply them +("A") to read what they say. + +For beginners, there are several maps designed for them. Find these areas +and clear them out. All throughout these levels, a player can find signs +and books which they can read by stepping onto them and hitting B to apply the book/sign. These messages will help the player to learn +the system. Probably the first, best area for a beginning player to start +out in is "Beginners." This area is a small house located southwest of +your starting location. + +=head2 Flailing about with spells + +Some items are perishable. If you shoot a fireball into a room full of +scrolls, you will notice them going up in smoke! So be careful not to +destroy valuable items. + +=head2 Tips on surviving + +Crossfire+ is populated with a wealth of different monsters. These monsters +can have varying immunities and attacktypes. In addition, some of them can +be quite a bit smarter than others. It will be important for new players +to learn the abilities of different monsters and learn just how much it +will take to kill them. + +Most monsters in the game are out to mindlessly kill and destroy the +players. Killing monsters will help boost a player's score. When fighting +a large amount of monsters in a single room, attempt to find a narrower +hallway so that you are not being attacked from all sides. Charging into a +room full of Beholders would not be wise, instead, open the door and fight +them one at a time. + +More advice can be found in the Survival Guide +L. + +=head2 Priorities for low-level characters + +The priority for characters below about 5th level is to gain some basic +items. In this regard, better armour and better spells are best. Look for +a quest among the various islands that will allow you to obtain mithril +mail. Whenever you scrape together ~100-200 platinum pieces go shopping +for armour and weapons (or spells). If you are a fighter type, try to have +at least a +2 weapon, +2 helmet, +2 suit of armour, and +2 shield before +you reach 5th level. For wizards, attempt to recover enough treasure to +be able to buy up good attack spells. For priests, first thing to do is +worship a god! Try to get the holy word prayer as soon as possible. Make +sure your current god allows good potential use of this spell. + +For all classes, get access to the detect magic incantation as soon as +possible. This will allow you to sort through the treasure you find while +you're in the dungeon, and will save you time and money at the shops. + +=head2 Diseases + +Diseases are, well, diseases. They can be contageous or not, and can be +contracted in a number of ways, and they vary greatly in their symptoms +and dangerousness. + +Diseases have "levels". If you contract a disease and recover naturally, +you're immune to that disease forever, provided the instance of the +disease is of equal or lower level than your immunity. + +For example, you get a case of the flu cast by yourself at level 15. When +you get over it, you're immune to any flu of level less than 16. When you +become level 16 and cast the flu again, you are I immune. + +Spells such as B or B will remove a disease, but +will not grant immunity. + +When cast as a spell, diseases's severity is level dependent. A 30th level +cold is a I more severe than a level 2 cold. + +Undead are I affected by any disease. + +Any priest player who isn't denied the path of wounding may learn and B B, B, B, B and B spells. + +Any priest with a high enough B and with a religion that is attuned +to wounding may learn to B B, B and +B by praying at his altar. + +The I caused each round varies between 0 and the maximum listed +for a disease. So you can inflict a I case of ebola, which would +I kill a monster, or a severe one capable of killing it. + +# TODO: disease table, but needs heavy reformatting + +=head1 Authors + +Parts of this document were originally compiled, edited, and written by +Brian Thomas, Klaus Elsbernd, and John W. Klar. Additional information +compiled by Maciej Kalisiak, Gorlin, Anton Oussik and Gene Alexander. -PClient can uses a fullscreen map, which greatly enhances how much of the -game world you can see. - -=item Persistent Map Cache (Crossfire+ only) - -PClient can persistently cache all map data it received from the -server. This not only allows it to display an overview map, but also -ensures that once-explored areas will be available the next time you want -to explore more. - -=item Hardware acceleration - -Unlike most Crossfire clients, PClient take advantage of OpenGL hardware -acceleration. Most modern graphics cards have difficulties with 2D -acceleration, while 3D graphics is accelerated well. - -=item No arbitrary limits - -Unlike other Crossfire clients, pclient does not suffer from arbitrary -limits (like a fixed amount of face numbers). There are still limits, but -they are not arbitrarily low :) - -=back - -=head1 Usage - -=head2 The Map - -The map is always displayed in the background, behind all other windows and UI elements. - -#TODO# middle-click scrolls -# -# keys: -# -# a apply -# keypad moves, kp_5 applies ranged attack to self - -Starting to type enters the I. In that mode, you can type -abbreviations or commands and have them executed as soon as they match a -valid command. This is best explained by a few examples: - -Typing B will display a list of commands with I in their -name, such as I and I. - -You can abbreviate commands by typing only the first character of every -word (or even characters within the word - the client will try to make -a good guess, as long as the characters are in order). For example, -typing I will likely select I, while I -will select I. Likewise, I will likely select -I and I will give you I. - -You can enter space and other text as arguemnt to the command. For -example, C will expand to C. - -=head2 The map overview - -#TODO# - -=head2 The Status area in the lower right corner - -#TODO# - -=head2 The I/I window - -#TODO# - -=head1 FAQ - -=over 4 - -=item The client is very sluggish and slow, what can I do about this? - -Most likely, you don't have accelerated OpenGL support. Try to find a -newer driver, or a driver from your hardware vendor, that features OpenGL -support. - -If this is not an option, the following Setup options reduce the load and -will likely make the client playable with software rendering (it will -still be slow, though): - -=over 4 - -=item B