EAMON DELUXE 5.0 QUICKSTART GUIDE

The following is intended as a quick overview for those who wish to start 
adventuring immediately. It is still recommended that those who are new to the 
Eamon Deluxe 5.0 system read through the Player's Manual at least once, 
however, as it contains much more detailed information about the system and 
Eamon Deluxe in general.

EAMON TERMINOLOGY: In this guide, "Artifacts" refer to any items that are in 
an adventure database and can be recognized by the command parser. "Monsters" 
refer to any living thing in an adventure database that can be interacted with 
and also recognized by the command parser. "Embedded artifacts" are artifacts 
which are in a room but won't show up until you EXAMINE something that is 
mentioned in the description of something else.

1. INSTALLATION

The first time you install Eamon Deluxe, it will ask you your output 
preference; hit "Y" and then "X" for VI Mode if you have vision impairment 
and/or use a screen reader.

Windows: Extract (if needed) and double click the Eamon Deluxe installer. It 
will leave two desktop icons, one for Standard Mode and one for launching VI 
Mode for vision impaired gamers. A Start Menu entry with several useful items 
will also be installed. If you are using a screen reader, choose the VI Mode 
option and delete the shortcut for the Standard Mode launcher. Note: If you 
need to use VI Mode and are using a 64 bit version of Windows then you must 
run Eamon Deluxe in Virtual XP mode (which can be downloaded for free from 
Microsoft's website).

Mac OS X: Extract the directory "Eamon Deluxe 5.0" and copy it into 
Applications. Then open the main folder and run the program "Eamon Deluxe 5.0" 
(or send it to the Dashboard for easier access).

Linux versions install into /usr/lib/EDX/, depend upon DOSBox also being 
installed and are launched with the command:
dosbox -conf "/usr/lib/EDX/Xeamondx.conf"

2. PLAYING AN ADVENTURE

Once the Eamon Deluxe Main Menu starts, choose option one (Enter the Main 
Hall) and you will meet the Burly Irishman who gives you the option to create 
a new character and/or use one of the included default "real" characters. 
Alternately, you can choose option four from the Main Menu which will display 
the Adventure Design Menu; select option four again (Test an Adventure) and 
you can select from several pre-made test characters.

The difference between "real" and test characters is that test character can 
never change, never die and be placed in more than one adventure at a time.

3. CHARACTER ATTRIBUTES

Hardiness determines how strong a character is, how many damage points they 
can take before they die and how much weight (in items) they can carry. 
Agility helps determine the odds of them hitting an enemy during combat, 
dodging enemy attacks and (in some adventures) avoiding traps and other reflex 
based special events. Charisma can effect the odds of monsters of some whether 
many monsters will be allies or enemies, (use the smile command to determine 
who is your friend).

4. CHARACTER ABILITIES

Spell abilities represent the odds (1-100%) that a character has for their 
attempt to cast that spell being successful. Armour Expertise determines how 
much of an effect the characters armor will have on their odds to strike an 
enemy in combat. The maximum effect of armor on their odds to hit (1-100%) 
range from -65% (Plate/Magic Armor with a shield and 0% Armour Expertise) to 
0% (any armor combination with 65% Armour Expertise). Weapon abilities 
represent how experienced a character is with that type of weapon. 0% or less 
is a beginner level and 100% is complete mastery.

5. WEAPONS AND ARMOR

Weapons are categorized into five general types: Axe (chops), Club (swings), 
Missile (shoots/fires), Spear (lunges/jabs), and sword (stabs/chops/swings). 
Weapon Odds (or "Complexity) determine the quality of the weapon and have a 
slight effect on combat odds, with less than 0% being a poor quality and/or 
difficult weapon, 5-8% being average, 10-15% being very good quality and 25%+ 
being expertly crafted weapon. Armor type range from none (plain clothes) to 
full plate mail and/or Magical armor, with the option of also carrying a 
shield included. The better the armor, the more damage it can absorbed when 
your character is struck in combat, but also makes them less likely to strike 
an enemy unless their Armour Expertise is of a sufficient level (see 
section 4).

6. SPELLS

The four standard spells are: Blast (attack monsters or artifacts with a 
magical blast instead of a weapon), Heal (heal your character or a monster), 
Speed (temporarily doubles a character's Agility), and Power (random effects 
which are often different and unique from one adventure to the next).


7. THE MAIN HALL

"Real" characters can only enter adventures from the Main Hall. The Main Hall 
is where all Eamon characters hang out and/or reside. The Main Hall contains 
several shops where character's can buy or improve weapons, armor and spells. 
In standard mode, typing "X" will switch between the Graphic Main Hall and the 
Classic (text only) Main Hall. Both contain the same shops and diversions 
which are all self explanatory. The Classic Main Hall gives a numbered menu of 
options, while pressing the "?" key in the Graphic Main Hall will display a 
list of command keys.

8. THE CHARACTER EDITOR

You can modify every detail of a "Real" character to your liking by selecting 
option three (Edit Characters) from the Eamon Deluxe Main Menu. In standard 
mode, use the "+" and "-" keys to add/subtract numbers and the space bar or 
Enter key to edit names and long numbers (such as a characters carried gold 
and bank account values). The character editor also has options to list all 
characters on file, delete characters and other useful utilities.

9. STARTING AN ADVENTURE

In the Graphic Main Hall simply head out the top of the screen and press "A" 
when it asks what you want to do. Select the "go on an adventure" option from 
the Classic Main Hall/Adventure Testing program. You will be asked to pick 
from a list of installed adventures. Note: Only test characters can enter new 
adventures created with the Adventure Design Menu.

The first program run after an adventure is selected will either give the 
intro story for that adventure (if it is a single adventure) or a menu of 
multiple adventures to pick from (if the selected "adventure" is actually a 
collection). If you have selected a multi-adventure set then select the second 
option "start playing an adventure" to run the intro and main adventure 
program of your choice.

If you are using a "real" character and quit the adventure intro or use the 
QUIT command from the main adventure program then that character will still be 
there until they finish the game, die, or are returned manually. You can 
return them from the Burly Irishman's front desk of the Main Hall, by using 
the character editor, or by selecting option two from the Eamon Deluxe Main 
Menu (continue an adventure) and then using the QUIT HALL command from the 
main adventure program.

10. PLAYING AN ADVENTURE

When the main (or "base") adventure program has started, it will display its 
revision number, a welcome message, and a prompt to press any key to start. 
The "Main Loop" is then displayed; all commands and events return to this part 
of the program. The Main Loop will always display information about the 
current room (and sometimes special details or events) and then prompt for a 
command. Typing "X" (or any unrecognized command) will display a list of all 
valid commands for the current adventure. Typing HINTS will give you both 
general information about playing Eamon Deluxe and also specific help for the 
current adventure. Note: Players who are new to Eamon Deluxe 5.0 should type 
HINTS during their first game play and read the "General Help" section right 
away.

The information displayed by the Main Loop of a standard Eamon adventure is: 
The name of the current room; a list of monsters in the room ("Monster is 
here"); a list of visible artifacts ("You see Artifact"); and finally the 
command prompt. Some adventures may also have extra details or special events 
during the Main Loop as well.

The first time you see anything in an Eamon adventure, a longer, more detailed 
text description will also be displayed. These descriptions can be repeated at 
any time by using the commands LOOK (for room descriptions only) and EXAMINE 
(for everything else).

11. NOTES ON SOME ADVENTURE COMMANDS

The Eamon Deluxe parser accepts three pieces of input: The first word you 
enter is a command (like GET). This is often followed by a subject for that 
command (GET YARN). If key words such as in, on, to, from, with, etc. are 
found in your subject then they are removed and any words after them are 
assumed to be a second subject. Example: REMOVE PIE FROM OVEN would be parsed 
into REMOVE (command), PIE (subject), and OVEN (second subject).

READY is used to equip a weapon for combat. Adventures using a base program of 
5.0 or higher will automatically ready the character's best weapon when the 
game starts. Note: Earlier versions of the base programs will automatically 
ready the first weapon in the character's inventory instead.

WEAR is used to equip armor or have your character put on any other wearable 
artifact. Note: WEAR is also used to equip shields.

INVENTORY displays a list of the character's (or a cooperative monster's) 
possessions, general health, and gold carried.

STATUS will display a "character sheet" with detailed information about your 
character and their present condition.

REMOVE has two functions: Remove an artifact which is being worn by your 
character or remove an artifact that is inside another artifact (the latter 
will be referred to as a "container artifact").

You can use the wildcard subject "ALL" for the GET and DROP commands only. 
Note: While there is no REMOVE ALL command for container artifacts, you can 
often use the ATTACK command to break them (which places all of their contents 
in the room) and then follow it with the GET ALL command.

SAVE will save an exact position in an adventure and RESTORE will return to 
that position. Up to five games can be saved in each adventure, with the 
option of giving each saved game a unique name. Note: Faster, more convenient 
"quick save" and "quick restore" options are also available; use the HINTS 
command and select option one ("General Help") for details on how to use those 
features.

12 LEAVING AN ADVENTURE

The QUIT command will exit an adventure temporarily, leaving your character 
there so that it may be resumed at a later time. The QUIT HALL command will 
return your character to the Main Hall (or Adventure Testing program) exactly 
as they were before the adventure was started and delete all saved progress.

If a character dies, they will be returned as such (and may then be revived 
with the character editor). If a character leaves the adventure alive then 
(usually) they will be returned with the armor they are wearing, four weapons 
(of your choice) and be given a chance to sell any other items they were 
carrying when they left.

13 RECOMMENDED READING, FIRST ADVENTURES, ETC..

The Eamon Deluxe 5.0 Players Manual has detailed descriptions of all standard 
Eamon Deluxe commands. Also there is a lot of useful information in the 
"General Help" section which can be accessed from all Eamon Deluxe adventures 
by using the HINTS command.

It is highly recommended that those new to Eamon Deluxe 5.0 use a medium to 
tough test character and play through the Eamon Deluxe 5.0 Demo Adventure 
first. The 5.0 Demo Adventure displays and guides new players through every 
general aspect of Eamon Deluxe gaming, offering tips and examples along the 
way.

Secondly, a new "real" character should be created and taken through the 
Beginner's Cave (or the Enhanced Beginner's Cave) for the authentic Eamon 
experience. These adventures (as well as several more) can all be entered by 
selecting "adventure" number one ("Beginner's Adventures") and then chosen 
from the Beginners Adventures intro menu.