Ultima 1: The First Age of Darkness manual

Ultima I--The First Age of Darkness
Note: Please see page 1 for instructions on installing and running this game on your CD drive.

User's Information
After starting ULTIMA I, press any key to view the ULTIMA I MAIN MENU.

CREATING A CHARACTER
1. Follow the screenprompts for distributing your 30 attribute points among the five available attributes. The attributes affect the following:

Strength Determines the severity of your blows during battle.
Agility Determines the probability of successfully striking a foe and the probability of avoiding attacks. Also affects your ability as a thief.
Stamina Determines your ability to survive wounds in battle and your ability to stay on your feet at the tavern.
Charisma Affects the selling price of your possessions in shops.
Wisdom Determines the reliability of spellcasting and the purchase price of spells in magic shops.
Intelligence Affects the potency of offensive spells and the purchase price of goods in shops.

2. Select a race. Note that each has specific advantages, based on the following point values automatically assigned to your character's attributes.
HUMAN +5 Intelligence
ELF +5 Agility
DWARF +5 Strength
HOBBIT +5 Strength points; +10 Wisdom

3. Specify Male or Female for your character.

4. Select the class of your character. The following points are automatically added to your character's attributes :
FIGHTER +10 Strength; +10 Agility
CLERIC +10 Wisdom
WIZARD +10 Intelligence
THIEF +10 Agility

5. Name your character (a maximum of I4 letters).

6. Type Y when asked whether to save your character. Your character will be saved on your player disk.

STARTING PLAY
1. Once you have saved your character, the following is displayed:
A Create a Character
B Continue with a Saved Game

2. Type B to start the game. A Iist of saved characters is displayed.

3. Type the number corresponding to the player you wish to start the game. Only one character can adventure at a time.

MOVEMENT
When traveling in the countryside, the arrow keys correspond to the directions of a compass:
Direction Key on your keyboard
North (upward arrow key)
South (downward arrow key)
East (rightward arrow key)
West (leftward arrow key)
When moving in towers and dungeons, the arrow keys correspond to:
Direction Key on your keyboard
Forward (upward arrow key)
Backward (downward arrow key)
Right (rightward arrow key)
Left (leftward arrow key)

MAKING SELECTIONS
As you travel the lands of Sosaria, you will run into many situations that force you to ready your weapons, armor or magic spells.
1. After typing R (ready)the screen will display: Weapons, Armor or Spell?
2. Type the first Ietter of the category you wish to access. A list is displayed.
3. Type the letter corresponding to your selection.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS-ATTACK
On an IBM keyboard, you can attack in two ways:
1. Press the A (Attack) key and a directional key.
2. Press Num Lock and a directional key.

KEYBOARD COMMANDS

Key Command Function
A Attack Attempt to harm your opponent with the weapon you currently hold. Unless fighting in a dungeon, you must indicate an attack direction.
B Board Mount a horse or board a raft, frigate, or other form of transportation. You must be standing on the object before boarding.
C Cast Cast a spell. You must first commit the intended spell to memory, using the Ready command.
D Drop Dispose of unwanted items while in a town or castle. Dropped items cannot be retrieved.
E Enter Enter a town, castle, dungeon, or other landmark. You must be standing on the entrance before entering.
F Fire Discharge a weapon at a foe from a ship or other armed vehicle.
G Get Pick up adjacent items.
H Hyper Jump Enables you to travel to other stellar sectors at a speed faster than light. Available only in certain vehicles.
I Inform & Search Reveals the names of places and things that may be entered. Also permits detection of secret doors and passages in dungeons and may grant a view of your surroundings in future transport crafts.
K Klimb Climb up or down ladders in dungeons. This command can lead to doom as easily as to fortune.
N Noise Toggles sound on and off.
0 Open Reveals the contents of a coffin in a dungeon.
Q Quit (and save to disk) Use this command to stop playing (from the outside world only) and save your progress to disk. You can resume the game from this point.
R Ready Equip yourself with a specific weapon, wear a selected suit of armor, or learn a magic spell. Must be performed prior to using an item.
S Steal Used to take items from the unwatched counters of shops and the dark caches in castles. Beware, for the guards frown on this behavior.
T Transact Conduct business with merchants or kings.
U Unlock Open cells in castles or chests in dungeons. Danger may follow.
V View Change Switches the view in future transport crafts between front and top perspectives.
X X-it Leave behind or dismount your current transport and travel on foot.
Z Ztats Displays your vital statistics, possessions, and spells. Also used to temporarily stop the passage of time in the game.

Spacebar Pass Time passed and food is consumed.

WEAPONS & ARMOR
Protection from danger in the dungeons, towers, and countryside is largely dependent on your selection of weapons and armor. These items can be purchased in the town shops throughout Sosaria. The craftsworkers of the realm are known for their expertise, and you should endeavor to acquire the finest examples of their work.

Weapons
a Hands i Amulet
b Dagger j Wand
c Mace k Staff
d Axe 1 Triangle
e Rope & Spikes m Pistol
f Sword n Lightsword
g Greatsword o Phaser
h Bow & Arrow p Blaster

Armor
a Skin d Plate Mail
b Leather e Vacuum Suit
c Chain Mail f Reflect Suit