omega ...is a complex rogue-style game of dungeon exploration. Unlike other such games, there are a number of ways to win, depending on various actions taken during play. The ways you can get your name on the hiscore board include becoming the highest ranked head of a guild, sect, college, etc., as well as gaining the most points figured from possessions and experience. The game (via the oracle) may impose some structure on your exploration, but you need not follow all of the oracle's advice. omega offers a richness of playing detail that goes beyond a simple game like rogue. However, the majority of gameplay is very similar to rogue, hack, ultrarogue, larn, and other such games. The player is represented by the highlighted "@" symbol, objects and terrain features are represented by non-alphabetic symbols, monsters are represented by the various upper and lower case letters, and other humans are represented by a non-highlighted "@". It is recommended that the novice read the man pages for rogue or some other such game and perhaps play a few games before playing omega. The remainder of this document assumes a basic familiarity with rogue-style games. This is a *large* help file. You will probably wish to print it out, as well as the command lists. | OMEGA STRUCTURE =============== Omega currently consists of a countryside in which are sited a city, various villages, several dungeons, and some "special" sites, such as the temple HQ's of the various priesthoods. The game starts in the city of Rampart, where all the guilds have headquarters. As a dungeon is explored, all generated levels are saved in memory. However, once a dungeon is left, it is forgotten, though the fact of "completing" a dungeon (usually killing a unique character at the bottom) is remembered. In addition, saving the game in a dungeon only saves the current level, so the other levels will be recreated on entry. | STARTING THE GAME ================= You will first want to explore the city of Rampart. Although the architecture and important sites remain the same from game to game, details such as the precise position of certain shops, etc. will change. Rampart is relatively safe if you don't wander into places that are obviously dangerous or do things like breaking and entering. If you are reckless, it is quite possible to get killed before ever finding the dungeons. The 'M' command now allows you to return immediately to any establishment you have already visited that game; no more wandering around trying to remember where the gymnasium was.... Many Rampart establishments are only open in the daytime, but some are only active at night. Due to the stringent anti-crime measures taken by the Duke, it is usually safe to sleep in the streets. You will find it far more rewarding, however, to rent or purchase your own lodgings, if you can afford them. The point of omega, though, is dungeon exploration. There are a number of dungeons hidden about the countryside. These dungeons are at different levels of difficulty and have various idiosyncratic differences. The easiest are the Caves of the Goblin King, which is due south of Rampart, in the nearby mountains. The caves must be searched for with 's' command unless you are lucky enough to move directly onto them. | CHARACTER CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT ================================== You will have the opportunity to create a new character each time you start up omega. A random selection of statistics will be generated. To discourage sitting around trying to get an "optimal" character, you can only "reroll" 9 times before having to reload the game. Since your statistics tend to go up as you play, it isn't fatal to have low statistics when you start out. On the other hand, high stats don't hurt, either.... Each statistic is very important, but depending what sort of character you wish to play, different statistics will stand out. Combat is helped by Strength and Dexterity, Magic-use is aided by Intelligence and Power. Agility helps you avoid getting hit and avoid traps, while Constitution determines how many hits you can take before dying. A new option for omega is to "play yourself". By answering a sequence of personal questions, omega arrives at what your personal statistics should be. It is in seriously bad taste to lie.... Only the character you create in this mode can be saved to the omegarc. The questions are set up so that a "renaissance man" type of person will probably have stats generally around 14-15. The rest of us will stay around 9-12 on average. If you are really impressively good at something you can start out with a stat of up to 18, but this is pretty unlikely for most of us. As you continue to play, you will hopefully accumulate experience and treasure. You can gain skills and abilities through various means, the most important being training in one of the Rampart establishments devoted to self-improvement. Thus, you can choose to work out at the gym, study at the Collegium Magii, meditate at a Temple, and so on. Certain skills and abilities may only be gained through adventuring, and others are mutually exclusive. For example, you can only be a priest of one particular deity. One of the appeals of omega is the variety of different types of characters you can play, each with its own set of goals and benefits. Another aspect of your character is alignment. Characters are aligned towards the primal forces of Chaos and Law, or they can be neutral. Various actions affect this factor; killing peaceful monsters, or committing burgalry, for example, are chaotic acts. Alignment determines which guilds will let you in, the behavior of some artifacts and monsters, as well as much else. Your character will gain various statuses, abilities, immunities, etc., both harmful and beneficial. Most of the time these are kept hidden from you, but there are various ways of discovering the truth -- self-knowledge is very useful in omega. Remember, the oracle knows all, sees all.... | EXPERIENCE ========== Experience is accrued for skillful actions in the game. As in rogue, one of the main methods of acquiring experience is defeating monsters. You need not kill an opponent to defeat it (you can use the 'threaten' option of the 't' command, sometimes). There are many other ways of gaining experience, though, including learning spells, deactivating traps, using artifacts correctly, etc. As experience is gained, the character will increase in hit points, combat ability, and spellcasting potential, and will eventually be able to increase his rank in the various guilds. Gaining an experience level increases maximum hit points but not current hit points so you cannot suddenly save yourself in a large battle by going up in rank. | GAMEPLAY ======== The mechanics are much like rogue, hack, etc. A variety of options are available to customize the interface. The command list is always useful to have around, but is also accessible from the '?' command. There are a number of windows used in the game. The main (central) window shows the current map of the dungeon, city or wilderness. A single level is typically one screen in width and two to five in length, for a 64 x 64 level. Some non-dungeon screens may be only 64x16 or 64x25 or so. The top lines are a message window describing what is now going on. The bottom two lines form a window showing various player statistics. The right-hand column is a status window showing current conditions, and another line below the map describes the current environment. A menu window will sometimes overlap the rest of the screen for various reasons. There is a different command list for the countryside as opposed to all other screens. | INVENTORY ========= omega inventories are now much different from other rogue-like games. Unlike rogue, et al., you cannot directly employ every object you carry. Every object may either go into your "pack" or into some specific inventory slot such as "belt" or "ready hand" or "left shoulder" etc. Some slots are dedicated to certain types of items (eg, only armor can go in the armor slot), but other slots are general purpose, like your belt or your shoulder. It takes game time to transfer an object from your pack, (which can hold any number of items) to specific slots from which the item may be useable. The pack is implemented as a stack, so the deeper you burrow into your pack looking for some item, the more game time you are wasting. Therefore, carrying a whole lot of (semi)useless items may be a strategically bad move. Of course, as always, you can't carry more weight (either in your pack or in your inventory slots) than is dictated by your current STRENGTH and AGILITY. Since you can only activate (read, quaff, zap, etc.) objects which are not in your pack, and since it requires a move to take something out of a bag, you now have to consider strategy in apportioning the items you pick up. You can select one of two modes for inventories via the TOPINV option (if you are a beginner and/or are playing at high baud rates, you should probably leave TOPINV to be false). More details on the precise mechanics of inventory manipulation can be had by typing '?' to the prompt while in inventory control mode, which is entered by either the 'i' or 'I' commands. Another inventory mode option is PACKADD. For convenience, if this option is set items picked up will automatically go into your pack without entering inventory mode. On the other hand, this means you will have to waste a little time if you want to employ something you immediately pick up. The implementation of this form of inventory involved considerations of ease of play, "realism" (ha), and aesthetic judgement. While you may find the new style of inventory control to be somewhat annoying at first, hopefully you will soon become accustomed to it. | MOVEMENT ======== The mechanics of movement are much like rogue. You can use either the vi keys (hjklbnyu) or the numeric keypad to move; the capitalized vi keys or a keypad direction preceded by a 5 "run" in that direction until either an object is run into, or an "interesting" location is hit. More locations are "interesting" if the "RUNSTOP" option is set. In most environments, a single move takes but a few seconds of game time, depending on the player's "Spd" score, but some places movement takes longer. In the countryside environment, the scale is much larger than usual (say 5KM/move), so a single move can take hours. In the city or village environments, the scale is such that a move takes about 30 seconds or so of gametime. | COMBAT ====== New from version 0.70.5.5 onward: unless BELLICOSE is set, players will not attack friendly monsters by default. Instead, regardless of the setting of the CONFIRM option, players will be queried regarding their intentions. BELLICOSE no longer affects attacks at the end of fastmoves. At this time, your current real statistics on to-hit, damage, defense, and armor protection are always displayed. It is felt that the character would know (or quickly discover) how well any weapon, armor, etc. actually work. By comparing different weapons, armor, and shield combinations, you can decide what martial configuration is best for your character. Keep in mind that cost of equipment does not necessarily indicate how good it is (though it is a good rule of thumb). The 'F' command allows you to select precisely which actions you will choose in a combat round -- parry high, thrust low, etc. You have several maneuver points for use in each TCM round, depending on level, status as a gladiator, etc. At the beginning of the game, your combat options are already set for you, but as you progress, and possibly gain more maneuvers, the preset options will not be automatically updated, so remember to do it yourself periodically, as you may be losing the chance at more maneuvers if you do not. | The following are your combat options: ATTACK: Punch, Cut, Strike, Shoot, or Thrust (depending on weapon) -- 1 pt. BLOCK: Prepare to block or parry enemy attack -- 1 pt. RIPOSTE: BLOCK/ATTACK (thrusting weapons only) -- 2 pts. LUNGE: More chance to hit than usual, does more damage -- 2 pts. If you select VERBOSE mode, you will be able to see just where your opponent attacks. Some monsters may show a particular sequence or location which they attack in; you can use this information to your advantage by setting your own attacks and blocks accordingly. You can try multiple identical maneuvers if you like. If you don't try any BLOCKS at all, it will be easier than usual for your opponent to hit. Even if you don't get the location correct, a BLOCK still does some good. A RIPOSTE attacks in the same line as its block, if you got the line right. I.e., if you are attacked high, a high riposte will get a free attack back. If you are attacked high three times, a high riposte will get three free attacks back. Each block or riposte is good for your entire move; no matter how many monsters attack you you will be able to block or riposte each one. Naturally, each attack can only be used against one monster. Heavy edged weapons and smashing weapons do CUTTING or STRIKING damage. Your strength affects this, so if it is high you will do much more damage, and if low, much less. Light edged weapons, missile weapons, and pointed weapons do THRUSTING or SHOOTING attacks, whose chance to hit is greatly affected by your dexterity. Note that you can't use a missile weapon very well in ordinary combat (i.e. when you move adjacent to a monster) -- you would be using a crossbow as a club, for instance. Instead, use the 'f' command to fire missiles when at long range, and change to a melee weapon for close combat. A note on weapons use: A weapon is not prepared for combat unless it is in the "weapon hand" slot in your inventory. Anywhere else means you are just carrying it around.... Two-handed weapons will automatically take both hand slots, so remember to have both hands free if you want to wield such a weapon. Shields, of course, will only have effect in the "shield" slot, while armor is only considered to be worn if it is in the "armor" slot. | MAGIC ===== Your character may be taught spells by his or her guild or priesthood, at the collegium magii, or pick them up from a scroll of spells. Every spell costs some amount of mana to cast. Mana is not normally regenerated except when the player goes up an experience level, but various magic items augment mana, and the sorceror's guild will recharge you for a fee. If you learn the same spell multiple times, the effective power drain to cast the spell is lowered. Some spells have a constant effect, while others vary according to your level. The spell of ritual magic has a variety of different effects depending on the circumstances under which it is cast. The spell of high magic is the most powerful, by the way. | GETTING INFORMATION =================== To be successful at omega, you must uncover secrets and solve mysteries. You can get information in a number of ways (reading the source code is strictly discouraged :-), but one of the most important ways is "talking" to monsters and NPC's. Even if you don't get any useful info, you may still find out something about the creature you're talking to. The usual of action is to "greet" strangers who don't immediately attack you. Threatening them is often counterproductive (may cause them to become hostile), but may induce weaker or injured opponents to give up. Threatening may be a lawful action if you would otherwise wind up killing your opponent (especially if you let a surrendered opponent go). On the other hand you may be able to "yield" to stronger opponents who, if they are merciful, will let you go after relieving you of some treasure. Warning: Monsters who defeat you will grow stronger as they too gain experience.... It is highly recommended that the player visit the oracle in Rampart periodically. Not only will the oracle recommend what your next adventure should be, but you can also find out some vital information about your current status. Where is the oracle? In the immortal words of number 2: "That would be telling...." | THE COUNTRYSIDE =============== Rampart is set in a strange landscape of different terrain types. The land is surrounded in part by a mystic sea of chaos which it is probably a good idea to avoid. Screen characters have a different meaning in the countryside than they do elsewhere, by the way, and there is a different command set (accessible by '?' when out of the city). Time passes much more quickly in countryside movement; you will have to bring a lot of food with you, though you may wish to hunt ('H' command) to supplement your food reserves; many of the animals that you may encounter, for example, are edible. Since each countryside site is quite a large area, you may have to search ('s' command) to learn of interesting sites nearby. | WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN ========================== Dungeon/City/Other Map Example: ########## #........# This bit of a screen represents a room. The walls are "#", #..@...g.- the floor is ".", there is a staircase in the lower lefthand #....)...# corner, and a closed door in the right wall. A goblin is menacing #>......~# the player, and a weapon lies on the floor not far away. There ########## is a pool in the lower righthand corner. Countryside Map Example: ++----.--- The @ as usual is the player; the +'s are an arm of the Sea of +++++O--^^ Chaos; the O is the city of Rampart; the ^'s are mountains; ----@----^ the .'s are a road; the -'s are plains and meadows; the o is ---.-^^^^^ a small village; and the * is a dungeon entrance. o..-^*^^^^ | Since the same character can represent different things or entities (even in the same environment), a good command to remember is 'x' (examine), which will tell you precisely what you are dealing with in any situation. This is especially helpful before you have terrain types like deep pools and lava pits (!) memorized.... You can use the CONFIRM option to avoid walking absent-mindedly into a trap, pool, etc. The '/' command will give you more general help, for example telling you that the ')' character represents a weapon. The '?' command can give you either a command list or this file. The command lists will differ depending whether you are in the countryside, or a dungeon or city. | Flags: In the upper right corner of the omega display, below the date and time, and phase of the moon, you will see four flags: The top describes your food status, the second describes your status with respect to poison, the third your health (diseased or healthy), and the fourth, your mode of transportation. While you are diseased you will not regain hit points naturally. While you are poisoned you will take damage periodically until cured or killed (or the poison's effect can naturally fade). When your food runs out, and you start starving, you will take more and more damage as time passes until finally you die of starvation. It's always a good idea to stock up at the Commandant's.... If you manage to acquire a horse, your SPEED will probably improve (unless you were very fast already). Regardless of SPEED, having a horse will save some time in countryside movement. However, horses tend not to enjoy going into dungeons.... | Combat Abilities: In the lower right of the display, your current combat abilities are displayed. Hit: is your current chance to hit with the weapon currently wielded, the higher the better. This factor varies with your DEXTERITY, experience level, and the weapon wielded. Dmg: is the maximum amount of damage you can do with a hit. This factor varies with your STRENGTH and the weapon wielded. Def: is your defensive rating, how hard it is for monsters to hit you. This factor varies with your AGILITY and experience level, and with the shield being used. Arm: is your armor rating, how much damage is absorbed when a monster hits you before you take damage. Armor only absorbs normal damage; various effects and forms of magic may penetrate armor. This factor varies with the armor worn. Spd: is a speed factor, how quickly or how slowly you move. This factor is calculated about a base of 1.00; 2.00 means you move twice as fast; 0.50 means you move twice as slowly as normal. This factor varies with your AGILITY and the amount of weight you are carrying. Every monster has its own speed factor. The maximum speed is 5.0; the minimum is ? Magic spells, special items, and monster effects can affect all these factors, positively and negatively. | SAVING AND RESTORING ==================== Since omega's dungeon is quite large, only the current dungeon level and the city level will be saved; others will be regenerated as you re-enter them. You might simply consider that the "actual" levels are far larger than is apparent, and you are just traversing a different part on each restore.... If you know the spell of Return, however, (learnable at the Explorers' Club) you will be able to warp to your deepest excursion in the most recently entered dungeon without having to retraverse the old levels in between. Some other shortcuts exist for "warping" from one locale or level to another. Games can be restored by giving the save file as a command line argument as in: % omega quasar.sav To at least simulate the continuity of character in the game, saved files will be unlinked on restoration. Of course, you *can* copy them. New for version 0.70.5.6, save files are automatically compressed unless the flag COMPRESS_SAVE_FILES is undefined in odefs.h. This doubles the amount of time taken to save, but reduces the typical save file from 150K to 15K. | OPTION SETTINGS =============== Options may be set with the 'O' command. The options are: (F) BELLICOSE: Attack friendly monsters without confirmation. (F) JUMPMOVE: Don't display things until the end of a run. (T) PICKUP: Automatically pick things up when you move over them. (T) RUNSTOP: Stop a run when something like a door is passed. (T) CONFIRM: Ask confirmation before you do some dangerous things. (F) TOPINV: Display inventory to message line, not to full screen. (F) PACKADD: Add new items to pack, instead of going into inventory mode (V) VERBOSITY: TERSE, MEDIUM, or VERBOSE, the level of detail in combat. (1) SEARCHNUM: the number of turns spent searching when you hit the 's' key. The default values are parenthesized. These options will be recovered from your .omegarc if you use one. BUGS AND FEATURES ================= "It's not a bug, it's an undocumented feature." omega is not just a large program, it is a large, complicated, and not particularly well written program. There are so many features that not all can be well tested, particularly in combination with one another. Therefore, it is likely that your version, whatever it is, has some bugs. The author always strives to correct bugs and remedy misfeatures, so if you send mail to brothers@paul.rutgers.edu, he will attempt to remedy the problem. Suggestions for further features, monsters, traps, items, dungeons, etc. are also welcome.