Version:  1.01
Date:     9/5/97

Help on Arya: The Dragons Quest 1996-97 Skullsoft
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This game is Shareware

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		                      The Dragons Quest


Registration  -  Please Read First
~~~~~~~~~~~~
This game is shareware, it is NOT free software. This means that if you 
like it and want to play it for more than the single trial period of one 
week, you must pay for it. The cost of registration is 6.50. This 6.50 gets
you the right to play the game for as long as you want, it also gets you the
full version! The full version is much larger, it has more pictures, more 
graphical puzzles and most importantly you can complete it!. There is also
a RiscPC only version that has 16bit graphics. But you can also complain to
us if you find any bugs.

To register, send us your address, a cheque or postal order in UKP and email
address if you have one. The address and how to contact us is given at the 
bottom of this file.

There are 3 versions of the game:

1) RiscPC version: 640x480, 16bit graphics which requires 2Mb DRAM + 1Mb 
   VRAM. This comes on HD discs.
2) RiscPC, A7000 and MODE 28 compatible version: 640x480, 8bit graphics 
   (MODE 28) which requires 2Mb DRAM. This comes on DD discs.
3) Pre RiscPC/A7000 version: 640x256, 8bit graphics (MODE 15) which requires 
   2Mb DRAM and a standard monitor. This comes on DD discs.
   
The simple reason for these separate versions is one of size, The 16bit 
graphics alone run to nearly 3Mb compressed. The graphics for the other
versions are smaller but we could not really put all the graphics in one
version as it would really just be a waste.

The cost to register Arya depends on where you are in the world:

United Kingdom:-    6.50
Europe:-            7.50
Rest of the world:- 8.00
(The different prices are to cover postage)

Unfortunately, we can only accept registration fees in UKP. If this is a 
serious problem for you, contact us and we're sure we can come to an 
arrangement. 

Methods of payment:
You can send cash, (Although a cheque or postal order would be safer)
If you're sending a cheque or postal order then make it payable to Skullsoft.
Registrations should be sent to the address at the bottom of the file.

Registration is important as it shows us that you like our game and all
our efforts havent been in vain. We have spent the best part of a year 
developing this (amongst things like A-Levels). If you hate the game
then thats ok, delete it but we would be grateful if you tell us why you
dont like it. If you dont delete the program after a week and you dont 
register then you have an illegal copy. This is just the same as having 
a pirated game or application.

The Shareware version defaults to Mode 28, but also contains Mode 15 
graphics. To change to Mode 15, set the Arya$Version variable in the !Run 
file to 2. If you have any problems, please contact us (See bottom of file).

Playing The Game
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arya is a text adventure like any other but it also has pictures and 
interactive graphical puzzles. You as the player decide what to do and
when to do it. The level of difficulty is not very high, to start with it 
is really quite easy. We have tried to make it at a level where anyone
can enjoy it and should not get stuck for too long (we hope anyway! :-))
You control your character by typing in commands to do different things.
Many of the commands are listed below.

Commands:

Square brackets [] indicate optional additions
Normal brackets () indicate the type of response expected or something else 
should be typed in addition.

[Go] North		Use X [with Y]		
[Go] North-West		Attack X [with Y]
[Go] North-East		Open X
[Go] South		Move X
[Go] South-West		Push X
[Go] South-East		Pull X
[Go] East		Quit (Yes/No)
[Go] West		Inventory
[Go] Up			Drop X
[Go] Down		Tell X about Y
Take X, Get X		Ask X about Y
Give X to Y		Say (A phrase or word)
Examine X		Read X
Look			Light/Turn on X
Exits			Extinguish/Turn off X
Search [X]		Burn X
Save [1-12]		Restart
QSave			Wield X
Load [1-12]		Wear X
Files			Remove X
RSave			Time
RLoad			Pictures [On/Off]
RWipe			Fkeys
Talk to X		Climb [Up/Down] X
Wait			Clear
Rest			Buy X
Unlock X with Y		Throw X [at/to Y]
Stats			Sleep
Pray			Score

Note: The parser is NOT case sensitive

The mouse can also be used on the button bar at the bottom of the screen
to enter commands. The function keys can be defined to enter commands. 
Clicking adjust on the !Arya icon on the icon bar opens a directory which 
contains a file to allow you to change the fkey definitions.

Each function key definition is preceeded by it's number (F1, F2 etc.) and a
colon. The command must follow this, and if you want the parser to press 
<Return> for you, it should be terminated with a '/' character.

Commands are entered as you would enter any text, you can delete and
there is a command recall, like that with LineEditor, which can be 
used to recall previous entered commands. You can use this function by
pressing the up and down arrows. 

Talking to people is also possible, you can 'Talk to x', 'Ask x about y'
and 'Tell x about y'. Where x is an object, although y does not always have
to be. You can also 'Say x', were x can be anything, an example might be a 
password.

Many commands have alternatives such as Take where Get could also be 
used or Examine where X or Exam could be used.

Arya has a few graphical puzzles in which you use the mouse to manipulate
the on-screen icons to complete the puzzle (eg a "Towers of Hanoi" puzzle). 
When you come to one of these to activate the puzzle it will often be the 
casethat you have to push buttons or something along those lines.

Arya is possibly slightly different from any text adventures you may have
played before. Time in the game ticks by even when you do nothing. The time
is accelerated, it is approximately 15 seconds to a game minute. The weather
is changeable and will change with time. Many creatures (actors) move 
according to time of day.

Hints
~~~~~
Here are a few hints which may help you...

To solve a problem it may be simply a case of Get X then Use X with Y.
There is a pattern to most of the puzzles all you have to do is find it!
All of the puzzles should be logical.

Problems
~~~~~~~~
If you are using the correct version of Arya for your machine then
you should have no problems. If you do then please tell us what the 
problem is and we will do our best to sort it out (See end of file on
how to get in touch). Arya is StrongArm compatible. 

To aid swift debugging, there is a command RM, which will display the number 
of your current location. If you could quote this number along with the 
problem, we would be very thankful as it makes debugging so much easier.
If you could also tell us you computer and OS version that would be helpfull
too. Try to give as much information as you can about a problem.

If you have a problem with your monitor, like you can't see all of the
bar at the bottom of the screen, then in the !Run file there is a system
variable, Arya$BarOffset. This can be set with values 0 - 4, which is the
amount the bar is offset from the bottom of the screen.

Contacting Us
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have any bug reports, suggestions, pleas for help, registrations 
or constructive criticism, then we can be contacted by the following methods:

EMail: (This is the preferred method for none registration contact)

skullsoft@eganc.demon.co.uk

Snail Mail: (Good for registrations or if you havent got email access)

Skullsoft
c/o Chris Egan
27 Tollemache Rd
Claughton
Birkenhead
Wirral
L43 8SU

Web:

http://www.eganc.demon.co.uk/

Well thats about it...
Bye!
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                   / ___// /____  __/ / /________  / __/ /_
                   \__ \/ //_/ / / / / / ___/ __ \/ /_/ __/
                  ___/ / ,< / /_/ / / (__  ) /_/ / __/ /_  
                 /____/_/|_|\__,_/_/_/____/\____/_/  \__/ 
                                                                  

    <`>    - Chris Egan     mailto:chris@eganc.demon.co.uk

     )  
    (_ucan  - David Taylor   mailto:lucan@argonet.co.uk


