T H E A R C H O N C O L L E C T I O N™ E L ■ C T R ● N I C ▲ R T S™ ARCHON │ ADEPT: ARCHON II, THE LIGHT AND THE DARK │ BATTLE OF THE MAGES │ There’s a board. There are pieces with │ The age of Archon is ending. Mighty varying powers, squares to move into │ wars of magic rage and monsters roam and an opponent to conquer. Once you │ the elements, hungry for power and decide where to attack, the board │ prey. This is a unique blend of explodes into a battlefield. Your │ Strategy and Arcade Action, pieces, which include phoenixes, │ incorporating 4 different golems and wizards, fight the │ battlegrounds for Earth, Water, Fire banshees, goblins and sorceresses. │ and Air. Conjure up to 12 different They cast spells and throw missiles in │ monsters, and play against a friend or a fight to the finish. Only if you’re │ a computer player that gets tougher as smart, fast and dextrous will you win. │ you do. Mistress THE ADEPTS Master of Chaos The Spellcasters. Conduits of energy. of Order Guiders of missiles and magic. CHAOS ELEMENTALS ORDER Behemoth – Massive as mountains. As Giant – Earthborn cousin of Troll and subtle as a piledriver. Reducer to Golem. Walks slowly and carries a big rubble. rock. Siren – Murderous mermaid. Singer of Kraken – Strong, slow giant of the songs. The voice that sank a thousand deep. So big its tentacles cause ships. tidal waves. Ifrit – Dark spirit of storm and air. Thunderbird – Skyrider, hurler of Scion of cyclones. Genie. Raksasha. thunderbolts. Symbol of Order, defender of law. Firebird – Crafty child of ARCHON’S Salamander – Little lizard, made of Phoenix. Fire is its weapon and its flame. Scuttler, skulker, flinger of armor. fireballs. DEMONS Juggernaut Wraith Gorgon Chimera A melding of Leech of the life- Fragile paralyzer A three-faced master and force. Feeder on of life and limb. nightmare. missile, monster wounds. Now you Hard on everyone, Breathes fire, and machine. Hell see it, now you especially on the snorts poison gas, on wheels. Pure don’t. slow moving. stings like a force. scorpion. ┌───────┬───────┐ │ A R C │ H O N │ └───────┴───────┘ There’s a board. There are pieces with varying powers, squares to move into and an opponent to conquer. But the squares keep changing. And once you decide where to attack, the board explodes into a battlefield. Your pieces include phoenixes, golems and wizards, and they use all their strange powers when they fight the banshees, goblins and sorceresses they face. They cast spells and missiles, they pummel, pierce and throw out flames, they move each other around, take on each other’s shapes and shriek at each other. If you square off on a spot that stays favourable, you’ll be hard to kill. If you’re smart, fast, dextrous and farsighted, you may win. If you’re not, look for another game. Jon Freeman, Paul Reiche III and Anne Westfall, the conjurers behind the conjurers. Without them there would be no Adepts, no Chimeras, no Sirens, no Wraiths. All reasons to be grateful to them. Except maybe for the Wraiths. ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ ELECTRONIC ARTS® │ │ Home Computer Software │ │ │ │ ABOUT OUR COMPANY │ │ We’re an association of electronic artists who share a common goal. We │ │ want to fulfill the potential of personal computing. That’s a tall order, │ │ but with enough imagination and enthusiasm, we think there’s a good chance │ │ for success. Our products, like this one, are evidence of our intent. If │ │ you’d like a product brochure, send a stamped SAE to: Electronic Arts, │ │ 11/49 Station Road, Langley, Slough, Berks, England. │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── E L ■ C T R ● N I C ▲ R T S™ ENGLISH The Archon Collection Amstrad cassette & disk Side 1 Archon, Side 2 Archon II: Adept. Getting Started First switch on your machine, then follow the tape or disk instructions accordingly. TAPE: Fully rewind the tape then press the CTRL and small ENTER keys. Press play on your tape recorder followed by any key, and the program will now load and run. DISK: Insert the disk in your drive, Type RUN "EA" and then press RETURN, the program will now load and run. Archon Starting Play: Select the game configuration from the start up menu, use the cusor Keys and ENTER to choose your side, who goes first and specific game controls. Press ENTER on 'Start Game' when you are ready to play. Press Spacebar and hold to skip through the start up sequence. Keyboard Controls: Left Right Down Up Fire Light F H X W space Dark F4 F6 F2 F8 small enter key Pause Key: While in the combat arena is '0' Moving 1. Strategy: Use joystick or keys to move icons or frames and press fire to start or end moves. End your move on your starting square to cancel your move. See your manual for more detailed instructions. 2. Combat: Use the following instructions for each icon: Knight or Goblin: Move the joystick toward the enemy and press fire to swing your weapon. Banshee: Press fire to initiate attack, the Banshee can move while screaming. Phoenix: Press fire to initiate attack, the Phoenix cannot move until the explosion is over. All others: Move the joystick or press the key in the direction you wish to aim, then press fire. Quitting the game: Use the escape key. Changes to the Manual: The Attack Interval: Instead of sounding a tone the computer places a coloured block in the top left and right corner of the arena, this represents the ready to attack tone. Archon II: Adept. Starting Play: Select the game configuration from the start up menu, choose which side you wish to use, who goes first and specific game controls. Press zero when you are ready to play. Press Spacebar and hold to skip through the start up sequence. (The player options are as shown and differ from those stated in the manual). Keyboard Controls: Left Right Down Up Fire Chaos F H X W space bar Order F4 F6 F2 F8 small enter key Handicapping: Before starting your game, select your play level; beginner, experienced, advanced or Adept. Beginners start with more magical energy, advanced players start with less. The lower a player's level, as compared to an opponents, the slower the opponents icon's, missiles and attacks will be. In the case of Adepts not only do they move slower but their missiles are harder to control. Choose Adept for the most skillful and Beginner for the least skillful player to obtain the maximum possible handicap. Moving Icons on the strategy board: The selection frame appears on your side of the board when it's your turn to move. Use either joystick or keys to place the frame over the icon you want and press fire. Next, move the icon (or frame in the case of Adepts) to the desired location and press fire again. For additional information about movement rules refer to the manual. Moving and Fighting on the Battleground: You must fight for disputed territory when you enter a space occupied by an opposing icon. Use joystick or keys to move the icon. To fire move in the direction you wish to aim and then press fire. For additional information please refer to the manual. Note: Your wraiths are visible when you play against the computer, because the computer knows where they are, so it's only fair that you know as well. Casting Spells: Place the frame over an Adept and press fire twice; this displays the top of a list move up and down the list to find the spell that you require, then press fire to cast. Choose cease conjuring if you change your mind. If you change your mind mid-spell, move the frame over your citadel and press fire. To change your mind during a Summon spell fire over the blank square at the end of the line of icons. Casting spells costs magical energy. Occupying power points increases your energy. Your total energy is displayed on the bar that appears below the board during your move. (This differs from the manual which states that the bar is vertical). Quitting, press 'escape key' to quit from the game. ELECTRONIC ARTS® Home Computer Software ELECTRONIC ARTS LIMITED EO3220EY 11/49 STATION ROAD, LANGLEY, BERKS SL3 8YN, ENGLAND ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┌──────────────────────────┐ │ M A N U A L │ ├──────────────────────────┤ │ T H E │ │ A R C H O N │ │ C O L L E C T I O N │ │ ™ │ │ │ │ THE LIGHT AND THE DARK │ └──────────────────────────┘ E L ■ C T R ● N I C ▲ R T S ™ A R C H O N ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ARCHON depicts the eternal struggle between Light and Darkness as a contest of action and strategy between opposing forces wrought from myth and legend. The Light Side and the Dark Side are equal in number, balanced in strength, but not identical. Their aim, however, is the same: conquest of the five "power points" or the elimination of the opposite side. THE TWO SCREENS First is the strategy screen where, by turn, the icons are manoeuvred into favourable positions. When an icon moves onto a square already occupied by an opponent's icon, the game shifts to the battleground where both fight for that square. INITIAL STRATEGY SCREEN The Luminosity Cycle - "Luminance" squares on the strategy screen vary in brightness throughout the game. Your fortunes tend to ebb and flow with this cycle because Light Side icons are harder to defeat on light squares than when they are on the dark squares and vice versa. Power Points - Flashing symbols indicate the five power points. Icons on power points heal faster and are protected from magic spells. You win the game when you occupy all five power points. Movement - Move the frame atop the icon you wish to select. Push the button to choose icon. Move the frame atop the destination desired, and press button to move icon to that destination. There are three forms of movement: ground, fly, and teleport. Ground movers cannot move diagonally, or through occupied squares, and fliers are restricted only in where they land. Only the Wizard and the Sorceress can teleport. Note: If you change your mind while manoeuvering a ground mover, you must backtrack. THE BATTLEGROUND Combat is immediate and simultaneous. Joysticks (mouse, or direction keys) direct movement of the icons and the button initiates an attack while immobilizing your icon. There are three forms of combat. Knights and Goblins wield swords and clubs; Banshees and the Phoenix's inflict damage in a circular area around themselves; and all the other icons throw missiles of some sort. The Attack Interval, while fast and furious, has limits. It takes a moment to raise a sword or rip a boulder from the ground! The computer will sound a tone when your icon is ready to launch another attack. Barriers go through luminosity cycles of their own. A barrier is impenetrable except when it disappears (becomes nearly transparent) Life, Death, and Wounds affect the "lifelines" at either end of the arena which indicate the current lifespan of the two battling icons. A victorious icon from the arena returns to the strategy screen in control of the disputed square. Wounded icons heal slowly with the passage of time; more quickly on a power point; or instantly by a Heal spell. MAGIC SPELLS Magic is the most significant strategic element. Only the Wizard and the Sorceress can cast spells. You can cast each spell only once. Spells are powerful but each one weakens the mage casting it.To cast a spell, move the frame atop your mage and press the button twice Push the joystick up and down to survey the spells still available, push the button when you find the one you want. On the Macintosh, pull down the spells menu. You'll get additional messages. TELEPORT Effect: Moves icons any distance from one square to another. Actions Required: Move the frame to the icon, push the button and then move it to its destination. Restrictions: You cannot move an enemy icon, move into a square already occupied by your own icon, teleport onto or off a power point or teleport an imprisoned icon. HEAL Effect: Heals any icon of all wounds. Actions Required: Move the frame to the wounded icon and push the button. Restrictions: You cannot heal an icon on a power point. SHIFT TIME Effect: Two effects are possible. Reverse the flow of time or abruptly shift time on the luminosity cycle. Actions Required: None after selecting the spell. Restrictions: None. EXCHANGE Effect:Causes any two icons to trade places. Actions Required: Move the frame to the icon you wish to transpose, push the button. Then do the same to the other icon. Restrictions: Imprisoned icons, or those icons on power points cannot be exchanged. SUMMON ELEMENTAL Effect: Allows for attack of an enemy icon with a new, temporary icon representing earth, air, fire or water. After the battle the elemental vanishes. Action Required: Move it to the icon you wish to attack. Restrictions: You cannot attack an icon on a power point or choose which elemental will respond to your summons. REVIVE Effect: Restores an icon previously killed in combat. Actions Required: The revived icon comes from a display on your side of the strategy screen and its destination must be a vacant square next to your mage. Restrictions:You cannot revive a live icon. One of the squares next to your mage must be vacant. IMPRISON Effect: Keeps an icon from leaving its square. Important: An imprisoned mage cannot cast spells. Imprisonment is temporary until the luminosity cycle colour of the prison square matches that of the imprisoned icon. Actions Required: Move the frame to the target icon and press the button. Restrictions: You cannot imprison an icon on a power point. CEASE CONJURING If you change your mind while selecting a spell or if the spell you want is unavailable or canceled, you may push the button while "CEASE CONJURING" is displayed and then start over. THE OPPOSING FORCES Light Side The WIZARD mage casts balls of fire, and other spells. The UNICORN is swift and agile. Its horn fires a bolt of energy. The ARCHERS are endowed with quivers that are never empty. A GOLEM is an artificial being and its weapons are boulders. VALKRIES are females who can walk on air and carry an enchanted spear. The DJINNI can raise a small tornado. The PHOENIX can explode into a mass of fire and be unscathed. During metamorphosis it is invulnerable. The KNIGHTS are soldiers armed and armoured against far larger enemies than themselves. Dark Side The SORCERESS mage fires her lightning bolts and casts spells. The BASILISK has quick movements and a deadly glance. The MANTICORE's tail bristles with great quills. The TROLL seizes whatever is handy and catapults it. The SHAPESHIFTER steals form from its enemies and becomes a mirror image. The DRAGON's flaming breath will kill many creatures. Its awesome powers make it second only to the Sorceress. The BANSHEE attacks with her keening wail, draining the life from anyone within range. The GOBLINS have gnarled clubs that are more than a match for the swords of the Knights. PLAYING HINTS AND TIPS Strategy Openings Conservative: Move your unfavorably located icons onto more favourable squares. Establish a strong, balanced position early. Magical Assault: Wipe out the strongest enemy icon right off the bat.This is most easily done with a combination of spells. Monster Romp: Risky but fun and sometimes surprisingly effective. Just fly or teleport your strongest icon to the other side and take it romping' and stomping'. Strategy General Hints Stay on your color. Plan ahead. Avoid traffic jams. Protect your mage! Strategy Spells Teleport: Handy for tossing a slow or unfavorably placed icon into your opponent's back ranks. Heal: Never heal a Shapeshifter since it regenerates between battles. Shift Time: Use to prolong imprisonment. Strategic use could allow for a concerted attack on the power points. Exchange: Frustrate an enemy advance by exchanging a menacing intruder with a weaker icon. Summon Elemental: Unaffected by changes in luminance, they are well suited for attacking an enemy that remains on squares favourable to it. Revive: Revive only your strong icons! Imprison: The real trick is timing, coupled with Shift Time to prolong the effect. Combat General Hints Don't move in straight lines. Hit and run. Use diagonal shots. Trap your opponent in a corner. Confuse your opponent Know your icon's strengths and weaknesses. Feint! Combat Icons WIZARD: Avoid using unless attacked. SORCERESS: Avoid combat if possible! UNICORN/BASILISK: Speed and distance are their prime weapons. ARCHER: Keep in mind that the slow nature of their attacks. GOLEM/TROLL: They have long lives and conduct deadly attacks. DJINNI/DRAGON: You have power to spare here. VALKRIE: Basically a tougher Archer. PHOENIX: Move close-the closer, the better. SHAPESHIFTER: Success depends on having the proper battleground. MANTICORE: Has the advantage of a broader attack than its counterparts. BANSHEE: Attacks efficiently, with great skill. KNIGHT/GOBLIN: Moves quickly but erratically. Get in close and stay there. ELEMENTALS: The Earth elemental should be played like a Golem/Troll. Tactically, you can think of Fire as a Wizard, Air as an Archer and Water as a Manticore. A R C H O N I I : A D E P T ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── TWO SCREENS Adept uses the same Strategy and Battleground screens as does Archon. PLAYER OPTIONS Adept uses the same Player Options as does Archon. MOVES You begin with four Adepts. On each turn you use whatever magical energy you have left to: 1. Move an Adept. 2. Use an Adept to cast a spell. or 3. Move an icon conjured up on a previous turn. WINNING You win if you occupy all six power points, if you triumph in the Apocalypse or if your opponent runs out of magical energy or icons. THE BOARD • The main board is composed of four bands representing the classical elements of Earth, Water, Air and Fire. There are four squares which are not part of the bands. Two are black, neutral Voids. The others are the citadels of Order and Chaos. Voids can be occupied by icons but citadels cannot. • There are six flashing power points. Two are the Voids and the other four move from turn to turn. MOVEMENT If the frame is on your side, it's your turn. Use your joystick to move it atop the icon you want and push the button. Next, move it to your intended destination and press the button again. (If you don't want that icon, then push the button again. NOTE: The rule for cancelling an Adept move is different.) Elementals & Demons: Slide them as far as you like with two restrictions: they cannot pass another icon and they cannot end up atop a friendly icon. You may jump from one element to an adjacent one. Adepts: They can teleport anywhere on the board at the cost of a bit of magical energy. MAGIC SPELLS • Instead of a move an Adept can cast any spell it has enough energy for. Select the Adept with the frame, press the button and press it again. This produces "SELECT YOUR SPELL". • Move the joystick forward and backwards to get the choices. Press the button on the one you want. You can change your mind with "CANCEL SPELL". If you already selected the spell then move the frame to your citadel and press the button. • Magic lies at the heart of the action but it costs. The amount of magical energy you have is shown by the vertical bar and varies throughout the game. • Moving icons is mostly free but its takes energy to maintain Demons and Elementals and lots more to cast spells. The energy bar shows you the cost of your options. • The effect of spells is limited to the element that the Adept is on. Adepts cannot cast spells from a Void and are immune to all spells except Heal. THE SPELL LIST Summon: Choose among four Demons and four Elementals. NOTE: Adept magic works only within the element of the conjuring Adept. You may summon an icon and directly attack an opposing icon at an energy cost. For attacking Adepts you must use icons already on the board. Heal: Cures half of an icon's wounds and all paralysis. Weaken: Cuts an enemy icon's current lifespan in half. Imprison: The imprisoned icon cannot be moved but it costs energy. Release: When you can no longer afford or need to keep an icon imprisoned. Banish: Very expensive to cast but very effective. Apocalypse: Use to put a hopelessly overwhelmed enemy out of misery or as an act of suicidal desperation. COMBAT TIPS Attack Methods: On the battleground, icons hurl, hammer, flame, sing, fling, stare and otherwise harass the enemy in whatever direction you move the joystick while pressing the button. The Attack Interval:Combat is fast but you have to wait for the attack interval to pass before you can attack again. Attack Styles: Each icon is most effective when used in friendly elements and well understood. Adept missiles can be steered as long as you hold down the button but then the Adepts cannot move. The Gorgon does not wound; it paralyses. Wraiths are not nice; they are invisible except when they are attacking you. The Firebird cannot be hurt, or move when exploding, but you can end the explosion by releasing the button. Sirens don't have to aim. Just press the button and the singing and the dying starts. Juggernauts are like missiles. They travel in straight lines and are invulnerable except to the song of the Siren. NOTICE ELECTRONIC ARTS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCT DESCRIBED IN THIS MANUAL AT ANY TIME AND WITHOUT NOTICE. THIS MANUAL, AND THE SOFTWARE DESCRIBED IN THIS MANUAL, IS COPYRIGHTED. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS MANUAL OR THE DESCRIBED SOFTWARE MAY BE COPIED, REPRODUCED, TRANSLATED OR REDUCED TO ANY ELECTRONIC MEDIUM OR MACHINE- READABLE FORM WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF ELECTRONIC ARTS LIMITED, 11/49 STATION ROAD, LANGLEY, BERKS SL3 8YN, ENGLAND. ELECTRONIC ARTS MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, WITH RESPECT TO THIS MANUAL, ITS QUALITY, MERCHANTABILlTY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THIS MANUAL IS PROVIDED "AS IS." ELECTRONIC ARTS MAKES CERTAIN LIMITED WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THE SOFTWARE AND THE MEDIA FOR THE SOFTWARE. PLEASE SEE THE ELECTRONIC ARTS LIMITED WARRANTY ENCLOSED WITH THIS PRODUCT. MANUAL © 1987 ELECTRONIC ARTS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ELECTRONIC ARTS® Home Computer Software ELECTRONIC ARTS LIMITED E03301EM 11/49 STATION ROAD, LANGLEY, BERKS SL3 8YN, ENGLAND ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Game Design - Archon/Adept: Jon Freeman & Paul Reiche III Program Design - Archon/Adept: Anne Westfall Music - Archon/Adept: Tommy Dunbar Spectrum & Amstrad programming by: Lynsoft UK Producer - Archon: Pat Marriott Producer - Adept: Joe Ybarra Package Illustration - Archon: Dave McMacken Package Illustration - Adept: Eric Joyner EuroPackage Design: Grapplegroup Ltd. Archon is a Free Fall game. Archon II: ADEPT is a Free Fall game. Software © 1987 Free Fall Associates. Package Design © 1987 Electronic Arts Ltd. Amiga is a registered trademark of Commodore - Amiga Inc. C64 is a registered trademark of Commodore Electronics Ltd. Amstrad CPC 664, CPC 464, CPC 6128 & Spectrum +2, +3 are trademarks of Amstrad Consumer Electronics plc. Limited Warranty ──────────────── Electronic Arts warrants to the original purchaser of this computer software product that the recording media on which the software programs are recorded will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for 90 days from the date of purchase. During such period defective media will be replaced if the original product is returned to Electronic Arts at the address below, together with a proof of purchase, a statement describing the defects, and your return address. This warranty does not apply to the software programs themselves, which are provided "as is", nor does it apply to media which has been subject to misuse, damage or excessive wear. This warranty is in addition to, and does not affect your statutory rights in any way. Media Replacement ───────────────── Electronic Arts will replace user damaged media if the original media is returned with a Eurocheque payable to Electronic Arts Ltd. for £5.75 (inc. VAT) for disk or £3.45 (inc. VAT) for cassette. Electronic Arts Ltd., 11/49 Station Road, Langley, Berks SL3 8YN, England.