The Empiriana Dungeon
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It is in the dungeon where most of your time will be taken. The dungeons of Empiriana are quite large. To get to the dungeon from the main Empiriana town map, click your mouse on the dungeon opening near the top center.
The Travel Screen
The travel screen is the first screen you will see after entering the dungeon. If this is your character's first time in the dungeon, you will start out in the "Entryway", just one of many parts of the first level of the dungeon.
In the upper left area of the travel screen is the auto map area. As you explore, the auto map will display the map to you, revealing more detail as you walk around. In the middle area of the travel screen is the 3D perspective view. In this view you will be able to see walls, doors, and other textures (like lava pits) before you walk into them. To the right of the 3D view is the party information window. This is where the other players that are currently in your party will be displayed. There can be up to six players allowed in a party.
In the lower right section of the travel screen you will see your message window. Here you will see messages about events that you are involved in and messages from other players in the game. You can scroll up and down the message window by clicking the appropriate arrows at the top and bottom of the scroll bar. The scroll bar can be locked by right-clicking on the scroll tab.
This will allow you to look at messages without new messages scrolling down automatically. To unlock the scroll bar, just right-click the scroll tab again. This feature works throughout all of Empiriana.
To the left of the message window are the movement controls. You can move your character by using the mouse to point and click on an arrow in the direction you want to go. Another way to move about in the dungeon is by using the numeric key pad or the cursor arrows on your keyboard.
On the bottom left of the travel screen are other options that can be used (Note: As of this writing some of these are disabled). The button on the top left with the hands is the join party option. The button to the right (with a helm) will bring up your character's inventory and equipment screen if pressed. Below that button is the map button which will bring up map options. These options relate to viewing map information and other players. To the right of the map button is the statistics button which will open up your character's statistics screen. The button with the computer monitor will call up an options screen that will allow you to change options, like sound and music for instance. The last button, the one with the book icon, brings up your spell book. Here you will see the spells you currently have scribed in your spell book.
Players may form or join a party of up to six other players. To open a party where others may join you, click on the hand icon in the travel screen and choose the "Wait for Party" option. As other players join in your party their names will be displayed below your name on the right side of the screen. When all that are going to join are present and you wish to begin moving, click the "OK" button on the "Waiting for others" pop-up box. The person that opened the party is the party leader and will control movement for the party while in travel mode. If you have a party in progress and wish to add another new player to the party, click on the hands icon and select the "Re-open Party" option. Once the new player is added close the party again.
To join a party, move to the same square where the party leader is located and click the hand icon. From the pop up options box choose the join party option. You will then find yourself within that party. To leave a party simply click on the hand icon again and you will me removed from the party.
The Battle Screen
While in the Dungeon, whenever you encounter a battle, the screen will change from the travel screen to the battle screen. The view in battle will always represent the same wall and floor layout as the area you were traveling in before you encountered the battle. You will be facing the direction you were traveling in as well. On the right of the battle screen you see the battle grid. As in the travel screen, you can move your character with the mouse using the movement buttons, now located at the bottom right, or you can use the numeric keypad.
Two of the other buttons also perform the same functions as they did in the travel screen, the inventory button and the statistics button. You cannot press these buttons or move around unless it is your turn. While in combat, you might need to switch to your inventory and equipment screen in order to increase your health and/or magical essence. You might also want to switch weapons. You can do this without the loss of a turn/move.
There are also some additional buttons available that you can press while in combat.
Attack Types
You can change the type of attack you are currently using by left clicking on the
attack type window or by pressing the period key on the keypad. This will cycle the attack
type. The attack type affects the damage inflicted to your opponent if using melee weapons
and increases range on missile weapons (an arrow for example). However, on melee weapons
an increase in attack style will decrease the probability of a hit and in missile weapons
it will decrease the damage inflicted.
A chart of some attack types follow. The tradeoffs are always between the amount of damage caused and the chances of actually hitting the opponent.
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The different attack types can be summed up as follows:
Magic attacks are achieved by learned spells within a characters spell book or by the use of scrolls or wands.
Missile attacks are achieved through the use of bow weapons or hurled oil bombs. Your character must have the item or weapon equipped in the same spot where a character would equip a sword or other hand held weapon. Once equipped the character will see a yellow box that surrounds the target and blinks as you move the mouse cursor around the battle grid.
You will only see the blinking yellow box surrounding a character when the selected character is within target range. Different weapons have different attack ranges as well as different damage capabilities. By switching your attack style from Lob to Hurl for instance, you can increase the range but the damage caused will decrease. Changing a characters facing will change the targeting range based on a characters line-of-sight to a target. Some missile weapons have a limited use, check the information on that item in the equipment screen for uses left on an item.
Melee attacks are achieved through the use of hand held weapons. Melee class weapons may be edged, bludgeon, or pole weapons. Some weapons like a halberd or a claymore may allow a limited extended range of attack due to the size of that weapon. Most of these weapons however will require your character to be in an adjoining square and facing the opponent. You may change the attack style of a melee attack which will vary depending on that weapon. By increasing the attack style the damage inflicted to an opponent will increase while the probability to hit will decrease.
Other attack types include throwing flasks and using your character's fists. For flasks, you can either hurl or lob. Hurling a flask will cause less damage than lobbing one. When using fists, you can either punch, swing, or send a lethal blow to the opponent. Punching an opponent will cause less damage than sending them a lethal hit. However, a lethal hit will often miss the mark.
Status Bars
While in battle, to the left of the movement buttons you will see list of all the
characters in your party. Below each players name you will see a red bar and a blue bar.
These bars represent that characters current health and magical essence levels. If your
health runs out, your player dies. If you die you are transported back to the town of
Empiriana, without losing any statistics. If you re-enter the dungeon, you will start out
at the Entryway.
Using the Spell Book in Battle
The spell book brings up the list of spells that your character has written in their
spell book. Spells have varying degrees of effect and damage. The stronger a spells
effect, the more Magical Essence (M.E.) it consumes. While in battle left click on the
spell book, located to the right of the movement arrows. Choose the spell you wish to cast
and left click your mouse. In the text window it will prompt you to choose a target to
cast the spell at. Move you mouse cursor over the battle grid to target the monster you
wish to cast the spell at. If the target is viable, a blinking yellow box appears around
that square. Left clicking again will cast the spell at that target. The results are
displayed in the message window. If you wish to cast the same spell again, right click on
the spell book and then choose a target.
Fleeing a Battle
To flee a battle, move your character to the bottom of the battle grid until you see
the message "Player flees battle." You may only flee a battle to the south or
bottom of the screen. When a battle is encountered, a player may flee in the first round
of combat if they are on level 1 of the dungeon. For the rest of the levels, the ability
to flee is random. This randomness is based on the class of the character in question and
whether or not any spells are involved. Brigands and Scouts have the best chance of
fleeing battles, while Warriors and Questors have the slimmest chance. A player will have
a new chance of fleeing each round. In other words, if a player tries to flee a battle and
is denied, he or she will have to stand and fight for the remainder of the round.
If a player flees a battle while in a party, the player that fled will be placed back to the travel screen. A player that has fled may wait until the rest of the party has either fled or finished that battle. Once that battle has ended, party travel will resume. No experience points, gold, or other items are awarded when fleeing a battle.
Death of a Player in Battle
If a character dies while in a party battle or while playing solo, that character is
removed from the battle and is returned to the town map. In the future some characters may
be able to cast a "Resurrect Player" spell while in battle. This would only be
possible while in a party with a character that has this ability.
Identifying Monsters and Other Players in Battle
While in battle, you can see a description of each monster and player in the battle by
moving your mouse cursor over the desired character. It will indicate the type of monster
or the name of the player and whether it is a friend or foe.
Winning a Battle
If you win a battle you will be awarded experience points and gold based on the
difficulty of the battle. The experience and gold is divided equally among the surviving
party members. In random encounters the gold and experience totals are based upon the
danger factor of a battle. As you progress to deeper levels of the dungeon, you will find
that the monsters will be a lot harder to defeat as well as being more rewarding when you
win a battle. Winning some battles will reward the player with special items or may open
paths to new places.
Encounter Types
There are two types of encounters in Empiriana, random and preset encounters. The
preset encounters are usually more difficult as the monsters will usually be guarding
important items or a path to another place. When you enter a preset encounter, the music
will change from the regular background music to a battle theme. Preset encounters may
hold a crucial item or clue to a quest. Random encounters occur though out the dungeon.
The danger factor of a random encounter is determined by the dungeon level you are on and
the size of the party.
Attacking Other Characters While in Battle
A player can attack another party member while in battle. However, when a player does
this, experience points will be subtracted from the attacking player. A player versus
player (PVP) arena will be available soon. When the PVP arena is implemented you will not
be penalized for attacking another player opponent.
Equipment Screen in Battle
While in battle screen you can access your equipment screen by clicking on the helmet
button. In the equipment screen you may change weapons, armor, or use a potion. To use a
potion, for example, you would right click on it. To equip a weapon, drag the selected
weapon to the appropriate box within the equipment interface.