phantasia \- an interterminal fantasy game
which allows players to roll up characters of various types to fight
monsters and other players.
Progression of characters is based upon gaining experience from fighting
monsters (and other players).
Most of the game is menu driven and self-explanatory (more or less).
The screen is cursor updated, so be sure to set up the
variable in your environment.
The options provide for a variety of functions to support the game.
without header information.
Get a listing of all character names on file.
Examine/change a particular character on file.
Print a help listing (this message).
Show scoreboard of top characters per login.
Turn on wizard options, if allowed.
The characters are saved on a common file, in order to make the game
interactive between players. The characters are given a password
in order to retrieve them later. Only characters above
zero are saved. Characters unused for awhile will be purged.
Characters are only placed on the scoreboard when they die.
Edward Estes, AT&T Information Systems, Skokie, IL
A number of the player's more important statistics are almost always
displyed on the screen, with maximums (where applicable) in
The character is placed randomly near the center of a cartesian
Most commands are selected with a single letter or digit.
For example, one may move by hitting 'W', 'S', 'N', or 'E',
(lower case may also be used, at no time is the game case dependent).
One may also use 'H', 'J', 'K', 'L',
To move to a specific (x, y) coordinate, use the
('1') command. The distance a character can move is calculated by
Moving in a compass direction will move the player the maximum
allowed distance in that direction.
A player may see who else is playing by using the
('2') option. One may see the coordinates of those who are the same
distance or closer to the origin as he/she.
can see and can be seen by everyone. A
removes these retrictions.
One can talk to other players with the
('3') option. In general, this is a line or so of text. To remove a current
message, just type <return> when prompted for a message.
('4') option shows additional characteristics of a player.
One may leave the game either with the
One may rest by default. Resting lets one regain maximum
(more is found for larger levels and further distances from the origin).
One may call a monster by hitting '9' or 'C'.
Use 'X' to examine other players.
One may quit or execute a sub-shell by hitting interrupt.
Quitting during battle results in death for obvious reasons.
Several other options become available as the player progresses in
or to other stations in the game (
.B valar, council of the wise, king
These are described elsewhere.
In general, a control-L will force the redrawing of the screen.
Other things which may happen are more or less self-explanatory.
A player has several options while fighting monsters. They are as follows:
Inflicts damage on the monster, based upon
Also decreases the monster's
Inflicts a little less damage than
but decreases the monster's
Attempt to run away. Success is based upon both the player's and
Several options for throwing spells (described elsewhere).
Hits the monster one plus the player's
and gives the player 10% of the monster's
an amount proportional to the amount granted.
This also increases the monster's quickness.
Paralyzed monsters wake up very fast when nicked.
This is essentially a battle of wits with the monster. Success is based
upon the player's and the monster's
The player gets credit for slaying the monster if he/she succeeds.
Otherwise, nothing happens, and the chance to
.sh "Character Statistics"
determines how much damage a character can inflict.
determines how many chances a character gets to make decisions while
specifies how much damage a character may endure before dying.
determines which spells a character may throw, and how effective those
basically, the character's intelligence; used for various fighting options
used as a power source for throwing spells.
gained by fighting monsters and other characters.
indicative of how much experience a character has accumulated; progresses
sickness which degrades a character's performance (affects
accumulated as a character does certain nasty things; used only rarely
in normal play of the game.
of player; roughly equivalent to number of turns.
increases, many personal statistics degenerate.
Character statistics are rolled randomly from the above list, according
to character type. The types are as follows:
, weak in other areas. Must rely on wits and magic to survive.
, fairly good in other areas. This adds up to a well-equipped fighter.
, but with a tendency to be rather slow and not too bright.
rather quick and smart, with high
very mediocre in all areas. However, the
may be placed almost anywhere within the playing grid.
The possible ranges for starting statistics are summarized in
Type Strength Quick Mana Energy Brains Magic
Mag. User 10-15 30-35 50-100 30-45 60-85 5-9
Fighter 40-55 30-35 30-50 45-70 25-45 3-6
Elf 35-45 32-38 45-90 30-50 40-65 4-7
Dwarf 50-70 25-30 25-45 60-100 20-40 2-5
Halfling 20-25 34 25-45 55-90 40-75 1-4
Experimento 25 27 100 35 25 2
Not only are the starting characteristics different for the different
character types, the characteristics progress at different rates for the
different types as the character goes up in
characteristics progress randomly as one of the other types.
The progression as characters increase in
is summarized in the following table.
Type Strength Mana Energy Brains Magic
Mag. User 2.0 75 20 6 2.75
Fighter 3.0 40 30 3.0 1.5
The character type also determines how much gold a player may
can overcome the player, and how much
the player can withstand.
During the course of the game, the player may exercise his/her
magic powers. These cases are described below.
.I magic level necessary:
35 plus 3 per rest period
Used during normal play. Prevents monsters from finding the character,
as well as hiding the player from other players. His/her coordinates
option. Players cannot collect
find trading posts, or discover the
while cloaked. Calling a monster uncloaks, as well as choosing
this option while cloaked.
.I magic level necessary:
Used during normal play. Allows the player too move with much more freedom
option, at the price of expending mana. The maximum distance possible
.I magic level necessary:
Used during inter-terminal battle. Damage is based upon
Hits much harder than a normal hit.
.I magic level necessary:
Used while combatting monsters.
Has a 25% chance of working. If it works it hits the monster just enough
to kill it. If it fails, it doesn't hit the monster, and doubles the
Paralyzed monsters wake up much quicker as a result of this spell.
.I magic level necessary:
Used while combatting monsters. Hits the monster based upon the amount
Guaranteed to hit at least 10 per
.I magic level necessary:
Used during monster combat. Throws up a shield to protect from damage.
The shield is added to actual energy level, and is a fixed number, based
upon maximum energy. Normally, damage occurs first to the shield, and
then to the players actual
.I magic level necessary:
Used during monster combat. Transforms the monster randomly into one
of the 100 monsters from the monster file.
.I magic level necessary:
Used during combat with monsters. Increases strength up to a maximum.
.I magic level necessary:
Used while fighting monsters. Makes it harder for the monster to hit,
by temporarily increasing the player's
This spell may be thrown several times, but a maximum level will be reached.
.I magic level necessary:
Used during monster combat. Transports the monster away from the
player. Success is base upon player's
If it fails the player is transported instead. 60% of the time, the monster
will drop any treasure it was carrying.
.I magic level necessary:
Used during monster combat. "Freezes" the monster by putting its
slightly negative. The monster will slowly wake up. Success is based
If it fails, nothing happens.
.I magic level necessary:
Used during monster combat only by
Allows the player to pick which monster to fight.
Monsters get bigger as one moves farther from the origin (0,0). Rings of
distance 125 from the origin determine the size. A monster's
.B experience, energy level,
are multiplied by the size.
is increase 50% per size over one, and
remains the same, regardless of size.
Also, nastier monsters are found as one progress farther out
from the origin. Monsters also may flock. The percent chance of that
happening is designated as
in the monster listing. Monsters outside the first ring
may carry treasure, as determined by their treasure type.
Flocking monsters, and bigger monsters increase the chances of treasure.
Certain monsters have special abilities; they are as follows:
can only be subdued if the player is in possession of a
has random characteristics, including treasure type.
will pick another name from the list of monsters in order to
very nasty person. Does not like to be hit (especially nicked),
and many spells do not work well (or at all) against him.
also a very nasty person. She will permanently sap
may turn a player's gems into gold pieces,
or scramble her/his stats.
inflicts damage by taking away
or neutralize part of one's
may get nasty and steal one gold piece and run away.
may bite, inflicting the equivalent of one
These are killed if attacking someone carrying
.B Cluricaun, Fir Darrig, Fachan,
.B Ghille Dhu, Bogle, Killmoulis,
may bite, inflicting 1/2 of a
will call one of its (much bigger) buddies if picked upon.
will become bored with battle, fart, and run off.
from a player, if given the chance.
may inflict damage through a
instead of any shield the player may have thrown up.
This is a very easy way to die.
loves metal and will steal all the metal treasures from
can bite and poison. This inflicts five
, and also takes one from the player's
may tire of battle, and leave after calling one of his friends
.B council of the wise, valar,
end when either he or the player dies. His characteristics
are calculated based upon the player's. The player is given
the chance to ally with him. No magic, except
The various treasure types are as follows:
\- protects from cursed treasure.
\- reduces sin by 25% and adds some mana.
\- throws a bigger than normal
\- temporarily puts the finder's
\- multiplies finder's strength by ten.
\- allows finder to pick next monster to battle.
automatically call a monster. These preserve any
spells that were already in effect, but are only in
\- rests to maximum; adds
\- protects from cursed treasure (used before
); used in conjunction with
to -2, or subtracts two from
\- allows finder to move anywhere.
\- allows the player to become
and gives bearer first hit on all monsters.
\- allows one to see all the other players; used by
\- allows one to hit much harder in battle, etc.
Any treasure type 10-13 monsters may instead carry a type nine treasure.
A monster may also be carrying
is worth 1000 gold pieces. Too much
will slow a player down. One may carry 1000 plus 200 per
weighs one half a gold piece.
Monsters of treasure type 7 or higher may carry
The chance of a cursed treasure is based upon treasure type.
The more valuable treasures have a greater chance of being cursed.
They come in four different flavors.
rest the player to maximum and cause him/her to hit much harder
in battle with monsters (assuming one has chosen to use the
are cursed and come either from
After a few times of using these types, the player falls
and strange, random things will occur.
Eventually, the player dies, and gives his/her name to a monster
is used up also renames the monster.
The two remaining types of
is good for a limited number of battle rounds, and will save
the player from death if it was being used when he/she died.
is the same, except that it never is used up.
disappear after saving someone from death.
occur much more often than normal ones.
It is usually not a good idea to pick one up.
The only way to get rid of a
is to have a monster steal it.
and going to (0,0). Players must have a
in the range of 10 to 1000 to be able to find a
When a player with one or more
Once a player is king, he/she may do certain things while in
the Lord's Chamber (0,0). These are exercised with the
This is done to another player. It randomly moves the affected
protects from transports.
This is done to another player. It is analogous to cursed treasure,
but worse. It inflicts two
very low, and degrades the maximum energy. It also
protects from king's curses.
The king may put a number these scattered about
his/her kingdom as he/she pleases.
If a player hits one, he/she loses
The energy void disappears after being hit.
This is also done to another player. The king may
wish to reward one or more loyal subjects by sharing his/her
). Or it is a convenient way to dispose of some unwanted
Everyone pays 7% tax on all
acquired, regardless of the existence of a
The king collects the accrued taxes with this option.
anywhere for free by using the origin as a starting place.
.sh "Council of the Wise, Valar"
A player automatically becomes a member of the
upon reaching level 3000. Members of the council cannot have
Members of the council have a few extra options which they can exercise.
another player. This is just a quick way for that player to be rested
to maximum and lose a little
The main purpose in life for members of the council is to seek the
option. The distance cited by the seek is accurate within 10%, in order
not to make it too easy to find the grail.
A player must have infintesimally small
or else it's all over upon finding the grail.
In order to help members of the council on their quest, they
Upon finding the grail, the player advance to position of
He/she may then exercise more and niftier options under
These include all of the council members' option plus the
ability to move other players about, bless them, and throw monsters at
blessing has the same effect as the treasure
except that the affected player does not get his/her
options which affect other players age the player
are essentially immortal, but are actually given five lives.
If these are used up, the player is left to die, and becomes an
(An exception to this is if the
This is to allow him/her to dispose of excess
encounters are based upon his/her size.
Only one valar may exists at a time.
The current valar is replaced when another player finds the grail.
The valar is then bumped back to the council of the wise.
is usually the owner of the game, and the one who maintains
is granted special powers within the game, if it is invoked
plays no different from other players.
abilities are outlined below.
When examining a player, (game invoked with '-x', or use 'X' from within game),
may also change the player.
options. One extra option,
is added to kill any offensive players.
An extra character type is added. This character starts with the
maximum possible in all statistics, selected from the other character types.
character's statistics also progress at the maximum possible rate, selected
from the other character types.
Certain regions of the playing grid have different names.
In general, this is only to give the player some idea of
his/her present location. Some special places do exist.
These are located at |x| == |y| == n*n*100 for n = 1, 2...1000.
Trading posts farther out have more things for sale.
Be careful about cheating the merchants there, as they have short
Merchants are dishonest about 5% of the time.
This is located at (0,0). Only players with
This is located beyond 1.2e+6 in any direction.
The only way to return from here is a
This is a band located fairly distant from the origin. The first
fourteen monsters (water monsters) can normally only be found here.
resides. It is associated with no particular coordinate on the
5, the game will start to time out waiting for input.
This is to try to keep the game a bit faster paced.
will never be disgusted with your
if they are less than one.
to be happy. Offering more than one has, or a negative amount
who will make the player worse (add one
does little for those who are not ready to behold it.
Whenever anyone finds it, it moves.
It is always located within 1e+6 in any compass direction of the origin.
There is a maximum amount of
a player may posses, based upon
is always limited to to a maximum of 99.
based upon the number bought.
It is unwise, however to buy more than 1/10 of one's
Players over level 10000 are automatically retired.
goes away in random time.
are identified with a '*' before their character type.
.sh "Inter-terminal Battle"
When two player's coordinates correspond, they may engage in battle.
In general, the player with the highest
If the two players are severely mis-matched, the stronger player
is drastically handicapped for the battle.
In order to protect from being stuck in an infinite loop,
the player waiting for response may time out. Options for battle are:
Inflicts damage upon other person.
Escape from battle. Has a 75% chance of working.
One-time chance to try to win against the foe. Has a 10% chance of working.
Sometimes waits for the other player may be excessive, because
he/she may be battling a monster. Upon slaying a player in battle
the winner gets the other's
do not work for inter-terminal battle.
All screen formats assumme at least 24 lines by at least 80 columns.
No provisions are made for when any of the data items get too big
for the allotted space on the screen.