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==The Lands of Uma== | ==The Lands of Uma== | ||
The game world is divided into the town (where you can trade weapons, armor, magical items and so on) and four Lands - Ardyl, Marghor, Omar and Serkesh. Each land contains the entrances to two dungeons, as well as other features associated with the various quests. Each of the first seven dungeons is associated with a quest and all of these have four levels. Completing a quest will result in your character recovering one of the seven crystals. The last dungeon leads to Draak's lair. | The game world is divided into the town (where you can trade weapons, [[armor]], magical items and so on) and four Lands - Ardyl, Marghor, Omar and Serkesh. Each land contains the entrances to two [[dungeons]], as well as other features associated with the various quests. Each of the first seven dungeons is associated with a quest and all of these have four levels. Completing a quest will result in your character recovering one of the seven crystals. The last dungeon leads to Draak's lair. | ||
Dungeons contain many corridors and rooms. There are also many crates, vases and chests that can be opened or broken to reveal useful items. Wells abound, where characters can restore health or mana (see below). | Dungeons contain many corridors and rooms. There are also many crates, vases and chests that can be opened or broken to reveal useful items. Wells abound, where characters can restore health or [[mana]] (see below). | ||
==Quests== | ==Quests== | ||
The game has a number of quests available for each land or dungeon, and these are selected at random. This means that each time the game is played (at least for the first few games) the player is very likely to receive new quests that have not been encountered before. Most of the quests involve either defeating some enemy, solving some | The game has a number of quests available for each land or dungeon, and these are selected at random. This means that each time the game is played (at least for the first few games) the player is very likely to receive new quests that have not been encountered before. Most of the quests involve either defeating some enemy, solving some puzzle or locating a special item. | ||
There are also ad-hoc quests that the townsfolk may give you. Most of these involve locating a lost item (the Claw of Sargon or the Stone of Souls, for example) or defeating some enemy (Buzbal the Furious or The Evil Garth, for example) and in return the player receives a monetary reward. | There are also ad-hoc quests that the townsfolk may give you. Most of these involve locating a lost item (the Claw of Sargon or the Stone of Souls, for example) or defeating some enemy (Buzbal the Furious or The Evil Garth, for example) and in return the player receives a monetary reward. | ||
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==Character Classes and Attributes== | ==Character Classes and Attributes== | ||
There are four general classes, each of which has a male and a female variant giving a total of eight character classes. Each character has a set of four attributes - Strength, Dexterity, Magic and Vitality. Each general class is skilled in one area such as combat, magic, etc. The Warrior and the Amazon, for example, are both skilled in combat. In general the female classes are physically weaker than the male counterparts but make up for this in other areas such as dexterity or magic. | There are four general classes, each of which has a male and a female variant giving a total of eight [[character classes]]. Each character has a set of four attributes - [[Strength]], [[Dexterity]], [[Magic]] and Vitality. Each general class is skilled in one area such as combat, magic, etc. The Warrior and the [[Amazon]], for example, are both skilled in combat. In general the female classes are physically weaker than the male counterparts but make up for this in other areas such as dexterity or magic. | ||
Each character can carry a weapon or two, a shield, and can wear a helmet and armor. You can also wear two amulets and four rings. | Each character can carry a weapon or two, a shield, and can wear a helmet and armor. You can also wear two [[amulets]] and four rings. | ||
Characters age as the game progresses. As the character ages, he/she becomes weaker and less dextrous. The effects can be countered by drinking a potion of youth - these become available toward the end of the game and can be bought in town and also may occasionally be found in the various dungeons. | Characters age as the game progresses. As the character ages, he/she becomes weaker and less dextrous. The effects can be countered by drinking a potion of youth - these become available toward the end of the game and can be bought in town and also may occasionally be found in the various dungeons. | ||
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==Enemies== | ==Enemies== | ||
Draak's minions come in many forms - trolls, orcs, skeletons, spiders, scorpions, wyverns and many others. Each of these types has variants - for example, some skeletons use swords while others have bows and still others may attack with fireballs. | Draak's minions come in many forms - [[trolls]], [[orcs]], skeletons, spiders, scorpions, wyverns and many others. Each of these types has variants - for example, some skeletons use swords while others have bows and still others may attack with fireballs. | ||
==Playing the game== | ==Playing the game== | ||
The game can be played solo or multiplayer. Multiplayer games may be cooperative or competitive. Multiplayer games can be played over a LAN (using TCP/IP or IPX) or the Internet. The game includes its own server, so it is not necessary to locate a dedicated game server - any player can initiate a multiplayer session which other players can then join. | The game can be played solo or [[multiplayer]]. Multiplayer games may be cooperative or competitive. Multiplayer games can be played over a [[LAN]] (using [[TCP/IP]] or [[IPX]]) or the [[Internet]]. The game includes its own server, so it is not necessary to locate a dedicated game server - any player can initiate a multiplayer session which other players can then join. | ||
The user interface is very like that of Diablo (the developers of Darkstone acknowledge the earlier game as an important influence). Characters can be moved around by simply clicking on a location. Clicking on an enemy initiates an attack. Clicking on an item picks it up. | The user interface is very like that of [[Diablo]] (the developers of Darkstone acknowledge the earlier game as an important influence). Characters can be moved around by simply clicking on a location. Clicking on an enemy initiates an attack. Clicking on an item picks it up. | ||
Each character has an inventory that can be opened. Items can be rearranged or removed. | Each character has an inventory that can be opened. Items can be rearranged or removed. | ||
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==Comparison to Diablo== | ==Comparison to Diablo== | ||
There are many similarities between the two games. Both use the same concepts of health, mana, scrolls, spellbooks and so on; the point-and-click interface is almost identical; even the hotkeys have the same function in many cases (for example, "i" opens virtually identical character inventory screens, and the Tab key toggles the map display). There are some major differences between Diablo (the original version, not Diablo II) and Darkstone: | There are many similarities between the two games. Both use the same concepts of health, mana, scrolls, spellbooks and so on; the point-and-click interface is almost identical; even the [[hotkeys]] have the same function in many cases (for example, "i" opens virtually identical character inventory screens, and the Tab key toggles the map display). There are some major differences between Diablo (the original version, not Diablo II) and Darkstone: | ||
{{npov}} | {{npov}} | ||
* Diablo's screens are very richly detailed but only one viewpoint is provided. Darkstone's screens are less detailed but allow four "camera angles". F10 switches to overhead. F11 switches to isometric. Left and right arrow keys freely rotate the camera around the selected character. Up and down arrow keys zoom. Ctrl+ up and down arrow keys move the camera angle up and down. | * Diablo's screens are very richly detailed but only one viewpoint is provided. Darkstone's screens are less detailed but allow four "camera angles". F10 switches to overhead. F11 switches to [[isometric]]. Left and right arrow keys freely rotate the camera around the selected character. Up and down arrow keys zoom. Ctrl+ up and down arrow keys move the camera angle up and down. | ||
* Diablo has three character classes; Darkstone has eight (four pairs). | * Diablo has three character classes; Darkstone has eight (four pairs). | ||
* Darkstone allows players to control two characters at one time. | * Darkstone allows players to control two characters at one time. | ||
* Diablo characters can only be moved to a location visible on the screen. In Darkstone, when outside the dungeons the player can view a map of the land the character is in, and clicking on the map causes the character to move to the location. At any time the player can view a list of significant landmarks that have already been visited and return the character to any of these locations by clicking on it. | * Diablo characters can only be moved to a location visible on the screen. In Darkstone, when outside the dungeons the player can view a map of the land the character is in, and clicking on the map causes the character to move to the location. At any time the player can view a list of significant landmarks that have already been visited and return the character to any of these locations by clicking on it. | ||
* Diablo's gameplay takes place in (about) 16 levels of dungeons divided into four regions (the Dungeons, the Catacombs, the Caves and Hell). Darkstone takes place in (about) 31 levels split between eight separate dungeons each with four levels. | * Diablo's gameplay takes place in (about) 16 levels of dungeons divided into four regions (the Dungeons, the Catacombs, the Caves and Hell). Darkstone takes place in (about) 31 levels split between eight separate dungeons each with four levels. | ||
* Darkstone characters created in solo games can also be used in Multiplayer games, and vice-versa. This is not true in Diablo (Diablo II offers a feature where solo characters can be converted to multiplayer, but this operation is irreversible). Since Blizzard's decision to do this in Diablo appears to be a deliberate anti-cheating measure, it may be that allowing this in Darkstone opens the game up to cheating (the game does have some anti-cheating features, such as the detection and removal of duplicate items). | * Darkstone characters created in solo games can also be used in Multiplayer games, and vice-versa. This is not true in Diablo (Diablo II offers a feature where solo characters can be converted to multiplayer, but this operation is irreversible). Since [[Blizzard Entertainment|Blizzard's]] decision to do this in Diablo appears to be a deliberate anti-[[cheat code|cheating]] measure, it may be that allowing this in Darkstone opens the game up to cheating (the game does have some anti-cheating features, such as the detection and removal of duplicate items). | ||
* Diablo has a Quest Log screen that summarizes the current open side-quests. Darkstone does not provide this - instead it allows the player to review all the conversations with NPCs. Since all such conversations are logged, locating a particular message associated with a quest can be time-consuming. | * Diablo has a Quest Log screen that summarizes the current open side-quests. Darkstone does not provide this - instead it allows the player to review all the conversations with NPCs. Since all such conversations are logged, locating a particular message associated with a quest can be time-consuming. | ||
The foregoing may seem to be biased in favor of Darkstone - this is not intentional. The designers of Darkstone stated that they are big fans of Diablo but when designing their own game decided to change some aspects of the earlier game that they felt were weak. Nevertheless the earlier game is still superior in many areas - the richness of the graphics and sound create a darker and more menacing atmosphere | The foregoing may seem to be biased in favor of Darkstone - this is not intentional. The designers of Darkstone stated that they are big fans of Diablo but when designing their own game decided to change some aspects of the earlier game that they felt were weak. Nevertheless the earlier game is still superior in many areas - the richness of the graphics and sound create a darker and more menacing atmosphere. Many people who like Diablo enjoy Darkstone as well. | ||
==Other information== | ==Other information== | ||