The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Introduction

Welcome to T4C

A Tale of the 4th Coming

Welcome to T4C

Makrsh P'TanghWelcome to the world of The 4th Coming. You are now the proud owner of the client software to play a unique online fantasy role-playing game (RPG for short). If you have played these types of games before, you can skip this section and jump to the Installation of T4C. Otherwise, you may need some background on these games and how you play them.

When you enter the world of The 4th Coming, you become a character (sometimes called an "avatar") with specific attributes and abilities. Those are described later in this document. You can now wander the world in search of excitement and adventure. You can set your own goals--such as accumulating wealth or finding the most powerful weapons in the game--or you can follow one of the many storylines the game has to offer. These storylines take you through a series of quests at the prompting of certain NPCs, until you confront the great evil scheming in the background.

Unlike most other computer games, The 4th Coming is not about winning. It's a simulation that allows you to interact with dozens of other players whose goals may sometimes coincide with yours, sometimes oppose them. As in real life, you have to deal with other players on an individual basis. Some will be treacherous, some will be helpful. With time, you will learn who can be trusted and who cannot.

There are dozens of Non-Player Characters in the game, characters that are played by the server. They have valuable information to offer, but you will often have to worm it out of them. Be clever, think of important words to use and come back to them after you've finished certain quests. They may have more information to give or sell you once they get to know you better.

Remember that role-playing games are about humans playing with humans, not humans being nice to each other. You may encounter people you do not like in the course of your travels. It will be up to you to ignore them or to fight them-just be ready to live with the consequences of your actions.

 

A Tale of the 4th Coming

"There are tales of an ancient age, when Elves wandered the world in great numbers, when their achievements outshone even the brightness of the sun, when human and dwarven civilizations were still in their infancies. There was a time of legends and heroes, of incredible accomplishments and great deeds, a time when the world knew true grandeur. That time is long gone, however, crushed under the heel of fate and decay. The Elves are gone, now, victims to their own delusions. They failed to heed the warnings of the Harbinger, the one who came to warn them… He arrived on the night the moons and the Centaur constellation were aligned, several millennia ago, his appearance foul and nightmarish, and warned all who would listen of the impending doom that lay ahead. He issued warnings and prophecies, but the Elves had grown vain and arrogant, and heeded him not. The Harbinger left, promising to return when the time would be right again.

"Several generations later-a short time by Elven reckoning-the Harbinger returned, once more treading under an alignment of the moons and constellations. The Elves had all but forgotten his past warnings. As the Curse fell upon their race, they stood defenseless. Despite their arcane lore and magical skills, they could not resist the godly powers that crushed them. When the Harbinger left their lands, there was not a single building standing. It is said that the winds carried the stench of death even as far as the Dwarven villages in the north. The latter took this for a sign that evil was coming, and prepared to defend themselves. When the Harbinger came to their lands to warn them too that their turn would come, that great danger lay ahead, they grew fearful of the visitor's appearance, and shunned him. He left them, warning them that achievements alone were not the measure of a worthy people.

"A millennia later, the skies repeated their fateful alignment of moons and stars. The Dwarves had flourished into a society of craftsmen and artisans. They had built great cities and were dutifully worshipping their god. Prophecies from long ago warned them against a fate similar to that of the Elves, so they had taken care to properly groom themselves and prepare for the Third Coming. When the Harbinger came to them, however, they could not stand the sight and smell of him, and, mistaking him for some fiend from hell, immediately struck him down. This, historians say, was the very act that caused the downfall of the Dwarves. They also say that some humans witnessed the event, and that the Harbinger warned them as well, that he told them they too would be judged, lest their worthiness was greater than that of the Elves and the Dwarves.

"Now, it may be that none of this tale is true, that we are but a worried people living under an unusual alignment of stars, one which has not occurred in a thousand years, but maybe, just maybe, there is some truth to this tale. Maybe there really is a Harbinger that is walking the land even as we speak, walking towards us to judge us and torment us if we fail him. So, little scoundrel, before I kill you for your crimes, before I condemn your soul to everlasting fire, answer me this one question.

"Do you feel worthy, punk?"

 Limited Warranty

This documentation and any related software are sold "as-is," without any warranty either expressed or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and loss of profits or other economic damages. Vircom Inc. does not warrant that the operation of this software will be uninterrupted or error free. In no event and under no circumstances will Vircom Inc. be liable for any damages in excess of the sum paid by the customer for the product to which any claim for damages relates.

YOU MAY NOT USE, COPY, MODIFY, MERGE, OR DISASSEMBLE OR TRANSFER THIS SOFTWARE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED FOR IN THIS LICENSE.

Disclaimer

In no event will VIRCOM be liable for special, incidental or consequential damage resulting from possession, use or malfunction of this product, including damage to property and to the extent permitted by law, damages for personal injury, even if VIRCOM has been advised of the possibility for such damages.

VIRCOM does NOT guarantee the performance of this software on non-standard hardware and system software. Crashes and performance problems may result from inappropriate installation or configuration of the user's computer. VIRCOM is NOT responsible for the customer service or server performance of its licensees.

Rules of Conduct

When you play The 4th Coming (T4C), you must abide by these rules of conduct. Failure to follow any of these rules can result in the immediate termination of your account and your right to play the 4th Coming may be terminated. In the case of such an event, you will not be entitled to any refund of any amounts paid by you to the service provider to play The 4th Coming.

·         You acknowledge that you agree to these rules and will abide by them.

·         You further agree that you are responsible for the actions of anyone you allow to use your T4C account or user ID, and that the rules cited above apply to anyone using your account or user ID. You accept the consequences resulting from any actions undertaken by someone else using your account or user ID.

·         You acknowledge that if your account and right to use The 4th Coming is terminated by X_Y_Z for any reason, you will not be entitled to a refund of any fees paid by you for use of The 4th Coming.

·         These rules are subject to changes at any time. You agree to visit your provider's web site on a regular basis to stay abreast of any any rule changes that VIRCOM or its licensees may have made.

Vircom Windows 95/98/ME/2K client Official Release version. May 2002.
Copyright 2002, Vircom, Inc.

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Quickstart Instructions

If you want to start playing right away, read this section. If you are looking for more detailed information, go straight to the next section (Main Menu).

Zipping Through Character Creation

The first screen that appears when you've connected to the game is the Main Menu. Select Enter the Realms, which will take you straight to the character creation process (if you don't already have a character) and ask for a character name. Any combination of alphanumeric characters will do; spaces are also allowed. You are then asked to choose your character's gender (Male or Female). Next, you will be asked four questions. Answer with 1, 2, 3 or 4 for each question (you can either type the number of your answer or move up and down with the arrow keys and press Enter on your answer). Finally, you are given a series of stats based on the answers you gave. You can either Accept or Reroll the stats, or you can return to the Main Menu if you want to start all over again. Once you are satisfied with your character, you simply Enter the game.

Getting Dressed Up

When you enter the game, you are wearing only minimal clothing (underwear). In order to get dressed, summon your inventory box (ctrl-i). Right-click on all the items in the backpack until you find weapons, armor and clothes. Using the left mouse button, drag these items from the backpack onto the character puppet in the middle of the box. This will automatically equip these items and alter your character's appearance accordingly. If you wish to unequip these items, simply double-click on them in the status box and they will return into your backpack.

 

Killing Monsters

When you want to fight a monster, move your mouse cursor icon over the creature until it becomes a small sword. Then, simply hold the left mouse button and your character will attack the enemy repeatedly. Make sure to keep an eye over your Hit Points (HP) bar (top right of your screen). If your HPs are becoming low and you have a healing potion in your backpack, press F2 to quickly drink one during combat. This is faster than opening your backpack and double-clicking on the potion to drink it. When the monster dies, you will receive a certain number of experience points (XPs) and gold. Some monsters drop items when they die. Make sure to look under their corpses for these items.

Game Controls (Summary)

Keyboard Controls

Arrows (Up/Right/Down/Left): Moves your character in that direction.
ESC
: (Escape button) Exits any window; also, displays game options.
F1: Online help summary.
F2: Temporary macro that automatically drinks a healing potion.
F3: Temporary macro that automatically drinks a mana potion.
F4: Temporary macro that automatically lights up a torch.
F9: Repeat last typed command.
Shift-Attack: Allows you to attack without moving in the direction of the target.
Ctrl-C: Toggles the combat mode (explained later in this document).
Ctrl-G: Group play screen.
Ctrl-I: Opens your inventory.
Ctrl-K/Ctrl-S: Displays your character sheet (attributes and skills).
Ctrl-L: Chat center (includes listing of the users online).
Ctrl-O: Options screen
Ctrl-P: Displays your spellbook (explained later).
Alt-F4: Alternate way of quitting the game.
:<text>: Shout <text> for everyone to see.
;<text>: Shout <text> in current channel.
/"<name>" <text>: Page character <name> with message <text>.

Mouse Controls

Left Button (movement): If the mouse cursor is not over a monster, move in the direction of the arrow.
Left Button (combat): If the mouse cursor is over a monster (sword), attacks that monster.
Left Button (targeting): If mouse cursor is a sword (combat), double-click to target that enemy until it dies.
Left Button (items): Clicking on an item once will cause the character to move closer to the item and pick it up..
Right Button (information): Displays the name of the item.

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Main Menu

When you enter the game, you will first access the Main Menu where you will be offered the following options:

(E)nter the Realms

This takes you into the character selection menu. If you do not have a character in the game, it will automatically and immediately ask you to enter the name for your first character then take you through the character creation process (see Character Creation, below). If you already have one or more characters, it will ask you to select one.

(I)ntroduction

This displays an introduction text to The 4th Coming. This text is reproduced at the beginning of this manual (titled A Tale of the 4th Coming).

(V)iew Credits

You can view here a listing of the fine people who have worked at making this game. This is their shot at fame and glory, so go pay them a quick visit when you have a moment.

(Q)uit

T

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Character Creation

If you are creating your first character for T4C, selecting Enter the Realms in the Main Menu will automatically take you through the character creation process. You can return to the Main Menu at any time. You can create up to three characters in The 4th Coming. If you want more, you must purchase an additional account with your T4C service provider.

Character Name

At the Enter your name prompt, type the name of your character. You can use any alphanumeric combination, and spaces are allowed. Type Enter when ready.

 

 

Character Gender

You have the option of playing a male or a female character. You must enter your choice here. Type Next when you are ready.

The Four Questions

T4C will then ask you four questions which will be used to determine what kind of character you are going to play. Based on your answers, the stats for your various attributes will have specific ranges that make your character a better warrior, rogue, mage or priest. Keep in mind that T4C has no character classes, and that attributes are often used as pre-requisites to use certain items, or learn spells & skills.

You can select your answer using the Up and Down arrows, then pressing Accept when you have made your selection.

Attributes

Once you've answered the four questions, you will see your stats appear. If they are not to your satisfaction, you can press Reroll. If you want to accept the character, simply type Accept. You will automatically enter the game at this point.

There are seven main attributes (also called stats) in T4C. As you go up in levels, you will receive stat points which you can use to increase one of these attributes. Before you spend your points, however, you should know what each attribute does in the game.

STR: Strength; this affects how much damage you do with your weapons and how much weight you can carry in your backpack. Also, several weapons have strength minimums. Until you have reached that minimum, you can own the weapon but cannot wield it in combat. Primary attribute for fighters.
END: Endurance; this affects your hit points (a measure of how much damage you can take in combat). Some weapons and armors require a minimum of endurance before you can use them in combat. Useful attribute for everyone.
AGI: Agility; this measures your dexterity and general nimbleness. It affects a number of thief-related skills. Primary attribute for rogues; also useful for fighter-types.
WIS: Wisdom; this indicates how wise and "connected" with the gods and how insightful your character is. Several priestly spells (sometimes also called "miracles") have a minimum wisdom requirement. Primary attribute for priests.
INT: Intellect; this measures your character's intellect. Many spells have intelligence requirements; you cannot learn those spells until your intelligence has reached at least the minimum value. Primary attribute for wizards.
KARMA: This attribute starts at 0 (neutral) when you create your character and goes up or down depending on your actions in the game and the quests you undertake. You will never know what your exact Karma is at, but your character sheet gives you a one-word description of what it roughly is. Your Karma somewhat affects your reputation; NPCs sometimes hear about you and judge you on what they hear. If you cumulate negative Karma, good folks in the towns may not be friendly with you. Choose your quests carefully, or you might regret it later when you change your mind and want to take a different path.

Experience and Levels

As your character fights courageously--or cowardly--treacherous foes, he or she will gain experience points (XPs). When you will have acquired enough experience points, you will gain a level and you will see a Level Up! sign on top of your character. When you have achieved a level, you will gain 5 attribute points and 15 skill points that you are free to spend or to keep for later use. You can distribute your attribute points by summoning your character sheet (ctrl-s).

How can you spend your hard-earned skill points? You will have to find a trainer willing to teach you a skill or to sharpen the skills you already have knowledge of. Usually, the trainers will ask for a small fee for a training session. Be ready to open your pouch for knowledge does not come cheap in these harsh lands.

Dying can cause a loss in experience points; the amount of XPs lost varies depending on whether you were killed by a monster or another player. The percentage lost is determined by the system operator, so please contact your provider to learn about these penalties. If your total experience falls below the amount required for the level you're at, your XP bar will become black and will remain so until you have regained sufficient experience to start advancing towards the next level again. Dying many times can give you a "black bar" for a long while, so don't let monsters kill you just to be teleported back to the temple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Game Interface (part 1)

 

Things You Should Know

Getting Online Context-Sensitive Help

You can get help on any and all features of the interface simply by right-clicking on it. Some white-on-black text will pop up and give you some instructions and/or explanations of what you're looking at.

Summoning Interface Menus

The following control keys allow you to summon one of the many screens of the user interface:

·         Ctrl-S/Ctrl-K: Character sheet & skills

·         Ctrl-I: Equipment/inventory screen

·         Ctrl-P: Spellbook

·         Ctrl-W: World Map

·         Ctrl-A: Area Map (local map)

·         Ctrl-G: Group Play

·         Ctrl-L: Chat center

·         Ctrl-M: Macros

·         Ctrl-O: Options Menu

 

 

The Sidebar

Whenever you summon the game's interface through one of the multiple control keys, the sidebar to the left will appear (unless it was already there) and remain on the screen until it is dispelled. There are seven icons on that sidebar, each of which can be used to summon one of the interface's many useful screens.

 

 

 

You can also use the Ctrl-W (World Map) and Ctrl-A (Area Map) commands, although these don't have an interface per se; they only display maps for your convenience.

The Backlog Box

This box keeps track of everything that has been said by you, to you or around you during your current game session (shouts, pages and online text). Check out the Options Menu if you want to configure what goes into that box, and if you want to save its contents into a text file. If you want to say, shout or page, toggle the button and type your speech in the text field to the right.

Standard Buttons

On any screen where they appear, these buttons can be used for a specific standard function:

This Macro button means that on this screen, you can program something into a macro. You should check out the Macros screen for detailed instructions.

The Minimize button indicates that you can have a smaller version of this screen during regular gameplay. It will usually contain summarized information found on the menu it's attached to.

This Close button is pretty self-explanatory. Click here to dismiss this screen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Character Sheet (Ctrl-S/Ctrl-K)

This sheet contains general information about your character's attributes, skills and current status (HP, MP, XP, encumbrance, etc.). Remember to right-click on all these icons to get a more detailed description of what's what. Please note that the karma does not contain a value, but rather a one-word approximation of what karma level you're at.

This screen is summoned using either the Ctrl-S or the Ctrl-K keys.

Click on any skill icon in your skills listing (the top right box), then click on the Macro button to use it as a macro. You can then go into the Macros menu to assign it a shortcut key.

Click here to dismiss this screen.

 

 

 

 

The Equipment Sheet (Ctrl-I)

This sheet contains some of the data already displayed in your character sheet (namely, the six attributes) along with the equipment you are currently wearing and your inventory (properly sorted and with all item positions saved!).

Inventory Grid & Identification Box

The box at the bottom right of the equipment screen is called the inventory grid. It displays a graphic representation of all the items in your inventory. The black rectangle just above it is called the identification box. Whenever your mouse cursor passes over an item in the inventory grid, the identification box displays the item's name and quantity. You don't need to click to activate it, it always displays that information.

Item Stacking

In order to make the inventory more compact and convenient, only one of each item is ever displayed, even if you have dozens of them in the backpack. If you right-click on the item in the inventory grid, you will have the name of the item listed, accompanied by "x####," where #### is the actual number of items in your inventory. For instance, if you have 25 Potions of Healing, right-clicking will show "Potion of Healing x25." This is called item stacking; all items appear as one stack of #### items.

Equipping/Unequipping Items

You can equip or unequip any item by dragging it back and forth between the inventory grid and the character representation in the middle. For instance, if you want to equip a leather armor, left-click on it in your inventory, move it over the character puppet, and let go of the mouse button. If you want to unequip it, click on the leather armor in the equipment box where it is displayed, move it over the inventory grid, and let go.

Dropping/Junking Items

You can drag an item on the drop button or click on the item in the inventory grid, then click on the drop button. A pop-up screen with a numeric field and a slider will ask you how many of of that item you wish to drop, starting from 1 to as many items as you have in your stack. Click on OK to confirm that you want to drop this many items of that type, or on Cancel if you changed your mind.

Junking items (Junk button) works along the same principles, but you get one more chance to confirm that you REALLY want to destroy these items. Junking permanently deletes the item from your backpack and from the game, so you should do this carefully. Once deleted, these items are completely gone.

No confirmation is necessary to drop an item, but it is mandatory before junking one. Don't be surprised if the game asks you twice to make sure you know what you're doing.

Drag any item from your inventory grid onto this button to drop the item on the ground near your character.

Drag any item from your inventory grid onto this button to permanently destroy (junk) this item.

Click on any item icon in your inventory grid (middle right box), then click on the Macro button to use it as a macro. You can then go into the Macros menu to assign it a shortcut key.

Click here to dismiss this screen.

 

 

 

 

The Spell Book (Ctrl-P)

This menu contains your spells, along with some vital data on them (icon, name, type, duration, mana cost, level, etc.). Click on the top corner of the pages to go back or to the next page of your spellbook. Double-click on the spell of your choice to cast it. Once you've cast a spell that has a duration, an icon will appear on the top left of your game screen. You can right-click on that icon to have the name of the spell and its remaining duration.

 

Click on any spell in your inventory grid, then click on the Macro button to use it as a macro. You can then go into the Macros menu to assign it a shortcut key.

 

Click here to dismiss this screen.

The six elemental tabs at the bottom of the spellbook are shortcuts that take you directly to the section of your spellbook that contains spells of that element.

 

Fire spells

Water spells

Air spells

Earth spells

Light spells

Darkness spells

Non-elemental spells

The Group Play Menu (Ctrl-G)

This menu allows you to create a group of players ("party") who stay together to adventure. Gold and experience are split accordingly to the levels of the various party members. A group can even part ways (i.e. into sub-groups that are out of visual range) and still split gold and XPs between the members of those sub-groups. You can see how each party member is doing (health-wise) by looking at their respective health bars in the menu.

In order for party members to benefit from group play advantages, they must remain within a certain range from each other. Members that go astray lose those benefits. If several members of a group move away from the main group but remain close to each other, they benefit from group play advantages between themselves, but not from the main group. So if Group A splits into two groups, Group B (which heads East) and Group C (which goes West), then neither group will benefit from the other one's rewards, but they will share the loot among themselves automatically. If they meet by chance a while later, they will once again become Group A. Hence, physically splitting up by moving away from the main group does not disband the group, it only temporarily suspends group play advantages.

NOTE: A group cannot be made of more than 8 party members.

Minimized Group Play Listing

You can minimize the group play screen to have a short listing on the side of your screen. It includes the name and health bar of each group member. If the name is in white, then it means the party member is within group play range and benefits from all group play advantages (gold/XP splitting, healing, etc.). If the name is in gray, that means the party member is out of range and does not benefit from group play advantages.

If you are not already member or leader of a party, you can click on this button to invite someone to join you in a new party (you will be its leader). If you are already the leader of a party, you can click on this butto to invite someone to join your group. If you are in a party but are not its leader, clicking on this button will have no effect. Once you've clicked on this button, you must click on the person in your game screen you wish to invite. That person will be forwarded your invitation and given the option to accept or decline it.

If you wish to leave a group, simply click on this button and you will be removed from the group's listings. If you are the leader of a group, doing this disbands the group.

If you are the leader of a group, you can expel anyone with a click of this button. If you are not the leader of the group, this button will have no effect.

If you are the leader of a group, you can opt to have the gold split evenly between members of your party. Gold will otherwise be given following the standard rules in T4C (he who delivers the final blow gets all).

The Minimize button gives you a smaller version of this screen during regular gameplay. It contains summarized data on the members of your group.

Click here to dismiss this screen.

 

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Game Interface (part 2)

 

The Chat Center (Ctrl-L)

This is probably one of the most community-oriented features in T4C, which can now be used as a chat room as well as a game. Anyone can now create a channel and give it a password (or not) so you can have conversations with your friends. If a password is necessary, only people who know it can access that channel. Traditional paging is still possible and done with the click of a toggle button. It's also possible to have an online "ignore list" where you can relegate users who bother you. Any message or invitation to join a party from them will be automatically turned down. (You can always "remember" them at a later time if they apologize to you.)

Things You Should Know About Channels

There are two types of channels, public channels (or system channels) and player channels. Public channels are either the "Main" channel or channels added by the administrator. Public channels cannot be dismissed and display all players who have joined them. Players can disable any public channel, but not remove them from their list.

Player channels are private; they are listed only on the clients of their subscribers. You may create an unlimited number of player channels. Upon creating the channel, you can add a password to prevent other players from subscribing to the channel without your permission. When a player disconnects, s/he is removed from the channel; if the channel becomes empty, it is removed from the game (but anyone can re-create it later on). When you log back, your T4C client automatically re-creates all channels to which you were subscribed before logging off. If a discarded channel was re-created by someone else with another password, you will need to know the new password or find another channel name.

Shouts/Pages/Speech

 

In the text field next to this icon, you can type anything you wish to say, shout or page. You can toggle the icon to alternate between paging, channel-talking or just plain talking.

If you are paging someone, you will need to enter a valid player name (who is online) in the first field, and your text in the second one. If that person is accepting pages, s/he will receive your message privately. You can also double-click on someone's name in the player listing of a channel. The page option will automatically be activated and you simply need to type your text (followed by the Return key) to page that person. During the normal gameplay screen, you can also use the traditional /<"user name"> text syntax to send someone a message directly without summoning the chat center interface.

If you are channel-talking, your message will be sent to everyone who is subscribed on the channel you last clicked on. You can also prefix ":" (colon character) before your text to send it to the [CC Main] channel. If you prefix ";" (semi-colon character) before your text, it will send your speech directly to the last channel you clicked on (this works even if you are not currently channel-talking).

If you are just plain talking, your text will appear above your character's head and anyone within line of sight will see it.

Creating a Channel

It is possible for anyone to create a new channel. Click on this icon to do so.

You will be prompted for a channel name and password (optional). Channel names are not displayed to everyone, except the [CC Main] channel (and any public channel created by your T4C provider), which is for everyone in the game. If you do not provide a password for your channel, it is considered public. Anyone who knows your channel's name can join it without permission. If you provided a password, it is considered private and players who want to join must enter the password to do so.

Whenever messages are sent from any of the channels you are on, they will appear in the backlog box with the channel's name between brackets (ex.: "[CC Main]"). If you do not want to receive messages from a specific channel, simply click on the green sphere (it'll become red) to disable it; you will no longer receive messages from that channel.

Leaving a Channel

As mentioned above, you can leave a player channel by clicking on the channel you wish to leave, then on this icon.

If you are the last person to leave a player channel, this channel is discarded by the system. It will be automatically re-created next time one of the channel's subscribers connects to the game, unless someone else has borrowed the name and put a different password on it.

Ignoring a Player

If you do not wish to receive messages from an individual, click on that person's name in the listing, then on this icon.

That player's name will be added to a list of individuals you wish to ignore (we call this the Ignore List). This person will not be notified s/he is being ignored and you will not receive any of his/her messages (pages, shouts, normal speech).

Remembering a Player

You can un-ignore someone (we call this "remembering" a player) on your Ignore List by clicking on this icon. You will be shown a list of player names (that's your Ignore List). You can click on any name, then on this icon again.

Ignoring Pages

Ignoring pages is done by clicking on this icon.

This is not the same thing as ignoring shouts or ignoring normal speech. If someone tries to page you, s/he will be told that you are not receiving pages at this time, and asked to try again later. This is not considered as rude as ignoring a player (which is the last resort) and is generally well perceived by most players.

Ignore List

The Ignore List can be accessed by clicking on this icon.

As mentioned above, it will list the names of all players you are ignoring. You can type a name in the field next to ADD to (obviously) add new names to that list.

You can remove someone from the list by clicking on his/her name, then on the remember icon.

Coloring a Channel

If you want all text coming from a channel to be colored differently from the rest of your channels, double left-click on that specific channel in your listing. It will rotate through seven potential colors until returning to the first one. This can be neat if you want to spot messages from a specific group among everyone else's messages.

 

Click here to dismiss this screen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Macro Menu (Ctrl-M)

Macros are keyboard functions that you can use instead of wading through several menus to find a specific spell, item or skill. You can program some macros on some of the keyboard's function keys and up to six of them can be used in a minimized version of the macro screen for mouse-supported usage.

In order to have a macro in the listing, you must first go to one of the three macro-supported screens (Spell Book, Inventory or Character Sheet). There, you click on the spell, item or skill you want to transform into a macro, and click on the MACRO button. Once you have done that, you can return to the Macro screen and you will find that spell, item or skill in the Macro listing. Double-click in the "Key" box next to the entry of your choice and a pop-up menu will appear, asking you for a valid shortcut key for your macro. Some default macros already exist in the game:

·         F1: General newbie help screens.

·         F2: Drink light healing potion

·         F3: Drink potion of mana

·         F4: Light Torch

·         F9: Repeat last command/text. (WARNING: If you bind this key to a macro, you will lose the ability to repeat the last text or command for this character, so you should avoid doing this.)

You can also create a minimized version of your macros for mouse usage during regular game play. First, select one of your macros, then click on the ">>" button. This will add the macro to the six-pack of minimized macros. If you want to remove a macro from the minimized menu, select one from the six-pack and click on the "<<" button. While in the game, you can use your minimized macros by double-clicking on the macro icon on your screen, then selecting a target (if necessary).

NOTE: Macros work even if an interface screen blocks your view. This means if you have a shortcut key to your healing potions, you can still use them while browsing through your spellbook.

Click here to go directly to your spellbook.

Click here to go directly to your inventory.

Click here to go directly to your character sheet.

 If you wish to remove a macro from your list of macros, first select the macro using the mouse, then click on this icon. The macro will be removed and any bound key will be released.

The Minimize button gives you a smaller version of this screen during regular gameplay. It contains a six-pack of mouse-usable macros.

Click here to dismiss this screen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Options Menu (Ctrl-O)

These are various options in the game. One of the most interesting ones is the Status Icon toggle, which allows you to see all effects on your character that have a duration (this is documented in the Effects Icons below). In plain English, that means if you have a spell on you, you have a little icon showing its type and a little bar indicating how long it's got before expiring.

This slider allows you to set the volume of the game's music to your preference.

This slider allows you to set the volume of the game's special effects to your preference.

This slider allows you to set the brightness of the game to your preference.

This option is not currently supported. Eventually, if T4C music is available on a special CD, you can play the music from the CD through this option.

This checkbox allows you to decide whether you want walls, trees and other terrain features to be transparent or opaque. Check the box to choose transparency over opacity.

If you check this box, the game will display status icons (spells or items that have a duration effect) in the top left corner of your game screen.

The Backscroll options allow you to determine whether you want to log everything that is said to you and/or what you say to people, and to save it in a file if you so desire. The file is limited to 10,000 lines of text; as soon as that limit is reached, the 500 oldest lines are lost and 500 new ones can be captured (and so on, and on, and on...)

Click here to exit the game. It will return you to your computer desktop.

Click here to dismiss this screen.

The "BUY" Menu

Click on these arrows to increase or decrease the number of items you wish to purchase.

Once you are finished purchasing all items, click on this button to confirm the transaction. If you do not have enough gold, you will receive an error message.

 

Click here to dismiss this screen.

The "SELL" Menu

Click on these arrows to increase or decrease the number of items you wish to sell.

Once you are finished purchasing all items, click on this button to confirm the transaction.

 

Click here to dismiss this screen.

 

 

 

 

 

The "TEACH" Menu

Click on the up arrow learn the skill/spell or on the down arrow if you change your mind.

Once you are finished spending your skill points, click on this button to confirm you wish to learn the skill(s) you have selected..

 

Click here to dismiss this screen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The "TRAIN" Menu

Click on these arrows to increase or decrease the number of points you wish to invest into training a skill.

Once you are finished spending your skill points, click on this button to confirm you wish to train the skill(s) you have selected.

 

Click here to dismiss this screen.

World Map (Ctrl-W)

By summoning this map, you can have an overall view of the world map.

Area Map (Ctrl-A)

If you summon this map, you will get either a map of the town you're in (if you're in a town), of the island you're in (if you're in the wilderness) or the world map (if you're in a cavern or a dungeon).

 

Effects Icons

A number of icons may appear at the top left of your screen if you have checked the Status Icons box in the Options menu. These icons represent each effect that has a duration and are aligned vertically, starting with the one that has the least remaining time.

When the spell or effect is about to expire, its icon starts blinking.

To re-cast a spell or reuse a related item from your backpack, simply double-click on the spell effect icon and it will be done automatically (you don't have to go through any of your screens or use a macro).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Equipment

During the course of your adventures, you will gather a good number of items. Some of them can be used (potions, torches, magic scrolls, etc.), others can be equipped (weapons, armors, rings, etc.).

Items that are used vanish from your backpack when they are exhausted. Items that can be equipped vanish from your backpack and show up in your status box when they are equipped, and return to your backpack when they are unequipped.

Some items can be used more than once. They have a number of charges which are used up every time the item is double-clicked on. Some other items also have attribute or level requirements. If you do not meet these requirements, you will not be able to use or equip these items and they will remain in your backpack.

Picking Up/Dropping Items

Items that are left on the ground can be picked up. Simply move your mouse cursor until the item's outline shows up, then click with your left mouse button. The item will disappear from sight and reappear in your equipment window (Ctrl-I).

If you want to drop an item on the ground, you must first open your backpack, move the mouse cursor over the item, hold the left mouse button and drag the onto the drop button. Once you let go of the mouse button, the item will remain on the ground. If you wish to destroy an item permanently, drag it onto the junk button instead, and the item will be permanently removed from the game.

Using Items in Backpack

To use a particular item, you must double-click on it using the left mouse button. If the item has multiple charges, it will remain in your backpack until all the charges are exhausted. Every use of the item burns up one charge. Most items (potions, torches, etc.) have only one charge and vanish as soon as they are used.

Equipping & Un-Equipping Items

To equip an item, you will have to open both your equipment (Ctrl-I) window. Left-click on the desired item you wish to equip in your backpack and drag it on the black silhouette in the statistic window (see image below). The item will automatically equip itself where it should be (torso, hand, feet, head, etc.). If you do not have the proper requirement(s) for wearing a particular piece of armor or to wield a weapon, it will return into your backpack and an system message will appear at the bottom of your screen.

If you wish to unequip a particular item, open your equipment window (Ctrl-I), double-click on it and it will automatically return into your backpack (unless it is a cursed item, in which case it will remain equipped). Note that the Gem of Destiny cannot be unequipped (anyway, why would you want to remove an item that saves your life?).

Partial Items Listing & Requirements

You will find in the Goodies section of this site a partial listing of the armor, weapons and magical items that you can use in T4C. Also, many fan sites offer similar lists, often with added information such as where you can get them.

 

The 4th Coming Player's Manuals

Combat

The ability to fight monsters and other players is an important aspect of The 4th Coming. Combat is mostly done using the left mouse button. With it, you can move and attack certain targets.

IMPORTANT: In order to fight other players (within PvP limits; see below) or peaceful NPCs, you must toggle your combat mode on. You can do this by pressing the Combat Mode toggle (Ctrl-C). When a small sword appears in the lower right corner of your screen, you are in Combat Mode and can attack anyone (well, almost).

Attacking

Attacking is done using the left mouse button. Simply click over an enemy when your cursor icon is a sword, and your character will immediately attack that victim. If you are too far, however, your character may have to move in order to catch your opponent. If you do not want your character to move in the direction of your target, hold Shift while attacking to stay where you are while you swing.

When you hit an enemy, you will hear a special sound effect indicating you have successfully hit. Your chances to hit are determined by your Attack Skill and the defender's Dodge Skill (more on this later). The higher your Attack Skill, the higher the odds of successfully hitting someone (or something). The amount of damage varies based on your weapon's base damage, your strength attribute and, in the case of magical weapons, a variety of other factors (we're not telling).

Ranged Weapons

Ranged weapons work almost exactly like melee weapons, with a few differences. They require a new skill (Archery), which is learned from various teachers throughout the game, just like the Attack skill. The higher the Archery skill, the more accurate the attacks. Archery is heavily based on the user's AGI, so it is important to spend points into AGI if you wish to be a good archer.

To use a bow (or any ranged weapon), you must equip the weapon in your right hand and the quiver in your left hand. You will notice that some quivers are unlimited while some others are not. Most "basic" arrow times come in unlimited quivers, so you can shoot those arrows as much as you want and they'll never run out. Other arrow types (such as magical arrows) come in limited quantities and should be used sparingly. Once your quiver runs out of arrows, you get an error message and you must equip a new quiver from your backpack.

Auto-Combat

This feature can help prevent death due to lag. As soon as you start fighting someone, the server is notified of your attempt and you automatically enter auto-combat mode. Auto-combat is possible with melee combat and offensive spells (we call this melee auto-combat and magic auto-combat). Once in auto-combat, if you do nothing, your character will automatically attack at its earliest convenience and keep on attacking every time it's his turn. This way, even if you get disconnected for one reason or another, you will at least finish your current fight.

These are some of the events that can affect your auto-combat status:

·         The monster wanders too far from your character.

·         Moving in any direction cancels your auto-combat.

·         Left-clicking on a new opponent cancels your auto-combat with your first opponent and sets you in auto-combat with the new target.

·         If you are in melee auto-combat and cast a non-healing spell, melee auto-combat is interrupted and magic auto-combat kicks in.

·         If you are in magic auto-combat and cast an offensive spell other than the one in auto-combat, your magic auto-combat will use the new spell you have cast.

·         If you are in magic auto-combat and cast a healing spell, you drop out of auto-combat and the healing spell is cancelled. You must wait for your mental exhaustion to be over before casting your healing spell again. You will also need to re-enter auto-combat after your healing spell is done.

·         In ranged weapons, auto-combat is uninterrupted if you use an unlimited quiver. If your quiver is limited, however, and there is blocking between you and your target, auto-combat is interrupted after the first arrow hits the blocking.

Defending

You cannot "actively" defend against an attack (i.e. you don't have a "defend" button to click), but you can improve your chances of avoiding damage by raising your Dodge Skill (more on this later). You can also equip heavy armor to absorb damage. All armor has an Armor Class (AC) value which is subtracted from the damage you receive when you're hit. (Note that some spells are not affected by the armor you wear.)

Taking Damage

Whenever someone takes damage, you will notice his (or her) outline gradually changing color, going from green (healthy) to red (near death). You should also pay close attention to your own Hit Points (HPs) bar (top right of your screen). As you become increasingly hurt, that bar will become shorter. When you have no more Hit Points (when your HP bar vanishes), you die.

Dying (Oh No!)

Fortunately, in the world of The 4th Coming, death is not the end of the game. You carry with you a Gem of Destiny that teleports you to a safe haven (a "sanctuary") a fraction of a second before you die. At the beginning of the game, it teleports you back to the starting point (the temple in Lighthaven). Later on, NPCs allow you to change the location of that "sanctuary."

Player Versus Player (PvP) Settings

In a game that allows players to fight one another, there are necessary restrictions and rules to follow. T4C can be configured so that some users can only fight some others. The two PvP settings are: Minimum PvP Level and PvP Range.

Minimum PvP Level is the level at which PvP starts. Below that level, you can neither kill other players, nor be killed by them. This feature ensures that newcomers to the game (also called newbies) do not get killed by veteran players as soon as they enter the game. Anyone below the Minimum PvP Value in levels cannot attack other players. Be sure to ask your service provider for the level at which PvP starts. For instance, if the minimum level has been set to 5, then players from level 1 to 4 inclusively cannot attack other players (they can still kill monsters, however).

PvP Range is a plus/minus value that determines the range of levels that a player can attack. For instance, if a player is level 13 and the PvP Range is set to 4, then that player can attack anyone from level (13 - 4 =) 9 to (13 + 4 =) 17. This ensures that only players who are of roughly similar power levels can attack each other.

These two settings vary for each T4C service provider. Be sure to ask your ISP representative about it.

NOTE 1: PvP settings also affect some skills (such as Rob) and all combat spells.

NOTE 2: All of Lighthaven, all temples and teleportation rings are haven areas; in those areas, no PvP may occur.

 

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Skills

What Are Skills?

Skills represent non-magical abilities that you can use in the game to improve your overall performance. Some of them are usable in combat, some others not.

They can be learned from some NPCs and trained by others. In order to learn skills, you must travel abroad and ask various NPCs if you can learn from them or if they can train you.

Important: When you go up in levels (see Experience), you receive Skill Points. These points are necessary for you to learn not just skills, but spells as well, so spend them wisely.

Learning & Training Skills

Most skills have attribute and level requirements. These vary depending on the skills and the NPC who teaches them. Since there are no set values to these requirements, you must learn what they are by asking NPCs about them.

Once you have found an NPC that is willing to teach you a skill, a teaching screen will appear:

Click on the skill you want to learn (assuming you are offered more than one), then click on the Learn button. If you do not have enough skill points, an error message will appear at the bottom of your screen. Otherwise, you have learned the skill and can now use it and/or train it.

Once you have learned a skill, you can train it. This costs you both skill points and gold pieces. Ask the NPC who taught you the skill to train you in it, and a training screen will appear:

Click on the skill you want to train (if there is more than one), then use the + or - buttons to the right of the skill to increase or decrease the number of skill points you want to invest into learning the skill. Note that you cannot spend less than 0 skill points. If you do not have enough gold pieces to train, you will not be able to spend all your skill points. When you are ready, click on the Train button.

Note: Aside from the Attack and Dodge skills, no skill can be trained above a rating of 100.

Using Skills

Skills can either be active or passive. Active skills require you to voluntarily activate them. Passive skills are used automatically whenever the conditions are right and require no intervention on your part. Active skills include First Aid, Meditate, Peek and Rob. Some skills also require a target (such as Rob). When a target is required, a system message instructs you to select one (using your left mouse button).

To use an active skill, summon your Character Sheet Box (Ctrl-S). The screen below will appear:

The list of your character's skill is in the top right section of this box. Move your mouse cursor over the skill you want to use (use the Up or Down arrow keys on the vertical slider to see your other skills if you have more than four). Double left-click on the skill you wish to use.

Skills Descriptions

Armor Penetration (Passive)

The Armor Penetration technique allows a character to pinpoint the weak spot in his opponent's armor, thus reducing its effectiveness in absorbing damage. This skill works automatically during combat (with both melee and ranged weapons). If it is successful, it reduces the opponent's AC. The higher the skill, the more the defender's AC is reduced (up to a point).

Attack (N/A)

This skill allows a character to fight more effectively. The higher the value, the higher the odds of successfully hitting someone (with or without a weapon).

Dodge (N/A)

This skill allows a character to avoid attacks. The higher the value, the higher the odds of successfully evading attacks.

First Aid (Active/Self Only)

The First Aid technique allows a character to mend physical injuries suffered during combat. Note that the skill can fail, worsening the wounds instead of healing them. Also, the character needs to have at least one bandage in his backpack for the skill to work. The damage healed tends to increase with the skill's rating and the user's level.

Meditate (Active/Self Only)

The Meditate technique increases a character's ability to regain lost mana. Once initiated, the skill is effective until the character moves, attacks or casts a spell, or performs any other action. Meditation is always successful and simply increases the recovery rate of lost mana.

Parry (Passive)

The Parry technique allows a character to deflect a physical attack with his weapon. If the parry attempt succeeds, the damage received from a physical strike is reduced to zero (0). Note that there are always odds that parrying will fail.

Peek (Active/Target)

The Peek technique allows a character to glimpse into another character's inventory (backpack). It must be used within close range of the target. Failure to peek successfully may be detected by the target (not always).

Pick Lock (Active/Target)

The Pick Lock technique allows a character to open a locked door or chest by forcing or otherwise bypassing the locking mechanism. The odds of success increase with the skill's rating and go down depending on the lock's complexity. Note that picking locks requires concentration and you will not be able to attack anyone for a few seconds when you use that skill.

Powerful Blow (Passive)

The Powerful Blow technique increases the amount of damage done during physical combat (with both melee and ranged weapons). If successful, damage is increased automatically.

Rapid Healing (Passive)

The Rapid Healing technique increases a character's ability to regenerate lost hit points. The higher the skill, the faster the character recovers lost hit points.

Rob (Active/Target)

The Rob technique allows a character to steal an object from someone else's inventory. The character must have learned the Peek skill at a minimum level before this skill can be learned. Failure to rob successfully may be detected by the target (not always).

Stun Blow (Passive)

The Stun Blow technique allows a character to temporarily disable his opponent (with both melee and ranged weapons). If the blow is successful, the defender is stunned and cannot act for a short period of time.

Skills Requirements Listing

These are the various requirements for the skills in the game (as of version 1.06).

Skill Name

LVL

STR

AGI

INT

WIS

END

Armor Penetration

25

75

40

30

 

 

First Aid

12

 

 

20

20

 

Meditate

16

 

 

30

30

 

Parry

10

 

30

20

 

 

Peek

5

 

3

 

 

 

Pick Lock

12

 

40

 

 

 

Powerful Blow

15

50

30

 

 

 

Rapid Healing

30

 

 

 

 

80

Rob

17

 

50

 

 

 

Stun Blow

5

35

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Spells

What Are Spells?

Spells represent magical and/or miraculous abilities which players can learn and use to their advantage in the game. In the world of T4C, spells are divided into two main categories: mage spells and priest spells. Mage spells are based on Intellect whereas priest spells are based on Wisdom. Unlike skills, which can be used as often as you want, spells require magic points (also called mana by some people). Some potions (such as the Potion of Mana) and skills (such as Meditate) allow you to restore your mana.

Learning Spells

Most spells have attribute and level requirements. These vary depending on the spells and the NPC who teaches them. Since there are no set values to these requirements, you must learn what they are by asking NPCs about them. Also, spells require that you spend Skill Points to learn them. If you do not have skill points left, you cannot learn spells. Lastly, you should be aware that some spells have pre-requisite spells, that is, spells that you must have already learned before you can learn this new one. Most mentors will tell you about this when you ask to be taught a new spell that you can't learn.

To learn a spell from a teacher, say "Learn" to that NPC. A "Teach" box will appear. Click on the spell you want to learn (assuming you are offered more than one), then click on the Learn button (to the right, above the yellow +/- buttons). If you do not have enough skill points or gold pieces, you will not be allowed to learn the spell. Otherwise, you have learned the spell. Unlike skills, spells cannot be improved.

Note: The Macro button does not work on this screen, nor do the + or - buttons.

 

 

Using Spells

In order to use a spell, you must open your spellbook (Ctrl-P), then double-click on the spell of your choice using your mouse button. If you need instructions on how to navigate within the spellbook, visit the Spellbook section of the Game Interface chapter.

Exhaustion

Spells also have additional limitations that skills do not have: they cause exhaustion. There are three types of exhaustion: mental, physical and movement. Mental Exhaustion prevents your character from casting spells. Physical Exhaustion prevents you from physically attacking an opponent. Movement Exhaustion prevents you from moving. Exhaustion lasts for a variable period of time depending on the spell and the exhaustion type.

Blocking

Some spells can go over blocking while some others can't. If you start firing at a monster that is standing on the other side of a wall or a rock, he will not take any damage from your attack (unless the spell has an area of effect. of course). Bear in mind that if auto-combat kicks in and your opponent is hiding behind blocking, your character will keep on firing against the blocking item until it runs out of mana points. It's up to you to realize that you're not hitting the target and to interrupt auto-combat to try a different angle or another combat spell.

Spells Descriptions

Spells are described using the elements below. We list a few sample spells at the end of this section.

Name

This is pretty self-explanatory.

Type

Attacks can be physical or mana-based. If they are physical, then physical protection (such as armor) applies against the damage taken. If they are mana-based, then physical protection doesn't apply.

Duration

Spells last only for a limited amount of time. Many are instantaneous (no duration), while some others can last for up to a few minutes. Durations are noted instantaneous (0 seconds), short (1-30 seconds), medium (30 seconds-2 minutes) or long (2 minutes and up).

Mana

Casting a spell costs a certain number of magic (or mana) points. When you have no more magic points (MPs), you need to wait before you can cast again.

Level

Not all spells can be learned at the same level. Usually, the higher the pre-requisite level, the more powerful the spell. Looking at the level of a spell can give you an indication of which spell is the more powerful within an element.

Element

Some spells are based on one of the Four Elements (Earth, Air, Water and Fire), one of the Two Natures ("Light" and "Dark") or are simply non-elemental. Some monsters are more or less vulnerable to certain elements, so knowing which spell to use against which monster is important.

Spells Listing

You will find in the Goodies section of this site a partial listing of the spells that you can use in T4C. Also, many fan sites offer similar lists, often with added information such as where you can get them.

 

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Quests

What Are Quests?

In the world of T4C, you can either adventure on your own, killing monsters and accumulating treasure, or you can partake in major and minor quests assigned to you by NPCs. Major quests form the backbone of a large, epic storyline of good versus evil in which you can become an important and heroic player. As you progress, you will find that there is a "Good Quest" and an "Evil Quest." If you go too far into one, you will find it hard to come back and change storylines. As such, you should think carefully before getting involved with the "wrong" kind of people. NPCs remember who you are and what you have done, and may refuse to speak to you altogether if you have become what they consider an unsavory individual.

Minor quests can be done by most people, usually regardless of how "good" or "evil" they are.

Finding Quests

Quests can be difficult to find, sometimes. You have to talk to NPCs and focus on their keywords, following their train of thought and figuring out what might interest them. Sometimes, vital keywords they respond to aren't highlighted, so you may want to try some words even if they don't appear important at first. Often, you will also be given choices. Make your decisions carefully. You cannot always come back and change your mind after the fact.

If you want to try your hand at questing, why don't you go visit the Lighthaven Samaritan and mention to him that you'd like to do some errand for him. Upon mentioning that word, he'll ask you to do the Rat Quest (a minor quest asking you to kill plenty of rats).

Quest Rewards

Quests have a variety of requirements and an even greater variety of rewards. Some of them will give you gold and/or item(s), some others experience points, and some will just ask you to fulfill additional quests. In addition to these rewards, some quests have an "invisible" effect on how NPCs perceive you in general. For instance, if you have performed several good deeds, it may open up some quests while closing some others to you.

The Rat Quest (see just above), for example, rewards you with a few thousand experience points for your trouble.

 

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Trading

Gathering Gold

There are several ways of obtaining gold pieces. First, you automatically receive gold from killing monsters. These rewards go straight into your backpack and require no action on your part. Second, you can receive gold from other players. They simply drop the gold on the ground, you left-click on the gold pile, and it is saved into your backpack. Third, you can go to vendors in towns and sell them items that you've collected in dungeons or traded with other players. Most vendors will give you a small amount in return for your items, which will be transferred automatically into your backpack once the transaction is done.

While it's not perfectly realistic, there is no actual limit to the amount of gold you can carry.

Dropping/Picking Up Gold

If you wish to pick up a gold pile on the ground, left-click on it. If you are close enough, it will vanish from the ground and appear in your backpack. If there is something blocking your way (wall, water, etc.), you will be unable to pick up the gold pile.

If you wish to drop some gold on the ground, you must first open your backpack (Ctrl-I), then drag your gold pile onto the drop button. A pop-up box will ask you how much you want to drop. Type the amount or use the slider to choose how much you want to drop. Press Enter or click on OK to confirm. A gold pile will appear near your character with the specified amount of gold in it.

Saving Gold

In T4C, it is possible to deposit some of your gold in a bank, effectively "saving" your gold. This way, even if you die, you do not risk losing any of your hard-earned cash. Most towns have a banker (but not all). Visit all the NPCs to figure out who the banker is. All banks are "international," that is, if you deposit your money in one town, you can still withdraw it in another town, from another banker. All banks are linked.

To deposit gold, type "DEPOSIT <X> GOLD," where <X> is the number of gold pieces you wish to deposit. Do not put a comma in the amount you are depositing! For instance, if you wish to deposit ten thousand gold pieces, type DEPOSIT 10000 GOLD, not DEPOSIT 10,000 GOLD. If you do so, you will only deposit 10 gold pieces, not 10,000.

If you wish to know how much money is left in your bank account, just type "BALANCE." The banker will immediately tell you how much gold you can withdraw.

If you wish to withdraw some gold from your account, type "WITHDRAW <X> GOLD," where <X> is the number of gold pieces you wish to withdraw. Do not put a comma in the amount you are withdrawing! For instance, if you wish to withdraw ten thousand gold pieces, type WITHDRAW 10000 GOLD, not WITHDRAW 10,000 GOLD. If you do so, you will only withdraw 10 gold pieces, not 10,000.

Trading Items for Gold

It is highly recommended that you do trading in a closed room, so that no one comes in to steal your items or money. Before doing any transaction with anyone, make sure you negotiate the right price and both agree on it. Drop your gold or item in a corner far from the person you are trading with, and verify what the other person dropped by right-clicking on it. If the amount or item are correct, go fetch your part of the deal while the person you traded with does the same

 

The 4th Coming Player's Manual

Environment

Day & Night

Time elapses faster in the game than it does in real life. We call this measure "game time." In the table below, we give an equivalent from game time to real time. Day and night are split roughly equally.

Game Time

Real Time

1 minute

3 seconds

20 minutes

1 minute

1 hour

3 minutes

6 hours

18 minutes

24 hours

1 hour 12 minutes.

Night time is usually much darker than day time, and it is best to bring a light source (such as a torch) to better see at night. They are especially useful in dungeons, which have some light sources but are otherwise very, very dark. Torches last approximately 10 minutes of real time (about a little over three hours in game time). They can easily be purchased in the cities. Some monsters also drop them in dungeons.

When you start the game for the first time, it's entirely possible that you will find it a bit dark. Open your backpack. You will find there some starting equipment, including a torch or two. Just double-click on that torch with your left mouse button and the screen will brighten up for a while. You can also type F4 to quickly light a torch without opening your backpack. Also, when you open up a menu (Options menu, Backpack, Skills, Spellbook, etc.), the screen will light up temporarily so you can see the menu clearly. When you close those menus, brightness returns to normal.

Some NPCs do or say different things depending on the time of day. Make sure to visit them at both times if you are on a specific quest that may involve them.

Caverns & Dungeons

There are a great number of dungeons and caverns in the World of Althea. Both are usually located underground and are infested with monsters and various nefarious creatures. The main difference lies in the amount of light you have. Dungeons often contain torches to light part of the way, allowing for a generally higher level of lighting than caverns. The latter, being in uncivilized areas, are much darker. It would be unwise to go adventuring in a cavern without any source of light.