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After reading this guide,
you should be able to create a character, move around
and speak to others, find your way around town, and learn
the basics of hunting.
From the GemStone IV website,
click on "Go Play!" and choose
to create a new character, then select which game front
end you wish to use. Wrayth is highly recommended
for new players, if it is compatible with your computer
system.
Graphical
Character Manager
If you use a PC and any modern
browser, you will be taken to the graphical character
manager, which is a series of web pages. Each
page has choices you can make to determine various
aspects about your character. If you are unsure
about things like culture, you can select none
for the time being and then change it later on
after you have played a while. You can only set
your culture once, so be certain.
On the character statistic and skill training
pages there are buttons to allow the game to generate
your stats and training for you if you want to
get off to a quick start and aren't ready to do
that part yourself yet.
Text Character
Manager
If you are using a browser that
is not supported by our character manager, you
will be taken to the text character manager system
where you will be presented with the same choices
to design your character. In the text manager
there is also a choice to allow the game to generate
your stats and training for a quick start.
If you already have specific ideas about what sort
of character you want to play, you will want to use
the full character creation method. This method will
give you complete control over your character statistics
and trained skills. If you want to use this method,
it's a good idea to read the documentation
on the GSIV website about how things work.
The last decision to make during the character creation
process is to choose a name.
Try to choose a name that would be fitting for a person
in a medieval fantasy world and for the race you wish
to play.
First
things first: How to move, speak and get help.
The first thing you should
note is the quick links above the input bar. The last
quicklink is titled get assistance. Clicking
on this link will bring up a list of helpful links.
The first
one you should browse if you have questions is the
Help link. The Help link lists and number of
subjects you might be curious about. For instance,
to get help
on magic, you would click the get assistance link,
then the Help link and finally the Magic link.
The second link to look at under get assistance when
you aren't sure what to do next is Advice. Every
time you click the Advice link, the game will
asses where you are and try to guess what you should
probably
do next. It will suggest a course of action and help
you accomplish the task.
A good source of up to date information can be found
by clicking the button to the left of the quick links
and selecting Simutronics from the drop-down
list. The second quicklink is news. Clicking
on this link will open a News window where you can
read news items by clicking on them.
Command Entry
Users
The first command to remember
when you are done with creating your character
is HELP. The HELP command lists
a number of subjects you might be curious about.
For instance, to get more help on magic just type
HELP MAGIC and some information on magic
will be displayed.
The next command to remember is ADVICE.
Every time you use the ADVICE command,
the game will look you over and try to guess what
you might need to do next. Once it figures this
out it will suggest a course of action and tell
you what to do to accomplish the task.
Another source of important information is the
game News that you see listed every time you log
in. You might have to scroll up a bit to see all
the listings. Type NEWS HELP for information
on how to use the news system.
Speaking. It's certainly no fun to wander about a town full
of people if you cannot talk to them. If you are using
Wrayth, you will start in Chat Mode. That means
anything typed into your input bar will come out as
your character saying it. When in Chat Mode, all game
commands need to be done using Point and Click. (You
will see many underlined items in the Wrayth client
and in the game. Simply click on them to get a menu
of options.)
Command Entry
Users
To speak while in Command Mode,
simply type SAY or a ' character followed by whatever
you want to say after that and press the enter
key. It will look something like this (for this
example, we'll assume your name is Quinn):
You type the following
line: 'Hello there, I just flew into town and
boy are my arms tired!<press enter>
You will see this: You exclaim, "Hello there, I just
flew into town and boy are my arms tired!"
Everyone else with you
will see this: Quinn exclaims, "Hello there, I
just flew into town and boy are my arms tired!"
Simple, yes?
Moving about. Well now you can speak, but no one will stand still
long enough for you to get a word in? No problem, you
can move just like everyone else...but first...where
are you?
Refer to either your Room window for a name, description
and obvious exits of the area you are in or click on
the look link.
Command
Entry Users
The
LOOK command will tell you where you are by displaying
a name of the area,
a description, and the obvious paths or exits.
As you might imagine, those
obvious paths and exits must lead somewhere! To
move to a new location, simply type the name of
the obvious exit displayed, or click on the underlined
direction in Wrayth. For example:
You see the following:
Obvious paths: north, southwest.
This means you can leave the area by clicking on the
underlined direction or by typing NORTH or SOUTHWEST.
You may also abbreviate these directional commands N for NORTH, SW for SOUTHWEST etc...
Sometimes you find yourself in
a location similar to this one: [Hallway]
The hallway is dimly lit and you can just barely see the end of it. A large
black door stands next to a bead curtain which is waving slightly from some
unseen wind.
Obvious exits: none.
When you find yourself in a location with no obvious
exits, don't panic. Read the location's description
carefully. Look for underlined words in the room's
description. If they are underlined you may interact
with these objects. Some objects are portals that lead
to other rooms. In
the
above
example,
a large
black door and a bead curtain are the prime candidates.
To use them, simply click on them and select a command
from the menu. Portals will have a go selection
(command entry users may type GO command followed
by the name of the place you
are
trying
to
go. For
example:
GO
DOOR to go through the door. GO CURTAIN to
go through the curtain).
When you leave the blind alley you begin you adventuring
life in, you will come out at Silverwood Manor. This
is the home
of the
Order
of Lorekeepers, also known as the Mentors. They exist
to help new players. The Lorekeepers are a good source
of information on a wide variety of topics such as
spells and combat, profession training, roleplaying
advice, and Elanthian lore. If you ever want a bit
of extra help, or find that something has you terribly
confused, go to Silverwood and ring the bell.
The screen scrolls too
fast!
If you have never played a text based game before, the
text moving quickly up your screen can seem a bit daunting
at first. But never fear! Everyone who plays went through
the same experiences and adjustments. Take your time
and scroll back up if you feel like you missed something.
You will get used to it before you know it and soon
be playing like an old hand just like everyone else!
Your
first goal: Learning about yourself and the town around
you.
There are a variety of
panels, links and windows in Wrayth that tell
you information about yourself. Here are a few of the
more
important
ones:
Injuries
The Injuries panel shows a graphical representation
of injuries, scars and health points. Additionally,
below the input bar are 4 meters which represent your
health points, spirit points, mana points and stamina
level.
Experience The Experience panel shows your current level,
your experience until next level, your mind state,
the amount of physical and mental training points your
accumulated and a few links for more experience information
and management.
Skills and Skill Goals
By clicking the skill goals link on the quicklink
bar, you open up the graphical skill manager. Here
you
may see your current skills, train in skills and
reallocate training points.
Character Sheet The character sheet link in the default quick
links opens a window that will show a detailed snapshot
of
your character's status. Name, level, race, profession,
experience,
wealth, skills, stats, encumbrance and features are shown,
among other things.
Command entry users may type the following commands
to get the same information from above:
HEALTH
Displays your health points, spirit
points and overall physical well-being. Check
this
often when in combat.
WEALTH
Displays how much silver you have
with you and reminds you about any debts owed.
EXP
Displays your current level, experience
and other information.
INFO
Displays even more detailed information
about your character.
SKILL
Displays details about your current skill levels.
So you know some things about yourself, but what about
your surroundings? One of the most important things
you can do in the game is explore. Getting to know your
starting town is essential as there are many shops,
taverns, inns, and other places that will help you in
your adventure. But where to look first?
Directions
Use the directions link to
display a list of places of interest. To get specific
directions
on
how
to
get
to one of these places, just click on the place name.
For example, to get directions
to the local herbalist, click
on "Herbalist" on the list on your screen
(command entry users may type DIR HERBALIST).
You will be told the direction
to go to get
closer to the herbalist. In fact, it will keep telling
you which way to go over and over until you either
get
there or you click the DIR STOP link. (command
entry users may type DIR STOP). Directions
only work within town. Once you've
found
your way
outside
past the gates,
you are on your own.
Important Hint: Your character
begins at level 0. At this level, you are very weak.
It is very difficult to fight your way to the next
level. However, you can advance your character much
easier
by exploring the town! New characters are awarded experience
for visiting important locations throughout the town.
Use the directions system and visit all the
locations listed. Talk to other players there and get
to know
the hot spots and hangouts. You'll find you can gain
your first level quickly and learn vital information
along the way!
Now it's time to earn
your dinner. The most popular way to earn experience
and silver is hunting. Since you are just getting started,
you'll want to concentrate on survival. Take careful
note of these tips and you'll be on your way as a hunter,
instead of the hunted.
Tools of the Trade: Weapons and shields. To survive as a new adventurer in the more dangerous
areas of GemStone IV, you'll need to have combat gear
and the knowledge of how to use it correctly. Use the
inventory link
to see what you are
wearing, and more importantly, what is in your right
and left hands. Also, you can just peek at
your Inventory panel to the right of your story window
and your hand display at the top left of the Wrayth
client.
You should already have some type of gear supplied
to you when you created your character. Which type
will
depend on which skills your character is trained in.
If you have put them away, click on
your weapon or staff from your backpack or sheath.
Can't see them? Try clicking on your backpack or sheath
and selecting the look in option. This will
open a container panel. You can then click on your
weapon
or staff and select get to put it into one of
your hands. Alternately, you can drag your weapon from
your backpack over to an empty hand in your hand display.
As for shields, you can wear your shield to store
it by wearing it over your shoulder, or remove it to
ready it in your hand.
Important: Your weapon and shield
won't do you much good unless you are holding them
correctly.
Hold your weapon in your right hand and your shield
in your left hand. Look at your hand display. Make
sure your weapon is in your right hand and your shield
is in your left. If these are backwards, simply click
the actions... link and select swap items.
Command
Entry Users
INV or INVENTORY will show you what you are
wearing and holding. LOOK IN <container> will
show that container's contents. If the container
is worn and open, you can usually just GET
<item>.
If the container is inside another container,
you may have to GET <item> FROM <container>.
WEAR SHIELD and REMOVE SHIELD are
your shield storage and ready commands.
Let's hunt! Now you need to find a good place to hunt. If you
are in the towns of Wehnimer's Landing or Ta'Vaalor,
seek out the catacombs. If you are in the town of Icemule
Trace, seek out the tunnels near the Alchemist's or
go outside the South gate. (Some gates in some towns
require a small fee to get back in.) Use Directions if
you have trouble locating these areas. Once there,
you are likely to encounter some hostile creatures.
When you are attacked, it will look something like
this:
Once there, you are likely to encounter some hostile
creatures. When you are attacked, it will look something
like this:
A giant rat tries to bite you!
AS: +10 vs DS: +58 with AvD: +33 + d100 roll: +83
= +68
A clean miss.
That giant rat is hostile! You will want to respond
by clicking on the rat and selecting target. You
may then click on attack in the Combat panel
located in the upper right area of the Wrayth client.
You should see something similar to this:
You thrust with an estoc at a giant rat!
AS: +0 vs DS: +2 with AvD: +36 + d100 roll: +33 =
+67
A clean miss.
Not even close.
Roundtime: 5 sec.
There's a lot of information there. We don't want
to get into a lot of deeply involved number crunching
just
yet, so lets keep it simple.
AS
Attack Strength
DS
Defensive Strength
AvD
Attack vs. Defense Comparison
d100
Dice Roll of 1 to 100
When something attacks you, you are seeing the attackers
Attack Strength(AS) vs. your Defense Strength(DS). The
more DS you have, the safer you are.
When you attack a creature, you are seeing your Attack
Strength(AS) vs. the creature's Defense Strength(DS).
The more AS you have, the more likely you are to hit
the creature and cause damage.
If you look carefully at the example above, you'll
notice that your AS when attacking the rat was 0.
That's
certainly not much. You can change the amount of your
AS by changing your stance.
Your stance in combat determines the amount of effort
you are putting into attacking or defending. Use the
STANCE command or refer to your
Combat panel to view your stance. Command entry users
type STANCE HELP to view all the
possible stances you have available. Defensive stance
is the safest stance; use it while travelling in dangerous
areas. In offensive stance, you are applying all of
your skill to your attack. Use this stance to strike
a killing blow to your opponent. But be careful, for
in offensive stance you've little to protect yourself
other than your armor or the occasional defensive spell.
Experiment with the different stances while in combat.
Find a stance that works best for you and don't forget
to return to a defensive stance after the battle. You
never know what may jump out of the woodwork.
AvD refers to how well that particular type of attack
fares against the armor the target is wearing. The numbers
can be different each time, depending on what type of
attack is used and what type of armor is being worn.
The d100 roll is a random number generated between
1 and 100 that simulates rolling dice, like in a tabletop
role-playing game. The higher you "roll" the
more likely you are to be successful in that activity.
Remember that terms and numbers like AS and the d100
roll are there for you as a player to understand what
is happening during combat. It would be OOC (out of
character) to speak about them out loud, since your
character doesn't know anything about computer games.
After the battle. You've killed your first giant rat and survived.
That's good; a fine story to tell at the tavern, but
what else is there to gain? Well, there are those that
profit from the sale of animal and creature parts.
Attempt
to skin the creatures you slay in battle. You
can either type in the SKIN command or click
on the creature in
Wrayth and select the skin option from the
menu. You should be able to sell the pelts and skins
you
gain
at the local furrier. Skinning a creature can take
some skill and practice. It's rumored that a sharp
weapon
and skill training will help in your success.
Skins are nice and all but what about treasure?! You
will want to search the creatures
you have slain to see what valuables they might carry.
If
you
find something, don't forget to get it off
the ground! Command entry users should use the commands
SEARCH <creature> and GET <item>.
When you start the game,
you will be issued some very basic gear such as light
armor, a couple containers, and items for combat. The
longer you play, the more items you will acquire. It's
important to be careful with all your hard earned stuff
so you don't lose anything!
All of your inventory can be managed with either typing
in commands, or clicking on the items and selecting
the option you want from the Wrayth menu that pops
up.
To put something on, like a cloak or backpack, you
want to wear it. If you want to take something off,
remove it.
If you want to see what is in one of your containers,
you can look inside it (or type LOOK IN
MY POUCH, for example. If
you have two pouches, you need to specify which one.
You can do that with either naming it, such as a red
pouch or a blue pouch, or by number, such as SECOND pouch.
Of course, if you are clicking links there is no question
as to which container you mean.).
Command
Entry Users
If you want to put something away with typed
commands, always specify that you want to put
it away in your container. You do this
with using MY. If you don't use MY, you can end
up putting your item in a similar container on
the ground or accidentally dropping it. If items
are lost this way, they are usually not replaced.
To put your sword in your sheath type PUT
MY SWORD IN MY SHEATH.
The STOW, SHEATHE, and UNSHEATHE commands are
very useful. You can type them alone to see usage
information.
The input bar at the bottom
of your screen can be toggled between Chat and Command
modes. When you first start, you will be in Chat mode.
This means that everything you type in will show on
the game screen as your character saying it. Then you
can use point and click to issue all your game commands.
You might prefer to either type all your commands,
or use a combination of both typing and point and click.
In that case, you will want to be in Command mode. In
Command mode, anything you type is seen as a command,
unless you put SAY or a ' in front of what you type.
You can toggle between Command and Chat modes using
the button to the left of the input bar.
If you click on Options and then Macros, you will see
a list of pre-set key combinations, some of which toggle
various Wrayth options on and off. If some of the
features don't suit your tastes or you find that all
the P&C (point and click) underlined words makes
things confusing, you can toggle these features off
to play in a manner that suits your personal style.
You can also add your own macro combinations for tasks
that you frequently carry out.
The
Game. You will find a good bit of information
inside the game itself. Most of the commands available
are
based on common sense. If you think you could do THIS
to THAT, it's quite likely that you can, just
try it as long as it doesn't sound too dangerous.
Just because the option for it is on a menu, doesn't
mean it is safe. Command entry users can enter in any
command they dream up, and if it sounds dangerous
and deadly, for instance GO
CHASM or KISS LAVA, it probably is!
The Players. If you can't figure
it out on your own, ask someone else! Most players
are
glad to help out, especially if you're polite about
it. One tip, if you have a question about a command
or the way something works, use the whisper
menu option shown when you click on another player.
Type the phrase or question you want to whisper into
the whisper dialogue box and click OK. This
allows you to ask technical questions without breaking
the
mood
of
the
game for
others.
The Website. You can get much
more elaborate and detailed information by digging
through
the information section of our
website. Many of the more complex systems of the game
are described therein.
The Forums. We maintain a large
set of forums where players
can ask questions, discuss game mechanics, plan hunts,
talk about recent events and much more. Check them out!
The Player Websites. Many of
the players maintain their own web
sites full of advice, opinions and game information.
While these are unofficial, you'll find all kinds of
maps, strategies and lore to help you along the way.
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