NOTE:   If you are having trouble starting the game, chances are you
don't have enough conventional memory.  ASPETRA requires at least
570,000 bytes of free conventional memory.
        If you are running DOS 6 or above, try running MEMMAKER to
free up memory.  If you are running Windows, exit to DOS before
running the game.  If you are running Windows 95, restart your
computer in MS-DOS Mode before running the game.








                             %%%%%%%%%%%%%
                             A S P E T R A
                             %%%%%%%%%%%%%

                         (C) 1996 by Zonarware











                                CONTENTS
                                   
1.0 Introduction

2.0 Basic Role-Playing Concepts

    2.1 The Story
    2.2 Your Character

3.0 How to Play

    3.1 Basic Controls
    3.2 Towns
        
        3.2.1 Townspeople
        3.2.2 Weapon Shops
        3.2.3 Item Shops
        3.2.4 Inns

    3.3 The Wilderness 
    3.4 Dungeons
    3.5 The Main Menu

        3.5.1 Stats
        3.5.2 Items
        3.5.3 Magic
        3.5.4 Equip
        3.5.5 Load
        3.5.6 Save
        3.5.7 Volume
        3.5.8 Quit

    3.6 Combat






1.0 Introduction

    Welcome to the world of Aspetra.  This is a full-fleged,
animated role-playing game.  It was designed to bring you hours
and hours of exciting adventure, while telling an epic story.
We hope you have as much fun playing this game as we did creating it.


2.0 Basic Role-Playing Concepts

    2.1 The Story
                
        Here at Zonarware, we believe that the most important
    element of an RPG is its storyline.  There are scores of
    computer RPGs out there, but most are simply hack-and-slash
    dungeon games.  Aspetra has its share of hacking and slashing
    as well, but the core of the game is an epic story that we
    wanted to tell.
    
    2.2 Your Character

        The center of the game is your character.  You see the world
    through his eyes, and direct him to do what you want to do and
    go where you want to go.  
        Your character begins the game as a wimp.  Through combat with 
    monsters, you gradually gain experience.  At certain points of 
    experience, your overall level of development goes up.  This is 
    called "gaining a level".  When you gain a level, you become stronger 
    offensively and defensively.
         Your character's abilities are represented by numbers called stats.
    Stats measure your strength, your defense against weapons and magic,
    your Level, your experience--anything you need to know.
        Your character is also capable of eventually learning magic
    spells.  Spells generally either destroy your enemies, or help
    your character.



3.0 How to Play

    3.1 Basic Controls
    
        Aspetra was designed to be played with very few keys.

        Arrow Keys:  Move your character, and move cursors.
        Spacebar:    Makes things happen.  Select a menu option,
                     talk to people, open doors, pick up an object,
                     advance conversations, etc.
        ESC Key:     Opens up the main menu, backs out of menus,
                     cancels operations.
        Enter Key:   Same as Spacebar.

        And that's all!

    
    3.2 Towns
        
        Towns are the center of a lot of game activities.

        3.2.1 Townspeople
              
              Townspeople walk around, going about their business.
              You can talk to townspeople by facing them and pressing
              the spacebar.  They have usefull information to give.
        
        3.2.2 Weapon Shops
        
              Every town has a weapon shop.  This is where you buy
              weapons and armor.  Walk into the shop, go to the counter,
              and press the spacebar.  A menu will pop up:

                                 Buy
                                 Sell
                                 Goodbye

              Select "Buy" to bring up a list of the shop's inventory.
              From this list, select the item you wish to buy.
              An information box will pop up telling you how many
              of that item you already own, whether you already
              have it equipped, whether you should buy it, and how
              many you wish to buy.  The left and right arrow keys
              change the "How Many" by one.  The up and down arrows
              change the "How Many" by ten.  When you are ready to
              make the transaction, press Enter or the Spacebar.

              Select "Sell" to bring up your own inventory.  Select
              the item you wish to sell.  An information box will
              pop up asking how many you wish to sell.  Again, use
              the arrow keys to change this.  When you are ready to
              sell, press Enter or the Spacebar.


        3.2.3 Item Shops
        
              Item shops sell useful items that you will need on your
              journey.  The menus work the same way as they do in the
              weapon shops.  Here is a list of items and their effects:

              Trial Size Heal:  Restores 3 HP  (Hit Points)
              Light Heal:       Restores 50 HP
              Strong Heal:      Restores 250 HP
              Mega Heal:        Restores 500 HP
              Replenish:        Restores All HP
              Antidote:         Cures Poison
              Root:             Restores 25 MP  (Magic Points)
              Red Flower:       Restores 100 MP
              Hyper Potion:     Restores All HP and MP

        
        3.2.4 Inns

              Inns are where you rest when you want to recover completely.
              Staying at an inn restores all your HP and MP.
              Simply walk up to the counter and press Spacebar.



    3.3 The Wilderness 
    
        The wilderness is the areas between towns and dungeons.
        They are dangerous places, filled with monsters.  A lot of
        combat takes place in the wilderness.

    
    3.4 Dungeons
    
        Dungeons come in all shapes and sizes.  This term includes
        Caves, Mines, Catacombs, Forts, and even Castles.  Dungeons
        are usually the site of a quest.  They are full of treasure
        and monsters.

    
    3.5 The Main Menu

        Press the ESC Key while you have control of your character.
        This will bring up a menu with the following choices:
        
        
        3.5.1 Stats
        
              This brings up a box showing your various abilities.
        
        3.5.2 Items
        
              This brings up your inventory.  Select which item you
              wish to use, then press Enter or Spacebar.
        
        3.5.3 Magic
        
              This brings up your book of spells.  Select which spell
              you wish to use, then press Enter or Spacebar.  Note
              that usually, the only spells that are of any use in this
              menu are healing spells.

        3.5.4 Equip
        
              This brings up a list of the weapons and armor currently
              equipped on your body.  Select which article you wish
              to change, and press Space or Enter.  This brings up your
              inventory.  Select the article you wish to equip, then press
              Enter or Space.  Remember that weapons and armor have no
              effect unless they are equipped on you.
        
        3.5.5 Load
        
              This brings up the savegame menu.  You can save up to three
              separate games.  Select the slot you wish to load.  Also
              You may select the a: drive as a source for savegames.
              CAUTION: do not select "a:" unless you have a disk in the
              drive that holds savegames.

        
        3.5.6 Save
        
              This brings up the savegame menu.  Select the slot you wish
              to save into.

        3.5.7 Volume
        
              This controls the volume of the music.
        
        3.5.8 Quit

              This Ends the game.

    
    3.6 Combat

        As you walk around the wilderness or the dungeons, you will
        periodically be attacked by monsters.  As soon as you are
        attacked, you will be swept into the combat screen.

        Combat works this way:
        You have a bar that fills up when you are ready to attack.
        When you are ready to attack, a menu will pop up.

                                 FIGHT
                                 ITEM
                                 (MAGIC) <**-- If you know any.
                                 RUN

        Select FIGHT to attack with a weapon.  A sword will appear 
        above your enemies.  Move the sword to select which enemy
        you wish to attack.

        Select ITEM to bring up your inventory.  Select which item
        you wish to use (usually a healing item.)

        If you know MAGIC, you may select this.  A list of your
        spells will pop up.  Select which spell you wish to cast.
        A ball of energy will appear above your enemies.  Select
        which enemy you wish to attack.  Some spells can attack all
        your enemies at once.  To select ALL enemies, press the
        DOWN arrow key when the ball of light appears.

        If you wish to escape combat for any reason, select run.
        You may also run simply by pressing the ESC Key.  Remember
        that there are some fights that are mandatory.  You may not
        escape from these fights.

                               **************




        We hope you enjoy this game as much as we enjoyed making it.

                                                        ZONAR LIVES
