README for Dead By Zombie ver 1.1 "Day is for the Living, Night is for the Dead" ------------------------ Requirements: The game comes in versions for three different platforms: Windows, Mac and Linux. The requirements vary by platform: on Windows: Windows ME, XP or Vista, or compatible (other versions may work, but not sure) on Mac: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher or Mac OS X 10.4 (or less might work), but with Python 2.5 installed on Linux: Linux 2.x (tested on 2.6), with Python 2.5 (accessible as python2.5) The Mac version gets the most testing since it is the developer's primary workstation. Linux is similar to Mac so will probably work second best. Windows Instructions: To install the game from the CD: * insert CD into drive * after the CD appears in File Explorer, copy the .zip file to your computer somewhere * unpack the .zip To unpack the .zip file: * in File Explorer, select the .zip file and unpack it using the ZIP tool of your choice. The instructions on how to do that vary by tool. For WinZip, for example, you'd double-click it, then in WinZip choose Extract, being sure to have the option selected that preserves folders. * a DeadByZombie folder was created. the game is in it and ready to play To play the game: * in the DeadByZombie folder, double-click on the file 'run.bat' * on the Intro screen you'll see a menu of choices * use the up/down arrow keys to move the cursor up/down * select the highlighted choice by pressing SPACEBAR Mac Instructions: To install the game from the CD: * insert CD into drive * once it appears in Finder, copy the .tgz file to your computer somewhere * unpack the .tgz file To unpack the .tgz file: * in Finder, double-click on the .tgz file * a DeadByZombie folder was created. the game is in it and ready to play To play the game: * in the DeadByZombie folder, double-click on the file 'PLAY.command' * on the Intro screen you'll see a menu of choices * use the up/down arrow keys to move the cursor up/down * select the highlighted choice by pressing SPACEBAR Linux Instructions: Similar to Mac, but since you're a Linux user you'll likely have the tech skills to figure things out. The PLAY.command script should start the game just like in the Mac version. Make sure your Python 2.5 is accessible via "python2.5". Python 2.6 or higher 2.x may also work, and in those cases you may just need to make custom aliases to work in your environment. Platform Common Instructions: To enter your license code and unlock the Full Version: * on the Intro screen choose License * if the game is already unlocked with a valid code, you'll see it here * if you need to enter a new one, or change it, you can do it here * just hit 'e', type in the code, then hit Enter when done * it will now indicate whether it's valid or not * hit any key to return to the Intro screen * you'll need to choose Restart Game once for it to take effect To save the game while playing: * hit 'S' (uppercase) then wait. After a second or so it will tell you it has finished the save, and then you can hit any key to resume playing To load a previous save while playing: * hit 'L' (uppercase) then wait. After a second or so it will tell you it has finished the load, then hit any key to begin playing from that point. To quit the game: * hit 'Q' (uppercase) when in the default mode * if you wish, close the Terminal window by clicking on the little red circle icon at the top-left corner of the window To restart the game with a fresh campaign: * on the Intro Screen's menu move the cursor to Restart Game * press SPACEBAR To uninstall the game: * make a backup copy of your saved game files (OPTIONAL) * delete the DeadByZombie folder Just so you know, saved games are stored in files in the DeadByZombie/saves folder. Feel free to make a backup copy of them somewhere if you wish to de-install the game, but possibly re-install it later and still be able to continue playing from where you left off. HOW TO PLAY Your goal is survive and not become a zombie! Also it would be nice if the rest of humanity survives as well. A bonus goal would be to see that the zombie menace ends. The two main ways of dying are by starvation, or being attacked and killed by a zombie -- which then turns you into a zombie! The best way to ward off starvation is to find and eat plenty of food, whenever needed. Eating adds food to your stomach. Your body digests a little stomach contents over time. When your stomach becomes empty, you begin starving. When you starve, you lose a little HP each tock until you die. There are a variety of sources of food including loot (food laying around in buildings or on the ground), grown food (such as from fruit trees), and the remains of dead lifeforms (corpses). Due to the zombie menace you generally want to stay hidden inside buildings behind close doors. However the need to get new food may force you to go on missions outside to replenish your supply. You heal naturally, a little per tock, if your cur HP is high enough, compared to your max/normal HP. If you are seriously hurt you won't heal naturally, and in that case your only recourse is to use healing items such as first aid kits, bandages and medicine. Most actions you perform (such as walking) cause time to pass. Not all actions do. You can tell that time has pased if the Tock value (shown on the main screen) increases. Over time, the world goes through a natural cycle of day and night, and since the ambiant light fluctuates due to that, the range at which you can see will change over time as well. Also, zombies are more active and more likely to spawn, at night. Due to that fact, plus the limited range of vision, night is the most dangerous time of day, especially if outside. Stairs look like < or >. You may take them up/down to wherever they lead. Taking stairs down may lead into a basement or sewer level. Taking stairs up may lead to a higher floor within the same building you're currently in. To travel to a different region entirely, follow a route. A route looks like /. It may lead to a nearby part of town, a different neighborhood, into the wilderness, or some other strange and mysterious location worth exploring. On the main game play screen (called Default Mode), at the bottom, it shows Feedback. This is a bunch of information about events that have occured, things seen nearby, sounds heard, actions witnessed, things experienced, things you've done, and so on. If you see "MORE" in the lower-right corner of the screen it means that there is more Feedback lines that can be shown on screen at once. To see all of them, hit 'f' to go to the Feedback screen. On that screen you can move the cursor up/down to scroll through all the messages. To pass a little time not doing anything: SPACEBAR To make your character walk somewhere, hit any of these keys to move one step in that direction: u i o j k n m , Also, on any screen where there's a cursor you can move the cursor up/down with the up or down arrow keys. To go to a screen mode showing all Feedback: f NOTE: On the Feedback screen, you can move the cursor up/down between entries and pages. Hit Space or Return to leave this screen. To re-read the background story, and see the status of goals and plots: t To pickup one item from the ground in your same area: p You can then move the cursor up/down between entries and pages until it's focused on the item you want to drop. Then SPACEBAR to drop it. Any other key to exit this mode without doing anything. All similar screens work the same way unless said otherwise. To pickup all items on ground: P To wield item in inventory, 'w', then move cursor to select the item, then SPACEBAR to wield it. To unwield item in inventory, 'u', then move cursor to select the item, then SPACEBAR to do it. Barricades are like walls in that they block movement. You can build a barricade with the 'b' key, followed by the direction to build it in. Like walls, barricades can be destroyed, though they are weaker than walls. They can be useful in providing shelter and protection from the zombie menace. Zombies can sneak up on you from almost anywhere. Well, almost anywhere. If you search and study a spot very carefully you can become sure that no zombies can appear there (hiding under a bed, or up through a trapdoor in floor, or from a ceiling vent, etc.). Use the 'Z' command followed by a direction arrow to search & secure a spot in this manner. This 'search & secure' activity is especially useful in combination with barricades you construct, especially if you want to seal off a shelter or add more living space to an existing building. Beware though: nothing is safe forever. To wear an item, 'z', then select with SPACEBAR. To unwear an item, 'x', then select with SPACEBAR. Here's a full list with brief descriptions: ----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------- ` - menu | returns to the Intro Screen's main menu | S - save | will immediately begin saving the game to 'quicksave' file; may take a few seconds to do so be patient; once it finishes saving, it will go to a screen telling you so. then hit any key to resume playing; also, if you later Quit the game, then PLAY a new session it will also resume from the state recorded in that 'quicksave' file | L - load | loads game from 'quicksave', then resumes play | Q - quit | quits app instantly, without saving | SPACEBAR - wait | do nothing for a little bit (for 1 tock) | arrow keys | or | numbers (as keypad) | or | u/i/o/j/k/n/m/ - move | walk one step in that direction | f - feedback | see all current feedback, in a scrollable list | t - story/status | read background story and the status of goals and plots M - memories | recall remembered things K - skills | see your skills l - look | goes to screen listing all things in your spot y/I - inventory | goes to screen listing all carried items, scrollable e - eat | then select item and press SPACEBAR to eat it h - heal | then select item and press SPACEBAR to use it R - read | then select item to read (a book, document, flyer...) p - pickup | pickup an item from the ground P - pickup all | pickup ALL items from ground d - drop | drop an item (also unwields/unwears it if applicable) z - wear | wear an item x - unwear | unwear an item (take off if worn; but does not drop) w - wield | wield an item u/U - unwield | unwield an item (does not drop) a - attack | then press dir key, and you'll attack in that dir o/O - open | then press dir key, and you'll open door in that dir c - close | then press dir key, and you'll close door in that dir b - barricade | then dir -- builds a barricade there Z - search & secure | then dir -- ensures is safe/secure from zombies r - route | follow the route in your area, going to a new location s - stairs | take the stairs in your area, to some level above/below A - ask to stay | then press dir key towards NPC to address B - ask to not stay | then press dir key towards NPC to address F - ask to follow | then press dir key towards NPC to address G - ask to not follow | then press dir key towards NPC to address Map Key Here's a key to the most common subset of map entities you'll encounter early: @ you P person (fellow human, resident of town, or so-called NPC) Z zombie d dog T tree % food or corpse or organic material $ money (cash, gold, valuables) # wall or major obstacle/barricade + closed door O open door (capital O) 0 window (zero) / route, path, passage < stairs leading up > stairs leading down . ground or floor ? unseen or unknown area Other letters represent other things. Typically, more specific types of people, creatures or items. HOW TO PURCHASE THE GAME A Premium version of the game is available, containing loads more game play and a larger world. Currently going for a mere $4.99. Also an all-digital download so you can get it quickly and begin playing immediately! If you'd like to purchase the Premium version of the game, visit the DBZ website, click on the Buy link, it'll take you to PayPal, make arrangements there to pay (with a credit card, for example), then once you reach the PayPal page saying your purchase was completed, look for the button shown to return to the DBZ website, and click on it. You must click on that button. When you return to our site via that button you'll be shown the license code you bought. Write it down or save it. Then enter the license code in the game, per the instructions earlier in this document. Dead By Zombie: http://DeadByZombie.com Author's Site: http://Synisma.com If you'd like to be added to our mailing list, used to announce major news or new releases of the game, drop us a line saying so at: groglogic@gmail.com We promise not to spam you or give your address out to any other party. And if you ever want to stop receiving our emails, just let us know and thy will will be done. ("By your command," as an 80's Cylon would say.) If you have any other questions, suggestions, ideas, complaints or feedback, also feel free to email us as well. thanks, Mike Kramlich Chief Mad Scientist DeadByZombie.com