User manual GAMES MICROSOFT XBOX NIGHTCASTER - DEFEAT THE DARKNESS

Cyc Cy c l e lls S p e lls Move Mov e Arr an Cast Cast Spe ll S p e ll B o ok: Insert New Spell L o ok round A roun d Center Cam Ca m e r a une Run Tu r n Run e On/ On/Off Vi e w M ap Swi Swi ng Sta ff S p e ll B o ok: Turn Page Select Options tur Or Re tu r n O r b St t o S ta ff A im S p e ll O p e n/C l o se Bo S p e ll B o ok Get the strategy guide Par No. art 1101 Par t No. X08-40999 m Safety Information About Photosensitive Seizures A very small percentage of people may experience a seizure when exposed to certain visual images, including flashing lights or patterns that may appear in video games. Even people who have no history of seizures or epilepsy may have an undiagnosed condition that can cause these "photosensitive epileptic seizures" while watching video games. These seizures may have a variety of symptoms, including lightheadedness, altered vision, eye or face twitching, jerking or shaking of arms or legs, disorientation, confusion, or momentary loss of awareness. Seizures may also cause loss of consciousness or convulsions that can lead to injury from falling down or striking nearby objects. Immediately stop playing and consult a doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. Parents should watch for or ask their children about the above symptoms--children and teenagers are more likely than adults to experience these seizures. The risk of photosensitive epileptic seizures may be reduced by sitting farther from the television screen, using a smaller television screen, playing in a welllit room, and not playing when you are drowsy or fatigued. If you or any of your relatives have a history of seizures or epilepsy, consult a doctor before playing. Other Important Health and Safety Information The Xbox Instruction Manual contains important health and safety information that you should read and understand before using this software. Table of Contents Using the X box Video Game System..... 2 Using the Xbox Controller ...................... 3 Game Controls .......................................... 4 Our Story ................................................... 6 Getting Started ......................................... 8 Saving & Loading Games ....................... 9 The Game Screen .................................. 10 The Spell Book Spell School Pages .......................... 12 Runes Page ....................................... 13 Wizardry Page ................................. 14 Options Page .................................... 15 The Nightcaster's Minions ..................... 16 Arran's Friends & Allies. ........................ 18 Enchanted Places .................................... 19 Collectibles ............................................. 20 Schools of Magic Fire Spells .......................................... 22 Water Spells....................................... 23 Light Spells........................................ 24 Dark Spells ........................................ 25 Credits ...................................................... 27 Warranty .................................................. 28 Customer Support .................................. 29 Avoid Damage to Your Television Do not use with certain televisions. Some televisions, especially front- or rearprojection types, can be damaged if any video games, including Xbox games, are played on them. Static images presented during the normal course of game play may "burn in" to the screen, causing a permanent shadow of the static image to appear at all times, even when video games are not being played. Similar damage may occur from static images created when placing a video game on hold or pause. Consult your television owner's manual to determine if video games can be played safely on your set. If you are unable to find this information in the owner's manual, contact your television dealer or the manufacturer to determine if video games can be played safely on your set. Unauthorized copying, reverse engineering, transmission, public performance, rental, pay for play, or circumvention of copy protection is strictly prohibited. 1 Using the Xbox Video Game System 1. Set up your XboxTM video game system by following the instructions in the Xbox Instruction Manual. 2. Press the power button and the status indicator light will light up. 3. Press the eject button and the disc tray will open. 4. Place the NightcasterTM disc on the disc tray with the label facing up and close the disc tray. 5. Follow the on-screen instructions and refer to this manual for more information about playing Nightcaster. Disc tray Using the Xbox Controller Expansion slot A Expansion slot B trigg Left trigger trigger Right trigger White button button button Black button Left thumbstick button Y button B button button button X button A button button Right thumbstick Controller Controller port 1 Controller Controller port 2 button Eject button ower button Power button Controller Controller port 4 Controller Controller port 3 Directional Directional pad Avoiding Damage to Discs or the Disc Drive To avoid damage to discs or the disc drive: · Insert only Xbox-compatible discs into the disc drive. · Never use oddly shaped discs, such as star-shaped or heart-shaped discs. · Do not leave a disc in the Xbox console for extended periods when not in use. · Do not move the Xbox console while the power is on and a disc is inserted. · Do not apply labels, stickers, or other foreign objects to discs. 1. Insert the Xbox Controller into any controller port on the front of the Xbox console. For multiple players, insert additional controllers into available controller ports. 2. Insert any expansion devices (for example, Xbox Memory Units) into controller expansion slots as appropriate. 3. Follow the on-screen instructions and refer to this manual for more information about using the Xbox Controller to play Nightcaster. button BACK button STAR button ART START button 2 3 Cast Sp Cast S p e ll (tr ig g e r) Cyc Sp lls Cyc l e S p e lls (tr ig g e r ) Pull and Hold to Increase Level Increase Spell Level Bo S p e ll B o ok: Move Mov e A r r a n Cam Ce nter Cam er a Click and Hold until Camera Resets Insert New Spell into Active Sphere Active Spell Sphere L o ok round A roun d Center Cam Ca m e r a S p e llB o ok: Page Turn Page Select Options Tu r n Run e On/ On/Off Vi e w M ap Swi Sw i ng S ta ff O p e n/C l o se S p e ll B o ok Bo A i m S p e ll (w ith O r b) (w Or Sp Click to Return Orb to Staff tur Or Re tu r n O r b St t o S ta ff 5 4 Our Story he world has fallen into never-ending night, plagued by a strange darkness called the Layman's Curse. It descended on the fields like a cold, black mist, smothering the life from all it touched, leaving the ground scarred and barren. It is an evil spell conjured by the Nightcaster in its bid to destroy humanity. But the world has a champion, a young boy named Arran, whose fate is about to be revealed. One day, while playing with his friends, Madelyn and Lochran, Arran encounters a mysterious glowing Orb. It tells Arran of the Nightcaster and of its plot to destroy the world. Arran, it explains, is the chosen one, the redeemer who must fight the evil and relight the world. Yet, victory will come at a high cost. Arran must learn the ways of magic, but to do so he must be hidden away for many years, away from his friends, his homeland, and his parents. It is the only way. Reluctantly, the boy agrees. Years later, the fledgling wizard emerges to discover his parents dead, his land consumed by evil, and his friends leading a rebellion against hoards of vile creatures inhabiting the world. There is no time to spare. Armed only with an ancient spell book and a staff made from a branch of the sacred Yew Tree, Arran sets upon his quest to reunite the four essences of Magic--Fire, Water, Light, and Dark--to gain the power he'll need to defeat the Nightcaster. 6 7 Getting Started To begin the game, press START. The Spell Book opens to the Main Menu. Select the option you want, and then press the A button. Saving & Loading Games New Game Begin a new game. Your adventure starts with a cinematic and tutorial. To skip the cinematic, press START. Save (Mushroom Rings) When Arran steps into a mushroom ring (see page 19), the Spell Book opens to the Save page. If the game was previously saved, the next available slot is automatically selected. To save, press the A button. If the current game has not been saved, or if you want to save to a different slot, select a storage device (MU or hard disk), press the A button, select a slot to save to, and then press the A button again. Continue Load the most recently saved game from an Xbox Memory Unit (MU) or the hard disk. Game Demos Check out demos of other exciting games available for your Xbox video game system. Load To load a saved game, select Load Game from the Main Menu or the Options page. Select the storage device where your game was saved (MU or hard disk), and then press the A button. Select the game you want to load, and then press the A button again. 8 9 THE Game Screen Readied Spells Three additional spells stand ready to be cycled into the Active Spell Sphere. Any combination of spell types can be placed in the queue and can be changed whenever you want using the Spell Book. Mana Indicator Shows the amount of mana (spell energy) Arran has. Mana is used whenever Arran casts a spell or uses a rune. Mana replenishes itself naturally, but it takes time. Spell Level Indicator Indicates the power level of the spell Arran is conjuring. As a spell charges, the lights flash to show what level is ready to be cast. Health Indicator Shows Arran's life force. When Arran is attacked, his life force decreases. If he is poisoned, the indicator turns green and his health slowly drains until the poison wears off. If the indicator runs dry, Arran will die and you must restart or load a saved game. Active Spell Sphere Contains the spell that Arran is currently using. 10 11 The Spell Book Arran carries an ancient Spell Book given to him by the Orb. The Spell Book contains several different types of pages that let you manage the items Arran collects, select and control game options, or view a summary of Arran's accomplishments. To open the Spell Book, press START. The game pauses when the Spell Book is open. To turn the pages, use the left thumbstick. To close the Spell Book and return to the game, press START again. Changing the Readied Spells To change spells in the Readied Spell queue, select a spell on the left page, pull the left trigger to cycle the spells in the Readied Spell queue until the spell you want to replace appears in the Active Spell Sphere, and then tap the right trigger to insert the new spell. Runes Page Spell School Pages The Spell School pages store the spell spheres that Arran finds. For each school of magic--Fire, Water, Light, and Dark--there are four spell types. Each spell type can have up to three levels of ever-increasing power. When Arran discovers a rune, it is automatically placed in its proper slot on the Runes page. To equip Arran with a rune, select it, and then press the A button. To remove a rune, press the A button again. To turn a rune on or off during gameplay, press the B button. Storing Spell Spheres When Arran picks up a spell sphere, it is automatically stored in its proper Spell School page. Spell types appear on the left page and the levels gathered for each spell are on the right page. Each spell type has three levels, each with increased ability to do more damage and strike more enemies. But be prudent--the greater the spell, the longer it takes to conjure and the more mana it takes to cast. 12 13 Wizardry Page The Wizardry page lets you allocate and manage mana balls, and it provides a summary of Arran's accomplishments. Options Page Select from the following options, and then press the A button. To cancel a selection, press the B button. Mana Balls When Arran picks up a mana ball, the Spell Book opens to the Wizardry page so you can allocate it to a school of magic. To allocate a mana ball, move it over a school of magic using the left thumbstick, and then press the A button. Choose carefully--a mana ball cannot be reallocated. Load Game Load a saved game. Controller Display game controller functions. Audio Settings Wizard Summary Provides a summary of the spells that Arran has found, the number of kills he has made, his favorite spell school, and the spells he has used most often. Set the volume levels for sound effects and music. Thumbsticks Enable or disable the left thumbstick button (Click to Center Camera) and the right thumbstick button (Click to Return Orb to Staff). Quit Game Quit the game and return to the Title Screen. 14 15 The Nightcaster's Minions The Nightcaster's minions are vile creatures, enlisted to stave off Arran's magic and stop his advance. They are born from the four essences of magic from which Arran draws his power--Fire, Water, Light, and Dark. Spells are most effective against creatures of the opposite magic. Light spells work best against Dark creatures and Fire spells work best against Water creatures, and vice versa. Conversely, spells from the same magic, like Light against Light, do no damage. Light creatures are yellow, Dark are purple, Fire are red, and Water are blue. Here is but a sampling of what Arran may encounter... Beguilers Cunning fiends like the Wraith King that use their keen instincts to outwit Arran, avoiding his magic until they have the chance to strike with powerful hexes and spells. Bosses Great brooding giants like Bale, the Fire Dragon, are the Nightcaster's sovereigns of evil. They are few, but so powerful they are uncontested in their reign. Beasties Small, despicable creatures like the Rock Hopper that inhabit every corner of the world. Alone, its assault is painful but does little damage. However when they attack as a hoard, they can be quite menacing. Spawners Hidden nests of Beasties. The only way to stop an attack is to find their nest and destroy it. Brutes Big dumb monsters like the Ice Ogre that rarely venture out to find Arran. Instead, they wait for him to wander near before attacking--sometimes with brawn, sometimes with magic. 16 17 Arran's Friends & Allies Arran is not alone in his adventure. He'll meet many friends and allies along the way. Enchanted Places Spell School Changers Spell School Changers align Arran to a particular school of magic and fully restore his health. When he steps inside, the spells he possesses from that school increase in power, while his spells from the remaining schools weaken. Arran remains aligned with that school until he enters a different Spell School Changer. Madelyn Playfully demanding and artfully secretive, Madi--as she is known to her friends--is the object of Arran's and Lochran's admiration, which she returns in kind. Lochran Fiercely loyal and full of youthful bluster, Lochran is protective of his two best friends, but especially of the fair Madelyn, for whom he has a special fondness. Teleporters When Arran steps into a teleporter, he is magically whisked between places within the land. Villagers The world is full of defenseless men, women, and children who now reach out to strangers to rid their land of evil. Arran will often be rewarded for his help. Mushroom Rings Soldiers Many honorable and brave soldiers dutifully protect the villagers against evil. But theirs is a lost cause if help does not arrive soon. When Arran steps into a mushroom ring, you can save the game. After saving, mushroom rings fully restore Arran's health. Use the mushroom rings wisely, though--each can be used only once. 18 19 Collectibles Spell Spheres Arran starts the game with one spell from each school of magic. He acquires new spells and spell levels by collecting spell spheres that he finds along his journey or receives as rewards for helping those in need. Runes Runes bestow Arran with special powers. Fire Rune A fiery shield that envelops Arran and absorbs evil spells and fires them back at the enemy. Mana Balls Mana balls are vessels that store spell energy called Mana. The more mana balls Arran has, the more mana he can store and the more powerful magic he can conjure. Each mana ball Arran collects increases his mana capacity by half a sphere. Water Rune Grants Arran the swiftness of a raging river. Health Power-ups Health power-ups immediately heal Arran's wounds and replenish his life force, either fully or partially. Light Rune The healing rays of the sun bind Arran's wounds and restore his health. Mana Power-ups Mana power-ups instantly increase Arran's stored mana. Dark Rune Gives Arran the power of invisibility so he can hide from his enemies as long as he stands still. If he moves or casts a spell, he becomes temporarily visible again. 20 21 Schools of Magic Fire Spells Sky Fall Flaming pieces of fallen stars fly at the enemy. Star Meteors Comet Water Spells Glacial Might The chilling power of ice penetrates the bones of the enemies and stops them cold. Frost Freeze Shatter Winter's Fury Lava The fury of the earth is unleashed and a fiery river of lava sears the enemy. Vein Flow Erupt The icy northern winds hurl deadly shards of ice at the enemy. Ice Flurry Hail Water Glyph Fire Glyph The rage of fire burns the ground and all trapped upon it. Burn Blaze Blast A pillar of water streams upward, to the misfortune of any caught within. Spring Fount Geyser Ice Ward Fire Ward Controlled fire keeps out or contains the enemies. Wall Barrier Cage Powerful protective magic harnesses the fluid nature of water to deflect attacks and drive away the forces of fire. Sentinel Shield Shell 22 23 Light Spells Primal Light The power of the sun smites the enemies with blazing light. Beam Ray Nova Dark Spells Venom Strike The dark touch of corruption slithers out, infecting any victim with a deadly poison. Viper Adders Serpents Thunder A bolt of light energy strikes the foe with shocking effect. Strike Clap Split Dark Arc Mana becomes dark energy, striking targets with deadly bolts of dark power. Shock Surge Bolt Light Glyph Only Arran is protected from the scouring force of light. Glimmer Glamour Glare Dark Glyph Makes dark energy join into a nimbus of destructive energy. Hex Curse Blight Scarring Light The power of light strikes the enemies with earth-rending brilliance. Flicker Flash Flare Steel Death Hardened metal blades strike the target down and infect it with a deadly poison. Blade Mortis Deathblow 24 25 Credits VR1 Executiv Producer: ecutive Executive Producer: John Blakely Producer: Lead Producer: Brett Close Producer: Producer: Michael Kosenski Art Lead: Steven Morrison Audio Lead: Heather Sowards Design Lead: David Osborne Engineering Lead: John Ramsey Director: Marketing Director: Scott Love QA Lead: Jeff Mrochek Production Production Assistant: Michael Halley Art Team: Adam Adamowicz, Alex Azcona, Brian Bearly, Dennis Dryden, Team: Gabe Espino, Brian Fletcher, David Franks, Keith Ho, Chelsey Johanssen, Lawrence Johnston, Ray Lederer, Michael Park, Chaz Sutherland, Brad White Team: Audio Team: Attila Kirjak, Chad Mossholder, Steve Pabst, Mike Smith Team: Design Team: Chris Holtorf, Adam Maxwell, Brian Ullrich, Chris Zirpoli Team: Engineering Team: Graeme "Dolf" Anderson, Chris Coster, Charles Farris, Eric Harms, Shane Hilton, Mike Machowski, Chris Sakanai, Shawn Sheridan, John Vonachen, Tim Weisser, Thzom Wilson Team: QA Team: Neal Gamache, Jaysun Huck,Travis McGeathy, Bill Mrochek, Jason Roberts, Erik Theisz, Bill Wadleigh OPs: Les Barstow, George Craft, Hal Hanlin, Matt Kuenning Talent: Voice Talent: Keith Baker, Brian Bearly, Chris Coster, Graeme Davis, Travis Durland, Michael Fleming, David Franks, Neal Gamache, Hal Hanlin, Eric Harms, Chris Holtorf, Chelsey Johannsen, Lawrence Johnston, Attila Kirjak, Kurt Kuhlman, Mike Machowski, Lani Minella, Chad Mossholder, Teri Newcomb, Lori Nicholson, Steve Pabst, Mike Smith, Heather Sowards, Tim Weisser, Brad White, Thzom Wilson, Chris Zirpoli, Chaz Sutherland Thanks to Kate Gilbreath, Patrick Hager, Sharon Riggs, Darien Waldhoff Microsoft Pro Manager: Program Manager: William Hodge Product Product Planner: Sebastien Motte Product Managers: Product Managers: Barbara Hagen, Susan Kittleson, Chris Lye Test Lead: Richard Thames Rowan Team: Test Team: Scott Amis, Dawn Burger (Volt), Sean Epperson (Volt), Chris Hind, Marc Scattergood, Jeff Waibel (Volt), Jason York (Volt) Direction: Art Direction: Corey Dangel, Ryan Wilkerson Direction: Technical Direction: Andrew Flavell, Andy Glaister User Experience: Karin Jaques (ArtSource), Diana LaRose (Artemis), Dana Ludwig (ArtSource), Robert Sillence (Volt) Localization: Lief Thompson (S&T Onsite), and thanks to the Localization teams in Redmond and Dublin. Testing: User Testing: Thomas Fuller Customer Support: Scott Hirnle Thanks to the Nightcaster Alpha Team. 26 27 ted Wa For Yo Co of Ga L i m i te d Wa r ra n t y Fo r Yo u r C o p y o f X b ox G a m e ("Ga Ac red th Un ted tate or tes S o f t w a re ("G a m e") A c q u i re d i n t h e U n i te d S ta te s o r Ca nada Wa r ra n t y Microsoft Corporation ("Microsoft") warrants to you, the original purchaser of the Game, that this Game will perform substantially as described in the accompanying manual for a period of 90 days from the date of first purchase. If you discover a problem with the Game covered by this warranty within the 90 day period, your retailer will repair or replace the Game at its option, free of charge, according to the process identified below. This limited warranty: (a) does not apply if the Game is used in a business or for a commercial purpose; and (b) is void if any difficulties with the Game are related to accident, abuse, virus or misapplication. In the U.S. or Canada, call 1-800-4MY-XBOX. TTY users: 1-866-740-XBOX. Edg on th Ga G e t a n Ed g e o n t h e G a m e ! tom ted Ga Ti X b ox Au to m a te d G a m e T i p s: Availa ble 7 days a week including holidays, 24 hours a day. · · In the U.S., call 1-900-933-TIPS. $.95 per minute. In Canada, call 1-900-561-HINT. $1.50 (Canadian) per minute. Li Ga Ti X b ox L i v e G a m e T i p s: Available 7 days a week including holidays, 6 A.M. to 10 P.M. Pacific ti me. · In the U.S., call 1-900-933-TIPS. $1.40 per minute. · In Canada, call 1-900-561-HINT. $1.50 (Canadian) per minute. Important: Individuals under 18 years of age need a parent's or guardian's permission to call a pay-per-call number. Local and long distance telephone toll charges may apply. It is the customer's responsibility to check with their telephone company to determine if additional telephone charges will apply. Permission required from the telephone bill payer. Prices subject to change without notice. May not be available in all areas. Requires a touch-tone telephone. Call length is determined by user. Messages subject to change without notice. wi da pe R et u r ns wi t h i n 90 d a y p e r i o d Warranty claims should be made to your retailer. Return the Game to your retailer along with a copy of the original sales receipt and an explanation of the difficulty you are experiencing with the Game. At its option, the retailer will either repair or replace the Game. Any replacement Game will be warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period or 30 days from receipt, whichever is longer. If for any reason the Game cannot be repaired or replaced, you will be entitled to receive your direct (but no other) damages incurred in reasonable reliance but only up to the amount of the price you paid for the Game. The foregoing (repair, replacement or limited damages) is your exclusive remedy. Te G a m e s Te ch n i ca l S u p p o r t: Available 7 days a week including holidays. · · In the U.S. or Canada, call 1-800-4MY-XBOX. TTY users: 1-866-740-XBOX. In Mexico, call 001-866-745-83-12. TTY users: 001-866-251-26-21. tat L i m i tat i o ns This limited warranty is in place of all other express or statutory warranties, conditions or duties and no others of any nature are made or shall be binding on Microsoft, its retailers or suppliers. Any implied warranties applicable to this Game or the media in which it is contained are limited to the 90 day period described above. TO THE FULL EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW, NEITHER MICROSOFT, ITS RETAILERS OR SUPPLIERS ARE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE POSSESSION, USE OR MALFUNCTION OF THIS GAME. THE FOREGOING APPLIES EVEN IF ANY REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE. Some states/ jurisdictions do not allow limitations as to how long an implied warranty lasts and/or exclusions or limitations of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitations and/or exclusions of liability may not apply to you. This limited warranty gives you specific rights, and you may also have other rights that vary from state/ jurisdiction to state/jurisdiction. For questions regarding this warranty contact your retailer or Microsoft at: Xbox Product Registration Microsoft Corporation One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052-9953 USA Note: Game tips are not available from 1-800-4MY-XBOX. You must call Xbox Automated Game Tips or Xbox Live Game Tips for tips, hints, or codes. more Web www.xbox.com For more information, visit us on the Web at www.xbox.com Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject to change without notice. Unless otherwise noted, the example companies, organizations, products, people and events depicted herein are fictitious and no association with any real company, organization, product, person or event is intended or should be inferred. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property. © 2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox, the Xbox logos, DirectX, and Nightcaster are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. VR1 Entertainment and the VR1 logo are trademarks of VR1 Entertainment. Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. Uses Bink Video. © 1997-2001 by RAD Game Tools, Inc. 28 29