TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:03 PM Page 1 www.sega.com/timestalkers CONTENTS STORY MAP STORES DUNGEON STRUCTURE LEGENDARY ITEMS TECHNIQUES MAGIC ITEMS SKILLS SAVING AND LOADING MINI-GAMES & MONSTERS MINI-GAME "DUNGEON IV" MINI-GAME "MOONLIGHTER" MINI-GAME COLLECTION "STUFF" MINI-GAME "EDITOR" MINI-GAME "YOGURT ADV." OTHER CHARACTERS EMOTION INDICATORS ADVENTURE HINTS YOGURT 2 3 4 6 7 8 10 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 24 25 26 27 29 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:04 PM Page 2 STORY MAP Master Piece Hey! Who are you?... Where am I? Answer me old man! ...Hey! Are you listening to me?... Battle Forest Piece 5 2 1 3 Z33 Colony Piece 6 4 Starting Point Fountain Square Piece Mr. Noiman Piece Clock Tower Piece 7 ?? Piece 8 ?? Piece 2 1 Sword's House (Save, store items, store collection items, change characters) 2 Item Store 3 Monster House (Register and store monsters and download mini-games) 4 Church (Revive monsters) 5 Rao's House 6 Mr. Noiman's House (Quest requests) 7 Blacksmith 8 Carpenter TYou can not go to the Blacksmith and the Carpenter at the beginning of the game. TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:04 PM Page 4 STORES Sword's House (Fountain Square Piece) Mutton will save game files and look after items for you. You can also change characters here. Hardware Store (Fountain Square Piece) Bangel buys and sells weapons, armor and recovery items. Mr. Noiman's House (Mr. Noiman Piece) Mr. Noiman, a rabbit of unknown origin, will inform you of several quests if you visit him at his house. You will have to pay him for his services though. Blacksmith (You can not go there at the start of the game) For a fee, Hammerin' Sean and Poundin' Mike the Blacksmith brothers will add skills from other items to your legendary items, or repair ordinary items. Souvenir Store (You can not go there at the start of the game) You can buy things (minigames) that will enrich your life within the Time Stalkers World. Carpenter (You can not go there at the start of the game) The carpenter can increase the surface area of the Monster House and renovate Sword's House. A substantial fee is attached though. Mutton Church (Z33 Colony Piece) Dr. Anna will revive your monster allies for you at the Church. Note that she will only revive previously registered monsters, and she will charge you a fee to do so. Bangel Monster House Dr. Anna also runs this place. You can register and store monsters and download mini-games here. Mr. Noiman Use your funds wisely You can borrow money in stores to buy things. When you try to purchase things with no money, you will automatically borrow from the store. These debts will be repaid automatically as soon as you get money. There are however, some items such as collection items, which can not be purchased with loans. Blacksmiths Convenience Store (You can not go there at the start of the game) This store is run by Mr. Yamada and sells things such as recovery items and mini-games. Mahmuud Fancy Store (You can not go there at the start of the game) Ash, runs this store where you can buy collection items. Carpenter 4 Dr. Anna (Hologram) Dr. Anna Mr. Yamada Ash 5 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:04 PM Page 6 DUNGEON STRUCTURE LEGENDARY ITEMS Legendary items are scattered far and wide throughout the game. They are considerably stronger than normal items and are extremely precious. At the Blacksmith (which can only be accessed once the story has advanced) you can combine, strengthen and improve legendary items using skills from other items. You can also repair normal items that have been damaged in battles at the Blacksmith. Combine (add a skill) The Blacksmith brothers can combine skills from a normal item to your legendary item. They can also delete a combined skill. Naturally, they will charge you for these services. Strengthen (improve parameters) The brothers can also strengthen legendary items by increasing the parameter values. There is a fee for this service. Improve (lower mastering difficulty) The brothers can also make your legendary items easy to master, by lowering the parameters. Again, there is a fee for this service. Name Sharp Sword Challenger The Piercer Spell Caster Power X-bow Frost Wing Bear Knuckle Gaia Shield Blessed Boots Characteristic Function Legendary, sharp sword Legendary Legendary. Strong stabbing power Legendary. Increases usable magic Magic Pack Legendary Strong attack power Legendary. Critical ice attack Ice Attack Legendary. Bestows super strength Extra protection Increase Dexterity and Luck - Recovery Room 6 7 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:04 PM Page 8 TECHNIQUES The techniques that you can use during battles vary considerably from weapon to weapon. Equip your main character with a weapon (for example a sword) and it will initially be able to use at least one technique (e.g. cut), but not necessarily all the techniques. After each level up, you will gradually be able to use more techniques. Swords (Sword and Nigel) Long Sword Cut attack Thrust Cut Very powerful attack Superior hit rate Long range Poles and Spears (Rao) Rod Dragon tail slash High attack Light dragon attack High hit rate Thrust Ordinary attack Bow Guns (Nigel and Marion) Bow Gun Bow & Arrow shot Heavy attack arrow Horizontal shot Shoot Ordinary attack Strong attack Attack 2 enemies at once Ordinary attack Boomerangs (Lady and Marion) Boomerang Wing throw Wing strike Aimed attack wing Throw Whips (Lady) Whip Snake sting Ordinary attack Strong snake sting Strong attack Slash Long range Fist Held Equipment (Used by everyone except Lady) Knuckle Fist Wind fist Steel fist Smash Spurs (Lady) Spurs Kick smash Strong kick Kick Ordinary attack Strong attack Long range Ordinary attack High hit rate Strong attack Long range Ordinary attack Strike technique High hit rate Long range Apprentice Sword Light cut attack High hit rate, low VIT usage Cut Long range Shredder Sword Heavy cut attack Light cut attack Cut hit Horizontal slash Cut High attack, but slow High hit rate, low VIT usage Moderately strong Attack 2 enemies at once Long range Staffs (Pyra and Marion) Wooden Staff Spear strike Ordinary attack Blow Ordinary attack Fast attack Long range Long swords (Sword and Nigel) Long swords Pound Spinning smash Clear High hit rate Strong attack Long range 8 TIf nothing is equipped (bare fist), you can use the techniques punch and kick. TYou can still perform a technique even if you do not have sufficient VIT to do so, but it will be less powerful. The name of the technique will be displayed in yellow. 9 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:04 PM Page 10 MAGIC Name Attack Fire (M, G) Blizzard (M, G) Lightning (M, G) All Round Recovery Heal (M, G) Energy (M) Cure (M) Special Risk Identification (M) Repair Escape Support Darkness (G) ST Up (M, G) ST Down (M, G) Attribute (M) Magic Magic Invincible Battle Ordinary Effect Fire damage (1 character) Ice damage (1 character) Lightning damage (1 character) Attribute (player selects) damage (1 character) ITEMS Weapons These are items that strengthen technique attacks. Quest Sword A sword for the adept adventurer Battle Sword Slightly more powerful, heavy sword Frost Rod Adds ice damage to critical hits Iron Knuckle Knuckle with great attack power These are equipment items with high defensive powers. Padded Vest Highly protective vest for Sword Flame Armor Fire resistant armor for Rao Frost Tunic Ice resistant tunic for Nigel Gear Protective gear for Marion These are equipment items, which defend bodies against damage. Defender Shield Heavy Shield Elfin Shield Leo Shield Uses WILL to help protect Strong shield Uses DEX to resist spells and curses Powerful heavy shield for Rao Clothing HP recovery (1 character) VIT recovery (1 character) Curse recovery (1 character) - Destroy all enemies (a last resort) Identify an unknown item Repair an item Escape from a dungeon Curse (player selects) damage (1 character) Increase 1 character's attack/defense strength Decrease 1 character's attack/defense strength Attach an attribute (player selects) to 1 character Multiply the effects of magic Make ordinary attack or magic attack ineffective Shields Boots These equipment items provide a high probability of escape and enable character to do Movement (P 25 of the Time Stalkers Manual). Boots Equip to perform Movement Commands Elude Boots Increase ability to escape Vigor Boots Increase VIT recovery rate Focus Boots Decrease DEX, but increase EXP These equipment items contain special abilities. Up to 10 rings can be equipped at once. Flame Ring Decreases fire damage Blast Ring Allows use of attack magic Lazy Ring Increases experience Trap Ring Uses traps against opponents TThe letters after the names indicate a magic spell with a wider than normal fighting range. M (Mega-) = Ally or enemy party, G (Giga-) = All enemies TRecovery magic becomes attack when used against undead monsters. Rings 10 11 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:04 PM Page 12 T You must equip an equipment item in order for it to be effective. Collection items will automatically be withdrawn when your character returns to a town. Instruct Mutton and he will put the item in the Collection Room below Sword's House. Items that are used once, then disappear. Fruits Heal Fruit Restores 50 HP Rune Fruit Restores 30 MP Tasty Fruit Restores 30 Hunger Points Escape Fruit Allows escape from a dungeon Jewels Items that can be used several times. Storm Jewel Applies 50 points of Lightning damage Jinx Jewel All attacks become critical hits Libra Jewel Prevents curses. No restore effects Tasty Jewel Defeated monster transforms into Tasty Fruit Things that can be brought back to towns to decorate the Collection Room. They have no practical worth at all. Philosophizer The tale of the famous sculpture "The Thinker" Moaí One of the giant Easter Island statues See no Evil One of the see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil monkeys Warrior Armor Valiant collectable armor Mini-games that can be downloaded into a VMU and played. DUNGEON IV 3D Dungeon RPG mini-game MOONLIGHTER Monster raising part-time job mini-game Mini-game economy pack, 1st collection STUFF MORE STUFF Mini-game economy pack, 2nd collection SKILLS Characters can learn new skills as their titles rise. Register your favorite skills - considering tactics of course. Skill Name Effect SWORD Capture Clairvoyance Armageddon Air Slash Makes a monster become an ally Increases probability of discovering hidden items Enables devastating multi-hit combo Punishing aerial sword attack RAO Ultra Stab VIT Attack All attacks are guaranteed to be armor piercing Increases attack strength and VIT consumption Collection NIGEL Item Identify Reverse Trap Increases the identification probability of classifying unexamined items Transform a trap into a reverse trap to catch enemies PYRA VMU REC MAG PRI Uses recovery magic with priority LADY HP=ATK UP Clairvoyance Decreases HP by 2 and increases attack power by 1.2 Increases probability of discovering hidden items Legendary These are precious items, which are spread out far and wide throughout the game. It is possible to add skills to them. MARION HP Up DMG=HMP Increases maximum HP Converts damage into a full Hunger Meter 12 13 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:04 PM Page 14 Skills that can be acquired in Quests If you successfully complete a Quest, your reward may be a new skill. The following is a list of skills that can be acquired through completing Mr. Noiman's jobs. Skill Name Repair Equip Auto Ident HP Restore Vigor Renew Steal Skill Auto Counter Revive Fire Block Luck Up EXP Roulette Effect Repairs broken items Change equipment during battles Automatically identifies items If VIT is greater than 0, HP restores itself Guarantees a critical attack when VIT is at its maximum Steal parameters from enemy Counterattack when attacked Auto revive when defeated Negates fire damage Increases Luck Doubles or halves attainable experience points SAVING AND LOADING MINI-GAMES & MONSTERS In Time Stalkers, you can download mini-games (bought in stores) and monsters (captured in dungeons) to a VMU (sold separately), to play games. Downloading Games Follow the steps below: 1. 2. Purchase a mini-game item in a store (The Souvenir Store and the Convenience Store both sell mini-games) Insert a VMU (sold separately) into your Dreamcast Controller (You must have 54-123 Blocks of available space in your VMU) Download the game Press the A Button when your character is standing in front of the VMU Device (in the Monster House). Select "Download game" from the menu to down load the game to your VMU 3. Other Skills There are several other useful skills to be learned. Skill Name Lady Slap Doom Staff Holy Rage Head Start Range Strength Whole Change Reconnaissance Floor Information Satellite Detection Effect Powerful face slapping attack. Unarmed/Knuckle OK Dangerous, multi-hit spinning, staff technique Increases damage to undead enemies Enables character to use the technique "Head Start Attack" Widens the fighting range of techniques Enables the character to attack all the enemies with all the techniques Enables character to search up to 2 sectors Enables character to immediately check all information of a new floor Widens the radar detection range You can only store one mini-game in your VMU. You can only download a mini-game once, because it will disappear after being downloaded. To download it again, you will have to buy a new mini-game from a store and download it again. Deleting games You can delete Time Stalkers mini-games from your VMU at the VMU Device in the Monster House. You can not delete non-Time Stalkers mini-games. 14 15 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:05 PM Page 16 Use the mini-games to earn tokens (currency). You can withdraw tokens from and transfer them to mini-games and exchange them for items. You can also purchase things with tokens and convert tokens into money. To leave some tokens in a mini-game, select "Put into VM" then return the desired amount of tokens to the mini-game. If you don't do this, or if you have already converted your tokens into gold, you will have to buy tokens at a bad exchange rate. Tokens MINI-GAME "DUNGEON IV" Fight monsters in 3D dungeons, which are randomly regenerated every time you play. You must head down towards the hell like depths of the dungeon. After the game, you will acquire tokens (currency) the amount of which correspond to the number of floors you cleared. Movement Screen View Map Token Collection D-Pad B Button A Button HP Gauge HP The arrow indicates the direction you are facing on the map Exchange Withdraw Put into VM Purchase Sell goods Exchange tokens earned in mini-games for rare items Withdraw (upload) tokens from VMU mini-games Download tokens to VMU mini-games Buy tokens with money. Do this when you have no tokens Convert tokens into money. Do this when you have spare tokens When Moving A Button B Button Follow the steps below: 1. Download "MOONLIGHTER" 2. Insert a VMU (sold separately) to your Dreamcast Controller 3. Select "Send" Downloading Monsters Uploading Monsters Downloaded Monsters will disappear from Time Stalkers. To return a monster to Time Stalkers, select "Upload" from "Monster Download." You can exhibit framed dot pictures in the Collection Room by selecting "Climax Editor." Decorating Picture Frames Display Command Menu/Enter Highlight monsters (within the area already explored) in the map Battle Screen Highlight items (within the area already explored) in the map Map View Return/delete D-Pad *: move forward $ ^ make a 90degree turn @: move backward HP When Fighting Gauge A Button Guard (HP will reduce while guarding) B Button Attack (When the PW gauge is higher, PW Gauge the attack will be stronger) D-Pad @: escape (Sometimes impossible) HP PW T Try to attack with as much PW as possible in this game. When the PW Gauge is higher, the attack will be stronger, so keep an eye on your PW Gauge and make sure that you attack with maximum power. You can also attack (B Button) while guarding (A Button). 16 17 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:05 PM Page 18 HP (Physical Strength) HP will gradually reduce as time passes while you are moving, when you receive damage during battles and when you guard (A Button) during battles. The game ends when HP is reduced to 0. PW (Attack) Save PW to deliver a strong attack. After attacking, PW is temporarily reduced to 0. Command Menu The following is displayed: Status . . . . . . . . View Status Screen Eat . . . . . . . . . . Eat an item Equip . . . . . . . . Equip an item Throw away . . Throw an item away Status Screen The following is displayed: FL . . . . . . . . Floor LV . . . . . . . . Level MHP . . . . . Maximum HP ATT . . . . . . . Attack DEF . . . . . . Defense strength GRD . . . . . Guard strength SCORE . . . Current score Items Press the A Button when you are over treasure boxes to open them. "Looks tasty" (eat where you currently are) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recovers 20 HP Energy Fruit . . . . Recovers 100 HP Sword . . . . . . . . . Increases attack Clothes . . . . . . . . Increases defense strength Shield . . . . . . . . . Increases guard power T You can only carry up to 4 items. T Swords and clothes have a "weight" which influence both the speed that the PW Gauge recovers and the fighting speed. Experiment until you find the optimum situation. Moving Between Floors To go to the next floor, press the A Button when you are over a staircase. You will then descend to the next floor Game Over When the game ends, you will acquire tokens depending on the number of floors you cleared. You can exchange these tokens for items in the Monster House in Time Stalkers. Events (Spirits) There are also spirits that cause the following events Healing . . . . . . . Completely recovers HP Item Map . . . . . . All the items in the map will flash on and offT Monster Map . . All the monsters in the map will flash on and offT Drop . . . . . . . . . . You can only continue if you drop an item TThe effects only last for one floor. MINI-GAME "MOONLIGHTER" Download an ally monster to your VMU to raise it and make it work for you. At first, the present number of tokens and the name of the monster that is laboring for you are displayed. Next, the following are displayed: 1. Job Select Menu Token Collection B Button A Button D-Pad (Press the D-Pad to select and the A Button to enter) 2. Job Screen Selected monster Job graphic 3. Command Menu 4. Status Screen Sound Switch the Sound ON, and monsters will make a sound as they approach you, highlighting their presence. Mode Button Press the Mode Button during game play and the game will end. Your token account will then be settled. VIT display (Press the A Button to display the Command Menu) (Press the D-Pad to select and the A Button to enter) (Press the D-Pad *@ to scroll) 19 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:05 PM Page 20 Command Menu The following is displayed: Work . . . . Return to the Job Screen Sleep . . . . Make your monster sleep Status . . . Display the Status Screen Quit . . . . . End the game Status Screen The following is displayed: The selected job is displayed at the top. (E.g. Job) Tokens (TK) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The present number of tokens that you have Elapsed time (Time) . . . . . . The amount of time that your monster has been working Allegiance level (LYL) . . . . Your monster's level of allegiance (faithfulness) Enthusiasm level (AGR) . . Your monster's level of enthusiasm Blood type (BldType) . . . . Your monster's blood type A . . . . . . . . . . . . Serious, conscientious B . . . . . . . . . . . . . Whimsical, fastidious AB . . . . . . . . . . . Split personality O . . . . . . . . . . . . Big-hearted, easy going Success . . . . . . . Number of successes Failure (Fail) . . Number of failures Job Rules Compensation/Punishment You will gain or lose tokens depending on the good or bad work of your monster within a fixed time. Laziness Your monster will become lazy if you allow its VIT to decrease. Recovery Put your monster to sleep and any lost VIT will be recovered. Collapse If you allow the VIT to reach 0, your monster will collapse. For a while, you will no longer be able to give it commands. When some time has passed, it will gradually recover. Strain Push your monster too far (e.g. by making it work when its VIT is low) and its Allegiance Level will decrease. Its parameters will also change. Strong points and weak points Every monster has a job that it is good at and a job that it is bad at. Experiment to help your monster to find its vocation. MINI-GAME COLLECTION "STUFF" Press the D-Pad $ ^ to select a mini-game then press the A Button to enter your selection. To select a different game, press the B Button until you return to the title screen, then reenter your selection. Chicken! This is a "catch the chicken" game. The game Catch the chickens and throw them into the fenced off area. How many chickens can you catch within the 30-second time limit? T Aim within the fenced off area when you throw the chickens. If a chicken lands on top of a fence, it will escape. Fence Controls A Button . . . . . . Catch/throw a chicken B Button . . . . . . Jump (+D-Pad: run, + A Button: long throw) Number of captured D-Pad . . . . . . . . . Move character/change direction chickens Time Remaining Slots The game Token Collection Press the D-Pad *@ to select a "BET" number and press the A Button to start the slot machine. Every time you press the A Button, one of the drums will stop. If all or some of the icons are the same, or you have a lucky combination of icons, you will win tokens. The number of tokens that you can win depends on the icons. 20 21 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:05 PM Page 22 PSR The game Select "VS HUMAN" and the VMU will display VMU Link-up "CONNECT." Connect two VMUs together to play Paper Scissors Stone with a friend. MINI-GAME "EDITOR" Press the D-Pad $ ^ to select a mini-game then press the A Button to enter your selection. To select a different game, press the B Button until you return to the title screen, then reenter your selection. Beforehand, decide on a strategy. Will you select the hands, or will you leave this decision to the computer? When playing against the computer, the number of hands will rise as your level rises. Decide on a strategy. When you first play, Strategy you will select from 10 hands. Press the D-Pad *@ to select between paper, scissors or stone, and $ ^ to move the cursor. Random Start! Score The computer will randomly select your hands. "VS COM" to play the computer and "VS HUMAN" to play against a friend. Connect two VMUs to start the game. Displays your total wins and losses. Climax Editor Strategy Screen Use your VMU to draw dot pictures with this wonderful dot editor. Method Press the D-Pad *@ to select and press the A Button to enter your selection. Controls A Button . . . . . . Draw a dot (Use with D-Pad to draw a line) B Button . . . . . . Erase a dot (Use with D-Pad to erase a line) D-Pad . . . . . . . . . Move cursor Mode Button . . . Return to the Editor Command Menu Commands Editor . . . . . . . . . Edit saved files File . . . . . . . . . . . Save file manager. Switch sound ON/OFF Transform . . . . . Delete files, view your dot picture upside down or on its side; scroll picture. Select "Prepare Icon" to change the size of your picture so that it fits the VMU screen Animation . . . . . Make a slide show with your saved files Cursor The cursor is a flashing dot How to input file names Tab 3 2 1 1. Select a group of letters from row (1) 2. Select a single letter. The letter that you select... 3. will be displayed here. When you have finished, select "ED" from row (1). "SP" means, "Space." Press @ when the cursor is on row (2) to return to row (1). Battle Screen Boink! The game Token Collection This is a highly stress relieving, mole smashing game. Press the D-Pad to move the cursor and the A Button to hit a mole. You will acquire tokens based on your score. Endless 1-Min. 20-Sec. This is a mode without time limits. Try to see how many moles you can hit within a minute. Try to see how many moles you can hit within 20 seconds. T Press the B Button to return to the Command Screen during the "Eternal challenge." Select "End" to stop playing. Select "Score" to display the score/high score, "Sound" to switch the sound ON/OFF and "Continue" to return to the game. T During "20-Sec." you will lose points if you miss a mole. Save your dot picture in order to hang it in your picture frame in the Collection Room. Upload the picture at the VMU Device in the Monster House. Select "Climax Editor," then "Icon," and your picture will be displayed as an icon on your VMU screen. The VMU Device will read the first file saved Exhibit your in "Climax Editor" (the first file on the left). pictures! 22 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:05 PM Page 24 MINI-GAME "YOGURT ADV." "Yogurt's Big Adventure" consists of "What Yogurt?" and "Yogurt Mansion." OTHER CHARACTERS Just like Sword, all the other characters in Land were thrown into this mysterious world against their will. They are, like Sword, victims who were reluctantly dragged there. But maybe they know something about the unsolved mystery of the world that Sword doesn't. With this in mind, try to speak to the residents of Time Stalkers as much as possible. "What Yogurt?" Mode Friendship Mode Display Enthusias Trust Level Your aim is to clear various goals such as "errands" and "treasure hunts." However, Yogurt selfishly does his own thing, moving around as he wants, and not as the player wants. Have fun trying to understand Yogurt's way of life. The game ends when Yogurt's "enthusiasm" reaches 0. Nikki The wife of the item store owner. Nocchi The son of the item store owner. D-Pad B Button Friendship Mode As time passes, trust rises. When Yogurt trusts you enough, you can control him for a short time. Also, Yogurt's "enthusiasm" will increase or decrease in relation to his actions. Kiwi A mysterious pet. Crystal A mysterious android. Captain Hawk An overbearing man who is too fond of women. A Button A Button . . .Enter Friendship Mode (When you have built up enough "trust") B Button . . .View Action Records (up to 8) ¡ Map ¡ Return TD-Pad is not used. Friendship Mode Controls ("M" is displayed left of trust level) D-Pad . . . . . .Move Yogurt A Button . . .Action (Yogurt decides what actions will happen) B Button . . .View Action Records (Up to 8) ¡ Map ¡ Return Basic Controls Mr. Wire An argumentative youth. Bob A carefree store boy. "Yogurt Mansion" Mode More and more strange and wonderful people and monsters will come and live in Yogurt Mansion. Princess Rose A curious and very healthy princess. 24 Sir Arthur One of the knights who escort Princess Rose. Dr. Alan A genius who is only interested in himself. Bunny Noiman The wife of Mr. Noiman. She truly loves her husband. Billy A rather rural man. TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:06 PM Page 26 EMOTION INDICATORS There are countless monsters roaming around the dungeons. They may be monsters, but monsters have feelings too, you know! If you can master how to read these Emotion Indicators, you will be on your way to winning Time Stalkers. ADVENTURE HINTS The initial flow of the game In hot pursuit of an armored knight who had suddenly attacked him, Sword finds himself lost in a strange clock tower. Upon opening a book lying closed in a room, Sword is dazzled by a fierce ray of light that the book emits. He is knocked out. Some time later, Sword regains consciousness to see that the book is gone. Stranger still, he leaves the room and walks into a corridor to find that...the stairway that he previously climbed has vanished. What sort of a place has he stumbled into? Conversation Mark This means that this monster is chatting to his allies. They are discussing forming parties, or reviving fallen allies. This means that this monster is very curious and wants to approach the main character. Such monsters won't instigate battles. Heart Mark This means that the monster is angry and has a high level of aggression. If your character enters the monster's sector, the chances are very high that it will instigate a battle. This means that the monster is hurrying. A monster will sweat when the main character is running too fast and leaving it behind. Anger Mark Clock Tower Dungeon This is a practice dungeon. The dungeon contains many helpful signboards with essential game play information written on them. On the top floor of the dungeon, Sword finds the knight whom he chased during the opening sequence of the game. Sword must defeat the knight. If Sword fails, he will restart from the room where he opened the book. Star Mark This sign means that the monster is suffering the effects of an curse. This means that the monster is sleeping. The monster isn't thinking about anything and won't instigate a battle. It is very easy to sneak pass such a monster. Sweat Mark Sword receives the Hero's Crest (Sword's House) After clearing the practice dungeon, Sword meets the mysterious old man for the first time. Sword is told that he is a hero who will protect the world. In a lavish display of generosity the old man has even prepared a house and a butler for Sword. From now on, Sword will keep his indispensable things here (such as the Hero's Crest). Without the Hero's Crest, neither Sword, nor any of the other main characters can enter a dungeon. Sleep Mark "Well, let me see..." Mark This means that a character has just stepped on a trap. A new Piece arrives ­ Enter the Fire Mountain Cavern Surprise Mark This mark is shown when the main character is discovered or when the character is surprised. Sword watches as a new piece falls from the sky and begins to wonder if the mysterious old man wasn't altogether talking nonsense. Filled with curiosity, Sword sets off towards the first dungeon; the Fire Mountain Cavern. But before entering the dungeon, Sword had better buy some equipment and items from the store. Don't forget that Sword can only carry up to 4 items into a dungeon. Music Mark This means that the monster is in a good mood and has a low level of aggression. Even if your character enters the monster's sector, it won't instigate a battle. 26 TimesStalkersWeb site 00.3.3 7:06 PM Page 28 Time Stalkers Q&A Q1. I can't register magic spells and skills. There are limits on the number of magic spells and skills that you can register. Your characters will learn more skills and magic spells as their titles increase, the result being that not all of the skills and magic spells can be registered. If this happens, you should select which skills and spells you want to use in the dungeon before you enter. YOGURT Q2. I can't use equipped equipment, or registered magic or skills. If your character's parameters don't meet the specifications to "master" an equipment item, magic or skill, you will not be able to use these things to their full potential ­ even if you have equipped/registered them. For more details, read LEVEL UPS AND MASTERY (P28 of the Time Stalkers Manual). YOGURT Yogurt's role and abilities are completely unknown and his true character is enshrouded in mystery. Surely he has a terribly important role to play in Time Stalkers. Could it also be that he serves no use whatsoever? Q3. I can't "move" during battles. To move, you must first acquire then equip your character with some boots. Before fighting, equip your character at the Item Command Menu (P22 of the Time Stalkers Manual). Also, if your character's basic parameters do not meet the specifications to "master" the boots ( P28 of the Time Stalkers Manual), you will not be able to use them. Q4. I can't enter the dungeon because I have too many items. Sword can only carry 4 items into a dungeon (Rao and Nigel can carry more). Level up in a dungeon, and the number of items that your character can carry will increase. Q5. After leaving a dungeon, the number to the right of an item (+9) has disappeared. An item which has a number such as "+9" attached to it has the advantage that it will allocate bonus points to the parameters. This indicator and its consequent increased parameter values will disappear when your character leaves the dungeon. Q6. My monsters vanished when I came back to the town. If you are defeated in a dungeon, any unregistered monsters in your party will vanish. Registered monsters will be returned to their capsules. Q7. How can I get mini-games? You can buy mini-games at the Souvenir Store, or the Convenience Store. Take one to the Monster House in Fountain Square and you can download it to your VMU. The game will vanish once you have downloaded it. To download it again, you will have to buy a new copy of the mini-game from a store. 28