Getting Around in Oceancrest

Some hints to surviving through the perils of Oceancrest.

If you haven't done so already, you are strongly advised to print
out the map of Oceancrest available through anonymous ftp at
ics.uci.edu under the bvickers/pub directory.  If you cannot get
access to a postscript printer, drop me a line at
kkawado@bonnie.ics.uci.edu or send mail to me through Mordor at any
of the many post offices.  If you mail me a self-addressed, stamped
envelope, I will mail you a copy of the map.

First Level Strategies

When you first enter the game, you have nothing.  This should be
remedied as soon as possible.  The easiest way to do this is to
enter one of the numerous pubs or taverns in the eastern part of
town.  Note that some of the pubs in the western part of town are
rather dangerous, and should not be entered until later levels.  

Inside most of the pubs, there will be stuff lying on the floor. 
Take what you can use to wear and sell the rest of the stuff. 
There are pawn shops around the town that will buy stuff that is
useful to them.  However, some of the items you encounter, the pawn
shop will not buy, so you should deposit them in the recycling
centers, where they will pay you five gold pieces for each item you
drop.  This will get you some initial cash to purchase better
armors and weapons, or to buy potions, etc.

Work in the pubs or wander around the streets and you will find
monsters that you can kill for experience.  Always look at the
monster before attacking it.  The description will tell you if you
can handle him.  Some monsters are exceptionally difficult to lower
level characters, and should not be attacked until you have
advanced in levels.

Spell System

The spell system in Mordor is relatively simple.  You are given a
pool of magic points (hereto refered to as heka) which can be used
to cast spells.  But first you must learn the spells before you can
cast them.  If you find a scroll that you haven't seen before,
study that scroll so that you'll be able to cast it from memory if
you have enough spell points.  As you advance in levels, your heka
will increase.  All classes of characters may cast spells, but some
of the more powerful ones are limited to certain classes.  Your
ability to cast a spell is based partially on your ability scores,
your class and the amount of heka required.  

Death

Death is in integral part of life.  You will no doubt die from time
to time, but hopefully that will be rare.  When you die, you will
end up in Limbo, the place where all lost souls wonder the earth. 
You have a choice in Limbo to go through the green door or the blue
door.  The green door leads back to the Tree of Life, where you
first started the game.  The blue door leads into a coffin in the
southwestern part of town.  The blue door is a convinience to
higher level characters so that they don't have to walk all the way
from the tree of life to the more powerful areas of the city.  If
you haven't already noticed, the city is very large.

When you die, you also lose experience points.  You will lose , of
your total experience points at the time of your death.  This
doesn't seem like much right now, but when you reach higher levels,
this can be important.  You will never lose more than one level of
experience when you die, though.

Advancement

As you gain experience, you will be able to advance to the next
level.  In order to do so, you must first find the proper training
location for your class.  A list of the training centers is listed
below.  Your job will be to find them.  All the thieves' and
assassin's guilds are well hidden.  The progression of experience
is simple.  You require 512 xp to get to level 2.  The amount of xp
doubles for each additional level up through level 9, so level 3 ==
1024, level 4 == 2048, etc.  You also need to pay to advance.  You
must pay + the experience you require in gold.  Again, this doesn't
seem like much now, but wait until you reach higher levels.  

Places of Interest

As time goes on, this list of interesting and exciting places will
be added to.  You should check this list if you encounter a new
area before entering it.  Also, be sure to read all LONG
descriptions to the roads and rooms around the area.  The long
descrpitions will provide vital information to your general well
being.  A number of places are very dangerous and should not be
entered until you have reached a certain level.

- The Dragon's Claw Tavern and Grill, 
  The Chug-A-Lug Pub, 
  The Thenardier's Inn,
  The Rusty Nail Saloon

These saloons are places where first level characters should start. 
Of course, some monsters are harder than others, but if you look at
the monster before attacking it, you should be able to figure out
whether or not you are able to defeat him.  

- The DeNail Corn Fields
  The Klondike Wheat Fields
  The Chateau Richland Grape Orchard
  Bushman Farms

Although not all these locations are complete, they are ideal for
low level characters who grow weary of the bars and taverns in
town.  These rural farming lands are located within the town and
are more than willing to have people come in and kill the vermin
who steal their crops.  

- The Melbourne Entertainment Arena

This arena is specifically geared for lower level characters, but
not really recommended for first level characters.  After obtaining
second or third level, you may wish to try this arena.  

- The Ivanhouse Sporting Facility

This arena is different from the other two arenas in that it
primarily tests characters in one-on-one combat.  That being, you
cannot "group" in this arena, and you must fight gladiators by
yourself.  The is not recommended for levels lower than six.

- The Oceancrest Central Arena

This is the main arean in Oceancrest, located off of Marina Way in
the southwestern area of Oceancrest.  There are three arenas in
this facility: The Central Arena, the Pits of Doom and the Gaming
Pit.  The Gaming Pit is not yet complete.  The Central Arena
provides activity for many players fighting anything from easy
bowyers to deadly harpies.  The Pits of Doom are not recommended
for any character under level seven.  Within the pits roam dragons,
vampires, liches, sand worms and other very dangerous and deadly
monsters.  

- The Manor of Natasha de llisk

The Manor (or Haunted Mansion) is usually a fairly good place for
middle level players to get used to playing in groups and for
clerics to practice their skills with turning undead.  You should
enter the Manor with a group of people if you plan to go ghost
hunting.  Behind the Manor is the Werewolve's Den.  This is a
particularly dangerous place and not recommended for characters
below level 7 by themselves.  

- The llisk Labyrinth

The llisk Labyrinth is hidden near the Manor, and is the home of
many wierd and mysterious creatures, including flying snakes and
minotaurs.  This is a relatively good place to gain experiece for
middle level characters, but it is not suggested that you venture
into the labyrinth alone.  If you can map out the Labyrinth, you
will be able to figure out some of the secrets within its walls.

- The Pirate Ship Widow Maker

The Widow Maker Pirate Ship is docked in the Nylandian Bay.  The
pirates are rough, but relatively easy to handle at middle to high
levels.  This is another ideal location for middle to high level
characters.  

- The Barbarian Pits

This area is ideally suited for barbarians and some fighters.  The
barbarian training locations are found here.  Half-giant characters
may also find some of the stronger armors that will fit them here. 
Being so large, it is hard to find armor to fit them.

- Etolos

Etolos is the mystical land of the Etolian Druids, a strange cult
of clerics who find a balance between all of nature.  The druids
are one of the few clans in the world who are stictly neutral.  The
Etolian Druids range from the inexperienced to the powerful.  You
should watch who you attack, as you might be in over your head.

- The Adrilite Museum

The Museum has exhibits that will interest everyone from the level
one beginners to the most powerful characters in the game.  The
diverse scattering of exhibits can also be dangerous, so please
read the long descriptions before venturing into some of the more
dangerous places in the Museum.

- The Bendine Aquarium

This is a particularly dangerous place in town.  Although all the
sea monsters are safely within the confines of their tanks, people
have been known to go in the tanks to play with the octopi or the
sharks.  Middle level characters will find the Kiddie Pool a
challenge while some of the more higher level characters will find
the shark and octopi tanks interesting.  The pirahna pool is
another dangerous tank filled with deadly pirahna that attack in
swarms, nibbling a piece of you away each time they attack.

- Keslar's Palace

Perhaps the most powerful, and therefore the most deadly, place in
Oceancrest, the Keslar Mages ruthlessly attack opponents with
deadly magic of awesome power.  This area is not at all recommended
for characters below level 10.  The Palace is one of the few areas
in town that should be avoided unless you are with a very powerful
party.  The mages can often be much more powerful than dragons.
