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            ║        D U N G E O N   O F   D E S P A I R        ║
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Introduction

Welcome to DUNGEON OF DESPAIR for Emulator.ca Systems.

In 1980, Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman created Rogue at UC Santa Cruz, and in doing so invented an entirely new form of computer entertainment. Every journey into the dungeon was different. Every death was permanent. Every victory was earned. They could not have known that this humble ASCII game would spawn an entire genre - the "roguelike" - that continues to this day.

DUNGEON OF DESPAIR carries forward this tradition. The dungeons that await you below are not pre-designed mazes drawn on graph paper. They are generated fresh each time you play, using algorithms that ensure variety while maintaining playability. The corridors twist differently. The rooms connect in new ways. The monsters spawn in unpredictable locations. The treasure lies hidden where you have never looked before.

This means something profound: you cannot memorize the layout. You cannot exploit a known weakness. You cannot consult a walkthrough and follow someone else's path. Every run is truly yours - a fresh expedition into the unknown, where your decisions and your skill determine whether you emerge victorious or join the countless bones scattered through the darkness.

This design philosophy creates something remarkable: a game that remains challenging no matter how many times you play it. You must observe, adapt, and make decisions with incomplete information - just as explorers of real dungeons would.

We invite you to descend into the depths. Fame and fortune await those with the skill and fortune to survive. For the rest... well, the dungeon is always hungry.

Features

Dungeon implements the classic roguelike design:

• Procedurally generated dungeon levels (BSP algorithm)
• Turn-based gameplay - monsters move when you move
• Bump-to-attack combat system
• Field of view and fog of war
• Inventory management with equipment
• Experience points and character leveling
• Permadeath with high score tracking

Quick Start

Ready to begin? Here is everything you need to know for your first expedition:

1. Dial 555-0740 and press N to start
2. You are the @ symbol. Walls are #, floors are .
3. Move with H J K L (left/down/up/right) or arrow keys
4. Walk into monsters to attack them
5. Walk over items to pick them up
6. Find the stairs > and press > to descend
7. Reach level 10 and descend to win

Your first goal: explore the dungeon, defeat monsters to gain experience, and collect equipment. When you find stairs leading down, you may descend to the next level. Survive ten levels and you achieve victory.

Remember: death is permanent. There are no saved games. Proceed with caution.

Getting Started

Connecting to the Dungeon

To begin your adventure, dial 555-0740 from the Emulator.ca Systems BBS. You will be greeted with the title screen displaying the game's name, controls, and current high scores.

Starting a New Game

From the title screen:

• Press N to start a New Game
• Press Q to Quit and disconnect

Upon starting a new game, you will be placed in the first room of Level 1. Your character (the @ symbol) begins with:

• 30 HP (Hit Points)
• 5 Attack Power
• 2 Defense
• Level 1
• 0 Gold
• Empty inventory

Character Stats

Your character's vital statistics are displayed in the status bar at the top of the screen:

DLvl:1 PLvl:1 HP:30/30 Gold:0 Exp:0/20

Hidden Stats

Additional stats are tracked but not displayed on screen:

HP Color Indicators

The HP display changes color based on your health percentage:

• GREEN - HP above 60%
• YELLOW - HP between 30-60%
• RED - HP below 30% (DANGER!)

Movement and Controls

DUNGEON OF DESPAIR supports both vi-style keys and arrow keys for movement. The game is turn-based: monsters only move after you do.

Cardinal Movement

Diagonal Movement

      MOVEMENT KEY DIAGRAM:

           Y   K   U
            \  |  /
             \ | /
        H --- @ --- L
             / | \
            /  |  \
           B   J   N

Other Commands

Map Symbols

The dungeon is displayed using ASCII characters. Learning to read the map quickly is essential for survival.

Terrain

Entities

Items

Visibility

The dungeon features field of view and fog of war:

• Bright tiles — Currently visible within your 8-tile sight radius
• Dim tiles (gray) — Previously explored but not currently visible
• Empty space — Unexplored territory

Items and Equipment

Picking Up Items

Items are automatically picked up when you walk over them:

• Gold ($) — Instantly added to your gold total
• Other items — Added to your inventory (max 10 items)

Inventory Management

Press I to open the inventory screen. Items are listed with letter labels (A, B, C, etc.):

Inventory Commands

Item Types

Potions (!)

Potions restore HP when used. The heal amount varies (10-20 HP). Using a potion consumes it. You cannot heal above your maximum HP.

Weapons (/)

Weapons increase your damage output when equipped. Only one weapon can be equipped at a time. Weapon types include:

• Dagger
• Sword
• Axe
• Mace
• Spear

Damage bonus scales with dungeon level. Press the item's letter to equip/unequip.

Armor (])

Armor reduces incoming damage when equipped. Only one armor can be equipped at a time. Armor types include:

• Leather
• Chain
• Plate
• Scale
• Ring

Defense bonus scales with dungeon level. Press the item's letter to equip/unequip.

Monsters and Combat

Bump-to-Attack

Combat in DUNGEON OF DESPAIR uses the classic bump-to-attack system. To attack a monster, simply attempt to move into its tile. Your attack will be executed automatically.

Damage Calculation

When you attack a monster:

Damage = Attack + Weapon Bonus - Monster Defense + Random(-2 to +3)

Minimum damage is always 1.

When a monster attacks you:

Damage = Monster Attack - Defense - Armor Bonus + Random(-1 to +2)

Minimum damage is always 1.

Monster Bestiary

Monster Behavior

Monsters use simple AI:

• If within 8 tiles AND visible, they will pursue you
• Otherwise, they wander randomly (30% chance each turn)
• Speed affects how often they can move (slower = fewer moves)
• Monsters cannot move through walls or other monsters

Dungeon Levels

Level Structure

Each dungeon level is procedurally generated using the BSP (Binary Space Partitioning) algorithm:

• 6 + dungeon_level rooms per floor
• Rooms connected by corridors
• Player always starts in the first room
• Stairs (>) always in the last room

Descending

Stand on the stairs (>) and press > to descend to the next level. Each new level:

• Has more rooms
• Has more monsters (3 + level × 2)
• Has more items (3 + level)
• Features tougher monster variants
• Has better equipment drops

Monster Distribution by Level

Victory Condition

Reach dungeon level 10 and descend the final stairs to achieve VICTORY and complete the game!

Leveling Up

Defeating monsters earns Experience Points (XP). Accumulate enough XP and you will level up, becoming stronger.

Experience Requirements

XP needed for each level increases by 50%:

Level Up Bonuses

Each level grants:

• +5 Max HP (and full heal!)
• +1 Attack
• +1 Defense

Death and Permadeath

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║                      YOU HAVE DIED                         ║
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When your HP reaches 0, your adventure ends. There is no way to restore a dead character. This is permadeath.

The Death Screen

Upon death, you will see your final statistics:

• Final player level
• Gold collected
• Dungeon level reached
• Total experience earned

After Death

Your score is automatically saved to the high score list. From the death screen:

• Press N to start a new game
• Press Q to quit and disconnect

High Scores

High scores are tracked globally and displayed on the title screen. Scores are ranked by:

1. Player level (higher is better)
2. Gold collected (tiebreaker)

Only the top 10 scores are retained. Your score is recorded automatically upon death or victory.

Strategy Guide

Early Game (Levels 1-3)

• Explore thoroughly — don't rush to the stairs
• Kill everything for XP; early monsters are weak
• Grab all potions; you'll need them later
• Equip any weapon/armor you find immediately
• Save potions until you're below 50% HP

Mid Game (Levels 4-6)

• Start being more cautious — Orcs hit hard
• Use corridors to fight one enemy at a time
• Keep at least 2 potions in reserve
• Consider skipping dangerous fights
• Upgrade equipment when you find better gear

Late Game (Levels 7-10)

• Avoid unnecessary fights — survival is the goal
• Trolls and Dragons can kill you quickly
• Know when to run (heal and return later)
• The stairs are your objective — proceed when ready
• Conservative play succeeds more often than aggressive play

Combat Tactics

• Doorway fighting: Lure enemies into doorways or corridors where you can fight them one at a time
• Hit and run: Attack, retreat to heal, return
• Diagonal escape: Use diagonal movement to slip past enemies in corridors
• Know your limits: A Dragon at full HP will likely kill you; retreat if outmatched

Command Reference

Movement Commands

Action Commands

Inventory Commands

Title/Death Screen

Quick Reference Card

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║  Dungeon - QUICK REFERENCE                    Emulator.ca Systems ║
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║                                                                      ║
║  MOVEMENT:     y k u      SYMBOLS:    @ You    # Wall    . Floor    ║
║                 \|/                   > Stairs                       ║
║              h -@- l      MONSTERS:   r Rat    g Goblin  o Orc      ║
║                 /|\                   T Troll  D Dragon              ║
║                b j n      ITEMS:      $ Gold   ! Potion              ║
║                                       / Weapon ] Armor               ║
║  COMMANDS:                                                           ║
║    I = Inventory          COMBAT:     Walk into enemy to attack      ║
║    > = Use stairs                     Monsters attack if adjacent    ║
║    ? = Help                                                          ║
║    Q = Quit               GOAL:       Reach Level 10 and descend!    ║
║                                                                      ║
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Appendix A: Troubleshooting

Problem: Movement keys do not respond Ensure your terminal is sending uppercase letters. Dungeon expects H, J, K, L, not lowercase. Check your CAPS LOCK or terminal settings.

Problem: Display appears corrupted The game requires a terminal capable of ANSI escape sequences. Verify your terminal emulation is set to VT100 or ANSI mode. If using EC-TTY, ensure the baud rate matches your connection speed.

Problem: Cannot pick up items Your inventory may be full (maximum 10 items). Press I to open inventory, then use D followed by an item letter to drop something and make room.

Problem: Stairs do not work You must be standing directly on the > symbol. Move until your @ overlaps the stairs, then press > (shift + period on most keyboards).

Problem: Game disconnects during play Long pauses between inputs may trigger the modem timeout. The game is turn-based, but the connection is not infinitely patient. If you must step away, be prepared to redial.

Problem: High scores do not save High scores are stored on the BBS server. If you disconnect abnormally (loss of carrier), your score may not be recorded. Complete your session properly by pressing Q to quit.

Appendix B: Glossary

BSP (Binary Space Partitioning) - The algorithm used to generate dungeon levels. It recursively divides the map into rooms, ensuring a playable layout.

Bump-to-attack - The combat system where moving into an enemy's tile initiates an attack automatically.

Fog of War - The mechanic where unexplored areas remain hidden until you visit them. Previously explored areas appear dimmed.

Permadeath - Permanent death. When your character dies, they are gone forever. No saves, no resurrection, no second chances.

Roguelike - A genre of games inspired by the 1980 game Rogue, characterized by procedural generation, turn-based gameplay, and permanent death.

Turn-based - Gameplay where time advances only when you take an action. Monsters move after you move, allowing careful tactical planning.

Dungeon v2.0 - DUNGEON OF DESPAIR

Emulator.ca Systems

Document Revision 2.0