1 - Installation

a.  Requirements  (top)

The game will run on any windows based system, i.e., 98/ME/NT/2000/XP, although it was only extensively tested and designed in XP on a 1800mhz with 256ram system.  For best performance and results, use an XP system.

Unlike most of my games, this game requires a decent computer to run.  The game will run on low end systems, but may be choppy or take a while to load.  It is recommended that you have 500mhz with 32mb ram, and about 20mb drive space.  There are really no minimum requirements, I'm sure it'll run on a 100mhz with 8mb ram computer, whether you want to is another decision.  For sound effects and background music, you will need a sound card that also supports midi.

You must have the Visual Basic 6 Runtime on your computer, usually it is preinstalled, but if you don't have it, you can download it from Microsoft.  To see if you have it or not, do a search for msvbvm60.dll, it is usually found in your windows\system32 directory.

You will need to also have the latest version of Microsoft's Windows Installer if you are using the installer version, which is also available from Microsoft.  Be careful and sure to download the right version for your system!

b.  How To Install  (top)

If you are using the installer version, simply run the file you downloaded.  The setup should start automatically.  If you get some kind of error message about a .msi file, a missing file, or the setup does not start, you will need to install the Microsoft Windows Installer first.  Simply walk through the steps and follow the on screen instructions.  It will also create a program group under the start menu, so just click on the icon when its done to start the game.  A reboot may be required but is rare.

If you are using the non installer version, simply extract the files where you want to put the game.  No shortcuts will be made therefore you will have to run everything manually.  The non installer version does not include essential files that are required the game, therefore, if you get an error about a missing OCX or DLL file, you will need to use the installer.

c.  How To Uninstall  (top)

There is no icon to click on to uninstall the program, you will have to do it manually.  To do this (if you used the installer), go to your control panel (Start---> Settings---> Control Panel).  Then double click on add/remove programs.  Find "The Demon's Mantra II" in the list, and click the button to remove it.  Your saved games and configuration files will have to be removed manually by deleting the directory from your computer as the installer will not delete these files.  If you uninstall, your code will still work the next time you install the game again as long as its the same computer and same code.

2 - Getting Started

a.  What Is The Demons Mantra II  (top)

The Demon's Mantra is an RPG/Adventure similar to Final Fantasy or Dragon Warrior, and was written in Visual Basic 6 Service Pack 5.  There is the usual leveling up, spells, equipment, items, and of course, battles.  It has the typical bird's eye view 2d map and typical front view battles.  The story is about a young man named Ryu, who is half Demon, half Human, stuck in the middle of the Demon-Human war for the Demons are after his blood to revive the great guardian, Daemon.  The Demons have been also digging further beneath the earth in hopes of spewing off a large volcano to destroy the humans.  This is the second and final part of the series, so it is a continuation and leaves off directly where it ended in the previous game.  The story is very involved and player will find that they will enjoy the characters they encounter.  It starts off with a woman and her friend who are wanderers, but little do they know that they are much more...

b.   The Map Screen  (top)

The map screen allows you to move through the world of The Demons Mantra.  To walk on the map, use the arrow keys and your hero will move accordingly.  There are certain tiles that you cannot walk on such as mountains, or trees.  To pick up chests, talk to people, view signs, or enter caves; simply walk up to that spot.  When an action occurs such as talking to people, a conversation box will appear on the top of the screen.  You can also bring up the in game menu by pressing ESC, or RETURN/ENTER.  This will allow you save your game, quit, view your status, view the map, use items/spells, and more.  In fact, much of the game takes place on the map.

There are two types of maps, overworld and underworld, but the difference between them aren't anything special.  The overworld refers to the outside part of the world where the towns are, i.e., outside of caves.  The underworld refers to the inside part of the world such as caves and dungeons.  In order to use the hot air balloon, for example, you must be in the overworld, obviously.

When you enter the underworld, i.e., caves, your viewable radius will shorten.  You will only be able to see 3 squares in each direction because there is not as much light.  Just in the real world, you will have to remember where you are walking in the dungeons or else you will get lost.

c.   The Battle Screen  (top)

Throughout your journey, you will encounter monsters ever twenty steps or so.  When you are attacked the battle screen will appear where you will control your character to victory.  The monsters that you are fighting will appear in front of you, and your hero and side hero will appear at the top.  You will be presented with options in what action you wish to take, such as attacking or casting a spell.  Your side hero will automatically attack depending on what mode you set them up with, more on that in the Side Hero section.

The monsters you face depend on the area you are in, and they will get harder as you continue through the game.  Once you defeat the monsters you will gain rubies and experience, and you will be back to the map screen.  For detailed information about battles, head to the Fighting section.

d.  Customization Of Options  (top)

From the options screen, you can customize the character controls, if you don't want to use the arrow keys, and even change other options as well such as the background tile on the map.  You can also enable and disable midi, and weather from there.  If you do not like the conversation colors (the talk boxes that appear when an action occurs such as talking to someone), you can customize them!  Also, you can control the position of where the talk boxes appear;  if you keep both options unchecked it will appear on the top, if you check the Talk On Bottom option, it will appear on the bottom, and if you check Talk In Middle, it will appear in the middle.  More options are available under section 9 entitled "Advanced Options".

3 - Your Hero

a.  What Is A Hero (top)

What is a hero?  Simply put, its you!  In terms of the game, the hero is the main character.  People will interact with you, help you on your quest, and even join you from time to time.  Consider yourself taking the role of the main hero.

A hero is also something more though, it is a customizable object where you, the player, must customize according to your style.  Throughout your quest, your hero will gain levels, and become stronger based on what you decide to focus on.  If you want a fighter, then you must upgrade stats that increase damage.  If you want a mage, then you must focus on stats that increase spell power.  How well your hero fights, uses magic, or blocks attacks depends on how you customize her.  How well you do in the game can also be depended on how well you control your character.  Each Hero will have a strength and weakness depending on how you customize them, and its up to you to determine what they will be.

b.  Stats  (top)

Health Points (HP):  This is the amount of damage your hero can take before perishing.  Once it reaches 0, it will be game over!  Be sure to always pay attention to your HP.  HP is directly based on how much Dexterity, Strength and Wisdom your character has.  The exact formula is below:

     Health Points = {  ( Strength * 1.4 ) + Dexterity + ( Wisdom * .1) }

Magek Points (MP):  The more MP you have, the more times you can cast a spell.  Every spell has an MP cost to it, which will directly decrease your MP every time you use it.  If you do not have enough MP, you will not be to cast that particular spell!  MP is directly based on how much Wisdom, Strength, and Dexterity you have.  The exact formula is below:

     Magek Points = {  Wisdom + ( Dexterity / 3 )  + (Strength / 10) }

Strength:  Strength is used to determine how much HP and MP you get, attack damage bonus, and critical strike.  Attack bonuses will add extra damage to your attacks, while critical strike is a percentage based probability that can increase your attack damage by 50%.  Block bonuses will add to your shield bonus if you are wearing one.  In addition, some equipment have a strength requirement.  The exact formulas are below:

     Attack Damage Bonus = {  Strength / 10  }

     Critical Strike = {  Strength / 5  }

Dexterity:  Probably your most used stat no matter what character you create, it determines your dodge capability, accuracy, speed, and both HP and MP.  Accuracy determines whether your attack hits the enemy or not, speed determines how fast your ATB meter goes up, while dodge decreases the enemy's accuracy by a certain value.  In addition, some equipment have a Dexterity requirement.   Finally, it affects flee, which is the only command that is dependent on both your heroes; each hero can add up to 25%, for a total of 50% extra flee percentage.  The exact formulas are below:

     Accuracy = 50 + {  Dexterity / 2  } percent

     Speed  = 800 - {  ( Dexterity / 2 ) * 10  }

     Dodge  = {  Dexterity / 10  } percent

     Flee  = {  ( Dexterity / 4 )  } percent

Wisdom:  A must for wizards, it directly increases spell power, MP, HP, and gives bonuses to your special defense.  Spell power varies depending on a spell so direct formulas must be found in the spell section, but in most cases, every point counts.  A character with very high wisdom can also decrease the amount of damage they receive from enemy special attacks.  The exact formula is below:

     Special Defense Bonus  = {  Wisdom / 20   }

Damage:  This depends on the weapon and any strength bonus you have.  The first number is the low value, while the second is the high, and the third, if any, is added at the end.  Basically, the damage you deal is like throwing a dice with a value between the low, and high.  So, a damage of 1-4 + 1, can only yield values 2,3,4, or 5.  Of course, other factors must be considered to damage which are detailed in the battle section.   The exact formula is below:

     Damage  = {  Random ( minValue to maxValue)  }  +  Bonus

Defense:  Ok, this is a little harder to explain, but there are two kinds of defenses.  One decreases an enemy's regular attack, while the other decreases your enemy's special attack; for more about this read the enemy section.  The first value is the regular attack, and the second is the special attack.  Armor and hats increase the first kind, while bracers increase the second.  It is very normal to have twice as much regular defense than special defense.  There may also be a + value for the second kind, which is simply your wisdom bonus.  The exact formulas are below:

     Regular Defense  = Armor Defense + Hat Defense

     Special Defense  = Bracer Defense + Bonus From Wisdom

Block:  This value is directly related to your shield.  Depending on what kind of shield you have, the more block you will have.  The highest percentage you could have is 35% when you include full strength bonus and a protect spell cast by a both heroes with full wisdom.  The exact formula is below:

     Block %  = Shield Defense

Level:  Your character's current level.  The highest it can reach is 30.  Your second hero's stats are also affected by your level; the higher your level is, the better your second hero will be.  Just think of it as if they leveled up as you did.

Exp:  The current amount of experience you have gained from killing monsters.  Once you reach level 30, this value will change to MAX.

Exp Next:  The amount of experience you need to gain, to gain a new level.  Once you reach level 30, this value will change to MAX.

Difficulty:  When you create a new hero, you will the option to select the difficulty for the game.  It cannot be changed afterwards.  Depending on how good of a player you are, you should choose accordingly.  Most people should choose normal for average gameplay difficulty.  Also, if you beat it on Hard, you will get an extra small ending.  The harder the game, the longer it will take you to beat.

     Easy  = all enemies have 25% less health points.

     Normal  = all enemies have normal health points.

     Hard  = all enemies have 50% more health points.

c.  Spells  (top)

Like most RPG's, this game has spells that your hero can use.  However, unlike most games, they are not variations of each other and are all unique making them only a few.  Spells are divided into three categories:  Attack, Support, and Spirit.  Each category is then divided into levels:  First, Second, Third.  To use spells, you must denote points to each category.  For example, to use the first level spell in the attack category, Fireball, you must denote at least one point in Attack.  Approximately every five levels you gain, you will gain one point to be spread among your categories.  You will only be able to obtain six out of a total of nine spells so choose wisely.  Once a category is full, you cannot add anymore.  Each point you add will let you use the next level spell in that category, so if you only have one point in the Attack group, then you can only use the first level spell.  If you do not have any points in a category, you cannot use any of its spells.  However, there is one exception to this rule and that is Transform:   not only do you need three points in Spirit, but you will need to reach a certain point of the game to be able to use this spell (Close to 50% into the game).  It is also wise to plan ahead and determine what spells you want in relation to the type of character you are creating.  For instance, you don't really want a fighter with attack spells, but a fighter with support spells would be excellent.  Finally, spells do not miss, they have 100% accuracy on any monster.

Attack:  This category only includes damage type attacks, and are mainly used by wizards.  They can do very high amounts of damage, more damage than any weapon could, especially Vulcan which is the most powerful attack in the game!  Because they use a lot of magek points, it wise to keep this spell category for characters with high wisdom.

   Fireball:  Affects one enemy.  Does 5 to 10 + {  Wisdom / 5  } damage.  Costs 3 MP.

   Lightning:  Affects all enemies.  Does 5 to (Wisdom / 2) damage.  Costs 7 MP.

   Vulcan:  Affects one enemy.  Does 25 to 60 + {  Wisdom / 5  } damage.  Costs 12 MP.

Support:  Support spells are good for adding extra attack, speed, or defense to your characters.  They are cheap and unique spells that can easily give you the edge you need in difficult battles.  However, they are also probably the most difficult to use since you must know when to use them, and they really depend on a lot of factors.  They can also be considered the only beneficial spells to use on your side hero, as it can make them even better in battle.  In fact, they can be useful for any type of character you make.  Support spells only last for 30 seconds or until the end of a battle so you may have to use them more than once.  They are also cumulative, i.e., both your hero and side hero can have them cast at the same time, and the effects stack on each other giving extra bonuses.  Having a hero cast a support spell again, while it is on, will just reset it back to 30 seconds.  The font will turn red to let you know you the spell is cast.

   Protect:  Affects all heroes.  It increases the Block Percentage by {  Wisdom / 10  } points even if a hero has no shield.  Costs 2 MP.

   Vigor:  Affects all heroes.  It increases the damage of your weapons by {  Wisdom / 10  } points.  This bonus is added to any other bonuses such as strength.  Costs 4 MP.

   Boost:  Affects all heroes.  It increases the speed of your character by about {  Wisdom / 10  } percent.  Costs 6 MP.

Spirit:  These are spells that come from the will or spirit of the hero.  They include healing spells, and also a very unique and powerful ability called Transform, which will let the hero turn into a Demon until she changes back or until the end of the battle.

   Cure:  Affects one hero.  Heals 15 to 25 + {  Wisdom / 2  } health points.  Costs 4 MP.

   Heal:  Affects all heroes.  Heals 10 to 30 + {  Wisdom / 5 } health points.  Costs 7 MP.

   *Holy:  Affects all enemies.  Does 10 to 20 + {  Wisdom / 10 } damage.  30% of the total damage dealt (rounded down, plus 1) is returned as health points to all heroes.  Costs 7 MP.       *This holy spell is only available with the holy amulet.  When worn, it replaces the cure spell during battle.

   Transform:  Affects the hero.  This unique ability allows the hero to transform into a Demon until the end of a battle, giving her a 10 to 30 + (any other bonus) attack regardless of weapon, and a +10 special defense rating.  However, her Block Percentage will fall to 0 regardless of shield, and her regular defense rating will fall to 5 regardless of armor.  It is possible to change back to a human state by casting the spell again.  Costs 12 MP.

d.  Types Of Heroes  (top)

If you want some help deciding what kind of hero would be best, and what to expect, read this section.  You could just play the game and not worry about the details of creating your character but the best player should optimize their hero in the best way possible.  These types have no real meaning in the game but are good when describing to your friends what type of character you are making.  It gives you other ideas as well when you are finished with the game.  This basic guide is good for choosing your side hero as well since each one can be classified below, and you decide if you want two warriors, or two wizards, or a mix, or whatever else you want.

Fighters:  Fighters are types of heroes that can do a lot of damage in battles, and take a lot of damage from monsters.  They don't use MP or are dependent on them like other characters.  Advantages of fighters are:  high damage, high hp, high block, able to equip the best weapons.  The main disadvantage is that they cost a lot of money, and will require plenty of healing items on those long journeys away from town.  Attack spells are really of no use to Fighters, nor are spells in general.  They can be classified into four categories:

    Warrior:  Fighters who are pure fighting machines.  They will require maximum strength and high dexterity.  They will have incredibly high health and can last a long time in battle.  A good spell group to max is support, then its really up to you, a good cure spell wouldn't hurt.  Don't expect spells to do much at all.

    Paladins:  Fighters who specialize in the spirit and support category.  They are not as strong as warriors but can help the party with their spells.  They will require high wisdom to be effective taking away valuable points from strength.  Because of their healing abilities, you wont need to stock up on as many items.

   Rogue:  Fighters who specialize in speed and accuracy.  They are very similar to a warrior except require maximum dexterity, and perhaps some wisdom.  They do best with support spells to add damage to their attacks, but the spells you choose can be anything.

   Warlock:  Fighters who specialize in attack spells, or spells in general.  They will have the least HP in the fighter class but are able to cast high damage spells.  Strength is not as important as wisdom or dexterity.

Mages:  Mages are types of heroes that cant take as much damage in battle but are able to use very powerful and high damage spells.  They are the spell casters types.  Advantages of mages are:  very high damage spells, high mp, good special defense, and are probably the most fun and unique to play.  They have plenty of disadvantages, the main one being they will are practically useless without MP.  They generally also have lower HP which makes them easier to die, and they wont be able to equip the best armor in the game making their defense low.  They can be classified into four categories:

    Wizard:  This is a pure mage who specializes in attack spells.  They will require maximum wisdom and high dexterity.  They have the lowest HP of any hero but a high level wizard can do so much damage to monsters that you probably wont be getting hit that much anyway.  What you choose for your other spell points is up to you but either category is best.

   Wardens:  These are mages who fight and specialize in support spells.  They provide excellent support for your side hero and are mainly protectors, but can fight as well.  It is best to spread out your stats as they require a more balanced distribution.

   Priest:  This is a mage that focuses on only support and spirit spells.  They will require maximum dexterity and high wisdom.  They are very fast.

   Battle Mage:  These mages are similar to Warlocks, but will have more wisdom and less strength.  They are the least dependent on MP, and will have the highest HP as any mage.  They should focus on attack spells, while the other points should go on what you like best.

e.  Quick Comparison Guides  (top)

Level-Up Table:  This lists the experience needed to gain levels.

Spell Table:  This lists the spells, their costs, damage, and more.

4 - Your Side Hero

a.  What Is A Side Hero  (top)

Consider your side hero as another hero, and you'll understand how important they are.  Much like your hero, they have similar stats, and the game will end when their HP reaches 0.  However, there are some differences, such as not being able to control them.  Most important is that they do not have MP, and only can use one spell, and only in battle.  You cannot purchase them weapons, however, as you progress in the game some will have better equipment.  Finally, they can be controlled by six Modes.

Each mode determines the percentage that they will either Attack, Defend, or use their Spell.  For example, you can put them in a mode so they always attack, or a mode where they evenly attack and use a spell.  This will allow some control as to how you want your side hero to proceed in battles.  This can be a very good or bad strategy for you, and you should try to find which mode works best in junction with your hero.  It may take a while before you  master the modes and are able to use them.  Spell caster type side heroes work best in a mode where they cast spells, while fighter type side heroes work best in a mode that lets them attack.

Side heroes appear and leave at certain points of the game, however, as you progress and have multiple side heroes, you can actually choose you who want!  When you change your side hero, the HP they will have will be the same fraction as the HP of the side hero you had.  For example, if your current side hero has 50 out of 100 hp, and the second hero can have a maximum of 50 hp, then they will have 25 hp.  You will always have a side hero with you.  Also, you can use spells and items on them.

b.  Spells & Special Abilities (top)

Some side heroes use the same spells as your hero does.  That means that the spell is exactly the same, with the only minor change that it uses their Wisdom instead of yours.  These will not be listed.  The spells or special abilities that are not already mentioned above in the hero section will be mentioned below.

Spark:  Affects one enemy.  Does 3 to 10 + {  Wisdom / 5  } damage.

Blade:  Affects one enemy.  Increases attack damage by 30% and attack with piercing damage (ie, ignore enemy defense), however accuracy is lowered by 10% as well.

Strike:  Affects all enemies.  It allows the side hero to attack all enemies at once!  However, the damage is decreased by 30%.

c.  Meet The Side Heroes  (top)

Note:  Towards the end of the game, the equipment can change for the heroes.  The equipment listed is the stuff they first start with.

Sofi:  Nina's best friend, they grew up together at the orphanage and attended wizard school.  She is a weak fighter, but with her powerful spark spell, and high damage bow, she can easily destroy enemies with her accuracy and speed.  She can be considered as a Warlock.

     Weapon:  Bow

     Armor:  Leather Suit

     Shield:  None

     Helmet:  Cloth

     Bracer:  Brass

     Strength:  9 + heroLevel

     Dexterity:  12 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Wisdom:  8 + (heroLevel * 2)

     Special:  Spark

Jack:  The head guard for the town of Brooke, and probably the most well rounded fighter you will ever meet.  He packs a powerful swing, and has the speed and a accuracy to match it.  Although he can cast Vigor in battle, his spell power is very weak.  He can be considered as a Paladin.

     Weapon:  Sword

     Armor:  Leather Suit

     Shield:  Iron Shield

     Helmet:  Leather

     Bracer:  Silver

     Strength:  7 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Dexterity:  6 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Wisdom:  11 + (heroLevel)

     Special:  Vigor

Sonia:  Ryu's father's friend, and a helpful character from DM1.  She is mainly a protector but is also a well rounded fighter.  She can cast Protect on the party.  Her speed and spell power are incomparable.  She can be considered as a Warden.

     Weapon:  Mace / Broad Sword

     Armor:  Leather Suit / Light Plate

     Shield:  Wooden / Iron

     Helmet:  Light / Mythical

     Bracer:  Magical / Golden

     Strength:  7 + (heroLevel)

     Dexterity:  8 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Wisdom:  18 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Special:  Protect

Darwin:  Not all demons are bad, in fact, Darwin is a Mystic Demon found deep beneath the earth that will aid you in your quest.  He posses great attack power, and can use Strike.  He is the probably the most powerful Warrior you will ever meet.

     Weapon:  Broad Sword

     Armor:  Light Plate

     Shield:  None

     Helmet:  Light

     Bracer:  Silver

     Strength:  12 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Dexterity:  3 + (heroLevel * 2)

     Wisdom:  0 + (heroLevel)

     Special:  Strike

Ryu:  The hero from DM1!  He is half demon, half man, and is a pretty average character.  He is strong, and has possibly the most powerful attack skill in the game, Blade.  He can be considered as a Rogue.

     Weapon:  Dragon Blade

     Armor:  Light Plate

     Shield:  Mythical

     Helmet:  Light

     Bracer:  Silver

     Strength:  7 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Dexterity:  10 + (heroLevel * 2)

     Wisdom:  10 + (heroLevel * 2)

     Special:  Blade

Chi:  A monk and sacred warrior.  He has great health and wisdom, but weak attack, armor, and defense.  Because he can also cast Holy in battle, it very rare that he should perish before the hero.  He can be considered as a Priest.

     Weapon:  Bow

     Armor:  Leather Suit

     Shield:  None

     Helmet:  Mythical

     Bracer:  Golden

     Strength:  8 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Dexterity:  12 + (heroLevel * 2)

     Wisdom:  20 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Special:  Holy

Bree:  Another Mystic Demon, she is the highest ranking woman ever to join the Royal Mystic Guard.  She is a powerful fighter with an equally powerful fireball spell.  She is well rounded for any type of monster you may encounter.  She can be considered as a Battle Mage.

     Weapon:  Demon Blade

     Armor:  Full Plate

     Shield:  Tower

     Helmet:  Light

     Bracer:  Golden

     Strength:  15 + heroLevel

     Dexterity:  2 + (heroLevel * 3)

     Wisdom:  10 + (heroLevel * 2)

     Special:  Fireball

Myst:  An angel or spirit sent from the Heavens, also called a Zephyr.  She uses a mace as her weapon and can use a powerful spell but has a weak attack, hp, defense, and speed.  She can also be considered as a Wizard in the game, and no other side hero can compare to how much damage her lightning spell does to foes.

     Weapon:  Mace

     Armor:  Light

     Shield:  Mythril

     Helmet:  Mythical

     Bracer:  Golden

     Strength:  7 + (heroLevel)

     Dexterity:  6 + (heroLevel * 2)

     Wisdom:  25 + (heroLevel * 2)

     Special:  Lightning

5 - Fighting

a.  What Is A Fight  (top)

About every twenty-five steps or so, a fight will occur, granted that you are in an area that has monsters.  The view will change from the overworld to the fight screen.  In the center are the monsters (up to 3) you are fighting.  The top will list your heroes and their stats, ATB bar, and others.  Towards the bottom you will see the commands you can issue in the fight.  The most common is Attack, but you can also cast a Spell, use an Item, Flee, and Defend.

b.  Bars, Icons & Captions  (top)

Its good to know what all the captions represent in the fight.  As the battle goes on, you should also see some other captions such as damage.  When a number appears next to a hero's face, that is how much damage they have taken from an enemy.  A number that appears next to an enemy is how much that enemy has taken.  There is also a text caption that will list some events that occur throughout the battle.  Here are the others:

Health / Magek:  Your hero's current HP/MP and Maximum HP/MP.  Make sure your HP never falls to 0 or below!

Active Time Battle (ATB):  This bar determines when your hero is able to issue a command.  Once it reaches the maximum, the hero can attack.  Your dexterity directly affects how fast this bar moves, and the higher it is, the faster your hero can do something.  The text will turn red if Boost is cast.

Sword Icon:  This is the current damage you will inflict if you attack, and is influenced by your weapon, as well as any bonuses from spells for example.  The first 2 numbers are your low and high.  If you see a + sign, the value after that is bonuses from strength or the Vigor spell.  Finally, the font will also turn red if the Vigor spell is cast.  Here's what you might see:  1 - 5 + 1,  where 1 = low value, 5 = high value, 1 = strength/vigor bonus.

Armor Icon:  You should see two values here.  The first value is your regular defense determined by what armor/hats you are wearing, and the second is special defense determined by what bracers you are wearing.  Of course, there may be bonuses applied here as well.  In which case, the font will turn red.

Shield Icon:  This value is your block percentage from your shield plus any bonuses.  It will turn red when the Protect spell is used.

c.  Commands  (top)

Attack:  Attack the enemy with the current weapon.  If there are more than one monster, then you will have to specify which you are attacking.  You can also press ESC to enable/disable Auto Battle for your hero; a small caption should appear.  When Auto Battle is enabled, your hero will randomly attack an enemy.

Defend:  Puts your character into defend mode by adding +5 / +2 defense until your next turn.  This is useful if the enemy is powerful and you need to take less damage.  You will always take at least 1 damage, but this extra defense can be life saving in situations.

Spell:  Allows you to use any spell you have.  You will have to pick the category, then the spell.  Some spells also require you to select a hero or enemy.

Item:  Allows you to use any item you have.  Some items require you to select a hero.

Flee:  Lets you run away from the battle.  The percentage to run is calculated from the dexterity of both heroes.  In addition, your chances of encountering your next battle is 25% greater if you flee then if you win, i.e., instead of 30 steps, it would be only 22 steps.

     Flee  = {  ( Hero1Dexterity / 4 )  +  ( Hero2Dexterity / 4)  } + 50 percent

d.  How Your Hero's Attack Is Calculated  (top)

This occurs when you select the attack command.  Calculations are made in the following order.

   a.  Accuracy:  Did your hero miss or hit?  If they missed then no damage is dealt to your enemy and further calculations will not be made.

   b.  Weapon:  A random number is generated depending on what weapon you have, this becomes damage.

   c.  Strength Bonus:  Strength bonuses are factored in and add to the damage.

   d.  Critical Strike:  If your hero makes a critical attack, damage is increased by 50%.

   e.  Vigor Bonus:  Spell bonus from Vigor is added to damage if cast.

   f.  Enemy Defense:  Damage is reduced by the enemy's defense.

   g.  Total Damage:  The enemy looses health points by the amount of damage.

Example:  Lets say your character has 80% accuracy, a weapon that does 4-10 damage, 10 strength, 50 wisdom, your wearing Sofi's amulet, and vigor is cast.  You are fighting a monster that has 4 defense.

   a.  Accuracy:  Your accuracy is calculated, since you have 80% accuracy, you need a roll of 20 or greater from a 100 sided dice to hit your enemy.  Lets say you rolled a 10.  That means you missed and its the end of your turn.  However, lets say you rolled a 30, that means you hit.  Now we go on to the next steps to calculate how much damage you dealt.

   b.  Weapon:  Since your weapon does 4 to 10 damage, we generate a random number in between that.  Lets say it was 5.  That now becomes your damage.

   c.  Strength Bonus:  Since you have 10 strength, that means you get +1 bonus added to your damage.  So your damage of 5 now becomes a 6.  You can get between 0 and 10 bonus from strength.

   d.  Critical Strike:  Since you have 10 strength, your critical strike is 2%, however, you also are wearing Sofi's amulet which gives an extra 10%.  So your total critical strike is 2+10, or 12%.  Lets say you indeed do a critical strike, your damage is now increased by 50%.  I.e., damage goes from 6 to 9.

   e.  Vigor Bonus:  Since Vigor was cast, we add this bonus as well.  Your wisdom is 50, which means you add  5 to your damage from bonus.  Your 9 now becomes a 14.

   f.  Enemy Defense:  Enemy defense is 4, therefore, damage is decreased from 14 to 10.

   g.  Total Damage:  Since 10 is the final damage, your enemy's health points drop by 10.

e.  How Your Hero's Attack Spell Is Calculated  (top)

This occurs when you select the spell command, and cast an attack spell.  Attack spells include fireball, lightning, vulcan, holy, and fire potions.  Spells are 100% accurate, so they automatically hit.  Calculations are made in the following order.

   a.  Spell:  A random number is generated depending on how much damage your spell does.

   c.  Enemy Special Defense:  Damage is reduced by the enemy's special defense.

   b.  Total Damage:  The enemy looses health points by the amount of damage.

Example:  Lets say you cast Vulcan, have 50 wisdom and you are fighting a monster that has 10 special defense.

   a.  Spell:  Vulcan does 25 to 60 plus (wis/5) damage.  Therefore you damage is between 35 and 70.  Lets say you got lucky and did 70 damage!

   b.  Enemy Special Defense:  Your enemy has 10 special defense, therefore, your damage of 70 gets subtracted by 10.  It is now 60.

   c.  Total Damage:  Since 60 is the final damage, your enemy's health points drop by 60.

f.  How Your Enemy's Attack Is Calculated  (top)

This occurs when your enemy attacks.  Enemies use a special attack 80% of the time.

   a.  Block:  Did the Hero's shield block the attack?

   b.  Accuracy:  Did the Enemy hit?

   c.  Damage:  A random number is generated depending on the enemy's min and max damage values.

   d.  Defense:  Damage is reduced by your Hero's regular defense.

   e.  Total Damage:  The hero looses health points by the amount of damage.

Example:  Lets say the Enemy does 1 to 4 damage and has 90% accuracy.  Your dodge is 10%, your block is 2%, and your regular defense is 0.

   a.  Block:  The enemy must first get past your shield.  Since your block is 2%, the enemy has a 98% of doing this.  If it fails, you take no damage and no more steps are calculated.

   b.  Accuracy:  Since you have 10% dodge, this drops the enemy's accuracy from 90% to 80%.  Thus, now it has a 80% chance to hit you.  If it fails, you take no damage and no more steps are calculated.

   c.  Damage:  A random number between 1 and 4 is now calculated; this becomes damage.  Lets say it rolled a 4, so damage is now 4.

   d.  Defense:  Since your hero has 1 defense, damage is reduced directly by 1.  Thus, the 4 damage now becomes 3.

   e.  Total Damage:  Your hero will lose 3 health points, the damage left.

g.  How Your Enemy's Special Attack Is Calculated  (top)

This occurs when your enemy uses a special attack.  Enemies use a special attack 20% of the time.  Special attacks are the most damaging and most deadly.

   a.  Damage:  A random value depended on the enemy's min and max damage range.

   b.  Defense:  Damage is reduced by your Hero's special defense.

   c.  Total Damage:  The hero looses health points by the amount of damage.

Example:  Lets say the Enemy does 10 to 15 special attack damage.  You have 50 wisdom, and 2 special defense.

   a.  Damage:  The enemy will randomly do 10 to 15 damage, lets say it does 10.

   b.  Defense:  Since you have 2 special defense, damage is reduced by 2.  However, you also have 50 wisdom, this means you get +5 special defense (wisdom / 10) due to wisdom bonus.  Therefore, your special defense rating is actually 7.  The damage is reduced from 10 to 3.

   c.  Damage:  Your hero will lose 3 health points, the damage left.

6 - Items, Equipment, & Inns

a.  Items  (top)

Items are very important to your survival throughout the game and it is always good to stock up when you can.  Most towns have an item shop, look at the signs on top of buildings to see where it is.  To buy items, just walk to the shop and a menu will appear with what you buy.  To buy things requires that you have rubies, the official currency of the game.  Rubies are gained from chests, side quests, and monsters only.

Herb:  A small healing item that heals 10 to 15 HP.  They are the cheapest and most plentiful.  Costs $8.

Berry:  The only item that heal Magek, it heals 10 to 20 MP.  They are somewhat cheap and can only be used on the main hero.  Costs $20.

Potion:  The strongest healing item you will find, it heals 25 to 50 HP.  Costs $20.

Fire Potion:  Allows you to cast a high level fireball spell on all enemies doing 25 to 30 damage each.  This attack is considered a special attack, therefore, enemy special defense can decrease the damage.  This is a very expensive item and hard to find.  Costs $45.

b.  Equipment  (top)

Upgrading to the latest weapons is an ongoing task in RPG's, as well as in DM2.  There aren't too much equipment, but enough.  Stores throughout the land sell various equipment, and you can find these buildings where there is a sword on top.  Each equipment has a cost, although some do not and must be found or given to.  Finally, some equipment have a stat requirement which will not allow you to buy it unless you can use it.  In some cases, you may not even be able to use every equipment depending on what kind of character you make.  You can never buy equipment that is lower than what you have, and when you buy better equipment it will just replace what you have.

Weapons:  Each weapon has a low and high damage value associated to it.  Just think of it as a dice with a low-high roll.

Armor:  Armor adds to your defense rating.

Hats:  Hats add to your defense rating, but are not as good as armor.

Bracers:  The only equipment that protects you from special attacks.

Shields:  This equipment will allow you to block all enemy attacks.

Amulets:  This unique piece of equipment has various attributes to benefit your character.  You can only wear one at a time, and there are only five types in the game.  Certain amulets may be helpful with different characters and areas, its up to you to decide!  For example, if you cant even use the cure spell, its useless to even equip the holy amulet.

c.  Inn  (top)

Get Drunk:  Heals 15hp for all characters, costs $3.

Eat A Meal:  Heals 60hp for all characters, and 30mp for the main hero, costs $10.

Get A Room:  Heals 125 hp for all characters, and 75mp for the main hero, costs $25.

Full package:  Heals all hp and mp for all characters, costs $40.

7 - Enemies

a.  Enemy Stats  (top)

There are plenty of enemies throughout the game that you will encounter on your journey.  Different types appear in different areas of the game, some even appear as bosses, or mini bosses.  If you see a blue statue with a sword, that's a mini boss.  Walking up to it will force you to fight it.  Its possible to avoid some mini bosses, as they are not required to beat the game.  Each enemy has unique stats that differ from the rest of them.  Some may be weak against sword attacks, and some may be weak against spells.  Some may have really good accuracy, some may attack faster.  In addition, each enemy will give you experience, but only some, non animal types, give you rubies.

HP:  The amount of Health Points this enemy has.  Once it reaches 0, it will be dead.

Damage:  The amount of damage your enemy will do when it attacks.  The first value is the low value, while the second is the high.  For example, if an enemy has 1-3, that means it can do 1,2, or /3 points of damage.  Enemies attack 80% of the time.  Total damage is decreases by your defense, and can miss.

Special Damage:  This is a unique attack that only occurs 20% of the time.  Special attacks do not miss, and are often deadlier than normal attacks!  Your only defense against these are bracers and high wisdom.

Defense:  Much how your heroes have defense, it is similar.  This is the amount of damage that will be decreases if you attack it.  So if you do 2 to 4 points of damage, you now only do 1 to 3.

Special Defense:  This value is the enemy's defense against your spells.  Much how your heroes have a special defense, it is similar.  When you cast a spell, the amount of damage is decreased by this value.

Aim %:  Simply put, this is the enemy's accuracy to hit your hero.  This only applies to normal attacks.  Of course, a hero with high dexterity can lower this value.

Rubies:  The amount of rubies this enemy will give you when you defeat it.  Animals will not give you rubies!  Why should they?

Experience:  The amount of experience this enemy will give you when you defeat it.  The harder the enemy, the more you get.

Attack Time:  Similar to your hero's ATB bar, this is the time it takes for this enemy to attack.  This random value is set before the fight and will be static, meaning it will not change during a fight.

b.  Enemy Table  (top)

8 - Side Quests

a.  Hot Air Balloon  (top)

Imagine being able to travel over mountains, rivers, and towns!  Well you can with the hot air balloon.  The balloon can be found in the port town of Galen, but it is guarded as a top secret project.  How can you get access?  Well that's up to you find out...well, ok, one hint...it wont be until very late in the game, just come back and chat with the lady and she'll ask for help.

The balloon can only land in areas with a gold spot.  To enter/exit a balloon, press SPACE.  Use the movement keys to fly across the map.  Monsters will not attack you, obviously they cant reach you right?  While in the balloon, you can travel between continents on the silver stars by landing on them.

b.  Save The Orphans  (top)

When you get to the orphanage, they will ask you for donations.  You can only donate four times, and each time, something new will be built in town such as an item shop, weapon shop, or even the hero shop.  You must build in order.  Some of the best weapons will be found here.  So what exactly is the hero shop?  Well its offers four really good amulets.

c.  The Arena  (top)

The arena is a place in Brooke where you can test your skill and just fight enemies for fun.  Its a good way to gain experience and rubies as well items and a unique prize.  There are about 20 fights total, and you must beat them all in order to win the prize.  They will get harder as you go on.  You can save in between fights, and use items.  If you cancel the arena, it will be reset to enemy 1, but you get to keep all prizes, experience, and rubies.  If you manage to defeat all the monsters, you will be able to win either the Rogue or Wizard Amulet.  It will be hard though!

9 - Advanced Options

a.  Advanced Options  (top)

Advanced options are used to increase the speed of the game for slow computers, modify settings to your preference.  You can change these from the options menu.

Enable Midi:  Use this option to turn on/off all background music.

Enable Sound:  Use this option to turn on/off all sound effects.

Middle Talk Box:  If you prefer that the talk boxes show up on the middle of the screen, use this option.

Auto Attack:  Use this option to enable/disable auto attack in battles.  You can also press ESC during a battle to change this, which is the preferred method.

Enable Weather:  Since it requires a decent computer to draw the layer of clouds on the map, you can turn this off to increase the map draw speed.  Also, if you think the clouds are annoying, you can turn them off.

Display Status:  This option will show your heroes' hp and mp on the bottom of the map screen.  Useful to keep track of your health in between battles.

By default, the game will also change your resolution to 800x600.  If you do not want to do this and would rather run the game in a window, select "Play Game without changing resolution to 800x600" from the start/programs menu in the debug menu.

b.  Save Game & Map Editor  (top)

These editors were created by the author to make the game and test it, but its basically left in for fun.

To edit your saved games from story mode, select the save game editor from the title screen.  You can customize just about everything you want for your hero.

The map editor allows you to edit the default maps included with DM2.  Please note that modification can bring undesired effects and even screw up the game!  There are no instructions on how to use the map so I guess you have to figure it out!

c.  Customizing The Music  (top)

To customize the background music, you can copy your own midi files into <installpath>/music.  The following is a list of what files refer to what music.  You can also customize sounds and graphics by going to their appropriate folders.

0 = Brooke
1 = Doma
2 = Title
3 = Battle Cave (First Continent)
4 = Intro / Long Cutscene
5 = Most Cutscenes
6 = Cave
7 = Desert
8 = Battle Outside (First Continent)
9 = Plains
10 = Sad Cutscene
11 = Mini Boss
12 = Unexpected
13 = Sadness
14 = Galen
15 = Balloon
16 = Battle Cave (Second Continent)
17 = Arctic Plains
18 = Issa's Palace
19 = Hometown
20 = Cave 2
21 = Battle Outside (Second Continent)
22 = Arena
23 = Tower
24 = Forest
25 = Volcano, Final Cave
26 = Demon's Cave
27 = Final Boss
28 = Ending
29 = Ending
30 = Ending

d.  Manual Editing Of Config.ini  (top)

If you want to manually edit everything, you can do so through the file named config.ini.  Below is a sample of what it may look like with an explanation of each line.

[KEYS]
39  'Move Right
37  'Move Left
38  'Move Up
40  'Move Down
13  'Select 

32  'Ride Balloon

[FORECOLOR]
0 'Red Value
0 'Green Value
0 'Blue Value
[BACKCOLOR]
255 'Red Value
255 'Green Value
255 'Blue Value

[TILE]
9  '0-9, the background tile
[MIDI]
1  '0 = false, 1 = true 

[SOUND]
1  '0 = false, 1 = true 

[SHOW WEATHER]
0  '0 = false, 1 = true

[AUTO BATTLE]

0  '0 = false, 1 = true

[TALK POSITION]

0  '0 = top, 1 = middle, 2 = bottom

10 - Contact Information

a.  Terms Of Use  (top)

THE PROGRAM IS DISTRIBUTED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.

THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF THE PROGRAM IS WITH YOU.

YOU MAY NOT ADD THIS PROGRAM TO ANY COLLECTION OR WEBSITE WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF MYSELF.  LINKING DIRECTLY TO THE FILE IS FINE. 

THE SOFTWARE IS ENTIRELY FREE AND NO ALTERATIONS MAY BE MADE WHATSOEVER.

MIDIS/SOUNDS AND MOST GRAPHICS ARE PART OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

PLEASE RESPECT MY SOFTWARE/SOURCE CODE AND DO NOT USE IT IN ANY WAY THAT MAY BE UNLAWFUL.  I SPENT MANY HARD AND LONG HOURS WORKING ON IT.  THANK YOU!

SOME MATERIAL HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM RPG MAKER 2000 ©ASCII AND SOME MUSIC HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM BOMI LEE.

b.  Game Guide   (top)

If you need help, a game guide is available with a complete walkthrough and tips.  It is included.

c.  Frequently Asked Questions and Basic Hints   (top)

Q.  How do I get the hot air balloon?

A.  You must be at least 90% done with the game, go back to Galen and walk up to the balloon.  You will be stopped and told what to do.

Q.  How do I get the Demon Blade?

A.  You must first find the two sword pieces, then take them to a person in Brooke with the Dragon Blade.  The first area must be reached by the hot air balloon and is on the first continent near the river, the second contains a puzzle, the answer to the puzzle can be found on signs throughout the land.

d.  Contact Information   (top)

You may contact me at:

First:   issasal @ aol . com

Second:  issasal @ yahoo . com

Website:  http://www.americancanyon.com/issasoft

NOTE:  I only except email that originates within the US.  If you need to contact me, and live out of the US, you must use the contact form provided through my website.

e.  List Of Updates  (top)

~~~~ 1.03 ~~~~

Additions / Modifications

-Nothing, just made it FINAL, meaning the game is done so there wont be anymore updates.

~~~~ 1.02 ~~~~

Additions / Modifications

-Modified the key/code algorithm to work on computers with foreign language encoding (other than English)
-Version 1.01 codes are not compatible with 1.02 codes
-Also optimized the game code a bit, very minor stuff

~~~~ 1.01 ~~~~

Additions / Modifications

-Skeleton now gives 12 rubies instead of 10
-Medusa now gives 12 rubies instead of 10
-Chimera now gives 10 rubies instead of 8
-Side hero bow damage up to 2-8 from 2-7
-Side hero Chi has more wisdom
-Side hero Chi's holy spell recovers 20% hp instead of 10%
-Dragon plate now costs 1500 from 2000 rubies
-Giant Tree now gives 25 rubies instead of 10
-All amulets at the Hero Shop now cost 400 instead of 1000 rubies
-Mythical plate now costs 3000 instead of 3500 rubies
-The Hero Shop can now be built before the Weapon shop in the orphanage, and earlier in the game
-The highest level in the game is now 32 instead of 30
-Side hero Sonia has more wisdom
-Black dragon now gives 36 exp instead of 35
-Demon now gives 40 exp instead of 38
-Transform spell now does 10-25 damage instead of 10-30


Major Bugs

-Fixed bug that wouldnt let you build an Inn at the orphanage (takes effect in new game)
-Fixed bug where the fight background wouldnt show up on the field mountain cave tile
-Fixed bug where the fight background wouldnt show up on a switch tile
-Fixed bug where you cant leave town after getting Ruby amulet


Minor Bugs

-Volcano text on map now displays over the Volcano correctly
-Background music now changes to cave music at point 175 / 138 on first map
-Fixed passageway that was blocked at point 20 / 110 where a chest was in Volcano (takes effect in new game)
-Background music now changes when you get on the boat to Galen from Hometown