Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game

Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

You Get

a touch-sensitive, electronic playing board,
an imaginary treasure to find and steal,
a dragon guarding the treasure, to outwit and avoid,
a labyrinth with invisible walls that shift each game you play,
doors that close in open corridors (advanced skill level only),
a secret room of your own where the dragon can't find you,
electronic sound clues that help you find doors and walls, warn you when the dragon is awake and on the move,
continuous calculation of your and your opponent's strength,
playing pieces to help you keep track of walls, your movements, your opponent, the dragon and the treasure,
markers for both secret rooms and the treasure room,
two ways to play: alone against the computer, or against a rival warrior and the computer,
two skill levels: beginning and advanced.

Components shown: electronic playing board with 64 touch-sensitive playing squares (1 square = 1 move); markers for secret rooms and treasure room; plastic wall pieces (50); dragon figure (1); treasure piece (1); warrior figures (2); storage "dungeon" for game pieces and instructions.

First, the Battery

Your game uses ONE 9-volt alkaline battery (not included). The battery compartment is located on the underside of the game. To reach it, turn the game over.

Press down on the ARROW on the battery compartment door. Slide the door out, toward the center of the game board.

Attach the battery to the connector as shown. Insert in compartment and replace door.

To replace battery, fit one edge of the compartment door between battery posts. Pry up gently. Important: Do not pull the plastic wire connector to detach it.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: If your game appears to be malfunctioning, this is the first sign of battery wear. A fresh battery should solve the problem. Use alkaline batteries for longer life.

Then, the Dungeon!

Before you play, get familiar with the game board and controls.

The board has: Next Turn/Level 1/2 key, "Switch" key, Sound Preview keys, AC jack, raised tabs for markers and the OFF/ON switch (rear of the game).

"SWITCH" KEY is used with the Next Turn/Level 1/2 key to select beginning or advanced game level. It is used with the Sound Preview keys to hear the second six game sound effects.

NEXT TURN/LEVEL 1/2 KEY is used alone to indicate the end of a player's turn. It is used with the Switch key to select game level.

SOUND PREVIEW KEYS are used alone to preview the first six game sound effects. They are used with the Switch key to hear the second six game sound effects.

Know the Sounds: They Are Your Only Clues!

The SOUND PREVIEW keys allow you to get familiar with the game sound effects before and during game play. Press them any time to identify the sound clues you will need to know in order to play the game well.

When you press a SOUND PREVIEW key with the SWITCH key, press SWITCH first and hold it down while you press the SOUND PREVIEW key.

Sounds when you press the keys ALONE

Sound	Description
Dragon Flying	Series of siren-like, rising and falling notes.
Dragon Attacks	Six notes in repeating high-low pattern.
Wall	Series of very fast notes at high pitch.
Illegal Move	One buzz.
Warrior 1	Two rising notes.
Warrior 2	Three notes in high-low-high pattern.

Sounds when you press SOUND PREVIEW AND SWITCH keys

Sound	Description
Defeat Tune	Slow, falling tune; means player out of game.
Dragon Wakes	Low buzzing.
Door	Series of very fast notes at low pitch.
Warrior Moves	One high beep for each square pressed.
Winner	A short, upbeat tune.
Treasure	A shorter version of the Winner's Tune.

Game Levels: Beginning or Advanced

You can play the game at a simpler, beginning level or at a more difficult, advanced level.

The advanced game differs from the beginning game in overall difficulty and in the addition of DOORS. (See Doors below.)

If you do not select a game level, the game will automatically be played at beginning level.

To select a game level, press the SWITCH and the LEVEL 1/2 keys TOGETHER. You will hear a HIGH PITCHED NOTE. The game is now set for advanced level. Press the two keys again and you will hear a LOW PITCHED NOTE, for beginning level. You can cycle through levels as often as you like.

You can even SWITCH LEVELS DURING THE GAME, whenever you like, as often as you like. If one player wants to play with a handicap, he can play at beginning level while the other player plays at advanced level. This means you must switch levels at the beginning of each player's turn.

How to Begin the Game

TURN THE OFF/ON SWITCH (rear of the game) to ON. You will hear the WARRIOR 1 TUNE.
SELECT A GAME LEVEL. If you want to play at beginning level, skip this step.
SELECT YOUR SECRET ROOM. When two are playing, flip a coin to see who goes first. Person going first is Warrior 1.

Press any square on the board that you want as your Secret Room. Mark it with one of the Secret Room markers. Then press the NEXT TURN key. You will hear the WARRIOR 2 TUNE. Player 2 should then select a Secret Room and mark it with the other Secret Room marker. (If only one person is playing, press the square for your Secret Room, then press NEXT TURN key TWICE.)

You can change your Secret Room any time BEFORE you press the NEXT TURN key. Just press the new square you want. Once you press the NEXT TURN key, your Secret Room is locked in for the game.

Each player should place his warrior figure and marker on his Secret Room square. After each player has chosen a Secret Room, the computer will select a hidden Treasure Room. This room will be at least 3 squares away from any Secret Room. The computer will then generate a random labyrinth. This labyrinth will be different every time you play the game.

Now Begin Your Quest!

At the beginning of the game, each player can move his warrior a maximum of 8 SQUARES PER TURN. Warrior 1 goes first, starting to move from his or her Secret Room.

When you move your warrior over a square, you must press down on that square, either with your warrior figure or your finger, until you hear a BEEP. You cannot skip over squares or press only the final square of your move or you will hear an ILLEGAL MOVE buzz.

You can move your warrior UP, DOWN, LEFT or RIGHT, but you cannot move diagonally. You can turn corners as often as you like, but you cannot move through walls.

When you hit a wall, you will hear the WALL SOUND. You must then back up one square and stop. Your turn is over. You will hear the other WARRIOR'S TUNE.

When you hit a wall, mark it with a plastic wall piece, so you will know where it is if you come that way again. (For an even more difficult game, play on advanced level and DO NOT MARK THE WALLS. This is a real memory test.)

You do not have to take all 8 possible moves in one turn. You can stop at any time by pressing the NEXT TURN key. Mark your final position with your warrior figure.

After you press the NEXT TURN key, use your maximum number of moves, or hit a wall, you will hear the other WARRIOR TUNE or the DRAGON FLYING SOUND if the dragon is awake. (If you are playing alone, you will hear the WARRIOR 1 TUNE again. If the dragon isn't awake yet, just keep moving.)

Continue moving, taking turns and marking walls wherever you find them. Try to find and mark as many walls as possible before the dragon wakes up. Both warriors can safely occupy the same square, as long as neither of them has the treasure. When two warriors temporarily land on the same square, second warrior on the square should wait until the first warrior moves again. Second warrior piece can then be placed on the square.

The Dragon Wakes!

At the beginning of the game, the dragon is asleep in the Treasure Room. But the dragon sleeps with one eye open. After each player has taken one turn, the dragon checks to see if anyone is approaching too close to the treasure.

If either player is 3 squares away or closer, in any direction, the dragon wakes completely. You hear the DRAGON WAKES sound (a low buzzing). As soon as the second player's turn is over, the dragon moves one square. You hear the DRAGON FLYING sound.

When the dragon is awake, it starts to chase the NEAREST warrior. It always moves 1 square at a time, after Player 2 takes his or her turn. (If only one person is playing, the dragon and player take turns moving, after the dragon wakes.)

THE DRAGON CAN MOVE DIAGONALLY AND "FLY" OVER WALLS.

If the dragon is chasing one warrior and the second warrior happens to move closer, the dragon will change course, to go after the second, closer warrior.

If either warrior gets the treasure, the dragon will immediately start after that warrior, even if the other warrior is closer.

Dragon Attack!

The dragon is invisible. When you hear it waking, you know only that it is 3 squares away or closer in SOME direction. You will not know the dragon's exact location until it attacks a warrior. Use the dragon piece to mark the general vicinity of the dragon, until you locate its exact position. Then mark that position.

If you land on the dragon or it lands on your warrior, it will attack and wound your warrior. You will hear your WARRIOR TUNE, followed by the DRAGON ATTACKS SOUND.

Either way, your warrior will be returned to your Secret Room, where he can no longer be seen by the dragon. After each dragon attack, your warrior's ability to move will drop by 2 moves per turn.

FIRST DRAGON ATTACK: maximum moves per turn drops from 8 to 6.
SECOND DRAGON ATTACK: maximum moves per turn drops from 6 to 4.
THIRD DRAGON ATTACK: your warrior is wounded too severely to continue. You're out of the game. You hear your WARRIOR TUNE, then a mournful DEFEAT TUNE.

After the dragon attacks a warrior, it looks around to see if there are any more warriors in the labyrinth. If the second warrior is out of his Secret Room, the dragon starts after him. If it cannot find a second warrior, it starts back to the Treasure Room, moving one square at a time, until it "sees" a warrior again.

ONCE THE DRAGON IS AWAKE, IT WILL ALWAYS GO AFTER ANY WARRIOR OUTSIDE HIS OR HER SECRET ROOM!

Treasure Found!

If you succeed in avoiding the dragon long enough to find the treasure (land on the Treasure Room square), you will hear a short TREASURE TUNE. Your warrior will then have to stop, even if you have not used your maximum number of moves. You cannot move again until the other warrior and the dragon (only the dragon if you are playing alone) have both moved.

The treasure is heavy and slows your warrior down to 4 moves per turn, as long as he is carrying it. If your warrior is already at a 4 move maximum (has been attacked by the dragon twice), his ability to move will not be further reduced.

Once you locate the Treasure Room, mark it with the Treasure Room marker. As long as you have the treasure, you keep possession of the treasure piece.

Get the Treasure Home!

Now that you have found the treasure, you must get it back to your Secret Room in order to win the game.

If you are playing alone, you must avoid the dragon. If you are playing with another person, you must avoid the dragon and keep the other warrior from stealing the treasure.

When you have the treasure, you are particularly vulnerable. If the dragon attacks you now, you are immediately out of the game. You hear your WARRIOR'S TUNE and the DEFEAT TUNE. The treasure goes back to the Treasure Room (where you have placed the treasure marker).

EXCEPTION: If you land on the Treasure Room square while the dragon is still there, you are not immediately out of the game. You will, however, be attacked and wounded. If this is your first or second attack, your warrior will be sent back to your Secret Room and his ability to move will be decreased in the usual manner. If this is your third attack, your warrior will be out of the game. The treasure will remain in the Treasure Room. The dragon will stay in the Treasure Room unless a warrior is in the labyrinth, outside his Secret Room.

When two people are playing and one is knocked out of the game by the dragon, the other does NOT automatically win. The second player must still find the treasure and get it back to his or her Secret Room without encountering the dragon.

Survival of the Strongest!

(Warrior strength factors in a 2-player game)

This section applies ONLY in a 2-player game. If you are playing alone, you will not need this information.

Both warriors in a 2-player game start out equally strong. Each time a warrior moves, he loses a little strength.

Periodically during the game, the computer will RENEW your warrior's strength, back to what it was at the start of the game. You can never be sure when this will happen, just as you can never be really sure what your warrior's strength is.

A WARRIOR'S STRENGTH HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HIS ABILITY TO MOVE HIS MAXIMUM NUMBER OF MOVES PER TURN.

A warrior's strength factor determines two things:

The winner in a warrior vs. warrior combat over the treasure (see below).
The loser if the dragon lands on a square occupied by BOTH warriors. The dragon attacks and wounds the WEAKER warrior, as determined by the computer. The wounded WARRIOR'S TUNE and the DRAGON ATTACKS SOUND are heard, and the wounded warrior is returned to his Secret Room. The dragon and second warrior continue to occupy the same square until the second warrior moves away. If the second warrior stays on that square after his next turn, he will also be attacked and wounded.

Warrior vs. Warrior Combat

(Stealing the Treasure, 2-player game only)

Once a warrior finds and takes the treasure from the Treasure Room, his opponent can try to steal the treasure from him.

Anytime both warriors occupy the same square (even in passing) and one of them has the treasure, they engage in combat to determine who gets the treasure. The winner is decided by the computer, based on each warrior's strength factor at the time of combat.

The winner is announced by that WARRIOR'S TUNE, followed by the TREASURE TUNE. The winner's ability to move is immediately reduced to 4 moves per turn.

After NEXT TURN has been pressed following combat, that combat is over, even if both warriors remain on the same square. If the defeated warrior wants to start the combat again, he or she must move OFF the square shared with the victor, then move back on it again.

There are a number of ways in which warrior vs. warrior combat can occur. Each has a different result.

Warrior with treasure lands on square occupied by other warrior

Warrior with treasure has NOT used his maximum of 4 moves. Whether he wins or loses, the warrior with treasure may continue moving, up to his maximum number of moves. If he wins, that maximum stays at 4 moves. If he loses, that maximum returns to whatever it was before he took the treasure (6 or 8 moves).
Warrior with treasure HAS USED his maximum of 4 moves. If he wins, he must stop. His turn is over. If he loses, he may continue moving, since his maximum returns to whatever it was before he took the treasure (6 or 8 moves).

Other warrior lands on square occupied by warrior with treasure

Other warrior has moved LESS THAN 4 squares. Whether he wins or loses, he may continue moving, up to his maximum number of moves. If he wins, that maximum drops to 4 moves. If he loses, that maximum remains whatever it was before combat (6 or 8).
Other warrior has moved AT LEAST 4 SQUARES but LESS than his maximum. If he wins, he must stop. The treasure reduces his maximum to 4 moves. If he loses, he may continue moving, up to his maximum (6 or 8 moves).
Other warrior HAS USED HIS MAXIMUM number of moves. Whether he wins or loses, he must stop. His turn is over.

Doors (Advanced Level Only)

In the advanced level of the game, there are magical secret doors, as well as walls. The computer decides when and where to close a door, and for how long.

Doors are tricky because you never know when they will close. You may go through an open corridor on your way to the Treasure Room, grab the treasure, go back through the same corridor on your way home and run smack into a closed door. This can be serious if the dragon is chasing you.

When you encounter a closed door, you will hear the DOOR SOUND. You must then back up one square and stop. Your turn is over. You will hear the other WARRIOR TUNE or the dragon taking its turn (DRAGON FLYING SOUND).

On your next turn, you can either turn back and go another way (though you may run into a door in any other corridor also) or you can try to go through the door.

To attempt going through a door again, simply move your warrior forward. If the door remains closed, you will hear the DOOR SOUND again and not be able to proceed farther. You must again back up one square and stop. If the door opens, you will NOT hear the DOOR SOUND and your progress will be unimpeded.

If a door does not open the first time you try to go through, try again. All doors will open eventually.

The Winner!

When any player succeeds in getting the treasure back to his or her Secret Room without being attacked by the dragon or robbed by the other warrior, that player wins. You will hear the WINNER TUNE.

To play again, turn the game switch OFF, then ON again. You will get a new labyrinth, with a different number and position of walls. Given the number of possible combinations of walls, it is unlikely that you will ever get two labyrinths that are exactly alike.

Game Strategies

When two people are playing, it is a good idea to cooperate at the beginning of the game, in finding and marking as many walls as possible. It is in both players' interests to quickly locate the labyrinth walls.
Find all the walls in the immediate vicinity of your Secret Room before you wake the dragon.
Remember that if the dragon jumps you both together, it will only attack the weaker warrior. But remember also that the computer restores each warrior's strength at certain intervals. You can never be sure how strong your opponent is.
If the dragon is awake and chasing your warrior, divert it to chase your opponent, by passing close to the other warrior, leaving him nearer to the dragon.
If your rival has the treasure and you are not close enough to intercept him, lay an ambush. Camp at the entrance to his Secret Room. Choose the entrance for which he appears to be heading.

A Reminder About...

The Labyrinth

Computer sets random number of walls in random positions, to create a different labyrinth each time the game is turned on.
Labyrinth walls are invisible, but when you find a wall, you can mark it with a plastic wall piece.
There are never more than 50 walls in any labyrinth.

Doors

In advanced level game only.
Computer places doors randomly, then closes them randomly throughout game.
Doors can only be discovered when closed. When you encounter a closed door, you must back up one square and stop. All doors eventually open, but not always on the first try.

Secret Rooms

Each player selects one secret room anywhere in the labyrinth, at the start of the game.
Each player begins game play from his or her secret room.
There is always one entrance into a secret room, often 2 or more.
The dragon cannot find you in YOUR secret room; you are safe. You are NOT safe in your opponent's secret room.
After a warrior is attacked by the dragon, he must return to his or her secret room.

Warriors (You & Opponent)

Warriors cannot move diagonally or through walls or closed doors.
Warriors start out equally strong, but lose and gain strength at unknown rates as they move through the labyrinth. Computer keeps track of each warrior's strength.
Warriors start out able to move 8 squares per turn maximum. This number drops by 2 squares each time a warrior is attacked by the dragon.
A warrior is out of the game if attacked by the dragon a third time or while carrying the treasure.

Dragon

Dragon starts game asleep in the Treasure Room, wakes when a warrior gets too close: 3 squares away or closer.
Dragon is invisible. Exact position can be located only when dragon attacks a warrior. When known, dragon's position can be marked with dragon figure. (Before exact position is located, general vicinity of dragon can be marked with dragon figure.)
Dragon always goes after closest warrior or the warrior with the treasure.
Dragon only moves one square per turn, but can fly diagonally and over walls.

Treasure

Stays in Treasure Room until a warrior finds and takes it. Treasure Room is always at least 3 squares away from any Secret Room and always has at least 2 open paths leading to it.
Treasure is heavy. First it stops, then slows down warrior carrying it.
Treasure Room, when found, can be marked with the Treasure Room marker.

How to Take Care of Your Game

Do not subject any electronic game to extremes in heat, cold or humidity. (Over 104 degrees F is too hot. Under 35 degrees F is too cold.) Rapid changes in temperature or humidity are particularly harmful.
Keep your game away from direct sunlight and protect it from dust as much as possible.
To clean your game, wipe it with a damp, not wet, cloth.
Do not drop electronic games. The electronic components are fragile.
If you will not be using your game for an extended period of time (while on vacation, for example), remove the battery.