1. Introduction
2. Main Menu
3. Network Games
4. Game Options
5. Quest Selection
6. Screen Layout
7. Controlling your Knight
8. Dungeon Features
9. Items and Equipment
10. Monsters
Appendix A: Building/Installing from Source
Appendix B: Copyright Information
Appendix C: Contact Details
Knights is a two-player game involving two knights who must travel deep into dangerous dungeons and complete their allotted quests.
The game was originally created on the Amiga in 1994 by Kalle Marjola ("Reaper"). This version was created by Stephen Thompson.
When the game starts up you are presented with the following options:
To start a network game between two computers, select Host Network Game on the first machine, and Join Network Game on the second. If the game is on a LAN then the host computer's address will be found automatically, and the joining player simply has to double-click on it. For Internet games the joining player will have to enter the IP address (or hostname) of the host computer manually.
The game uses UDP port 16399 for network games; in addition, the auto-discovery of LAN games uses UDP port 16398. It is possible to change these port numbers by editing the config.txt file (which by default is installed in C:\Program Files\Knights\knights_data\ on Windows, or /usr/local/share/knights/ on Linux.)
On this screen you can configure the game controls and other settings. Note that all settings will be saved to disk and automatically re-loaded the next time you start Knights.
This screen appears before each new game begins. Each game of Knights revolves around a Quest – a set of objectives that players must accomplish in order to win. There are a number of pre-made quests available and these can be played simply by selecting one of them from the Quest drop-down and pressing Start. Alternatively, players can create their own customized quests by adjusting the various settings.
The following options define what you have to do to win the quest.
The following settings affect the type of Dungeon generated and the nature of the Dungeon environment.
The in-game screen is divided into a view of the dungeon at the top, and a status area at the bottom.
The main part of the screen shows the room your knight is currently in. You can only see one room at a time; if you leave the room, the view will "flip" to show the new room instead.
Any items or equipment carried will be shown as icons in the lower area of the screen. From left to right the icons represent: keys and lock picks; poison needle traps; spring blade traps; daggers; crossbow bolts. Gems are shown separately at the bottom right.
The level of liquid in the potion bottle shows how much health you have remaining. If it reaches zero, you die. In addition, the colour of the liquid indicates which magical effects (if any) are currently affecting your knight:
Shows how many times you have died. Fortunately, lives are unlimited.
Your knight will automatically map any room he enters, as long as there are no monsters (or other knights) present. This map is shown at the lower right of the screen, with your current location being shown as a flashing dot. There are also certain scrolls which will reveal the locations of your opponent, or of certain items; these will also appear as flashing dots if applicable.
The knights are controlled with the keyboard. The game uses four directional keys (up, down, left and right) as well as a fifth "Action" key. The default controls are as follows:
| Player 1 | Player 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Up | W | UP ARROW |
| Down | S | DOWN ARROW |
| Left | A | LEFT ARROW |
| Right | D | RIGHT ARROW |
| Action | Q | RIGHT CTRL |
| Suicide | F1 | F12 |
These can be re-defined in the Options screen. Note that in network games either set of keys can be used.
The control keys can be used to perform the following actions:
To move, simply push one of the direction keys. Your knight will move in that direction. Note that your knight will keep moving until he reaches the next dungeon square.
To pick up an item on the ground, stand on top of it and tap the Action key once. If the item is large, your knight will automatically sheathe his sword and carry the item in his hands. Note that only one large item can be carried in this way. If the item is small, then the knight will carry it about his person; there is no limit to the number of small objects that can be carried in this way.
To pick up an item on a table or in a chest, you must first push and hold one of the direction keys to make your knight approach the table or chest, and then tap the Action key.
To drop an item that you are carrying in your hands, tap the Action key. Your knight will drop the item and re-draw his sword. The sword cannot be dropped. Smaller items also cannot be dropped, except for gems which may be dropped by using the Action Menu (see below).
You can attempt to open doors and chests by moving up to them (by holding the appropriate direction key) and then tapping the Action key. If the door is unlocked then it will be opened. Beware that doors and chests can be trapped, so exercise caution. Some may also be locked, in which case you will need the appropriate key to open them.
You can close a chest or door by facing it and tapping the Action key.
To attack, hold the Action key, and then immediately press one of the direction keys. Depending on the weapon you are holding, your knight will:
Items other than the above cannot be used for hand-to-hand combat. If you try to attack, your knight will drop the item and draw his sword instead.
If you are carrying a sword, axe or staff then your knight will automatically try to parry any attacks coming from the front, assuming that you are not pressing any keys. The staff is the best parrying weapon, followed by the sword, and the axe is the worst. Hammers and crossbows are too clumsy, and wands too fragile, to be used for parrying.
If you hold down the Action key for a short time then the Action Menu will appear at the bottom right of your screen (where the map normally appears).
The Action Menu
By pushing one of the four direction keys (while still holding the Action key) you can select one of the four options. The exact options displayed depend on the situation, but will always be one or more of the following:
Open/close: Open or close a door or
chest.
Lock
Picks: Attempt to open a locked door using the lock picks.
Pick up:
Pick up an item.
Drop item in
hand: Drop currently held item.
Drop
gem: Drop a gem. This may be useful if you want to hide some
of your gems in secret places, so that your opponent cannot get
all of your gems simply by killing you once.
Attack: Swing
your weapon. Note that attacking can be done more easily without
using the Action Menu (see "Attacking" above).
Throw
Dagger: Throws a dagger in the direction you are facing.
Poison Needle Trap: Sets a poison needle trap. This
is only available while you are approaching a door or chest.
Spring Blade Trap: Sets a spring blade trap. This is
only available while you are approaching a door or chest.
Bear
Trap: Sets a bear trap. The trap will be placed into the square
in front of you.
Knights may commit suicide by pressing the suicide key (which by default is F1 for player 1 or F12 for player 2). This can be useful if you get stuck somehow.
Pressing TAB will bring up a display of the current quest. In the split screen mode this will also pause the game (unfortunately, the pause feature is not available in network games currently).
Pressing ESCAPE will abort the current game and return to the quest selection menu.
Dungeons are generated randomly and can contain any of the following features. Some are helpful, and some are harmful.
Entry
Point: This is where your knight enters the dungeon. If you are
injured, returning to your entry point will heal you – slowly.
If your enemy uses a Wand of Securing against your entry point, you
will be given a new entry point, which will be used for healing and
re-entry from then on.
Exit
Point: Most quests require you to escape from the dungeon via an
exit point. Usually this will be the same as your entry point, but
it could also be your enemy's, or some other, entry point. If you
attempt to leave the dungeon without all necessary items, you will
be informed of what you are missing.
Pits: There are
Bottomless Pits. Do not enter.
Switches:
Switches can have different effects. Some open doors or close pits.
Some drop a portcullis behind you. Some trigger hidden crossbows
inside skulls and walls.
Pentagrams:
Pentagrams contain powerful, if rather dangerous magic. They can
grant invisibility or invulnerability, or teleport you next to your
enemy, or even turn you into a zombie. There are also some
pentagrams which are merely painted onto the ground, and do not do
anything.
In addition, in "Destroy Book with Wand" quests there will be one "special" pentagram. The special pentagram is always located at the top of a number of stairs and is easily distinguished from a normal pentagram. To win the quest, you must place the book onto the special pentagram and strike it with the wand to destroy it.
Crystal
balls: By looking into a crystal ball (simply walk towards it)
you will be able to see the location of your enemy, as a flashing
dot on your map.
Doors: All
doors begin the game closed. Some are also locked and will need a
key, or lock picks, to open. Alternatively, you can just break them
down with a suitable weapon!
Iron Doors:
Unfortunately some doors are made of iron and cannot be knocked
down. Most iron doors are locked and will require a key or lock
picks to open. There are also some iron doors that can only be
opened by pressing a switch elsewhere in the dungeon.
Treasure Chests:
Similar to doors, these might be locked and require a key (or a well
placed hammer blow) to open. If "Pretrapped Chests" is selected then
they might also be trapped, so beware.
Furniture: There
are various items of furniture, which don't do much, except maybe
get in your way. The wooden barrels occasionally reveal hidden items
when destroyed.
The dungeon is filled with useful items, treasures, and death-bringing instruments.
Sword: You will always have a sword. If you pick up something big, you will automatically put away your sword until you drop the new item. The sword is the best weapon for close combat, but cannot be thrown and is not much use for breaking things.
Axe: An average weapon.
The axe does more damage than the sword, but is slightly slower. It
can also be thrown, or used to smash wooden objects.
Hammer: The
hammer does the greatest damage, but is rather slow and unwieldy for
use in hand to hand combat. It is however the weapon of choice for
smashing up furniture and other obstacles; it will destroy any
wooden object in a single hit.
Staff: A staff
cannot be used in combat, but is instead used for disarming traps.
If you open a door or chest while holding a staff, then no trap will
harm you.
Crossbow: A
crossbow is a powerful weapon – if it is loaded. To load a
crossbow you must hold both the crossbow and at least one bolt, and
remain standing still. If loading is aborted (for example by moving)
then you must start from the beginning again.
Bolts: Used as
ammunition for the crossbow. Bolts are useless without a crossbow,
and vice versa.
Throwing
Daggers: These can be thrown from the Action Menu. They do
little damage, but they can sometimes be useful, especially if
carried in large numbers.
If there are any wands in the dungeon, they are all of the same kind. Wands are used like weapons, and to release their power you need to physically hit your target. The types are:
Wand of Destruction: Destroys any creature or wooden, breakable object.
Wand of Undeath: Infused with black magic, this wand will destroy any zombie it strikes, and will also turn an enemy knight into one! Zombies are afraid of this wand and will retreat from any knight who carries it.
Wand of Open Ways: Opens its target, be it a locked door or a creature :)
Wand of Securing: Used to "secure" entry points so that the other knight cannot use them. If your enemy secures your entry point, then you will be assigned a new entry point at random. If your enemy has secured all the entry points, and you die, then you will lose the game. Note that securing an entry point does not prevent you from using that entry point yourself, it only prevents your opponent from using it (unless both players have secured it, in which case it is effectively removed from the game).
Some quests require you to retrieve a certain book from the dungeon. Some books also have magical properties. The following types exist:
Lost Book of Ashur: A general book with no special properties. It will be hidden somewhere in the dungeon.
Necronomicon: This Book of Dark Magic is always located in a necromancer's chamber behind locked iron doors. When taken for the first time, its powers are unleashed and any nearby corpses are raised as zombies. In addition, while this book is carried, zombie activity is automatically at its maximum.
Tome of Gnomes: The mischievous Gnomes always hide their books behind devious traps and puzzles.
Ancient Book of Knowledge: This book grants its holder a full map of the dungeon. Alas, your location will be visible to your opponent while you are carrying it.
Potions: Magical
potions can be drunk by picking them up. They have a variety of
effects, mostly helpful but some harmful. Here is a list:
| Name | Effect |
|---|---|
| Healing | Heals your Knight |
| Poison Immunity | Protects you from poison |
| Poison | Kills you, unless you have poison immunity |
| Paralyzation | Prevents you from moving for a while |
| *Strength | Increases your strength |
| *Quickness | Increases your speed |
| *Regeneration | Makes you regenerate (auto-healing) |
| *Invisibility | Makes you invisible |
| *Super | Combination of strength, quickness and regeneration |
* Only one of these may be in effect at a time.
All effects (except healing) are temporary.
Scrolls: Scrolls
are read by picking them up. Some may have effects similar to
potions, but others can have additional effects, as follows:
| Name | Effect |
|---|---|
| Map | Reveals a complete map of the dungeon |
| Teleport | Teleport you to your enemy, or him to you |
| Sensing | Shows you the location of your enemy – or vice versa! |
| Sense Treasure | Shows the locations of any gems, wands and books in rooms you have already mapped |
| Invulnerability | Makes you invulnerable to all attacks (but you can still be killed by walking into a pit, or being turned into a zombie) |
| Amnesia | You lose your map of the dungeon |
| Necromancy | You are turned into a zombie! |
After reading a scroll, its powers are consumed and it disappears.
Gems: Gems have no
special effects or powers, but you may need to collect a certain
number in order to complete your quest.
Keys: Used to open
locked doors and chests. There are up to three keys in the dungeon
– each door and chest will only be opened by one of the
keys.
Lock Picks: An
alternative way of opening doors and chests. Used via the Action
Menu. The lock picks will open any lock, but take time to use.
Poison Needles: These can be used to trap doors and
chests. Any knight who sets off the trap will be killed, unless he
is immune to poison, invulnerable, or carrying a staff.
Spring
Blades: These can also be used to trap doors and chests. A
spring blade will fire (towards the direction from which the trap
was originally placed) if someone opens or strikes the trapped
object.
Bear
Traps: Bear traps lying on the floor are either armed or
unarmed. An unarmed bear trap (left) can be picked up or
walked over without fear. If a knight walks into an armed bear
trap (right), he will be injured and stuck for a while. Armed
traps may also be "tripped" by striking them with a weapon.
Unfortunately the two knights are not the only beings in the dungeon. The dungeon's native inhabitants will not be pleased at your intrusion, and will try to kill you on sight...
Vampire
Bats: There are blood-sucking vampire bats with razor-sharp
fangs which can even pierce plate armour. They are easily killed,
but can just as easily kill a panicked knight. Be warned, their
sonar cannot be fooled by invisibility.
Zombies: Evil
magic will cause corpses to slowly turn into zombies. Zombies are
tough, if somewhat stupid opponents. They can smash their way
through any wooden objects that get in their way.
This Appendix gives information on how to build and install Knights from the source code.
For Linux a Makefile is provided. Most users should just be able to type "make" followed by "make install" to build and install respectively.
Before compiling you need to make sure you have the necessary dependencies installed. The game requires Boost, SDL, Freetype and Fontconfig. On Debian systems the following packages will satisfy the requirements:
To install the game only, without the documentation, use "make install_knights". To install the documentation only, use "make install_docs".
By default the game installs the "knights" executable to /usr/local/bin/, data files to /usr/local/share/knights/, and documentation files to /usr/local/share/doc/knights/. The default install directory can be changed by setting the PREFIX variable, for example to install to /usr instead of /usr/local, run "make PREFIX=/usr" and "make install PREFIX=/usr". (Note that the PREFIX should agree between the make and make install commands, otherwise the game will not work!)
For finer control of installation directories, use the following variables:
It is possible to build a version without sound support by editing the Makefile and adding "-DDISABLE_SOUND" to the CFLAGS. This might be useful if you are having trouble getting sound to work on your system.
The Makefile also supports "make uninstall" (but make sure you pass the correct PREFIX or DIR variables, e.g. "make uninstall PREFIX=/usr", if you changed these from their default values).
Most Windows users will use the pre-packaged installer, however if you want to try building the game from source code, then read on.
Before building the game, certain dependencies must be obtained. These are:
Extract the Knights source code to a directory of your choice. Then extract the above dependencies as follows:
You should now have a directory structure as follows:
knights_008_src\
boost\
accumulators\
algorithm\
...
freetype\
builds\
devel\
...
SDL\
docs\
include\
...
SDL.dll
...
Now you can build Knights as follows:
If you want to run Knights.exe at this point then you will need to copy the knights_data folder to the same location as Knights.exe. This is because the game looks in its own directory for the data files at startup.
If you want to build the installer you must install Inno Setup. Then go to the knights_008_src directory and issue the following command:
"c:\program files\inno setup 5\iscc" /O"." /F"knights_008_installer" installer.iss
This will build the "knights_008_installer.exe" in the current directory.
There are also build files for Scons, a build tool that I have been using during Knights development. These are not part of the "official" build process, however if you want to try them, then (after installing scons) try typing "scons" for a debug build, or "scons mode=release" for a release build. Also have a look at the BuildConfig and ProjectConfig files for build settings.
The Knights program code is copyright (C) Stephen Thompson,
2008.
Graphics, sounds & room layouts are copyright (C) Kalle
Marjola, 1994.
Permission to copy, modify, redistribute, execute, and otherwise use this software is granted, subject to the following conditions:
For information on other programs and libraries used during Knights development, please see the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.txt file in the Knights distribution.
The Knights web address is: http://www.solarflare.org.uk/knights/
The author can be contacted by email at: stephen (at) solarflare.org.uk