J.R.R. Tolkien's \ ---- NTRODUCTION TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome to the second part of The one hundredth anniversary of Interplay's adaptation of "The Lord J.R.R. Tolkien was in 1992, and as Introduction. .. .. .......3 of the Rings" for personal comput­ with all birthdays, it's a cause to celebrate. I am not certain that Character Types. 5 ers with the capabilities of CO­ ROM drives, "The Lord of the T olkien would have approved of Skills .... ... .. .... ............. .. .. 7 Rings Enhanced CD-ROM" . This computer games; T olkien was not a Spells ..... .. ..... .. ........ ...... 10 game is an enhanced version of the hichnophile, and came to see Interface . .13 first game in this series, "Lord of machines as engines of destruction, Combat ...... ..................... 15 the Rings, Volume One", which which is reflected in his writings. Hopefully, this adaptation of "Lord Items ................ ... ........ ... 16 was published by Interplay in December 1990. of the Rings" will transform the Magical Items . 18 machine into an object of delight (if Other Items . 19 We've added technical improve­ not enlightenment); something Wizardly Advice . 21 ments to enhance this game: more fit for Rivendell than Mordor. Background . 22 automapping; an interface where it After "The Lord of the Rings, Volume One", the highest comple­ A History of Middle-Earth ... ....... .. .. 31 is less cumbersome to move between menus to use skills or ment we received was not critical Bestiary of Middle-Earth Creatures ... ...... 37 items; improved handling of items; praise; it was the people who told Peoples of Middle-Earth ... ..... ........ 40 even better graphics, and more us that we inspired them to read Biography. 49 music. We have also added many Tolkien. I hope that this sort of enhancements which you will have inspiration becomes a tradition with to see to believe, and I won't spoil this series. it for you All of these things will, we hope, add to your enjoyment of the game. "Lord of the Rings Enhanced CO­ ROM" is meant to expand on the original "Lord of the Rings" game, but it is also supposed to be playable by those who have not played the original game, or those who have not read J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga. 2 Lord of the Rings. Vol. I Interplay Productions 3 are trying to be true to the spirit IF YOU ARE of T olkien in this game, so this FAMIUAR WITH game reflects T olkienesque HARACTER TYPES attitudes. Pipeweed smoking is a TOLKIEN'S BOOKS ... pleasant recreation, and not the deadly addiction that we know it You are going to be our tough­ to be in today's world. Wolves, as est critic. While this is one of the in European folk tales, are In "Lord of the Rings, Volume Temporary player characters largest computer games ever destructive man-killers, not the I", there are two types of char­ will join the Fellowship, but are created, we couldn't fit in every intelligent, social creatures that we acters. A Player Character (PC not interested in the Quest and place in Middle-Earth into this know them to be in the real for short), is a character who will instead pursue their own game. At the same time, we didn't world. If these things offend you, belongs to the Fellowship, the goals. Their paths may cross group of characters participat­ with that of the Fellowship, and want to clone Tolkien's World consider their inclusion to be an directly into the game and have ing in the Quest of the Ring. A they will gladly help them and artifact of an earlier time when we Non-Player Character (NPC for accept help from them, but will everyone who knows the book be were ignorant about these things. able to easily solve the game. short},' is a character who does eventually leave the Fellowship when their job is over or when You'll find plenty of new encoun­ not belong to the Fellowship, For convenience sake we use the but with whom it is possible to the Fellowship goes too far ters, new characters, and even a pronoun "he" to represent "he or interact (either through trade, from their goal. Example: Fred plot twist or two, that aren't she", and the pronoun" him" to speech, or combat, occasion­ Sandyfoot, a hobbit from Bree, included in Tolkien's epic fantasy. represent "him or her". ally all three). is looking for the thief who The reason that we did this was stole his magic lamp. He will "Lord of the Rings", there not to "improve" Tolkien's work In join the Fellowship if the Fel­ is also another distinction: the lowship agrees to help him. (this would be extremely arrogant player characters who belong and stupid of us to say), but to When he finds his lamp, he will to the Fellowship may be de­ leave the Fellowship. If the Fel­ challenge the computer gamer fined as permanent or tempo­ lowship tries to leave Bree, who is familiar with Tolkien's rary player characters. Fred will tell them that he is work. Expect to be surprised. Permanent player characters not interested in travelling are the Fellowship from the away from his home and will re­ Lord of the Rings trilogy: move himself from the Fellow­ DESIGNER'S Frodo, Sam, Pippin, Merry, ship. Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, DISClAIMER Temporary characters will not Gimli, and Boromir. They will be allowed to be brought over join the Fellowship and remain J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the Lord of to future games in this series. in the group for the duration of the Rings trilogy between 1938 Examples of temporary charac­ the game. They may be dis­ ters include Taffy Proudfoot, and 1949. The world was a missed, and they may be killed, Bilbo , and Celebrith. different place then, and the but they will not abandon the attitude of society toward certain Quest. These characters may elements of the world were be brought into further games CHARACTERISTICS different than they are today, most in this series, such as The Two notably tobacco and wolves. We Towers, and the Return of the Every character in Lord of the King . Rings, Volume One has a set of 4 Lord of the Rings, Vol. I Interplay Productions 5 six attributes. These attributes with certain items that give in- but will playa role in "The Two are known as characteristics, STRENGTH (STR) creased strength, luck, etc. In- Towers" and "Return of the and represent a character's per- Strength represents the capa- creases in characteristics occur King", the next two games in sonal abilities. They are defined bility of a character to lift heavy automatically. this series. as follows: . objects. Strength also adds to the damage a character does CHARISMA: This skill is simi- DEXTEmlY (DEX) with a weapon in combat; a lar to Bravado, but affects an in- This represents the charac- character with high strength SKILLS in "LORD . dividual, rather than a group. A ter's ability to move swiftly. does a lot of damage with a OF THE RINGS" character who is unwilling to This is especially important in weapon. Strength helps slightly do something may have their combat, where it determines in striking an opponent by A character is not just shaped minds changed by charisma. A how often a character may knocking his parry or his shield by his personal attributes; often kind and gentle word can often strike, how accurate his blows aside. what he can do with them is heal a hardened heart. are, and how agile he is at what counts. CUMB: There are many LUCK (LUCK) avoiding the blows of his oppo- steep hills and mountains in nents. Luck represents well .. it is SKILLS in "Lord of the Rings" can be divided into Middle-earth. Those who use sometimes said that it's better the climb skill may climb all but ENDURANCE (END) to be lucky than good. Luck three categories: Active Skills, Endurance represents how Combat Skills, and Lores. Ac- the steepest of these slopes, represents an unseen attribute, and be able to guide those who much punishment a character one's ability to get good breaks tive Skills will only come into may take. A character with a play if the player triggers the travel with them over such ter- in life. A character with a high rain. Climb is also useful in high endurance (such as a Wiz- luck value is harder to hit in a skills icon and uses them. Com- ard) can endure a lot of injury; bat skills give bonuses in battle. crawling down into holes, and combat situation than a charac- climbing up them again. · characters with low endurance ter with a low luck score. Hob- Lores give the players extra in- scores (such as Hobbits) will fall bits are lucky characters. formation about a place. Both DETECT TRAPS: The Dark after taking very little punish- Combat Skills and Lores will Lord has built many fiendish de- ment. WILlPOWER (WILL) only come into play if the char- vices over the milennia, and Willpower represents mental acter has them, and will never those who are especially UFE POINTS (UFE) toughness and determination. need to be triggered by the greedy love to protect their Life points represent the cur- It also represents the ability not skills icon. wealth from thieves with deadly rent injury level of a character. to be affected by objects of evil traps. When the Fellowship ap- A character's maximum life power, such as the Ring. Hob- ACTIVE SKILLS proaches an item that might be points is equal to his endur- bits have a very high willpower trapped (such as a chest), using ance.