===========================

4TH LINE

===========================

by Daniel Komen
aka SkyWorm
(on the 'Net)




= Contents

- Title
- Author
- Contents
- Files
- About the game
- Important rules
- Would-be FAQs


FILES
=====

4th Line EZ.pdb | The EASY version of the game for the PalmPilot/Palm III.
4th Line EZ.qce | The EASY version of the game for Windows CE.
4th Line EZ.txt | The manual, which you are reading right now.
4th Walk.txt | An unfinished walkthrough.
4thYOWAG.txt | Ye Olde Wonderfull Adventurer's Guide!
| Yes, that spelling was intentional!
| Contains info on items and spells.


ABOUT THE GAME
==============

Title: 4th Line (Easy Version)
Author: SkyWorm
Intended Difficulty: Easy
Current Version: Easy-1
The When & Where: Medieval England, mostly
Current KQ engine: Version 3.2
Type of game: RPG!!! And proud of it!!! KQ was meant to be an RPG engine,
not an adventure engine!!! Take note, ye Adventurers!!! (Ha!)


IMPORTANT RULES
===============

1. Follow the Rules.
2. Read all of the Rules before you play.
3. Follow Rule 1.
4. Follow Rule 3.
5. Keep 3 extra spaces for each Axe-Rod you carry. The Axe-Rod is very heavy.
6. If you get an Axe-Rod and you have less than 3 extra spaces, drop items.
7. In Rule 6, you may drop until you have 3 extra spaces for each Axe-Rod.
8. In Rule 6, you may drop your Axe-Rod.
9. Rule 6 also applies to Axes.
10. Follow Rule 4.
11. When the game tells you to do something [in brackets like this], do it.
12. [>>] means walk to the right a step.
13. One step on the Main Map is supposed to be a mile, by the way.
14. Yes, Rule 13 is a Rule.
15. So are Rules 14 and 15.
16. Read the following rules.

Difficulty settings
-------------------

You can play your game in more than one difficulty setting. One is probably
going to be the most-used: the "follow only the above rules and keep restarting
the game until one gets character stats he/she likes" setting. You can also,
however, play the game in "Easiest," "Challenging," or "Extra Hard" settings.
Here are the guidelines for each.

ALL: 1 Str, Agl, or Int point above 3, or 5 HPs above 50 = 1 Character Point.

EASIEST: If you have less than 20 Character Points, restart.
If not, you may restart if you want to restart.
Ignore Rules 1, 3-10, and 17.

CHALLENGING: Restart until you have 14-19 Character Points.
Then you may restart again if you like.

EXTRA HARD: Restart if you have over 14 Character Points.
Do not carry more than 1 Axe-Rod.
You may not carry more than 1 Healing Gel item.

You may, alternatively, decide beforehand your number of Character Points and
restart until you get within 1 or 2 Character Points of that. This is a good
way to predetermine the challenge of the game. "Challenging" level is meant
to provide a level that is reasonable: not too easy, but not ridiculously hard,
either. "Easiest" and "Extra Hard" are for those who want to just whiz through
the game and for those who really want it tough, respectively.
Also, you may decide to limit your inventory in any way you would like, as
exemplified in the "Extra Hard" setting. For instance, you might decide to
reserve 3 inventory spaces as the medicine spaces, thereby splitting your
inventory into a medical section and an arms section. Another optional rule you
might like is to consider Axe-Rods used when they miss and drop them. I
personally like that rule as a replacement for Rules 5-8, but you can do
whatever you like.

17. FOLLOW RULE 1.


WOULD-BE FAQS
=============

Q: Okay, let me guess. You're English and you're either Episcopalian or Catholic.
Am I right?

A: No, you're not.


Q: What?! What do you mean?

A: I mean that you're wrong.


Q: Hey, so why don't you tell me what you ARE? Is this some sinister plot to achieve
a running joke, continued in the manuals of your next games?

A: Yes, it is, actually. Is there anything wrong with that?


Q: No, I guess not. But you know, I just finished the game and I think the plot is
really lame. Do you have some excuse for that?

A: Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. Here's my excuse: I haven't even started high
school yet. Do you expect Dickens or Shakespeare?


Q: How can you be so self-derogatory? Really, I thought the plot was great!

A: Thanks. It's best to expect the worst, don't you think?


Q: What plot?

A: I'm not answering that question.


Q: Why are you trying to predict what people will say, anyway?

A: I thought it was funny. Maybe you don't have any sense of humor.


Q: Are you going to have any useful FAQs?

A: Read on and you'll find out!


Q: I found a secret area, but there doesn't seems to be much to do there. Why?

A: I was thinking of putting a full FAQ there but decided otherwise.


Q: Hey! Where is that secret area?

A: I'm not telling you, but I'll just say it's not really worth seeking.


Q: Why can't I tear off a piece of my clothing to make a Sling?

A: You need all the clothes you have for the weather in England.


Q: Why can't I make my own Axe-Rod?

A: Oh, please! Come on, appreciate a little challenge in a game!


Q: But I could just take a branch off one of those trees and...

A: Come on! Doesn't it strike you that if you could do that, the game would be a bit too easy?


Q: No, it doesn't. Speaking of which, why did you make the game so hard, anyway?

A: What?! You're not talking about this Easy Version, are you?


Q: Yeah. It's still too hard.

A: Um, no offense, but I think you must be an RPN.


Q: An RPN? What's an RPN?

A: RPN = Role-Playing Numbskull.


Q: Why, in almost all your FAQs, do you have the questions argue the previous answer?

A: Because it's funny! If you don't think so, then you can just quit reading this if you want to!


Q: What IS the 4th Line, anyway?

A: My gosh! You can't figure it out?!


Q: So, are you going to tell me?

A: No, I'm not.


Q: Why is this the second-to-last FAQ?

A: Because I didn't have time to write any more. Sorry.


Q: If I e-mail you with a question, will you add it to the FAQ in the next release?

A: There's a good chance, yes. I can't make any promises, though.

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