U7 ref card final2 9/8/95 5:38 pm Page 1

THE BLACK GATE

™

P L AY E R R E F E R E N C E C A R D

To load Ultima VII, go to the drive that

INTRODUCTORY
contains your game. (If it is in C-drive, type
WALKTHROUGH
“ C:Enter .”) Then go to the subdirectory con-
taining your game. (If you choose our default This section guides you through the first few
directory, type “CD\ULTIMA7 Enter.”) Finally, minutes of Ultima VII. It doesn’t reveal any deep
type “ULTIMA7” to begin the game. secrets, but it does introduce you to all of the basic
actions you may perform in the game. It assumes you
MAIN MENU are using a mouse, which is highly recommended by
both Iolo and Lord British.
After the game loads, an introductory The scene opens as you, the Avatar, step out
sequence automatically begins, but it may be of a red Moongate into the Britannian town of
skipped by pressing Esc . Then the main menu Trinsic. Before you stand your old friend Iolo and
appears, listing four options: the stable master, Petre.
• VIEW INTRODUCTION, Conversations. When Iolo addresses you,
• START NEW GAME, read each line of text and then click the left
• JOURNEY ONWARD, and mouse button (“left-click”). Continue until Iolo
• VIEW CREDITS. has finished speaking, at which point he
To select one of these options, single-click it with automatically joins your party.
the mouse or use the arrow keys and press Enter. Next, Mayor Finnigan approaches you. Again,
To exit the introduction, character creation or left-click after each line of text. Finnigan asks you
credits, press Esc. to investigate the Trinsic murder. Position your
mouse cursor (represented by a green arrow)
VIEW INTRODUCTION over the word “Yes” and left-click to answer him.
The introduction reveals how and why the Finnigan asks if you’ve visited the stables. Put
Avatar™ has returned to Britannia. Information the cursor on the word “No” and left-click. He
presented here is very relevant to your quest. suggests that you visit the stables and you can
This scene is the same one that you see the first begin moving around.
time you run the game. Moving. You (the Avatar) are always in the
center of the screen. The stables are through the
START NEW GAME doorway to your north (i.e., toward the top of the
This is where character creation takes place. It screen). Position the cursor so that it points
must be selected the first time you play the game. upward (northward) and right-click. You step to
When you are asked to name your character, the north. Continue moving the cursor and right-
type the desired name (up to 14 letters) at the clicking until you enter the building.
flashing cursor and press Enter . Next, you Examining Things. When you (the Avatar)
determine the gender of your character. With the enter the stables the roof disappears, allowing
mouse or space bar, select the gender of your you (the player) to see inside. A horrible murder
choice and press Enter. has occurred! You can look at each object in the
stables by left-clicking on it. Place the cursor over
JOURNEY ONWARD the gold key (lying just west of the body) and
After you first create a character, this option left-click. The word “key” appears (to identify it,
takes you to the beginning of the actual game. In if you couldn’t tell what it was).
future sessions, this option returns you to your Perhaps the key will provide a clue. Move the
last saved game. cursor to the left of the key and click the right
mouse button twice (“double-right-click”). You
VIEW CREDITS walk to that location. Notice that moving around is
This option lists all of the many people who accomplished by right-clicking, and all other actions,
worked on Ultima VII.

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like talking and examining objects, are accomplished

COMMANDS
by left-clicking.
Using Things. You don’t want to be disturbed Ultima VII is an entirely mouse-driven game.
during this investigation, so close the door by All action commands are controlled by the two
placing the cursor on it and double-left-clicking. mouse buttons. However, for those who do not
Taking Things. The key may be a clue. Place have a mouse, all commands may also be
the cursor so that the tip of it overlaps the key. performed from the keyboard.
Click and hold down the left mouse button (“left-
click-and-hold”). As you continue holding, move USING THE MOUSE
the cursor around. If the mouse was properly The key point to using the mouse is knowing
positioned, the key is attached to the cursor. that the left button is used to perform actions
Don’t let go yet! involving the hands, and the right button is used
To give yourself the key, move the cursor to perform actions involving the feet. The mouse
(and key) over your character and release the left will generally appear in one of two forms: a
button. The key will vanish. green, straight arrow for normal activity or a red,
Examining Yourself (and other things). Find jagged arrow for combat.
out if you have the key by double-left-clicking
on your character. An image of your character Left Button Right Button

appears (your Inventory Display), with blue lines Click Look Take One Pace
indicating the locations of equipment and Double-Click Use/Talk/Attack Find a Path
clothing. The key is in your right hand. Click-and-Drag Move Items Walk Continuously
Put the cursor on the large red check mark
and left-click-and-hold. This lets you move your
inventory window; move it to the upper right MOVING YOUR CHARACTER (RIGHT-CLICKING)
corner of the screen by dragging it in that To make yourself walk, simply point the
direction. Release the button when you are arrow in the direction you wish to travel and
satisfied with the new position. right-click-and-hold. The farther the arrow is
You can remove your Inventory Display by from you, the longer it gets, and the faster you
left-clicking on the red check. travel. To stop moving, release the right button.
Talking to People. Perhaps your companion When danger is near, your speed is limited in
Iolo knows more about the murder. To speak proportion to your dexterity.
with him, double-left-click on him. His portrait Double-right-clicking on a point on the screen
appears, along with speech. Responses you may makes you walk to that location, providing no
select appear in the center of the screen. Left- obstacles bar the way (e.g., a locked door).
click “Murder” to discuss the murder with him.
When you are finished talking to Iolo, left- MANIPULATING OBJECTS (LEFT-CLICKING)
click on “Bye” to end the conversation. The left mouse button is used to look, move,
Further Investigations. There are other things use or attack.
you might try while inspecting the stables. It’s a
good idea to examine everything. Be sure to Look
check out the dead gargoyle at the north of the To bring up a short description of an object,
stables, as well as the bag lying on the ground. left-click on it.
You can see the bag’s contents by double-left-
Move
clicking on the bag. Try removing items from the
Many objects may be moved from one
bag, such as the torch. Once the torch is on the
location to another. To move something that is
ground, you may double-left-click on it to light
portable, left-click-and-hold on the object. The
it. Double-left-click on it again to extinguish it.
cursor changes to a hand to indicate that you are
(Note that while the torch is lit you cannot move
holding an object. Move the cursor over the
it into any container.) In general, open the
desired destination and release the mouse.
inventory of everyone in your party and both
Releasing the item over a character places the
single- and double-left-click on every object. You
item inside that character’s inventory. If his
may discover all sorts of handy things.
Inventory Display is open, dropping the item on a
When you’ve finished here, you’ll want to
container within the display places the item
leave. You can walk continuously by right-click-
inside of that container (see Inventory Display).
and-holding. You always walk in the direction
If a container is not in anyone’s inventory, it
the cursor points. The farther the cursor is from
must be open (its display visible) to drop an item
the center of the screen, the faster you travel.
into it.
Luck be with you as you journey onward!

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If an object is too heavy or too large to fit To use a cart, double-left-click on a chair in the
inside a container, or if you can’t reach it, a mes- cart. Once all of the characters are seated, move
sage saying so appears in red above the object. the cart as if you were moving the Avatar. A boat
operates under the same principle, but you must
Use double-left-click on the sails instead of a chair.
To use an object, double-left-click on it. Each To stop using a cart or boat, double-left-click
type of item functions uniquely when used. For again on the chair or the sails, respectively.
example, using an unlit lamp will light it; using a
lit lamp will extinguish it. Attack
Some objects may be used on other objects While in combat mode, double-left-clicking
(e.g., a bucket on a well). Double-left-clicking on the cursor on another person who is not in your
such an item turns the cursor into green cross- party or on an object initiates an attack on that
hairs. Moving these to the target item and left- person or object. If you are in combat mode, and
clicking uses the first item on the second. in any attack mode other than Manual Mode (see
Double-left-clicking on many usable objects Combat), you automatically attack any nearby
brings up a display that provides more hostile foes.
information about that object. For example,
double-left-clicking on a chest brings up a USING THE KEYBOARD
display that reveals the contents of the chest. The Though using a mouse is highly recom-
contents may then be moved and manipulated mended, the keyboard may be used as a
like any other object within the world. The substitute if you have no mouse installed.
bodies of fallen foes are treated like chests for
Walking
these purposes.
The arrow keys may be pressed to walk one
In addition, the displays themselves may be
step in the desired direction. Holding the shift
moved in the same manner as moving an object
key down while pressing an arrow key will allow
— left-click, drag, release. Single-clicking on the
the Avatar to take three steps instead of one. If
red check at the left side of the display or
Num-lock is on during play, every step will be a
pressing Esc will close that display.
triple one.
“Using” a person has several meanings.
Double-clicking on a person while not in combat Manipulating Objects
will initiate a conversation with that person. (For Press Spacebar to make the hand cursor
more information on how conversations work, visible. Now the arrow keys will move the cursor
see Screen Display.) However, doing so while in instead of the Avatar. Holding down Shift will
combat mode indicates that you wish to attack increase the rate at which the cursor travels.
that person. If you are clicking on a member of Treat Ctrl as if it were the left mouse button.
your party while in combat mode or while your For example, a single “click” identifies an object,
Inventory Display is up, that member’s Inventory while a “double-click” uses it.
Display will appear. If you are in any attack mode, there is no red
“Using” the Avatar will bring up your cursor to remind you, but “double-clicking” still
character’s inventory (see Inventory Display). initiates an attack.
KEYBOARD “HOT KEYS” AND MOUSE EQUIVALENTS
Key Function Mouse Equivalent
C Turns combat mode on and off. Left-click on the Dove/Sword icon in the
Avatar’s Inventory Display.
I Opens up the Inventory Display of each party member, beginning with the Avatar. Double-left-click on each party member.
Z Opens up the Statistics Display for each party member, beginning with the Avatar. Left-click on the heart icon within the
Inventory Display of each party member.
S Opens up the Save/Load Window. Left-click on the disk icon in the Avatar’s
Inventory Display.
A Turns all audio effects on and off. Left-click on both Sound Effects and Music
in the Save/Load Window.
V Displays a scroll showing the version number of your copy of Ultima VII. (None)
Alt X Exits Ultima VII and returns to DOS. (None)
H Changes the “handedness” of the mouse by swapping the functions of the left and (None)
right mouse buttons. The left button is now used to move around, and the right button
to manipulate objects. This “H” toggle affects only the mouse, not keyboard commands.

Esc Closes Save/Load window, if it is open. If Save/Load is not open, closes all open Left-click on each large red check.
displays and windows.

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DISPLAYS
SCREEN DISPLAY Other character’s
conversation

Other character’s
portrait

Avatar’s portrait
Avatar’s
response options

In Ultima VII, the entire screen is devoted to displaying the map. Any messages or other relevant
information appear over the game map, at various places.
During conversations, a portrait of the character you are speaking to appears in the upper left corner
of the screen, with all of his text appearing to the right of the portrait. If any other characters interject,
their portraits appear in the lower left corner of the screen with their text just to the right of their
portrait. During conversations, your portrait appears in the center of the screen, with your word options
appearing to the right of your portrait. Selecting a word or phrase from your options initiates a response
from the character you’re talking to.
Text that identifies an object appears just above that object. Text that appears just above a character
icon means that that particular character has spoken.

INVENTORY DISPLAY
When you double-left-click on yourself, your
Container
Inventory Display appears. This is also true of
any character in your party, as long as you have
first brought up your own Inventory Display.
Dove (or
Dove/Flaming Sword. At the left of the
Flaming Sword)
Inventory Display is either a dove (non-combat
mode) or a flaming sword (combat mode) icon. Protected
Left-click on this icon to switch from one mode Halo
to the other. During play, the color of the cursor
arrow indicates whether you are in non-combat Disk
mode (green) or combat mode (red).
Heart
Containers. Double-left-clicking on any
container in your inventory reveals the contents Left-click to
close Current Attack Mode Numbers
of that container.
Disk. On the right side of the Inventory number of stones that the character can carry.
Display is a disk icon. Left-clicking on this brings When buying items from shopkeepers, you are
up a window that permits you to load or save a told if an item is too heavy for you to carry.
game, turn sound and music on and off, or exit In addition to weight, items also have volume.
the game. Sometimes you are told that you cannot carry an
Heart. Below the disk is a heart. Left-clicking item because your hands or your packs are full.
on this icon reveals the Status Display. By rearranging your equipment (e.g.,putting a
Numbers. At the bottom of the Inventory weapon in your pack or buying another back-
Display is a number next to another number pack), you may be able to carry the new item.
(e.g., “24/36”). The number on the left is the Current Attack Mode and Protected Halo
weight that the character is carrying expressed as are described in Combat.
stones. The number on the right is the maximum

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SPELL BOOK Buckle marks PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES

selected spell Strength, Dexterity and Intelligence are the
primary attributes, with values ranging from
range from 1 to 30. The higher an attribute is,
the better. The remaining attributes are secon-
dary statistics.
Strength determines several things, including
Left-click how much you can carry, how much (if any)
here to close additional damage you do with a hand-to-hand
weapon, and how many Hits you can take before
dying.
Dexterity affects such things as how fast you
Sixth Circle spells are and how well you pick locks. Faster
characters can move and attack more often than
Double-left-clicking on the spell book in your slower ones. Dexterity determines your Combat
Inventory Display brings up its display. To cast a skill.
spell, double-left-click on that spell’s icon. To Intelligence determines several things,
select a spell without casting it, left-click on its including your Magic skill and how well you cast
icon in the spell book. The buckle on the book- certain spells.
mark moves to that spell.
There are six spells (Fire Blast, Paralyze, SECONDARY ATTRIBUTES
Lightning, Explosion, Death Bolt and Sword Strike) Combat. Your base combat skill is derived
that may be cast in combat by double-left- directly from your dexterity. It determines how
clicking on a target as if attacking it. If the spell likely you are to hit in combat with normal
book is in your hand and the book was closed weapons.
while that spell was selected (the bookmark’s Magic. Your base magic skill is derived
buckle was on that spell), using the mouse to directly from your intelligence. It determines the
attack causes you to cast that specific spell (as maximum number of Mana points you can have.
long as you have the spell points and reagents Hits are derived directly from your strength.
necessary). Also, if you (the Avatar) are not in They are reduced by damage, poison and hunger.
Manual Mode and have your spell book ready (in When your Hits reach 0, you are unconscious.
hand), you cast spells automatically. Mana records the current number of Mana
points you have at that moment. The less active
STATUS DISPLAY you are, the greater the rate at which Mana points
return.
Level indicates your overall prowess. As you
gain experience (see below), your level increases.
As your level increases, you have the opportunity
to raise one or more of your primary attributes. In
addition, Hits usually increase as your level does.
Experience points (Exp) are a measure of
your accomplishments. Every time you solve a
Left-click
quest or slay a monster, each member of your
to close
party gains experience points. After earning the
required number of points, a character’s level
increases.
Training points are accrued with experience
Paralyzed
points. To increase strength, dexterity,
intelligence, combat or magic, you must find a
Unconscious Poisoned Charmed Hungry Protected Cursed trainer who teaches expertise in that specific
attribute. If you pay the trainer’s fee and “trade
in” training points (representing your study and
The Status Display lists a character’s current practice with the trainer), the attribute you are
attributes, both primary and secondary, and concentrating on increases.
whether that character is unconscious, poisoned,
charmed, hungry, protected, cursed or paralyzed.

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COMBAT
In the lower left corner of each character’s Inventory Display is an icon representing the attack mode
for that character when he is in combat. The following attack modes are available:

Icon Available to Avatar Available to Other Party Members Attack Mode Description

Yes No Manual You may direct each combat action.

Yes Yes Attack weakest The character will attack the weakest
opponent.

Yes Yes Attack strongest The character will attack the strongest
opponent.

Yes Yes Defend The character will be less effective at hitting

and more effective at dodging blows.

Yes Yes Attack nearest The character will attack the nearest
opponent.

No Yes Berserk The character will never flee, regardless of

wounds.

No Yes Flee The character will retreat from any

opponents in an orderly fashion.

No Yes Random The character will attack a random foe.

No Yes Protect The character will attempt to protect the

party member in Protected Mode.

If the Avatar’s attack mode is anything but Protected “Mode” and Protect Mode
Manual Mode, he selects targets on his own You may designate a party member to be
(according to the rules of his attack mode) and protected by clicking on the “halo” just above
fights those opponents without any further input that character’s attack mode icon. It turns gold,
from the player. The player may override control indicating that this party member is to be
at any time (by double-left-clicking on a specific protected. Only one person in the party may be
target to attack it, right-click-and-holding to lead protected at any one time.
the Avatar in a certain direction, etc.). Note that if if you have not designated any
When not in Manual Mode, the Avatar does party member to be protected (“turned his halo
not select fleeing or disabled (sleeping, paralyzed on”), an injured party member may turn his own
or unconscious) targets on his own, and breaks halo on and call out to other party members for
off an attack once any of these conditions are protection. Any party members that are in Protect
met. To make the Avatar pursue an enemy to the Mode will follow this injured character around
death, double-left-click on the opponent after it and attempt to protect him. Effectively, any
has already fled or been disabled. protecting character’s main concern is for the
welfare of the protected individual, and he will
Flee Mode
fight anyone who attacks the protected character
If a party member is seriously injured, he may
until there is no longer a threat.
flee. Neither the Avatar nor party members in
Berserk Mode will ever flee. Normally, fleeing
characters might drop some of their possessions.
Party members who have been set to Flee Mode ®
will make an orderly retreat and will not drop ®

any of their possessions.