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DISCLAIMER
----------
We have made every effort to ensure that ArenaEd functions as
expected and without anomaly. In particular we have gone out of our
way to ensure the integrity of your saved-game files. The bottom
line, however, is that what you see is what you get. Since we cannot
control every possible use to which ArenaEd is put, we must pass the
responsibility for its use on to you.
WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES AS TO THIS SOFTWARE, WHETHER EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, FUNCTIONALITY,
DATA INTEGRITY OR PROTECTION.
Table Of Contents
-----------------
1. What is ArenaEd?
1.1. Introduction
1.2. Features In Brief
1.3. Special Features
1.3.1. Temporary Stats
1.3.2. Race
1.4. System Requirements
2. Quick Start
3. Up and Running
3.1. Where To Install
3.2. Getting In, Getting Out
3.3. What ArenaEd Will Do When It Runs
3.4. What Can You Edit
3.5. What You Can't Edit
3.6. What To Do After You Edit
4. What You See On Screen
4.1. Menu Bar
4.1.1. Commands for the Menu
4.2. Status Line
4.3. DeskTop
4.4. Save-Game List
4.5. Character Window
4.5.1. Commands for Windows
4.6. Other Windows
4.7. Edit Fields
4.7.1. Commands for Edit Fields
4.8. "Edit ..." Buttons
4.8.1. Commands for Buttons
5. General Good Advice
5.1. Protect Yourself
5.2. Where To Find What You Are Looking For
5.3. Where To Look If You Can't Find It
6. How Does ArenaEd Work?
6.1. Editing The saveengn Files
6.2. Saving Edits: File/Save
6.3. Discarding Edits: File/Reload
6.4. Make A Backup: File/Backup
6.5. Restore From Backup: File/Restore
7. Help in ArenaEd
7.1. Status-line Help
7.2. Help file
8. If Something Goes Wrong
8.1. Get Me Out Of Here!
8.2. Restore Your Backup
9. Hints On Playing Arena
10. About ArenaEd
10.1. Who We Are
10.2. A Few Thoughts On Shareware
10.3. The Difference Between Editing And Cheating
10.4. How To Contact Us
10.5. Respect for Bethesda Softworks (tm)
1. What is ArenaEd?
-------------------
1.1. Introduction
-----------------
ArenaEd is a gamer's utility for editing the saved-game files in The
Elder Scrolls: Arena (tm) (version 1.05) from Bethesda Softworks (tm).
ArenaEd is a DOS application that uses a sophisticated, window-based
user interface.
The interface can be controlled using a mouse or keyboard.
1.2. Features In Brief
----------------------
Arena allows the user to have up to ten (10) different save-game
files, each file can save the status of a different character.
ArenaEd will allow the player to edit all features of each character,
in each of the saved games: race, gender, name, temporary and
permanent attributes, current spell points, current and permanent
health, current fatigue, gold, experience points and level are all
editable.
1.3. Special Features
---------------------
1.3.1. Temporary Stats
----------------------
Although it is not immediately apparent in the game, each character
has two distinct sets of stats (Str, Int, Wil, etc). The first set
of stats is temporary and the second set is permanent. All other
things being equal (i.e. no disease, etc) the temporary stats will be
reset to the equal the permanent stats the next time the character
gains a level.
Since the temporary stats are reset every once in a while it makes
them a great choice for temporarily giving your character a boost.
Feeling a little overwhelmed by those Minotour? Bump up your Strength
a bit to even the odds. When your character gains the next level
your Strength will be reset and your character will carry on as
before.
1.3.2. Race
-----------
So you didn't really what to be an Argonian after all? In the game
your only choice is to start a new character. Using ArenaEd you can
change what the fates had in mind for you (at least a little) by
changing your character's Race. The portrait you get is more or less
random but at least you can be the Race you prefer.
1.4. System Requirements
------------------------
ArenaEd has been extensively tested on a 486/33 (8 meg RAM) and a 386/25
(4 meg RAM) under DOS 5.00. It runs nicely in a DOS-box in Windows 3.1
or from the DOS prompt itself. It neither uses nor requires EMS/XMS but
is fully compatible with popular memory managers (eg. 386MAX and EMM386).
ArenaEd can be mouse-driven but is fully controllable from the keyboard.
Fully installed, ArenaEd requires about 350k of disk space.
2. Quick Start
--------------
To get started quickly, simply run ArenaEd from the DOS prompt.
If you are not in the right directory ArenaEd will tell you that and
allow you to move to the directory where Arena is installed (see
File/Change Directory). Once there, you are in business. That's all
there is to it.
3. Up and Running
-----------------
3.1. Where To Install
---------------------
Generally speaking, your life will be simpler if you install ArenaEd in
the same directory that you have Arena installed.
While this is not necessary, since you can always change to the Arena
directory from within ArenaEd, it will speed up the editing process
by removing the need to change directory.
3.2. Getting In, Getting Out
----------------------------
To start ArenaEd, simply type "ArenaEd" at the DOS prompt.
To exit ArenaEd, select File/Exit or use the "accelerator" key command
Alt-X.
3.3. What ArenaEd Will Do When It Runs
--------------------------------------
When ArenaEd runs it will present a list of the saved-games in the
current directory. When you select a saved-game to edit ArenaEd will
look to see that you have a backup file (if you are editing the third
save-game, saveengn.02, the backup file will be called engn02.bak).
If the backup file exists, ArenaEd will load the save-game file and
you'll be in business.
If the backup file does not exist, ArenaEd will try to create it. Once
the backup file exists, ArenaEd will be happy and will proceed to load
the save-game file for your editing pleasure.
3.4. What Can You Edit
----------------------
ArenaEd has been designed to give the user maximum control over the
player's character. We've tried to allow the user to edit anything
and everything related to a particular character's stats and
abilities, insofar as it is safe to do so.
If something isn't in the editor it is simply because (a) we don't
know how to edit it or (b) editing it could corrupt the game.
Whatever we do know how to edit safely we've made editable by you.
3.5. What You Can't Edit
------------------------
As powerful as ArenaEd is, it can't do everything. Whatever you see
on the screen during game play is pretty much beyond our control
(i.e. spell effects, weapon types, character portrait, etc).
One feature that we did not allow edits on is a character's Class.
Since a character's class is integral to the game (determines whether
spells are available, etc) we decided to disallow edits in order to
avoid corrupting the save-game files.
Spells and weapons are not editable in ArenaEd version 1.0.
3.6. What To Do After You Edit
------------------------------
As far as characters in Arena are concerned, the gods work while the
character sleeps. You've probably noticed that most changes that
happen to the characters stats, abilities, etc happen while you
camp. The same is true of changes you make via ArenaEd. To get the
benefit of your edits, we recommend you Camp as soon as you restart
the game after an editing session. Resting for one (1) hour will
usually do it.
4. What You See On Screen
-------------------------
4.1. Menu Bar
-------------
The line at the top of your screen is the menu bar.
All features of ArenaEd appear as items on the menu bar or as items on
the drop-down menus that are controlled by the menu bar.
4.1.1 Commands for the Menu
---------------------------
The menu can be controlled with the mouse in the usual manner. Left-
click on something to select it, left-click and drag to move the focus.
The usual stuff, nothing fancy.
The menu system can also be fully controlled from the keyboard:
o F10 moves the focus to the menu bar.
o Alt-? will select a menu bar option where "?" is the highlighted
character on the menu option (eg. Alt-F will drop the File menu,
Alt-W the Window menu, etc).
o Alt-Spacebar will drop the System menu (left-most on the menu bar).
o Arrow keys can be used to move between menu items.
o Enter will select a highlighted menu option.
4.2. Status Line
----------------
The line at the bottom of your screen is the status line.
The purpose of the status line is to show the user the "status" of
ArenaEd. This usually means that it will display a helpful message.
4.3. DeskTop
------------
Everything between the menu bar and the status line is the desktop.
When a window is open it is said to be "on the desktop". If something
is on the desktop the user has control of it and can manipulate it.
4.4. Save-Game List
-------------------
When ArenaEd begins it will open a window that lists the games you've
saved, as indicated by the text you typed when you saved the game.
To select the save-game that has the focus (is highlighted) press the
Spacebar.
Selecting one of your saved games from the list will open a window
that has the character's name in the title: let's call this the
'character' window.
4.5. Character Window
---------------------
If you want to edit a particular character, or something related to
that character, then the character window for that character is where
you start.
The character's name in the title is prefixed by the number of the
saved game file. This prefix is just for informational purposes.
4.5.1. Commands for Windows
---------------------------
o Items on the Window menu allow the following window operations:
o Size/Move the current window (Ctrl-F5)
o Cascade all windows
o move to Next window (F6)
o move to Previous window (Shift-F6)
o Close the current window (Alt-F3)
o Tab will move the focus to the next field or button; Shift-Tab will
move back to the previous field.
4.6. Other Windows
------------------
ArenaEd organises the details of a character into sub-windows
accessible from the Character window.
The title of each window fully specifies the "ownership" of the data
within that window. For example, a window entitled
"03:WilliamTheRed/Temporary Stats" contains data relevant to the
temp stats of your character WilliamTheRed as saved in the fourth
save-game on the save-game list.
4.7. Edit Fields
----------------
If something is editable from a given window then an edit field will be
available within the window to allow the user to performs the edits.
What the user can do within a given edit field depends on the type of
data the edit field represents.
When a particular edit field has the focus (is highlighted) the status
line will display a message indicating what form of input is expected in
that field.
4.7.1. Commands for Edit Fields
-------------------------------
The best advice here is to look at the help text on the status line.
The edit fields are fairly sophisticated and provide a wide range of
options to the user. The help text will detail those options. Here
is a quick summary:
o Text fields: type the text you want, Del to delete, Backspace to
backspace-and-delete, Home to go to the start of the text, End to go
to the end.
o Number fields: Up-arrow to decrement, Down-arrow to increment, Home
for first valid value in the number's range, End for the last valid
value in the number's range. You can also enter a number from the
keyboard.
o Named fields (eg. race, gender): Up-arrow to go to previous "value",
Down-arrow for next "value", Home for first "value", End for last
"value".
4.8. "Edit ..." Buttons
-----------------------
As mentioned above, ArenaEd is organized into windows. To move to a
sub-window, select the appropriate "Edit ..." button (left-click or
Spacebar).
4.8.1. Commands for Buttons
---------------------------
o Using the mouse: simply left-click on the button.
o Using the keyboard: press the Spacebar to select the button.
5. General Good Advice
----------------------
5.1. Protect Yourself
---------------------
The old saying goes that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure. In the world of software, a minute of prevention is worth an
eternity of recovery.
We strongly suggest that you take that minute and copy your
"saveengn.*" and "engn*.bak" files to a safe place, preferably a
diskette that you reserve for just this purpose. The word is that
the sequel to Arena (Daggerfall?) will use characters from Arena so
the backup will doubly useful.
5.2. Where To Find What You Are Looking For
-------------------------------------------
Everything is in the menus. Step through the menus to see what is
there.
Try things that look interesting. The editor won't do anything
drastic without warning you first and you will have the option to
cancel.
5.3. Where To Look If You Can't Find It
---------------------------------------
If you can't find what you are looking for on the menu, try Help on the
Help menu. You'll get a text window showing this file. Scrolling works
so you can zoom up and down through the file.
6. How does ArenaEd work?
------------------------
6.1. Editing The saveengn Files
-------------------------------
ArenaEd does one thing: it edits files called "saveengn.0?". Those
files contain all of the information related to each character's
'numbers' in Arena. Using the editor, you modify the contents of the
saveengn file. The next time you boot the game, you will see the
changes you made.
Any window that has had edits made in it will have the "unsaved
changes" marker, '!!', in the title. This is a quick visual
indicator that you need to save.
6.2. Saving Edits: File/Save
----------------------------
Once you've made your edits, you'll want to save them: select File/Save.
When you save your edits the "saveengn" file is updated (i.e. the changes
are written to disk).
If you exit ArenaEd without saving your edits they will be discarded and
you won't see them next time you play.
To be on the safe side ArenaEd will warn you if there are edits
("unsaved changes") that have not been written back to the save-game
file.
Try a few edits and then select File/Exit. This will pop up the
warning box. Now you know that you can trust ArenaEd to protect you
from accidental loss of your edits.
6.3. Discarding Edits: File/Reload
----------------------------------
Sometimes you make edits that you would rather discard: perhaps you
made a mistake, or been a little more generous than you think is
best.
To discard all the edits you've made since the last time you saved
simply reload the save-game file (File/Reload). This dumps all your
current unsaved changes and gets you back to a "clean" character file.
6.4. Make A Backup: File/Backup
-------------------------------
ArenaEd will automatically make a backup for you the first time you
start an edit session. If you are editing the second file in the
list, the file you are editing is actually called 'saveengn.01'. The
backup file is called "engn01.bak". The first time you edit
saveengn.01, a backup will be made. Subsequent edits will not
automatically create a backup since the backup already exists. As
mentioned above, we do suggest you copy these files to a diskette and
put the diskette in a safe place.
If you really want to update your backup file, select File/Backup.
You will be warned that you are going to loose the old backup, but if
that is really what you want to do, carry on. The current saveengn
file, say saveengn.01, will be copied to "engn01.bak" and the old
"engn01.bak" will be lost.
6.5. Restore From Backup: File/Restore
--------------------------------------
If you want to restore "saveengn.0?" to what it used to be, File/Restore
will copy "engn0?.bak" to "saveengn.0?".
The next time you play Arena, you'll see the character stats,
experience, gold, etc, as they were when the backup file was made.
7. Help in ArenaEd
------------------
7.1. Status-line Help
---------------------
The status line is the first place to look for help in ArenaEd. Every
attempt has been made to assist the user by displaying helpful messages
on the status line.
ArenaEd is context-sensitive and the help text on the status line will
change to reflect the current context.
7.2. Help file
--------------
You are reading the help file now. This help file can be displayed from
within the game by selecting Help/Help.
The Help file window is like any other window: Size/Move, Close,
Cascade, Next, Previous all apply as per 4.5.1.
The help file itself (arenaed.txt) is a straight text file. This file
can be printed using your favourite print utility. At the very least
you can type "print arenaed.txt" at the DOS prompt.
8. If Something Goes Wrong
--------------------------
We really don't think that anything bad will happen using ArenaEd. We
have designed it such that the safety and integrity of the game data
file is of primary importance. Extensive tests have shown that the data
is well protected and that ArenaEd behaves properly. But the unexpected
does happen when you least expect it.
If -heaven forbid- a game data file (saveengn.0?) has been corrupted
somehow, ArenaEd will detect the invalid data and give the user LOTS of
warnings about it. You can correct the data from ArenaEd on a field by
field basis. If the file is truly corrupted this process can get
annoying. The best option is to bail out of the editor and restore the
backup file. Here's how:
8.1. Get Me Out Of Here!
------------------------
Ctrl-Alt-Q means "get me out of here, now!". No saves are done, no
backups, no nothing. This is the only "secret" command in ArenaEd and is
there for emergencies only. Hopefully you'll never need it, but at least
it is there if you do.
8.2. Restore Your Backup
------------------------
If the game data has been trashed somehow, your best bet is your
backup file "engn0?.bak". You can select File/Restore from ArenaEd,
or simply copy "engn0?.bak" to "saveengn.0?" at the DOS prompt. Yes,
you'll loose the latest stuff in your game, but this should recover
from the corrupted game data file.
9. Hints On Playing Arena
-------------------------
We have logged more hours than we can count playing Arena. We like the
game a lot and that is why we wrote this editor. We have learned a few
things along the way. Perhaps some of it will be useful to you.
o Giving yourself a temporary break is sometimes all you need. Let's
say you're in a real slug-fest and you just want a temporary boost to
get you through the day. Boost your Current Health, Current Fatigue
or Current Spell Points (as appropriate to your character). Health
and Fatigue will be reset next time you sleep, Spell Points will wear
out as you use them up; these boosts are truly temporary.
o Getting started in a wicked world. Arena can be pretty rough on
the neophyte character. A standard trick we use is to boost our new
character's level to say 2 or 3. This will get you hitting better
and spells will be cheaper to cast. When you've actually earned
those levels (i.e. your experience has reached the appropriate
magnitude) your character will gain levels as normal. Note that there
is a down-side to this technique: you'll loose the benefit of Health
gain that comes with each level gain.
o Getting ripped off at the local vendors? A judicious increase in
Personality will make the shop owners a lot more reasonable in their
pricing. Barter can be fun - if you have the Personality for it!
You can save a bundle in gold too.
10. About ArenaEd
-----------------
10.1. Who we are
----------------
ArenaEd's authors, Trevor Flory and Joe Mooney, are both professional
software designers with a combined total of over 20 years in the
business. ArenaEd is the second in a series of game editors we are
producing.
10.2. A Few Thoughts On Shareware
---------------------------------
We think "try before you buy" is good for everyone. We like it
ourselves and we think it is one of the best ways to ensure that the
user get what they pay for. We encourage you to avail yourself of
shareware's advantages: try the software, see if it works for you,
make sure you can trust it to do what it says it will.
As wonderful as software is, it won't happen if it isn't worthwhile to
do it. If you like ArenaEd, please give serious consideration to
registering. See "Shareware!" on the ArenaEd menu bar for further
details.
10.3. The Difference Between Editing And Cheating
-------------------------------------------------
If a game does something you don't like, we think you should be able to
change it. We feel that users have the right to edit games because they
paid money for them: the game designer's don't own the game, the user
does. Editing isn't cheating, it is called getting your money's worth.
10.4. How To Contact Us
-----------------------
The fastest way to get our attention is through CompuServe. Either
of the following will do the job:
Trevor Flory, CIS: 70711,3712
Joe Mooney, CIS: 71171,3042
If you would like to send us money or simply prefer communicating
via the postal service, our business address is:
Box 119 - 154 Chadwick Court
North Vancouver, B.C.
CANADA V7M-3K1
This information is also available from within ArenaEd: see
"Shareware!" on the ArenaEd menu bar.
10.5. Respect for Bethesda Softworks (tm)
-----------------------------------------
Bethesda Softworks (tm) has been remarkably attentive to their Arena
customers. They've hung in for 5 upgrade cycles and all the
attending user requests, suggestions, complaints and flames. What
this really means is that they have invested time, money and effort
in keeping you and every other Arena user happy.
Most companies don't like game editors because a buggy game editor
can make their jobs infinately more difficult. If we have one request
it is that you be up-front with Bethesda about the fact that you have
used a game editor. If you talk to their customer service people
don't 'forget' to mention that you have used an editor. They won't
like hearing that, but at least you will be telling them the truth.
If fact, to ensure that everyone is happy, reproduce your problem in
a save-game that has NOT been edited. That will ensure that the
problem is really their's and not ours, and it will be respecting
the valiant efforts of their customer service people and their
play-testers.
For what it is worth, even though we wrote ArenaEd, we would never
even think of calling their customer service department until we had
reproduced any problem we were having in a save-game that had NEVER
been edited, not even a little bit.
Th-th-that's all folks. Have fun, play safe, pay as you go.