Sacred:Getting Started

Installation

Installation

To install Sacred Gold place the Sacred Gold DVD in your DVD drive. If the Autorun option is activated, the install program will run automatically. If this does not occur automatically, run the setup.exe application located on the Sacred Gold DVD. Then simply follow the instructions on the screen. The file readme.html in the game’s installation folder contains important technical information. You can also find the latest news about Sacred on the official website: . sacred-game.com

Please note: Ascaron does not guarantee that Sacred Gold will run on all laptops and notebooks. Ascaron states that due too so many models on the market that it simply is not possible to test all of them for compatibility. In addition, chip sets and video cards may differ significantly from the desktop standard. If your laptop/notebook meets the system requirements, Sacred Gold will probably run on it. However, Ascaron does not guarantee that it will, due to differences in system architecture.

Login/Registration

Installation

To install Sacred Gold place the Sacred Gold DVD in your DVD drive. If the Autorun option is activated, the install program will run automatically. If this does not occur automatically, run the setup.exe application located on the Sacred Gold DVD. Then simply follow the instructions on the screen. The file readme.html in the game’s installation folder contains important technical information. You can also find the latest news about Sacred on the official website: www.sacred-game.com. Please note: Ascaron cannot guarantee that Sacred Gold will run on all laptops and notebooks. There are so many models on the market that it simply is not possible to test all of them for compatibility. In addition, chip sets and video cards may differ significantly from the desktop standard. If your laptop/notebook meets the system requirements, Sacred Gold will probably run on it. However, Ascaron does not guarantee that it will, due to differences in system architecture.

Installation Getting Started

• Minimum System Requirements

Pentium III 800 MHz

256MB RAM

4x DVD drive

DirectX8 compatible 16MB video card

DirectX compatible sound card

DirectX9 (included on the Sacred Gold DVD)

Windows® 98 SE/ME

Hard drive with at least 3.4GB available*

• Recommended

Pentium IV 1.6GHz or higher

512MB RAM or higher

8x DVD drive or faster

DirectX9 compatible 64MB video card or higher

DirectX9 compatible sound card with 3D support

Network card

Windows® 2000/XP

DirectX9 (included on the Sacred Gold DVD)

Hard drive with at least 3.7GB available*

The installation size is approximately 2.8GB.

There should be at least 600MB (preferably over 900MB) available for the swap file.

Menus

Ancaria Campaign

• Starts a new game with a new hero. Takes you to

the New Campaign menu.

Underworld Campaign

• Takes you to the Underworld Campaign

menu. Please note that you can only enter the Underworld if your character has reached at least level 25. Simply import your experienced character or make use of one of the provided heroes (Dwarf or Daemon) to jump right into the Underworld Campaign.

Multiplayer

• Starts a Multiplayer game. Please see the various Multiplayer game options.

Options

• Opens the Options menu. This is where you can edit settings such as graphic details and various game options. For further information, please read the corresponding Options chapter.

Load Game

• Opens the Saved Games menu. For further information, please read Getting Started.

Extras

• Allows you to start the intro movie sequence again or see the development team credits for Sacred Gold.

Options

Graphics Options

• Graphics Resolution

Allows you to match the graphical display of the game to your PC’s capabilities.

• Low

For older PCs (e.g., PIII 800 or similar)

• Medium

For somewhat faster PCs that do not have the capability to display all the graphics details of Sacred.

• High

This setting is intended for PCs with a CPU speed of significantly higher than 1600MHz, a lot of storage space and a modern video card.

• Map transparency

If the slider is moved to the left, the minimap (Tab key) hides the landscape. Move the slider to the right and the background becomes visible through the transparent map.

Collecting Objects

• Atmospheric animations

Your hero will perform certain animated movements in the game quite often, for instance when collecting gold or objects. With this option, you can reduce the display of the most frequently used animations.

• Collect

With these settings, you can specify whether you wish to collect all items when collecting automatically (“A” key) (and sort them manually) or whether the hero should leave certain items where they are.

• Everything

The hero picks up all the dropped items.

• Gold / Unique Items

The hero picks up only gold and unique items. These include quest objects, Combat Art Runes, and unique weapons and armor.

• Gold

The hero picks up only gold coins and Combat Art Runes.

Internet Options

• Data Throughput

Use this to indicate the speed of your Internet connection. This setting is significant only for the Online Multiplayer mode.

Gameplay

• Auto-Save

At important points, the game is automatically saved.

• Explore Overview Map

A minimap shows only the area that is already known. This is useful when Map Transparency is switched off.

• Violence

Use this to toggle the display of violence in Sacred on or off

Ancaria Campaign

To begin playing Sacred from the beginning, open the Main Menu and select the Ancaria Campaign option to access the character selection screen. From here you can choose one of the eight character classes with which to play Sacred Gold.

Click on the character you wish to use for your adventures in the world of Ancaria. In the text box, you can then give your hero a new name.

If you have previously exported a hero, you can import that character here. The character’s values and equipment will be imported as well. When starting with an imported character, opponents will be at a significantly higher level.

Once you have decided on a character, you will need to choose the level of difficulty.

At the start of the game, only the Bronze (very easy) and Silver (easy) levels are available to you. If you finish the game at the Silver level, you can access additional difficulty levels which are far more demanding. As the level of difficulty increases, opponents become harder to defeat and the effect of healing potions is reduced.

Your adventure starts here.

Simply select a free slot in which to export the character. If no more slots are available, the existing character in the selected slot will be deleted if you choose to export a new character. Return to the Main Menu and click on the Underworld Campaign” option.

This will take you back to the Export screen containing all the characters you have exported from Sacred. Select the hero you wish to use in Underworld and then choose a level of difficulty. The game will now begin.

Note: Exported characters retain their values, character levels, set items and other inventory items.

Talk to Baroness Vilya. After a short sequence, you will have to follow the creature that has abducted the baroness by going through the gate on the altar.

Welcome to Underworld!

New enemies, mysterious environments, new friends and unknown treasures are waiting for you - enjoy!

Useful tool tips will explain the particulars and finer points of the controls as well as other game elements. Click “Skip Tutorial” to prevent further tool tips being displayed.

Underworld Campaign

To play the Underworld Campaign, your game character needs to be at least level 25. To export an existing character simply access the in-game menu [ESC] and click on “Export.”

Note: For the Dwarf and Daemon, a prepared and equipped character is already supplied in the directory of exported characters.

Multiplayer

• Multiplayer

Firstly, decide whether you wish to start a LAN or Internet game.

Multiplayer on LAN

To play a game using a local area network, click on “LAN” in the “Multiplayer” tab of the Main Menu. Next, choose your hero (character). You may select a character you have previously exported or begin with a new hero.

New Character

• Click on the “New Character” button to start the game

with a new hero.

Import Character

• Click on a previously exported character to start a

multiplayer game with this hero.

Logout

• Using the “Logout” button, you can return to the Main Menu.

Continue

• After you have selected your character, click on the

button at the lower right corner of the screen to select a game.

Select LAN Game

The names and properties of the Sacred multiplayer games found on your network are displayed here. You can also set up your own LAN game. Click on “Join” to join a LAN game that is already running.

Game Properties

Multiplayer games have different properties. Along with the name of the game, the game parameters are displayed using the following symbols:

Gameplay

Cooperative

• Up to four players can participate in the extensive

campaign in cooperative mode. The game world can be saved and the joint adventure can be continued later. The story begins at the command post in Bellevue.

Hack ‘n’ Slash

• Up to 16 players can explore the world of Sacred. The main plot is not played out; instead, the game starts on a special island. In a tower on this island an entrance leads to a dungeon that offers portals to the whole of Ancaria.

Player vs. Player (PvP)

• This is the same as Hack ‘n’ Slash, but offers opportunities for fierce battles between players or teams of players. Locked This game is locked. Joining is not possible. Open This game is open and joining is possible. Password Joining this game is only possible with the correct password.

• Hack ‘n’ Slash & PvP:

In “PvP” mode, players may attack each other. In the secure zones, attacks on other players are not possible. It is also not possible for the members of a party to injure each other