Might and Magic: The Secret of the Inner Sanctum
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| Might and Magic Book One: The Secret Of The Inner Sanctum | |
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| Developer(s) | New World Computing |
| Publisher(s) | New World Computing |
| Designer(s) | Jon Van Caneghem |
| Release date(s) | 1986 |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Platform(s) | MS-DOS, Apple II, NES, SNES, C64, Macintosh, Sega Genesis, MSX, TurboGrafx-16 |
Might and Magic: The Secret Of The Inner Sanctum is an early computer role-playing game released for the Apple II, IBM PC, NES and a number of other platforms, and is the first game in the Might and Magic series. It was published in 1986 by New World Computing and also later re-released in the Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven Special Edition.
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[edit] Development
The original Apple II version of the game was written almost single-handedly by Jon Van Caneghem over three years[1]. Due to its popularity it was ported to a number of other platforms that were popular at the time, and eight sequels were released over the next fifteen years[2].
[edit] Plot
The game centers around 6 adventurers who are trying to discover the secret of the Inner Sanctum, a kind of "holy grail" quest in the land of VARN. While trying to discover the Inner Sanctum, the heroes discover information about Corak's hunt for the missing Sheltem and end up unmasking Sheltem, who had been masquerading as the King, and defeating his evil machinations[3]. At the end of the game they go through the "Gates to Another World" and travel to CRON, not knowing that Sheltem has also escaped to that world.
[edit] Gameplay
Might and Magic utilises a first person perspective interface similar to that employed by Bard's Tale, where the gaming world is divided into a maze-like grid and the player's movement options are to move forward or backward, or turn ninety degrees left or right. The player controls a party of up to six characters, whose abilities are based on a set of rules, similar to a cut-down version of the Dungeons and Dragons rules. Both exploration and combat are turn based, hence the pace of the game is controlled by the player. Enemy creatures are not visible to the player until the party occupies the same square as them, so the game is often plunged into combat without warning.
The game is set on the medieval fantasy world of VARN (Vehicular Astropod Research Nacelle) which features expansive outdoor terrain, castles, caves, underground cities and an Astral Plane, which the party must explore in search of the Inner Sanctum and its secret. Most of the enemy creatures encountered are of the generic fantasy type, as described in the core Dungeons and Dragons manuals.
[edit] Game Mechanics
[edit] Characters
The characters in Might and Magic and its successors are defined by a number of rules, conforming loosely to the fantasy roleplaying archetypes.
Characters have "statistics" (analogous to Dungeons and Dragons Ability scores) of Might, Endurance, Accuracy, Personality, Intelligence and Luck.
There are six character classes:
- Knight characters are based on the Dungeons and Dragons Fighter class.
- Cleric characters are like D&D Clerics.
- Robbers are like the old D&D Thief class.
- Sorcerers are like the old Magic-Users.
- Paladins are fighter type characters who gain access to Clerical magic at higher experience levels; unlike their D&D equivalent, there is no restriction on their alignment.
- Archers are more limited fighter characters, who can use ranged weapons even when on the front line of combat, and gain access to Sorcerer spells at higher levels.
Each character is assigned a race at creation time: Human, Elf, Half-orc, Gnome or Dwarf. This affects the character's starting statistics, and their resistance to various forms of attack.
Alignment is also specified for all characters, but because the party acts collectively all of the time, the implications of this are minimal. Characters can also be male or female.
[edit] Magic
There are two types of magic spells in Might and Magic: Sorcerer spells and Clerical spells. Sorcerer spells are available to Sorcerer and Archer characters; Clerical spells are available to Cleric and Paladin characters. Daily spellcasting ability is limited by a character's spell points. For users of Sorcerer spells, the number of spell points available depends on that character's Intelligence statistic. For Clerical spellcasters, the number of spell points depends on the character's Personality statistic.
Sorcerer spells tend to be of an offensive nature, inflicting damage on enemy creatures. Also, spells which move the party from place to place are usually Sorcerer spells.
Clerical spells are usually more defensive, focusing on healing, defense and removal of poison and other undesirable effects.[4]
[edit] Exploration
The world is presented as a labyrinth, the walls being mountain ridges, cave stone, rows of trees or whatever obstruction might be expected in the terrain being explored. If the party moves to a place where there are hostile creatures, or if a random encounter occurs, the game switches to a combat phase.
[edit] Combat
When hostile creatures are encountered, the player is usually given the option to run away, attempt to surrender to the creatures, or to attack. If the player elects to attack, or if their combat evasion attempt fails, the game enters combat mode.
On most platforms, the combat interface is presented in a text-only format. Turn-based combat is conducted, with each combatant acting in order of their speed statistic. Each round a random speed bonus is applied to either the player's party or the enemy creatures. On each player-character's turn, the player selects an action from a limited list of options, including attacking a creature, casting a spell or attempting to run away.
Combat ends when all combatants from one side or the other have either been rendered unconscious or dead (usually by having their hit points reduced to zero), or fled from combat. The player can also lose at combat by allowing all members of the party to succumb to sleep or paralysis effects.
[edit] References
- ^ Green, Jeff, 2004. Jon Van Caneghem Speaks, Computer Gaming World, April 2004 http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdcgw/is_200404/ai_n9515262/
- ^ Jahn, Oliver et al Might and Magic Series, Moby Games, http://www.mobygames.com/game-group/might-and-magic-series/
- ^ Kaplon, Jay Might and Magic History, Celestial Heavens - All Things Might and Magic, http://www.celestialheavens.com/viewpage.php?id=373
- ^ Butler-Knight, Marie and Van Canegham, Jon, 1997. Might and Magic Book One Secret of the Inner Sanctum Second Edition game documentation, New World Computing
[edit] External links
- Might and Magic: The Secret Of The Inner Sanctum at MobyGames
- Detailed MM1 resources at Fander Treespook's Might and Magic Grove
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