Table of contents

• Requirements
• Installation
• Controls
• Getting started
• Interface
• Game rules
• Items
• Monsters
• Tips & tricks
• Troubleshooting
• Documentation

Requirements

To play DOG & PONY GAME™, you need:

• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 7 or higher;
• Display device: resolution of 640 × 480 or higher;
• Video card: OpenGL 3.0 compatible or higher;
• Input device: a keyboard.

For the best experience, it is recommended that you also have:

• loudspeakers or headphones;
• an Internet connection.

Installation

When you download the game, it comes as a zipped archive. Before you can play, you must extract the zipped archive's contents to a new location.

If you have a file archiver software, use it to unzip all files to a new location.

If you do not have a file archiver software, but your operating system supports file archiving, then you should be able to right-click the zipped archive, and use Extract All to extract its contents to a new location.

Once all files have been extracted from the zipped archive to a new location, run the dogandponygame.exe executable to play.

Controls

By default, the keyboard controls are:

• W, A, S and D to move;
• Enter to select;
• R Shift to cancel;
• Q to look while in-game;
• Tab to open menu while in-game;
• T to chat while in-game.

Getting started

On the title screen, the main menu offers the following options:

Hosting a game

To create a game, select the CREATE GAME option. The host menu will appear, and offer the following options:

• START - Start the game with current settings.
• PLAYERS - Set the number of players who can join your game, including computer players and spectators.
• PUBLIC - Enable this option to add your server to the master server's public list. You must be connected to the Internet for this option to work.
• NAME - Customize your server's displayed name on the master server's public list. Only applies to public servers.
• PASSWORD - Restrict access to your server by setting a password. Other players will need to input this password (case-sensitive) to join your server.
• PORT - Set the port number to use. Players who want to join your game directly will need to input this port.
• TEST PORT - Test your selected port to determine whether other players can join your game through it. Note that in order for this test to work properly, you must be connected to the Internet and be able to reach the master server.

Selecting START on the host menu brings you to the lobby. The bottom-right menu offers the following options:

• START - Start the match with current settings.
• SHOP - Access the shop.
• MAP SIZE - Adjust the size of the map for shorter or longer matches. From left to right, the map sizes are 48, 64, 96, 128, and 192 cells respectively.
• COMPUTERS - Add or remove computer players.

Joining a game

To join a game, select the JOIN GAME option. The server browser will appear, and offer the following options:

• BROWSE - Select a server to join in the master server's list.
• DIRECT - Join a server directly using its IP address or domain name and port.
• REFRESH - Refresh the master server's list.

Joining a game brings you to the lobby. The bottom-right menu offers the following options:

• READY - Ready yourself to participate in the next match.
• SHOP - Access the shop.
• SPECTATE - Watch the next match as a spectator.

Interface

There is a lot of useful information displayed on the screen, so let's take a look at what it all means.

The scoreboard on the top-right shows the list of players currently in the game.

• To the left of each name is a numbered marker (light for user players, or dark for computer players), which is placed on the map to show the player character's position when not playing. Spectators display an eye icon instead.
• To the right of each name may be one of the following icons:
  • 

    HOST - This player is the host of the game.

  • 

    READY - This player is ready.

  • 

    DISCONNECTED - This player has gone offline unexpectedly.

  • 

    DOG - This player has been revealed to you as a dog.

  • 

    PONY - This player has been revealed to you as a pony.

  • 

    RESTING - This player is resting, and will sleep through their next turn to become rested.

  • 

    RESTED - This player is rested, and will awaken on their next turn.

• During a match, underneath each name are gemstones collected on the left, and coins collected on the right.
• Between matches, underneath each name are the number of items purchased on the left, and silver and gold medals awarded respectively on the right.
• The player who is currently playing is highlighted. If a monster is playing, then a red line at its turn order is displayed instead.

The card on the bottom-right shows the current player's character information.

• The HP display indicates how many Hit Points the character has. Pink hearts are full, and black hearts are empty.
• The MP display indicates how many Move Points the character has. Blue orbs are full, and black orbs are empty.
• The icons on the bottom left show the items in the character's inventory. Equipped items have a green 'E' on the bottom-right of the icon.

Game rules

Actions

When it is your turn to play, here is what you can do:

• 

  MOVE - Use this action to move in a direction at the cost of 1 MP. At the start of each turn, your MPs are refilled. You can only move along dug paths.

• 

  DIG - Use this action to create a path through dirt in a direction at the cost of 1 MP. Digging has a chance to unearth buried items and monsters.

• 

  USE - Use this action to open your inventory. You can use any number of items per turn.

• 

  FIGHT - Use this action to fight another character. If the character is asleep, you may steal an item of your choice from them instead! You can only use this action once per turn.

• 

  LOOK - Press the Look button to look around the map. While in this mode, select characters or items to view information about them.

Objective

Your objective is to collect the highest amount of coins. Here is how:

• Picking up certain items, like gemstones and coins;
• Defeating monsters;
• Stealing from other players.

When all 4 gemstones are found, the match ends. Players are awarded a bonus for each gemstone owned by their team, equal to (100 × number of opponents) coins. If a team has no opponents, then each gemstone awards a bonus of 50 coins instead.

Then, whoever has the highest amount of coins is awarded a gold medal, and everyone else on their team is awarded a silver medal.

May the best treasure hunter win!

Shop

Between matches, coins can be spent at the shop. Items purchased will be added to your inventory at the start of the next match.

To buy an item, select BUY, then select the item you wish to buy. A number to the right will indicate how many of each item you have purchased.

If you purchase an item by mistake, you can get your coins refunded. To do this, select SELL, then select the item you wish to sell.

Battles

When a fight begins, the battle screen appears. It displays the attacker on the left (on the offensive), the defender on the right (on the defensive), and three attack options:

• HIGH beats MID;
• MID beats LOW;
• LOW beats HIGH.

The chosen attacks are not shown to others until both players have made their selection. Then, whoever is beaten (if anyone) takes damage (DMG).

• 

  The number next to the SWORD icon represents the attacker's damage dealt. By default, that number is 1, and can be increased with equipment.

• 

  The number next to the SHIELD icon represents the defender's damage taken reduction. By default, that number is 0, and can be increased with equipment.

The amount of DMG may vary depending on the attacker's and the defender's equipment. If the defender lands an attack against the attacker (known as a counterattack), then the attacker always takes 1 DMG.

If a player's HP reaches 0, they immediately begin to rest, and cannot play on their next turn. On the following turn, they wake up with their HP fully recovered.

If a monster's HP reaches 0, it is defeated and removed from the map.

Items

There are many helpful items you can find:

• 

  GEMSTONE - Legends of the diamond, emerald, ruby and sapphire's value have brought you to this island. Find them before the enemy does!

• 

  COINS - Gold coins are always a good thing to have, and you don't feel bad for looting them from an old pirate boneyard.

• 

  COMPASS - A magic compass used by pirates to search for valuables.

• 

  MAP - Treasure. A map with a location marked upon it in the shape of an 'X'.

• 

  LANTERN - An old lantern with just enough oil left for one last burst of light. It can identify friends from foes, and vanquish undead monsters with its flame!

• 

  GULLY - A dull knife that can bruise with a stab. When equipped, increases damage dealt by 1.

• 

  CUTLASS - A worn sword that can deal some serious blunt damage. When equipped, increases damage dealt by 2.

• 

  BUCKLER - A small battered shield with a few hits left in it. When equipped, decreases damage taken by 1.

• 

  TARGE - A large shield that has seen countless battles. When equipped, decreases damage taken by 2.

• 

  HOOK - Treasure. The golden hook of a pirate captain, a symbol of insatiable envy.

• 

  BANDAGE - A somehow sterile cotton bandage wrap. Restores 1 HP to its user, or to target.

• 

  MEDICINE - A bottle of medicine that tastes like the colour pink. Restores 2 HP, or automatically restores 1 HP upon defeat.

• 

  POTION - A sweet drink that causes a sugar rush now, and a sugar crash later. Restores 3 MP at the cost of 1 HP.

• 

  SPIRIT - A mysterious brew with ingredients best left unknown, those who drink it are spirited away to a new location.

• 

  MORTAR - A bucket of hardening paste used to bind stones together, with enough left inside to build a small wall.

• 

  PICKAXE - A tool used to mine through dirt and stone with ease. When equipped, digging is replaced with mining, which has no cost.

• 

  BOMB - A repurposed cannonball, and just as unreliable a digging tool.

Monsters

Monsters are a threat to treasure hunters, but yield coins and sometimes items when defeated. Use the Look functionality to check whether a monster is carrying loot. Here are the types of monsters you can encounter:

• 

  GHOST

  Embodied in ecloplasm, this wayward soul is bound to times long past, and will lash out at anyone who disturbs that nostalgia.

  Defeating a ghost awards 5 coins, and sometimes a random item.

• 

  SKELETON

  The animated remains of a crewmate, forever loyal to its captain.

  Defeating a skeleton awards 25 coins, and often a random item.

• 

  REVENANT

  This vengeful spirit was once a conqueror of the sea. A fall from glory did nothing to improve its bad temper... and neither did getting buried alive!

  Defeating a revenant awards 125 coins, and three random items or treasures.

• 

  AVARICE

  A manifestation of pure greed in the form of a golden skeleton, this cowardly fiend's metallic bones are naturally resistant to damage.

  Defeating an avarice awards 250 coins, and a random treasure.

Troubleshooting

Documentation

This documentation is for advanced users only. In the eventuality that the default master server is not available, or that you would like to create a master server on a network that is disconnected from the Internet, you may host and connect to a custom master server by following the instructions below.