General:Theelderscrollstravels.com Archive/Dawnstar & Stormhold FAQ

This is a developer diary for The Elder Scrolls Travels: Stormhold and The Elder Scrolls Travels: Dawnstar. The diary was originally posted to theelderscrollstravels.com some time in 2003, and was separated into two separate posts on the old elderscrolls.com website on 29 September 2004.

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Why doesn't my version of the game have a spellsword character? Why doesn't my game have treasure runs?
Each game version was designed to contain the maximum game experience for that particular model of phone. Some phones simply have more power and memory than others. We worked very hard to customize the game for each platform. In cell phone games, five or six lines of code can make the difference between a game running on the phone and failing to load. The Elder Scrolls Travels was designed to maximize available performance on your phone to give you the best playing experience possible.

Why do I needed two downloads to get the game, while my friend only needed one?
Carriers have different file size restrictions, and phones have different ways to install programs. This can require more or less memory. Futhermore, some phones have special memory for images. Any one of these factors or any number of technical reasons can result in the need for requiring multiple downloads. We broke the game into two downloads only in the cases where it made a significant difference in the ability to deliver improved game quality.

How do you survive the overseers on the first dungeon level?
Each level has a variety of monster difficulties. The toughest is …well, tough. A key to victory is that your character can heal. Monsters do not. Keep a close eye on your health, retreat when the combat is dicey, heal up, then return to teach those monsters what for.

Exploring the levels is fun except when I get lost. How can I find my way?
The '*" toggles the map options. Bringing up the full map will show you the entire dungeon level, as well as the entrance and exits to the dungeon. Bringing up the full map also pauses the game, so you need not worry about being bushwhacked while getting your bearings.

The trainers won't even talk to me. What do I do?
Trainers eventually will react negatively to being bullied. Befriend is the better option in the long term. For now, you should concentrate on gaining a character level. Once you reach a new level you gain another chance with the trainers.

I have killed a trainer. What happens now?
This could mean you are well on your way to a master villain merit badge. Okay, so there is no badge. But the remaining trainers now cower from you as the result of your action and are easily threatened, at least for a while.

What skills should my character get to succeed in the game? Are certain skills critical?
Your character can succeed with only his initial skills. Add some skills to suit your playing style if you wish. If you want a Barbarian that can cast 'Doom Hammer' then get right to it.

How many levels are there to explore?
The amount of levels in the game will vary depending upon on the version of the game (games vary dependent upon handsets). Eight levels are available in the smallest version of the game, whereas 36 levels are available in the largest.

What is a status ailment?
Some monsters can inflict effects beyond normal damage. On an exceptional hit a monster might create a status ailment such as the following:

• Blind - Your map disappears and your background shifts to black.

• Delusions - Your are magically infected and attacked by an improbably high number of monsters who, while the result of your own delusions, can still kill you.

• Vampirisim - Background goes to red, and your health declines a little each second until you die or the ailment expires. On the plus side you gain health for every monster you kill. So go for blood.

There are other status ailments, but we will leave the, er, joy of discovery to you.

How do I know I have a status ailment?
Some, such as blind, create visible changes in the screen. To check to see whether or not you have a status ailment, press 7 and then select the 'stats' option. There is a line which lists any status ailments you might have.

How do I get rid of status ailments?
Ailment crystals will cure status ailments, one ailment per crystal. Camping also gives you a 25% chance of recovering from a status ailment, and Helga (on the 3650) or the Oracle (other phone models) can cure you.

Why, when I try to start the game, do I get an error that says java.io.NullPointerException?
If you should receive the error, simply restart the game and it should work fine. There is a known problem with the Nokia 3650 and 7650 phones that can cause this error if you quit your game using the Red OFF/HANGUP button. We are working with Nokia to resolve this problem. In the meantime, to avoid this problem in the future, please use the "Quit" menu selection instead.

I have a Sanyo phone. When I try to enter text for my character name nothing happens. How can I enter my character name?
Hit the 'Menu/OK" button, which is the button in the center of the rocker, to activate the text entry cursor. Enter your name and get ready for adventure.

What is the timer and how do I find it?
The small version of Stormhold has a timed puzzle on each dungeon floor based upon crossing two points. Stepping on the first point starts the timer and stepping on the second point stops the timer. If stopped in time, the puzzle awards a nifty item. Stodgy hint: don't hit a button until you have found both points. Then step on one point and race for the other.