Granstream Saga Instruction Manual written exclusively for *Cheat Code Central* at http://www.cheatcc.com/ by iFlAB The Granstream Saga ------------------- --- An I.f.L.a.b. document --- = X Button = Circle Button = Square Button = Triangle Button ------------------------------ - Page - 1 Contents -------- 2 ---- beginning your adventure 3 ---- controls 4 ---- story 6 ---- starting a game 7 ---- the game screen 8 ---- the command menu 13 --- exploring the continents 16 --- saving your progress 18 --- combat 21 --- eon's scepter 22 --- magic 23 --- equipment 25 --- characters - Page - 2 BEGINNING YOUR ADVENTURE ------------------------ Set up your PlayStation game console according to the instructions in its Instruction Manual. Make sure the power is OFF before inserting or removing a compact disc. Insert the The Granstream Saga disc and close the Disc Cover. Insert one or two game controllers in the Controller Ports and turn ON the PlayStation game console. Check out the opening scenes, or press the START Button to go directly to the Title Screen. - Page - 3 CONTROLS -------- normal/battle view normal ------ Use the currently selected magic spell. Access the Command menu. Examine objects and talk to other characters, advances text. Advance text, cancel menu commands. L1 Rotate the camera view 90 degrees in a clockwise direction. L2 Same as . R1 Rotate the camera view 90 degrees in a counter clockwise direction. R2 Same as Use the Directional Button to move Eon. Note: The Directional Button is also used to move the curser when using a menu Screen battle ------ Note: Double tapping the directional pad will make Eon dodge left, right, jump back, or dash forward. Uses the currently selected magic spell. Access the Command menu. Attack with currently selected weapon. Press repeatedly for multiple hits. Press and hold to block enemy attacks with your shield. You cannot move while you are blocking. Cancels menu commands. L1 Not used. L2 Same as . R1 Hold and use the Directional Button to dodge in that direction (same as tapping that direction twice). R2 Same as - Page - 4 THE STORY OF GRANSTREAM ----------------------- One hundred years ago, on the planet of Granstream, a terrible war took place. The battle raged between two opposing forces - the evil Imperial Wizardry and the noble Allied Spirit Army. Both sides were nearly evenly matched, and victory seemed out of reach for either army. Then, in desperation, the Imperial Wizardry used a weapon that had been banned long ago due to its terrible destructive power and unpredictability. The weapon was fired into the core of the planet, with the objective of annihilating a huge portion of the Allied Spirit Army's forces. But a miscalculation by the weapon's operators caused a catastrophic chain reaction. The damage was so great that the planet actually shifted on its axis, causing the melting of the polar ice caps and threatening to entirely cover the planet's surface with water. - Page - 5 Far above the battles of the two forces, four Wise Men had been watching, waiting for the disaster they knew would come. Foreseeing the cataclysm through their magic, the Wise Men acted as the continents began to submerge. Using their mystical fortress Airlim, powered by four elemental Orbs, the Wise Men were able to raise four of the continents into the air. These four continents were the only land not swallowed by the rising oceans, and the people on them were the only survivors of the catastrophe. The Wise Men knew that to keep the continents floating, they would need to recharge Airlim periodically with the four Orbs - each one representing one element (Wind, Water, Fire and Earth). Each Orb corresponded to a continent, and each Wise Man controlled a single Orb. To prevent the power of the Orbs from falling into the wrong hands, each Orb had to be activated by a special verse, recited by one of the Wise Men. As the Wise Men aged and began to weaken, they each selected a descendent to carry on their task. And so it was, for one hundred years. But now, as the people of the four continents struggle to renew their civilization, dark rumors begin to spread amongst them - of the Wise Men disappearing, of Imperial Wizardry airships once again seen in the skies. And the continents themselves are slowly sinking lower closer to the hungry waters waiting below. On the continent of Shilf, a young orphan named Eon is being raised by a kindly old man, Valos. Valos is using magic stones to carve off pieces of the continent to try and make it lighter and slow the descent towards the ocean. But without the help of the Wise Men, Valos knows, such measures only delay the inevitable. He wonders if anyone can save them now... - Page - 6 STARTING THE GAME ----------------- To begin your adventure, press Start when you see the Title Screen. From there, you will be taken to the Start Screen. This screen has three options: Data Load, Start, and Key Config. Data Load - Load any saved games using this option (note: make sure you have your Memory Card with saved games inserted into slot 1 before using this option). Highlight this option using the Directional Button and press the button. A list of saved games will appear. Use the Directional Pad to highlight your saved game and then press the button. When the Ready message appears, press the button to start playing. Start - Use the Directional Button to highlight this option and press if you wish to begin a new game of The Granstream Saga. You will see the opening cinema and then begin your game. Key Config - Used to reconfigure the controller. Highlight and press the button. A screen with a control pad on it will appear showing the button configurations. Highlight the Change Button Configurations option and press the button. After a prompt, you will be able to select the buttons to assign each function to. When you are done configuring your buttons, you will be asked to confirm your settings. - Page - 7 game screen ----------- Status Bar: Eon's current health. It is divided into two parts, the Life Point (LP) meter and the Hit Point (HP) meter. Each time Eon sustains damage in combat, the HP meter drops. When the HP meter reaches zero, one segment of the LP meter is lost. When all of the LP segments are lost and the HP bar is fully drained, Eon will die and you will need to begin from your last save point (see Saving the Game, p. 16). MP Force Meter: The amount of Magic Points (MP) Eon has in units of Force (F) MP can be obtained by defeating enemies, and can be used to power many different spells. The circular part of the meter shows an icon depicting the spell you currently have equipped For more information on using Magic, see p.22. Compass: Assists you in keeping your bearings when rotating the screen using the L1 and R1 buttons. In order to return the screen to its normal orientation use the L1 and R1 buttons so that the compass is pointing North (upwards). Note: Upon entering combat, your Status Bar will be located at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. The MP meter will be located in the upper left-hand corner, and the Status Bar of the opponent will at the bottom right-hand corner. The opponent's Status Bar will function the same way as yours. - Page - 8 COMMAND MENU ------------ To access the Command Menu, press the Button. A menu will appear with a list of options, Use the Directional Button to highlight an option and then press the Button. A window will open to the right of the menu and display the contents of that menu selection. There are six windows: Item, Equip, Magic, Status, Scepter, and Option. item ---- View the various items you have collected during your quest. To use an item, move the cursor over the item with the Directional Button. A description of the item will appear. Press the Button, and then select Use or Drop. Upon selecting Use, a prompt asking you to confirm your selection will appear. Press the Button to confirm and a message showing the item has been used will appear. Selecting Drop will allow an item to be discarded. Note: Some items cannot be Dropped. Use the Button to close the window when finished. - Page - 9 equip ----- Used to out fit Eon with weapons, armor and shields. You begin your game with no weapons or defensive equipment, but you will quickly begin to acquire them as you continue on your adventure. Once you have found a piece of equipment, you will want to examine its attributes in the Status section. The window is divided into three parts: the Equip section, the Weapon/Armor/Shield section, and the Status section. The Equip section shows you which pieces of equipment you are currently using. The Weapon/Armor/Shield section displays your available equipment in those three categories. You can use the Directional Button to move the cursor and highlight a piece of equipment, then press to equip it. The Status section shows your Attack (AT) and Defense (DF) ratings. The first number in each category is your current power. The second number is the power you will have if you equip the weapon that is highlighted in the Weapon/Armor/Shield section. By comparing the two numbers, you can see if the weapon, shield or armor you wish to use will increase or decrease your AT and DF. Some pieces of equipment may raise one category and lower the other. In these cases you will need to decide if the potential tradeoff is worth it. Also remember that a weak AT weapon like a dagger can be used to strike much more effectively than the more powerful but slower axe. Use the Button to close the window when you are done equipping your weapons and defensive items. - Page - 10 magic ----- The third window in the Command Menu shows you the magic you have learned, and allows you to select which spells to assign to the Button for instant use. At the beginning of the game, you only know a low-level Heal spell but you will begin to acquire new and more powerful spells very quickly. Read the section on Magic (p.22) for more information on how and when to cast spells. The Magic window is divided into two parts: the Normal section and the Battle section, The Normal section is where spells that can be cast outside of combat appear. None of the spells in this window section can be used during a battle. You will notice some spells (such as your Healing spells) appear in both window sections. You must equip each version of such spells separately. To equip a spell for use, move the cursor over it, then press the Button. As you find new spells, you should equip them using this method and test them out to see if you wish to use them. The Battle section is where spells that can be cast during combat appear. None of the spells in this window section can be used unless you are in combat. To equip a spell use the Directional Button to move the cursor over it, then press the Button. Use the Button to close the window when you are done selecting your spells. - Page - 11 status ------ The Status window shows you all of Eon's statistics at a glance. There are nine different sections: LV, LP, HP, GP, Equip, AT, DF, MP and Spells. LV - Eon's current level. Eon's level will increase after various events occur during the game. LP - The total number of segments in Eon's Life Point meter, as well as how many LP are remaining. HP - The total amount of Hit Points Eon has, as well as show how many HP are remaining. GP - The amount of gems Eon has obtained (see Exploring the Continents, p.13). Equip - The weapon, armor and shield Eon is currently equipped with. AT - Eon's current Attack power. DF - Shows Eon's current Defense power. MP - The amount of Magic Points Eon has. Spells - The spells Eon currently has selected. Use the Button to close the window when you are done examining your status. - Page - 12 scepter ------- Displays all of the items that Eon's magical scepter has memorized (see Scepter p.21). Use the Directional Button to move the cursor over each item, and a description of that item will appear in the box below. Use the Button to close the window when you are done examining the Scepter items. option ------ The Option window has two functions: Message Speed and Game Reset. The Message Speed option allows you to control how fast the on-screen text appears during the game. There are three settings: Slow, Normal and Fast (Normal is the default setting). The Game Reset option allows you to return to the title screen without using the Reset button on the console. Move the cursor over the Reset icon and press the Button to reset your game. WARNING - doing this will remove all unsaved Progress you have made! Only use this option if you are prepared to start again from a saved game on your memory card. Use the Button to close the window when you are done adjusting the options. - Page - 13 EXPLORING THE CONTINENTS ------------------------ As Eon, you are free to explore a vast world stretching over four continents. Using the Directional Button, you can move Eon around the area you are in. To examine an object or talk to a person, press the Button when you are in close proximity to them. To enter a building, use the Directional Button to move Eon into the doorway. Sometimes rotating the camera view using the L1 and R1 Buttons can be helpful when objects or doorways are aligned diagonally with Eon. When Eon talks to particular characters at certain times, the camera angles may shift dramatically to emphasize different aspects of the Scene. During these sequences, Eon is not able to move or examine objects. The conversation sequence is over when the camera view returns to normal and Eon's Status Bar reappears in the upper left-hand corner of the screen (see Game Screen, p.7). - Page - 14 It is important to talk to everyone in the game. Characters may be passing on important information about the area you are in or problems you may soon be facing. Often you cannot progress through the game storyline if you have not talked to a specific character or characters. Be sure to revisit each character after a major event, as they will often have different things to say. When in towns, it is also a good idea to visit the various shops. The Apothecary in particular offers a good selection of useful items, including healing herbs and magic potions. You can purchase items using gems. Gems can be found inside various objects, or by defeating enemies. You can also go to the Pawn Shop to sell items you find or purchased by mistake. The Pawn Shop owner will give you gems for such items. Don't forget to visit the Church, either. The priest's holy powers can heal you completely and allow you to save a game (see Saving Your Progress, p.16). Sometimes the priest also has information that Eon must obtain before he can continue through the game. - Page - 15 When exploring in dungeons and other dangerous areas, it is important to save often. Most monsters are visible and can be avoided if necessary, but some enemies can ambush you without warning. Mimics are especially dangerous, as they are indistinguishable from an ordinary treasure chest, yet they are actually a vicious monster! Use the Panther Gem item or the Scanner magic spell on a chest if you suspect it might be a Mimic. You can save and restore your health at Green Crystals, and return to the entrance of the dungeon by using a Red Crystal. You will find these Crystals throughout the dungeons and other areas you explore. Both options can be invaluable if your health is low or if you need to escape to buy more items. - Page - 16 SAVING YOUR PROGRESS -------------------- In order to complete the vast adventure of The Granstream Saga, it is recommended that you use a memory card to save your progress whenever you have the opportunity. You can use as many memory cards as you wish to keep saved games on, but the card you are currently using must be placed in the first memory card slot when saving or loading a game. If you have a memory card in the second memory card slot, the game will not recognize it. There are several different places that you can save your progress while playing. The most common is the Green Crystal. You will often encounter this object when journeying through a dungeon or other dangerous area. Touching the Crystal and pressing the Button will restore your health completely. Once this is accomplished, the spirit that resides in the Crystal will ask if you wish to save your progress. Use the Directional Button to highlight Yes or No and then press . If you select Yes, you will see a message indicating your memory card is being checked. Once the card's data is verified, you will see a screen with your previous saved games (if any) and available save slots (if any). You can use the Directional Button to highlight a blank slot for a new save, or highlight an old save game to overwrite it. - Page - 17 Once you have selected the game, or slot you wish to save in, press the Button. You will be asked to confirm your new save or overwrite an old save. Use the Directional Button to highlight Yes and press . Your progress will be saved to the memory card. You can also save when you are in a town that has a Church. When you go to the doors of the Church the priest will greet you at the door and ask if you wish to have your health restored and your progress saved. The save process is the same as that of the Green Crystal. Note: sometimes you may have to enter a Church and talk to the priest in order to save your progress. Occasionally there are other opportunities to save your progress. The save process is identical to the Green Crystal. IMPORTANT NOTE: It is very important that you DO NOT remove the memory card any time there is a message that indicates that the card is being checked or a save is occurring. Removing your memory card at these times could result in damage to all your existing saved games. At all other times, it is safe to remove and reinsert your memory card as needed. - Page - 18 COMBAT ------ Sometimes Eon will be exploring dungeons or other dangerous areas. You will often see enemies walking around in such a situation. If you get too close to an enemy, they will notice you and rush after you. If they touch you, you will have to fight them. This means that it is possible (though not always desirable) to avoid combat. It is usually a good idea to fight most enemies, since a defeated enemy can give Eon gems, special items and MP. In some cases, defeating an enemy will be necessary to obtain an item that will allow Eon to continue to progress through the game, When a fighting sequence begins, the camera view will zoom in on Eon and the enemy. The area surrounding them will be bordered by darkness on all four sides. This shows the area where combat will take place. Once an enemy has attacked you, you must fight until one of you has been killed. During the fight, use the Directional Button to control Eon's movements. You will always face the enemy no matter which direction you move. Tapping the Directional Button twice in any direction (or holding R1 and pressing the Directional Button in any direction) will cause Eon to rapidly move in that direction. - Page - 19 While in combat, you can use the Button to attack with your currently selected weapon. The speed and effectiveness of your attack depend on the type of weapon you select (see Equipment, p.23). The type of weapon you use depends on your personal preference, though at some points in the game you may find yourself with a particularly powerful weapon in a category you don't normally use. For this reason, it's a good idea to be proficient in using all three types of weapons. Your armor allows you to absorb a lot of damage from an enemy, but it is much better to block enemy attacks altogether using your shield. You can block attacks by holding down the Button when an enemy strikes at you. Once the blow is parried, release the Button again in order to move around and attack your foe, it is important to remember that you cannot move while you are blocking. In addition, many enemies have a special attack that is very difficult to defend against. These special attacks have a telltale purple aura that is easy to spot, but you will have to have fast reflexes to dodge away in time. - Page - 20 During combat, every time you are hit by an enemy you will lose some of your HP, which is represented by the long, solid area of your Status Bar (see Game Screen, p.7). If your HP is completely drained, you will lose one portion of your LP, which is the segmented section of your Status Bar. Once you have lost all of your LP and HP, Eon will die and you will need to begin from your last save point (see Saving Your Progress, p.16). Various items in the game will allow you to replenish your HP and LP. These can be bought in stores, found in chests or other objects, or taken from defeated enemies. You will find yourself fighting a wide variety of enemies as you progress through the game. An enemy who seems invincible at first will easily fall to the right combination of blocking, dodging and striking. Study your enemies carefully and learn their every move to defeat them. - Page - 21 EON'S SCEPTER ------------- When the orphaned Eon was found in the town of Arona as a baby, he was wearing a mysterious bracelet on his wrist. This scepter as Valos calls it, possesses the ability to magically memorize certain objects. It can fully restore a suit of armor from a tiny rusted scrap, or reproduce with perfect accuracy a critical item. The scepter seems to have a mind of its own, though, and will only take action when it sees fit. Still, you will find it to be your most treasured and valuable possession as you journey from continent to continent. The scepter can also be charged with special Scepter Forces. You can obtain a Scepter Force crystal by defeating an enemy without taking any damage or using magic or items during the entire battle. When you receive a Scepter Force crystal, you will be asked if you wish to open it or not. If you open the Force, you will receive an item. If you do not open the Force, the scepter will memorize that Force. If you continue to defeat enemies without being hurt after you have memorized a Scepter Force, you can gain different colors of Scepter Force - but you must defeat a different enemy each time. Each higher color will give you a better item if you choose to open it, but you must be careful. If you enter a battle and take damage, you will lose all of your Scepter Forces and will have to start all over again! The more powerful the enemy you defeat, the more powerful the item you will receive upon opening the Scepter Force. - Page - 22 MAGIC ----- Eon will acquire a wide variety of magic spells as he journeys throughout the four continents. In most cases, he will find the spell embedded in a magical stone. The scepter will translate and memorize the spell, and it will appear in Eon's Magic window in the Command Menu. Some spells are powerful offensive magic, others are healing and still others serve useful functions like escaping to the beginning of a dungeon or scanning for Mimics. In order to use spells, Eon must first equip them using the Magic window of the Command Menu (see Command Menu, p.8). Once he has done so, he can cast that spell at any time by pressing the Button. The spells are divided into two categories, Normal and Battle, and you can equip one spell per category. Pressing the Button while Eon is not in combat will cast the spell selected in the Normal category. Pressing the Button while Eon is in battle will cast the spell selected in the Battle category, Each spell requires a certain amount of Magic Force points (MP) to use. If Eon does not have enough MP, he will not be able to cast the selected spell. MP can be gained only by fighting enemies or using certain items; it is not restored by Green Crystals or visiting a Church. It is a good idea to make sure you have at least a small amount of MP at all times, as there are parts of the game that require the use of a certain spell in order to progress. - Page - 23 EQUIPMENT --------- As well as magical spells, Eon will acquire many weapons, suits of armor and shields as he proceeds throughout the game. In most cases, he will find an old, rusting piece of metal. The scepter will restore and memorize the weapon, armor or shield, and it will appear in Eon's Equip window in the Command Menu. In order to use a weapon, suit of armor or shield, Eon must first equip that item using the Equip window in the Command Menu (see Command Menu, p.8). The AT and DF boxes can help you determine if a piece of equipment is worth equipping or not, however there are also other factors in selecting the most effective weapon, armor or shield for a given situation. A fast but weak weapon may be better than a slower one at times, and certain weapons have elemental powers of fire or water that give them special effectiveness against certain creatures. Some armor and shields add or subtract from Eon's AT power as well - in such cases, you must decide if the tradeoff is worth it. - Page - 24 There are three types of weapons in The Granstream Saga: daggers, swords and battleaxes. Daggers are weak compared to the other weapons, but you can strike quickly and repeatedly with them. Swords offer good striking range and average speed and damage, while the mighty Battleaxes are powerful but slow to swing. The type of weapon you use depends on your personal preference, though at some points in the game you may find yourself with a particularly powerful weapon in a category you don't normally use. For this reason, it's a good idea to be proficient in using all three types of weapons. Additionally, when you find certain weapons, you will also gain a special attack power. This power will be displayed as a series of Directional Button presses plus the Attack button (usually ). These attacks, once obtained, can be used with any of that kind of weapon. For example, if you find a sword, and receive a special attack, you can use that attack with any other sword weapon. These special attacks require concentration and can leave Eon vulnerable temporarily, but their power and range are invaluable against certain foes. Practice them until they become automatic and you will be able to make short work of most enemies. - Page - 25 KEY CHARACTERS -------------- Here are some of the important characters you will meet during your quest: Eon --- Your character and the hero of the The Granstream Saga. Eon was discovered in the town of Arona as a baby. Raised by a kindly man named Valos. Eon doesn't know much about magic and swordfighting, but he has a warrior's heart and his mystical scepter, a bracelet which he was wearing when he was found as a child. Arcia ----- The only descendent of the Wise Man of Shilf, the Wind continent where Eon and Valos live. She holds the key to saving all of the continents. A very giving and generous girl. - Page - 26 Korky ----- A spirit beast befriended by Laramee. He looks like a bird, but he can talk sometimes too much! He also has a variety of other powers that make him a valuable asset despite his attitude. He especially likes Venatawa Fruit, so be sure to feed him some every once in a while. Laramee ------- A member of the Desbats, a group of noble pirates who fly between the continents in an airship called the Gude. Her temperament is the opposite of Arcia's. Laramee is prone to losing her temper but conceals a kind spirit behind her fiery facade. Valos ----- An old man. Valos lost his young son in a tragic accident many years ago. He agreed to raise Eon as his own son, and has brought the boy up to be an honorable young man. Valos is proficient in many kinds of magic, and knows a little of the truth behind the legends of the Wise Men - Page - 27 Slayzer ------- Captain of the Desbats and Laramee's brother. He is the only one who can navigate the Gude through the tricky air currents of the planet's atmosphere. Slayzer is dedicated to the preservation of the natural order of things, and doesn't believe humans should use magic to meddle with nature. Gandor ------ Second in command of the Desbats. Gandor is a sensible fellow who doesn't fully trust anything he doesn't understand. A solid, dependable warrior, he and Eon have never met before... or have they? ------------------------------ Look for my other PSX Text Manuals: - Allied General / Panzer General - Ape Escape - Bugs Bunny Lost In Time - Civilization II - Driver - Evil Zone - Fighter Maker - Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver - Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete - NCAA GameBreaker 2000 - NFL Xtreme 2 (Quick guide) - S.C.A.R.S. - Syphon Filter - Ultimate 8 Ball - WWF Attitude All my manuals are near complete. Formatted 70 characters across. This makes it easier to print them out in a 2 column sheet with a small font size of approx. 7 - 9 points and a fixed-width font to keep the nice even paragraphs. Or do what you want of course :) -IfLAB 4-Sept-99 -=Cheat Code Central=- is one of the largest and most comprehensive video and computer game help sites in the world. We usually are the *first* or one of the first places on the web to post new codes for a game. We have thousands of cheat codes, Game Shark codes, strategy guides, FAQs, instruction manuals, and much more for Sony PlayStation, Nintendo 64, PC, and Sega Dreamcast. http://www.cheatcc.com/ (c) 1999 Cheat Code Central. All Rights Reserved. This text file may be freely distributed, provided that all text in this file remains unedited.