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GETTING STARTED: THE CONTROLS

(If you’ve ever played an RPG Maker game before, most of the following is redundant.)
Use the Arrow Keys to move Tom throughout the game world. Tom can move Up, Down, Left, and Right.
The Space Bar or Enter key is the action button. Use it to examine objects, open doors and cointainers, interact with the environment, and talk to people.
Press the Escape Button to open the Menu.

THE MENU

From the menu screen, you can choose to View Stats and Equipment, View/Examine Inventory, Save Game, or Exit Game.
Viewing stats and equipment will show you what your current Health is (rated simply from 10, being in perfect health, to 1, being at death’s door) and what Defensive Items and Weapons you have equipped.
Viewing your inventory will let you look at and examine the Keys, Items, and Weapons you’re carrying. Occasionally, the descriptions of items given by Examining them can give you important clues about how the items can be used, so it’s worth Examining your Inventory if you ever find yourself stuck.
Save Game allows you to save your progress at any point. Be sure to save early and often (death is cheap and easy in the nightmarish world of Backstage) and make multiple saves so as not to get caught in a bad position, with little health and few defensive items. There may be a handful of points in Backstage where it may be possible to open the menu and save when you are already dead- try and avoid this known bug.
Exit Game allows you to leave the game and stop playing at any point.
*KNOWN BUG AND ISSUE* - WHILE THE MENU IS OPEN, EVENTS IN THE GAME PROCEED IN REAL TIME- MONSTERS WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE YOU, SO BE CAREFUL ABOUT USING THE MENU IN DANGEROUS AREAS.
*KNOWN BUG AND ISSUE* - THE MENU IS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE GAME, INCLUDING DURING CUTSCENES AND OTHER AREAS WHERE IT SHOULD NOT OPEN. BE CAREFUL NOT TO ACCESS THE MENU IN THESE AREAS, DOING WILL MESS UP THE GAME IN SOME PLACES, AND ESPECIALLY RUINS CUTSCENES.


COMBAT IN BACKSTAGE
Tom is not particularly fast or strong, so, normally the best strategy for dealing with the horrific monsters in Backstage is just trying to get away from them. Sometimes in Backstage, it is impossible to avoid monsters- sometimes, monsters attack too quickly, or simply move faster than you. When you make contact with a monster, combat will happen automatically, and be over in a few seconds.
If you are armed with a Defensive Item, the monster will be destroyed, and you will take no damage, but you will lose the Defensive Item. If you are armed with a Weapon, the monster will be destroyed, and you will take no damage, but you will have one less shot in the defensive item. If you are unarmed, you will be damaged by the monster- if the damage doesn’t kill you, you will then have a chance to destroy the monster with your bare hands. However, stronger monsters are hard to kill this way. If you take enough damage, you will die. Just a few unarmed combats with even the weakest monsters can kill you. It is crucial to seek out and equip yourself with as many Defensive Items and Weapons as possible, or you’ll be killed quickly.
*If you are equipped with both a Weapon and a Defensive Item, the Weapon will be used first if you are caught by a monster. Weapons in general are more effective against monsters than Defensive items.

DAMAGE, HEALING, AND DEATH

In addition to monsters, there are traps, environmental hazards, and other nasty surprises in Backstage that can cause you damage or even kill you instantly. The world itself is out to hurt you.
In Backstage, you may find a few scattered first aid kits located throughout the game. These first aid kits have plenty of healing supplies, but are too large to be portable- you have to use them where you find them. Once you use them, they’ll be out of supplies, and you won’t be able to use them again.
If your Health is ever reduced to 0 or lower in Backstage, you die, and will have to restart your game.