Knightmare is based on a British television show of the same name.
Both the manual and the game itself are filled with pictures of the
two apparent stars...Treguard the Dungeon Master and Pickle the elf.
The game player is assumed to be familiar with the show. Luckily the
ignorance of American computer owners does not detract from the
gameplay, which uses the Captive Game System and adds some
refinements. Players of FTL's Dungeon Master will find recreations of
a few of that game's structures, as the author of Knightmare pays his
respects to the pioneers of the first-person dungeon game.
 
There are six Professions in the game, three hacker-types and three
magic user-types. Like Dungeon Master, you advance your characters by
practicing with the tools of a given Profession. Cross-training
characters is vital for two reasons. Advancement is fast at the lower
levels, so you can build stats much faster by going up one grade in
six different Professions than you can by going up six grades in one.
It's also very handy to have at least two characters who are competent
priests. If you have only one priest and that character gets
poisoned, blinded, etc., you have a problem if no one else can help.
 
The game has wands, staffs, and crosses as magical tools. Crosses are
Priest tools, wands are Wizard tools, and Staffs are Genie tools.
Priest functions are strictly health-related - the Priest is really
the medic. Wizards get weapon-type spells pretty early on, as well as
a couple of utility spells. Early on, the Genie's role is mostly
defensive, although that changes as advancement occurs.
 
Here are the basic tools for each magic type - users can eventually
access six functions of each.

Wand of Magic
    Open - Can remotely operate button doors. Used in some puzzles.
    Glow - Highlights objects which might otherwise be overlooked.
    Dart - The first offensive spell. Hits short opponents.
    Dispel - Your only weapon against ghosts.
    Cloud - Throws a packet of deadly smog at an opponent.
    Birds - Like Dart, but goes in high. Can be thrown through windows
            and portcullises.

Cross of Aid
    Rem - Puts group into 'deep' sleep for rapid regeneration.
    Fitness - Ups Stamina Stat
    Restore - Ups Health Stat
    Aid - Repairs wounds too serious to regenerate.
    Cure - for poison
    See - Cures blindness

Staff of Mystic
    Confuse - Works on opponent like a spinner.
    Remove - Turns False Walls into Fog Blocks.
    Shield - Affords some protection from attack damage
    Block - Affords some protection against magical attack
    Pow - Increases damage done by your swords
    Aim - Helps your combat accuracy

Other magical tools come later in the game, and require more advanced
skill levels for use.


The maps and object list show solutions to most of the puzzles.
Tips for some specific puzzles that are not obvious:
 
Cup Quest

Both the 'Mystic Door and the 'Nobody Must Enter' puzzles are both
overcome by throwing objects through the transporters. Transporters
conserve velocity, so the objects keep going when they appear at the
destinations. Study the maps to see how this applies.


Sword Quest

'Only Push the Right Ones' is such a tough puzzle that Crowther was
apparently forced to bypass it after playtesting. The switch before
the last iron lock opens up the back of the corridor behind the
puzzle. Here's how to solve it, with the top of the map as north:
1. Push E14 North once.
2. Push D14 West once.
3. Push D13 North once.
4. Push C12 North twice.
5. Push D11 East once, then South once.
6. The Plate you access opens the inner door of two in the corridor.
   Push the 'hidden' button in E11 to remove a wall block.
7. Push B13 West once. The Plate you now see opens the outer corridor
   door, and it's scuffle time.

'Bread Trails Are Handy' can be solved methodically. Here is the
solution (Right Forward Left Back):
Walk straight in from the doorway into the transporter directly in
front. Now step: R - F - R - B - R - B (get key) - L - F.
To return: Walk straight in again, then step forward, then left.
The map is only a best-guess as to how the room is really laid out.

'Hunt for Gold' - think of the fireballs as a belt, and the spinners
as pulleys. You can trace the path of the fireballs around the room
by tracing a line from spinner to spinner.

You can dig for the apples in the swamp blocks, but you must be
quick. Dig and then instantly step off the block to avoid sinking.
Apples can be retrieved by using the boat. Be careful about digging in
the swamp blocks under the Well. You can leave yourself cut off
before you uncover the transporter in the corner!

-Fred Percival
GEnie: F-D-PERCIVAL