Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams manual
- Ultima: Worlds of Adventure 2: Martian Dreams
- manual
This file contains the text of the following documentation:
1. TIME TRAVEL, Use of the Orb of the Moons
2. MYSTERIES OF THE RED PLANET
3. "Getting Started" Guide
4. Reference Guide
5. Copy Protection answers
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MARTIAN DREAMS
TIME TRAVEL
Use of the Orb of the Moons
by Dr. Johann Spector
December, 1895
TIME TRAVEL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword 1
Companions in Adventure 4
The Rescue Mission 5
Nellie Bly 5
Dr. C.L. Blood 6
Sigmund Freud 7
Nikola Tesla 8
The 1893 Expedition 9
Sarah Bernhardt 9
William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody 10
Calamity Jane 11
Andrew Carnegie 11
George Washington Carver 12
Marie Curie 13
Wyatt Earp 13
Thomas Edison 14
Emma Goldman 14
William Randolph Hearst 15
Nikolai Lenin 16
Percival Lowell 17
Georges Melies 18
Robert Peary 19
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin 20
Theodore Roosevelt 21
Louis Comfort Tiffany 22
Mark Twain 23
H.G. Wells 24
Foreword
December, 1895
THE story of my trip to Mars began many years in the future -- nearly 100 years
from now. At the time, I was (will be?) deeply involved in writing an account of
my exploits in Eodon, the alternate dimension dubbed "The Savage Empire" by that
young reporter, Jimmy Malone. As I struggled to convey the might and the majesty
of the place and its denizens, I received a telegram from the adventurer who
calls himself the Avatar. "Come quickly," it said.
Arriving at his home, I was surprised to learn that he had not, in fact,
contacted me at all. Here was a mystery! As we discussed the origin of the
mysterious telegram, an odd-looking woman rapped on the door and delivered a
package. When we turned to examine the contents, the woman slipped away; her
last words a warning that we held the fate of her people in our hands. The
mystery deepened!
The contents of the package did little to enlighten us. Inside we found a map
showing the location of a laboratory in the mountains of Colorado, an old
photograph, a letter signed "Nikola Tesla," and a book, ostensibly written by
me, entitled "Time Travel: Use of the Orb of the Moons." The book was, needless
to say, the very work I find myself writing now. The photograph was of myself,
the Avatar, Nikola Tesla, Sigmund Freud, and several other historical figures!
Though neither the Avatar nor I had any recollection of having travelled through
time, we agreed that we would be remiss if we didn't investigate. After all, it
isn't every day one receives a package from someone long dead! With the
mysterious map to guide our way, we soon found ourselves in a long-abandoned lab
-- the map was genuine! Thus encouraged, we placed the Orb of the Moons eight
feet in front of us at a heading of 37 degrees, and a timegate appeared. The orb
(acquired in an earlier venture to the fabled realm of Britannia) was as capable
of taking us to the distant past as to fantastic, other-dimensional worlds!
Upon stepping through the gate, we found ourselves in 1895, where we were
greeted by none other than Nikola Tesla. History books make no mention of the
events Tesla went on to describe. He informed us that the astronomer Percival
Lowell had discovered an explosive substance called Phlogistonite capable of
propelling a train-sized bullet through space. The power of this substance was,
in his own words, beyond description. Unfortunately, its nature has been lost to
the ages. In any event, Lowell had no trouble finding a backer for the
construction of a space cannon -- William Randolph Hearst, noted newspaper
publisher, supplied the funds in exchange for exclusive rights to the story.
Discretion dictates that I not reveal the details of Lowell's voyage or the
course of events after we would-be rescuers arrived on the Red Planet -- one
must, after all, reserve some things for lucrative autobiographies! (Even
scientist-adventurers must pay the rent.) Suffice to say that the Avatar and I
returned safely to Earth. In a very short while, we will return to our own time,
but not before I turn this book over to Dr. Tesla so he may ensure that it is
delivered into our hands a hundred years from now.
NOTE: I must be sure to implore Tesla not to read this journal. Though the
details of our journey through time will be revealed in another forum at another
time, I feel the need to record my thoughts about the historical figures with
whom I shared this, the grandest of my adventures to date. I intend to record
here not only biographical information through the year 1895, but also the
events of the years that followed. Were this information to be revealed to the
natives of the 19th century, all of history could be changed forever.
Needless to say, our goal in this era, our own past, was not to alter history,
but to preserve it -- to ensure that everything that had already come to pass in
our reality would, in fact, happen. I hesitate even to consider the consequences
of a temporal anomaly, however slight.
COMPANIONS IN ADVENTURE
PERHAPS the most fascinating aspect of our adventure was the company we kept,
for among our fellow space travellers were several notable historical figures. I
will endeavor to describe them both as they are remembered by historians (at
least insofar as I remember my history!) and as I came to know them in the
flesh.
It is difficult to express the thrill of meeting some of history most famous men
and women face to face! Freud, Roosevelt, Edison -- these legendary figures are
more than just names in history books. They are real, flesh and blood people,
people whom the Avatar and I, alone among modern men, have had the opportunity
to know.
THE RESCUE MISSION
Nellie Bly
(1867-1922)
THIS investigative reporter for Joseph Pulitzer's New York World has always
fascinated me. Here was a liberated, modern, career woman in an era when such
were few and far between. At a time when women hardly considered careers in
journalism, Nellie Thy checked herself into a New York insane asylum to report
on patient abuse, went to prison to write about the treatment of inmates, and
investigated crooked employment agencies that preyed upon young women. But her
greatest claim to fame came in 1889 when she embarked on a round-the-world trip
to beat the 80 day "record" set in Jules Verne's novel, Around the World in
Eighty Days. (She made the trip in 72 days, six hours, eleven minutes, and zero
seconds.) Miss Bly journeyed to Mars to chronicle the rescue expedition's
adventures for her employer (who, by the way, funded the rescue expedition in an
attempt to upstage his arch-rival, William Randolph Hearst). I am happy to
report that Nellie was everything I'd hoped she would be resourceful, brave,
strong-willed, capable...all in all, a most remarkable person.
Dr. C.L. Blood
(Unknown)
DR. Blood was something of a mystery to me. Though Tesla, Freud, and the other
would-be rescuers seem well-familiar with him and his accomplishments, I had
never heard of him before our arrival in 1895. Apparently, Dr. Blood was reviled
by the medical establishment of the 1870's for espousing the curative powers of
his creation: "Oxygenized Air." The general public cared little about the
disdain of Blood's peers thousands claimed to have recovered from illness and
infirmity after undergoing oxygenized air treatment. Despite his somewhat
checkered past and lack of esteem among the leading lights of the medical
community, Blood proved a concerned and able doctor, well able to handle the
rescue expedition's medical needs.
Sigmund Freud
(1856-1939)
UNTIL I learned about the mysterious Martian artifacts dubbed "dream machines"
by the members of the 1893 expedition, I wondered what role Dr. Freud would play
among the rescuers. The father of modern psychoanalysis, Freud revolutionized
the field of mental health care. His ideas about dream analysis, free
association, and the sexual basis of neuroses revolutionized a field that had
depended upon hypnosis and electroshock therapy in the treatment of patients. It
was shortly after the first reports reached Earth concerning the dream machines
that communication from Mars stopped. Freud's expertise allowed him to explain
the strange visions produced in those who used these Martian artifacts.
Nikola Tesla
(1856-1943)
AN unsung genius and unparalleled eccentric, Tesla was one of the late 19th- and
early-20th centuries' most innovative electrical engineers and inventors. His
greatest achievement was the invention of the AC induction motor, which led to
the virtual replacement of DC current in everyday life. Despite being
responsible for this major technological advance, Tesla is usually remembered
more for his failed efforts to broadcast electrical power through the air, like
radio waves. His technological expertise made the rescue expedition possible and
proved invaluable in understanding and repairing numerous Martian machines. And,
of course, it was his time-spanning message that brought us to this place and
time.
THE 1893 EXPEDITION
THE members of the stranded expedition were no less fascinating than their
would-be rescuers. Those aboard Lowell's craft when it blasted off from the
World's Columbian Exposition represented a veritable Who's Who of the Victorian
era. The year was 1893 and all the world had turned its attention to Chicago,
the site of the Exposition. There, ornate edifices housed displays of mankind's
greatest achievements. A Ferris wheel 264 feet in diameter and capable of
carrying over 2,000 people at a time towered over the fair. The world's nations
sent emissaries to show off the lifestyles and accomplishments of their peoples.
Perhaps the most remarkable attraction stood near the Manufacturers and Liberal
Arts Building. There, spectators marvelled at Percival Lowell's space cannon,
designed to take mankind to Mars. A crew was gathered, a launch date set. A day
before the scheduled launch, Lowell gave a tour of his cannon to a select group
of fair attendees and workers. Suddenly the cannon discharged. Some at the scene
claimed the explosion had destroyed the bullet within, killing all aboard. Some
thought the whole event was a colossal hoax. In fact, the bullet rocketed toward
Mars with many of the Victorian era's leading lights aboard. I can't imagine the
world without the crucial contributions these people made to the advancement of
science, the arts. and government. You will, no doubt. understand what I mean
when you read the list of the missing.
Sarah Bernhardt
(1844-1923)
THIS French actress was the most renowned performer of her day. Her
international tours sold out on every continent on the globe. Her appearance in
Queen Elizabeth (1912), one of the earliest feature-length motion pictures, lent
credibility to the fledgling art form. Her theatre background proved
surprisingly useful in our adventure on Mars.
William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody
(1846-1917)
WESTERN scout and hunter. Folk legends have it that he single-handedly killed
more than 4000 buffalo -- an heroic feat at the time. With the taming of the
West he turned to show business, leading a troupe of cowboys and Indians in a
series of phenomenally successful Wild West shows. He took up with fellow
westerner Calamity Jane on Mars.
Calamity Jane
(1852-1903)
A frontier woman who eschewed dresses and petticoats for "manly" clothes,
Calamity Jane, born Martha Jane Burke, served as an army scout, a pony express
rider, and as aide to George Armstrong Custer. Calamity is reputed to have been
a prostitute and Wild Bill Hickok's mistress, but she refused to discuss this
with me. On Mars, she quickly grew tired of the Martian cities and took to
wandering the plains with Buffalo Bill. Together, they supplied oxium and other
survival items to the city dwellers and planetary explorers
Andrew Carnegie
(1835-1919)
RAILROAD tycoon and steel magnate who felt that the duty of the rich was to
distribute surplus wealth to those who needed it. Toward that end, he set up
many charitable and educational institutions and foundations. I was quite
surprised at Carnegie's first-hand knowledge of steel and manufacturing.
Carnegie was charged with constructing a space cannon on Mars, making a return
flight possible. If only more modern executives were as familiar with the nuts
and bolts operations of their companies.
George Washington Carver
(c1860-1943)
BORN to slave parents, Carver fought the odds and turned a lifelong affinity for
plants into a career. In 1896, he became head of agricultural research for the
Normal and Industrial Institute for Negroes at Tuskegee, Alabama. There, he
pioneered multi-crop farming and crop rotation, and synthesized over 400
substances from peanuts and sweet potatoes (including dyes, milk, linoleum,
glue, soap flour, oil, paint, ink, butter, coffee, and even synthetic rubber).
Thomas Edison once offered Carver a salary of $100,000 to join him at his lab in
New Jersey, but Carver turned him down, saying he was needed at Tuskegee.
Remarkable, remarkable man.
Marie Curie
(1867-1934)
THIS Polish-born French physicist discovered the radioactive properties of
radium and polonium. In 1903 she was rewarded with the Nobel Prize for physics,
followed by one for chemistry in 1911. She died of leukemia, no doubt caused by
her pioneering research into the nature of radioactivity. Some of the Martian
artifacts discovered by Lowell and others were powered by radioactive
substances, making her expertise invaluable.
Wyatt Earp
(1848-1929)
EARP, a genuine American folk hero, was a noted frontier lawman, serving as a
policeman in Wichita, Kansas and later as assistant marshal in Dodge City.
Moving to Tombstone, Arizona, Wyatt, his brothers Virgil, Morgan, and James, and
Doc Holliday found themselves feuding with the Clanton and McLaury brothers
(cattlemen who augmented their earnings by rustling). The feud escalated into
all-out war on October 26, 1881, when the Earps and Doc Holliday gunned down
Billy and Frank Clanton and Tom McLaury in what came to be known as the Gunfight
at the O.K. Corral. Earp was acquitted by the courts. My experience with Mr.
Earp was limited (and, from what I know of him, I must say that doesn't
displease me).
Thomas Edison
(1847-1931)
AMERICA'S most prolific inventor, and the first entrepreneurial scientist,
Edison was issued over 1,000 patents in his lifetime. He is popularly credited
with inventing such history-making devices as electric lights, the phonograph,
and the motion picture. I was quite taken aback by the animosity between Edison
and Dr. Tesla. Friendly competitors they most assuredly were not. I can only
assume Edison saw in Tesla's alternating current motor the demise of direct
current, of which he was a leading proponent. One can only wonder what these two
geniuses could have accomplished had they been able to work together. Still and
all, Edison's engineering expertise proved invaluable in our attempts to
understand and repair a variety of Martian machines.
Emma Goldman (1869-1940)
ANARCHIST and proponent of birth control and draft obstruction, Emma Goldman was
born in Lithuania and raised in Russia. At 17 she moved to the United States,
where she soon became involved with anarchists. Arrested several times for
inciting riots, she was convicted of interfering with US preparations for World
War I and sent to prison. Deported in 1919, she went to Russia but disapproved
of the Soviet regime and moved on to England and later Canada. Late in life, she
took an active role in the Spanish Civil War. Her role in events on Mars is
clouded in mystery.
William Randolph Hearst
(1863-1951)
HEARST, a renowned American newspaper publisher and pioneer of "yellow
journalism," was the financial sponsor of the ill-fated 1893 Mars expedition.
Hearst papers were cheap, sensational, and provocative, appealing to the common
man in a way no newspaper had before. He and his bitter rival, Joseph Pulitzer,
competed for the minds and pennies of the public. By the end of the 20th
century, he was probably best-known for his California home, the bizarre San
Simeon. It will come as no surprise to those familiar with San Simeon that
Hearst became a collector and trader of Martian artifacts (perhaps junk would be
a better word) during his stay on the red planet.
Nikolai Lenin
(1870-1924)
LENIN, born Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. was the most influential Communist thinker
of his day. The Russian revolutionary, and founder of the Bolshevik party, first
studied the teachings of Karl Marx in 1889, while a university student. In 1907,
two years after the failure of the first Russian revolution, Lenin left the
country, but continued the struggle to bring Marxism to his homeland from
abroad. In 1917, he returned to lead a successful revolution which left him in
charge of a new Soviet government. He led the USSR until his death in 1924.
Lenin's dream of a world in which all members of society shared ownership of
property and in which wealth was distributed equitably found curious expression
during his experience on Mars.
Percival Lowell
(1855-1916)
LOWELL, an American astronomer and leader of the 1893 expedition to Mars, was
born to one of America's oldest and wealthiest families. After graduating from
Harvard University, he managed his family's cotton mills and utility companies.
For a time, he served as a diplomat, notably in the Far East. Upon learning of
the controversy over the Martian canals, he turned a life-long interest in
astronomy into a career. Using his inherited wealth, he built an observatory in
Arizona specifically for the observation of Mars. He mapped 184 canals, each so
regular that no natural phenomenon could explain their existence -- clear
evidence, he thought, that some intelligent lifeform was responsible. Dark
patches on either side of the canals were clearly vegetation, growing close to
the only apparent source of water and shifting with the seasons. The canals, he
hypothesized, ended in 63 oases -- collection and transfer stations 120-150
miles wide. In later years, he predicted the existence of a ninth planet in the
solar system. Though Lowell never saw Pluto, his pioneering work led to a
successful search for it.
Georges Melies
(1861-1938)
A French magician, theatrical producer, and actor, Melies achieved worldwide
fame at the turn of the century as the most innovative and adventurous of the
early motion picture makers. His 1902 film, A Trip to the Moon, was remarkably
similar in some ways to our own real-life adventure on Mars. One has to wonder
whether he was inspired by the events of 1893-1895. Melies, expertise in the
area of things photographic proved invaluable on Mars.
Robert E. Peary
(1856-1920)
PEARY, an American explorer, is best known for his trek to the North Pole. He
entered the U.S. Navy in 1881, first travelled into the interior of Greenland in
1886, and reached the North Pole in 1909. Shortly after being stranded on the
red planet, Peary embarked on an expedition to its north polar region. His
discoveries there marked a turning point in events on Mars.
Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin
(1871-1916)
AT the time of our Martian adventure, Rasputin, Russia's "Mad Monk," was a
wandering holy man and mystic yet to make his mark on the world. He is said to
have possessed mystical powers of persuasion, particularly over women.
Alexandra, wife of Tsar Nicholas II, fell under his spell and, through her,
Rasputin influenced the tsar himself. Often blamed for the conditions which led
to the Russian Revolution, he was ultimately assassinated by conservative forces
in Russia. The story of his execution is a strange one -- legend has it that he
was poisoned, stabbed, shot, and then thrown into a hole in an ice-covered
river, where he finally drowned. Tales of his psychic powers take on greater,
more frightening, significance in light of events on Mars. There may be more
truth to the tales than modern men care to admit...
Theodore Roosevelt
(1858-1919)
TEDDY Roosevelt, or "T.R." as he was known, served in the New York State
Assembly; spent two years as a rancher in the Dakota territories; became Police
Commissioner of New York City; acted as Assistant Secretary of the Navy;
organized the Rough Riders cavalry troop to fight in the Spanish-American War;
and served as New York's governor. In 1900 he was the vice-presidential
candidate on a ticket with William McKinley, and when McKinley fell to an
assassin's bullet, ascended to the presidency, serving from 1901 to 1909.
Roosevelt's police experience and familiarity with the latest developments in
forensic technique proved invaluable during the Martian adventure.
Louis Comfort Tiffany
(1848-1933)
LOUIS Tiffany, son of renowned jeweler Charles L. Tiffany, began as a painter in
oil and water colors, but eventually found his true calling in the design of
decorative objects made of iridescent "favrile" or Tiffany glass. He also worked
extensively as an interior designer, co-founding one of the leading design
consortia in the United States. Among his noteworthy interiors were the White
House and the home of Samuel Clemens (see "Mark Twain," pg. 23).
Mark Twain
(1835-1910)
PEN name of American writer Samuel Langhorne Clemens. After years as a printer's
apprentice, a riverboat pilot, and a journalist, Clemens turned to fiction.
Writing under the name Mark Twain, he penned such enduring classics as The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876), The Prince and the Pauper (1882), Huckleberry
Finn (1884), and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court ( 1889).
H.G. Wells
(1866-1946)
RENOWNED British writer whose work included such seminal science fiction tales
as The Time Machine (1895) and The War of the Worlds (1898), the latter almost
certainly inspired by his experiences on Mars. He also penned such popular non-
fiction works as The Outline of History which encompassed all of Earth's history
from the dawn of time.
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MARTIAN DREAMS
MYSTERIES OF THE RED PLANET
by Dr. Johann Spector
May, 1895
MYSTERIES OF THE RED PLANET
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword 1
Planetary Data & Geography 2
Basins, Craters & Planitia 3
Caverns & Canyons 3
Dust Storms 4
Ice Caps 5
Mountains & Volcanoes 5
Human Survival on Mars 6
Cold 6
Oxygen 6
Flora & Fauna 7
Airsquid 9
Ammonoid 9
Bushalo 9
Bushrat 10
Canal Worm 10
Cave Worm 10
Creeper 11
Creeping Cactus 11
Glow Worm 11
Hedgehog 12
Jumping Bean 12
Oxy-leech 13
Plantelope 13
Planther 13
Pod Devil 14
Proto-Martian 14
Rockworm 15
Sand Trapper 15
Sextelleger 16
Trees 16
The Mystery of the Berries 17
Martian Civilization 17
Life Cycle 18
Martian Life & Social Structure 19
Factories, Mines & Mechanical Men 21
Canals 22
Dream Machines 23
Mysterious Red Planet 24
Glossary 24
FOREWORD
I write these words aboard a colossal bullet rocketing from the Earth to Mars.
Wondrous as this is (and it is, I assure you, quite wondrous), I am even more
amazed by the fact that it is the year 1895! Tesla -- yes, the noted scientist
of years past, Nikola Tesla! -- is unsure how long the voyage will take so I
have decided to pass the time recording what mankind (circa 1895) knows of our
destination -- Mars. How I came by this information is a story in itself:
Scientists have long suspected that Mars was capable of supporting intelligent
life. As early as 1877, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli mapped nearly
eighty "canali" criss-crossing the Martian surface -- canals that he said
couldn't possibly be the work of chance.
Among the scientists who followed in Schiaparelli's footsteps was an American,
Percival Lowell, who in the early 1890's began studying the canals and other
features of Mars. Remarkably, no late-20th century sources record the fact that
Lowell did more than study the red planet from a distance -- in 1893 he
constructed a giant space cannon to send an expedition there!
When the cannon accidentally discharged ahead of schedule (with several notable
figures of the day aboard) most observers agreed that the explosion must have
vaporized the huge bullet-ship within, killing the passengers instantly.
Luckily, the extraordinarily inventive Nikola Tesla, one of Lowell's associates
on the space cannon project, remained optimistic about the fate of those aboard
the craft.
As planned, Tesla went ahead with the construction of a system of reflectors
which would allow him to flash Morse code messages to the expedition (which had,
in fact, crash-landed on the red planet). Lowell set up a matching system of
mirrors and was able to send messages about what he and the other explorers
discovered on Mars.
Having read through the transcripts of Lowell's messages, I find myself puzzled
-- the Mars he described in his messages is so very different than the one we of
the late 20th century know. What could have changed the planet so in just 100
years? How could the Mariner and Viking spacecraft have missed such clear
evidence of Martian life? I must know the answers to these questions. Perhaps we
will uncover them during our explorations.
It seems likely that Lowell himself knows the answers, but he is either
unwilling or unable to tell us. His Morse code messages ended abruptly not long
after the first expedition landed on the red planet. Why they ceased we do not
know, but cease they did. The information in this journal is, therefore,
incomplete. Still, I will endeavor to record all that mankind knows of Mars. The
facts -- if facts they be -- may prove invaluable to my fellow space travellers
in the days and weeks following our landing on Mars.
PLANETARY DATA & GEOGRAPHY
THOUGH details have changed, much of what 20th century man knows of the red
planet still appears to be accurate in 1895: Mars is the fourth planet from the
Sun. The Martian day lasts 24 hours, 37 minutes. Its year is 687 Earth days
long. Its elliptical orbit takes Mars as close as 128 million miles to the Sun
and as far away as 155 million miles. Its distance from Earth ranges from 40
million miles to 250 million miles. The diameter of Mars is 4222 miles at the
equator, but only 4195 miles through the poles. Its mass is significantly lower
than that of the Earth. The gravitational pull of Mars is, therefore, 60 percent
lower than that of Earth. For this reason, Mars loses hydrogen and oxygen, the
components of water, at a rate equivalent to 60,000 gallons of water a day.
Another interesting effect of Mars' weak gravity is that escape velocity is only
11,214 mph, far less than the 25,000 mph required to escape the confines of
Earth.
Basins, Craters & Planitia
OVERALL, Mars has suffered neither more nor less from meteor and asteroid
strikes than the other inner planets. Still, Mars' proximity to the asteroid
belt has resulted in periodic bombardments that are especially heavy. Sixteen
impact craters with a diameter of 150 miles or greater have been clearly
identified. These large, flat basins are called "planitia."
The Argyre planitia approximately 350 miles across, is surrounded by mountains.
Passage through these mountains is thought to be all but impossible.
The basin-like areas of central Mars are somewhat different than Hellas' Argyre'
and the other large impact basins -- the central planitia are believed to be
lava plains created long ago by the eruption of the Tharsis volcanoes.
Caverns & Canyons
THE surface of Mars is marred by countless crevasses, chasms, and fossae (miles-
long, trough-like ditches ).
The system of canyons we of the late 20th century call Valles Marineris is 1550
miles long, 125 miles wide at its widest point, and 2.2 miles deep at its
deepest. It dwarfs Earth's magnificent Grand Canyon (280 miles long. 18 miles
wide at its widest point, and a little more than a mile deep) -- in fact, the
Valles Marineris would extend all the way from Chicago to California. The
careless explorer could easily find himself lost in the twisting passages of
this magnificent valley.
Noctis Labyrinthus, at the western edge of the Valles Marineris system. is a
complex maze of interconnecting channels. Three smaller (though no less maze-
like) chasms link Noctis Labyrinthus with Coprates Chasma. We must be careful to
map these areas carefully should we be forced to explore them in the course of
completing our mission.
Amazingly, Valles Marineris is itself part of a system of canyons 2800 miles
long, 435 miles wide at its broadest point, and over four miles deep. This
canyon system would stretch all the way across the United States!
Unlike Earth canyons, which are carved by running water Martian canyons often
appear closed at both ends (meaning water could not have flowed into or out of
them). On the other hand. the equatorial regions of Mars are marked by what are
generally agreed to be dry river beds. Many of the canyons of Valles Marineris
spill out into these dried river beds. No one knows how the canyons of Mars were
really formed. Perhaps our expedition can solve this fascinating Martian riddle.
In addition to canyons, Mars is riddled with underground tunnels and passages,
some natural, others carved out eons ago by the sentient Martian race. Some of
these tunnels are home to Martian wildlife, while others lead to underground
factories (see below). Here again, the watchword for would-be Martian spelunkers
will be caution. Accurate maps may be all that stand between survival and
certain death.
Dust Storms
DUST is the most common feature of the Martian surface. Small particles are
often wafted aloft, while larger particles, picked up by the wind, roll and
bounce along the ground.
Extreme temperature contrasts, particularly near the poles and in the Hellas
region, create violent winds -- up to 280 miles per hour -- and raging dust
storms. Tornado-like conditions are common and quite deadly, often whipping the
sandy surface of Mars to a stinging frenzy. Flying dust often blots out the
entire surface and blinds the unwary explorer.
Lowell reports that the only thing to do if one spots a Martian dust storm is to
run away. Seek shelter as quickly as possible.
Ice Caps
MARS is devoid of surface water. Most of the water that does exist is locked up
in huge ice caps at the poles. The north pole is largely composed of water ice,
while the south pole is a combination of water and frozen carbon dioxide.
Lowell theorized that the Martians melted small portions of the polar ice masses
to fill their canals and irrigate the equatorial region. Gargantuan towers
located near the north pole appear to have been part of an elaborate system for
filling the canals, but the rigors of polar exploration stymied the 1893
expedition's efforts to investigate.
Mountains & Volcanoes
MARS features some of the tallest and most rugged mountains and volcanoes in the
known universe. The volcanoes of Mars are note-worthy for reasons other than
their prodigious height -- they appear to have been formed from iron-rich,
basaltic lava. The possibility exists that Mars may one day provide much of
mankind's iron ore and steel.
Just north of the equator is the Tharsis bulge, a raised plain some five miles
high and as far across as the United States. Tharsis boasts some of the highest
points in the solar system. Olympus Mons is the tallest volcano known to exist
(90,000 feet high and well over 350 miles across!). By contrast, Mount Everest,
the tallest mountain on Earth, is only 29,000 feet high. Three slightly smaller
volcanoes -- Ascraeus Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Arsia Mons (each "just" six miles
high) sit atop the Tharsis bulge in a diagonal line southeast of Olympus.
The Elysium bulge rises 2.5 miles above the surface and features somewhat
smaller volcanoes than Tharsis. Only three of the Elysium mountains are as much
as 93 miles across. The tallest of them, Elysium Mons, stands 5.5 miles high.
Albor Tholus and Hecates Tholus, nearby, are a bit smaller.
Fortunately for us, none of the volcanoes of Mars appear to be active!
HUMAN SURVIVAL ON MARS
THE hard facts on the preceding pages appear to have changed little during the
20th century. The same cannot be said of other aspects of Mars. Though not as
wild and fantastic as Edgar Rice Burroughs imagined in his John Carter books,
Mars is far from the dead planet known to modern science. Percival Lowell
theorized that Mars was in the process of cooling and losing its atmosphere, but
it was not yet completely dead. His trip to the red planet appears to have
proved his theories. Mars circa 1895 is capable of supporting life. Native
lifeforms abound, and mankind can, with difficulty, survive the planet's harsh
conditions. Among the dangers we can expect will be intense cold and an
atmosphere far thinner and lower in oxygen than Earth's.
Cold
THE Martian surface temperature varies with the location, the season and the
time of day. The astronomers of the late 20th century report temperatures as low
as -250 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 90. with a typical range of -22 to -
112 degrees. Curiously, Lowell found Mars to be significantly warmer, though
still dangerously cold. The most hazardous time is between the hours of 10 p.m.
and 3 a.m. We must be sure to set up camp during these hours and consider
remaining in an insulated tent until daylight. We also have a supply of heavy
clothing to help keep us warm.
Oxygen
THE atmosphere of Mars is much thinner than that of Earth. By the 1990s, it was
well established that the atmospheric pressure on Mars was just one percent that
of Earth.
However. the Mars explored by Lowell seems far more hospitable than modern
science would have us believe. Still, we will soon land on a planet just barely
capable of sustaining life. We must anticipate reduced endurance, at the very
least, when we disembark.
The Lowell expedition discovered a substance called oxium that makes life on
Mars far more pleasant. The discovery of the gooey, foul-tasting, life-giving
substance was pure luck -- an old miner named Cooter McGee, gasping for breath
and half mad from lack of oxygen, happened to stumble into a cave littered with
geodes emitting air!
When he broke open one of the geodes he found a blue gelatin within. Despite the
horrid odor he popped a wad in his mouth and began to chew. The taste was awful,
but each bite released a bit of oxygen. He knew in an instant that he held the
key to mankind's survival on Mars.
He dubbed the substance "oxium," and it quickly became both a necessity of life
and the stranded expedition's primary form of currency. It was traded for all
manner of foodstuffs, minerals, objects, and Martian artifacts. He who has oxium
is assured of both health and wealth.
FLORA & FAUNA
AS recently as the late 1800's, Mars teemed with life. As dangerous as the cold
and lack of oxygen may be the most serious threat to human life on Mars is the
danger posed by these decidedly alien and often hostile creatures.
According to Lowell's reports, there is little difference between those Martian
lifeforms described as "flora" and those we would call "fauna." All Martian life
appears to fall into one of two categories: There are plant-like creatures
(dubbed "plantimals" by Lowell) and worm-like creatures.
All plantimals grow from seeds, spending at least a portion of their "youths"
rooted in the ground. When seedlings near maturity, pods appear on the plant.
Within each pod a new plantimal grows. The pods grow quite large and eventually
burst, releasing fully grown creatures.
While the pods are growing. plantimals derive nourishment from the ground, just
like Earth plants, but they also acquire something more -- plantimals are
capable of extracting species specific information from the soil in which
they're planted! In other words, the instincts of members of the seedling's
species that have died in the vicinity become part of the seedling's own makeup.
Each youngster acquires the "wisdom" of its predecessors. In the case of most
wandering plantimals, little knowledge is passed on. In the case of the sentient
Martians, the benefits of passing along multi-generational racial knowledge were
dramatic.
Note that the red pods growing on some adult creatures are edible seed pods --
fruit. The seeds are scattered when a piece of fruit falls from its host
creature and bursts, allowing the seeds to be blown about by the Martian winds.
Seeds can also be spread when herbivorous creatures pluck and eat the fruit of
other creatures (in a curious blurring of the distinction between carnivore and
herbivore). The indigestible seeds pass through the creature when it eliminates
solid waste. Eventually the seeds take root and the cycle begins again.
The worm-like creatures differ dramatically from plantimals in appearance,
habitat, and behavior. They are often shelled and generally avoid the extreme
conditions of the Martian surface, living well-protected beneath the surface.
Worms are almost always aggressive.
The unexplained disappearance of some members of the 1893 expedition led to
rumors of the existence of mysterious, horrible, and deadly Martian creatures.
Whether Mars is home to unidentified creatures and whether they are plant or
worm is, as yet, a mystery.
Here is a listing of all creatures known to exist on Mars. The list may not be
complete and further investigation is definitely in order.
Airsquid
NO Earthly equivalent exists for this, perhaps the strangest and most surprising
of Martian creatures. The carnivorous airsquid is a remarkable combination of
hawk. squid, and, jellyfish. It floats, seemingly harmless, through the sky, its
body suspended below a distended bag filled with hydrogen gas. Blessed with keen
eyesight, it can spot prey at great distances. When it finds a victim. the
airsquid drops in vicious, gravity-aided attack. Sharp teeth, a tearing beak and
grasping tentacles make the airsquid a hideous and effective enemy. Not
surprisingly, the first expedition reports no sightings underground. The
airsquid seems willing to float anywhere prey is to be found. There is no place
on the Martian surface free of these deadly creatures.
Ammonoid
THIS primitive, snail-like creature dwells exclusively in the dank. dark Martian
underworld. Its spiky, thorned shell provides ample protection against attack.
Its tentacles allow it to grasp prey, but the real danger posed by the ammonoids
is the burning acid secreted from suckers on the lower tentacle surface.
Bushalo
THE plains areas are home to this bison- or buffalo-like herbivore. Herds of
bushalo can generally be found near the wandering forests. feasting on the small
plants found in and around the woods. Though normally sedate, these massive,
hippopotamus-sized creatures are easily provoked. The charge of a bushal, wood-
like tusks clacking, is something to behold from a distance. The best advice
that can be given is to leave these creatures alone unless it is absolutely
necessary to disturb them.
Bushrat
HERE is a curious anomaly -- one of the few plantimals to be found, both above
and below ground. How these rat-like scavengers survive without the light of the
sun so necessary to other plants is a mystery. Perhaps it is akin to Earth
saprophytes -- non-photosynthesizing plants that survive on decaying organic
matter. Bushrats can be found everywhere, feeding on the remains of dead worms
and the kills of surface-dwelling carnivores. Small, quick and blessed with
razor sharp teeth and claws, bushrats are surprisingly dangerous when provoked.
Canal Worm
NO human has ever seen one of these creatures, but several circular tapestries
found in the Martian cities depict what Lowell believes to have been huge,
canal-dwelling worms. Several features are immediately apparent. They: had huge
maws full of row upon row of shark-like teeth. They must surely have been quite
ferocious, attacking anything that moved on or near the canals. And they were
large enough to swallow a man whole. Perhaps it is a blessing that the canals
are empty and mankind need never fear these awesome beasts.
Cave Worm
UNLIKE its distant relative, the extinct canal, cave worms are quite real and
quite deadly. These glowing shelled cave dwellers can grow to lengths up to ten
feet, but a spitting attack makes them a threat at far greater distances. Once
prey comes within reach, a cave worm uses grasping tentacles to squeeze the life
from its victims. Like many Martian creatures, the cave worm secretes a burning
acid through its skin. Victims are, in essence, rendered down to liquid which
the mouthless worm absorbs through its skin.
Creeper
THIS rootless, leafy vine is the above-ground equivalent of the cave worm. Its
natural habitats are the mountainous regions of Mars, though it will travel as
far as necessary to find food. It squirms about the surface and attacks by
wrapping itself around its victims and suffocating them. The creeper tends to be
shy, attacking only when requiring one of its infrequent feedings, but it can
respond viciously to provocation.
Creeping Cactus
AMONG the odder Martian creatures, this hybrid of cactus and sea urchin moves by
inflating its rear pods and deflating the ones ahead, pushing it slowly across
the surface. This is probably a variation on the flight mechanism used by the
air squid, but the creeping cactus is too heavy to get off the ground. Despite
their weight, the strong Martian winds often send creeping cacti tumbling across
the plains, like tumbleweed. Unlike tumbleweed, however, the creeping cactus has
pointy spines that can inflict surprisingly serious damage.
Glow Worm
THOUGH similar in appearance to their cousins, the rockworms, glow worms are
quite harmless. Found only in the maze-like underground passages of Mars, these
shy creatures shrink into their shells at the approach of any creature larger
than a bushrat. For reasons we can hardly guess, glow worms usually cluster at
points where passageways curve or reach a dead end. Underground explorers
quickly came to consider the creatures their friends for, as their name
indicates, they glow quite fiercely. Whether this display is designed to scare
away would-be attackers, to blind underground predators used to the dark. or to
accomplish some other, unknown goal is a subject worthy of further study.
Hedgehog
THIS belligerent, mid-sized carnivore fills the ecological niche of Earth
wolves. Woody tusks, sharp fangs, and thorns that can be sent flying through the
air make the lone hedgehog quite formidable. Unfortunately, they often travel in
packs, making them even more of a threat. A group of hedgehogs can take down a
bushalo with ease, and can even give a sextelleger a hard time. Be ever alert
for hedgehogs they range far and wide and can be found anywhere on the planet.
Jumping Bean
THE rabbit-like jumping bean looks almost comical as it traverses the Martian
landscape with a peculiar hopping gait. Don't be deceived by its 1ooks, however,
or its herbivorous nature -- beans are quite aggressive. In fact, they're just
plain nasty, seemingly for the fun of it. (How else do you explain an herbivore
that attacks without provocation?) A pack of jumping beans is quite dangerous,
giving pause even to the carnivores of Mars.
Oxy-leech
THIS slug-like underground life form feeds on oxium. Unfortunately, these
primitive creatures make no distinction between veins of oxium ore and
travelling adventurers with oxium in their packs. The oxy-leech has a hideous,
toothy mouth opening, but does very little physical damage, preferring to steal
oxium and flee before victims can react. Generally found near cave entrances and
in ravines, the oxy-leech is a disgusting creature. but more a nuisance than a
genuine threat.
Plantelope
THE gazelle-like plantelope may remind explorers of its smaller cousin, the
jumping bean. Normally docile, it tends to be shy, choosing to flee rather than
fight in almost every case. The plains are its customary feeding grounds though
herds of plantelope have been seen leaping goat-like in the mountainous areas of
Mars.
Planther
FAST, agile and deadly, the planther is at the top of the plantimal food chain.
Though it rarely attacks the larger herbivores, a hungry specimen of the breed
can chase down a sextelleger (with some difficulty...). Planthers tend to be
loners, sticking to the mountainous regions they love, but they move into the
plains areas and travel in small prides during pollination season.
Pod Devil
HERE is a creature with no Earthly equivalent. Three times during the Martian
year, the mysterious pod devil blooms. Anywhere from five to 30 pods appear on
each mature adult. Within each pod, a young devil begins to grow. If left alone,
the pods drop to the ground and a fully grown pod devil emerges. If the "mother"
plant is disturbed before the "babies" reach full maturity, a variable number of
pods burst, releasing immature (and quite vicious) devils. The young are
bipedal, frog-like whirlwinds of teeth and claws. They have been reported to
attack from a distance by hurling small stones, an indication of relatively high
intelligence. If one of the prematurely-released young dies, a new pod devil
plant grows on the spot thus assuring the continuation of the species.
Proto-Martian
THOUGH the sentient Martian race became extinct long before man set toot on the
red planet, a primitive relative managed to survive. Though nowhere near as
intelligent as their ancient cousins, the omnivorous proto-martians are clearly
the top of the heap among the remaining plant creatures. (For the sake of
comparison, think of proto-martians as somewhere between gorillas and human
cavemen in intellect.) Alone among plantimals, the proto-martians travel in
bands and use crude weapons (sticks, hurled rocks, and so on). They generally
live near the bases of mountains, seeking the shelter of caves. They have also
been spotted roaming the plains, living in crudely constructed shelters. Be
warned that proto-martians are not intelligent enough to reason with. Consider
them clearer, dangerous animals.
Rockworm
THESE gigantic tube worms live coiled up under the earth with only a hard,
slime-covered tube visible at the surface. The tubes are made of a caustic
material regurgitated by the worm. This same acidic ooze coats and lubricates
the rockworm's body, allowing it to emerge with startling speed from its
subterranean resting place. The slightest vibration on the surface draws the
rockworm out. The speed of its attack, the caustic ooze and a horrible thorny
maw make each rockworm a threat. Making matters worse, rockworms tend to clump
together in colonies and can be vicious when provoked. They are best left
undisturbed whenever possible.
Sand Trapper
THESE large, pod-like creatures would appear to be easily avoided -- they are
completely immobile. Appearances can be deceiving, however. Like the Earth
insect known as the ant lion (or more popularly, the doodlebug ) the sand
trapper uses the lower portion of its abdomen as a shovel and digs itself a
deep, conical pit in the loose sand of the plains. Any plantimal, worm, or human
who gets too close loses its footing in the loose sand and falls to the bottom,
where the creature waits to devour it. Even potential victims who don't fall
within reach of the waiting creature have little chance of climbing out as the
sand shifts beneath their feet. Escape is made even more difficult by the
trapper's grasping, ropy tentacles.
All in all, the sand trapper is a devouring machine little more than a huge
mouth lined with razor sharp teeth. A spitting attack can send a man tumbling
down the slopes of its trap and into its waiting jaws. Don't be lulled into a
sense of false security by its immobility. The sand trapper is quite deadly.
Sextelleger
HERE is another Martian plantimal with no Earthly equivalent. No other creature
encountered by Lowell and the others was considered more dangerous or more
malevolent. Even the planther thinks twice before attacking a fully-grown
sextelleger. The six-legged beast can only be described as a carnivorous
rhinoceros. A lone sextelleger is a menace, but one seldom encounters a lone
sextelleger -- the creatures travel in herds, killing and devouring anything and
everything in their paths.
Trees
THE pod-trees are not true plantimals like the other lifeforms of Mars, but they
are, nonetheless, worthy of inclusion in a compendium of Martian creatures.
Unlike Earth trees, Martian trees are capable of limited movement. For reasons
not fully understood by human explorers, the trees clump together in forests and
then wander together across the plains of Mars, usually in the vicinity of the
canals. Explorers quickly determined that it was not worth their time and energy
to map either the location of the forests or the paths through them. The next
time they reached an area through which they had passed earlier, the paths had
changed and, in some cases, the entire forest had moved!
THE MYSTERY OF THE BERRIES
THE 1893 explorers sent many coded messages back to Earth. All of them were
fantastic, but none were more remarkable than those pertaining to Martian
berries. Before the messages stopped, George Washington Carver, noted
agriculturist and one of the members of the 1893 expedition, catalogued many
species of immobile, non-sentient plants. At least three of these bore fruit,
specifically berries. When eaten, these berries reportedly conferred upon the
user strange and inexplicable psychic abilities. Some who used the berries
claimed to be able to read minds (clairvoyance) or carry on conversations with
inanimate objects (psychometry). Others reportedly gained the ability to move
and use objects at a distance (telekinesis). Modern science generally denies the
possibility of such powers, but then modern science also denies the existence of
life on Mars. Perhaps it would be best to approach the subject of the Martian
berries with an open, inquisitive mind.
MARTIAN CIVILIZATION
THE irrefutable evidence of sentient life on Mars leads inevitably to questions
about who and what the Martians were. What was their lifestyle? How advanced was
their civilization and how was it structured? After the members of the 1893
expedition determined that they could, in fact, survive on Mars, George
Washington Carver began seeking answers to these questions.
All available evidence led Carver to conclude that the one-time masters of Mars
were sentient plant-creatures -- highly evolved plantimals, if you will. The
remains of cities and towns -- called "groves" -- and the remarkable artifacts
found in these settlements indicate a high level of civilization.
Life Cycle
LIKE all Martian plantimals and, for that matter, all Earthly plants, the
sentient Martians (to be called simply "Martians" from here on) were born when
seeds were planted in the ground, watered. nourished by sunlight and minerals,
and protected from worms and carnivorous plantimals. However, Carver's study of
records left by the Martians indicate that they grew to maturity somewhat
differently than their non-sentient cousins.
First, each Martian plant grew just a single pod, and these pods didn't split
open naturally when the creature within reached maturity. In fact, if left on
the plant, Martian pods would become overripe, killing the young one within.
For that reason, the Martians tended their pods carefully and, using a knife-
like implement specifically designed for the job, split the pod open at just the
right time, releasing the "young" male or female Martian. The new organism was
fully aware, but not fully mature. Were it not for the protection and guidance
provided within the walls of the Martian groves, the young could not have
survived.
The Martian life cycle began with an elaborate sexual ritual involving a male, a
female, and a species of now extinct flying worm Carver called a "pollinator."
The parties involved would gather in a sunny greenhouse in the couple's home
grove. The two Martians would kneel across from each other as pollinators
fluttered about them. The worms would land on the male, picking up a dusting of
pollen, and then land on a ruff of flower-like structures about the female's
neck and shoulders.
The pollinated flowers eventually grew into seeds which ringed the female, like
strings of pearls. When the seeds had grown, they were gathered and given to the
Cultivator, who planted and tended them in a communal plot. Eventually. the
seeds grew into seedlings and then into fully grown plants. The plants grew pods
and the cycle was complete.
The existence of communal plots was probably the most telling difference between
the Martians and their non-sentient cousins -- they tended to settle in a few
places and buried generation after generation of their dead in a few precisely
defined locations. Seeds planted in these locations acquired knowledge and
characteristics not only from the previous generation. but from all generations
stretching back many thousands of years.
The germ of true intelligence was clearly present in the Martians from the very
beginning -- they, alone among plantimals, realized the potential benefits of
settling in a single location. Still, given what we know of life on Mars, the
resulting concentration of racial memory in a single location surely contributed
to their dominance of the planet.
Martian Life & Social Structure
WHILE Carver studied the Martian life cycle, anthropologist David Yellin began a
systematic study of the Martian lifestyle as recorded in scrolls and reflected
in surviving Martian groves and artifacts.
According to Yellin, the secret of Martian success was rootedness. Once a
Martian family (or group of families) settled in an area, it remained there, to
the benefit of each succeeding generation. Thus, each grove is found today on
the same spot it occupied at the dawn of Martian civilization.
Martian groves consisted of several homes arrayed around a central grave/nursery
plot, the whole protected against nomadic plantimals by a stout wall. The homes
were, not surprisingly, made entirely of glass or crystal. In other words, the
Martians lived in greenhouses, not unlike the marvelous crystal palaces beloved
by the Victorians.
The rule among Martians seems to have been "one-home, one-Martian." Since all
seeds were planted in a communal birthing plot, there were no families in a
sense, all Martians living in a grove were one family. When a Martian died its
body was carried to the birthing plot and buried there. As the body decomposed,
all of its accumulated memories and experiences were, through some unknown
mechanism, transferred into the soil, to be soaked up by seedlings planted
there. Thus the seedlings acquired the knowledge of all previous generations in
that location.
Each Martian birthing plot was tended by the community's Cultivator. This
Martian held the fate of his community in his three-fingered hands. If the plot
were damaged, the development of subsequent generations could be set back
severely. If the damage were so great that the community had to move and find a
new plot, a small amount of dirt would be collected from the plot and carried to
a new location. Martian records indicate that this only rarely resulted in
success. Needless to say, the Cultivator was held in the highest respect.
Assisting the Cultivator was the Gatherer. The Martian who held this position
gathered all of the leaf droppings and other plant matter and kept up the
community's compost heap. The Gatherer was also responsible for bringing the
dead to the birthing plot, where their knowledge could be imparted to succeeding
generations.
Another Martian, the Arborist, healed the sick and wounded. This involved taking
cuttings, healing diseases, grafting limbs, and so on.
Coordinating the activities of these key Martians and seeing to the everyday
needs of the citizens of each grove was the Agrarian. Think of the Agrarian as
akin to a human Mayor and you won't be too far off the mark. In addition to
internal affairs, this Martian negotiated water rights with other groves and
took responsibility for inter-grove soil trading. Such trading ensured the
widespread dissemination of knowledge and enriched the overall Martian stock.
The Agrarian also made sure the underground power plants and factories were
well-maintained, ensuring the continued idyllic existence of Martians on the
surface.
Martian records indicate that there were once scores of groves. Today, only four
are intact enough to reveal anything of Martian life (to say nothing of
sheltering the members of the 1893 expedition). Olympus, Argyre, Hellas, and
Elysium are in surprisingly good repair. Other scattered buildings only hint at
the former greatness of Martian civilization.
Factories, Mines & Mechanical Men
ALL of Martian civilization was built on the idea that the groves were
inviolate, edenic, never to be sullied by machinery. The idyllic existence above
ground was made possible by moving underground all of the machinery and mining
operations that made such a life feasible.
Power was generated by scores of hulking steam engines, each as large as the
monstrous Corliss engine displayed at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in
Philadelphia. Canvas belts conveyed power to a vast array of machines. The
material to build and power these machines -- iron ore, coal, and other
substances -- came from colossal mines as grand as any in human history.
The steam-powered underground machines must have roared deafeningly in their day
but now they sit idle, waiting for someone to figure out how to restore the
power that once drove them. Today countless years after the death of the last
Martian, dirt and grit cover every unprotected surface. And the stench in the
factories, powerplants, and mines is nearly overpowering.
The underground factories and mines are, along with the canals, the most
remarkable displays of Martian industrial prowess. The achievement seems all the
more amazing when one considers that, like Earth plants. the Martians required
sunlight in order to survive. This made underground work taxing and potentially
deadly. The Martians solved this problem in a most straight forward ,yet
astonishing manner.
In order to tend the machines, the Martians created metal surrogates,
specialized devices that we of the late 20th century would call robots. Lowell
dubbed them "mechanical men.'' The mechanical men vary widely in appearance and.
we can only assume, in function. Unfortunately, the underground areas are
sufficiently dangerous that Lowell and the others did little investigating. The
nature and functioning of the mechanical men remains, therefore, a mystery.
Canals
INCREDIBLE as it seems. Schiaparelli and Lowell were right -- the canals on Mars
are real. Great causeways once carried water from the poles to irrigate the more
arid areas. This alone made it possible for the Martians to settle in one place
and build their mighty groves. That the canals could also be used to transport
Martians and materials from place to place was an added benefit. Their chief
purpose was to ensure the survival and continued dominance of the Martian race.
Though the canals now stand empty, and many mysteries still remain, Lowell was
able to determine quite a bit about them. They are all perfectly straight, with
perfect, right-angle intersections. Their depth and width make them impassible
when empty. Extensible bridges allow travellers to cross. Unfortunately. nearly
all of the bridges are retracted and will remain so until and unless we can
restore power to the Martian cities. Large switches at the edges of the canals
can be used to extend and retract bridges.
Curiously, there would appear to be a bit of water below the surface near the
canals -- plants can almost always be found growing in the vicinity of the empty
waterways.
Lowell was able to tell much about the canals by observation, but one question
remained unanswered: How were they filled? Robert Peary, noted polar explorer,
may have provided the answer. During his trek to the edges of the Martian
icecaps, he came across gigantic towers positioned at strategic locations along
the edge of the north pole. Atop each tower was a ruby-red lens. It may be that
the sun's light, focused by the lens, melted the ice and channeled water into
the canals. This is, however, nothing more than conjecture.
Needless to say, the empty canals limit movement on the planet's surface and
hinder exploration. The non-functioning switches and extensible bridges do
little but frustrate would-be explorers. If there were only some way to restore
power to the Martian machinery! Then, perhaps, mankind could explore Mars more
fully.
Dream Machines
AS astounding as the Martian groves, factories, and canals are, nothing excited
the members of 1893 expedition more than the mysterious dream machines. No one
is really sure what purpose these devices served, but users reportedly
experienced strange, dreamlike visions (hence the name "dream machine"). Nothing
more its known about these devices -- among the few machines still functioning
when the Lowell expedition arrived on Mars.
Shortly after the first reports were beamed to Earth concerning the dream
machines, Lowell described a breakdown in communication among various groups of
humans. The once united expedition degenerated into several bickering factions.
Little more is known about events on Mars. No one knows if there is any
connection between the dream machines and the disintegration of the 1893
expedition -- shortly after these reports reached Earth, communication ended.
The dream machines appear to be at the heart of several mysteries. We must
investigate, but cautiously...
MYSTERIOUS RED PLANET
Having reflected on the messages Lowell sent from Mars, I find myself drawn once
again to the remarkable differences between the Mars of Mariner and Viking and
the Mars of Percival Lowell. What cataclysm could have wiped all trace of
Martian civilization from the face of the red planet? What catastrophe could
have caused the extinction of so many lifeforms? We will we must find out!
GLOSSARY
Chasma: Canyon
Fossae: Ditches
Labyrinthus: Network of valleys
Mensa: Mesa
Mons: Mountain
Montes: Range of mountains
Planitia: Plain
Planum: Plateau
Tholus: Hill
Vallis: Valleyr (pl.,"valles")
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Read This First!
Ultima Worlds of Adventure 2
Martian Dreams
"Getting Started" Guide
INSTALLING MARTIAN DREAMS
Martian Dreams requires a hard drive and DOS 3.3 or higher to run. To install
the game on your hard drive:
1. Insert disk 1 into a floppy drive (usually A: or B: ).
2. Type the floppy drive letter and a colon (for example, A: ), then
3. Type INSTALL to bring up the installation screen. On this screen:
the current configuration is displayed on the left
the bottom line lists which keys can be pressed, and their functions
windows on the right allow you to change the default configuration information
4. Use the arrow keys or press one of the red letters to highlight the desired
configuration option. Press to select that option.
5. When prompted, insert the Martian Dreams game disks. Each time you insert a
disk, press .
To cancel installation at any time, press the key, returning you to
DOS.
Error Messages
If an error occurs, a black window appears in the lower left corner of the
screen. In addition to stating the problem, the window suggests possible
solutions. If you encounter a problem you cannot solve, contact ORIGIN Customer
Service (512-328-0282).
The installation program is able to detect defective disks. Should one of your
disks be faulty, you are informed of the problem and installation is aborted.
Contact ORIGIN Customer Service.
Step 1. Selecting the Destination Drive and Path
When you begin, a window appears displaying the available disk drives. To pick
the drive to which you want to install the game, press the corresponding drive
letter (C, D, etc.) and then .
Next, you are asked to enter the path name or subdirectory for the game. Our
default subdirectory (\MARTIAN) works for nearly everyone. If you want, however,
you can enter a different path name. After you type in the name you choose (or
select our default), press .
A window may appear, asking if you prefer to SAVE TIME during play (by unpacking
the files*) or SAVE SPACE on your hard disk (leaving the files packed). Select
the option you want and press . If you don't have enough hard disk space
to unpack the files, this window does not appear and the files remain packed.
*Packing stores a great deal of information in little disk space (requiring as
little as 35 megabytes of hard disk space in some configurations). Unpacking the
files requires more hard disk space (approximately 55 megabytes) and takes
anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes initially, but it speeds game play from then on.
Step 2. Selecting the Graphics Mode
A window appears offering you a choice of graphics modes. Highlight the mode
that matches your computer's video system, then press .
Step 3. Selecting Mouse and/or Keyboard Control
This window gives you the option of using a mouse in addition to your keyboard.
If you have a Microsoft Mouse and Microsoft Mouse driver version 7.0 (other mice
may be compatible), you may select the mouse and keyboard option. Otherwise,
select keyboard only.
Step 4. Selecting the Sound System
Martian Dreams sound effects can be heard without a sound board, but you must
have a sound board installed to hear the Martian Dreams music. You must also
have Expanded Memory in order to hear the Martian Dreams musical sound track.
However, sound effects can play with or without Expanded Memory installed.
If you have a:
Roland MT-32/LAPC-1
Ad Lib
Sound Blaster
highlight the sound board installed in your computer. If you do not have a sound
board, highlight:
PC SPEAKER (sound effects only) or
No SOUND (this results in slightly faster game play).
When you have made your selection, press .
Step 5. Completing the Installation Process
You are asked if the configuration on the left side of the screen is correct. If
so, press Y; if not, press N and reset the options as you prefer.
If you confirm that the configuration information is correct by pressing Y, the
game files are copied from the floppy disks to your hard drive. The screen
indicates which file is being copied. Insert disks when prompted and press
to continue the installation process.
Step 6. Beginning Play
When the installation is finished, make sure you are in the Martian Dreams
directory (\MARTIAN if you selected the default). Type MARTIAN to begin
playing.
CHANGING YOUR CONFIGURATION
If you ever:
change to a different graphics mode (for example, upgrade from EGA to MCGA/
VGA)
add a bigger hard disk to your system (or free extra disk space) and wish
to unpack the files for faster game play
reinstall the game in a different directory on your hard disk
follow the directions above and re-install Martian Dreams from the original
disks.
Re-installation can delete all of your original files, including your character
information. For this reason, a new option is offered any time you change your
Martian Dreams configuration:
After you select mouse and/or keyboard control, a window appears asking if you
want to CREATE NEW CHARACTER or KEEP EXISTING CHARACTER. Select KEEP EXISTING
CHARACTER to prevent the loss of your original character.
MEMORY USAGE
You must have at least 640K of RAM (memory) to play Martian Dreams. Regardless
of the amount of RAM in your machine, you must have 570,000 bytes free to run
Martian Dreams with VGA graphics, and 575,000 bytes free to run with EGA
graphics.
To find out how much free RAM you have, run the DOS program, CHKDSK. This
program may be run on most machines by typing CHKDSK at your root directory
prompt (e.g., C:\>CHKDSK). On some machines, CHKDSK may be located inside the
DOS directory. When you run the program, the last line of the information
presented tells you how much free RAM you have. For example, CHKDSK might tell
you that your 640K system has 565,239 bytes free.
If you have less than the required amount of memory free, you do not have enough
free RAM and the game will not run until you free additional memory.
Freeing RAM
If you have insufficient memory to run Martian Dreams, you may want to free some
RAM. To make more RAM available, you can remove any memory-resident programs
that are unnecessary for system usage from your AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS
startup files. You can view these files by using the DOS TYPE command. ( Enter
TYPE AUTOEXEC.BAT at your DOS prompt to view your autoexec file.) Use any
commercial text editor (or word processor capable of saving files as "text
only") to edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS files. Edlin, the text editor
included with MS-DOS, will do the job. Consult your DOS manual for information
about modifying files with Edlin. Do not delete your AUTOEXEC.BAT or CONFIG.SYS
files completely, without them, your computer will not function.
Making a New Floppy Boot Disk
If you do not want to reconfigure your system, you can make a bootable DOS
system floppy disk to start your computer prior to play. To do this, insert a
blank disk into your A drive. Type your hard drive prompt (for example, C:)
followed by FORMAT A: /S. This will copy enough of your system files onto the
floppy disk. You can now use this disk to boot up the machine.
Should this process fail, it is also possible to create a bootable floppy by
typing SYS A: after the drive prompt. When the words SYSTEM TRANSFERRED
appear, type COPY COMMAND.COM A: and you should see 1 FILE COPIED, which
indicates that the disk is now a boot disk. If you are running under DOS 4.01,
also copy SHARE .EXE onto this boot disk.
Turn your computer off, insert your new boot disk in your A drive, and turn the
computer back on. Change to your hard drive (by typing :
), switch to the directory containing Martian Dreams (type CD\MARTIAN
if you selected the default directory) and type MARTIAN to begin
play.
Expended Memory
Memory beyond 640K can be allocated as Expanded Memory that the game uses to
play the musical soundtrack. (Remember, you also need a sound card installed to
hear music.) During the install process, and when loading the game, you will be
told if Expanded Memory was or was not detected.
Expanded Memory is not the same as extended memory. To access Expanded Memory,
you must use an Expanded Memory manager program. Martian Dreams supports
QEMM.SYS (included with Quarterdeck's Desqview software) -- other memory
managers may not be compatible with the game.
Memory managers are installed by adding a line to the CONFIG.SYS file on your
computer. Consult your Expanded Memory manager's documentation for information
about installing Expanded Memory and determining how much Expanded Memory is
available for use.
TROUBLE SHOOTING
Martian Dreams fails to load or run properly.
You may not have sufficient free RAM. Run CHKDSK to check your computer's
available RAM. To do this, type CHKDSK after the prompt for the drive in which
you have installed the game, and compare the last line of the screen to the
570,000 to 575,000 free RAM required for your computer/sound board system. Free
up RAM if needed.
You may be using a memory manager program that uses up too much base RAM to run
Martian Dreams. For example, depending on your system configuration, EMM386.SYS
(the Expanded Memory manager included with Microsoft Windows) may use too much
of your 640K to permit Martian Dreams to run.
You may have a memory-resident TSR program that conflicts with the game. Boot
the computer from a DOS system floppy disk (described in Making a New Floppy
Boot Disk) or remove memory-resident programs before running the game.
You may have chosen an invalid configuration during the install process. Check
your configuration and if necessary, re-install Martian Dreams.
You may have filled all free space on the active disk drive. Use the DOS DIR
command to check available hard drive space. Remember, you need at least 3.5
megabytes on your hard drive to load Martian Dreams, and 570,000 to 575,000
bytes of free RAM to run it.
You may have incorrectly answered a copy protection question. Before you leave
the space bullet on Mars, Nikola Tesla will ask you a question. The answer --
always a single word or number can be found in one of the Martian Dreams
manuals. If you answer incorrectly, you will not be allowed to leave the space
bullet.
My mouse pointer doesn't respond properly.
Martian Dreams supports the Microsoft Mouse and Microsoft Mouse Driver, version
7.0. Other mouse brands and drivers may not be compatible.
My game runs too slowly.
You may have had too little free space on your hard drive to unpack the game
files. Free up 5.5 megabytes of hard disk space and re-install.
Sound effects slow play. Select NO SOUND when installing.
Your computer may not be fast enough to run the game efficiently. The preferred
minimal configuration is a 10 megahertz 286-based IBM PC or 100% compatible
machine. Some older and/or slower machines may not be powerful enough to provide
the full Martian Dreams experience.
I want to play different characters in different games.
Martian Dreams only remembers one saved game at a time. To keep another saved
game, copy the contents of the \MARTIAN\SAVEGAME subdirectory to another
subdirectory with a different name or to a floppy disk. This transfers your
first game out of the Martian Dreams directory, so you can start the game over
with a new character. When you want to go back to your first character and first
game, restore that game by copying those files back to the \MARTIAN\SAVEGAME
subdirectory. If you want to save a second character and/or game, be sure to
copy that \SAVEGAME subdirectory under another name before restoring your first
game.
None of the suggestions above seem to help.
If you can't solve a Martian Dreams problem, call ORIGIN Customer Service at
(512) 328-0282, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Central time.
Please have the following information ready, if possible:
which version of DOS you use,
free RAM (last line of CHKDSK info),
Expanded Memory available (if any),
your mouse and mouse driver type,
your graphics mode,
your machine type,
your sound board (if any),
the contents of your CONFIG . SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT and files
whether you use: Windows, Desqview or a DOS shell.
------------------------------------------
Ultima Worlds of Adventure 2
Martian Dreams
Reference Guide
IBM-PC And 100% Compatibles
MARTIAN DREAMS
BEGINNING PLAY
First read "Getting Started" to install Martian Dreams on your system.
To begin play from your hard disk prompt (for example, C:>), type CD\MARTIAN to
change to the Martian Dreams subdirectory. (If you selected a path name other
than our default choice, change to the subdirectory to which you installed the
game.)
After selecting the game subdirectory, type MARTIAN to begin.
THE MAIN MENU
After loading, an introductory sequence begins. The introduction runs
automatically, but you can press to skip quickly from one scene to the
next. Press if you wish to leave this sequence entirely. Next, the main
menu appears, listing four options: RUN INTRODUCTION, CREATE CHARACTER, CONTINUE
GAME and ABOUT MARTIAN DREAMS.
To select one of these options, use the arrow keys or numeric keypad to
highlight the option you want and then press .
To exit the introduction, character creation or credits, press .
These sequences will run automatically, but you can move from one screen to the
next more quickly by pressing .
Run Introduction
RUN INTRODUCTION tells how you arrived on Mars. Information in this sequence is
vital to your quest.
Create Character
CREATE CHARACTER must be selected the first time you play. When you are asked to
name your character, a flashing cursor appears on screen. Type your character's
name (up to 12 letters long) and then press . If you do not type a name,
the game assumes you are using the default (Avatar). Go on to the next portion
of the character creation system by pressing .
During character creation, you are asked a series of questions. Answer A or B to
each question by typing in the appropriate letter. The answers you provide
determine the attributes and gender of the character you play. For example, to
play a male character, tell Dr. Freud that you identify with your father (A); to
play a female, identify with your mother (B).
Continue Game
CONTINUE GAME lets you begin playing Martian Dreams. In future sessions, this
selection returns you to your last saved game. You can also continue a saved
game directly from DOS by typing GAME at the \MARTIAN prompt.
About Martian Dreams
ABOUT MARTIAN DREAMS lists all of the people who worked on the game.
USING THE MOUSE
Martian Dreams allows you to use a mouse and/or keyboard during play. All
movement and icon selections can be handled using either of these devices. (For
the exact uses of each device during game play, refer to the appropriate
section(s) below.) If you use a mouse, bear in mind the following general rules:
The left mouse button is the select or "do-it" button.
The right mouse button can be used to select a "shortcut" command, so that a
common command is activated whenever the right button is clicked.
The mouse pointer changes shape depending on where it is on the screen. On the
Map, the pointer is a hand indicating your direction of travel. In the Status
Display and Command Levers sections of the screen, the pointer changes to a
magnifying glass. If you select a command that requires a location, the mouse
remains a magnifying glass, even on the Map. The mouse changes to a pocket watch
in the Message Display.
SCREEN LAYOUT
The game screen is divided into four regions the Map, the Status Display, the
Message Display, and the Command Levers.
THE MESSAGE DISPLAY
At the lower right of the screen is the Message Display. All text describing
things you see and hear, as well as the results of your actions, are shown here.
When a message is too long to fit on the scroll, a flashing, downward pointing
arrow appears at the bottom of the Display. To view the rest of the message,
press the spacebar or position the cursor in the Message Display and click the
mouse.
When the game is waiting for keyboard input from you (when you are asked a "yes"
or "no" question, for example, or when you must press to continue), a
tiny Mars, orbited by its two moons, appears at the end of the current line in
the Message Display. Press Y or N, or press to continue.
THE STATUS DISPLAY
In the upper right-hand corner of the screen is the Status Display. This
normally displays a roster of all the members of your party, along with each
character's figure and current health points. A character whose health points
are printed in red is hurt badly; one whose health points are blue is suffering
from oxygen deprivation; white means a character is freezing; and purple
indicates radiation poisoning.
If you click on a character's name, you are shown his portrait and statistics.
The higher a statistic is, the better.
STR (Strength)
Strength determines how much a character can carry and how effectively the
character strikes with bludgeoning weapons.
DEX (Dexterity)
Dextenty determines how fast the character is and how well the character uses
non-bludgeoning weapons such as swords, guns, and other ranged weapons. Faster
characters get to move and/ or attack more often than slower ones.
INT (Intelligence)
For characters other than the Avatar, Intelligence determines the ability to
anticipate the results of certain actions. (Don't give an area-effect weapon
with a wide firing arc to a character with low intelligence.) Intelligence also
affects the duration of any psychokinetic powers acquired during the game.
HP (Health Points)
Health Points indicate the character's current health. This score is reduced by
damage from poison and from injuries suffered in combat. Unconsciousness results
when a character's HP score reaches 0.
HM (Health Maximum)
Health Maximum is the maximum number of health points a character can have. If
your character's HP and HM scores are the same, the character is perfectly
healthy.
Lev (Level)
Level is an indication of your character's overall prowess. Level increases as
the character gains experience points (see below). Each time a character goes up
a level, STR, DEX or INT increases. Maximum Health usually goes up, too. The
character must rest in a tent (see Use, below) and dream while doing so to
increase a level. (You will dream automatically when a character is ready to go
up a level.)
XP (Experience Points)
Experience Points increase as the character accomplishes things in the game.
Experience Points are earned for defeating hostile creatures. Points are lost
when a character is knocked unconscious.
THE INVENTORY DISPLAY
To view a character's inventory, select one of the figures to the left of the
roster by clicking on it with your mouse or pressing F1-F5.
icons (left to right)
1. <-> Show previous character
2. Return to party display
3. <*> Switch between portrait and inventory
4. <+> Show next character
5. <~> Change combat mode
Keyboard
The use of the mouse in the Inventory Display is explained in detail below.
To use the keyboard, press the key once. Crosshairs appear in the Map
window on top of the active character (the Avatar unless you're in solo mode
with another character). This selects that character.
Press again and the inventory of the selected character appears in the
Status Display. The crosshairs appear on the character figure above the
inventory.
Use the arrow keys or the numeric keypad to move the crosshairs within the
Inventory Display. When the crosshairs are on the item or button you want to
select, press .
To return the crosshairs to the map window, press .
The (+) key moves to the next character's Status Display.
The (-) key displays the previous character's Status Display.
Pressing F10 returns to the party roster display.
The (*) key toggles between a character's Portrait and Inventory
Display in the Status Display.
The key cancels selections and causes the crosshairs to disappear.
Readied Items
On the left side of the Inventory Display is a figure showing all equipment the
selected character has readied for immediate use, either held in the hands or
worn on the body. (Find clothes on board the space bullet as soon as possible
walking around Mars without any clothes is dangerous!)
If you are holding something that requires both hands, the object will appear in
one hand and an "X" will appear in the other you will not be allowed to put
anything in that hand.
To ready or unready an item, click on it with the left mouse button.
Carried Items
On the right side of the Inventory Display are all non-readied items carried by
the character.
To look inside a container in your inventory, such as a bag, click on it. Click
on it again to return to the main Inventory Display.
To ready a carried item, click on it with the left mouse button.
Encumbrance
Below the readied item figure and the inventory are two measures of encumbrance:
E shows the weight of items you currently have equipped compared to the maximum
weight your character is allowed to have equipped.
I shows the total weight of your entire inventory compared to the maximum weight
you could possibly carry. When you view a container in your inventory, only the
weight of the items in that container is shown.
Status DispIay Buttons
At the lower left of the Status Display are several buttons. As many as five
buttons may be displayed at one time, depending upon the circumstances. (If you
are viewing the last character, there is no Show Next Character button, just as
there is no Show Previous Character option if you're viewing your Avatar.)
From left to right, the functions of these buttons are:
Show Previous Character
Return to Party Display
Switch between Portrait and Inventory Displays
Show Next Character
Change Combat Mode (for that character)
The functions of these buttons are self-explanatory, with one exception --
Change Combat Mode. You must determine how each character in your party will
respond when battle is joined. There are four combat modes:
Attack. In this mode, a character closes with and attacks the nearest enemy.
Command. This allows you to control that character's actions each turn, just as
you control what your own character does.
Range. This tells the character to stay at a safe distance and attack with
ranged weapons.
Flee. A character in flee mode avoids combat as much as possible.
A character's current combat mode is displayed in the bottom right-hand corner
of the Status Display. To change modes, click the Change Combat Mode button to
toggle through the various modes until the one you want is displayed. You can
change a character's combat mode at any time, even in the middle of a battle.
THE MAP
The largest region, on the upper left side of the screen, is the Map. This shows
the world through which you are moving, with the view centered on you (or
another member of your party if you are in his solo mode). Above the Map, the
current position of the sun is shown.
Mouse
To move your characters with the mouse, position the pointer over the Map until
it changes to a white pointing hand, point it in the direction you wish to move,
and click the left button. Press and hold the left mouse button to move
continuously, controlling your direction by steering the white hand.
Some actions require you to select a location on the Map. (You may have to say
where you want to drop an item, for example.) To select a location, click on it
with the left mouse button.
To pass your turn (doing nothing), position the mouse pointer over your
character and click the left mouse button
Keyboard
Move by pressing an arrow key, or one of the eight keys around the "5" on the
numeric keypad.
If asked to select where on the Map you want to perform an action, use these
keys to move a set of crosshairs on the screen to the desired location and press
to initiate the action.
To pass, press the spacebar.
THE COMMAND LEVERS
Below the map are eight command levers. With the mouse, move the pointer to the
command lever you want to use and click the left mouse buffon. The lever will
flip to the "on," or down, position to show that the command has been activated.
Then select the object or person you want to use the command on. To enter a
command from the keyboard, simply press the first letter of its name.
For frequently used commands, such as Get, Look, Attack or Use, you can click
the right mouse button to lock a lever in the "on" position. Click the right
button on a command and the lever will remain down until you click on a
different command with the right button. Click the right button on any person or
object (on the map or in your inventory) and the locked command will be executed
on that object. You can change the locked command at any time.
Attack (A)
Attack is used to fight monsters, animals or people, or to attempt to destroy
objects. After choosing the Attack command, choose a target on the map that is
within the range of the weapon you have ready.
The active character can attack at any time, but the other party members only
assist in combat when you press B to Begin Combat.
Talk (T)
Talk lets you converse with the people you encounter in the game. You can also
speak with the members of your party, including Dr. Spector and Nellie Bly, who
begin as party members. In fact, be sure to ask Nellie for regular updates from
her notebook -- she keeps track of your major accomplishments and goals dunng
the game.
After selecting Talk, select the character on the map you wish to speak with.
The speaking character's portrait appears in the Status Display while he or she
is speaking, and the conversation is displayed in the map window.
You talk by typing single words on the keyboard and pressing . Only the
first four letters of a word need to be typed. For example, the word "dreams"
can be shortened to DREA.
Most people will respond to the words NAME, JOB, and BYE. (BYE ends a
conversation, but you can accomplish the same thing by pressing without
typing anything.) Some people also respond to the word JOIN, allowing you to add
members to your party. (You can have no more than five people in your party.)
If you or your party members are hurt during play, return to the space bullet
and Talk with Dr. Blood. He will do his best to restore the injured character(s)
to health.
During the course of conversation, most people give you an idea of what they're
interested in talking about when you begin the game, subjects they want to talk
about are highlighted in red. This help function can be turned off, by pressing
-H. However, with this help turned off, you'll have to figure out for
yourself the key words in conversations. Be aware that even when help is on,
some people also respond to unhighlighted subjects.
Look (L)
Look allows you to identify anyone or anything at the location you select on the
map or in your inventory. When you use the Look command on an object you are
adjacent to, you will also search it. This reveals the contents of packs, bags,
crates and so forth. It also allows you to find hidden items.
Get (G)
Get lets you pick up an object on the map. If the object isn't too heavy to
carry, and you have room for it, it will be put into your inventory. Under
ordinary circumstances, you must be standing next to an object to get it.
Drop (D)
Drop can be used to lighten your load by getting rid of items you no longer want
to carry. First, select the item in your inventory, then choose a spot on the
map to place it.
Select the Drop command and then the object you wish to drop. Select a new
location for the object and press enter.
Like the Move command, Drop sometimes prompts you to enter the number of items
you want to move. Enter the appropriate number and press . You can press
alone to move all of them.
MOVE {M)
Move is used to push an item or to transfer it between characters in the party.
Select the Move command and then the object you wish to move. Select a new
location for the object and press .
Some items (such as cans of oil, bullets and torches) are represented by a
single picture in your inventory regardless of how many you are carrying. (A
number below the picture shows how many you have.) When you move these items,
you are prompted to type the number you want to move. Type the number and press
. You can press alone to move all of them.
If you select an item on the map, you can sometimes push it to a position
adjacent to where it began. Living things might not let you move them.
This command can be used to move things in and out of containers or from one
character to another. For example, if you wish to give something in your
inventory to somebody else, select Move, then the object you want to give, and
then the character receiving it.
Certain heavy, wheeled objects can be moved simply by bumping into them. If they
become wedged into a particular location, use the Move command to pull the
ob~ect, then back out into the open.
Use (U)
In Martian Dreams, most objects have some function. Use lets you operate those
objects. Among other things, it lets you open and close doors, use a tent to
rest, light or extinguish torches, and play musical instruments.
To use an object that requires a target, select the target when the word "On"
appears in the message window.
For example, early in the game you must use a prybar on a hatch. To do this,
click on the Use lever and then on the prybar (which can be readied or carried).
When the "On" prompt appears in the message window, click on the hatch. Do this
and Nikola Tesla will ask you a question to determine whether you are ready to
venture forth. Answer his question, use the prybar again, and the hatch will pop
right off its hinges.
To play a musical instrument, Use it and press the numbers O through 9 to sound
individual notes. Press when finished.
One weapon, the Belgian combine, can be Used as a shotgun, a rifle, or a
combination of the two. To set the combine to one of these, Use it and enter S
for shotgun, R for rifle, or C for a combination.
Two Martian weapons -- the heat ray and the freeze ray -- can also be used in a
variety of ways. For a single, narrow ray, Use these weapons and select the
rifle (R) setting; for a wide beam, select the shotgun (s) setting; for a
simultaneous ray and beam attack, select the combination (C) setting.
Be sure to acquire a sextant early in your adventure -- Use it and it will
provide you with the latitude and longitude of your current location. This will
allow you to return to the spot at a later date. In some cases, characters will
tell you to go someplace and give you coordinates the sextant can help you find
those places.
Begin/Break Off Combat (B)
This switches back and forth between party mode and combat mode. In party mode,
the members of your party automatically follow you around. In combat mode, each
character behaves according to the combat mode you have selected for them on
their Inventory Display.
OTHER KEYBOARD COMMANDS
In addition to the mouse/keyboard commands already described, several keyboard-
only commands will come in handy during play.
1,2,3,4,5
Each of these number keys activates solo mode for its corresponding party
member. In solo mode, the party member selected can move around and perform
actions while the rest of the party waits inactively. You cannot engage in
conversation while in solo mode. Characters in solo mode shouldn't stray too far
from the other party members.
O (Zero)
This key returns you to party mode from solo mode. The previously inactive
characters rejoin the character that was in solo mode.
-S
-S saves your current game position. Save frequently during play and
always save before trying anything especially risky.
-R
-R restores your last saved game. Anything you've done, good or bad, since
the last time you saved will be gone. The game is returned to the exact position
you last saved.
-Q
-Q ends your current play session and returns you to DOS. The game is not
saved when you select this option.
-A
-A toggles the music on and off.
-Z
-Z toggles the sound effects on and off.
F1-F5
Each of these function keys activates the Status/Inventory Display for its
corresponding party member.
ESCAPE
aborts most game functions. Press if you select a command or
press a key by mistake.
CONTENTS
Beginning Play 1
The Main Menu 1
Run Introduction 1
Create Character 1
Continue Game 1
About Martian Dreams 1
Using The Mouse 2
Screen Layout 2
The Message Display 3
The Status Display 3
STR (Strength) 3
DEX (Dexterity) 3
INT (Intelligence) 3
HP (Health Points) 3
HM (Health Max~mum) 3
Lev (Level) 3
XP (Experience Points) 3
The Inventory Display 4
Keyboard 4
Readied Items 4
Carried Items 4
Encumbrance 5
Status Display Buttons 5
Attack 5
Command 5
Range 5
Flee 5
The Map 5
Mouse 5
Keyboard 5
The Command Levers 6
Attack 6
Talk 6
Look 6
Get 6
Drop 7
Move 7
Use 7
Begin/Break Off Combat 7
Other Keyboard Commands 8
------------------------------------------
Martian Dreams Copy Protection Questions
The Martian year is how many Earth days long? 687
What gas keeps the Martian airsquid aloft? hydrogen
Which creature fills the Martian ecological niche of Earth's wolves? hedgehog
Which plantimal uses crude weapons? proto-martian
What type of Martian tends a birthing plot? Cultivator
What type of lens topped the towers discovered by Peary? ruby, red
Buffalo Bill killed how many buffalo? 4000
Marie Curie discovered the radioactive properties of radium and what other
substance? polonium
Percival Lowell built his observatory in which state? Arizona
