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************************************************************************** * * * THE EARTH LORDS COMPENDIUM * * * * * * * ************************************************************************** ************************************************************************** ****************************** P R E F A C E ***************************** ************************************************************************** SYSOP/PLAYER: I AM WRITING THIS COMPENDIUM AS THE UNREGISTERED VERSION OF "THE EARTH LORDS" IS BEING TESTED. I INTEND TO INCLUDE THIS IN THE UNREGISTERED RELEASE AS A MEANS BY WHICH THE PLAYER OR SYSOP MAY UNDERSTAND THE INNER WORKINGS OF "THE EARTH LORDS" IN BOTH THE REGISTERED AND UNREGISTERED FORM. THE REALM IS FAIRLY VAST SO I AM GOING TO BEGIN WITH A SMALL ANOUNCEMENT WRITTEN BELOW SO THAT IT WILL CATCH YOUR EYE. *********************************************************************** ***** THE REGISTERED VERSION OF "THE EARTH LORDS" SHOULD BE READY ***** ***** BY MAY 1ST, 1994. I AM WORKING HARD ON THE MAPS BUT THERE ***** ***** ARE OVER 80 DIFFERENT MAPS AND SO SOME TIME IS NEEDED. SEE ***** ***** THE INFORMATION AT THE END OF THIS FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION***** *********************************************************************** *********************************************************************** ***** DID THAT CATCH YOUR EYE? WELL SINCE I AM RELEASING THIS FILE **** ***** NOW AND THE REGISTERED IS ALMOST FINISHED AND READY FOR TEST-**** ***** ING I DECIDED TO GIVE YOU A LIST OF SOME OF THE THINGS YOU **** ***** WILL FIND ONLY IN THE REGISTERED VERSION. THIS MAY HELP YOU **** ***** DECIDE ON ITS VALUE AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT IT. THANKS! **** *********************************************************************** BEFORE WE START HERE ARE SOME COMING ATTRACTIONS FROM THE REGISTERED VERSION: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1> 12 MISSIONS/ 10 QUESTS & 1 FINAL CONFLICT (THAT IS 23 THINGS I GUESS) 2> 350 MONSTERS (MORE REALLY) 3> 100+ MAPS INCLUDING THE FABLED 9 STORIED FORTRESS OF LANSAGUL AS WELL AS THE EIGHT OTHER ASTRAL REALMS 4> MORE PICTURES/ RIDDLES/ ANIMATIONS 5> THE ENEMY WILL SOMETIMES ATTACK YOUR MOUNT INSTEAD OF YOU 6> THE REALLY BIG OFFENSIVE WEAPONS ARE IN FOR YOU TO FIND 7> ALL THE SPECIAL ABILITIES AND MUNDANE SKILLS WORK 8> WAIT TILL YOU SEE THE TELEPORT & ASTRAL TRAVEL ANIM...GROOVY 9> THE MEANEST MONSTERS AND SPECIAL ENEMIES ARE ALL WAITING HERE 10> I ADDED SO MANY EXTRA FEATURES I CAN'T REMEMBER THEM ALL NOW 11> A LOT OF THINGS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN WITHIN SO JUST READ ON AND CHECK OUT EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THE REGISTERED VERSION AS WELL!!! SO WHAT IS THIS? WELL THIS IS THE COMPENDIUM. IT IS WRITTEN MOSTLY FOR SYSOPS BUT A PLAYER COULD HAVE ACCESS TO IT AS WELL SO THAT THEY WILL COMPREHEND THE COMMANDS AND INNER WORKINGS OF THE GAME. OF COURSE THIS PIECE IS BASED MOSTLY ON THE REGISTERED VERSION OF "THE EARTH LORDS" SO SOME INFORMATION WILL NOT APPLY TO THE UNREGISTERED VERSION. ALSO, IF THE SYSOP BUYS THE DELUXE REGISTERED VERSION WHICH INCLUDES A COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION SET THEN MOST OF THIS INFORMATION WILL NOT APPLY TO HIS OR HER COMPAIGN BECAUSE IT WILL OBVIOUSLY BE DIFFERENT IN MANY ASPECTS FROM THE ONE I CREATED. NOTE: THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS BASED ON THE REGISTERED VERSION. IF THE VERSION YOU ARE PLAYING DOES NOT HAVE ALL OF THESE FEATURES THEN IT IS NOT THE REGISTERED VERSION. SORRY, BUT THIS MANNER HELPS ME TO SHOW YOU THE FULL RELEASE AND KEEPS ME FROM HAVING TO WRITE (REGISTERED ONLY) AFTER EVERY OTHER LINE. NOTICE THAT THE UNREGISTERED VERSION CONTAINS 3 MISSIONS 1 IMPOSSIBLE QUEST AND 30 MAPS BUT IT IS NOT WINNABLE. IT ALSO LACKS ALL THE MONSTERS FOUND IN THE REGISTERED VERSION AND SOME OF THE MORE COMPLEX SQUARES DO NOT EXIST. HOWEVER, THE UNREGISTERED VERSION IS VERY FUN AND IS LARGER THAN THE "REGISTERED BATTLE LANDS" SO IF YOU THINK IN THESE TERMS THEN YOU WILL NOT FEEL RIPPED OFF BY NOT HAVING THE REGISTERED VERSION OF "THE EARTH LORDS". HOWEVER, IF YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO DO AND SEE ALL THE THINGS WRITTEN BELOW THEN ENCOURAGE REGISTRY OR REGISTER IT YOURSELF. *********************************************************************** ************************** T H E S T O R Y ************************** *********************************************************************** LO' YOUNG ADVENTURER A SEAT AWAITS THY BIDDING. LONG AGO A COUNCIL WAS FORMED OF ALL THE LANDS OF THE EARTH. THIS COUNCIL WAS ASSEMBLED OF THE KINGS AND LORDS OF THE EARTH AND WAS GATHERED AS A POSITION TO DISOLVE THE EVIL THAN RAN AMUCK ON THEIR PLANET, THEIR EARTH. FOR GENERATIONS THE COUNCIL OF EARTH LORDS OVERSAW THE LAWS OF NATIONS AND KEPT PEACE AND HARMONY IN THE WORLD. AFTER A WHILE THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE A NEED FOR THE VARIOUS RACES TO SEND THEIR LEADERS TO THE COUNCIL SEATS BECAUSE THE POWER THE COUNCIL EXHUMED WAS SO GREAT THAT NO EVIL DARED TO THREATEN THE EARTH. EVENTUALLY, THE NUMBERS OF THE COUNCIL BEGAN TO GET LOWER AND LOWER UNTIL THE HALL EXISTED AS A MERE FABLE AND LEGEND. THE NEXT ACT OF AGRESSION AGAINST ANOTHER RACE OR TOWNSHIP HAPPENED MANY YEARS AFTER THE COUNCIL HAD DISOLVED. THIS ACT WENT UNCHECKED. THERE WAS TO BE GREAT RETRIBUTION AND PUNISHMENT IN THE PAST FOR SUCH THINGS BUT THIS TIME NOTHING HAPPENED. IT SEEMS THE LAST OF THE EARTH LORDS HAD PASSED ON. EVIL NEVER DIES AND NOW IT SAW A TIME TO REEP IT'S VENGENCE ACROSS THE LAND FOR WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN EVIL'S PAST. THE CREATURES OF DARKNESS WERE TIRED OF BEING BANISHED TO FAR AWAY LANDS AND NOW IT SEEMED THE HAD THEIR OLD RULE BACK. DECADES PASSED AND EVIL BECAME STRONGER. THE MAIN CITY OF THE LANDS DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO SEE WHAT TO MAKE OF ALL THIS. THEIR POSITION WAS ALWAYS BEING THREATENED BY THE MONSTERS OF THE REALM WHO WERE GATHERING FORCES IN LARGE ARMIES AND HUGE FORTRESSES. FORTUNATELY, THE ELDEST OF THE COUNCILMEN REMEMBERED A TIME MANY CENTURIES BEFORE WHEN THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND HAD ELECTED THEIR RULERS TO THE COUNCIL OF THE EARTH LORDS. DIGGING THROUGH THE ANCIENT TOMES THIS SCHOLAR FOUND THAT CERTAIN THINGS WERE NECESSARY BEFORE ANYONE COULD ACCEPT A SEAT WITHIN THE HALL OF THE EARTH LORDS. YOU COULD NOT SIMPLY ACCEPT ELECTION, NO. AN ADVENTURE MUST TAKE PLACE. AN ADVENTURE WHICH WAS DESIGNED BY THE LAWS TO PRODUCE A MASTER OF A CRAFT WHO WOULD LEARN THE WAYS OF THE LAND AND DISCOVER THE INNER INTIMATE DETAILS OF THE EVIL THAT HAD TAKEN ITS GRIP ON THE PLACE... ...AN ADVENTURE DESIGNED TO PRODUCE AN EARTH LORD! ...AND NOW YOUR ADVENTURE AWAITS... ...DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME AN EARTH LORD? *********************************************************************** ************************** T H E R E A L M ************************** *********************************************************************** THE REALM OF THE EARTH LORDS CONSISTS OF 12 EXTERIOR MAPS. THESE MAPS CONTAIN 3D ANSI IMAGES OF MOUNTAINS, CASTLES, FORESTS, SWAMPS, RIVERS, OCEANS, DESERTS, BEACHES AND OTHER SUCH NATURAL FEATURES. ROAMING THE LANDS ARE A VARIETY OF MONSTERS WHICH CARE NOTHING ABOUT YOUR LITTLE QUESTS TO SAVE THE CITY STATE FROM UNEARTHLY DISASTER. 1. WITHOUT CERTAIN AID YOU MAY NOT MOVE OVER OR THROUGH MANY FEATURES JUST AS YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO IN THE WORLD YOU NOW LIVE IN. AMONG THESE FEATURES ARE RIVERS, OCEAN, LAKES, MOUNTAINS, WALLS, PITS AND SO ON. 2. MOVING TO THE OPENING OF A BUILDING OR CAVE WILL PLACE YOU INSIDE THE STRUCTURE. HOW FAR YOU GO FROM THERE WILL DEPEND UPON WHAT STRUCTURE YOU ENTERED AND WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR PROGRESS THROUGH THE STRUCTURE. 3. ENCOUNTERS USUALLY ATTACK YOUR CHARACTER IN SIMILAR POWER TO YOUR OWN, HOWEVER, THERE EXISTS MANY AREAS WHERE CERTAIN CREATURES LIVE AND THEY DO NOT WANT YOU INVADING THEIR HOMES SO THEY WILL ATTACK REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH MORE POWERFUL THEY ARE OR YOU ARE. 4. IN SOME AREAS YOU WILL NOT BE PERMITTED TO ENTER OR PASS THROUGH WITHOUT GIVING A PASSWORD OR ANSWERING A RIDDLE. "ALL" PASSWORDS AND RIDDLE ANSWERS ARE LOCATED SOMEWHERE IN THE GAME. I HAVE PLACED THEM IN AREAS WHICH I FEEL A NORMAL ADVENTURE OR EXPLORATION OF A STRUCTURE OR AREA WOULD TAKE A PERSON. NO ANSWER IS HIDDEN IN AREAS WHERE A CHARACTER WILL REQUIRE CERTAIN SPELLS OR ITEMS TO GET TO. 5. THERE ARE OTHER REALMS WHICH WILL REQUIRE ASTRAL PROJECTION OF SOME SORT TO REACH. IF YOU EVER HOPE TO BECOME AN EARTH LORD YOU WILL HAVE TO VISIT THESE PLACES AS PART OF YOUR ADVENTURES. EVEN IF YOU CANNOT CAST SUCH SPELLS YOU MAY ALWAYS BUY SCROLLS WHICH WILL HELP YOU IN THIS RESPECT AND THE MOUNT "TIME STEED" IS ALSO CAPABLE OF ASTRAL TRAVEL. 6. AS YOU TRAVEL YOU HAVE A NOTEBOOK WHICH YOU MAY ENTER PERSONAL ACCOUNTS AND SECRETS INTO SO THAT YOU DO NOT FORGET THEM OR DON'T HAVE TO USE YOUR OWN PAPER. 7. SOME AREAS REQUIRE CERTAIN SKILLS TO UNDERSTAND OR MOVE THROUGH SO KEEP AWARE OF THIS. ALL THE SKILLS ARE USED FOR SOMETHING IN THE GAME SO IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A USE (OR SO IT WOULD SEEM) THEN YOU ARE NOT IN THE REGISTERED VERSION. IN THE REGISTERED VERSION AT HIGH SKILL LEVEL THE "BLACKSMITH" CAN TAKE APART BARS AND DOOR HINGES/ THE "HUNTER" CAN AVOID COMBAT BECAUSE HE SEES THE ENEMY FIRST!/ THE "ARCHITECT" CAN TRAVEL THROUGH WALLS BY TAKING THEM APART AND PUTTING THEM BACK/ THE "DISGUISE" CAN BE USED TO AVOID PASSWORD CHECKPOINTS/ IN ALL VERSIONS OF THE GAME THE "LINGUIST" CAN READ FOREIGN LANGUAGES AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF DIFFICULTY/ THE "RIDER" CAN RIDE THE MOUNTS OF THE WORLD DEPENDING UPON THE MOUNT AND HIS/HER SKILL LEVEL. THE "TREKIE" CAN MOVE THROUGH CERTAIN AREAS WHERE OTHER CANNOT BECAUSE OF FOLIAGE DENSITY OR TYPE OF TERRAIN. 8. BE AWARE THAT SOME SPELLS CAN GET YOU CAUGHT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE MANY OF THEM OR ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. AMONG THESE SPELLS ARE "WATER WALKING" AND "SHORT TUNNEL". BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU USE THEM UNLESS YOU LIKE SPENDING THE REST OF THE GAME STUCK IN A WALL OR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN. 9. THIS FILE WILL GIVE YOU NO HINTS. THESE ARE JUST THE BASICS BECAUSE THE GAME HAS MANY HINTS WITHIN IT DEPENDING UPON HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO SPEND ON SUCH THINGS YOU CAN GET SOME REALLY GOOD HINTS. OF COURSE, THIS IS NOT NECESSARY BECAUSE SIMPLY ADVENTURING IS GOING TO GET YOU THROUGH THE GAME AS FAST AS READING ALL THE HUNDRED HINTS OR SO. 10. THERE ARE NEARLY 100 MAPS. THIS FIGURE MIGHT BE ABOVE OR BELOW THE ACTUAL NUMBER BECAUSE I AM STILL MAKING THEM BUT IF MY CALCULATIONS HOLD UP THEN THERE MIGHT BE JUST OVER 100 MAPS. I ENJOY MAKING THEM LOOK UNIQUE SO I OCCASSIONALLY POP A FEW HIDDEN ONES IN AS SURPRISES. BUT NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS A REALLY HIGH NUMBER OF MAPS AND MAKES THE GAME REALLY VAST. 11. THERE ARE OVER 200 MONSTERS. IN FACT THERE ARE OVER 200 RIGHT NOW AND I AM STILL ADDING SPECIAL ENCOUNTERS AND THE LORDS AND ENEMIES OF THE LANDS SO IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THERE ARE OVER 300 MONSTERS. 12. ALL OF THESE FEATURES INCLUDING THE 66 SPELLS, MISSILE AND RANGED COMBAT AND MULTIPLE OPPONENTS AS WELL AS VARIOUS TREASURE TYPES WILL MAKE THE EXPERIENCE OF PLAYING "THE EARTH LORDS" A VERY UNIQUE ONE. NO TWO CHARACTERS WILL PROBABLY BE ALIKE AND NO TWO METHODS OF ADVENTURE WILL LIKELY BE SIMILAR. ALL IN ALL I WOULD HOPE YOU AGREE THAT THIS GAME IS VERY FUN, VERY CHALLENGING AND VERY UNIQUE. ************************************************************************ ************************** T H E G A M E ***************************** ************************************************************************ BELOW ARE JUST A FEW FEATURES WHICH I DECIDED TO WRITE AS A MEANS TO SHOW THAT WHEN THEY ARE ALL BROUGHT TOGETHER THAT A VERY UNIQUE GAME IS CREATED. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY OTHER GAME HAS ALL OF THESE FEATURES. 1. PRIESTS MAY TURN UNDEAD, DEMONS AND DEVILS. 2. MANY MONSTERS HAVE SPECIAL ATTACKS WHERE THEY CAN CAST SPELLS, POISON, PARALYZE, CHARM OR DRAIN YOU OF LEVELS. 3. CHARACTERS MAY GAIN EXTRA ATTACKS IN COMBAT BY LEVELS AND ALSO BY USE OF MAGIC OR RINGS. 4. CHARACTERS MAY BE ONE OF 8 RACES, ONE OF 26 CLASSES INCLUDING MULTICLASS COMBINATIONS AS WELL AS MALE AND FEMALE SPECIFIC CLASSES, ONE OF 18 RELIGIONS, ONE OF 9 ALIGNMENTS, THEY MAY CHOOSE CHARACTER PICTURES FROM A VERY WIDE SUPPLY. 5. PICTURES CAN BE TURNED OFF OR ON. 6. THERE ARE OVER 60 WEAPONS, OVER 20 PIECES OF ARMOR AND OVER 35 MAGICAL ITEMS. 7. A PLAYER MAY DROP ITEMS FROM THEIR BACKPACK AND ALLOW OTHERS OR THEMSELVES TO PICK THEM UP LATER. 8. COMBAT MESSAGES MAY BE ALTERED FOR YOUR OWN READING SPEED. 9. DOORS MAY HAVE THEIR LOCKS PICKED, UNLOCKED THROUGH SPELLS OR JUST BROKEN IN BY A STRONG ENOUGH CHARACTER. 10. THERE IS AN ENDLESS VARIETY OF ITEMS AND MESSAGES FOR THE TRAVEL SCREEN TO MAKE THE CASTLE, DUNGEON OR CAVE LOOK MORE REAL AND BROUGHT TO LIFE IN A UNIQUE MANNER. 11. CHARACTER'S WHO CAST SPELLS MAY PICK THEIR SPELLS FROM THEIR SPELLBOOKS AND THEN REST TO RETAIN THE KNOWLEDGE FOR THEIR USE IN ADVENTURING. 12. THE CHARACTER MAY BUY A MOUNT TO NAME AND RIDE WHICH WILL GIVE THEM BETTER MOVEMENT IN OUTDOOR COMBAT. AND DEPENDING UPON THE MOUNT THEY BUY THEY MAY ALSO BE ABLE TO FLY OR TELEPORT OR EVEN ASTRAL TRAVEL. 13. CHARACTERS OF NONHUMAN RACE MAY BE MORE THAN ONE CLASS. 14. HUMANS MAY BE MONKS, KNIGHTS, GUIDES AND ANTIKNIGHTS. 15. THERE ARE 12 CLERGY MISSIONS TO KEEP YOU BUSY LOOKING FOR CLUES AND INFORMATION. 16. THERE ARE 10 IMPOSSIBLE QUESTS WHICH WILLL REQUIRE QUITE A BIT OF SKILL AND ADVENTURING ON THE PLAYER'S PART. 17. THERE ARE OVER 40 SPECIAL ENCOUNTERS JUST WAITING TO FIGHT YOU OR GIVE YOU SPECIAL INFORMATION AS WELL AS A GREAT ITEM OR WEAPON. 18. THERE ARE 8 OTHER ASTRAL REALMS TO VISIT BESIDES THE EARTH REALM. THESE PLACES ARE REALLY TOUGH TO SURVIVE IN BUT NECESSARY IN ORDER FOR THE PLAYER TO BE AWARDED A SEAT IN THE HALL OF THE EARTH LORDS. 19. THIS GAME COMES AS CLOSE TO PLAYING A REAL CAMPAIGN WITH YOUR FRIENDS AROUND A TABLE WITH DICE AND PAPER AS IT GETS ONLY I SUPPLY THE DICE AND THE PAPER AND THE MONSTERS AND MAYHEM RIGHT HERE IN THE GAME ON LINE. 20. THE DREADED ARENA ALLOWS YOU TO PRACTICE YOUR OWN CURRENT LEVEL OF FIGHTING AGAINST OPPONENTS OF SIMILAR STRENGTH THOUGH SOME ARE TOUGHER AND SOME ARE WEAKER. THIS WILL PREPARE YOU FOR THE WORLD YOU WILL SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME ADVENTURING THROUGH. 21. ONLINE HINTS CAN BE PURCHASED FOR A PRICE DEPENDING UPON WHICH LEVEL OF HINTS YOU ARE BUYING. THEY GET MORE EXPENSIVE AS YOU BECOME ADDICTED TO CHEATING AND WIMPING OUT ON YOUR FELLOW ADVENTURERS. 22. OLMS/MUFFLE AND WHOS WORK IN THE GAME SO IF YOU GET STUCK AND ANOTHER PLAYER ONLINE CAN WALK YOU THROUGH THE DIFFICULT BITS THEN YOU MAY OLM EACH OTHER. HITTING THE "5" KEY WILL REDRAW THE MAP. 23. PLENTY OF FUN AND UNSUSPECTED SURPRISES BUT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT ALLOWS YOU AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF OPTIONS AS TO HOW YOU WILL GET AROUND IN THIS LAND OF CHAOS AND ADVENTURE. GO THROUGH WALLS, TAKE THE LONG WAY, TELEPORT THROUGH LEVELS OR JUST GO FOR THE GUSTO AND FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT. 24. READ THE NEWS FROM DAY TO DAY AND CHECK OUT THE PROGRESS OF YOUR COMPETITION AS FAR AS GAINING LEVELS OR WIMPING OUT AND BUYING HINTS FROM THE GODS. 25. THIS GAME THRIVES ON EXPLORATION AND THERE ARE SO MANY RPG SURPRISES AND MISSIONS AND QUESTS THAT IT WILL NOT BECOME TEDIOUS LIKE SOME OTHER ONLINE RPGS. 26. THERE ARE TRICKS, TRAPS, TELEPORT SQUARES, RIDDLES, TRAP DOORS, GUARD POSTS, PASSWORDS, MAPS AND A FEW HUNDRED OTHER THINGS THAT WILL MAKE YOU USE YOUR MIND AS WELL AS YOUR SWORD AS YOU TAKE ON THE EARTH'S GREATEST NASTIES IN AN EFFORT TO BECOME AN EARTH LORD. 27. MENUS BECOME APPARENT WHEN YOU SELECT AN ACTION OR MOVE AROUND THE OUTER WORLD SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HIT A BUNCH OF KEYS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO. 28. MOST ACTIONS ARE OPERATED THROUGH HOT KEYS SO HITTING ONE KEY WILL ENABLE THE RESULT OR FUNCTION OR TO OCCUR. 29. SINCE THE FIRST PERSON TO DEFEAT ONE OF THE FOUR MAJOR ENEMIES OF THE CITY STATE WILL BECOME AN EARTH LORD CAUSING THE GAME TO RESET THIS GAME HAS BEEN PAINSTAKINGLY CREATED TO DISMANTLE CHEATING. NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE OR HOW MANY SPELLS OR SCROLLS OR WANDS OR POWERFUL WEAPONS YOU OBTAIN YOUR ARMOR CLASS CANNOT GO LOWER THAN -10 AND ANY AND EVERY MONSTER CAN HIT YOU ON A NATURAL ROLL OF 20 SO YOU CAN NEVER BE INVINCIBLE AND ENEMY SPELLCASTERS OR SPECIAL ATTACKS CAN ALWAYS DO DAMAGE TO YOU. THERE IS ALSO NO WAY TO RAISE A TRAIT LIKE AGILITY OR MIGHT ABOVE 20 AND YOU CANNOT BUY HEALTH OR RAISE YOUR ABILITY TO HIT OR DO DAMAGE OTHER THAN THROUGH THE ACT OF GAINING EXPERIENCE AND GAINING LEVELS UNLIKE IN "BATTLE LANDS" WHICH DID NOT RESET AND WAS NOT A GAME OF PLAYER SKILL VERSES PLAYER SKILL. YOU WILL STILL HAVE TO EXPLORE THE MAPS AND VISIT THE PROPER PEOPLE TO GET THROUGH THIS GAME SO THERE ARE NO MAJOR CHEATS OR BACKDOORS. 30. AND MANY OTHER UNIQUE FEATURES YOU WILL FIND THAT WILL MAKE THIS GAME ONE OF THE BEST ONLINE ROLE PLAYING GAMES YOU HAVE EVER PLAYED I HOPE. I HOPE IT IS ADDICTIVE AND DIVERSE. I STRIVED TO MAKE IT UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT AND HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL SINCE "BATTLE LANDS". I ALSO MADE THIS GAME IN SUCH A WAY THAT ADDITONAL CAMPAIGNS AND CODE CAN EASILY BE ADDED TO BRING IN A MUCH LARGER WORLD. THERE IS REALLY NO END TO WHAT I CAN ADD WITH THE SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION SET I CREATED. SO EVEN IF THIS IS THE REGISTERED VERSION DO NOT EXPECT THAT IT WILL NECESSARILY END HERE. LOOK FOR OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN PACKS TO BE RELEASED AT REALLY REASONABLE PRICES NEAR THE END OF 1994 IF MY SCHEDULE STAYS IN EFFECT. CODE UPDATES TO REGISTERED USERS WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE FOR FREE BUT THESE DUNGEON AND CAMPAIGN PACKS MIGHT COST 5 BUCKS A PACK (WITH NOT LESS THAN 30 NEW MAPS) OR 3 PACKS FOR 10 BUCKS IF I MAKE AS MANY AS THERE IS A DEMAND FOR. THESE PACKS WILL INCLUDE NEW MISSIONS AND QUESTS AS WELL AS ALL THE MAPS AND CODES SO ALL THAT THE SYSOP WOULD NEED TO DO WOULD BE TO PLACE EVERYTHING IN ITS PROPER LOCATION AND THE WORLD WILL GROW THAT MUCH LARGER. ************************************************************************* ****************** W H O * W H A T * W H E N * W H E R E **************** ************************************************************************* ORDER FORM AND PRICING FOR REGISTERED AND DELUXE REGISTERED VERSIONS OF " THE EARTH LORDS" QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ QUESTION: WHAT DO I GET IN THE REGISTERED VERSION? ANSWER: THE REGISTERED VERSION IS WINNABLE. IT CONTAINS EVERYTHING YOU READ ABOVE WHICH IS NEARLY 100 MAPS (ABOVE OR BELOW), 300 MONSTERS, 12 MISSIONS, 10 IMPOSSIBLE QUESTS, THE MAIN GOAL HAS BEEN PUT BACK IN AS WELL AS ALL THE 30 FEATURES AND OTHERS I COULD NOT THINK OF LISTED ABOVE. THE UNREGISTERED VERSION ONLY HAS 3 MISSIONS, 1 QUEST, 30 MAPS, 200 MONSTERS AND IS NOT WINNABLE. THE REGISTERED VERSION IS ALSO CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING THE EXTRA PLUG-IN CAMPAIGNS AND MISSIONS WITH NO EXTRA EFFORT FROM YOU. YOU JUST UNRACHIVE THEM TO PFILES AND THEY HAVE MAGICALLY BEEN ADDED. THE UNREGISTERED VERSION SIMPLY IGNORES THEM. QUESTION: WHEN IS THE REGISTERED VERSION GOING TO BE AVAILABLE? ANSWER: I AM LOOKING AT MAY 1ST, 1994. I TRY TO GIVE MYSELF AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE AND ALL I HAVE LEFT IS THE MAPS AND CODE. THE REST OF THE GAME IS COMPLETE SO JUST KEEP CONTACTING THE HEADQUARTERS BBS FOR UPDATES BUT DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY FOR MAILED REGISTRATIONS BEFORE MAY 1ST, 1994. QUESTION: HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO REGISTER THE REGULAR REGISTERED VERSION? ANSWER: SINCE THIS GAME WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO PLAY, IT TOOK ME MANY MONTHS TO CREATE AND IT HAS OVER 2000 SEPARATE FILES AND IS NEARLY A MEG IN SIZE THE REGULAR REGISTERED VERSION WILL ONLY COST $20.00 DOLLARS TO REGISTER IF YOU INTEND TO DOWNLOAD IT FROM THE HEADQUARTERS BBS. IF YOU WANT IT MAILED THEN IT WILL COST $25.00. QUESTION: WHY THE EXTRA $5.00 TO MAIL OUT REGISTERED VERSIONS? ANSWER: I KNOW THAT THE DISKS (2) AND MAIL CHARGES DO NOT TOTAL MORE THAN $2.00 (OR RIGHT AROUND THERE) BUT THOSE WHO REQUEST THE MAIL OPTION (AND THEY WILL OF COURSE BE GIVEN ACCESS TO DOWNLOAD FROM THE BBS AS WELL) WILL ALSO BE GIVEN A NICE PRINTED (BUT STAPLED) DOCUMENT WHICH SHOWS THE MAIN MAP SETUP AND TELLS ALL THE MAIN ENEMIES, MISSIONS AND QUESTS AND LISTS THE HINTS AS THE PLAYER CAN BUY THEM. IT PRINTED WITH TWO COLUMNS AND SMALL FONTS BUT IS STILL ABOUT 10 PAGES IN LENGTH AND VERY FULL OF INFORMATION. QUESTION: YOU SAY REGULAR REGISTERED VERSION. IS THERE ANOTHER? ANSWER: YES. I AM GOING TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO REGISTER MY PERSONAL MAIN CODE WHICH I USE TO CONSTRUCT THE MAPS AND MAP CODE. THIS CODE HAS A "BUILD" FEATURE WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO (AFTER YOU HAVE DRAWN A MAP WITH AN ANSI EDITOR) TO MOVE ABOUT YOUR MAP AND ADD ANY FEATURE YOU WISH INTO THE READABLE CODE LIKE SPECIAL ENCOUNTERS, TEXT SQUARES, SKILL SQUARES, TELEPORT SQUARES, MOUNTAINS, OCEANS, ENTRANCES TO OTHER MAPS, RIDDLE SQUARES AND ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU LAND ON, BUMP INTO OR ENCOUNTER ON ANY MAP I HAVE CREATED BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT I USE TO CREATE MY MAPS AND CAMPAUGNS AND QUESTS AND ENTIRE WORLD FOR THAT MATTER. THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE WEAPON, ARMOR, SPELL, MONSTER AND ITEM MAKER SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY MAKE DIFFERENT KINDS OF WORLDS LIKE FUTURISTIC WORLDS OR WHATEVER. THESE PLACES YOU BUILD, HOWEVER, CAN ONLY BE USED ON YOUR OWN SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT MY REGISTERED "THE EARTH LORDS" CODE AND YOU CANNOT GO GIVING THAT AWAY OR SELLING IT WITHOUT BREAKING COPYRIGHT LAWS. IN BUYING THIS VERSION YOU WILL RECIEVE ANY REGULAR REGISTERED FILE AND UPDATE AS WELL AS ACCESS TO THE GRAND TRADING BARN EVERYTIME YOU MAKE A PACK TO SEND ME. QUESTION: GRAND TRADING BARN? WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT? ANSWER: HOW WOULD YOU LIKE A WORLD THAT GROWS ENDLESSLY AND IS TOTALLY FREE OF CASH TO RECIEVE? WELL, IF YOU BUY THE DELUXE REGISTERED VERSION OF "THE EARTH LORDS" AND MAKE A DUNGEON PACK WITH A MINIMUM OF 5 LEVELS THEN YOU WILL RECIEVE A SIMILAR PACK MADE BY ME OR ANOTHER REGISTERED USER SUCH AS YOURSELF FOR FREE. QUESTION: SOUNDS COOL BUT HOW DOES THAT WORK? ANSWER: THE DELUXE REGISTERED VERSION TELLS YOU WHAT YOU HAVE TO CHANGE ON THE MAIN MAPS IN ORDER TO CREATE A NEW DUNGEON PACK WHICH WILL ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO DOWNLOAD FREE PACKS FROM A CHOSEN MAP AREA. TO PUT IT MORE SIMPLY HERE IS WHAT YOU DO. TAKE ONE OF THE MAIN 12 EXTERIOR MAPS OR ONE OF THE MAIN EXTERIOR MAPS FROM THE OTHER REALMS OUTSIDE THE REALM OF THE EARTH (SUCH AS THE REALM OF DEATH ETC.) AND ADD A PLACE WHERE WE CAN SEE YOUR DUNGEON, MAKE THE CODE TO ENTER YOUR DUNGEON AND ALL THE CODE FOR YOUR DUNGEON'S INTERIOR (OR CASTLE OR WHATEVER) AS WELL AS ANY QUESTS OR MISSIONS THAT BRING THE CHARACTERS TO THIS LOCATION AND ARCHIVE ALL THE FILES ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE DELUXE EDITION PACKET AND UPLOAD IT TO THE HEADQUARTERS BBS IN THE AREA DESIGNATED FOR YOUR UPLOADING OF SUCH PACKETS. GIVE IT AN ADEQUATE DESCRIPTION AND LEAVE ME EMAIL ON WHAT MAP# OF THE AVAILABLE PACKETS YOU WANT ACCESS TO. I WILL THEN ADD YOUR PACKET TO MY CAMPAIGN WORLD AND RUN A FEW TESTS FOR SAFETY SAKE AND IF IT PASSES THE TESTS YOU WILL BE GIVEN ACCESS TO THE AVAILABLE PACKET DRAWER YOU WANTED REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY PACKETS EXIST INSIDE. I WILL ALWAYS TRY TO PUT ALL PACKETS INTO A MANNER WHICH WILL ALLOW YOU TO SIMPLY DUMP THEM INTO YOUR OWN GAME BUT REMEMBER THAT WITH PEOPLE CONSTANTLY MAKING MAPS AND PACKETS YOU WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO GO INTO YOUR OWN ANSI EDITOR AND ADD THEIR PACKET CASTLE OR DUNGEON ENTRANCE TO YOUR CURRENT MAP AS WELL AS THE CODE WHICH WILL ALLOW ENTRANCE TO THIS NEW ADDITION ONTO YOUR EXISTING MAPCODE. EASY TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS ARE INCLUDED IN THE DELUXE EDITIONS "ADDING PACKETS" TEXT FILE. I WILL ALSO (FOR THE DELUXE REGISTERED VERSION ONLY) CONSTANTLY CHANGE THE CODE TO ACCOMODATE MORE EXTERIOR MAP PACKETS AND ALLOW FOR ENCOUNTERS BY AREA TYPE. QUESTION: THAT SOUNDS AWESOME! AN ENDLESSLY GROWING PFILE! I BET ITS EXPENSIVE! ANSWER: WRONG! THE ONLY FEATURE THAT MAKES IT A MAJOR DIFFERENCE FROM THE REGULAR REGISTERED VERSION IS ITS ABILITY TO ADAPT AND ADD CODE TO EVER CHANGING PACKETS. BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU A VIRTUALLY ENDLESS PFILE AS FAR AS SIZE IT WILL COST $25.00 TO DOWNLOAD FROM THE BBS AND $30.00 IF YOU WANT IT MAILED. IN-OTHER-WORDS, TO CHANGE "THE EARTH LORDS" REGISTERED VERSION INTO AN EVER GROWING PFILE IT WILL ONLY COST 5 DOLLARS EXTRA. THEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS MAKE A CASTLE OR DUNGEON OF 5 COMPLETE LEVELS OR MORE AND GAIN ACCESS TO THE MAP OF YOUR CHOICE. ANOTHER SUCH PACKET ALLOWS YOU ACCESS TO ANOTHER SUCH MAP. THIS ENCOURAGES PARTICIPATION AND EVENTUALLY YOU WILL HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE AVAILABLE MAPS. QUESTION: IT SOUNDS GOOD BUT GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU MEAN. ANSWER: IF YOU MAKE A 5 OR MORE LEVEL DUNGEON OR CASTLE WHICH HAS ALL THE NECESSARY INGREDIENTS TO ADD TO "THE EARTH LORDS" CAMPAIGN WORLD AND FUNCTIONS AS IT SHOULD THROUGH MY TESTING THEN YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ACCESS TO EXTERIOR MAP NUMBER 5. THAT MEANS THAT ANY PACKET MADE TO BE ADDED TO EXTERIOR MAP NUMBER 5 CAN BE DOWNLOADED BY YOU FOR FREE "NO MATTER HOW MANY PACKETS ARE ADDED". QUESTION: WHAT IF I WANT SOME PACKETS BUT NOT THE DELUXE VERSION. ANSWER: THE ONLY PACKETS FOR SALE ARE ONES WHICH I PERSONALLY CREATE. THESE WILL BE $5.00 A PACKET AND ARE ONLY OFFERED AS DOWNLOADS AND NOT MAIL OUTS. I WILL NOT SELL ANY PACKET UNLESS IT HAS AT LEAST 30 MAPS IN IT AND NEVER SEND MONEY FOR A PACKET UNLESS YOU SEE A POSTING SAYING IT IS AVAILABLE. QUESTION: HOW DO I GET ALL THE NEAT PACKETS MADE BY OTHER USERS? ANSWER: BUY THE DELUXE VERSION AND MAKE YOUR OWN TO TRADE AT THE GRAND TRADING BARN. PACKET MAKERS CANNOT SELL THEIR WORKS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SELL "THE EARTH LORDS" CODE BECAUSE IT IS COPYRIGHTED AND WITHOUT IT YOU CANNOT RUN PACKETS AND WITHOUT THE DELUXE VERSION YOU CANNOT ADD PACKETS UNLESS SOMEONE HAS ADDED THEM TO THE MAIN MAPS FOR YOU. QUESTION: ALL THIS SOUNDS AWESOME AND REVOLUTIONARY. I CAN MAKE MY OWN PACKETS AND HAVE THEM USED ON OTHER BBSES. WHERE DO I SEND THE REGISTRATION FEE FOR EITHER VERSION WHEN THE DAY ARRIVES THAT THEY ARE AVAILABLE? ANSWER: REGULAR REGISTRATION FEE: $20.00 DELUXE EDITION FEE: $25.00 SHIPPING & HANDLING (IF MAILED OUT ONLY): $5.00 - INCLUDES SPECIAL DOCS ADDRESS: (SEND THE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER HERE!) WAYNE STEWART 8337 WASHINGTON VILLAGE DRIVE CENTERVILLE, OHIO 45458 HEADQUARTERS BBS: (CALL HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AS WELL AS TO DOWNLOAD) THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE (513) 256-3809 (513) 256-9312 DAYTON, OHIO LINE 3 AND 4 COMING APRIL 1ST/ ALL ARE RINGDOWN/ 3 LINES 14.4 SUPRAFAX 700+ MEGS OF REALLY GOOD STUFF AND WE ARE A "FREE!" BBS SYSOP: DOC COSYSOPS: STU2 (<-- ME!)/ WILLIGUS/ TENOR IF YOU CALL TO CONTACT ME THEN MAIL SEND TO "STU2". FEEDBACK DOESN'T COME TO ME. THANX! HEY! THIS IS LINE 500. WOW! SORRY, ABOUT THAT!