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1989 September 11
- Text / Guides and how-tos
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WASTELAND
MANUAL
by
GtR>
Another in a series of GtR> Plagarite document files.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note from the Programmer:
During the two years of its development, Wasteland, and the system
used to create Wasteland, went through many changes. We spent lots of hours
tweaking and redesigning the original concept. We also put a lot of thought
into the game to make it more fun and easier for you to play.
We sacrificed some features, like animated icons and intra-party
combat, so we could add ones that would make playing less frustrating and more
enjoyable. Some of these features include a save command you can use anytime
and anywhere, a disband command that lets you split up your party, and a
combat system that's strategic, but easy enough for a beginner to use.
There's a lot for you to see and do throughout the game, but you don't
have to follow any single path for success. There's plenty of room to goof
off in this game. So don't sweat it if you don't know what something is used
for -- you might not even need it to win. But don't make too many judgement
errors too many times, or victory will slip farther and farther away. We can't
make it too easy to win, after all.
After you finish Wasteland the first time (for which we congratulate
you), you can go back and check out all the places you didn't get to fully
explore the first time through. Play it again; try things a different way.
It's not over when it's over.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is an excerpt from THE HISTORY OF THE DESERT RANGERS, THE EARLY
YEARS, by Karl Allard, 2087, Allard Press, Ranger Center. Hardbound pp. 293,
$20 gold.
Tensions grew with the coming of 1998. The United States' Citadel
Starstation was slated to be fully operational by March. Soviet charges that
the space station was merely a military launching platform alarmed a number of
non-aligned nations. The right wing governments in the South and Central
Americas, many of them set up by the U.S. during the Drug Wars (1987-1993),
pledged their support to the U.S. The NATO nations, including the new African
members, also declared their alliance with the U.S. That move forced most of
the remaining neutral powers to join the Soviet protest. In six short weeks,
only Switzerland, Sweden, and Ireland continued to declare themselves neutral
nations.
Two weeks before the Citadel was due for full operation, the station
transmitted a distress signal. Immediately after the message was sent, most of
the satellites orbiting the planet were swept clean from the sky, leaving the
great powers blind. In military panic, each sent 90 percent of their nuclear
arsenals skyward. Although the destruction was tremendous, it was not compete.
Pockets of civilization remained, some even oblivious to the military exchange.
On the same day that the U.S. and Soviet Union were attempting to
extinguish each other, a company of U.S. Army Engineers were in the
southwestern deserts building transportation bridges over dry riverbeds. They
worked deep in the inhospitable desert valleys, surrounded by a number of
survivalist communities. Located directly south of their position on that day
was a newly constructed federal prison. In addition to housing the nation's
criminals condemned to death, the prison contained light industrial
manufacturing facilities.
Shortly, after the nuclear attack began, the Engineers, seeking
shelter, took over the federal prison and expelled the prisoners into the
desolate desert to complete their sentences. As the weeks passed, they invited
the nearby survivalist communities to join them and to help them build a new
society. Because of each communities' suspicions towards one another, times
were difficult at first. But as time nurtured trust, this settlement -- which
came to be known as Ranger Center -- grew to be one of the strongest outposts.
Ranger Center even proved powerful enough to repel the bands of rancorous
criminals who repeatedly attacked in attempts to reclaim what was once
"rightfully theirs."
The citizens of Ranger Center, after first believing that they were the
only ones who survived the nuclear maelstrom, soon realized that communities
beyond the desert's grip had also survived. Because they had such success in
constructing a new community, they felt compelled to help other survivors
rebuild and live in peace.
Toward this end, the Desert Rangers, in the great tradition of the
Texas and Arizona Rangers a century before, were born.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OBJECTIVE:
----------
Wasteland is a post-nuclear holocaust adventure. Your party, the famed Desert
Rangers, have been assigned to investigate a series of disturbances in the
desert. After several strategy meetings, you've decided to search for clues
in Highpool, the Agricultural Center, and the Rail Nomads' Camp, all of which
are located to the west of Ranger Center.
The first thing you need to do is read the Command Summary Card. It tells you
how to get Wasteland up and running on your computer. It also contains a
summary of the keystrok commands that you'll be using. Once you load the game,
you'll find a part waiting by the Ranger Center.
THE PARTY:
----------
A party can have up to seven characters, four of whom you can create. The four
that you can create are called Player Characters (PCs). The other three spaces
are reserved for Non-Player Characters (NPCs), whom you'll meet during the
course of your adventure (see "Recruiting Allies" for more details on NPCs).
If you don't use all of the four slots for you player characters, you can fill
them with NPCs.
A party of four awaits your command: Hell Razor, Angela Deth, Thrasher, and
Snake Vargas. This is a well balanced party quite capable of see you through
the entire game. You can use them or create your own characters.
There are no special advantages to the characters in the original party -- no
divine insight, no super luck, no outrageous skills. You could easily create
characters who are just as -- or even more -- effective. If you prefer to
make your own characters, enter the Ranger Center to do this. You'll have to
delete one or more of the existing characters to create your own. But before
you wipe out the existing party, take a look at their profiles first by
pressing keys 1-4 to see each one.
At any time during the journey you can view your party roster by pressing the
spacebar.
CREATING CHARACTERS:
--------------------
Follow these steps to create a Desert Ranger.
1. Enter the Ranger Center. If this is your first time in the game, you're
already at the Ranger Center.
2. If the current party already contains four PCs, press D to delete one and
make room for your new character.
3. Press C to create a new character. At the top of the screen you'll see
"Create a character." Below are the characters attributes -- the higher
these values are, the better (see "Attributes and Personal Statistics"
for complete details). If you're not satisfied with these values, press
the spacebar to "reroll" the values. When you're satisfied, press <RETURN>.
4. Name your character (up to 13 letters).
5. Choose a sex.
6. Select a nationality.
7. Select the skills you want your character to have (see "Skills" for complete
details). Press <RETURN> when you're done. If you make a mistake while
allocating skills, press <CONTROL>-R to re-allocate them.
8. Press Y if you want to keep this character. Press N if you don't want keep
him or her.
9. Press S to leave the Ranger Center and start the game.
CHARACTER PROFILE:
------------------
To view any character's profile -- personal statistics, possesions, and skills.
Enter the character's roster number. When you're done viewing each screen,
press the spacebar or <RETURN> to go to the next screen, or <ESC> to return to
the previous screen.
Attributes and Personal Statistics:
-----------------------------------
The first screen lists your character's attributes and other miscellaneous
personal statistics:
Strength (ST): The ability to overpower enemies or to lift, move, and break
items. This is important in hand-to-hand combat and in physical tasks such as
breaking down doors.
Intelligence (IQ): How well a character thinks and solves problems. This is
probably the most important attribute because it determines which and how
many skills a character may master. Certain skills can only be mastered by
characters with an IQ of a certain level or above. Characters start with skill
points equal to their IQ. During the course of the game, you'll definitely
want to raise your IQ.
Luck (LK): Lucky characters tend to find more things and avoid more damage
than unlucky ones. Luck also improves your odds in hand-to-hand combat.
Speed (SP): How quickly you move, which helps you escape tight situations.
Agility (AGL): How deftly you move. High agility enhances your acrobatic
ability, so you can do things like dodge blows and jump on tables. The higher
this value, the better you'll perform in hand-to-hand combat.
Dexterity (DEX): Ability to master fine movements like picking locks or aiming
weapons. Dexterity is very important in combat, and extremely useful in
mastering the "thiefly" arts.
Charisma (CHR): This attribute lets you know how likeable or persuasive a
character is. Although it may seem like a trivial trait, it might well make
the difference between life and death as you try to convince someone that
you're trustworthy. Charisma also affects how an NPC will react to you when
you want to hire him or trade equipment.
Skill Points (SKP): When you first create a character, this value is identical
to IQ. The more skill points you have, the more skills you can learn. You can
acquire more skill points during the game (see "Skills" for more details).
Rank: Each character starts out as a private. As you acquire experience
points, you can radio back to Ranger Center for a field promotion. Each time
you're promoted, your rank changes, your maximum constitution goes up by two
points, and you get an additional two points to invest in any attribute. Rank
does not affect how orders are given or taken since your characters are equal
members of a team. A high rank, however could impress civilians enough so you
can get into places where regular folks can't go.
Maximum Constitution (MAXCON): The higher this is, the more of a beating you
can take before you die. This value is the same as MAX on the onscreen
statistics.
$: The total cash this character is carrying.
Sex: Sex only affects what bathroom he or she has access to.
Nationality: Choose from U.S., Russian, Mexican, Indian, or Chinese.
P)ool: Press P to command all party members to pool their cash and give it to
this character.
D)iv cash: Press D to have this character evenly distribute his cash among all
the party members. If you have disbanded into several groups, only those in
the same group as the character dividing his cash will share in the wealth.
Items:
------
The second screen lists what items you character owns. You can carry up to 30
items that you find or buy during your travels. Don't immediately toss away
items that seem useless. It can actually be an important fragment from a
greater, more powerful item. Many items can be sold for cash at various
stores.
A precaution about picking up items: once you pick something up, you have to
keep it or drop it. If you drop it, it will vanish into the depths of
Wasteland, NEVER to be seen again. If you have no intention of picking up an
item to keep (maybe because you're already carrying the maximum amount and
you don't want to drop anything) you should leave it where it is. That way,
you can come back for it later (and you better remember to, or you may miss
out on some loot hidden beneath the item.)
To give or show something to someone who is NOT a party member, use the item
on the space that you're on by pressing the spacebar.
Press the number that represents the item you'd like to use, and you'll get
the following choices:
Reload: If you select an ammo clip that fits your currently-equipped weapon,
you're asked if you want to Reload.
Unjam: If you choose a jammed weapon, you'll be asked if you want to unjam it.
If you successfully unjam the weapon, you'll lose the clip that was in it,
leaving you with an unloaded weapon. Don't forget to reload before you're
ambushed by a bunch of bikers.
Drop: Drop removes something from your list FOREVER. You'll probably only use
this command if you're carrying a full load, and need to drop something in
order to pick up another item. You can also use this command to drop something
that's broken (but keep in mind that broken items can be repaired or sold).
Trade: Trade lets you give items to another character. Enter the number of the
intended recipient and the trade will be made. NPCs have a mind of their own
and may not always want to give their items away.
unEquip: To equip an item so it's ready to use, press E. If you use this while
you're already equipped, the chosen item will replace the previously-equipped
item. You can only have one type of armor and one type of weapon equipped at
any given time. The weapon you equip shows up in the onscreen statistics below
WEAPON. When a piece of armor is properly equipped, your armor class reflects
the change.
Skills:
-------
The third screen shows this character's skills and skill levels. The skills
you possess weigh heavily in your success. Each character should have a
slightly different repertoire, so the whole party benefits from a greater
variety of skills. One character could specialze in gambling, lockpicking, and
forgery, while another could excel in demolition, brawling, and climbing.
Medical skills are something that more than one character should possess. All
the skills in the world don't amount to anything if a character's flat on his
back, too weak to use them. The more characters who possess medical savvy,
the safer the party is.
Since you must have a minimum IQ to be able to learn certain skills, the higher
your IQ, the more skills you get to choose from. You simply can't learn the
more technical skills if you're not smart enough.
LVL: The level of your skill. The higher this is, the better you are at this
skill. You can invest skill points in any skill as many times you like; each
time you invest in a skill, the skill level goes up. Skills also improve as
you use them. Since the cost of each successive skill level rises
dramatically, improbing a skill by using it is a cheap and effective method
of gaining skill levels.
NOTE: When creating a character or when visiting a library, you'll see the
total available skill points at the top of the screen. (Your skill point
value is the same as your initial IQ value.) To select a skill, enter its
number. If you make an error, you can start your selecting over again by
pressing <CONRTOL>-R. Press <ESC> to exit this character profile entirely.
IQ: The minimum IQ you must have to use this skill.
PTS: How many skill points it will cost to acquire this skill. Initially,
you can select a skill more than once; in fact, this is how you become more
adept (or advanced in levels) at this skill. Once you select a skill, the
point cost doubles as each successive skill level becomes more costly.
Don't be stingy with your skill points when you're creating your characters.
You'll have the chance to acquire more skill points as you move up in the
ranks (see "Getting Promoted" for details on how you can accumulate skill
points). You can save a few, if you'd like, since there are several special
places outside the Ranger Center wher you can learn more skills. But keep in
mind that picking skills at Ranger Center is a one-shot deal; once you leave
you can't come back to pick more.
Below are descriptions of the skills grouped according to their minimum IQ
requirement. After each skillname is a number in parentheses; this is the
number of skill points need to buy the first level for that skill. Each
successive level doubles in cost.
IQ:3
Brawling (1): Any fighter who can wander through a full-fledged bar fight
without getting much more than a scratch is either very lucky or highly skilled
in brawling. The higher your sill in brawling, the more attacks you get per
round in hand-to-hand combat.
Climb (1): Gives you the ability to climb over fences, up sheer cliff faces,
and out of pits.
Clip Pistol (1): A must-have skill since your initial weapon issue will be
either the M1911A1 .45 caliber or a VP91Z 9mm automatic clip pistol. Without
this skill, you won't be very accurate with the weapon or have much luck fixing
it if it breaks.
Knife Fighting (1): When fighting with knives, this gives an advantage to a
skilled fighter over an unskilled one.
Pugilism (1): One of the oldest forms of fighting, it teaches you how to dish
out punches as well as avoid them. Handy for those close up battles where the
fists start flying.
Rifle (1): A good basic skill to have since many of the weapons sold by raiders
are servicable M19 rifles. You'll rue the day you didn't pick up this skill as
you look helplessly at the rifle you can't shoot accurately.
Swim (1): The desert sands don't blanket the entire earth. This will come in
handy in those spots where you have to swim.
IQ:6
Knife Throwing (1): A tricky skill that comes in handy when fighting gets
heavy, you use up all your ammo, and you need to resort to throwing knives.
Perception (1): Helps the character find concealed items and notice when things
are out of the ordinary. No one should be without it.
IQ:9
Assault Rifle (1): If you're using an AK-97 or M1989A1 assault rifle, this
skill helps you fire, load, and unjam it quickly. A skill that ranks up there
in importance with walking and breathing.
AT Weapon (1): Helps you recognize and use anti-tank weapons like LAW rockets.
A handy skill to have should you encounter something far tougher than your
Ranger instructors ever told you about.
SMG (1): Lets a character control basic submachine guns like the Uzi or Mac 17.
May make a big difference when you're outnumbered three to one by bandits
who've decided that they want the gold from your teeth.
IQ:10
Acrobat (1): This skill for the agile can get you out of a tough situation --
like leaping off of bar counters while you're surrounded by a hostile crowd.
Gamble (1): The skill that built Vegas, you'll do well in all games of chance,
and you'll also be able to spot a crooked game from a mile away.
Picklock (1): This can get you into places where you want to go, but where
others don't want you to go.
Silent Movement (1): This helps you move unnoticed past a guard post, making it
tough for enemies to catch up with you.
IQ:11
Confidence (1): For an already charismatic person, good confidence can enable
one to talk a miser out of his fortune. It's particularly useful for getting
information from people who are suspicious of you.
IQ:12
Sleight of Hand (1): A thieving skill that lets you perform sleight-of-hand
tricks -- perfect when you need to amaze those you meet.
IQ:13
Demolition (1): Teaches you how much of an explosive substance you can use
without blowing yourself up.
Forgery (1): Helps you recognize or create a forged document. Someday you may
just need to whip up a security pass to get by some vigilant guards.
IQ:14
Alarm Disarm (1): Trains you to recognize and disable alarms. If you want to
get into a place without getting caught, this is a good skill to have.
Bureaucracy (1): Even though most of civilization ended with the bomb, an
inordinate number of petty bureaucrats managed to survive. This helps you deal
with them so you can get what you want.
IQ:15
Bomb Disarm (2): Allows you to defuse most explosive devices.
Medic (2): A vital skill that lets a character stabilize a badly-wounded
comrade so he or she has a chance to recover.
Safecrack (2): An experienced practitioner of this art can open safes sealed
even before the holocaust.
IQ:16
Cryptology (2): Gives you the talent to encode and decode messages. Useful in
helping you determine what a password might be.
IQ:17
Metallurgy (2): Increases your ability to spot, identify, and work with some
basic metals.
To reorder your skills, view them and press <CONTROL>-R. Enter the number of
the skill that you want at the top of the list, the skill you want second, and
so on until you've selected all the skills. The new list won't appear until
you've selected all the skills.
ONSCREEN STATISTICS:
--------------------
In addition to the information that you can call up by entering the character's
number, the following character statistics are always displayed on the party
roster:
Armor Class (AC): The level of protection a character has against weapons,
physical attack, and other forms of damage. The higher the armor class, the
better.
Ammunition (AMM): The ammount of ammunition you have left in your equipped
weapon. When it's down to zero, it's time to reload. Reloading takes a full
combat round, so establish a healthy habit of reloading after each battle.
Maximum Constitution (MAX): The maximum "health" points that your character can
have (see "Constitution", below, for more details). This is the same as
MAXCON. If this number is highlighted, then your character has picked up a
life-threatening illness, like radiation poisoning. This illness won't go away
with the passing of time, so get this character medical help as soon as you
can.
Constitution (CON): This shows the character's current condition. Compare this
value to MAX to determine your character's relative health. The closer this
value is to MAX, the closer your character is to full strength. Wehn CON drops
below 1, the character becomes UNConscious. If the character's condition
becomes SERious, constitution continues to drop and the character will die
unless he gets medical assistance soon.
Weapon: This shows the weapon that your character is currently armed with.
FIST means the character is unarmed.
GETTING PROMOTED:
-----------------
You're awarded experience points each time you accomplish a difficult task or
win a difficult battle. When you think you've accumulated enough experience
points to warrant a promotion, you should radio back to Ranger Center to have
your instructors review your accomplishments. Since it doesn't cost you
anything to radio in, you can do it as often as you like. If you've progressed
enough (and only your instructors know when this is), you're given a field
promotion.
As a promotion reward, two points are automatically added to your maximum
constitution (MAX, MAXCON). You're also awarded an additional two points that
you can add to any attribute you choose. Put both points on the same attribute
or put one on two separate attributes. If you'd like, add them to maximum
constitution to boost that value even higher.
If you wish to use these two points to acquire a new skill, you MUST apply them
to IQ. Remember, IQ points translate into skill points. If you don't increase
your skill points via IQ points, you won't be able to add new skills.
RECRUITING ALLIES:
------------------
Wasteland is populated with people who have, like you, survived the nuclear
holocaust. From time, to time you'll run into non-player characters (NPCs)
whom you can hire. You may wish to enlist their services to add skill,
strength, or intelligence to your party. Refer to the Encounter command below
on how to hire an NPC.
NPCs are not robots who obey your every command. They don't always do as told
in combat. They don't always trade something when you ask them to. While you
may not like their autonomy, and think that they're more trouble than they're
worth, remember that they may be able to get you things that you can't get for
yourself or get you into placse where you can't normally go.
To dismiss an NPC, use the Disband command.
COMMANDS:
---------
During normal play, a menu of commands are listed across the bottom of the
screen:
Use: This lets a character use an Item, Skill, or Attribute to accomplish a
task. Enter a character number and select an Item, Skill or Attribute. Then,
enter a direction in which the character will use the item, Skill, or Attribute
(press the spacebar if you want to use something right were you're standing).
Certain skills offer additional prompts. For example, when you use a medical
skill, you will be asked which character you want to heal.
After you use something, you may get the message "That doesn't seem to work."
This suggests that this particular item or method doesn't work, but that
another might. Also, if you use a skill or attribute and it doesn't work
-- but you're really sure it should -- keep trying. Sometimes persistence
pays off.
Enc: Encounter calls up the same commands that are available to the party
during combat. You may want to use Encounter to attract someone's attention,
so you can get information or try to hire them.
You can also use this command as a short cut to perform certain actions on
several characters. For instance, you could have a couple of characters
reload, while another uses an item. In this case, using Encounter would be
faster than calling up each character individually.
Order: This changes the marching order of your party. There are times when
you'll want to change the order to maximize your party's talents. For
instance, if you're travelling through a dangerous area, a character with
high perception of silent movement would make an excellent point man. In
another situation, a character carrying an item that could forestall an attack
should be in the lead.
When you select Order, you're shown the current marching order. Select the
number of the character you want in front, then second, then third, and so on
until the whole party has been reordered. Being placed in the back of the
ranks does not shield a character from combat.
Disband: Disband lets you break your party into separate, smaller parties (up
to four). This enables each party to travel independently of the other
parties. The parties can be spread apar as far as you'd like. Disband also
offers many tactical advantages in combat.
Disband has a number of important uses. If you have dead party members, use
disband to bury them. You could also use disband when you're under attack; one
person could split off to distract the attackers. Some places can only be
passed through by one character at a time, so each person will have to split
off into their own party.
CAUTION: Before you can disband NPCs, you're asked if you want them PERMANENTLY
dismissed. If you answer "yes" then they are gone FOREVER -- you'll never,
ever see them again. If you want them disbanded -- and not dismissed -- answer
"no".
When you select Disband, enter the numbers for those characters who wish to
split off from the main party, and press <RETURN>. Next, indicate the
direction that the disbanded party will move. Use View to shift control
between parties.
To reunite separate parties into a single band, move them onto the same spot
and they will automatically regroup.
View: View lets you shift control between parties. If you have more than two
parties, and you're not in control of the party you want, keep entering V until
you reach the right one. If the party is on another map, you're asked to
confirm if you want to shift to them. Since shifting to another map requires
the computer to save the current map and you to swap disks, you're given a
chance to change your mind.
Save: Saves the game. Before it's saved, you must confirm your choice. You're
prompted to insert one or more disk sides. Be sure to insert all the disks
requested or you'll lose valuable data!
Use this command anytime you find something you don't want to lose. Even
before the great nuclear war, computers were known to shut down at inopportune
moments. See the Command Summary Card for more important details on the Save
command.
Radio: Contacts your instructors at Ranger Center so they can evaluate your
performance. If you've done well, you're given a field promotion. When you
select Radio, you're asked to confirm your choice. If you choose to continue,
all your characters are evaluated at the same time and are apprised of any
changes in rank. Because a Ranger once slept through his promotion, the
instructors no require that all charcters be conscious for this procedure;
consequently, any injured, unconscious Rangers will be passed over. Promoted
characters get a chance to modify attributes at this point (see "Getting
Promoted" for more details).
COMBAT:
-------
Often, when somebody or something comes into your range, you will enter the
Encounter mode. An encounter is frequently a precursor to a fight. Your
party roster and a text window will appear. The text window will contain a
short description of the encounter; press <RETURN> when you're done reading it.
(If you want to temporarily remove the party roster and text window to see
where the encounter is located, press the spacebar. To return to the party
roster and text window, press any key.)
Your options during and encounter are:
Run: This lets the entire party or a single character run towards or away from
an encounter. Enter the direction that you want the party or character to
move. If a single character succesfully runs away, then he's disbanded from
the party. (This is impossible if there are four separate parites already).
Use: This lets a character use an Item, Skill or Attribute to accomplish a
task. Depending on which you choose, a list will appear. You're then asked to
enter a direction in which the Item, Skill or Attribute will be executed.
Hire: Not everybody you meet has turned hostile under the hot desert sun. Some
are quite pleasant, and may even offer you valuable services. If you meet an
NPC that you would like to try to hire, enter the number of the desired
recruit.
Evade: This makes you much harder to hit in combat. Use this command when your
comrades initiate a firefight, and you don't have a missile weapon, or when
you're injured and wish to minimize the risk of further physical abuse.
Attack: In the battle-ridden wastelands, this is a command you'll often use.
When you select it, you're given a choice of targets. If your weapon is an
automatic weapon capable of selective fire, you're asked if you want to fire
Single, Burst or Autofire. If the encounter is at an extended range, and you
have no missile weapons, you're told that there are no attackers within your
range. If there's only one group of attackers, they're targetted
automatically.
Weapon: Lets you read a new weapon, which is useful when your gun jams in the
heat of battle and you don't want to fix it. Or, once you assess the current
battle situation, you may want to use a weapon that's more effective.
Load/unjam: Loads or unjams a weapon. This command takes a full combat round,
so it's a good idea to keep your weapon loaded at all times, otherwise you'll
have to reload in the first round of a firefight. (You can load or unjam at
any time by selecting Enc from the Main Menu, or by choosing the weapon or
appropriate ammo.) When a weapon jams, you lose the ammo that was in the
weapon at the time. Unjamming a weapon during combat automatically reloads
it.
Press <ESC> if you wish to return to a previous character's options. Once
you've made all your combat selections you're asked if you want to execute the
commands you chose. Press N to abandon your choices and start the procedure
over again. Press Y if you're satisfied. You'll then see a rundown of the
effects of the encounter in the text window. Use <CONTROL>-K or the up arrow
to speed up text scrolling. Use <CONTROL>-J or the down arrow to slow down
text scrolling.
Since parties can disband and move to different maps, there will be times when
one party is locked in combat while another party is on an entirely different
map. In these instances, the game asks if you want the other parties to enter
into an encounter. If you answer "yes," you'll get one combat round for each
disbanded party. This is a slow and time consuming process, so you should only
run combats on mulitiple maps in emergencies. If you decline the invitation to
have combat on multiple maps, the party you are currently viewing will excute
their combat round before you can view the other parties.
Hand-To-Hand Combat:
--------------------
Because the Rangers are trained soldiers, they have an advantage over the
citizens in hand-to-hand combat. In general, hand-to-hand combat is not as
deadly as a firefight, but you can still easily die from a good throttling or
from a dead-on punch. Hand-to-hand combat can only take place at a distance of
14 feet or less.
Missile Weapon Combat:
----------------------
Missile weapon combat is any combat that takes place with weapons capable of
ranged fire. From guns to grenades, there are numerous missile weapons at your
disposal. Area-effect weapons, like TNT, plastic explosives, and grenades are
auto-loading, which means that each time you use one, you automatically get
another one until your supply runs out, so you won't be unarmed in the middle
of a fight. Anit-tank weapons such as LAW rockets must be re-equipped after
firing. Automatic weapons -- assault rifles and submachine guns -- can shoot
Single, Burst, or Autofire. All guns are clip fed and come in .45, 9mm, or
7.62mm calibers. Always carry the proper ammo unless you look forward to
pistol whipping your enemies.
Keep in mind that all missile combat is simultaneous. Sure, it's exciting when
you burn a clip of AK-97 ammo into an onrushing horde of mutant bikers, but
your excitement may diminish somewhat when you find that the mutants are
returning fire with equal fervor. You shoot, they shoot.
Selective Fire:
---------------
Single, Burst and Autofire have different effects. Single uses one bullet per
round, which is great if you're low on ammo, but not so great if you need to
hit your target with the first shot. Burst consumes three bullets per round
and gives the shooter a slight advantage in hitting and killing his target.
Autofire uses up all the bullets in the clip, which greately increases the
chance of hitting a particular target and others in close proximity. A good
choice if you really need to kill somebody, but not so good if you're looking
at your last clip.
Explosives:
-----------
If you want to do a great deal of damage over a wide area, go with explosives.
You get more impact per target area, which can be a lifesaver when being eyed
hungrily by a pack of nuke pooches. Remember, ammo doesn't rain from the
heavens. Running your gun on full auto all the time may kill the bad guys in a
hurry, but you're like to run out of ammo just as the last nuke pooch lunges
for your throat.
WEAPONS LIST:
-------------
Missile weapons come in three range categories: short, medium, and long.
You'll find that using a clip pistol to hit a target 80 feet away is not too
effective. Be sure to choose the appropriate weapon for the appropriate
distance. Here are some of the more common weapons and their characteristics:
Long Range Weapons:
-------------------
AK-97 Assault Rifle: Created in the image of the legendary AK-47, the AK-97 is
the latests in the assault rifle line. It was created for the Comintern
Combine nations of Europe and Africa, but saw large distribution throughout
the world before the war. It is chambered for 7.62mm ammo and fires from a
30-bullet clip. This highly respected weapon is fairly commonplace.
M1989A1 NATO Assault Rifle: The M1989A1 is big brother to the original M16A1.
It was rechambered to accept the same 7.62mm ammo that the AK series of rifles
uses so troops could use captured Soviet Ammo. Although assault rifle users
greatly preferred the American ammo for its damage capabilities, the military
implemented this change in anticipation of front line ammo shortages. With
this arrangement, a solider could kill an enemy and replenish his supply at
the same time.
M19 Rifle: The M19 rifle is a single shot weapon firing an 8-shot clip of
7.62mm ammo. When rumors of Soviet invasion of the U.S. spread through the
states, survivalists demanded a weapon that could use Soviet ammo (necessary,
said the survivalists, if Americans were to be able to use captured ammo.) The
invasion never took place, but the M19 remains a high-profile weapon. Although
it can't fire more than one bullet at a time, it does have greater range than
pistols.
M17 Carbine: The M17 Carbine is a lighter, short-barreled version of the M19
rifle. Its 10-shot clip of 7.62mm ammo gives a faster fire rate than its big
brother, but the barrel length makes it slightly less accurate at maximum
range.
LAW Rocket: The LAW Rocket is a small, armor piercing explosive rocket
contained in a disposable firing tube. It was first developed to destroy
tanks. The mass of the tip (made from depleted uranium) enables the rocket to
blast through the armor so the explosive shell can burst, once inside. Some
knowledge of anti-tank weaponry is useful when employing rockets.
Medium Range Weapons:
---------------------
MAC 17 SMG: The Mac 17 is the sturdiest of the compact submachine guns
developed in the early 1990s. It shoots .45 caliber slugs from a 30-shot clip
and is known for its man-stopping capabilities. This small weapon is well
suited for close up firefights.
UZI 27 SMG: The Uzi comes from the highly skilled gunsmiths of Trans-Palestine.
It's magazine holds 40 9mm bullets and is capable of burning a full clip in
five seconds. This weapon was built specifically for fighting terrorists and
has proven very effective on mutant bikers or religious fanatics.
Short Range Weapons:
--------------------
1911A1 .45 Pistol: The 1911A1 was the standard sidearm of the previous two
world wars. The .45 slug, held in 8-shot clip, was first developed to stop
Moro rebels in the Phillipines. In its current role, it has no trouble
slowing down desert raiders or the occasional mutant cactus. Many Desert
Rangers find this a perfect weapon to take with them when they first head into
the wastelands.
VP19Z 9mm Pistol: As well liked as the .45 pistol by the Desert Rangers, the
VP19Z is a variation on the West German design, featuring an 18-shot clip. A
reliable weapon, it's widely available due to its popularity among
survivalists. While the 9mm bullet is not as powerful as the .45, the 18-shot
capacity of this weapon reduces the need to reload, making it ideal for
extended firefights.
Grenades: Grenades are small, hand-tossed explosive devices useful for
inflicting damage on an entire group of foes at one time. Grenades have a wide
area of effect, so be sure your character has a good throwing arm!
INJURIES AND DEATH:
-------------------
Death is permanent. If your characters get seriously injured, get them medical
attention quickly or kiss them goodbye.
If a character is lightly wounded, they've taken a few hits, but are still
awake and functional. A few points have been knocked off his constitution.
Characters become unconscious when their constitution dips below 1. While
unconscious, they are unable to move. Over time, an unconscious character will
regain consciousness and heal to full health. An alternative to waiting is to
find a hospital and pay for a quick heal.
Seriously-wounded characters are in a whole different class of medical trouble.
Like unconscious characters, they can do nothing, but unlike unconscious
characters, they don't heal with time -- they worsen. Withough medical help,
seriously-wounded characters deteriorate to critical, to mortal, to comatose,
and then to dead. Another character with medical skills may be able to
stabilize the wounded character enough so he can improve to the unconscious
category. If this happens, the character will recover with time.
Remember that time waits for no one. Disbanding one character and sending him
off across the desert to find a doctor will not freeze time for a seriously
wounded character. When that character finally returns with a doctor, they
may be back in time to bury the body. (This is why your party should contain
somebody -- preferably two -- with medical skills.) Should the worst happen,
you can bury a dead character by using the Disband command.
TIME AND DISTANCE:
------------------
The maps in Wasteland vary in scale. The large desert map contains the various
city maps, which, in turn, contain building maps or whole underground levels of
sewers and hideouts. In combat, distances may seem a bit off for the map
you're on, but these are tactical distances and are valid in combat only.
Because of the difference in scale of the maps, time passes differently on
them. Though a single keystroke on the computer will move you one space north
in both the desert and in a building, the amount of time that each move takes
is different.
If you want time to pass without moving, press <ESC>.
SPECIAL PLACES:
---------------
You begin your adventures in the desert along the California-Arizona border.
The area you'll cover extends from the Ranger Center in the south up to the
Grand Canyon in the north. The towns of Quartz, Needles and Las Vegas are
three places you'll surely want to visit.
Little Old Quartz:
------------------
Quartz is a small town that suffered extensive damage from the nuclear attacks,
yet managed to survive. Although located far from the large military targets,
this tiny community was affected by earthquakes and low-level nuclear fallout.
But in its feisty, small town way, Quartz quickly resumed normal life. About
the only trouble Quartz has these days is with bandits.
Xenophobic Needles:
-------------------
Needles is bigger than Quartz. Aside from the flood that resulted when Hoover
Dam was hit, life has not changed much in Needles. Needles is big enough to
defend itself from roving bandits. However, it has become home to a couple of
odd cults. The folks in Needles don't really like strangers that much but
they've welcomed Desert Rangers in the past and are always willing to trade
goods with them.
Lovely Vegas:
-------------
Vegas is the city of Las Vegas. No one is quite sure how the Soviet missiles
managed to miss the city, but most folks figure it was because the "house" was
betting against a missile landing -- and no one wins against the house. There
was in international rumor about some Russian general's markers being torn up
after the attack, but that has yet to be confirmed.
Undaunted by its brush with perdition, Vegas is still open for business and
does very well for itself. The city is large enough to avoid conquest, and
many elements of the desert rabble have even found gainful employment as
enforcers or casino employees. Despite the relative success of the city,
however, there are dark rumors about horrors descending from the north and
taking up residence in the city sewers. All may not be extremely well in the
Jewel of the Desert.
Deadly Deserts:
---------------
The desert is just as formidable as it was before the holocause. In addition
to the lack of water and the fierce heat, there are reports of radiation zones
that have melted the flesh off of unwary travellers. Along with the irradiated
human element -- left-over biker gangs, rabid survivalists, crazed religious
zealots -- all sorts of mutant animals make their home in the desert. Some
say that travelling in the desrt nowadays without an experienced guide is plain
suicidal.
Acknowledgements:
-----------------
Alan Pavlish wishes to acknowledge:
Brian Fargo for the original concept and letting us take the time to do it
right; Michael A. Stackpole for being such a great designer and for the many
hours spent; Ken St. Andred for his design work and name "Wasteland"; Todd j.
Camasta for being such a great artist; Elizabeth T. Danforth for her excellent
desing of maps; Bill "Weez" Dugan for pointing out stupid stuff I did and
giving me some great ideas; Nishan Hossepian for the long hours spent coding
maps; Stance Nixon for even longer hours spent coding maps; Bruce "Redbeard"
Schlickbernd for helping redesign crucial parts of the game and hopefully
finding every bug; Dave Albert, James Bailey, and Chris Wilson for playing
the game over and over and over and over....; Bill "Burger" Heinman, Troy
Miles, and Michael Quarles for helping me cram in so much code in so little
space; and Manisha Patel for her graphic assistance.
Without any of you Wasteland just wouldn't be the same. Thanks.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plagarite @ 1989 by GtR>
"Remember the truly lame NEVER buy software"