[L]==================================================================[L]
[O] + From the Editor                                 Patrick Reed + [O]
[D]==================================================================[D]

    Welcome, one and all, to Land of Devastation (LOD).  Scott Baker
    has just  released  version 3.70,  which  contains a  variety of
    NEW  features.  Users  might  notice  fewer  delays  while  ANSI
    graphics  are  being  displayed.  Scott  has  trimmed  down  the
    displays  to show  only  necessary  information,  which  is most
    evident during combat encounters.

    GTERM 3.70 is also released  with this version of LOD, and rumor
    has it that  there  are some hot new  additions to the  graphics
    and  sound  libraries.  Be sure to try it out.  This  will be my
    initiation to GTERM,  and I am looking forward to the fun of it.

    As the game documentation will state, I must advise you all that
    GTERM  versions  earlier than 3.70 will _NOT_ function  properly
    with LOD version 3.70.  Scott will reveal more to you  about new
    features later in the game documentation.

    Included  in this  issue  are  articles from Christopher Darque,
    moderator of the  proposed  _NEW_ LOD Support Forum on  FidoNet;
    and the famed  Madonna,  lusty  wasteland adventurer.

    LOD News is published  on behalf of Scott Baker by Patrick Reed,
    with new issues  released as user support demands.  Articles are
    needed from users of LOD in order to help LOD News to thrive.

    Send  E-Mail to  Patrick Reed  on  FidoNet Node  1:300/9,  or at
    Internet  address   patreed@coyote.com  to submit  articles  for
    publication.  Topics include, but are not limited to:

     
           CHARACTER STORIES
           COMMON ERRORS & PROBLEM SOLVING
           CUSTOMIZING
           LOD DOOR SETUP
           PLAYER TIPS


    Everyone is welcome to write  something up  and submit it.  Like
    I said, we need user support.  LOD News  depends almost entirely
    upon you all.  Thanks in advance for your support.

    Now, for the News ...

[L]==================================================================[L]
[O] + From the Game Author                            Scott Baker  + [O]
[D]==================================================================[D]

    Well, since I didn't get  my submission to our  editor,  Patrick
    Reed, in time, I'm  throwing this  in at the last minute, so the
    formatting  might not seems  as consistant  as the  rest  of the
    newsletter.

    First of all, let me address the subject of registrations.  Many
    people  have  questioned  why  I  don't  send  out  registration
    packages  with disks, documentation, etc.  The primary reason is,
    it's  a lot simpler to have people just pick up their codes from
    my bbs  system.  When A donation arrives in the mail, all I have
    to do  is  just  type  the  sysops name and data into the online
    database, and it is ready and waiting to be picked up.

    To  pick  up a registration, all you have to do is log on (call-
    back verification  is not needed - you may do this on your first
    call), select "REGLOOK" at my main menu, and you will be asked a
    few questions to verify your identity.  Once  that is  done, the
    bbs will display your registration code for you.

    An  added  benefit  of  this  system:  If  you  ever  lose  your
    registration code (hard drive failure, etc), then you  can  just
    call the bbs up and grab it again.

    Next, I would like to extend my appreciation  to  Patrick  Reed,
    who  has  taken up the task of maintaining our newsletter.  Also
    of mention is  Christopher  Darque, who is working on setting up
    the LOD support echo as well as  drawing  up  EGA  images faster
    than I can implement  them  into  the game!  Last but not least,
    Chris  Azure  has provided  me with  even  more of his excellent
    MOD music for the game.

    Scott Baker


[L]==================================================================[L]
[O] + Customizing LOD                           Christopher Darque + [O]
[D]==================================================================[D]

        EDITORIAL NOTE: At publication time,  a number of changes
                        have been made to LOD version 3.70.  Some
                        of these  ideas have been included in the
                        game.  An errata to this  article will be
                        published in the next issue of  LOD News.
                 
                                                  -- Patrick Reed


    LOD  provides a  number of tools that let you tailor the game to
    suit  your  particular  desires.  With the exception of the  Ega
    graphics  almost every  aspect of the game can be changed.  This
    opens up all sorts of possibilities that intrigued me because so
    few games are open to any modification.

    In doing so, I used all my years as a GameMaster and role-player
    to  make a game  that was  based on the concept that I use in my
    BBS-based role-playing group, Zone Central.

    Zone Central  is a  multi - BBS  universe  that  is based on the
    concept of our  contacting the  AlienNet, which as similar to an
    electronic Network.  In doing so, we found that the Aliens could
    not  tell that our  Doorgames  were not actual  Universes.  They
    simply used the connections to begin  what it to them the normal
    exploration and development of a new Galaxy.

    All the  Members of  Zone Central are Dimensional Travelers,  or
    simply  Travelers.  I wanted to use the  customization of LOD to
    make it fit much more tightly with this concept.

    In doing so I realized that even though the tools were available,
    there was  little to help  Sysops (from this point on I will use
    GM, since that is what you become if you do this)  actually  use
    the tools.

    This article is an attempt to cover some of the basic  steps you
    will have to work through.  I hope that it will be helpful.  But
    keep in mind that it is only a beginning, nothing can substitute
    for the  experience of actually  working on the game and  really
    seeing what works.


    GETTING STARTED
    ---------------
    Before you do anything at all, READ THE DOCUMENTATION!  I cannot
    state this strongly  enough.  Read them, look through the values
    in the editor and  make  sure you understand  how  things  work.
    Scott has always been  quite nice about  answering  questions so
    use that  resource.  At the end of this  article I have listed a
    number of  NetMail  addresses  for  myself,  and I can always be
    reached through Scott's BBS.


    WORKING COPY
    ------------
    To begin,  never  work on a  game that is in progress.  There is
    nothing more annoying than having to restart a game  because you
    made a mistake.  Players do not take  this at all  well.  Always
    set up a separate copy of LOD and  work on it.  That way you can
    experiment in safety.  If something goes wrong and  you  have to
    erase it and  start over you will not get angry messages  asking
    what happened to my character that I have spent 3 months getting
    built up!

    So a private working copy is an absolute must.

 
    MAJOR PITFALLS
    --------------
    It is fortunate  that  LOD is a rather  forgiving  game.  I have
    found that most errors can be corrected without irreparable loss.
    If you find that the game is generating  errors when run you can
    usually fix the problem and the datafile will correct themselves.
    This is not always true, but it usually is.

    One of the most common problems come when editing/creating items.
    If you make a mistake in the work the game  might not be able to
    handle  what you did.  If a character has an item and you change
    it the game will still think that it has the old  stats, causing
    confusion and sometimes errors.  An easy way to test for this is
    running the Rankings in NEWLODED.  If the problem is centered in
    a character the command will fail.  Usually  simply deleting the
    item from the character will fix the problem.

    Another major source of problems is errors in the Strings, Talk,
    Monster, and Combat DEF files.  It is very important to maintain
    the structure of these files, if you do not then expect the game
    to go boom.

    Always  make  back-up  copies  of the  original  files  to check
    against.  Also at each successful step of the way copy the files
    to a back-up.  That way, if you oops you will only lose the most
    recent work.


    GENERAL STEPS
    -------------
    Concept Development
    Edit Map
    Edit\Create Items
    Modify Starting Stats
    Edit Strings
    Edit\Add Monsters
    Edit\Add Talk
    Edit\Add ANSI
    Edit\Add Combat Strings
    Edit\Add Tavern People
    Edit Terrain Specs
    Edit\Add Town Names
    Write Special Docs


    CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
    -------------------
    The first step is to decide on the  concept that you are working
    towards.   What  about the  basic  game do  you want to  change.
    There  are  really two  different  approaches to consider.  One,
    keeping the basic story-line of the game and adding to it.  This
    would mean that you are not trying to actually  change the ideas
    of the game, just  add  new  things  to it.  All of the  editing
    sections that follow apply to this style.  With the exception of
    anything that is story-line dependant.

    The  second,  and more complex, is to alter  the  story-line  to
    create a completely different environment.  This takes much more
    time  and  effort  but can be quite  rewarding.  This article is
    directed at this type of effort since it involves all the custom
    features of LOD.
 
    In doing a full  customization, you will  want to start with the
    Story-line.  What has  happened to put the  World in this  state?
    Who are the primary  people  involved?  What are the  conditions
    under  which the world  operates?  The subject of world building
    is covered  quite  well in any  number of Role - Playing  texts.
    If I tried to really cover that topic we would have a very  long
    article.  Suffice  to say  that  you  need  to  investigate  and
    consider every aspect of the game.
 
    In this  article I  will refer  from time to time to Betelgeuse.
    That  is the  name of the  Zone  Central  LOD  game.  The  basic
    premise  of  it  mixes  the  standard  LOD  story-line  with the
    Dimensional Traveler concept discussed above.


    EDIT THE MAP
    ------------
    This is where you should begin the actual work of creation.  The
    map is  literally  the foundation  upon  which  everything  else
    should be built.  No matter what you name them you will have the
    same basic pieces to work with; Cities, stores, quest locations,
    and the terrain Set.
 
    The primary  focus for  Betelgeuse was to make the map much more
    complicated.  I put more in more mountains and limited access to
    many  areas  to a single  route.  I also  reduced the  number of
    teleporter pylons.  To make the map more visually  interesting I
    mixed terrain types in a sort of gradual  style.  What I mean by
    that is if you are moving from a large desert area into a plains
    area you would first see small  patches of plains mixed into the
    desert.  As you move  closer,  the density  of Plains  increases
    until it is 100%.
 
    You need to understand  the  concepts  of LOD zones.  The map is
    divided  based on distance from 1,1.  Every 30 units you enter a
    new zone and will meet a different  group of monsters.  Be aware
    of this  while  you are placing  things in the  wilderness.  The
    farther away from 1,1 they are the higher the level of character
    needed to reach them.
 
    It is possible to modify the zones in that the monsters have the
    distance  where  they  can be found as  part of their  stats.  I
    found that having a few creatures  that straddled 2 zones helped
    to make  things  seem a little  less  artificial.  You  can also
    reduce the area that a monster in which a monster will appear to
    make them less active.

    Give  careful  thought to the placement of the quest points.  If
    it is too easy for  players to get all the Puritron  parts  then
    the game  will be over far too  quickly.  Use the whole  map and
    spread them out.
 
    You can place a number of  Sacre Base  cities on the map to give
    players supply points.  One of the main reasons to do this is so
    you can place unique people into each tavern.

    The  map is  probably the  single most  important  part  of  the
    process.  If it is too simply then players will get bored  quite
    easily.  If it is too hard  they will become frustrated.  I tend
    to err on the hard side; however,  you can always  compensate by
    giving players some information to help them along.


    Edit\Create Items
    -----------------
    The basic  item set for LOD covers all the important needs.  The
    greatest area for change  comes in the Fortress Items.  There is
    quite a bit of room for more expensive and powerful items.
 
    I have always  considered that there are two  phases to LOD.  In
    the first, most of the players are low level and money is scarce.
    Players  slowly  advance and build.  In this part, the quest for
    the Puritron is pursued very heavily.

    Once at least a couple characters reach the level at which taxes
    are levied the game  shifts into Phase II.  In this phase, which
    lasts  until the game is reset,  players  have large  amounts of
    money,  and  even  low  level  characters  can afford  the  most
    expensive Items.  Fortresses are rapidly constructed and quickly
    fully stocked.
 
    When Phase II is reached, the limitations of the basic  fortress
    items becomes  obvious.  A mid-level character armed with strong
    weapons can destroy even a fully equipped fortress.
 
    The other  problem  that you will see is the massive  amounts of
    money  that the players  will have.  More powerful and expensive
    fortress Items would solve both of these problems.

    There are other possible solutions to the excess credit problem.
    One is to set the taxation  level  much  higher and the  percent
    much  lower.  This will  increase the time in Phase I and reduce
    the money flow once Phase II is reached.

    You have a rather  wide latitude in creating  new items.  A good
    look into the items list will show that some are single  purpose
    devices  that  cannot  be  changed  (the  Laptop,  Communicator,
    Scanners, etc.) but many do allow for variety  (Weapons,  Armor,
    Stealths, Ammo Packs, etc.).
 
    In creating  new items,  try to fulfill a need.  Look at what is
    available  and balance  your new creation with the others.  Cost
    should be a big  factor but also  consider  availability.  If an
    item can be purchased, then it is open to all.  If it has to  be
    obtained from a creature then it is a much more special prize.

    There are some  inherent  limitations that you have  to observe.
    As far as I can tell no weapon can do more than 99 pts of damage
    on it's own (before strength adjustments are applied in the case
    of S.R. Weapons).  Personal armor is limited to 999 pts.  I have
    successfully  created  fortress  shields  that are 2,000 pts and
    reactors  that produce  1,500  energy;  so,  they are  basically
    unlimited.  Most packs are  limited  to 99 pts as far  as I  can
    tell.

    Here is a new  concept for you, InfoPacks.  InfoPacks  are items
    that  actually do nothing except  carry  information.  I use the
    rope application code for simplicity.  The only feature of these
    is if you 'Show' it you will get an ansi picture or text.  These
    can hold  details on monsters,  partial maps,  special hints, or
    just about anything.
 
    Since  items  are a  major  source of game  problems,  I want to
    restate  that you must carefully read the Documentation.  If you
    look at the existing items and base your  creations on those you
    should be ok.
 
 
    Modify Starting Stats
    ---------------------
    LOD does give you the ability to set quite a number of the basic
    starting  values.  Character attributes,  hitpoints,  credits, 3
    starting  items,  fortress  starting items,  fortress  costs and
    taxes are all under your control.
 
    Balance these to suit your tastes.  Consider the strength of the
    characters in relation to the  strength of the  creatures.  Give
    them enough to survive but not so much that life is too easy.
 
 
    Edit Strings
    ------------
    All of the  basic  text  strings  used in the game  are in a few
    files.  These are the  Strings.Def,  Talk.Def,  Combat.Def,  and
    Ansi.Def.  Each of these are discussed in their own sections.
 
    Strings.Def contains the general  text used by the  program  for
    things  like the  laptop,  commands  issued  in the  game,  menu
    selections and statistics displays.  It is difficult  to explain
    what is in here as  opposed to the other  Def files.  The simple
    answer is that  if you see it in the game,  and it is not in the
    Monster,  Talk,  Combat, or Ansi files then it is in the Strings
    file.  I know  that is not a very good  description,  but if you
    look into the files then you should be able to understand.

    In this file,  you have much of what the  player's see.  Since a
    definition is difficult, I am going to give you some  example of
    what you can do with it.

    In Betelgeuse I did  global  replaces to  make the to change all
    occurrences of  character  to persona.  In a few areas, like the
    Rankings display,  I used traveler.  I changed  the string  that
    talked about the nasty tasting food packs to say,  "The new food
    packs  taste  wonderful!"  All 'Quit'  commands  were changed to
    'Exit Dimension' or 'Retire for the Night'.  One of the simplest
    things I did caught the most attention from my  play testers,  I
    changed the laptop main drive from 'C:' to 'Z:'.

    Depending on what type of modification you are doing you may not
    need to  work on this  file at all.  Or,  you may change  almost
    everything in it.  Unless you know the game extremely well,  you
    may want to change the things you know about, run the game a bit
    and make notes on the things you wish to change.

    In version 3.51 there is a program called  COMPSTR,  to edit the
    Strings you  change the  Strings.Txt  file  and use  COMPSTR  to
    compile it into Strings.Def.  Version 3.60 uses a compiler for a
    number of the Def files,  check the Docs on the version you have
    for specifics.

    You have to be  extremely  careful to maintain the  structure of
    this file.  The game has no tolerance for changes  that  violate
    this rule.


    Edit/Add Monsters
    -----------------
    The Monster.Def file contains all the  creature specifications.
    You can modify the ones that exist and create new ones.

    The Zone structure has been  discussed previously, so I will not
    go into it again.  Place your creatures in an  appropriate area.
    There are references to origin(x,y,z)  commands in the file.  As
    of version 3.51,  these do not  function properly.  I discovered
    this the hard way when I created a number of lethal monsters and
    confined  them to a  valley  at the end of the  map.  When a few
    play testers got killed by these creatures, far from the valley,
    I realized that the commands were not functional.
 
    Do not overlook the fact that creatures are the major  source of
    many items.  You can make some things easier to find,  or harder
    to find by  adjusting the number  of monsters  that carry  them.
    Balance is important  here.  Try to make sure that by the time a
    player reaches the area where she/he might have to fight the new
    creature they are strong enough to have a fair chance.
 
    If you have any Role-Playing  references you should have lots of
    source material for new creatures.  Your new Story-line, if any,
    should also suggest possible new creatures.
 
    On the simple side,  I have found that  the special  quests will
    last longer if you make  them tougher.  Doubling their hitpoints
    and  increasing their stats can make them  something that even a
    strong character will have to work hard to overcome.  After all,
    there are not many of them,  and if they are killed too quickly,
    the game  suffers.  Do not make  them so strong  that they  will
    never be beaten but they can stand some work,  especially if you
    have given the players more strength.


    If you have created new items consider distributing them to some
    of the monsters, especially weapons and armor.

    Edit/Add Talk
    -------------
    The Talk.Def file is a great  place to add details to your game.
    In it,  you  can  give  creatures  a voice,  and  create  tavern
    Dwellers.  For the monsters you can add personality,  instead of
    just  the normal 'kill  them  when you see them'.  If they  have
    some information to impart  then the players  will have a reason
    to talk with them.  You should mix the information in with a lot
    of useless chatter so it is not too obvious.
 
    Here  is a trick  that you might  find  useful.  Have a creature
    tell a player  that it is carrying some  important  item.  It is
    best it this is set as an automatic  item that the monster  will
    always  have.  If the player hears about it they can either hope
    that it will not disintegrate,  or they can pay the price to buy
    it.  I have found this to work  well with  InfoPacks  of various
    sorts.  For example, the  Black Widow Leader  will tell you that
    she is  carrying a map that will  lead you to a secret  treasure
    house.  She is carrying an InfoPack named 'T-Map'.  Most players
    will pay almost  anything for such information.  A nasty variant
    on this idea is to set the  Disint  factor very high so the item
    will most likely vanish if not purchased.
 
    Each city can have a number of  Tavern  people who will  discuss
    things  with  players.  By adding to the current  stock, you can
    get information  across to anyone who  bothers to stop and talk.
    I always try to put really useful  information here.  It is also
    a good place to impart story points.
 
    Since each city can have different people in it, do so!  This is
    currently  the only way to make  cities different.  Once you are
    inside a  Sacre Base  style city,  all the options are the same.
    The Tavern  people  are the one  exception.  Even if they do not
    have a lot to say, a few  unique people give the city  something
    to help differentiate it from the others.
 
 
    Edit/Add ANSI
    -------------
    The  Ansi.Def  file holds all the menus,  item descriptions, and
    intro screens.  Using the ANSIPUT program you can extract, view,
    and modify all of these.  A custom menu set really adds a lot to
    the uniqueness  of your game,  even if you simply  colorize them
    differently.  Of course you cannot change the keys that are used
    on each menu,  but you can  describe the function in a different
    way.

    If you  create new items you will want to make ansi descriptions
    for them so players can have some idea of what they are getting.
    The ease of working with the Ansi.Def file is what made me think
    of the InfoPacks.

    There is one minor  complication to working on the Ansi.Def, and
    it has to do with GTERM.  Let's  say that you  have  spent  some
    time and  completely  redone  your menus.  Each one is a master-
    piece,  colorful and  functional.  You get everything  finished,
    attach  the  game  to  the  Board  and  await your first player.
    Someone calls,  hits the entry  key for the  game,  it loads and
    opens up on Sacre Base.
 
    So far,  so good.  But when the  player  initializes  GTERM  the
    trouble begins.  As he moves from  screen to screen,  the  menus
    scroll out, they do not pop up as they  should.  You wonder what
    is wrong.
 
    Actually,  nothing is wrong, but you have a bit more work to do.
    You see,  if the  Ansi.Def  you are using for the Host  does not
    match the Ansi.Def the player is using with  GTERM  things  will
    not work as they should.  The game can be played but the  player
    will not get the instantaneous  response they are used to.  This
    problem confused me for quite some time, but I have worked out a
    solution.
 
    What you  will need  to do is supply  your Ansi.Def  file to the
    players.  If they use it with their GTERM they will not have any
    problems.  But, wait, what if they  wish to play  standard games
    as well?  My solution to this is to provide  both your  Ansi.Def
    file and the Standard  Ansi.Def file in whatever  archive format
    is popular in your area.  Along with this add a couple of simple
    batch  files.  Most people  have a key on  their  communications
    program to start  GTERM.  They will  simply have to add two more
    keys.
 
    One of these will  unarchive your  Ansi.Def file  into the GTERM
    directory,  and the other will  unarchive the standard  Ansi.Def
    file into the GTERM directory.
 
    It is  actually  simpler than it sounds.  And of course, if your
    players  only play on your  game, then they  simply  replace the
    standard  Ansi.Def  file with your  modified one and they are in
    business.
 
    If you are  going to really  make a  custom LOD game, the slight
    pain of the GTERM problem is worth  overcoming.  Nothing makes a
    game more unique  than  special menus.  And it really is easy to
    handle.


    Edit/Add Combat Strings
    -----------------------
    I am not going to say a lot about the Combat strings.  It is all
    of the things that blur by as you hank and slash through a fight.
    You can edit them and even add new ones if you wish.  I like the
    idea, but it is hard to get anyone to really read them.
 
    The  only part that is  somewhat  interesting  is the  definable
    type  codes.   You can  create  special  combat  strings  for  a
    specific creature or class of creatures if you wish.  This would
    allow for more specific combat.  If you are creating a new class
    of creatures you might wish to investigate this option.
 
    I have created a number of Storms.  These are very high hitpoint
    things  that are really supposed to be evaded.  It is impossible
    to 'kill' them.  But since I have to work within the game system
    they are defined as monsters.  I have created a few new items to
    serve as weapons,  set the  Disint to 100  and made a few combat
    strings  to  support  them.  This  is  the  sort  of thing  that
    requires combat string work since  storms do not have body parts
    to be hit and never dodge out of the way.
 
 
    Edit Terrain Specs
    ------------------
    Unless you are working in an Ansi-only game there are only three
    things that you can do with the actual terrain pieces.  One, you
    can give them another name, but that is limited since you cannot
    change what they look like.  Two, you can make them  passable or
    not.  Three, alter the chance of an  encounter  occurring when a
    player steps in them.
 
    Renaming  them is something  that must be done with  care if you
    want to  make the game  make  sense.  Calling the swamp  piece a
    beach  will tend to confuse players, since it certainly does not
    look  like  sand.  But  calling  the  desert  piece  a  beach is
    acceptable.  Just try to make sure there is some  sort of visual
    connection to the names.
 
    Changing  which  pieces can be  passed  through can provide some
    interesting  mapping  possibilities.  While I was  writing  this
    article one of my team was  working on his first  custom map and
    game (convenient huh?).  He decided  to make  both mountains and
    rivers  impassable.  He then  proceeded to make a map with a low
    percentage  of  mountains but lots of  rivers.  It worked  quite
    well.

    Each  terrain  piece has a percentage  chance  that an encounter
    will occur.  This can only be modified by  stealth  devices.  If
    you  wish  to  create a bunch of stealth  devices  with  varying
    abilities,  you can increase the encounter rate by  turning each
    piece  up.  You can also  widen the  range of  levels by turning
    some pieces up, and some down.
 
    If you plan to make changes in the  encounter  percentages,  you
    should  test the effects of the available stealth devices on the
    new  pieces.  After such a test,  you might  wish to  adjust the
    devices effectiveness to suit you.  Sometimes a player wishes to
    explore and not have to stop every other step to fight something,
    turning a couple  stealths on can accomplish  this.  Think  hard
    before you take this ability away.  If you have  even run out of
    ammo  deep  in the  desert  and  had to  sneak  home,  you  will
    appreciate this need.
 
 
    Edit/Add Town Names
    -------------------
    As noted in the  Sysop.doc  file,  you  need to change  both the
    terrain  name and the  Town name to alter the  Cities.  Remember
    that  their are references to the ones that already exist in the
    other files which must be changed as well.
 
    Although, much work may be required to remove  all references to
    the  Black Widows; if you want to set your game on another world
    you  have  little  choice.  There is  always the  possibility of
    recreating their background to fit your new concept.
 
    It  is  quite  important  to  be  thorough.  If your  background
    setting  contains  references to the Black Widows,  and you have
    renamed them the Slar'Kar, players will be confused and the game
    will suffer.

 
    Write Special Docs
    ------------------
    It is a  good idea  to write a special file to be distributed to
    players.  This can contain story-line information as well as any
    notes  that they need  to be able to handle  your new world.  If
    you have created any new Ansi then  you can distribute this file
    with the ANSI.DEF.
 
    I find that players like to have some info files  that they  can
    read  offline.  Sometimes I write  Briefing Packs  and  memos to
    support the games that I create.  Distributing  little maps is a
    nice touch too.


    End Notes
    ---------
    In this  Doorgame,  Scott Baker has  created the  most  flexible
    format that you could want.  It has a great  amount of potential
    and I hope that this article will be of some help when you begin
    the process of creating your World.

    Christopher Darque
    Zone Central
    January 1993


[L]==================================================================[L]
[O] + "One Mean Mother"                                 /\/\adonna + [O]
[D]==================================================================[D]

    The Black Widow Gang  was another matter...     The first one of
    those  girls I saw was around  the Death Warrior Camp,  South of
    Sacre Base.  She didn't  look  like  what I  expected  though...
    Instead of the sleek,  jet-black  power  armor I was briefed on,
    this bitch was in clunky Energy Armor 500.

    She leveled a Phaser 3 at me and  missed by a mile, but I wasted
    no time  in heaving a Rad  Grenade  in her  direction.  The  Rad
    Grenades may not do as much damage as my Neutron Rifle, but they
    ALWAYS hit, unlike a random shot, which would often  deflect off
    some of the fancy powered armor I had read up on.

    Then  we  engaged  in combat.   Her  Electrolance  singing  with
    radiated power, while I parried her attack with my Neutron Sabre.
    Suddenly, she fell on the ground,  holding her back.  Effects of
    over-exposure to radiation, I suppose.  But I had her.  I showed
    no mercy as I made one final  slash into her  Energy Armor,  and
    deprived her of the last bit of life.
 
    I thought to myself, "These  Black Widows are a bunch of WIMPS!"
    I wondered  why  Defs and his new  guys were  having such a hard
    time with them.  Among the effects of the Black Widow, I found a
    computer  diskette  simply labeled  ROM:T-CODE.EXE.  I wasted no
    time  in copying  it over to my  trusty  Laptop,  and  prayed it
    didn't have a Virus.
 
    Thinking  that I'd have no problem in handling  any  more of the
    Black Widows,  I began exploring the Pylons  with the new data I
    had just  won.  Suddenly,  I was there!  I had  found  the Black
    Widow Base!

    In moments,  a Warmonger approached me, and began to boast about
    how he had helped the Black Widows steal the Puritron from Sacre
    Base.  I thought  about all those  brave men  Defs  had  lost in
    trying to  defend it,  and shoved a Rad Grenade  under his nose.
    He just  laughed  when it went off.  This geek  thought I was an
    easy mark,  and like so many  before him;  he underestimated me,
    Badly.
 
    I ripped him a new belly button with my Neutron Sabre, and while
    he stood  there in sheer  shock,  I thrust my  Neutron - powered
    weapon  as deep in his guts as I could  and twisted it,  just to
    see the look in his eyes as he died.  I pulled my Sabre out, and
    he fell to the ground.

    But no sooner had his guts  colored the ground red,  I turned to
    see a Black Widow Leader.  She was a handsome woman, and just as
    deadly as she was beautiful.  "So, some of you scum  from  Sacre
    Base  finally  made  it  here,  did you?  Well, you will  make a
    welcome addition to our gang...

    ...In the slave pen!  Hahahahahaha!"

    OK, bitch...   Here's  where we see how  well  that fancy Widow
    Armor 600 of yours can withstand the meanest Mother of them all!
    A well-placed  Rad Grenade  caught  her complete attention as I
    began my attack.

    She was quick.  I had to give her that; and had it not been for
    me wearing captured  enemy armor myself, I would not have stood
    a chance  against her.  My  Energy  Armor was  taking a  severe
    pounding  from  her  WidowLance, and as good as I was, I knew I
    wasn't going to make it, but I decided to go-for-broke.

    I decided to PMS all over her,  and just went  Berserk!  I have
    to tell you,  it was a close one.  I was down to less  than 10%
    of my usual  health,  but when she  suddenly quit attacking and
    fell on the  ground,  I was on  top of  her in a hot  New  York
    second to give her a new hair-do with my sparking Neutron Sabre.
 
    I wasted no time in examining her armor.  It was cold and black,
    and  felt  so deliciously  wicked and sexy at the same time.  I
    scooped up as much loot as I could carry with me from my fallen
    enemies, and snuck inside the Black Widow Base.
 
    Talk about  expensive!  Do  you have  any idea  how  much  stuff
    sells for there?  I guess the Black Widows never heard of Double
    Coupon  Days.  I ended up  paying  3 times  as  much  for a  new
    Neutron power pack there as I would have paid at Sacre Base.
 
    But I wanted to see how well this new armor would do,  so I sold
    off all the  junk I thought I didn't need,  and had the  balance
    put in my bank account for a rainy day and headed out the door.

[L]==================================================================[L]
[O] + LOD_SUPPORT Echo                          Christopher Darque + [O]
[D]==================================================================[D]

    Hail!

    I have  started  an  LOD Support  echo here in Indy.  It will be
    made available on the  national  Backbone  as soon as  possible.
    If you would like to connect to it now,  here is the information
    you need:

            NAME: LOD_SUPPORT
            HUB: Syn'er-gis'tic BBS
            SYSOP: Don Packwood
            Address: 1:231/50
            2400 Line: 546-1537
            9600+ Line: 549-1835

    Your Sysop  will need to send a netmail with the  following info
    to get hooked up:

            His net/node address
            A voice number in case of problems
            A Session Password
            Modem Type/Speed

    After that you can begin to poll Syn'er-gis'tic to get the Echo.
    I have a lot of good  things  planned for it,  and it  should be
    unique.

    I can answer any questions you may have as well.

        Darque


        ... (-) LOD Support Moderator (-) ...

        * Origin: NYN BBS - MegaCD-ROM 2 CD Online! (1:300/9)
