The Game Menu

Connect

Select this to log onto Meridian 59. If the text is greyed out, you are already connected.

Disconnect

Select this to disconnect from Meridian 59, without quitting the Meridian 59 game program.

Preferences

The seven checkboxes at the top of the Preferences window allow you to change the way some of the World Window functions work. An X in a checkbox means that the indicated feature is turned ON; if the box is empty, the feature is turned OFF. Click in the checkboxes to toggle the various features off and on.

• Allowed to attack innocent players -- The Gods impose serious penalties for wantonly killing a fellow player. In their mercy, however, they have also provided a safety mechanism that prevents you from accidentally attacking an innocent bystander, or the eager comrade-in-arms who gets a little too close while helping you fend off that vicious fungus beast. Most of this time, you'll want to keep this safety ON. If you make the conscious choice to murder a non-outlaw Meridian citizen, or to use a spell that creates widespread death and damage, you'll need to come here and turn it OFF first. (Don't forget to turn it back ON when you're done.)
• Show Toolbar -- All of the commands on the icon Toolbar that runs across the top left of the screen can also be issued in other ways -- by typing at the text line, for example. If you'd rather use the toolbar space for other things (enlarging your Action Window, for example), click the Show Toolbar check box to turn it off.
• Show Tooltips -- As you move the cursor around the main screen, small one- or two-word flags occasionally appear, telling you what the various icons, menus, and slider bars are for. These are called "tooltips." If you don't want to see them, turn this option OFF.
• Draw players' names over their heads -- Sometimes -- in a crowd, in a hurry, or in a fit of murderous rage -- you don't really want to know the names of all those people hanging around you. Turn this preference OFF, and you won't see anyone's overhead name. The default setting, however, is ON.
• Show amounts for inventory items -- The right side of the Main Screen shows the complete inventory of stuff in your knapsack. The little number next to each item tells you how many of each item you've got. Turn this preference OFF to remove these numbers.
• Bounce as you walk -- As you stroll the Meridian 59 landscape, your sauntering steps are reflected on-screen as a slight bounce when you walk. If you'd rather glide smoothly along without bouncing, turn this off.
• Lock text window in place when scrolling back -- Want to go back to that amazing comment someone made a couple of minutes ago? Scroll up the slider bar on the right side of the chat window until you get back to it. Then, your preference setting here determines what happens next.

If this command is OFF, the text window automatically returns to the bottom each time a new message arrives. This can make reading a long message pretty tricky.

If this command is ON (the default setting), the chat window stays locked on the place where you set the slider bar -- the message won't scroll away.

• Show Latency Meter -- The Latency Meter is a spinning colored cube that indicates your current Latancy. If you'd rather not view the spinning cube, click the Show Latency Meter check box to turn it off.
  
• Profanity Filter -- Allows you to edit the customizable language filter. Click the Profanity... button to display the Profanity Filter. If you prefer not to use the filter, click on the check box.
  
• Web Browser -- At the bottom of the Preferences window is your Web browser location.

If you installed the Netscape Navigator software included with your Meridian 59 game software, the command path to Netscape Navigator has been entered here automatically.

If you are using another Web browser program, type the command path that leads to your browser software's location on your hard disk. For example

C:\program files\netscape\navigator\program.exe

When you are done setting your Preferences, click OK to close the window. Any changes will take place immediately after the window closes. Click Cancel to leave the Preferences window without changing anything.

Change Password

You must be logged onto Meridian 59 to change your password. Make sure you're logged on, then:

1. Select Change Password from the Preferences menu.
2. Type your old password and new password in the text boxes that appear. You must type your new password twice to verify it.
3. Click OK to activate the new password, or Cancel to leave the Change Password box without altering your current password.

Exit

Choose Exit to leave Meridian 59. A dialog box offers you the chance to change your mind: click Yes to quit, or No to return to the game.