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The alt.fan.dune FAQ Part 4/4

This continues the FAQ from Part 3

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1. Document information

------------------------------

1.1 Table of Contents

(The full Table of Contents is available in part 1)

PART 4

8. Questions about the games
    8.1 What MU*s are there with a Dune theme?
    8.2 How do I make these MU*s look right on my screen?
    8.3 Are there any computer and video games about Dune?
    8.4 Are there any board games about Dune?
    8.5 Are there any collectible card games (CCGs/TCGs) about Dune?
    8.6 Are there any role-playing games (RPGs) about Dune?
    8.7 Are there any fan-created games about Dune?

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8. Questions about the games

------------------------------

8.1 What MU*s are there with a Dune theme?

There are currently one MUSH, one MUX and one MUD that are known. See
subject 3.2.3 for game locations.

        ---------------
    8.1.1 Dune III MUSH

Dune III MUSH takes place in the year 10,091, one hundred years prior to
the opening of _Dune_. The game is open for role-play. For more
information, please look to:
    <http://www.dune3.net/>

        ---------------
    8.1.2 Regent of Dune MUX

Regent of Dune MUX takes place in the year 10,210. The Emperor Paul
Muad'Dib has sacrificed himself to Shai-Hulud, in fulfilment of the
=46remen prophecy. His sister, Saint Alia-of-the-Knife, now rules the
universe as Regent to the Atreides Dynasty.  Alia has commanded the
members of the entire Landsraad Assembly, as her noble subjects, to
reside in the Imperial Palace on Arrakis. By Alia's decree,
representatives of the Bene Gesserit, the Bene Tleilax, the Spacing
Guild, and Ix have also been ordered to relocate to Arrakeen....  The
universe, only recently emerging from eleven years of brutal warfare, is
in flux. The traditions of ten thousand years are being questioned by a
tribe of warriors from the desert: the Fremen.  With all the universe
descending on Arrakeen, the inhabitants are awaiting the outcome of the
most ambitious social experiment in the history of mankind and you can
be a part of it.

        ---------------
    8.1.3 Dune MUD

Dune MUD is a hack-n-slash type of RPG. It takes place in an unspecified
time period in many locations within the known universe. Information
about this game can be found on:
    <http://dune.servint.com>

=46or information about multi-user games in general, readers are directed
to the rec.games.mud.* hierarchy.

------------------------------

8.2 How do I make these MU*s look right on my screen?

How to set your system up so that a MU* looks reasonable can be a tricky
puzzle, and because there are so many different configurations, I'll
just give some quick tips:

1. If you use a terminal program to dial an Internet account,
   emulate a vt100 if at all possible. You may have to play with
   your screen-wrap setting, as well. You'll know if you need it.
   Screen-wrap can also be controlled within some telnet's.
2. Be sure your terminal setting matches your terminal. :)
3. If you're using telnet, you'll find that other players' typing
   interferes with your typing, causing some strangeness on the
   screen. This is inevitable, and unfortunate. The only solution
   is a client program (see below).

The easiest way to defeat all screen problems is to compile a MU* client
program to use instead of telnet. The tinyfugue client is available by
anon-ftp from glia.biostr.washington.edu, /pub/tinyfugue. For more
information about clients, read the MUD FAQ in rec.games.mud.announce.

------------------------------

8.3 Are there any computer and video games about Dune?

There are five readily available games for personal computers based on
_Dune_: Dune I, Dune II, Dune 2000, Emperor: Battle for Dune and Frank
Herbert's Dune. In addition to this, one more game is currently in
development by Cryonetworks ("Dune Generations").

        ---------------
    8.3.1 Dune I

Dune I (the "I" isn't part of the title, but is added for clarity) is a
graphic adventure game from 1992 based on both the book and the movie,
in which players take the role of Paul. Versions of the game were
released for PC DOS, Sega CD, Amiga and Acorn machines, at least. For
the CD, the floppy disc and CD version differ substantially: the CD
version includes footage from the film, and has spoken synchronised
voices for all the dialogue. Also, the landscapes and flying sequences
are more advanced, using 3-D texture mapping. There may finally be
differences in the soundtrack. Notice that the floppy disk version is
sometimes sold on CD. The Sega CD version is identical to the PC CD
version. Cryo released a soundtrack for the game under the label Exxos.
See subject 7.1.2. Here's a review of the game:

=46rom: [e-mail] (Bill Dugan)
"Dune" is an adventure/strategy game for DOS computers, written by Cryo
and published and distributed by Virgin Games. There is a version that
ships on floppy disk and a version that ships on CD-ROM (recommended).
The game roughly follows the plot of the first "Dune" novel, though
there are a number of plot twists which were introduced, presumably to
let fans enjoy some unpredictability rather than plodding through a plot
they already know by heart. For instance, rather than suffering the
Betrayal, Duke Leto Atreides becomes angry and leads an expedition to
attack the Harkonnens and is captured.

As Paul Atreides, you must visit the Fremen sietches, gradually winning
their trust and building a power base. You must employ the Fremen to
mine spice, allowing you to send regular shipments to the Emperor to
satisfy his demands. Excess spice can be used to buy equipment from
smugglers. Eventually you can train more and more Fremen as troops
rather than as spice gatherers, and attack the Harkonnens, who land on
Dune to challenge your authority.

Dune contains elements of adventure games as well as strategy games. The
adventure game aspect: As Paul Atreides, you must visit many locations
and talk to characters, asking them to do things or giving them objects
to use. The strategy aspect focuses on the world map, where you assign
the Fremen to perform different tasks in different places -- at first by
physically visiting the Fremen and giving orders, and later by making
use of telepathy, a previously unknown gift of the Kwisatz Haderach. :)

Dune is an engrossing game. The game play is continually interesting,
with tidbits and new technology popping up now and then to renew
interest. The graphics are very good, with flights over a 3-D rendered
sandscape as you fly about in your ornithopter. The soundtrack is great
-- mesmerizing, played with weird instruments with a vaguely Arabic
feel. In the CD-ROM version, the pop-up heads of the characters (Duke
Leto, Jessica, Gurney, Hawat, Chani, Stilgar...) are lip-synched to the
audio of the characters talking to you. Good audio, and there are
touches of humor -- if you stand in the desert with Gurney and talk to
him, and he has nothing important to say, he just says, "It's cooler
inside, isn't it?" A sound card is recommended and almost required.

        ---------------
    8.3.2 Dune II

Dune II is also known by its subheadings: "Dune II: The Building of a
Dynasty" or "Dune II: The Battle for Arrakis". The Sega Genesis version
is also sometimes referred to as "Dune Genesis". The Genesis version is
slightly different from the PC DOS version, mainly in graphics and
interface.

=46rom: [e-mail] (Bill Dugan)
Dune II is a very different type of game. It is a real-time tactical
strategy game, also for DOS computers. The game was also ported to the
Sega CD. It was written by Westwood Studios (now owned by Virgin/EA). It
is published and distributed by Virgin Games. You can play the Atreides,
the Harkonnens or the Ordos, another noble family. You start with a
primitive military base and spice harvester equipment. You have one
opponent, situated across the map from you. The map is colored black at
the beginning and becomes visible as your troops move into the unknown
areas of the board -- similar to "Empire" and all its descendants.

Dune II's uniqueness lies in its real-time nature. Unlike tactical
strategy games that make use of turn-based play, Dune II is real time.
That is, if your tanks are fighting enemy tanks in the southwest corner
of the map and you are viewing the battle closely in an effort to direct
the battle, you may be neglecting the manufacture of replacement troops
back at your base, or a worm may be eating one of your sandcrawlers up
at the north end of the map. Just as in real life, you can only focus
your attention on one thing at a time.

After you finish the whole game there is still some replay value; you
can switch to the two other families, which have other types of troops
available. After you play the noble Atreides, as all Dune fans surely
will :), you can start over as the Harkonnens with their "Devastator"
tanks, or as the Ordos with their special chemical weapon that
brainwashes enemy troops into accepting your orders for a short time.

Dune II is published by Westwood Studios, distributed by Virgin Games.
It was originally published in 1992.

Dune II: The Battle for Arrakis - Official FAQ by S.E.Pollitt is
available by e-mail from <[e-mail]> or by
anonymous ftp from:
    <ftp.uwp.edu:/pub/msdos/games/romulus/hints>

        ---------------
    8.3.3 Dune 2000

Dune 2000 is an updated version of Dune II, released by Virgin/EA under
the Westwood label. It was published in 1998, and the technology of the
game is brought more or less up to the contemporary standard. Graphics
are now in higher resolution and more colours, music is higher quality,
etc. The interface has gone through the biggest development, and is very
much like that of "Red Alert." Although the basic gameplay remains the
same, new features and units have been added. The levels are completely
new. The game follows the story from Dune II roughly, but this time told
in video scenes. The main selling point of Dune 2000, however, is
probably the addition of multiplayer options. This game is widely
available. A version for Sony Playstation was released in 1999. For more
information, see:
    <http://westwood.ea.com/>

        ---------------
    8.3.4 Emperor: Battle for Dune

The latest RTS game from Westwood, and their first in 3D. Emperor was
released in June 2001, continuing the gameplay and story from Dune II
and Dune 2000. For more information, see the official Web site:
    <http://www.duneemperor.com>

I personally recommend:
    <http://www.dune2k.com>

        ---------------
    8.3.5 Frank Herbert's Dune

This action/adventure game was developed by Wide Screen Games by Cryo in
December 2001. For more information, see the official Web site:
    <http://dune.cryogame.com/>

        ---------------
    8.3.6 Dune Generations

An online strategy game determined to follow Frank Herbert's novels more
accurately than Westwood's licence, Dune Generations is currently
predicted for a First Quarter 2002 release. The game is being developed
by Cryonetworks, a French company (they do not appear to have anything
to do with Cryo). For more information, see the official Web site:
    <http://www.dunegenerations.com/>

------------------------------

8.4 Are there any board games about Dune?

        ---------------
    8.4.1 Avalon Hill

In 1979, Avalon Hill made a board game called "Dune", which has since
gone out of print in English (though a French language edition is still
floating around, and can be ordered in the US from Eurogames), but old
copies can sometimes still be found. It is reportedly quite enjoyable.
The game exists in two versions, one with a big sandworm on the cover,
and one with a scene from a village with a red-haired man, looking like
Sting playing Feyd-Rautha in the 1984 movie, in the foreground. And
right enough, this version was released around the time of the movie.
There are no known differences between the two editions (confirmation of
this would be appreciated). Two modules, "The Duel" and "Spice Harvest,"
were issued at the same time as the second version, and additional
playing cards were printed in Avalon Hill's gaming magazine, the
General.

[e-mail] (Rick te Lindert) writes:
Well, I own a French version, and it has a 1992 copyright. So my
assumption is that it is new, and that there used to be no French
version before '92. The French game company is called Jeux Descartes,
and its full address is:

    1, rue du Colonel Pierre Avia
    75503 Paris Cedex 15

Noteworthy is the fact that the French version contains both modules
(Duel and Spice Harvest) that were separately issued for the original
Avalon Hill version.

[e-mail] (Richard Irving) writes:
Looks like you need a basic description of the game:

Dune is played with 6 players (the game can handle 5 reasonably well. 4
or fewer players is not recommended.) The games was designed by a group
known as Future Pastimes, who also designed Cosmic Encounter. Many
elements are shared in both games--Dune is basically Cosmic with a map
board.

Each player represents a faction vying for control of Dune. It
reasonably simulates the political situation at the start of Dune. In
the game of Dune: Spice =3D Water =3D Money literally.

The game is played in turn with each of these six phases:
1) Storm Round: The storm is moved around the board counterclockwise up
to six spaces (determined randomly). Any tokens (i.e. troops) and spice
in desert areas swept over by the storm, and removed from the board.
2) Spice Blow: A Spice Card is drawn. If it is a territory card, an
amount of spice blows in that territory. The spice is now available for
pickup. If a worm card is drawn, any tokens or spice left at the last
Spice Blow site are destroyed by the worm. Also alliances can be
formed/changed or broken when a worm card is drawn.
3) Bidding Round: The players will bid (sight unseen) to acquire
Treachery cards. These cards are used in battle (weapons/defenses) or
allow special actions (Weather Control, Family Atomics, Karama,
Truthtrances, etc.) or are sometimes worthless (Jubba Cloak, Trip to
Gamont)
4) Revival/Movement/Shipping: Each player may revive dead tokens from
the Tleilaxu tanks and move one group of tokens on planet and ship one
group of tokens from off planet to the board
5) Battle: If two player end the movement round in the same area, they
must fight. This is done by having each player select secretly:
- A number of tokens (This is done by choosing a number on the combat
wheel)
- A leader disc. (Which have a numerical value. Good leaders, Stilgar
have values of about 7. Poor leaders, like Dr. Yueh are worth only 1.)
- Weapon and/or a defense ( Worthless cards may be substituted for
these.)

The winner of the battle is the side with the higher total of number
dialed plus the vaule of their leader, if the leader survived.

The leader is killed if the opponent plays a weapon (projectile, poison
or Lasgun) and the appropriate defense (shield or snooper) is not
played. The winner loses the number of tokens he dialed. The loser loses
all of his tokens (even if he dialed less). The leaders are lost only if
killed. The winner receives spice from the leaders that are killed.

There are two other things to note:
- If a Lasgun and Shield are both played in the same battle, they blow
up destroying everything in the area.
- At the beginning of the game, each faction chooses a leader of another
faction (the choices are randomly drawn at the start) to be a traitor to
him. If the traitorous leader is played in the battle, that side
automatically loses and winner takes no losses.

6) Spice Collection: After all battles, any factions that have tokens in
the same area as spice may harvest it at the rate of 2 spice per token.

The object of the game is control any 3 or the 5 "Strongholds"
(Arrakeen, Carthag and 3 sietches) at the end of any turn. When playing
with alliances, many people increase the number of strongholds needed
for the win.

What makes the game work, though, are the powers each faction has which
allows the faction special abilities:
- Atreides (Prescience): May look at Treachery cards before they are bid
on and spice blow card a turn early. May ask one element of the
opponent's battle plans.
- Bene Gesserit (Voice and religion): Gets a free "religious advisor"
sent down with other player's shipments to the planet and alms. In
battle, may voice the opponent into using (or not using) a particular
weapon or defense. Make a secret prophecy on who will win and what
turn--If correct they win, not the presumptive winner. Can "co-exist"
without causing battle. May use worthless cards as Karama cards.
- Emperor (wealth): gets all spice paid by the other players in the
bidding round. (This means he should NEVER run out of money.) Has 5
Sardaukar tokens which are worth double in battle (except vs. Fremen).
- Fremen (Native knowledge): May move 2 spaces, not just 1. Rides worm
instead of being eaten. Survives storm and gets a forecast (by drawing
the amount it will go a turn a head) 3 Fedaykin double strength tokens.
"Ships" tokens from far side of Dune and thus avoids having to pay the
Guild.
- Guild (Shipping): All other players (except Fremen and free BG
advisors) must pay the Guild to ship to the planet. The Guild pays half
rates to the bank and may ship from one on planet location to another.
May perform his turn at any time in the turn order, rather than wait for
his regular turn. Will also win if he prevents anyone else from winning
for 15 turns.
- Harkonnen (Treachery): Gets free treachery cards when he wins a card
in bidding. Is allowed to hold extra treachery cards. Selects up to 4
leaders to be traitors, not just one. After winning battles, may
randomly kidnap an opposing leader who is either forced to be used for
one battle or sold immediately to the tanks.

What makes the game so great is the delicate balance-of- power. Often
times, each player is forced to prevent someone else from winning.
Wonderful game.

The Duel adds kanly duels and the War of Assassins. Each player has to
risk a leader in each of these events and the other players can bet on
the outcome. Each battle is fought on a separate arena board with cards
that represent various attacks/feints/moves, etc.

Spice Harvest adds a minigame to mix up the standard opening positions.
One player (harvest master) secretly determines and secretly distributes
a spice harvest. (He can distribute less than full amount and keep the
remainder for himself) The other players either accept their share or
may dispute the distribution. If the distribution was honest (or at
least majority think it was honest), the harvest master keeps the
disputed shares. If it was dishonest and a majority of players dispute
it, the disputing parties get the disputed amount and the harvest
masters cut to split among themselves and elect a new harvest master.
After 5 rounds, the players buy either numbers of tokens and a specific
starting location and keep any spice left over.

Response to the expansions is mixed. Some players enjoy them. Others
(like myself) think they add length to an already long game and harm the
finely tuned balance of the game.

        ---------------
    8.4.2 Parker Bros.

Parker Bros. also released a Dune game, released in connection with the
movie. [e-mail] (Dean St.Antoine) writes:

Dune Adventure game - by Parker Brothers (C)1984
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Object: To eliminate all enemy characters and be the only player to have
at least one character remaining at the end of the game. Use your Spice,
Harvesters, Kanly cards, and Equipment cards to assist you in reaching
this ultimate role.

The game board represents the water-starved planet of Dune. The spaces
that form the inner circle of the board represent the castle of the
rulers of Dune. The spaces surrounding the outer walls of the castle
represent the hazardous sand-covered terrain of Dune.

Castle Spaces: Space Guild, Smuggler, Traitor, Bene Gesserit, Poison,
Spice raid, and Training.

Desert spaces: Sietch, Spice, Duel, Worm and Sand Storm.

All in all this board game is worth having if you are a true Dune fan.
It's a 2 to 4 player game with players playing a 3-character group.

1) Paul Atreides, Gurney Halleck, Duke Leto Atreides.
2) Beast Rabban, Baron Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha.
3) Sardaukar Warrior, Princess Irulan, Emperor Shaddam IV.
4) Dr. Kynes, Stilgar, Chani.

The pieces are quite nice and have each person's picture in the middle.
The spice is represented by the plastic pieces used in the game "Risk".
The game is based on the motion picture _Dune_. Pick this game up if you
find one. :)

------------------------------

8.5 Are there any collectible card games (CCGs/TCGs) about Dune?

Yes, Last Unicorn Games produced a collectible card game (trading card
game: TCG) called "Dune: Eye of the Storm," released by Five Rings
Publishing Group Inc. It has now been cancelled

------------------------------

8.6 Are there any role-playing games (RPGs) about Dune?

A Dune GURPS (Generic Universal Role Playing System) campaign has been
produced and put on-line at:
    <http://www.erinyes.org/gurps/dune/>

A French fanzine called TMT has made a Dune-based RPG to be found at:
    <http://dune.jdr.free.fr/indexbis.htm>

A Dune (and particularly _God Emperor of Dune_) fan has set up some
rules for an RPG called "The Fish Speaker":
    <http://www.geocities.com/thefishspeaker/>

The company that produced the Dune CCG, Last Unicorn Games, also made a
Dune RPG: "Dune: Chronicles of the Imperium." This game was released in
a limited edition at GenCon 2000. However, Last Unicorn Games were
bought by Wizards of the Coast, and the game was finally cancelled. The
core rulebook was to be followed by a narrator's guide, sourcebooks and
scripted games. Sadly, these will now never be. The GenCon edition is
sometimes for sale on auction sites, but expect to pay a hefty price as
it is very much a collectors item.

------------------------------

8.7 Are there any fan-created games about Dune?

Yes. Apart from the MU*s already mentioned, Ty Beard has created a
miniatures game called "A Fistful of Sardaukar". It is available on his
website:
    <http://www.tyler.net/tbeard/home.htm>

Samo has made a wargame called "Dune: The Spice War". It can be viewed
on his homepage:
    <http://space.tin.it/internet/samosa/samogames/index.htm>

Community online games in a Dune setting come and go. These are some
that are currently active:

Dune: The Next Chapter
    <http://www.dunethenextchapter.com/>
Dune: Jihad
    <http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/dunejihadrpg>
Arrakis - Dune
    <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Arrakis-Dune/>
Dune Online RPG
    <http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/duneonlinerpg>
Dune Online RPG Arrakis
    <http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/duneonlinerpgarrakis>

If you know of any other Dune games made by fans, please contact me.

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Bye!
Gunnar Harboe
[e-mail]
___
"Ultimately, all things are known
because you want to believe you know."
    Frank Herbert