Software of the Month Club (Business) 1998 May/Software of the Month Club - Business Shareware (Volume 249) (May 1998).iso/bonus/m2demo/m2demo.2/Readme.txt

Text File | 1996-07-30 | 9.1 KB | 256 lines

Welcome to the "Marathon 2: Durandal" Preview.

Marathon 2 is the sequel to the award-winning,
best-selling MacOS game Marathon.  This demo
provides three solo/cooperative levels and one
network level that show off some of Marathon 2╣s
features.  The full retail version of the game
includes more levels, more monsters, more
weapons, plus 16-bit graphics and 16-bit sound.

Cool stuff in Marathon 2:

Ç Outdoor landscapes: Tread the ancient ruins of
a vanished civilization, in the shadow of alien
mountains.
Ç Underwater scenarios:  Explore and fight while
wading in the shallows or submerged in the depths
of lava pools and waterways.
Ç Ambient sounds:  From the silent corridors of
the starship Marathon, you are taken to a world
of roaring rivers and howling winds. 16-bit sounds
employ real-time stereo tracking to give you audio
clues to your environment and position.
Ç Lighting effects: Lights now spring from all
surfaces, dance in synchrony and add significance
to your surroundings.


For more information contact:
Bungie Software Products Corporation
P.O. Box 7877
Chicago, Il 60680-7877
[phone]
Fax: [phone]
email: [e-mail]
http://www.bungie.com

REQUIREMENTS:
Ç 486-66 or better processor
Ç Windows95
Ç 8 M RAM


INSTALLATION:

To install the Marathon 2: Durandal demo, run the
included setup program by doubleclicking the setup.exe
icon in the 'M2 Demo with DirectX' folder.  The
installer will install DirectX 2 and the Marathon Demo
game files.  To run the game, you can select the 'Marathon
2 Demo' icon in your Start Menu under 'Programs/Bungie'.

The default keys for movement, firing, and other actions
are:

Walk Forwards:  UP ARROW
Walk Backwards:  DOWN ARROW
Turn Left:  LEFT ARROW
Turn Right:  RIGHT ARROW

Sidestep Left:  Z
Sidestep Right:  X

Look Up: D
Look Down: C
Look Ahead: V

Glance Left: A or Q + LEFT ARROW
Glance Right: S or  RIGHT ARROW

Fire primary trigger:  Space Bar
Fire secondary trigger:  ALT

Previous Weapon: PAGE UP  *
Next Weapon: PAGE DOWN

Sidestep Modifier: W
Run/Swim: CAPS LOCK
Look: Q
Action: SPACEBAR
AutoMap: Tab

* Weapons also may be selected by hitting the number
keys across the top of the keyboard.
1 = Fists, 2 = Pistol, 3 = Shotgun, 4 = Assault Rifle, etc.

The keys are also customizable in the Preferences
dialog (accessable from the title screen) under 'Controls'.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

MOVING, LOOKING UP AND DOWN, AND RUNNING

Use the cursor keys to move around.  The turning keys
don╣t actually move you, but instead pivot you.  The
forwards and backwards keys move you, and if the run
key is simultaneously held down with a movement key,
the corresponding movement is faster.

The dodge keys move you sideways to your view.  This
is very useful for dodging projectiles.  It would be
to your benefit to learn how to dodge successfully.

As you look up and down, your weapon will also point
in that direction.  As you move, your view will shift
toward horizontal.  The look ahead key will automatically
return your view to horizontal.

AUTO-MAPPING

Everything you see is automatically mapped for you.  To
access this map, press îTAB╣.  Notice that time has not
stopped or slowed down, and that you can explore while
looking at the map.

USING TERMINALS, PATTERN BUFFERS, AND SWITCHES

Use the SPACEBAR to activate a pattern buffer, computer
terminal or switch.  The pattern buffer allows you to
save games.

After you activate a computer terminal, the screen interface
will display the terminal's text, and any map references
made in the terminal.  Note that some computer terminals
activate teleport pads.  Use the 'ESCAPE' key to abort a
teleport terminal.

Switches are activated in the same way as terminals, but
they usually change some physical condition.  For example,
a switch might activate a platform or a door.

USING WEAPONS

Select a weapon using the PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys.  You
start with only the pistol and your fist.  When you collect
more weapons, it becomes increasingly important to remember
how much ammunition you have for each weapon.  Some weapons
are better against certain aliens than others. You should
experiment.  After a weapon is emptied or discharged, it
will automatically reload if you have ammunition for it.

PICKING UP ITEMS

As you explore, you will find weapons, ammo and other useful
items.  To pick them up, simply walk over them.

OPENING DOORS

Some doors work when you activate them with the SPACEBAR key.
Others are controlled by switches, and some are very mysterious
and are controlled by the higher powers of the universe.  If a
door doesn╣t open with the activate key, try looking around for
a switch.  Some doors just may never open.

DEATH

The red health bar on the bottom left of the interface keeps
track of the shield status of your battle armor.  If you are
hit when your armor is zero or if your armor goes below zero,
then your body is rent in twain, and you die.  Try to prevent
this from happening.  In the unfortunate event that death
does occur you will be allowed to return to the place where
you last saved the game.  If you are close to death and need
to power up your shields, look for a shield recharge station.


THE STORY THUS FAR...

In a remote and now half-forgotten time, the human colony ship
Marathon set out from Sol for Tau Ceti, 94 light years distant.
The year 2794 found this fledgling colony in its seventh year,
still suffering many hardships but striving for success.

That year, humanity made First Contact with the Pfhor, a ruthless
race of slavers.  The Pfhor attack came swiftly and without warning.

The Marathon was disabled in orbit and the colony overrun.  Having
been sent up to the Marathon in the first hours of the attack, you
were the sole colonist left to face the onslaught.  But you weren╣t
entirely alone...

Damaged, one of the Marathon╣s onboard synthetic intellects,
Durandal, struggled to organize a defense of the stricken vessel.
Another, Tycho, was destroyed. The S╣pht compilers ( cybernetic
slaves of the Pfhor ) invaded the Marathon and rebuilt him,
but in the process Tycho went insane.

Durandal struck a deal with the S╣pht.  In return for their
freedom, the compilers agreed to rebel against their masters
and give control of the Pfhor ship to Durandal.

After teleporting a boarding party to the giant Pfhor scoutship,
Durandal transferred himself into its massive computer array and
assumed complete control.  Fearing imminent Pfhor retaliation,
Durandal left Tau Ceti, taking the Rebel S╣pht with him.

Three Terran months later, the Pfhor armada arrived at Tau Ceti
and razed the planet to bedrock.

Seventeen years after the dust settled on Tau Ceti, Durandal
found the lost homeworld of the S╣pht...


IV -  Tips for success

Some tips for the first-time player....

We know you want to dive right into the game and learn by doing,
but since this game introduces several features that may be new
to you, we thought we╣d drop a couple of pointers that may help
you enjoy the game quicker (and if your net opponent doesn╣t read
this, so much the better).

>Point me up, point me down:
Get used to smoothly pointing your weapon up and down (default
D and C) as a part of normal movement.  If you╣re not looking up
a stairway as you ascend, you may find a nasty surprise waiting
at the top, and if you move through a room without checking out
the foor and ceiling areas, you may miss something important.

>Playin╣ Newton-style:
The realism of the physics model means that the blast wave of
an explosion can have a number of interesting effects.  A grenade
or rocket shot at the floor in front of you can pop you up in the
air, shooting at walls can kill opponents around corners, and you
can compensate for an opponent╣s evasive maneuvers by blasting
the floor nearby.

>It takes two... :
Many weapons have two firing functions.   If you pick up a second
pistol, the second trigger will allow you to fire both pistols at
once.  The grenade launcher on the AR M-75 is accessed by the
second trigger as well.

>Get out of Dodg-ing:
Don╣t underestimate the usefulness of dodging (default Z and X)
in a combat situation .  Dodging in a circle around a target while
shooting is an effective way to give more damage than you get.

>If it moves, sense it:
Keep an eye on the motion sensor; in the heat of battle it╣s your
best friend.   If you╣re trying to ambush someone, don╣t move a
muscle.

>Do the twist:
A pretty advanced technique is to use the │glance▓  keys (default
A and S) to quickly twist your torso left or right as you move.
Few things are so inspiring (or so difficult) as a mid-air,
torso-twist rocket kill; not for the novice.

>He who fights and runs away:
The alternative net games have strategies all their own; i.e.,
even though the point of King of the Hill is to occupy the Hill,
there are certainly times when it╣s best to leave it.  The smart
player will triumph over the reckless one.