Thermal Pak 20 370 Crysprism 25 900 Armor: Item Price ————- —– Uniform — Flight Jacket 100 Steel Mesh 190 Flak Jacket 550 Kevlar Suit 870 Laser Reflect 950 Combat Armor 3500 Future Magic Art Notes: One afternoon, while I was busily pixelating on my computer, Karl Buiter poked his head into my cube. On his face was a big smile and in his hand was a thick stack of papers; his script for Sentinel Worlds. We sat and discussed it a while and I came away with the notion that this would be a rather nice, short, and relatively undemanding art project involving 30 to 40 pictures, some map graphics, and a few spaceships. I told him I really hadnt done too many portraits of people but he assured me that there would only be a few major characters. Well, a year and a half later, Ive done over 150 pictures, 3 entire world environments, and a ton of portraits. So much for initial notions. Reading Karls script was a lot like reading a thorough movie scripts or short novel. Each character was unique, well-developed, and colorful. I felt that the hardest job was to come up with faces and places that would portray the depth of his vision. Following that was the fact that each picture, person, and landscape had to fit in an 80 by 80 area with 16 EGA colors of IBM/Tandys choice. We talked at length about who should look like what, who needed a bigger nose, and if a towel was really necessary. It felt like I was a casting director for a Hollywood movie. Before long, Karl had my preliminary art up and running, and we were on our way. Three things stood out in rendering any of the pictures of SW1: FutureMagic. One, they had to be unique and distinctive. For the player, the picture of Alex Kann would BE Alex Kann and I didnt want there to be any mistaking him for someone else. Number two was dramatic situations. The pictures dont always appear and when they do its usually at a key scene. Id have to take advantage of that because I couldnt rely on panning scenes or establishing shots. Third but foremost was quality. Karl is a quality game designer and programmer, hence nothing short of the best possible execution would do. Weve tried hard to accomplish these goals and make Sentinel Worlds I:FutureMagic a magically enjoyable experience. We hope youll find yourself agreeing that we did. Graphic Artist: Michael Kosaka Notes by the sound designer … When Karl asked me to handle the sounds for FutureMagic, 2 problems immediately surfaced. First, the program was to run primarily on the PC single speaker system, the most limiting of all the available home entertainment computers. Second, Karl wanted top-notch rock/pop music, citing examples of Michaal Jackson, Robert Palmer. It seems to me that if I were capable of cranking out that kind of music, I would be making albums and not videogame soundtracks; so, leaving the second problem to puzzle over for later, I concentrated on the first. I set about creating a music driver that would simulate many instruments at once, particulary drum sounds (which was important to Karl, a drummer himself). Though only one instrument plays at any given time, they are swapped around so fast that it gives the impression that more than one voice is playing. Voices can be created with varying rates and depth of tremolo, in order to simulate guitar/synthesizer sounds; and other effects intended to portray snare, bass, and tom-tom drums. As far as the sound effects themselves went, well that was much simpler; its pretty easy to come up with sounds of weapons that havent been built yet; but, I think that a gyro pike really will sound something like that. Once the driver was perfected, the task of composing music finally arrived. Not only was I to come up with Top 40 tunes (except for the old west piece), the band I hired had to fit into the one and a half inch pc speaker and the members had to take turns 240 times a second being heard! I experimented with drum riffs inspired by examples provided by Karl and built songs up from there. And, I also used this project as a chance to create original music of the type I wanted to do myself anyway — but please dont tell Karl. Sound Designer: Dave Warhol Designed and programmed by: Karl Buiter Computer Graphics: Michael Kosaka Sound and Music: Dave Warhol Producer: Dave Albert Assitant Producers: James Bailey, Michael Meischied, Chris Wilson ============================================================== ************************************************************** CHAPTER 3: SENTINEL WORLDS PARAGRAPHS (Typed by Wanker) ************************************************************** NOTE: You may be misled if you start reading these paragraphs! Karl Buiter deliberately added many false paragraphs to prevent this to be a story- spoiler. (macCro) Dont start reading these paragraphs. Itll ruin the game. You gotta have this to solve the game, which is why I typed it up rather than the Docs, (its also shorter). 1. Of course I know whos behind the raids, Brennan says, Ive known all along. Every single one of those raiders is the lowest of the low, the kind of vile slime that hates puppies an hunts space bunnies. You know the kind dont you? Here let me clue you in: The raiders are the kind of folks who read paragraphs they shouldnt be reading! Now tell me, why do I always have to do the Federations dirty work? Im gonna get me a job where I dont have to tell folks not to do what they aint supposed to do… 2. The rancher stares at you and your crew long and hard before answering. Ranchers and Farmers been fightin for the last ten years. Theres a piece of land we both have a hankerin for, cause its loaded full of Kransite. Folks in the Rouyn system will pay you enough for a lousy handful of the stuff to let you retire. Federation dont know about Kransite and wont recognize either sides claim to the land. You can see for yourself. Its right here on your chart, at Norajaenn 1235, 1108. 3. I suspect youre right in that assumption. Even my ship with the latest in fuel-efficient engines, cannot travel beyond two or three systems from here without refueling. From what I can tell of the raider craft, their technology is not particularly sophisticated, not even as advanced as your primitive interceptors. 4. The beasts eat our children, the Warhakan leader explains. Our weapons are useless against their scales. You must help us. They have slain all who venture near them. We believe there to be only a dozen or so, but we are powerless against their ravages. The Federation promised to help us in times of need…go to Caldorre 1012, 622 and slay them if you would honor your word! 5. We dig because a great evil persuades us to dig. The evil stands above us like the shadow of the moon. The people dig, but our hearts do not dig. We dig with our teeth clenched, but I say to you: One day the teeth shall bite. 6. If you want to know about the raiders, Ill let you in on a little secret, says Grager in a low voice. Most of them do themselves in before you can get one word out of them. But I managed to get a hold of one that had a mind of his own: In a few words, this one was scared. I dont resort to torture, I assure you, but a little persuasion with these types isnt out of line. Grager flashes you a grin, takes a long sip of his cocktail, then continues. This guy told me that theyre equipping their ships with a modified weapons system that has twice the firepower of a Federation starship. Thats all I could get out of him. He wouldnt tell me where his base was or whose boots he licked. I showed my appreciation by letting him ride with us: we strapped him to the prow of the ship. 7. Lets see now…Sentinels, eh? Theyre supposed to be a bunch of old men in blue robes somewhere on Norajaenn. My grandpa said he saw them once, when he was on a hunting trip. Tried to talk to them, but they just and didnt make a sound. Gramps was a pretty good tracker, but all he found was a few bushes stripped clean of fruit. Not a trace of the old guys. He also claimed that he saw some funny lights in the hills that night, and on a couple of other nights too. 8. Forget about the Sentinels, young man. Looky here, I usually dont go in for Fed types but my daughter, shes just crazy about em. I reckon its the uniforms or somethin. Anyway, you just relax. Ma will cook us up some nice vittles and well sit down and have a nice meal, and then maybe well let you two younguns alone for a spell. 9. Before I tell you where to find the Sentinels you must find a way to resolve the differences between the Ranchers and the Farmers. Their dispute is tearing our town apart. I stand to lose my livelihood if they keep at each other the way they have been. A lot of folks are in the same boat. An outsider might make them listen to reason, but no one from Tolte can make them sit down together. You stop them from trying to kill each other and Ill help you out. 10. The rancher scratches his chin and gives you a long hard look. Well I reckon we been fightin ever since I was a boy…Norajaenn was settled nigh unto a hundred years ago, and the two sides been fightin at least a third of that time. When the almighty Federation, in it infinite wisdom, decided that this was the place to be, it decided it was the place for both farmers and ranchers. So they plopped us down in the same spot, maybe twenty families of each persuasion, and waited to see who survived. Sort of an evolution thing, I reckon. only problem was both sides survived and now theyre fightin over the same piece of land. Farmers can just up and plant their crops wherever they please, whereas we ranchers have to stake out a piece of grazing land well-suited to our critters. Farmers wont move and we cant move, so I reckon well just have to fight it out until they either move or we move em. 11. To find the Light, it is necessary that you unlock the Gates Of Truth. The gates are hidden to those in whom the Light is but a dull glow, but to those in whom the Light shines forth, the Gates stand forth with an unparalleled luminosity. There the Masters wait in solitude. 12. The Warhakan stares resolutely. They are sometimes accompanied by others, not like themselves. They offer to trade with us but we refuse. With such as they, we will have nothing to do. 13. Look, he says, there probably isnt anything in that hunk of spacejunk. I bet you could sift throughout until your fingers bled, your knees buckled, and all the chrome flaked off your new digital watch and you still wouldnt come up with one stinking clue. But by all means, go ahead, I wont stand in your way. 14. Yes, she says in a trembling voice, there is a door to the tower thats unguarded. Its a loading port of some sort. I cant tell you where it is, but there is someone who knows and whod be willing to tell you. His… With a gasp she clutches her throat. You stare in horror as the blood streams from her eyes. She staggers for a moment, giving you enough time to step out of the way of her falling corpse. 15. Kedro? Only a year ago he was one of us. But something came over him, sudden-like. Some folks thought it was some space-virus or something, but I never bought that. If you ask me, he just became… he pauses, tapping his forehead, well, a little touched. 16. The old man winks at you and nods his head sagely. Verily, the world is an oyster, thou shalt not want. 17. Well, I wont do it for charity but Im willing to make a deal, he says, taking another slug of Red Reactor. You get me a Federation contract-and make it binding-and Ill get em for you, guaranteed. You come here with a signed piece of paper and well talk. 18. If the Federation muscles in and youre not 100% on their side, you dont get no favors. No, Im not satisfied with the way Ive been treated. Its just not fair competition, you know? An advantage is an advantage, I dont care how you look at it. An honest trader like me doesnt stand a chance. 19. Quit readin the damn paragraphs when youre not supposed to. 20. Our paths will cross again someday. It is our destiny. When it does, I hope to be ready for him. For now, he fears me greatly although with his knowledge of the dark arts his evil master has taught him he could surely kill me. Yet he fears me. He tried to get me to go with him, to talk to this Master of his, but I didnt. He said I had the Light or some such mumbo jumbo, but I told him I wasnt interested in hearing about it. All I know is that someday hes going to have to face up to the mischief hes created or face up to me, his brother. 21. I did see somethin strange once. They moved at an incredible speed. The cattle were scared, and me and my boys had to do everything we could to keep em from bolting. Weird, let me tell you. You could kinda see through em, see, only they were a kinda sickly green color. That was back when my wife was still livin, an when we came home, she said we looked like wed seen a ghost or somethin. All in all I guess we were purty scared, yup. That was the only time though. Oh yeah, the next 21 is 45… 22. Delik lowers his blaster then returns it to its holster. Well, you dont seem like the dishonest type, but I dont like someone who goes back on their word and I dont like gettin snaked. A deals a deal. I expect the next time we meet youll have the credits. I dont think I need to threaten a Fed. Motioning to his hired help, he turns and mounts the stairs. 23. You enter the access code and wait with a little impatience as the computer translates. With a quick flicker a holographic representation of the tower appears before you. A flashing arrow points to a portal on the south side. Words appear below the image: 2210A2: Security Clearance Lanka. 24. Yes sir, he handed me the Caldorre candy bar and said Read the ingredients carefully. So I opened the thing up and lo and behold theres these numbers scrawled on the inside: 1792,955. I looked up and he was gone, you know, vanished. 25. Follow me into darkness and know that power is truth! I shall give you the knowledge by which you shall bring the world to its knees and recognize your personal divinity! I hold the reins of the world out to you. Do not turn them down. Do not choose destruction when I offer you full life! Do not choose weakness over your right to rule! Do not die for others when immortality lies within your grasp! 26. Im pretty sure hes in these caves, Kann explains. We were on a three-day drive a week ago, camped out at night when he disappeared. Two of my men saw the kidnappers carry him off, and swear that the bunch that got him were Farmers. Recognized em by the they ran. Next morning we checked out the tracks, what was left of them, and sure enough the prints werent from any boots a rancher would wear. I heard a bunch of Farmers, even old Grayper himself, were heading for Striker Rift, so I put two and two together and figured thats where they were hiding my boy. 27. If you ask me theres something really fishy going on in that Rift. It seems like Farmers sure are heading there a lot these days, even when theres nothing of value there anymore. Several of us have seen em sneaking out there at night. Oh, theres something else weird about all this: weve been picking up strange transmissions on our radios. Stuff I cant understand. I sure dont like hearin what I cant understand. 28. Well, I dont know if they actively help the raiders, but maybe indirectly. You know for a little information on the placement of military escorts-you know like your ship-these merchants get safe passage. Its hard to believe we have such treacherous colonists in our midsts, but they really exist. If there were some way we could catch the whole lot of em, we might just bag a few more raiders every month. 29. The raiders you seek are in an underground colony on the ice planet. Malcolm brought them here from earth and breeds them for his army. Theres a secret chamber within the towers from which you can transport you and your crew into the ice domain. There you will encounter Malcolm and his minions. Beware the counter-winding staircase! I can tell you no more. 30. They live in the lost hills. I ran across them when I was a youngster. I was hiking in along a ledge and lost my footing. When I woke up, I was lying down in a dark cave, with a bunch of old men in blue robes standing around and muttering in some foreign language. My leg hurt something awful, and my head didnt feel much better. One of the guys, his name was Kedro, made me lie down and started chanting over me. Before I knew it my leg stopped hurting, and my head stopped trying to explode. Ive been back twice, but each time Kedro stopped me and told me to go home. He said something about the light being bright in me, but that he could not teach me. Hell I never asked him to. But that was all he would ever say. So I stopped going back there. 31. Why, he is one in whom the light shines with a fierce dark intensity that I have never before seen. He is called Malcolm Trandle and he was once a Sentinel. Surely you must not judge the Sentinels harshly by comparing them to Malcolm, for he left their ways for the ways of evil. The Sentinels are the keepers of the light. They find those in whom the Light shines brightly and they nurture it. Why, they found me many, many aeons ago, on a far distant world where all have my appearance, but where I was the only one in whom the light shone brightly. There was another in whom it shine darkly and he they destroyed. In Malcolm Trandle the light once shone brightly. Once it shone with a radiance that would illuminate a galaxy. But when the Sentinels took up residence on a planet called Earth by its people. Malcolm began to change. A darkness crept into him and he began to treat the poor primitives who lived on that world as cattle and playthings. Before any of the other Sentinels knew what had transpired, Malcolm had gathered a small army of these pitiful savages and decided that he should be the ruler of the Sentinels. He stole me from the dwelling of Kedro, and he stole the book of spells as well. You see, although the light shines brightly in me, I wield it but slightly. Those around me, however, can wield it far beyond their normal capacity. Malcolm feared Kedro as long as Kedro had me with him. And Malcolm feared the book even more. Ahh, how he feared the book! So he stole us and brought us to this light forsaken corner of the cosmos. The delicious irony of it all my friend, is that Malcolm stole me in order to increase his power, but it could never happen. He took possession of the planet called caldorre because he sensed a power here beyond understanding. The three towers that stand on that planet have stood since time immemorial. The builders of those towers powered them with a generator of dark light. What Malcolm did not understand was that as I amplify Light so I destroy Dark Light. The dark Light is, how do you say it? Allergic to me. So Malcolm had to hide me away, far away where no pursuit might find me. And here I have lain for three thousand years and more. 32. These beasts may be found toward the setting sun. Let me show you on this drawing where they reside… A comparison between the crude Warhakan map and Federation charts shows the approximate location of the invasion to be at Caldorre 640,736. 33. The Book is a Book of Spells. It is an artifact of light that Malcolm Trandle stole when he stole our friend the Key of Thor. When we came to retrieve both Malcolm used a great dark light to rob us of our youth and minds. He could not extinguish our minds completely but our youth is lost forever. The light is bright in you. Perhaps we can teach you what you need to know in order to defeat Malcolm, but we cannot do so without the book. There are some basic abilities we still remember and which we will impart to you now. By talking(!) from your heart to yourself or to others you can focus the light to heal injury to yourself. You can sense the presence of other users of light, or those in whom the light shines either brightly, or with the dark pallor of evil. You may probe the minds of others, to know that which they most wish to conceal. In order to teach you more we must have the book of spells. Malcolm has hidden the book in a special location on the planet Earth. You may reach this location only through a transporter in one of his towers. You must go and retrieve the book. 34. We dig to protect ourselves from the evil that surrounds us. We suffer only betrayal at the hands of the Warhaka. Once we are secure again in our Mother Soil, we shall strike forth with the fury of the storm. The evil shall not escape us, and none shall stand in our way. 35. Malcolm resides in his battle station. You are now ready to confront him. While his knowledge is great and his power greater, he too has lost his youth. Your vigor should enable you to face him in a duel, much like the one you fought with his puppet Shadar. But this time the stakes will be life or death. You must seek him out with your abilities and then confront him. If you succeed in destroying him his world will crumble. Remember that the battle station and the population of the towers are but creations of his evil power. They will vanish with his demise, and you will be destroyed in the ensuing chaos if you remain in his lair. Go now. 36. The raiders you seek are the descendants of the earth people Malcolm brought with him to these worlds. You must capture one of these and bring him before the Gates of truth. There you will probe his mind to find the entrance to Malcolms domain. Enter his domain, find the Book by using the ability to seek out users of the light, then bring the book back at once. Do not try to confront the betrayer now, for his power is too great. Go now. 37. How are the raids ruining me? Grager gives you a quizzical glance, then stares at his well trimmed fingernails. The Caldorre system is my system. I own all trade rights to the system. The Federation has granted me the right to collect a tariff on all commercial shipping to and from the Caldorre system. In return all commerce is directed towards furthering the Federations expansion into the Rouyn, Malartic, and Noranda systems. While such an arrangement is not without precedent, it is highly unusual and greatly coveted by all in my profession. I suspect some of my rivals would like to see me fail in this endeavor. I do not intend to fail. As we speak, my crew is installing better laser turrets on your Interceptor and my programmers are upgrading your software. Its the least I can do. 38. Kann stares at you with a steadiness even you find disquieting. They probably removed him from the face of the planet. We were on a three day drive a week ago when he disappeared. Two of my men saw the kidnappers and swear that they were Farmers. I heard a bunch of Farmers, even old Grayper himself were heading for Striker Rift. Its common knowledge that the Farmers have a secret starbase tucked away in Shadow Rift. Where he is now I dont know, but therell be hell to pay! 39. They woke us up one night shrieking and howling. I never saw such a scene in all my life. My Pa grabbed the weapon he kept by hid bed and ran out into the darkness. I saw the bright flashes of his shots, but the green things ignored him. To this day I still dont know what they came for. They didnt touch a thing at the shop. I was frozen, I was so scared. What scares me to this day is the eerie way my brother stood by the window, as calm as can be. His hand was outstretched as if he was making contact in some weird way. The expression on his face…I suppose that was the beginning of it all. 40. The globe rises slowly, pulsating with a raw energy that completely illuminates your surroundings. I am the Key of Thor. Tremble before me vermin! I shall use you and your pitiful mechanical conveyances to fulfill my destiny. We shall go to Norajaenn 1875,1060 where the Sentinels, reside and crush them. Let us go! 41. With a wicked smile Riker presses the green button on the console of his raider craft. You hear the sound of metal grating against metal in the distance, and a muffled scream…Shes all yours boys, he says with an evil grin, be sure to take along a spoon. 42. The Gates of Truth stand open before you. Three old men dressed in scarlet robes sit just beyond the threshold. As you cross over, one of the old men smiles at you. Thats when you notice his mouth is filled with several rows of sharp, pointed teeth… 43. Ruawl accepts the proffered bribe and grins. Sentinels? Yeah I know of them. You Feds dont want to mess with those guys. They look at you sideways and your brain explodes. I saw them stop a cave bear once, just by sneezing. Whatever you do shoot first when you see one. If you can kill one or two, maybe the rest will cooperate. If not you guys are history. They can be found at Caldorre 3015,827. The key thing is to remember that the next 43 is 75… 44. Malcolm came to this system in order to increase his powers and extend his reach. For millennia he has plotted and raised his warriors. He needs more time to prepare. When your people began to settle this system he perceived them as a threat, fearing he might be discovered. He populated the towers with illusions and service machines hoping that it would become a waystation for travelers. But when your people decided to settle on Norajaenn it was too much for him to tolerate. He now sends out his raiders in the hopes of driving away those who would dwell here leaving him free to pursue his evil ends. That would spell disaster for all sentient beings. 45. Face to face with Lochinvar Avrensis, you begin to wonder if you were wise in seeking him out. He is a huge man, without an ounce of fat on his body. His three bodyguards carry Neuron Flails, and look as though they eat Federation Marines for breakfast. So you boy are trying to stop the raids eh? Avrensis says. Why? What gives you the right to interfere in a private quarrel? This ones between me and that wimp Grager. We havent attacked the Federation, just his ships. Bet you dont know how he got the trade rights to begin with, do you? Well it aint because hes a public servant… Tell you what Im gonna do. Im gonna let you boys walk outa here in one piece, this time. But if you cross me again, your mamas are gonna be grieving for years. Now you tell the Federation to keep its nose out of this one. If they keep interfering me and my Keeshan allies are gonna escalate this little fracas into a full scale galactic war. Now scram! 46. Theres only one way to get to our home base and it takes a hell of a pilot to pull it off. Youve got to start off the top of one of Caldorre tower 2 and hyperspace through the Gates of Truth. I cant tell you the exact coordinates for the Gates, they have been programmed into my ships computer in a language I dont understand. But I think a good hacker could get the info. I can tell you the security code for that section of prog… Suddenly the raider gasps and blood streams from his eyes and nose. With a gurgling sound he crumples to the floor at your feet,dead. 47. Why do I hate Ranchers? The farmer spits on the ground. Those scum killed two of my boys in front of my eyes. All my boy did was complain about one of their steers tramplin his cat…The Ranchers think they own the whole planet. Theyll see. Pretty soon well take care of em all. As the old man turns to go a crumpled piece of paper falls from his pocket. When he leaves you pick it up. It says:Meet at the base at Shadow Rift a 0900. Ships are all fueled. This time we take them out. Its signed Riker. 48. The apparent leader of the beasts stares at you, and motions for the others to leave. Welcome pale ones. We are the Koshol and we have returned to claim the land from which we were driven by the Warhaka. For three generations we have waited. Now we are striking back. They are treacherous but we are strong. They must die. It is right that they should die. You need not die, go and do not meddle in our affairs. 49. The beasts were just there one morning, the slender Warhakan explains, we did not see them come or by what means they arrived. Now we are being invaded by these fearsome creatures. We have seen them uproot trees with little effort. None dare approach them for fear of the possible consequences. When your people first came to this world you said you would help settle any disputes. We ask for your aid in helping us stop this invasion. One final word of caution: Remember, the next 49 is 53… 50. My name is Sheelana, the girl says. Pa told em it was okay to talk with you. He says a Fed is a good catch, but I dont want to catch anyone. I just want to be with Joshua Kann. Pa wont stand for it cause hes a Rancher. But I dont see what difference it makes. Theyre not doin the raiding. Its the Sentinels. You can find their base at Norajaenn 979,522. Remember the next 50 is 42. 51. The screen of the computer flickers brightly and then goes blank. After a couple of seconds it comes to life again, filled with the image of an alien species you have never seen before. Below the image of the green skinned creature is the following text: The keeshan race hails from an unknown part of the galaxy. They are extremely warlike and possess starship technology far beyond that of the Federation. Emissaries to the Keeshan have returned with their personalities erased. Each has repeated the same message:Cease your expansion or face extermination. What little information we have on the Keeshan is because of recording equipment on the emissary ship of the first unfortunate ambassador. The other seven emissaries have returned in drone ships of unknown technology. Unable to access additional data without security clearance. Password:_________ 52. We dig for evil. We must find the evil. We must destroy the evil. Three killing seasons before I have vision. It come to me in sleep. Night star glow with evil. Vision show me evil to lead me to destroy evil. I leave
