SPECIAL EDITION Volume 0 1988 AC Issue 1 ÑÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÒ ÑÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÖ ÕÛÒ ÑÛÒ ÕÛÒ ÍÛØÛÎÕÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÒ Ñ×ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÖ Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú ÕÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ×Ò ÚWelcome Ú ÕØÓ ÑÛÖ Ú Ú Ú Ú WelcomeÚ Ú To Ú ÚÔÒ Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú Ú To Ú ÚHABITAT Ú × × ÔÛ× Ï Ð × Ú HABITATÚ ÐØÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÖ ÕÛÛÛÛÛÛÛØÏ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÖ THE HABITAT WEEKLY ÕÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ o Use NEXT to go forward one page. o Use BACK to go back one page. o Use PAGE # to go to a specific page. o Use QUIT to stop reading the RANT. 1
CONTENTS ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛØÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ Item PageÚItem Page Ú Welcome-----------3ÚPublic Service----19 Turf's Up---------4ÚEmployment--------20 What's Next?----- 6ÚQuests/Contests---21 Money Tree Quest-10ÚHabitat Graphics--22 People-----------12ÚTips -------------23 Places-----------15ÚRant Policies-----28 Things-----------17ÚMasthead----------29 ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ×ÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛ Note: Where "MANUAL" is mentioned it refers to THE OFFICIAL AVATAR HANDBOOK.* Use NEXT to go to WELCOME or pick PAGE# 2
ÑÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÖÚÎ Í ÑÒ Î ÑÒ ÑÒ ÑØÒ ÑÒÚÕÛÛÛÛÛÛÒ Ú ÚÚÚ Ú ÕÏ Ú Ú ÚÚ ÚÚÚ ÕÏÚÚ Ú Ú RANT ÚÚÔ×Ó ÔÓ Ð ÔÓ ÔÓ Ï Ð ÔÓÚÚ RANT Ú Ú ÚÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏÚ Ú Ú ÔÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÓ Ú Ú GREETINGS FELLOW AVATAR! Ú Ú The Habitat Weekly Rant welcomes youÚ Úto your new life as an avatar. We hopeÚ Úyou find this Special Edition Rant Ú Úhelpful in making your first steps in Ú Úthe world. This free issue is given toÚ Úyou at great expense. Of course we do Ú Úcount on you buying your next Rant. Ú ÚBusiness is business even in HABITAT. Ú ÔÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÓ 3
ÍÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÎ Ú YOUR TURF ÕÎ ÐØÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏÚ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ Either you are in your turf now or you are a mover. Each avatar's turf has a few basic items like furniture and a (very basic) door. In "What's Next" we refer to using your door for going out and about. Before you move too far it might be helpful to try a few moves right in your turf. Some furniture will let you put objects in it for storage. One item of furntiure, a chair, will 4
ÍÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÎ Ú YOUR TURF ÕÎ ÐØÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏÚ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ also allow you to sit in it. If you sat in a chair, we hope you were comfy and that you read about sitting -- page 15 of the Manual -- as chairs are tricky. TIPS (for sitting and other problems) are farther along in this issue. You don't really need a chair to sit. Point the cursor at your body and choose GO. Use GO on your body again to stand. Try GO on your head, it's different. See Manual page 14 for more on posture. 5
ÔÎ WHAT'S NEXT? ÍÓ ÔÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÓ Soon you'll finish checking out your turf: GOing, GETting, PUTting, DOing and using this RANT and the contents of your pocket. See page 16 of the Manual about carrying objects in your pocket along with your tokens and paper. "What do I do next?" First, finish read- ing this Special Edition of The Rant and then it's time to do some exploring. You will need to GO to the door. Next using the DO command you can open the door. If you're ready and the door is open, it's 6
ÔÎ WHAT'S NEXT? ÍÓ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ time to GO out the door. GOing out the door will put you into the region right in front of your turf. This is a good time to see how F7 can help you not only identify objects and other avatars, but also often tell you what region you're standing in. With the cursor targeted at the floor or ground, F7 will tell you where you are and which way the nearest teleport is located. Take a minute to note your address -- you'll need to know it in 7
ÔÛÎ WHAT'S NEXT? ÍÛÓ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ order to walk home. When you get to know TelePorts (see pages 22 and 23 of the Manual), you can return to your own turf by typing a TelePort address of: HOME. TelePorts will take you to a directory of port addresses if you type HELP when the port is activated. Teleports aren't free so check the amount of tokens you have in your pocket (GET the shining blue token from your pocket and use F7 to identify its value) to be sure you 8
ÔÎ WHAT'S NEXT? ÍÓ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ enough for your travels. While it does not matter where you are when you sign off, many avatars like to return thier turves now and again. Finding an ATM (a Automatic Token Machine) is a good idea so you have some cash while traveling. Page 35 of the Manual explains how to use an ATM. Conveniently enough, the same page explains spending money in VenDroid machines, the machines that sell everything from containers to ava- tar heads to The Rant. The Rant ads may have items for sale by other avatars. 9
$$$$$$$$$$$$ THE MONEY TREE $$$$$$$$$$$$ $ $ $ The Money $ree. Funny "t" huh? see $ $ HABITAT Graphics in this issue of $ $ The Rant. $ stands for token. Money!$ $ ÑÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÒ $ $ Ú EXCITING QUEST! Ú $ $ ÔÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÓ $ $ If you believe money does't grow $ $ on trees you don't know our Oracle. $ $ He has generously provided a way $ $ for each new avatar to get 100$ one $ $ time only. Find the tree. Find 100$.$ $ $ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 10
$$$$$$$$$$$$ THE MONEY TREE $$$$$$$$$$$$ $ $ $ To find the Money $ree, head off $ $ into the Magic Wood, along the $ $ Forest Road. When you think you've $ $ gone too far, keep going a little $ $ further (ask a friendly avatar if $ $ you don't know the way). $ $ $ $ Near the end of one of the forks is $ $ a tree unlike any other tree you'll $ $ see in your travels. Find what $ $ makes the tree "magic," and you'll $ $ be rewarded for your efforts!! $ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 11
ÍÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÎ Ú PEOPLE/HOW TO BECOME A WHO! ÕÎ ÐØÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏÚ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ Many avatars arrive in HABITAT feel- ing a little unsure about how they will fit in this new world. Some avatars quickly take the matter in their own hands and others have fun without ever thinking about it. Still we have all sorts of characters here from monks to monsters, thieves to thespians, and lovers to lawyers. It is even possible to get listed in the BOOK OF RECORDS. HABITAT's record 12
ÑÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÖÍÒÑÒÑÒÍÒÎÑÒÕÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÒ ÚWALKING ÚÕÓÕÏÚÚÕÓÚÕÏÚ AVATAR Ú ÚTALKING Ú× ÔÓÔÓ× ÐÔÓÚ RECORD Ú ÚGAWKING ÚAND HABITATÚ BOOK Ú ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÖ ÕÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ book includes everything from Avatars in action to avatar inaction. You can try for the record as most talkative or most sedate. Most Expressive lists the letter writers, Oldest counts your days online, and Dangerous...well we won't explain that one. You may meet or be- come one of the famous or infamous ava- tars of HABITAT. The first step in 13
ÍÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÖMEET THE AVATARSÕÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÎ Ú PEOPLE ÐØÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛØÏPEOPLE Ú ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ becoming a who's who in Habitat is meeting other avatars. This is also the way to get help online. Older avatars are usually very willing to help out younger avatars. Of course since you never know if someone is a professional beggar or, worse yet, a thief, it's prudent to start out by contacting others by ESP or MAIL. Con- sult pages 17-18 of the Manual. F3 will show the avatars most recently online. 14
Ú` PLACES `Ú Nearby Ú` IN HABITAT `Ú Tricky & & Fun? Ú``````````````Ú Dangerous? ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ So you've been to the Money Tree, you found an ATM and checked your bank ac- count and you possibly investigated a few other places downtown. Where should you go next? That depends on how adven- turesome you may be: some places like the LIBRARY, HALL OF RECORDS, ARCADE or SANDY'S SPA are safe and fun. The outskirts of town are a bit more dangerous, since weapons work and it's 15
Ú PLACES Ú ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ a bit trickier getting around in the Woods or Back 40. Many twisty-turny areas require a good deal of talent with a compass or else a whole lot of pure luck. RANDY'S ADVENTURE YMPORIUM will outfit you for the task if you can pay the price. Even relatively tame places like the famous POPUHOUSE holds a few surprises and if you visit the ORACLE'S Fountain watch out for the SEWER nearby. Our tip for the adventurous? A flashlight. 16
ÍÛÛÛÛÛÛÖ THINGS ÕÛÛÛÛÛÛÎ Ú BUY ÐÛØÛÛÛÛØÛÏSTEAL Ú ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛØÛÏFINDÐÛØÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ There are a number of ways to aquire objects and a number of reasons for aquiring them. As our headline suggests the ways of getting objects are fairly self explanatory. The items might be a bit more cryptic. Remember F7 gives you information on most anything in HABITAT. RANT Tip: before you aquire everything in sight, remember carrying useless items is wasteful. Pick a goal. 17
MORE THINGS Adventurers should obtain objects used in quests. Master's of disguise should focus on body paints and heads. What- ever you collect, get some boxes or you'll soon exceed the limits you can carry. Boxes even fit inside boxes! Of course you never know what may be- come valuable. The first ever issue of The Rant is a collectors item. Keep your eyes peeled for items that may be of value someday! 18
A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE ÑÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÒ Ú "A little knowledge is a ÕÒ Ú dangerous thing... ÚÚ Ú Why live dangerously?"ÚÚ Ú ÚÚ ÔØÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÓÚ ÔÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÓ THE POPULOPOLIS PUBLIC LIBRARY Books include: histories, records, Rant back issues, stories and more. 19
ÎÍÍÎÎ ÍÒ Î ÍÑÒ ØÒÍØÎÍÎÍÒ Ú ÕÖÕ Ú ÕÓ Ú ÚÑÖ ÚÚ Ú Õ ÚÚ Ú ÏÐÐÏÐ × Ô×ÓÔ× ÏÐ × ÐÏÐÓ o METER MAID: SALARY -- 0$ FOOD TASTER: SALARY -- 0$ MUSICIAN: SALARY -- 0$ RANT REPORTER: SALARY -- 100$ THE HABITAT WEEKLY RANT pays 100$ for each news article we print. See Rant Policies for how to submit articles. Self employment best for you? Start a service and use a RANT ad. 20
ÑÒÎÍ ØÒ ÑÎÎÍÑÒÑÒÍØÎÑÒ ÑÒÑÒØÒÍØÎÑÒÑÒÍØÎÑÒ ÚÚÚÚ Ú ÚÚÚÚÕÏÔÒ Ú ÔÒÛÚ ÚÚÚÚ Ú ÕÏÔÒ Ú ÔÒ ÔÓÔÓ × ÔÖÔ×ÔÓÔÓ × ÔÓ ÔÓÔÓÏÐ × ÔÓÔÓ × ÔÓ Brave &Ô Thoughtful Avatars Rewarded! ÑÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÒ WIN ÚQuests/Contests Ú GAIN $'S ÑÛÛÛÏ are regular ÐÛÛÛÒ FAME ÑÏ features of HABITAT. ÐÒ ÚSometimes these are even Ú ÑÏbegun by fellow avatars ifÐÒ Úthey think they can make a Ú Úfew tokens by selling clues.Ú ÚRight now you can start the Ú ÚMoney Tree Quest. Check the Ú ÛÛÛÏRant for news of current eventsÐÛÛÛ 21
CTRL:qÕ wÖ e× rØ tÉ yß uÑ iÒ eng#Þ +Ù -@ aÍ sÎ gÌ hË jÔ kÓ zÐ xÏ cÛ bÚ spc-bar ` SHIFT: 4$ eng#Ý -{ REGULAR: eng#Ü at@ * cursor keys }|~ ÍÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÎ Ú CONTROL or SHIFT and the above keysÚ Ú make up HABITAT graphics charactersÚ Ú Ý$Ü*{ ÕÖ×ØÉßÑÒÞÙÛÍÎÌËÔÓÐÏÚ` }|~ Ú ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ eng# = English Pound (right of minus - ) at = at symbol (right of the P key) spc-bar = space bar 22
ÍØÎØ ÍÒÑÒ ÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉß ÎÍ Ø ØÒÍØÎÑÒ Ú Ú ÕÓÔÒ ÉËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌßÕÖ Ú ÚÚ Ú ÔÒ × × × ÔÓ ÌßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉËÏÐ × ÏÐ × ÔÓ ÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌË o If it doesn't work the first time, give it another shot. Trying may have moved you to the right spot. o If it still doesn't work change the position of where you are standing. o Chairs are tricky. Make sure you're on the same plane. For example, if the chair is behind a table, go to 23
ßÉßTÉßIÉßÉßPÉßSÉßÉß&ÉßHÉßÉßIÉßNÉßÉßTÉßSÉ ÜÜËÉÜÜßÌÜÜËÉÜÜßÌÜÜËÉÜÜßÌÜÜËÉÜÜßÌÜÜËÉÜÜßÌ ÌË ÌËÌË ÌË ÌËÌË ÌË ÌËÌË ÌË ÌËÌË ÌË ÌËÌË an object behind the chair and then go to the chair and try again to sit. o Once again, remember that objects, places, teleports, and avatars can be identified with F7. In the case of objects (coins, VenDroids, ports, elevators, and lots more) F7 will also give you instructions. o To store and transport objects use boxes/bags. Put boxes inside boxes. 24
Ü Éß Ü Éß Ü Éß Ü Éß Ü Éß Ü Éß Ü Éß Ü Éß ÝÌËT ÝÌËI ÝÌËP ÝÌËS ÝÌËT ÝÌËI ÝÌËP ÝÌËS ÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉß ËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌ o Talk is cheap but friends are not. Use ESP and Habitat mail and TALK to make friends with others. They will give you help when you are lost or if you have questions about Habitat. o Remember that HABITAT is what you make of it. Don't wait for others to tell you what to do. Make up your own fun. Run a nightclub. Organize a union. Open a bank. Aspire to Deism! 25
TIPS AND HINTS ÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉßÉß ËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌËÌ o As stated in the Manual, the Oracle turns you into a ghost to protect you when you log off. See Manual, page 18. o The five-guests-only-rule requires that you turn into a ghost (use the F1 key to ghost/de-ghost) to enter areas that already have 6 avatars. See page 23 of the Manual for details. o Try going off the obvious path; you 26
ÜÜÝÜÜ`ÜÜÝÜÜ`ÜÜÝÜÜ`TIPS`ÜÜÝÜÜ`ÜÜÝÜÜ`ÜÜÝÜÜ ```````````````````````````````````````` don't always have to follow sidewalks and you can even go off into the sky-- sometimes. If you can't, you'll hear a soon to be familiar phrase: "There's no place to go in that direction." o You cannot send mail to THE ORACLE. See Manual page 26 for talking to the Oracle. Few get wishes or answers. o Read the entire Manual carefully. 27
ÍÛØÛØÛØÛØÛØÛØÛØÛÖ RANT ÕÛØÛØÛØÛØÛØÛØÛØÛÎ ÔÒÔÒÔÒÔÒÔÒÔÒÔÒÔÒÔÒ$$$$ÑÓÑÓÑÓÑÓÑÓÑÓÑÓÑÓÑÓ ÕÛ×Û×Û×Û×Û×Û×Û×Û×ÛÛÛÛ×Û×Û×Û×Û×Û×Û×Û×ÛÖ Ú The RANT is published every Weds. Ú Ú Deadline for sumbmissions is the Ú Ú Fri. before the publication date. Ú Ú SEE THE LATEST RANT FOR PRICES: Ú Ú Advertisements ---------- fee Ú Ú Personals (Love $'s)----- fee Ú Ú Lost items -------------- fee Ú Ú Found items ------------- free! Ú Ú Send all correspondence to OSGOOD Ú Ú using a top margin of 1 blank lineÚ Ú and a bottom margin of 2 lines. Ú ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ 28
ÑÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÒ ÑÓ HABITAT WEEKLY ÔÒ Úo RANT oÚ ÔÒ Editor: OSGOOD ÑÓ ÔÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÓ ÍÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÎ Ú Published By The ÕÎ Ú RANT-N-RAVE PRESS ÚÚ Ú (See Manual, Pg.37ÚÚ Ú but do NOT mail ÚÚ Ú to "Rant". Send ÚÚ Ú mail to: OSGOOD.) ÚÚ ÐØÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏÚ ÐÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÛÏ 29