WorldsAway Beta Help
This is a recreation of a WorldsAway beta help document dated February 1995, which was written by Maria Alexander at the request of Randy Farmer before the story had been approved and before all of the functionality of the software was fully known. The help file was created using RoboHelp.
Help files back then acted like mini webpages in that there'd be a landing page, with clickable links which would take you to other parts of the help file. To recreate the experience here, I am recreating each section as it was in the master document and I will provide clickable links just like in the original help file.
Main Menu
Welcome to the Island of Kymer! (pronounced <Ky'-mer>)
This help document should tell you everything you need to know to participate in Kymerian life. Just click on one of the following topics:
Throughout this help document you can click on underlined words for more information on that topic.
Geography of the Dreamscape
Like Earth, the Dreamscape has continents, islands, and other land and water masses. Its main body of water is the Sea of Io, who enfolds a number of small, uncharted islands in her cold arms. Among them is the island of Kymer. Surrounded by Io's waves, Kymer is a safe, peaceful place where dreamers gather together, forming friendships and affections that they might have never known due to the limitations of their Earthly geography. Here ordinary men and women indulge their dreams and desires: They shape their society, embark on fantastic adventures, metamorph into other bodies, or just sit in the local café and talk about mundane matters. Whatever their desire is, they can find it on the island of Kymer.
The main city of Kymer is Phantasus. It is the foremost settlement in the Dreamscape.
Phantasus
Phantasus is the major metropolis of Kymer. Here, men and women meet and greet one another from day to day, communicating and interacting with each other just as they do in the waking world. For many, Phantasus is a home away from home, a place where they can feel free to explore not only the city and countryside, but their own role in the community. As a part of this thriving society, you can be whoever you want to be: an entrepreneur, a social organizer, a poet, a lover, an adventurer, a hero, a villain--or just yourself. How you present yourself--and what part you play in the community--is up to you.
Named after [[#Morpheus|Morpheus'] brother, Phantasus has many beautiful places to visit.
People to see
Many kinds of people live on the island of Kymer. To find out who they are, just click on one of the following topics:
Avatars
Since you cannot enter the Dreamscape physically, your avatar represents you in the world. Avatars are unique creatures with their own special anatomy: They are right-handed and can hold one object in that hand at a time. Each avatar body has a pocket, which holds up to eight objects, including a mail folder. Avatars can even alter their appearance by changing heads, gender, accessories, and clothing color.
To manipulate your avatar or interact with an object, use its popup menu.
Popup Menu
All avatars and objects in the Dreamscape have a popup menu, a contextual list of commands that allows you to interact with people and things in various ways. Summon this menu by clicking your mouse cursor on the avatar or object and holding down the mouse button. When the menu appears, just highlight the command you wish to execute and release the mouse button. Double-clicking on any avatar or object will always activate the default command--that is, the first command listed for that menu. The standard commands for your avatar are:
<Your avatar's name>
Get from pocket...
Dematerialize
Gesture>
Status> and
Tell me about...
The commands followed by the ">" symbol, such as "Gesture>" and "Status>," are cascading menus.
The standard popup menu for another avatar is:
<The other avatar's name>
Walk to
Touch/Tag
Tell me about...
If you are holding an object, the command "Give <object>" will appear on the other avatar's menu (that is, if their hand is empty), where <object> is the name of the item you are carrying. Also, notice that the avatar's name appears in the title bar of the popup menu. This way you can always learn the name of another avatar.
Cascading menus contain additional commands related to their title. To access the cascading menu, highlight the command and, while still holding down the mouse button, move your cursor slightly to the right in the direction of the arrow ">". A submenu will reveal more commands.
"Give <object>"
This command appears on your fellow avatar's popup menu whenever you are holding something in your hand. The <object> is whatever your avatar is holding. For example, if you are holding a hat, the command "Give hat" will appear on the popup menu of other avatars in the same locale whose hands are empty. (You cannot "give" something to an avatar who is already holding an object!) When you select the command "Give hat," you will walk over to that avatar and hand him or her the hat.
Some exchanges are a little more involved, such as when you want to give your friend some tokens. With tokens in your hand, summon your friend's popup menu and select the command "Put some tokens..." (see "Tokens").
Get from pocket...
This command will open your avatar's pocket, which holds up to eight objects, and allow you to interact with its contents. When you activate this command on your avatar's popup menu, a scrolling dialog box appears showing what's in your avatar's pocket. If you would like to remove something, just click on the desired item and it will appear in your avatar's hand. The dialog box disappears automatically.
Note: You cannot select "Get from pocket..." if you are already holding something in your hand. You must first empty your hand and then select the command.
Status>
The "Status>" cascading menu is located on your avatar. It contains the following commands:
Turn ESP off
This command lets you shut out any incoming thoughts from other avatars. When ESP is off, the command changes to Turn ESP on; just select this command to turn ESP back on.
Tokens in pocket...
This command sends your avatar a help message telling you how many tokens are in its pocket.
Touch/Tag
Hey! It's not nice to go around poking your fellow avatars--but it's fun until you get caught! By selecting this command, you can touch another avatar. Who knows what icky nasty things you can pass to others...?
Who's online?
"Who's online?" lets you view a list of all avatars currently in the Dreamscape. Selecting this command summmons the ESP/Page dialog box, which allows you to scroll through the list of avatars to find who you are looking for. Dismiss the box by double-clicking on the bar in the upper left-hand corner of the box or by clicking on the "Cancel" button.
Where am I?
"Where am I?" tells you the name of your current locale. It appears in a help message in the discussion box.
How healthy am I?
This command tells you if your avatar is healthy or sick. Most avatars are healthy beings, although they occasionally fall prey to strange viruses...
Discussion box
This is the black box located in the top half of your Reno window. In it appears all the word and thought balloons sent from other avatars in the locale; ESP messages; and help messages from the world, Oracles, and Acolytes. The discussion box is scrollable, allowing you to review words and thoughts exchanged in the locale since you entered.
What time is it?
"What time is it?" gives you the time. The Dreamscape time mirrors our Pacific Standard Time on Earth. (Why? I don't know...it just does.) The time will appear in a help message in the discussion box.
Request balance
"Request balance" summons a help message that tells you how many tokens you have in the bank. This command is located on the popup menu of ATMs.
Ghosts!
Your avatar can at will turn into a ghost, which looks like an eye in a cloud in the upper right-hand corner of your locale. As a ghost, your avatar can follow the activities of others and get a sense of what's going on in the world. Also, your interaction with others changes: You can no longer affect people and things in the world, and neither can people and things affect you. Select the command "Dematerialize" on your avatar's popup menu and you will appear in the upper right-hand corner of the window as a ghost. Your ghost's popup menu appears as follows:
"I'm a Ghost!"
Get ghost count
Page...
Tell me about...
When your avatar is not a ghost, and you see the eye in the clouds in the upper right-hand corner of your locale, click on the ghost to get the following popup menu:
"Ghosts!"
Get ghost count
Tell me about...
Materialize
The command "Materialize" turns your ghost back into an avatar (provided that the locale is not too crowded).
Crowded locales
If your avatar enters a locale that already contains eight avatars--some locales can accommodate more, some fewer--he or she will turn into a ghost. When your avatar enters a full locale, a help message will notify you, saying that "Due to crowded conditions, you were turned into a ghost."
How many ghosts are here?
Sometimes a ghost appears in the window even when the locale isn't crowded. This means that one or more avatars are choosing to watch what goes on in that locale instead of participating: One "eye" can represent multiple ghosts! To find out how many avatars are watching as ghosts at any time, summon the popup menu on the ghost and select the command "Get ghost count." A help message will tell you how many ghosts are in that locale.
What ghosts can and can't do
Because of their disembodied form, ghosts have somewhat limited abilities:
Ghosts cannot...
Speak, Think, Gesture, or send ESP
Pick up and manipulate objects
Exchange objects with avatars
Use teleport booths
However, ghost can...
Move from locale to locale like avatars
Receive ESP messages
Watch and listen to what goes on in almost any locale, except for certain private places
Send Pages to avatars and ghosts
Oracles
The Oracles are priests and priestesses of Morpheus. They are here to make your life in Kymer more comfortable and fun! Oracles not only settle disputes between avatars (an Oracle's word is always final), but they also orchestrate adventures, games, and other activities. Because every Oracle wears the robes and hood of Morpheus, they are easily identifiable in a crowd. You can also identify an Oracle by his or her name because it will always contain the title "Oracle."
Acolytes
When the Oracles realized that the avatar population had grown too large for them to tend, they recruited helpers called the Acolytes. If you ever get lost, have a problem with an object, or find yourself unable to solve a dispute with a fellow avatar, call an Acolyte. He or she can help you and, in special circumstances, call an Oracle.
Acolytes wear a crystal on their forehead so that they are identifiable on sight. They also have the title "Acolyte" in their name. But in case you don't see an Acolyte, access the "Help" popup menu in the Main Menu at the top of your Reno window and highlight the command "Page Acolyte." This command tells an available Acolyte where you are and that you need help. You will receive notification that an Acolyte has been contacted. An Acolyte will respond as soon as possible.
Morpheus
And just who is Morpheus? That, my friend, is something you will have to discover on your own...
Things to Do
The following topics describe who your fellow avatars are, how to interact with your environment, and how to get around Kymer:
How do I communicate with people?
How do I get around?
What's going on in town?
How do I buy things?
How do I change my avatar's appearance?
Returning to the Dreamscape
Getting Help
How do I communicate with people?
Avatars communicate in six ways:
Speaking
Thinking
ESP (Extra-Sensory Perception)
Paging
Gesturing
The tool bar--the box at the bottom of your locale--contains command icons for Speaking, Thinking, and ESP. The tool bar also contains the text entry line, which is the empty space where you type messages. Paging and Gesturing commands are found in your avatar's popup menu in the Status> cascading menu. And finally, your mail folder is located in your pocket.
Speaking and Thinking
Your avatar can talk to other avatars and express its thoughts. To talk, first type your message in the text entry line, then click on the Speak icon, which looks like a word balloon. Your message will appear in a word balloon above your avatar's head in the discussion box. The word balloon will be a randomly determined color that may change if you turn into a ghost or move to another locale.
Avatars can also express their thoughts to others. Type your message in the text entry line and then click on the Think icon, which looks like a word balloon with a tail of thought bubbles. Your message will float above your head from thought bubbles. Everyone within your locale, including ghosts, can read your words and thoughts, while avatars and ghosts in other locales cannot.
Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP)
The third command icon on the tool bar is the ESP icon. It looks like a word balloon with no tail. This icon allows you to privately communicate with avatars in either the same locale or other locales. Next to the ESP icon is an editable window with a pulldown arrow. This is called the "ESP window"; it's where you insert the name of the avatar to whom you want to send an ESP message. To send ESP, type your message in the text entry line of the tool bar. Next, enter the recipient's avatar name in the ESP window in the tool bar. You can do this by either:
- Typing the recipient’s name in the ESP window,
- Clicking on the down arrow of the ESP window to get a list of avatars to whom you most recently sent ESPs. Highlight the name and release the mouse button. Or
- Accessing the "Status>" cascading menu on your avatar and selecting the command "Who’s online?" This will summon the ESP/Page dialog box, which has a scrollable list of all avatars that are currently in the Dreamscape, as well as three buttons: "ESP," "Page," and "Cancel." Highlight the name of the desired avatar in the scrollable window, or find the avatar’s name in the list by typing the name in the editable window below. When the name is in the editable window, click on the ESP button in the dialog box to put that avatar’s name in the ESP window of the tool bar. The dialog box will then disappear.
Once you’ve identified the recipient, send the message by clicking on the ESP icon. If that avatar or ghost has turned off ESP, a help message will say, "<That avatar> cannot hear you," where <That avatar> is the intended recipient of your ESP message. You can turn ESP on and off by selecting the appropriate command in the "Status>" menu. Normally, ESP is on, therefore the command Turn ESP off appears in the "Status>" menu.
Only avatars can send ESP messages (i.e., not ghosts) and no one except for the recipient can read your ESP message. When you receive an ESP message, it will appear in a white balloon with a black foreground. The sender’s name will precede the message. And again, no one in your locale can read the ESP message except you.
Gesture>
Are you happy? Are you mad? Then express yourself! On your avatar's popup menu, you'll find "Gesture>". This is a cascading menu that lists gestures your avatar can make.
These include:
1. Smile :-) F2
2. Mope :-( F3
3. Cheer :-D F4
4. Frown ):-( F5
5. Jump |^| F6
6. Wave ~ F7
7. Stomp foot F8
8. Bend over F9
9. Shoulders up ^-^ F10
10. Hand out --~ F11
This list contains both facial and body gestures. To gesture, access the Gesture> cascading menu and select the motion you'd like your avatar to make. Or, type the motion's corresponding function key, which is indicated on the Gesture> cascading menu. Your avatar will immediately make that motion.
Each gesture has an associated "emoticon"--a symbol representing a particular motion and/or emotion--that you can add to your text messages when Speaking, Thinking, or sending ESP. For example, let's say that you want to encourage a fellow avatar:
Hi Danielle! :-D Good luck at the scavenger hunt!
As you type your message in the text entry line and you come to a place where you'd like your avatar to gesture, either access the Gesture> cascading menu or type the corresponding function key. A gesture emoticon will appear in the text wherever the cursor rests. When you send your message, your avatar will make the appropriate gestures in the order that they appear in the word or thought balloon. You may use as many gestures as you desire in your text messages. If you are sending an ESP message, the recipient will see the emoticons in your message but not the gestures.
Your avatar can perform these gestures whenever you like, not just in your messages. At any time, access the "Gesture>" cascading menu or type the corresponding function key and your avatar will perform that gesture. Your gesture template will help you recall which F-keys correspond to which gestures. So, the next time you see your best friend in Kymer, press F2 and smile!
Phantasus offers its inhabitants a person-to-person mailing system, where avatars can mail notes to one another’s pockets. Located in every avatar’s pocket is his or her own personal mail folder. To check your folder for new mail, choose the command Get from pocket... on your avatar’s popup menu and view the folder in the pocket's scrollable window. When the folder contains new mail, a red exclamation point surrounded by gold "shining" marks appears on the folder’s cover. Take the folder from your pocket and hold it in your avatar's hand by double-clicking on the folder. Next, summon the folder’s popup menu by clicking on the folder and holding down the mouse button. The folder has the following popup menu:
"My mail folder"
Read folder contents
Get a blank note
Tell me about...
When you select either of the first two commands, your avatar turns into a ghost. This is so that your avatar doesn’t occupy the limited interactive space within a locale while it’s inactive. Also, dematerializing protects you from being unwantedly affected by people and things in the locale as you try to read your mail.
Tell me about...(mail)
This command will give you the number of messages you currently have in your mail folder. The folder capacity is limited to 100 notes. When the folder is almost full, you will receive a help message saying, "Your folder is almost full. Delete notes so that you can continue to receive mail." To delete a note from the folder, go to the Index page, highlight the desired note, and click on the "Destroy" button. You can also click on the "Destroy" button located on the note itself.
Get a blank note
To write a new note, select the command "Get a blank note" from the mail folder's popup menu. This summons a blank text box with an editable title bar and message body. The same six buttons for reading a note also appear on this blank note, with the "Import" button enabled. After entering up to a page of text, click on "Send" to mail the note.
Read folder contents
To read your mail, select "Read folder contents." A scrollable dialog box will appear with the word "Index" in the title bar. Below are listed the titles of every message (known as "notes") in the mail folder; the most recent notes are at the top. At the bottom of the dialog box are three buttons:
Read Destroy Cancel
You do not need to use the Index to navigate the folder. To page forward through your notes, click on the arrow in the bottom right-hand corner of the text box. To page backward, click on the arrow at the top left-hand corner of the text box. When you can’t page forward or backward any more, the arrow that allows you to do so will disappear. To stop reading notes altogether, click on the "Cancel" button on any page or double-click on the bar in the upper left-hand corner.
Cancel
To stop reading notes altogether, click on the "Cancel" button on any page or double-click on the bar in the upper left-hand corner.
Destroy
Clicking on the "Destroy" button lets you delete either the note you are currently reading or the note whose title is highlighted on the Index page of your mail folder.
Read note
To read a note, highlight the title of the note and click on the "Read" button. This summons a text box with the note’s title in the title bar and the body of the message below. Beneath the text box are six buttons:
Remove Send Export Import Destroy Return to Index
Remove
Clicking on the "Remove" button allows you to take that note from the mail folder and hold it in your avatar’s hand as a single sheet of paper; from here you can hand the note to a friend or put it in a container, and so forth. (If you put this loose sheet of paper back in your pocket, it will go back into the mail folder.)
Send
"Send" lets you either mail a note you’re reading to someone else or deliver a newly composed note. When you click on the "Send" button, a dialog box appears with "To:" followed by a text entry line. Enter the name of the recipient in this line. If you have more than one addressee, follow each name with a comma and no space. For example:
To:Quentin,DarkOverlord,Vaserius_the_Nefarious,Bashful
When you are done addressing the message, hit "Enter" to mail it. Your avatar automatically receives a copy of every message it sends.
If a note cannot be delivered to an avatar, a help message will notify you that, "We could not deliver your mail to <an avatar>," where <an avatar> is the name of the recipient. Deliveries often fail because avatars send messages to old avatar names. So, if you change your name, tell your friends! Otherwise, they won’t be able to send you mail.
Whether you are in the Dreamscape or the waking world, or if your avatar has dematerialized, you can always receive mail. However, you can only access your mail folder if you are in avatar form.
Waking World
The waking world is where you are when you're not in the Dreamscape as an avatar. It's where you are in human form, wherever that may be!
Export
Clicking on the "Export" button allows you to save the text of the note to disk using your normal "Save As" operating system dialog box.
Import
Clicking on the "Import" button lets you import up to 4K (one page) of ascii text using your normal operating system dialog box. This button is disabled (grayed out) when you are reading a note and enabled when writing a note.
Return to Index
Clicking on the "Return to Index" button brings you back to the "Index" page of your mail folder.
Paging
Paging allows both avatars and ghosts to locate friends in the world. When you page another avatar (or ghost), that person receives a help message saying, "<An avatar> is looking for you in <this locale>," where <An avatar> is your avatar’s name, and <this locale> is the name of your current location. You can page in two ways:
- If your avatar is a ghost, choose the command "Page..." on your popup menu. The "Who’s online?" dialog box will appear with the "ESP" button grayed out, leaving the "Page"and "Cancel" buttons enabled. Find the desired recipient's name in the scrollable list of available avatars, highlight that name, and click on the "Page" button. Or, click in the editable window of the dialog box, type the name, and click on the Page button.
- If you are an avatar, select the "Who’s online?" command from your "Status>" cascading menu and procede as in the above example.
When someone pages you, and you are in avatar form, their name appears in the pulldown list of the ESP window in the tool bar.
How do I get around?
Avatars can travel either on foot or by using teleport booths. Walking is cheap and easy, but it takes time to walk from locale to locale. Teleport booths, on the other hand, cost a token to use, but they can move you over long distances very quickly.
If you get lost, you can follow other avatars.
Locales and Realms
The Dreamscape world is divided into locales and realms. A locale is the smallest measure of space in the world, bounded by the edges of your Reno window. Each locale has a name. A realm is a large collection of locales in the world that form a significant geographical location. For example, the island of Kymer is a realm. Are there other realms in the Dreamscape besides Kymer? No one knows for certain...Perhaps you will be the one to find out!
Reno window
This is the window on your PC or Macintosh that is running the Reno program.
Walking
You can walk just about anywhere on the island of Kymer. If you want to move to another place in the same locale, point at the ground or floor and summon the popup menu. Select the command "Walk to here" and your avatar will move to that place. Double-clicking anywhere on the ground will activate the "Walk to here" command, which is the default. You can also choose the command "Walk to" on various objects and avatars to move around the locale.
If you want to leave a locale altogether, point to one of the edges of the Reno window at the ground or the sky. (Remember that your avatar or ghost can usually move north, south, east or west from the locale that it currently occupies.) This will summon a short popup menu:
"Ground/Sky"
Exit--> (or <--Exit, etc., depending on which window edge you point to)
Walk to here
"Exit-->" allows you to move to the next locale, while "Walk to here" allows your avatar to stand at the edge of the window without actually moving to the next locale. If no locale exists beyond the current one, the "Exit" option will not appear on the menu; this means that you cannot move beyond the current locale, at least not in that direction.
Teleporting
Teleporting is much faster than walking when you want to travel over long distances. To use the teleport booth, summon its popup menu and select "Teleport to>". This is a cascading menu that lists several teleport destinations. For example:
"The 1st and Foon Port"
Walk to
Activate booth
Teleport to> Janice & Baz
Tell me about... Plaza NW
Black Forest
Other...
Once you select a destination, your avatar will walk to the booth and climb inside. The machine will automatically take a token from your pocket to pay for the ride. Not all teleport destinations will be listed. Therefore, if you know the name of a teleport booth that does not appear on the menu list, select "Other" and a special text entry line will appear. Enter the teleport booth name in that line and click on the "Teleport" button. You will almost immediately appear at that destination. However, if your destination is too crowded, you will automatically turn into a ghost.
Activate booth
You can put a token in the teleport booth for another avatar without using the booth yourself by choosing the "Activate booth" command.
Following
When finding your way around, it might be easier to follow another avatar to various locations. With that avatar's permission, access his or her popup menu and select the command "Follow." A system message will notify the avatar that you are following him or her. You will automatically follow the leader everywhere he or she goes until you select the command "Stop following" from their popup menu. Also, the leader may stop you from following him or her by:
- Moving too quickly through locales. Unless the leader waits for a follower to appear in the locale he or she has just entered before moving on, the "follow" connection will break.
- Selecting the command "Stop followers" on his or her popup menu.
- Ghosting.
You may follow an avatar while in ghost form if you select "Follow" before dematerializing. However, you may not follow an avatar who is following someone else; the "Follow" command will not appear on the popup menu of followers.
What's going on in town?
The newspaper informs Kymer’s inhabitants of current and upcoming events. Want to know when the next scavenger hunt is scheduled? Or maybe you want to find out what happened in Town Square yesterday? Buy a copy of the newspaper! New editions appear periodically. The most recent edition is located in newsstands all over the city. Just summon the newsstand’s popup menu and select the command “Buy newspaper”. The newsstand will automatically take a token from your avatar’s pocket and a copy of the paper will appear in your hand.
To read the newspaper, hold it in your hand and summon its popup menu:
“Newspaper date”
Read
Tell me about...
If you want to save certain editions of the paper, just select the command "Put newspaper in pocket" on your avatar's popup menu when the paper is in your hand. If you want to throw the paper away, deposit it in any pawn machine.
Read (newspaper)
When you choose the "Read" command on your newspaper, your avatar turns into a ghost, the same as when it reads or writes mail messages. Next, a text box presents an index of the articles in that edition of the paper. In the title bar is the date of the paper. Click on the title of the article you wish to read, and that article will appear in a text box, just as if you were reading mail.
At the bottom of the page of the newspaper article are three buttons: an "Export" button, in case you would like to save this edition to disk; the "Return to Index" button, which takes you back to the "front page"; and the "Cancel" button, which allows you to stop reading the newspaper altogether.
Like your mail folder, you do not need to use the Index to navigate the paper; instead, you can page forward and backward at will (see "Read folder contents".) To stop reading the newspaper, click on the "Cancel" button on the Index page or double-click on the bar in the upper left-hand corner of the text box.
How do I buy things?
Kymer has its own token-based economy. For more information, just click on one of the following topics:
Tokens
ATMs (Automatic Token Machines)
Shops
Vending Machines
Pawn Machines
Tokens
Tokens are the monetary unit of Kymer and each token is stamped with the face of Morpheus. Whether in your hand or pocket, several tokens always appear as a single token.
Using tokens, you can purchase a number of items in the shops of downtown Phantasus. Every day you return to the Dreamscape, you will receive a certain amount of tokens in your bank account. To retrieve those tokens, you must visit your local ATM.
When held in your avatar’s hand, your tokens have the following popup menu commands:
“Tokens (200T)”
Split my tokens
Tell me about...
The number in the title bar (200T) is the total number of tokens your avatar is holding. Your avatar may have more in its pocket. If you want to know how many tokens are in your avatar’s pocket, go to the "Status>" cascading menu in your avatar's popup menu and select the "Tokens in pocket..." command.
If you want to deposit tokens on the ground, in a container, or perhaps in your friend's hand, put tokens in your avatar's hand and select the command "Put some tokens..." on another avatar's or object's popup menu. A dialog box will appear prompting you to enter the number of tokens you wish to "put." The entry defaults to the total number of tokens in hand.
Split my tokens
"Split my tokens..." allows your avatar to retain a certain number of tokens in its hand while the rest return to its pocket. When you select this command, a dialog box will appear asking you to enter the number of tokens you want to hold in your hand. After entering the desired number, click on the "Split" button. This command is particularly useful if you want to give a portion of tokens to a friend, put some tokens in a box, or even drop tokens on the ground.
When your avatar has tokens in hand, the command "Put some tokens..." will appear on other avatars and appropriate objects. This command also summons a dialog box allowing you to enter the desired number of tokens you wish to "put." The entry defaults to the total number of tokens in hand.
ATMs
Located all over Phantasus are ATMs (Automated Token Machines), from which you can withdraw the tokens in your bank account. The ATM's popup menu is as follows:
"ATM #123"
Withdraw tokens...
Deposit...
Request balance
Tell me about...
"Withdraw tokens..."
When you select "Withdraw tokens," a dialog box will appear displaying your account balance, prompting you for the amount you would like to withdraw. Enter the desired number of tokens on the text entry line in the dialog box and click on the "Withdraw" button. Unless you try to withdraw more tokens than you have in your account, the ATM will deposit the correct number of tokens in your hand.
Deposit
When you select "Deposit...," a dialog box appears asking for the number of tokens you wish to deposit into your account. The number in the box's text entry line defaults to the total number of tokens in your avatar’s pocket. If you don’t want to deposit all your tokens, just enter the desired number of tokens in the line and click on the "Deposit" button.
Shops
Shops throughout Phantasus offer all sorts of items for sale. The type of shop determines what kinds of items are in its vending machines. For example, at a florist you can buy bouquets of flowers, and at an art gallery you can buy paintings and sculptures. The NuYu shop is one of the most popular shops in Phantasus. New shops are appearing all the time!
Vending machines
Items are generally sold through vending machines, which are located in shops. To buy an item from a vending machine, summon the machine's popup menu:
"Vending machine (1 of 8/200T)"
Walk to
View next item
Buy this item
Tell me about...
The vending machine title bar tells you which item you are currently viewing and how much that item costs. In this case, "1 of 8" means that Item #1 is now in view out of eight possible selections, and that Item #1 costs 200 tokens (200T).
To scroll through the items in the vending machine, select the command "View next item." If you decide to purchase the current item, summon the menu again and select "Buy this item." The vending machine will take the correct number of tokens from your avatar’s pocket and then deposit the item directly into its hands. If you don’t have enough tokens, a help message will alert you.
When you're finished with an item, you can "recycle" it by selling it back to a pawn machine.
Pawn machines
Any item you buy from a vending machine or newsstand can be sold back to a pawn machine. Pawn machines are located in pawn shops all over Kymer. Pawn machines in the Dreamscape operate somewhat differently than those in the waking world. These pawn machines buy items permanently! So if you want to sell back an item, put the item in your hand and then click on the pawn machine. Summon the popup menu:
"Pawn machine"
Walk to
Evaluate
Sell item
Tell me about...
Evaluate
Select the command "Evaluate" and a help message will tell you how much the item is worth. If the value is agreeable to you, next select the command "Sell item".
Sell item
The "Sell item" command allows the pawn machine to take the item from your hand and deposit the appropriate number of tokens to your pocket.
How do I change my avatar's appearance?
At the NuYu shop, you can choose your avatar’s appearance and sex by selecting from a variety of heads, clothing colors, and accessories. The shop contains several vending machines, each containing a number of items your avatar can wear. Just click on one of the following topics in the NuYu shop:
Heads
Accessories
Gender
Clothing color
Heads
To put on a head, access your avatar's popup menu and choose the command "Wear head." The head that you currently have on will switch places with the one in your hands (or the head in your hand will appear on your shoulders if you're not wearing a head at all). If you don't want to wear a newly purchased head right away, or would like to put away your old head, choose the command "Put head in pocket" on your popup menu.
Accessories
Once you've bought an accessory, select the command "Wear accessory" on your avatar's popup menu, and it will appear on your avatar. Accessories include, but are not limited to, hats, snorkels, glasses, ties, and other items.
Gender
Avatars can change gender at NuYu shops. To change your avatar's gender, enter the Gender Changing Booth--the stall with a glass door--and then access the machine's popup menu:
"Gender Changing Booth" (100T)
Walk to
Enter booth
View other gender
Buy this gender
Exit
Tell me about...
The title bar tells how much it costs in tokens (T) to change your avatar's gender. When you select "Enter booth," your avatar will walk inside the booth, its head appearing above the silver door. The command "View other gender" orders the other gender to appear on the silver door below your head. When you have found a body that you like, choose the command "Buy this gender." The machine will automatically take the appropriate number of tokens from your pocket in exchange for the body and you are free to "Exit."
If you decide you don't want your avatar to change bodies after all, then execute the "Exit" command prior to making a purchase. The machine will then allow you to exit with your original gender.
Clothing color
You can change the color of your hair, eyes, face, limbs, shirt or pants using spray paint. Put the spray paint can in your avatar’s hand; this will add the the "Spray>" cascading menu to your avatar's popup menu. From that submenu, choose which body part you wish to color. For example:
"<Your avatar’s name>"
.
.
Spray> Shirt
Pants
Highlight the body part you wish to paint and release the mouse button. If you click on the can itself, you’ll see a popup menu entitled "Spray paint can" followed by the number of charges left in the can. If the can has 10 charges, that means you can use it 10 times. This number will decrease by one every time you use the spray paint can.
Spray paint cans paint either body parts (hair, eyes, face, skin) or clothing (shirt, pants).
Turfs
Avatars can rent an apartment or house--known in Phantasus as a "turf"--on a monthly basis. As the renter, you alone control who enters this private space. Other avatars cannot enter unless you are present! Your turf is so secure that your avatar can safely store its possessions there.
Home
An avatar's turf is typically its home. If an avatar does not have a turf, then its "home" defaults to a locale somewhere just outside the Promenade (an area which is currently under construction).
Returning to the Dreamscape
When you leave and come back to the Dreamscape, your avatar will return as a ghost to its home. The "Materialize" command on your ghost's popup menu will restore you to avatar form.
Each day that you return to the Dreamscape, your avatar receives additional tokens in his or her bank account. To retrieve these tokens, visit your local ATM.
Getting Help
If you are ever lost or have a problem, the Oracles of Morpheus have devised four ways to assist you. To start, every object and avatar in Kymer has a "Tell me about..." command on its popup menu. This command will give you special information, if any, about that object or avatar. Next, two forms of help reside in the Help popup menu of the Main Menu at the top of your window:
- "Page Acolyte" allows you to call an Acolyte. This command tells an available Acolyte where your avatar is located so that he or she can come to your aide. In the discussion box, you will receive a confirmation message that the Acolyte has received your call.
- "Help" retrieves online help text. You can also get "Help" by pressing F1.
And finally, your avatar will occasionally receive "help messages." These messages appear in the discussion box as white boxes with black lettering, giving responses to your commands. They also give directives from authorities such as Oracles and Acolytes--even the world itself!
If an emergency arises in the Dreamscape, a special help message may appear in a red balloon with white lettering in the discussion box. When you see this type of help message, follow its instructions immediately.
Places to Visit
Places to go, people to see--these are a major part of life on Kymer. The following are places to visit in Phantasus:
Promenade (under construction)
Immigration Office (under construction)
Town square
Private places (under construction)
Shops
The Gate
The Promenade
After disembarking from the Argo, your avatar will enter the Promenade to Phantasus. The first building you'll encounter is a NuYu Shop, where you can change your avatar's appearance. Next you'll find the Immigration Office, where you can officially register your avatar's name. These two buildings enable you to develop your avatar's persona in Kymer.
Your persona is the public image you project to avatar society. It is a combination of your appearance, name, and personality. How you present yourself is up to you. Once in Kymer, you will have additional opportunities to tailor your avatar's persona.
The NuYu Shop
This is a special shop filled with items that allow you to change your avatar's appearance. Feel free to visit one any time you want a new look!
The Immigration Office
As a new citizen of Kymer, you will want to name your avatar so that everyone will know what to call you. The City Scribes in the Immigration Office keep track of who’s who in their Census Book. The book rests on the front desk of the office. To choose your avatar’s name, click on the Book and summon its popup menu:
"Census Book"
Read book
Choose name
Tell me about...
Read book
"Read book" allows you to look at previous signatures and get a sense of what other avatars are naming themselves. When selected, this command brings up a scrollable text box with the last 30 or so signed avatar names. To dismiss the box, just double-click on the bar in the upper left-hand corner.
Choose name
When you have decided upon a name, select Choose name to enter your avatar’s name. A dialog box will appear with a text entry line and two buttons: "Choose this name" and "Cancel." Enter your avatar’s name in the text entry line and click on "Choose this name." Morpheus and his scribes do not allow duplication. So, if you enter a name that someone else already owns, the scribes will notify you with a help message. In this event, just enter another name and click on "Choose this name" until the Scribes accept your choice.
If you bypass the Immigration Office without choosing a name, the scribes will assign your avatar a random name, such as "Newbie123." This is your immigration number, and everyone who sees it will know that you are new to the world. (Your avatar’s name appears in the title bar of his or her popup menu; see Avatars.)
To change your name, visit the Immigration Office located nearby the Town Square in Phantasus. You can change your name there as frequently as you wish. However, the Immigration Office may charge you a number of tokens for doing so (the Scribes must recoup their administrative costs, you see).
Private places
Throughout Phantasus are places to hold private conversations and interactions with one or more other avatars. Certain buildings have rooms with a number on the door. This number indicates how many avatars that room can hold. Once that number of avatars enters the room, the door locks, and no one else can enter. Also, ghosts are not allowed in these rooms. This way you can have private parties and conversations.
Avatars can also rent an apartment or house--known in Phantasus as a "turf"--on a monthly basis. As an owner, you alone control who enters this private space, since other avatars cannot enter unless you are present! Your avatar can safely store its possessions in its turf. Because turfs are currently under construction, ask an Acolyte about acquiring one.
Town Square
The center of Phantasus is Town Square, a common meeting place for avatars, Acolytes, and Oracles alike. The great fountain of Hydra graces the square, offering everyone a refreshing place to gather and talk. Surrounding the square are teleport booths that can take you to other parts of the city.
The Gate
Ah, yes--a nasty, horrid-looking gate stands to the north of Phantasus. No one really knows where the gate came from or why it's here, marring the otherwise beautiful landscape. A few avatars believe that the Oracles know something about the gate, but, when asked, the Oracles deny it. Besides, who would want to open it, anyway...?