===================================DISCLAIMER==================================
I have decided not to allow websites other than Gamefaqs (www.gamefaqs.com),
IGN (faqs.ign.com) & Gamespot (www.gamespot.com) to host my FAQs from now on.
Please don't ask, because I will not grant permission. It's just that too many
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This document Copyright 2004,2017 Daniel Engel
===============================================================================
Return to Ringworld FAQ
November 30, 2017
Daniel (DEngel) Engel
dan.engel.2017 [AT] gmail [DOT] com
###############################################################################
(A) TABLE OF CONTENTS
###############################################################################
Table of Contents
(A) This Table of Contents
(B) Controls
(C) Story
(D) Walkthrough
(E) Database
(F) Experimental
###############################################################################
(B) CONTROLS
###############################################################################
The controls for this game are very simple, as you use the mouse for
everything:
When you right click the mouse a menu appears and you are presented with six
possible commands.
Walk - Used to walk to various locations.
Action - Used to pick up items, or manipulate items and objects.
Look - Used to get greater detail or information on the target area.
Talk - Used to talk with people.
Character - Lets you control a different character in the game.
Game Menu - Menu that has various game options like adjusting sound,
saving/loading games etc. These options are detailed below and can
be activated at any time without going to the game menu, simply
press their corresponding hotkey.
F1 - Displays these hotkeys.
F2 - Save your current game.
F3 - Load a saved game.
F4 - Restarts the game, usually used when you fail the game and have no saves
to return to. Make sure you save often so this doesn't happen.
F5 - Pauses the game.
F6 - Used for adjusting the sound.
F7 - Quits the game and returns you to the DOS prompt.
F8 - Show the credits.
F9 - Adjust the speech & text in the game.
###############################################################################
(C) STORY
###############################################################################
(Taken from the game's into)
"It is a time of peace between Human and Kzin, a tenuous peace nearly shattered
by a recent revelation.
The Kzinti Patriarch received information that centuries ago, during the
Man-Kzin wars. Puppeteers secretly aided the humans.
Insane with rage, the Patriarch decreed that all puppeteers must die. Plotting
Puppeteer extermination, he sent a planet-destroying warship to annihilate the
Puppeteer Fleet of Worlds.
Fortunately, a band of three unlikely companions, Seeker, Miranda, and Quinn,
discovered these plans and determined to thwart them.
In their stolen space craft -- the Lance of Truth -- and with Puppeteer
guidance, our heroes set out to explore Ringworld, searching for technology
that would assist them.
Using artifacts recovered from their expedition, our heroes destroyed the
Kzinti warship with an antimatter explosion.
Meanwhile, another power claims Ringworld as its jurisdiction. The commander
of this force is General Carson Teal.
His flag-ship, The Juggernaut, hovers in space near Ringworld.
Teal: You're certain this information is correct? This transport device -- it
actually exists?
Puppeteer: Yes, General, I've studied it up close.
If everything goes according to plan, you, or shall I say "we," will
soon possess the components necessary to make it operational.
Teal: If this "stepping disk" device (as you call it) does in fact lead to
other worlds, I must gain exclusive control of it.
Puppeteer: Ah... yes... General. But do not forget,
there is another discovery of equal importance that would be most
prudent to investigate.
Teal: The Tnuctipun ship... Yes.
Imagine a perfectly preserved billion year old spaceship.
Sounds like a fascinating antique. The ARM will be pleased with my
discovery.
Puppeteer: Accept it as a token of my good faith.
You will find the ship right where I have indicated.
Teal: I've been curious about something, Webbster.
Puppeteer assistance is never without its price...
What's in this for you?
Puppeteer: My presence on this mission suggests that I am either suicidal
(which I am not) or truthful.
The Experimentalist Hindmost is somewhere on the Ringworld.
I intend to find and retrieve the rightful ruler of my people.
All I ask in return is that you assist me in the recovery.
Man: General Teal, you asked me to inform you when the pilots were ready...
Teal: Very good. Alert the flight deck. I'm on my way.
Tell the communications officer to contact our base on Ringworld and
inform them of my departure.
Man: Yes, General.
Meanwhile, near the Puppeteer Fleet of Worlds..."
###############################################################################
(D) WALKTHROUGH
###############################################################################
Bricklayer J. Gastronomy
-----
Start
-----
Once you get control of the game you should pick up the green stepping disk on
your right. Use the table next and pick up the stasis negator gun inside. Now
leave the room and enter the left door.
Take the purple reader from the shelves and the attractor unit [looks like a
kettle] from the floor, finally take the sensor probe [metal loop] from the
large computer console before leaving the room.
Take the elevator down to level 5, then push the panel that's leaning on the
wall and take the clamp behind it. Take a wire from the bunch sticking out of
the panel near the right door, then enter the left door to reach the Autodoc.
Use the small console at the back of the room to find a comscanner, take it and
exit the room. Use the elevator to go up to the bridge now.
Talk to either Miranda or Seeker, Miranda then tells you about the quantum
drive being in a stasis field as a safety measure. It turns out that you are
also wanted by the Patriarch and the Puppeteers for the theft of the Lance of
Truth, a reward is even offered.
Head for landing bay 2 for now and pick up the cable from the floor when you
get there. Enter the door in the background and take your stunner and some
laser diffusion aerosol from the two small compartments. Take an oxygen tank
from the floor and leave the room.
Use the cable with the attractor unit and use the new item with the hand grip
beside the door. Head right and use the panel on the far right side of the
room, then pick "operate crane" and turn the tractor field on. Now move the
crane all the way right and keep moving it away from you [up] until the harness
rises from the ground, then pick "done" twice to exit this screen.
Use the harness to climb up to the upper floor of this room, then enter the
door on your left to find the stasis field and a security laser. Use the can
of laser diffusion aerosol on the laser to block its shots, then use the clamp
on the laser.
Open the door to destroy the laser, then pick up the empty can that you threw
earlier. Use your comscanner on the help "?" button to adjust its test tone,
then move the slider to the right one space. Use the comscanner on the broken
laser now and use your blaster on the laser to generate a sonic fold and get
rid of the laser diffusion field in the process.
Pick up your comscanner again and turn off the test tone, now you should use
your stasis negator gun on the stasis field but the gun has no power. Use the
sensor probe on the stasis negator gun to remove the drained battery, then use
the sensor probe on the stepping disk to remove the fresh battery. Use the
fresh battery on the stasis negator gun, then use the stasis negator gun on the
stasis field.
Return to the bridge and talk to Seeker and pick "2 What progress has been made
salvaging the astrogation database?". He tells you that the location of
Ringworld was stored in volatile memory and has been lost, then pick "1
Fortunately, I still have the infodisk from Louis Wu.". The disk was implanted
in your body for safekeeping, so it must now be extracted.
Return to the Autodoc on deck 5, then put the reader in the tray on the side of
the Autodoc. Use the green wire with the panel to the left of the tray, then
press the red button to get inside the Autodoc.
Use the advanced procedures button first and the Autodoc will inform you of an
invalid access code, then open the door. Take the reader and return to the
bridge, then talk to Miranda and choose "2 Miranda, I need some assistance with
the autodoc.". She tells you to find a reader, since you already have one give
it to her now. She then programs it for the procedure that you need with her
access code and gives it back to you.
Return to the Autodoc and put the reader in the tray, this time when you press
the advanced procedures button the infodisk will be extracted. Open the door
and press the yellow button to find the infodisk, pick it up and take the
reader again.
Return to your quarters on deck 2 where you started the game and use the
computer. Use the infodisk with the slot on the computer, then choose
"computer services" followed by "iso-opto disk reader" to read the contents of
the infodisk.
"Quinn,
if you are reading this I have disappeared.
Not long ago, I returned from a great hoop-shaped habitat surrounding a star.
I've dubbed this place RINGWORLD.
Ringworld's celestial coordinates are: right ascension: twelve hours, fifty-one
and a half minutes; declination: zero seven degrees, seven decimal seven
minutes, and two hundred one light-years above the mean galactic plane.
This information is my "bargaining chip." I fear that the ARM will have me
killed, so I've secured my safety by threatening to make this information
public.
Somehow you must also warn Chmeee, my kzinti companion on Ringworld. I fear
that because of his involvement, the ARM might try to kill him as well!
This packet also contains a ring which bears the Chmeee family crest. Chmeee
will no doubt need some proof that you are indeed my agent in this matter.
Once in Ringworld space, do not fly over the rim wall to the surface with a
large craft or one that exceeds 4.4 miles per second. This would have the
unfortunate result of triggering the automatic meteor defense system.
Instead, enter through Mount Fist Of God. This is a meteor puncture rising
about a thousand miles above the surface and open to the vacuum of space.
Use deep radar to locate the Great Oval Ocean, a body of water measuring
850,000 miles by 550,000 miles. From the ocean, scan 100,000 miles
anti-spinward to find Mount Fist Of God.
Watch your back,
Louis Wu."
Take the infodisk again and return to the bridge, then give the infodisk to
Seeker so he can enter the location of Ringworld into the ship's computer.
Talk to Seeker to get the ship to then fly to Ringworld.
-----------------
ARM Confrontation
-----------------
Watch as some mysterious race of aliens attacks the canyon people and steals
the ship in stasis that crashed there many years ago. Back on the Lance of
Truth use Quinn's console and pick scan ops, enable active scanning, deep scan,
geographical, then scan up to find Mount Fist Of God.
Seeker and Quinn go to check out what's wrong in the Canyon People's village,
but get ambushed by the mysterious being that attacked the village.
Use your stasis negator gun on the creature to get rid of its stasis field
armour, then use your blaster on the guard to get rid of him. Talk to the
chief until he answers all your questions and dies, then return to the Lance of
Truth.
Ask Miranda's opinion and learn that she recommends scanning for the ARM base,
but advises against active scanning, or deep scanning. So use passive short
range technological scanning to find two vague locations.
After which escape seems to be the best choice, but Miranda asks how. Choose
"3 The most prudent course would be to go back out the way we came in.".
Once you land on the space port ledge a new set of choices appear, choose "3 We
would still be easily detected by a scan from space.". Seeker then says he'll
meet you at the airlock, so head there on landing bay 2 now.
Use the panel on the wall until you find a suit that's made for a human male,
then use your oxygen tank with the suit. Get in the suit and open the airlock
to leave the Lance of Truth.
------------
General Teal
------------
Walk around until General Teal boards the Lance of Truth, Teal plans to return
the Lance of Truth to the ARM, take Miranda with him and leave you and Seeker
on the space port ledge.
Pick up the radar mechanism once you have control of Quinn again, then switch
to Miranda.
Pick up the pillow and the light bulb above the toilet, then use the pillow on
the toilet and switch back to Quinn.
Talk to Seeker to find out that you should probably look for debris to help you
escape the space port ledge. Walk down to the wall below you and go right
around it, then use the scan button on Quinn's comscanner to find the following
items:
Joystick, guidance control module, navigation gyro, fuel cell, battery, airbag,
functional diagnostics display.
The battery is found in the communications dish, just climb up and use the
controls to fold it down, then press the red button to get to the top before
taking the battery from the dish.
You can find the navigation gyro, airbag & functional diagnostics display in
the bottom left wrecked ship, ignore the other three wrecked ships [they show
up as 2x1 blips on the comscanner] as they have nothing.
Then head for the ship with the hull intact, it looks like a star on your
comscanner.
The guidance control module goes at the very front of the ship, the navigation
gyro also goes close to the front of the ship. The radar mechanism also goes
near the front of the ship, then the fuel cell goes in the panel near the back
of the ship.
Use the black hatch on the front of the ship to get inside, then open the
storage compartment on the right to find a thruster control valve and spare
igniter. Put your joystick in the hole at the bottom and take the broken
display before leaving the ship.
Put the two new items in the compartments on the wing of the ship, then put the
battery in the last slot.
Put the functional diagnostics display in the ship and get both characters
inside before using the joystick to finally leave this place.
-------
The Rim
-------
Once your ship lands you need to use your scanner and follow the arrow as you
walk up or down MANY screens (it gets pretty boring here) until you eventually
find a vehicle on your right.
Enter it and pay attention to the controls and readouts inside. The two main
screens at the top show the view ahead and behind you, you can ignore the 6
green circular lights. The circular display on their left gives an overhead
view of your location on the tracks. The switch above the red button lets you
go forward when you pick the top option, or backwards if you pick the bottom.
The red button is used for leaving the vehicle or an emergency stop. Finally
the red lights warn you of an elevator nearby, and the slider on the right
controls your speed.
Basically go full speed until the red lights start to light up, then slow down
until one of the top two red lights is lit, finally watch the overhead view for
the elevator on your left, then exit the vehicle. If you went above the
elevator then keep walking down screens until you reach it, if you went below
the elevator, then walk up to reach it. Either way it should only take ~2-4
screens of walking to reach it.
When the path opens up to your left you are on the right screen, so go left
here. Try to open the elevator doors with Seeker, get back in the vehicle if
it doesn't work and go to the next elevator.
Once you find an elevator that you can get open, do so with Seeker and use
Quinn to activate the panel inside while he holds the doors open. This deploys
some stairs that you should use to reach the passenger elevator.
You find a robot inside, use Seeker to lift it slightly and get Quinn to use
the airbag on the robot. Use your oxygen tank on the airbag to inflate it,
then press the button on the wall to finally knock the robot over.
Use the computer console and press the second button [from the left] followed
by the third button.
-------
Miranda
-------
Miranda is trapped in some chair, while General Teal threatens her. Choose "3
Oops! How clumsy of me." to knock the drink over, then when he leaves for a
moment take the wire near your hand.
---------------
Spill Mountains
---------------
You and Seeker faint and wake up somewhere else, wear the parka that's hanging
up when you wake up. Then talk with the Caretaker until he leaves, you then
meet with Astor Pharisha. His people have been under attack from the ARM and
he requests that Quinn look into the matter further.
Exit the room the way you came in and head left until you reach a bridge, use
the bridge and go right to the second door. Use the crank inside before
leaving the room and returning across the bridge.
Go right and enter the first door that you come to, then take the air tank
twice to finally get it. Leave the room and go right a screen before walking
down the stairs there, then go left until you reach the bridge and cross it.
Go right until you reach the stairs, then walk down them. Continue right until
you reach a door and enter it, then use the oxygen tank with the stopcock to
fill it with helium. Leave the room and go right to the balloon, then use the
helium tank with the balloon to get the flute and start a little minigame.
You start out with the balloon moving clockwise around the area at maximum
altitude. As soon as you pass the top right corner quickly lower your altitude
three times, the balloon then starts to travel up for a bit before heading
left. When it starts to travel down raise the altitude one level, the balloon
then travels up. When it starts to travel left lower the altitude to land
safely.
If you mess this up at any time simply wait for the balloon to reach maximum
altitude and try again.
Once on the ground follow the directions indicated on your comscanner to find
the forest.
----------
The Forest
----------
Use the flute on yourself and Nej will attack you for a short period before
calming down. Follow Nej right and use your stunner on the guard there to take
his clothes. Wait in the ARM outpost and a guard will show up to take over
your shift, you make your way to the ARM base in his vehicle.
------
Seeker
------
Switch to Seeker at this point and exit the room, then walk down the stairs on
your left. Enter the door on your left, then take the oil lamp on the right
side of the room and the gunpowder from the post. Exit the room and cross the
bridge to your left, then enter the door on your right and take another oil
lamp.
Exit the room and walk down the stairs on your right, then enter the door on
your right and take the glass dome on your left. Exit the room and walk up the
stairs on your right, then cross the bridge on your right.
Enter the door on your right and use the rope with Seeker to go safely down the
hole. Use the lamp and the glass dome with the pool, then pick up the key and
use exit the hole.
Leave the room and cross the bridge on your left, then walk down the stairs on
your left. Continue left and walk up the stairs, then cross the bridge on your
left. Walk up the stairs on your right, then enter the door on your left.
Take the face mask on your left and leave the room, then cross the bridge on
your left. Enter the second door on your right and take the alcohol on your
right, then leave the room.
Use the face mask with the alcohol and go right to the elevator, open the left
door and climb down the ladder to the bottom. Use the gunpowder with the ice
here and use the lamp with the gunpowder to reveal a door.
Enter the door and use the key with the door on your right, then use the mask
on yourself and enter the door on your right.
Head right past the ladder to a doorway, then enter it and go left. Use your
stunner on the vampire here and head right until you reach another vampire.
Shoot the vampire until it dies and go right another screen.
Go down here and left after, then go up the ladder followed by left for another
vampire to kill. Go right and back down the ladder, then go right before going
up.
Head left until you can go down, then go down before going left a screen.
Climb the ladder and go left, then enter the door and go right for another
vampire.
Go right one more screen for the next vampire, then go right and up the ladder.
Go right and down another ladder, then right again and through the doorway.
Head down the ladder and left, then go through the doorway and right before
going through another doorway.
Climb the ladder here and go down a screen, then climb another ladder and head
left for a vampire. Head left a screen for the next vampire, then go left
before taking the ladder down.
Enter the doorway and go down the ladder before heading left for a vampire.
Head left and climb the ladder twice to the very top, then go right before
going down through the gap. Climb down the ladder and go down, then go right
and climb down the ladder. Finally go left to find another vampire to kill.
Go left to meet the next vampire, then go left and climb the ladder before
entering the doorway. Climb up the ladder and go right, then go down through
the gap. Head left and go down through two gaps, then head right and go
through the doorway.
Head right for a vampire, then continue right and go down through the gap.
Head right for another vampire, then go left until you reach yet another
vampire.
Head left and enter the second door, then enter the door beyond it. Head right
until you reach a vampire, then continue right for another vampire.
Head right and go down the ladder, then go right before going through the door.
Go through the next door and down the ladder beyond, then go left a screen.
Head through the gap and go left for a vampire, then continue left for another
vampire.
Head right and enter the door, then go all the way up the ladder and head right
for the last vampire.
Head left to reach a machine, then use the keypad on the machine. Press every
button on the pad to disable the containment field, then pick up the gem from
the machine and take a scroll from those on your left.
Now you need to work your way out of this maze, so go right first and take the
ladder all the way down. Head right and climb another ladder, then head down
through a pair of gaps. Go left and climb a ladder, then go left and enter the
first door that you come to.
Go left and down a ladder, then go down through the gap and climb down another
ladder. Go right until you reach a ladder, then climb it and go left a screen.
Enter the door and climb the ladder, then enter another door and head left a
screen.
Climb all the way down the ladder and go right until you reach another ladder,
climb it and go down through the gap, then climb another ladder and go right
until you reach a ladder.
Climb down the ladder and enter the door, then climb down another ladder and go
down through the gap. Head left and enter the gap, then go right and climb the
ladder.
Enter the gap and go left, then climb the ladder and go left. Climb another
ladder here and head left until you reach a gap, then enter the gap and go
right a screen.
Climb down the ladder and head left until you're out of this area, then climb
up the large ladder and return to the outdoors.
Head left until you reach a bridge, then cross it and head right four screens.
Enter the door and use the gem with the man here, he will give it back to you.
Finally use the scrolls with the man and take control of Miranda.
-----------------
Miranda Revisited
-----------------
Take the food tray and put it in the toilet, then use the wire that you stole
earlier with the empty light socket above the toilet. Flush the toilet to get
rid of the guard, then leave your cell.
Head left past cell 6 and open the door beyond, then take the laser hacksaw
from the toolbox near the top of the screen and return to your cell.
Use the laser hacksaw on the vent in the back right corner of the room, then
open the laser in the bottom right.
Set the lasers so they look like this to get past the first set:
O-O-O
O-O O
Head right and go all the way up when you can, then go right for another set of
lasers.
Set the lasers so they look like this to get past the second set:
O-O-O
|
O O O
Go all the way right and up to the branch, take the right path to the final set
of lasers.
Set the lasers so they look like this to get past the final set:
O O-O
| |
O O O
Head right and look through the vent below you until the scientists leave for
dinner, then open the vent and open the door on your right. Ignore the bodies
for now and use the computer console on your right to bring the bodies to life
and escape with Quinn, Seeker and a Puppeteer stowaway known as Webbster.
Webbster seems very happy with the gem that Seeker found earlier and insists on
navigating through the Flup Tube System to reach the map room.
----------------
Flup Tube System
----------------
First move the white slider all the way down to stop, then move it up one notch
to fly at the slowest speed possible. Now you can use the arrow keys on the
keyboard or the red buttons in the ship to steer. Basically left rotates the
ship counterclockwise and right rotates it clockwise.
Fly all the way up to the top, then go all the way left. Head up as far as you
can go, then go left to the wall. Head down to the bottom and go left to the
wall, then go down to the bottom. Head right to the wall and start going down,
then take your first right all the way to the wall. Head all the way up and go
right a little bit before going down to the bottom. Head right to the wall and
start to go down, then take the first path right to the wall. Go up to the top
and go right to the wall, then go down to exit the Flup Tube System.
----------
Final Area
----------
Open the door in front of you and open a second door beyond it, then work your
way around the next room and open a set of doors.
General Teal is waiting for you and he secures the mysterious gem from Seeker
before teleporting everyone to some other location. He then uses the gem and
waits for its power to show itself, at this point a ghoul-protector comes and
kills him.
All there is left to do at this point is walk into the bright patch of light
and watch the ending to the game.
###############################################################################
(E) DATABASE
###############################################################################
There is a database within the game (accessible from any similar computer
terminal on your ship) that lists many terms and topics within the game and
gives you background information on them. This database has been reproduced
here in case you're interested.
-----
Alien
-----
Any intelligent non-hominid.
----------
Antimatter
----------
Matter whose atoms are composed of positively charged electrons and negatively
charged protons. Should antimatter and matter encounter each other, the result
is complete annihilation as both are instantaneously converted to energy.
---
ARM
---
Acronym for Amalgamated Regional Militia. The United Nations special police
force involved in monitoring alien-human affairs and high technology.
-------------
Attitude Jets
-------------
Small reaction motors for adjusting a spacecraft's orientation.
-------
Autodoc
-------
Within their capability, these medical devices automatically diagnose and treat
injury and illness. Advanced procedures can be activated by using a standard
reader device containing technical specifications for the autodoc. It must be
connected to the autodoc to enable the advanced features.
-------------
Bandersnatchi
-------------
A huge, sentient slug-like creature created long ago by the Tnuctipun,
originally engineered as food animals but secretly given intelligence to spy on
the Slavers.
----
Belt
----
The asteroid belt of Sol System.
------
Belter
------
A citizen of the Belt.
--------------------
Birthright Lotteries
--------------------
Puppeteer-manipulated experiment in human engineering that set up lotteries for
the right to breed. The random drawing guaranteed a flatlander the right to be
a parent regardless of the state of his or her genes or social conduct. Only
the luckiest flatlanders could breed, selecting successive generations of
luckier humans -- or so the Puppeteers thought.
----------
Blind Spot
----------
A disturbing perceptual phenomenon experienced during hyperspace flight.
Prolonged viewing may cause insanity in humans.
------------
Boosterspice
------------
A drug neutralizing the aging process in humans. Most users maintain the
apparent age they had when they began boosterspice treatment. A single dose
lasts about 25 years. Boosterspice became available around 2425, synthesized
from a native ragweed on Jinx. Originally, boosterspice was rare and
fantastically expensive -- only a handful of humans could afford treatment.
--------
Breeders
--------
The second stage in the life cycle of Pak and other hominid species. Human
beings Normally spend their adult lives arrested in this phase of development
since tree-of-life root, the biological agent which triggers third stage
growth, is unavailable.
-------------
Bussard, R.W.
-------------
Pre-fusion era Earth physicist who originated the theory of the interstellar
ramjet.
------
Canyon
------
A former Kzinti world annexed by humanity at the end of the third Man-Kzin war.
Its one habitable region is a long, deep canyon gouged by the Wunderland
Treatymaker.
--------
Cetacean
--------
General term for Dolphins, Sperm Whales, and Orcas; the order of marine animals
to which those species belong.
-------------------
Cetacean Rights Act
-------------------
Passed in 2017, this act granted full human rights to all sentient cetaceans.
-------
Comdisc
-------
Compact, hand carried, disk-shaped communicator often linked to a ship's
computer.
---------
Com-Laser
---------
Any laser communication beam or device; standard shipboard equipment.
----------
Comscanner
----------
An all-purpose, hand-held device providing communication and short range
scanning capabilities. A typical comscanner also has a self-diagnosis program
that includes a test tone for audio testing purposes. Comscanners
automatically interface with intercom systems of ships and vacuum suit helmets
unless jammed.
-----------
Crashlander
-----------
A native of the planet We Made It.
----------
Deep Radar
----------
Pulsed-neutrino system for viewing the internal structure of material objects;
strongly reflected by stasis fields and collapsed matter.
--------
Dolphins
--------
Sentient Cetacean species native to Earth. Dolphins have colonized the oceans
of several human worlds.
----
Down
----
Formerly a Kzinti world and home world of the Grogs.
-----
Droud
-----
A small device that plugs into the skull of a current addict. It meters the
electrical flow to the pleasure center of the addict's brain.
--------
Far Look
--------
A hypnotic condition experienced by sentient beings who continually stare into
the depths of outer space from spaceships.
---------------
Fertility Board
---------------
A subsection of the United Nations which makes and enforces birth control laws.
----------------
Flashlight Laser
----------------
A powerful, adjustable-beam hand-held laser.
----------
Flatlander
----------
A human from Earth, usually one that has never been in space.
---------------
Fleet of Worlds
---------------
The five Puppeteer planets journeying toward the Magellanic Clouds to escape
the radiation created by the galactic core explosion.
--------
Flycycle
--------
A one-seated flying vehicle designed by the General Products Corporation.
------
Fusion
------
The process by which the nuclei of light elements (usually isotopes of
hydrogen) unite to form heavier nuclei, releasing tremendous amounts of energy.
-------------
Galactic Core
-------------
The dense, star-cloud at the center of most galaxies. In the Milky Way galaxy,
the cloud is 7000 light years across and its nucleus is nearly 30,000 light
years from Known Space. The Milky Way's core was discovered by the Puppeteers
to be undergoing a cataclysmic explosion, sending out waves of deadly radiation
that will engulf Known Space in 20,000 years.
----------------
General Products
----------------
A large, Puppeteer-owned company that once dominated interstellar trade in
Known Space and beyond. This commercial empire collapsed when nearly the
entire race of Puppeteers left Known Space.
----------------------
General Products Hulls
----------------------
These unique spacecraft hulls are the ultimate in safety. Guaranteed
impervious under normal operating conditions, they are vulnerable only to
lasers and antimatter explosions. Most are transparent to visible light. GP
hulls come in four basic types and are further customized by the user.
-----------------
Gravity Polarizer
-----------------
A sub-light space drive widely used by the Kzinti before the advent of
thrusters; still found in older Known Space spacecraft.
------------
Gravity Well
------------
A local distortion of space-time due to the presence of any massive object,
such as a star or planet. See also Singularity.
-----
Grogs
-----
An intelligent alien race native to Down, in human space. Grogs are telepathic
-- able to influence the minds and control the bodies of most animals, aliens,
and humans. Fortunately, they are friendly.
-------------
Hero's Tongue
-------------
The native language of Kzin. To most humans the speech sounds like a rapidly
spit-out string of insults, replete with screams, snarls, growls, and atonal
inflections. Quieter expressions range from sharp, barely-audible single
syllables to low, muted, furry rumblings.
--------
Hindmost
--------
A Puppeteer ruler; also the Puppeteer term for the leader of any group.
----
Home
----
An Earth-like human colony world. In the 24th century, the inhabitants were
mysteriously wiped out by an unknown phenomenon. It has since been
repopulated.
-------
Hominid
-------
All creatures directly or indirectly evolved from Pak breeders. Humans are
hominid.
-----------
Human Space
-----------
That volume of space occupied by stars with major human colony worlds; a
portion of Known Space about 40 light years across.
----------
Hyperdrive
----------
The propulsion system used extensively by Known Space species to cross
interstellar distances faster than the speed of light. Quantum I, the most
accessible hyperdrive rate, is three days to the light year.
---------
Hyperwave
---------
A nearly instantaneous form of communication which works over interstellar
distances but only outside the gravity wells of suns.
------------
Impact Armor
------------
Flexible, leathery, personal armor which stiffens upon strong impact and
distributes the blow equally to all portions of the armor. Commonly worn as
clothing in risky environments. It does not protect against beam weapons,
radiation or poisonous gas.
-----------------
Inertialess Drive
-----------------
An extremely sophisticated version of the reactionless drive which limits the
buildup of relativistic mass during acceleration; used by Outsiders and
Puppeteers.
----------------------
Institute of Knowledge
----------------------
The major research lab and think tank in Known Space.
----------
Interworld
----------
Originally a rudimentary tongue for human convenience in times of military
emergency, the Interworld language grew steadily in sophistication, finally
becoming the accepted interspecies language throughout Known Space.
----
Jinx
----
One of the oldest, most populous human colony worlds.
--------
Kdaptist
--------
Heretical Kzinti religious cult that believes God made mankind in His image,
not Kzinti.
-----------------------
Kdatlyno [k'DAT-lie-no]
-----------------------
Once the slaves of the Kzinti, this race of massive nightmarish aliens is blind
to visible light but has sensitive acoustic sonar. They are well-known for
their touch-sculptures, an exotic art form valued throughout Known Space.
-----------
Known Space
-----------
That volume of interstellar space explored by humanity's alien neighbors.
Known Space is about 80 light years in diameter. Human Space is a portion of
Known Space.
------------------
Kzinti [k'ZIN-tee]
------------------
Large, cat-like alien carnivores who dream of conquering the universe. Their
interstellar empire once came close to engulfing Known Space.
------
Lander
------
General name for a ground-to-orbit craft designed to land on the surface of a
planet. Most landers are not equipped with hyperdrive.
---------
Long Shot
---------
The first Quantum II hyperdrive starship, piloted by Beowulf Shaeffer to the
galactic core, and by Louis Wu to the Puppeteer Fleet of Worlds.
------
Maglev
------
Magnetic levitation.
-----------------
Magellanic Clouds
-----------------
The major satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. The destination of the
Puppeteer Fleet of Worlds.
-------------
Man-Kzin Wars
-------------
A series of interstellar conflicts, including four wars and many major
incidents, spanning 300 years from the mid-24th to the mid-27th centuries.
With the help of Puppeteer intervention, all wars were won by humans.
--------------
Mass Indicator
--------------
In hyperspace flight, a device for detecting singularities. Also mass sensor,
mass pointer.
-------------
Memory Bubble
-------------
Information storage units used by Known Space computers.
------
Nereid
------
Neptune's smaller moon; the site of the Outsider base in Sol system.
--------
Neutrino
--------
Elusive, almost massless sub-atomic particle that travels just below
light-speed, to which normal matter is transparent.
----------
Neutronium
----------
Collapsed matter having the density of a neutron star.
------------
Normal Space
------------
Space-time continuum described by Einsteinian relativity; the physical laws of
which all sub-light spacecraft must obey.
----------
Offworlder
----------
A person not native to the world he or she currently inhabits. Used
pejoratively, especially by flatlanders.
----
Orca
----
Largest of the sentient species of Cetaceans; native to Earth.
----------
Organ Bank
----------
Repository of human (or alien) organs and limbs for purposes of transplant.
---------
Outsiders
---------
An advanced alien race from beyond Known Space, Outsiders are fragile beings
adapted to life in the cold interstellar void. Outsiders travel from the
galactic core to the tips of the spiral arms at sub-light speeds, often
following starseeds. They trade in information and technology.
---
Pak
---
A race of warlike, xenophobic hominids native to an Earth-like world in the
galactic core. Their life-cycle has three stages: childhood, breeder, and
protector (the protector stage is initiated by eating a virus contained in
tree-of-life root).
----------
Patriarchy
----------
The Kzin government; also, the Kzinti families with highest status, equivalent
to royalty, whose names bear the -Rift suffix.
---------
Pheromone
---------
Hormonal biochemicals that stimulate species-specific physiological or
behavioral responses.
------
Plasma
------
Super-heated, ionized gas such as that found in a solar flare or fusion
reactor.
-------
Plateau
-------
Major human colony world in the Tau Ceti system. Its habitable surface area is
limited to the upper slopes of an immense mountain, Mount Lookitthat, which
forms a maze of plateaus above the planet's hot, dense lower atmosphere.
------------
Plateau Eyes
------------
A limited psionic ability found in some natives of Plateau, giving them strange
hypnotic powers.
--------------
Plateau Trance
--------------
A hallucinatory trance state of autohypnosis induced by long looks down into
the swirling void mists off the edges of Plateau. A group of religious
clairvoyants living on Plateau trace visions of Mist Demons contacted through
Plateau Trance. They claim the demons live in the poisonous lower depths of
the planet's surface.
---------
Protector
---------
The third stage in the life-cycle of the Pak, triggered by eating tree-of-life
root. A virus in the root causes a metamorphosis, turning the hominid into a
strong and cunning armored warrior with one motivation -- to protect the lives
of its bloodline descendants.
--------
Psionics
--------
The science of direct mind/machine interface; also certain mental powers
controlled by mechanisms in the brain's right parietal lobe, innaccessible to
the conscious minds of most humans.
----------
Puppeteers
----------
An advanced alien species of two-headed, tripedal herbivores that once
dominated interstellar trade in Known Space and beyond. Nearly all Puppeteers
have embarked on an exodus from Known Space, fleeing the radiation front of the
galactic core explosion.
--------------------
Quantum I Hyperdrive
--------------------
Commonly used in Known Space, the Quantum I travels at the first quantum rate
of hyperspace travel, three UNS days to the light year.
---------------------
Quantum II Hyperdrive
---------------------
A hyperdrive immensely faster than the Quantum I hyperdrive, it achieves the
second quantum rate of hyperspace travel, 1.25 minutes per light year. The
Quantum II unit is enormous, barely fitting within a GP No. 4 hull.
--------
Ramrobot
--------
Unmanned ramscoop exploration craft.
--------
Ramscoop
--------
The conical electromagnetic field of a fusion ramship which accumulates
interstellar hydrogen fuel; also the toroids which generate such a field.
-------
Ramship
-------
Starships that use magnetic fields to gather interstellar hydrogen, directing
the gas into a fusion chamber which powers the ship. Although unable to exceed
the speed of light, ramships often travel close to light-speed and experience
pronounced relativistic effects.
--------------
Reaction Drive
--------------
Any propulsion system which produces thrust by emitting a photon beam or
expelling mass at sub-light velocities.
------------------
Reactionless Drive
------------------
Any sub-light propulsion system which does not eject a stream of matter (or
photons) to produce thrust, such as a gravity polarizer or a thruster.
------------
Relativistic
------------
Of or pertaining to velocities close to the speed of light; also phenomena
which occur at such velocities, such as time dilation.
-----------------
Shaeffer, Beowulf
-----------------
Crashlander pilot hired by the Puppeteers to test fly the first Quantum II
hyperdrive ship to the edge of the galactic core in the 27th century;
discovered the core radiation front.
----------
Sea Statue
----------
Popular name for the first alien discovered on Earth, a Slaver (Thrint) in
stasis.
-----------------------
Sinclair Molecule Chain
-----------------------
An extremely tough, thin monofilament developed for use in ramship tow cables.
-----------
Singularity
-----------
A discontinuity in hyperspace caused by a gravity well in normal space.
-------
Slavers
-------
An ancient race of powerfully telepathic aliens, the Thrintun. Their ability
to control other sentient beings allowed them to create a vast interstellar
empire. They were wiped out in a galaxy-wide war with rebellious slave races.
-------------------
Slaver Stasis Boxes
-------------------
Valued artifacts from the great ancient war between the Thrint and their slave
races; stored in containers protected by stasis fields for safekeeping. Some
of these boxes have been found by Known Space races. Their contents have
included valuable and exotic technical items which have revolutionized the
civilizations of Known Space.
--------------------
Slaver Disintegrator
--------------------
Commonly used as a mining tool, this device also makes a powerful weapon. It
suppresses the charge on the electron in normal matter.
---------------
Sleeping Plates
---------------
Widely-used substitute for beds, sleeping plates produce a gentle, contoured,
zero G field usually designed to comfortably accommodate two occupants.
--------
Slowboat
--------
Early human interstellar craft which carried its own fuel. Used before the
development of safe ramships.
-----------
Solar Flare
-----------
A tremendous outburst of charged particles which erupts with the power of
billions of nuclear bombs. Most stars flare unpredictably.
---
Sol
---
Earth's sun, a non-variable, yellow-white star, spectral type G.
----------
Sonic Fold
----------
A standing acoustic shock wave capable of stopping incoming low frequency
vibration and diverting kinetic resistance and shock. A sonic fold can be
produced by having two diverse sound sources, like a sonic blaster and the test
tone of a typical comscanner, pointed at each other. A sonic fold cannot be
used within 25 meters of a laser diffusion field as both will fail.
-------------
Spectral Type
-------------
Standard classification system for stars based on temperature, size,
composition, and other factors.
----------
Stage Tree
----------
Tnuctipun-engineered plant which grows a solid-fuel rocket core, a relic of the
Slaver empire; found on some Known Space worlds.
---------
Starseeds
---------
Huge, mindless life-forms which migrate from the galactic core to the tips of
the spiral arms, often followed by Outsider ships.
--------------
Starseed Lures
--------------
A device which causes a star to emit signals attracting starseeds; said to have
been invented by the Puppeteers.
-------------
Stasis Fields
-------------
Stasis fields are time-retarding fields. Items emerging from stasis boxes
after billions of years appear to have been stored only seconds before. Stasis
fields have a perfectly reflective, shiny surface nearly invulnerable to
outside damage.
--------------
Stepping Disks
--------------
An advanced teleportation system designed and used by Puppeteers, comprised of
flat, open disks. When one steps onto a transmitter disk, one is immediately
transported to the next receiver disk.
--------------
Superconductor
--------------
A substance offering nearly zero resistance to the flow of electric current;
electronic devices incorporating superconductors can be extremely compact and
efficient.
----
Tanj
----
Slang acronym formed from "There Ain't No Justice." An expletive.
----
Tasp
----
A device to render threatening opponents completely helpless. The tasp fires
an inductance beam which stimulates the pleasure center of the brain, creating
an instant feeling of total and pure joy, ecstasy. Enough exposure to the tasp
causes addiction, making the victim an unwitting slave. Puppeteers usually
carry a tasp surgically implanted along one of their necks.
--------------
Thallium Oxide
--------------
A black, toxic, water-soluble powder which, as a soil additive, is necessary to
the growth of a symbiotic virus in tree-of-life plants.
-------------
Time Dilation
-------------
A relativistic effect which becomes important at velocities just below the
speed of light. Shipboard time slows appreciably with respect to the rest of
the universe.
------
Thrint
------
The slavers' name for their own species.
--------
Thruster
--------
A reactionless drive that has replaced the fusion drive in most of Known Space.
Fusion engines are still used on warships. Though a spacecraft may be equipped
with a hyperdrive, it must also have another drive with which to enter and exit
the gravity wells of stars and planets.
----------------------
Tnuctipun [NUK-ti-pun]
----------------------
A mysterious, ancient, alien race of biological engineers and advanced
technologists who led the rebellion against the Slavers.
----------------
Total Conversion
----------------
Technique utilizing 100% matter-to-energy transformation for generating power.</pre><pre id="faqspan-2">
Though not now possessed by any species in Known Space, the secret may once
have been discovered by the Tnuctipun.
------
Toroid
------
Large, doughnut-shaped, electromagnetic loop used to generate ramscoop fields;
also general term for any vaguely doughnut-shaped structure.
---------------
Transfer Booths
---------------
A teleportation system used by humans and some other species of Known Space.
Transfer booths are about the size and shape of enclosed 20th century phone
booths. To use a transfer booth, one enters the booth, closes the door, and
punches up the coordinates of the desired destination. Teleportation is nearly
instantaneous.
------------
Tree-Of-Life
------------
The plant whose root triggers the transformation of hominid breeders into
protectors. It emits a strong smell which younger hominids find unpleasant,
but which hominids over the age of 40 find irresistible.
------
Tridee
------
General term for mass market holographic imaging devices.
----------------
Trinoc [TRY-nok]
----------------
A methane-breathing alien species of Known Space.
---
UNS
---
United Nations Standard. All UNS time measurements are Earth-relative.
--------------
Variable Sword
--------------
A hand weapon with a variable blade of fine wire, protected and made rigid by a
stasis field. A glowing red ball marks the extended tip of the wire/blade.
----------
We Made It
----------
A human colony world in the Procyon star system, 11.3 light years from Earth.
--------
Wirehead
--------
Current addicts are known as wireheads. Such a person has had a wire
surgically implanted on the back of his or her head. This wire connects
directly with the pleasure center of the brain. Using a transformer known as a
droud, a wirehead plugs himself into a current source and directly stimulates
the brain's pleasure center, bringing uncontrolled bliss.
---------
Wu, Louis
---------
First human to establish informal contact with the Trinoc.
----------
Wunderland
----------
A human world in the Alpha Centauri system, the nearest colony to Earth, 4.3
light years distant. Wunderland is the longest-established human colony world
with a light gravity and benign climate (and a history of political turmoil).
----------------------
Wunderland Treatymaker
----------------------
An awesome weapon; an enormous dual-beam charge suppression device, a gigantic
version of the Slaver disintegrator, built on Wunderland and transported to
Canyon. It was fired only once (at the end of the third Man-Kzin War).
--------
Xenology
--------
A general term for the study of aliens, alien cultures, and alien technologies.
============
PERSONAL LOG
============
Here is a detailed log of the events (accessible from any similar computer
terminal on your ship) leading up to this game [most of which took place in
the previous game: Ringworld: Revenge of the Patriarch] written from the point
of view of Quinn. For anyone that felt the plot of the first game wasn't
explained very well, this section should solve that problem.
----------
2892.08.17
----------
This morning, on W'kai Rift, I met with Iaach-Captain, a kzin of Chmeee's
family. I confirmed my identity by presenting his father's ring. Then I told
him about the message from his father's companion, Louis Wu.
As a precautionary measure against overzealous Kzin or ARM agents, I had the
infodisk surgically implanted just before I left for W'kai Rift. One never
knows when the information on that infodisk will come in handy.
We discussed the rumor that the Patriarch plans to annihilate the Puppeteers.
Iaach agreed that such an aggressive act would indeed result in another
Man-Kzin war, ending centuries of galactic peace. While we talked, Patriarchy
assassins broke in, killing Chmeee's family. We narrowly escaped.
We hijacked a starship being built for exploration under UN-Kzin cooperation.
She is a hyperdrive ship capable of matching the speed of the Kzinti Destroyer
sent to annihilate the Puppeteer Fleet of Worlds.
When Iaach and I came on board, we met with resistance from Miranda Rees, an
engineer who was working on the ship. We had to stun her in order to launch,
but later convinced her to join us by disclosing the Patriarch's orders for
Puppeteer genocide.
Our ship is completely unarmed. We narrowly escaped the orbital guard as we
fled W'kai Rift for Ringworld. Hopefully, we'll find something on Ringworld to
help us defeat the Destroyer.
Along the way we received a hologram transmission from Hindmost, a Puppeteer.
He gave us the coordinates of several stasis field cases. These may contain
ancient but advanced technology.
The Puppeteer thinks they came from a Tnuctipun ship adrift in stasis for a
millennium before it crash-landed on Ringworld. The reports I've read about
the ancient Tnuctipun race tell of an extraordinary, advanced culture.
Hindmost may be right. We three certainly hope so.
----------
2892.08.18
----------
With hyperdrive, it didn't take us long to reach distant Ringworld. It is an
immense artifact! Archaeologists will have a field day if this place becomes
common knowledge. However, I'm sure if the ARM has its way, no one from Known
Space will ever be allowed to come here.
We landed on an abandoned space port ledge. Judging from the debris, it looks
more like a gigantic spacecraft wrecking yard. Not a good sign.
Deep scans of Ringworld reveal stasis field-enclosed objects scattered
throughout a small region on the surface, just as Hindmost said. Our strategy
is to recover these stasis fields and explore their contents.
Iaach-Captain renounced his kzinti name and heritage last night. He has
decided that the Patriarch's motivation is personal revenge, not the good of
the Kzin people. "Seeker of Vengeance" is his new name; the starship he
christened "The Lance Of Truth."
I have great respect for Seeker. He has more honor and courage than any human
could muster.
----------
2892.08.19
----------
We've piloted the lander toward the largest of the stasis fields in our scan.
This led us to a primitive society known as the Canyon People. We've kept the
speed of the lander within the limits recommended by Wu on the infodisk...
Something about a meteor defense system.
----------
2892.08.20
----------
Yesterday afternoon we encountered a very strange race, the Flesh Eaters. They
use a pheromone to seduce their intended prey.
Fortunately, I befriended a bat-like creature who had the pheromone antidote.
Unfortunately, I had to use all the antidote so that Seeker and I could escape.
It would have been interesting to analyze this chemical, possibly even
synthesize it.
We also confronted an unusual and deadly plant species. Resembling a
sunflower, this plant defends itself by reflecting the sun's light in a
concentrated beam. If controlled, these plants could prove an effective
weapon.
Yesterday we detected another stasis box on our radar. Sunk as it was beneath
the Great Oval Sea, we could not have retrieved it without the assistance of
yet another humanoid race. These Sea People have adapted to life under water.
Helpfully, they convinced some dolphins to recover the case for us.
Finally, we met Seeker's ancient cousins living on a planet-sized island
geographically resembling Earth.
Each new discovery fuels my speculations as to the origins and purpose of
Ringworld.
----------
2892.08.21
----------
We have been very lucky. We found an antimatter drive in a Tnuctipun ship.
However, it was on the verge of exploding! It is now safely in stasis.
I plan to release the antimatter drive from its stasis field near the Destroyer
starship. The resulting explosion from the overloading antimatter drive will
surely obliterate the destroyer.
I have the two stepping disks that were in the Tnuctipun ship as well. Perhaps
I can use them to escape the explosion. Now if we can just get to the
Destroyer before it reaches the Puppeteer Fleet of Worlds...
----------
2892.08.24
----------
We did it! The Destroyer had difficulty finding the Puppeteer Fleet of Worlds,
a delay that allowed us to arrive just in time to detonate our antimatter
"bomb." The Puppeteers demanded we relinquish the items found on Ringworld but
we decided to keep them instead.
Something tells me the Puppeteers relented too quickly. At first I couldn't
pin down this odd feeling of having been taken. But the more I think about it,
the more I believe we played right into the Puppeteers' plan.
----------
2892.08.26
----------
I'm sure of it now. The Conservative Party of the Puppeteer government used us
to demonstrate Ringworld's destructive potential. Their political opponents,
the radical (for Puppeteers, that is) Experimentalist Party had considered
Ringworld a safe harbor from the galactic core explosion.
Since the Conservatives want to take the Fleet of Worlds out to the Clouds of
Magellan, they manipulated us into providing a fireworks display that would
send all puppeteers into catatonic shock! The Conservatives must be blinking
with delight! All we did was help them to strengthen their hold on the
government.
Now it all makes sense. First, the Conservatives leaked information to the
Kzin Patriarch that Puppeteers aided Humans in the Man-Kzin wars. This
naturally angered the Patriarch into action against the Puppeteers.
Then, the Puppeteers convinced me, Miranda, and Seeker to search on Ringworld
for something to abort the Kzinti Patriarch's plan. When we conveniently found
the antimatter drive and blew up the Destroyer, we were close enough to the
Fleet of Worlds to accommodate every puppeteer with a front row seat.
###############################################################################
(F) EXPERIMENTAL
###############################################################################
For a little while now I've had a paypal link in all my FAQs at the very bottom
here. Mainly as a small experiment since a few other FAQ authors have also had
the same idea.
I had a few people email me before I put this link in because they wanted to
send money, so it's here for those people.
For the record I've received about $87 (which works out to a bit more in
Canadian lol) last I checked, so I've been getting cases of pop and making some
excellent progress on a few FAQs.
If you don't want to send money or can't then send me an email, it's nice to
hear what people thought about my work and there's always room for improvement.
My email address and paypal address for those that want to contribute are both
dan.engel.2017 (AT) gmail (DOT) com
Many thanks, and I hope you continue to use my work!
~Dan
