The Rock Collecting Mod v1.0 ============================ A Fallout 2 map created by Per Jorner in May 2003 using the official Fallout 2 Map Editor. Background ---------- The air is thick in the Elder's tent as she sits there telling the Chosen One what is to be done for the good of the village and the tribe: "You must find the sacred Vault Thirteen and bring back the G.E.C.K. and so forth and so on, but first you must undergo a trial of decidedly perilous proportions. If you fail, you can't go. Of course, if you fail on purpose because you're too scared to go, we'll have to kill you and eat you." The Chosen One, not the cowardly kind, nods politely. "So here's the deal. You can choose to enter the Temple of Trials and come out alive, through the back entrance that is. Or you can go to the Misc. Map of Trials and collect twenty-five rocks. Mind you, if ever there was a proper use for this temple thingy this should be it, I never knew why we built it except it seemed to go with the tribal theme. On the other hand, on a personal level I'm sort of partial to the rock idea. I always thought a rock collector would make a good candidate for this sort of thing." "Yes, mom," says the Chosen One reverently. "I just think they're more likely to riffle through people's shelves at the right moment and take whatever they find and generally keep the best equipment at hand at all times." "Sure, mom." "Besides, one can never truly underestimate the worth of a good rock. Contemplate its weight as it rests stolidly in your hand..." Much later, the Chosen One is standing outside the Temple, tribesman Klint close by picking his nose next to the pillar of skulls. The Chosen One considers the options... On the one hand, there's the shadowy entrance to the Temple of Trials with its man-eating ants and deadly spear traps. On the other hand... well, just how dangerous can the Misc. Map of Trials and picking up twenty-odd rocks be? Installation ------------ The mod consists of eight files: \data\maps\artemple.map \data\text\english\dialog\diRebBok.msg \data\text\english\dialog\ecnomad.msg \data\text\english\dialog\fcslabte.msg \data\text\english\dialog\hcMUTANT.msg \data\text\english\dialog\ncJunkie.msg \data\text\english\dialog\scpeaon.msg \data\text\english\game\pro_item.msg If you unpack them to your \Fallout2 directory using the paths specified in the zip file they should go to their respective folders, and will be used automatically when you start the game next time. They won't replace any existing files unless you've been using custom versions of these specific files before, in which case you can probably handle the situation. If you have a non-English version of the game you may have to change the name of the "english" folder accordingly to make sure the game detects those files. Mind you, since the files are in English they may look a little odd anyway if inserted in another version. To "uninstall" the mod, just delete the files, or move them to another directory. None of the changed files has any real effect on normal gameplay if you accidentally leave them in: basically a few critters will give you different floats or none at all depending on the progress of your game (I deleted lines that are irrelevant to the mod). Playing the mod --------------- Start up the game, choose "new game" and create a character as usual. When you appear on the first map, you'll notice an exit grid to the right. Step on it and it will bring you to the Rock hunting grounds. Note that this is a one-way journey, you're not supposed to return and keep playing the game. IMPORTANT! As soon as you enter the new map you should pick up the Leather Jacket and wear it. If you don't, the game will crash if you try to equip weaponry for which the tribal character models have no animation frames. The goal of the mod is simple: collect the 25 Rocks that exist on the map and put them in the Poor Box. Once you've done that, the Arroyo villagers will come and pick you up in a vertibird or something, but it's not part of the mod so you'll just have to imagine that bit. Some hints and tips: * Your task will be easier if you slant your character towards combat; it's recommended that you raise AG and tag Small Guns at least. * Although most Rocks are of course placed as to be inconspicuous and/or partially obscured, there is no case in which you have to chase a few brown or black pixels with the mouse pointer among a mass of brown and black scenery. Basically you're supposed to see them if you know they're there. * If you find anyone standing around, try talking to them. They may have something funny or even useful to say. * Since you don't have the Pipboy at this stage, you cannot rest. Keep this in mind if you use books - it won't be easier to find those Rocks in the dark of night. However, there is an object that will let you pass time at will. * You'll have the opportunity to level up once or twice (assuming you start at 0 xp). You don't have to kill everything you see to complete your objective, but it's possible to do so with the weaponry at hand at rough combat difficulty. * There are hostile critters, so take care and use the save function. The fire gecko is not aggressive - unless it sees you fighting other geckos. * There are no children, so UK version users will be fine. * The Poor Box itself is hidden, but if you can find 25 Rocks, a big box shouldn't really present a problem, should it? Last words ---------- I hope Fallout players will enjoy this perhaps a little unconventional use of the mapper, and also I hope that it will inspire others to make Rock hunting maps of their own that I can play. :) Congratulations to anyone who finds all the Rocks. Of course many thanks go to the Fallout crew that made the map editor and offered it up to the fans.