Wastelands Redux

The Wastelands Games Redux (aka WLv1.75) is a highly optimized game platform within Second Life. It is based on WLv1, and is primarily a more efficient, better coded, and a significant update to the 2 year old system. The Wastelands Games are light weight and sim friendly, developed by an estate owner who is OCD about simulator performance, and keeping sim lag to a minimum. They're also 100% opt-in, which means if you don't want to play, you can just take your HUD off. Since there's no physical bullets, you'll never be shot by anyone playing with the system.

Game play usually consists of running around scavenging for parts, creating new objects, sparring or fighting, and enduring the Wastelands. Some people just like to collect stuff. The HUD is most frequently used to role play in the wastelands, although RP is never required to play the game. Nor is the HUD required to role play.

Features

• Non-physical "bullet" system.
• Five different damage types
• Damage over time effects
• Resource collection and crafting system.
• Fast paced first person combat.

Contents of the Starter Pack

As any newborn person entering a strange world you start out with practically nothing. You get the HUD itself, and some fist wraps. These fist wraps are no modify / copy / no transfer, so you will always have something to defend yourself with. They are eternal.

In order to get new weapons, armor, and things you must go salvaging or willing to be pay someone to make things for you. Recipes for items are closely guarded secrets, usually worth way more than a few pieces of salvage. The best way to learn recipes, is to experiment with the salvager yourself.

Equipping weapons and armor

In order to equip weapons or armor, you must have your Wastelands HUD equipped first. Once your HUD is equipped, just right click a Wastelands item in your inventory, and select attach. If your item doesn't equip on the first try, just try again.

HUD Overview

The HUD (Heads Up Display), is a visual over view of exactly what is going on while you're playing the games in The Wastelands. It is also the "program" that you use to play games in the Wastelands. To use it simply equip it from your inventory. It will appear on the center of your screen. From there you can use the Second Life edit tools to move it to a more appropriate position. We'll cover the elements in more detail.

You can click anywhere except the heal button on the HUD to bring up the blue dialog menu.

DoT Display

(Number 1) Before we talk about the DoT Display, let's talk about what a DoT is. DoT Stands for Damage over Time. Damage over time happens when you take initially damage from something, and then it keeps damaging you after the initial hit. For instance, if you were bleeding or poisoned. DoTs aren't too common in weapons and are mostly inflicted from the environment, especially the Potato Farm.

Above the heal button there are some "lights" that light up whenever you're under the influence of DoT effects. The blue-green radiation symbol represents when you have a radiation DoT. The green skull and cross bones represents a poison effect. The orange flame represents fire, and the icon of a red bleeding hand represents a bleed DoT.

Heal Button

(Number 2) If you've managed to acquire a few MedKits and load them into your HUD, this is the button that will use them. The HUD heals DoTs before restoring health, so please keep that in mind. If you are at full health, and not afflicted with any DoTs then a MedKit will not be used up.

There is a maximum of 20 medkits you can keep in your HUD. Please keep in mind that if there is ever a HUD update, any medkits in your hud will be lost. So load up only what you plan to use that day.

Numeric Life Display

(Number 3) Above the life bar, in green or red numbers is a percentage display of your life. This serves two purposes. First it gives you a hard number of how much life you have at the moment, if you want to be that specific. Secondly it lets you know if you combat timer has expired. If the number is red is it NOT okay to take your HUD off, without incurring a temporary game play suspension. If the number is green it is safe to remove your HUD without penalty.

The Life Bar

(Number 4) The life bar is a green to red gradient that represents how much health you have. It is slowly blacked out as your life goes away and as you gain life it becomes more visible. It's easily the most prominent feature of the HUD, and a good way to glance at how well your health is doing.

Blue Menu

To bring up the blue menu, click anywhere on your hud that isn't the heal button. There are four button options on the blue menu. Keep in mind that all HUD click interactions have a five second delay before you can interact with them again.

• "Armor" will give you your current armor layout.
• "Who" displays who is currently in the region that has a HUD equipped.
• "Help" should bring you to this wiki article.
• "Messages" will enable or disable the region messages if they are too spammy for you.

The Hard Coded Rules

The hard coded rules are rules that the hud automatically keeps track of, if you break any of them, it will either disable your hud, or suspend you from gameplay.

Things that will simply remove your HUD and weapons

• Flying
• Teleporting
• Exceeding the "speed limit"

Things that will suspend your game play for five minutes

• Removing the HUD, or having it removed from the things above WHILE your combat timer is active.

Things that will suspend your game play for fifteen minutes

• Doing any of the above while dead.
• Removing the HUD while dead.
• Sitting on an object while dead.
• Moving while dead.

Non Hard Coded Rules

• Movement assists are forbidden, anyone using them will be suspended for a week, or banned. Depends if it's a good day or not.

• The developers of the game like to keep a pulse on what's going on as far as game play is concerned, primarily so we can introduce new things, and make everything more enjoyable. On that note since we have a ban and suspension system in place; if you circumvent game play mechanics in any way that the hard coded system doesn't catch, prepare for a suspension or ban. We call this the "General Douche-baggery rule". So if you're being a dick, be prepared.

New Player Tips

Starting out is hard! Odds are people will have better equipment than you, know much more about the game, and be a seasoned fighter. It's important to know your place, and when you're a new player you're at the bottom of the food chain. Here's some tips from residents and developers to help you start out:

• You're much more likely to live a lot longer if you're friendly with everyone. Coming in, talking a bunch of smack, sass mouthing, and acting bigger than you are will probably get your teeth knocked out. It's best to learn the ropes before you dawn an RP persona.
• Make friends with someone or join an established group. It's the best way to learn how the games are played. Besides a sparring partner is the most valuable thing you could have in The Wastelands.
• Barter! Collect and trade salvage you find for other things, or even sell it to other players for linden dollars. Most salvage and items are transferable, and we've got our own mini economy going.
• If you die (and you will), it's better to just roll with the punches than get upset about it. There are an innumerable amount of ways to die, and odds are it won't be in your favor to start with. Just remember, the point of the game is to have fun.
• Experience and practice will make you a better player if you keep at it. Unlike most combat systems in second life, this one requires skill just as much as it requires anything else.

Subscriptions

Currently, the subscription system of the HUD is dormant and shall remain dormant until we need to implement it. Ideally we would like to keep the game free for everyone forever. We really enjoy just watching people have fun. However, the sims are primarily there for the enjoyment of the residents. Should the impact of the amount of people playing the game affect the estates performance or keep paying residents out of the estate, we will turn the subscription system on.

People who are current paying residents will be able to renew their subscription to the game at no cost. Consider it a benefit of living in The Wastelands. Non-residents will be required to pay a small (to be determined) weekly subscription fee to play the games.

I have no intent to enable this system unless things get pretty dire in the estate. No doubt a free game in SL will attract a lot of attention. I only mention the subscription system here so you're not shocked or surprised if we ever have to enable it.

FAQ

Q: Can you script up my weapon / armor / item to work with your game?

A: No. The games in the Wastelands are a "closed system". That way we can keep it a fair playing ground for everyone.

Q: Can I use the scripts from an object in my own object?

A: Nope, they simply will not work, and will permanently damage the object you're pulling the scripts from.

Q: Why is everything no modify? This doesn't fit my avatar!

A: For game balance reasons. Most items are made to fit a humanoid avatar with average proportions.

Q: Other than bludgeoning everyone to death what else is there to do with the HUD?

A: There's plenty to do.

Credits

Modelers / Builders:

• Gutterblood Spoonhammer
• Spider Mandala
• Makaio Stygian
• Sandusky Kayvon

LSL Code:

• NeoBokrug Elytis

Special thanks:

• All the players of WLv1, residents of the wastelands, and their feedback.