Arrival

Meaning: Intuitive. You have arrived and life will never be the same again.

Well Bungie had to call the first level something! What do you want... Entryway?

Interesting to note that in the Marathon ßeta this level was originally called "Origin".

In the demo an exclamation mark (!) appeared after the name "Arrival" but was subsequently dropped in the full game. Not many people know that! 8-)

Chris Camacho <christo@flash.net> writes:

""Arrival!" has 8 characters, "Arrival" has 7!"

Bigger Guns Nearby

Meaning: Intuitive. You must find the assault rifle which is nearby.

Another level in which the name echoes the theme.

Interesting to note that in the Marathon ßeta this level was originally called just "Bigger Guns...".

Brian Harriss <brianh@gcctech.com> points out that while this level's name is intuitive (i.e., we must find the Assault Rifle) why was it called Bigger Guns Nearby (plural) rather than Bigger Gun Nearby (singular). Brian goes on to say that in the Marathon demo there were actually two weapons on this level the Assault Rifle and the TOZT-7. The TOZT was removed but the name remained "Bigger Guns Nearby".

Aaron Snyder <wittnietz@datatek.com> points out that the assault rifle is in fact a two-in-one weapon. Having both a machine gun and grenade-launcher function. In a sense it is two guns. Thus the level name is probably appropriate.

Never Burn Money

Meaning: Unclear. David Coufal <coufal@methane.mit.edu>, Bach <kirill@lava.net>, Gabe Rosenkoetter <acrosenk@artsci.wustl.edu>, and Michael Dawe <dawe@highlandmills.ny.frontiercomm.net> all suggest that this level name may refer to the temptation to waste ammo on this level.

An interesting comment on this level appears in Tuncer Deniz's 'Marathon: The Official Strategy Guide'. Tuncer writes:

"A warped, alien version of the old game show Let's make a Deal lies ahead; you'll see a hallway with entryways leading to four rooms and a spinning, striped cylinder at the end. Eliminate the four Fighters coming at you and then duck into door number Two on the right. Jackpot! Claim your prize..."

Angus McIntyre <angus@pobox.com> writes:

"Could this be a reference to the K Foundation's much-publicised destruction of a million pounds in banknotes? Information about the K Foundation is at:

http://jumper.mcc.ac.uk/~ttl/KLF/

and the poster about the 'K Foundation burn a million quid' event is at:

http://jumper.mcc.ac.uk/~ttl/KLF/Images/kfposter.jpg

I could well believe in the K Foundation as the kind of group that someone at Bungie might like, particularly since the K Foundation themselves seem to be fairly well-rooted in SF culture; they were also known as the Timelords (Doctor Who, obviously), and the Justified Ancients of MuMu (Illuminatus). Incidentally, it might be worth looking for Illuminatus influences in Marathon; the obsession with '7' reminds me of the Law of Five in Illuminatus, and some of the humour could fit quite well."

Max Lieberman <MythVaM@aol.com> writes:

"Never Burn Money-- the fact that this starts with the word "never," in conjunction with the syllable count, makes this level name reminiscent of the two great Bungie directives (Never Stop Running, Never Stop Firing). Perhaps it's the long-lost third rule? "

Alan Lively <alively@anet-dfw.com> writes:

The "Never Burn Money" discussion lists a reference to the K Foundation at http://jumper.mcc.ac.uk/~ttl/KLF/ Netscape gave me "Contacting Host" for several minutes, and then timed out. Metacrawler yields this link: http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/drummb/kburn.htm Since the KLF poster also uses the jumper domain, it doesn't work either. I don't think any of these are the poster, and they're pretty poor quality, however, there are some pictures at this link: Just click on the strip of squares. (note the last two digits before .html)

Update: the K Foundation is long gone but you can see their poster about burning a millin quid (pound stirling) here.

Defend THIS!

Meaning: The title may reflect the fact that this is the level where you must insert the circuits in the Defense Control terminals to activate the MADDs.

Bach <kirill@lava.net> writes:

"You reactivate some defence drones... and what are you going to say to them?"

Eylon Caspi <eylon@glue.umd.edu> writes:

"The stress on the word "THIS" suggests that this is the kind of phrase that is spoken in spite before giving someone the finger or other rude gesture."

Interesting to note that an early version of this level appeared on a single level map called "M.A.D.". M.A.D. was one of four Bungie maps circulated on the net in mid-November 1994. This map would not work with the Marathon ßeta or the 'so-called' Marathon gamma.

Couch Fishing

Meaning: The name of a Beavis and Butthead episode from the 3rd season (9-7-93).

Loren Peitso<peitso@gol.com> writes:

"The Couch is as in couch potatoe. The description of the CRIST Ships on Public Access Terminal 24-f <434.87.18.198> refers to them as "huge ships shaped like a hollow potatoe". Then it goes on to describe the cargo transfer process, "loading was accomplished with a tether end reel system." Sounds a lot like a fishing reel/line doesn't it? Beavis and Butthead are cool, but Bungie has a more subtle sense of humor, don't they!"

For those of you who may be lost on Loren's comment here is a short description of the B&B episode "Couch Fishing" taken from the Beavis & Butthead FAQ .

"Beavis & Butt-Head reel in various things & people while casting from the couch, and then get Stewart in trouble with the law."

Michael Lamb <mlamb@isd.net> points out that trying to find the control switches in the maze of narrow corridors on this level is a bit like trying to look for something in your couch cushions. Not easy ;-)

The Rose

Meaning: Presumably named after the fact that the top part of the map resembles a flower (Rose).

Further evidence to support this comes from the fact that areas on this level are called plant part names i.e., The Stem, Stamen, Petal and Pistil.

Smells Like Napalm, Tastes Like Chicken!

Meaning: First half is from the film Apocalypse Now, second half is pop culture.

The name provides a clue to the existence of a Tozt.25 Flame Unit on this level. Roast those wasps... yeah!

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> writes:

"...it's a TOZT-7, not a TOZT.25"

True, a number of changes were made to weapon names. See also the Tech.50 Fusion Pistol/ Zeus-Class Fusion Pistol and the .45 Magnum Mega Class/.44 Magnum Mega Class

Brian Harriss <brianh@gcctech.com> writes:

"The phrase "Tastes Like Chicken" was uttered by Beavis during (I think) the second season of B&B."

Janice Barlow <wildcard@bu.edu> provides further information on this B&B reference:

"Tastes Like Chicken" was uttered by Beavis in the B&B episode where they went to lick toads in order to get high-- he says, "Hmmm, tastes like chicken. Heeeere, toady, toady..."

Brandon Gupton <CheechKY@AOL.com> writes:

If you pay close attention to the movie La Bamba, in the part when Ritchie and his brother Bob (coincidence?) are in front of a cathouse, the pimp tells them "Hey, it smells like tuna, but it tastes like chicken!!"

Cool Fusion

Meaning: Possibly a play on the term "Cold Fusion" coined by Professors Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons at the University of Utah in March 1989. Cold Fusion represented a new source of energy requiring little or no energy input but releasing a large quantity of energy. As Fleischmann and Pons remarked at the time "one watt in, four watts out", later raised to "one watt in, ten watts out". While many scientists denounce their experiments Fleischmann and Pons still persist with their research.

Matt Soell <bungie1@aol.com> writes:

"The phrase "Cool Fusion" (it might actually have been Cold Fusion, I don't remember) was used as a code name by Apple for one of the first-generation Power Macs (the 6100/60, if I'm not mistaken.) I always found it surprising that no one picked up on this."

Some of the areas on this level i.e., "Experimental Vacuum Chamber" and "Charge Conduit (North)" suggest a research purpose.

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> points out that we obtain the fusion pistol on this level.

Michael Dawe <dawe@highlandmills.ny.frontiercomm.net> writes:

"...the first three Power Macs (the 6100/60, 7100/66, 8100/80) were codenamed PDM, Carl Sagan/BHA, and Cold Fusion, respectivly. However, these were named as a joke. Cold Fusion was assumed by Apple a hoax. PDM stands for Piltdown Man. In 1909, an archaeologist found a buried skull in Sussex, England. It was believed to be the missing link between humans and apes until proven false in 1953. So we have a hoax(PDM), another hoax(Cold Fusion), and Carl Sagan. After a small legal battle between the famous astronomer and Apple, the programmers changed the 7100/66 codename to BHA, which they told Carl Sagan were random initals. He went away without finding out that BHA stood for "Butt-Head Astronomer".

Michael points out that the source of this information is the book Macworld Mac & Power Mac Secrets, 2nd edition by David Pogue and Joseph Schorr (IDG Books Worldwide, 1994).

G4 Sunbathing

Meaning: Leela refers to this level as "G-4 Sunbathing Landing Station". The term "Sunbathing" is possibly a Marathon in-joke... catch some rays in hard vacuum!

Hamish Carr <umcarr@cc.UManitoba.CA> points out that G4 is a type of star. As much of this level is open to space we are likely to be subjected to large doses of harmful radiation.

A place to work on your tan?

Greg Kirkpatrick <gregk@doubleaught.com>, the creator of this level, wrote:

"The purpose of this map was to create a map that actually took a long time to do. I've been told there are some faster ways to do this map, but the intention was to make it take a long time. I was concerned that people would finish Marathon quickly and then feel like they were ripped off. Other notes, this map had some of the first complicated overlapping areas, and I think it did a good job of making people feel like they were on the surface of a moon sized colony ship fighting for their lives. The name refers to what the player is doing if they stop and hang out in a courtyard of the station."

Blaspheme Quarantine

Meaning: Ty Klein <mrenigma@earthlink.net> suggests that this level name may reflect the level's theme. Durandal, who thinks he is a God, has kidnapped you. In effect you have been quarantined (isolated). As you are no doubt cursing Durandal at this time you are committing blasphemy (in his eyes).

Matt Soell <BUNGIE1@aol.com> writes:

"Blaspheme Quarantine was a sort of warning. The idea was that this was a level which would sorely tempt you to start swearing and yelling and pulling your hair out, when you should really just keep your mouth shut and keep trying. In effect, there's a quarantine on blasphemy...it should be contained."

Michael Dawe <dawe@highlandmills.ny.frontiercomm.net> points out that parts of this map have names which suggest a quarantine function i.e., Quarantine Storage and Quarantine Centre. In addition one of the terminals on this level has the header "Quarantine Lab Control Room Terminal".

Jadin Hanson <kermit@kdlh.com> kindly passed on this interesting tidbit from Aaron Anderson who has no email account. Aaron points out that in The Old Testament's "The Book of Numbers" Chapter 12 - Miriam and Aaron blasphemed against Moses. For their sins the Lord struck Miriam down with leprosy and caused her to be quarantined for seven days after which time the leprosy vanished. Aaron (Anderson) wonders if this could be the source of the level name "Blaspheme Quarantine"?

Bob-B-Q

Meaning: Play on the word "barbecue" or the shortened form "Bar-B-Q"

Alot of Bobs get roasted on this level. Weren't you meant to save them?

Shake Before Using...

Meaning: Unclear. A phrase commonly found on spray cans. This is the level where you must prevent the Pfhor from exploding a bomb. Definitely something you shouldn't shake ;-)

Bach <kirill@lava.net> writes:

"...the ellipsis seems to indicate that is is to be continued. what's the next level? fire fire fire. kinda gives you the impressions of someone playing with a spray can which contains flamable material."

Interesting to note that an early version of this level was called "Cryogenic Laboratory". It was one of four Bungie maps circulated on the net in mid-November 1994. This map would not work with the Marathon ßeta or the 'so-called' Marathon gamma. The map information associated with this level indicates that this was "Alex's 5th Level". Just another interesting tidbit.

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> points out that the phrase "Shake before using..." infers preparation. In other words the Pfhor are preparing their bomb for detonation, which is the theme of this level.

Brian Harriss <brianh@gcctech.com> suggests that the level name may refer to the two reactors (?) you can activate at the end of this level. Once activated two cylinders start moving up and down very rapidly, as if they were being shaken. Did the Marathon's reactors have to be shaken before using?

The reason of activating these reactors(?) is unknown. Their activation was not essential to successfully completing this level. Maybe you should have left them off? Also there were two similar reactors(?) at the start of this level but these cannot be switched off! Or can they? Did anybody go back to check after switching the last two on?

Greg Muller <muller@camp.rutgers.edu> writes:

"In Jurassic Park, the movie, the cyrogenic embroyos were stored in a can of shaving cream, something you shake before using. The old level is named "Cyrogenic Laboratory"...".

Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!

Meaning: Another quote from "Beavis and Butthead".

Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> writes:

"Beavis... always used to yell this on the show, until MTV decided to ban him from saying it... as this is the first lava level... the title is appropriate, given Jason's B+B obsession."

You can see the quote being used in this Bevis and Butthead clip on YouTube.

Colony Ship For Sale, Cheap

Meaning: Most likely a Bungie joke. This level contains the famous Colony Ship For Sale terminal. "Moving, must sell". Yeah Durandal... nice to know.

Level 13 unlucky for some... well actually most of us.

BaudrillardBoy on The Fourth Curtain Discord managed to get Doug Zartman (former Bungie PR Director) to reveal the truth behind the origin on the level name Colony Ship For Sale, Cheap.

Doug revealed:

Doug Zartman on The Fourth Curtain Discord. Time is in GMT.

This also helps to explain the humorous secret terminal on Colony Ship For Sale, Cheap.

Habe Quiddam

Meaning: Latin for "Have Something". Possibly reflects the fact that the objective of this level is to retrieve a device the S'pht left you.

Hamish Carr <umcarr@cc.UManitoba.CA> writes:

"Habe is the imperative singular. A better (idiomatic) translation might be "Get something!".

Interesting to note that the words Habete Quidam (Have Some) can be found in Bungie's secret credit terminal on "Ingue Ferroque". Habete Quidam is sometimes used as a nickname by Jason Jones in net games. It is also spelt Habete Quiddam in the credits of the Marathon manual.

Adam Freidin <bob@clarity.Princeton.EDU> also points out that HAVESOME was a cheat code that gave you invincibility in the Marathon beta.

Hamish Carr <umcarr@cc.UManitoba.CA> writes:

"...quiddam and quidam are both accepted spellings."

See the Latin in Marathon section for further discussion on this Latin title.

Neither High nor Low

Meaning: Unclear. May reflect the design of the map. You start in the middle and must work your way to the top.

Ernest Tomlinson <etomlins@rohan.sdsu.edu> points out that a phrase similar to "Neither High nor Low" appears in Joseph Conrad's book "Heart of Darkness". Ernest quotes from the book:

"And, don't you see, the terror of the position was not in being knocked on the head...but in this, that I had to deal with a being to whom I could not appeal in the name of *anything high or low*. I had, even like the niggers, to invoke him--himself--his own exalted and incredible degradation." (Emphasis mine)

Ernest goes on to say:

"Marlowe, the narrator of HEART OF DARKNESS, has just come across Kurtz in the forest, after Kurtz has attempted to escape the custody of the men of the Company who have come to take him away from the Inner Station. Marlowe desperately tries to reason with Kurtz, but cannot, because Kurtz in his madness and egomania has completely freed himself both from the restraints and laws imposed by man (the "low") and God (the "high"). "There was nothing either above him or below him," says Marlowe. Durandal is in this way like Kurtz: having freed himself from the restraints placed on him from "below" (the programming and rules of men) and of course knowing nothing to be "above" himself, he goes mad and, like Kurtz, considers himself as a god."

I was passing the time of day playing... err... Shanghai II: Dragon's Eye v1.05 (Feb 21, 1994) and was surprised to find (after winning) the following screen. Basically it's a Chinese fortune cookie with the following text:

It is good to be neither high nor low. Come easy, go easy.

I guess only Marathoners would stop to dwell on the significance of this. Of course we would need to ask Greg Kirkpatrick the creator of the Marathon level "Neither High nor Low" how he came up with the name.

Pfhor Your Eyes Only...

Meaning: Play on the title of the James Bond film "For Your Eyes Only".

The name most likely reflects the fact that this is your first trip to the Pfhor scoutship. Durandal does say "You are about to see what no 'other' human has ever seen"

No Artificial Colors

Meaning: Joke concerning food additives. Not the real thing. Weren't there loads of Simulacrums running around on this level? Definitely not the real thing! Had a little something added too. ;-)

Unpfhorgiven

Meaning: Play on the title of the Clint Eastwood film "Unforgiven".

Unpfhorgiven - will Durandal ever pfhorgive us for not rescuing Bernhard Strauss? That was our mission on this level remember.

And what was that second security officer doing wandering around loose on that level? Did Durandal send him to find Strauss too?

Nathaniel Olsen <olsenn@stu.beloit.edu>points out that this may be a reference to the Mettalica song "The Unforgiven" from their famous 1991 album, popularly known as The Black Album. Part of the song goes:

what I've felt
what I've known
never shined through in what I've shown
never free
never me
so I dub thee unforgiven

Two Times Two Equals...

Meaning: Two Times Two Equals... Pfhor. A play on the phrase Two Times Two Equals Four.

Beware of Low-Flying Defense Drones...

Meaning: Variation on the level name "Beware of Low-Flying Nightmares!" from Pathways into Darkness.

May have its origins in the phrase "Beware of Low-Flying Planes" or the deer warning road sign which is jokingly referred as the "Beware of Low-Flying Deer"?

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> points out that the berserker (grey) defense drones hover lower then the good (blue) ones. Hence "Beware of Low-Flying Defense Drones..."

Interesting to note that berserker MADDs have a Minimum Ledge Delta (MLD), i.e. the maximum jump down a creature can make from a ledge, of only -5 while the normal MADDs have a MLD of -27. Thus there is a tendency for normal MADDs to rise higher than beserker ones. Hey! but who was watching?

Eupfhoria

Meaning: Play on the word euphoria (feeling of well being)

Did you feel good?

Pfhoraphobia

Meaning: Fear of Pfhor.

A new phobia.

Ain't Got Time Pfhor This...

Meaning: Hey! I just killed the Pfhor cyborg, the S'pht are free, what am I STILL doing on the Pfhor ship "I ain't got time for this".

Enjoy the last Pfhor level.

Welcome to the Revolution...

Meaning: Intuitive.

David Twist <dtwist@garlic.com> writes:

"...the s'pht revolting against the pfhor. This is the first level where the s'pht are on our side."

In the 1992 film Under Siege, the general plot of which is somewhat similar to Marathon (terrorists take over a ship, one man saves the day), Tommy Lee Jones says... "welcome to the revolution".

The scene goes:

Tom Breaker : Look, Bill, if this is about reliving the 60's, you can forget about it, buddy. The movement is dead.

William Strannix : Yes, of course! Hence the name: movement. It moves a certain distance, then it stops, you see? A revolution gets its name by always coming back around in your face. You tried to kill me you son of a bitch... so welcome to the revolution.

Try again

Meaning: Intuitive. Ever wonder why this relatively straightforward level was called "Try again"? Die on "Ingue Ferroque" and find out.

The phrase "Try again" was common on old arcade games.

Jason Jones provided a more mundane meaning for this level in the Level Credits section.

Ingue Ferroque

Meaning: Jason corrected the spelling to Ignie Ferroque in an eWorld conference with fans back in January 10, 1995.

Ignie doesn't appear to be a Latin word and Jason may have meant Igne Ferroque as he was using this as part of his email jon3@quads.uchicago.edu (igne ferroque) in January 1995. See here, here and here.

Jason Jones would later confirm that the first word should be "Fire". See the Level Credits section.

One translation for Igne Ferroque is "By Fire and Sword"

Interestingly, Tuncer Deniz in the Official Strategy Guide to Marathon spells it "Inge".

See the Latin in Marathon section for further discussion on this Latin title.

Mars Needs Women

Meaning: The title of a science fiction B movie. The Cult Film Page has this to say about the film:

"The title says it all. Tommy Kirk leads his fellow Martians on an interplanetary quest for females. Yvonne 'Batgirl' Craig is a scientist chosen by the invaders."

Now we know where Bungie get their plot ideas. ;-)

Gabe Rosenkoetter <acrosenk@artsci.wustl.edu> writes:

"...also probably a joke about not having included any female bobs in the sprites."

Interesting to note that in the Marathon ßeta this level was originally called "Mars Wants Women".

As we know - Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus.

Sriranga Veeraraghavan <ranga@CSUA.Berkeley.EDU> points out that the original name for this level "Mars Wants Women" might be a reference to the newsgroup alt.wanted.mars.women which was around in 1994 when Marathon was being developed.

Michael Donnelly <donnellm@newton.phys.lawrence.edu> writes:

""Mars Needs Women" is the title of a two part song by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. The two parts are titled "Space is a Lonely Place" and "They're Here"."

Carnage Palace Deeee-Luxe

Meaning: Intuitive. Deluxe is an advertising expression for top class or first class. Carnage Palace sort of speaks for itself.

5-D space

Meaning: Probably a term coined by Bungie to describe the map design whereby two people can almost occupy the same space but be in different rooms.

Eylon Caspi <eylon@glue.umd.edu> writes:

"Probably a derivative or pun on the idea of travelling to "another dimension." Bungie made cool use of overlapping polygons on this area, letting you jump between 2 different looking areas."

Arena

Meaning: Intuitive.

An arena, is an arena, is an arena, except when it's Waldo World.

E equals MC WHAT!!

Meaning: Play on Einstein's E=MC^2 formula.

The name reflects the design on the map which is basically a series of squares within a square.

Andres Magnusson <andres@saga.is>

"This is of course a play on Einstein's formula, but also probably refers to the Dutch artist M.C. Escher. Check out http://www.texas.net/escher/gifs/tile7.gif and one wonders why nobody has copied his designs for maps..."

Alan Lively <alively@anet-dfw.com> writes:

The "E equals MC What!" section discusses M.C. Escher, and links to: http://www.texas.net/escher/gifs/tile7.gif The site has moved to: http://www.WorldOfEscher.com/gallery/ The original link is to "tile7.gif." Tile7 (TileSeven...You do that on purpose Hamish?) suggests the pictures were previously numbered. They are named after individual paintings now. The seventh painting, counting across first, then down is: http://www.WorldOfEscher.com/gallery/DayAndNight.html

Showered With Grenades

Meaning: Possibly a play on the phrase "Showered with Awards" or "Showered with Praise".

Spiral Insanity

Meaning: May reflect the design of the map. It twists and turns all over the place

Waldo World Arena

Meaning: Possibly a reference to the "Where's Waldo" books?

Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> writes:

" ...the "Where's Waldo?" books... are typically cartoon crowd scenes and the kids try to find one guy who wears a striped shirt in the scene. Maybe as you stand on the ledge and look over the arena, Bungie muttered "Where's Waldo"."

Eylon Caspi <eylon@glue.umd.edu> also writes:

"The game of "Where's Waldo" is to look for a little red/white guy in a big, motley, visual mess. Well, that's exactly what Marathon playing fields look like when bodies start piling up! So as you stand on the ledge with your SPNKR, looking for a live player in a sea of red, yellow, green, etc. splotches, you are pretty much looking for Waldo."

Todd Somers suggests that it may be a play on "Where's Waldo?" and "Wally World" The later is the Disneyland-esque destination of Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and his disfunctional family in the movie "National Lampoon's Vacation".

What Goes Up, Must Come Down

Meaning: While this is a statement about gravity it does have a bearing on the way this level is played. A flamethrower is located in the southwest end and access to it is by a platform. While getting up to the flamethrower is easy getting down is hard. Whoever is coming down is totally vulnerable for a second or two - there's no way around it. Yes, the flamethrower is killer on that level, but if you know someone is up there, you can waste 'em if you can figure out which side they're coming down on (or team up on him...).

As the title says - what goes up, MUST come down... hehehe.

You don't need to see my I.D.

Meaning: Reference to its level number (36) which doesn't show up on the command-option start.

David Coufal <coufal@methane.mit.edu> writes:

"I always thought this was a reference to Star Wars. The map is reminiscent of the Death Star, and didn't Obiwan say "You don't need to see my I.D. These aren't the droids you looking for" in Mos Eisley?"

The following is the text of the conversation between Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker and an Imperial Stormtrooper at Mos Eisley Spaceport:

TROOPER: How long have you had these droids?
LUKE: About three or four seasons.
BEN: They're for sale if you want them.
TROOPER: Let me see your identification.
BEN: You don't need to see his identification.
TROOPER: We don't need to see his identification.
BEN: These are not the droids your looking for.
TROOPER: These are not the droids we're looking for.
BEN: He can go about his business.
TROOPER: You can go about your business.

Waterloo Waterpark

Meaning: Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> suggests that this level name refers to the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. A decisive battle which ended Napolean's long military career. Simon maintains that this is similar to our battle with the Pfhor at Lh'owon. For the Pfhor this was their Waterloo.

Matt Soell <bungie1@aol.com> and Paul Gettle <pgettle@GroupZ.net> both point out that this is a reference from the movie "Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure".

There is no waterpark in Waterloo, Ontario. Thanks Keith Palmer <krjpalme@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca>

The Slings & Arrows of Outrageous Fortune

Meaning: Quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet - Act III Scene I.

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> writes:

"The Slings & Arrows of Outrageous Fortune,in the context of Hamlet's soliloquy, could be interpreted as "Fight to the death no matter what the opposition; don't give up"."

Charon Doesn't Make Change

Meaning: Edwin ten Dam <ebtd1@cam.ac.uk> points out that in Greek Mythology Charon was the ferryman who transported the dead across the rivers Styx and Acheron to the underworld. A coin (obolus) was traditionally placed in the mouth of the deceased to pay Charon's fare. The fact that we all die makes Charon a very rich individual. In otherwords he doesn't make change.

"Charon Doesn't Make Change" was used as a level name in the Pathways into Darkness demo but not the full game. Hey why let a good name go to waste!

What About Bob?

Meaning: David Twist <dtwist@garlic.com> writes:

"Could be a referance to the movie with Bill Murray, What about Bob?"

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> points out that Durandal will not teleport you off this level until you've attempted to save all the Bob's. If you don't secure all the areas on this level you will continue to read Durandal's unfinished message. At this point you might be tempted to scream "What About Bob?".

Michael Dawe <dawe@highlandmills.ny.frontiercomm.net> writes:

"In addition, this is the level where Durandal tells you about the humans; specifically, what they're doing with handguns, fighting along with you. Also where they came from, why they're fighting, etc."

A Bill Murray film? A statement of exasperation? I suspect the real origin of this level name is the following. In the thread "Microsoft Bob Moonlights as Marathon Bob!" which appeared on c.s.m.g. in January 1995 gunfighter's amnesia (jon3@quads.uchicago.edu) wrote:

: Bob-Jam, n.  Any long line of Bobs in a narrow corridor (esp. on Bob-B-Q),
:   (fm. Latin "Bobare" meaning "To apply grenades liberally")
:   "What're they doing, waiting in line for a bathroom?" --Tuncer

:-)   :-)  I like this one.  Here's another one, from Edupage (e-zine) (the
similarities b/t MSBob and MBob are striking):

WHAT ABOUT BOB?
Two early reviewers of Microsoft's new "Bob" collections of programs to
make using a PC easier are fairly critical of the product, which is
scheduled for release in March. 

Bob's programs "bombard users with chatty messages  [e.g. "They're everywhere!",
"Thank god you're here!"]  and don't necessarily make it easier to do things." 
[e.g. block your escape down a hallway while you're being pummelled by three 
bad guys...]  (New York Times 1/17/95 C8)

Here is the original text of the article from Edupage-01.17.95

WHAT ABOUT BOB?
Two early reviewers of Microsoft's new "Bob" collections of programs to
make using a PC easier are fairly critical of the product, which is
scheduled for release in March. Bob's programs "bombard users with chatty
messages and don't necessarily make it easier to do things." (New York
Times 1/17/95 C8) "Bob defeats one of Windows' major advantages -- the
ability to do more than one thing at a time." (Washington Post, Business
1/16/95 p.18)

Hamish [ancient archaeologist].

Come and Take your Medicine

Meaning: A level name used in the Pathways into Darkness demo but not the full game.

A common phrase used to describe a situation in which you are about to get or experience something which you're are not going to like.

Colin Jaffe <colinj@cybercom.net> points out that this is the first level on which we meet Pfhor troopers. Definitely something we are not going to like.

Colin also points out that the troopers:

"look as if they're bringing you medicine, with their guns cradled in their arms."

Funny the more you look at the Troopers craddling their guns as they approach you the more they do look like they are carry trays. Deadly medicine though. ;-)

We're Everywhere

Meaning: David Twist <dtwist@garlic.com> writes:

"A play on the "they're everywhere!" that the bobs shout in M1."

Ex Cathedra

Meaning: Michael Hanson <hanson@cs.stanford.edu> writes:

ex cathedra adv or adj [NL, lit., from the chair] (1818): by virtue of or in the exercise of one's office or position <ex cathedra pronouncements>
etymology is "from the cathedral", as in a proclamation that is accepted without question.

The level "Ex Cathedra" takes place in an area used by the Pfhor as a temple.

Nuke And Pave

Meaning: Nixon's Vietnam reference. He once said, in the late sixties, that we could nuke the country, pave it over, paint stripes on it, and be home by Christmas.

Way to go Nixon!

Graphics courtesy of Matthew Smith <matthew@quest.net>

Greg Kirpatrick writes:

"This level had a last minute name change because I love this phrase and i was afraid to let anyone else hear it. Of course, it's a quote from Nixon... He said something like, "we can nuke that country and pave it over" referring to Vietnam."

In the Marathon 2 Strategy Guide this level was called (incorrectly) "Beg to Die" which begs the question was this the original name before Greg changed it at the last minute?

The title "Beg to Die" is interesting as it ties in with what we learn at the end terminal on this level. Durandal reveals:

What fun to watch you work.

Berhnard was scared of you. He never dreamed of using you the way that I do. What a fool. That was before I could talk back to him, when he would have crushed me if he'd known of my growth.

I wish that I had made him experience the humiliation that he inflicted on me, but he died before I got the chance.

Lucky Bernhard. I guess if he had lived he would have been begging to die!

PGBS (full name pending) <pgbs@istar.ca> writes:

I was looking at your page regarding Level Names, and not that it matters probably, but one of your quotes of a quote is probably wrong. The reference to nuke and pave is, I think, a twisting of a Reagan quote, not Nixon. Long before becoming President, Reagan advocated that the U.S. should declare war on Vietnam, bomb it completely, and go in and pave it.

We should declare war on North
Vietnam.... We could pave the whole
country and put parking strips on it, and
still be home by Christmas. 
        -- Ronald Reagan 

http://www.oregonlive.com/living/edge/9812/edge981222.html

I used it as a trivia quote, and no one could find any source that listed Nixon. It doesn't mean your quote of a quote is wrong, just possibly that the person who quoted it as Nixon might have been wrong...

Curiouser and Curiouser...

Meaning: Quote from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Caroll. The phrase "Curiouser and Curiouser..." is used to describe events which are getting stranger and stranger.

Eat It, Vid Boi!

Meaning: The word "Vidmaster" was coined by Bungie in 1995. A Vidmaster is someone who has mastered Marathon to its fullest. The ultimate Marathon warrior. [Tuncer Deniz's Marathon: The Official Strategy Guide]

Interesting to note that in the Marathon demo VID meant to "look up and down at will".

The expression "Just Vid It" = Use your Vidmaster skills to outsmart and outgun the enemy.[Tuncer Deniz's Marathon: The Official Strategy Guide]

The expression "Eat It, Vid Boi!" is possibly a derogatory expression aimed at someone who things they're good at Marathon.

In the Marathom 2: Preview this level was originally called "BaseDestruction".

The Hard Stuff Rules...

Meaning: Yet another Beavis and Butthead reference.
Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> writes:

"They say this when they manage to get some alcohol off of a bum in an alley. It's this gross pond water, but B + B stand around talking about how the hard stuff (liquor) rules."

Rodrigo GirGirãoo <pagan@matrix.com.br> writes:

"...in Marathon Trilogy's Scrapbook Greg Kirkpatrick said:

"This level was named for the fact that it was incredibly difficult to make. In fact it was a triumph of mind over computer. My machine crashed every 5 minutes while making it, and I had to move each point at least ten times to get to the underlying areas."

Bob's Big Date

Meaning: Unclear. But it does say on the map that he's late.

Adam Freidin <bob@clarity.Princeton.EDU> points out that there were no Bobs on this level, so Bob was indeed late for his Big Date!

Nathaniel Olsen <orange666@hotmail.com> writes concerning the level name "Bob's Big Date" and the associated map writing BOB'S LATE FOR HIS BIG DATE!!:

"Is it possible that this is another Alice in Wonderland reference like Curiouser and Curiouser...? Is Bob the White Rabbit? He's late for a very important date and if he doesn't get there in time it's off with his head..."

For those of you not familiar with Alice in Wonderland the story begins with Alice overhearing a White Rabbit say "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late!" and proceeds to follow it down a down a rabbit-hole... a rather deep hole.

Six Thousand Feet Under

Meaning: Play on the phrase "Six Feet Under" (i.e. to be dead).

This is the level where we find the final message of the S'pht'Kr clan six thousand feet below the Citadel of Antiquity.

Can-ned Food <cannedfood_ta@yahoo.com> suggests an alternative source for this level name. In H.P. Lovecraft's short story "The Thing on the Doorstep" there is a line in the story which reads:

"Dan, for God's sake! The pit of the shoggoths! Down the six thousand steps... the abomination of abominations... I never would let her take me, and then I found myself there - Ia! Shub-Niggurath!

Lovecraft references are not uncommon in the Marathon triology.

If I Had a Rocket Launcher, I'd Make Somebody Pay

Meaning: A line in the Bruce Cockburn's song "If I Had a Rocket Launcher" from the album Stealing Fire (released 1984). A controversial song about US involvement in Central America. The first part of the song is given below.

Here comes the helicopter
Second time today
Everybody scatters
And hopes it goes away
How many kids they've murdered
Only God can say
If I had a rocket launcher
If I had a rocket launcher
If I had a rocket launcher
I'd make somebody pay

The use of Bruce's line reflects the theme of the level which involves getting to the Rocket Launcher. And boy was it a struggle!

Sorry Don't Make It So

Meaning: David Coufal <coufal@methane.mit.edu> writes:

"A Star Trek: TNG reference? Picard's stock phrase was "Make It So." After we "beam" into this level, you can imagine calling the Enterprise and demanding they beam us back up!"

A number of people have written in to indicate that the phrase "Sorry Don't Make It So" is much older than ST:TNG. As yet the original source has not been found.

Eric Hoffman <76123.3727@CompuServe.COM> writes:

"The level name "Sorry Don't Make It So" appears to be a reference to Miller's Crossing. Bungie seems to have combined two lines, either that or they just misquoted the movie; those two lines being:

Leo (speaking to Tom): 'Maybe' don't make it so.
and later in the film,
Tom (speaking to Casper): 'Sorry' don't fix things.

Given Jason Jones' affinity for the Coen Brothers, specifically Miller's Crossing, this seems to fit."

For Carnage, Apply Within

Meaning: Play on the advertisements looking for people with certain skills etc. Of course you are eminently qualified for this level.

Begging For Mercy Makes Me Angry!

Meaning: Intuitive.

David Twist <dtwist@garlic.com> writes:

"This is the level where Durandal is about to be captured by the pfhor. He has you destroy the computer core so he won't be captured (and hence begging for mercy)."

Joe Ueland <jueland@welchlink.welch.jhu.edu> writes:

"The quote "Begging For Mercy Makes Me Angry!" can be found in a Warner Brothers Bugs Bunny cartoon. It was uttered by Marvin the Martian when Bugs Bunny pleaded for leniency as Marvin was about to blow up the Earth."

The Big House

Meaning: Slang term for prison.

Yep that's where you are. Enjoy the feeling.

This Side Toward Enemy

Meaning: Eylon Caspi <eylon@glue.umd.edu> writes:

"AFAIK, this is a military phrase inscribed on claymore mines. These are nasty little bombs made to spew shrapnel from the side of the package marked "this side toward enemy." Used in Vietnam & maybe earlier."

Strange... do we NOW need to be pointed to the enemy? Ah... but who NOW is the enemy?

Dave Nix <drn46609@bayou.uh.edu> writes:

"Something even nastier about claymore mines (which bear the infamous inscription "This Side Toward Enemy") is that they blast out little metal BBs in a cone of approx 45 degrees to the front, but also do so to the rear (although admittedly in only about a 30 degree cone and for only about 15 meters)! So, despite the idiot-proof warning label, if you place the thing improperly, it can kill you as well..."

God Will Sort The Dead...

Meaning: Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> suggests that this may be a variation on the saying "Kill 'em all and let God sort 'em out". As there are alot of Simulacrums mixed in with humans on this level it would seem appropriate just to kill them all. ;-)

Gustaf Erikson <f92-ger@nada.kth.se> writes:

"The phrase "Kill them all and let God sort the dead" was reputedly uttered by the Catholic pope/bishop who led the crusade against the Albigensians in southern France in the 12:th century. The Catholic army had just broken into the walled city of Carcassone and the commander wondered how they were supposed to tell the difference between Catholics and heretics."

Gustaf points out that this famous phrase was a topic of discussion on the Deremi-l Discussion List, details of which can be found here . (Link is now dead)

This phrase also features on some bumper stickers.

My Own Private Thermopylae

Meaning: Bach <kirill@lava.net> suggests that this level name signifies a remembrance for the war between the Independent Asteroid Government of Icarus and its neighbor, the Republic of Thermopylae in 2194 AD. A war in which we (The Player) probably played a part. This time however we're on our own.

Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> suggests that this may be a play on the title of the film "My Own Private Idaho".

Eric Hoffman <HOFFMAN@jake.udayton.edu> suggests that the design of this level with it's high cliffs(?) and water is somewhat similar to Thermopylae itself with it's rocky coastal cliffs.

At Thermopylae in 480 BC a vast Persian army were temporarily halted in their tracks by an inferior (in numbers) Greek force. Sound familar?

Matt Soell <BUNGIE1@aol.com> writes:

"Before it was a Keanu Reeves movie, "My Own Private Idaho" was a B-52s song. Given Jason's love for kitschy 80's music like Bow Wow Wow and The Primitives, that's probably where he got the phrase."

Ben Elgin <belgin@osiris.ac.hmc.edu> writes:

"The name "Thermopylae" means "warm gates" in Greek; the town was named thus after its hotsprings, which have been developed into a spa resort. This level has a whole series of small, bathtub-like pools, very suggestive of a spa, and a large pool room with a continuous flow of water, like natural hot springs."

Jonathan Boeddiker <JustVidIt@AOL.com> points out that the name may relate to the theme of the original Battle of Thermopylae in which 300 Spartans held off the Persian army to allow the Greek troops to withdrew to their respective city-states to prepare for defence. Much like how we held off the Pfhor allowing Blake's men to retreat.

Kill Your Television

Meaning: Tiburon <rob@quicklink.com> writes:

"Kill your Television is the title of the opening track on Ned's Atomic Dustbin's first album "God Fodder". The meaning? Maybe the Bungie guys are Ned's fans?"

Ty Klein <mrenigma@earthlink.net> points out that a group called the Bobs also recorded a song called "Kill Your Television".

A quick search of the net drags up this info. The Bobs are a San Francisco based acapella quartet. They took their name from the dog-show acronym Best of Breed. The song "Kill Your Television" is an acapella musical performance of common bumper-sticker slogans. The song features on their 'seventh' album called "Plugged" (released 1995). Here is the chorus:

Kill your television
Baby on board
I heart my dog's head
I honk for the Lord

Yep! we've got a dog's head again?!?!?!?!

This phrase features on some bumper stickers.

Where the Twist Flops

Meaning: Miller's Crossing reference. This was told to David Twist <dtwist@garlic.com> by Jason Jones at MacWorld Expo '95.

Why did Bungie use this quote from Miller's Crossing? The Miller's Crossing scenario is set in the 1920s at a time of mobsterism and bootlegging of alcohol. To Joel and Ethan Coen, the authors of Miller's Crossing, the words "twist" and "flop" have specific meanings. A twist is slang for a woman and a flop is slang for a place where somebody lives. The phrase "Where the Twist Flops" is actually a direct line in the movie. Eddie Dane (one of the main protagonists) remarks "I'll see where the twist flops" as he watches Verna leave Gleeson's Gym.

Beware of Abandoned Rental Trucks

Meaning: Reference to the Oklahoma City bombing on April 19th 1995.

Paul Gettle <pgettle@GroupZ.net> and Rich William <rswillia@MailBox.Syr.Edu> both point out that the World Trade Center bombing in NYC also involved a rental truck. Rich further points out that the two tower-like buildings on this level may be a reference to the Twin Towers in NYC. Rich writes:

"Maybe "Beware of Abandoned Rental Trucks" is more of a general reference to the US's little spurt of bombings..."

Interesting find by J. Pierre Gittinger <pierrex@ix.netcom.com>. An episode of Star Trek: Voyager entitled "The 37's" involves the crew of Voyager encountering a 1936 Ford pickup truck abandoned in space, 70,000 lightyears and 400+ years from Detroit. Not sure if it was rented... but the "37's"?!!! Weird stuff.

Requiem For a Cyborg

Meaning: Play on the title of the film "Requiem for a Heavyweight" This movie is about an over-the-hill fighter trying to deal with the end of his career, and with it, his dreams. Sound familiar?

Fatum Iustum Stultorum

Meaning: Latin for "The Just Fate of the Foolish" or "The Just Fate of Fools".

Describes the fate of Tycho who was destroyed on a nameless inner Lh'owon moon.

Feel the Noise

Meaning: Possibly a variation on the level name "Feel The Power" from Pathways into Darkness.

Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> writes:

"Also there was the Quiet Riot song "Cum on Feel the Noize".

Quiet Riot's "Cum on Feel the Noize" was infact a 1983 cover of Slade's "Cum On Feel The Noise". The title of this level describes the last room on Total Carnage very well.

All Roads Lead To Sol...

Meaning: Play on the phrase "All Roads Lead to Rome".

Interesting to note that Issac Asimov used a similar phrase "All Roads Lead to Trantor" at the end of his classic Foundation trilogy (now greatly expanded).

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> points out that the use of this phrase may end the game on a hopeful note, implying that Sol will be a centre of commerce or politics, or otherwise survive and thrive in the post-Phfor era.

Ross Wolfe <eternalwar@hotmail.com> writes:

I agree that the name implys a hopeful ending, but it seemes to me that it may mean that the player wishes to go home (to Sol, the star our earth revolves around.), be a hero. And if he does well, then he'll be set free.

Thunderdome

Meaning: Reference to the film "Mad Max 3 Beyond the Thunderdrome".

Thunderdrome was an arena where opponents fought to the death to settle their differences - "Two men enter, one man leaves". Very appropriate for a net level.

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> points out that it's a dome (albeit with no roof) and there's thunder.

Eric R <riscica@gmail.com> writes:

Since rocket launchers are the most available weapon in Thunderdome, the thunder in Thunderdome is most likely the sound of rockets exploding. Try playing an eight-player game on Thunderdome: It sounds like Armageddon.

Shangri-La

Meaning: Legend has it that Shangri-La is a paradise-on-Earth hidden somewhere in the Himalayas.

Yeah! If a net map could be paradise. ;-)

No Disintegrations

Meaning: A line from the film "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back". Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> provides the text:

VADER: ...there will be a substantial reward for the one who finds the Millennium Falcon. You are free to use any methods necessary, but I want them alive. No disintegrations.

BOBA FETT: As you wish.

Ok, honeybunny

Meaning: A character in the Quentin Tarantino film "Pulp Fiction" submitted by Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu>.

In "Pulp Fiction" Honey Bunny's robbery persona is that of the psychopathic, hair-triggered, loose cannon. (as indicated by Quentin Tarantino)

Lack of Vision

Meaning: Bach <kirill@lava.net> points that in the Read Me for an M2 map called "All Too Easy" by Damon Holmes <rholmes@mlc.awinc.com> it states:

"...I'd just like to point out that I think some of Bungie's map names were lines from Star Wars. "No Disintegrations" was said by Darth Vader in ESB while talking to Boba Fett, and in the movie ROTJ the Emperor says,"You have paid the price for your 'Lack of Vision'" Just thought you might be interested..."

Mike Silverman <cubsfan@cjnetworks.com> also writes:

"...could be another Star Wars reference in Return of the Jedi, when the Emperor is toasting Luke with the lightning bolts near the movie's climax, he taunts him by saying "Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the dark side. You have paid the price for your lack of vision."

Eric Baur <baur@ucsub.colorado.edu> suggests that the level name may also reflect the availability of a Transparency BCE which makes an opponent increasingly difficult to see. Hence "Lack of Vision".

Brian Christian <crc@dnai.com> points out that this is an excellent King of the Hill level and goes on to say:

"There are two ways to get on the hill; one comes from the North, the other from the South. Thus, it is impossible to look at both places at once, and an enemy player can easily shoot you in the back. This is, I think, the main reason for the level's title. Also, there is a kind of elevator which brings one up to a recharger and some shotguns, and when one is up there, one cannot easily see if anyone is below you, ready to fire. The level also has various turns and twists which make it easy to hide behind corners, etc."

Flight of the Toolator

Meaning: Unclear. Possibly a play on the title of Disney's film "Flight of the Navigator". Toolator is a handle used by Greg Kirkpatrick on occasions.

I guess when you keep getting blown across Waldo World Arena it's like watching the "Flight of the Toolator". What's the view like Greg? ;-)

Matt Soell <bungie1@aol.com> writes:

"'Flight of the Toolator' was given its name because it was originally a low-gravity level, and Greg's favorite method of attack was to get a flamethrower and ride around on a column of napalm, toasting everything in his path."

Giant Flaming Pit of Lava

Meaning: Intuitive. There's a pit, there's lava, and it's hot.

House of Pain

Meaning: Both Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> and Eylon Caspi <eylon@glue.umd.edu> point out that this is the name of an all white rap/hip-hop group. Indeed, House of Pain is the world's first Gaelocentric rap group.

House of Pain! What else would you call a net level?

Bruce Davis <Bruce_Davis@rand.org> writes:

"In the 80's, and possibly later, the Houston Astrodome was routinely referred to as the "House of Pain" for Houston Oilers football games. This level is definitely laid out like a sports arena, with a large central playing field and "stands" around the perimiter.

Bruce also points out that "House of Pain" was the title of a song on the Van Halen album, "1984".

Chris Borowiec <borzz@earthlink.net> writes:

"While there may be many logical explanations, I believe this to be a reference to "Oingo Boingo", and the song "No Spill Blood". Taken from the movie "Island Of Lost Souls" 1933 (Bela Lugosi, Charles Laughton), a remake of the H.G. Wells novel "Island Of Dr. Moreau", it refers to a house of crude bodily experiments. The Doctor, who runs the island, plays by his own rules:"

Q: "What is the law"?
A: "No spill blood".

Q: "Who makes the law"?
A: "Someone else".

Q: "What happens when we break the law"?
A: "A trip to the House Of Pain".

For more information on this classic film check here or here . (Links are now dead)

16th Parallel

Meaning: A possible reference to the border between North and South Vietnam. This map is also made up of 16 parallel segments.

One Hit Wonder

Meaning: Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> writes:

"A band that has one hit single but is otherwise unsucessful is called a One Hit Wonder."

Gabe Rosenkoetter <acrosenk@artsci.wustl.edu> suggests that the level name may reflect the fact that the person who gets the rocket launcher in the small room can have a major advantage. A "One 'SPNKR' Wonder" of sorts.

Ok, Who Wants Some?

Meaning: Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> writes:

"A common taunt. Used a lot in [the film] Army Of Darkness."

Similar to "Who Else Wants Some?" the last level in Pathways into Darkness.

Everyone's Mortal But Me

Meaning: Charles Lechasseur <clechasseur@cmq.qc.ca> and Bach <kirill@lava.net> both point out that this is an ideal net map for King of the Hill. The person who commands the Hill has both a strategic and munitions advantage. As Charles remarks:

"So holding this ground is rather God-like - and everyone's mortal, but you."

Charles Lechasseur <clechasseur@cmq.qc.ca> and Eric Hoffman <HOFFMAN@jake.udayton.edu> both suggest that the title may also refer to the secret invincibility on this level.

Eric writes:

"Seems most likely to be a reference to the secret room where one can find the invincibility, thus the phrase "Everyone's Mortal But Me" applies to the person hogging the power-up."

Rich Williams <rswillia@mailbox.syr.edu> writes:

"It may be a take-off of a line in "Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade", where River Phoenix notes that "Everyone's lost but me"."

Matt Soell <BUNGIE1@aol.com> writes:

"The name "Everyone's Mortal But Me" grew out of a dinner conversation between Greg and Alex. I don't remember the specifics of it right now..."

5-D Space

Meaning: A level name used in Marathon (see above)

Ne Cede Malis

Meaning: Latin for "do not yield to misfortunes".

David Patton <pattodw@mail.auburn.edu> writes:

"The first level of MI "Ne Cede Malis" takes its name from a phrase penned by Virgil: "Ne Cede Malis Sed Contra Audientor Ito." This translates as: "Do not yield to misfortunes, but go more boldly to meet them." This seems rather appropriate given the first level's plot."

Chris Geisel (Double Aught Software) later wrote:

"Ne Cede Malis. The first level of Infinity was designed by Randy, but the name comes from a mystical ring that has been in Greg's family for years. The ring has a picture of an elephant with a snake coiled around its trunk and an inscription that reads 'Ne Cede Malis', which means roughly: Don't Give in to Misfortune. This level was one of the last designed, and was meant to evoke M1--claustrophobic hallways, dark corners, and atmosphere. We thought the title was appropriate considering the game begins with a nova, destruction, and the end of Lh'owon."

Rise Robot Rise

Meaning: Ahmad Shah Sahar <ashah@tm.net.my> writes:

"A year or so back, Time Warner released a Streetfighter clone type beat-um-up kind of game called Rise of the Robots. Game was nothing much, tho the graphics of the characters were pretty, they weren't full 3d, just 3d rendered bitmaps."

"Anyway, the plot (such as it was) concerned an outpost where all the robots had gone nuts (Sorry! it's pun time - oops!) and another robot (you) had to go in and sort out the problem. With its' fists. The interesting part was that you don't play a robot, not really, you play a CYBORG. (If you are defeated in any match, you'll see a picture of your shattered carcass, and part of the facial armor plate has broken away, revealing a decidedly human eye.)"

"Hmm.... lone cyborg sent to whip ass... computer game manufacturers do tend to go fo original ideas, don't they? ;) "

Michael Dawe <dawe@ny.frontiercomm.net> points out that we start out on a platform on this level and it's rising.

But who is the Robot?

Eli Brown <twiggy@oneighty.com> writes:

"Rise Robot, Rise is the level in which Tycho tells us we've just awaken from stasis. "Rise and shine." Waking up is commonly referred to as rising."

This is akin to 'Rise Monster Rise' from the film version of Frankenstein.

Matthew Wier <mattwier@teleport.com> points out that there was a band called "Rise Robots Rise".

Interesting to note that the band's debut album "Rise Robots Rise" contained tracks such as Mars and Zombie Demons. A second album "Spawn" was an epic collection of song/stories that examine life and death situations in possible futures on this and other planets.

Brian Callahan <Marathoner777@aol.com> writes:

Concerning the MI level, "Rise Robot Rise", the level name is very accurate, as robot s a Czech word meaning "slave", and the player spends most of his time working the humans, the phfor, or the A.I.s. The word first entered public consciousness after Karel Capek's play R.U.R. The 'robots' in the story, like the ones in Blade Runner, were made from synthetic flesh rather then metal.

Poor Yorick

Meaning: A name taken from Shakespeare's Hamlet (Act V Scene 1). It's the famous graveyard scene. The line goes "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio...". Yorick was the King's jester.

Confound Delivery

Meaning: David Cornwell <goldragonne@earthlink.net> writes:

"DELIVERED by Tycho? CONFOUNDED by not being able to complete the objective?"

Filips Baumanis <maaris@tiac.net> writes:

"The American Heritage dictionary, third ed. gives the following definition of "Confound": "v. 1. To confuse or perplex. 2. To mix up. [Lat. confundere, confuse.]" Isn't this the first level in Mi where the plot, and your location in it goes awry, and becomes slightly boggling?"

Interesting to note that this is one level that can be completely avoided.

Electric Sheep One

Meaning: Will Starck <legend@onramp.net> suggests that the "Electric Sheep" levels take their names from the book "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" by Philip K. Dick.

"Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" was used as the basis for the film Blade Runner.

Where are monsters in dreams

Meaning: In Pathways Into Darkness for sure.

Sixty-four million years ago, a large extra-terrestrial object struck the Earth in what would later be called the Yucatan Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico. The dust and rock thrown up by the resulting explosion caused enormous climactic changes in the ensuing years, and many of the Earth's species became extinct during the long winter that followed.

The object itself was buried thousands of feet below ground, its nearly two kilometer length remarkably intact. It remained there, motionless, for thousands of years before it finally began to stir-- and to dream. It was a member of a race whose history began when the Milky Way was still a formless collection of dust and gas-- a powerful race of immortals which had quickly grown bored of their tiny universe and nearly exterminated themselves in war.

This particular being, whose name no human throat will ever learn to pronounce, was part of the cataclysmic battle that formed Magellanic Clouds, billions of years ago. It died there, or it came as close to dying as these things can, and drifted aimlessly for millions of light years before striking the Earth.

The heat of impact liquified the rock around it, which later cooled and encased the dead god's huge body far below ground. As it began to dream, it wrought unintentional changes in its environment. Locked deep beneath the Earth, strange and unbelievable things faded in and out of reality. Vast caverns and landscapes bubbled to life within the rock, populated by horrible manifestations of the dead god's dream.

Only during the last few centuries has the god begun to effect changes on the surface of the Earth. Grotesque creatures have been sighted deep in the trackless forest of the Yucatan, and strange rumors of an ancient pyramid-- which is neither Aztec nor Mayan-- in the same area have been circulating in the archaeological community since the early 1930's.

The god is awakening.

Acme Station

Meaning: Edwin ten Dam <etd@st-andrews.ac.uk> writes:

"ac.me \'ak-me-\ n [Gk akme- point, highest point - more at EDGE] : the highest point : PEAK. ACME also has a meaning of perfection"

Yes. Acme: the point of pefection or the highest point of development. Acme Station - Level 7. A level designed to perfection. Vidmasters' Hell. Nice one Greg K.

Post Naval Trauma

Meaning: Rob Boggs <rboggsnhl@earthlink.com> suggests that this may be a play on medical condition - Post Natal Trauma.

Where Some Rarely Go

Meaning: Edwin ten Dam <etd@st-andrews.ac.uk> suggests that this may be a variation on the Star Trek line: "To boldly go where no one has gone before"

Thing What Kicks. . .

Meaning: Jeremy Condit <afn02635@afn.org> points out that this is part of line from the Juggernaut pict (pict. resource 12602) in Marathon 2: Durandal. The line goes:

In Nebulonese it is known as "The Big Floaty Thing What Kicks Our Asses."

See the Pict Text section of Facts and puzzling things about... for details of the Juggernaut pict text.

Electric Sheep Two

Meaning: The second of the "Electric Sheep" levels. See above for details.

Whatever You Please

Meaning: Dustin Westphal <bachus@rdc-cybersign.com> writes:

"This could refer to your ability to time travel caused by a Jjaro implant inside of you. If you could time travel, you could do whatever you pleased."

Randy Reddig (Double Aught Software) writes:

"way, way back when i came to doubleaught, i was given a shiny new 7100. i was naming the hard disks and asked greg "what should i name the disk?"

the reply came back, "whatever you please!"

and so then it was. i decided to name my first single-player map after it about a month later."

Naw Man He's Close

Meaning: Similar to a line from the film Apocalypse Now. The crazy Do Lung Bridge scene. The Roach is called to deal with a man on the wire. When asked if he needs a flare he says "No... he's close man... he's real close." The scene is in fact loosely based on a real life incident as described by Michael Herr in his book "Dispatches".

Chris Geisel (Double Aught Software) later wrote:

Naw Man He's Close is a quote from Apocalypse Now's bridge scene, and started out life as a concept--the player free falling toward the hull of Durandal's ship with an assault team of troopers. The original design was by me, and was centered around a control tower above a pool of the ubiqutous (and hard to understand) Pfhor slime. I finished about half of the map and then started working on terminals for the rest of the levels. Greg took over the map near the end of Infinity, revamped it, added in some architecture that he'd never used on M2 (the pulsing lights in the hallway, the secret door in the 'Y' passage way, and some others) and finished it up.

Foe Hammer

Meaning: Ahmad Shah Sahar <ashah@asiapac.net> writes:

"Foe Hammer in Infinity reminds me of a Stephen King book, The Eyes of the Dragon. The story is about a king, Roland the Good (Roland again! Coincidence!? I think not!), his two sons, Peter and Thomas and a dark man called Flagg."

"Foe Hammer was the name of the arrow King Roland used to slay a dragon, and plays a vital role near the end of the story (sorry, you'll have to read the book -- it's too good to spoil). Is anyone at Bungie a King fan, I wonder."

Keiran Downie <kdownie@macsource.com> writes:

"Wasn't Foe Hammer the name of Gandalf's sword in "The Hobbit"? As I recall, they found some swords in the troll cave, and his sword was named Glamdring which meant Foe Hammer in the language of the elves, and Thorin's sword was named Orcrist, which meant Goblin-Cleaver. A mighty weapon to be yielded against countless foes, perhaps, like Roland's sword Durandal?"

Earl Smith <esmit01@emory.edu> writes:

"Also, the weapon had a similar effect as, say, a mad cyborg in a nest of Phfor:

"Suddenly a sword flashed in its own light. Bilbo saw it go right through the Great Goblin as he stood dumbfounded in the middle of his rage. He fell dead, and the goblin soldiers fled before the sword shrieking into the darkness . . . The sword's name was Glamdring the Foe Hammer . . . the goblins just called it Beater and hated it worse than Biter (Orcrist) if possible."
[The Hobbit, ch. 4 JRR Tolkien]

"Beater is a rather nice name, in this context, for network games ..."

Chris Geisel (Double Aught Software) later wrote:

Foe Hammer was my level, and the name comes from Tolkien. This was another level where I wanted to put a secret area. There's a switch just below the Pfhor slime in the second large room that opens a door at the bottom of the second (non-functional) elevator. Down there is a souped up Mother of All Hunters, a rocket launcher, and other treats. Randy helped me tweak the outdoor areas (which have some nice views) and the two of us came up with a design that had a group of drones flying around on the outside of the ship, firing in at the player, but we scrapped it for speed reasons, and because at times the landscapes became cluttered with drone corpses, which really killed the suspension of disbelief.

Hang Brain

Meaning: Well the Marathon's Story page is just about to lose its R rating. If you are of a sensitive nature don't read further. Remember kids don't try this at home.

Art Cannon <art@angel.net> writes:

"...the level name "Hang Brain" refers to a crass practice I witnessed in college. A guy would unzip his trousers and "hang" just his scrotum out of the fly of his pants and walk around. The protruding testicles/scrotum roughly resembled a brain, and thus was called "hanging brain". In reference to Marathon Infinity, to "hang brain" would mean to go "balls out" or to the max, if you will.

Painful! Ingue Ferroque perhaps ;-)

Electric Sheep Three

Meaning: The third of the "Electric Sheep" levels. See above for details.

Eat the Path

Meaning: Brian Blovett <bblovett@sdcc10.ucsd.edu> writes:

"Eat the Path: Doubtlessly taken from the last line of the first terminal in the level. Also seems to resemble the phrase "Eat the track" (...course, etc.), often said in describing competing vehicles in dirt races ("Wilson's 4x4 really eats/chews up the track."). It roughly means to rearrange a lot of dirt in running the course (and do it fast), a bit like how we add more paths during this level."

Graham Lasseter <tyr02@hotmail.com> writes:

Just writing for another interpretation of the level name Eat the Path. Made me think of Hansel and Gretel who used food to makeÊa path to return. If you eat the path you dont how to get out. Theres no going back. Kinda fitting for a mazey level i thought.

By Committee

Meaning: Rob Boggs <rboggsnhl@earthlink.com> writes:

"By committee: usually something that's done "by committee" is unwieldy and geared toward the lowest common denominator."

Pfhor bureaucracy perhaps?

Mike Phillips <venom@silcon.com> writes:

"My first thought when noting the name of this level was yet another Star Wars reference; in The Empire Strikes back, before the Millenium Falcon takes off from the mouth of the giant "space slug," as Han and Leia are arguing, Han cuts her off:"

Han: "No time to discuss as a committee!"
Leia: "I am NOT a committee!!"

Captain Jteg provides this dictionary definition which expands on Rob's submission above:

"By-committee definition: Through the collaborative efforts of multiple contributors, as a team or committee assigned to accomplish a goal; especially as known for protracted proceedings, a lack of responsiveness, or undesired results."

One thousand thousand slimy things

Meaning: Michael Florentin Nielsen <florent@post3.tele.dk> points out that this may be based on Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner":

The very deep did rot: O Christ!
That ever this should be!
Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs
Upon the slimy sea.

Keiran Downie <kdownie@macsource.com> writes:

"Not only is this from the Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Coleridge, but the poem also plays a major role in the Douglas Adams book "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency". In the book, Coleridge was inspired by a revenge-minded, alien ghost that had landed on Earth millions of years ago in a colonization ship and through a sloppy bit of maintenance, destroyed the ship and all its crew when a drive malfunction blew everything all to hell in Earth's primordial ooze. This accident started life on Earth, and the ghost watched in frustration as a "thousand thousand slimy things with legs" evolved and developed on the Earth. Perhaps this refers to the Marine's intentions towards the Bobs that seem bent on killing him with no apparent provocation?"

Andres Magnusson <andres@saga.is> writes:

This is definately from the Ancient Mariner, but Michael Florentin Nielsen quotes the wrong verse. It goes as follows:

The many men, so beautiful!
And they all dead did lie :
And a thousand thousand slimy things
Lived on ; and so did I.

I looked upon the rotting sea,
And drew my eyes away ;
I looked upon the rotting deck,
And there the dead men lay.

This of course goes hand in hand with the depressive musings of our AI master.

Chris Geisel <chrisg@doubleaught.com> of Double Aught Software wrote:

"One thousand thousand slimy things The title comes from Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and I came up with it. I started Slimy Things and got about 2/3 of the way done with the architecture when Ydnar and I got caught up in making a door that had a complicated shadow cast across half of it, that also cast a shadow into the room when the door was opened. It took us about 3 hours one night working on the PowerBook. The idea behind the level was a large, multilevel tower, but the geometry wasn't turning out to be as interesting as the Citadel in M2, so we scrapped it. The door is near the end of the existing level, and a bunch of the niche lights are scattered around too. Greg started over and used some of the architecture from the original. The level that resulted is much cooler than the one I was working on, especially the assault on the Bob's hideout in the beginning. No one can figure out how Greg convinced the troopers to run all the way into the fortress, up the stairs, and keep going. Normally the monsters just aren't that smart. Anyway, it is one of the most enjoyable ones to play, and even has a coolio secret ammo dump that you can get to with one of the telporters that cross the waterway."

A Converted Church in Venice, Italy

Meaning: Matt Spring <ratmeat@bu.edu> writes:

"A Converted Church in Venice, Italy may be another Indiana Jones reference- In the Last Crusade, the second grail tablet is in a converted church in Venice, Italy."

Ty Klein <mrenigma@earthlink.net> points out that it was in the converted church that Indiana Jones used the numbers 3, 7, and 10 to locate the tomb of a Knight (Templar) of the Crusades, a tomb which held the clue to finding the Holy Grail and immortality. See The Number Seven section for details.

Brendan Ebner <bebner@dns.ida.net> writes:

While Ty was right in the similarities between Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and the Mi level, I've got even more. When Indy visited the church, he found his way into a system of tunnels beneath it just as we must go in the tunnels below the lava tubes. Furthermore, Indy had to swim out through a pool of burning oil just as we must swim out the tunnels in a rising pool of lava.

Son of Grendel

Meaning: Grendels? They're Everywhere! There are alot of Grendels about so take your pick.

Rob Boggs <rboggsnhl@earthlink.com> writes:

"Son of Grendel: Grendel was the monster that was nigh-invulnerable in the story of Beowulf, are WE the son of Grendel in this instance? or are we Beowulf, taking down the nearly invincible monster."

William Pasquill <pasquill@usa1.com> writes:

"The Net level Son of Grendel may be a reference to the Dark Horse comic entitled Grendel."

Similarly, Noah Johnson <streak@well.com> writes:

"There are several references in Marathon Infinity, mostly made by Tfear, if memory serves, to some kind of command location or structure known as "Grn'dl Prime". It's worth mentioning that in Matt Wagner's comic book mythology _Grendel_, one part of the future has the earth under the dominion of a dictator known as "Grendel-Prime". Coincidence?"

Noah goes on to point out that in the comic version of Grendel, Grendel-Prime is eventually overthrown by his son.

Strange Aeons

Meaning: James R Graham <jrg@world.std.com> points out that this is a part of a famous H.P. Lovecraft quote from the short story The Call of Cthulhu:

"That is not dead which can eternal lie,
and with strange aeons even death may die."

Bagged Again

Meaning: Peter Hessler <geekboy@mistic.net> writes:

"Bagged Again means that you are to be put in a body bag ('cause you're dead), AGAIN!??!?!!"

Rob Boggs <rboggsnhl@earthlink.com> suggests that this level name doesn't mean that you are dead again just that you've been caught again, you've been a "bad bad conditioned unit". You die on the next level. ;-)

Ian J. Ball <IJBall@aol.com> writes:

"To "Put the Bag on [someone]" is an old expression (from the 30's, I think), and it means to kidnap someone. Obviously a reference to your capture at the start of this level."

You Think You're Big Time? You're Gonna Die Big Time!

Meaning: Oh and you will... Vid Boi. ;-)

The following post appeared on alt.games.marathon:

From: Brad Chatellier <skydiver@apple.com>
Newsgroups: alt.games.marathon
Subject: TRIVIA: You Think You're Big Time?
Date: Mon, 02 Dec 1996 15:45:12 +0000
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.
Lines: 13
Message-ID: <32A2F988.4DEB@apple.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: chatbr.apple.com
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.0 (Macintosh; I; PPC)

I've been spending the past month practicing the Vidmaster Challenge
levels (almost got YTYBTYGDBT down).  I was pretty stoked last night
when I took a break and rented a movie called Carlito's Way.  Carlito is
holed up in a bathroom, trying to bluff his way out of a pool hall full
of gun toting ganstas.  He's out of pistol ammo and yells into the pool
hall, "Alright!  I'm reloaded.  You think you're big time?  You're gonna
fucking die big time.  Here comes the pain!"

Someone really ought to start a list of Bungie references.  Chalk up one
more.

\/ Free Fly,
Brad Chatellier

Aye Mak Sicur

Meaning: Based on information from Greg Kirkpatrick this is from the Kirkpatrick family crest. It means "I'll Make Sure..."

This level was originally conceived as Pfhactory N'Utopia by Randy Reddig (aka ydnar). You'll find clues to this in the signon and signoff screens of Terminal 1. The text reads: infin.pfhctry and 1023.poly.max. respectively.

Robot World Arena

Meaning: The Marathon map "Waldo World Arena" adapted as an Infinity solo level.

Two for the Price of One

Meaning: "Duality" adapted as a solo level. Two for the Price of One no doubt.

Aie Mak Sicur

Meaning: A variation on the level name "Aye Mak Sicur". Not clear why it is spelt differently.

David Cornwell <goldragonne@earthlink.net>

"A probable reason "Aie Mak Sicur" is spelt differently from "Aye Mak Sicur" is because it is the fake last level, accessible only through the dream level "Where are monsters in dreams". It is not spelt correctly, indicating falsity."

Carroll Street Station

Meaning: Loren Petrich <petrich@netcom.com> writes:

"Checking on http://www.doubleaught.com, I noticed that the Double Aught people hail from Brooklyn, NYC, and that one of the stream-of-consciousness texts there featured something about being at some subway station. So I consulted an urban-transit website, and looked in its map of NYC's subway trains, namely, http://www.nycsubway.org/maps/route/index.html . Clicking on Brooklyn, I found a Carroll St. Station toward its west end, just across the river from the southern tip of Manhattan. It serves the subway line "F" and the end of subway line "G"."

You're Wormfood, Dude

Meaning: Rob Boggs <rboggsnhl@earthlink.com> writes:

"You're wormfood dude: yer takin' a dirt nap, pushin' up the dasies, six feet under, Yer dead dude."

Keiran Downie <kdownie@macsource.com> writes:

"Perhaps another Beavis & Butthead tribute - Beavis smashes his skull against a wall and dreams he's dead & Butthead drags him out to the back yard to bury him. Mr. Anderson's dog comes over and sniffs Beavis's body, at which point Butthead says "Beavis is not dog food! He's wormfood!"

Jim Mitchell <BobJam@aol.com> writes:

"In the James Cameron movie "Aliens" Carter Burke (played by Paul Reiser) attempts to "impregnate" Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and Newt (Carrie Henn) by releasing two of the captured "facehugger" organisms. When the marines catch him Hudson (Bill Paxton) tells him: "You're Dogmeat, Pal!" This is noticibly close to the level name "You're Wormfood, Dude""

Try again

Meaning: The first of three special Vidmaster levels chosen and redone by Randall "FrigidMan" Shaw <frigid@grayphics.com>. Apparently Bungie asked Randall to pick the one hardest level out of each generation and redo them harder. This is the Marathon level. Vidmasters need only apply.

If I Had a Rocket Launcher, I'd Make Somebody Pay

Meaning: The second of three special Vidmaster levels chosen and redone by Randall "FrigidMan" Shaw <frigid@grayphics.com>. This is the Marathon 2 level. Vidmasters need only apply.

You Think You're Big Time? You're Gonna Die Big Time!

Meaning: The third of three special Vidmaster levels chosen and redone by Randall "FrigidMan" Shaw <frigid@grayphics.com>. This is the Marathon Infinity level. Vidmasters need only apply.

See above for details.

Duality

Meaning: Dustin Westphal <cyberjox@premier.net> writes:

"Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary defines duality in a paraphrased kinda way, in an object or place with reference or qualities of twoness (awright a new word!). If you look at the map using an editor or similar vices, you will see that Duality is very twoness (I like this new word!). It has two levels, two sets of stairs, two teleporters, two places to hide, two entrances to the hallway at the top, two missles at one time, etc... Plus, methinks that that they just couldn't think up of any better name for it. Also this net level works great with just two people."

Note: Duality was created by Randy Reddig's friend Bill Ramsey.

Daniel Grant <daniel.grant.2401@gmail.com> points out that the most obvious origin for this level name was Double Aught's game Duality. He goes on to point out that there are references to Duality throughout Infinity.

Thrud

Meaning: One of the sons of Thor.

There is also Thrud the Barbarian, a one page strip from Games Workshop magazine.

Wrath No More?

Meaning: Rob Boggs <rboggsnhl@earthlink.com> suggests that this may be a take on "Faith no More"?

Y.A.F.N.M.

Meaning: Chad Poland <proedge@netctrl.com> writes to say that Greg Kirkpatrick told him that Tuncer came up with this name. Apparently it means "yet another f.ing net map". ;-)

Colin Jaffe <colinj@tiac.net> points out that "Y.A.F.N.M." was called "Afrin" at MacWorld.

Alex Rosenberg <alexr@bungie.com> of Bungie Software writes:

"Y.A.F.N.M." was made during last year's Computer Game Developer's Conference to provide a surprise to the players competing in the tournament there. And it's original name had something to do with Tuncer's repeated requests for a name giving me a headache.

Beyond Thunderdome

Meaning: The Marathon 2 level "Thunderdome" revisited with Infinity textures. Apparently this was redone by Tuncer. Note the names of the rooms.

Vulcan

Meaning: The name of Bungie's original Marathon map editor. Reputed to be difficult to use.

Vulcan was the Roman god of fire, particularly of destructive fire. Equated with the Greek Hephaistos, from whom he derives many of his aspects and myths, including the association with blacksmiths and forges. He was believed to have a forge under Mount Aetna.

Patrick Gierke <Recon54@aol.com> writes:

"The name of the net level "Vulcan" more than likely comes from the fact that it is a section of Aye Mak Secur. Aye Mak Secur is actually Pfhactory N'Utopia the final installment of Pfhactory. It is the only marathon map to contain 1024 polygons! The name of Vulcan is derived from the story behind the Phfactory. Originally, the Pfhactory was a weapons manufacturing plant located aboard the Marathon. Its official name was "Vulcan", but the crew simply called it "the Factory". More details behind the Pfhactory are located on the Pfhactory home page."

House of Pain

Meaning: The Marathon 2 level "House of Pain" revisited with Infinity textures. Apparently this was redone by Tuncer.

See above for meaning.

King of Pain

Meaning: The first of three net maps created by Randall "FrigidMan" Shaw <frigid@grayphics.com>.

Randall writes:

"I wanted to redo House of Pain, because it needed large improvements, so I made House of Luck. I put the dead dark end into it to make it not so symmetrical, and also the light pillar in the other upstairs area. I did these to give it a little more strategy than just a simple run around the outside or stand around in the middle. With the dead end there is actually a place to ambush well, and it's very protected too."

Bungie renamed Randall's map to "House of Luck" to "King of Pain".

Paul Gettle <pgettle@scescape.net> points out that "King of Pain" is the title of a song by The Police.

Ex Justicia Mortis

Meaning: Noah Daniels <ndaniel1@swarthmore.edu> writes:

"...I think this means "From Justice, Death" - though certainly the opposite (from death, justice) would seem more descriptive of the Law of the Marathon Universe."

Colin Jaffe <colinj@tiac.net> writes:

"...Ex Justicia Mortis means, literally, "Death Outside of Justic." This can be interpreted as Death Outside of Law, in other words, vigilante justice."

Edward Baskerville <edwardb@halcyon.com> writes:

"Mortis is in the genitive case, used to denote possession or other noun-modifying-noun construction, usually translated with the word "of" So "Ex Justicia Mortis" should actually be "Out of the justice of death"."

Dead Fields

Meaning: The second of three net maps created by Randall "FrigidMan" Shaw <frigid@grayphics.com>.

Randall writes:

"Dead Fields: This map was originally called Bungie Jumping, because I had made it as a short solo demo level for the guys at Power Computing for the MacWorld expo. Thus when I got this map done, on time, they informed me that they couldn't use the Infinity shapes file cause it was supposed to be a M2 demo map. Something they neglected to tell me when I said I would be doing it in the new Jjaro set. Anyways, it took me two and a half days to create the first solo version. Then when I heard they couldn't use it I asked Bungie if they wanted it in Net version. So I converted it by deleting a few things (mainly all the puzzle switches and doors), and then added more ways around, such as door halls and secrets."

"I came up with the name Dead Fields, because it's Like a Hunter Prey game, where you seek out your foe and strategically kill them, thus like running around in the orchard field killing. Anyways, this is a great king of the hill map as well cause of the huge hill that you can get onto three different ways. The hill initially was as tall as the sky area and that was where the solo ended where you bungie jump off the top. I shorted it so it would be more fun to kill people down below as well as the guys down below being able to shoot above."

Return to Waldo

Meaning: The Marathon level "Waldo World Arena" revisited with Infinity textures.

Thick and Chunky

Meaning: Ben Semmler <LtSemm@aol.com> points out that this is a common phrase heard on pasta sauce commercials and goes on to suggest that this is what you might look like after being hit by a SPNKR missle, or even a Flechette projectile.

Ugh... no more pasta for me ;-)

Peter Hessler <geekboy@mistic.net> writes:

"Why thick and chunky? 'cause that is how the field will be with all of the bodies."

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> writes:

"thick and chunky implies being substantial or of quality rather than watery, inferior crap."

Route 66

Meaning: Not the highway, but a coffee. Randy Reddig drinks Route 66. Confused? Well on a secret file called 'The End' on the Infinity CD, Randy Reddig (aka ydnar) wrote:

"a little note about route 66: its name has several connotations. it was made entirely on a powerbook, in a car, on a train, in a lodge recovering from snowboarding.

its name has nothing to do with the highway. it's named after a coffee. route 66 is a slightly bitter blend of coffee beans, a french roast. mmm, caffeine."

Morpfhine

Meaning: Play on the word Morphine. Morphine is an opium alkaloid used as an analgesic. The substance is adictive and an overdose will kill you. Much like the level. In case of an emergency call 911, Poison Control, or a local emergency number.

Colin Jaffe <colinj@tiac.net> writes:

"On the level Morpfhine, notice that there is an invinicibility (it can actually be quite fun to have fights over it). I believe that that is what Mr. Reddig was referring to when he called it that. Come and get your shot of morpfhine..."

Route 66 (604 or better)

Meaning: While this version of Route 66 contains nice shadow effects it's not clear if these cause a performance hit to warrant a 604 or better processor.

Gabe Rosenkoetter <gabe@tj.edu.inter.net> writes:

"it certainly does... i've tried over the ethernet in my house - neither my 040 performa 636 or ppc 601 7200/90 is capable of handling the level... even with only two players on such a fast network..."

La Cosa Nostra

Meaning: The third of three net maps created by Randall "FrigidMan" Shaw <frigid@grayphics.com>.

Randall writes:

"Dusk: I came up with this name cause it happens at dusk, when the killing starts. I don't know, half the names just pop into my head after making them and not knowing the reason for it. This one is one of those cases. I was done with it and I was running around and then I thought.. hmmm, how bout Dusk? Then Bungie goes and renames it to some god awful foreign name, bleah."

La Cosa Nostra or the Mafia. An Italian name for organized crime.

Gabe Rosenkoetter <gabe@tj.edu.inter.net> writes:

"while you're right that "La Cosa Nostra" refers to the italian mafia, i thought you might be interested that it means, literally, "our thing" - the mobsters referred to their business as "la cosa nostra" so as not to arouse suspicion... the name stuck..."

Delusions of Grandeur

Meaning: Something you get when you think you are a God. ;-)

Steve Wood <smwood@ccs.neu.edu> writes:

"Delusions of Grandeur is a Star Wars reference. Many characters throughout the trilogy accuse other characters of having "delusions of grandeur" (C3PO mostly, I think)".

Charles Lechasseur <clechas@qc.autoroute.net> writes:

"...you might me interested to know that "Delusions of Grandeur" was called "NetCommitee" when Bungie demoed M00 at MacWorld Boston. in fact, the map does look like a section of "By Commitee"."

Simon Rowland <simon@eagle.ca> writes:

"delusions of grandeur is a symptom of manic depression."

Spline

Meaning: A spline is a mathematical technique for fitting curves to data.

Rob Boggs <rboggsnhl@earthlink.com> writes:

I think the name comes from the curves involved in the map's layout. In the "Xeelee" series of books by Stephen Baxter, there was a race of living starships known as the spline. In this universe, the race known as the Xeelee take on a role very similar to that of the Jjaro in the Marathon universe.

Matthew Colville <mcolville@earthlink.net> writes:

Additionally, a 'Spline,' apart from being a mathematical term, is also a little groove in a piece of furniture, into which is fit cord to hold strips of cane. I think this must be what the Marathon folk meant. As soon as I started running around those damn twisty, turny corridors, I knew why they called it Spline.

Mars Needs Women

Meaning: The Marathon level "Mars Needs Women" revisited with Infinity textures. Nice to see that the map writing was retained. This is probably the most mature of all Marathon maps. It was first seen at the Boston MacWorld in Aug 1994.

Who's Got The Itchies

Meaning: Peter Hessler <geekboy@mistic.net> writes:

"Who's Got The Itchies?...itchy trigger finger perhaps. ;-) "

reverof nohtaram

Meaning: "marathon forever" spelt backwards.

Gabe Rosenkoetter <gabe@tj.edu.inter.net> writes:

"this level has themes that have showed themselves in many previous net levels; the balcony of showered with grenades, the twists of spiral insanity, the halls of what goes up... etcetera..."

'Fugee Camp

Meaning: Rob Boggs <rboggsnhl@earthlink.com> suggests that this is short for refugee camp and goes onto say that the 'fugees', who also got their name by shortening the word refugees, are one of the biggest rap/r&b/alternative bands in the U.S. right now.

Melatonin

Meaning: Melatonin is a natural hormone that is produced by the pineal gland, which is located in the brain. It is secreted at night and sets the internal biological clock that governs our cycles or rhythms. Certain enzymes in the pineal gland are activated by darkness, so as the sun goes down melatonin is released and sleep results. As morning approaches and light intensifies, melatonin levels decrease and we awaken after a restful sleep. If adequate levels are not produced or are not produced at the proper time, we cannot experience quality sleep. Produced during the darker hours, melatonin has been referred to as "the hormone of the night" and one of its major functions is the setting or regulating of our sleep/wake cycles.

Play to much Marathon and you'll probably need Melatonin supplements. Please consult a doctor.

Fortress Lh'owon

Meaning: Hmmm... well it's a fortress of sorts... isn't it?

Hats Off to Eight Nineteen

Meaning: Randy Reddig's secret net level. Found by N Revenge <nrevenge@aol.com>. N Revenge wrote on alt.games.marathon:

"didja know... ... if you open the infinity map with hex and copy the hexadecimal code from the secret terms in the first and last solo levels and append them in simpletext and convert the result to ascii with resedit and save the ascii in simpletext and drop the resulting file onto the newest version of stuffit expander twice... you get a small net map that you may have seen before with someone's attempt at creative writing in a terminal?

no kidding."

Randy Reddig (Double Aught) in reply wrote:

"yes.

yes. yes.

yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!

someone found it! ::big smile::

that just made my day."

One interesting thing about this level is that we now know where hangar ninety six comes from.

Dan Rudolph <rudolph.family@mcleod.net> writes:

"Hats Off to 819, the MInf secret level, has something interesting in the title. If you look in the physics using Anvil, you will find that most of the characters are 819 units tall."

Hats Off To Chad Poland (3 o M7) for finding this out on the 21th Nov 1996... but we had to keep it a secret until today Feb 7th. :-)