alt.fan.dune Frequently Asked Questions

1. General questions

1.1 What is Dune?
1.2 What is alt.fan.dune?
1.3 What is appropriate subject material for alt.fan.dune?
1.4 What other resources are on the Internet about Dune?
1.5 What are the origins of House Atreides?

2. Questions about written materials on Dune

2.1 What books are in the Dune series?
2.2 What other books about Dune have been published?
2.3 Who/what are Marty and Daniel from the end of Chapterhouse: Dune?
2.4 Who/what is Scytale from Dune Messiah and Chapterhouse: Dune?
2.5 Are there any comics and illustrated books about Dune?

3. The Movie(s)

3.1 What is the movie Dune?
3.2 Is there more than one version of the movie?
3.3 How do I get each version of the movie?

4. Questions about the game(s)

4.1 What MU*s are there with a Dune theme?
4.2 How do I make MU*s look right on my screen?
4.3 Are there any PC games about Dune?
4.4 Are there any board games about Dune?

5. Questions about sound recordings relating to Dune

5.1 Are there any sound recordings relating to Dune?
5.2 How do I get the movie soundtrack?
5.3 What does the movie soundtrack contain?

Recent CHANGES

08/27/96: Section 1.1 resived
08/27/96: Section 1.4.3 revised
08/27/96: Section 3.2 revised
08/27/96: Section 3.3 revised
08/27/96: Section 4.1 revised
08/27/96: Section 5.2 revised

1. General Questions

1.1 What is Dune?

Dune is the first of a series of six science fiction books, known collectively as the Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert.

1.2 What is alt.fan.dune?

Alt.fan.dune is a newsgroup for postings relating to Frank Herbert's Dune series or any of its adaptations, including the movie Dune and the on-line MUSH simulations in the Dune universe. The group will provide a forum for fans of Herbert's work to communicate, and for dissemination of MUSH announcements and plot information.

1.3 What is appropriate subject material for alt.fan.dune?

Any discussion of anything related to Herbert's Dune series is probably appropriate. Please take advantage of keywords: use the keyword "movie" for discussion about the movie, "book" for discussion of the books, "mush" for discussion of subjects related to the MUSHes, "game" for discussion of the game, etc. Discussions about general MUSH issues should be directed to the rec.games.mud.* hierarchy, most likely rec.games.mud.tiny. Binaries are not allowed in this newsgroup. Relevant binaries should be posted to a proper alt.binaries newsgroup and a pointer to these binaries should be posted to alt.fan.dune.

1.4 What other resources are on the Internet about Dune?

1.4.1 Anonymous FTP archives

alt.fan.dune FAQ:: nctuccca.edu.tw, /USENET/FAQ/alt/fan/dune
Dune II MUSH:: gardenia.berkeley.edu, /pub/Dune2
tinyfugue:: glia.biostr.washington.edu, /pub/tinyfugue

1.4.2 World Wide Web URLs

Due to the rapidly growing and changing list of URLs related to Dune, this section is now maintained on the web. Refer to:

http://www.princeton.edu/~cgilmore/dune/links.html

for the most current listing of all known Dune-related sites.

1.4.3 Online games sites

Dune II MUSH:: mindport.net 4201
Dune MUD:: servint.com 8888

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1.5 What are the origins of House Atreides?

(begin Children of Dune spoiler) In Children of Dune, just before Alia becomes overwhelmed by the Baron, and the voices yell at her, one is described in particular: "I, Agamemnon, your ancestor, demand audience!" (end Children of Dune spoiler). This confirms the suspicion that the Atreides of Caladan are descendants of the Ancient Greek House Atreides of Mycenae. The founder of House Atreides is Atreus (Atreides in Greek means "son/descendant of Atreus") and his son, Agamemnon Atreides, led the Greeks in the Trojan war, whose tale is told in Homer's Iliad. The Iliad is a great epic poem (modern printings take up large books), which was passed down through oral tradition. It was written about half a century after the Trojan war, and is more fantasy than history, but the archeological excavations of Heinrich Schlimman both in the now-Turkish hill of Hisarlik and what he found to be Mycenae have prooved that the Trojan War did take place, and that the fabled "Golden Mycenae" was indeed a historical city state, which was at that time the major superpower in Greece.

Agamemnon is also a historical figure, and his tomb still exists in the archeological site of Mycenae in Pelloponese in Greece. Mycenae, a complete ancient city-state excavated and revealed, is a popular tourist attraction and open to the public, as it was the center of Greece at its time (which was accordingly named the Mycenean Era). Dune fans visiting the area should take the time to pay tribute to the place where it all started, or at least pick up a book or tourist guide from the area. :)

Answer courtesy of Stephanos Piperoglou.

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2. Questions about the books

Anyone with information about the references listed here (or others!) is welcome to submit a brief review or synopsis of the material to cgilmore@phoenix.princeton.edu for inclusion in this introduction.

2.1 What books are in the DUNE Series?

2.1.1 Dune, Frank Herbert (New York: Berkley Pub., 1987, c1965).

2.1.2 Dune Messiah, Frank Herbert (New York: Berkley Pub., 1987, c1969).

2.1.3 Children of Dune, Frank Herbert (New York: Berkley Pub., 1987, c1976).

2.1.4 God Emperor of Dune, Frank Herbert (New York: Berkley Pub., 1987, c1981).

2.1.5 Heretics of Dune, Frank Herbert (New York: Berkley Pub., 1986).

2.1.6 Chapterhouse: Dune, Frank Herbert (New York: Berkley Pub., 1987, c1985).

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2.2 What other books about Dune have been published?

2.2.1 Songs of Muad'Dib: poems and songs from Frank Herbert's Dune series and his other writings,: edited by Brian Herbert. (New York: Ace, 1992).
2.2.2 The Dune Encyclopedia,: compiled by Willis E. McNelly (New York: Berkley Books, c1984). This book is a comprehensive, authorized encyclopedia spanning the Dune series up to book 4, and including little-known information and nice drawings. It's written from a post-Scattering perspective.
2.2.3 The Notebooks of Frank Herbert's Dune,: edited by Brian Herbert (New York: Perigee Books, c1988). ISBN: 0-399-51466-X. Binding: Paperback.
2.2.4 The Maker of Dune: insights of a master of science fiction,: by Frank Herbert, edited by Tim O'Reilly (New York: Berkley Books, 1987).
2.2.5 The Making of Dune,: by Ed Naha. (New York: Berkley Books, 1984). This book is about the making of the movie.
2.2.6 Eye,: Frank Herbert (New York: Berkley Pub., 1985). This book contains short stories from throughout Mr. Herbert's career. Notable is the story, "The Road to Dune," written in 1985.

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2.3 Who/what are Marty and Daniel, who appear at the end of CHAPTERHOUSE: DUNE?

From: ronaldr@microsoft.com (Ron Rosul)

They are face dancers, advanced beyond Tleilaxu control. Good chance they were, or had the abilities of a Kwisatz Haderach (remember the Tleilaxu had developed their own KH long ago). It was also implied that they had greater control over their past-lives than the Bene Gesserit or the Tleilaxu Masters.

From: P.K.Clark@massey.ac.nz (Paul Clark)

The HM were running from a new breed of face dancers created by the Tleilaxu. The face dancers became independent and fought off the HM using biological warfare, which would not affect them since they could easily engineer themselves to be immune.

Duncan was created from information bought back from the scattered Tleilaxu. This is how he gained a lot of special powers.

The face dancers at the end had the same or similar powers as Duncan. They were, however, able to understand and use these powers whereas Duncan just floundered through without knowing what he was actually doing.

Marty and Daniel could in some respects, the extent of their powers is unclear, have control of what happened in their field of vision, which was a relatively large hunk of the universe. Duncan escaped from their field of vision and thus came outside of their control.

From: cjclark@athena.mit.edu (Crist J Clark)

Literally, we know they are Face Dancers. We know they make reference to what happens when you collect enough personas. We know the same thing is happening to Duncan (although they say he's stretched out pretty thin). We know they can see into the no-ship (they go beyond Paul or Leto's prescience). But we also see Duncan and crew escape them by cutting all ties with their origins.

Another interpretation of the Face Dancers which can accompany any literal interpretation, is that they are Herbert and his wife. Herbert looks on somewhat indifferently and benevolently, interested but with other things in his life. In the end, he lets (so Marty accuses) Duncan and his band escape, which is what Herbert may have done, realizing this very well might be the last book of the series. He gives a few characters the means to escape with unlimited possibilities free from his powers.

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2.3 Who/what is Scytale from DUNE MESSIAH and CHAPTERHOUSE: DUNE?

From jraynor@minerva.cis.yale.edu (John P. Raynor): The original Scytale was a Face Dancer, who was born (or, perhaps, "grown") prior to the development of the Master caste. During his original life, the ability to force gholas to recover their original memories was discovered. Although Scytale, the Face Dancer, was killed by Paul Muad'dib at the end of "Dune Messiah," his body was recovered, a ghola was grown, and then forced to recover its original memories. Just what Scytale was at this point is a mystery: it depends upon whether Face Dancers were, at that point, a biologically engineered race (as they were during the "Heretics/Chapterhouse" era), or the products of delicate, but non-genetic, surgical techniques. Fortunately, however, it doesn't matter - Scytale is reborn through an unknown number of ghola incarnations. Eventually, the ruling class of the Bene Tleilax (including the reincarnated Scytale) intentionally decide to "adopt" the enigmatic, vaguely disturbing "Master" form.

2.4 Are there any comics illustrated books about Dune?

2.4.1 The Illustrated Dune: by Frank Herbert, illustrations by John Schoenherr (New York: Berkley Pub., 1978, c1965).
2.4.2 The official Marvel Comics adaption of Dune: adapted by Ralph Macchio, art by Bill Sienkiewicz (New York: Marvel Comics Group: distributed by Berkley, 1984).

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3. Questions about the movie(s)

3.1 What is the movie DUNE?

Dune was made into a movie of the same title, and is available on video. The movie was directed by David Lynch (of Twin Peaks and Eraserhead fame), produced by Dino di Laurentis, and starred: Kyle MacLachlan (Paul Muad'Dib), Jurgen Prochnow (Leto), Sean Young (Chani), Francesca Annis (Jessica), Dean Stockwell (Dr. Yueh), Virginia Madsen (Irulan), Patrick Stewart (Gurney), Jose Ferrar (Shaddam IV), Sting (Feyd Rautha), Max von Sydow (Liet-Kynes), and Linda Hunt (Shadout Mapes). The clothes the Fremen wear were designed by Jean-Gir.

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3.2 Is there more than one version of the movie?

Yes. There are actually 2 versions of the movie.

3.2.1 Dune had its theatrical release in 1984. Its length is about 2 hours and 30 minutes. It has also been shown on the Sci-Fi channel. This version is also the standard video release.

3.2.2 The version which is commonly shown on television contains some scenes which were not in the movie. It is not available on video cassette. It is 4 hours long with commercials. This version contains certain scenes that the director, David Lynch, wanted cut, such as a scene of Gurney playing the baliset, and a voiceover introducing some of the characters. Lynch petitioned the Director's Guild to have his name removed from the credits of this version. The generic 'Alan Smithee' appears in his place.

There is also a Japanese import laserdisc letterboxed edition of the movie. It contains versions 3.2.1 and 3.2.2 for a total of 320 minutes from beginning to end of the disc. It contains no new scenes that are not in 3.2.1 and 3.2.2. Each version is subtitled in Japanese, and the theatrical release (version 3.2.1) is in a very nice widescreen format, although the color values are not quite right.

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3.3 How do I get each version of the movie?

Currently all releases of the movie, both from the US and Japan, are out of print. There are no definite plans to re-release any version of the movie. Any copy that you might find would either be used or a pirated copy.

4. Questions about the game(s)

4.1 What MU*s are there with a Dune theme?

There are currently one MUSH and one MUD that are known. See section 1.4 for game locations.

4.1.1 Dune II MUSH takes place during the reign of the Padishah Emporer Shaddam IV. Its starting date is 10,181, 10 years before the beginning of the book Dune. The game is based upon factional role-play centered on Kaitain, the Imperial seat. The emphasis of rule-based play the integration of an macro economy and the elimination of a micro economy are some of the interesting features of this MUSH.

4.1.4 Dune MUD is a hack-n-slash type of RPG. It takes place in an unspecified time period in many locations within the known universe.

For information about multi-user games in general, readers are directed to the rec.games.mud.* hierarchy.

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4.2 How do I make these MU*s look right on my screen?

How to set your system up so that a MU* looks reasonable can be a tricky puzzle, and because there are so many different configurations, I'll just give some quick tips:

If you use a terminal program to dial an Internet account, emulate a vt100 if at all possible. You may have to play with your screen-wrap setting, as well. You'll know if you need it. Screen-wrap can also be controlled within some telnet's.
Be sure your terminal setting matches your terminal. :)
If you're using telnet, you'll find that other players' typing interferes with your typing, causing some strangeness on the screen. This is inevitable, and unfortunate. The only solution is a client program (see below).

The easiest way to defeat all screen problems is to compile a MUSH client program to use instead of telnet. The tinyfugue client is available by anon-ftp from glia.biostr.washington.edu, /pub/tinyfugue. For more information about clients, read the MUD FAQ in rec.games.mud.announce.

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4.3 Are there any PC games about Dune?

There are two readily available games for personal computers based on Dune: Dune I and Dune II.

4.3.1 Dune I

Dune I is a graphic adventure game based on both the book and the movie, in which players take the role of Paul. Here's a review:

From: bdugan@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Bill Dugan)

"Dune" is an adventure/strategy game for DOS computers, written by Cryo and published and distributed by Virgin Games. There is a version that ships on floppy disk and a version that ships on CD-ROM (recommended). The game roughly follows the plot of the first "Dune" novel, though there are a number of plot twists which were introduced, presumably to let fans enjoy some unpredictability rather than plodding through a plot they already know by heart. For instance, rather than suffering the Betrayal, Duke Leto Atreides becomes angry and leads an expedition to attack the Harkonnens and is captured.

As Paul Atreides, you must visit the Fremen sietches, gradually winning their trust and building a power base. You must employ the Fremen to mine spice, allowing you to send regular shipments to the Emperor to satisfy his demands. Excess spice can be used to buy equipment from smugglers. Eventually you can train more and more Fremen as troops rather than as spice gatherers, and attack the Harkonnens, who land on Dune to challenge your authority.

Dune contains elements of adventure games as well as strategy games. The adventure game aspect: As Paul Atreides, you must visit many locations and talk to characters, asking them to do things or giving them objects to use. The strategy aspect focuses on the world map, where you assign the Fremen to perform different tasks in different places -- at first by physically visiting the Fremen and giving orders, and later by making use of telepathy, a previously unknown gift of the Kwisatz Haderach. :)

Dune is an engrossing game. The game play is continually interesting, with tidbits and new technology popping up now and then to renew interest. The graphics are very good, with flights over a 3-D rendered sandscape as you fly about in your ornithopter. The soundtrack is great -- mesmerizing, played with weird instruments with a vaguely Arabic feel. In the CD-ROM version, the pop-up heads of the characters (Duke Leto, Jessica, Gurney, Hawat, Chani, Stilgar...) are lip-synched to the audio of the characters talking to you. Good audio, and there are touches of humor -- if you stand in the desert with Gurney and talk to him, and he has nothing important to say, he just says, "It's cooler inside, isn't it?" A sound card is recommended and almost required.

Dune I is published by Virgin Games.

4.3.2 Dune II

From: bdugan@gnu.ai.mit.edu (Bill Dugan)

Dune II is a very different type of game. It is a real-time tactical strategy game, also for DOS computers. The game was also ported to the Sega CD. It was written by Westwood Studios (now owned by Virgin). It is published and distributed by Virgin Games. You can play the Atreides, the Harkonnens or the Ordos, another noble family. You start with a primitive military base and spice harvester equipment. You have one opponent, situated across the map from you. The map is colored black at the beginning and becomes visible as your troops move into the unknown areas of the board -- similar to "Empire" and all its descendents.

Dune II's uniqueness lies in its real-time nature. Unlike tactical strategy games that make use of turn-based play, Dune II is real time. That is, if your tanks are fighting enemy tanks in the southwest corner of the map and you are viewing the battle closely in an effort to direct the battle, you may be neglecting the manufacture of replacement troops back at your base, or a worm may be eating one of your sandcrawlers up at the north end of the map. Just as in real life, you can only focus your attention on one thing at a time.

After you finish the whole game there is still some replay value; you can switch to the two other families, which have other types of troops available. After you play the noble Atreides, as all Dune fans surely will :), you can start over as the Harkonnens with their "Devastator" tanks, or as the Ordos with their special chemical weapon that brainwashes enemy troops into accepting your orders for a short time.

Dune II is published by Westwood Studios, distributed by Virgin Games.

Dune II: The Battle for Arrakis - Official FAQ by S.E.Pollitt is available by e-mail from sepollit@teaching.cs.adelaide.edu.au or by anonymous ftp from ftp.uwp.edu:/pub/msdos/games/romulus/hints.

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4.4 Are there any board games about Dune?

4.4.1 Avalon Hill

Avalon Hill once made a board game called "Dune", which has since gone out of print in English (though a French language edition is still floating around), but old copies can sometimes still be found. It is reportedly quite enjoyable.

LINDERT@SARA.NL (Rick te Lindert) writes:

Well, I own a French version, and it has a 1992 copyright. So my assumption is that it is new, and that there used to be no French version before '92. The French game company is called Jeux Descartes, and its full address is:

1, rue du Colonel Pierre Avia
75503 Paris Cedex 15

Noteworthy is the fact that the French version contains both modules (Duel and Spice Harvest) that were separately issued for the original Avalon Hill version.

4.4.2 Parker Bros.

Parker Bros. also released a Dune game.

saint@htonight.jpl.nasa.gov (Dean St.Antoine) writes:

Object: To eliminate all enemy characters and be the only player to have at least one character remaining at the end of the game. Use your Spice, Harvesters, Kanly cards, and Equipment cards to assist you in reaching this ultimate role.

The game board represents the water-starved planet of Dune. The spaces that form the inner circle of the board represent the castle of the rulers of Dune. The spaces surrounding the outer walls of the castle represent the hazardous sand-covered terrain of Dune.

Castle Spaces: Space Guild, Smuggler, Traitor, Bene Gesserit, Poison, Spice raid, and Training.

Desert spaces: Sietch, Spice, Duel, Worm and Sand Storm.

All in all this board game is worth having if you are a true Dune fan. It's a 2 to 4 player game with players playing a 3 character group.

Paul Atreides, Gurney Halleck, Duke Leto Atreides.
Beast Rabban, Baron Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha.
Sardaukar Warrior, Princess Irulan, Emperor Shaddam IV.
Dr. Kynes, Stilgar, Chani.

The pieces are quite nice and have each person's picture in the middle. The spice is represented by the plastic pieces used in the game "Risk". The game is based on the motion picture Dune. Pick this game up if you find one. :)

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5. Questions about sound recordings relating to Dune

5.1 Are there any sound recordings relating to Dune?

5.1.1 "Sandworms of Dune" by Frank Herbert (Caedmon CDL 51565, p1978). 1 2-track mono cassette.

5.1.2 The soundtrack to the movie was apparently put out by Polydor, Production # 823 770. It has since been re-released in the US by the Collector's Pipeline on compact disc. ISBN 44807-00132 See also section 5.2 for how to get it.

5.1.3 "Dune - The Banquet Scene" by Frank Herbert. Mono lp. Approx 60 minutes. Read by the author. late 1970's.

5.1.4 "Battles of Dune" by Frank Herbert. Mono lp, cassette. Approx 60 minutes. Read by the author. Harper Classics. 1979, 1994.

5.1.5 "God Emperor of Dune" by Frank Herbert. Cassette. Approx 60 minutes. Read by the author. Harper Classics. 1994.

5.1.6 "Heretics of Dune" by Frank Herbert. Cassette. Approx 60 minutes. Read by the author. Harper Classics. 1994.

5.1.7 "Exxos - Dune a Spice Opera" by CRYO Interactive. Published by Virgin Records Ltd. Disc contains some songs not in the game (total tracks=13, tracks in game=8, one game song has two versions, the Dune theme). Apparently deleted in July, 1994. Write to: EXXOS: CRYO Interactive, Exxos, 43, Rue de Richelieu, 75001, PARIS, FRANCE.

5.1.8 "The DUNE Audio Collection" by Frank Herbert. 4 Cassettes. Read by the author. Caedmon, an Imprint of Harper Audio. 1995. Contains "Battles of Dune", "Sandworms of Dune", "Dune: The Banquet Scene", and "The Truths of Dune: Fear is the Mind Killer". ISBN 1-55994-957-0. Retails $25 U.S./$33.50 Canada.

5.1.9 "DUNE: a Recorded Interview". Author FRANK HERBERT and film director DAVID LYNCH discussn the making of "DUNE", the motion picture; followed by Frank Herbert's dialogue on beliefs, values and his writing. Printed as a Waldentapes Special Edition. ISBN 0-681-30895-8. According to Kevin Buchli it's a "$6.95 value priced at $2.95".

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5.2 How can I get the movie soundtrack?

The soundtrack is now widely available in the US. Most, if not all, resellers should be able to order the CD if it is not already on the shelves.

The soundtrack has also been re-released in Canada:

Manufactured for PolyGram Records and distributed by PolyGram Distribution, 6000 Cote de Le Liesse, St.Laurent, Quebec HAT 1E3. Divisions of PolyGram Group Canada Inc. It sells for about 16.99$ (Canadian dollars), so they say.

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5.3 What does the soundtrack contain?

Many people have asked me to include a listing of the contents of the soundtrack. Thanks to Clare Boylan for providing this information.

Written, composed and performed by Toto. Prophecy Theme by Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois and Roger Eno. All Selections produced by Toto except *, produced by Brian Eno. Copyright (c) 1984 copyright by Dino de Laurentiis Corporation

Track Details

            1. Prologue                                 1:47
            2. Main title                               1:55
            3. Robot Fight                              1:18
            4. Leto's Theme                             1:43
            5. The Box                                  2:37
            6. The Floating Fat Man (The Baron)         1:24
            7. Trip to Arrakis                          2:35
            8. First Attack                             2:43
           *9. Prophecy Theme                           4:19
           10. Dune (Desert Theme)                      5:30
           11. Paul Meets Chani                         3:04
           12. Prelude (Take my Hand)                   0:59
           13. Paul Takes the Water of Life             2:48
           14. Big Battle                               3:06
           15. Paul Kills Feyd                          1:51
           16. Final Dream                              1:25
           17. Take My Hand                             2:35

Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.EDU
Newsgroups: alt.fan.dune,alt.answers,news.answers
Subject: alt.fan.dune Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Summary: A periodic posting of frequently asked questions about alt.fan.dune, Dune, and related matters.
Keywords: faq introduction intro
From: cgilmore@phoenix.princeton.edu
Followup-To: alt.fan.dune
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Archive-name: sf/dune-faq
Last-modified: 1996/08/27