Titanic: Adventure Out of Time

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Titanic: Adventure Out of Time

Developer(s)	Cyberflix
Publisher(s)	GTE Entertainment, Europress
Platform(s)	Windows, Macintosh
Release date	1996, 1996
Genre(s)	Historical Adventure game
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	T (ESRB), 12 (BBFC)
Media	CD-ROM
System requirements	PC: Windows 95, Windows 3.1, 486/66 or faster processor, 8 MB RAM; Mac: OS 7.1, 68040 or faster processor
Input methods	Mouse, Keyboard

Titanic: Adventure Out of Time is a video game for the personal computer. It was developed by Cyberflix and was published in Europe and the United States by Europress and GTE Entertainment respectively, released on October 31, 1996. The game is a point and click adventure game which sees the player traveling around a virtual representation of the RMS Titanic.

Titanic: Adventure Out of Time comes in three versions: a PC, Macintosh, or hybrid version that works on both the PC and Mac. Version 1.0 of the game is an upgrade of the game from GTE Entertainment to just Cyberflix and is a stability upgrade first released in 1997. It comes in either a threefold CD jacket or a jewel case version. The French and German version of the game comes in two paper sleeves. The Mac and Windows versions were released first, produced by Cyberflix and distributed by GTE Entertainment in 1996. Hybrid versions of the game, which are compatible with both the Mac and Windows operating systems, were distributed and produced by Cyberflix after GTE Entertainment went out of business in 1997. Later versions were distributed by Hammerhead Entertainment, who took over production after Cyberflix also went out of business in 1998. The game is available in five languages: English, French, German, Dutch,Polish and Korean

1 Summary
2 Characters
3 Ship's tour
4 Music
5 Connection with Dust: A Tale of the Wired West
6 External links

[edit] Summary

The game begins in April 1942 with the player (named Frank Carlson) being caught in an air raid during the London Blitz of World War II and being sent back in time to 1912 with an opportunity to change history. In 1912, he is a British secret agent who has been sent to retrieve a priceless copy of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. The open-ended gameplay allows the player to either follow the storyline by solving puzzles or simply explore the rooms of the ship.

The main plot of the adventure game revolves around recovering the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, which is revealed to have been stolen earlier in the year and is now suspected of being in the possession of Zeitel, a German Oberst (Colonel) who is traveling on the Titanic under the guise of inspecting embassies in the United States. Along with the Colonel is a young protegé named Willie Von Haderlitz. Through a web of intrigue it is revealed that the Colonel has made a deal with an art dealer to exchange the Rubaiyat for a rare painting. The Colonel and the art dealer (named Sasha Barbicon) act through an intermediary go-between, a Serbian stowaway named Vlad Demonic.

In addition to the Rubaiyat and the painting, the agent soon learns that Willie is in fact a spy for the Russians and has in his possession a notebook with names of top Bolsheviks. The notebook is to be handed over to the Okrana forces of the Czar so that the Communist rebels will be executed.

A final item that appears in the game, acquiring of which is critical, is a rare diamond necklace that Sasha has stolen to pay Vlad for his services and also to finance a Serbian terrorist group called the Black Hand. Vlad’s involvement with the Black Hand sets the stage for the events on the Titanic directly impacting whether or not the Black Hand will assassinate the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, thus sparking the start of World War I.

During his mission, the agent also becomes involved in several sub-plots unrelated to the central mission or, for that matter, the winning conditions of the game. These plots include a wealthy couple (the Lambeths) whose marriage has gone bad, as well as the agent also meeting the ship’s “Gossip hound”, in the form of a wealthy middle aged spinster named Daisy Cashmore. The agent also encounters a psychic named Leyland Sachum Trask from Boston; Edgar Trout, a religious preacher from Sunapee, New Hampshire who is returning from an African mission in Nyasaland; and Max Seidleman, an American freelance businessman from Philadelphia, who provide backstory and insight of varying value. Assisting the player from time to time is fellow agent Penny Pringle.

Depending on how many objects the player recovers before escaping the ship affects the final cut scene and how history plays out. If the player obtains all the objects, history is altered with World War I, the Russian Revolution, and World War II never occurring; the character retires after a successful career to a world of peace. If the player fails to collect them or dies while escaping, history occurs as normal and the player dies in the bomb attack. Other endings (based on variations of objects collected) include Germany beginning WWII with a full nuclear arsenal (the character is killed in a nuclear attack), Germany conquering Russia and England due to the Communists having been stopped (the character is killed by a Nazi Stormtrooper), and the Soviet Union claiming much of Europe (the character is shot by a Russian Shock Trooper).

[edit] Characters

Frank Carlson -Carlson is a redundant British secret agent living in a tiny London flat, surrounded by the painful memories of his failed mission on board the Titanic. An exploding bomb suddenly propels him back in time. He has been placed upon the maiden voyage of the Titanic for enemy reconnaissance and to intercept a number of artifacts that have far more importance to the history of the modern world than they first appear. It is also interesting to note that there actually was a passenger on the ship named Frans Carlsson, however he was Swedish, and went down with the ship.

Penny Pringle - A fellow English agent of Carlson who is responsible for initiating his mission and providing helpful advice and directions. Manages to escape the sinking ship in one of the first lifeboats.

Claris Limehouse - A young American woman, who travels first class on the Titanic. Willie von Haderlitz apprently befriends her and the two begin a romance aboard the Titanic.

Lady Georgia Lambeth - An English lady and former lover of Carlson of five years previous. Is eventually poisoned by Colonel Zeitel, who is trying to blackmail Frank Carlson into handing over a painting that includes secret plans for the German army. Carlson is left with the choice of handing over the painting to Zeitel in return for an antidote, or to keep the painting and let Lady Georgia die.

Colonel E.E. Zeitel - The German Colonel of the German Empire can be considered the main villain of the game. He is now working for the German government. Pretending to be on an embassy inspection, Colonel Zeitel is, in fact, traveling on board the Titanic to exchange two valuable artifacts, a paiting drawn by the then unknown Adolf Hitler and a notebook which lists every suspected Communist in the upper echelons of the German government.

Rubina & Henry Gorse-Jones - A wealthy elderly couple from Haltwhistle,England. Carlson encounters them throughout the game, they seem to be constantly nagging at one another.

Willie von Haderlitz - Colonel Zeitel's Austrian protégé, Willie von Haderlitz is a junior professor at the University of Vienna in Austria-Hungary. However it is later revealed that he is in fact a spy for Russia's Communist party. Willie invites Carlson to a fencing match which takes place in Titanic's squash court. After Carlson defeats Willie in the swordfight Willie gives Carlson a ring with an engraved communist star on it. After the match Willie makes an ironic statement and informs Carlson that the Titanic is now nearing the Grand Banks and says that the acient Viking's thought this part of the Atlantic Ocean to be cursed. He is later found murdered in the electric bath, presumedly by Zeitel after his is discovered to be a Communist.

Vlad Demonic - A Serbian stowaway on board the Titanic, Vlad Demonic is a Serbian who has vowed revenge against the Austrians for the murder of his family. He is in the pay of Sasha Barbicon. Vlad is later revealed to be a member of the Serbian organization the Black Hand

Third Officer Morrow - Morrow is a British veteran of the Second Boer War and an officer on duty during the night of the sinking. He goes down with the ship.

Andrew Conkling - Andrew Conkling is the American owner of the fictional business "Conkling Steel", who provided the metal used in the Titanic, which was later revealed to be high in sulfur. He is shot by Officer Morrow trying to buy his way into a lifeboat.

Beatrix Conkling - Beatrix Conkling is an American and the wife of Andrew Conkling. She is an interior designer on her way to Los Angeles to help design the interior decorations of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Beatrix is revaled to be unable to conceive children of her own so she chooses to steal her maid Shailagh's newborn son Eddie.

Shailagh Hacker - Shailagh Hacker was the Irish maid of Andrew and Beatrix Conkling, and the mother of Mr. Conkling's newborn son, Eddie. Both She, and the baby survive.

Jack Hacker - Jack Hacker is a third class Irish passenger and brother of Shailagh Hacker. He dies in the sinking.

Sasha Barbicon - Sasha Barbicon is an English/Serb London art dealer who "isn't above selling stolen merchandise". Sasha's uses his wealth and art gallery as a front for meetings of the Black Hand sympathizers. He is working alongside Colonel Zeitel. He is ultimately killed by Vlad for not being loyal to Serbia and the Black Hand cause.

Lord Charles Lambeth - The English Lord Charles Lambeth is the arrogant, elitist, aristocratic and estranged husband of Lady Georgia. He is in debt with Andrew Conkling after borrowing money which he is unable to pay back. He decides to die like a gentleman.

Max Seidelman - Max Seidelman is an American gambler, smoker, and friend to Carlson. Seidelman is a buyer for Haymakers Department Store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he resides. He is very Outgoing and gregarious. Carlson meets him on the night of the sinking where upon Max introduces Carlson to Buick Rivera. He does not survive the sinking.

Reverend Edgar Troutt - Edgar Troutt is an British minister returning from a religious mission in Nyasaland to Sunapee, New Hampshire, where he and his late wife, Emily, lived. Troutt's wife Emily apparently contracted intestinal parasites on the way back from Africa, Emily dies as soon as Troutt reaches Port Said.

Daisy Cashmore - Daisy Cashmore is a wealthy British spinster and an old friend of Carlson's. She loves to talk gossip and usually cuts Carlson off as soon as she spots another passanger she wishes to gossip with. She dies for being to stubborn on who she should ride with in the lifeboats.

Eric Burns - Eric Burns is an American photographer on his honeymoon on board the Titanic with his newlywed, Stephanie, who is upset at him not spending much time with her. He has a vast collection of photographs of other passengers.

Stephanie Burns - Though the player cannot engage in conversation with Stephanie Burns, she is a recurring character in the game. She is angry at her new husband for not spending enough time with her on their honeymoon.

Buick Riviera - A middle aged French man from somewhere in the French Rivera. He is a Black Jack aficionado who apprently spent alot of time at Monte Carlo Casino before his boarded the Titanic for America. Upon meeting the player Buick asks Carlson if they have already met at a casino In Diamondback, New Mexico. Buick talks fondly of his time there.

Leyland Sachum Trask - An American psychic from Boston, Massachusetts. He occasionally provides hints and foreshadowing future storyline developments. He decides to remain on the ship and die.

John Smethells - The straight-laced prim and proper John Smethells, or just "Smethells", is Carlson's steward. He can provide general assistance throughout the game and can direct the player to his next objective on occasion.

The Purser - The Purser provide the player with assistance and can keep valuable items safe. His office is closed after the Titanic hits an iceberg.

[edit] Ship's tour

Besides the game, the CD-ROM also included a separate exploration feature that featured characters in the game discussing various aspects of the ship, its crew, and the sinking. These characters would be placed at locations around the ship. Three character narrations were included with the game, while others could be downloaded from the game's website (a later reissue of the game included a bonus CD-ROM with these downloadable narrations). They were later available for download on the website of Cyberflix's successor (Barracuda)^{[dead link]}. Unfortunately, the guides are now gone, and no sites available today seem to offer any information on where to download them from active mirrors. The tour guides can be downloaded via torrents, but this involves getting the entire game in the package. A powerful program like Daemon Tools is needed if the game is to be played in this manner.

It appears, however, that many (if not all) of the guides can still be found on the archive of Barracuda's former website.

[edit] Music

Throughout the story, Chopin's Preludes Op. 28 No. 7 provides a haunting ambiance to the game. Some other tracks used throughout the game (as well as the intro) were written by Scott Scheinbaum and Erik Holt. They were later available on the website of Cyberflix's successor Barracuda, and can still be found on this page's archive.

[edit] Connection with Dust: A Tale of the Wired West

Titanic: Adventure Out of Time is linked in some ways to another Cyberflix game, Dust.

"Buick Riviera." In Dust, Riviera is a con artist in a remote town in the Old West who keeps borrowing money from the player; in Titanic, Riviera is now a middle-aged man who spends his time playing blackjack on the doomed ship. If the player indicates having been to Diamondback, New Mexico (the setting of Dust), by saying, "Yes, we met at the Hard Drive Saloon", Riviera thereafter uses a special deck of cards marked with the logo of the saloon from Diamondback for the blackjack game.
The actor who plays the photographer Eric Burns (Erik S. Quist) also appears in Dust as a farmer.
When talking with Haderlitz in the squash court while fencing, he mentions he is headed to study the Yunni Indian tribe in New Mexico, the setting of Dust.
If you go to the dressing table in the Turkish bath (where there is a message written in steam) there are boxes for three Cyberfix computer games, Dust, Skull Cracker, and Jump Raven.
A special feature of the game provides previews to three Cyberflix games. Dust, Skull Cracker, and Red Jack's Revenge.