Wilderness: A Survival Adventure
Tips, Tricks and Technical Help

Created 8 January 2022

In 2013, someone dug into the MS-DOS WILDERNESS executable with the DOSBOX debugger (LINK) and found that:

Changing the 0003167A (202362) byte in WILD.EXE changed the version that the game considered itself; with the following values representing various versions:

00 = Global Explorer Edition
01 = British Columbia, Canada Edition
02 = Sierra Nevada, USA Edition
03 = Burma Edition
04 = New Guinea Edition
05 = Bolivia Edition
06 = Chile Edition

BIG TIP

When starting your journey, whether from the plane crash or the ranger outpost locations, always CARRY BACKPACK first, before putting items into the backpack! This way, you can correctly gauge how much weight you have left; rather than tossing everything into the backpack and then trying to CARRY it, only to find that you can't because it's too heavy.

V

Opens the Main View Screen

TOPO
or
LOOK MAP

Opens the Topographic Map Screen

NOTE: You cannot see this at night, unless you have a source of illumination (flashlight, match, or your campfire).

NOTE II: Each contour line in Wilderness represents a height difference of 400 feet (122m)

Topo Map Hotkeys are:

K or Right Arrow Key – Move Map Right
J or Left Arrow Key – Move Map Left
I or Up Arrow Key – Move Map Up
M or Down Arrow Key – Move Map Down
S – Scale/Zoom Feature
V – Go back to Main View
A – Toggles on/off a “hotspot” on the topo map that provides an altitude readout for that location. You can then move the “hotspot” with the arrow keys.
L – (Research Mode Only) – Shows your current position on the zoomed in topo map as a white dot.

STATUS

Status screen that shows current environmental conditions and your personal state of health.

NOTE: Altitude sickness is a potential problem above elevations of 10,000 feet, unless you are physically well-conditioned or you have an oxygen tank with you.

TIME: The time of day. If you have a watch, time is given in hours and minutes (0:00A or 0:00P) to within 10 minutes. If you’re not wearing a watch, you’ll see DAWN, AM, PM, DUSK, or NIGHT. Time of day influences air temperature, visibility, and your chances of encountering small game or wildlife.

WIND: Wind speed is given in miles per hour (xx MPH). High winds can increase the dangers of travel, especially in rugged terrain. When combined with rain or snow, it can reduce visibility. In extreme cold, the wind magnifies the effect of low temperatures (wind chill factor) and increases the dangers of exposure.

TEMPERATURE (TEMP): Air temperature. If you packed a thermometer, temperature is given in degrees Fahrenheit. If you neglected to pack one, you’ll see FREEZE, COLD, NICE, ‘WARM, or HOT.

Air temperature has a profound effect on the human body. Hypothermia, a drop in body temperature due to exposure to very cold weather, can cause death. Hyperthermia, a rise in body temperature due to overexertion in very high climates, also can put an end to your adventure. Food spoils more quickly in high temperatures; natural food sources, like game and edible plants, are less abundant during cold weather. fluid lost during exertion must be replaced more frequently when sweating is excessive; frostbite is a danger when the body is exposed to extreme cold.

INV

Inventory Screen that shows what you're carrying at the moment.

WEAR = You are currently wearing the item.
CRRY = You are currently carrying the item.
PACK = The item is in your backpack.
GND = The item is on the ground near you.

NOTES:

• The CANTEEN (with water) and the BACKPACK must be CARRYed.

• All food items must be PACKed.

• You can WEAR or CARRY (as appropriate) all other items.

HELP

Brings up a HELP screen that will offer a list of the most important pieces of survival advice specific to your location and situation.

CLUE

A series of hints about the location of the Lost City of Gold; available only in the LOST CITY scenario.

Main View Controls

PAN LEFT
PAN RIGHT

Will continuously pan the screen left (or right) until you push ENTER/RETURN.

LOOK LEFT

Looks 90 degrees left of current view

LOOK RIGHT

Looks 90 degrees right of current view

LOOK HALF LEFT

Looks 45 degrees left of current view

LOOK HALF RIGHT

Looks 45 degrees right of current view

LOOK BACK

Looks 180 degrees (behind) of current view

LOOK UP

Looks 45 degrees above horizontal

LOOK DOWN

Looks 45 degrees below horizontal

LOOK FORWARD

Looks straight ahead.

LOOK SUN
(daytime only)

Places the sun in the center of your field of view.

LOOK STARS
(nighttime only)

Places the Northern (or Southern) Celestial Pole in the center of your field of view, depending on whether you are above or below the equator.

LOOK COMPASS
(if in inventory)

This determines your current azimuth from your current view. The compass has a luminous dial so you don't need a flashlight at night.

LOOK NORTH/SOUTH/WEST/EAST

You can only use these commands if you have a compass equipped or have determined your location via navigational techniques.

WALK
or
RUN
or
CRAWL

Travel in the direction of the current view.

You can use

WALK FOR 2 HOURS.
WALK FOR 15 MINUTES

Your journey then continues for the amount of time indicated unless something occurs to stop you. You can be interrupted by several categories of events.

Typical travel speeds on level moderate terrain are:

WALK – 2 to 3 MPH
RUN – 6 to 10 MPH
CRAWL – less than 1 mph.

If your leg is broken and you don't have a splint or anything, the only way you can move is via CRAWLing.

WAIT

WAITing causes the indicated time to pass. Useful for when you are estimating time via passage of the sun, or waiting out severe storms.

FIRE

To make fires in Wilderness, you can use:

Matches via USE MATCHES → MAKE FIRE
Camp Stove via USE FUEL → USE MATCHES → USE STOVE

If you don't have any, you can use improvised fire lighters such as:

Use a Magnifying Glass when the sky is clear is the sun is above 30 degrees via USE GLASS → MAKE FIRE.

Make fire sticks via USE KNIFE → MAKE STICKS → USE STICKS → MAKE FIRE.

Once the fire is going, you can use it for cooking, warmth and boiling water until you extinguish it via DOUSE FIRE.

Food Command Parsers:

USE FIRE/USE UTENSILS/BOIL WATER

USE RAINCOAT/MAKE WATER

FIND FOOD

FIND WATER or GET WATER

USE FIRE/COOK (food)

EAT (food)

TASTE, SAMPLE (food)

DRINK WATER
(or RAIN, ICE, or SNOW)

First Aid Command Parsers:

USE SNAKEBITE KIT

EXERCISE

USE FIRSTAID KIT

USE SOAP

USE FLAGYL

IODINE TABLETS

LOWER HEAD

USE OXYGEN TANK

CUT BODY/SUCK VENOM/USE PRESSURE

USE QUININE

USE REPELLENT (insect)

EAT SALT TABLETS

MAKE SPLINT/USE SPLINT

STOP BLEEDING or USE PRESSURE

USE SUNSCREEN

Weapon/Hunt Command Parsers:

SCARE (animal)

CLIMB TREE

WAIT

USE KNIFE/SKIN (animal)/
USE HIDE/ USE SEWING KIT/MAKE (clothing)

USE (weapon)/KILL (animal)

Simulation Parsers

SAVE

RESTORE

CAMPSITE COMMANDS

NOTE: Select your campsite location carefully. Avoid the base of steep slopes or areas in which you run the risk of avalanches, floods, rockfalls, or punishing winds. In mountain areas during the summer, you'll need protection from rain and insects. Choose a site near water and timber but on high, dry ground. A good location is a ridge top or lake shore.

If you find yourself in the tropics, select a knoll or high ground away from swamps for your campsite. You'll be bothered less by mosquitoes, the ground will be drier, and there will be more chance of a breeze.

A typical phrase sequence that encompass of setting up a campsite is:

DROP BACKPACK
HANG FOOD
USE FLASHLIGHT
USE AXE
MAKE HUT (or other shelter)
ENTER HUT (or other shelter)
DROP PAD (or RAINCOAT or COVER)
DROP BAG
ENTER BAG
SLEEP

ENTER/USE AIRPLANE

The wreckage at the plane crash site can be used as shelter. Make your fire outside and at a safe distance from the airplane to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

ENTER OUTPOST

If you are within 0.2 mile from the Ranger outpost, you can use the structure as shelter from the elements.

ENTER CITY

If circumstances require that you seek shelter when you are near (within 0.2 mile) the Lost City of Gold, you can enter it for shelter.

DROP BACKPACK

Do this before setting up your campsite, as the extra weight of the backpack and it's contents will tire you out quicker. Don't forget to retrieve it when you're done!

Shelter Type
Commercial Nylon Tent

Setting up the tent requires 30 minutes of time, and is done by simply typing MAKE CAMP.

If you typed MAKE CAMP 3, you would get 2.5 hours of rest.

Shelter Type
Slit Trench

This is the simplest of outdoor shelters, warm and relatively waterproof. Construction of the trench is via:

USE AXE (speeds up construction)
USE FLASHLIGHT (if at night)
MAKE TRENCH
DROP RAINCOAT/COVER/PAD
ENTER/USE TRENCH

Shelter Type
Wooden Hut

For construction of a hut, trees, branches, and grasses must be available in the immediate area.

USE AXE (speeds up construction)
USE FLASHLIGHT (if at night)
MAKE HUT
ENTER/USE HUT

Shelter Type
Igloo

This shelter takes time to construct, although use of an axe during daylight or a flashlight at night hastens the task. The igloo provides excellent protection from cold, wind, and snow and is probably the best shelter in alpine or arctic conditions. The temperature inside an igloo can be several degrees above freezing, regardless of the outside temperature. To construct an igloo, use the phrases:

USE AXE (speeds up construction)
USE FLASHLIGHT (if at night)
MAKE IGLOO
ENTER/USE IGLOO

Shelter Type
Rock Shelter (Natural)

This is a natural shelter found in rocky terrain, affording protection from the elements. You are alerted to the presence of a rock shelter when you are within 0.2 miles of one.

ENTER/USE SHELTER

Shelter Type
Wood Shelter (Natural)

This is a natural shelter found in forests or jungles providing some protection from weather and sun. You are notified that you are near a wood shelter when you are within 0.2 miles of one.

ENTER/USE SHELTER