Humans compete. It's what we do.

Is MartianDuel a game? Well ...it’s complicated. “MartianDuel” is a book trilogy and the dueling engine used for conflict resolution in those books.

This MartianDuel site is the prototype host for that dueling engine. It's functional, but not glitzy (at all!) Our dream is to embed this dueling and tactical skirmish engine in a larger multiplayer game. For now, this is a place where you can see how well you can perform against other readers or players in either PvE or PvP. You can play the duels that Sam Knightsbridge (as Angel McLaughlin) fought in the book, "Gunfighter: Conspiracy," and see if you can do as well as he did.

In MetaDuel: MartianDuel™ we take the dramatic tension of a formal duel, like that gunfight in the middle of main street at high noon, and time-slice it into "bullet time," where each round is a fraction of a second. The challenge is to figure out what your opponent will do that round and decide whether to pursue your immediate goals or counteract your opponent's probable move ...or maybe both!

Those who've never dueled -- spectators -- tend to believe duels are simply contests of physical prowess, of speed and keenness of eye. Practitioners know a duel is primarily a contest of wills, of nerves, with victory coming from knowing the enemy, reading one's opponent, and anticipating their actions. Winning requires applying your strengths against their weaknesses. That's why they say, "The game is often won before the game commences."

MartianDuel is a turn-based stragegy game, not a twitch-based reflexes game. It's a web game you can play for a few minutes here and there when the boss isn't looking. You can play just a single duel round or two if you only have a few moments and then come back later to continue, or play an entire duel in a few minutes. It's easy to learn but takes thought and analysis to master. Like many classic games (poker, backgammon, etc), luck may play a part in individual duels but skilled play will win out over time.

MetaDuel: MartianDuel™
Our MetaDuels span many areas and times. In MartianDuel™, you're placed into the Martian Frontier -- a space-aged Wild West. But those are just trappings. Because dueling isn't about setting. It's about preparation, anticipation, action and reaction. It's a test of intellect, balancing risk acceptance against reward, of out-thinking opponents.

How do you play? Here are the deceptively simple basics:
MartianDuel is, at its heart, a contest requiring you to manage your Resolve, Energy, and Accuracy (Nerve), against your opponent's attempts to do the same. Resolve keeps you standing and in the fight. Energy gives you options and governs the actions available to you. Accuracy is a measure of your nerve, steadiness, and likelihood your shots will hit your opponent, reducing their Resolve. Take their Resolve to zero and you win. Sounds simple, right?

• Every action you take impacts either YOUR stats or your opponent's. Same is true for your Oppo!
• The first Duelist to run out of Resolve loses.
• You start your journey with 12 basic dueling skills. As you level up, specializing in one of nine skill branches (180 skills!) provides a deep range of tactical options.
• There are over 900 different items of gear you can earn or buy with your dueling proceeds and equip as you progress. Gear can complement your skills or degrade your opponent's.

On a desktop browser? Play a [Beta Test] QuickDuel! (mobile play is in early beta and is supported, but starting on desktop will be
MUCH easier when learning the game). There's no account necessary to play a QuickDuel.

Parting shots:

• You can play the entire game up to level 30 for free. That includes PvE and PvP.
• MartianDuel offers a robust PvE (play vs AI) campaign mode or PvP (player vs player), depending on your mood. For PvP, the better you know someone, the more fun this is.
• Our bots can keep you entertained up to level 30 even if you don't want to duel other players in PvP.
• In PvE play, as you level up in skill, you get opportunities to match yourself against highly skilled bosses -- these are particularly tough opponents, but beating them earns you special rewards you cannot get elsewhere.
• Every AI opponent has its own personality and fights with their unique tactics.

• PvP formats include your choice of either simultaneous play where decision speed matters or play at your own pace (PBEM-style) for busy folk.
• This is a game of strategy and tactics. It's early in development, so the UI is still rough. You should take a minute to watch a TUTORIAL.
• You can manage multiple Duelists, allowing you to use some in career mode or others in short-lived Rogue Mode.
• Team play for advanced players is coming soon, along with 2v2 competitions, so bring a friend!

Looking for a tough challenge? See if you can get to level 12 on normal difficulty (Veteran mode) without being defeated (it's doable!). Or try "Rogue Mode" play where surviving 5 gunfights demonstrates real skill and no small amount of luck!

Lastly, here's the obligatory link to the legal stuff most normal people couldn't care less about: Privacy Policy.