Software Vault: The Gold Collection/Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO/cdr55/cld9gif.zip/CLD9GIF.TXT

Text File | 1993-06-08 | 41KB | 932 lines

Archive-name:  games/interactive-fiction/part-1
Last-updated:  06 Jun 1993


West of House
You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a
boarded front door.  There is a small mailbox here.

>OPEN MAILBOX. READ LEAFLET
Opening the small mailbox reveals a leaflet.

(Taken)
    "Welcome to rec.games.int-fiction!

    This is the Frequently Asked Questions list for the group
    rec.games.int-fiction, a USENET newsgroup for the discussion
    of Interactive Fiction games and related topics.  To read a
    specific question, use your newsreader's search function on
    the string "(n)", where n is the question number.

#   This article is Part 1 of a three-part FAQ, and contains entries
#   regarding the newsgroup rec.games.int-fiction and the FAQ itself.
#
#   Part 2 contains entries regarding Infocom, including information
#   about the _Lost Treasures of Infocom_ software packages.
#
#   Part 3 contains information about the ftp.gmd.de software archive,
#   mirror archive site wuarchive.wustl.edu:/doc/misc/if-archive, and
#   about other sources for publicly available interactive fiction.
#
#   All three of these articles may be FTP'd from the FAQ archive at
#   rtfm.mit.edu, or from the interactive fiction archive at ftp.gmd.de.


    1.0  rec.games.int-fiction
        1.1  The purpose of this group and some history of IF
#       1.2  Other USENET newsgroups discussing interactive fiction
        1.3  Basic netiquette rules; asking for and posting hints
#       1.4  Disclaimer and trademark/copyright notice

    New questions in this FAQ or questions with updated information are
    marked with a pound sign, as are changed lines in the text below.

    This FAQ is currently under construction; questions and info
    should be e-mailed to Scott Forbes ([e-mail]).

    Special thanks to Paul Smith, Magnus Olsson, Jacob Butcher,
#   Paul David Doherty, Volker Blasius, Keith Lim, Luis Torres,
#   Jacob Weinstein, Mark Howell, Adrian Booth, Eric Shepherd,
#   Sascha Wildner, Jim Butterfield, Mark Stacey, Stu Galley and
#   many others for ideas, suggestions and contributions.


    No newsgroup should be without one!"


>PRAY
Altar
This is the south end of a large temple. In front of you is what
appears to be an altar. In one corner is a small hole in the floor
which leads into darkness. You probably could not get back up it.
On the two ends of the altar are burning candles.
On the altar is a large black book, open to page 570.


>READ BOOK
Commandment #12593

   "The purpose of this group and some history of IF"              (1.1)
    here in the newsgroup rec.games.int-fiction we discuss games of the
    interactive fiction genre, ranging from classic games by companies
    such as Infocom and Scott Adams to 'modern' and non-text IF games.

    Simply put, the IF genre includes any game that tells a story as
    part of the game, usually with the player as the protagonist.  The
    actions of the player affect the progress of the story, which often
    centers around solving puzzles or finding treasure, and leads to an
    endgame in which the player 'wins' and completes the adventure.

    Interactive fiction traces its electronic roots to a 1977 program
    named ADVENT, better known as the Colossal Cave Adventure.  It was
    this program, written by Willie Crother and Don Woods, that
    established many of the features now common to the genre, including
    noun-verb parsing (e.g. "TAKE BOOK"), mazes ("You are in a maze of
    twisty little passages, all alike") and the basis of most later IF
    in fantasy/adventure settings.  Soon after this the game Dungeon,
    or Zork, was written by MIT grad students; these students were the
    nucleus of a 1980 startup company called Infocom, which produced
    a version of Zork for the TRS-80 Model I and other machines.  This
    led to widespread popularity of interactive fiction games, and was
    later referred to as the Golden Age of the genre; for several
    years, Infocom's products were the top-selling games on the market.

    Later events, however, led to the decline of the IF genre.  As the
    educational level of the average computer user decreased and the
    features and capabilities of the average computer increased, the
    trend in computer games went to 'arcade' games instead of text.

    By 1989 Infocom had been absorbed by another company and destroyed,
    leaving a legacy of high-quality, well-written interactive fiction
    and a large audience with few sources for good new material.  This
    newsgroup discusses 'classic' interactive fiction games, new games
    keeping the genre alive, and non-text (even non-computer) IF.

>N
Temple
This is the north end of a large temple. On the east wall is an ancient
inscription, probably a prayer in a long-forgotten language. Below the
prayer is a staircase leading down. The west wall is solid granite. The
exit to the north end of the room is through huge marble pillars.
There is a brass bell here.

>READ INSCRIPTION

   "Other USENET newsgroups discussing interactive fiction"        (1.2)

    _rec.arts.int-fiction_ is a newsgroup for *authors* of interactive
    fiction, and discusses adventure development systems such as TADS,
    features of a 'good' IF game and how to implement them, techniques,
    hazards, tradeoffs, etc.  If you're thinking about writing a game
    (as opposed to playing one), rec.arts.int-fiction is your group.

    _comp.sys.amiga.games_ discusses all types of computer games for
    the Commodore Amiga computer, including IF games for that machine.
#   _comp.sys.mac.games_ has a similar charter, discussing games for
#   the Apple Macintosh line of computers.
#
#   _comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.adventure_ discusses a subset of the topics
#   covered in rec.games.int-ficton:  Those interactive fiction games
#   available for the IBM PC.  If you're looking for IBM-specific info
#   about a game, or for info about a game available only on IBM PCs,
#   you may find help in c.s.i.p.g.adventure.

    The _rec.games.mud_ hierarchy discusses MUD (multi-user dungeon)
    games.  The _rec.games.frp_ groups discuss fantasy role-playing
    games (not necessarily computer-based) such as Dungeons & Dragons.

    _rec.games.rogue_, _rec.games.hack_ and _rec.games.moria_ each
    discuss a specific "explore the dungeon" game.

    [Any other groups that belong in this section?  --SF]


>BLORPLE WEST WALL
Abruptly, your surroundings shift.

Nondescript Room
This is a drab, nondescript room. The only exit leads south.

>S
Enchanters' Retreat
Belboz is meditating here.

>BELBOZ, HELLO
"Hello." Belboz doesn't seem pleased to see you.

>ASK BELBOZ FOR A HINT
Belboz looks at you suspiciously.  "Only the rawest apprentice would
ask for a hint (or post one) without observing proper netiquette."

   "Basic netiquette rules; asking for and posting hints"          (1.3)

    1. Above all else, don't spoil the puzzle or game for other
       people who are reading the newsgroup but DIDN'T ask for a
       hint.  Use spoiler warnings in the both the posting's title
       and in the text.

       Good example:
       >Subject: Re: ZORK I question (SPOILERS)
       >
       >J. Random writes:
       >>How do I get into the white house?
       >
       >SPOILERS


       >Have you tried running for President?
       >

       *** A special note on the "form feed" character:  The ASCII
       character 12, if inserted as the _first_character_of_a_line_
       in the text of an article, causes most newsreaders to pause
       and require the user to hit a key before continuing.  This
       feature is useful when protecting part of a message from
       people who don't want to see it, as it gives them the option
       of hitting "n" instead and skipping the SPOILER section.

       Some newsreaders display this character as a caret followed
       by the letter L, thus:  ^L .  This is NOT the same as typing
       the two characters ^ and L.  Also, it is very important that
       the "form feed" character be kept as the first character on
       the line.  If you reply to a message and put a ">" in front
       of the form feed, it won't work, the message will be spoiled
       and scores of angry netters will tear you limb from limb
       (okay, maybe not THAT drastic, but it's bad manners).

       Most machines can generate a form feed character if you type
       a CTRL-L or (in "vi") CTRL-V CTRL-L.  If you can't generate
       a form feed character, either use 24 blank lines or save
       this message and delete everything but the form feed below.

       The last character on this line is an ASCII form feed:



    2. If you're asking for a hint, please try to ask in a way
       that doesn't spoil the puzzle, or spoil other puzzles in
       the game.  Describe whatever details are relevant, but
       don't post the answer to every other puzzle you've solved
       up to this point.

       Good example:
       >I've figured out what the gold machine is for, but I keep
       >getting killed whenever I try to use it.

       Bad example:
       >I used the gold machine to send a message to Orkan, but the
       >Warlock noticed my presence and turned me into bat guano.

       If you can't ask the question without revealing part of the
       puzzle, protect the question with spoiler warnings as above.


    3. When giving a hint, please try to give just enough info
       to send the adventurer on his/her way.  Please don't post
       the exact sequence of moves required to win the game from
       this point, or solve the next two puzzles in order to get
       the ball rolling.

       Good example:
       >Have you explored the area outside the house?

       Bad example:
       >There's a window on the east side of the house that you can
       >squeeze through in order to get in.  Don't bother with the
       >front door; there's no way to open it.  Don't eat the food,
       >either:  You'll need it later to feed the microscopic dog.


Belboz looks at you expectantly.

>FROTZ BELBOZ
Belboz stops you with a word of power.
"Ah! Now I have you, charlatan! Fool me twice? Never!" He rises
to his feet, makes a threatening gesture, and you find yourself
transported to....

Maze
This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

>S
Maze
This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

A seedy-looking individual with a large bag just wandered through
the room. On the way through, he quietly abstracted some valuables
from your possession, mumbling something about:

#   "Disclaimer and copyright/trademark notice"                    (1.4)
#
#   This FAQ is copyright (c) 1993 by Scott Forbes.  The author
#   makes no warranty with respect to the quality or accuracy of
#   the information contained in this document.  In no event will
#   Scott Forbes be liable for damages, blah, blah, I have no $,
#   don't sue me, etc.
#
#   All trademarks remain the property of their respective companies.

>W
Maze
This is part of a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

Someone carrying a large bag is casually leaning against one of the
walls here. He does not speak, but it is clear from his aspect that
the bag will be taken only over his dead body.


>KILL THIEF WITH SWORD
A good slash, but it misses the thief by a mile.  The thief comes in
from the side, feints, and inserts the blade into your ribs.

It appears that that last blow was too much for you.
I'm afraid you are dead.

   ****  You have died  ****

Press any key to continue
Archive-name:  games/interactive-fiction/part-2
Last-updated:  06 Jun 1993


Inside the Barrow
You are inside an ancient barrow hidden deep within a dark forest.
The barrow opens into a narrow tunnel at its southern end. You can
see a faint glow at the far end.
A strangely familiar brass lantern is lying on the ground.
A sword of Elvish workmanship is on the ground.

A strange little man in a long cloak appears suddenly in the room.
He is wearing a high pointed hat embroidered with astrological
signs.  He has a long, stringy, and unkempt beard.

The Wizard draws forth his wand and waves it in your direction.
It begins to glow with a faint blue glow.  The Wizard, in a deep
and resonant voice, speaks the word "FAQ!"  He cackles gleefully.


    This is the Frequently Asked Questions list for the group
    rec.games.int-fiction, a USENET newsgroup for the discussion
    of Interactive Fiction games and related topics.  To read a
    specific question, use your newsreader's search function on
    the string "(n)", where n is the question number.

#   This article is Part 2 of a three-part FAQ, and contains entries
#   regarding Infocom and the _Lost Treasures of Infocom_ packages.
#
#   Part 1 contains entries about rec.games.fiction and about this FAQ.
#
#   Part 3 contains information about the ftp.gmd.de software archive,
#   mirror archive site wuarchive.wustl.edu:/doc/misc/if-archive, and
#   about other sources for publicly available interactive fiction.
#
#   All three of these articles may be FTP'd from the FAQ archive at
#   rtfm.mit.edu, or from the interactive fiction archive at ftp.gmd.de.


    2.0  Infocom
        2.1  Whatever happened to Infocom, anyway?
        2.2  Lost Treasures of Infocom I
        2.3  Lost Treasures of Infocom II
#       2.4  Lost Treasures on CD-ROM
#       2.5  Infocom products *not* in the LToI packages
#       2.6  Missing or hard-to-find information in LToI packaging
#       2.7  Zmachines, vocabulary listers and other programs

    New questions in this FAQ or questions with updated information are
    marked with a pound sign, as are changed lines in the text below.


>AIMFIZ FORD PREFECT
As you cast the spell, the moldy scroll vanishes!

After a momentary dizziness, you realize that your location has
changed, although Ford Prefect is not in sight...

Dark
You can make out a shadow moving in the dark.

>LOOK AT SHADOW
The shadow is vaguely Ford Prefect-shaped.

Vogon Hold
This is a squalid room filled with grubby mattresses, unwashed
cups, and unidentifiable bits of smelly alien underwear. A door
lies to port, and an airlock lies to starboard.

Ford removes the bottle of Santraginean Mineral Water which he's
been waving under your nose. He tells you that you are aboard a
Vogon spaceship, and gives you some peanuts.

>ASK FORD ABOUT INFOCOM
A long silence tells you that Ford Prefect isn't interested in
talking about Infocom.

Ford yawns. "Matter transference always tires me out. I'm going to
take a nap."  He places something on top of his satchel. "If you
have any questions, here's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
(Footnote 14). Ford lowers his voice to a whisper. "I'm not
supposed to tell you this, but you'll never be able to finish
the game without consulting the Guide about lots of stuff." As he
curls up in a corner and begins snoring, you pick up the Guide.


>CONSULT GUIDE ABOUT INFOCOM
The Guide checks through its Sub-Etha-Net database and
eventually comes up with the following entry:

    "Whatever happened to Infocom, anyway?"                        (2.1)
#   This info is taken from [what was once] the comp.sys.ibm.pc.games FAQ,
#   with thanks to Infocom's Stu Galley for passing it along:

    [Thanks to Dave Lebling (Infocom co-founder) for the definitive
     info on this]

    ...

    Infocom never went out of business.  It went deeply into debt to
    develop a database product (named Cornerstone) that was a commercial
    flop.  It went shopping for a merger and found Activision, which
    later changed its name to Mediagenic.  What did happen is that
    in May of 1989 Mediagenic closed down the "real" Infocom in
    Cambridge, MA, and laid (almost) everyone off.  All the releases
    up through Zork Zero, Shogun, Journey, and Arthur were developed
    in Cambridge.

    Mediagenic licensed the UK rights to the games to Virgin Mastertronic
    about two years ago.

    Mediagenic went nearly bankrupt, was taken over by outside investors,
    and taken through a so-called "pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy" in
    January, 1992.  As part of that process, they changed their name back
    to Activision, moved from Silicon Valley down to LA, and recently
    merged with a company owned by the investors (called The Disc Company).

You begin to feel distinctly groggy.


>CONSULT GUIDE ABOUT LOST TREASURES OF INFOCOM I                   (2.2)
The Guide checks through its Sub-Etha-Net database and
eventually comes up with the following entry:

    "The Lost Treasures of Infocom" is a collection of 20 Infocom
    games available for $39.95 through most retail and mail-order
    outlets.  The package is available for the IBM PC, the Apple
    Macintosh and the Commodore Amiga.  Games in LToI I include:

    Zork I         Enchanter      Deadline       Starcross
    Zork II        Sorcerer       Witness        Suspended
    Zork III       Spellbreaker   Suspect        Planetfall
    Zork Zero      Ballyhoo       Infidel        Stationfall
    Beyond Zork    Moonmist       Lurking Horror Hitchhiker's Guide

#   The LToI 1 package is now available for the Apple IIgs through
#   the Big Red Computer Club, which sought and received permission
#   from Activision to port the games to the IIgs.  For more info,
#   contact the Big Red Computer Club at [had it a minute ago...].

    The package includes a manual which contains photocopies of all
    the original manuals and game pieces (such as the trading cards
    from "Spellbreaker", which are needed to solve a puzzle in the
    game), but some information is missing -- see section 2.5 below.

    The package also contains a hint book, which looks like
    somebody took all the Invisiclues booklets and typed them into
    a text file. The hint book is riddled with spelling mistakes,
    formatting errors and other problems, but in most cases the
    mistakes are not serious enough to keep you from using it.

    See also the entry on "Lost Treasures of Infocom II".

You begin to feel indistinctly groggy.


>CONSULT GUIDE ABOUT LOST TREASURES OF INFOCOM II                  (2.3)
The Guide checks through its Sub-Etha-Net database and
eventually comes up with the following entry:

    "Lost Treasures of Infocom II" contains most (but not all) of
    the remaining Infocom text adventure games, and retails for
    $29.95 through retail and mail order outlets.  Games include:

    Seastalker     Wishbringer    A Mind Forever Voyaging
    Trinity        Cutthroats     Hollywood Hijinx
    Bureaucracy    Border Zone    Plundered Hearts
    Sherlock       Nord and Bert Couldn't Make Head or Tail of It

    This package contains photocopies of the original packaging,
    but does NOT contain a hint book:  Instead it contains a
    1-900 number which you can call to receive hints.

#   According to recent USENET articles the LToI 2 package is not
#   available for the Commodore Amiga, due to relatively low sales
#   of LToI 1 on the Amiga.  However, given the number of publicly
#   available zmachines for the Amiga (see below), it should be
#   possible to purchase the IBM or Macintosh version of LToI 2 and
#   extract the data files for use on an Amiga (or other machine).

You begin to feel very indistinct.

>EAT PEANUTS
You feel stronger as the peanuts replace some of the protein you
lost in the matter transference beam.


>CONSULT GUIDE ABOUT LOST TREASURES CD-ROM                         (2.4)
The Guide checks through its Sub-Etha-Net database and
eventually comes up with the following entry:

#   CD-ROM versions of the Lost Treasures of Infocom I and II are
#   available for $49 and $[??], respectively.  The LToI I CD-ROM
#   is identical to the disk-based version of the package, but the
#   LToI II CD-ROM includes the games Shogun, Arthur and Journey
#   in addition to the eleven games listed above in LToI 2.
#
#   Both Macintosh and IBM PC versions of the games are included
#   on the CD-ROMs.

An announcement is coming over the ship's intercom.  "Ed tgrykonx
jcavfluu nx jchotha otoyefti ltruvupirbi swrotrueft ochoollzitchogrya
rd tfudeftd t ow ctrufudx jp wkonvuphuvd te h oulpkonz zollcava ri li
lo ti l oe hfudx jirbtrugrys gvupp work oo sthaquio ta btoyr gkonr ga
r or gz zr gi skwazitz zkwaa rerl ow cfluirbwroorktoyfimthad tulp oe
he hfluo simbchogryr gu ni s."


>CONSULT GUIDE ABOUT OTHER INFOCOM PRODUCTS                        (2.5)
The Guide checks through its Sub-Etha-Net database and
eventually comes up with the following entry:

    There are a handful of games and other Infocom products that are
    not included in any of the LToI packages.  These products range
    from hard-to-find early Infocom products to non-IF games made by
    Activision and marked under the Infocom brand name; information
    and sources for these products would be greatly appreciated.

 #  For more information about Infocom products, version numbers
 #  and Infocom products that were never released, see Paul Smith's
 #  "Infocom Fact Sheet", which is periodically posted here and is
 #  also available via the ftp.gmd.de archive (see part 3 of this FAQ).

    _The Infocom Sampler_  (pre-1984?)
    This was the first of three demo products written by Infocom,
    containing (we think) excerpts from Zork I.  The existence of
    this sampler is deduced mainly because a later version of the
    Sampler has serial number "ID2", suggesting an earlier "ID1".
    Any information about this product would be appreciated.

    _The New Zork Times_ / _The Status Line_  (1983? - 1988)
    The legendary Infocom newsletter.  The mid was changed in mid-
    1986 due to threatened legal action by The New York Times, a
    lesser-known newspaper serving a smaller area (Infocom promptly
    began using old newspapers for packing material when shipping
    games to their customers; by coincidence the NYT was the paper
    of choice for this purpose).  Thirteen issues were published
    under the name 'NZT'; one issue (Spring 1986) was titled '****'
    and the remaining ten were published as 'TSL'.  The newsletters
    are now collector's items, and a complete set is rare.

    _Cornerstone_  (Fall 1984)
    Infocom's one and only attempt at a commercial business product
    (see section 2.1, above); probably of interest only to purists.
    IBM PC version only; description in Winter 1985 NZT.

    _The Infocom Sampler_  (1985?)
#   This was the second of three samplers, containing excerpts from
#   Zork I, Planetfall, Infidel and The Witness, and also containing
#   a unique two-room puzzle that involved catching a butterfly.
#   Available for virtually every computer on the market in 1985
#   (including the Osborne, Kaypro II, TRS-80 Color Computer, etc.)
#   but incredibly rare today.  Superceded in 1987 by the third and
#   final Infocom Sampler (see below).

    _Fooblitzky_  (Summer 1985)
    A graphical game involving deductive logic, by Marc Blank,
    Michael Berlyn, Brian Cody, Poh C. Lim and Paula Maxwell.
    IBM PC, Apple II, Atari XL/XE series.

    _Leather Goddesses of Phobos_  (Summer 1986)
    Activision chose not to include the original LGoP in either of
    the Lost Treasures packages, possibly to prevent confusion with
    the inferior sequel (see below) that was published at about the
    same time.  A coupon in the LToI II package offered the IBM PC
    version of this game for an additional $10; versions for other
    machines, including the Apple II, Macintosh, Atari and Amiga,
    are difficult to obtain.

    _The Infocom Sampler_  (Fall 1987)
    Third and final sampler containing puzzles from Zork I, Trinity,
    Leather Goddesses of Phobos and Wishbringer.  IBM PC, Apple II
    and Commodore 64.

    _Infocomics_  (1988)
    At least four of these $12 'comic books' were published:
      Lane Mastodon vs. The Blubbermen
      Gamma Force in Pit of a Thousand Screams
      ZorkQuest I: Assault on Egreth Castle
      ZorkQuest II: The Crystal of Doom
    Many believe that this is the point where Infocom-as-a-publisher
    ended and Infocom-as-a-brand-name-for-lesser-products began.
    IBM PC, Apple II, Commodore 64/128.

#   _Quarterstaff: The Tomb of Setmoth_  (Fall 1988)
    Activision purchased the rights to this Macintosh game from
    Simulated Environment Systems in late 1988, and reworked the
    text and user interface.  The game is a graphical RPG similar
#   to a number of D&D-type games on the market.  Infocom planned
#   to release this game for the Apple IIgs and IBM, but only the
#   Macintosh version was ever published.

    _BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception_  (Fall 1988)
    Activision now sells this game and its sequel (_BattleTech: The
    Crescent Hawk's Revenge_) as part of a three-game package of
    BattleTech-related games.  Developed by Westwood Associates.
    "Available in November [1988] for the IBM, in February [1989]
    for the Commodore 64/128, and in [Spring 1989] for the Apple II
#   series and the Amiga."  The IBM and Amiga versions have been
#   sighted; the status of the Commodore and Apple II version is
#   unknown.

    _Shogun_  (Winter 1988?)
#   A graphical IF adventure based on the James Clavell novel, by
#   Dave Lebling.  Available as part of the LToI 2 CD-ROM package
#   for the Macintosh and IBM PC; versions for the Apple IIe and
#   Amiga were also published, but are now rare.

    _Circuit's Edge_
#   IBM, Amiga.  No other information available at press time.

    _Mines of Titan_
#   IBM, Amiga, Apple IIe.  No other information available.

    _Journey_
#   A fantasy adventure by Marc Blank.  Available as part of the
#   LToI 2 CD-ROM package for the Macintosh and IBM PC; versions
#   for the Apple IIe and Amiga were also published.

    _Arthur: The Quest for Excalibur_
#   By Bob Bates, the author of _Sherlock_.  Available as part
#   of the LToI 2 CD-ROM package for the Macintosh and IBM PC;
#   versions for the Apple IIe and Amiga were also published.

#   _Leather Goddesses of Phobos II:  Gas Pump Girls Meet the
#     Pulsating Inconvenience from Planet X_
    This 1992 offering from "Infocom" had more in common with
    Leisure Suit Larry than with the original Leather Goddesses.
    Available for the IBM PC.

    _Return to Zork_
    This game is scheduled for release in mid-to-late 1993, and
    Activision allegedly promises that it will be faithful to the
    original (challenging) Zork games that preceded it.  No other
    information was available at press time.


Guards burst in and grab you and Ford, who comes slowly awake.
They drag you down the corridor to a large cabin, where they strap
you into large, menacing chairs...

Captain's Quarters, in the poetry appreciation chair
This is the cabin of the Vogon Captain. You and Ford are strapped
into poetry appreciation chairs.  The Captain is indescribably
hideous, indescribably blubbery, and indescribably mid-to-dark
green.  He is holding samples of his favourite poetry.


>ASK THE CAPTAIN ABOUT MISSING GAME PIECES                         (2.6)
One of the guards lightly bashes your skull with the butt of his weapon
and says (Ford translates for you):

    Here is a list of missing or hard-to-find info in the LToI 1
    game package.

    _Ballyhoo_
    The original packaging included an advertisement for a radio
    station, WPDL AM at 1170 KHz.  You will need to tune the radio
    to this frequency (or TUNE RADIO TO WPDL) to get a vital clue.

    _Lurking Horror_
    Your Login ID, an important part of one of the early puzzles,
    is *not* missing from the LToI manual.  It's just hard to find.
    (Hint:  It's written somewhere on your Student ID Card.)

    _Moonmist_
#   Your friend Tamara will make frequent references to the letters
#   she wrote asking for your help; unfortunately, these letters
#   are not included in the LToI package.  The full text of these
#   two letters is available in the file "moonmist-letters" [?]
#   from the ftp.gmd.de archive, with many thanks to Mark Howell
#   for typing in these letters from the original package.

#   _Zork Zero_
#   The original documentation for Zork Zero contained information
#   about the game's on-screen mapping, which may be activated by
#   typing in the command "MAP" at any time during the game.  The
#   exact information contained in the original manual was not
#   available at press time.  [Anybody?]
#
#   _Zork Zero_  (again)
    Some versions of the LToI package may be missing a (vital) map
    of the "Rockville Estates" section of the game.  The map is a
    blueprint of a construction site ("Frobozz Magic Construction
    Company") showing an 8 x 8 grid of octagonal rooms connected by
    lines representing passages.  You cannot win the game without
    the information on this map.

    Some copies of the LToI manual include this map on a page that
    is apparently numbered "40b" (the preceding page is "40a", and
    the next page is 41 -- the page with the map is not numbered),
    suggesting that the map was inserted after the first printing.
#   Early IBM versions of the LToI manual include the map on page 2
#   of the Zork I instructions.

    If your copy of the manual is missing page 40b, and you cannot
    find the map anywhere else in the game package, call Activision
#   technical support at 310-207-4500 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm PST) and
#   explain the situation to them.  They should provide you with a
#   replacement map.
#
#   If all else fails, the ASCII drawing on the next page is a rough
#   but accurate rendering of the "Rockville Estates" blueprint for
#   Infocom's Zork Zero.  This map is provided for use by legitimate
#   owners of the Lost Treasures of Infocom package only.

 0     1     2     3     4     5.... 6.... 7           Goobar -
                           .'    .'    .'              I left my hardhat
 8     9    10    11    12....13    14    15           out in lot 0.
                         : .'          .'              Please pick it up
16    17    18    19    20    21    22....23                  Thanks,
         `.          .'    .'    .'                            Quizbo
24    25    26....27    28    29    30....31
       : .'                .'  :
32    33    34....35    36    37    38....39
 :       .'          .'              : .'       To
40    41    42....43    44....45    46    47....GUH-95
 : `.    .'  : .'    `.          .'    .'
48    49    50    51....52    53    54    55
   `.              : `.        :       `.
56....57....58    59    60    61....62....63
                                          ._____________________________
Work still to be performed in Phase Two:  |Frobozz Magic Construction Co
  * Removal of temporary passages         |       ROCKVILLE ESTATES
  * Installation of emergency exits       |  Phase Two, showing all work
  * Installation of sprinkler system      | completed through 29-Mum-880
  * Construction of Concierge apartment   | 1:440 | drawn by S. Fzortbar


The Vogon Captain says, "Ofudgrythafudo tw cchoe ho tz z ocavtrup
wwroz zl mfluz ztruqui."  A guard grabs you and Ford, and drags you
toward the hold. Ford whispers, "Don't worry, I'll think of something!"

Vogon Hold
In the corner is a glass case with a switch and a keyboard.
It looks like the glass case contains:
  an atomic vector plotter

Ford begins trying to talk the guard into a sudden career change.

>TYPE "HELLO"
The hold of the Vogon ship is virtually undamaged by the explosion of
the glass case. You, however, are blasted into tiny bits and smeared
all over the room. Several cleaning robots fly in and wipe you neatly
off the walls.

    ****  You have died  ****

Your guardian angel, draped in white, appears floating in the
nothingness before you. "Gotten in a bit of a scrape, eh?" he asks,
writing frantically in a notebook. "I'd love to chat, but we're so
busy this month." The angel twitches his nose, and the nothingness
is replaced by...

It is pitch black.  You could be eaten by a zmachine.


>WHAT IS A ZMACHINE?                                               (2.7)
    A zmachine or ZIP (Z-machine Interpreter Program) is a program
    that interprets and runs Infocom game data files.  Infocom used
    a way-ahead-of-their-time implementation scheme that allowed
    them to develop one game that would run on any of 26 different
    computers, using a ZIP program specific to that computer and a
    data file common to all machines.

    Infocom data files are written in Z-code, a compiled version of
    the Zork Implementation Language (ZIL).  ZIL is a dialect of a
    Lisp-like language called MDL.  MDL is ancient history, but ZIL
    and several reverse-engineered ZIPs live on.  Here is a list of
    available ZIPs and related programs, provided by Paul D. Smith:

    _zorkword_ by Mike Threepoint <[e-mail]>
        Current version: 9
        Prints the vocabulary list from any Z-Code version game

    _zmachine_ by Matthias Pfaller <[e-mail]>
        Current version: 2.24
        Plays most Z-Code v.3 games (except games with sound)
        Supports UNIX termcap, MS-DOS and Amiga systems
#       Supports sound on the Amiga only

    _infocom_ by InfoTaskForce
        Current version: 4.01 + 2 patches
        Plays all Z-Code v.1 to v.5 games.  Includes features to print
        vocabulary lists, object trees, and header info for all Z-Code
        versions.  Supports UNIX termcap and curses and MS-DOS systems

    _pinfocom_ by Paul D. Smith <[e-mail]>
        Current version: 3.0
        Plays all Z-Code v.3 games.  Includes features to print
        vocabulary lists, object trees, and header info for all Z-Code
        versions.  Supports UNIX termcap and terminfo, MS-DOS, and
        Amiga systems.  Basically does everything ITF 4.01 does and
        more (command-line restore, enhanced command-line editing
        commands, stellar Amiga interface, etc.) but only works for
        v.3 games.

    _zip_ by Mark Howell <[e-mail]>
        Current version: 1.0
        Plays all Z-Code v.3 and v.4 games. Supports UNIX termcap and
        curses as well as MS-DOS and Amiga systems.

#   "Infocom toolkit" by Mark Howell <[e-mail]>
#       Current version: 18 Oct 92
#       C source files for dumping vocabulary, version, font, graphic
#       and other information from Infocom games, for converting IBM
#       bootable disks into story files, and for disassembly of story
#       files to Z code assembly language.

    All of the above files can be found in the ftp.gmd.de archive,
    under the /if-archive/infocom/interpreters directory.  See the
#   "FTP" section in Part 3 for more details.

>N
Oh, no!  A lurking zmachine slithered into the room and devoured you!

    ****  You have died  ****

Press any key to continue
Archive-name:  games/interactive-fiction/part-3
Last-updated:  06 Jun 1993

As in a dream, you see yourself tumbling down a great, dark staircase.
All about you are shadowy images of struggles against fierce opponents
and diabolical traps.  These give way to another round of images:  of
imposing stone figures, a cool, clear lake, and, now, of an old, yet
oddly youthful man.  He turns toward you slowly, his long, silver hair
dancing about him in a fresh breeze.  "You have reached the final test,
my friend!  You are proved clever and powerful, but this is --

    This is the Frequently Asked Questions list for the group
    rec.games.int-fiction, a USENET newsgroup for the discussion
    of Interactive Fiction games and related topics.  To read a
    specific question, use your newsreader's search function on
    the string "(n)", where n is the question number.

#   This article is Part 3 of a three-part FAQ, and contains entries
#   regarding the ftp.gmd.de software archive, the mirror archive site
#   at wuarchive.wustl.edu, and other locations for FTPing IF software.
#
#   Part 1 contains entries about rec.games.fiction and about this FAQ.
#
#   Part 2 contains entries regarding Infocom, including information
#   about the _Lost Treasures of Infocom_ software packages.
#
#   All three of these articles may be FTP'd from the FAQ archive at
#   rtfm.mit.edu, or from the interactive fiction archive at ftp.gmd.de.

    3.0  FTPable games, solution files and IF-related material
        3.1  ftp.gmd.de, the interactive fiction archive
        3.2  Games and walkthroughs available for FTP


Seek me when you feel yourself worthy!"  The dream dissolves around you
as his last words echo through the void....

Endless Stair
You are at the bottom of a seemingly endless stair, winding its
way upward beyond your vision.  An eerie light, coming from all
around you, casts strange shadows on the walls.  To the south is
a dark and winding trail.
Your old friend, the brass lantern, is at your feet.

>PLUGH
A hollow voice says:

    "ftp.gmd.de, the interactive fiction archive"                  (3.1)
    The interactive fiction archive site at ftp.gmd.de (129.26.8.90)
    is by far the largest collection of interactive fiction games,
    development systems, "walkthrough" solution files and related IF
    materials available.  Uploads of new material are encouraged;
    please send e-mail to to [e-mail] when uploading.

#   Mirror site wuarchive.wustl.edu:/mirrors/if-archive (192.20.239.129)
    is also available for FTP downloading.

>S.W.SW.W.W.
Flathead Ocean
Passing alongside the shore now is an old boat, reminiscent of an
ancient Viking ship.  Standing on the prow of the ship is an old and
crusty sailor, peering out over the misty ocean.

>HELLO SAILOR
The seaman looks up and maneuvers the boat toward shore.  He cries out:

    "Games and walkthroughs available for FTP"                     (3.2)
    Thanks to Magnus Olsson for much of the info in this section.

    Source code for some text adventures (including various versions of
    Colossal Cave/ADVENT, Dungeon/Zork and World) have been posted to
    comp.sources.games and comp.sources.misc. They're available from
    FTP sites archiving these groups, such as ftp.uu.net.

    Some Macintosh IF games are available from sumex-aim.stanford.edu,
    including Colossal Cave and Dungeon.  [Unnkulian may be there too]

    "Walkthrough" solution files for many popular IF games are
    available from ftp.uu.net, in the directory "/pub/games/solutions".

#   Finally, here are some interesting files and directories from the
#   ftp.gmd.de archive:
#
#   /ftp/if-archive/README
#     [I don't know what's in this file, but it's probably useful :-) ]
#
#   /ftp/if-archive/ls-lR
#     A complete listing of all files and subdirectories in the archive.
#
#   /ftp/if-archive/games
#     The games directory.  Subdirectories include pc, mac, atari, amiga
#     and directories for adventure development systems such as TADS
#     (see the rec.arts.int-fiction FAQ).
#
#   /ftp/if-archive/infocom
#     Everything you always wanted to know.  Subdirectories "decoders"
#     and "interpreters" contain ZIPs, zmachines, vocabulary readers and
#     other Infocom-related tools.
#
#   /ftp/if-archive/infocom/fact-sheet.txt
#     Latest version of Paul D. Smith's _Infocom Fact Sheet_, the
#     "Encyclopedia Frobozzica" of rec.games.int-fiction -- it contains
#     information about version numbers, release dates, never-released
#     Infocom games, authors, Infocom corporate history and more.
#
#   /ftp/if-archive/rec.games.int-fiction
#     A complete archive of articles posted to rec.games.int-fiction
#     (including this FAQ).
#
#   /ftp/if-archive/solutions
#     A directory containing walkthroughs and puzzle solutions for many
#     popular interactive fiction games.


Please accept this gift. You may find it useful!" He throws something
which falls near you in the sand, then sails off toward the west,
singing a lively, but somewhat uncouth, sailor song.
The boat sails silently through the mist and out of sight.

>QUIT
Your score would be 400 points (total of 400 points), in 3 articles.
This score gives you the rank of [ suggestions are being taken :-) ].
Do you wish to leave the game? (Y is affirmative): > Y

Press any key to continue