Belgian Amiga Club - ADF Collection/BS1 part 40.zip/BS1 part 40/Doc_disk3.adf/BEYONDZORKdoc

Text File | 1978-11-16 | 20KB | 461 lines

                    ------------------------
               ---  B E Y O N D    Z O R K !  ---
                    ------------------------
                 --=== INSTRUCTION MANUAL ===--
                      presented by Inskipp


                  Section I: About Beyond Zork

Preface to the Story

    Dark times have fallen upon the Southlands of Quendor.  All
the enchanters have disappeared without a trace.  Monsters roam
the countryside.  The taverns are filled with disturbing rumors
and unsavory characters.

    A simple peasant like yourself knows better than to get
involved in the affairs of wizards.  But everyone you meet seems
intent of testing your abilities to the utmost.  You find
yourself drawn into a web of fantasy and magic, solving puzzles,
seeking treasure, avoiding traps, and fighting monsters.  Your
strength and power grow with every encounter, until the most
fabulous treasure of all -- the fabled Coconut of Quendor -- lies
within your grasp.  If only you can survive long enough to claim
it!

    Unlike other Infocom stories in which your character is set
from the start, Beyond Zork lets you create your own character
with six attributes: endurance, strength, dexterity,
intelligence, compassion, and luck.  Some situations in the story
require dexterity, some require strength, some require
intelligence, and so on; some situations require a combination of
these attributes.  You can choose your attributes yourself, or
you can use a character already set up by the computer.

    You must fight monsters and solve puzzles to succeed in your
quest.  Since your success will often depend on our attributes,
mindful players will try to improve their attributes as they
venture onward.

    The story is presented in a new and flexible way.  A map in
the upper-right portion of your screen shows the immediate area
and the directions you can move.  You can use the on-screen map
and your mouse to move to adjacent rooms if you have a Apple IIgs
or Macintosh, an Amiga, an Atari ST, or an IBM-PC with a
Microsoft compatible mouse.  (If your computer has a numeric
keypad, you can use it to move around as well.)

    Experienced Infocom players may recognize references to other
Infocom games.  However, there are many new commands in Beyond
Zork, and character development adds a new degree of challenge.
All players should read the rest of Section 1 before plunging
into the story.


The On-Screen Map

The on-screen map shows only a small part of the entire
geography, so it's a good idea to draw a separate map as you
play.  (Or use the handy-dandy companion map supplied by your
truly -mt)

Notes about the on-screen map:

- A question mark on the map indicates a dark room (a room in
which you need a light source to see).

- Room exits are displayed on the map only if you've seen them.

- A room with a UP exit shows an up arrow on the map

- A room with DOWN exit shows a down arrow on the map.

- A room with an UP exit and a DOWN exit shows both an up arrow
and a down arrow.

- You can click on the up or down arrows to move UP or DOWN (if
you have the mouse option with certain computers).


Function Keys

    As described elsewhere in this manual, many commands have
abbreviation: you can type N instead of NORTH, for instance, or I
instead of INVENTORY.

    With function keys you can use a single keystroke as an
abbreviation for whatever you choose.  you can use a function key
to abbreviate a long work that you don't like to type (like
HIPPOPOTAMUS), or to abbreviate a commonly used command (like
RESTORE), or even to abbreviate a whole sentence (like ATTACK THE
MONSTER WITH SMALL THERMONUCLEAR DEVICE).

    You start the story with the function keys already set to
commonly used commands.  To see what the function keys are set
to, or to change the settings of the function keys, type DEFINE
at the prompt ">" and press the RETURN (or ENTER) key.  Then use
your up or down arrow keys to highlight the setting(s) you want
to change.  The vertical bar or exclamation point is used as an
abbreviation for the return or enter key; so changing LOOK to
LOOK! means you want the command executed whenever you press that
function key.

Note: Only one RETURN can be include in each function key
definition.  Anything typed after the first RETURN will be
discarded.

    You can restore all the original settings of the function
keys by highlighting the RESTORE DEFAULTS command and pressing
the RETURN key.  To leave the DEFINE screen, highlight the EXIT
command and press the RETURN key.


Special Commands

    There are a number of command which have special meanings.
Many of these command appear in all Infocom games, but those that
are starred "*" below are new to Beyond Zork.  You can use all
special commands over and over as needed.  Some count as a turn,
others do not.  Type the command after the prompt ">" and press
RETURN.

AGAIN
    Beyond Zork will respond as if you had repeated your previous
command.  For instance, typing HIT THE MONSTER WITH THE TOASTER
OVEN then typing AGAIN would be like hitting the monster twice in
a row.  You can abbreviate AGAIN with G.

BRIEF
    If you are playing in "normal" mode instead of "enhance" mode
(see MODE below), or if you are printing a transcript as you play
(see SCRIPT below), this command tells Beyond Zork to print the
full description of a location *only* the first time you enter
it.  On subsequent visits, Beyond Zork will print only the name
of the location and the objects present.  This is how Beyond Zork
will normally act, unless you tell it otherwise using the VERBOSE
or SUPERBRIEF commands.  The SUPERBRIEF commands tells Beyond
Zork to print only the name of a place you have entered, even if
you have never been there before.  In this mode, Beyond Zork will
not even print which object are present.

    Of course, you can always get a description of your location
and the items there by typing LOOK.  In SUPERBRIEF mode the blank
line between turns will be eliminated.  This mode is meant for
players who are already very familiar with the geography.  The
VERBOSE command tells Beyond zork that you want a complete
description of each location, and the objects in it, every time
you enter a location, even if you've been there before.

COLOR *
    If you are playing Beyond Zork on a color monitor, you can
type COLOR to change the colors on your screen.  This command
works only on computers which support a color display.

DEFINE *
    This command allows you to change the setting of the function
keys.  For example, if pressing function key 2 is like typing
INVENTORY, you can change this to DROP ALL, or DROP ALL followed
by RETURN, or anything else, by using the DEFINE command.  See
"Function Keys" previously covered in this manual.

DIAGNOSE
    Beyond Zork will give you a medical report of your physical
condition.

INVENTORY
    Beyond Zork will lest what your are carrying.  Occasionally
an inventory list will be too long to fit in the upper window.
When this happens, the word "{more}" will appear in the corner of
the window, and the UP and DOWN arrow keys can be used to scroll
the window.  You can abbreviate INVENTORY with I.

LOOK
    This tells Beyond Zork to describe your location in full
detail.  Occasionally a room description will be too long to fit
in the upper window.  When this happens, the word "{more}" will
appear in the corner of the window, and the UP and DOWN arrow
keys can be used to scroll the window.  You can abbreviate LOOK
to L.

MODE *
    If you find the maps and other screen features of Beyond Zork
undesirable, you can use the MODE command.  This will make the
screen look "standard," like every other Infocom game.  The
status line will list your name, attributes, location, and
available exits.  Typing MODE a second time will cause the
"enhanced" screen features to return.

MONITOR *
    Your character's endurance attribute is especially important.
Therefore, whenever something affects your endurance (being
wounded during combat, for example), your endurance level is
automatically displayed on the screen.  If    for some reason you
do not wish to monitor your endurance, use the MONITOR command to
turn this feature off.  Typing MONITOR a second time turns the
endurance display feature back on.

NAME *
    In Beyond Zork, you have the power to name weapons and living
things.  For instance, you can NAME THE DOG "ROVER" or NAME THE
SWORD "EXCALIBUR" or NAME THE HIPPOPOTAMUS "FRED".  Beyond Zork
will then use the name in its descriptions, and you can use the
name as a synonym for the object.  This feature is particularly
convenient when an unnamed object is long or hard to spell.

NOTIFY *
    Normally in Beyond Zork, the game will notify you whenever
any of your attributes change (for example, when your luck goes
up or when your dexterity goes down) or when any attribute
returns to normal (such as when you build your endurance back
after being wounded in battle).  You an turn off this
notification feature by using the NOTIFY command.  Typing NOTIFY
a second time turns the feature back on.

OOPS
    If you accidentally mistype a word, such that Beyond Zork
doesn't understand the word, you can correct yourself on the next
line by typing OOPS and the correct word.  Suppose, for example,
you typed TAKE THE CLUB FROM THE GIANT and were told "You can't
use that word 'giant' in this story."  You cold type OOPS GIANT
rather than retyping the entire sentence

PRIORITY *
    As you play Beyond Zork, most information is displayed in a
box at the top half of your screen.  For instance, when you enter
a new room,the room's description will appear in the box; when
you then type INVENTORY, your inventory will appear in the box;
on some machines, when you type STATUS (see below), your
attributes will appear in the box.  If you want to specify what
kind of information will appear in the box, you can use the
PRIORITY command.  For example, if you want the box to show your
inventory at all times, type INVENTORY (and press the RETURN and
then type PRIORITY; thereafter the box will always show your
inventory, updating it when you pick up new items or drop or lose
others.  (Room descriptions will thereafter appear in the bottom
half of the screen.)  Similarly, if you want the box to show room
descriptions at all times, type LOOK (and press the RETURN key)
You can turn this feature off by typing PRIORITY OFF.

QUIT
    This lets your stop.  If you want to save your position
before quitting, follow the instructions in the "Saving the
Story" section.  You can abbreviate QUIT with Q.

REFRESH *
    This command clears your screen and redraws the display.

RESTART
    This stops the story and starts over from the beginning.

RESTORE
    This restores a position made using the SAVE command.  See
"Saving the STory" section for more details.

SAVE
    This puts a snapshot of your current position on your storage
disk.  You can return to a saved position in the future using the
RESTORE command.  You cannot SAVE during combat.

SCORE
    This command displays your attributes, telling you your
strength, luck, endurance, compassion, dexterity, intelligence,
and armor class.  This command is synonymous with STATUS.

SCRIPT
    This command tells your printer to begin making a transcript
of the story as you venture onwards.  A transcript may aid your
memory but is not necessary.  It will work on certain computers.

SETTINGS *
    This command allows you to view and change many of the
setting dealing with screen display and output.  Use the up and
down arrow keys to select a setting, and use the left and right
arrow keys to change a setting.  You can restore all the default
setting by highlighting RESTORE DEFAULT and pressing the RETURN
key.

STATUS *
    This command displays your attributes, telling you your
strength, luck, endurance, compassion, dexterity, intelligence,
and armor class.  This command is synonymous with SCORE.

SUPERBRIEF
    See BRIEF above.

UNDO *
    You can use this command to back up one move.  Suppose, for
example, that you found a package but didn't know what was in it.
You might type OPEN THE PACKAGE  and be told "The package
explodes as you open it, damaging your weapons and destroying all
your other possessions."  You could then type UNDO and you would
back up one move.  You weapons and other possessions would be
intact, and you could try giving the package to an enemy, or
leaving it alone, or something else.  The UNDO command does not
work during combat (when you're fighting a monster, for
instance).  Note that the UNDO command works only on certain
computers with enough memory.

UNSCRIPT
    This commands your printer to stop making a transcript.

VERBOSE
    See BRIEF above.

VERSION
    Beyond Zork responds by showing you the released number and
the serial number of your copy of the story.  Please include this
information if you ever report a bug in the story.

WAIT
    This will cause time in the story to pass.  Normally, between
turns, nothing happens in the story.  You could leave your
computer, take a nap, and return to the story to find that
nothing has changed.  You can use WAIT to make time pass in the
story without doing anything.  For example, you can wait for a
specific time, or wait for an event to happen, etc.  You can
abbreviate WAIT to Z.

ZOOM *
    As long as you are playing Beyond Zork in enhanced mode
rather than in standard mode, a partial map of the game will
automatically appear on your screen.  By using the ZOOM command,
you can see more rooms on your screen, but in less detail (e.g.,
UP and DOWN exits will not be shown); typing ZOOM a second time
returns the map size to normal.


Hints for Better Playing

1)  If you are creating your own character, remember that all of
the attributes are important.  Don't be tempted to put all your
eggs in one basket (by giving yourself lots of endurance, for
instance, but very little luck or dexterity); otherwise you may
not be able to solve a puzzle or defeat certain monsters.  The
attributes of the default characters are all sufficient to
complete the story.

2)  There are two way to buy things in a store.  You can simply
trade items in your inventory for merchandise you want, or you
can offer valuables to the shopkeeper and establish a personal
line of credit.  If you're not sure what an item is worth, ask
the shopkeeper.

3)  Weapons are more effective if you WIELD them first.  You can
SET ASIDE  or UNWIELD a weapon when you're done with it.

4)  Certain magic items (such as wands and scrolls) can only be
used a few times before they lose their potency.  Conserve your
magic!

5)  It's a good idea to bring any items you find to a specialist
for identification.  This will alert you to any special
properties they may possess.

6)  Don't be surprised if parts of the geography seem to change
from time to time, or if treasures appear in different guises and
locations.  Not two games of Beyond Zork are exactly alike.


                 Section II: About Infocom's Interactive Fiction


Saving the Story

    Saving and restoring:  It will probably take you many days to
complete the game.  Using the SAVE feature, you can continue the
story at a later time without having to start over from the
beginning, just as you can place a bookmark in a book you are
reading.  SAVE puts a snapshot of your place in the story onto
another disk.  You should also save your place before trying
something dangerous or tricky.  That way, even if you get lost or
killed in the story, you can return to your saved position.  You
cannot save during combat (while fighting a monster, for
instance).

    To save your place in the story, type SAVE at the prompt ">",
and then press the RETURN key.  Then follow the instructions for
saving and restoring that the computer asks.  Some computers
require a blank disk, that has already been formatted, for saves.
Using a disk with data on it may result in the loss of that data,
depending on your computer.   Beyond Zork offers from 3 to 7
different SAVEd positions, depending on the type of computer.

    You can restore a saved position any time you want.  To do
so, type RESTORE at the ">" prompt.  Then follow instructions
that the computer asks.  You can then continue the story from the
point where you used the SAVE command.
Quitting and Restarting:

    If you want to start over from the beginning, type RESTART
and press the RETURN key.  If you want to stop the game entirely,
type QUIT and press the RETURN key.


Communicating with Infocom's Interactive Fiction

    If your computer has a numeric keypad you can use it to move
around, rather than typing in the directions (N,E,S,W etc.).


        -------                    ----------
        !7!8!9!                    !NW!N !NE!
        -------                    ----------
        !4!5!6!        becomes     !W !UD!E !
        -------                    ----------
        !1!2!3!                    !SW!S !SE!
        -------                    ----------

    The 5 key is for both UP and DOWN.  If you are in a location
which has both an UP and DOWN exit, the 5 key will act as if you
typed WALK AROUND.

    You can include several sentences on one input line if you
separate them by the word THEN or by a period.  (Note that each
sentence will still count as a turn.)  You don't need a period at
the end of the input line.  For example, you could type all of
the following at once, before pressing the RETURN:

         >READ THE SIGN.  GO NORTH THEN TAKE THE CROWBAR AND
MALLET

    The words IT and ALL can be very useful. For example:

         >TAKE THE APPLE.  POLISH IT.  PUT IT IN THE BOX.
         >CLOSE THE HEAVY METAL DOOR.  LOCK IT.
         >TAKE THE SHOE.  EMPTY IT. PUT IT ON.

    The word IT refers to either the last direct object you
mentioned or the last object the story mentioned.  If there is
any confusion, the story will ask you to be more specific.

    There are three kinds of questions that Beyond Zork
understands:  WHO IS, WHERE IS, and WHAT IS.  For example:

         >WHO IS HOWARD?
         >WHERE IS THE MAP?
         >WHAT IS PLUTONIUM?

    You will meet other people and creatures in Beyond Zork.  You
can talk to some of these beings by typing their name, then a
comma, then whatever you want to say to them.  Hear are some
examples:

         >LOIS, HELLO
         >SHOPKEEPER, WHAT IS MY CREDIT?
         >OLD MAN, TELL ME ABOUT THE PLATYPUS
         >WILLY, PUT ON THE GLOVE THEN THROW THE BALL

    Most people in the story don't care for idle chatter.  Your
deeds will speak louder than you words.

    Beyond Zork recognizes over 1500 words, nearly all that you
are likely to use in your commands.  However, Beyond Zork uses
many words in its descriptions that it will not recognize in your
commands.  For example, you might read, "The full moon is bright
and clear, and the trees cast eerie shadows."  If Beyond Zork
doesn't recognize the words MOON or SHADOWS in your input, you
can assume they are not important to your completion of the
story, except to provide you with a more vivid description of
where you are or what is going on.