Shareware Overload/ShartewareOverload.cdr/games/mansion.zip/MCMANUAL.TXT

Text File | 1989-12-25 | 25KB | 773 lines

                        McMurphy's Mansion
                  Copyright (c) 1984, 1987, 1989
                            martin-art
                P.O. Box 7493,  Pasadena, TX  77508

                      WORLD RIGHTS RESERVED.

     This manual is copyright 1984, 1987, 1989 by  Martin-Art
 P.O. Box 7493, Pasadena, TX 77508. All rights reserved worldwide.
***********************************************************************
SHAREWARE

This game is a SHAREWARE product.  This means for a small fee
that you send to the software author, you receive a
professional quality program.  It does not mean that this
program is free.  If you enjoy playing McMurphy's Mansion, you
should send $15.00 to David Martin, PO Box 7493, Pasadena, TX 77508.

In the spirit of shareware, please copy and share this disk
with your friends!  Instructions for obtaining a game solution
are on page 13 of this manual.

FRENCH VERSION - An all French version of McMurphy's Mansion will be
available in March, 1990.  To order it, send $15.00 to the address shown
below, and ask to be registered for the French version and if you do not
already have the disk, ASK FOR A DISK TO BE SENT TO YOU!  It is a
separate registration from the registratio of the English version.
***********************************************************************



Game Difficulty Level: Average    Playing time: Approx. 80 hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------


INTRODUCTION
=====================

It was three weeks ago when you received the telegram that
would change your life FOREVER...

It seems that an unknown uncle has died in faraway Scotland and
left you his entire fortune.  $10,000,000 to be exact.

There is only one small problem...

Dear old Uncle McMurphy was a bit demented and has hidden your
inheritance somewhere in his mansion or on the mansion grounds.
The old man (Uncle Mac) felt as though any relative of his
should EARN his inheritance.  Therefore, he has left you with
only one clue (a small brass key) proudly presented to you by
his laywer, Barrister Aaron McBee.  It is now up to you to use
your superior brain power to solve the puzzles left in the
mansion by your Uncle McMurphy and find your fortune.

                        - PAGE 1 -


ABOUT ADVENTURE GAMES
=====================

NOTE: If you have played other adventure games and want to skip
      this section, please do so.  But be sure to read about
      the ultimate goal of the game and also about the special
      command abbreviations used in McMurphy's Mansion.



McMurphy's Mansion is played like many other all text adventure
games on the market today.  In these adventure games, you will
be reading about what is happening to your "computer self" on
the screen and responding with a typed in message that tells
your computer what you would like to do next.  It's like being
in a computerized book, with you being the main character,
deciding what is to be done next.  The plot in McMurphy's
Mansion is simple; FIND THE FORTUNE.

You type in commands to command your computer self to do what
you would do if you were actually in a particular situation or
location in the game. This is done by typing in commands from
the keyboard like this:


        >EXAMINE THE BOX


There will be more command examples later in the manual.  After
your command is entered, the game will respond to the command
or action you have just taken.  The game's response to the
"EXAMINE THE BOX" command might look something like this:


        The box appears to be made of burl walnut.
        It is about the size of a cigar box.


In this way you can explore your surroundings and manipulate
objects that are in the game.  Just like a real mansion,
McMurphy's is full of strange and wonderful objects to be
looked at and examined.  Some are important to the puzzles of
the mansion and others are not.  You will have to determine
which is which.









                        - PAGE 2 -

LOADING THE GAME
=====================


LOADING FROM FLOPPY
---------------------

Insert the game disk in the A: drive of your computer system. At
the DOS prompt type in START so your screen looks like:


        A:\>START

        (then press the ENTER key)


When you press the ENTER key some text will come on the screen
for you to read.  Then the game will load and you may start
playing.  Just be sure to always leave the game disk in drive
A: while playing the game unless you are prompted to do
otherwise.  The game program needs to access some of the files
on the game disk while you are playing.

If your game will not load using "START", try "MCMURPHY"
instead.


LOADING FROM HARD DISK
-----------------------

To play using a hard disk, just copy ALL of the files on the
game disk to the hard disk directory of your choice.  Then load
the game from that directory when you want to play.  The
McMurphy's Mansion program searches for the game files in the
default directory.



GAME FILES
======================

The following files are critical to the playing of the game and
must be on the game disk or in your hard disk subdirectory.
Again, when playing from a hard disk, be SURE all of these
files are in the same directory.


                 UNCLE.BAT        MCFILE.DAT
                 MCMURPHY.EXE     MCWM.DAT







                        - PAGE 3 -

BEGINNING THE GAME
=====================


YOUR NAME, PLEASE.
---------------------

After you enter "UNCLE" from your keyboard, the game will load.
The screen will clear and you will see a copyright notice and
some text to read.

Before you actually begin the tough part of playing McMurphy's
Mansion, you will have to answer several questions about
yourself.  The first question concerns your first name.  Answer
this question by typing in your first name and then press
ENTER.  Any 11 letters (or less) may be entered as your name.
The game uses your name during your explorations of the
mansion.



LADDIE OR LASSIE?
---------------------

It is traditional in Scotland to call young adventurers by
"laddie" (boy) or by "lassie" (girl).  When prompted, simply
press the key shown for the correct choice, either "1" for
"Laddie" or "2" for "Lassie".



GAME INTRODUCTION
---------------------

Included in "McMurphy's Mansion" is a detailed introduction and
explanation that will help familiarize you with this mess your
uncle has left for you.  There is a good description of the
mansion and the mansion grounds.  The first few times you play
the game, you should read this introduction carefully. The
detailed description of the mansion will help you in getting to
know the old place.  (There even may be a clue or two in the
introduction.)

After you read the introduction on the screen a few times, just
answer "N" to the question about reading the introduction and
go straight to the playing of the game.  You may of course read
it any time when you load and run the game.








                        - PAGE 4 -

YOUR FIRST COMMAND
---------------------

The game introduction included in the program tells you about
McMurphy, his lawyer McBee and the mansion.  Each time you read
the introduction, you will need to use the game command "LOOK"
for your first actual game command.  This allows you to read a
description of your bedroom (the room you find yourself in when
the game begins).  Just type in the word "LOOK" and press the
ENTER key.


        >LOOK

        (then press the ENTER key)


The description of your bedroom is included at the end of the
game introduction.  Because it is there on the screen anyway,
you will not need to enter "LOOK" as the very first game
command when you read the introduction.

After the game gives you the description of your bedroom, you
are ON YOUR OWN!  Just decide what you would like to do next
and DO IT!

But, be careful, an old mansion can be a DANGEROUS place!!



COMMANDS USED IN THE GAME
=========================

"McMurphy's Mansion" is played in a manner similar to many
other adventure games.  You should enter commands (being as
brief as possible) and as though each one started with "I would
like to:", for example:


                             Actual commands you enter:
                             --------------------------
         "I would like to"      >EXAMINE THE BOX

                                        or

         "I would like to"      >LOOK UNDER THE SOFA


NOTE:  A list of sample game commands is found near the end of
       these instructions.



                        - PAGE 5 -

MOVING AROUND IN THE GAME
=========================

To move from one location in the game to another, simply enter
the compass direction you would like to go in.  You may use all
8 compass directions (N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SW, and SE) and two
additional directions, UP and DOWN.  You may either spell out
the entire word or use the abbreviation as shown.  As you
travel around the mansion and the mansion grounds, it is also
important to draw yourself a map of the mansion and the mansion
grounds.  Then maybe you won't become a lost adventurer!

Actually, the game has a built-in map that is shown on the
screen, but it is more fun to turn off the screen map and draw
your own map on paper.

(The command to turn on the map is "MAP" and the command to
turn it off is "XMAP".  See next section.)



GAME COMMANDS
===============

There are many commands that you may use in your quest for your
fortune.  The explanation and abbreviations (show in
parentheses) are listed for the commands that have a special
meaning in this adventure game.  Part of the fun of the game is
finding out which other words the game understands (hundreds,
by the way).


LOOK (L) - The LOOK command gives you a view of your
current surroundings and the objects that you can see.  Use
this command to look around where you are or to see if an
action you have just taken has changed things around you.


EXAMINE (X) - This command will give you a description of an
object. Some objects must be in your possession (inventory)
before they can be examined.


INVENTORY (I) or (INV) - Lists your current possessions that
you are carrying around with you.  During your adventure, you
will need various objects to perform certain tasks.  Of course,
the things you need are never where you need them, so you will
have to "TAKE" them and carry them with you.  Objects in the
game may be moved from place to place and left whereever you
wish (DROPPED).





                        - PAGE 6 -

The game will display your inventory list on the screen.  The
command to turn on the list is "LIST" and the command to turn
the screen list off is "XLIST".  Those commands follow in this
section.


TAKE (+) - This command is used to add items to your inventory.
Some things such as doors simply can't be "taken", but if you
see something you want, TAKE IT!  It may be "takeable" and may
not be.  The only way to find out is to try.  Also, some items
in the game must be taken and placed in your inventory before
they may be examined.  To make it easier to take objects, you
may use the "+" key for an abbreviation of this command.

Also, the "=" key has been temporarily fixed so it will be a
"+" key instead.  That way, you don't have to hit the SHIFT key
all the time for "+".  (You're welcome.)

To use this abbreviation, just press the "=" key, a space,
and then enter the object you wish to take.  For example,

        >+ BOOK

means the same thing as

        >TAKE BOOK


DROP (-) - If you have something in your inventory that you
don't need any longer, or don't want to carry around any
longer, DROP it.  The object will then remain in the location
where you dropped it just in case you want to come back later
and retrieve it.


MAP - This command turns on the screen display of the map.
Only simple minded adventurers and "weakies" actually need the
map.  It is more fun and a greater challenge to draw one by
hand.


XMAP - What is turned on can be turned off.  XMAP turns off the
screen display of the map (the more preferred method of play).


REPEAT (R) - If you should want to repeat a command more than
once, just enter "R" the second time instead of retyping the
entire command over again.  This will help keep the blisters
off your fingers.






                        - PAGE 7 -
COLOR - If you don't like the default colors of the screen and
text, you can use the command COLOR to change them.  Just enter
the command and follow the instructions on the screen.


WORDY - When entering a location for the first time, you will
be given a lengthy and complete description of that location.
After you enter a location for the first time, you will only be
given the name for that location (YOUR BEDROOM).  If you would
like to have the long descriptions given every time you enter a
new location, enter the command WORDY.


SHORTY - Turns off the long descriptions of each location.  You
will still get the long description the FIRST time you enter a
location, but after that, you will only get the name of the
location.


LIST - Shows inventory items on the screen under the map.  List
will show your inventory even if the map is off (XMAP).  Only
"sissies" use this command.


XLIST - Turns off the screen display of inventory items.


MANUAL - This command causes the game program to print the
McMurphy's Mansion manual for you.  Be sure to have your
printer on-line and ready to print when using this command.


QUIT - Used to end the game.  (Be sure to SAVE your position
first if you plan to play from this position later.)


USING NUMBERS - An occasion may arise in the mansion when you
would like to include a number in your command.  If you need to
use a number, just enter the number instead of spelling it out
(5 instead of five).

HELP - This command will give you a brief overview of the game
and remind you of some of the more important game commands and
the abbreviations for those commands.



ABOUT THE MANSION
=====================

McMurphy's beloved mansion is truly beautiful and full of
antiques. Although the mansion has many rooms, only the
important ones are included in the actual game.  Sorry, no
bathroom.


                        - PAGE 8 -

All of the doors in the mansion are open for your convenience,
unless closed for a reason.  Also, there may be objects
mentioned in the descriptions of the rooms that you cannot TAKE
or EXAMINE.  They are included to give you a "feel" for the
room and your surroundings (for example, the china in the
dining room).

Of course, this old mansion has plenty of windows.  While in the
mansion, it may be helpful to look out the windows. To do this,
enter the command  LOOK EAST or LOOK NORTH or LOOK in whatever
direction the window is located.  If there is a window in that
direction, you will be given the view out of that window. If
there is no window in that direction, you will be given the
same response as the normal command "LOOK".  Game abbreviations
will work in this command ("LOOK SOUTH" may be entered "L S").




FINDING THE FORTUNE!!
=====================


MASTER CLUES - As you solve the puzzles of the mansion that
dear old Uncle Mac left you as his legacy, you will receive a
total of 3 MASTER CLUES.  When you figure out what the MASTER
CLUES are for and use them correctly, the FORTUNE WILL BE
YOURS!!!


GOLD BARS - That's right! 24K GOLD!! There are 12 gold bars
hidden in the mansion.  After you have found all 12 bars you
will be given one of the three master clues that lead to the
fortune.  Once "TAKEN", a bar cannot be dropped.

You will have to use your brain (till it hurts) to figure out
the way to get the other two MASTER CLUES.


















                        - PAGE 9 -
SAMPLE COMMANDS
=====================

The commands listed below are to give you an idea about
complete game commands in general.  These particular commands
may or may not work while playing McMurphy's Mansion.


        >X THE BOX                    same as >EXAMINE THE BOX

        >NORTH                        same as >N

        >LOOK UNDER THE DRESSER

        >TAKE THE RING THEN GO WEST

        >- BOX                        same as >DROP BOX

        >TURN THE HANDLE

        >OPEN THE TRUNK

        >LOOK UNDER THE SOFA

        >X THE CHAIR. X THE SOFA

        >N.S.S                        same as >NORTH.SOUTH.SOUTH.

        >PULL THE LEVER


MULTIPLE COMMANDS   As you can see from the example commands,
you can enter more than one command at a time.  When you do
enter more than one, be sure put a period (.) after each
command just like you would after any sentence in normal
writing.  You may also use the word "AND" or the word "THEN" to
separate the multiple commands instead of the period:


        >TAKE THE BOX.EXAMINE THE BOX

or      >TAKE THE BOX AND EXAMINE THE BOX

or      >TAKE THE BOX THEN EXAMINE THE BOX


All three of these commands work in exactly the same way.
Because the word AND is used to separate commands, do not use
it to do something to more than one object.  The command TAKE
THE BOX AND THE KEY will not work.  (Please review sample
commands)





                        - PAGE 10 -
When using multiple commands, you should limit your total
command to include only two or three.  If you enter more than
that, the game responses could scroll off the screen before you
have a chance to read them.


SAVING AND RESTORING YOUR POSITION
====================================

Playing this game takes many hours.  So that you will not have
to begin from the very beginning each time you start to play,
special commands are used to save the progress you have made
during a playing session.  These saved positions also help in
case the power should go out while you are playing.


SAVING A POSITION
=====================

When you are about to quit for the day or you are about to do
something dangerous in the game, use the SAVE command:


                 >SAVE


All of the information about what location you are in and the
items in your inventory and the progress you have made will be
stored on your disk in a special file.  Then when you restart
the game at a later time, you can RESTORE the old position and
begin exactly where you left the game.  You will be in the same
room, with the same inventory, etc.  Here is how to SAVE a
position:


     1. Use the game disk to save positions OR use any
        formatted disk with at least 10,000 bytes free.

     2. Enter the command SAVE like this:   >SAVE

     3. You will be given instructions on the screen about
        which keys to press to save the position.  Don't worry,
        it's simple!

     4. Make a note about the position number you have just
        saved for later reference.  You may save up to 9
        separate positions on a single disk.  This allows you
        to save positions for several different people who are
        playing McMurphy's Mansion from the same game disk.





                        - PAGE 11 -

RESTORING A POSITION
---------------------

The command RESTORE is used to restore one of the previously
saved positions on your SAVE diskette.  To restore a position,
enter the restore command like this:


                >RESTORE


If you wish to restore a position, the RESTORE command will
usually be the first command you will issue when you load the
game. Of course you may restore any position at any time.

     1. You must change disks if the position to be restored
        has been saved on a disk different from the game disk.
        The instructions given on the screen will tell you when
        to change disks.

     2. Follow the instructions given on the screen and your
        position will be restored.

     3. Make sure the game disk is in drive A: or you are in
        the correct subdirectory on your hard disk and the game
        can PROCEED!

Now all of that hard work won't have to be repeated each time
you begin the game.



JUST ONE MORE THING...
----------------------

Well, that's about it for the instructions.  But there is just
one more thing you should know before you go play.  If you
should find an old diary somewhere in the mansion, and you want
to read on a specific page, enter a command that looks like
this:


                >READ ON 9-1 IN THE DIARY

                          or

                >LOOK ON 9-1 IN THE DIARY


The entry of "9-1" in the example would be for September 1st.
Just use whatever day you wish.  Reading the diary may help
you, it may not.



                        - PAGE 12 -




And REMEMBER!!!  If you DO SUCCEED,

NO MORE WORK!!! SLEEP TILL NOON!!!

The McMurphy fortune CAN BE YOURS!!!



You now have our permission to go play.


---------------------------------------------------------------

**** REGISTER YOUR GAME ****

As mentioned in the beginning of the instructions, the
shareware fee of $15.00 should be sent to the address below to
register your McMurphy's Mansion.  If you are a registered
adventurer, your game solutions are FREE!  If you are already
registered or you are sending in your registration now, just
send your stamped self-addressed return envelope (no additional
money other than your $15.00 registration) and you will
receive your solution at no charge.  All you have to do is
request the solution when you register or later when you really
need it.  Be sure to include your name and address with your
solution request, so we can tell if you have registered your
game.

Avoid Insanity! Game solutions for unregistered players may
also be ordered from the address below.  To obtain a solution,
send a self addressed, stamped envelope and $5.00 (USA
greenbacks) to:

David Martin - Solution
P.O. Box 7493
Pasadena, TX  77034

                        - PAGE 13 -

This sheet is provided for your notes.  You will need it.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________


Gold Bar 1 _____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 2 _____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 3 _____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 4 _____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 5 _____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 6 _____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 7 _____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 8 _____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 9 _____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 10_____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 11_____________________________________________________

Gold Bar 12_____________________________________________________

MASTER CLUE #1 _________________________________________________

MASTER CLUE #2 _________________________________________________

MASTER CLUE #3 _________________________________________________


                        - PAGE 14 -