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Text File
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1994-05-19
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11KB
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220 lines
This disk/ZIP file contains a complete, working, fully-functional "sampler" of
what is available as the "Classic" Edition of Adventure Game Toolkit (AGT).
In addition to the Classic Edition, Softworks has just released a follow-on
product, the "Master's" Edition of AGT. Both versions are now "freeware."
THE "CLASSIC" EDITION OF THE ADVENTURE GAME TOOLKIT
The "Classic Edition" (i.e., the version we have been perfecting for the last
seven years) of AGT is very simple to use and can be used by programming
novices or even by non-programmer's to create very professional text
adventures similar to those from firms like Infocom. Versions of the Classic
Edition are available for IBM, Macintosh, Atari ST and Amiga computers and
games created on any of these computers can be re-compiled and played on any
of the other computers. The Classic Edition is still supported and available
from Softworks as Shareware for only $20 (or $40 including a 223 page printed
manual with lots and lots of detailed examples).
Anyone who orders the Classic Edition will get two disks filled with a number
of "goodies" that are NOT included with the "unregistered" versions of AGT --
specifically, you will get a number of great games (in AGT source code
format):
QUEST Recover your magic spells and amulets from Blackwing's Pit.
SQUYNCH Challenge the evils and mysteries of the Land of Squynch.
Very clever! As good as Infocom!
PARANOIA An adaptation of a classic fantasy role-playing game from
"SpaceGamer/FantasyGamer" magazine.
ELF Help Santa make it a merry, merry Christmas by discovering
how to make Rudolph's nose shine bright enough to fly the
sleigh through the fog covering the North Pole.
UNDERGND A game of survival after World War III. Uses all of the
tricks of the original GAGS (Standard Level) adventures.
DEENA A woman warrior's struggle to escape from the lecherous
Gendi tribe. (R-rated)
DRAGONS An adventure in the Sultan's palace with side trips to his
dungeon, the torture chamber and the harem. (R-rated)
BIGDATE Get ready for your big date. An adventure told from a
woman's point of view.
CTA "Cristian Text Adventure" is an allegorical adventure where
you battle figures like "Unbelief", "Greed" and "Lust" using
such weapons as the "Sword of the Spirit" and the "Staff of
Righteousness".
FABLE An allegorical quest for meaning and understanding in life.
LOTTERY An adventure in San Francisco with emphasize on the "red
light" district. (R-rated)
NMR "Adventures in NMR" is an example of how one might use an AGT
game format to explain/describe something like a complex
product or how to diagnois a problem with equipment, etc.
Specifically, in NMR, the object is to purchase an NMR
spectrometer and measure a spectrum without killing yourself
in the process.
EASTER A game aimed at and suitable for children from 7-12. Hunt for
Easter Eggs around the house. Truly charming!
VANPELT An orientation to the Van Pelt library at the University of
Pennsylvania. Used to teach new students how to find their
way around the library and how to undertake basic library
research.
Plus, anyone who orders the Classic Edition will get several great game
creation utilities:
AA "Adventure Author" -- a utility to create Standard Level games
by "filling-in-the-blanks" using a form. The form is then
turned into the basic data file that AGT needs.
AGTMACRO A TSR that creates "templates" for ROOMs, NOUNs, etc. from
within your text editor or word processor -- saving you both
time, errors and typing.
AGTNUM A utility than enables you to use meaningful "labels" rather
than numbers, e.g., NOUN 233 can be expressed as NOUN [Big Ax],
and MESSAGE 41 can become MESSAGE [Don't go near the dragon!].
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CLASSIC EDITION AND THE MASTER'S EDITION OF AGT
The "Master's Edition" is the long-awaited and long-promised version 2.0 of
AGT and represents the response to over seven years of AGT user's requests for
improvements and additional capabilities and features.
The MASTER'S EDITION of ADVENTURE GAME TOOLKIT is designed to allow a game
designer/writer to create and play his/her own high-quality text adventure
games with optional graphic illustrations, sound effects and music. Once
created, these adventure games can be shared with and enjoyed by others --
even if they do not have a copy of the Adventure Game Toolkit themselves.
FEATURES OF MASTER'S EDITION OF THE ADVENTURE GAME TOOLKIT
In addition to ALL the features and capabilities of the Classic Edition, the
Master's Edition of AGT has a number of additional features, including:
* Bigger games; approximately twice as large as "Classic" games, e.g.,
up to 300 rooms, 200 nouns, 900 messages, etc., and a typical game
can have a vocabulary of 1000 words or more.
* An OOPS feature that allows you to edit/correct your input commands.
* Optional graphic illustrations using PCX formatted pictures for
display on CGA, EGA or VGA screens. The PCX format is the most
widely available of any picture format and is supported by most PAINT
and/or DRAW programs. Plus -- a great deal of PCX "clip-art" is
available.
* Optional animation using FLI files (produced by Autodesk Animator,
Animator Pro, 3D-Studio, PC-Animate, StrataVision 3D and other
animation packages) that can be displayed on VGA screens (only). The
FLI format is the most widely used animation format. Plus -- a great
deal of FLI animation "clip-art" is available.
* Optional music and sound effects that can be played in the
"background" during the game. These sound effects can either use the
PC's internal speaker or use an AdLib or SoundBlaster (or compatible)
"sound card" (if one is available).
* Optional user-definable "look-and-feel" interface including a
menu-driven player input option that displays feasible commands for
the player to pick from.
* Optional "pop-up" hints available when the <Alt> and <h> keys are
pressed at the same time.
* Optional fonts (EGA and VGA monitors only) that can be changed to
suit the needs of the game. The Master's Edition comes with over
30 sample fonts including Old English, Scrawl, Computereze. Plus, a
Font Editor is provided that allows you to create your own unique
fonts.
The Master's Edition is totally compatible with the Classic Edition and
games originally developed for the Classic Edition can be easily converted
to (using a provided conversion utility) and used with the Master's Edition.
The Master's Edition is available only for IBM (or compatible) computers.
However, be warned: The Master's Edition is aimed at the more sophisticated
and experienced programmer/game designer!
The Master's Edition is available from Softworks for only $50. This price
includes the cost of six ZIPped disks with over 5 megabytes of goodies
including complete documentation on disk, a bunch of game creation utilities,
several brand new sample games including the complete AGT source code to:
* HUMONGOUS CAVE (believed to be the largest text adventure game
available on any microcomputer). Based on the "Colassal Cave"
adventure, but expanded to 1000 points, 300 locations, hundreds of
objects, elves and other creatures, treasures and puzzles.
* HURRY! HURRY! HURRY! -- an illustrated, musical text adventure about
a mystery in a traveling circus with all of the game's related font,
music, sound effects and pictures files.
* SHERLOCK HOLMES -- a very unusual, menu-driven adventure where you
play the famous detective and try to solve a total of 18 separate
cases. This adventure illustrates the Master's Edition's vastly
improved capability to handle questions and answers.
* BRAINSCAPE -- an adventure that takes place inside the brain similar
to the novels (and movie) by Isaac Asimov "Fantastic Voyage" and
"Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain".
* SQUYNCH -- a classic adventure in-the-style-of-Infocom in which you
challenge the evils and mysteries of the Land of Squynch. Very clever!
* PORK -- a parody of the Infocom ZORK series of adventures. If
you were frustrated by ZORK, play PORK and enjoy the sweet fruits of
revenge.
* ADVENTURELAND and PIRATE'S ADVENTURE -- two true classic games by
Scott Adams converted to AGT. See how a real master of the genre
does his magic!
WHICH VERSION IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
If you are a "power" gamer/programmer and know that you can use (or need) the
full power of the Master's Edition, then by all means -- get the Master's
Edition. If you have less experience with programming or game design, then
you should probably start with the Classic Edition. If you select the Classic
Edition, you can always upgrade later when you need the full power of the
Master's Edition -- for a special "registered AGT user" upgrade price of only
$35.
REMEMBER: Softworks is a member of the Association of Shareware Professionals
-- your guarantee of quality in shareware software.
┌─────────┐
┌─────┴───┐ │ (tm)
───│ │O │───────────────────
│ ┌─────┴╨──┐ │ Association of
│ │ ├─┘ Shareware
└───┤ O │ Professionals
───────│ ║ │─────────────────────
└────╨────┘ MEMBER
THE ADVENTURE GAME TOOLKIT IS NOW "FREEWARE"
AGT is now "freeware." This means that the authors, David Malmberg and Mark
Welch, still retain the copyright to AGT and all of its related files, such
as the documentations and sample games. However, you or any other user may
use the AGT system to develop and distribute your own games without paying any
royalty to the AGT authors.
So enjoy!!