The Hacker's Encyclopedia 1998/hackers_encyclopedia.iso/pc/softdox/ballyhoo.txt

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BALLYHOO
  Part 1
 GETTING AROUND THE CIRCUS
 Hurry, hurry, hurry! Step right this way, ladies and gentlemen,
to see the wonders of the ages. Witness death-defying feats of
derring-do and digital dexterity! Behold the fascinating freaks
of fiendish fortune, fettered with fantasies far from the
furthest feelings of the fortunate few! Experience elephants,
learn from the lions and make a monkey out of yourself! All this
for one thin dime, one tenth of a dollar! Hurry, hurry, hurry!
(Get away from here kid, you bother me!)
 Infocom's latest mystery game is far from what you might expect
if you've played WITNESS, SUSPECT or DEADLINE. In fact, it has
more in common with the adventure series, where you have to find
the right items and do the right things with them in order to
solve the game.
 So let's begin. As always, mapping is a key to playing through
successfully. All the action takes place on the grounds of THE
CIRCUS THAT TIME FORGOT, INC. At the start of the game, there
are only a limited number of places you can visit, so your first
job is to find out how to get to those other places that are
currently blocked to you.
 You begin In the Wings. The Big Top lies to the north, and the
rest of the circus grounds south. So head south.
 You are in the Connection, a kind of crossroads. You will see a
midget. If you have read the Official Souvenir Program, you will
recognize him as Comrade Thumb, a Russian emigre clown. A word
of advice: You will find few people here on your side, so make
friends where you can. "Lift the midget" to help the poor guy
get a drink, then note where the fountain is for later. There is
a temporarily impassable turnstile to the east, so go south
again.
 You are now Near the White Wagon, the business office. The door
is locked and you have no key, so leave this for later. But do
take the pole that is sticking out from under the wagon. Read
the banner to the south. "Egress" is not a wild beast, but stay
away from it anyway if you don't want the game to end. Instead,
head west.
 You will be by a second turnstile. Two clowns will get through,
but you can't yet. Be sure to watch and listen to everything
they do and say. If you look into the cage by the turnstile, you
will see the blind guard, Harry. Harry is a veritable
encyclopedia of information, and about the only friend you can
talk to. Be sure to applaud when Comrade Thumb finishes his act,
wait for him to pass through, then head west again.
 You are now in the Prop Tent. Leave everything you see, and
hide behind the cardboard cutout of William Howard Taft, then
listen to the whole conversation. The owner's daughter, Chelsea,
has been kidnapped! By the sound of him, this detective that Mr.
Munrab (spell it backwards) has hired is no Sam Spade. There's
only one person who can find Chelsea, and that's you!
 After they leave, head east into the Back Yard, then north to
Beside the Big Top. Pick up the mask, and then go east back to
the connection. Head north again into the wings. A portion of
the bleachers has been pulled away. Head northeast, search the
garbage and take the ticket you find there. Then head southwest
and north.
 You are now in the Performance Ring, ready to perform your
first death-defying act. The roustabout with the headphones you

saw leave as you entered the Big Top (remember him!) has removed
the safety net. So drop everything but the fiberglass pole, and
climb the rope ladder. Keep going east until you reach the other
platform. Now that was easy, wasn't it? Take the balloon, and go
west until you get back to the first platform. Try to go down.
You'll drop the pole, but never mind. Then down again and pick
up everything, then go south twice back to the Connection.
 Punch either the red or blue dot on your ticket, then "insert
ticket in slot." You'll get your ticket back and you can go east
through the turnstile into the Midway. You must repeat this
every time you use this turnstile.
 Examine the pitchman and the detective (and the monkey). Then
go south into the Menagerie, and southeast into the Menagerie
Nook. To the north is a cage. Look inside it. Use the pole to
get the key ring, then unlock the cage, open the door and go
north into the cage. Take the headphones and the bucket, go
south, northwest, north, and west back through the turnstile.
Make your way back to the Prop Tent. I found it a good place to
leave everything until you need it. Drop everything but the
balloon. Go east.
 Now "open the balloon"; then "inhale helium" and say "Harry,
hello." Your high-pitched voice will make him think you are
Comrade Thumb, and he will buzz you through. Go south.
 You are now in the Camp (East), west of Gottfried von
Katzenjammer's trailer. Head west to Camp (West), with Clown
Alley to the South. Leave both of those until later. Instead,
it's time you learned the fine art of "sidewalling." "Sidewall"
or "crawl under" the canvas, and you'll find yourself back in
the Prop Tent.
 Aha! What is this? A piece of wood? Examine it. Seems harmless
enough, so pick it up. When prompted, try entering an obscenity;
if shy, just say "ow." Drop the mousetrap, take the piece of
meat out of the bucket, and then drop the meat.
 Timing is crucial here. Go east out of the Prop Tent, then west
back in. You'll hear scurrying. Go out and back in again. You
will see a mouse. "Catch mouse with bucket."
 Now take the ticket and the bucket and head back to the
Menagerie. The real fun is about to begin!
  Part 2
 MAKING YOUR PRESENCE FELT
 Okay, you're back at the Menagerie, armed with your ticket and
a bucket with a mouse in it. Try going east. You have just met
Hannibal, the elephant. Take the mouse, then show the mouse to
the elephant twice. Hannibal will blow the mouse out of your
hand. Wait. The petrified pachyderm will break loose from his
chains in fright and plow through the fence to the southwest. Go
through the elephant-sized hole to the southwest.
 You have returned to the White Wagon, only this time you notice
a ladder attached to the rear. Climb up the ladder until you are
On the Wagon. Turn the crank, then look in the wagon. Mr. Munrab
is hard at work. The poor man is so tense, you shouldn't bother
him. But you have to get in there, so you must get him to leave
first. From your perch, knock on the door. He will open the door
and, quite perplexed at finding no one there, he will leave.
Time is of the essence now. Go "in" and lock the door. Ignore
the books and the sheepskin; just examine the desk and take the
spreadsheet you find there. Now, move the desk and "up". You
will be back on top of the wagon and Mr. Munrab, none the wiser,
will close the panel. Go down to the ground, making sure you
pick up anything you might have dropped, and back northeast to
the Menagerie.
 Now, go north, east, and east again till you reach the Far End
of the Midway. Go north, then northeast or southeast around
Tina, and take the stool. Ignore Tina for the moment; she will
certainly ignore you. Make your way back to the Midway and
return to the Prop Tent, either through the turnstile or by way
of the elephant-sized hole southwest of the Menagerie.
 Once you have side-walled a tent, you only have to type a
direction to go under it again, so go south from the tent and
east to Katzenjammer's trailer with the skeleton key in hand.
Examine the trailer. Unlock and open the compartment, then take
the bullwhip. Go north through the turnstile and then ask Harry
about the lions. He will tell you that only Elsie responds to
the whip. Return to the Prop Tent and make sure you have all of
the following: the key, the stool, the whip, and the meat. Now
go east twice and north three times into the Performance Ring.
 Unlock the cage with the key, open the door, and go west into
the Lions' Den. The male shaggy lion is Nimrod; the
smooth-bodied female is Elsie. Keep cracking the whip at the
smooth lion until she lies down and yawns, then open the grate.
The stool will keep keep the shaggy lion at bay. Throw the meat
into the passage, then go east. Go back into the cage and close
the grate. Move the lion stand and you will find a cigarette
case.
 Return to the Prop Tent. Carrying your ticket and the cigarette
case, go east. Ask Harry about Andrew and Jenny, then be sure to
give him the cigarette case. He will feel it and tell you it
belongs to Andrew. Go north, east, insert your ticket, and east
again through the turnstile, then east once more. Now go south.
 You are in Jennifer's Boudoir. Show the case to Andrew. Show
the case to Jenny. Observe the fracas that follows with
amazement and listen to what is said about the meeting later
that night in Katz's trailer. Now go up the stairs into the
Wardrobe Closet. Take the dress/suit combination and search it.
Take the veil you find. Take the shawl/jacket combo and go up
and out of the closet and north. Make your way back to the Prop
Tent and relax a minute.
 For the next series you will just need your ticket. It's time
to visit Rimshaw the Incomparable. Return to Midway of the
Midway and north into the Hypnotist's Parlor. You must give him
your ticket, which he will return. You can say "Rimshaw, read my
palm" and "Rimshaw, read my head" for fun; but you're on serious
business here. Say "Rimshaw, hypnotize me," and he will.
 In your dreamlike state you will return to your seat high up in
the bleachers, with a terrible hunger. Stand up. Now go east,
up, east, down, east, up, east, and down. On the way, ignore the
hawker. He will relieve you of $1.85 without your lifting a
finger. As soon as you find yourself back In the Wings, a monkey
will land on your back. Go south to the Connection, then get in
line at the concession stand. Wait till the second line starts.
You will have to type "get out of line" twice, then "get in
short line." Wait until Jerry's friends all arrive, then get out
of the line. When asked if you really want to surrender your
place in the long line, say "Yes." Get in the short line, get
out of the short line then get in the *long* line. Reverse
psychology pays.
 Now you have a chocolate-covered banana. Bite it. Hmmm, someone
else is hungry, too. Drop your hard-won prize and go north Into
the Wings. Say hello to the hawker you see taking a break there.
Then go up. Some stranger will hurl a granola bar at you and
you'll wake from your trance. Stand up and go south, then west.
 Now side-wall the tent, and you're Under the Bleachers. Search
the garbage and you'll find the granola bar. Take it and go
south.
 Who do you know that might appreciate a granola bar? Yes, go
east and east again, then north. Examine Tina. She is holding a
radio. Go northeast or southeast around her, then give her the
granola bar. That got her attention! Say "Tina, hello." Take the
hand she offers you, then kiss it. Go northwest or southwest,
and you will find the radio. Take it and go south. Return once
again to the Prop Tent.
  Part 3
 GATHERING CLUES
 You are once again in the Prop Tent, and it's time you got on
with the actual business of solving the crime. You have already
obtained a clue: the spreadsheet. Examine it. It describes the
steadily deteriorating financial condition of one Eddie
Smalldone. Unfortunately, this is not much to go on.
 Examine the headphones. Rewind the tape and then play it until
you hear the subliminal voice. So Rimshaw is in on this! Rewind
the tape again.
 For the next series, you will need your ticket, the key, the
radio, and the headphones. But first, pay a visit to Harry. Go
east and ask Harry about Eddie Smalldone, then ask him about the
circus and the gorilla. To tame the gorilla, you will need
soothing music, and all you have is Jimi Hendrix and a
static-producing radio. Consult your souvenir program again,
then turn the radio to WPDL, 1170 on your AM dial. Not much of
an improvement, I'm afraid. You will have to improve your
reception noticeably.
 Make your way to the Menagerie Nook. Drop your ticket and the
key, then climb the cage. The static will miraculously
disappear. "Record music" and wait until the tape stops, just to
be sure. Rewind once again to the beginning, then go down.
 Oops. You seem to have died. Naw! Try typing "restore," then
"wait." Take the key and ticket, then go northwest. Unlock the
cage with the key, open the door and go west. Behold Mahler the
Gorilla! (Just for fun, you might try this wearing the gorilla
suit!) Search the straw. A trap door! Now play the tape. Mahler
will leave you alone so you can open the trap door and take the
ribbon that is in there. Go east and close the door behind you.
Make your way back to the Prop Tent.
 Drop off everything. Take the mask, then go south. Wear the
mask and knock on the door of the trailer. When Chuckles lets
you in, go south. Examine the ash tray, move the ash and take
the scrap of newspaper revealed. Chuckles by then will see
through your disguise, but his careless tongue will have
revealed "the grift" (i.e., illegal gambling), and that to reach
it you must shove "Annie Oakley" (i.e., your ticket) under the
front by the elephant tent. (See the souvenir program for
translation of circus lingo.)
 Go back north into the Prop Tent, and make sure you have the
bucket and your ticket. Then make your way to the Menagerie
Nook. Slide your ticket under the front, then go east through
the secret panel. Take your ticket again.
 Now it's time to play a little blackjack. There is a $2.00
house limit, and it doesn't really matter if you win or lose.
Play a couple of hands, then type "open panel." Instead of
obeying your command, the game will suggest you play another
hand. This time, however, something has changed. You will feel
someone tapping on your foot. If you pay attention, the number
of taps indicates the value of the dealer's hole card. Try to
look under the green tablecloth. The game's odds have swung
about to your favor, so play as long as you like until Billy
Monday 86's you from the Blue Room. Go northwest, then north.
 You will see the body of the detective. Is he dead? He sure is:
Dead drunk, that is. You will have to revive him. Go west
through the turnstile. About this time, you will run into
Comrade Thumb again. By sign language, he will advise you to
return to the Blue Room. First, you must deal with the
detective. Pour water on him. This will revive him, and bring on
sudden feelings of shame and remorse. You must exploit those
feelings while you have his attention. Say "Detective, give me
the ransom note." He will produce the note and a trade card for
Dr. Nostrum's. (You have one in your BALLYHOO package; it has a
picture of a cute blonde girl with a red ribbon in her hair.)
 Return to the Menagerie Nook, and drop the bucket. You won't
need it again. Once again, slide your ticket under the front,
and go east into the Blue Room. Look under the tablecloth, and
take the suitcase. Open the panel and...too late! The suitcase
is ripped out of your grasp and the culprit dashes west through
the open panel. You must stay hot on his heels! Go west, then up
and up again. Which way did he go? Which way did he go?
 Never mind. You've got more important things to worry about,
like the elephant prod that comes bursting through the tent near
you! The tip is deadly, but only the tip. So go in any direction
until the second time the prod is pushed through the tent. Grab
the shaft, then pull it or push it. You are now out of danger.

Go down and down again. The cowards have vanished. But you have
gathered all the clues you need. It is time to take stock of
your position, so return to the Prop Tent again. You are almostdone.
  Part 4
 SAVING THE DAY

 Take the trade card, ransom note, ribbon, spreadsheet, and
scrap of newspaper. Examine the scrap. Read the ransom note.
Compare the scrap to the ransom note. Aha! Examine the ribbon.
It appears to match the one worn by the girl on the trade card.
 Let us now marshall our facts: 1) The circus is not doing well financially.
 2) Eddie "Chuckles" Smalldone is involved because the scrap you

found in his trailer matches the scraps used to make the ransom
note.
 3) Rimshaw the Incomparable is involved, because of the

hypnotic voice of the headphones. His unwilling accomplice is
the roustabout you saw wearing the headphones early in the game. 4) Andrew is involved, because Jenny told you so. But you are
not likely to see either of them again. 5) Billy Monday is involved, because you assume that Chelsea
was in the suitcase he took from you.
 6) Gottfried von Katzenjammer is involved, because you know a
meeting is set for his trailer this evening. Take the five clues, go south, and east. You will find Chuckles
"polishing" the lion tamer's trailer. Say "Eddie, hello." Then
show him the clues in this order: the spreadsheet, the note, the

scrap, the ribbon, and the trade card. Guilt-stricken or scared
out of his floppy shoes, he will beat a hasty retreat.
 Now, how to get into the trailer? Once again, you must disguise
yourself. Return to the Prop Tent, then get and wear the
following items: the dress-suit combination, the shawl-jacket
combo and the veil. Drop everything else.
 Go south and east, then knock on the door. Katzenjammer,
mistaking you for Andrew/Jenny, will leave you alone by the
trailer. Time's a-wasting! You don't know when he'll return, so
go east into the trailer.
 Close the door. You will find a crowbar. Take it. Now move the
moosehead. It will reveal a one foot square crawl space which is
too small for you to enter. Now who could fit in there? Hmmmm.
(Light bulb!)
 Open the door and go west twice. Examine the door. It is
slightly warped (but aren't we all!). Open the door with the
crowbar, then go south into Clown Alley. Fortunately, Comrade
Thumb is there. Lift him and carry him back to Katzenjammer's
trailer. Put him in the crawl space and wait. He will hand
Chelsea out to you!
 Now to reunite the poor girl with her distraught father. Go
west and north, receiving Harry's congratulations, then east to
the White Wagon. A happy ending seems to be within your grasp.
 Unfortunately, Mr. Munrab misunderstands your sudden appearance
with his daughter and goes screaming northeast for the
detective. Follow him. A tense moment ensues, but before you can
explain, you are blind-sided by a berserk simian. Go north,
west, north, and north again after Munrab and the ape.
 This is the scene that confronts you in the Performance Ring.
Munrab and the roustabout stand aghast looking at Mahler holding
the helpless Chelsea high up on the tightrope platform. What is
worse, you can no longer reach the rope ladder. Is all your work
for naught?
 Stay calm. This is no time for panic. You need unquestioned
obedience immediately. Clap your hands! This will trigger
Rimshaw's post-hypnotic suggestion and make the roustabout your
willing slave. Tell him to get the safety net. This is an
opportune time to get out of all of Andrew/Jenny's clothes you
are wearing.
 Go west to the Lions' Den and take the lion stand, then go east
and drop it. You will now be able to climb the stand and reach
the rope ladder. But experience has told you what you need to
(a) cross the tightrope and (b) calm the gorilla. One last time,
return to the Prop Tent and get the fiberglass pole and the
transistor radio. Return to the Performance Ring.
 Climb the stand, then the rope ladder, with just the pole. This
will drive Mahler into the guy wires above the platform. Try to
climb the wires. You can't, but this will drive Mahler to the
far platform. Drop the pole and go back down for the radio. Go
up again. Confident in your proven tightrope walking ability,
and reassured by the soothing strains of classical music, head
east slowly across the tightrope. Easy. Easy. Step by step, inch
by inch. Almost there....
 Suddenly, the music is interrupted by a pledge break.
AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!! You must go back west to the first
platform. Drop the pole and radio, and go down. Where is a
phone? Go south three times and east into the White Wagon. Take
the phone and call WPDL, then return to the Performance Ring and
climb back up to the platform. Pole and radio once again in
hand, you gamely venture east one more time.
 This time you make it all the way! The assembled throng cheers.
This unnerves Mahler once again, and you suddenly find yourself
hanging from the tightrope high above the oblivious crowd who
have rescued Chelsea below. You feel your hand beginning to
slip. All seems lost, but at least you have accomplished what
you set out to do; you have not only saved Chelsea from her
kidnappers, but you have shown that you have what it takes to
make it in the sawdust and tinsel world of the circus. Such a
pity you won't live to enjoy it.
 Your weary hands lose their grip and you plummet earthward!
Fortunately, the grateful circus folk notice your predicament,
and in the nick of time save you from a terrible fate. As you
plunge into oblivion, your last thought is of the circus, and
you know that someday you'll have one helluva story to tell your
grandchildren.
 They'll never believe a word of it.
 BALLYHOO is copyrighted 1986
       by Infocom, Inc.
  This walkthru is copyrighted
      1986 by Paul Grant.
      All rights reserved.