A.C.E. 1

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ A.C.E. 1 / ACE CD 1.iso / files / docs / beyzorkd.lha / BeyondZork.doc next >

Wrap

Text File | 1994-11-27 | 25.9 KB | 622 lines

BEYOND ZORK Typed in by INSKIPP. Edited by PARASITE. 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. THE LORE AND LEGENDS OF QUENDOR ( A Bestiary Guide for Beyond Zork ) Within these pages is recorded certain knowledge regarding the flora, fauna, and locales of the kingdom. Although this wisdom has well stood the test of time, I would not wish to see it lost forever in the uncertain mists of the future. There fore to our ancestors, I have writ into permanence the lore and legends of Quendor. -MNG Grue The grue is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth. Its favorite diet is adventurers, but its insatiable appetite is tempered by its fear of light. No grue has ever been seen by the light of day; few have survived its fearsome jaws to tell the tale. Discipline Crab Discipline crabs are small, moral crustaceans found in cellars, fallout shelters and other subterranean lairs. These brooding curmudgeons are deeply offended by the slightest intrusion; if cornered, they employ their razor-edged pincers with righteous efficiency. Eldritch Vapor Eldritch vapors dwell in cemeteries, moors and other locales where fog will hide their ever-shifting forms. Gleeful and mischievous, they enjoy snatching away the possessions of those foolish enough to wander into their realm. Visitors without possessions are themselves snatched away. Dornbeast Smart adventurers run the other way when they hear "Hurumph," the battle cry of the deadly dornbeast. Its 69 sensitive eyes can paralyze an unwary explorer with a single glare. Capture victims are plastered with round, sticky secretions that never come off. Monkey Grinder Avoid this nightmare at any cost! Spawn of a carnival necromancer, the monkey grinder can blast minds to jelly with its powerful Sense Organ. Deceptively eloquent in both manner and speech, these loathsome creatures actually possess little intelligence, and suffer an illiteracy rate of 103%. Implementor The Implementors are a race of minor deities who dwell on the Ethereal Plane of Atrii. Their ample free time is spent on costly luncheons where gossip and sweet nectars flow freely. Implementors do not discourage rumors that the world was created by them as a plaything. Giant Corbie Corbies are carrion birds with sharp eyesight and sharper beaks. Their color vision is so well developed, they can spot a yellow grotche in a hayfield from 200 bloits away. Corbies prefer the taste of the dead, rotting flesh, but have been known to feast on live, running adventurers. Christmas Tree Monster Vast herds of these luminous vegetables roam freely amid the glacial valleys of the south. Residents fear the autumn migrations, in which the trees cheerfully trample everything in their path. Christmas tree monsters are repelled by caterpillars, but nobody can explain why. Minx Irresistibly cuddly, the minx shares all the most ingratiating characteristics of kittens, koala bears and piglets. Minxes are highly prized for their ability to find and root out chocolate truffles from the ground, and will eagerly devour them if given the opportunity. Unicorn Most unicorns have fled to the Plane of TransInfinite Splendor, where they enjoy a carefree existence free from the cruelty of man. The unhappy few left behind are eagerly sought by zoos and private collectors. It is good luck to kiss a unicorn's horn; but woe to any fool who harms one. Froon Legends of this magical kingdom date back before the reign of Entharion the Wise (0-41 GUE). Said to lie somewhere beyond the clouds, Froon was the setting for a series of beloved children's books by L. Frank Fzort, and later became a successful movie musical starring Judy Garlic. Hungus Part sheep, part hippopotamus, the hungus builds its nest in jungle swamps and other hot, squishy places. Normally docile and eager to avoid conflict or activity of any kind, the hungus is fiercely clannish, and will instantly charge at anything that dares to threaten its kin. Spenseweed The healing virtues of this common roadside plant are well documented. although it is safe to eat, spenseweed is most effective when applied directly to wounds as a salve. Avoid the cheap commercial preparations, which may contain artificial coloring and preservatives. Chocolate Truffle Chocolate truffles grow only between the roots of oak trees. Dark brown when fresh, they decompose rapidly once exposed to air. Truffles were a favorite of Lord Dimwit Flathead the Excessive (770-789 GUE), who ordered the excavation of entire forests to indulge his bottomless appetite. Moss of Mareilon First classified in 843 GUE by Thwack of Mareilon, this soft, pale fungus thrives in underground tunnels and public toilets. When squeezed, the moss releases an invisible cloud of spores which improves the dexterity of laboratory rat-ants. Its effect on other species is uncertain. Compass Rose The stem of this rare annual always droops in the direction of the prevailing wind. Rumors that the compass rose can actually control wind are hotly denied by the Guild of Meteorologists, who harvested the species to the brink of extinction in the Rose Riots of 811 GUE. Morgia Root It is a rare enchanter who does not carry morgia root to gnaw on during a long journey. The mint-flavored juice improved stamina, slakes thirst and conceals bad breath. In domestic applications, morgia root is often baked into pies, and makes an excellent platypus stuffing. Cruel Puppet Few creatures are more despised than the cruel puppet. It attacks by twisting itself into unflattering caricatures of its opponent, accompanied by jeers, rude noises and shocking accusations. Staunch monarchs have been reduced to tears by these merciless shapeshifters. Dust Bunny Dust bunnies burrow in obscure corners and under furniture,and defend their territory by multiplying. They can clog a passageway in seconds, filling the air with dark, suffocating particles. Static electricity and lemon-scented sprays are their only natural enemies. Pheebor Ruins of this ancient city are still visible at the confluence of rivers Phee and Bor. The reason for its downfall (circa 400 BE) is unclear, but minstrels sing of a feud between Pheebor and its sister city Borphee over the naming of what is now called the Borphee River. Red Herring These common fish patrol the dark recesses of freshwater pools and streams. But a handful of granola brings them racing to the surface, a fact known by every rural schoolboy. The old adage about red herrings being "good brain food" has no scientific basis. Lucksucker Lucksucker feed on good fortune. Part physical entity, part mental phenomenon, the sucker's appearance is based on the laws of probability, and may change without warning. Good luck charms provide only a temporary shield against attack. The best strategy is to run! Ur-Grue Ur-grues are thought to be the shades of fallen Implementors. Skilled in black sorcery, the ur-grue can envelope itself in a personal zone of darkness which neither lamp nor flame can penetrate. Sunlight is the only thing it fears. It is unwise to even speak of this utterly evil entity. The Coconut of Quendor Though reluctant to dismiss the Coconut outright, most historians regard its historical existence as dubious at best. Orkan of Thriff has suggested that if all the "Shards of The One True Coconut" and "Vials of The Blessed Milk" were gathered in one place, they would form a stack nine bloits high.