Mystery Science Theater 3000, Adventure 102, Reel 1 "A Fable" =================================================== ========= A FABLE: An Interactive MiSTing by Graeme Cree 72630.304@compuserve.com graemecree@aol.com NOTE: "Graeme Cree" is NOT a pen-name for Christopher Forman Welcome to the second-ever (completed) work of interactive fiction (for those of you in Rio Linda, California that means "text game") based on the popular Sci-Fi Channel (formerly of Comedy Central) TV show "Mystery Science Theater 3000." To play the game, type MST3K2 from a prompt. When you're tired of looking at the title screen, press enter to continue with the game. This file, mst3k2.zip, is a complete game. However, there is an additional package of .voc sound files (filename: mst2snds.zip) that goes with the game. These files will play automatically at various points in the game if they are present. MST2SNDS.ZIP should be available in the same place that you got this file. To use it, simply unzip mst2snds.zip in the same directory as this game, and start the game by typing MST2, instead of MST3K2. The game and the sound files were uploaded separately because together they total about 1 megabyte, and it was thought that many people wouldn't want to download something that big (especially those without sound cards). For you weisenheimers out there, yes, there are SOME sounds even in this version; namely Pianoman versions of the opening and closing themes. They were left in because they take very little space. Only the Sound Blaster files were broken out and uploaded separately. Discerning gamers may ask how this game can be called MST3K2 when it features Joel Robinson, whereas Chris Forman's MST3K1 features Mike Nelson, Joel's successor. The answer is that the games are numbered in the order that they are written, not the order in which they take place. Deal with it, pink boy! Another possible point of confusion is that the title, MST3K2 is the same as Chris Forman's permanently abandoned MiSTing of Caverns of Chaos (the existing script for this can be found in the Silver Screen Edition of MST3K1.) I had considered calling this game MST3K3, but then people would ask where #2 was, and be unsatisfied to hear that it would never be published. MST3K0 was also considered, but was only a stopgap solution. What if someone else wants to do a MiSTing with Joel? What would they call it? MST3K 1/2? Puh-lease! And with games after that they would have to keep increasing the fraction indefinitely, just like the bridge in Beyond Zork! (After "MST3K 16,383/16,384", the next one would have to be "MST3K Immeasurably Close to the North End"!! Aaagh!!!!!) Chris and I discussed this via e-mail, and finally decided that we had no business trying to save others from confusion when we hadn't even managed to save ourselves. Hence the name MST3K2, since it is the second one finished. Okay, let's review what we've learned so far. This game is MST3K2. There's another package that has the sound files for this game, but this one has some sounds too. It's MST3K2, but it takes place before MST3K1. Also, it has no direct relation to Chris' unpublished MST3K2: The Caverns of Chaos. Understand all that? If you do, then you've solved more puzzles than you had to in the entire game of "Detective." As Kryten said in Red Dwarf: "Heck, if that's gotta make sense, I don't want to BE sober!" As with Chris Forman's MST3K1, what you are about to play is a real game, not just something that I made up to rip on. It is described on page 22 of the Classic AGT Manual as "An allegorical quest for meaning and understanding in life." The only thing I learned from it was not to waste time playing it, and by then it was too late. The original game can be found at ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/pc/fable.zip. I converted the original DIRECTLY to the AGT Master's Edition, (making no attempt to correct spelling or improve gameplay), and added commentary by Joel, Crow and Tom Servo as they play the game. I also added a few appropriate sound effects and clips from the TV show. However, as I explained, these have been uploaded separately. PLEASE don't make me go through all that again! If anyone would like a copy of the Master's Edition source code that I created for the original Fable game, please see your psychiatrist immediately. With most rooms you will see (different) commentary by Joel and the Bots the first two times that you see the room's description. On the third and all succeeding times that you get the description, you will see it as it appeared in the original game (i.e. sans commentary). Having Joel and Co. repeat the same jokes every time you entered the room would break the illusion of reality (snicker). Unlike MST3K1, it is actually possible, though unlikely, to get stuck in this game. A walkthrough has been included (filename: mst3k2.sol), but don't go lunging for it right away. Try to play the game first! The walkthrough is only included for the benefit of text game newbies, and to guarantee that you see all the quips. Unfortunately, the game itself is rather small. Since my last I-F effort (Lost in Space) was also snack-sized, I had wanted to do a bigger game next time, but I was constrained by the fact that A Fable is a very small game. The download is 400k, but it would be half of that without the title screens. I left these in because I really wanted overseas players of MST3K1 who had never seen the show finally get to see what these characters looked like (and what they sound like if mst2snds.zip is download also). Incidentally, for those interested, I have also ported MST3K1 over to AGT, and uploaded it at the same time that I have uploaded this game. Both this game and the AGT port of MST3K1 were actually completed early last fall, but I avoided uploading them then because the I-F contest was going on at that time, and no one would have been interested in playing any games that weren't entered in the contest. But now that the big gala premier of Mystery Science Theater 3000 on the Sci-Fi Channel is only one day away (2/1/97), what better time to finally release the game? ----------------------- Finally, as Chris says: Mystery Science Theater 3000 and all associated characters are trademark and copyright 1994 of Best Brains, Inc. and are used here without permission for satirical purposes only. Think about it, won't you? Thank you.