--------------------------------- How To Play The SQUYNCH Adventure --------------------------------- COMMANDS AND VOCABULARY: The SQUYNCH Adventure Game understands a wide variety of commands. However, it has only a limited vocabulary, totaling approximately four hundred words, so it can get confused. If you give it a word that it doesn't understand, it will tell you what word it doesn't know. Try entering your command again using a different word in place of the one the game objected to. Your commands should generally be in the format: <(multiple) noun phrase(s)> Some (hypothetical) examples of valid commands: PLACE A RED ROCK IN THE SMALL BOWL PUT THE GREEN ROCK AND THE SMALL PEBBLE BEHIND THE OAK TREE READ MY POETRY BOOK SWIM IN THE SWIMMING POOL EXAMINE THE GOLD RING, THE DWARF AND THE SILVER NECKLACE EAT THE CELERY, THE TUNA, THE APPLE AND THE ONION THROW THE BATTLE AXE AND THE LARGE ROCK AT THE WEREWOLF SHOOT THE BURGLAR WITH THE REVOLVER ATTACK HIM ("HIM" will refer to last noun mentioned, e.g., the burglar) FIRE THE LASER PISTOL AT THE ALIEN MUTANT GET THE BOOK (also: TAKE THE BOOK) READ IT ("IT" will refer to last noun mentioned, e.g., the book) GET ALL (will get everything movable at the current location) GET THE KEYS, BOTTLE, FOOD AND THE CLOAK EXAMINE THE KEYS, BOTTLE, FOOD AND CLOAK PUSH THE RED BUTTON AND THE GREEN BUTTON UNLOCK THE FILE CABINET WITH THE STEEL KEY JUMP THROUGH THE OPENING JUMP OVER THE LOG NORTH SOUTHWEST PLACE AN AXE AND THE SHIELD NEXT TO THE BIG TREE PUT THE FOOD ON THE KITCHEN TABLE TURN ON THE FLASHLIGHT LIGHT THE TORCH WITH THE WOODEN MATCHES SCREAM AT THE UGLY TROLL CLIMB UP THE LADDER EXTINGUISH THE FIRE (or PUT OUT THE FIRE) DRINK THE WHITE WINE THROW THE FIRE WOOD IN THE STOVE PULL THE BELL CORD WEAR THE STUPID HAT (also: PUT ON THE STUPID HAT) TAKE OFF THE HAT (also: REMOVE THE HAT) NE (for NORTHEAST) DROP THE KEY AND THE BOTTLE ENTER THE CAVE XYZZY (i.e., a "magic" word) TURN THE DOORKNOB PLAY WITH THE DOG TALK TO (or TALK WITH) THE OLD MAN (ABOUT THE WEATHER) TELL JEFF ABOUT THE SWORD ASK JODIE ABOUT THE CRIME Compound commands can be created by connecting single commands (like those above) with "AND", "THEN" or the punctuation symbols "," or ";" to connect two or more separate commands. However, "end-of-sentence" punctuation symbols like ".", "!" and "?" should not be used. Below are a few examples of valid compound commands: TURN THE DOORKNOB THEN ENTER THE CAVE CLIMB DOWN THE LADDER THEN SOUTH, WEST AND NORTHWEST GET THE CLOAK AND THEN EXAMINE IT; READ THE LABEL DROP THE FOOD AND THE BOTTLE THEN UNLOCK THE DOOR AND THEN LEAVE GET THE TORCH, LIGHT IT WITH THE WOODEN MATCHES THEN EXAMINE IT If the game understands all of the words in your command, but still seems confused by the command -- then try to say the same thing using fewer words and a simpler sentence. When in doubt, simplify your commands as much as possible. This also saves typing effort. SPECIAL COMMANDS: The game uses a number of special commands for various "housekeeping" chores. These are all pretty standard for most adventure games, specifically: HELP May (or may not) give you a hint. SCORE Will summarize your progress, so far. INVENTORY Will display a list of the items you are carrying, and those items you are wearing. BRIEF Will cause location descriptions to be brief. VERBOSE Will cause location descriptions to be verbose. LOOK Will give you a full (verbose) description of your current location. LIST EXITS Will list the obvious (visible) exits from your current location. There may be other ways to exit the location -- but they may not be obvious. OOPS Will allow you to edit (using the cursor keys, and the delete, insert and backspace keys) your previous command. For example, if you enter THORW ROPE by mistake, OOPS will enable you to edit this command and correct it to THROW ROPE. SAVE GAME Will save the current game status on disk. RESTORE GAME Will restore a previously saved game from disk. SCRIPT Causes output to go to both the screen and a printer (using the LP1 port). UNSCRIPT Causes output to go to the screen (only). QUIT Quits the current game session. Always exit using QUIT -- so the game can erase some temporary data files and save disk space! FUNCTION AND ALT-CURSOR KEYS: The combination of the ALT key and the cursor keys have all been programmed to create an input command corresponding to their respective movement or compass directions, i.e., the ALT key and the up-arrow key causes a NORTH command to be generated, the ALT key and the home key causes a NORTHWEST command to be generated, etc. Similarly, the function keys have been predefined to stand for several of the most frequently used commands. Further, by giving the command DEFINE, you may re-define any of the function keys to give any input command you wish. For example, in this game you might find it useful to re-define one of the function keys to give the command KILL ORC WITH AXE or GIVE CANDY TO BABY. Hitting the '?' key (during the game) will display a diagram of keys and their current definitions. "LOOK-AND-FEEL" OPTIONS: This particular game is using a special "beta-test" version of the AGT (Adventure Game Toolkit) that allows the user to customize the manner in which the game's general interface is defined and to specify the game's overall "look-and-feel." The user may define color schemes, status line options, command input method, size and "layout" of the screen, etc. Once the player has a set of "look-and-feel" options he or she likes, these options may be saved as the standard defaults for this game and any other AGT game the user plays. One of the options available is a unique "menu-driven" parser that allows the player to enter game commands by selecting words from a menu. This option is particularly helpful for players who are often frustrated by their inability to figure out an adventure game's vocabulary -- since the menu always displays a list of "feasible" (though not always "smart" or even appropriate) commands from which the player may make a selection. The "look-and-feel" options are accessed by hitting the ESC key during the game (i.e., not now). SOLUTION AVAILABLE: SQUYNCH Adventure is a relatively easy adventure -- so you should be able to solve it yourself (after a lot of trial and error). However, if you get totally frustrated and/or really stuck and want to give up, a complete solution is available for no charge. If you give up, then just send a self-addressed stamped envelope (with the correct postage) to: David Malmberg 43064 Via Moraga Mission San Jose, California 94539 Be sure to enclose a note requesting a solution to SQUYNCH Adventure. DO NOT (REPEAT -- DO NOT) EVER CALL ON THE TELEPHONE TO ASK HOW TO GET PAST THE ORC, OR FOR SOME OTHER HINT!!! I will be glad to provide a solution, but I want to do it by letter, not by phone!!!