games/competition99/msdos/snosae/document.txt

                     AN OVERVIEW OF ADVENTURE GAMES

     An adventure game is one in which YOU are the main character. Your own
imagination guides the action. Each adventure presents you with a series of
locations, items, characters, and events. You can interact with these in a
variety of ways.
     To move, type the direction you want to go. When you find yourself in a new
location, become familiar with the area by exploring everything. Read each
description carefully. It can also be helpful to draw a map.
     An important element of an adventure is puzzle-solving. Don't think of a
locked door as a permanent obstacle, but as a puzzle to be tackled. Solving
puzzles may involve having certain items with you and using them in the proper
way.
     Time passes only in response to your input. The story progresses only when
you take action. Nothing happens until you type a command and press the RETURN
(or ENTER) key, so you can plan your turns as slowly and carefully as you want.
     There is no scoring in "SNOSAE". The ultimate objective is to stay alive
and save the earth. To play "SNOSAE", type CD C:\SNOSAE. Then type SNOSAE.
You will find that "SNOSAE" is slightly different from other interactive fiction
games in that it always starts you off where you last left off. It also keeps
track of how much time total you have devoted to playing the game.


                     COMMUNICATING WITH THE GAME

     You will be typing instructions to the computer in English words, words
which the parser (command decoder) tries to interpret. Although every effort is
made to make the interactive fiction program seem intelligent, it is impossible
for any program to truly "understand" a language.
     Because of these limitations, you will soon discover that the most
complicated form of instruction that this program understands is:

           TAKE     GREEN     BALL      FROM         BLUE      BOX
          (verb) (adjective) (noun) (preposition) (adjective) (noun)

     All typed commands should be in this form. Although you don't always have
to have the complete form, this is the required structure. Examples might be:

             JUMP (Verb only)
             TAKE KNIFE (Verb, Noun)
             KILL THE WHITE HORSE (Verb, Adjective, Noun)

     Type a command each time you see the prompt (>). The letters in front of
the > indicate feasible directions of travel. Half the fun is finding out what
words work as commands. You can use words like THE, A and AN if you want and you
can use capital letters or small.
     After typing a command, press the RETURN (or ENTER) key. The game will then
tell you whether your request is possible and what happened as a result of the
command. If the computer doesn't understand what you're trying to do, try it
another way.
     To move around, just type the desired direction: NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST.
You can abbreviate these to N, S, E, W respectively. You can use UP (or U) and
DOWN (or D). ENTER and EXIT will work in certain places.
     Here are several examples of commands which our parser understands:

>DOWN
>GO EAST
>U
>TAKE CARDBOARD BOX
>DROP BOX
>PUSH THE BUTTON
>OPEN THE DOOR
>EXAMINE THE WALL
>LOOK UNDER THE TABLE
>HIT THE DOG WITH THE STICK

     You can use multiple objects with certain verbs if you separate them by the
word AND. Some examples:

>TAKE RED PENCIL AND PAPER AND STAMP
>PUT THE CAN AND THE EGG IN THE SACK

     When you use multiple objects, the parser generates multiple commands. Its
ability to do this depends on you using the word AND to connect multiple
objects (one on each side of the word AND). Thus, TAKE RED PENCIL AND BLUE
PENCIL will be interpreted as if you entered TAKE RED PENCIL and then entered
TAKE BLUE PENCIL. The command TAKE RED AND BLUE PENCIL will be rejected as you
are connecting adjectives only (there is only one object). Also, the command
TAKE RED PENCIL AND TAKE BLUE PENCIL will be rejected as complete commands are
being connected (see use of the word THEN below).
     You can include several commands on one line if you separate them by the
word THEN or by a period. You don't need a period at the end of the input line.
Note that the word THEN is used to connect whole commands only.
An example:

>WEST.TAKE THE GUN THEN PUT THE BULLET IN THE GUN. SHOOT HAROLD

     The word ALL refers to every object in a location. The only use of this
word allowed in this game is:

>TAKE ALL
>DROP ALL

     You use quotes to say something "out loud" or type something on a keyboard.
For example:

>SAY "HELLO"

     If the game doesn't know a word you used you are probably trying something
that is not important in continuing your adventure. If it requests that you
restate your command in another way, remember that the general structure of an
command is: verb, object, preposition, object (with adjectives when necessary
for proper object identification).


                            TIPS FOR NOVICES

 1. Draw a map showing each location and the directions connecting it to
    adjoining locations. In a new location, make a note of any interesting
    objects there. Although the physical structure used in "SNOSAE" is
    relatively simple compared to other interactive fiction games, this is
    advantageous.
 2. EXAMINE everything! Many times these descriptions will suggest uses of the
    item or other valuable hints. Sometimes they're even humorous.
 3. Some objects will help you solve puzzles. Dishonesty pays -- take everything
    that isn't bolted down.
 4. SAVE often. That way, if you mess up or get killed, you won't have to start
    over from the beginning.
 5. Read all descriptions carefully! There are often clues there. Note items
    which are described in a very particular way (such as "The rope is
    APPARENTLY firmly attached").
 6. Try everything - even strange and dangerous actions may provide clues, and
    might prove to be fun! You can always save your game first. As a matter of
    fact, there are times when the most illogical of actions may yield results
    you don't expect, but which are necessary.
 7. It's helpful to play with a friend. Different people find different puzzles
    easy, complementing each other.
 8. When all else fails, try something else.
 9. Sometimes commands which you give may not be understood when you think they
    should be. Please have patience with the parser and try to think of another
    way to state your command. As an example, one might have to say "PUT THE GUM
    IN THE WRAPPER" rather than "WRAP THE WRAPPER AROUND THE GUM".
10. If you really have difficulty, type HINT. Hints will then be given in a
    order approximating the way you might try things.


                          SPECIAL COMMANDS

AGAIN (G)     - Repeats the last command entered.
ALL           - May be used in the forms "TAKE ALL" or "DROP ALL" only
BRIEF         - Tells the computer to give you the full description of a
                location only when you enter it for the first time. This is the
                normal mode.
EXAMINE (X)   - Gives a more detailed picture of objects in the game.
HINT          - If you're have real difficulty while playing the game just type
                HINT. Each of the sets of hints available are "tied" to a
                particular location. These hints should be used sparingly as
                it takes much of the fun of overcoming obstacles away. A hint
                may say not to look at further hints for the location unless
                you've been in a another location. This means you'll have to get
                into that location before you can solve the puzzle posed for you
                in your current location. It's telling you that the location
                you're in is NOT the next one for which you have to figure out a
                solution.
INVENTORY (I) - Lists the items you are currently carrying.
LOOK (L)      - Tells the game to describe your location in full detail.
LOOK IN ___   - Investigate what is inside some item. (Useful with pockets)
ME            - Use in such things as "EXAMINE ME"
QUIT          - Allows you to stop the game. The next time you play, you will
                start where you left off.
RESTART       - Starts the game over from the very beginning.
RESTORE       - Restores to a SAVEd game position. You will be asked for the
                name of the file to which you wish to restore.
SAVE          - This saves your current position on the disk. You will be asked
                for a file name to use. It would be wise to keep careful track
                of these save files.
STORY         - Show the story behind the game - why you are where you are and
                what you have to do. That story is repeated below for your
                convenience and/or printing.
VERBOSE       - This tells the game that you want the complete description of a
                location each time you enter it.
WAIT (Z)      - This causes time to pass in the story. Normally, between turns,
                nothing happens. This command would allow you to wait to see
                if anything happens without having to perform some action.


                        COMMON VERBS RECOGNIZED

ANSWER        EAT           HUG           PLUG          SLEEP         UNCOVER
ASK           EMPTY         KISS          POINT         SLIDE         UNDRESS
ATTACK        EXAMINE       KNOCK         POUR          SMELL         UNFURL
BREAK         EXTINGUISH    LAND          PULL          SMOKE         UNLOCK
BURN          FEED          LIE           PUSH          STAND         UNPLUG
BUY           FILL          LIFT          PUT           START         UNTIE
CALL          FIND          LIGHT         READ          STICK         USE
CHAIN         FIRE          LISTEN        REMOVE        STOP          WAKE
CHEW          FIX           LOCK          RIDE          SWAT          WASH
CLIMB         FLIP          LOOK          RING          SWIM          WAVE
CLOSE         FOLLOW        LOWER         RIP           SWING         WEAR
COUNT         FREE          MAKE          ROLL          TAKE          YELL
COVER         FURL          MEASURE       ROPE          TALK
CUT           GET           MOUNT         RUB           TELL
DIG           GIVE          MOVE          SAY           THROW
DISMOUNT      GO            OPEN          SEARCH        TIE
DIVE          GREET         ORDER         SELL          TIGHTEN
DRAW          HELP          PAY           SHAKE         TOUCH
DRINK         HIDE          PICK          SHOW          TURN
DROP          HOLD          PLAY          SIT           TYPE



                       INTRODUCTION TO OUR STORY

     It's a chilly night. You've spent most of it putting a new transmission in
your vintage corvette. Your faded coveralls are now spattered with grease.
You're tired and want to get at least a few hours sleep before it's time to get
up again, yet you decide to take the car for a test drive to see how good a
mechanic you really are. You slip off your shoes and socks, your feet reveling
in new-found freedom.
     Slipping behind the wheel, you fire up the engine, enjoying the sound of
its powerful roar. You put the car into reverse and back out of the garage. Soon
you're cutting through the night with just the road for company. Then the
trouble begins.
     A sudden violent sound of metal tearing at metal under the car sends your
foot crashing on the brake. You try to control the skid of the car and slam the
gear shift into neutral, hoping to save at least a part of the transmission.
Coming to a stop, you let out a long sigh. You now know how good a mechanic you
are -- not very good.
     You step out of the car and then remember the purpose of shoes. Grabbing
your right foot and hopping around only makes the impact of rocks against your
left foot more unenjoyable. You ungraciously fall onto your rear. You curse the
rocks, your words rising in the blackness of the night. The ridiculousness of
your situation hits you and your curses are followed by peals of laughter. Then
the trouble accelerates.
     It starts as a small light in the sky. You think it merely a star, but of
course, you're wrong. The light suddenly moves as you watch it in amazement. It
veers in your direction and brightens. Before you know what has happened, a
flying saucer (or rather, a flying sphere) is hovering directly over you. You
get up and try to run, but your lack of shoes makes it impossible. Then all
consciousness flees.

                                  *****

     You are lying in a room. For a moment you can't remember where you are or
how you got here. Then you remember. The shock of that remembrance hasn't
settled when a larger shock hits. You are not alone!
     Staring at you like a bug-eyed monster is a bug-eyed monster (literally).
If the thing's eyes protruded any further from its face, they would have been on
stalks.  You notice a fuzziness in your vision and shake your head to clear it,
but it doesn't seem to help. You get to your feet and walk toward the green,
scaly creature, trying to appear friendly.
     After a few steps you run into the fuzziness which you thought to be a
problem with your eyes. You stagger back from the impact. Rubbing the rising
bump on your head, you're shocked when the creature speaks in perfect English.
     "Transparent sub-molecular steel. Perfectly transparent and yet able to
withstand a nuclear blast. It's really a rather amazing material."
     The monster's large eyes blinked -- all three of them.
     "But I guess you want to know what's going on? And I'm going on about my
race's technology. You humans get disoriented over every little thing."
     "You call my abduction a little thing?"
     Your former desire to be friendly evaporates in the face of the slimy
creature's belittling evaluation of the human race.
     The creature shakes his head impatiently. "We'll never get anywhere if you
insist upon acting this way. Now remain quiet and do not interrupt while I
explain what is required of you. We will soon be arriving".
     You're about to tell the creature that the only place you wish to go is
back to your car and that you have no intention of doing what is 'required of
you' when a motion by the creature toward a lever near him warns you that
silence might be better.
     "I am a 'Snosae' and my race is as far ahead of yours as yours is ahead of
the snails of Earth. You've been brought here for a purpose beyond your
comprehension, but I will try to explain it to you anyway."
     "Long ago a race even more advanced than ours came to our planet to offer
us membership in a galactic federation. Of course, we tried to destroy them, as
is our way. But we were defeated. Still, these strangers, for unknowable reasons
wished peace."
     "Because of our actions, they demanded that we pass a 'test' before we
became member of their federation." The Snosae's voice betrayed the detest which
he felt toward his race's conquerors.
     "Many of my people have taken this test, but none have succeeded in solving
the riddles set for us. Even our attempts to cheat have failed." The creature's
chest swelled slightly. "Of course, cheating is the most honorable of all ways
of passing any test and my people excel at this."
     "We tried to break into the structure which the aliens built on our planet.
We hoped to bypass their initial tests and go straight to the main point of the
exercise. But the structure was built of sub-molecular steel." The Snosae paused
and then explained. "The non-transparent variety, of course."
     "Every volunteer perished there. Magically, their remains were taken away
and the whole treacherous artifact was put back into its original order."
     You brave the wrath of the creature and say, "You still haven't said why
you've brought me here."
     The Snosae appeared momentarily nonplused. "Examination of your species
reveals that you think differently." The alien's green face shaded, as if he
felt ashamed. "Perhaps you can succeed in this piddling test where our race has
failed." Realizing the light in which his words put his own species, the Snosae
rushed on. "Of course, we don't expect you to succeed. It's a long shot at best,
considering how primitive you are."
     Feeling a small advantage due to the creature's need for you, you brave
another question. "What is the ultimate goal of this test?"
     A smile lighted up the creature's face, rows of triangular teeth making his
face more hideous-looking. "Our conquerors said our violent tendencies are the
result of our race being individual-oriented. They felt that only a race where
the individual ego is sacrificed for the good of the whole would be a asset to
them. This is nonsense, but it is what they believe."
     "The goal of the test is to acquire four objects and by doing so bring the
people of my race together. Supposedly the process of acquiring these objects,
along with other clues, will suggest a magic word which will unify us. I know it
sounds ridiculous, but we have little choice. We can accept their word for the
existence of this magic or be quarantined from the rest of the galaxy."
     "And what's in it for me?" you ask.
     "Life itself. If you do not die within the structure I will let you live.
And if that isn't enough incentive, I will destroy your miserable planet if you
fail. In the spirit of revenge, of course."
     You shiver a bit at the cold sound in the creature's voice. You can tell it
 would give him extraordinary pleasure to be the executioner of humanity.
     "How long do I have?"
     "As long as you wish. My race is an extremely patient one. Our tests of
your DNA structure show that you will live to the age of 84. I would imagine
that you would starve long before that."
     "Are there any other details of which I should be aware?"
     The Snosae shrugged. "We will shortly be landing on the roof of the
structure. From there you will descend into its center. It is in the shape of a
cross, with wings going north, south, east, and west. Of the inside, there is
little information. If you accidentally succeed, you will know all. If you do
not, you will have no use for information. It's all quite tidy, in that way."
     You're about to tell the Snosae what you think about his concept of
tidiness when a large gong sounds through the ship.
     "Ah, we've arrived. Now, if you will kindly step down the ramp."
     It turns out you have little choice despite the tone of the alien's words.
An opening appears at your feet, a ramp descending through it. The creature
gestures toward the lever with one hand while using his other to give a very
familiar gesture -- that of cutting a throat.




Limited Warranty.
     This software is sold "AS IS," without warranty as to its performance. The
entire risk as to the quality and performance of the computer software program
is assumed by the user. NO FRILL SOFTWARE warrants for a period of 60 days to
the original purchaser that the medium on which the software is recorded is free
from defects in material and workmanship. If during that period ending 60 days
from purchase a defect should become apparent, return the disk to NO FRILLS
SOFTWARE and the disk will be replaced without charge to you. Your sole and
exclusive remedy in the event off a defect is expressly limited to replacement
of the disk as provided above. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and
you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
     The warranties set forth above are in lieu of all warranties, express or
implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any
particular purpose. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied
warranty lasts, so the above limitation may not apply to you. In no event shall
NO FRILLS SOFTWARE or anyone else who has been involved in the creation or
production of this computer software program be liable for direct, indirect,
special, or consequential damages arising out of use of this software or any
breach of the warranty set forth above. Some states do not allow the exclusion
or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation
may not apply to you.

Copyright.
     This software product is copyright(C), 1992, by NO FRILLS SOFTWARE. All
rights are reserved. It may not, in whole or part, be copied except as might be
reasonably necessary for your personal use. Unreasonable copying and/or
distribution is a violation of law providing for statutory damages of up to
$50,000.