View manual text
If you've never played Infocorn's interactive fiction before, you should read this
entire instruction manual. If you're an experienced Infocom game player, you may
only want to read Section I: About The
,/
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION I: ABOUT THE
HITCHHIKER'S
GUIDE TO
THE GALAXY
Preface to the Story
Section I: About The Hitcthiker's
Guide to the Galaxy
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Eleven useful pointers about
Interactive Fiction
Don't Panic!
Relax, because everything you need to
know about playing The Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy is contained in the
pages of this manual. In this story, you will
be Arthur Dent, a rather ordinary earth
creature who gets swept up in a whirlwind
of interstellar adventures almost beyond
comprehension. As the story begins.
bulldozers are waiting to reduce your
house to rubble to make way for a motorway bypass, While you attempt to deal
with this problem, your rather strange
friend Ford Prefect drops by to tell you that
the Earth is about to be demolished to
make way for an interstellar bypass! If you
survive this double threat, you'll embark
on a series of intergalactic misadventures
even funnier than your worst nightmares!
And, because anything is possible in The
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, you may
soon not even be sure of your own
identity!
A special note for people who have read
the book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the
Galaxy: Although the opening of the game
is fairly similar to the book, the story
quickly diverges, with lots of new material
and different twists. Although familiarity
with the story may make a few of the,early
puzzles easier, if you rely too heavily on
this previous knowledge you will certainly
end up getting misled.
Common Complaints
Hints
Preface to the Story
3
Hints
3
Sample Transcript and Map
3
About the Authors
6
Section 11: About Infocom's
Interactive Fiction
An Overview: What Is
Interactive Fiction?
Starting and Stopping
6
6
·"Booting Up"
• Saving and Restoring
• Quiring and Restarting
Communicating with
Infocom's Interactive Fiction
7
• Basic Sentences
• Complex Sentences
• Talking to characters in the story
Special Commands
8
Tips for Novices
9
9
Running the Story
on your Computer
10
Quick Reference Guide
14
The most lmponant things to
know about
Iteractivel , Fiction
This version of The Hitchhiker's Guide
to the Galaxy includes hints! If you ever
get stuck, you can type HINT and press the
RETURN (or ENTER) key. Then follow the
instructions on your screen. Most of the
hints are nudges in the right direction; the
last hint in the sequence is usually a
complete answer.
Sample Transcript and Map
This transcript is not from Hitchhiker's,
but it does show most of the things you can
do in the story. It contains several simple
puzzles and their solutions. and it will give
you a good idea of how interactive fiction
works. The player's sentences appear in
capital letters after each prompt. (». The
map represents the terrain in the sample
transcript.
OUTSIDE
Bt.aJD
BA~K
SIOtJ
0(X>jl.8Eu.
WAm~
ROOM
~
5AL.1S
Tof_'
>READ THE SIGN
"OUTSKIRTS OF LONDON BLOOD BANK:
We pay 30 pounds tor a pint of blood.
Painless, takes only an hour. Ring doorbell
for admittance."
N
A
r-
5Tll.tE1
comER
,
~
>EAST
The Blood Bank door is closed.
Rlb'III tAl(J
>GET OUT OF THE TAXI
The door is locked.
"Hey, that's four pounds thirty, old chap."
>GIVE THE FIVE POUND NOTE TO THE
DRIVER
"Thanks, chum."
>UNLOCK THE DOOR
The taxi door is now unlocked.
>GET OUT OF THE TAXI
Street Corner
You are on a street corner on the outskirts
of London. A signpost reveals that you are
on the corner of Foominster and Frobbington. The sidewalk continues north and east.
Because of the heavy traffic here, crossing
the street is out of the question.
>WHOAM I
You are Chester Smith. an unemployed
granola salesman.
.
2
>WALK NORTH
Outside Blood Bank
You are in the middle of the block on a
street that runs north-south. Immediately to
the east is the entrance to a massive
granite (Footnote 9) building. Next to the
entrance is a sign and a doorbell.
>FOOTNOTE 9
Well, concrete actually. We wanted a
granite building for the story, but we
couldn't afford it. But the concrete IS
covered with a plastic veneer that does
LOOK a lot like granite.
r-- lA~
1l56Nc;.I
SI1£lJ.J14
The real object of the game is to show a
bunch of novices how interactive fiction
works.
>WHAT IS THE OBJECT OF THE GAME?
Well. the superficial object of the game is to
get to the end of the story and achieve the •
maximum score.
>OPEN IT
It's locked.
>RING THE DOORBELL
You already did that, didn't you?
>NO
I think you're wrong. I'm a computer, so I
have a really terrific memory. and I'm
almost positive you already rang the
doorbell. Couldn't you be mistaken?
>NO
Hmmm ...well, I just looked back, and I
guess you didn't ring the doorbell after all.
Do you still want to ring the doorbell?
>YES
The bell rings. A minute later, a stooped
man opens the door and beckons you to
enter.
>ENTER THE BLOOD BANK
Waiting Room
This is a dim room with exits to the east
and west. A narrow, winding stair leads
downward. The room is sparsely furnished
with several uncomfortable-looking
benches. There is no one waiting ahead of
you.
There is a bottle of smelling salts here.
The stooped man slams the front door and
bolts it. "Please ..ave a seat. It will only be
several. ..minutes." He exits to the east.
>SIT DOWN
What do you want to sit down on?
>THE BENCH
You are now sitting on the bench.
>ENJOY THE BENCH
Easier said than done. considering how
hard and uncomfortable the bench is.
>TAKE THE BOITLE OF SMELLING
SALTS
You can't reach it from the bench.
>STAND UP
You are on your own feet again.
>TAKE THE BOITLE OF SMELLING
SALTS
Your load is too heavy.
>INVENTORY
You have:
a briefcase
a suit
It looks like the suit contains:
a ten-pound note
a grapefruit
>OPEN THE BRIEFCASE
Opening the briefcase reveals an array of
granola samples.
>DROP THE GRAPEFRUIT THEN TAKE
THE BOTTLE OF SMELLING SALTS
Dropped.
Taken.
>WAIT
After all, what's a waiting room for? Time
passes ...
The stooped man enters, pushing a
wheelbarrow full of bones. You're no expert
on the subject, but they sure don't look like
chicken bones. He spills the bones down
the winding stairway.
>WEST
The front door is closed.
>OPEN THE DOOR
Which door do you mean, the front door or
the laboratory door?
A gaunt man emerges from the doorway to
the east. "Igor, bring in the next subject."
He exits.
>BREAK DOWN THE STREET DOOR
This results in a very sore shoulder.
>LOOK AT ME
Everything is dark and fuzzy.
"If you'll just...step this way," says Igor,
producing a cattle prod.
>WAIT
Time passes ...
>DON'T WALK EAST
You bravely hold your ground. Igor pokes
you with the prod. You feel less brave.
The fuzziness clears, and you find yourself
in a strange new location.
>WALK EAST
Laboratory
This is an even dimmer room filled with
strange apparatus. A person-sized table
fills the center of the room.
The mad scientist is here, rubbing his
hands.
Igor enters behind you and locks the door.
>FRONT
It's bolted.
>DON'T PANIC
You try your best. You fail.
>LOOK
Waiting Room
This is a dim room with exits to the east
and west. A narrow, winding stair leads
downward. The room is sparsely furnished
with several uncomfortable-looking
benches. There is no one waiting ahead of
you.
There is a grapefruit here.
The stooped man is here, pushing a
wheelbarrow.
>STOOPED MAN, OPEN THE FRONT
DOOR
"Who are you calling stooped? I've got a
name you know- Igor."
>IGOR, OPEN THE FRONT DOOR
Igor chuckles. "Don't be nervous. It's
completely ..ainless. There's nothing to
worry about."
>IGOR, WHAT ABOUT THE BONES?
"Ohl Um, they're just...fake bones ...we use
for the ...anatomy class on Wednesdays!"
4
>DIAGNOSE
If you recall, you passed out a few moves
ago.
"The table ..lease lie down ...on the table,"
says Igor, fondling the prod.
>L1E DOWN ON THE TABLE
You are now lying on the table. The mad
scientist quickly shackles your wrists and
ankles.
>MAD SCIENTIST, LET ME GO
"Who are you calling mad? They called me
mad at Oxford also, but I'll show them!"
The mad scientist produces a hypodermic
needle tilled with a bubbling green fluid. He
slowly inserts the needle into your arm.
Everything becomes dark and fuzzy ...
>LOOK
Everything is dark and fuzzy.
>NORTH
If you recall, you passed out a few mov b
ago.
>LOOK
West of House
You are standing in an open field west of a
white house, with a boarded front door.
There is a small mailbox here.
>OPEN THE MAILBOX
Opening the small mailbox reveals a leaflet.
>INVENTORY
You have:
a briefcase
It looks like the briefcase contains:
an array of granola samples
a suit
It looks like the suit contains:
a ten-pound note
a bottle of smelling salts
>SMELL THE SMELLING SALTS
It smells just like the lid of a bottle of
smelling salts.
>OPEN THE BOTTLE
Opened.
>SMELL THE SMELLING SALTS
The smell is overpowering. Your surroundings blur and grow indistinct. ..
Laboratory
Sitting on the table are:
some bones
Sitting on your workbench is:
a hypodermic needle
a book
>IGOR, BRING IN THE NEXT SUBJECT
"Yes, master."
>WHOAM I
You are Baron von Edelstein, the "Mad
Professor of Oxford."
>EXAMINE THE HYPODERMIC NEEDLE
It is filled with a bubbling green fluid, your
identity transfer serum.
>READ THE BOOK
(taking the book first)
The book is entitled "Who's Who in
Interactive Fiction Sample Transcripts." It
would take hours and hours to read the
whole thing; perhaps you'd like to consult
the book about a specific individual?
>CONSUL T THE BOOK ABOUT ME
The entry about Baron von Edelstein reads,
"A minor and poorly developed character in
the Hitchhiker's sample transcript."
Igor prods the subject into the room and
onto the table.
>INJECT THE SUBJECT WITH THE
SERUM
You're not holding the hypodermic needle.
>TAKE THE HYPODERMIC
Taken.
NEEDLE
>INJECT THE SUBJECT WITH THE
SERUM
The subject, who you forgot to shackle to
the table, pushes you away. In the ensuing
struggle, you accidentally inject yourself
with the serum. Ughts whirl around your
head. Especially red, yellow, and green
lights. The lights slow down and finally stop
whirling, and you realize that. ..
Your taxi is stopped at a traffic light. It's
been an hour since your last fare, Suddenly, someone pulls open the door and
slides into the back seat. "Corner of
Frobbington and Foominster, please."
>IGOR, REMOVE THE BONES
"Yes, master." Igor clears the table.
"There's another subject waiting outside."
5
About the Authors
Douglas Adams graduated from Cambridge in 1974, where he was an active
member of the Footlights Club, which
launched the careers of many of Britain's
great comics. He has collaborated on
several projects with MOIl1Y Python's
Graham Chapman, and has worked as a
writer and script editor for the TV series
Dr. Who. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the
Galaxy began a a radio serial, and its
popularity oon propelled it into four
books, a television series, two records and
a stage show. Given Adams's fondness for
Infocom' computerized fiction, and
lnfocom's
oft spot for the Hitchhiker's
saga, it was only a matter of time before
the two teamed up to produce an interactive version. Adams second work of
interactive fiction was Bureaucracy. He is
listed first (thanks to alphabetical order) in
Britain's Who's Who Among Zany
Comedy Science Fiction Authors, where
his entry reads "Mostly harmless."
Steve Meretzky was born in mid-1957,
frightening the Soviet Union into the early
launching of its Sputnik satellite.
Meretzky's gestalt was shaped by a
number of painful childhood experiences,
including growing up in Yonkers and
rooting for the New York Mets. His first
contact with interactive fiction came while
he was a student at MIT. (We use "student" in the most general sense.) Meretzky
now lives near Boston. He and his wife
Betty are expecting to increase the size of
their family by approximately 50%
sometime in early 1988. Meretzky is
irresponsibly responsible for the following
other Infocom titles: Planetfall, Sorcerer.
A Mind Forever Voyaging, Leather
Goddesses of Phohos. and Stationfall.
SECTION II:
ABOUT INFOCOM'S
INTERACTIVE FICTION
An Overview: What Is
Interactive Fiction?
Interactive fiction is a story in which you
are the main character. Your own thinking
and imagination determine the action of
that character and gu ide the story from
start to finish.
Each work of interactive fiction. such as
Hitchhiker's, presents you with a series of
locations, items, characters, and events.
You can interact with these in a variety of
ways.
To move from place to place, type the
direction you want to go. When you find
yourself in a new location, it's a good idea
(0 become familiar with your surroundings
by exploring the nearby rooms and reading
each description carefully. (You may
notice that Hitchhiker's occasionally refers
to a location as a "room," even if you are
outdoors.) As you explore the galaxy. it is
helpful to make a map of the geography.
An important element of interactive
fiction is puzzle-solving. You should think
of a locked door or a ferocious beast not as
a permanent obstacle, but merely as a
puzzle to be tackled. Solving puzzles will
frequently involve bringing a certain item
with you, and then using it in the proper
way.
In Hitchhiker's, time passes only in
response to your input. You might imagine
a clock that ticks once for each sentence
you type, and the story progresses only at
each tick. Nothing happens until you type a
sentence and press the RETURN (or
ENTER) key, so you can plan your turns as
slowly and carefully as you want.
To measure your progress. Hitchhiker's
keeps track of your score. You may get
points for solving puzzles, performing
certain actions. or visiting certain locations. Keeping track of what actions resuh
in an increase in your score will help you
learn what the goal of the story is.
6
Quilting and restarting: If you want to
Starting and Stopping
Starling th« storv: To load Hitchhiker'
5.
follow the insrruciion-, in the
relevant section in the manual.
Following the copyright notice and the
release number of the story. you will see a
message which begin" the "tory. Then the
prompt (» 'Will appear. indicating that
HIft"h1I1J..n·.\i!\ waiting for your first input.
Here are a few inputs for you to try at
the firs: several prompts. After typing each
input. don't forget to press the RETURN
(or ENTER) key:
>TURN ON THE LIGHT
>LOOK UNDER THE BED
>INVENTORY
>LOOK AT THE GOWN
You should now have a feel for interacting
with the story. YOIi decide what to do next.
Saving and restoring: It will probably
take you many days to complete
Hitchhiker' s. Using the SAVE feature. you
can continue 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" napshot" of
your place in the story onto another disk.
You may want to save your place before
(~r after) trying something dangerous or
tricky. That way. you can go back to that
position later. even if you have gotten lost
or "killed" since then.
To save your place in the story. type
SAVE at the prompt (», and then press the
RETURN (or ENTER) key.
Then follow the instructions for saving and
re toring. Some systems
require a blank disk. initialized and
formatted. for ~aves. Using a disk with
data on it (not counting other HitchhiJ..u·s
save~) may re~ult in the loss of that data,
depending on your system.
You can restore a saved position any
time you want. To do 0, type RESTORE
at the prompt (». pres~ the RETURN (or
ENTER) key. Then follow the instructiom.
You can then
continue the story from the point where
you u~ed the SAVE command. You can
type LOOK for a description of where you
are.
stan over from the beginning. type
RESTART and press the RETURN (or
ENTER) key. (This is usually faster than
re-booting.) Just to make sure.
Hitchhiker' swill ask if you really want to
start over. I I' you do. type Y or YES and
press the RETURN (or ENTER) key.
If you want to stop entirely. type QUIT
and press the RETURN (or ENTER) key.
Once again. Hitchhiker's will ask if this i~
real Iy what you want to do.
Remember when you RESTART or
QUIT: if you want to be able to return to
your current position. you must first do a
SAVE.
Communicating with Infocom's
Interactive Fiction
In Hitchhikers, you type your sentence in
plain English each time you see the prompt
(». Hitchhikers usually acts as if your
sentence begins "I want to ...,'· although
you shouldn 't actually type those words.
You can use words like THE if you want,
and you can use capital letters if you want:
Hitchhilers doesn't care either way.
When you have finished typing a
sentence. press the RETURN (or ENTER)
key. Hitchhiker's will respond, telling you
whether your request is possible at this
point in the story, and what happened as a
result.
Hitchhiker's
recognizes your words by
their first six letters. and all subsequent
letters are ignored. Therefore. BULLDOg.
BULLDOgs, BULLDOzer. and BULL DOckpokingham (a small town in Dockpokinghamshire) would all be treated a~ the same
word by lIitchhiker' s.
To move around, just type the desired
direction: NORTH, SOUTH. EAST. WEST.
NORTHEAST. NORTHWEST, SOUTHEAST, and SOUTHWEST. You can
abbreviate these to N, S, E. W, NE, NW.
SEt and SW. respectively. You can u!)e UP
(or U) and DOWN (or D). IN and OUT will
abo work in cenain places. On board a
ship. you'll want to use the directions
PORT (or Pl. STARBOARD (or SB). FORE
(or F). and AFT.
Hitchhiker'» understands many different
kinds of sentences. Here are several
examples. (Note that "orne of these objects
do not actually appear in Hitchhikers.)
>WALK NORTH
>DOWN
>NE
>GO AFT
>U
>TAKE BOX
>PICK UP THE CARDBOARD BOX
>DROP IT
>PUSH THE BUTION
>OPEN THE AIRLOCK DOOR
>EXAMINE THE PRESSURE SUIT
>LOOK BEHIND RHODODENDRON
BUSH
>LOOK UNDER THE TABLE
>LOOK INSIDE THE REACTOR CAVITY
>SHOOT THE BEAST WITH PEA
SHOOTER
>ATIACK THE BUREAUCRAT WITH THE
COURT ORDER
You can use multiple objects with
certain verbs if you separate them by the
word AND or by a comma. Some examples:
>TAKE PENCIL. PAPER. STAMP
>DROP THE MAP, THE FORK. AND THE
THERMO-NUCLEAR WEAPON
>PUT THE FRYING PAN AND THE EGG
IN THE CUPBOARD
The word ALL refers to every visible
object except those inside something else.
If there were an apple on the ground and
an orange inside a cabinet, TAKE ALL
would take the apple but not the orange.
>TAKE ALL
>TAKE ALL STAMPS
>TAKE ALL THE STAMPS EXCEPT THE
RED STAMP
>TAKE ALL FROM THE DESK
>GIVE ALL BUT THE PENCIL TO THE
ROBOT
>DROP ALL EXCEPT THE PEA
SHOOTER
7
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 xtill count a:--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 (or ENTER) key:
>EAST.TAKE THE GUN THEN PUT THE
BULLET IN IT.SHOOT GERTRUDE
If Huchhikers
doesn't understand one of
the sentences in your input line. or if
something unusual happens. it will ignore
the rest of your input line (see "Common
Complaints" ).
There are only three kinds of questions
that Hitchhikers understands: WHAT,
WHERE, and WHO. Here are examples
that you can try in the story:
>WHAT IS ADVANCED TEA
SUBSTITUTE?
>WHERE IS THE TOWEL?
>WHO IS ZAPHOD BEEBLEBROX?
You wi II meet other people and creatures
in Hitchhiker'».
You can "talk" to some of
these beings by typing their name. then a
comma. then whatever you want to say to
them. Here are some examples:
>BARTENDER. GIVE ME A DRINK
>FORD, OPEN THE SATCHEL
>CAPTAIN, WHAT ABOUT THE METEOR
HOLE?
>FRED, TAKE THE TOWEL THEN
FOLLOW ME
>MARVIN. KILL THE ALlEN.ENTER THE
CLOSET
Notice that in the last two example~. you
are giving a person more than one command on the same input line.
You can use quotes to answer a question.
say something "out loud," or type something on a keyboard. For example:
>SAY"HELLO"
>ANSWER "MY NAME IS ZEKE"
>TYPE "LOGOUT"
•
Hitchhiker's tries to guess what you
really mean when you don't give enough
information. For example. if you say that
you want to do something, but not what
you want to do it to or with, Hit(.'~hiker' s
will sometimes decide that there IS only
one possible object that you could mean.
When it does so, it will tell you. For
example:
you are or what is going on. Hitchhiker's
recognizes over 800 words, nearly all that
you are likely to use in your sentences. If
Hitchhiker's doesn't know a word you
used, or any of its common synonyms. you
are almost certainly trying something that
is not important in continuing your
adventure.
>SHOOT THE DOGGIE
(with the ray gun)
The cute little doggie is incinerated.
There are a number of one-word commands which you can type instead of a
sentence. You can use them over and over
as needed. Some count as a tum, others do
not. Type the command after the prompt
(» and press the RETURN (or ENTER)
key.
or
>GIVE THE TOWEL
(to the hitchhiker)
The hitchhiker naturally already has a
towel. but thanks you politely for your offer.
If your sentence is ambiguous,
Hitchhiker's will ask what you really
mean. You can answer most of these
questions briefly by supplyi~g the missing
information. rather than typing the ennre
input again. You can do this only at the
very next prompt. Some examples:
>CUT THE BREAD
Wha~ do you want to cut the bread with?
>THE KNIFE
The bread is stale to the point of being
petrified.
or
>KILL THE FLY WITH THE AXE
Which axe do you mean. the teensy aXE:or
the atomic-powered supersonic planetsmashing axe?
>TEENSY
The fly expires.
Hitchhiker's uses many words in its
descriptions that it will not recognize in
your sentences. For example. you might
read, "Disgusting gobs of yellow goo ooze
out of the monster's elbows." However, if
Hitchhiker's doesn't recognize the words
GOO or ELBOWS in your input, you can
assume that they are not important to your
completion of the story. except to provide
you with a more vivid description of where
Special Commands
AGAIN-Hitchhiker's
will usually respond
as if you had repeated your previous
sentence. Among the cases where AGAIN
will not work is if you were just talking to
another character. You can abbreviate
AGAIN to G.
BRIEF- This tells Hitchhiker's to give
you the full description of a location only
the first time you enter it. On subsequent
visits, Hitchhiker's will tell you only the
name of the location and the objects
present. This is how Hitchhiker's will
normally act, unless you tell it otherwise
using the VERBOSE or SUPERBRIEF
commands.
DIAGNOSE-Hitchhiker's
will give you a
medical report of your physical condition.
This is particularly useful if you have just
survived a dangerous part of the story.
FOOTNOTEOccasionally the text in
Hitchhiker's will mention the existence of
a footnote. To read the footnote, simply
type FOOTNOTE followed by the app '0priate footnote number (for example,
FOOTNOTE 2). This will not count as a
rum.
mM users only
HINT-If
you have difficulty while
playing the story, and you can't figure out
what to do. just type HINT. Then follow the
directions. at the top of your screen to read
the hint of your choice.
8
INVENTORY-Hitchhiker's
will list what
you are carrying. You can abbreviate
INVENTORY to I.
LOOK- This tells Hitchhiker's to describe
your location in full detail. You can
abbreviate LOOK to L.
QUIT- This lets you stop. If you w~t to
save your position before quilting, follow
the instructions in the "Starting and
Stopping" section. You can
abbreviate QUIT to Q.
RESTART-This
stops the story and starts
over from the beginning.
RESTOREThis restores a position made
using the SAVE command. See "Starting
and Stopping" for more details.
VERBOSEThis tells Hitchhiker's that
you want a complet~ des~ription of e~ch
location, and the objects 111 It. every time
you enter a location, even if you 've been
there before. Also see BRIEF and SUPERBRIEF.
WAIT- This will cause time in the storyto
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,
if you encounter an alien being, you could
WAIT to see what it will do. Or, if you are
in a moving vehicle, you could WAI~ to
see where it will go. You can abbreviate
WAIT to Z.
6. Try everything you can think of - even
strange or dangerous actions may provide
clues, and might prove to be fun! You can
always save your position first if you want.
Here's a si lIy example:
>GIVE THE TARNISHED COIN TO THE
USHER
The usher looks unimpressed, and beqins
leading you toward the last row of the
theatre.
You've just learned there is something
(Such as the crisp bill) which rnighj
convince the usher to give you a front row
seat ... perhaps even a front row seat next
to Queen Isameera and her dreadfully
expensive and easy-to-steal diamondstudded tiara.
7. Unlike other "adventure games" you
SAVE- This makes a "snapshot" of your
current position onto your storage disk.
You can return to a saved position in the
future using the RESTORE command. See
"Starting and Stopping" for
more details.
SCORE-Hitchhiker's
will show your
current score and the number of turns you
have taken.
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 onl y on certain computers: read your
relevant section.
SUPERBRIEFThis commands
Hitchhiker's to display only the name of a
place you have entered, even if you have
never been there before. In this mode,
Hitchhiker's will not even mention which
objects are present. Of course, you ca~
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. Also see
VERBOSE and BRIEF.
UNSCRIPT - This commands your printer
to stop making a transcript.
Tips for Novices
I. You may want to draw a map showing
each location and the directions connecting
it to adjoining locations. When you find
yourself in a new location. make a note of
any interesting objects there. There are 10
possible directions (NORTH. SOUTH,
EAST. WEST, NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST, SOUTHEAST, SOUTHWEST, UP,
and DOWN) plus IN and OUT. Drawing a
map isn't essential in Hitchhiker's,
but
you might find it useful.
2. EXAMINE all objects you come across in
the story.
3. If you find an object that you think you
can use, TAKE IT. Some objects will help
you solve some of the puzzles.
4. Save your place often, That way. if you
mess up or get "killed." you won't have to
start over from the beginning.
5. Read the story carefully! There are often
clues in the descriptions of locations and
objects.
may have played, there are many possible
routes to the end of H itchhiker' s. If you
get stuck on one puzzle, move on to
another. Some puzzles have more than one
solution: other puzzles don't need to be
solved at all. Sometimes you will have to
solve one puzzle in order to obtain the
item(s) or information you need to solve
another puzzle.
8. You may find it helpful to go through
Hitchhiker' s with another person. Different
people may find different puzzles easy and
can often complement each other,
9. If you really have difficulty.
you can
type HINT. The screen will then show you
a list of questions to which yo~ can. get
answers. (Simply follow the directions at
the top of your screen to see the hint of
your choice.) You don 't ne~d tc? use the
hints to enjoy the story. but It will make
sol ving the puzzles easier.
10. Read (he sample transcript to
get a feel for how lnfocorns interactive
fiction works.
I I. You can word a command in many
different ways. Fo.r example. if you ~anted
to take a blue jacket. you could type 10 any
of the following:
>GETJACKET
>TAKE THE JACKET
>PICK UP THE BLUE JACKET
If you type in a command that Hitchhiker' s
doesn't understand, try rephrasing the
command or using synonyms. If
Hitchhiker's still doesn't understand your
command. you are almost certainly trying
something that is not important in continuing your adventure.
Common Complaints
will complain if you type a
sentence that confuses it completely.
Hitchhiker' s will then ignore the rest of the
input line. (Unusual events. such as being
attacked, may also cause H itrhhiker' s to
ignore the rest of the sentences you typed.
since the event may have changed your
situation drastically.)
Some of Hitchhikers
complaints:
Hitchhikers
Idon't know the word"
". The
word you typed is not in the story's
vocabulary. Sometimes using a synonym
or rephrasing will help. If not. Hitchhiker's
probably doesn't know the idea you were
trying to get across and it isn't necessary to
complete the story.
You used the word ..
.. in a way
that I don't understand. Hitchhiker's
knows the word you typed. but couldn't
use it in that sense. Usually this is because
Hitcnhiker:« knows the word as a different
part of speech. For example. if you typed
PRESS THE LOWER BUTTON, you are
using LOWER as an adjective, but
Hitchhiker's might know LOWER only as
a verb, as in LOWER THE BOOM.
There was no. verb in that sentence!
Unless you are answering a question, each
sentence must have a verb (or a command)
in it somewhere.
There seems to be a noun missing In
that sentence! This usually means that
your sentence was incomplete, such as
EAT THE BLUE.
There were too many nouns in that
sentence. An example is PUT THE SOUP
IN THE BOWL WITH THE LADLE. which
has three noun "phrases." one more th.an
Hitchhiker's can digest in a single acnon.
I beg your pardon? You pressed the
RETURN (or ENTER) key without typing
anything.
It's too dark to see! In the story, there was
not enough light to perform your action.
Be specific: what object do you want to
..
"? You used HIM, HER or IT,
but Hitchhiker's isn 'r sure what person or
object you meant.
You can't see any
here! The
item you referred to was not visible. It may
be somewhere else. inside a closed
container. and so on.
II
"
The other object(s) that you mentioned
isn't (aren't) here. You referred to two or
more items in the same sentence, and at
least one of them wasn 'r visible to you in
your present location.
Running the Story on Your Computer
This tells you how to run your Infocom story on your computer, and
provides a few other handy bits of information.
WHAT YOU NEED
IBM PC AND COMPATIBLES
Required - computer running MS-DOS (version 2.0 or higher)
192 kbytes of RAM
blank disk or hard disk (for your play disk)
Optional - primer (for SCRIPTing)
blank formatted disk (for SAYEs)
ATARI ST
Required - Atari ST series computer
Optional - blank 3.5" disks (for SAVEs) compatible printer (for
SCRIPTing)
COMMODORE AMIGA
Required - Amiga computer
Optional - 256 K memory expansion cartridge (for faster execution)
extra 3.5" double-sided disks (for SA YEs)
compatible printer (for SCRIPTing)
You can't use multiple (In)direct objects
with"
". You can refer to several
items at the same time only with certain
verbs. Among the more useful of these
verbs are TAKE, DROP, and PUT. This
restriction also applies to the usc of ALL, as
'in DROP ALL. For example, ATTACK will
not work with multiple objects; you
couldn't say ATIACK ALL or ATTACK
THE BEAST AND THE ROBOT.
That sentence
isn't one I recognize. The
sentence you typed may have been
gibberish, such as GIVE COMPUTER
WITH SWORD. Or, you may have typed a
reasonable sentence but used a syntax that
Hitchhiker's does not recognize, such as
SMELL UNDER THE ROCK. Try rephrasing the sentence.
COMMODORE
AMIGA
Tum on the Amiga and wait for the Workbench to appear. Insert the
Story disk and open the disk window, then double-click on the story icon.
The story can also be started from within the Command Line
Interpreter (Q.I). If the default drive and directory are not the same as the
stories. they must be changed with the "CD" command (for example, CD
df1:) Then type in the story name.
IBM PC
) . Type: SAVE <RETURN>. A message will appear similar to this:
Enter save file name. (Default is A:STORY.SAV):
2. Enter a new file name (legal DOS please) or use the default provided.
You may also specify a new default drive along with the file name. If
no drive is specified in the default message, and you don't specify one,
the Save will be made to the drive you are currently using. If you want
to use the default just press <RETI1RN>.
When the save is finished the story will respond with a message such
as COMPLETED. If it responds with FAILED, consult the
Troubleshooting section.
Initial default file name.(tbe one displayed the first time you type
SA VE) is always "STOR Y" .SA V. Whenever you enter a new file
name, it becomes your default if the SA VE succeeds. For your
convenience, SAVE and RESTORE share the same defaults.
Whenever you see the (» prompt, the story is waiting for you to enter
a command: If you make a mistake use the backspace key to erase the
error. After you have typed your command, press <RETURN>. The story
will respond and the prompt (» will reappear.
If a description will not not fit on the screen all at once, [MORE] will
appear at the bottom of the screen. After reading the screen, press any key
to see the rest of the description.
We recommend thal you make a backup copy of the original story disk
for your personal use. See your hardware manual for instructions on how
to make disk copies. Put the original away in a safe place and always use
the copy 'as your regular play disk.
THE STATUS LINE
At the top of the screen is an area reserved for the status line. This area
is used to display your present location in the story and it is updated after
each move. The status line may also display (depending on the game)
various other types of information including score, total moves, time, or
character attributes.
LOADING THE STORY
IBM PC
One Drive or Two Drive System
1. Insert the play disk (this is the disk you made in the previous section)
in drive A or your only drive) and turn on the computer.
2. Press <RETURN> twice or until you are at the DOS drive prompt (».
3. Type in the title of your story (for example ZORK) ot the first eight
letters of it. Do not include spaces between two word titles (e.g.,
HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY would be HITCHHIK).
At this point you might also want to use one or more of the optional
command line switches (see section on Command Options - switches)
thal are available.
4. Press <RETURN>. In a few moments the story will begin. If it fails
to appear consult the Troubleshooting section.
Hard-Drive System
1. Turn on the computer.
2. Connect to the directory into which you copied the files from the
original story disk.
3. Type in the title of the story (e.g .• ZORK) or the first eight letters of
it. Do not include spaces between two word titles
(e.g.,HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY would be
HITCHHlK). At this point you might also want to use one or more of
the command line switches thal are available.
4. Press <RETURN>
SAVING/RESTORING
TALKING TO THE STORY
MAKING A BACKUP COpy
You can't go that way. There was no
passage or exit in the direction you tried to
move.
ATARI ST
Tum on your Atari ST and wait for the desktop to appear. Insert the
story disk and open the disk window. Click once with the mouse on the
program (.PRG) icon to select it, then choose OPEN from the File menu.
A standard shortcut is to double-click on the program icon.
.'
,
..,
SCRIPTING
You can use the SCRIPT command to print out a transcript of your
moves in the story, The SCRlYf function is an optional feature which is
not necessary to complete the story and may not be available with certain
hardware. The transcript can be started at any point during the game.
Scripting Procedure
Check to see if your printer is ready and has paper, then type: SCRIPT
<RETURN>. A message will appear asking you whether you would like
to SCRIPT to a printer or to a file. If you want to use a printer just press
<.RETURN>.
IBM PC ONLY - To save the transcript to a disk file. enter a legal DOS
file name and press <RETURN>. Remember, there is no output to the
printer when you elect to write the transcript to a disk file.
COMMODORE
AMIGA ONLY -If a problem occurs with the
printer, the story will "timeout" (appear to hang) for 30 seconds or so,
then a printer error message will appear. If you don't correct the problem
before the 30 seconds are up. scripting is automatically cancelled.
To stop the transcript type UNSCRIPT.
You can save your current story position to any disk in any drive,
space pennitting. No other data on the save disk will be affected. You
must use a previously formatted save disk.
ATARIST
Using a Single Drive
Type SA VE at the prompt (». The standard Atari ST dialog box for
selecting files will be displayed. The directory in which your save will be
stored (including drive identifier) appears near the top of the box.
If you want to SAVE to the story disk itself, simply choose a file
name under which to save your position and type it into the selection area
It is not necessary to type ".SA V" after the name, this is added
automatically.
To use a different save disk. remove the story disk from the drive and
insert the new disk. IMPORT ANT: You must click with the mouse on the
shaded "title bar" area of the inner directory window to display the directory
of the new disk.
After typing in the file name, click on the OK button, or press the
RETIJRN key. If you want to cancel the save operation, click on the
CANCEL button. The disk drive wiU spin for several seconds. and if all is
well, the story will eventually respond:
OK
If it responds:
FADED
consult the Troubleshooting section. After saving your story position, you
may continue the story.
Using Multiple Drives
If your save disk is in a different drive from the story disk. the save
procedure is identical to using a single drive except that you must identify
the second drive by changing the directory specification (the line near the
top of the dialog box). When the dialog box appears, edit the directory
specification so that the drive letter corresponds to the drive containing
your save disk. IMPORTANT: You must click with the mouse anywhere
INSIDE the inner directory window to display the directory of the save
disk,
10
A STORY POSITION
TROUBLESHOOTING
The following keys are useful for editing items in the file selection
box:
- up and down cursor keys - select item to edit
- left and right cursor keys - position cursor within item.
- backspace and delete keys - erase the character before or after the
cursor.
- ESC key - erase the whole item.
2. "DISK FAn ED" or "DISK READ ERROR." This reply indicates
either hardware trouble or disk damage. Repeal the $VERIFY process
several times. Also try SVERIFY on another computer. If the story
ever replies "DISK CORRECf", the data is intact If you repeatedly
get an internal error message on more than one computer, the disk has
most likely been damaged.
If the story fails to load properly, or SA V E/RE STORE or SCRIPT fails,
check each of the following items.
IBM PC
1. Make sure all connections on your computer are plugged in, connected
properly, and that all power switches are turned 00.
2. Make sure all disks are inserted correctly and that all drive doors are
closed.
3. Inspect all disks for any visible damage.
4. For SAVE problems, make sure the Save disk is not write-protected.
Also, make sure the disk has enough room for a Save file (approx. 35k
per Save) and that it has been fonnatted properly. As a last resort, try a
different disk.
Restoring a Saved Story Position
To return to a previously saved story position, type RESTORE at the
prompt (». A standard dialog box will appear, showing a list of your
saved positions on the indicated disk. If there are more save files on the
disk than will fit in the window, the scroll bar becomes active. If you want
to restore from a different disk, change disks as described in Section on
SA VING. Click once over the name of the position you want to restore,
then click on the OK button, or press the RETIJRN key. If you want to
cancel the restore operation, click on the CANCEL button.
COMMODORE
AMIGA
1. Type SAVE at the prompt (». A message will appear asking you to
choose a name. for the save file.
2. If you want to SAVE to the story disk itself, just enter a file name and
press RETURN.
3. If you want to SAVE to another disk, you must prefix the file name
with either the name of the second disk (e.g., Saves:) or the name of
the drive containing it (e.g., dfO:). The prefix is needed even if the two
disks were swapped using a single drive. If the save succeeds, the prefix
becomes the default prefix, and need not be typed again for the next
save.
The disk drive will spin for several seconds. If all is well, the story will
respond:
OK
If it responds:
FAILED
consult the Troubleshooting section. After saving your position, you may
continue with the story.
NOTE: The file "Icon.Data" is used 10 create icons for new save flies. If
you delete this file, new save flies will not have visible icons.
You can check to see if your game is damaged by using the $VERIFY
Command.
Type: $VERIFY at the story prompt (» and press <RETURN>. If
your story is currently frozen (ie. you are unable to type from the
keyboard) you will have to reboot the disk, restart the story, and then type
$VERlFY.
After you successfully issue the SVERIFY command the disk will spin
for approximately a minute and then a message, similar to one of the
following will appear:
GOOD - The disk has not been damaged and the data is intact If you are
having problems. they are most likely hardware related. It is also possible
that there is a bug in the program.
NO GOOD - This indicates that the data on the disk is damaged. Repeat
the $VERIFY procedure several times. If possible, repeat the $VERIFY
procedure on another computer. If the game ever replies positively, the data
is intact and you must look elsewhere for any problems you are
encountering.
All disk and printer errors are handled within the story. if you
encounter an error message you will be given the option LO A (abort) or R
(retry). In most cases choosing Abort will not throw you out of the game
and cause you to lose your position. However, if you get an error message
when the game is either Restoring or reading information from the disk (a
probable indication of a damaged disk) choosing Abort will throw you
back into OOS. In this case consult the section on Troubleshooting.
ATARI ST
Restoring a Saved Story Position
You can return to a previously saved story position at any time. Type
RESTORE at the prompt (». The most recently saved or restored position
will be displayed as the default Then eruer the name of a save file, as in
1. Inspect all disks carefully for any visible damage.
2. For SCRIPTing, make sure the printer is connected properly, enabled
for printing, not out out of paper, etc.
3. Try again: the problem may only be only momentary.
Section on SAVING.
If you want to return to the default position, you can just press the
RETIJRN key.
If you continue to experience problems, follow this procedure.
Reboot the diskette. When the initial screen is displayed, type $VERIFY
at the prompt. The disk drive will spin for a minute or less and one of the
following messages will appear.
1. "DISK CORRECT." The disk has not been damaged and the data is
intact. The problem may be with your hardware, probably the disk
drive. It is also possible the program contains a bug.
12
Other Switches
Ip - If SCRIPTing to the printer isn't working well, type UNSCRIPT,
SA VE your position, and quit the story. Then reload the story using the /p
switch and try SCRIPTing again.
COMMODORE
AMIGA
1. Inspect all disks carefully for any visible damage.
2. For SA YEs, make sure the save disk is not write-protected
(the small
opening in the comer of the disk should be covered).
3. For SCRIPTing, make sure the printer is connected properly, enabled
forprinting,notoutofpapere~.
4. Try again; the problem may only be momentary.
If the story produces an error message, run the following procedure:
Restart the story. When the initial screen appears, type $VERIFY and
press the RETURN key. The disk drive will spin for a minute or so, and a
message similar to one of the following will appear.
I. "DISK CORRECf." The 'disle has not been damaged; the data is
intact .. This may indicate a problem with your hardware (usually with
the disk drive). It is also possible the story contains a bug .
2. "DISK FAn ED" or "DISK READ ERROR." This reply indicates
either hardware trouble or disk damage. Repeat the $VERIFY process
several times. Also try the $VERIFY process on another computer. If
the story ever replies "DISK CORRECT," the problem is in your
hardware. If you repeatedly get an error message on more than one
computer, the disk has most likely been damaged.
COMMAND OPTIONS (switches) - IBMPe
•
If - Disables the UNDO feature in stories that use it This switch is
useful on machines with 256 kbytes or less of memory in the sense that it
frees some memory (but disables a useful feature) thereby giving you
somewhat faster game play. The UNDO feature is automatically disabled if
there is not enough memory to support it. Machines with more than 256k
will have enough memory to load the entire game with the UNDO feature,
in which case the speedup is negligible.
/k - allows you to specify how much memory the story can use in
kbytes. (e.g., /k128) Normally it uses as much as it can get. This switch
might be useful if you think that the story is affecting or being affected by
other memory resident programs that you have loaded.
COLOUR DISPLAY - ATARISTONLY
If you are using a colour monitor, you can change the colours used in
the display. At the prompt (», hold down the SHIFT key and use the four
cursor keys to cycle through the available combinations.
If you are using a monochrome monitor, you can reverse the video in
the same way.
AMIGA PREFERENCES - AMIGA ONLY
ONLY
You may issue command options, by using switches, when you load
the story. The switches allow you to tell the story extra infonnation about
the hardware you are using and how you want the story to be displayed on
your computer's screen.
Switches are entered at the .same time and on the same line as the story
title when you load the story. They are all entered in the form"title" I
command (e.g. IDTCIDflK/r <R.ETIJR.N» with a space between the story
title and the I.
Here is a liSt of switches which you may use.
Uisplay Switcbes
In most cases, your story will be displayed in the most efficient and
liCSthetic manner posible. However, because of numerous types of hardware
configurations and the different graphics characteristics of each story plus
yuur own wants in terms of how the story display should look, you might
lry the following options:
Ie - selects colour output provided colour compatibility and a colour
monuor are available. The Ic switch also allows you to select foreground
and bacleground colours after the switch (e.g., Ic?] gives white on blue,
which is the default). Refer to the system documentation for numbers to
usc.
1m - prohibits colour input. This is the default on machines without
c "lour capability.
Several aspects of the story presentation can be changed using the
Amiga Preferences tool, including text size (60 or 80 columns) and colour .
The size can be changed only before the story is started. You also use
Preferences to specify your type of printer and the port to which it is
connected. The Amiga supports both parallel and serial devices.
MEMORY USAGE AND MULl-TASKING
- AMIGAONLY
On a multi-tasking computer such as the Amiga, tasks must share the
available memory. Some tasks may require that a certain amount of free
memory be available at all times. Also, actions like opening, resizing and
hiding windows can temporarily require large amounts of memory.
When the lI_!,focomstory loads, it will always leave a specified amount
of memory free. The default minimum amount is 64 Kbytes. This can be
changed by starting the story from the CLI with a special argument of the
form "FIn," where n is the new minimum number of bytes to leave free
(for example, Zork F/32000). If you supply an argument, memory use
statistics will be displayed when the story loads.
You may need 10 increase the amount of free memory if, for example,
you are running several tasks and switching between them fails or causes
the system to hang. On the other hand, you can probably decrease free
memory if you are running only the story. This may reduce or eliminate
disk activity on versions of the Amiga with limited memory.
Quick Reference Guide
I. To start the story ("boot up"). see the
relevant section.
2. When you see the prompt (> on your
screen, Hitchhiker'S is waiting for your
input. There are four kinds of sentences or
commands that Hitchhiker's understands:
6. When you want to stop, save your place
for later, or start over. read the "Starting
and Stopping" section on page 8.
7. If you have trouble, refer to the specific
section of this manual for more detailed
instructions.
NOW THE ONLY LIMIT IS YOUR IMAGINATION
FROM--
MASTERTRONiC
Classic Infocom Interactive fiction is back - at an lrresistable price.
ZORK I - The great underground empire beckons you into a world fraught with danger and discovery.
Using all the cunning you can muster, you'll plunge far below the surface of the earth in search of the
Incomparable treasures of Zork. In this, the original Infooom adventure, you'll rome face to face with
creatures so outlandish they defy description. AnQ you'll wander through an underground domain so vast,
"
with so many twists and turns, that it will offer you new surprises no matter how many times you explore it.
A. Direction commands: To move from
place to place. just type the direction you
want to go: N (or NORTH), E, S, W, NE,
SEt NW. SW, U (or UP). D. IN, OUT, P (or
PORT), SS, F, or AFT.
,
B. Actions: Just type whatever you want to
do. Some examples: READ THE SOOK or
OPEN THE DOOR or LOOK THROUGH
THE WINDOW. Once you're familiar with
simple commands, you'll want to use more
complex ones as des~ribed in '~C0ffi:m~ni:,
eating with Infocom s Interactive FIction.
I
PLANETFALL - 'Join the Patrol and see the Galaxy'. You took the poster's advice and marched into the
recruitment station near your home on the backwater planet of Gallium. PLANETFALL teleports you 100
cenfurles into the future, onto a Stellar Patrol ship where your rank is Ensign 7th class - about as low as
you can go. But then the ship explodes, and you are jettisoned onto a world plagued by floods, pestilence
nd a mutant Wild Kingdom. Luckily, you are accompanied by Floyd the mischievous robot - who might
h Ip you find the secret to saving it...
C. Commands given to people: To talk to
characters in the story, type their name,
then a comma. then what you want to say
to them. For example: MARVIN, GIVE ME
THE AXE or OLD MAN, GO NORTH.
D. Special one-word commands: Some
one-word commands, such as INVENTORY
or DIAGNOSE, give you specific information or affect your output. A list of these
appears in the "Special Commands"
section.
I
WISH BRINGER - A postal clerk in the seaside village of Festerton, you set out to deliver an envelope to
Y Olde Magick Shoppe. Familiarity reigns until an old woman in the shop persuades you to help find her
kldn pped cat. Then your world takes on the dimensions of a nightmare, where trolls guard bridges,
goldfish become piranhas, vultures spy on you, ghosts haunt the cemetery and your little post office
b comes a fortress-like tower. You'll want to use The Wishbringer, a magical stone embued with wishes,
galn and again as you confront unusual creatures - and finally, The Evil One.
LEATHER GODESSES OF PHOBOS - A hilarious spoof of 1930s pulp science fiction, you're kidnapped
by the evil Leather Godesses. They take you back to Phobos as an experimental subject, while
preparations continue to turn earth into their private pleasure playground. Playing the role of a male or
female, you'll embark on a bawdy, rousing and very amusing romp across the solar system. With three
'n ughtiness levels', the game will please everyone - from the lewd to the crude.
3. Important! After typing your sentence or
command, you must press the RETURN (or
ENTER) key before Hitchhiker's will
respond.
4. On most computers, your screen will
have a special line called the "status line."
It tells you the name of your current
location, your score, and the number of
turns you have taken.
AVAILABLE ON:
PC, Amlg. and ST £9.99
(PC versions contain both 5.25" and 3.5" disks)
5. You can pick up and carry many of the
items you'll find in the story. For example
if you type TAKE THE NECKLACE, you
will be carrying it. Type INVENTORY to
see a list of the items you are carrying.
FROM--
M4ST~~RTRONiC
For Furth.r Information plea •• contact:
eACTIVISION
1990
®VIRGfN MASTERTRONIC LTD 1990
14
USTOMER SERVICES, VIRGIN MASTERTRONIC LTD, 16 PORTLAND ROAD. LONDON W11 2LA TEL: 071-727-8070
--