Ite. So many questions, and I'm only allowed 5 e-mails a day. So, I'm
replying in a global message here. Hope you all get it. I won't mention
names, but rest assured I'll try to answer all your questions.
Okay, the game first. It's written in Inform, which is a programming language
written by Graham Nelson. Inform was created in an odd way; Graham wanted to
be able to write adventure games that the V5 compiler (that Infocom, creator of
Zork, Enchanter, etc., created) could run. So, he devined the V5 code format
and wrote Inform to create that code. In retrospect, he says that in the end,
what came out wasn't very similar to Infocom's original programming language,
but had the same effect.
Inform (and indeed a whole lot of other adventure games) is available at
ftp://ftp.gmd.de (if I remembered it right...) You should be able to find Mac,
Amiga, Archimedes, etc. ports. Oh, by the way, I don't think an 8086 will run
the executable I'm afraid. It might, and I'll still send you the executable,
but don't count on it. If you have another computer, then check out the above
address for that version of Inform and accompanying ZIP compilers. If you find
one, let me know, and I'll send you the Z5 file (note: this isn't an
executable, but any ZIP compiler can run it).
Yes, I have heard of AGT, but I haven't been really impressed by any of the
games I've seen for it. As far as I'm aware, the best programming languages
for adventure games so far are TADS and Inform.
Sorry, but I can't pay your fee. Don't have Internet access at the moment.
New College allows E-mail, but for now, WWW is strictly off-limits.
Okay, now the plot. I won't give much away yet, but I'll need to explain some
of the premises to answer those questions that concern it.
The game is split into four sections. The first is the Start Game, which is
the bookstore only. The second is the Main Game, and takes up the most time and
puzzle space, since it concerns itself with solving the crisises in the three
books already mentioned. The third is the Final Confrontation, where a fourth
book is fleetingly introduced, and you must defeat your main adversary. The
last is the End Game, where you must find a way out of what seems inevitable.
Am I sounding needlessly cryptic? Good.
The three books in the Main Game are all separate books. You start trapped in
them, but as you play through them, you learn how to use the portals to leap to
the other two. However, there are limits to the portals. Only you and any
inanimate objects that you're carrying may pass through. For instance, if you
attempt to carry a cat through, the portal will not affect it. Therefore,
taking Ranma to the Hitchhiker's Guide won't work.
Also, each of the books has a major crisis imminent. These crisises won't
activate until you're close to completing each book; in other words there is
no global time limit to work against. However, some of the puzzles do have
time limits, so as the crisis approaches, these will become more prevalent.
Only Hitchhiker's Guide and Ranma 1/2 have had any work done to them. HHGTTG
is set in the Guide's building itself, from the book "Mostly Harmless". You
meet up with Ford early on, and the main objective is to help Ford recover the
Guide Mk II and disrupt Chronos' control over it.
Ranma 1/2 has a crisis of a different sort. Knowing that all of the characters
rest on either Ranma or Akane, Chronos plans to assassinate one or both of
them. To complicate matters, everyone still have their own interests at heart.
To start with, Ian knows only English, and therefore cannot communicate with a
majority of the Ranma 1/2 cast (those who can speak English are assumed to be
Cologne, Happosai, Ryoga, Nabiki and Dr. Tofu). This isn't in the beta version
that's being sent, so everyone will speak English until then. (I'm hoping that
some kind soul, once I'm near completion, will take the English I already have
them speaking and translate them to Japanese...)
Okay, the end of the game so far isn't really marked, so I'll tell you it now.
There are two possible true endings. Ending in Ranma 1/2 is easy, since you
merely have to wait until Nabiki refuses to say anything more, and you can't
leave the guest room. Ending in Hitchhiker's is a lot more difficult, but once
the security bot is on your side, you've done it.
Oh, by the way, trying bizarre stuff is fully encouraged. For instance, try
CLIMB STREETLAMPS. Or JUMP OVER PUDDLES. Examine everything, search
everything, don't be afraid to experiment. A lot of bizarre bugs can be found
in this way, as well as inappropriate messages, etc.
A few abbreviations to help.
X = EXAMINE
Z = WAIT
N,NE,E,SE,S,SW,W,NW = Cardinal and mid-cardinal Directions
U = UP
D = DOWN
L = LOOK
Also, if a verb doesn't work, try a synonym. You might be lucky.
I really hope that helps. By the way, due to limits on E-mail at New College,
I'm giving the executable to a friend of mine named Mark Foggins. Two of you
should already have it by now (since I received those particular E-mails
yesterday). With any luck, Foggins will also remember tonight, and the rest of
you should have it by then.
Thanks a lot guys. And good luck. Ciao,
Terence Fergusson
-- Stranded in an Anime-free College
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"Brilliant. Totally insane, utter nonsense, but
we'll do it because it's brilliant nonsense."
- Ford Prefect
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