Beyond Zork :==================: documentation Typed by Mach Three Section I: Dark times have fallen upon the Southlands of Quendor. All the enchanters have disappeared without a trace. Monsters roam the country side. The taverns are filled with disturbing rumors and unsavory characters. A simple peasant like yourself knows better to get involved in the affairs of wizards. But everyone you meet seems intent on testing your abilities to the utmost. You find yourself drawn into a web of fantasy and magic, solving puzzles, seeking treasure, avoiding traps, and fighting monsters. Your strength and power grow with every encounter, until the most fabulous treasure of all - the fables Coconut of Quendor - lies within your grasp. If only you can survive long enough to claim it! The on screen map: Unlike previous Zork adventures, Beyond Zork comes with an on-screen map that adds to itself as you explore Quendor. The on-screen map shows only a small part of the geography, so it's a good idea to draw a separate map as you play. Some notes about the map: o A question mark indicates a dark room (you'll need a light source to see) o Room exits are displayed only if you've seen them. o A room with an up exit has an up arrow. o A room with a down exit has a down arrow. o You can click on the up or down arrows to move up or down (using a mouse) Function keys: Many commands are commonly used, and instead of typing them in each time you can use a function key. To see what the function keys are set to, or to change the settings, type DEFINE and use the arrow to highlight the settings you want to change. The vertical bar (|) is used as an abbreviation for the RETURN key, so LOOK| means you want the RETURN key to be pressed automatically with that function key. You can restore all the original settings of the function keys by highlighting the RESTORE DEFAULTS command. For the apple, the function keys are accessed by holding down the open apple key with the number 1-0. Special Commands: There are a number of commands with special meanings. Those with a (*) are new to Beyond Zork. Numeric Keypad: If you have a numeric keypad, you can use the numbers to move in the corresponding direction. 5 will move either up or down. AGAIN - typing AGAIN will respond as if you repeated the last command. You can also type G instead of AGAIN. BRIEF - this will print out little information when you enter a new location. SUPERBRIEF will print only the name of the place, while NORMAL will print information the first time you enter. VERBOSE will always print maximum information. *COLOR - with a color monitor, you can change from 1-4 color palettes. *DEFINE - This command allows you to change the function keys to whatever you like. INVENTORY - Gives a list of what you are carrying. Use the arrow keys to scroll if it doesn't all fit in the window. You can also type I for short. LOOK - Gives a detailed description of the room. You can also type L. *MODE - If you find the maps and screen features undesirable, MODE will switch to the 'standard' screen like other infocom games. MODE can also switch back. *MONITOR - Your characters endurance attribute is especially important. Therefore, whenever something affects your endurance, your endurance level is automatically displayed. If for some reason you do not with to mintor endurance, use the MONITOR command to toggle it on and off. *NAME - In Beyond Zork, you have the power to name weapons and living things. For instance, you can NAME THE DOG "ROVER" or NAME THE SWORD "HEADCHOPPER" or NAME THE HIPPOPOTAMUS "FRED". You can then use the new name in descriptions. *NOTIFY - Normally in BZ, the game will notify you when any attributes change (for exampe, your luck goes up). If you don't want this, toggle it off with the NOTIFY command. OOPS - If you mistype a word, you can fix it on the next line by saying OOPS followed by the correct word. For example, if you typed "TAKE THE CLUB FROM THE GIAMT" you could type "OOPS GIANT" and BZ would understand the sentence. QUIT - Quit. RESTART - Restart new game. RESTORE - Restore old game. SAVE - Save a game. SCRIPT - Turn on the printer. *SETTINGS - This allows you to change many settings (verbose, script, etc.) in a nice looking menu. *STATUS - This tells you your strength, luck, and other attributes. *UNDO - You can use this to back up one move in case you made a bad mistake. UNSCRIPT - Stop the printer from printing. VERSION - version of Zork. WAIT - Lets the character wait a few turns (perhaps to heal). Synonymous with Z *ZOOM - With zoom, you can change the on-screen map to show a larger view. In this larger view, however, UP and DOWN exits are not displayed but you will see more of the map at one time. ZOOM also toggles back. The Lore and Legends of Quendor: Grue: The grue is a sinister, lurking presence in the dark places of the earth. It's favorite diet is adventures, but it's insatiable appetite is tempered by it's fear of light. No grue has ever been seen by the light of day; few have survived its fearsome jaws to tell the tale. Discipline Crab: These crabs are small, moral crustaceans found in cellars, fallout shelters, and subterranean lairs. These brooding curmudgeons are deeply offended by the slightest intrusion; if cornered, they employ their razor edged pincers with righteous efficiency. Eldritch Vapor: These creatures dwell in cemeteries, moors, and other locales where the fog will hide their evershifting forms. Gleeful and mischievous, they enjoy snatching away the posessions of those foolish enough to wander into their realm. Visitors without posessions are themselves snatched away. Dornbeast: Smart adventurers run the other way when they hear "Hurumph," the battle cry of the deadly dornbeast. It's 69 sensitive eyes can paralyze an unwary adventurer with a single glare. Captured victims are plastered with round, sticky secretions that never come off. Monkey Grinder: Avoid this nightmare at all costs! Spawn of a carnival necromancer, the monkey grinder can blast minds to jelly with it's powerful Sense Organ. Deceptively eloquent in both manner and speech, these loathsome creatures actually possess little intelligence and suffer an illiteracy rate of 103%. Implementor: The implementors are a race of minor deities who dwell on the Ethereal Plane of Atrii. Their ample free time is spent on costly luncheons where gossip and sweet nectars flow freely. Implementors do not discourage rumours that the world was created by them as a plaything. Giant Corbie: Corbies are carrion birds with sharp eyesight and sharper beaks. Their color vision is so well developed, they can spot a yellow grotch in a hayfield from 200 bloits away. Corbies prefer the taste of dead, rotting flesh, but have been known to feast on live, running adventurers. Christmas Tree Monster: Vast herds of these luminous vegetables roam freely amid the glacial valleys of the south. Residents fear the autumn migrations, in which the trees cheerfully trample everything in their path. Christmas tree monsters are repelled by caterpillars, but nobody can explain why. Minx: Irresistably cuddly, the minx shares all the most ingratiating characteristics of kittens, koala bears, and piglets. Minxes are highly prized for their ability to find and root out chocolate truffles from the ground, and will eagerly devour them if given the opportunity. Unicorn: Most unicorns have fled to the Plane of TransInfinite Splendor, where they enjoy a carefree existence away from the cruelty of man. The unhappy few left behind are eagerly sought by zoos and private collectors. It is good luck to kiss a unicorns horn; but woe to any fool who harms one. Froon: Legends of this magical kingdom date back before the reign of Entharion the Wise (0-41 GUE). Said to lie somewhere beyond the clouds, Froon was the setting for a series of beloved children's book by L. Frank Fzort, and later became a successful movie musical starring Judy Garlic. Hungus: Part sheep, part hippopotamus, the hungus builds its nest in jungle swamps and other hot, squishy places. Normally docile and eager to avoid confilct, the hungus is fiercely clannish, and will instantly charge at anything that dares threaten it's kin. Spenseweed: The healing virtues of this common roadside plant are well documented. Although it is safe to eat, spenseweed is most effective when applied directly to wounds as a salve. Avoid the cheap commercial preparations, which may contain artificial coloring and preservatives. Chocolate Truffle: Chocolate truffles grow only between the roots of oak trees. Dark brown when fresh, they decompose rapidly once exposed to air. Moss of Mareilon: First classified in 843 GUE, this soft pale fungus thrives in underground tunnels and public toilets. When squeezed, the moss releases an invisible cloud of spores which improves the dexterity of laboratory rat-ants. Its effect on other species is uncertain. Compass Rose: The stem of this rare annual always droops in the direction of the prevailing wind. Rumors that the compass rose can actually control the wind are hotly denied by the Guild of Meteorologists, who harvested the species to the brink of extinction in the Rose Riots of 811 GUE. Morgia Root: It is a rare enchanter who does not carry morgia root to gnaw on during a long journey. The mint-flavored juice improves stamina, slakes thirst, and conceals bad breath. In domestic applications, morgia root is often baked into pies, and makes an excellent platypus stuffing. Cruel Puppet: Few creatures are more despised than the cruel puppet. It attacks by twisting itself into unflattering caricatures of its opponent, accompanied by jeers, rude noises, and shocking accusations. Staunch monarchs have been reduced to tears by these merciless shapeshifters. Dust Bunny: Dust bunnies burrow in obscure corners and under furniture, and defend their territory by multiplying. They can clog a passageway in seconds, filling the air with dark, suffocating particles. Static electricity and lemon-scented sprays are their only natural enemies. Pheebor: Ruins of this ancient city are still visible at the confluence of the rivers Phee and Bor. The reason for its downfall (circa 400 BE) is unclear, but minstrels sing of a feud between Pheebor and its sister city Borphee over the naming of what is now called the Borphee River. Red Herring: These common fish patrol the dark recesses of freshwater pools and streams. But a handful of granola brings them racing to the surface, a fact known by every rural schoolboy. The old adage that red herring is "good brain food" has no scientific basis. Lucksucker: Lucksuckers feed on good fortune. Part physical entity, part mental phenomenon, the sucker's appearance is based on the laws of probability, and may change without warning. Good luck charms provide only a temporary shield against attack The best strategy is to run! Ur-Grue: Ur-grues are thought to be shades of fallen Implementors. Skilled in black sorcery, the ur-grue can envelop itself in a personal zone of darkness which neither lamp nor flame can penetrate. Sunlight is the only thing it fears. It is unwise even to speak of this utterly evil entity. The Coconut of Quendor: Though reluctant to dismiss the Coconut outright, most historians regard its historical existence as dubious at best. Orkan of Thriff has suggested that if all the "Shards of The One True Coconut" and "Vials of the Blessed Milk" were gathered in one place, they would form a stack nine bloits high. That's it...look for a solve soon... Beyond Zork Instruction Manual Preface to the Story Dark times have fallen upon the Southlands of Quendor. All the enchanters have disappeared without a trace. Monsters roam the countryside. The taverns are filled with disturbing rumors and unsavory characters. A simple peasent like yourself knows better than to get involved in the affairs of wizards. But everyone you meet seems intent on testing your abilities to the utmost. You find yourself drawn into a web of fantasy and magic, solving puzzles, seeking treasure, avoiding traps, and fighting monsters. Your strength and power grow with every encounter, until the most fabulous treasure of all--the fabled Coconut of Quendor--lies within your grasp. If only you can survive long enough to claim it! Unlike other Infocom stories in which your character is "set" from the start, Beyond Zork lets you create your own character with six attributes: endurance, strength, dexterity, intelligence, compassion, and luck. Some situations in the story require dexterity, some require a combination of these attributes. You can choose your attributes yourself, or you can use a character already set up by the computer. You must fight monsters and solve puzzles to succeed in your quest. Since your success will often depend on your attributes, mindful players will try to improve their attributes as they venture onward. The story is presented in a new and flexible way. A map in the upper-right portion of your screen shows the immediate area and the directions you can move. You can use the on-screen map and your mouse to move to adjacent rooms if you have an Apple IIgs or Macintosh. If your computer has a numeric keypad, you can use it to move around as well. Experienced Infocom players may recognize references to other Infocom games. However, there are many new commands in Beyond Zork, and character development adds a new degree of challenge. - The On-Screen Map The on-screen map shows only a small part of the entire geography, so it's a good idea to draw a separate map as you play. Some notes about the on-screen map: o A question mark on the map indicates a dark room (a room in which you need a light source to see). o Room exits are displayed on the map only if you've seen them. o A room with an UP exit shows an up arow on the map. o A room with a DOWN exit shows a down arrow on the map. o A room with both an UP exit and a DOWN exit shows both an up arrow and a down arrow. o You can click on the up or down arrows to move UP or DOWN (if you have an Apple IIgs or Macintosh). - Function Keys As described elsewhere in this documentation, many commands have abbreviations: you can type N instead of NORTH, for instance, or I instead of INVENTORY. With function keys, you can use a single keystroke as an abbreviation for whatever you choose. You can use a function key to abbreviate a long word that you don't like to type (like HIPPOPOTAMUS), or to abbreviate a commonly used command (like RESTORE), or even to abbreviate a whole sentence (like ATTACK THE MONSTER WITH THE SWORD). You start the story with the function keys already set to commonly used commands. To see what the function keys are set to, or to change the settings of the function keys, type DEFINE at the prompt (>) and press the RETURN key. Then use your up or down arrow keys to highlight the setting(s) you want to change. The vertical bar (|) or exclamation point (!) is used as an abbreviation for the RETURN key; so changing LOOK to LOOK| means you want the RETURN key automatically pressed when you use that function key. You can restore all the original settings of the function keys by highlighting the RESTORE DEFAULTS command and pressing the RETURN key. To leave the DEFINE screen, highlight the EXIT command and press the RETURN key. The chart below shows where the function keys are on your machine. Apple IIe and IIc; Apple-1 through Apple-0 Apple IIgs; Command-1 through Command-0 Apple Macintosh; Command-1 through Command-0 - Special Commands COLOR - If you are playing Beyond Zork on a computer with a color monitor, you can type COLOR to change the colors on your screen. This command works only on computers which support a color display. DEFINE - This command allows you to change the settings of the function keys. For example, if pressing function key 2 is like typing INVENTORY, you can change this to DROP ALL, or DROP ALL followed by RETURN, or anything else, by using the DEFINE command. MODE - If you find the maps and other screen features of Beyond Zork undesirable, you can use the MODE command. This will make the screen look "standard," like every other Infocom game. The status line will list your name, attributes, location, and available exits. Typing MODE a second time will cause the "enhanced" screen features to return. NAME - In Beyond Zork, you have the power to name weapons and living things. For instance, you can NAME THE DOG "ROVER" or NAME THE SWORD "EXCALIBUR" or NAME THE HIPPOPOTAMUS "FRED". Beyond Zork will then use the name in its descriptions, and you can use the name as a synonym for the object. This feature is particularly convenient when an unnamed object is long or hard to spell. NOTIFY - Normally in Beyond Zork, the game will notify you whenever any of your attributes change (for example, when your luck goes up or when your dexterity goes down) or when any attribute returns to normal (such as when you build your endurance back afer being wounded in battle). You can turn off this notification feature by using the NOTIFY command. Typing NOTIFY a second time turns the feature back on. PRIORITY - As you play Beyond Zork, most information is displayed in a box at the top half of your screen. For instance, when you enter a new room, the room's description will appear in the box; when you then type INVENTORY, your inventory will appear in the box. If you want to specify what kind of information will appear in the box, you can use the PRIORITY command. For example, if you want the box to show you your inventory at all times, type INVENTORY (and press the RETURN key) and then type PRIORITY (and press the RETURN key); thereafter the box will always show your inventory, updating it when you pick up new items or drop or lose others. (Room descriptions will thereafter appear in the bottom half of the screen.) Similarly, if you want the box to show room descriptions at all times, type LOOK (and press the RETURN key) and then type PRIORITY (and press the RETURN key). You can turn this feature off by typing PRIORITY OFF. REFRESH - This command clears your screen and redraws the display. SETTINGS - This command allows you to view and change many of the settings dealing with screen display and output. (You can turn SCRIPTing on or off, you can change descriptions from BRIEF to VERBOSE, you can change the setting of PRIORITY, and so on.) Use the up and down arrow keys to select a setting, and use the left and right arrow keys to change a setting. You can restore all of the default settings by highlighting RESTORE DEFAULT and pressing the RETURN key. STATUS - This command displays your attributes, telling you your strength, luck, endurance, compassion, dexterity, intelligence, and armor class. This command is synonymous with SCORE. UNDO - You can use this command to "back-up" one move. Supose, for example, that you found a package but didn't know what was in it. You might type OPEN THE PACKAGE and be told "The package explodes as you open it, damaging your weapons and destroying all your other possessions." You could then type UNDO, and you would "back up" one move. Your weapons and other possessions would be intact, and you could try giving the package to an enemy, or leaving it alone, or something else. The UNDO command does not work during combat (when you're fight a monster, for instance). ZOOM - As long as you are playing Beyond Zork in "enhanced" mode rather than in "standard" mode, a partial map of the game will automatically appear on your screen. By using the ZOOM command, you can see more rooms on your screen, but in less detail (e.g., UP and DOWN exits will not be shown); typing ZOOM a second time returns the map size to normal. - Hints for Better Playing 1. If you are creating your own character, remember that all of the attributes are important. Don't be tempted to put all your eggs in one basket (by giving yourself lots of endurance, for instance, but very little luck or dexterity); otherwise you may not be able to solve a puzzle or defeat certain monsters. The attributes of the "default" characters are all sufficient to complete the story. 2. There are two ways to buy things in a store. You can simply trade items in your inventory for merchandise you want, or you can offer valuables to the shopkeeper and establish a personal line of credit. If you're not sure what an item is worth, ask the shopkeeper. 3. Weapons are more effective if you WIELD them first. You can SET ASIDE or UNWIELD a weapon when you're done with it. 4. Certain magic items (such as wands and scrolls) can only be used a few times before they lose their potency. Conserve your magic! 5. It's a good idea to bring any items you find (or steal) to a specialist for identification. This will alert you to any special properties they may possess. 6. Don't be surprised if parts of the geography seem to change from time to time, or if treasures appear in different guises and locations. No two games of Beyond Zork are exactly alike! - Numeric Keypad commands _________________ _________________ | 7 | 8 | 9 | | NW | N | NE | |_____|_____|_____| |_____|_____|_____| | 4 | 5 | 6 | Becomes | W | U/D | E | |_____|_____|_____| |_____|_____|_____| | 1 | 2 | 3 | | SW | S | SE | |_____|_____|_____| |_____|_____|_____| That's all folks!