If you 've never played 's interac­ TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION I: Sample Transcript and Map tive fiction before, you should read this ABOUT This transcript is not from Planetfall, but it Section I: entire instruction manual. If you 're an ex­ Preface to the Story will give you a good feeling for how perienced Infocom player, just read About Planetfall Infocom 's works. It Section I: About Planetfall. Preface to the Story 3 After the fall of the Second Galactic Union contains some simple puzzles and their in 17 I 6 GY, a ten-thousand-year dark age solutions. The player's commands appear Hints 3 settled upon the galaxy. Interstellar travel in capital letters after each prompt (> ). The Sample Transcript and Map 3 was non-existent, and many star systems map represents the terrain in the sample descended into a near-barbaric state, transcript as you might have drawn it. About the Author 7 burning coal and gas for energy, and growing food directly from exposed Section II: topsoil. About Infocom's Interactive Fiction In I I ,203 GY, a treaty between the Empires of Tremain and Galium formed An Overview: the Third Galactic Union. Ships of the What is interactive fiction? 7 Stellar Patrol (a pseudo-military wing of Starting and Stopping 7 the Union government on Tremain) began • "Booting up" exploring the galaxy, searching for the • Saving and restoring human civilizations that are the remnants • Quitting and restarting of the Second Union. Communicating with You are a native of the planet Gallium. Infocom's interactive fiction 8 Although it is one of the most politically • Basic sentences powerful worlds in the Union, Gallium is • Complex sentences no garden spot. In fact, the Gallium • Talking to characters in the story Chamber of Commerce brochure entitled "Ten Great Reasons to Visit Gallium" ends Special Commands 10 on page 3. The author ran out of reasons Tips for Novices 11 after listing just two. Eleven useful pointers about For five generations, your family has >WAIT interactive fiction served in the Stellar Patrol. Your great­ Time passes .. . great-grandfather was a High Admiral and Common Complaints 12 As the scooter enters the station 's one of the fo undi ng officers of the Patrol. docking port, the retro-thrusters bring it to a We're Never Satisfied 13 It was taken for granted that when you halt. The port fills with air and the scooter's came of age you would join up. If You Have Technical Problems 13 hatch opens. · Now, more than a year after signing up, Copyright a nd and two months after being transferred to >LOOK Warranty Infor mation 14 the S.P.S. Feinstein, you are still only Scooter, in the pilot's couch Quick Reference Guide 14 ranked Ensign Seventh Class. Your You are in a cramped one-man space Th is briefly descri bes the most superior officer, Ensign First Class scooter. Through the viewport, you see the important things to know about Blather, has been making your life docking port of Space Station BG-12. The interactive fiction miserable. You 're beginning to wonder if scooter's hatch is open. You can see a you 're really cut out for the Stellar Patrol... toolbox here. ·

Hints >OPEN THE TOOLBOX This version of Planetfall includes hints ! If You can't reach it from the pilot's couch. you ever get stuck, you can type HINT and press the RETURN (or ENTER) key. Then >STAND UP follow the instructions on your screen. You are standing again. Most of the hints are nudges in the right direction; the last hint in the sequence is >OPEN THE TOOLBOX usually a complete answer. It's locked.

2 Instruction Manual Instruction Manual 3 >LEAVE THE SCOOTER >UNLOCK THE CAGE WITH THE KEY >EAT THE PASTE >PORT Docking Port This seems to be one of those new Mmmm .. .one of your favorites ... anchovies Main Hallway, Sector L This is the huge docking port of the sophisticated all-purpose-key-proof locks. and peanut butter. You empty the entire This is the station's main corridor, which space station. Only one ship is here at the "Break the bars! Get an acetylene torch! tube, and your hunger dissipates. continues to port and starboard. Rooms lie moment, a one-man scooter, so the Find a teleporter! I've got an appointment fore and aft. docking port seems unusually empty. A with my lawyer in five minutes! I'm allergic >OUT.DOWN.STARBOARD.FORE The Fussbudget gangles after you. It tube leads down toward the heart of the to cages!" The Fussbudget begins sneez­ Docking Port suddenly notices your identity bracelet. station . ing wildly. "Hey, if you gimme the bracelet, I can get Main Hallway, Sector M us lotsa food, whaddya say, huh?" >DOWN >AFT.PORT.UP.ENTER THE Main Hallway, Sector M SCOOTER.UNLOCK THE TOOLBOX Main Hallway, Sector N >GIVE BRACELET TO FUSSBUDGET This is the station's main corridor, which WITH THE KEY The Fussbudget grabs the bracelet and continues port and starboard. A tube leads Main Hallway, Sector N Sick Bay dashes forward. up toward the docking port. "It's about time you got back. You think Main Hallway, Sector M it's fun being locked in a cage? What if >FORE >STARBOARD there was a fire?" You bounce off an invisible security barrier. Main Hallway, Sector N Docking Port Within the room , you can see the This is the station's main corridor, which You are beginning to get hungry. >CUT THE BARS WITH THE HACKSAW Fussbudget, wearing the bracelet, greedily continues to port and starboard. A room You cut through one of the bars. The devouring a whole crate of Mondoweed lies to fore, and a tube leads down to the Scooter Fussbudget sticks its head through the fruits. next level of the station. Lying at the base You can see a toolbox here. gap. "Come on , cut some more! I'm almost of the wall is a key. out...do you think these edges where you >FUSSBUDGET, GIVE ME THE The toolbox is now unlocked. cut the bars are sharp?" BRACELET >TAKE THE KEY Without looking up or pausing for a second, Taken. >OPEN THE TOOLBOX >AGAIN the Fussbudget tosses you the bracelet. Opening the toolbox reveals an identity You cut a second bar. The Fussbudget >EXAMINE IT bracelet, a hacksaw, and a tube of nutrient squeezes through and leaps to the floor. >PUT ON THE BRACELET The key is one of those new all-purpose paste. "Thanks, bud. By the way, I'm a Fuss­ You are now wearing the bracelet. keys that molds itself to any lock. A typical budget." It hops across the room and pokes example of Garfoogian ingenuity. >TAKE ALL FROM THE TOLBOX four or five eye stalks cautiously through >FORE [I don't know the word ''tolbox."] the doorway. "Where is everyone? Hey, Store Room >FORE that looks like a tube of nutrient paste This is a small storage room of some sort. Sick Bay >OOPS TOOLBOX you 've got there." A hallway lies aft. Like the rest of the station, the medical identity bracelet: Taken. You can see an adapter plug here. facility is deserted, even though regulations hacksaw: Taken. >GIVE THE TUBE TO THE FUSSBUDGET The Fussbudget is just shoving the last require that the sick bay be staffed around tube of nutrient paste: You're carrying too The Fussbudget grabs the tube, wildly few fruits into its huge mouth."All the food the clock, ten chrons a day! The only exit is much weight already. squeezes it with all six hands, and then is gone," it says with its mouth full. "Where aft. At the far end of the room , inside a throws it to the deck. "Empty! If I don't eat am I gonna sleep tonight?" steel cage, is a Thoosian Fussbudget, >INVENTORY something soon I'll get sick." apparently asleep. You are carrying a hacksaw, an identity >AFT.AFT bracelet, a key, and a box of radioactive >AFT Main Hallway, Sector L >WAKE THE FUSSBUDGET isotopes. You are wearing a Patrol uniform. Main Hallway, Sector N The Fussbudget gangles after you. It jumps to its feet, all twelve of them. "Hey, The Fussbudget gangles after you. what's going on? Who are you? Lemme >DROP ALL BUT THE HACKSAW AND Director's Office outta here!" THEBRACELETTHENTAKETHETUBE >PORT This is the office of the station manager. key: Dropped. Main Hallway, Sector M It is simply furnished, with a file cabinet and >OPEN THE CAGE box of radioactive isotopes: Dropped. The Fussbudget gangles after you . a desk. There's an electrical outlet on one The cage is locked. Patrol uniform: You'll have to remove it first. wall. "Open the cage!" begs the Fussbudget, Sitting on the desk. is a portable com­ clawing at the bars. "I'm claustrophobic! I'll Taken. puter and a slip of paper. starve to death! I wanna go jogging!" You are now quite hungry. The Fussbudget gangles after you .

4 Instruction Manual Instruction Manual 5 >READ >AFT.AFT.PLUG THE ADAPTER INTO About the Author SECTION II: [What do you want to read?] THE SOCKET.PLUG THE CORD INTO ( 1957 - ) was born and ABOUT INFOCOM'S THE ADAPTER. raised in Yonkers, NY, where his early INTERACTIVE FICTION >SLIP OF PAPER Mai n Hallway, Sector L hobbies included rooting for the New York [taking the sl ip of paper first] Mets and against Richard Nixon. An Overview: What is "Buy milk. Dentist at 3300. New password Director's Office A few historians of interactive fiction interactive fiction? is 133." Sitting on the des k is a portable com­ think that Meretzky's first job, packing Interactive fiction is a story in which you puter. nuts and bolts for his father's hardware are the main character. Each interactive >TURN ON THE PORTABLE COMPUTER business, was the formative moment of his story, such as Planetfall, presents you with Noth ing happens. Done. writing career. A few other people think a series of locations, items, characters, and The Fussbudget shivers. "Does it seem that there's absolutely no connection. Most events. You can affect the direction of the chilly in here? I hate drafty places." A look Done. people don't think about it at all. story by moving from place to place, using of concern crosses its face. "Do you think Meretzky arrived at the the objects you find, and interacting with the heating units have failed?" >TURN ON THE COMPUTER Institute of Technology in September of the other characters. The computer beeps and the screen lights 197 5 to pursue a career in architecture. An important element of interactive >EXAMINE THE COMPUTER up, saying , "Please type password." MIT's Department of Architecture fiction is puzzle-solving. Think of a locked The portable computer has a screen, a convinced Meretzky that he should pursue door or a ferocious beast not as a perma­ keyboard, and a power cord. The screen is >TYPE "1 33" a career in Construction Management. nent obstacle, but merely as a puzzle to be blank. The screen says "Password accepted. Following hi s unexpected graduation, tackled. (Find the key that unlocks the The Fussbudget says, "See ya later, bub. Type 7 fo r memo fi le , 11 for correspon­ several construction firms convinced door, or figure out what tune will charm I'm gonna go catch some winks." It gangles dence file ." Meretzky that he should pursue a career as and tame that beast.) out. a game tester for Infocom. Finally, by In Planetfall, time passes only in >TYPE 7 I 982, had convinced Meretzky response to your input. Nothing happens >PLUG THE POWER CORD INTO THE The last page of the memo pad appears on that he should pursue a career as an author until you type a sentence and press the ELECTRICAL OUTLET the screen: of interactive fiction ("implementor" in RETURN (or ENTER) key, so you can plan The cord ends in a nine-prong plug, but the "22-Bozbar. All personnel have tele­ Infocom lingo). your turns as slowly and carefully as you outlet will only accept five-prong plugs. ported down to the planet. I'll join them Planetfall is Meretzky's first work of want. with in the chron, but I wanted to say interactive fiction. Along with Infocom's In the story, time is kept in millichrons, >FORE.FORE goodbye to this old station; it's foo bad we , Meretzky is the first person the galactic standard. A thousand milli­ Main Hallway, Sector L couldn't stop that reactor bui ld-up. By the admitted to the Science Fiction Writers of chrons make up one chron, and ten chrons way, the latest reading for Critical is 6400." America for authoring interactive fiction. make up one day. In addition to keeping Store Room While at Infocom, a heart-warming track of the time, Planetfall measures your The Fussbudget is s noring loudly in the >TIME inter-office romance blossomed between progress by giving you a score. You'll get corner. Adjusted Galactic Standard Time is exactly Steve and the Sales Department's Eliza­ points for solving puzzles and for reaching You can see an adapter plug here. 6396. beth Rock. Married since September of new locations. A perfect score of 80 is 1985, Steve and Betty have one child, your goal; making sure you have fun >TAKE >FORE Daniel. getting there is ours. [the adapter plug] Main Hallway, Sector L Other works of interactive fiction by Taken. Suddenly, a giant fi reball engulfs the Steve Meretzky: Starting and Stopping entire station. Sorcerer® (1984) >EXAMINE IT Starting the story: To load Planetfall, The Hitchhiker' s Guide to th e Galaxy"' follow the instructions on the Reference The adapter seems designed to fi t nine­ **** You have died ***** (1984) (with ) prong plugs into five-prong outlets. Card in your package. "' (1985) You r score is 9 points out of a total of 80, in On your screen, you will see a descrip­ Leather Goddesses of Phohos® (1986) tion of the opening location of the story, 92 moves. This gives you the rank of pot Stationfa!t " (1987) scrubber. Deck Five, followed by the prompt (>), indicating that Planetfall is waiting for your first input Here are a few inputs for you to try at the first several prompts. After typing each input, don't forget to hit the RETURN (or ENTER) key.

6 Instruction Manual Instruction Manual 7 >INVENTORY Communicating with Infocom's You can use multiple objects with certain The word ALL refers to every visible object >EXAMINE THE PATROL UNIFORM Interactive Fiction verbs if you separate them by the word except those inside something else. If there >WALK STARBOARD In Planetfall, you type your commands in AND or by a comma. Some examples: were an apple on the ground and an orange >DROPTHECHRONOMOTER plain English each time you see the prompt inside a cabinet, TAKE ALL would take the >TAKE THE MEGAFUSE AND THE You should now have a feel for interacting (> ). Planetfall usually acts as if your com­ apple but not the orange. TANGERINE with the story. You decide what to do next. mands begin with "I want to ... ," although There are two kinds of questions that >DROP THE BOTTLE OF ARGON, THE you shouldn't actually type those words. Planetfall understands: WHERE IS SPOON, AND THE LEMMING FOOD Saving and restoring: It will probably You can use words like THE if you want, (something) and WHAT IS (something). take you several days to complete [ >PUT THE MATTER AND THE ANTI­ For example: and you can use capital letters if you want; MATTER IN THE BOX Planetfall. Using the SAVE featu_re, you Planetfall doesn't care either way. >WHAT IS A ? can continue the story at a later time When you have finished typing your .l >WHERE IS FUSSBUDGET? without having to start over from the input, press the RETURN (or EN!ER) key. You can include several inputs on one line beginning, just as you can p~ace a boo~­ if you separate them by the word THEN or Planetfall will then respond, tellmg y~m mark in a book you are readmg. Even if whether your request is possible at this by a period. Each input will handled in When you meet intelligent creatures in you aren't about to stop playing, it's useful point in the story, and what happened as a order, as though you had typed them Planetfall, you can talk to them by typing to SAVE before (or after) trying something result. individually at separate prompts. For their name, then a comma, then whatever dangerous or tricky. That way, even if you Planetfall recognizes your words by example, you could type all of the follow­ you want to say to them. Here are some get lost or "killed" in the story, you can their first nine letters, and all subsequent ing at once, before pressing the RETURN examples: return to your saved position. letters are ignored. For example, Planetfall (or ENTER) key: >ZEKE, HELLO To save your place, type SA VE at the would not be able to distinguish between >PUSH THE BUTTON. ENTER THE >CAPTAIN MEASEL, TELL ME ABOUT prompt(>), and then press RETURN (or DEMONSTRAtion, DEMONSTRAtive, and ENTER). Then follow the instructions for DEMONSTRAtor. SPACE SCOOTER THEN SHUT THE THE ASTEROID HATCH >UNCLE OTTO, GIVE ME YOUR WALLET saving and restoring on your Reference To move around, just type the direction Card. Some computers require a blank >PLATO, WHERE IS THE CREW? you want to go. Directions can be >BOY RUN HOME THEN CALL POLICE SAVE disk, initialized and formatted. abbreviated: NORTH to N, SOUTH to S, If Planetfall doesn't understand one of the >GALACTIC OVERLORD, PICK UP THAT Using a disk with data on it (other than EAST to E, WEST to W, NORTHEAST to sentences on your input line, or if an PLANETOID. EAT IT Planetfall saves) may result in the loss of N·E, NORTHWEST to NW, SOUTHEAST to unusual event occurs, it will ignore the rest that data, depending on your computer. SE SOUTHWEST to SW, UP.to U, and of your input line. You can save your position as often as you DOWN to D. IN and OUT will also work in The words IT and ALL can be very Notice that in the last two examples, you like by using additional blank disks. certain places. useful. For example: are giving the character more than one Any time you want to return to a saved Planetfall understands many different command on the same input line. Keep in >EXAMINE THE OXYGEN TANK. TAKE position, just type RESTORE at the prompt kinds of sentences. Here are examples, mind however, that many creatures don't IT. PUT IT ON. (>),and hit RETURN (or ENTER). Then using objects and characters that don't care for idle chatter; your actions will >TURN ON THE HYPERSPATIAL follow the instructions on your Reference actually appear in Planetfall: speak louder than your words. Card. You can then continue the story from COMPUTER. PROGRAM IT. TURN IT your save. You can type LOOK for a >WALK TO THE NORTH OFF. Planetfall tries to guess :r:our inter.ition description of where you are. >WEST >PICK UP THE ENERGY TABLET. SMELL when you give incomplete mformat1on. >NE IT. SWALLOW IT. When it does so, it will tell you. For Quitting and restarting: If you want to >DOWN >TAKE ALL example: start over from the beginning, type >TAKE METEORITE >TAKE ALL TOOLS >UNLOCK THE CONTROL PANEL RESTART and press the RETURN (or >OPEN THE HATCH >DROP ALL TOOLS EXCEPT THE (with the key) ENTER) key. (This is usually faster than >READ MANUAL WRENCH AND THE PHOTON SPANNER re-booting.) Planetfall will ask you to >LOOK UNDER THE OPERATING TABLE ., >TAKE ALL FROM THE CARTON The panel is now unlocked. confirm this command. >LIE DOWN IN THE ACCELERATION >PUT ALL IN THE POCKET OF THE If you want to stop entirely, type QUIT . COUCH JUMPSUIT or and press RETURN (or ENTER). Once . >EXAMINE THE SHINY LASER RIFLE .J >GIVE ALL BUT THE BATTERY TO THE again, Planetfall will ask to make sure this >PUT POWER PACK IN RIFLE BROKEN CYBORG >SHOOT THE SEVEN-HEADED PURPLE is really what you want to do. >SHOW MY ANTENNAE TO THE ALIEN ALIEN (with the seven-headed purple alien gun) Remember: when you RESTART or AMBASSADOR QUIT, you must SAVE if you want to be >SHOOT THE MENACING ALIEN WITH A bolt of energy vaporizes one of the alien's heads. Unfortunately, it continues to able to return to your current point in the THE SHINY LASER RIFLE story. >ASK THE SENTIENT CRAB ABOUT THE advance, and there isn't a six-headed ELECTRON MICROSCOPE purple alien gun in sight.

8 Instruction Manual Instruction Manual 9 If your command is ambiguous, Planetfall Special Commands OOPS - If you mistype a word, such that VERSION - Planetfall responds by will ask you to clarify. You can answer Below are explanations for a number of Planetfall doesn't understand it, you can showing you the release number and the these questions simply by supplying the useful one-word commands. In many correct yourself at the next prompt by serial number of your copy of the story. missing infonnation at the very next cases, these will not count as a turn. Type typing OOPS and the correct word. For Please include this information if you ever prompt. For example: the command after the prompt(>) and press example, if you typed HAND THE CHAIN report a "bug" in the story. the RETURN (or ENTER) key. SAW TO GARNDMA and were told "[I don't >SHOW THE HOLOGRAM know the word 'garndma']" you could type WAIT - Causes time in the story to pass. Who do you want to show the hologram to? AGAIN - This will repeat your previous OOPS GRANDMA rather than retyping the Since nothing happens until you type a input. For instance, typing SHOOT THE entire sentence. sentence and press RETURN (or ENTER), >THE BUG-EYED MONSTER LASER AT THE RADIUM-POWERED you could leave your computer, take a trip The monster takes one look at the holo­ ROBOT then typing AGAIN would be like QUIT - This lets you stop. If you want to to Rigel Seven, then return to the story to gram of the slime pits of its homeworld, has trying to kill the robot twice in a row. You save your position before quitting, follow find that nothing has changed. You can use an acute attack of homesickness, and runs can abbreviate AGAIN to G. the instructions in the "Starting and WAIT to make time pass in the story off in search of a travel agent. Stopping" section on page 7. You can without doing anything. For example, if BRIEF - This command tells Planetfall to abbreviate QUIT to Q. you met an alien robot, you might WAIT to or fully describe a location only the first time see if it will say anything; if you were you enter it. On subsequent visits, Plan­ RESTART - This stops the story and starts aboard a moving space scooter, you might >GIVE THE MELON TO THE ALIEN etfall will tell you only the name of the it over from the beginning. WAIT to see where it goes. You can Which melon do you mean, the honeydew location and any objects present. Planetfall abbreviate WAIT to Z. melon or the moldy Venusian melon? will begin in BRIEF mode, and remain in RESTORE - This restores a previously BRIEF mode unless you use the VERBOSE saved position. See "Starting and Stop­ Tips for Novices >MOLDY or SUPERBRIEF commands. ping" on page 7 for more details. 1. Draw a map. It should include each The alien, grateful for such a delicious SUPERBRIEF tells Planetfall to display location, the connections to adjoining homeworld delicacy, gives you its time only the name of a place you have entered, SA VE - This puts a "snapshot" of your locations, and any interesting objects there. travel belt. even if you have never been there before. current position on your storage disk. You (See the small sample map that goes along In this mode, Planetfall will not even can return to a saved position in the future with the sample transcript on page 3.) mention which objects are present. Of using the RESTORE command. See Remember, there are 10 possible directions course, you can always get a full descrip­ "Starting and Stopping" on page 7 for (NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, NORTH­ tion of your location and the items there by more details. EAST, NORTHWEST, SOUTHEAST, typing LOOK. In SUPERBRIEF mode, the SOUTHWEST, UP , and DOWN) plus IN blank line between turns will be elimi­ SCRIPT - This command tells your printer and OUT. nated. This mode is meant for players who to begin making a transcript of the story. A are already familiar with the geography. transcript may aid your memory, but is not 2. EXAMINE all objects you come across in The VERBOSE command tells Planetfall necessary, and will work only on certain the story. that you want a complete description of computers. Read your Reference Card for each location, and the objects in it, every details. 3. TAKE as much things as you can carry. time you enter a location, even if you've Most objects that you find are important been there before. SUPERBRIEF - This command tells for solving the puzzles that you 'II run into. Planetfall to give you the sparsest level of DIAGNOSE - Planetfall will give you a description. See BRIEF above. 4. SAVE your place often, so that if you report of your physical condition. mess up or get "killed," you won 't have to TIME - This will give you the current time start over from the beginning. See page 7 HINT - If you have difficulty while playing in the story. for instructions. the story, and you can't figure out what to do, just type HINT. Then follow the UNSCRIPT - This tells your printer to stop 5. Read the story carefully! There are often directions at the top of your screen to read making a transcript. clues in the descriptions of locations and the hint of your choice. objects. · VERBOSE - This command tells Planetfall INVENTORY - Planetfall will list what you to give you the wordiest level of descrip­ are carrying and wearing. You can tion. See BRIEF above. abbreviate INVENTORY to I.

LOOK - This will give you a full descrip­ tion of your location. You can abbreviate LOOK to L. 10 Instruction Manual Instruction Manual 11 6. Try everything you can think of- even Common Complaints There seems to be a noun missing in We're Never Satisfied strange or dangerous actions are fun and Planetfall will complain if your input that sentence. This usually means your Here at Infocom, we're constantly trying to may provide clues; you can always save confuses it completely. Planetfall would sentence was incomplete, such as EAT "push back the envelope" and explore the your position first. Here's a silly example: then ignore any further sentences on your THE BLUE or PUT THE BOOK IN THE. possibilities of this fledgling medium. input line. (Certain events, such as being Your input is important. If you liked or >GIVE THE BASKETBALL TO THE LION attacked, will also cause Planetfall to There were too many nouns in that disliked the story, or some section of it, or The lion takes an experimental bite out of ignore any additional sentences on your sentence. An example is CARVE MY if you found a bug, or if you think a certain the basketball but spits it out. It continues input line, since the event may have INITIALS ON THE TREE WITH THE puzzle was too hard or too easy, or if you to gnaw on your leg. changed your situation drastically.) Some KNIFE , which has three noun "phrases," have some other suggestion, drop us a of Planetfall' s complaints: one more than Planetfall can digest in a note! We lo.ve every excuse to stop Thus, you discover that maybe giving single action. working, and a letter from you is just such something more edible to -the lion (that I don't know the word" ".That an excuse! Write to: slab of raw meat?) might save your leg. word is not in the story's vocabulary. I beg your pardon? You pressed the Using a synonym or rephrasing may help; RETURN (or ENTER) key without typing Infocom, Inc. 7. There are many possible routes to the more likely, you're just barking up the anything. 125 CambridgePark Drive end of Planetfall. If you get stuck on one wrong tree. Planetfall recognizes over 600 Cambridge, MA 02140 puzzle, move on to another. Some puzzles words, all that you need to use and most You can't see any here! The Attn: FLOYD have more than one solution; other puzzles that you 're likely to use. However, object you referred to was not visible. It don't need to be solved at all. Sometimes Planetfall uses many words in its descrip­ may be somewhere else, or it may be If You Have Technical Problems you will have to solve one puzzle in order tions that it will not recognize in your present but in a closed container. You can call the Infocom Technical to obtain the item(s) or information you inputs. Thus, you might read, "The moon Support Team to report "bugs" and need to solve another puzzle. casts violet shadows across the crater" but The other object[s] that you mentioned technical problems, but not for hints to discover that Planetfall doesn't understand isn't [aren't] here. You referred to several solve puzzles, at (617) 576-3190. If your 8. Play Planetfall with a friend! As the the words MOON or SHADOW or CRATER objects in the same sentence, and at least disk develops a problem within ninety (90) dual-brained worms of Nebulon are fond in your input. When this happens, you can one wasn't visible. days after purchase, we will replace it at no of saying, "Two heads are better than one." assume that you don't need to refer to charge. Otherwise, there is a replacement those things to complete the story; they are You can't use multiple [in]direct objects fee of $5 (U.S. currency). If you call to 9. If you really have difficulty, you can only there to create a more '>'.ivid image of with " ". You can use multiple report a bug, please provide your release type HINT. The screen will then show you your location. objects (that is, nouns or noun phrases number, which you can find by typing a list of questions to which you can get separated by AND or a comma) or the word VERSION. Please return the Warranty card answers. (Simply follow the directions at You used the word" "in a way ALL only with certain verbs, such as TAKE, to register yourself as a proud owner of a the top of your screen to see the hint of that I don't understand. Planetfall knows DROP, and PUT. For example, EXAMINE Solid Gold Interactive Fiction Classic and your choice.) You don't need to use the the word but couldn't use it in that sense. will not work with multiple objects; you receive our quarterly newsletter, The Status hints to enjoy the story, but it will make Usually this is because Planetfall knows it couldn't say EXAMINE ALL or EXAMINE Line. solving the puzzles easier. as a different part of speech. For example, THI= BOWL AND THE SWORD. if you typed GO TO THE LOWER LEVEL, 10. Read the sample transcript on page 3 to you are using LOWER as an adjective, but That sentence isn't one I recognize. The get a feel for how interactive fiction works. Planetfall might know LOWER only as a syntax (sentence structure) you used is not verb, as in LOWER THE WINDOW among the 300 or so syntaxes that 11. You can word a command in different SHADE. Planetfall understands. For example, SIT ways. For example, to make a wish, you UNDER THE TREE and SKIP AROUND could type in any of the following: There was no verb in that sentence! THE MAYPOLE are syntaxes that wouldn't Unless you are answering a question, each be recognized by Planetfall. There's a >DROP THE COIN DOWN THE WISHING sentence must have a verb (or one of the limited amount of space in the program, so WELL special commands). Among the most syntaxes that are less common or not >TOSS THE COIN INTO THE WELL important verbs that Planetfall understands useful aren't included. Try rephrasing the >PUT COIN IN WELL are TAKE, DROP, PUT, GIVE, LOOK, sentence. READ, EXAMINE, OPEN, CLOSE, If you type a sentence that Planetfall ENTER , EXIT, EAT and WEAR. There are doesn't understand, try rephrasing it or many more. Remember: you can use a using synonyms. If Planetfall still doesn't variety of prepositions with your verbs. understand, you 're probably trying (For example, LOOK can become LOOK something that isn't important for complet­ AT, LOOK INSIDE , LOOK BEHIND, LOOK ing the story. UNDER, LOOK THROUGH , and so on.) 12 Instruction Manual Instruction Manual 13 The adventure continues in Copyright and Quick Reference Guide Warranty Information 1. To start the story ("boot up"), see the Limited Warranty separate Reference Card in your Planetfall This software product and the attached instructional materials 1n1=ocom are sold "AS IS," without warranty as to their performance. package. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the Novels! computer software program is assumed by the user. 2. When you see the prompt (>) on your However, to the original purchaser of a disk prepared by screen, Planetfall is waiting for your input. It's a whole new way of experiencing the fascinating universe of INFOCOM™! Infocom and carrying the lnfocom label on the disk jacket, Infocom, Inc. warrants the medium on which the program is There are fo ur kinds of sentences or Fabulous new tales set in the universes created by popular INFOCOM games, like recorded to be free from defects in materials and faulty commands that Planetfall understands: Plonetfo/J® and ®, each written by master storytellers whose previous workmanship under normal use and service for a period of novels you may have already read. ninety (90) days from the date of purchase. If during this A. Directions: To move from place to period a defect on the medium should occur, the medium may place, just type the direction you want to be returned to Infocom, Inc. or to an authori zed Infocom, Inc. Imagine you've just finished an INFOCOM™adventure. After spendin~ weeks, or dealer, and lnfocom, Inc. will replace the medium without go: NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, months, in that universe, you still find yourself ask i n~ "What if ... ". That s exactly what charge to you. Your sole and ex.elusive remedy in the event of NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST, SOUTH­ inspired INFOCOM™ novels, those seductive "What ifs" that make INFOCOM™games a defect is expressly limited to replacement of the medium as provided above. This warranty gives you specific legal rights EAST, SOUTHWEST, UP, DOWN, IN, or the best interactive fiction software available. and you may also have other rights which vary from state to OUT. state. THE ABOVE WARRANTIES FOR GOODS ARE IN These are authentic, new and original adventures­ LI EU OF ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR B. Actions: Just type what you want to do. STATUTORY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, and they are available in bookstores near you! ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY Some examples: READ THE BOOK or AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND OF OPEN THE DOOR or LOOK THROUGH ANY OTHER WARRANTY OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF INFOCOM, INC. SOME STATES DO NOT THE WINDOW or GIVE THE BALL TO ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED THE CAT. More complex sentences are WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION described in "Communicating with MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN NO EVENT SHALL IN­ FOCOM, INC. OR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS BEEN lnfocom's Interactive Fiction" on page 8. INVOL YEO IN THE CREATION AND PRODUCTION OF THIS COMPUTER SOFTWARE PROGRAM BE LIABLE C. Commands to other characters: Talk to FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL characters in the story by typing their DAMAGES, SUCH AS, BUT NOT LI MITED TO, LOSS OF ANTICIPATED PROFITS OR BENEFITS RESULTING name, then a comma, then what you want FROM THE USE OF THIS PROGRAM, OR ARISING OUT to say to them. For example: FRED, HI or OF ANY BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR OLD MAN, GIVE ME THE TROMBONE. LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT D. Special commands: These give you APPLY TO YOU. information, such as INVENTORY, or N.B. After the warranty period, a defective Infocom disk may affect the state of the program, such as be returned to Infocom, Inc. with a check or money order for $5.00 U.S. currency for replacement. VERBOSE. A list of these appears in the Copyright "Special Commands" section on page 10. The enclosed software product is copyrighted and all rights are reserved by lnfocom, Inc. It is publis hed exclusively by 3. After typing your input, you must press lnfocom, Inc. The di stribution and sale of this product are the RETURN (or ENTER) key before intended for the use of the original purchaser only and for use only on the computer system specified. Lawful users of this Planetfall will respond. Just 2 of the INFOCOM™ novels you should look for: program are hereby li censed onl y to read the program from 4. Your screen display includes a status its medium into memory of a computer solely for the purpose PLANETFALL of executing the program. Copyin g (except for one backup line which tells you your current location, copy on those systems which provi de for it - see Reference by Arthur Byron Cover Card), duplicating, selling, or otherwise distributing this your score, and the current time (if product is a violation of the law. known). The Patrol is looking for a few good organisms ... What it gets is a series of comic­ This manual and all other documentation contained herein and potentially deadly-misadventures that lead Lt. Homer B. Hunter to try to put are copyrighted and all rights reserved by In focom, Inc. 5. You can pick up and carry many of the These documents may not in whole or in part, be copied, together the pieces of Jigsaw World! 1 items you'll find in the story. For example, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form without prior if you type TAKE THE TUBE OF JELLY, consent, in writing, from Infocom, In c. you will then be carrying it. Type WISHBRINGER Willful violations of the Copyright Law of the United States can result in civil damages of up to $50,000 in addi tion INVENTORY to see what items you ha e. by Craig Shaw Gardner to actual damages, plus criminal penalties of up to one year 6. When you want to stop, save your place Can Simon find the Wishbringer stone, true love, and solve the riddle of two imprisonment and/or$ I 0,000 fine. worlds ... and live to tell about it? Software © 1983, 1988 ln focom, Inc. in the story, or start over, read "Starting Manual © 1983 , 1988 Infocom, Inc. and A Mind Forei·er Voyag ing are trademarks and Stopping" on page 7. Now available In paperback from AVON BOOKS of Infocom, Inc. Planetfall. Sorcerer, Leather Goddesse" of $3.95 each ($4.95 in Canada) Plwbos and The Status Line are registered trademarks of 7. If you have trouble, refer to the specific lnfocom , In c. The Hitchhiker's Guide to th e Galaxv is a section of the manual for more detailed trademark of Douglas Adams. - Avon Books are available in fine bookstores everywhere, or by sending $3. 95 Printed in U.S .A. instructions. per copy plus $1.00 for postage and handling to AVON BOOKS, Box 767, Rt. 2., 14 Instruction Manual Dresden, TN, 38225. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. INFOCOM Proof of Purchase Planetfall