{ "commands":{ "pet":{ "sdesc":"Responses to petting creatures, especially cats and dogs.", "intro":"
Inspired by @CanYouPetTheDog, I shall attempt to list responses to petting cats, dogs, and other creatures in works of interactive fiction. It might also be helpful to know if PET is coded as a synonym for TOUCH, RUB, or KISS.
" }, "plover":{ "sdesc":"Responses to saying yet-another common magic word in IF.", "intro":"PLOVER is possibly the third most popular secret magic word in interactive fiction. But, too often, it acts identically to either XYZZY or PLUGH. Here are some responses unique to PLOVER.
" }, "plugh":{ "sdesc":"Responses to saying the second-most common magic word in IF.", "intro":"By request, this is a collection of responses to plugh in a multitude of IF works. Like xyzzy, plugh is another magic word from Adventrue, and sometimes you can use it in other works, usually just to see a silly response that the author has snuck in.
\nFor my sanity's sake, and also because it looks nicer, I'm only listing the responses that belong only to plugh here. If a work gives the same response to plugh as it did for xyzzy, go look for it on the xyzzy responses page.
" }, "pray":{ "sdesc":"Responses to generic praying.", "intro":"So what happens if you pray in a work of interactive fiction? Usually, not much happens unless the player character is near an altar in a church or chapel. But it's often interesting to try, nonetheless, to see where the player character stands spiritually or to find out if you'll get some unexpected reward.
" }, "sing":{ "sdesc":"Responses to generic singing.", "intro":"In the spirit of the plugh and xyzzy responses pages, I thought I might try a sing responses page as well. Sing is a standard verb but it's a rare game where it's actually useful. Responses to sing are often as whimsical and pointless as any response to xyzzy, but somehow, a lot fewer people complain that sing is \"old\" or kill the PC for daring to sing, regardless how inappropriate singing might be within the context of the game.
\nAuthors and beta-testers should take note: a default response to sing might not make much sense if the player character is not human, is gagged, is carrying something in their mouth, doesn't have a mouth, is mute, has laryngitis, is seriously ill, is underwater or swimming, is in airless space, is choking on noxious or poisonous gas, is using a snorkel or other breathing apparatus, is hiding or sneaking around, or if any other people are nearby.
" }, "think":{ "sdesc":"Responses to generic thinking.", "intro":"It occurred to me in January 2018 to add responses to THINK to my responses project. I'm only recording generic thinking here; responses to THINK ABOUT something would have to be its own page.
" }, "xyzzy":{ "sdesc":"Responses to saying the most common magic word in IF.", "intro":"Are you ready for this? This is a collection of responses to XYZZY in a multitude of parser-based works of interactive fiction. Although XYZZY is usually just an optional magic word with a silly quip behind it, sometimes it does do something useful... which means there are some spoilers, but for the most part they're fairly minor. Especially since I'm not giving any context, apart from the works' names.
\nIf the spoiler isn't minor, I've masked the quote by rendered it in light gray on light gray. To read a spoiler, select the gray area(s) with your mouse.
", "outro":"See also Rick Adams's Everything you ever wanted to know about the magic word XYZZY page." }, "no-do":{ "sdesc":"Responses to normally-understood commands that have been deactivated en masse in the work.", "intro":"Sometimes an author wants to write a work of IF with a very limited command set but also wants to use a standard IF authoring system that already has several dozen commands predefined in it. The author has a choice: they can either prune the library so unwanted commands aren't understood, or they can re-define the unwanted commands to act like a new function (e.g.: NO-DO) that does nothing but return a denial message. This page is about the latter approach's responses.
Don't expect a large list for this page. I just needed somewhere for these responses to go since they didn't really belong on the other response pages.
" }, "notunderstood":{ "sdesc":"Responses to one-word commands that the work of IF doesn't understand.", "intro":"As the XYZZY responses page grew, I found myself becoming annoyed with myself for including the responses that clearly had nothing to do with XYZZY per se, but were simply the default responses from games that didn't recognize something like XYZZY as a valid command. So, I thought, let's try to remove that cruft to its own page and leave just the \"good\" and relevant responses there.
\nWhich means this page is going to be rather pathetic to read, isn't it? Like, how many ways are there, really, to say \"so sorry, but that command you just typed just wasn't understood\"? And why would there be lots of variants? Aren't the usual default messages adequate for such a basic need? Well, let's find out.
" } }, "systems":{ "ADRIFT":{ "sing":"You sing a little song.", "xyzzy":"I'm sorry, but XYZZY doesn't do anything special in this game!", "xyzzy_nb":"Of all the standard IF authoring systems, only ADRIFT had a default response for XYZZY until Quest 5 added one. ADRIFT dropped its default response for XYZZY with ADRIFT 5.", "notunderstood":"I don't understand what you mean!" }, "ADRIFT 5":{ "think":"You ponder for a while.", "notunderstood":"Sorry, I didn't understand that command." }, "AdvSys":{ "nb":"Use Gargoyle to play AdvSys games." }, "ALAN 3":{ "nb":"Use Gargoyle to play ALAN 3 games." }, "Hugo":{ "notunderstood":"You can't use the word \"[notunderstood]\"." }, "Inform":{ "pray":"Nothing practical results from your prayer.", "pray_nb":"Note: In September 2006, the PRAY command was removed from Inform 7's default library; see Change log for 3Z95.
", "sing":"Your singing is abominable.", "think":"What a good idea.", "notunderstood":"Done.
*** Your story continues, but it is you who shall write it ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "a189302":{"title":"1893: A World's Fair Mystery", "plover":"-", "plugh":"For some reason, one of the mystic words of power which you learned when infiltrating the freemasons guild of Boston comes to mind, and you say it out loud. To your relief, nothing happens.", "pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You practice your alphabet again, but stumble at the point where you reach the end and try going backwards.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "a195817":{"title":"1958: Dancing With Fear", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You were always more of a dancer.", "think":"[THINK gives an in-context hint in this game. For example:]
> pet Ruckus
Yeah right, and risk a nasty puppy dog bite?
> pet something
You pet [the thing].
You are momentarily engulfed in smoke. When the smoke clears, you are someplace else.
[Your new location is then described.]
[first time:] A hollow voice says \"Here are your drinks.\" The server's prompt return surprises the two of you, but the arrival of your water gives you something to do with your mouth besides destroying your friendship, for at least a few moments. The server says \"If you're not going to order anything else I'll just give you your bill and any time you're ready you can just come up to the counter and pay the fee fie foe foo.\" At mention of the bill, you subconsciously move your hand down to your wallet, only to find it missing! There's no one else in here, so it must have fallen out along the way. You advise Sam that they're on the hook for the bill, and Sam goes through a funny little dance of patting down pockets and investigating flaps and compartments, graduating to actually exploring the cracks and crevices in the back recesses of the booth, but to no avail: what are the odds that you've both misplaced your wallets this one fateful visit to a diner you've both gone to a thousand times? Sam says \"I'm going to roll up my sleeves and take care of this.\" Sam: always in charge -- sometimes an admirable quality, sometimes a wearying one. Today it's convenient. Sam finds the server and explains the situation, then comes back to the table and fills you in -- \"We could just add the drinks to a tab and pay it off next time, but I can't stand keeping track of things like that so I'm just going to nip around back and wash dishes for 20 minutes.\" \"What, with your bare hands?\" you reply. Sam lifts an eyebrow and disappears into the kitchen. You lift an eyebrow and disappear out the front.
*** A burdensome relationship: You won't get it up the steps. ***
You begin snapping your fingers rhythmically. Sam raises an eyebrow, then as you open your mouth, sits forward expectantly.
♩ Like the moon throughout the night,
like a fall from a great height,
as the dark succeeds the light:
all things must end! ♩
♪ It's not that there has been another
I've been keeping undercover,
I'm just demoting you from lover
to a friend!♪
(And then the bridge comes in:)
♫ It's not the fault of anything you said or did,
It's not because the very thought of you makes me deranged,
It's not because you always made me flip my lid --
It's simply time my love life situation changed!♫
(At this point a songbird alights upon your shoulder, having flown in the open front door unobserved, and whistles an instrumental solo with some interesting harmonic progressions. Eventually, it stops whistling, defecates on your shoulder, and flies back out. Time to wrap this number up with a big finish!)
♬ You'll learn the joys of cooking food for one,
be pickier about who you shun,
see singledom can be so fun
now that you've been bumped! ♬
♩ I hope I didn't ruin your day,
I just didn't want to be too clichéd:
surely this was the... most... musical... way...
you could have been dumped! ♬
Sam stands up in applause, shouting \"Encore!\" through a tear-streaked face.
*** Then the audience settles down, in anticipation of the second movement ***
", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Is your grasp on reality solid? You're uttering nonsense!
Suddenly, in a puff of orange smoke, a mean little dwarf appears behind the counter. Uttering some primeval epithet in a runic tongue, he hurls a small axe at you. It just misses, lodging in your booth's napkin dispenser. Sam looks nonplussed as you roll defensively under the table, but how typically self-centered -- upon closer scrutiny, you can see that Sam is perfectly safe in a wicker cage. (However did you miss that before?) But even below the table you are not in the clear -- you attempt to wriggle out into the aisle, but find your path barred by a fierce green snake! Damned if you're going to face these perils alone -- maybe Sam doesn't have a monopoly on selfishness -- you open the wicker cage. Much to your surprise, Sam launches out from the cage like a thing possessed and descends upon the snake like a mongoose taking on a cobra.
Seeing your opening, you leave the two ensnared in their struggle, staggering into the back of the restaurant and down a staircase into its rough-hewn underground basement. Taking stock of your possessions and surroundings you find you forget Sam almost entirely -- after all, you've got a three-foot black rod with a rusty star at one end and need to figure out who or what to wave it at!
*** You are in a maze of twisty little relationships, all alike. ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "a5min15":{"title":"5 Minutes to Burn Something!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "a691009":{"title":"69,105 Keys", "plover":"-", "plugh":"My original title was always 69,105 Keys, but I brainstormed some other titles anyway. They were: Which Key?; The Count of Keys; Keygasm; Antechamber of Keys; Keys, Keys, Keys; and Qualia Control.
", "pray":"Most gods tend to frown on prayers involving personal gain.", "sing":"You sing:
\"You can't ride in my little wagon,
The front seat's broken, and the back wheel's saggin'.
Chug. Chug. Chug chug chug.
Next verse, the same as the first!
A little bit LOUDER and a little bit WORSE!\"
A hollow voice sings:
\"I xyz zy spiders on the wall... I xyz zy cobwebs in the hall...
I xyz zy candles on the shelf... When I'm alone, I xyz myself!\"
Cycles through the following:
I don't remember any more besides this: \"Now Flash and Java had come to the desktops of the Computers to free their CPU time, and had brought with them a great ransom of free trials: moreover they bore in their hand the seal of HTTPS wreathed with a suppliant's icon and they besought the Computers, but most of all the two sons of Atreus, who were their administrators.\"
That's all for now.
Thinking...
[Commands are listed.]
Thinking is all I can do, Dr. Law.
", "think_nb":"Note that the AI continues to make comments about thinking in subsequent turns.", "xyzzy":"**************************************************
Initiating audiovisual link with Project XYZZY...
**************************************************
Project XYZZY
This laboratory is a pure glass cube suspended in a dark void.
You are controlling Ivan Rat, our...well, our lab rat.
You can see a broken spade, a glass of sherbet, a black edifice, a seed pod, a jingle bell, a spider chip, a signet ring, a white canister, a phonograph record, a salt crystal, a medieval coin, a gift box, a gnome's hat, a platypod, a dog bowl, a dinosaur egg, an animal mask, a golden disc, a cellarium, a Heart of Something, a ray gun and a novelty lighter here.
-New command-
xyzzy - return
I still don't understand, Dr. Law, why you thought that collecting text adventure memorabilia would aid the battle against death. Or why you spent so much money on this containment cube.
>xyzzy
**************************************************
Returning to your last known location...
**************************************************
sing what?
> sing song
OK, 'song'!
Impossibly, the fiddler-shaped weather vane up on the top of the house twists around and begins to actually scratch out a pleasant, simple tune on its little fiddle. As you stare up at it in astonishment, you completely fail to notice the hordes of stampeding Cossacks which trample you to death as they roar off on their way to yet another pogrom.
*** You have died ***
Tick tock tick tock tick ... and then the grandfather clock suddenly stops short, never to go again ... and so does your heart.
*** You have died ***
There is an odd whirring sound from the Faberge egg clock, and then the haunting tones of a violin sonata begins to pour forth from it. It's quite enchanting. So when the easter egg suddenly transforms into a mechanical hawk and proceeds to claw your eyes out, you are, to put it bluntly, taken somewhat unawares.
*** You have died ***
\"Oh, I say,\" says the portrait of Lord Dundreary suddenly.
You look up at it in astonishment, but the good Lord Dundreary (outlandish whiskers and all) seems quite unfazed. \"Let me ask you a widdle -- why does a duck go under water? for divers reasons. Now I'll give you another -- why does a duck come out of the water? for sundry reasons. No! No! see, you live on suction, you're like that bird with a long bill, they call doctor, no, that's not it, I thought it was a doctor, because it has a long bill--I mean a snipe--yes, you're a lovely snipe....\"
And at some point during all this, John Wilkes Booth sneaks up behind you and shoots you in the head.
*** You have died ***
Elinor Lamb gives you a very strange look as you intone the Magick Word, and unobtrusively wheels herself out of the room.
Nothing happens for a few minutes, and then you hear a weak \"feed ... me ... Seymour....\" coming from the direction of the potted plants. A quick investigation reveals a particularly large flytrap of some sort, which promptly swallows you whole.
*** You have died ***
As you try to do that, you lose your balance and fall on the slippery roof. With a horrid scream, you slide at great speed towards the edge of the roof. The last thing you see is the amused faces of your reindeer as you fall over the edge. You land hard on the front steps of the house, and all goes black............
.....Continue.....
Some time later....you awaken face down in the snow.
Now what are you going to do? It seems you have lost your magic after that nasty fall. The presents are on the roof and there is no way to get back up there. You will just have to figure something out. Sounds like there is a party going on, maybe you can slip in and figure out some way to get back up to the roof to get the presents.
.....Continue......
", "no-do_nb":"This happens with your first move of the game." }, "adrif03":{"title":"ADRIFT-O-RAMA", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"You sit still and think very very hard.
Okay, done. Can you run around some more now?
", "xyzzy":"You make a \"zzzzyyyyyy\" noise.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "adven20":{"title":"Advent Door", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "adven75":{"title":"Adventure", "nb":"The default responses to PLOVER and PLUGH are \"Nothing happens.\" at the start. I'll have to play the whole game to get the more interesting responses.", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":".i le bridi po di'u na slabu mi
", "xyzzy":".i noda fasnu
" } ] }, "adven99":{"title":"Adventures of Helpfulman", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"http://www.xyzzynews.com","notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "adver00":{"title":"Ad Verbum", "plover":"-", "plugh":"A sonorous voice, straining to sound hollow, delivers a short lecture. \"The word 'plugh' contains the word 'gulp' spelled backwards, and thus is an interesting candidate for inclusion in a letter-palindrome. However, no one knows how to use this word in a sentence, and everyone knows how to use the word 'plug,' which actually is the word 'gulp' spelled backwards, so the usefulness of the word 'plugh' is actually quite limited.\"", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A distracted figure with a huge bushy beard blunders in just as you speak the word of ancient magic. The man wears loose clothing, and an expression of intense concentration. He is clutching his frizzy hair with one hand; his other hand grips an intricate grid - the object of his attention.
\nHis eyes brighten as the word you've spoken reaches his ears. \"Yes! Yes! That's it!\" he exclaims as he draws out a pen and fills in a row of squares. \"Now my hyperconstrained, double-acrostic, cryptic crossword is complete, and ready to puzzle others. That was all I needed - just a simple five-letter word, composed only of the letters 'X' 'Y' and 'Z,' that would fit here!\"
\nHe grips your hand and shakes it fervently. \"Thank you! Now that I've finished with that, I can get on to those other things I've been meaning to do, such as monkey-wrenching the demolition and saving recreational linguistics for future generations.\" He turns away and mutters, just before he departs, \"I hope none of that will involve lying in front of a bulldozer...\"
\n[+1.]
You muble the magic word, but the spell doesn't work! The goat is still there. Hmm, you always worked that spell on yourself. Maybe you have to change it...
>yzzyx
You mumble the magic word backward and the goat is warped away, leaving the distinct smell of defeat. You hope she has fun in ADVENT.
There's no verb in that sentence!
\n>x plugh
It looks like an ordinary The battle is over. to me.
You've prayed before--to no avail. But again you drop to one knee and close your eyes.
\n\"Please God. Please God. Please God. Please..\"
\nYou stop--you know there is no point. You have sinned. You have been sinned against. It is too late. Best just go home and await judgement. Which you do.
", "sing":"Sing a sad song... You start off singing softly to yourself; what must appear to be but a mumble to the other shoppers. But then you slowly get louder and louder until everyone in the shop is glancing nervously at you. It seems the more you sing the more uncomfortable everyone gets. You stop, chuckle. Then continue with your shopping; the aisles seem more empty somehow.", "think":"You'll have to say what you want to think about.", "think_nb":"THINK ABOUT [something] is a more useful command.", "xyzzy":"Maybe years ago when things were more about fun and were less real. You've come too far to go back.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "airpo08":{"title":"The |Airport", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "akkot13":{"title":"Akkoteaque", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"But, but, people might hear you!
", "think":"[cycling:]
[I didn't understand that sentence.]
" }, "ailih18":{"title":"Ailihphilia", "plover":"-","plugh":"GULP.","pray":"-", "sing":"[after first repeated response:]Won't be joining OctetCo with that voice.
", "think":"A knihtg (sic) appears and taps you on the shoulder, and you suddenly recall big-picture things.
As far as you know, there are no challenges where you were pretty sure what to do, but you didn't have the right item yet.
Other things to try, in random order:
You need to blast through the KaoS oAK north of here, eventually.
You may want to examine this item you haven't, yet: the Darer Ad. You can also try SCE RECS to see scenery you haven't examined.
You don't have any last lousy points to figure that've been clued in-game.
...
...
X.
", "notunderstood":"I didn't recognize that action. You can type VERB or VERBS to get a list of them, and there are a few you can guess for bonus points, including five available anywhere." }, "alaba08":{"title":"Alabaster", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"You whisper an old magic word, pulled from some distant recess of your memory. The syllables are lost in the darkness, muffled by the trees.
Snow White looks at you with an amused expression. Her red lips quirk in the merest hint of a smile. For only a moment -- then she looks serious as before.
", "xyzzy_nb":"The XYZZY command is not understood in older versions of this work.", "notunderstood":"That speech act is not implemented. Draft a new one? (Note: if your command was vaguely phrased, as in ASK SNOW WHITE ABOUT WEATHER, you may want to reply NO, then reword the command more specifically as, e.g., ASK SNOW WHITE ABOUT WHETHER THE RAIN WILL STOP. This will produce more sensibly-named quips in the resulting code file.) >" }, "alcoh07":{"title":"Alcohol solves everything", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"Perhaps you could, should you remember any of the prayers you were taught as a child. This is not the case, however.", "sing":"If you could sing, you would have tried for a career in the music business - as it is, you choose to only display your abilities (loudly) in the privacy of the shower room.", "sing_nb":"There is a shower, and you can remove your clothes, enter the shower, close it, and turn it on, but you still can't sing.", "think":"Thinking, you have decided long ago, is not for you. You are a man of passion - or so you say.", "xyzzy":"There's a listening sort of silence.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "algop12":{"title":"The |Algophilists' Penury", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"We importune ourselves [again,] beneath the great granite monument, genuflecting in the silence that follows.", "sing":"Our voices wail in disunity as we revel in our precipitious cacophony, blocking out all that is mellifluous.", "think":"I'll wait here.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "alias18":{"title":"Alias 'The Magpie'", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You hum a few lines of \"Lydia the Tattooed Lady\".
[if other people are nearby, they will comment on your singing.]
", "think":"What do you want to hint?", "xyzzy":"You can't see any such thing.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "alice19":{"title":"Alice Blue","error":"Requires LINUX which I don't have."}, "alien96":{"title":"Alien Abduction?", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "allho05":{"title":"All Hope Abandon", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"God presumably hears your prayer, but His answer is inscrutable.", "sing":"-", "think":"You invoke an ancient word of power, and a hollow voice whispers in your ear, \"Quiet, please. No talking in the library.\"
\n[Your score has just gone up by one point.]
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "allro01":{"title":"All Roads", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"The response is situation-dependent, for example:
> pet Stev
You pet Stev. [if first time]He seems happy enough. Suddenly, while you're distracted, Stev leaps and grabs the card right out of your hand! He's getting slobber all over it.[end if]
> pet something
Petting things other than animals is rather strange.
A huge meteor randomly comes out of the sky and lands directly on you, killing you instantly.
*** You've finally been put out of your misery. ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "along10":{"title":"Along The River", "plover":"You shout \"PLOVER!\" at nothing in particular. Suddenly, everybody gathers and starts shouting, \"Where? Where!?\". Out of the crowd you recognize a small man in a dressing gown, holding an empty cup of tea. Just like that, they are gone again.", "plugh":"You shout \"PLUGH!\" at a small dog near your feet. It looks at you briefly, cocks it's head and says \"Fool!\" before scurrying away.", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"Lots of things happen at once, you know. Lots of things. In fact, everything you do seems to take the exact same amount of time, and happen all at once. It's so odd.", "xyzzy":"You shout into the wind, \"XYZZY!\". The wind shouts back at you, \"Fool!\". Or that's how it sounded, anyway.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "amazi05":{"title":"The |Amazing Uncle Griswold", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"The desire to burst into song is one best suppressed considering the state of your singing voice.", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"Unfortunately you can't do that. Try typing \"commands\" for a list of commands this game accepts." }, "amazi06":{"title":"The |Amazing Interactive Turing Machine", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "amazi20":{"title":"The |Amazing Maze", "pet":"-", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Amazing!\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "amazi20b":{"title":"Amazing Quest","n/a":"choice (y/n)"}, "amiss05":{"title":"Amissville II", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"[Displays a black-and-white aerial or satellite photo of Amissville, with three locations (Greenbridge, Nelson Ln, and Campsite) marked with labels and red circles.]
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "amnes03":{"title":"Amnesia","sfx":"by crazydwarf", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "amule04":{"title":"The |Amulet", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"!! @ADRIFT" }, "amuse04":{"title":"Amusement Park", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Nothing obvious happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "amyra03":{"title":"Amy And The Raging Hormones", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"Sorry, that's either not possible in this game, or it just didn't make sense to me.
Try putting it another way.
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas.
Only a hippopotamus will do.
As you speak the word, you feel yourself sucked through fifth dimension, beyond time, space, Punch, and Judy, to be reunited with your Significant Other.
\"I have made it! Even killer molluscs couldn't have stopped me!\"
\"Eh. You took too long. I'm not convinced. Let me set you one more task.\"
Sigh. \"What?\"
\"See these eleven rings stacked on this pole? I want you to move them onto that other pole over there...\"
*** You have won ***
You apply a great deal of concentration, and find yourself walking into another place.
Long Hall
This room is brilliantly lit from all directions. In fact, it is unclear where the walls and ceiling end. A doorway leads to the west, and tunnels lead in most other directions, although all but one are boarded up. An archway stands at the south end of the hall.
Visible exits: south (to Dorm A), west (to the Adventurer's Lounge), southwest (to the Big Dig)
You can see a pile of ashes, a note and the Official ifMUD Bulletin Board here.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "areyo98":{"title":"Are you Too Chicken to Make a Deal?", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "arghs04":{"title":"ARGH's Great Escape", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"Ooougghh?" }, "argum13":{"title":"The |Argument-Winner's Ghost", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"\"God, your taste in music--you're nice and all but...\" says Harley.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"Sorry, I didnt understand that. The main commands are to look, examine, SNAP for Harley, or SHOW him something. If you're desperate, WALKTHROUGH." }, "ariad16":{"title":"Ariadne in Aeaea", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You briefly ask the Good Lady to help you in your endeavours, and that is it. If she looks favourably upon your undertakings, you will notice in that you will succeed; if she does not, then you will have a harder time. Without a proper sacrifice, you can really ask for no more. And you have not the time or inclination to go buy a bull right now.", "sing":"-", "think":"\"So, girl, what are you going to do? Well, it's been a fun night, but we should get back to the palace. Get some breakfast, say hi to Satiah and thanks for the jug of wine. And then just carry on as usual.\"", "xyzzy":"Wrong century.", "notunderstood":"You’d think a fancy graphic game like this would show you a pretty picture of some room from Adventure, or at least something flashy for your trouble.
Yeah, well.
", "notunderstood":"I never learned the word “notunderstood” in school." }, "artif02a":{"title":"Artifiction", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"If you think that will help.","think":"-", "xyzzy":"As is your knightly duty, you bow your head in silent prayer and ask for guidance in your quest.
[You have earned ten chivalry points.]
", "sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"Gesundheit.", "notunderstood":"You don't need to use the word \"[notunderstood].\"" }, "ascen20":{"title":"Ascension of Limbs", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"Such an interaction is not available at this time.
" }, "ascii03a":{"title":"ASCII and the Argonauts", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"[first two times:] Whoa, easy tiger! You better just stick to just YES or NO, cuz you speak through an electronic interpreter for reasons unexplained. Don't want to overload it now, do ya? It'll totally explode on you if that happens and, I mean, then where would you be?
Speechless, that's where!
Don't say you weren't warned. Your interpreter bloewvmg-[screenful of gibberish]
(That was your interpreter exploding, by the way.)
***YOU HAVE DIED!***
Hold on while your PC sends you a Gamma burst of mind altering energy...
(I hope you closed your eyes.)
As soon as the ringing in your ear stops, press ENTER.
OK, thank you in advance for giving this game a 10.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "atwit02":{"title":"At Wit's End Again", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Hold on while your PC sends you a Gamma burst of mind altering energy...
(I hope you closed your eyes.)
As soon as the ringing in your ear stops, press ENTER.
OK, thank you in advance for giving this game a 10.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "augme00":{"title":"Augmented Fourth", "plover":"Nothing happens. You get the feeling that perhaps you're in the wrong game.", "plugh":"A hollow voice asks, \"How do you pronounce that, anyways?\"", "pray":"[if falling:]
A good idea, but just in case your prayers aren't answered, a parachute would be nice.
[otherwise:]
You pray desperately but nothing comes of it.
You feel a tugging sensation at the tips of your toes. Without warning, you suddenly wink out of existence...
\nControl Room
[1st time]
Red and blue lights flash from long metal panels of all shapes and sizes. As your eyes become accustomed to this distraction, you see hundreds of little gnomelike men rushing in every direction, carrying all manner of objects. One particular gnome
[2nd to 10th]
A gnome
brushes by carrying a package labeled \"Papoosen Props: [one of]blue cottage[or]receptacle[or]debris[or]court[or]endtable[or]courtyard wall[or]pillars[or]path[or]rooms[or]brambles[at random]\". Next to you, a tall gnome, who looks to be in charge, shouts orders into the organized chaos, occasionally [one of]stopping to make notes in his black binder[or]berating lazy gnomes[or]approving NPCs which are brought before him[or]inspecting packages[or]making sure the props are lifelike[at random].
\nHe snaps his fingers briskly. A moment of disorientation finds you back where you were before[ and, unfortunately, still falling]. You can't help but wonder if it was all just a dream, brought on by the stress of the week's events...
\n[11th time]
Nothing happens. But a hollow voice in the back of your mind, which sounds suspiciously like Lenny the Head Gnome mutters, \"Heh...fool.\"
[12th time, etc.]
A hollow voice in the back of your mind mutters, \"Heh...fool.\"
You draw a breath. \"Lady of compassion, touch us with...\" You trail off.
\nWhy?
", "sing":"It sounds as if the minstrels have things well in hand. No need to go spoiling things.", "think":"Hmm.", "xyzzy":"You hold your tongue. Such utterances are still punishable by death. And you don't wish to start hearing voices again.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "augus02":{"title":"Augustine", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "auntn97":{"title":"Aunt Nancy's House", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Wrong game, pal.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "aunts06":{"title":"Aunts and Butlers", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"You're not in the mood.","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Is that some sort of telegraphic cypher?", "notunderstood":"Sorry, I didn't understand that." }, "autho05":{"title":"Authority", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You are free to pray in silence.", "sing":"You could hum any song or piece of music in a low voice.", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"Try something else." }, "awake09":{"title":"Awakening","sfx":"by Gardner", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "awake11":{"title":"Awake the Mighty Dread", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"You decided two foster homes ago that thinking too much just makes you cry.", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "awake98":{"title":"The |Awakening","sfx":"by Matheson", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A word comes to you, and you shout it out... \"XYXXY!\". The storm responds with a roar and a crash of thunder. It is a word of power. Once, you feel, you knew many such words. Now, only this one remains.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "aztec04":{"title":"Azteca", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A deep voice booms out \"Cretino.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "babel97":{"title":"Babel", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "backt04":{"title":"Back To Life... Unfortunately", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You offer up a short prayer to whatever God it is that looks over kings who have recently been resurrected. Unfortunately the response you get is somewhat lacking.", "sing":"Funnily enough, you're not in the mood for singing.", "think":"-","xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"You can't do that. Try something else." }, "badgu98":{"title":"Bad Guys", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Though you do command much magical talent, this isn't the way to use it.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "badma98":{"title":"Bad Machine", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Cela ne veut pas le pain français.
", "pray":"-", "sing":"Your lusty reel paints the air with melody:
Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat! \n\n That trick never works. \n\n -- Bullwinkle J. Moose \n and Rocky Squirrel
A hollow voice says `Obviously, you are in the wrong game.'
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform", "variants":[ {"title":"Ein Bär Geht Aus", "xyzzy":"Eine hohle Stimme sagt: 'Du bist offenbar im falschen Spiel.'" } ] }, "beatd99":{"title":"Beat the Devil", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"It's a little late to start thinking now.", "xyzzy":"You hear a deep voice out of the air next to your right ear. It says 'Crowther and Woods, please report to the mall office.' You jump.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "beaut17":{"title":"A |Beauty Cold and Austere", "pet":"> pet Pennings
Pennings licks your face happily.
[Cycle down, repeating last:]
This game was written for \"SpeedIF Xyzzy\". The parameters were as follow:
This year, a very special XYZZY awards ceremony will coincide with the anniversary of the invention of cheese. One of the presenters is scheduled to be either Stephen Bishop or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. But alas, tragedy has struck! This tragedy will somehow involve, or possibly be solved by, a fruit basket filled with mangoes and/or Psmith.
Bonus points will be awarded for mention of the numbers 21351 or 4+3i, giant squids, ramen, cork nuts, or yesterday. Feel free to take liberties, but not without my baby. Ready? Go!
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "being00":{"title":"Being Andrew Plotkin", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"[Hit any key.]
\nAs in the water face answers to face, \nSo the mind of a man \nReflects the man. \n-- Pr. 27:19 |
For old times sake.
\n[Hit any key.]
It's rather astonishing that you still can, considering the last thing you remember was the very start of what seemed likely to be a quite terminal encounter with the ground at high speed.
That's pretty much the first thing you remember, too, at least in any detail - there was some falling, and before that there was some kind of argument, and before that, just a blank space in your mind where a life ought to go.
", "xyzzy":"!! >about","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "bellc04":{"title":"Bellclap", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You hum a few lines of \"[song title],\" but stop before you completely embarrass yourself.
", "sing_nb":"If you're on the plane, the song titles include: Fly Like an Eagle; Mighty Wings; Takin' a Ride (on Heavy Metal).
If you're on the train, the song titles include: Chattanooga Choo-Choo; Crazy Train; The Locomotion; My Baby Takes the Morning Train; Someone's in the Kitchen With Dinah.
", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "bestt01":{"title":"Best of Three", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"You're not much of a singer.", "think":"What do you want to think about?", "xyzzy":"-- obligatory easter egg --", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "betat09":{"title":"Beta Tester", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"*POOF* Someone who looks a LOT like Lord Dimwit Flathead, ruler of Quendor, The Great Underground Empire, appears in the room with a silly grin on his face.
Pause.
He extends his arm towards you, taps you on your nose and says \"Old School!\"
Pause.
*POOF* He's gone.
Pause.
The folks in Legal would again like to re-iterate that the person that appeared and touched you on the nose was NOT Lord Dimwit Flathead, ruler of Quendor.
Pause.
So know now, for a fact, that Lord Dimwit Flathead, ruler of Quendor, has NOT made an appearance in this game.
*Poof*
\nAn authentic copy of Zork I for the PC magically appears.
\n>xyzzy
Nothing else happens.
\"AAARRRRROOOOOOOO!\"
There is no response to your signal. Who would respond here, though? You're a lone wolf now, after all.
", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"That's neither a recognized verb nor a current topic of conversation." }, "beyon87":{"title":"Beyond Zork: The Coconut of Quendor", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"[If you're really stuck, maps and InvisiClues(TM) Hint Booklets are available at most Infocom dealers, or use the order form included in your game package.]", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Fool!\"", "notunderstood":"Suddenly, you see [random object(s)] hurtling down from the sky and disintegrating before your eyes.
", "xyzzy_nb":"The list of possible objects is quite large; for example: a baby giraffe, a blatant anachronism, a boulder, a cockroach, a coffee cup made of ice, a cracked Grecian urn, a crown of thorns, a dead cat, a devious ferret, an Easter egg, an empty frankincense jar, a fake moustache, a festive bauble, a fish from the Sea of Galilee, a flimsy catapult, some fool's gold, a forbidden fruit, some furry dice, a giant doormouse, a groovy sheep (?), a homeless iguana, a left-hand glove, etc.
Also, a basic item like a left-hand glove can be presented in numerous formats, such as: some left-hand gloves; an engraving of a left-hand glove; a mound of left-hand gloves; a mural of a left-hand glove; a painting of a left-hand glove; a pair of left-hand gloves; a picture of a left-hand glove; a quantity of left-hand gloves; a tapestry, depicting a left-hand glove; a tin of left-hand gloves; or what looks like a left-hand glove. Adjectives like black market, chocolate, large, suspicious-looking, etc. may also modify the basic item.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "bible10a":{"title":"The |Bible Retold: The Lost Sheep", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Praying for something specific might get a better response.", "sing":"Your herd winces at your terrible singing voice.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Magic won't get you very far in this game.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "bibli14":{"title":"The |Bibliophile", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"[Singing would have no effect in these circumstances.]
", "think":"!! >wait","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"[That's not a verb I recognise.]
" }, "biscu01":{"title":"Biscuit", "plover":"-", "plugh":"You utter an ancient word of power, but all that happens is that your son appears, laughs at your antics and makes some remark about \"Adult behaviour\"", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You utter an ancient word of power, but all that happens is that your wife appears, shakes her head at you in disbelief and mutters something about \"Dreaming again were we dear?\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "black13b":{"title":"Blackness", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "black14":{"title":"The |Black Lily", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"As a principle, I don't. It would be unmanly.", "think":"I let my thoughts fly for a moment.", "xyzzy":"There's a listening sort of silence.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "black19":{"title":"Black Sheep","n/a":"choice"}, "bligh07":{"title":"Blighted Isle", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"> pet some creature
I don't think [the creature] would appreciate that.
> pet something
You have lost your mind.
Something is happening here ... whoa.
>look
time room
Time! Time! I need more time .... we all need more time .... to quote the band Ivy: 'To know we die / makes love a lie' .... here's hoping the time isn't wasted ....
>xyzzy
Something is happening again ... whoa!
If you're not sure what to do, remember you can type LOOK or press enter alone to be reminded of your surroundings. Make sure you try typing any emphasized direction keywords you haven't explored or objects you haven't examined.
Asking other characters you meet about obstacles is also a good tactic. It also may help to sleep on your problem, particularly in a comfy, shady spot.
If you want specific hints, try asking on the newsgroup rec.games.int-fiction or e-mailing the address below.
Finally, if you encounter a bug or problem with the workings of the story, think something is unclear, or have suggestions, the author would love to hear from you. Please write to aaron@lacunastory.com or visit the above URL.
", "xyzzy":"Here are some of the albums that were on constant play during my writing of Blue Lacuna, along with, in some cases, which sequence they helped shape. These albums can perhaps be thought of as the unofficial soundtrack:
Gyorgi Ligeti, Requiem
Lisa Gerrard, The Silver Tree -- the Windsigh
Ryan Miller, Tim Larkin and Jack Wall, soundtracks to the Myst games -- exploring
Michael Stearns, The Lost World -- the eastern forest
Colleen, The Golden Morning Breaks -- Phoebe and Lethe
amiina, Animamina and Kurr -- Phoebe and Lethe
Kenji Kawai, Ghost In The Shell Soundtrack -- The Great Philosopher
Robert Rich, Gaudi / Below Zero -- The Heart of the Forest
Jakob Draminsky Højmark, En Landsoldats Dagbog -- Progue's Despair
Jocelyn Pook, various -- painting
Jeremy Soule, Game Soundtracks
Michael Andrews, Donnie Darko Original Score -- Progue's Playfulness
Aphex Twin, Melodies From Mars -- Progue
Eluvium, various albums -- the dreams
And other albums which are not tied to particular moments but which nevertheless received heavy play during the writing:
Geinoh Yamashirogumi, Akira Soundtrack / Ecophony Gaia
Brian Tyler, Children of Dune
Matt Uelmen, Diablo II Soundtrack
Leon Willet, Dreamfall Soundtrack
Philip Glass, Koyaanisquatsi
Paul Ruskay, Homeworld Soundtrack
Juno Reactor, Labyrinth
Sigur Rós, various albums
Lemon Demon
Vangelis, various albums
Clint Mansell, The Fountain
and the entire Jonathan Coulton catalog.
You used either a verb or a keyword I don't recognize, at least not in that combination.
" }, "bluel19":{"title":"A |Blue Like No Other","n/a":"choice"}, "bluep10":{"title":"The |Blueprint", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "blues04":{"title":"Blue Sky", "pet":"> pet llama
You run your fingers through the llama's coarse coat. It's warm and soft.
> pet some creature
I don't see why you want to do that.
> pet something
You can only do that to something animate.
As you mutter the magic word the screen on your boss's laptop suddenly transforms! Where before was a spreadsheet with a few cells, (already pushing the limits of your boss's brain capacity) a collection of the hottest, most erotic pornography ever imagined has appeared!
When your boss notices the interesting change on his laptop his eyes go wide and a small smile crosses his lips. Unfortunately for him, your CEO chooses that exact moment to walk in and speak with the boss about something or other. Your CEO notices the plethora of fascinating sexual images on your boss' laptop and opens and closes his mouth a few times as he tries to speak but is too shocked and pissed off to form words. Finally some words come...
\"Is this how you spend valuable company time?! Clean out your fucking desk and hit the street, deadbeat.\"
[Your score has just gone up by ten points.]
> pet something
Keep your hands to yourself.
Sure, you might as well do some vocal exercises.
\n\"Plu-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-ugh!\" It sounds terrible. Why can't it sound good?
\n>plugh
OK, fine, second time's a charm.
\"Plu-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-ugh!\" It sounds terrible. Why can't it sound good?
\n>plugh
Come on, Lottie, it's not like you're going to magically improve.
\"Plu-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-ugh!\" It sounds terrible. Why can't it sound good?
", "plugh_nb":"You can also do vocal exercises via XYZZY. Doing either XYZZY or PLUGH increases a shared internal counter to determine which first paragraph to respond with.", "pray":"You don't pray. In middle school you used to pray before every audition but then you stopped and still got parts. Actually you got more parts. So basically that means you do better than God and why bother praying?", "sing":"[Cycle through:]
\n[If Alexandra is here, add one of:]
\n[If Kassie is here, add:]
\n\"It's OK,\" Kassie offers. \"Sometimes I fuck up too.\"
[If Seraphina is here, add:]
\nSeraphina's stopped singing. Too bad she's also got a vomitous glare-face. \"I went here to get away from bad singing,\" she snaps. \"Not to hear more.\"
Sure, you might as well do some vocal exercises.
\n\"Xyzzy xyzzy xyzzy xyzzy zoo!\" Your tongue feels really limber, but you still suck. Why?
\n>xyzzy
OK, fine, second time's a charm.
\"Xyzzy xyzzy xyzzy xyzzy zoo!\" It sounds even worse than the first time. Why?
\n>xyzzy
Come on, Lottie, it's not like you're going to magically improve.
\"Xyzzy xyzzy xyzzy xyzzy zoo!\" See? Just as bad as ever. Why?
", "xyzzy_nb":"You can also do vocal exercises via PLUGH. Doing either XYZZY or PLUGH increases a shared internal counter to determine which first paragraph to respond with.", "notunderstood":"You don't know what that means. It's not your fault they didn't teach you vocabulary." }, "bronz06":{"title":"Bronze", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"You make a little noise, to cheer yourself. Then stop again, when you remember that it is a song he taught you.", "think":"Your goal is to discover the beast; you might try exploring and looking for him. Exploring further might be a good idea.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "bruta20":{"title":"The |Brutal Murder of Jenny Lee", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @Quest", "notunderstood":"!! @Quest" }, "bryan09":{"title":"The |Bryant Collection", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"Your singing is passable.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Note: Answering YES to the question will teleport the PC to the Living Room location.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "bsgtw09":{"title":"BSG: Twenty Two", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"Focus, you don't have a lot of time!" }, "buckp17":{"title":"Buck the Past", "pet":"-", "plover":"\"Fool! That is the wrong magic word!\" a voice booms.", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"You'd probably let off a sick mew (or moo) and be assessed a tuning fine, or worse. Not even washing you mouth with opera soap would help.", "think":"Here's what you're stuck on now...
[list of current problems]
I didn't recognize that verb. For a list of common/useful verbs, type V or VERB or VERBS.
" }, "bugge01":{"title":"Bugged", "pet":"> pet Rufus
This is not the moment.
> pet dragon
That would be dangerous.
> pet something
You can't do that.
> pet something
You give [the thing] a vigorous rub, but nothing happens.
> pet Snuggums [if fed]
You give the terrier a pat or two, and he turns his head to lick you, then goes back to his bacon.
> pet some pettable thing
You give [the thing] a proud pat. It's amazing how many objects can become sex toys.
> pet something
That's not what [the thing] is for.
[Your blood pressure just went up.]
", "notunderstood_nb":"If your blood pressure gets too high, your character will die." }, "burie08":{"title":"Buried in Shoes", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Internally, you speak to God. You feel as though cradled in a vast, kind hand.", "sing":"You sing to hear the echoes. They dance about you.", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "burni10":{"title":"Burning", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "busin08":{"title":"Business As Usual", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You sing a song about your most recent adventures.", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"You mumble something that has nothing to do with what you're currently dealing with.", "notunderstood":"You'll have to try something different." }, "butto10":{"title":"Buttons", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "by___10":{"title":"> by @", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "bylak15":{"title":"By the Lake", "pet":"-","plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You blink. You were distracted for a moment, lost in thought. You look again, at your hands and the shovel.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "byod_20":{"title":"BYOD", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You subvocalize part of an old song that just popped into your head.", "think":"Therefore, you are.", "xyzzy":"[TODO]
", "pet_nb":"TODO: Find out why PET is implemented. Look for an alley cat.My prime goal in writing Calliope was to get comfortable with the Inform programming language, and I believe I succeeded that much. Originally, I meant to accomplish this merely by painting a (somewhat self-deprecatory) autobiographical portrait of myself hacking confusedly away at a going-nowhere Inform program, making a silly little diorama which, once complete, I might have shown a couple of friends before setting it aside and probably forgetting about it, but enough ideas for expanding this into a dippy little quote-unquote 'interactive' tribute to text adventure programming in general fell into my head to move me to expand this bloated exercise from pastiche to short story. I then submitted the whole mess to the 1999 IF Comp, partly to make good on my never-canceled entrance request from the beginning of this year (When I had a vague idea about a game I wanted to make, which I then let lie fallow for some months, poked at a little, and then abandoned), but mostly for the same reason most people probably have when they enter the Boston Marathon. It's a fun lark!
While I can't expect this little trifle to score very well in the competition, I hope that you get a smile or two from it anyway. I had enough fun writing it, learning as I went, to want to dig immediately into making a 'real' text adventure game, so, as far as I'm concerned, it's a smashing success.
Special thanks to betatesters Leah Bonistalli, Jordan 'Greywolf' Peacock, Jeff Pitrman, and Andy Turner.
You may send comments and criticism to me at [eaddress omitted].
--Jason McIntosh
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "calls19":{"title":"The |Call of the Shaman", "pet":"> pet something
You cannot stroke [the thing]!
I did not understand the word \"[notunderstood]\".
" }, "calm_11":{"title":"Calm", "pet":"> pet character
You don't quite know [the character] well enough for that...
>pet something
[The thing] is not something you can stroke.
Michael: NYAH NYAH! :-)
Thanks to Iain, inky and tufty.
{Interactive Fiction Vocabulary Note: \"XYZZY\" is this ancient inside joke of a command that every author of parser-based IF is required to think of a cute response for, even if they already used up all their good jokes while they were writing the rest of the game.}
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "capti20":{"title":"Captivity", "pet":"!! >touch","plover":"!! :Mistype of lever", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Praying won't solve this particular problem.", "sing":"-","think":"You think, therefore you are.", "xyzzy":"Gesundheit!", "notunderstood":"I don't understand that command." }, "carde13":{"title":"The |Cardew House", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "carma01":{"title":"Carma", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"Your singing is as bad as your writing.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Magic won't help here – only a very big ink eraser.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "carme06":{"title":"Carmen Devine: Supernatural Troubleshooter", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "carri14":{"title":"Carriage Returns", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Your prayers go unanswered.", "sing":"-","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "carth01":{"title":"The |Carthage Corn Maze", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You are transported elsewhere, then back here. Along the way, a TV set breaks, and you munch on tasty celery.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "casel15":{"title":"The |Case of LeAnne's Missing Bunny, Wendy", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! >think", "sing":"Sheridan mumbled:
Hoist up the John B's sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home
For a moment, you are confused. You suspect you will not need to perform such an action.
(That's not a verb you need for this game. If you've seen a different verb with a similar meaning in the text, try using that instead. Type COMMANDS to see a short list of common commands.)
" }, "castl17a":{"title":"A |Castle of Thread", "pet":"> pet Warpeye
Warpeye holds perfectly still as you pet him. It's as if he's simply allowing you to do so, rather than actually enjoying it, himself.
> pet Skayawa
You pet Skayawa and she purrs loudly and rubs her body against your leg as you pet her.
[TODO]
", "pet_nb":"Note: PET is coded as a synonym of TOUCH.", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You offer up a brief player to no-one in particular.", "sing":"You emit a few tuneless squawks.","think":"...", "xyzzy":">x t-shirt
It's a cheap cotton t-shirt. The slogan reads, \"I used the magic word XYZZY and all I got was this stupid t-shirt.\"
>wear t-shirt
It looks like it was designed for someone with less tentacles. What kind of idiot implemented this easter egg anyway?
>drop t-shirt
The t-shirt bursts into flames and is destroyed.
[TODO]
", "pet_nb":"Note: PET is coded as a synonym of KISS.", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"(You cannot use magic words before you've discovered them.)", "xyzzy_nb":"TODO: Does that mean one can discover magic words in this game?", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "chang12":{"title":"Changes", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"[TODO]
", "pet_nb":"Note: PET is coded as a synonym of KISS or HUG.", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "chann08":{"title":"Channel Surfing", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "chaos99":{"title":"Chaos","sfx":"by Caron", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"[if awake:] Chaos smiles. \"Sorry, pal. My xyzzy-bot is still back at the junkyard.\"
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "charm18":{"title":"Charming", "pet":"> pet Arthur
Arthur purrs, despite himself.
> pet something
You stroke [the thing] gently.
\"It's cruel to pet inanimate objects in front of me,\" Arthur says peevishly.
", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You take a deep breath and prepare to cast Xyzzy.
\"What are you doing?!\" Arthur demands, interrupting your incantation, \"Casting spells all willy-nilly is how you got into this mess!\"
(Try CASTing the spell AT something instead.)
> pet someone
This is not the moment.
> pet something
That would not accomplish anything.
You are magically transported to an astounding cave containing many wonderful treasures. Unfortunately it is very dark there. You eventually fall into a pit.
*** You have died ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "check09":{"title":"Checkpoint", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "chees02":{"title":"Cheeseshop", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Sadly, your prayer is ignored.", "sing":"You haven't sang in public since that incident in Liverpool, and you're not about to start now.", "think":"(hmmm... what about Red Leicester, Tilsit, Caerphilly, Bel Paese, Red Windsor, Stilton, Gruyere, Emmental, Norwegian Jarlsberger, Liptauer, ...?)", "think_nb":"THINK lists ten cheeses that the PC hasn't attempted to buy yet, but not necessarily these ones.", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Xyzzy? Tinny, tinny sort of word.\"\n
Then a sixteen-ton weight drops on your head.
*** You have died ***
\nOuch. How depressing.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "chees16":{"title":"Cheesed Off!", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Sweet dreams are made of cheese
Who am I to dis a Brie?
I cheddar the world and a Feta cheese
Everybody's looking for Stilton.
Once in your life this verb helps
Some word that turns your game around and
Next thing you know you've obtained the egg mcguffin
Wake up and it's still with you
Even though you left it 'way cross town
Wondering to yourself, \"Hey, what've I done\"
When you get caught between a quit and a verb called xyzzy
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between a quit and a verb called xyzzy
Best that you can do, best that you can do--invisiclues
Arthur he does as he pleases
All of his life he plays text adventures
Deep in his heart, he's just, he's just a boy
Living his life through many undo's
Fooling himself that he didn't just lose
Laughing about the way they want him to play
When you get caught between a quit and a verb called xyzzy
I know it's crazy, but it's true
If you get caught between a quit and a verb called xyzzy
Best that you can do, best that you can do--invisiclues
-- Christopher \"Star\" Cross
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "chief19":{"title":"The |Chieftain","n/a":"choice"}, "child06":{"title":"Child's Play", "pet":"-","plover":"!! ~xyzzy","plugh":"!! ~xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"You don't have speech down yet.", "think":"Thinking is like all you're doing these days, it is your job.", "xyzzy":"Supposedly saying xyzzy will do magical things and whatever, you can't talk yet.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform", "no-do":"Everything you try just winds you tighter in the darkness, this sucks.", "no-do_nb":"This is during the first puzzle." }, "chine07":{"title":"The |Chinese Room", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"God is dead.", "sing":"The hills are alive. Which in any other context would be positively terrifying, but it's only the sound of music.", "think":"What is it you want to THINK ABOUT?", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"There are no obligatory Adventure references in this game.\"
There is a long pause.
\"Oh, bugger.\"
", "notunderstood":"Your desire has passed beyond meaning." }, "chlor15":{"title":"Chlorophyll", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"-","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform", "no-do":"The safety restraints make it hard to do much except look around.", "no-do_nb":"This is during the prologue sequence." }, "choos02":{"title":"Choose Your Own Romance","n/a":"choice", "notunderstood":"That's not a command you can use." }, "choru20":{"title":"Chorus","n/a":"choice"}, "chris95":{"title":"Christminster", "pet":"[TODO]
", "pet_nb":"Note: PET is coded as a synonym of TOUCH.", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"Prayer doesn't seem very appropriate here.", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"I didn't understand that sentence.", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "chron04":{"title":"Chronicle Play Torn", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "chron10":{"title":"The |Chronicler", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Eerie silence greets your words.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "chuka19":{"title":"Chuk and the Arena","n/a":"choice"}, "chunk11":{"title":"Chunky Blues", "pet":"!! >touch","plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "citiz19":{"title":"Citizen of Nowhere", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"I see you, old school player!There shouldn't be much to do. You may wish to SET the clock to a time or even just type the time.
VERBS shows all the verbs.
" }, "class19":{"title":"Class Challenge", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "clock00":{"title":"The |Clock", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You hum a tune from a Mozart opera.", "think":"-","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "close10":{"title":"Closed Circles", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"You recall many things, but none seem of relevance at the moment.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "clust19":{"title":"Clusterflux", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"See how-to-play-IF card for help with commands. To see a list of topics that you can ask other characters, type \"topics\". Any words in bold are new topics you can ask. If your display doesn't show bold characters, just check \"topics\" periodically to see any additions. There are opportunities in this game to really alter the course of events in the story. Multiple traversals can be narratively rewarding. Stay curious. If you're stuck, examining things usually yields clues.
", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "coast01":{"title":"The |Coast House", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Can you say that here? I thought that was copyrighted or something...?", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "cod__10":{"title":"COD", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "coffe02":{"title":"Coffee Quest II", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"In a high pitched whine you let rip: Tralalah lalala lah!
My what a beautiful voice you have.
Unngh Uuugh!
No, it's no good it just hurts when I do that, besides you haven't the time
you need to escape.
*** You are ***
", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform", "no-do":"*** You might not be ***
" }, "cokei99":{"title":"Coke Is It!", "plover":"Three Million a Day.", "plugh":"A hollow voice says, \"Ahhhhhhh.\"", "pray":"You close your eyes. You pray for a Coke. You open them again. Your prayer has been answered!", "sing":"\"I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony.
I'd like to buy the world a Coke,
And keep it company!
That's not a verb I recognize. Try >DRINK.
" }, "coldi11":{"title":"Cold Iron", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"-","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "color02":{"title":"Color and Number", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You're here to investigate the cult, not join it!
", "sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "color13":{"title":"Coloratura", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"[if not in topics:] You think deeply about xyzzy.
[New topic - XYZZY]
[if blackmailer to Rosalita:] \"Rosa, there's something I've been meaning to say.\"
She hesitates before answering. \"What is it?\"
You sigh. \"Xyzzy.\"
You hear her sobbing through the phone. Your stomach sinks as even you, the blackmailer, are filled with regret for bringing up this painful episode in Rosalita's life. Xyzzy is best left forgotten.
[if detective to Chief:] \"Chief, I know it's not supposed to exist, but I think it's time that we open the old case file on XYZZY.\"
The chief is silent for a long time.
\"Chief, are you listening?\"
He says, \"Hector, you don't know what you're messing with here. Believe me: leave XYZZY alone. Forget about it. It never happened.\"
It's not that easy to get out.
[if Fip is here, add:]
\"Hey! Where did you learn that?\"
You utter the ancient Zulu curse under your breath...
...but nothing happens.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "conde09":{"title":"Condemned", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"[This is serious.]", "think":"Your mind has been doing a lot of that lately.", "xyzzy":"[That won't work here: this is a modern work of IF.]", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "congr97":{"title":"Congratulations!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "const02":{"title":"Constraints","sfx":"from IF Comp 2002", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"I'm not much one for prayer myself. But you, evidently, are, and I find myself squirming—
(While your mind and heart are elsewhere, ordering your concerns and offering them up.)
—and now quiet. I don't know what, if anything, that may have accomplished, but I promise not to be rude if you need to do it again.
", "sing":"I prefer not to exercise my singing voice in company. (That includes you.)", "think":"Here's what we think we need to do:
Get my backpack from the cinema
Retrieve your remaining possessions from locker at hostel
Meet your colleague Slango at Counterfeit Monkey
[if at Church Exterior:] You hack and cough, but you don't seem to be able to clear your throat.
", "plugh_nb":"In most locations, the command is not understood. I have only checked the first few locations.", "pray":"[if at Milkweed:] It can't hurt. Can it?
", "pray_nb":"In most locations, the command is not understood. I have only checked the first few locations.", "sing":"[if on Railway Platform:]
[if at Milkweed, prior to knocking down the shack:] You try to think of song to cheer yourself up, but nothing comes to mind.
[if at Milkweed, afterwards:] Your lips sing along, almost involuntarily, to the earworm in your head:
[if on Railway Platform:] You're worried about Peter. He was supposed to be back by now, but you haven't heard a word from him since he went to his family's old house in Backwater. You've never been there before; he doesn't like to talk about his family much, and you got the impression there was some bad blood there.
You're probably just being silly, right? He'll turn up and you'll both laugh about how worried you were. Probably his family are perfectly nice, normal people.
[if on Railway Platform:] The world falls silent for a moment, as if holding its breath for something to happen... but nothing does. You don't know what you expected, really.
[if at Church Exterior:]
[if in Backwater Public Library: XYZZY acts like SAY.]
", "xyzzy_nb":"In most locations, the command is not understood. I have only checked the first few locations.", "notunderstood":"That verb doesn't work here, or, at least, not right now, but it might work somewhere later." }, "crate13":{"title":"Crater Creek, 2113", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "crims00":{"title":"A |Crimson Spring", "plover":"-", "plugh":"A hallow voice says, 'Is that Crazy For This Girl' playing? Are you a twenty-six year old computer programmer or a suicidal fifteen-year-old girl?", "pray":"I kneel before the coffin and and make the sign of the cross. (North, South, West, East, I say to myself silently.)
\"Jelena, you were everything to me. Before I met you I was nothing more than a boychild wholly without passion or drive. You woke things inside me I never knew I had. You made me see a side of love, politics, freedom and family that I had never considered before. I have no idea why this happened to you but I swear I will find out why and by whom and avenge you.\" Maybe a tear falls from behind my mask. \"I will miss you, my love, my treasure, my gorgeous Red Cloud.\"
\"Amen.\"
Ameba comes up to me and offers his condolences. He migrates back away from the coffin.
[Cycling:]
A hollow voice whispers, \"I saw a 't' on top of a castle!\"
A goat runs through the lounge. A llama chases after it. The glue is dripping down the side of the bottle.
I doubt that made any sense to you, since it's an inside joke. Well, when you type something out-of-context like xyzzy you should expect an out-of-context response. If you expected to be teleported, too bad for you. This isn't Zork.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "crusa01":{"title":"Crusade", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"What do you want to pray to?", "sing":"Your singing is terrible.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Infidel.\"", "notunderstood":"I don't know that word." }, "crypt10":{"title":"Cryptozookeeper", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"As an agnostic, you don't believe enough to pray effectively.", "sing":"-", "think":"Be a little more specific about what you'd like to think.", "xyzzy":"You can't see the Yzzy.", "notunderstood":"You don't need to use the word \"[notunderstood]\"." }, "cryst11":{"title":"The |Crystal Palace", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "cryst99":{"title":"Crystal Ball", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"'[notunderstood]'? I don't know that word." }, "crywo08":{"title":"Cry Wolf", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "cube_10":{"title":"The |Cube", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"You really shouldn't. The last time you put on a song and dance routine, your scanner didn't talk...er, beep at you for a week.", "think":"You were never good at that.", "xyzzy":"You're too much the scientist to resort to magic.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "cubei17":{"title":"The |Cube in the Cavern", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"You may wish to tinker with SUMMON on your mood ring.", "xyzzy":"You hone in on your three-dimensional reasoning, visualization and general calculations. You even solve a trivial set of three equations with three unknowns. The result is a slight headache. But it's a MOTIVATING headache!", "notunderstood":"I didn't recognize that verb. For a list of common/useful verbs, type V or VERB or VERBS." }, "cucko14":{"title":"The |Cuckold's Egg", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"[Singing would have no effect in these circumstances.]
", "think":"!! >wait","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"[That's not a verb I recognise.]
" }, "curse18":{"title":"Curse of the Garden Isle", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! >think", "sing":"A hollow voice says
\"Well, this adventure is written in tads not fortran, but seeing that you are pretty stuck, you can have your precious xyzzy.\"
There is a cloud of orange smoke and you realise that you are now in the ..................
Unbidden, some ancient instinctual meme crawls up from your subconscious. Your lips dance of their own accord. “Xyzzy,” you say.
You begin to twitch and shudder, your tiny brain cartwheeling into an ouroboros of self-referential insanity. “Xyzzy,” you repeat. “Xyzzy.”
You don't even notice as your legs give way and you collapse to the ground. Your senses have closed in, your mind shut down. And all that is left... is xyzzy.
(Your score has just decreased by twenty points.)
(If you’d prefer not to be notified about score changes in the future, type NOTIFY OFF.)
*** GAME OVER ***
In 1 move, you have scored -20 of a possible 6 points. This makes you a xyzzy.
Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, UNDO the last move, see your FULL SCORE, or QUIT?
>full score
In 1 move, you have scored -20 of a possible 6 points. This makes you a xyzzy. Your score consists of:
-1 points for xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
-1 points for xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy, xyzzy
Would you like to RESTORE a saved position, RESTART the story, UNDO the last move, see your FULL SCORE, or QUIT?
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "deadm14":{"title":"Dead Man's Party", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"You think, therefore you are.", "xyzzy":"A booming voice whispers, “Enough is enough already.”", "notunderstood":"I don’t understand that command." }, "deadm16":{"title":"Dead Man's Hill", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! >no-do", "xyzzy":"-", "no-do":"There was no time for that!", "notunderstood":"That noun did not make sense in this context." }, "deadm17":{"title":"A |dead man's hug", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Cassowary
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cassowaries (/ˈkæsəwɛəri/) are ratites (flightless birds without a keel on their sternum bone) in the genus Casuarius and are native to the tropical forests of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea and Indonesia), nearby islands, and northeastern Australia. 3 There are three extant species. The most common of these, the southern cassowary, is the third-tallest and second-heaviest living bird, smaller only than the ostrich and emu. Cassowaries feed mainly on fruit, although all species are truly omnivorous and will take a range of other plant food, including shoots and grass seeds, in addition to fungi, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. Cassowaries are very shy, but when provoked they are capable of inflicting injuries, occasionally fatal, to dogs and people.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "deadp13":{"title":"Dead Pavane for a Princess", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "deadr09":{"title":"Dead Race", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"What ... ?" }, "death00a":{"title":"Death Waif", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"A finely-dressed man appears in a flash of blinding pink light. \"You know, with an important Presidential election coming up in the United States very soon, I think it's time to talk to you about a very important subject: Spork safety.
The man vanishes.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "death10":{"title":"Death Off the Cuff", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You are a man of reason, not faith. Still, you can't help but silently pray that you will manage to get through this.", "sing":"No, silly; you need to make the murderer sing.", "think":"You have thought about the case all day with no results. Your last hope is that you can make the murderer reveal him or herself during your closing monologue.", "xyzzy":"You don't need magic to solve the case; only logic.", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "death11":{"title":"Death of Schlig", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "death99":{"title":"Death To My Enemies", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Um... We can't have that kind of stuff going on in this action-packed, suspenseful joyride of a story. Go play NunPorn.z6 if you're into that \"praying\" stuff.", "sing":"Well, you're just a regular Dylan Hicks now, aren't you?", "think":"That's what sidekicks are for!", "xyzzy":"You apply a great deal of concentration, and find yourself walking into another place.
Long Hall
This room is brilliantly lit from all directions. In fact, it is unclear where the walls and ceiling end. Doorways lead to the east and west, and tunnels open up in most other directions. An archway stands at the south end of the hall.
You can see:
a torch in a wall sconce, Object #1000, sign, Long Hall map, cow orkers, slide, potential action list
Visible Exits:
south, north, west, east, southwest, southeast, northeast, northwest, up
[Wow, you're on the IFmud!!! Whee! For kicks, you walk west...]
Adventurer's Lounge
Candles on the wood-panelled walls create a comfortably dark atmosphere. Hand-drawn maps are taped to nearly every surface - the walls, the ceiling, the trophy case in the corner. Seating is plentiful. A small storage closet is to the north.
You can see:
Blob, wooden wood, keychain, Clive, Fanboy, fairy
Visible Exits:
east, north, west, up
[Hmmmmm... there seems to be a conversation going on!]
Fanboy says, \"You see, I've never really understood what was so great about Zork. I hate zork. It has no continuity and makes no sense. However, Deadline, which is essencially puzzleless is near perfect interactive fiction as the name implies.\"
Clive says (to Fanboy), \"Deadline had plenty of puzzles. For instance, the maze in the wine cellar under the house.\"
Fanboy says, \"What maze in the wine cellar under the house/\"
Clive says (to Fanboy), \"Not to mention the infamous FCD#3\"
Fanboy says (to Clive), \"I'm confused.\"
Clive says, \"The thing that was annoying about Deadline was all the little colored rods you had to pick up... it was a really transparent way to copy the treasures idea from Zork.\"
Fanboy says (to Clive), \"We are not talking about the same game.\"
Clive says (to Fanboy), \"Sure we are.\"
Fanboy says (to Clive), \"Deadline did not have any colored rods nor a maze in the wine cellar.\"
Clive says, \"I didn't like Witness, because it had all these dumb subplots where you had to follow the various characters around. Find the will, find the secret room, etc.\"
Fanboy says (to Clive), \"Now you are describing Deadline.\"
Clive exclaims (to Fanboy), \"You don't know what you're talkijg about!\"
Clive says, \"I am an Infocom expert.\"
[Alright, you feel you've had enough...]
You are back to your normal surroundings now.
[TODO First few turns]
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "degen01":{"title":"Degeneracy", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You should offer your Prayer in a more suitable location.", "sing":"There is a reason why you serve in God's Army, rather than His Choir.", "think":"By all means.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I do not recognise that verb." }, "dejav93":{"title":"Deja Vu", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"Spooky! For a moment there, a deep voice seemed to say \"you're on your own\".", "sing":"Your yodelling is atrocious, if you say so yourself.", "think":"Worth a try, anyway. Why don't you?", "xyzzy":"For a moment you can almost hear a hoarse voice say something to you. But it passes.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "delic10":{"title":"Delicious Breakfast", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You would, but you're too distracted by Delicious Breakfast!", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "delig06":{"title":"Delightful Wallpaper", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "delph15":{"title":"Delphina's House", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Dear God, thank you for newts. And I'm sorry for kicking Louise after she called me a product of photosynthesis. And please take good care of Grandma. Amen.
", "sing":"You break into song, then stop when you can't think of anything that rhymes with \"hamster.\"", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"The storybook is The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams.
", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "delus11":{"title":"Delusions Again", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "delus96":{"title":"Delusions", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You offer a prayer to your Creator, whomever he (she?) may be.", "sing":"Your mouth opens and closes, but no audible sound emerges.", "think":"Electrical impulses race across your synaptic pathways.", "xyzzy":"It has been said that anything can happen in VR, but in this case \"anything\" turns out to be nothing at all.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "delvy03":{"title":"Delvyn", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"http://mm.dfilm.com/mm2s/mm_route.php?id=1243287", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "denov19":{"title":"De Novo","n/a":"choice"}, "depri15":{"title":"Deprivation", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"You think, therefore you are.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I don’t understand that command." }, "deser00":{"title":"Desert Heat", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"BLEEP! (ping) zZaP *glorgle*
The spell you have selected is out of service. Please try another game.
", "notunderstood":"I don't understand that command. For a list of valid commands, please type 'help'." }, "desol20":{"title":"Desolation", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "no-do":"[TODO At game start]
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "devil14":{"title":"The |Devil in the Details", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"You think, therefore you are.
(If you have a specific topic in mind, try think about <topic>)
", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"Your request was not clear. Can you rephrase it?" }, "devil98":{"title":"The |Devil Made Me Do It", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A man runs passed you being chased by lions and a blonde-haired man. You think to yourself, \"Isn't that my little protege Karl? How wonderful!!!\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "dialc14":{"title":"Dial C for Cupcakes", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! >think", "sing":">:F
Awoooooooo! Pretty scary, boys and girls!
", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "diddl18":{"title":"Diddlebucker!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"([the default nearby object])
You don't know the words to that song.
Oh hey.
Hold on a second.
(I forgot to put in the title)
Okay, you can start now.
[The game's banner and initial location are now displayed.]
You sing a little song about [random song topic]. Dr. Beagle [randomly reacts].
", "sing_nb":"Random song topics include: fingertips; going down to Cowtown; how you can't find your aspirin; mammals; metal detectors; prosthetic foreheads; smoke machines; this guy called Chess Piece Face; tokens back to Brooklyn; whistling in the dark; your favorite ape, Cornelius; your favorite Belgian painter.
Random reactions include: cocks an ear at you; covers his head with his labcoat and whines; howls in pain; hums along under his breath; looks at you like you're a weirdo; tries not to tap his feet.
", "think":"All you can think about right now is [random food].", "think_nb":"Random foods include: apple cobbler; baked potatoes; Bavarian pretzels; biscuits and gravy; blueberry muffins; calamari tempura; candied yams; coconut cream pie; collard greens; corn on the cob; Cornish pasties; Culver's frozen custard; deep-fried okra; hot buttered rolls; hot dogs; hot pastrami sandwich; Julienne fries; lingonberry pancakes; macaroni and cheese; Pinkberry. Mmm. Pinkberry; pork chops; roast pork; saag paneer; seven-layer salad; strawberry shortcake; Swedish meatballs; thick juicy steak; tiramisu; Turkish delight; vegan chicken salad.", "xyzzy":"Remember when you used to play all those IF games and you'd type \"xyzzy\" just to see if it was implemented? That was great.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "dinoh00":{"title":"Dino Hunt", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"The ground shakes violently, making you drop everything you're carrying. Color, shapes, movement -- before you can figure out what's happening, three full-sized brightly colored dinosaurs surround you. The brontosaurus steps on you, the pterodacyl scratches you, and then the tyrannosaurus rex eats you alive.
Who says magic is dead?
*** You have died ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "dinos00":{"title":"A |Dino's Night Out", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You devote a moment of contemplation to the Purple Dino Beyond.", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "dinos00b":{"title":"Dinosaur Love", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Something is happening here ... whoa. You're in the nullroom, where all the topics hide! Better do xyzzy again soon.
>look
Nullroom
It looks like an ordinary Nullroom to me.
>xyzzy
Something is happening again ... whoa!
Sheesh! Dirk's a knight, not a wizard.
Plus he doesn't deserve a hollow voice saying \"Fool.\" Adventuring school flashbacks and all.
", "notunderstood":"Ugh! Long non-fourth-wall thirteen-letter commands make Dirk's head hurt. Well, there are some meta-commands. But here are the main short ones.
U/L/D/R to move Dirk, S for sword/attack, or Z to wait, which is usually a bad idea. H gives a command list, and an empty command refreshes your current situation.
", "notunderstood_nb":"Note that the response counts the letters in the not-understood command." }, "disen13":{"title":"Disenchantment Bay", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "dishd09":{"title":"Dish Duty", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"You are capable of no such thing." }, "divis10":{"title":"Divis Mortis", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"It's not even a trope that the person singing gets killed first because not even people in the movies are dumb enough to draw attention to themselves like that.", "think":"Refer to the hint text file for hints and a map. You can ignore the hunger and headache with \"ignore hunger\" and \"ignore headache\". If you are really stuck and just want to get ahead, type \"walkthrough\" for the full walkthrough.", "xyzzy":"From behind you, you hear a hollow voice say \"Graaaaargh....\" You spin around quickly, but there is nothing there.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "djinn00":{"title":"The |Djinni Chronicles", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"I could not sing.", "think":"I searched the undercurrents for a good idea.", "xyzzy":"The timeless word temporarily integrated me.", "notunderstood":"That was not an action my Purpose allowed." }, "domic03":{"title":"Domicile", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You have a vague feeling of unease after pronouncing that word.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "donke01":{"title":"Donkey Kong", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "donut09":{"title":"Donuts", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"I sing a little song.", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"I can't understand. I don't know. What are you talking about?" }, "dooms99":{"title":"Doomsday", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Did you really think I'd take the time to implement that?\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "doppe20":{"title":"Doppeljobs","n/a":"choice"}, "downo09":{"title":"Down and Out at the Big Creepy House on the Poison Lake", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"My singing is abominable.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"At End of Road
I am standing at the end of a road before a small brick building. Around is a forest. A small stream flows out of the building and down a gully.
...Snap out of it, self! This is no time to be daydreaming!
", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "downs15":{"title":"Down, the Serpent and the Sun", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"The feathered serpent outranks every god.", "sing":"You murmur a ritual chant under your breath.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"That's not an action you need to perform." }, "downt98":{"title":"Downtown Tokyo Present Day", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"A prod from your neighbour: \"Hey, buddy, Julie Andrews you ain't!\"
", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Our hero's grasp of the Japanese language is obviously poor!", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "downw09":{"title":"Down with the Underpig", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "dracu08":{"title":"Dracula's Underground Crypt", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"bonus stage
Welcome to the bonus stage! Collect purple coins!
You can see purple coins here.
\n>take coins
Taken.
Congratulations; You beat the bonus stage! How jealous are your friends going to be when they hear this?!
\n[You are teleported back to your original location.]
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "drago00a":{"title":"Dragon Resources Stories", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"You vanish in a puff of smoke. When the smoke clears, your surroundings have changed.
Chamber
You are in a vast underground chamber. Rivulets of ochre ichor line the walls, reflecting light from an unseen source. From afar you can hear a cheerful little bird singing.
Some graffiti scrawled on the wall says: MAGIC WORD XYZZY. But you already knew that.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "drago00b":{"title":"Dragon!", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Jarb shrieks, apparently to himself, \"Fool!\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "drdum99":{"title":"Dr. Dumont's Wild P.A.R.T.I.", "plover":"!! >plugh", "plugh":"Try \"xyzzy,\" wiseguy.", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"(about yourself)
You think about yourself but nothing special comes to mind. Not surprising, given your current state.
More like IDKFA.
>idkfa
*** You have died ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "dullg19":{"title":"Dull Grey","n/a":"no text entry"}, "dungb09":{"title":"Dung Beetles Are Aliens!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"-","xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT","notunderstood":"!! @ADRIFT" }, "dunge19":{"title":"Dungeon Detective 2: Devils and Details","n/a":"choice"}, "dutch02":{"title":"Dutch Dapper IV: The Final Voyage", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says: 'Oh please... this is getting SOOOOO old...'", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "dweno02":{"title":"Dwenodon", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"This does not appear to be a good place to pray. There are too many distractions.", "pray_nb":"TODO: Perhaps PRAY is more effective in a specific place in this game.", "sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Wizards are tolerated in Dwenodon, even revered by some. but here in the Western Lands, and at Stonebrook in particular, they are feared and hated. People who are heard to mutter magic words can often find themselves in serious trouble with the locals.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "dynam18":{"title":"Dynamite Powers vs. the Ray of Night!", "plover":"-", "plugh":"A hollow voice says \"PLUGH… Plugh… plugh… p...\" The echoes trail off into silence.", "pray":"-", "sing":"You sing a snatch of
It's pronounced \"xyzzy\".
", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "eachu19":{"title":"Each-uisge","n/a":"choice"}, "earlg09":{"title":"Earl Grey", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"Good is not the word", "think":"A thought comes to you: \"type help.\"", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "earth01":{"title":"Earth and Sky", "plover":"-", "plugh":"Try a glass of water. That helps sometimes.", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Gesundheit!", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "easte20":{"title":"Easter Egg Hunt 2020", "pet":"-", "plover":"Looking for the other kind of Easter eggs, too, eh? Well, there is magic in this game, but PLOVER isn't one of the magic words. [if 1st time] Still, plovers do have eggs, don't they? Hmmm...
Okay, fine. Here's a secret: there are plovers in the game, somewhere. Go find them. [end if]
", "plugh":"!! ~xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Looking for the other kind of Easter eggs, too, eh? Well, there is magic in this game, but XYZZY isn't one of the magic words.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "eastg10":{"title":"East Grove Hills", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"What's the point of singing if you can't hear me sing? Actually, that's probably a good thing.", "think":"I have enough to think about.", "xyzzy":"If this were a game, I would have restarted already.", "notunderstood":"I'm sorry; English is not my first language. Try either a simpler phrase. Or a command with a verb. Because I love to be enslaved to hierarchical systems of command." }, "eatme17":{"title":"Eat Me", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >say", "pray":"You couldn't ask for help better than mine.", "sing":"!! >say", "think":"[First time acts like HELP:]
Considering what you should do? I'll lend my advice if you'd like. Just think whenever you want help, and I'll offer a hint. You could also review your commands to see what actions are available.
[Afterwards, repsonses are instructions in context with your situation, for example:]
\nYou mutter a nonsense word, and, surprisingly, the Edifice trembles in response! Everything else goes silent, and for a moment, it sounds as if the Edifice might collapse! Finally, it stills, and the world returns to normal.
You seem to have created a Word of Power.
That verb is not recognized! Type VERBS for a list of commands!
" }, "endle15":{"title":"Endless Sands", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You've never been too confident about your singing voice. You'd rather not risk anyone hearing you.", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "endme00":{"title":"The |End Means Escape", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"Somewhere else, \"[notunderstood]\" might make sense, but not here, not now." }, "engar18":{"title":"En Garde","n/a":"Uses hyperlinks"}, "enemi98":{"title":"Enemies", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"You never were any good at singing.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Magic doesn't work in the real world.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "engli01":{"title":"English Suburban Garden", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"You sing quietly to yourself.", "think":"You pause for a moment, lost in contemplation. Then you're back in your skin again.", "xyzzy":"You are instantly and seamlessly transported to an alternative universe where all the familiar objects around you have been replaced by sinister copies that look and act exactly like the originals. On the other hand, perhaps nothing happened at all.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "enigm14":{"title":"Enigma", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You are not sure if the Lord could help you in this situation.", "sing":"One single moment is not enough time to do that.", "think":"Your mind can think. And you can think about the things that cross your mind.", "xyzzy":"There does not exist any magic at this moment.", "notunderstood":"[No response.]
", "xyzzy":"There is a trans-dimensional short-circuit of interactive fiction tradition, and you catch a brief glimpse of a brick building near a stream and a metal grate before you blink and find yourself...
[You are now in the Chamber of the Enlightened Master.]
", "notunderstood":"Not possible." }, "enlig98":{"title":"Enlightenment", "plover":"I think you mean \"Quail\"...", "plugh":"You're sinking to new depths.", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Not surprisingly, nothing happens. You mustn't have visited the right place.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "enlis00":{"title":"Enlisted", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"God works in his own way at during his own time. But in this way in this time you see no direct effects.", "sing":"You sing a rousing marching song about your unit's sexual exploits.", "think":"You search your memories for help, if you have the implant chip maybe you should \"concentrate on\" something instead of just thinking.", "xyzzy":"You utter the epic battle cry of the Space Force and you can almost hear a responding YO SPACE FORCE! being shouted from the thousands of pairs of lungs of troopers who have gone before you.", "notunderstood":"That's against Space Force Regulation [random number].
" }, "entan20":{"title":"Entangled", "pet":"!! >touch","plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"Not exactly your strong suit. You keep quiet.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You think to yourself about an old text adventure. Thank God you're not trapped in some maze.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "episo00":{"title":"Episode 2: Revenge of the Mutant Spiders", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A huge horde of mutant spiders appears out of nowhere and devours you alive!
*** You have died ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "episo03":{"title":"Episode in the Life of an Artist", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "epito03":{"title":"The |Epitome of Toastlessness", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"TOAST fails to fall from the heavens. Perhaps blasphemy is in order.", "sing":"...a song about TOAST? Sure. But it isn't getting you any!", "think":"Some TOAST sure would be nice about now....", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice utterly fails to provide you with TOAST. What a rip-off.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "erehw99":{"title":"Erehwon", "plover":"-", "plugh":"Nothing happens. You could always try >ABRACADABRA.
", "plugh_nb":"See this game's XYZZY response for the rest of this joke.
", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens. You could always try >PLUGH.
>plugh
Nothing happens. You could always try >ABRACADABRA.
>abracadabra
Nothing happens. You could always try >ZOT.
>zot
Nothing happens. You could always try >WAZZUM.
>wazzum
Nothing happens. You could always try >XYZZY.
A stern, hollow voice booms: \"The use of magic is strictly reserved for the implementors.\"
>xyzzy
A hollow, but slightly exasperated voice says: \"Look, I warned you. This is not a stable place. The likes of you should not meddle with things beyond their mortal understanding.\"
>xyzzy
A hollow voice (with - or is it your imagination? - overtones of Schadenfreude) intones: \"Well, if you really won't listen to good advice... have it your way!\" As this announcement dies down, mingling with the wyrd echos of your own magical incantations, you sense a disturbance in the very structure of time.
Suddenly, the entire island explodes! The volcano erupts in a spectacular show of fire, tumbling rocks, sprays of steam and boiling stone, and thundering sound effects to go with them. It really is a fantastic sight, a true natural wonder, enough to impress even the most jaded vulcanologist.
The good news about all this is that you are in the perfect position to witness all this - slap-bang in the middle of the action. The bad news is, of course, that being in that perfect position, you are no longer able to enjoy it all, since you've been blown to bits along with the rest of the Island.
*** You have been blown sky-high ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "escap00":{"title":"Escape from Crulistan", "xyzzy":"For a moment you thought you heard a hollow voice after speaking the word, but it was probably just your inner voice asking why a grown-up man in the year 2000 still believes in magic.", "nb":"This .exe file doesn't run directly in Windows 10." }, "escap01":{"title":"Escape from a Planet Filled with Monkeys!","n/a":"choice", "xyzzy":"As you say “xyzzy”, you feel warm and fuzzy, almost as if your cosmic score has increased by several karma points. But nothing else happens.
", "xyzzy_nb":"Note: This response happens when the player chooses a menu option called 'Say “xyzzy”'. You cannot actually type XYZZY as a command in this game.
", "notunderstood":"That is not a valid command. (You can type “HELP” for a list of valid comands.)" }, "escap02a":{"title":"Escape from the Arboretum", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"In a high pitched whine you let rip: Tralalah lalala lah!
My what a beautiful voice you have.
Unngh Uuugh!
No, it's no good it just hurts when I do that.
\"Mary had a little lamb...\"
That's all you remember now. It's a stressful situation after all.
(Type \"pray\" again for another hint.)
", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"This is science fiction, not magical realism.", "notunderstood":"You don't need to use the word \"[notunderstood]\"." }, "escap12a":{"title":"Escape From Summerland", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"Its webs of living gauze no more unfurl;
Wrecked is the ship of pearl!
And every chambered cell,
Where its dim dreaming life was wont to dwell,
As the frail tenant shaped his growing shell,
Before thee lies revealed,-
Its irised ceiling rent, its sunless crypt unsealed!
\"There, there little chiiiicken,\" you gently croon. \"Eeeeverything's fine.\"
To your surprise, it seems to work. The chicken peeks out from beneath its wings. After a while, it seems to decide that you aren't so dangerous after all, and emerges completely. It looks up at you with big innocent eyes.
“Xyzzy!” you say. A hollow voice says, “Yeah, like that ever works.”
On closer inspection, the voice stems from the fishbowl.
>xyzzy
“Xyzzy!” you say. “Is this normal police procedure?” asks the evil brain.
>xyzzy
“Xyzzy!” you say. “I'm sure you've solved a lot of cases this way,” blubs the evil brain.
>xyzzy
“Xyzzy!” you say. Nothing obvious happens.
Plover
Plovers ( or ) are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae.
Colossal Cave Adventure
The concept bore out from Crowther's background as a caving enthusiast, with the game's cave structured loosely around the Mammoth Cave system in Kentucky.
Prayer
Prayer may be directed towards a deity, spirit, deceased person, or lofty idea, for the purpose of worshipping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing transgressions (sins) or to express one's thoughts and emotions.
Singing
Professional singers usually build their careers around one specific musical genre, such as classical or rock, although there are singers with crossover success (singing in more than one genre).
Thought
Thought refers to ideas or arrangements of ideas that are the result of the process of thinking.
Xyzzy
XYZZY Award, awards for interactive fiction
No results found.
Sorry.
", "nb":"Free text entry is only permitted at one early point of the story. Otherwise, the player just clicks links." }, "extre19":{"title":"Extreme Omnivore", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "eyeco19":{"title":"Eye Contact","n/a":"choice"}, "faere19":{"title":"Faerethia","n/a":"choice"}, "fails00":{"title":"Fail-Safe", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"\"Oh what? Oh man, oh man.. I'm gonna die.. oh no...\"", "sing":"\"Thing? What thing? Where?\"", "think":"\"I don't know! I don't know! You're supposed to help me, dammit!.. The laser's, we'll need the laser's I reckon..\"", "xyzzy":"-", "nb":"The notunderstood message has many variations to it." }, "fair_16":{"title":"Fair", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"[if in hallway][one of]There is a metallic sizzling, and some sparks drift down from the clock overhead.[or]There is a plasticky creaking, and you notice the hands on the clock overhead moving counter-clockwise.[or]You hear some strange mechanical creaking and popping noises overhead in the hallway.[at random][end if] A [one of]disorienting[or]sickening[or]stomach-tickling[or]stomach-turning[or]thrilling[or]vertiginous[at random] [one of]feeling[or]moment[or]sensation[at random] of being pulled backwards but remaining still overwhelms you [one of]briefly[or]for a moment[or]for a second[or]for what seems like an eternity[or]suddenly[at random], but [one of]is quickly forgotten[or]quickly passes[or]-what were you just doing? Hm[at random]. [if in hallway, rarely] You notice all the people in the hallway[one of]are different from before.[or]are repeating what they were doing from before.[or]have changed places suddenly from before.[at random][end if]
", "xyzzy_nb":"Because of the complicated nature of this response, this is probably an incomplete description of it.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "faith13":{"title":"Faithful Companion", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You sing a bit of Thurnley's favorite hymn. The echoes soon die away.", "think":"You stop to think.","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "faken17":{"title":"Fake News", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"I fondly recall my mum asking where the money went – for my singing lessons – and decide not to.", "think":"I think, therefore I am.", "xyzzy":"I sing the enchanted word and am rewarded with some great news![1]
>footnote 1
“Infocom to release Zork – A Thief’s Story on July 19” – Fake News!, July 19
Real magic requires sacrifice and study.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "fatfa19":{"title":"Fat Fair", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"At that time, Borsch wanted nothing more than some food and a good night's sleep. In that order.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"[first random part] [second random part]
[where first part is:]
[and second part is:]
The wierd word (how, on Earth, could someone come up with something like that? - it's so strange! \"XYZZY\"... Damn!) transports you to a better place - reality! Lucky you thought of that...
[then the game quits]
[first time:] A word suddenly pops up in my mind. Xyzzy. Where have I heard that before? Something computer-related. Ah, I remember Leynard showing me some old text-only computer game - that's where I saw it. It was a very primitive game - from last century - and possibly one of the earliest ever made... I doubt that any computer games have been made in the whole of 2030.
", "notunderstood":"At End Of Road
You are standing at the end of a road before a small brick building. Around you is a forest. A small stream flows out of the building and down a gully. [PAUSE]
>in
Inside Building
You are inside a building, a well house for a large spring.
There are some keys on the ground here.
There is tasty food here.
There is a shiny brass lamp nearby.
There is an empty bottle here. [PAUSE]
>take keys and lamp
set of keys: Taken.
brass lantern: Taken. [PAUSE]
>out
At End Of Road [PAUSE]
>down
In A Valley
You are in a valley in the forest beside a stream tumbling along a rocky bed. [PAUSE]
>s
At Slit In Streambed
At your feet all the water of the stream splashes into a 2-inch slit in the rock. Downstream the streambed is bare rock. [PAUSE]
>s
Outside Grate
You are in a 20-foot depression floored with bare dirt. Set into the dirt is a strong steel grate mounted in concrete. A dry streambed leads into the depression. [PAUSE]
>unlock grate with key
You unlock the steel grate. [PAUSE]
>d
(first opening the grate) [PAUSE]
Thunk! You land on your bed. Did you fall out of the ceiling? Who knows... [You are now on your bed in Your Bedroom.]
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "fidod00":{"title":"Fido and The Dead Body", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"The dead body whispers, \"Plugh.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "fifte14":{"title":"Fifteen Minutes", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"It rings a bell. Perhaps Woolpak might have something to say about this.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "fifte98":{"title":"Fifteen", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "fight06":{"title":"Fight or Flight", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "filma01":{"title":"Film At Eleven", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"I would too, with a job like this!", "sing":"Astonishingly enough, no nearby glass breaks.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"The ancient tune you've learned demands to be sung, so you begin to hum it. Uncertain, your brother takes a few steps back, holding the Thornblade in front of his as if it were a shield. The song has risen to a chant, and the world beyond the yard seems to fade away. Realizing what you must be planning, Piet begins to charge, but your voice rises to the level of a chorus and keeps him at bay, even pushing him back. You try to whisper an apology in between verses, but it remains a thought as the yard in front of you, Piet in front of you, fades beyond black. The song reaches its climax as you fall back into reality with half of the old yard, and the rest falls into another plane. No longer holding back your tears, you say your goodbyes.
*** You have condemned your brother to an unknown world. ***
Beginning with a hum, you begin a liturgy that has been sealed for an eternity, and for good reason. It may have been an important contributor to the Chaos Age, and using it runs the risk of repeating that dark age. But it has been unsealed somehow, and you feel that it may have been for this fight specifically. As your liturgy reaches its climax, it seems that the red queen realizes what this liturgy will do, even if it predates her by ages. \"Fool! Stop this at once! This will destroy...\"
But it is too late. Hielon enters this world, in violation of the Covenant of Eternity, and light obliterates you, and your immediate surroundings.
*** You have seen the splendor of Hielon ***
You sing a mystical tune that has been passed down in your village for generations, said to appease the shadow serpent. You've questioned its utility, especially considering your village's fate, but it can't hurt to try it out anyways. As the serpent emerges, swaying to the tune of the song, you begin to wonder whether the villagers made a mistake in the song... until it is over you, devouring you in a single gulp.
*** The serpent's song was a mockery. ***
\"I don't want to play.\" you mutter, sitting down by the weeds. You think about how your family lost the yard in the first place, how uncle screwed you all over. And once again, you come to the conclusion that it is, ultimately, your fault. If you hadn't blabbed, uncle would never have gotten the idea, you're sure. Piet sits down next to you, putting his arm around your shoulder and again tries to tell you that it isn't your fault.
*** But the certainty will remain. ***
You pause to think. Your wife, husband, and children are free of the Shadow Ruby's curse now. Should you really still risk your life? Doesn't your family deserve that you abandon the battle to return to them? But you shake off these thoughts. Abandoning this fight would solve nothing. The red queen would just target your family again, and that time, she might just kill them. No. While you owe your family your save return, you also owe them to destroy this threat to their safety. Not to mention that the red queen is a threat to the church of Hielon, the nearby City of Bridges, Kyr, yes, to the whole world.
*** You re-enter the battle with new vigour. ***
Turning to think about your predicament, your mind wanders to the old legends. It is said that the shadow serpent has a weak spot somewhere on its body... but how would anyone know? There is only one shadow serpent isn't there? If there is more than one shadow serpent, have you tracked down the one that destroyed your village? Does it matter, even? Then you hear a rustling from behind you and from in front of you. Two shadow serpents are flanking you, one biting into your legs and the other into your upper body. You thankfully do not live long enough to feel getting torn in two by the monsters.
*** That answers a few questions. ***
You mutter the ancient words that you've learned from the strange hermit, not expecting a whole lot, but your surroundings fade away, leaving you and your brother in a strange gray void along with a third figure, hulking, thorny, towering. The curse of the Thornblade incarnate. Alone, you would not be able to defeat it. But in this realm, your brother is free. You two make quick eye contact, nod, and explode into teamwork that you thought long forgotten. It is another long battle, but you two end up victorious, the curse of the Thornblade fading with the gray realm.
Back in the real world, Piet tosses the blade down, trampling it until it breaks like wood, and looks at his hand. \"I'll bring you to a priest who'll heal those wounds, brother.\" you promise, but he shakes his head. \"Those wounds run deep. I'm not sure there is a healer strong enough to treat them within a few days' travel.\" - \"There is. I brought her with me.\"
*** Your brother has been freed from your foe. ***
With a hollow voice, you intone a magical word.
As you continue looking around, your disgust with your environment wells up to unexpected heights. It is enough to cause you physical pain and nausea. Nausea strong enough to cause you to vomit. Falling to your knees, you hear the laughter of the red queen as she draws a dagger from Hielon knows where and slits your throat.
*** Your disgust has overwhelmed you. ***
With a hollow voice, you intone a magical word.
Despite your vigilance, this time, the shadow serpent emerges from a completely unexpected angle, and quickly devours you.
*** In a way, you are reunited with your village. ***
You sing a few lines of a [one of]No Doubt tune you heard on the radio earlier this morning. \"Oh I'm just a girl... all pretty and petite... so don't let me have any rights. Oh-ohhhh! I've had it up to here!\"[or]Police tune you heard on the radio earlier this morning. \"Roxanne... You don't have to put on the red light. ROOOXANNE!\"[or]Stevie Nicks tune you heard on the radio earlier this morning. \"Stand back! Stand back! In the middle of my rooom I did not hear from yooou.\"[at random] Yeah... that ought to keep the bears away for a bit. Let's hope no one else heard that, hm?
", "think":"You take a moment to consider your next move.", "xyzzy":"If that actually could work, you'd certainly miss out on some beautiful scenery.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "first01a":{"title":"First Things First", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You bow your head for a few moments of solemn prayer.", "sing":"You don't have much ability for that, but you feel plucky and warble out a few bars of one of your favorite tunes. Hopefully, no one was listening.", "think":"Hmmmmmm.", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "first13a":{"title":"First", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "first99":{"title":"First Wave, Then Jump Up and Down Screaming", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Nostradamus appears in a puff of rules. \"Yeah. I'm in the game. So there.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "fishb12":{"title":"Fish Bowl", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform", "no-do":"You should get up first.", "no-do_nb":"This overrides most commands when you're on your cot." }, "fishd13":{"title":"Fish Dreams", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"That's not really applicable to you.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "fitfo01":{"title":"Fit For A Queen", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You need to find enlightenment from within instead of relying on external sources.", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"You put your mind to it, and after a moment, you think up the solution to the puzzle. You're so clever!
Now you'll be able to get further in this thing...
Your boss Mildred checks up on you. \"How many times have I told you not to play that game on company time,\" she says. \"You've got customers to deal with. Stop it now.\"
[Your score has just gone up by five points.]
Everything spins around and suddenly you find yourself...
Maze
You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike.
The only maze of this game.
>xyzzy
Everything spins around and suddenly you find yourself...
[back in your original location]
", "notunderstood":"Questo è un verbo che non conosco.", "nb":"Non-English game." }, "flatf05":{"title":"Flat Feet", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says: Your mission is still viable.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "flatt20":{"title":"Flattened London", "pet":"You run over the things you still need to get done before you can settle in:
go to the Clearing to meet Valenti
show up at the Embassy
[if at Hard Place:] One of the problems with not being religious is of course that it makes praying difficult. It's probably a little late to think of a good religion to join at this point. But what the hell. Your pray all the same.
\"Help me someone, let me out of here.\"
Presently you are engulfed by shadows, a deep, almost palpable darkness, which rolls and rumbles and tingles and twirls and blots out the world and sensations around you.
Out of the dark comes a voice. \"Welcome to the home by the sea.\"
[You are now at Beach.]
David says, \"Hm. You've already got tea, so I'll have to give you no tea.\" He then somehow hands you no tea which makes the tea you were carrying vanish.
\"You wouldn't believe how useful a lack of common sense can be, sometimes,\" David remarks as if quoting a guide book.
Okay, you asked for it...
?
You are in a 3D maze of twisty little passageways, all alike.
Exits lead in all directions.
?
Just kidding...
I'm sorry, I don't know how to do that.
For a complete list of accepted verbs, type 'HELP.'
The framastructure buzzes and lights up briefly.
>xyzzy
The framastructure emits a high-pitched squeal and glows purple-and-yellow. You smell coal burning.
>xyzzy
You feel an uniMAGINABLE burst of guilty pleasure. This belongs to the Snugleys! Ooh, ahh ... There's that -- eow! Did it really do THAT, down THERE? Don't let the cat see! URRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
>xyzzy
You feel an uniMAGINABLE burst of guilty pleasure. This belongs to the Snugleys! Ooh, ahh ... There's that -- eow! Did it really do THAT, down THERE? Don't let the cat see! URRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
>xyzzy
BRUGGGGGGGH1!!!!!!111!!!!!11
[and the game ends]
[Singing would have no effect in these circumstances.]
", "think":"Time passes.","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"[That's not a verb I recognise.]
" }, "fusil01":{"title":"Fusillade", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "futur05":{"title":"FutureGame (tm): The Game of the Future", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"You have activated the hidden SuperSexy mode!!!!!!!!!!
All the text is now nude!!!!!!
Yeah baby!!!!!
", "notunderstood":"That's not a command you can use." }, "futur17":{"title":"Future Threads", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "futzm00":{"title":"Futz Mutz", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "gaias16":{"title":"Gaia's Web", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"[TODO: It seems a bit complicated.]
" }, "gaiaz20":{"title":"Gaia, Živa, Jarilo", "pet":"!! >touch", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "galac09":{"title":"Galactic Peace", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "galat00":{"title":"Galatea", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You're not the praying sort.", "sing":"-", "think":"Your mind is a blank slate.", "xyzzy":"You feel your mouth form the beginning of the word...
...and there's that funny feeling of disconnect as you break the fourth wall, force information into your avatar that isn't part of the program, that comes from outside. For just a moment the avatar circuits register doubt, confusion, a hint of self-awareness...
And then you're sitting back in the control room, scrubbing at your eyes with the palm of your hand. Someone holds a cup of water under your nose.
\"You didn't finish the scenario,\" says a voice, up and to the left.
A cool reassuring hand on the back of your neck, another voice answering: \"Leave her alone for a minute! God!\"
You don't answer either of them. Your gaze is fixed on the monitors: in the test room your avatar has fallen slack, no longer receiving your commands. You sip at the water, trying to feel like yourself again.
\"I don't know,\" you say finally. \"I don't think it's going to sell. Too cerebral.\"
*** The End ***
You sing the theme song to the Care Bears.
", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "gamep06":{"title":"Game Producer!", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "gamew16":{"title":"The |Game of Worlds TOURNAMENT!", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "gamle04":{"title":"Gamlet", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You ponder a bit on your circumstances.
You need to unlock the gateway somehow to escape.
It seems likely that you will need to befriend both ferrets. Each has abilities the other lacks, and they can probably help you get out.
The ferrets appear to be friendly and smart enough to understand basic requests. What sorts of things can you do to befriend them? Maybe you can play with them? Maybe you can make them laugh? Maybe you can pat them like little dogs? You recall the wisdom of Scooby-Doo; if only you had something like Scooby Snacks!
The pedestal seems significant. Perhaps there is more to find there. Maybe there are still secrets around the pedestal.
", "think_nb":"Does this response change with game progress?", "xyzzy":"[Cinnamon or Sugar] uses [his or her] paws to wipe [his or her] face.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "gator09":{"title":"GATOR-ON, Friend to Wetlands", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice ignores you.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "gaysc20":{"title":"The |Gay Science", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "ghost03":{"title":"Ghost Ship", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"[in tavern:]You burst into song. To your great surprise the drunken, passed out man suddenly bolts upright. He slings an arm around your shoulder and you both stagger around the room, singing an old tavern song as the other patrons look on in amusement.
\"O'er mountain, o'er valley
through the forests, through the plains
lies this land of pomp and splendour
treasures vary, gilded chains
See the shadows softly lying
see the gold in the sun
Sea of rainbows, sea of jewels
sparkle, glitter, burn and run
All is gold, all is silver
everchanging, all the same
price of finding, price of catching
shoulder this and bear the blame
This love is ephemeral
this love is set in stone
My soul for this jewel
for this heart walks alone
Coins in the flowers
gems in the trees
flesh bound to earth
and spirit in the breeze.
King of the phantoms
wisps through the age
my soul for this kingdom
gild the lily, gild the cage!\"
As soon as the last note vanishes into the air, your fellow singer collapses back unto his table and proceeds to snore away.
But as the stars are going out,\n And the stage is full of nothing,\n And the friends have all but gone, \n For my life, my God I'm singing...\n \n -- Dubstar, \"Stars\"
Your singing is abominable.
", "think":"Thinking back now,\n I suppose you were just stating your views, \n What was it all for?\n For the weather or the Battle of Agincourt? \n \n -- Billy Bragg, \"St Swithin's Day\"
What a good idea.
", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice sighs, exasperated.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "goodp19":{"title":"The |good people","n/a":"choice"}, "goose04":{"title":"Goose, Egg, Badger", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You are granted the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, courage to change the things you can, and wisdom to know the difference.", "sing":"You sing Alex's theme song: \"Alex the Ape! The horrible, terrible ape...\"", "think":"Certainly, but you can't really be certain that it's you who are doing the thinking.", "xyzzy":"Those are fine letters, to be sure, but why not \"GEB\", or \"EGB\", or even \"Z.I.L.G.\"?", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "gosta01":{"title":"The |Gostak", "plover":"-", "plugh":"Real gostaks don't use such doatchings.", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"You xyzzy deave, unheamily.", "notunderstood":"That's not a dape I recognise." }, "gotid00":{"title":"Got ID?", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"Oddly, Island Records, Inc. executives swarm up to offer you a contract. You become a famous rock star-- for about six months, with your one-hit wonder song \"The Ballad of Daddy-Husband and His Quivering, Frightened Bride.\" Deanna Vale's party becomes the least of your concerns, what with the heroin addiction you develop.
*** Your life goes on, in much the manner you always expected it would ***
", "think":"Therefore, you am.", "xyzzy":"Suddenly you vanish from your current surroundings...
Swirly mist blows round you...
Your feet tingle...
And then...
You reappear in an alternative universe which is, for the purposes of this game, exactly identical to the one you originated in.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "gotom15":{"title":"Gotomomi", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"I started singing to myself, though not loud enough to disturb.", "think":"I'll wait here.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "gourm03":{"title":"Gourmet", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"A good idea. You give it your best effort, but don't seem to notice any immediate results, more's the pity.", "sing":"You do enjoy the occasional burst of song, but as your roommates at cooking school pointed out, you can't carry a tune in a bucket.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "grand09":{"title":"The |Grand Quest", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"You don't feel like it.", "think":"You think about the goblet.", "xyzzy":"You don't have a licence for that.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "grand15":{"title":"Grandma Bethlinda's Variety Box", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"That's not a command I recognize. (Type HELP for command info.)" }, "grani02":{"title":"The |Granite Book", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"[We could not understand the word \"[notunderstood]\".]
" }, "grays01":{"title":"Grayscale", "plover":"-", "plugh":"There is a puff of orange smoke and suddenly...You're at Y2! Just kidding, actually nothing happens.", "pray":"-", "sing":"You hum a few bars of your favorite Celtic tune but can't manage to get the pitch right...probably best anyway, your music teacher never did give you many compliments.", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Nothing Happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "great04":{"title":"The |Great Xavio", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"\"Hagerston, I prefer that we use the process of logic to achieve our ends. Were divine intervention even possible, I would not like to rely on it.\"", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"\"Hagerston. At last! I'm glad to see that my lessons on the benefit of the logical method have finally begun to reach you. Let us think together. I'm sure that we'll find that thinking will be useful throughout the course of our adventure.\"", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "grief08":{"title":"Grief", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"You can't think of anything to sing right now except songs you learned in the precinct, and those would clearly give away your identity as law enforcement.
", "think":"The minute you turn your attention in meta-fashion to the inner workings of your thoughts, they seem to shut down and grind to a halt, almost as if the gears in your brain have some sort of performance anxiety. You avert your attention to yourself so that you won't think yourself mentally incapable and go off the rails somehow.", "xyzzy":"I lift my head slightly, and open my mouth to sing.
But no sound comes out, and after a moment, I cease trying.
", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "guard99":{"title":"Guard Duty", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"[if not in Underworld, you're first teleported there.]
Apparently Ornomir has special magic-word-proof enchantments installed in his lair.
Suddenly, the lights go out...
You think you can hear a grue.
>listen
You can hear - but not see a grue - somewhere nearby.
The grue-sounds grow closer.
>xyzzy
Nothing happens. Oh dear...
You feel something snuffling around your feet.
>n
It's too dark; you can't see where you're going.
You can hear the sound of a grue opening its mouth.
*** YOU WERE EATEN BY A GRUE ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "gutte17b":{"title":"Guttersnipe: St. Hesper's Asylum for the Criminally Mischievous", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @Quest 5","notunderstood":"!! @Quest 5" }, "gutte18":{"title":"Guttersnipe: The Baleful Backwash", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @Quest 5","notunderstood":"!! @Quest 5" }, "hadea14":{"title":"Hadean Lands", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! >say", "think":"After months of diligent practice, you have memorized several common alchemical formulae:
an elementary word of binding
a word of essential nature
a simple sealing word
an unsealing mantra
You have picked up at least one fact:
a lecture on aromas
[That's not an action I understand. Common actions include \"EXAMINE\" (\"X\"), \"TAKE\", and \"DROP\". Type \"LOOK\" (\"L\") to review your surroundings.]
" }, "halfl18":{"title":"Half-Life 3 Confirmed", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "hallo11":{"title":"Hallow Eve", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "hallo15":{"title":"Halloween Dance", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "halot99":{"title":"Halothane", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"Whatever the notion \n we lace in our prayers, \n the man upstairs \n is used to all of this noise - \n I'm through with screaming...... \n \n -- Pearl Jam, \"Faithfull\".
Amen to that.
", "sing":"You hum aimlessly for a few minutes.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"If dirt were dollars, \n we'd all be in the black..... \n\n -- Don Henley.
A hollow voice says, \"Nice try, but no cigar!\"
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "hanga11":{"title":"Hangar 22", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Based on your current living conditions, it's pretty obvious you don't have any magical powers.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "hango09":{"title":"The |Hangover", "sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "nb":"ADRIFT 3.9 game" }, "happy00":{"title":"Happy Ever After", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Though you're not entirely sure why, merely saying that brings a smile to your face.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "happy20":{"title":"Happyland", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"You widen your stance, puff out your chest and start singing.
\"I'm a little teapot short and stout.\"
You put one hand on your hip and point the opposite arms upwards.
\"Here is my handle and here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up, hear me shout,\"
You lean sideways.
\"Tip me over and pour me out!\"
You speak the magic word, and you catch a glimpse of an ancient realm of college mainframe computers and 5 1/4 floppies...
[You are now in the Lothlorien co-op kitchen.]
Your goal is to >release ants.
", "xyzzy":"There is a trans-dimensional short-circuit of interactive fiction tradition, and you catch a brief glimpse of a brick building near a stream and a metal grate before you blink and find yourself...
[You are now outside your house.]
No, no, I didn't do that... did I? Well, I can imagine I did anyway... So I sung. Felt silly. Didn't help at all.
[if outside the house, add:]
The way Doc and Rose looked at me suggested they certainly agreed.
Brank. Bronk. Blurk.
-- Gorpy Bizzerton
You'd prefer not to. Too many memories of
* * * WARNING: * * *
Don't mess with the author of this game! Cf. http://www.acweb.com/ben/hungga/schools/brooklyn.html
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "hours11":{"title":"The |Hours", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"If you could figure out the significance of that word, all your worries would be over.", "notunderstood":"That noun did not make sense in this context." }, "house03":{"title":"The |House","sfx":"by Parish", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You're really at your wits' ends' aren't you?", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "house07c":{"title":"The |House","sfx":"by Remington", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "house13b":{"title":"The |House at the End of Rosewood Street", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"[if in Quad:] The word barely escapes your lips when time stops and the colors of the world invert themselves. A giant, disembodied hand floats down from the sky, and a hollow voice seems to echo in your head.
\"Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!\"
So, tell us, how do you work? No, really. If your manager gives you an assignment, how would you do it?
Hmmm... I can see why you are interested in the answer to that question. First of all, this is all conjecture. I mean, I don't know how your managers would behave, so I can only tell you about my experience, not what will happen with this company. Is that alright?
Sure. Do tell us your experience.
Okay, Well, my manager would give me an assignment and ask how long it will take for me to finish the assignment. I'd say that it's impossible to know before hand how long it will take. It'll be finished when it's finished. I mean, unless the work has been done before, it's impossible to predict with any reasonable accuracy when it would be done.
Of course, that kind of answer is unacceptable. My manager would insist that a deadline be given. No problem, I estimate three days for programming, three days for debugging, and three days for testing/optimization. I double the number for incidentals, such as meetings, unforeseen difficulties, and other emergency projects. The number of days is 9*2=18 days. With 5 days a week work schedule, I estimate 3-4 weeks Estimated Time of Completion (ETC). My manager says: Three weeks.
That'll be end of August. Sure. I'll mark my calendar on August the 31st. Three days into the project, my manager comes by and asks me how the project is going. Of course, this is the same question that has been asked and answered at the daily meeting, but since my manager's manager just called personally to check on it, he figures HE would come and personally check the progress. I show him the code and the schedule of things to do. It would be half done. Of course, it is all very rough, complicated, and buggy code, but half the functionalities would be there. At this, he'd walk away.
Later that night, as he drifted to sleep, he'd wonder why I would ask for three weeks (I ESTIMATED 3-4 weeks) for a project when I'm half done in three days time. The next day, he comes in and tells me that the date has been moved forward one week. Don't worry, though. He's sure I'll manage. At this moment, alarm bells start ringing. Not loud enough, though, to make me stand my ground. 2 weeks ETC? Sure.
Before I start debugging the code, I like to clean up the code. You know, simplify it. Make it idiot proof, so maintenance programmers will have an easier time doing their work. Making the code clean and simple has an added benefit of making it easy to debug and expand when necessary. Late Friday afternoon, just before my manager goes on a weekend getaway in Hawaii, he stops by. I show him the cleaned-up code. Big mistake! As he looks over the code, he has no trouble reading it. Well, if he, a manager, can understand the code easily, he's sure that as a programmer, I'll be able to do it in my sleep. Never mind that big pile of messy code sitting in the cubicle's corner. He wants the project to be completed by Monday! Or else.
But, boss, it's Friday! These things take time! My attempts to explain the complexities of the project are futile. It'll be Monday MORNING and that's that. Then he goes off to his vacation in Hawaii. At this moment, the alarm bells are ringing left and right. I'd need at least two days to debug, and two more days for testing. What should I do? What can I do? I decide to just skip the testing, since if the debugging process is successful, there would be no need for testing, right?
Working madly over the weekend hasn't been good. I keep making stupid errors that I wouldn't make had I had a more leisurely schedule to work with. I guess I need more than a couple of hours of sleep at the terminal. Monday morning, I drop off the finished project on the manager's desk. He's late. Doubtless still suffering from brain melt on his vacation. I stagger home to catch up three days worth of sleep, hoping that it'll be alright.
Tuesday, my manager chews me out because I didn't report on Monday, That's AWOL and I'll get a pay cut for it. But!? Boss, I worked the whole weekend. Just ask the janitors! Well, the manager didn't authorize it, so there's no pay, overtime or otherwise. He'll try to get me credited for Monday, but since the paperwork has already been turned in, there's little chance of success (unless he wants to look like a fool, which, of course, he doesn't).
Wednesday, my manager brags to his boss about how clever a manager he is for being able to make an absentee programmer like me to be extremely productive. Specifically, he's able to push me do a three week project in just a little over a week. Think of the money the company is saving! His boss agrees and gives him a bonus. That, and a little mention in the company newsletter about how great a manager my manager is. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting to be credited for my overtime pay.
Of course, the untested program is full of bugs. As more and more people use it, the subtle (but nasty) bugs are showing. Segmentation faults and core dumps do not make the users happy, and complain they do! Rude, nasty letters start filling up the Inbox. My manager's manager calls in to ask about the problem. My manager adroits says: \"Me? But I'm just a manager. What do _I_ know about programming? It's not _my_ fault that the program is buggy. It's _my programmer's_ fault!\"
Of course, I get all the flak. I end up working nights and weekends patching the code for free. I'll be lucky to save my skin after all the troubles _I_ have caused. As I wearily deliver the cleaned, debugged, tested, and optimized code to his desk, my manager tells me that as a leading hi-tech company that we are, we should create this and that program. There's no budget for it, of course, and no overtime pay, either. But there'll be opportunity for recognition if I can pull it off. He then outlines the most ambitious, complicated, and incredibly large system, that, for all practical purposes, is useless AND will annoy anybody who is foolish enough to use it. My manager smiles, \"I want you to do this for me. So, how long will it take you to finish this project?\"
(Sigh)
", "notunderstood":"Type \"hint\" for clues." }, "hunge14":{"title":"Hunger Daemon", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You mumble out a few words of prayer to Nyarlathotep. You don't understand what you're saying; you just remember some of the pronunciations and melodies. Probably good enough; the Old Ones don't listen anyway.", "sing":"Instead of xyzzying when current game is Hunger Daemon:
try playing Adventure;
now the joke is out of the way.
That's your job.
", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "iambi19":{"title":"Iamb(ici)","n/a":"choice"}, "iceho13":{"title":"Ice House of Horrors", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "ident02":{"title":"Identity Thief", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"\"Your god is dead, and no one cares.
If there is a hell, I will see you there.\"
-Nine Inch Nails
There are those who look forward to today; those who are sure that theirs is the one, true religion; that today is their appointed hour. While the rest of us face today as the end, they look upon today as the new beginning. But I know it is too late to convert; I don't believe it, and pretending to believe it by praying now would never convince some all-powerful being that I believed it, no matter how Pascal might advise the gamble.
There is a flash of light down in the station below me; a puff of smoke; a stench of brimstone. A brutish red figure, too tall to be a man, stands suddenly there, and looks up at me. He calls out, in a grotesque mockery of a voice, \"I have discovered that all human evil comes from this, man's inability to sit still in a room.\" With that, he crooks his finger at me, and
*** I have lost ***
", "sing":"\"It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
It's the end of the world as we know it
And I feel fine.\"
The other people in the station look at me, angry perhaps, but it's a passive, disinterested anger, as if I'm mocking them but they don't really care. It's too bad I don't really feel fine. I wish I felt fine. Perhaps another song would help me feel that way:
\"Don't panic: when they tell you it's the end of the world
Don't panic: when they say that the white flag's been unfurled
Don't panic: when an atom bomb comes knocking at your door
Don't panic: when they say you can't stay here anymore
Don't panic!\"
Somehow I still feel just as empty as ever, and the others here in the station look no happier either, perhaps even a bit more annoyed. There is a strange music in the air, the sound of human voices saying something, toneless, dispassionate, surely words, but no words I can make out. It is said that music soothes the savage beast; perhaps we can personify armaggedon as just such a beast, and sing to save our lives? No, who am I kidding, we're doomed. We're so utterly doomed. I break into song again:
\"Come armageddon, come armageddon, come!
Every day is like Sunday
Every day is silent and grey...\"
I suddenly realize that the station seems strangely crowded, although perhaps not literally; it is more that the density of people per unit volume is massively increased in an area immediately around me. As I feel impacts on my chest, my legs, my head, some of that strange floating sound I can finally resolve clearly, in snatches:
\"I'm not going to my grave listening to that such...\"
\"I wouldn't mind so much if that singing were in tune...\"
*** I have lost ***
", "think":"It's hard to think when the world is a monster, bad to swallow you whole. But then, nobody ever said it would be easy. Easy come, easy go. Goin' places. Win, place, or show? Show us yer tits.
Somehow, thinking just isn't accomplishing much.
A sudden thunderous noise outside draws my attention, just in time to see a giant lizard's face peering through the window, and then a hand smashes through the ceiling, a giant lizard hand (paw? I wonder), and it grabs me, and the lizard's mouth is open, rows of glistening, slimy teeth, and my body is rent, torn asunder, I feel my blood spattering around this beast's mouth... and then I feel no more.
*** I have lost ***
", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Fool.\"
\nI look around to see where the voice came from, but I can see nothing. I look at the other people, but they do not seem to have heard anything unusual. I look at the floor, the ceiling; there is no sign of a source for this mysterious voice.
The hollow voice says \"Look over here.\"
\nI look around again, but still see nothing.
\nThe hollow voice says \"On your nose.\"
\nI focus closer and see a tiny little humanoid figure perched on my nose. I'm surprised that such a big voice could from such a creature. As I think this, it looks annoyed at me, and from its pocket it pulls an impossibly large icepick--proportional to my size, not its size--and jabs it into my eeeeeaarghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
\n*** I have lost ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "illum14":{"title":"Illuminate", "plover":"-", "plugh":"A quiet voice crackles over hidden speakers: \"Look, mommy. There's an airplane up in the sky--\"", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice crackles over hidden speakers: \"Tested by Kelly Belz, Cheryl Lewis, and Andrew Schultz.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "illum18":{"title":"Illuminismo Iniziato", "plover":"!! ~xyzzy", "plugh":"!! ~xyzzy", "pray":"Things aren't nearly that desperate yet. You hold off on the supplications.", "sing":"You belt out the lyrics to a few Oxbridge ditties.
[if you've met Crystal, add:] \"Oh dear,\" states Crystal, \"I don't know how on earth you're going to pass third-year chanting.\"
", "think":"You pause to reflect.", "xyzzy":"You cry out \"Xyzzy!\" in a loud voice but nothing happens. Does it ever?", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "immor07":{"title":"The |Immortal", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "impos20":{"title":"The |Impossible Bottle", "pet":"!! >hug", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "sing":"That would be a good first step.
(Try “hint” if you are desperate.)
JOIN THE SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO CLICHES \n\n Every year, hundreds if not thousands of good ideas are brought to an early \n death by overuse and overexposure. You can help to stop the senseless waste of \n space, simply by avoiding the use of clichés. Join the campaign now, and help \n these decent and formerly original ideas to live out their last years with \n dignity. \n\n For more information about the S.P.C.C., write to: \n\n ADVENTURER \n RR #29 \n Eastlands, Zork 4127 \n\n or e-mail: \n\n adventurer@whitehouse.gov
Okay, you asked for it...
?
You are in a maze of twisty little passageways, all alike.
Exits lead in all directions.
?
Just kidding...
What do you want to xyzzy?
>xyzzy [something]
The spell begins to rearrange its codons with a flurry of satisfied clicking. It slowly morphs into rezrov and casts itself at the door.
You hear the sound of a precise, well-oiled mechanism withdrawing the locking bolts and then a click as the bolts latch in the retracted position. The now useless scroll turns into a vile winged insect which buzzes back to its home game. A hollow voice booms \"Gonif\" in a plummy English accent.
[Just keep hitting Enter to go through this demonstration.]
A hollow voice booms, \"The demonstration is given in the laboratory. You will be taken there if necessary. Anything you are carrying that gives off light will be covered during this session.\"
[Several screens of demonstration omitted]
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "inman12":{"title":"In a Manor of Speaking", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"Been practising at Karaoke bars, huh?", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"How can you identify a bald eagle? All his feathers are combed to one side!", "notunderstood":"Pardon? It seems that's not a verb you can use!" }, "insid03":{"title":"Insider Information", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"Unrecognised verb" }, "insid09":{"title":"Inside Woman", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"You don't want to embarrass yourself.", "think":"Yes, you do that.", "xyzzy":"Utopia Technologies have crafted a world of science, not magic.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "insid16":{"title":"Inside the Facility", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"That's not a command I recognize. (Type HELP for command info.)" }, "inspo98":{"title":"In the Spotlight", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"\"It seems very pretty,\" \n she said when she had finished it, \n \"but it's RATHER hard to understand!\" \n (You see, she didn't like to confess, \n even to herself, that she couldn't \n make it out at all.) \n\n -- Alice
That's not a verb I recognise.
And don't bother trying \"plugh\".
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "intro18":{"title":"Intro to Implements of the Arcane", "plover":"There are many mages trying to bring back magic as it supposedly was in the time before the gods reforged the world. Inevitably, they all fail. After all, it was the gods who reforged the world. And few can hope to dare defy the gods' will and succeed.", "plugh":"Some legends about mages from before the gods reforged the world mention that these mages were born with magic coursing through their blood. They would somehow learn a few spells, and were capable of using them often.", "pray":"\"Ashnar, guide me to my duty. Tiamat, guide me through the elements. Corris, guide me to the understanding. Hielon, guide me with your sun. Somnus, guide me away from your realm.\"", "sing":"-", "think":"In the past, you've found that thinking about a single topic at a time has been a more productive use of your time compared to aimless thoughts.", "xyzzy":"Ages ago, before the gods reforged the world, magic was different. Legends say that a mage would learn a spell from a book, and then cause their effects by speaking a word, preferrably in a hollow voice.", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "intro20":{"title":"Intro to A Fool's Rescue", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"[Achievement Unlocked]: Membership in the IF Community", "notunderstood":"What the heck does that mean!?" }, "invad01":{"title":"Invaders", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Hyperspace shimmers briefly, but nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "invas01":{"title":"Invasion of the Angora Fetish Transvestites from the Graveyards of Jupiter", "notunderstood":"You don't need to use '[notunderstood]' as a verb to complete the game.", "nb":"Windows game that needs a special dll to work." }, "invis03":{"title":"The |Invisible Argonaut", "plover":"-", "plugh":"You stand defiantly, look the king straight in the eye and say, \"PLUGH!\"
There is a brief pause. Then he sucker-punches you.
", "pray":"You feel a little closer to your maker, but nothing immediately obvious results from your prayer.", "sing":"Hmmm... what to sing?
Before you can think logically about it, the following escapes your lips... \"Na na-na na-naaaa na!\" you mock, sticking out your tongue afterwards for good measure.
****** **** *** *** *** **\n******* ****** *** *** *** **\n*** *** ** ** *** *** *** **\n*** *** ** ** *** *** *** **\n****** ** ** *** *** *** **\n*** ****** ***** *****\n*** **** ** ** **
Perhaps this isn't the best time to take up singing.
", "think":"You take a moment to consider your next move.", "xyzzy":"You stand defiantly, look the king straight in the eye and say, \"XYZZY!\"
There is a brief pause. Then he punches you in the stomach.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "invis14":{"title":"Invisible Parties", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Walkers are rarely given to structured religion. A substantial minority adhere, or mostly adhere, to customised versions of the major faiths. Most carry out rituals, invented, borrowed or inherited, in very much the same way that they seek out childhood recipes or favourite books; they tend towards ancestor-worship, symbols of identity, of memory. Your particular set of rituals are for quieter times than this, when you're not being watched.", "sing":"You don't have much of a voice, and this doesn't seem like the place for it.", "think":"You generally do. Pray, continue.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"That noun did not make sense in this context." }, "io___97":{"title":"I-0", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"How pious of you.", "sing":"Courtney Love you're not.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Fool. But you're cute, so that makes up for it.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "islan03":{"title":"The |Island of Infinity", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"Your singing is awful!", "think":"It takes a while to get used to it; doesn't it?", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "islan12":{"title":"The |Island","sfx":"by Brown", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "islan15":{"title":"The |Island of Doctor Wooby", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! >think", "sing":"I don't understand the verb: [notunderstood]
" }, "islec04":{"title":"The |Isle of the Cult", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "isola01":{"title":"The |Isolato Incident", "error":"Winarun crashed||SYSTEM ERROR: Checksum error in .ACD file (0x4d5670 instead of 0x1484d4)." }, "it___11":{"title":"It", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "pray_nb":"re It (2011): \"pray\" is auto-corrected to \"play\".", "sing":"-", "sing_nb":"re It (2011): \"sing\" is auto-corrected to \"swing\".", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "itcou03":{"title":"It Could Only Happen To You", "plover":"-", "plugh":"Bless you.", "pray":"You pray and feel a bit better.", "sing":"What do you want to sing to?", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Watching it on TV wasn't enough?", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "itsea06":{"title":"It's Easter, Peeps!", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman) availeth much.
\nThe shopkeeper chuckles. \"Asking the good Lord for some help, eh?\"
", "sing":"You bellow the first song that comes to mind, which is, oddly enough, \"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town.\"
\n\"You may be rushing the season just a wee bit,\" the shopkeeper comments.
", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "jack_13":{"title":"Jack", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Your prayers go unanswered.", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "jacks98":{"title":"Jack's Adventures", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"This being Fairyland, every word is a magic word.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "jacks99":{"title":"Jacks or Better to Murder, Aces to Win", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Your prayers may have been answered, but those answers are in no way discernable to you at the moment.", "sing":"Although you're a good singer, now isn't the time.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "jackt09":{"title":"Jack Toresal and The Secret Letter", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You mutter a quick prayer under your breath. As usual, there is no reply.", "sing":"No way. Your singing is enough to make your friend Holstenoffer wince, and he can stomach anything.", "think":"You rack your brains, but the brilliant ideas fail to materialize.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "jacqu14":{"title":"Jacqueline, Jungle Queen!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @Quest 5","notunderstood":"!! @Quest 5" }, "jane_02":{"title":"Jane", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "janit02":{"title":"Janitor", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Stealing from other games is so gauche.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "jarod00":{"title":"Jarod's Journey", "plover":"What's that? You are a pea lover? That's nice ... but Jarod doesn't care much for peas.", "plugh":"Did Jarod just sneeze?", "pray":"Jarod says a short prayer and feels better.", "sing":"Jarod sings a soft song that reminds him of God's power and glory.", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Jarod stutters out something indiscernible.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "jaysc20":{"title":"Jay Schilling's Edge of Chaos", "pet":"\"Xyzzy.\" You speak the word, half expecting it to be the key to a magic spell. But no, it is just a codeword, no more. You feel foolish.
You speak the codeword \"Xyzzy\" to the PA authority's leader, and she gives you all of the LLL documents, just as Mbogo had promised. In the next few years, your researchers come to perfect the manufacture of this drug, this \"Viagra\", and a large proportion of the population become employed in its production. Tourism, too, begins to pick up again. Having the real True Cross to show visitors is a big draw, of course, and it helps that the Seljuks are staying quiet. For now, at least.
***You have returned prosperity to Antioch.***
From what you remember, the Academy's entrance examinations are designed primarily to test your understanding of basic spell principles in a particular subject. Because of this, the spells that you see on the exams are created specifically for the exams; they're not general-purpose spells, and you're not expected to have seen them before.
For Arithmancy, the spells usually give you ways to form new numbers from old ones. Understanding this is the primary focus of the exam.
", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"You hear Teraboz sigh. \"That didn't even make sense,\" she says." }, "justa20":{"title":"Just another Fairy Tale","nb":"ADRIFT 5"}, "kaged00":{"title":"Kaged", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "kalli01":{"title":"Kallisti", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"[dootsrednu ton saw \"yzzyx\" drow eht]
>yzzyx
[A hollow voice doesn't say: \"Make my nipples hard, let's go.\" Nothing at all happens that could possibly break the fourth wall. What wall? I see no wall. I refuse to pander to this rampant injokery.]
\"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.\"
Or at least that's how it goes in your head. The actual sound you make is more like \"Gublghhrhnghugh.\"
", "sing":"You open your throat, but a painful moan is all you can produce.", "think":"You can't really think at all right now, with the pounding in your head and the gnawing in your stomach.", "xyzzy":"There's no way you can pronounce that.", "notunderstood":"This is 'The King and the Crown', not 'ADVENT'.
Good try, though.
", "pray":"-", "sing":"Please don't. Please. Please don't. They'll hear you.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Terribly sorry, but Wes Lesley never played Zork so you're out of luck if you were hoping for something witty here. You could try using it in a sentence, though.", "notunderstood":"[first paragraph:]
[second paragraph:]
You consider your present situation...
-- You should make your way to your dinner date with John Croft at his home on Stoney Street, just south of the Thames.
", "think_nb":"This response changes as appropriate during the game.", "xyzzy":"When my love swears that she is made of truth,
I do believe her though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth,
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue:
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed:
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O! love's best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love, loves not to have years told:
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.
-- William Shakespeare, Sonnet 138
", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "kissc02":{"title":"Kiss Chase", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Bleah.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "kissi96":{"title":"Kissing the Buddha's Feet", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"You speak the ancient word of power. Then you realize you look absolutely silly doing so.", "notunderstood":"(I don't know the word \"[notunderstood]\".)" }, "koan_02":{"title":"Koan", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "koust15":{"title":"Koustrea's Contentment", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Where there is no one, I shade my eyes with my hand and gaze out toward you.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "kraka02":{"title":"Krakatoa Tuna Melt", "plover":"A squeaky voice says, \"Ha! Not a chance, buddy.\"", "plugh":"A squeaky voice says, \"Oh, very well. You can visit http://webhome.idirect.com/~dswxyz/sol/plugh.html too. Happy?\"", "plugh_nb":"Note: That url pointed to an earlier version of this very webpage.", "pray":"Sadly, your prayer is ignored.", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A squeaky voice says, \"Why say xyzzy here, when you can visit http://webhome.idirect.com/~dswxyz/sol/xyzzy.html instead?\"", "xyzzy_nb":"Note: That url pointed to an earlier version of this very webpage.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "kurus04":{"title":"Kurusu City", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"You mumble a bit.", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"You don't know how to pronounce that.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "labyr06":{"title":"Labyrinth", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You pray for guidance, but the Flying Spaghetti Monster does not answer.", "sing":"You hum a few notes.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Sorry, but that isn't one of the magic words.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "laido15":{"title":"Laid Off from the Synesthesia Factory", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"[There's a large number of possible responses; you will likely get the next response in player-character's current thought-sequence. I think. It's complicated.]
" }, "landb20":{"title":"The |Land of Breakfast and Lunch", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You decide to pray in the Tibetan Dzogchen style; you stare at the sky and think of \"The Great Perfection\". For one moment, you really feel the great perfection of the moment, of the universe, but then you realize you felt it and it's over. Still, you feel calmed.", "sing":"I'm not sure what you like to sing in a private moment. Maybe it's Beyoncé, maybe it's a little Sinatra, maybe it's Neutral Milk Hotel, and maybe it's the worms song. You sing it, whatever it is, and you feel slightly better.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You feel the temperature shift briefly a little warmer, and then back to normal. The air shimmers for a moment. The very fabric of the universe quivers in anticipation. Nothing actually changes, though.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "landb96":{"title":"The |Land Beyond the Picket Fence", "xyzzy":"Your senses reel, you feel a bit dizzy and you are...
You are standing in a small cavern. The sunlight pours in from the clearing to the west. The second exit is a narrow crawl to the northeast.
A barely readable inscription on the southern wall reads 'Magic Word:'. The magic word itself, however, has been washed out by the ravages of time.
The nasty gnome is here. He is obviously bored.
The gnome looks startled. With a stupid expression on his face, he exclaims: \"Now what was that?!\", obviously astonished.
", "error":"Running the .exe version crashed DosBox. I don't know if I can get the AdvSys running yet." }, "landc02":{"title":"The |Land of the Cyclops", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"\"Socrates\" - Great philosopher who didn't write a line, but allowed hemlock to win fame.
(Angelo Frattini)
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "landi98":{"title":"The |Landing", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"You hear a hollow voice coughing in embarrassment as though it were caught off-guard without a witty response on hand.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "landm17":{"title":"Land of the Mountain King", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You say a prayer for your nordic gods.", "sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"You ponder for a while.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I did not understand the word \"[notunderstood]\".", "nb":"ADRIFT 5 game in both .blorb and .exe formats." }, "langu19":{"title":"Language Arts","n/a":"Writing code instead of standard commands."}, "large01":{"title":"Large Machine", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lashl00":{"title":"LASH -- Local Asynchronous Satellite Hookup", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"I do not know how.", "sing":"I cannot.", "think":"That is your job.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lastd11":{"title":"Last Day of Summer", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"[Singing would have no effect in these circumstances.]
", "think":"!! >wait", "xyzzy":"You say the magic word. Nothing seems to happen, but then you get very very sleepy, so you lie down and rest your eyes for a bit. When you wake up, the sun is low in the sky. You'd better be getting back home soon.", "notunderstood":"[That's not a verb I recognize.]
" }, "lastd11a":{"title":"The |Last Dark Day", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"Rather difficult without breath.", "think":"I can't imagine how that would help.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lasth07":{"title":"The |Last Hurrah!", "nb":"ADRIFT 3.9 AIF." }, "lasth20":{"title":"Last House on the Block", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lastj01":{"title":"The |Last Just Cause", "xyzzy":"That might be foolish, try something else...", "nb":"This is a homebrew exe. I didn't feel like re-downloading this one." }, "lastl00":{"title":"The |Last Laugh", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You here a loud cry, \"Dragons, Eeagh!!!\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lasts01":{"title":"The |Last Sonnet of Marie Antoinette", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You are the closest entity you know to a god.", "sing":"You whistle tunelessly.", "think":"You think of crumbs of madeleine", "xyzzy":"Party Trick: Go into bathroom with a mirror. Close door, turn out all lights, let eyes get used to dark. Hold arm out and touch mirror, at the same time turning on the lights for 2 seconds. Turn off light, drop arm to your side, while continueing to stare at mirror without moving or blinking your eyes. Your arm will still be in the air! Freaky.
Expirament with giving the finger or making funny faces.
~ A.P. Hill
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "lazyg02":{"title":"Lazy Gods of Earth", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "learn98":{"title":"Learning to Cross", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! >xyzzy", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"SQUAWK!\"", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "leath01a":{"title":"Leatherworld", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You hear a hollow voice say 'I Like a Cow.'", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "leave97":{"title":"Leaves", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"Please don't.","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"'[notunderstood]'? That word is not understood." }, "leftr17":{"title":"left/right","n/a":"choice"}, "legbr00":{"title":"LegBreaker 3k!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"-","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "legen03":{"title":"The |Legend of Lady Magaidh", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"-","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "legen19":{"title":"The |Legendary Hero Has Failed.","n/a":"choice"}, "legen94":{"title":"The |Legend Lives!", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"An ethereal voice intones, \"You have reached The Great Duhdha's automated prayer line. If you wish to ask for a minor miracle, press one. If you would like to check your karmic balance, press two. If you would like to register a complaint or file a bug report, press three. Press four to hang up. If you are calling from a rotary phone, please contact your local branch office to upgrade to a touch tone.\"", "sing":"You're pretty good. Nice to know you've got a second career in case grad school doesn't work out. But then again, the Unnkulians may have already taken over the universe by the time you finish grad school.", "think":"I don't understand that sentence.", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice inside your head says, \"Wrong genre.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "legio06":{"title":"Legion", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"We hum. It is pleasant.", "think":"We are always thinking.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"We aren't familiar with that action." }, "lesso98":{"title":"The |Lesson of the Chicken", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Ba-cock!\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lethe95":{"title":"Lethe Flow Phoenix", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"-","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "letsp19":{"title":"Let's Play: Ancient Green Punishment: The Text Adventure", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"How'd that work out for you?", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens. Magic isn't real. You could swear you can hear Zeus chuckling somewhere just out of view.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lette00":{"title":"Letters From Home", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Askiosy rau loovao LIGHAN SES LION!
[Dress sle nire ve-station]
Bad player! Apologize.
[You are then rickrolled. The background music is immediately replaced with Rick Astley's \"Never Gonna Give You Up\" until you type SORRY.]
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "light16":{"title":"Light into Darkness", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "light96":{"title":"The |Light: Shelby's Addendum", "plover":"-", "plugh":"Grunting like a Cro-Magnon won't accomplish anything.", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Wow! You must be, like, really old.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "light98":{"title":"Lightiania", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "limer19":{"title":"Limerick Heist","n/a":"choice"}, "limp_98":{"title":"Limp", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Something moves in your pants! O, it's just gas.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lioni99":{"title":"The |Lion in Winter", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "littl03":{"title":"little girl in the big world", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"Confused about the ` think ' part.", "xyzzy":"You feel a little dizzy. Suddenly green characters start falling from the ceiling and walls. More and more green rain appears, except for Alice who glows in gold. Maybe you should not have eaten those yellow pills. You blink with your eyes and the green rain is gone. Everything looks like it should. You now know it is only a computer simulation, but somehow it feels strangely reassuring.", "notunderstood":"'[notunderstood]' unrecognised." }, "littl07":{"title":"A |Little Like Rogue", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Nobody believes those old children's stories about a colossal cave with magic words any more. Magic's something you spend years and years learning.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "littl98":{"title":"Little Blue Men", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Why waste your breath?", "sing":"Generally, you tend to make some small effort not to make an ass of yourself in front of other people. Try not to let all that effort go to waste.", "think":"Yeah. Think real hard.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "livej11":{"title":"LiveJoseph", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lmsvi08":{"title":"LMS-The Video Game", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"That's not a verb I recognise.
Are you new to Interfractive Fiction, type story info for help and info
HINT: Often things get hidden under tables and chairs.
", "xyzzy":"Nothing seems to happen but you do feel a little strange.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lockk02":{"title":"Lock & Key", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! >help", "notunderstood":"[That verb is not needed to complete LOCK & KEY.]" }, "loder01":{"title":"The |Lode Runner", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "lomal99":{"title":"Lomalow", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "longd15":{"title":"A |Long Drink", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"Objective
Val said we were going to spend the weekend at her friend's cabin in the mountains. Maybe it was childish or stubborn, trying to cling to my independence like this. I'd decided to drive myself, even through this weather.
Clues
[list of clues, if any]
Command Help
exits: List exits
talk to (name): start conversation
stop talking: end conversation
topics: list dialogue choices
save: save progress
restore: load savegame
There is a puff of smoke. Something lands in your hands.
>i
You have a fool.
>x fool
A tiny doll tricked out in a harlequin's outfit. When you turn it over in your hands, you see that its back is missing, leaving the fool hollow. There is a matching hole where its larynx should be.
[empty response]
", "pray_nb":"TODO: See if there's a non-empty response elsewhere in the game.", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"Impossible" }, "lostn96":{"title":"Lost New York", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"You search your brain, but don't find anything.", "xyzzy":"Sadly, recent city budget cuts have led to the elimination of the Department of Magic.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "lostp07":{"title":"Lost Pig", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"OK. Grunk feel little bit better now.", "sing":"See this game's XYZZY response for the other half of this joke.
", "xyzzy":"You're only half right.
>plugh
You're only half right.
>xyzzy plugh
About The Author: Mike Synder is (as of September 1999) a 27-year-old technology coordinator for Accu-Scan (www.accu-scan.com) and the co-owner of Prowler Productions (www.prowler-pro.com). For more information about me, visit my personal page on the web at www.prowler-pro.com/mike.
Your body disperses into as many atoms as their are stars. Each atom floats away to a seperate star. Reincarnated as light, your being enjoys its new prinprick existance. One atom, the one from your own sun relishes in its eight minute existance as it lands on the face of beaming child in northwest China.
deep abstractions lead to shallow interpretation
shallow abstractions lead to deep interpretation
*** You have won ***
", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You feel like your elsewhere. Looking around you remember that you are.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "luste11":{"title":"Luster", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You attempt to cast the spell, but the only experience you have was watching the occasional wizard passing through town.", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "madam06":{"title":"Madam Spider's Web", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"\"Now I lay me down to sleep...\" It's the only prayer that you can remember.", "sing":"From somewhere deep in the folds of your memory, a song like a lullaby emerges. When you try to hum along, the melody slips away once again.", "think":"Every time a memory begins to surface a force like a thunderclap comes to erase it, leaving you with a throbbing headache.", "xyzzy":"A piercing pain suddenly stabs at your temples. Then there are the voices, fading in and out like a radio with bad reception:
Terrible... see her... blood... I know... so cold...
As quickly as they came, they are gone.
The whispering voices have returned. Your head feels like it is practically splitting in two.
Can't believe... deploy... children wondering... don't know...
Then nothing.
The voices are silent now.
\"Good 'zine, isn't it?\" comments a hollow voice that seems to come from out of nowhere.
(Actually, it comes from http://www.interport.net/~eileen...)
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "makei09":{"title":"Make It Good", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"You've not got one.", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"No chance: too much training on the bottle and the beat for that.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"-- \"[notunderstood]\" isn't a recognised verb." }, "manal06a":{"title":"MANALIVE, A Mystery of Madness - I", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "manal06b":{"title":"MANALIVE, A Mystery of Madness - II", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "manfr02":{"title":"The |Man From DEFRA", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Goats have no god.", "sing":"You bleat tunelessly.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice bleats.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "map__15":{"title":"Map", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "marbl01":{"title":"Marble Madness", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Unfortunately, you don't know any cheat codes.", "sing":"You have neither voice nor lips.", "think":"You are aware only of the downward imperative.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "marti08":{"title":"A |Martian Odyssey", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "maryj16":{"title":"The |Mary Jane of Tomorrow", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "masqu00":{"title":"Masque of the Last Faeries", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "masqu00a":{"title":"Masquerade", "plover":"!! ~xyzzy", "plugh":"!! ~xyzzy", "pray":"You bow your head for a few moments of quiet reflection.", "sing":"You sing a few lines of your favorite tune.", "think":"You pause for a moment of silent reflection.", "xyzzy":"You murmer \"Xyzzy,\" but nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"You mutter something incomprehensible." }, "maste00":{"title":"Masters of Toasting", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Ancient words of power may cut it in some other profession, but not in the exciting world of toaster repair!", "notunderstood":"I don't know the word '[notunderstood]', but I wish I did." }, "matte07":{"title":"A |Matter of Importance", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"(like a canary)
No, you're not in an interrogation yet.
", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"You recall a couple of your (now imprisoned) buddies who were relying on magic spells too much when splitting from the place of crime, and reconsider.", "notunderstood":"Max Blaster's voice booms out of nowhere. “Hey, Doris, it's time for the special secret message for the Max-and-Doris Patrol Club Members! What's the secret letter for today?”
Doris de Lightning's voice responds, “Ready, Junior Cadets? The secret letter for today is X, as in Xavian — so line up your secret decoder rings with A on the outside and X on the inside, and get ready for the message!”
Ihuulrtik Fxlhbd Zdmy Eueyuh! Qu obfu vbm utcbv lork obdb-kremdxlrbt bn lou nrhkl Exs Ydxkluh xtj Jbhrk ju Drioltrti xjputlmhu. Lou kfuzrxd ybtmk nbh lork puhkrbt bn lou kre rk xpxrdxydu prx “YBTMKREXIU”; rt lou usfxtjuj puhkrbt lb yu huduxkuj dxluh, “YBTMKKZUTU” qrdd xdkb yu xpxrdxydu. Rn, nbh kbeu huxkbt, vbm xhu erkkrti vbmh Fxlhbd Zdmy Eueyuh arl, julxrdk nbh fmhzoxkrti xtblouh zbfv qrdd yu xpxrdxydu kbbt xl ollf://qqq.nuudruk.bhi/ Loxta vbm nbh fdxvrti!
translation below:
Greetings Patrol Club Member! We hope you enjoy this holo-simulation of the first Max Blaster and Doris de Lightning adventure. The special bonus for this version of the sim is available via “BONUSIMAGE”; in the expanded version to be released later, “BONUSSCENE” will also be available. If, for some reason, you are missing your Patrol Club Member kit, details for purchasing another copy will be available soon at http://www.feelies.org/ Thank you for playing!
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "maybe11":{"title":"maybe make some change", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"That's not a verb I recognize.
Type \"help\" for instructions.
You offer up a prayer to whatever gods might be listening.
[first time:] [ You can review the responses to your prayers with RECAP PRAYER. ]
", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You get ready to sing Billy the Kid, but cough up a little blood instead. It's worse than you thought.
", "think":"[In Easy mode, cycle down, repeating on last:]
You utter one of the few magic words you know. There is a soft chiming and your eyes are drawn to the jewel. It briefly glows [one of]ruby red[or]tangerine[or]lemon yellow[or]emerald green[or]magenta[in rotating sequence] and then reverts back to its pale blue hue.
[if new jewel color, also say one of:]Neato![or]Whoa![or]Wowzer![or]Amazing![or]Nifty![in sequence]
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "mixta05":{"title":"Mix Tape", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "mobiu06":{"title":"Möbius", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"You are suddenly transported to another place, where a gorgeous young girl resides!
", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"-", "xyzzy":"Suddenly, you are transported to the Dining Room! (Old magic never fails).
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "molly15":{"title":"Molly and the Butter Thieves", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"That noun did not make sense in this context." }, "momen01":{"title":"Moments Out Of Time", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Nothing obvious happens", "sing":"There's no call for it.", "think":"Done.", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. And vice-versa.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "momen99":{"title":"A |Moment of Hope", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"Haven't you done enough of that recently?", "xyzzy":"You sure could use some magic right about now.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "monke03":{"title":"A |Monkey Stole Your Toast!", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"This game was written for speedIF ToasterComp II:
You must write a *very* short game -- as short and tiny and meaningless as you want -- involving any, all, or none of the following: toast, toasters, bagels, scones, English muffins, jam, High Tea, or magical glvoes grabbing chocolate candies out of the television set. You have two hours -- bonus points if you get done in one hour.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "monke14":{"title":"Monkey and Bear", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"[Each room has a different response. For example:]
\n[This response varies if someone is nearby. For example:]
\nThou shalt not suffer a witch to live. \n \n - Exodus 22:18
That was not a verb I recognised.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "music99":{"title":"Music Education", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "myang00":{"title":"My Angel", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":" I feel quite delirious with excitement, a sudden wash coming over me. I know, this is from her.", "think":" Thoughts rush round my head, as they are prone to do, I suppose. They are messy, and she does not listen.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"-- \"[notunderstood]\" isn't a recognised verb." }, "mynam07":{"title":"My Name is Jack Mills", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"Wrong game, pal.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "myste05c":{"title":"Mystery House Possessed", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"You hum a happy little ditty.", "think":"The first order of business is to meet up with your relatives, and get that over with. They should be in the Entry Hall, waiting for you to come in the front door.", "think_nb":"I assume this response changes as appropriate during the game.", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "myste09":{"title":"The |Mysterious Case of the Acrobat and His Peers", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "myste19":{"title":"The |Mysterious Stories of Caroline","n/a":"choice"}, "myste95":{"title":"Mystery Science Theater 3000 Presents \"Detective\"", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Fool\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "myste96":{"title":"Mystery Science Theatre 3000 Presents \"A Fable\"", "plover":"!! ~xyzzy","plugh":"!! ~xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"As you speak the magic word \"xyzzy\", there is a blinding flash, and the Satellite of Love's theater disappears around you. You notice that you are now carrying a multi-purpose Scrub Brush.
\nDeck Nine
This is a featureless corridor similar to every other corridor on the ship. It curves away to starboard, and a gangway leads up. To port is the entrance to one of the ship's primary escape pods. The pod bulkhead is closed.
You have beamed yourself into Planetfall, and escaped from the Satellite of Love. Unfortunately, you did so before Mike Nelson arrived to take your place. With no man in space to experiment on, Dr. Forrester ekes out the rest of his career playing B-movie heavies, TV's Frank returns to his job at Arby's, and Mystery Science Theater is cancelled.
\nTOM: Good one, Joel!
\nCROW: Hey Joel, wanna play Hucka-Bucka Beanstalk?
\n*** [Roll credits] ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "mytht02":{"title":"MythTale", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Police swarm in. Riot and swat teams are ready. You are quickly apprehended and sent to prison for practicing witchcraft on duty. There you are forced to author works of interactive fiction. That doesn't sound so bad, but you haven't heard the worst of it. Graham Nelson is your jailer, and he forces you to use Inform 1 - The Chinese language port. Even worse, you are not permitted to use play-testers. Each time a bug is discovered, you don't get fed the next meal. You waste away trying to create a combined sequel to \"Jigsaw\" and \"Suspended\".
Then you snap out of it, and realize it was all just a daydream.
This story file was compiled with the Inform Chinese Language Port
(Okay, not really)
Everything becomes fuzzy!
[You are now on the Porch.]
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "never00":{"title":"Nevermore", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"The name of old, lost magic briefly echoes, then is gone.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "newco01":{"title":"The |Newcomer", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Such faith, while appropriate, indicates resignation. You haven't resigned yet.", "sing":"Although lunacy is expected in these circumstances, you might be better off just saving yourself.", "think":"Inspiration does not seem to be forthcoming.", "xyzzy":"The word of power resonates strangely, and all color is momentarily bled from your view. The air seems too tangible.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "newda97":{"title":"A |New Day", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Stop living in the past, man!", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "newli05":{"title":"A |New Life", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"What do you want to pray to?", "sing":"You sing a few bars of a humorous song about two lovers fighting over which of them gets to be the man.
[if at Hill's Crest, add:] Long echoes from the neighboring hills repeat the notes of your song.
", "think":"[1] The pilgrims
[2] The high plain
Select an option or 0 to exit this menu >>
", "think":"After you think about a memory, it's removed from the menu. New memories are added to the menu as you play. The number of unexamined memories is noted in the status line.", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "night01b":{"title":"Night Driver", "plover":"!! >no-do","plugh":"!! >no-do","pray":"!! >no-do", "sing":"!! >no-do","think":"!! >no-do","xyzzy":"!! >no-do", "no-do":"There is no time. You must concentrate on driving.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "night01c":{"title":"A |Night Guest", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"[Unusually, there are numerous possible responses based on the story's current situation.]
" }, "night08a":{"title":"Nightfall", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You utter a quick prayer, but the Almighty makes no obvious response.", "sing":"You sing a few bars of \"[one of]Abide with me[or]The British Grenadiers[or]Daisy, Daisy[or]Early One Morning[or]Jerusalem[or]Lily the Pink[or]Rule, Britannia![or]What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor?[at random]\", but your performance impresses no one but yourself.", "think":"You know where she lives, of course: in a flat at 18 Gladstone Terrace, a few blocks south of the railway station, so that would be one obvious place to try. The other would be her office, at 12 Devon Road, some way to the east of the station, across the river (you can use the GO TO command to find your way round the city; e.g. GO TO HER OFFICE or GO TO GLADSTONE TERRACE).", "think_nb":"TODO: Find out if this message changes later in the game.", "xyzzy":"There's no orange smoke and no magical translation; if you want to go somewhere you'll just have to walk.", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "night16":{"title":"Night House", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @Quest 5","notunderstood":"!! @Quest 5" }, "night19":{"title":"Night Guard / Morning Star","n/a":"choice"}, "night95":{"title":"A |Night at the Museum Forever", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"-","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "ninel15":{"title":"Nine Lives", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Cats know they are already perfect. Therefore, you have nothing to pray for.", "sing":"You yowl loudly.","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You have a brief vision of a cavern with walls of layered orange stone. Then it fades.
You now feel more lively than before.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "niney17":{"title":"Niney", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "ninja10":{"title":"Ninja's Fate", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"!! >think", "sing":"Ninjas are supposed to be sneaky...", "think":"You close your eyes and lose yourself in deep thought. Your mental well-being increases.", "xyzzy":"You pray for guidance, but nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "noroo03":{"title":"No Room", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":">touch hat
Feels bowler-shaped.
>smell hat
The hat smells rather musty, as though it was recently stuffed away in some closet.
You clear your throat, then begin to sing a little tune invented on the spot. The music flows through you, its beauty a surprise and a delight. So taken are you with this song, you spend all your remaining life devoted solely to singing it. Within the day, dehydration sets in, preventing you from singing out loud. But you continue to sing in your mind, mouthing the words until you become too weak to do so. Soon later, you pass out, and perish in short order.
*** You have died ***
", "think":"You think of an idea so great and terrible that no man can imagine it and hope to remain alive.
*** You have died ***
", "xyzzy":"See, technically you're in a location (Darkness), but your real_location isn't a room. Instead, it's the Inform Library itself, which is the most sense Inform could make of my game. In fact, I didn't create any rooms when I was programming this. (Granted, with Inform it's a bit tricky to say what is a room and what isn't.) It would probably have been simpler to just make a fake room to put the player in, and achieve the same effect, but that's not perverse enough. I felt I had to try to go beyond the familiar one room games, and this is as close to zero rooms as I was able to get.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "nothi19":{"title":"Nothing But Mazes", "pet":"-", "plover":"The word “[notunderstood]” isn’t necessary in this game.
" }, "notim01":{"title":"No Time To Squeal", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You pray and feel a bit better.", "sing":"What do you want to sing to?","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Sorcery in that manner seems to fail you.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "notju00":{"title":"Not Just A Game", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"From The New Hacker's Dictionary:
xyzzy /X-Y-Z-Z-Y/, /X-Y-ziz'ee/, /ziz'ee/, or /ik-ziz'ee/ adj.
[from the ADVENT game] The canonical 'magic word'. This comes from ADVENT, in which the idea is to explore an underground cave with many rooms and to collect the treasures you find there. If you type 'xyzzy' at the appropriate time, you can move instantly between two otherwise distant points.
Xyzzy has actually been implemented as an undocumented no-op command on several OSes; in Data General's AOS/VS, for example, it would typically respond \"Nothing happens,\" just as ADVENT did if the magic was invoked at the wrong spot or before a player had performed the action that enabled the word. In more recent 32-bit versions, by the way, AOS/VS responds \"Twice as much happens.\"
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "notju99":{"title":"Not Just An Ordinary Ballerina", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Prayer never hurts. Whether an unseen entity is listening, or, if listening, is disposed to respond ... well, doubtless you have your own opinion on the subject.", "sing":"Fa-la-la-la-laah, la-la-la laaaaahh!", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"Gesundheit!", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "notmu02":{"title":"Not Much Time", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"-","xyzzy":"\"What?\"","notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "obedi09":{"title":"Obedience", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You utter the secret command phrase. \"XYZZY.\" Instantly, the fourth wall of the room you're standing in vanishes. From beyond the fourth wall, the author of the game steps forth, offering you instructions and help.
Hey. This is Rip_CPU, and you've reached the sort of \"author's commentary\" section of the game. I'll be offering a bit of game hints, as well as just random comments when you use the xyzzy command.
If you're just starting out and you're stumped as to what you're supposed to do, here's a simple hint for you. The command LOOK UNDER is very useful. Look under every single thing you see, and you might be surprised at what you can find.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "ocean19":{"title":"Ocean Beach", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"The word ‘[notunderstood]’ is not used in this game. You may need to enclose it in quotes.
Example: “[notunderstood]”
A hollow voice says:
\"Q: Why did the mouse cross the road?
A: Because it was nailed to the chicken's foot!\"
Welcome to the xyzzy transport service!
There are no locked door/time sensitive puzzles in this game. So, by using the xyzzy command, you are allowed to jump to any room in the game that you have previously visited. Simply enter the number appearing next to the room you want to travel to at the \"XYZZY>\" prompt.
[1] Porch
XYZZY>
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "onefo99":{"title":"One Foot Down", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You raise your hands upwards, calling on the strength and spirits of your ancestors proclaiming, \"XYZZY!\"
Of course, nothing happens, but no one noticed you making a fool of yourself.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "onhor01":{"title":"On a Horse With No Name", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"'[notunderstood]'? You can't remember that word." }, "onlya99":{"title":"Only After Dark", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "onnak17":{"title":"Onna Kabuki: A Tale of Theatre and Revenge", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"No.","sing":"-", "think":"Hey, it's worth a shot. Wherever you end up has to be better than here.
\"XYZZY!\" you shout, clapping your hands. But instead of instantly teleporting to a distant location, you very slowly stay exactly where you are. The experience isn't one you care to repeat.
There's something going on here, something more than simply avoiding a note with your name on it. You're supposed to be Opal, a witch with a very particular dilemma—but no! You don't want to be her anymore. Maybe you want to be someone who wouldn't care about the note, who instead would look around and see if the owners had a tin of Earl Grey to make a nice cup of tea (spoiler: they don't). Maybe you'd like to turn on the television and watch the all-night marathon of Gogglebox repeats on BBC 4. Maybe you'd rather burst out of the cabin and hitch a ride to Reykjavik and take the elevator to the very top of Hallgrimskirkja and shout out across the island \"I'm free! I'm free of the narrative confines of my life!\"
If only such a thing were possible. Unfortunately, your narrative journey has put you here, in this room, with this note that has your name on it waiting to be read by you. That's what you, Opal, would do. And if you don't want to read the note, then there's no compelling reason for you to do anything that follows.
[if in opening scene:] It takes me a moment to get past the pain and the cobwebs in my head, but then in a flash, it all comes back. The station, the village, the outpost, the old man... and her. Her. All I can see is her.
But it ends with her. I want to remember it from the beginning. So that's where I'll start.
My name is Stark. Captain Jon Stark. And I work for SciCorps. SciCorps: The galaxy-spanning mega-corporation that is in charge of secretly monitoring promising new alien species that dot our corner of the universe, all in the hopes of one day inviting them to join the League of Sentient Systems.
My current assignment is at Orion 3, where SciCorps has been keeping an eye on a pre-industrial civilization of a highly spiritual people. I work in Central Control of Station One, a space station orbiting Orion 3 working as the primary base of operations. I applied for a promotion to field agent several weeks ago, but I hadn't received a reply yet...
[You are now at Central Control.]
Out there,
There's a world outside of Yonkers...
You think about [one of] Ceres [or] the Earth [or] Eris [or] Haumea [or] Makemake [or] Mars [or] Mercury [or] Neptune [or] Pluto [or] Proxima B [or] Saturn [or] Uranus [or] Venus [at random].
", "xyzzy":"For a moment, everything flickers with iridescent light.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "outsi99":{"title":"Outsided", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"The room spins wildly, and suddenly you have pinched a loaf in your trousers!", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "outst02":{"title":"Out of the Study", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You don't wish to make any unnecessary sounds here.", "think":"Nothing helpful comes to your mind.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"'[notunderstood]'? [That word is not recognised.]" }, "owlco17":{"title":"The |Owl Consults", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Nice try. If you type that 9999 more times, I *might* put you in god mode.
>xyzzy
Nice try. If you type that 9998 more times, I *might* put you in god mode.
>xyzzy
Nice try. If you type that 9997 more times, I *might* put you in god mode.
[...Quite a few xyzzyies later...]
Nice try. If you type that 2 more times, I *might* put you in god mode.
>xyzzy
Nice try. If you type that 1 more times, I *might* put you in god mode.
>xyzzy
Nice try. If you type that 0 more times, I *might* put you in god mode.
>xyzzy
Nope... apparently I was just kidding.
Yes; but you must wager. It is not \n optional. You are embarked. \n Which will you choose then? \n -Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), from Pensées
Only Unitarians pray without saying to whom they are offering their devotions.
", "sing":"The mindless wailing of hymns is an important feature of your family's religious practice. These songs lighten your heart, even if you've never given much thought to their meaning.", "think":"You have retained no significant memories from your past life.", "xyzzy":"The mindless repetition of archaic incantations in an important feature of your family's religious practice. Unfortunately those words never seem to have any effect.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "pasde19":{"title":"Pas de Deux", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"There is no answer.", "sing":"You absent-mindedly hum a few notes, and then snap your mouth shut, hoping that nobody noticed.", "think":"That would be a good first step.", "xyzzy":"The anthropomorphic treble clef looks straight at you, service-minded to the point of pity.
— It looks like you're trying to advance the story by means of magic thinking. Do you need HELP?
Then it knocks on the screen from the inside, blinks a few times, and, in a sudden burst of artificial intelligence, vanishes.
", "notunderstood":"(I'm sorry, I didn't understand what you wanted to do.)" }, "passb99":{"title":"Pass the Banana", "plover":"A hollow voice hands you a banana.", "plugh":"A hollow voice says, \"Plover.\"", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Plugh.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "patan11":{"title":"PataNoir", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"That does not seem appropriate.", "sing":"This is not \"The Singing Detective\", although it was a major inspiration. You should definitely watch the original BBC mini-series if you can find it. The Robert Downey Jr. movie is also supposed to be all right, but I haven't seen that one yet. Anyway, where was I? Oh, right, I was writing this game.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Honestly, don't you think it's about time we retired this hoary in-joke?", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "pathf06":{"title":"Pathfinder", "plover":"-", "plugh":"You sign when you realise that no magic can help you in this world.", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"You quietly hum a few bars of Bach, then realize the futility.", "think":"Frustration is a lot of fun, eh? You can always consult the HELP menu.", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "peeli17":{"title":"Peeling Lucky", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You utter the magic word. The fabric of reality transmutates into cosmic doughnuts, celestial waffles and baffled Canadians. You hear a mystic voice mutter, \"150. That is the answer. Not 42, you brainless numbskulls.\"
And then all returns to normal once more. Whew.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "pegas18":{"title":"Pegasus", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "penpa10":{"title":"Pen and Paint", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You have no lyrics.","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You don't have a licence for that. You used to, but you lent it to some berk looking for a grail, who used it for kindling by accident.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "peopl10":{"title":"The |People's Glorious Revolutionary Text Adventure Game", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You idly wish that these was some kind of Revolutionary Magic Word you could say to instantly transform the world into the Worker's Paradise, but that's ridiculous. Only science can do that.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "peril99":{"title":"Perilous Magic", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says 'Cretin'.You sing along with the song on the radio. \"Whoa!\" Rob says. \"You know this song?\"
\"Nah,\" you say, \"it's just that the lyrics are really predictable.\"
", "sing_nb":"TODO: Presumably this changes based on the circumstance.", "think":"-","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"[That verb is not recognized.]" }, "physi15":{"title":"The |Physiognomist's Office", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "picku01a":{"title":"Pick Up The Phone Booth and Aisle", "plover":"That's a bird, not a verb.
*** You have been corrected ***
", "plugh":"HERE IS THE RESPONSE YOU REQUESTED.
*** You are probably dissatisfied with that ***
", "pray":"A passerby notices your prayer, and is moved. She joins you, and within minutes a small crowd has developed. This is the beginning. A month later, you are on tv taking your prayer to the nation. A Senate bid follows, and before you realise, the whole country is moving, with you, ever rightward. Then, one day, Jesus arrives. He takes you to heaven and you live happily ever after.
*** You have won ***
", "sing":"You take a deep breath and give freedom to the music within you. People are always saying they don't like the sound of it, but YOU know how great it is-- and it's clear the booth feels it too, the way it warbles back and forth responsively, resonating to your every note, the telephone within reechoing the chime and providing the scintillating backbeat of a busy signal, until that final crescendo when all the glass blows out of the doors.
*** The power of your lungs is undisputed ***
", "think":"Already your brane has begun the grinding of gears.
*** Nothing immediate results from your thought. As usual. ***
", "xyzzy":"A husky voice intones, \"I knew you'd try typing this, and I must say I'm getting mighty tired of being summoned up willy nilly to fulfill some sort of neurotic desire to fill a game with as many lame injokes as possible. So begone. (By the way, please try the following verbs on subsequent playings: waylay, cook, xyzzy, attack)
*** You have pissed off the voice (that's a first) ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "picku98":{"title":"Pick Up the Ice Cream Truck and Die", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You hear a hollow voice saying “I’ll have a cornetto, please.”", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "pickp00":{"title":"The |Pickpocket", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "pilgr15":{"title":"Pilgrimage", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "pillo99":{"title":"Pillow", "plover":"-", "plugh":"[It depends where the pillow is:]
\n[It depends where you and the pillow are:]
\n^ . ^
\\___/
In a sudden moment of inspiration, an unusual word reveals itself to your mind. At first you imagine it to be unpronounceable, but you are in fact wrong. Phonetically, 'zizzie' would do the job fine. Your concentration is diverted for only a few seconds, but when you return to your senses you find that you are somewhere other than where you were...
", "xyzzy_nb":"TODO: There's a lot more responses to XYZZY in this game.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "plane19":{"title":"Planet C","n/a":"choice"}, "plant98":{"title":"The |Plant", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Poof! In a cloud of orange smoke, you're magically transported to...
[your current room description]
(Okay, it wasn't that magical.)
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "plaqu00":{"title":"Plaque", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Fool\"A disembodied voice informs you, \"The solution isn't magic, but it's not rocket science, either.\"
The voice pauses, as if in thought, and queries, \"S'matter? Are you chicken?\"
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "pong_01":{"title":"Pong", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"The word “notunderstood” I know not of." }, "poorz97":{"title":"Poor Zefron's Almanac", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":">>Foof!<<
You are inside a building, a well house for a large spring.
There are some keys on the ground here.
There is a shiny brass lamp nearby.
There is food here.
There is a bottle of water here.
You are able to take in your surroundings for a few seconds before a second >>Foof!<< deposits you back in Zefron's workshop. Apparently your feeble wizardly powers won't enable you to stay in that distant land for long.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "popmu02":{"title":"Pop Music and Chocolate", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You lose yourself in a distant fantasy.
You say the keyword. The man jerks like a lightning-struck tree at the sound of your voice, but it is too late.
You snap out of your fantasy and look around, a little twitchier and sweatier.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "poppe19":{"title":"Poppet", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"!! @Quest 5", "notunderstood":"I don't understand your command." }, "porte19":{"title":"Porter Cave Adventure", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"[if in Secret Room:] As soon as you utter the magic word, your vision starts spinning and you nearly black out. You hear a voice that seems to be emanating from inside your head:
\"The essential difference between a simulation and a game is that a game is willing to sacrifice realism for the sake of gameplay. 'In it's original form (circa 1975), Will Crowther's game Colossal Cave was a text-based simulation of spelunking. As Colossal Cave was played and replayed, however, it was revised and recoded in ways that simultaneously reduced its verisimilitude and increased its appeal. The introduction of fantasy objects and characters, treasure hunts, point totals, and other blatantly nonrealistic elements to Colossal Cave turned the original simulation into a gameplay experience that was no longer suggestive of crawling through Kentucky's Mammoth Caves\" (Myers 395-396).
[You are now at Maze Entrance.]
[The score has gone up by five points.]
[first time:] NOTE: THINK will redirect to SCORE in the future.
[Response from SCORE.]
", "xyzzy":"[Cycle through repeatedly in this order:]
\"It's not much fun wandering through somebody's \n ill-conceived, cobbled together, inside-joke\n universe.\" \n -Paul O'Brian
I'm not familiar with that particular cliche.
", "notunderstood":"I don't know the word \"[notunderstood]\"." }, "profe11":{"title":"Professor Frank", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":" What ???" }, "prong20":{"title":"The |Prongleman Job", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"That's not a command I know, and it's not a nearby object.\"", "notunderstood":"That's not a command I know, and it's not a nearby object. (Type HELP for commands.)" }, "promi11":{"title":"The |Promise", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"We all like to remember those days, don't we?
", "notunderstood":"I do not know how to do that." }, "prosp09":{"title":"Prosperity of Cheaters", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "psych05":{"title":"Psyche's Lament", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "ptbad04":{"title":"PTBAD3: A Mystery", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"For a moment you think you see the interior of a decaying shack.... For a moment.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "puddl03":{"title":"Puddles on the Path", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You utter a short prayer.", "sing":"You sing a little melody.", "think":"Nothing helpful comes to your mind. Maybe it would help if you thought about something specific.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"'[notunderstood]'? [That word is not recognised.]" }, "punki96":{"title":"Punkirita Quest One: Liquid", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"\"Ah! My only child, trying to use black magic against the one who brought life!\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "punkp00":{"title":"Punk Points", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"You refuse to sing without at least three chords backing you up. At least until your voice stops cracking.", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "purpl98":{"title":"Purple", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "pytho01":{"title":"Pytho's Mask", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"You whistle tunelessly.", "think":"(That's your job.)", "xyzzy":"It will take more than petty incantations to save the day.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "queen03":{"title":"The |Queen of Swords", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Been a while since you've done that. Maybe tomorrow.", "sing":"That might be a bit out of place, today.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"That really has no place here, does it?
Wait until you get home and fire up the computer, THEN you can use magic words.
", "notunderstood":"That's not a verb you need today." }, "quest09":{"title":"The |Questionable Substitute", "plover":"-", "plugh":"Are you Eileen Mullin or anybody else connected to XYZZYnews magazine?
East of House
You are in an open field east of a big yellow house with a boarded front door.
There is a small mailbox here.
...Well, not really. This was a crime-against-mimesis moment in an otherwise serious and well-thought piece of Interactive Fiction.
And you were the one who began, with that 'xyzzy' thing.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "rando19":{"title":"Randomized escape", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "reali03":{"title":"Reality's End", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Suddenly, a bright light appears in front of you. It is like space itself is cut open. The light forms a door-shaped rectangle, like a portal into nothingness. Then a silhouette appears. A man steps out of the light.
He says: \"Sorry kid, the Hollow Voice is out at the moment. So no funny or insulting remarks this time. Here. Take a flyer.\"
He hands you a small leaflet.
From within the light, a female voice says:
\"Come on, Dutch, we've got more things to do...\"
The man briefly looks over his shoulder. Then he turns to you and says:
\"Keep up the good work, kid. I'm sure you'll do just fine...\"
He steps back into the light, which disappears behind him, closing like a zipper.
>x leaflet
From the same author:
*** DUTCH DAPPER IV: THE FINAL VOYAGE ***
Available in an IF archive near you.
>xyzzy
The bright light appears again, but no-one steps out. You just hear a not so hollow voice say:
\"Come on, kid, stop bothering me. I've got more important things to do then play with you.\"
The bright light disappears, closing like a zipper.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "reali03a":{"title":"Reality Railroad", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"This game was written for speedIF U:
Write a game set (at least in part) in either Asgard, a TV studio, or on or near a railroad. The game should feature Death (the anthropomorphic representation), Radical Al, and/or any member of the Little Rascals. Said person should either have or need socks, a feather boa, a robot, a rutabaga, or an aeroplane. Bonus points for including a rodeo, a Vault, anything ruffled, or any the word \"riccochet\". You have two hours to finish (for full credit -- up to three hours for partial). Go!
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "reali03b":{"title":"Reality Show", "pet":"-", "plover":"Your surroundings vanish for a moment. Have the shackles of a constricting consciousness fallen away?
If so, then they have been replaced by a different sort of shackles. You are tied up to a bed, wearing only a leather corset. Standing above you, a similarly-dressed octogenarian woman gazes down upon you with a beatific yet disturbing smile. \"Now, my pupil, it's time for us to study the intricacies of the Rudolphus Technique.\" You struggle to break free ... to break free ... to break free ...
Moments later, you are back in the Gateway. You are left to wonder: Was that real?
", "plugh":"Nothing happens. Must've used the wrong magic word.
You get a bad, bad feeling about using magic words in this world -- as if they are leading you toward thoughts almost too difficult to complate.
", "pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens. Must've used the wrong magic word -- although you get a vaguely uncomfortable feeling at having tried to use magic words at all.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "realm04":{"title":"The |Realm", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "realm09":{"title":"Realm of Obsidian", "xyzzy":"Ummm... wrong game." }, "reces08":{"title":"Recess At Last", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"That noun did not make sense in this context." }, "recon07":{"title":"Reconciling Mother", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "recor15":{"title":"Recorded", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "recru03":{"title":"The |Recruit", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! ~xyzzy", "pray":"You pray and feel a bit better.", "sing":"What do you want to sing to?","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You shout 'XYZZY'.
A moment later you hear Sharon respond. “Hahah, Louie, that only works in text adventures, not in real life!”
", "xyzzy_nb":"Your character's name might be different.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "red__18":{"title":"Red", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "redem03":{"title":"Redemption", "plover":"!! ~xyzzy", "plugh":"!! ~xyzzy", "pray":"You bow your head for a few moments of quiet reflection.", "sing":"You sing a few lines of your favorite tune.", "think":"You wait.", "xyzzy":"You murmur \"Xyzzy,\" but nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"You mutter something incomprehensible." }, "redey04":{"title":"Redeye", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "redmo08":{"title":"Red Moon", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You kneel down before the gods, praising them for their benevolence and imploring them for a miracle.", "sing":"You hum a soft, melancholic tune, the best you can do to repel your fear.", "think":"Fear clouds your mind, and you can't seem to focus on anything.", "xyzzy":"Not even powerful, ancient magicks will save you now.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "redra18":{"title":"Re: Dragon", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "remat00":{"title":"Rematch", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice booms, “Do you see your shadow?”
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "remed19":{"title":"Remedial Witchcraft", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"You're not a bard, y'know; that's another department entirely.", "think":"What a good idea! (if you want help, you can think about something you're looking for if you want explicit help).
", "xyzzy":"Teleportation spells are pretty beyond you at the moment!", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "rents02":{"title":"Rent-A-Spy", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"Don't be silly.", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "resea98":{"title":"Research Dig", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Mists pour from the ground below you. They begin to spiral around your legs. In the distance you can make out shadowy figures coming towards you through the mist. You then hear a deep, booming voice say \"Oh sorry, wrong game.\" The mists vanish, and everything is back to normal.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "retur04":{"title":"Return to Ditch Day", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"It would be great if a magic word could whisk you away, but nothing seems to happen here.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "retur20":{"title":"Return to Castle Coris","nb":"ADRIFT 5"}, "reson09":{"title":"Resonance", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"The good citizens of Fair City don't appreciate that kind of language.", "notunderstood":"That noun did not make sense in this context." }, "retur00a":{"title":"Return to Zork: Another Story", "plover":"Nothing happens.", "plugh":"Nothing happens. (In this game.)", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":">> Poof!<<
\nIn Debris Room
You are in a debris room filled with stuff washed in from the surface. A low wide passage with cobbles becomes plugged with mud and debris here, but an awkward canyon leads upward and west.
A note on the wall says, \"Magic word XYZZY.\"
* You found one of the three hidden bonus points (the hidden location)*
You can see an a small black candle (providing light) here.
[Good, your score has just gone up by one point.]
>xyzzy
Yeah, I can read it.
Nothing, obviously, happens.
You are teleported to the realm of the Dragon Snarclackle.
what do you mean my disterbing my sleep? yells Dragon Snarclackel. I spent I lifetime getting into that sleep, and now it's *gone*. I tell you what. If you can find me 3 Red snakes and the famous stick with the crooked end, and a ball of string, I'll let you go! Nobody escapes the Dragon Snarclackle! You have, er, uh 23, um, hours or else, I'll.......SNOOOOOOOOOOOOORE.....SOUND_OF_SNOOOOOOZING. The Dragon Snarclakel suddenly falls off the cliff and lands on you, and you wake up and you are back at the Building of Silli Productions.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "reven98":{"title":"Revenge of the Killer Surf Nazi Robot Babes from Hell (Demo Version)", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"Way uncool.", "think":"Huh?", "xyzzy":"An awesome response to XYZZY is available with the full registered version of Revenge of the Killer Surf Nazi Robot Babes from Hell. Type REGISTER for additional information.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "rever96":{"title":"Reverberations", "plover":"-", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You remember hearing that word from some little grom on the beach last year. You have no idea what it means, but it sounds way cool.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "ribbo01":{"title":"Ribbons", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"Once more... with controversy.", "sing":"Etiquette forbids.", "think":"What a good idea. No, what a GREAT idea. Really.", "xyzzy":"Would an Australian art thief make his escape postheist?", "notunderstood":"Nobody recognizes that verb, anymore." }, "richa17":{"title":"The |Richard Mines", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "rioal19":{"title":"Río Alto: forgotten memories","nb":"Windows TODO"}, "rippl96":{"title":"Rippled Flesh", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow, yet nasal, voice booms out \"Please Deposit 42 cents!\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "ripre19":{"title":"Rip Retold","n/a":"choice"}, "risor03":{"title":"Risorgimento Represso", "plover":"!! ~xyzzy","plugh":"!! ~xyzzy", "pray":"If only you had a prayer...", "sing":"You belt out the lyrics to a few of your current favourites, and realise the Faculty of Music were justified completely in banning you from their building.
Remembering your old days of playing Adventure in the computer lab, you cry out \"Xyzzy!\" in a loud voice but nothing happens.
* Translation of Ned's Yorkshire, courtesy of the game's author, Michael Coyne: \"Good for nothing, that is,\" says Ned. \"If that worked, I'd have been and gone a long while since.\"
", "notunderstood":"Using that verb will not appreciably help." }, "ritua98":{"title":"Ritual of Purification", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You are your own master, and worship no gods.", "sing":"In Heaven a spirit doth dwell \n \"Whose heart-strings are a lute\"; \n None sing so wildly well \n As the angel Israfel, \n And the giddy stars (so legends tell) \n Ceasing their hymns, attend the spell \n Of his voice, all mute. \n \n -- Edgar Allan Poe, \"Israfel\"
As the song of power leaves your lips, the Daemon looks at you in surprise. He smiles, and joins your singing, his voice vibrating with power. As you step through the arch, the whole world explodes around you, and you fall through the void. Your fall seems eternal.
You mutter the West High fight song under your breath:
Fight, Fight, West High
Stomp 'Em Out Like Ants
Mortify The Other Guy
And Make Him Pee His Pants
But it doesn't make you feel any better.
", "think":"You notice that you're thinking, and for a second you start thinking about thinking, but that doesn't get you anywhere.", "xyzzy":"You sneeze.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "roboc09":{"title":"The |robocop_is_bleeding scenario", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "robot19":{"title":"robotsexpartymurder","nb":"AXMA TODO"}, "rocke12":{"title":"The |Rocket Man from the Sea", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "rockr09":{"title":"Rockrider", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform", "no-do":"Oh, that's not good. That's not good at all. Travelling through all these strange worlds, mingling with all these different species... have you picked up a meme?
You should get that checked out.
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "roili13":{"title":"A |Roiling Original", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"The result is n.g.: no good.","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"That word holds absolutely no power for you. Hopefully you'll find why soon enough.", "notunderstood":"That's not something you can say, do or see here." }, "room209":{"title":"Room 206", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I don't know the word '[notunderstood]'." }, "roots01":{"title":"Roots", "plover":"-", "plugh":"Wouldn't that be \"plough\"? You aren't a farmer.
\nMIKE: Aaargh, she's trying to be funny!
TOM (as mimesis): Ouch! *Dies*
CROW: Oops, wrong game, sorry.
MIKE: But the player killed it.
You take a deep breath and start one of your favourite Tyrolean songs, \"Tyro-hol isch lei oans...\" (which means \"there is only one Tyrol\").
", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You try, but you don't know how to pronounce it, so it doesn't work.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "ropec20":{"title":"A |Rope of Chalk", "pet":"!! >touch", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >plugh", "pray":"You say a quick prayer.", "sing":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maJ9rx8ItK8", "sing_nb":"The video is the song Tempus Vernum by Enya.", "think":"(I [also] picked [xyzzy or plover or plugh][! or . or ,] [So] [I guess] [I win or you win or that's a draw][! or .]) ([number of wins] - [number of draws] - [number of loses])
", "xyzzy_nb":"This looks like Rock, Paper, Scissors except played with Xyzzy, Plugh, Plover. Could use some debugging, though.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "rover09":{"title":"Rover's Day Out", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"[Cycle down, repeating the last:]
\nYou enter a strange debugging mode!
a is 2025 and b is 338 and the sum is 2363. The destination today is Washinton, DC
You hear a distant voice: \"Did you take out the garbage, honey? The trees are singing the national hymn of Jamaica again!\"
All of a sudden, your vision gets all blurry and then everything around you fades away...
You wake up in a strange place.
Empty Perfume Bottle
You seem to be stuck in an empty perfume bottle. There is a sign here.
>read sign
'Bon Voyage -- Goede Reis -- Gute Fahrt -- Have a Nice Trip!'
Suddenly, the sign explodes. Never before have you witnessed such a magnificent explosion!
Too bad it's the last one you will ever see...
*** You have died ***
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "sages20":{"title":"Sage Sanctum Scramble", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"That unlocks no secrets.\"", "notunderstood":"[Many possible responses based on the location and which puzzle is active.]" }, "saied98":{"title":"Saied", "plover":"-", "plugh":"A hollow voice says, \"Jolt Country: The Great On-Line Empire. [phone number omitted].\"", "pray":"Your prayers seem to, for now, go unanswered.", "sing":"You don't feel like singing.", "think":"You engage in some serious deep thought.", "xyzzy":"A stubble-chinned street dealer drops by and shakes his head at your patheticness. \"How do you sleep at night?\" he asks before leaving.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "saint19":{"title":"Saint City Sinners","n/a":"choice"}, "saint20":{"title":"Saint Simon's Saw","n/a":"graphical Unity", "error":"The interface of this game sucks ass."}, "samfo09":{"title":"Sam Fortune - Private Investigator", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens.
\nYou weren't really expecting anything, were you? It just doesn't fit in with the genre.
\nOh come on, don't tell me you're disappointed. I know, I know, you were expecting some hilarious little blip, or the Spanish Inquisition, or something. Well, no, not the Spanish Inquisition, because no one ever expects them. But I'm sitting here as I write this, watching television and stuffing barbeque potato chips into my mouth, and absolutely nothing humorous is coming to mind. So... hey, maybe next time. Okay?
\n>xyzzy
Nothing happens... again.
>xyzzy
Again... nothing happens.
>xyzzy
Still nothing happens.
>xyzzy
Stop doing that.
>xyzzy
Please stop doing that.
>xyzzy
Okay, fine. I'm disabling the command now.
>xyzzy
I don't know the word \"xyzzy\".
>xyzzy
I really don't know the word \"xyzzy\".
>xyzzy
Well, that didn't work. Look, here's 5 dollars. Just... take it and promise to stop typing that. Nothing is going to happen!
[The game isn't lying about the 5 dollars; check your inventory.]
>xyzzy
Oh, I see. Okay, fine. If that's the way you want to be.... In a total of 10 turns, you have achieved a score of 0 points out of a possible 70, giving you a rank of Hobo.
You may restore a saved game, start over, quit, itemize your points, or undo the current command. Please enter RESTORE, RESTART, QUIT, FULL, or UNDO: >
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "schro01":{"title":"Schroedinger's Cat", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "scree02a":{"title":"Screen", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You're excused.","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "scrol14":{"title":"Scroll Thief", "plover":"Isn't that a kind of bird?", "plugh":"You mangle the pronunciation and nothing happens. Those stupid foreign Enchanters from the Duchy never think to give their spells pronounceable names. Anyway, that was another of the early unreliable teleportation spells.", "pray":"-", "sing":"You start to sing at the top of your lungs:
With cat-like tread,
upon our prey we steal,
in silence dread
our cautious way we feel,
no sound at all,
we never speak a word,
a fly's footfall
would be distinctly heard!
That was probably not a very good idea.
", "think":"You are currently contemplating the following problems:
- getting into the library proper
You have no spells committed to memory.
", "think_nb":"This response evolves during the game.", "xyzzy":"That's the activation word for one of the first teleportation spells ever developed. If you recall correctly from History of Magic, it was incredibly inefficient—it found all the matter within a 5-foot sphere around one hardcoded point and all the matter within the same volume around another and swapped their positions.
Modern teleportation spells are much better...somehow. You can't really remember the details. But there was some sort of improvement. It's probably in your notes.
>look up xyzzy in journal
xyzzy: \"You look back through your notes and find the lecture on teleportation spells. Ah, here it is...
Someone once stood four and a half feet away from the center of the xyzzy spell, so only part of her arrived at the destination. This is why modern teleportation spells are legally required to have additional checks against \"portal-slicing\".\"
", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "scurv00":{"title":"A |scurvy gift for Bosn Chuck", "plover":"!! >plugh", "plugh":"Nothing happens.", "pray":"You bow your head for a few moments of solemn prayer.", "sing":"You don't have much ability for that, but you feel plucky and warble out a few bars of one of your favorite tunes. Hopefully, no one was listening.", "think":"Kind of a stumper, isn't it.", "xyzzy":"Yo ho ho!", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "seale12":{"title":"The |Sealed Room", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Your prayers don't seem to help right now.", "sing":"You sing a little tune.", "think":"Nothing helpful comes to your mind.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"The word '[notunderstood]' is not used in this game." }, "seani97":{"title":"The |Sea of Night", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Beam me up, Scotty.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "seaso20":{"title":"Seasonal Apocalypse Disorder", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "secre19":{"title":"The |Secret of Vegibal Island", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "secre20":{"title":"Secret of the Starry Depths", "pet":"-", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "seine09":{"title":"La |Seine", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "sente11":{"title":"Sentencing Mr Liddell", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "sequi14":{"title":"sequitur", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"Jenny did offer to help, Cochone thinks. \"I need some fresh eyes on this,\" Cochone says. \"Will you take a look?\"
\"Okay,\" Jenny says. \"I can do it from my laptop. Just watch your screen.\"
Of course you can, Cochone thinks.
\"Okay, let's see if we can put a couple of tracks in the Sequence starting with the long chain. Maybe we should try putting \"Google\" in there with \"Torching\" sometime after it.\"
\"Yeah, maybe,\" Cochone says.
", "think_nb":"This is just one possible response early in the game.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"*** Sequitur is working ... Type \"commands\" to see a list of commands that I understand.
***
" }, "sever20":{"title":"Several Other Tales from Castle Balderstone", "pet":"!! >touch", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >plugh", "pray":"(Certainly, if you feel it's appropriate.)", "sing":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d6HuhtIhsg", "sing_nb":"The video is Land of the Castle 2013 by Ryan Veeder.", "think":"Hmm. Yes.", "xyzzy":"(I [also] picked [xyzzy or plover or plugh][! or . or ,] [So] [I guess] [I win or you win or that's a draw][! or .]) ([number of wins] - [number of draws] - [number of loses])
", "xyzzy_nb":"This looks like Rock, Paper, Scissors except played with Xyzzy, Plugh, Plover. Could use some debugging, though.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "sexis09":{"title":"Sex is Mental", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @ADRIFT", "think":"-","xyzzy":"!! @ADRIFT", "notunderstood":"Note to self.....make sense...you dont want people thing you're mad" }, "shade00":{"title":"Shade", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"This is no place for that.","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "shado03":{"title":"Shadowgate","sfx":"Inform adaptation", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"An Implementor suddenly materializes and speaks to you with a tone of boredom and annoyance.
\"Fool!\"
The Implementor vanishes.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "shado03a":{"title":"Shadows On The Mirror", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens.
Wait...
Yes, there it is.
“Great, Enra. It took you this long to figure out how to hook us in? Come on, let's get out of this game.” Galen disappears with a faint crackle of static.
You look around. “Yeah.”
***Here we come***
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "shado19":{"title":"The |Shadow Witch","nb":"TODO need to run a Setup.exe first?"}, "shang02":{"title":"Shangri La", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"[Pausing while player prays. Return at your own convenience.]", "sing":"Please, no.", "think":"JASON LOVE ROCKS!", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "shado20a":{"title":"Shadow Operative", "pet":"!! >hug", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "sheep20":{"title":"Sheep Crossing", "pet":"!! >touch","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"What do you want to sing at?", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"The sound of your voice dissipates feebly across the landscape. The sheep looks on warily.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "sherl18":{"title":"Sherlock Indomitable", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You quietly sing a line from Aida.", "sing_nb":"SING is implemented in the full version of the game, but not the IntroComp version.", "think":"(It's said the 'x' is really a 'chi', so tt's pronounced 'cheesy'.)
[Insert humorous comment here]
", "notunderstood":"[That's not a verb this story recognises.]" }, "silic01":{"title":"Silicon Castles", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "simpl99":{"title":"A |Simple Theft", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Oh, stop that.
>xyzzy
No, really, stop it.
>xyzzy
That sort of magic hasn't been figured out yet.
>xyzzy
Don't get me angry. You won't like me when I'm angry.
>xyzzy
OK, perhaps you WILL like me when I'm angry.
>xyzzy
Oh, bother. I haven't been programmed to get angry.
>xyzzy
You're just going to keep trying until I run out of responses, aren't you?
>xyzzy
OK, this is my last response. Ta-ta.
>xyzzy
Really, that was. Honest. No more interesting responses here. Move along, move along.
>xyzzy
Whenever you're ready to get on with the game...
>xyzzy
Sigh.
<< You don't need to use the verb THINK in this game. >>
", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"<< Sorry, this game doesn't know the verb \"[notunderstood]\". >>
" }, "sixgr15":{"title":"Six Gray Rats Crawl Up The Pillow", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You mutter the start of a prayer: \"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet...\" Damn--how does the rest of that go?", "sing":"You sing a few bars of [random tune].
", "sing_nb":"Random tunes include: L'avvelenatore; Die Kälte Krypta; Fantasma di Mozart; I Malvagi; La Lucertola; La Mummia; La Volontà.", "think":"You recall:
[list of memories]
How clever! You've figured out a \"cheat code\" or something...this really isn't that kind of story, but I suppose it's worth of a small reward:
You find a silver coin under the nearest piece of furniture inside your ship. Very good, well done, now, can we get on with the adventure?
Nothing happens at all; perhaps you've lost your magic touch.
>xyzzy
Nothing happens again; you evidently haven't regained your magic touch.
>xyzzy
Nothing happens yet again; I'd guess you never had a magic touch.
You a hear voice from across a vast distance of time and space, \"That's Magic! Not a lot.\"
[Your score has just gone up by three points.]
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "spark14":{"title":"Sparkle", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"I have no information about the nature of the universe at the moment.
(Find a quiet place and MEDITATE.)
", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "sparr01":{"title":"Sparrow's Song", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"Sure, you're in an unbelievably great mood. But do you really want to be one of those rulers who sings to himself?", "think":"What a good idea, and nobody is just saying that because you're the baron, either.", "xyzzy":"Xyzzy. Xyzzy... That seems familiar to you for a moment, but then your mind travels elsewhere.", "notunderstood":"That's neither a verb nor a topic I recognize." }, "spect11":{"title":"Spectrum","sfx":"by Sandel", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "specu11":{"title":"Speculative Fiction", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"O great Hoary Raven Gods of Rotting Meat, please get this doofus out my head!
Nothing practical seems to have resulted from my prayer.
", "sing":"I'm not going to dignify that with a response.", "think":"Boss, I have enough trouble working in here without you trying to deafen me.", "xyzzy":"Thomas, could you put a random joke here? --Diane
", "notunderstood":"That's not a verb I recognize, boss." }, "speed00":{"title":"SpeedIF 11, part six", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"If you think that will help.", "think":"-","xyzzy":"Nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"'[notunderstood]'? That word is not recognized." }, "speed03a":{"title":"SpeedIF of Destiny or Nothing, Punk", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 3" }, "speed05":{"title":"speedif zombie", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Ghogg says, \"I still think a 'holed up in the bunker with the zombies coming' speedIF would've been good for Y2K, but I think we went with something else\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "speed98":{"title":"Speed IF #2", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "speed99":{"title":"untitled|","sfx":"speed5.gam", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "speed99a":{"title":"SpeedApocalypse", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Your grade school teacher appears and waves an unnaturally long index finger at you. \"Now, WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT REMEMBERING TO PUT YOUR NAME IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF EVERY PAGE .... \" Drops of sweat appear on the teacher's bald domed head.
Rough stone steps lead up the dome.
[any player input]
The teacher disappears!
[ Verb not available. ]
" }, "spiri96":{"title":"Spiritwrak", "plover":"!! >xyzzy", "plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You make a quick but respectful prayer to the Deities above, asking for Divine Guidance in your quest. You finish and feel spiritually renewed.", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Cool!\"", "no-do":"You are caught up in the collective chanting, and cannot break your concentration to do much of anything else.", "no-do_nb":"This is only applicable during the initial scene where all actions except WAIT are disallowed.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "splas04":{"title":"Splashdown", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform", "no-do":"You can barely even feel your own body.
A hazy red light blinks through the gray and cold.
You're only aware of a mild tingling in your fingertips.
Distant klaxons reverberate in time with a flashing red panel, cutting through the chill. You feel a pinch on your right shoulder.
Your throat feels dry and scratchy, and your feet feel like they're light-years away.
Suddenly, the haze fades away and the world snaps into sharp focus.
Spodgeville Murphy's Thoughts
\nWhat would you like to think about?\n\n > Stopping the Walls\n Surviving the Ceiling\n Escaping the Cave", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice refuses to say \"Fool\".", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "spyin99":{"title":"Spy in the Snow", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Nothing happens. (Stupid enemy parser.)", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "squar04":{"title":"Square Circle", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"
[if not At End of Road, 1st time:] In your imagination declaiming this hoary old incantation causes all prison walls everywhere to collapse into piles of dusty rubble, thus bringing you instant fame, fortune and freedom. In reality, nothing happens at all; but then you didn’t seriously expect magic to work in this enlightened age, did you?
[if not At End of Road, 2nd time:] Very well – if you’re really that determined to live in a fantasy world...
[You are now At End of Road.]
>in (or any other direction)
As you take your first step your futile daydream shatters...
... and you find yourself back in reality.
[if At End of Read:] Nothing happens.
You attempt to speak the sacred Word of Power, but find your throat stuck all of a sudden. You cannot say anything!
\"Many fools have made the same mistake. Once such fool set off the Exodus which trapped Thran...,\" booms an unseen voice.
\"DO NOT CONTINUE IN YOUR INSOLENCE!,\" it screams!
Your power of speech returns, and you make a quick vow never to speak that terrible word again.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "starh09":{"title":"Star Hunter", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "statu12":{"title":"The |Statue Got Me High", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "steam16":{"title":"Steam and Sacrilege", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "stego00":{"title":"A |Stegosaur's Night Out", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Very well. You don't know what you're asking for, but here you go.....\"
And, in fact, within minutes the whole Palace is abuzz, with the sounds of helicopters and tanks drawing nearer. Within half an hour, half the Viennese army is on the front lawn. Within an hour, every inhabitant of the palace - including Charles and yourself - is dead meat.
*** In your death you were not divided ***
The play is played out.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "stick01":{"title":"Stick it to the man", "xyzzy":"Do what?
", "xyzzy_nb":"This might actually be a NOTUNDERSTOOD response, but this game now crashes WinGlulxe so I can't check for sure.", "error":"This game crashed WinGlulxe after starting." }, "stiff01":{"title":"Stiffy Makane: The Undiscovered Country", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"I don't understand 'xyzzy' as a verb.
HOLLOW VOICE: Fool.
Well, having missed countless speedifs, this is my first entry. Very late. Enjoy...IF YOU DARE.
The parameters? \"Your game will be set on one or several floor(s) of a thirty-story building in Manhattan. At the beginning of the game, it's ten in the evening on December 31, 2002. On every floor, the New Year's bash is going on -- the people in their high-rise apartments, the rented out function halls, even the office workers stuck here late. Fireworks are scheduled to begin over the water promptly at midnight. Unfortunately, the building will be taken over by terrorists at eleven-thirty -- they've infiltrated the maintenance staff and have been surreptitiously placing bombs in various locations throughout the building during the past few months, all set to go off at different times later that evening if their demands aren't met.\"
Why not...visit my website! http://www.track0.f2s.com. No, wait, don't visit it. It sucks.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "stuff20":{"title":"Stuff of Legend", "pet":"!! >touch", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"You manage to hum a few bars of a tune called \"[part 1] [part 2] [optional Young or Old] [part3]\".
", "sing_nb":"Part 1's: The Ballad of the; Come Hither, Yon; Maids, Beware the; Mine Love for the; O, Sweet; Ode to the; Song of the.
Part 2's: Accursed, Ancient, Apple-Cheeked, Beauteous, Bilious, Brave, Chivalrous, Choleric, Drunken, Faire, Fancy, Foppish, Lusty, Magical, Malformed, Maniacal, Melancholic, Mystical, Ne'er-Do-Well, Phlegmatic, Plague-Ridden, Rakish, Raunchy, Sanguine, Solemn, Unfortunate, Vile, Villainous, Zesty.
Part 3's: Bar Wench, Cur, Crone, Griffin, Hare, Harpy, Knave, Lad, Lady, Mackerel, Maiden, Nightingale, Pig Farmer, Rapscallion, Sailor, Scoundrel, Squire, Stag, Titmouse, Traveler, Virgin, Washwoman.
", "think":"You are a village idiot. Thinking is not your strong suit.", "xyzzy":"[first time:] You remember your lessons when you were studying to become the Orloger; Counter Cur taught you everything you didn't want to know about sums.
\"In order to calculate the area of a bounded plain, you must find the length of the cross product of the vectors of its 2 adjacent sides,\" he said.
You didn't see why you couldn't just ask the letter-beast doing the binding, but you humoured the Counter at the time.
\"Well,\" Counter Cur continued, \"if B (Bx, By, Bz) and C (Cx, Cy, Cz) are the vectors of its 2 adjacent sides and A (Ax, Ay, Az) is the cross product, then you must find A = B x C using this formula:
\"Ax = By Cz - Bz Cy
Ay = Bz Cx - Bx Cz
Az = Bx Cy - By Cx.\"
\"My memory is good, but there's got to be a better way of memorising this,\" you said.
\"You will notice,\" Cur continued, \"that if you replace x with y, y with z and z with x you can get from the first line to the second line and from the second line to the third line.\"
\"So all I need to do is remember the first line, right?\" you said.
\"Precisely,\" said Cur, \"and you do that by remembering the handy mnemonic 'xyzzy'.\"
And that's how you cal... wait a minute, you didn't spend seventeen years preparing to break into the Confessor's mansion just to find out the area of the plain.
NO KANGEROOS COULD KICK THERE ASS
-- Danny \"Dman\" Hale
You sing a few lines from
\"Um, wow,\" says Terri.
", "think":"It was only a matter of time, really, before someone thought to exploit the escape room craze in the form of reality TV. The addition of game show elements was not surprising in retrospect, either: Solve more puzzles and find more valuables before time runs out, earn more cash.
It's still not entirely clear how the producers managed to secure some of the locations for episodes - Hearst Castle, the Biltmore Estate, Graceland, the White House (!) - but the show's massive popularity over the last five years has surely helped.
Today was your third tryout for Antique Escapes. Mom warned you that dressing as a chicken was too obvious, but apparently host Terri Boz liked the classic game show look. At least there weren't more fowl auditioning for the show, unlike the two other Princess Leias last time.
Regardless, Terri chose you, and now here you are! Time to strut your stuff.
", "xyzzy":"\"Why does every contestant on this show think that will actually do something?\" complains Terri.", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "summe19":{"title":"Summer Night City","n/a":"choice"}, "sunbu15":{"title":"Sunburn", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"If only there were some magic word that'd teleport you out of here. That'd be really helpful right about now.
Yup.
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "sunda12":{"title":"Sunday Afternoon", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"God helps those that help themselves.", "sing":"Aunt Emma gives you a stern look. Clearly, now is not the time.", "think":"Cogito ergo sum \n\n - René Descartes
You are.
", "xyzzy":"You can't depend on magic to get you out of this one.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "sunse97":{"title":"Sunset Over Savannah", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Hwæt! We Gar-Dena in gear-dagum
þeod-cyninga, þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon!
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum
monegum mægþum meodo-setla ofteah;
The gods of old treasure their names. Don't speak it again.
>xyzzy
I'll remember you.
*** You have died. ***
", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand the first thing you said." }, "sword05":{"title":"The |Sword of Malice", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "tacof11":{"title":"Taco Fiction", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"\"Oh, I've got a brand-new pair of roller skates; you've got a brand-new key…\"", "think":"That has never been your strong suit.", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "take_16":{"title":"Take", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"TAKE does not use the standard Inform parser you may be familiar with. Besides the standard commands (RESTART, RESTORE, ABOUT, LOOK, EXAMINE) there is only one command you will ever need: to TAKE something, possibly more than once.
" }, "talec13":{"title":"The |Tale of the Cursed Eagle", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "talek01":{"title":"The |Tale of the Kissing Bandit", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"Nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"That verb is outside the Kissing Bandit's knowing." }, "tales14":{"title":"Tales of the Soul Thief", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You offer up a prayer but no one answers.", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "tanke99":{"title":"Tanker and Webb", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"Gerzundheit!", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "tappe01":{"title":"Tapper", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Unfortunately, this is real life. Wouldn't it be nice if magic words actually worked?", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "tarot03":{"title":"The |Tarot Reading", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Suddenly a man falls from the air. As he picks himself up you see he is in his early thirties, covered in cat hair and looks as if he works out a fair bit.
\"Ah yes,\" he says, \"I remember this. Ahem...\" and he begins what seems to be a prepared spiel:
=====================================================================
The Tarot Reading - A piece of IF art by Michael Penman, written for the 2003 IF Art Show (http://members.aol.com/iffyart/)
Copyright (c) 2003 by Michael AM Penman. All rights reserved.
Developed with TADS: The Text Adventure Development System
Of course there's a view that good art shouldn't require explanation. Unfortunately, I doubt this is 'good' art; it's just the best that I can achieve at the moment. That's why I've decided to offer this word of explanation.
In the IF art show the stress is placed on exploring interactivity rather than fiction; the I rather than the F of IF. This got me thinking: where does that interactivity take place, really? Certainly not in the IF environment, which is after all no more than a static construct. So why did I feel so thoroughly transported after playing _All Roads_ for the first time? So moved after completing _LASH_?
My answer is that the IF construct plays us. It alters our mind for a time, sometimes permanently. For me this is true of all fiction. I couldn't think of a better metaphor for this than the use of the tarot archetypes to allow the player to explore their mind.
Some words of thanks, then I'll go. I'm not very good at spelling and even worse at coding. The following beta testers from LiveJournal and code gurus from rec.arts.int-fiction helped me lots, as did my wonderful wife Helen:
Michael J. Roberts, Jay T, Dan Shiovitz, adjectivemarcus
For the character's knowledge of the cards I relied extensively on the _TarotL Tarot History Information Sheet_ by members of the TarotL discussion group (http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/TarotL)
Authors: Mary K. Greer, Tom Tadfor Little, Nina Lee Braden, Linda Dunn, Mark Filipas, Robert V. O'Neill, Christine Payne-Towler, Robert Place, James Revak, and others.
Compiled and edited by Tom Tadfor Little.
For my own knowledge of the cards I like to turn to _The Celtic Tarot_ by Helena Paterson.
All that said, it's been a fun project and I hope you like it.
=====================================================================
The man then gives a cheery wave and vanishes as mysteriously as he appeared.
>xyzzy
Do you think the author wants to be summoned here every five minutes? Don't over use magical verbs, they wear out.
You spread your arms and utter a powerful incantation. You hope.
[if Athena nearby, add:] Athena looks at you askance. \"You should be thankful humans cannot use that kind of magic,\" she says. \"Your species would not have lasted very long.\"
That would be a good first step.
(Try HINT if you are desperate.)
Bum babumbum, bum babum. Bum baBUM, bum bah bah BAH!
[if first time, add:] Congratulationment!® number 27 - \"My apologies to John Williams.\"
[Your score has just gone up by one point.]
", "think":"No time for thinking! Now is the time for ACTION! ...unless it really is time for thinking. Thinking about what action to take. That's a good thought. But after thinking... ACTION!", "xyzzy":"*Poof!*
You find yourself in a wondrous cave. At least you assume it's wondrous. It's dark, and you have no light source. You may be eaten by a grue.
*Poof!* ...that wore off quickly.
[if first time, add:] Congratulationment!® number 28 - \"Text Adventure Veteran.\"
[Your score has just gone up by one point.]
", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "textf01":{"title":"Textfire Golf", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"\"O Dark Lord Mephistopheles, I surrender my soul for You to torment for time and eternity if you make the ball go into the cup.\" There, that should do it.", "sing":"You hum a few bars of a song you wrote back when you were leading the Atomic Dustbin.", "think":"That's what you like about golf -- it's a real thinking man's game. Why, Ed over there is probably pondering the intricacies of Hegelian dialectic right now.", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Fore!\"", "notunderstood":"[That verb is unknown.]" }, "theat16":{"title":"Theatre People", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "theat95":{"title":"Theatre", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"The shadows shift subtly. Perhaps it would not be wise to draw attention to yourself by uttering those words.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "there00":{"title":"There Is No Bread", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"If you think that will help.","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"There is no bread.\"", "notunderstood":"'[notunderstood]'? That word is not recognized." }, "theta01":{"title":"The |Theta Point", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"Ah, but to whom?", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"You have quite a lot to think about.", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Yay, points!\"
[For finding the obvious easter egg, your score has just gone up by one point.]
The detective stepped cautiously east into the small closet. Brightly lit from an unseen source, the closet revealed a few swank clothes on hangers and a plaything or two but nothing remotely relevant to the case. Ed left the way he came, walking east back into the hallway.
He emerged in a creeping cul-de-sac that smelled of cheap booze and old silverware. Bending down, Ed examined a piece of foam foam. \"This could come in handy,\" the detective mused as he picked it up.
Just then, a pirate walked into the room from the south ... urr, kind of an off-south! Ed screamed and pulled the trigger on his glue gun. Too late ...
", "plover_nb":"This is very similar to XYZZY's and PLUGH's responses but with differing details.", "plugh":"The detective stepped cautiously south into the small closet. Dimly lit from an unseen source, the closet revealed a few stiff clothes on hangers and a toy or two but nothing remotely relevant to the case. Ed left the way he came, walking south back into the hallway.
He emerged in a well lit sitting room that smelled of magnolias and old fiber. Bending down, Ed examined a piece of stone stone. \"This could come in handy,\" the detective mused as he picked it up.
Just then, a thief walked into the room from the northeast! Ed screamed and pulled the trigger on his AK-47. Too late ...
", "plover_nb":"This is very similar to XYZZY's and PLOVER's responses but with differing details.", "pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"The detective stepped cautiously north into the small closet. Well lit from an unseen source, the closet revealed a few rumply clothes on hangers and a knick-knack or two but nothing remotely relevant to the case. Ed left the way he came, walking north back into the hallway.
He emerged in a dimly lit drawing room that smelled of zinnias and old dust. Bending down, Ed examined a piece of wooden wood. \"This could come in handy,\" the detective mused as he picked it up.
Just then, a celebrity walked into the room from the east! Ed screamed and pulled the trigger on his pistol. Too late ...
", "xyzzy_nb":"This is very similar to PLUGH's and PLOVER's responses but with differing details.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "thorf99":{"title":"Thorfinn's Realm", "plover":"!! >plugh", "plugh":"Hmmm, that's funny. Nothing happens.", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"\"xyzzy... xyzzy... XYZZY!!\", you shout, the power of the word echoing around you. And yet, nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "thorn03":{"title":"The |Thorn", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Perhaps it is a bit too late in the day to get religion.", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"For some reason you remember the computer games you played as a kid. What if that's all this is? A game? What if that's all anything is?", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "threa00":{"title":"Threading the Labyrinth","n/a":"choice", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "three13":{"title":"Threediopolis", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"You weren't hired for your musical talents.", "think":"If you were able to do one thing, you're pretty sure you'd know how to get back to Ed Dunn's secret hideout. You just remember it's been hidden.", "xyzzy":"Yes, indeed, the game map has 3 axes--x, y and z.", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "three15":{"title":"Three Days of Night", "plover":"-", "pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"You think, therefore you are.","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I don't understand that command.", "nb":"TODO: PLUGH is treated as a misspelling of ROUGH." }, "three16":{"title":"Three Card Trick", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Your mother once sat you on her knee when you were a little girl and said that a prayer couldn't hurt nobody. She was wrong. Astral streams respond to emotions just like water ripples when you skip a stone.", "sing":"You hum a tune inside your head: [cycling through the verses in this order:]
[Cycle down, repeating the last:]
\n[Cycle down, repeating the last:]
\n[Cycle down, repeating the last:]
\n[Cycle down, repeating the last:]
[Cycle over and over:]
[Cycle down, repeating the last:]
[first-half] [second-half]
(where the first half is one of:)
(and the second half is one of:)
TUBE TROUBLE is a mini-adventure by Richard Tucker, based on a 1988 BBC Micro game by Richard Tucker and Damian Gamble. Gareth Rees made many helpful suggestions. It was created with Inform, Graham Nelson's infocom-format adventure game compiler, and may be copied freely.
As this is a short, silly, unreasonable game, you may be killed without warning.
Please email bugs and comments to [eaddress omitted].
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "turan19":{"title":"Turandot","n/a":"choice"}, "turbo20":{"title":"Turbo Chest Hair Massacre", "pet":"[no default response]
", "plover":"-", "plugh":"-", "pray":"-", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "tuuli17":{"title":"Tuuli", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "twili01":{"title":"Twilight in the Garden of Exile", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"A good think to do at all times.", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"[first time:]
You promptly run the recent memories through your mind: a hasty return from Sicily with the new play, your calling Sando, Ilya and Meredith, convincing them of the greatness of the act (you can be unnaturally persuasive at times), expounding for hours on what a hit it would make, ordering the arrangements - and collapsing from unbearable fatigue.
These are the thoughts Sando reads in your face. He smiles contentedly: \"I am glad you remember it now. However, before we discuss the play itself, let me ask you a question: What is the real reason of your returning? Surely there must be more to that than just a new play - one of many you have written?\"
Your face remains as calm and candid as ever: \"My friend,\" you reply, \"I am rather disappointed by your lack of faith in my new work's potential. I do believe that it is worth abandoning Sicily for.\"
Sando offers you a wise smile: \"Far from challenging the notion, I cannot envision the possibility of your being unaware of the recent geopolitical developments in the region. Germany and Austria have voiced undisguised threats against our state; some even predict an invasion within days.\"
He is clearly beginning to suspect something, you realize; if so, your whole plan is under grave threat. Sando is not the one to fool with; it is time to divert his attention from the issue.
You yawn exaggeratedly: \"As you know, politics fail to excite me the way they used to. These days, I am much more keen on art for art's sake.\"
The effect is all you could wish for: Sando's face goes red with rage. \"I told you to quit yawning like that - \" he growls.
[Flavorplex Psychic Typo Correction has divined that you want to \"cover\"].
What do you want to cover?
[Flavorplex Psychic Typo Correction has divined that you want to \"plug\"].
What do you want to plug?
[Flavorplex Psychic Typo Correction has divined that you want to \"x\"].
What do you want to examine?
Maybe once you get that first point, everything else will get untracked.
You haven't read any markers yet. They might help.
You haven't read any messaged markers yet. They might help.
Being out in the sun fills you with joy and energy, and you spontaneously break into song, remembering a little tune from your student days. After a soft beep, text appears on your wristwatch: Acoustic anomaly detected. Presumably harmless.
", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"Nothing happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "under20":{"title":"Under They Thunder", "pet":"-","plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"A flash of poetic inspiration strikes you! You dream up a song called [song-name]. Well, the lyrics. But you can't match a tune to it.
", "sing_nb":"Possible song-names: All Gay, Gol'; Crashin', Ashen, Cray; Doubt-Out Day. Dour, Our Day; Drink-Ink Day; Fox, Ox, Fay; Grateful? 'Ateful, Gray; Grieve, Eve Grey; Low Say Slow; Murky Irky May; Oh Slay Slow; Ooh, Cray Crew; Ooze, Cray Crews; Soul, Ol? Say; Stare Ere Stay.", "think":"Not much to think about yet. Try going inside for more help materials.", "think_nb":"This response changes based on your progress.", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice booms \"Ugh! Play!\" Well, you couldn't have expected it to boom \"Oho, yay.\"", "notunderstood":"I didn't recognize that verb. Under They Thunder uses a stripped-down parser so you can save your verb-guessing energy for certain puzzles. You may also wish to look at VERBS or V to see other important regular verbs.
And if you want to use an item but don't know how, Under They Thunder generally looks for U or USE. You can USE an item on its own, or USE X ON Y.
" }, "under94":{"title":"The |Underoos that ate New York!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"This is a short sample 'game' designed to test out some programming ideas I had. It pays homage to the bad old sci-fi B movies. The material here is, I suppose, vaguely mystifying to small children, so parents be warned, play it through first yourself, and make your own decision about it.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "undo_95":{"title":"Undo", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice ignores you.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "uneas02":{"title":"Unease", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A horse walks into a bar. The bartender looks up and says, \"Hey. Why the long face?\"", "xyzzy_nb":"The verb XYZZY is unknown in version 2, and I can no longer verify if this was the response in version 1.", "notunderstood":"The word \"[notunderstood]\" is unknown to me." }, "unfor05":{"title":"Unforgotten", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "unhol97":{"title":"The |Unholy Grail", "xyzzy":"Suddenly a magical white glove appears floating in the air before you, slaps you several times across the face, then disappears.", "nb":"JACL game" }, "unity98":{"title":"Unity", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"'[notunderstood]'? I don't know that word." }, "unnku00":{"title":"Unnkulia X: Escape of the Sacrificed", "plover":"!! >plugh", "plugh":"A hollow voice says, \"You're boring me.\"", "pray":"An ethereal voice intones, \"The automated prayer line is currently out of order. Please try again later.\"", "sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Suddenly, you find yourself enclosed in a huge cloud of orange smoke. When it clears, you suddenly realize that you're in...", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "unnku90":{"title":"Unnkulian Underworld: The Unknown Unventure", "plover":"-","plugh":"Yeah. You wish.", "pray":"Your prayers cannot be heard from here...", "sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You invoke an ancient word of power. A wrenching sensation wracks your body, and you find yourself...
", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "unnku91":{"title":"Unnkulia Unventure II: The Secret of Acme", "plover":"There's no verb in that sentence!", "plover_nb":"There's no PLOVER command, but there is a plastic plover's egg in this game.", "plugh":"Out of nowhere, a huge cloud of orange smoke fills the car. When it clears, you suddenly realize that you're in the shack!
>look
shack
Betcha didn't think i'd have time to implement xyzzy, did you?
>xyzzy
You suddenly feel very disoriented, and the room seems to be spinning all around you. As you gradually regain your balance, you realize that you're now in the car!
(You get down on your knees and pray)
To calm my nerves, I try to think of something pleasant, like the time
Singing? That's for children of the night. You're an adult of the night.
", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "vanis13":{"title":"The |Vanishing Conjurer", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "varic99":{"title":"Varicella", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"You're the Palace Minister, not the Christ Minister.", "sing":"If you're in need of a song, hire a musician.", "think":"You've already come up with your master plan -- now is the time to put it into action!", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"How unseemly!\"", "notunderstood":"That's not a recognized verb." }, "varka07":{"title":"Varkana", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Pardon?
Ego non intellego, tu non intellegis...
Your head spins, and magical smoke wraps itself all around you....
Field
You are in a field west of a white house.
A mailbox stands here, oppressively familiar to you. You've been here before.... or have you?
", "notunderstood":"Maybe you need to check your spelling, or maybe you need HELP." }, "veryh09":{"title":"A |Very Hairy Fish-Mess", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I don't know the word '[notunderstood]'." }, "veryo00":{"title":"Very Old Dog", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"I've spent two days coding that flocking stereo system, and I'm not really too keen on coming up with a witty way to indulge in nostalgia.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "veryv19":{"title":"Very Vile Fairy File", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-", "sing":"Nothing comes to mind. But perhaps the right song, if found, might help you in many ways.", "think":"Here's general information you know from your experience so far: WET WOOD. You've got that zig zag rig rag. Maybe there's alliterative rhyming, here. What rhymes with WET WOOD?
You think about more specific challenges you've encountered and not solved, and what you've done and tried, and what you can do.
But you don't have leads for any puzzles right now.
", "think_nb":"This is the initial response. It changes as you progress through the game.", "xyzzy":"Fie, fie. Sigh, sigh. Why, why?", "notunderstood":"You may have used an unrecognized verb, or a verb in the wrong context. Or maybe you just guessed the wrong action to solve a puzzle, and it wasn't close enough that I could offer a hint--if you feel I should add something, write to email reacted. Or perhaps you poked at some scenery I neglected to implement or describe as unimportant to progress.
VERBS can show you a list used in this game. More obscure verbs from old-school parser games have been disabled, to help you focus on the puzzles.
(to God)
A warmth spreads throughout your body. He walks with you.
That time on the sixth floor of the library:
\"Violet, that was-- that was--\"
\"Magical?\"
\"How did you do that?\"
\"Any sufficiently awesome girlfriend is indistinguishable from magic.\"
>xyzzy
You don't need magic today, wallaroo. You just need to write.
[if first time:] Looks like you know your IF history.
**** Gold Coast Casino Old-timer's Reward ***
Your gold is increased by 50.
(NOTE: From now on, xyzzy won't give you gold. But it will do something very useful when your level is high enough.)
[when reading IF:] A voice from the audience calls out, \"PLOVER!\"
\"A hollow voice says, 'Hey, thanks! Everyone seems to forget about me. Xyzzy always gets tried, Plugh often does too. But me...'\"
\"There is a hollow pause.\"
[if menaced by tentacled creature, add:] \"'Mmh, you look like you're in a bit of trouble, there. Well, since you remembered me, I'll get you of it. Aren't I nice?'\"
\">>FOOM!<<\"
[add regardless:] \"'Then again, I can't complain. Look at poor old Phuggg...'\"
[when reading IF:] A voice from the audience calls out, \"PRAY!\"
\"There is a flash of light, and a lump of [random cheese name] appears in mid-air. It immediately falls to the floor at your feet.\"
[while reading IF:] A voice from the audience calls out, \"SING!\"
\"Your singing is abominable.\"
[while watchin' TV:] This show isn't funny at all! It's terrible! You can't believe you wasted all this time watching it!
You leap to your feet, and turn off the TV.
In fact... there aren't any TV shows you like. Hell, you might as well get rid of the damn thing now! You'll have twice as much free time! Kick the habit! Reject mind control!
[while reading IF:] A voice from the audience calls out, \"THINK!\"
\"What a good idea.\"
[when the mob is about to kill you:]
>>FOOM!<<
Inside Your Car
You are sitting in the driver's seat of your car. There are some keys in the ignition, and tasty food and a bottle of water in the glove compartment.
Wasting no time, you start the engine and make your way home.
*** You have won ***
[while thinking:] You'll be watching less, doing more! Calista who?
You grab hold of the idiot box, move (with some difficulty) over to the window, and haul the thing straight through.
Unfortunately, the cable managed to wrap itself around your leg without your noticing, and you are pulled out with it. And you live on the fourteenth floor.
*** You have died ***
[No response.]
", "sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"[Thank you for being a part of this community.]", "notunderstood":"[That sentence is not understood]" }, "weapo01":{"title":"The |Weapon", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "weari96":{"title":"Wearing the Claw", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"!! @Inform","sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"Your surroundings have changed! Oh, wait. Scratch that. I must have experienced a momentary hallucination. I guess you'll just have to walk wherever you want to go.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "weeke14":{"title":"Weekend At Ruby's", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Sorry to spoil it for you but that letter from Hogwarts isn't coming. You're not a wizard. Magic words won't help you here.", "notunderstood":"Third of Aquaria, Auritum IV
I'm tired. I'm so tired.
I'm sorry, Reden. I hope your animus rests in peace.
Current objectives:
- Go home and get some sleep
Marid's notes:
- I'm in the mood for a drink...
", "think_nb":"The THINK command opens your journal, displaying Marid's current date, thoughts, objectives, and notes. This is just a representive sample near the start of the game.", "xyzzy":"You're a doctor's apprentice, not a wizard's apprentice.", "notunderstood":"That object or command isn't available.
(Type >commands or >c for a list of commands.)
", "no-do":"This is not the time." }, "weird02":{"title":"The |Weird Sister", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You hear a hollow voice say 'SpeedIF doth murder sleep.'", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "wetla11":{"title":"Wetlands", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"Nothing happens to your immediate surroundings, but you do feel a little better.", "sing":"You hum a few bars.", "think":"You ponder your situation.", "xyzzy":"The time machine appears, you jump in, and speed off towards 1984! Two minutes later, the time machine stops, but you discover you have been sent to 1985, and worse yet, The time machine has short circuited!
*** To be continued. ***
", "plugh":"The rings silently spin, and finally come to rest reading:
\"The voice speaks hollowly.\"
[Things to try: LOOK | LOOK AT | GO | TALK TO | GREET | ATTACK | TAKE | TOUCH | HEAL | LISTEN | PRAISE | MOCK | STORY | UNDO | or an EMPHASIZED word. For more detailed instructions, type INFO]
" }, "whydo01":{"title":"Why does my New Year's Eve always crash and burn?", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"As you say the magic word, a shimmering steel pole appears in front of you out of nowhere. At its top is the head of Dick Clark. Revelers kneel in praise, then start counting down from ten as the head descends down the pole. When the count gets to three, the pole and head vanish in a puff of smoke.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "winch99":{"title":"Winchester's Nightmare", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"Her prayer, fervent as it may be, does not earn her redemption.", "sing":"She tries to sing quietly, recalling a hymn, but cannot manage to make a sound. Her voice has failed her.", "think":"So she does, earnestly. Her thought slips away.", "xyzzy":"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.", "notunderstood":"This verb is not one she will be able to directly act upon, at any point." }, "windb13":{"title":"A |Wind Blown from Paradise", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "winte15":{"title":"Winter Storm Draco", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! >think", "sing":"Last night I dreamed I had burning hands,
Reaching for beautiful visions,
And everything was shimmering.
Yon hollow voice repeateth ye.
\n[Sound effect: A hollow voice says \"Plugh!\"]
", "pray":"-", "sing":"Ye singeth of ye tuneless ditties & melodies.", "think":"-","xyzzy":"Nothing happeneth.", "notunderstood":"Ye maketh no sense. To learneth how to maketh yon sense, typeth tutorial and presseth of yon return key." }, "youar00":{"title":"You are a Chef!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "youar01":{"title":"You Are Here", "plover":"-","plugh":"-", "pray":"[no response]
", "pray_nb":"TODO: Perhaps PRAY has a response in one specific location.", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "youar16":{"title":"You are standing in a cave...", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "youha14":{"title":"You Have to Put the Baby New Year in the Champagne Bottle", "plover":"!! >xyzzy","plugh":"!! >xyzzy","pray":"-", "sing":"You hum a few bars of Auld Lang Syne.","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"38°40'17\"N 77°59'45\"W
[And there's a popping sound effect.]
", "xyzzy_nb":"These coordinates are within the town of Amissville, VA.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "zeros97":{"title":"Zero Sum Game", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"God ignores you.", "sing":"You see no source of inspiration here.", "think":"-","xyzzy":"*** You have died ***", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "zigam16":{"title":"Zigamus: Zombies at Vigamus!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"Amen!", "sing":"Spare your strength for more important things.", "think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"You say the magic word Xyzzy, but nothing, absolutely nothing, happens.", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "zombi97":{"title":"Zombie!", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"Even that magic cannot help you here.", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "zorkb09":{"title":"zork, buried chaos", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"!! @Inform","xyzzy":"-","notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "zorki80":{"title":"Zork I: The Great Underground Empire", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"If you pray enough, your prayers may be answered.", "sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Fool.\"", "notunderstood":"I don't know the word \"[notunderstood]\"." }, "zorki81":{"title":"Zork II: The Wizard of Frobozz", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"If you pray enough, your prayers may be answered.", "sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Fool.\"", "notunderstood":"I don't know the word \"[notunderstood]\"." }, "zorki82":{"title":"Zork III: The Dungeon Master", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"If you pray enough, your prayers may be answered.", "sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says \"Fool.\"", "notunderstood":"I don't know the word \"[notunderstood]\"." }, "zorkt98":{"title":"Zork: A Troll's Eye View", "plover":"-","plugh":"!! >xyzzy", "pray":"You invoke the great trollgod Ushnaktha. Feel better now?", "sing":"!! @Inform", "think":"That's not your strong point.", "xyzzy":"ARAC : Politics we bar, \n They are not our bent; \n On the whole we are \n Not intelligent; \n ARAC, GURON, \n SCYNTHIUS: No, no, no, \n Not intelligent. \n \n -- W.S. Gilbert, \"Princess Ida\"
A hollow voice says \"Troll\".
", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "zorku97":{"title":"Zork: The Undiscovered Underground", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"!! @Inform", "sing":"!! @Inform","think":"!! @Inform", "xyzzy":"A hollow voice says, \"Cretin.\"", "notunderstood":"!! @Inform" }, "zozzl19":{"title":"Zozzled", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-", "think":"You think about [one of] booze [or] the Charleston [or] flagpole sitting [or] feelas [or] goldfish swallowers [or] heavy petting [or] hooch [or] the stock market [at random].
", "xyzzy":"-", "notunderstood":"I didn't understand that sentence." }, "zumpf01":{"title":"Zumpf and Fumping", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"\"Give a man a turkey sandwich, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to turkey sandwich, and he will eat for a lifetime.\" -- Art Bell", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" }, "zymur02":{"title":"Zymurgy", "plover":"-","plugh":"-","pray":"-","sing":"-","think":"-", "xyzzy":"You hear a hollow voice say 'Mmmm... beer.'", "notunderstood":"!! @TADS 2" } } }