Multi-Dimensional Thief
© Joel Finch 1991
Text adventure written with AGT by David Malmberg and Mark Welch
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How To Play The Multi-Dimensional Thief Adventure
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COMMANDS AND VOCABULARY:
The M-D THIEF Adventure Game understands a wide variety of commands.
However, it has only a limited vocabulary, totaling approximately six
hundred words, so it can get confused. If you give it a word that it
doesn't understand, it will tell you what word it doesn't know. Try
entering your command again using a different word in place of the one
the game objected to.
Your commands should generally be in the format:
<verb> <(multiple) noun phrase(s)> <preposition> <noun phrase/object>
Some (hypothetical) examples of valid commands:
PLACE A RED ROCK IN THE SMALL BOWL
PUT THE GREEN ROCK AND THE SMALL PEBBLE BEHIND THE OAK TREE
READ MY POETRY BOOK
SWIM IN THE SWIMMING POOL
EXAMINE THE GOLD RING, THE DWARF AND THE SILVER NECKLACE
EAT THE CELERY, THE TUNA, THE APPLE AND THE ONION
THROW THE BATTLE AXE AND THE LARGE ROCK AT THE WEREWOLF
SHOOT THE BURGLAR WITH THE REVOLVER
ATTACK HIM
("HIM" will refer to last noun mentioned, e.g., the burglar)
FIRE THE LASER PISTOL AT THE ALIEN MUTANT
GET THE BOOK (also: TAKE THE BOOK)
READ IT
("IT" will refer to last noun mentioned, e.g., the book)
GET ALL (will get everything movable at the current location)
GET ALL FROM BOX (will get everything movable inside the box)
GET THE KEYS, BOTTLE, FOOD AND THE CLOAK
EXAMINE THE KEYS, BOTTLE, FOOD AND CLOAK
PUSH THE RED BUTTON AND THE GREEN BUTTON
UNLOCK THE FILE CABINET WITH THE STEEL KEY
JUMP THROUGH THE OPENING
JUMP OVER THE LOG
NORTH
SOUTHWEST
PLACE AN AXE AND THE SHIELD NEXT TO THE BIG TREE
PUT THE FOOD ON THE KITCHEN TABLE
TURN ON THE FLASHLIGHT
LIGHT THE TORCH WITH THE WOODEN MATCHES
SCREAM AT THE UGLY TROLL
CLIMB UP THE LADDER
EXTINGUISH THE FIRE (or PUT OUT THE FIRE)
DRINK THE WHITE WINE
THROW THE FIRE WOOD IN THE STOVE
PULL THE BELL CORD
WEAR THE STUPID HAT (also: PUT ON THE STUPID HAT)
TAKE OFF THE HAT (also: REMOVE THE HAT)
NE (for NORTHEAST)
DROP THE KEY AND THE BOTTLE
ENTER THE CAVE
XYZZY (i.e., a "magic" word)
TURN THE DOORKNOB
PLAY WITH THE DOG
TALK TO (or TALK WITH) THE OLD MAN (ABOUT THE WEATHER)
TELL JEFF ABOUT THE SWORD
ASK JODIE ABOUT THE CRIME
Compound commands can be created by connecting single commands (like
those above) with "AND", "THEN" or the punctuation symbols "," or ";" to
connect two or more separate commands. However, "end-of-sentence"
punctuation symbols like ".", "!" and "?" should not be used. Below are
a few examples of valid compound commands:
TURN THE DOORKNOB THEN ENTER THE CAVE
CLIMB DOWN THE LADDER THEN SOUTH, WEST AND NORTHWEST
GET THE CLOAK AND THEN EXAMINE IT; READ THE LABEL
DROP THE FOOD AND THE BOTTLE THEN UNLOCK THE DOOR AND THEN LEAVE
GET THE TORCH, LIGHT IT WITH THE WOODEN MATCHES THEN EXAMINE IT
If the game understands all of the words in your command, but still
seems confused by the command -- then try to say the same thing using
fewer words and a simpler sentence. When in doubt, simplify your
commands as much as possible. This also saves typing effort.
SPECIAL COMMANDS:
The game uses a number of special commands for various "housekeeping"
chores. These are all pretty standard for most adventure games,
specifically:
HELP May (or may not) give you a hint.
RANK Will summarize your progress, so far.
INVENTORY Will display a list of the items you are carrying, and
those items you are wearing.
BRIEF Will cause location descriptions to be brief.
VERBOSE Will cause location descriptions to be verbose.
LOOK Will give you a full (verbose) description of
your current location.
LIST EXITS Will list the obvious (visible) exits from your current
location. There may be other ways to exit the location
-- but they may not be obvious.
OOPS Will allow you to edit (using the cursor keys, and the
delete, insert and backspace keys) your previous
command. For example, if you enter THORW ROPE by
mistake, OOPS will enable you to edit this command and
correct it to THROW ROPE.
SAVE GAME Will save the current game status on disk.
RESTORE GAME Will restore a previously saved game from disk.
SCRIPT Causes output to go to both the screen and a printer
(using the LP1 port).
UNSCRIPT Causes output to go to the screen (only).
QUIT Quits the current game session. Always exit using QUIT
-- so the game can erase some temporary data files and
save disk space!
FUNCTION AND ALT-CURSOR KEYS:
The combination of the ALT key and the cursor keys have all been
programmed to create an input command corresponding to their respective
movement or compass directions, i.e., the ALT key and the up-arrow key
causes a NORTH command to be generated, the ALT key and the home key
causes a NORTHWEST command to be generated, etc.
Similarly, the function keys have been predefined to stand for several
of the most frequently used commands. Further, by giving the command
DEFINE, you may re-define any of the function keys to give any input
command you wish. For example, in this game you might find it useful to
re-define one of the function keys to give the command KILL ORC WITH AXE
or GIVE CANDY TO BABY.
Hitting the '?' key (during the game) will display a diagram of keys and
their current definitions.
The function keys have been pre-defined to be words that are especially
useful in the M-D THIEF:
F1 - get
F2 - drop
F3 - examine
F4 - read
F5 - hole
F6 - look
F7 - inventory
F8 - rank
F9 - score
F10 - help
They can still be re-DEFINE-d to whatever you want, though.
"LOOK-AND-FEEL" OPTIONS:
This particular game is using a special "beta-test" version of the AGT
(Adventure Game Toolkit) that allows the user to customize the manner in
which the game's general interface is defined and to specify the game's
overall "look-and-feel." The user may define color schemes, status line
options, command input method, size and "layout" of the screen, etc.
Once the player has a set of "look-and-feel" options he or she likes,
these options may be saved as the standard defaults for this game and
any other AGT game the user plays.
One of the options available is a unique "menu-driven" parser that
allows the player to enter game commands by selecting words from a menu.
This option is particularly helpful for players who are often frustrated
by their inability to figure out an adventure game's vocabulary -- since
the menu always displays a list of "feasible" (though not always "smart"
or even appropriate) commands from which the player may make a
selection.
The "look-and-feel" options are accessed by hitting the ESC key during
the game (i.e., not now).
"POP-UP" HINTS:
This game also has a "pop-up" hint system. Any time you are stuck and
need a hint, hit the <Alt> key and the <h> key together and a
menu-driven system of hints for the game will pop-up for you to use.
Hitting the ESC key will return you to the game when you are done with
the hints.
A word of warning: not all of the things mentioned in the hint file
exist in the game. This is normal. However, unlike other (kinder) game
writers, I have NOT mentioned which ones are the fake ones, not even in
the last clue. So I suggest you use only those sections of the hint
file which relate to the problem you are having. If you read something
that doesn't actually exist, your train of though might be fatally
derailed. The exceptions to this rule are the sections marked:
"Miscellaneous", "General Questions", and "About This Game", which are
safe for general reading.
FINALLY
If you manage to finish the game in less than 196 moves (my record),
send me a postcard and a printout on disk to prove it, and I'll send you
a cash prize (something around $US25). First person only, and no
cheating, because I wrote it and I can tell.
Good Luck!
Joel Finch
21a Sandy Creek Road
Gympie QLD 4570
Australia
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