********************************************************************** INTERACTING WITH OTHERS: One of the fantastic features of the Hobbit Software Adventure is ANIMACTION. With ANIMACTION, each creature in the program has an independent character of its own. It is capable of performing a wide range of actions and of making decisions based on what is happening around it. Each character will follow a general course of action that is in keeping with its particular personality. However, the specific actions it takes are (naturally) unpredictable and will be different each time you use the program. They will react in some way, not only to what you do but also to what ecery other creature they come into contact with does! Just like in our world, the creatures here are doing things all the time, even when you cannot see or hear them. They will go about their business even when you are not around. This is because the Hobbit is played in "real time," which means that things will happen even if you are doing nothing. If you just sit and watch the screen, you will find that after about 30 secounds, the following message will appear: - You wait - Time passes. . . Only when you are actually keying in an instruction will time "stop" in Middle-earth. Because of these special features, you will find that each time you enter the Hobbit Adventure, the game will proceed in a slightly different manner. The further you get into the Adventure, the more different your experiences will be. This means that there is no unique solution to the Hobbit Adventure; you will face slightly different problems each time you play. This is not a program that you will use only once. Each time you play you will be embarking on a new exciting adventure. CONVERSING: The Hobbit Adventure also features Animtalk, which allows you to talk to the other creatures in Middle-earth. Of course, because all creatures are animated through Animaction, they will make up their own minds about whether to talk to you or follow your suggestions. The way one talks to others in the Hobbit Adventure is quite simple: You enter SAY TO (name) "(sentence)" For instance: SAY TO GANDALF "READ MAP" But remember that although this form is certainly correct, you may still receive the message: - Gandalf sayes "No!" Try not to say too much to one creature at a time. If you are long-winded, a creature may think you are a bore and not agree to help you. For the same reason, it is a good idea to try to limit the use of ALL in your sentences to other creatures. You must be more careful than usual in typing in what you say to other creatures. They, unlike the computer, will not tell you when they do not understand what you are trying to say. They will just think you are a little odd and will probably not be too anxious to stay around you. COOPERATING It is important for you to know that, for some of the problems in the Hobbit Adventure, a solution only exists if you are willing to cooperate with the other creatures in the adventure. As you are only a hobbit, you have no magical powers, and you will find that there are many things that others are able to do better than you (see the Laws of Physics in Middle-earth). So you must stay on good terms with your friends. Of course, sometimes you will have to be on your own and learn to fight your own battles. FIGHTING As much as Bilbo might like to think otherwise, there would be no adventure in the Hobbit without danger, and many of the creatures you will meet in Wilderland are less than friendly. Many will attack you on sight. Some will try to kill you, while others will want to capture you. It is also safe to assume that any creature will fight back if it is attacked. As you do not specify a weapon (even if you are carrying one), the program will assume that you want to fight with your bare hands. Because of the viciousness of some of the creatures in Wilderland, don't be surprised if you a dead body in your travels. Take care that it isn't your own! *********************************************************************** GENERAL CONCEPTS As stated above, in the Hobbit Adventure you play the part of Bilbo Baggins, roaming around Middle-earth and interacting with the other characters. On your adventure, you will encounter many strange and wonderful objects. Some may have magical properties. Some may be deceiving, and may not be what they first seem to be. Some can be used as weapons, others can be eaten, and so on. LAW OF PHYSICS IN MIDDLE-EARTH: There are certain general laws of physics that apply in the Hobbit Adventure and they must be understood and obyed. You cannot lift an object that is too heavy for a hobbit to carry. In addition, if you are already carrying something, you cannot lift another object if the combined load is too heavy. This applies to all of the creatures in the adventure, also. However, since they are likely to be stronger than you are, they will be able to lift objects tat you can't. You do not have to be carrying and object in order to be able to use it. For example, if there is a sword lying on the ground, you can say KILL THE GOBLIN WITH THE SWORD combining the two actions (picking up and killing) into one sentence. The exception is when the object that you want to use is being carried by someone else. Other creatures are not likely to let you take things away from them. Some objects can act as containers, such as sacks, barrels, etc. You cannot put an object into a container if it is too large to fit, nor can you put something into or take something out of a container that is closed. Some containers may be transparent; others are opaque. You will be able to see the contents of any transparent containers from the outside. However, you can only see the contents of an opaque container if you open it. Liquids behave as you would expect - they cannot be carried unless they are in a container; if the container breaks or falls, the liquid will spill, and so on. Some objects may be locked. Doors are obvious examples; others are windows, chests, caches, and so on. To unlock them, you will need the right key. Some objects are breakable, so you must be careful in how you handle them. In some cases, you might want to break an object. Be careful how you choose to break things. If, for instance, you try to break a door with a bottle, you will find that the bottle will break not the door. Fighting will make you weaker, as it takes a great deal of energy. You will need to eat regularly to get your strength back. If you don't you may find that you are too weak to lift even the smallest object. But be warned - don't be a glutton. While hobbits may be inclined to eat 7 or 8 meals a day in their quiet, ordinary lives, there isn't time for such things on adventures. In order to reach the dragon and his treasure, you will need to go through caves, dungeons, and other underground locations. Some places will have natural light (if it is daytime), but others will be dark and forbidding. If you go into a dark location without a lamp or other source of light, you will not be able to see anything. Be careful, since you may become disoriented and lose your sense of direction. It is very dangerous to move around in total darkness. FINDING YOU WAY AROUND: If you want to go through an entrance or passageway, it is quite valid to say something like GO THROUGH THE GREEN DOOR You may also go through windows, trap doors, and other passageways. Obviously, if a passageway is closed, you must open it before going through. You are also able to LOOK THROUGH openings. This can be very useful if you want to see where you would get by going in that direction, or to see who is there waiting for you. ENTERING PLACES: If you know where you are going (maybe you have been there before), you can specify the location you want to enter rather than the direction of movement. For instance, to the east of your home is the Lonelands, so you could say ENTER LONELANDS or GO INTO LONELANDS if someone you want to talk to has entered another location, you can follow him. FOLLOW GANDALF SPECIAL CROSSINGS: Crossing rivers, ravines, chasms, and so on can be dangerous and difficult. You can try to jump across a ravine or swim across a river. In some cases you might be able to use materials you find to built a temporary bridge, or use a rope to swing across. MAPPING: As you make your way around the wilderland, you will find that movement here is much more complex than it is in the world of man. You will find yourself on trails and paths, in caves passageways, some of which seem to go around in circles with no escape. For this reason , you will find it very helpful to make a map as you go along, adding to it each time you play the game. However, one of the obstacles you will encounter in Middle-earth is that the direction you take from point A to piont B may not be quite the reverse of the way from point B to point A. In addition, you will at times be climbing up or down, requiring representation of several levels in your map. Therefore you may need to devise an even more creative method of recording you movements. One way is to create a grid, such as the mileage charts used on some road maps. Locations travelled from could be listed on the rows and those travelled to in the columns. The intersecting spaces would contain the directions travelled to get there. Using a grid will enable you to record how you made your way from one location to another and even back again. You can keep track of where you have been and know where you can go from where you are. This method is particularly effective for mapping the twisting, turning paths of Winderland, entering and leaving the underground locations, and keeping track of secret or magical passageways. SCORING: Whle playing the Hobbit Software Adventure, you build a cumulative score in increments of 2.5 percent for visiting particular locations or performing certain actions. If you should come to an untimely demise, the program will tell you what your score is. You can also receive the score "in progress" by typing the special SCORE command. You do not have to reach 100 percent in order to "complete" the adventure. In fact, you can fulfill your goal while accumulating a score of only 50 to 60 percent. To build your score, try to be as active as possible, visiting many locations and seizing all opportunities for adventure. ************************************************************************ INGLISH DICTIONARY: Key: A = adverb GO - V LOCK - V M = movement HELP - S LOOK (L) - V P = preposition IN - P NOPRINT - S S = special verb INTO - P NORTH (N) - M V = action verb INVENTORY (I) - S NORTHEAST (NE) - M ACROSS - A KILL - V NORTHWEST (NW) - M AT - P LOAD - S OFF - P BREAK - V SHOOT - V ON - P CAREFULLY - A SOFTLY - A OPEN - V CLIMB - V SOUTH (S) - M OUT - P CLOSE - V SOUTHEAST (SE) - M PAUSE - S CROSS - V SOUTHWEST (SW) - M PICK - V DIG - V SWIM - V PRINT - S DOWN - M TAKE - V PUT - V DRINK - V THROUGH - P QUICKLY - A DROP - V THROW - V QUIT - S EAST (E) - M TIE - V RUN - V EAT - V TO - P SAVE - S EMPTY - V TURN - V SAY - V ENTER - V UNLOCK - V SCORE - S EXAMINE - S UNTIE - V WEST (W) - M FILL - V UP (U) - M WITH - P FOLLOW - V UP - P FROM - P VICIOUSLY - A GIVE - V WEAR - V