SUPERNOVA INSTRUCTIONS ---------------------- Supernova is an adventure set in the future. You begin on a remote mining planet, with little to look forward to except another back- breaking day in the mines. To play Supernova, type sentences such as: OPEN THE HATCH THEN ENTER THE SHIP, or SHOOT THE CREATURE WITH THE RAY GUN THEN GET EVERYTHING. Supernova recognizes over 1000 words. Read each room description carefully, examine anything that looks important, and try to explore all possible passages and rooms. Draw a map on a piece of paper as you move through Supernova's "world." The author asks that you pay him $10 if you like Supernova. This fee will help make up for the two years of programming work that went into the creation of this game. It will also register your name so that you can call the author for technical help and clues if you get stuck. Please send a check to: Scott Miller 4206 Mayflower Dr. Garland, TX 75043 Call for help (registered only): Scott Miller (214) 240-0614 Terry Nagy (214) 271-3065 For $100 you can receive the complete source code to Supernova, which was written in Turbo Pascal version 3. The code will be sent on two disks. Use the code to learn how to write a sentence parser, or your own adventure game. LOADING ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Supernova, due to its large size, cannot be booted (or loaded) from the main disk. You must first prepare a "boot" disk. This procedure is explained in greater detail on the HELP menus (type HELP while at the DOS prompt, with the Supernova disk in drive A.) 1. Format a disk with DOS 2.0 or higher. 2. Put this DOS disk into drive A and restart your computer. 3. When the A> appears, remove the DOS disk and insert the Supernova disk. 4. Type INSTALL, then [enter] to run the installation program. 5. Follow the instructions given by the INSTALL program. 6. Your newly created DOS disk is now your Supernova "boot" disk. You will need this disk everytime you want to play Supernova. It can also double as your save/restore disk, for saving games in progress. The above routine need only be done once. However, the following LOAD steps below must be done everytime you want to play Supernova. 1. The computer must be "booted" (turned on) with the special "boot" disk in drive A. 2. When you see the A>, remove the "boot" disk and insert the Supernova game disk. 3. Type NOVA /C for color or NOVA /M for monochrome, then [enter] to start your adventure. COMMANDS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CLUE - gives a hint associated with your current location. COMMANDS or VERBS - shows a two screen list of possible commands. FIND [object] - tells if an object is within sight. INVENTORY, INV or I - displays your current list of possessions. LOOK or L - examines your current location. REPEAT or R - repeats last sentence or command. RESTART - ends current game and starts a new one. RESTORE - resumes a previously SAVED game and lets you continue playing. SAVE - lets you save you present game to be RESTORED for later playing. ROOM DESCRIPTION or RD - toggles game between full room descriptions each time you enter a new location, or brief descriptions. SCORE - gives your current score and rank. QUIT or Q - lets you quit your current game. (Note: you usually will SAVE the game first.) WAIT or Z - lets one unit of time to pass without any action. COMMON VERBS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ EXAMINE or EX [object] - lets you study a specific object. GET [object] - adds object to your inventory. DROP [object] - removes an object from you inventory. also GET ALL, GET ALL BUT [object], GET [object], [object] AND [object] Directions: NORTH, EAST, SOUTHWEST, or N, E, SW, etc. EAT [object] and DRINK [object] - used to consume foods and drinks. PUSH [object], PULL [object], MOVE [object], and TURN [object] LOOK (AT, INSIDE, BEHIND, UNDER, ON TOP OF) [object] WEAR [object] and REMOVE [object] - used for clothing. THROW [object] (AT, TO, ACROSS, IN DIRECTION OF) [object] PUT [object] (WITHIN, UNDER, ON TOP OF, BESIDE, BEHIND, etc.) [object] GIVE or SHOW [object] to [object or creature] OPEN or UNLOCK [object] with [object] TURN [dial] TO [position] - e.g. TURN RED DIAL TO 56. TYPE [something] - used to enter data on keyboards, etc. HIT [object] WITH [object] BUY [object] WITH [object] or BUY [object] FROM [person] [character name], [what you want to say to character] - use this format when you want to say something to someone else in the game. i.e. ALIENS, CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE CRYSTAL. ENTERING COMMANDS, PHRASES, FULL SENTENCES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ All commands, etc. are entered at the blinking ">>". A simple phrase might be DRINK, WALK EAST or EX CONTROLS. Every phrase may contain only one verb. Multiple verb phrases and commands may be combined on a single input line by separating with a period or the word THEN. For example, EAST. NORTH. OPEN HATCH THEN CLIMB DOWN LADDER. The word IT refers to the last noun. The game only understands the first seven letters of any word used. SAVE AND RESTORE COMMANDS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SAVE and RESTORE are necessary because completing a game may require many hours of play. Before you finish a game session, type SAVE. The game will clear the screen and respond: "Which disk drive?" (default is A) If you have a two-drive system, insert a formatted disk in drive B and type B [enter]. With a single-drive system, remove the game disk and insert a formatted disk, press [enter]. The game will respond: "SAVE under what file name?" (Note: '/' aborts the SAVE.) Type in a file name that the game can use to save you current game location and status. It is best to use a name that refers to your current room, i.e. KITCHEN. Also at this point you can type DIR or FILES to get a current list of save names already in use on that disk. RESTORE your file in the same way, but with the RESTORE command ========================================================================