How An Adventure Works

If you've never played an Adventure before, you're in for a real treat. Adventuring permits the player to move at will from location to location within the game "environment" and to examine objects for clues that will reach the objective of the game. For example, an adventure might begin something like this:

I'M IN A ROOM. VISIBLE OBJECTS ARE A RUBY-ENCRUSTED BOX AND A CLOSED DOOR. TELL ME WHAT TO DO.

You might want to begin by entering a direction (North, South, East, West) to see if you can leave the room. Chances are, though, that you will have to find a way to get through the closed door. Let's try something basic. You type:

OPEN DOOR

but the computer tells you in no uncertain terms:

SORRY, IT'S LOCKED. WHAT SHALL I DO?
 
GET BOX

and the computer responds with:

OK

By saying "OK", the computer has let you know that the command has been accepted and the box "picked up". Now that you're "holding" the box, let's see if we can peek inside. You type:

OPEN BOX

This time the computer understands and you are rewarded with the following response:

OK. INSIDE THERE IS A KEY AND A RARE POSTAGE STAMP.

Since we still want to exit the room, trying the key to unlock the door might be a good idea. The postage stamp might come in handy so you type:

GET KEY AND STAMP

But the computer responds:

SORRY, I CAN'T DO THAT...YET!

Ah yes - asking the computer to get both the key AND the stamp is most definitely a compound command, something that your computer cannot understand. Try again, this time asking for the objects separately. You type:

GET KEY

and then:

GET STAMP

The computer will answer "OK" each time and you will have what you need.

By "getting" the key and the stamp, they are stored for later use as you are, in effect, carrying them. As for your next series of moves, you might want to go to the door (GO DOOR), try the key in the lock (UNLOCK DOOR), and move down the hallway that's just outside. (GO HALLWAY).

You're on your way!