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How to Play NEW ENGLAND GOTHIC
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COMMANDS AND VOCABULARY:

     NEW ENGLAND GOTHIC understands a wide variety of commands.
     Its limited vocabulary of approximately 400 words is
     supplemented by a few "special" commands unique to
     this game.  These "special" commands are usually
     mentioned in hints or in other areas of the adventure,
     so read carefully and make note of anything that seems
     important.  If you use a word that the game doesn't
     understand, you will be informed of its confusion and
     given the chance to try a new command using different
     words.

     Your commands should usually follow this format:

     <verb> <(multiple) noun phrase(s)> <preposition> <noun phrase/object>

     Some examples of valid commands are:

     READ THE NEWSPAPER
     EXAMINE THE DESK
     DRINK TEA
     EAT BREAD
     PET CAT
     SOUTH
     UP
     LIGHT CANDLE
     TALK TO THE GHOST
     ENTER
 


SPECIAL COMMANDS:

     Like most adventure games, NEW ENGLAND GOTHIC uses some standard
     commands such as:

     HELP        Designed to offer clues, the helps in this game
                 may also confuse you

     SCORE       Will let you know if you're on the right track
                 and reward you for following the logical progression
                 of the game      

     INVENTORY   Will give you a quick check on what you are
                 carrying and wearing

     BRIEF       Will cause location descriptions to be brief

     VERBOSE     Will give a full location description to help 
                 orient you if the information scrolls off the screen

     LOOK        Will give a full (verbose) description of your
                 current location

     LIST EXITS  Shows obvious exits.  You have to find hidden
                 exits yourself (assuming there are any!)

     SAVE GAME   Will save your game to disk 

     RESTORE     Will restore a previously saved game 
      GAME       

     SCRIPT      Will output to both screen and printer (LPT1)
                 and provide a nice gothic novelette to read when
                 you're done  

     UNSCRIPT    Will output to screen only (you don't need to use
                 this command unless you have been SCRIPTing)

     QUIT        Ends the game.  Always use this command to exit,
                 but remember to save your game first or you will
                 lose valuable progress
                 

FUNCTION AND CURSOR KEYS:

     The predefined function keys are:

     F1 -- GET         F5 -- OPEN          F8 -- LOOK
     F2 -- DROP        F6 -- CLOSE         F9 -- SCORE
     F3 -- EXAMINE     F7 -- INVENTORY     F10-- HELP
     F4 -- READ

     The four arrow cursor keys represent their respective directions
     on the map, e.g., UP ARROW for NORTH. 

     Other directional keys are:
    
     -  UP                  Ins  ENTER
     +  DOWN                Del  EXIT

COMMENTS:

     It is sincerely hoped that you will enjoy both the game and its
     story line.  Like all gothic tales, this one is fanciful and      
     perhaps a bit melodramatic and extremely predictable.  But that's 
     the appeal of any literary genre:  most of us like to read certain
     kinds of fiction and play certain kinds of games because we just
     plain enjoy them.  At least this one's free.  Enjoy playing it as 
     much as I loved writing it--and Good luck!