Sample Transcript from Wishbringer, typed in by Volker Blasius ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This transcript is not from "Wishbringer", but will give you a good feeling for how Infocom's interactive fiction works. It contains some simple puzzles and their solutions. The player's commands appear in capital letters after each prompt (>). The map represents the terrain in the sample transcript as you might have drawn it. [Map of 6 rooms that can be reconstructed from the transcript] You awake suddenly from a deep sleep. You are about to roll over and doze off again when you hear your unicorn, Harry, neighing outside. You get out of bed, turn on the light, and look under the pillow. Whew! There's Wishbringer, where you left it. But your wallet, which had been on the bedside table, is missing! Bedroom You're standing in your bedroom, which is small but comfortable. A closed door leads south into the living room. In a corner of the room sits a bedside table. Under the pillow on your bed is the magical stone, Wishbringer. >TAKE WISHBRINGER Taken. >GO SOUTH The bedroom door is closed. >OPEN THE BEDROOM DOOR Okay, the bedroom door is now open. >GO SOUTH Living Room This is your Cozy Living Room, one of the latest models from the Frobozz Magic Cozy Living Room Company. Two rocking chairs sit in front of a fireplace at one end of the room; a telephone rests on an oak desk at the other end. A small picture hangs above the fireplace. The closet door on the west wall is closed. A cool breeze blows through the open front door, which leads east onto your porch. >LOOK AT THE PICTURE The picture above the fireplace shows a small white farmhouse, not unlike your own. In red letters above the house are the words "Home Sweet Home." The cool breeze continues to blow through the open front door, making you shiver. >CLOSE THE FRONT DOOR You push the door against the wind and close it. Ah, that's better! >FIND THE WALLET You can't see any wallet here. Again, you hear your unicorn Harry neighing. >GO OUTSIDE The front door is closed. >OPEN THE DOOR (Which door do you mean, the closet door or the front door?) >FRONT Okay, the front door is now open. A cool breeze blows into the room. >GO OUTSIDE Porch You're standing on the front porch of your home. The white paint is chipped, and the floorboards creak. To the south is the barn. It's chilly out here. You better not go anywhere without your coat. >GO INSIDE Living Room >OPEN THE CLOSET DOOR Okay, the closet door is now open. >GO INTO THE CLOSET Closet This is your cedar-lined closet. The aromas make you light-headed. Your coat and an umbrella are here. >TAKE THE COAT. PUT IT ON Taken. Again, you hear your unicorn Harry neighing. Okay, you're now wearing the coat. >GO OUT THEN WALK EAST THEN SOUTH Living Room Porch Outside Barn Your read-and-black barn is here. That's odd; you thought your barn was yellow and green. You look again. Ah. That explains it - the red is the flames licking the walls of the silo, and the black is the thick smoke billowing from the door and windows. A bucket and a pump sit nearby. >GO INTO THE BARN The flames are too hot. >TAKE THE BUCKET. PUMP WATER INTO THE BUCKET THEN POUR THE WATER ON THE BARN Taken. You rhythmically pump water into the bucket. There! The bucket is full of water. You pour the water on the barn and douse a few embers. However, the fire is out of control, and the blazing barn continues to burn. >LOOK FOR HARRY You can't see Harry here. >NORTH. WEST. GO IN THE CLOSET THEN TAKE THE UMBRELLA Porch Living Room Closet Okay, you're now holding the umbrella. >GO INTO THE LIVING ROOM THEN GO OUT. SOUTH. OPEN THE UMBRELLA Living Room Porch Outside Barn The umbrella is now open. >WISH FOR RAIN A searing bolt of lightning shatters the sky! It strikes the glowing Stone of Dreams, and fractures the sky into a billion raindrops. Everything around you is soaked in a brief but savage downpour. The raging fire dies down and is extinguished. >GO INTO THE BARN Barn The inside of the barn is scorched and charred. Some smoking embers are scattered on the floor. A blackened horseshoe lies on the ground. >TAKE THE HORSESHOE The horseshoe is still too hot to pick up. >OUT Outside Barn >PUMP WATER INTO THE BUCKET You rhythmically pump water into the bucket. There! The bucket is full of water. >GO IN THE BARN. POUR WATER ONTO THE HORSESHOE Barn A blackened horseshoe lies on the ground. At first the horseshoe sizzles as you pour the water over it. Then it cools and just gets wet. >TAKE THE HORSESHOE You're carrying too many things already! >INVENTORY You're carrying Wishbringer, an umbrekka, a coat (being worn) and a bucket. >DROP THE UMBRELLA (Sorry, but this story doesn't recognize the word "umbrekka".) >OOPS UMBRELLA Dropped. >TAKE THE HORSESHOE Taken. >WISH FOR LUCK The Stone of Dreams brightens as you speak the Wish, and the edges of the blackened horseshoe begin to twinkle with Luck. You hear the phone ringing inside the house. >GO NORTH THEN WEST Porch You hear the phone ringing inside the house. Living Room The phone is ringing. >ANSWER THE PHONE You pick up the receiver. It's the police calling! They tell you that they've just caught a thief, the Mad Arsonist of Festeron, and they found your wallet! You thank them and hang up the phone. Then you hear someone - or something - outside. >GO OUTSIDE Porch Here's Harry! He's soaking wet, which unicorns hate, but he's obviously happy to see you. >PET HARRY Harry nudges you fondly with his horn and looks at you lovingly with his gentle brown eyes.