                                   Undertow
                                   --====--

Undertow is a piece of interactive fiction (aka a text adventure) written
using TADS.  Undertow is a TADS .gam file.  Bad news: this means you need
a copy of the TADS runtime code, which can be found via anonymous ftp at
ftp.gmd.de in the directory if-archive/programming/tads.  Good news: this
also means that you can play Waystation on any platform for which TADS
has been ported.  You'll need TADS v2.2 or later.

If you have played text adventures before, you shouldn't have any problems
with Undertow. It will understand commands like:

  look
  go west (can be abbreviated as "w")
  open drawer
  unlock door with key
  open it (would refer to the door above)
  pour liquid on umbrella
  type "foo" on keyboard

Some shorthand commands that might be useful are:

  x - examine
  l - look
  i - inventory (list everything you are carrying)
  g - again (redo last command)
  z - wait (do nothing for one minute)
  n, w, s, e, nw, sw, se, ne, u, d - move in different directions

You can use multiple objects if you separate them with commas:

  get dragon, robot and black box

You can use the words "all" and "both" to refer to multiple objects.  You can
also use the word "it" to refer to the last noun you referenced:

  get box and open it

Undertow is a mystery.  You will have to deal with other characters while
you're trying to figure out what has happened.  A few useful commands are:

ASK [person] ABOUT [something] -- Ask a person to tell you about something.
SHOW [something] TO [person]   -- Show an object to someone.  You may get
                                  an interesting reaction.
TIME                           -- Find out what time it is.
WAIT UNTIL xx:xx               -- Wait until the specified time.

Undertow takes place on a boat.  You will need to know that starboard is the
right side of a boat; port, the left.

If you need more instructions on how to play adventure games, please
read the file 'tow.doc'.


                                About Undertow
                                ---========---

Undertow was written for the 1995 IF contest.  Copy it, distribute it,
whatever you like, as long as you don't modify it or remove 1) my name or
2) the TADS acknowledgement line.  If you really liked it, I only ask that
you send me $10 US.  I'll treat my wife to dinner at Burger King. ;)

I'm an interactive-fiction buff, and I'd love to hear from others who feel
the same way about IF.  Please drop me a line telling me how you liked the
game, or what you thought needed improvement.  I also am sure there are bugs
which escaped my clever debugging session; please tell me about any you
find.

The easiest way to reach me is on the Internet.  My addresses are

sgranade@phy.duke.edu
sgranade@sci.obu.edu

I'd also appreciate snail mail.  My address is

Stephen Granade
1615 #1 Forest Rd.
Durham, NC 27705
USA

Hope you enjoy the game!

Stephen
29 Aug 1995
