CURSED
======
By Nick Rogers

What's in the package
---------------------
The ZIP file of the game should include:
  cursed.taf            This is the main "Cursed" game file
  cursed_hints.taf      This is another game file devoted to hints for the game
  cursed_map.pdf        A map of the world where the adventure takes place, 
                        plus some additional game-specific information.
  cursed.txt            This file

Notes for players
-----------------
This game is designed to be played with the ADRIFT Runner version 4.51. It is 
also playable using the SCARE program, which attempts to emulate the 
functionality of the ADRIFT runner. The Gargoyle interpreter 
(http://ccxvii.net/gargoyle/) makes use of the SCARE interpreter to run ADRIFT 
games, as does the Spatterlight interpreter for Apple Mac users. However, 
please note that SCARE has some limitations when running ADRIFT games, some of 
which I've noted below in the section "Notes for SCARE users".

As of this writing, this game is *not* compatible with version 5 of the ADRIFT
runner. I do not recommend using this program for this game at the present
time.

Version history
---------------
1.0.07	1/10/2011	Release for the IF Competition 2011 (where "Cursed"
			placed equal 13th).
2.0.08	1/12/2011	Major update and bug fix release based on feedback 
			received during the IF Comp. This includes a brand new 
			prologue, reductions in the amount of text-dumping, 
			addition of more in-game hints, corrections and 
			improvements to several puzzles.
2.0.09	20/3/2012	Fixed a major bug that would prevent the "fox" path
			from being completable, and a minor text glitch with
			the description of the rats under the castle.
2.1.10	1/9/2012	Fixed a bug where you could repeatedly smash the window
			in the tannery. Also prevented a potential scenario 
			where the game could be put into an unwinnable state
			if the right tension is not put on the wooden frame and
			all the small kegs are pushed off the shelves.
			Fixed some spelling mistakes and minor text errors, 
			and added a couple of additional commands to handle 
			some responses that should have been catered for 
			(eg attacking the badger, the hawk, and the mob).
			Note: Game files saved with versions 1.0.07, 2.0.08 and 
			2.0.09 will not work with this new version.

About the game
--------------
The game is made up of three main "chapters" or "parts" where the bulk of the
gameplay will take place. There is also a brief prologue, a small interlude in 
between each chapter, and another short epilogue at the end. For most of the 
three main parts, you will be playing as a non-human character which you will 
choose in the opening scenes of part 1. Depending on your choice, each part 
will have different tasks and objectives. Keep in mind the animal you have 
become, and the skills and limitations of that animal.

The prologue, two interludes and epilogue are short, and are not designed to be 
difficult to complete.

There are lots of ways to die in Cursed, and I make no apologies for that. I've
tried to make all the "deaths" logical and with fair warning, so there should 
be no confusion about what happened. There are also a couple of points where 
your actions will stop you from moving forward. That is, depending on what you 
do, you can put the game into an unwinable state even though the game itself 
doesn't stop. Again, in those instances I hope the reasons are logical and 
clear. In all cases, judicious use of UNDO will help you around it, and I have 
included messages to inform you when such a situation has taken place.

There are no hints built into the game directly, but a separate file should 
have been included in your game package, called cursed_hints.taf, that includes
hints which may be of assistance. If you would like to ask a specific question 
about the game, please contact me by email at nickrogers123 {at} gmail.com.

Development note
----------------
Cursed was developed using the ADRIFT program by Campbell Wild 
(http://www.adrift.org.uk/). My thanks to Campbell for his software which has 
allowed me to realise a dream.

Thanks to all my beta-testers for their help and encouragement:
James Webb; Kevin Cantara; Simon Baldwin; Duncan Bowsman; Finn Rosenlv; 
Brad Morcombe, Katzy, Richard Otter.

Thanks to all those people who wrote reviews of my game during the IFComp. I
didn't always agree with all your comments, but I truely appreciate every word
you wrote. Well, maybe not *every* word. The majority of words, anyway.

And thanks to my wife for being so understanding, and for all her input and
suggestions.

Notes for SCARE users
---------------------
SCARE is an interpreter that attempts to emulate the operation of the ADRIFT
runner. Because Simon Baldwin (the author of SCARE) did not have access to the
original source code when writing the program, the implementation is missing
some important components.

The first issue that is worth noting is that object disambiguation does not 
work well in SCARE. The program will inform the user that it was unable to work
out which object was being referenced, but it does not remember the original
input if the player then provides the distinction.

For example, if there is a red door and a blue door visible to the player, and
the player enters "OPEN DOOR", SCARE would respond with "Please be more clear, 
what do you want to open? The red door or the blue door?" But if the player 
then enters "BLUE", SCARE assumes this is a new command and will respond with 
"I don't understand what you want to do with the blue door."

If you are running in SCARE and are having problems with object disambiguation 
then this is important to keep in mind.

Another issue relates to SCARE's ability to process multiple commands in one
line. SCARE will only process each command correctly if a comma (,) or a 
period (.) is used to separate each command. For instance, if you wanted to 
unlock the door and open it in one line, you would need to use "UNLOCK DOOR, 
OPEN IT", rather than either of these variations: "UNLOCK DOOR AND OPEN IT", 
"UNLOCK DOOR THEN OPEN IT".

"Cursed" has been tested quite extensively in SCARE and will generally work 
successfully. However, it is important to note that the game has been designed
to work best in the ADRIFT runner program. If you have a Windows machine I
would strongly suggest you get the latest version of the ADRIFT V4 runner from 
http://www.adrift.org.uk. (Please note: This game will not work with the V5
runner. Only use V4.) If you are running Mac or Linux and don't have a virtual 
image of Windows you can use the ADRIFT runner in, then please make a note of 
these issues and take them into consideration while playing.

About the author
----------------
I am a 40-something computer programmer from the Blue Mountains, just outside 
Sydney, Australia. I am married with two georgous kids, and now have three pets
as well, a rabbit, a skittish guinea pig and a cat. We did have a fish as well, 
but it died in tragic circumstances. I enjoy reading, writing, music (playing 
and listening), programming, playing computer games (when I get the time), and 
watching cricket. I don't enjoy writing blurbs about myself, so I'll stop here.