Home » Archimedes archive » Micro User » MU 1991-05.adf » PDStuff » SillyBits/!Billion/!Help
SillyBits/!Billion/!Help
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Archimedes archive » Micro User » MU 1991-05.adf » PDStuff |
| Filename: | SillyBits/!Billion/!Help |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 0AAA bytes |
| Load address: | 0000 |
| Exec address: | 0000 |
File contents
_____________________________________________________________________________
Billion
"A game a night until sometime in the 27,399th century"
_____________________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
This program is intended to be a simple desktop adventure game system.
The emphasis is on variety and amusement rather than on sophisticated
graphics and user interface. By providing a billion different adventures
I hope that you will still be playing !Billion long after other
adventures would be solved or discarded.
GAME FORMAT
The adventures take place on an earth-like planet. You materialise on the
planet's surface and must discover the magical crystal hidden deep below
your feet. With possession of this crystal all powers both imaginable
and beyond imagination are yours...
This format is the same for all billion adventures this program contains.
However, the hiding place, world and means to discover it are different
every time....
GETTING STARTED
This should be completely self-explanatory. Start up the application; menu
on the icon and select either "Today's game" (changes every day) or "Now's
game" (changes every second). Alternatively play the game corresponding
to your telephone number. Simply pressing the left mouse button over the
icon bar icon will start "Today's game" when just loaded.
If you find you are unable to complete a specific game, simply write down
the number and try again some other day. All billion games are accessible
via the "Game number =>" menu option.
The game window can be opened and closed any number of times. As long as
you do not 'Quit' the application the game and current state of play are
preserved.
COMMANDS
All commands are either single words ('NORTH', 'LOOK' etc.) or are
two-word commands where the second is an object ('DOWN LADDER',
'SMASH BOTTLE', 'GET DRILL' etc.). All objects can be specified with
their full name or a one word short name. Usually the short name is
the more important word when there is a choice. e.g The short form of
'Huge pile of grass' is more likely to be 'grass' than 'pile'. Multiple
synonyms/sophisticated parsers will, I'm afraid, have to wait for the
next version.
LICENCE TERMS
Permission is given to freely distribute this package on a non-commercial
basis.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The greatest difficulty with adventure games is getting the level of
difficulty about right. I have aimed to make all billion games solvable
ultimately by someone of little adventuring experience but lots of
persistence. Seasoned players may need less persistence.
- William Tunstall-Pedoe, November 1990
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*
00000040 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 0a 0a 20 |_____________.. |
00000050 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | |
*
00000070 20 42 69 6c 6c 69 6f 6e 20 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 | Billion .. |
00000080 20 20 20 20 20 22 41 20 67 61 6d 65 20 61 20 6e | "A game a n|
00000090 69 67 68 74 20 75 6e 74 69 6c 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 |ight until somet|
000000a0 69 6d 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 32 37 2c 33 39 |ime in the 27,39|
000000b0 39 74 68 20 63 65 6e 74 75 72 79 22 0a 20 20 20 |9th century". |
000000c0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | |
*
000000e0 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 0a 5f 5f | .__|
000000f0 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f |________________|
*
00000130 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 5f 0a 0a 49 4e 54 |___________..INT|
00000140 52 4f 44 55 43 54 49 4f 4e 0a 54 68 69 73 20 70 |RODUCTION.This p|
00000150 72 6f 67 72 61 6d 20 69 73 20 69 6e 74 65 6e 64 |rogram is intend|
00000160 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 61 20 73 69 6d 70 6c |ed to be a simpl|
00000170 65 20 64 65 73 6b 74 6f 70 20 61 64 76 65 6e 74 |e desktop advent|
00000180 75 72 65 20 67 61 6d 65 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2e |ure game system.|
00000190 0a 54 68 65 20 65 6d 70 68 61 73 69 73 20 69 73 |.The emphasis is|
000001a0 20 6f 6e 20 76 61 72 69 65 74 79 20 61 6e 64 20 | on variety and |
000001b0 61 6d 75 73 65 6d 65 6e 74 20 72 61 74 68 65 72 |amusement rather|
000001c0 20 74 68 61 6e 20 6f 6e 20 73 6f 70 68 69 73 74 | than on sophist|
000001d0 69 63 61 74 65 64 0a 67 72 61 70 68 69 63 73 20 |icated.graphics |
000001e0 61 6e 64 20 75 73 65 72 20 69 6e 74 65 72 66 61 |and user interfa|
000001f0 63 65 2e 20 42 79 20 70 72 6f 76 69 64 69 6e 67 |ce. By providing|
00000200 20 61 20 62 69 6c 6c 69 6f 6e 20 64 69 66 66 65 | a billion diffe|
00000210 72 65 6e 74 20 61 64 76 65 6e 74 75 72 65 73 0a |rent adventures.|
00000220 49 20 68 6f 70 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 |I hope that you |
00000230 77 69 6c 6c 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 70 6c |will still be pl|
00000240 61 79 69 6e 67 20 21 42 69 6c 6c 69 6f 6e 20 6c |aying !Billion l|
00000250 6f 6e 67 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 6f 74 68 65 72 0a |ong after other.|
00000260 61 64 76 65 6e 74 75 72 65 73 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 |adventures would|
00000270 20 62 65 20 73 6f 6c 76 65 64 20 6f 72 20 64 69 | be solved or di|
00000280 73 63 61 72 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 47 41 4d 45 20 46 |scarded...GAME F|
00000290 4f 52 4d 41 54 0a 54 68 65 20 61 64 76 65 6e 74 |ORMAT.The advent|
000002a0 75 72 65 73 20 74 61 6b 65 20 70 6c 61 63 65 20 |ures take place |
000002b0 6f 6e 20 61 6e 20 65 61 72 74 68 2d 6c 69 6b 65 |on an earth-like|
000002c0 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 2e 20 59 6f 75 20 6d 61 74 | planet. You mat|
000002d0 65 72 69 61 6c 69 73 65 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 |erialise on the |
000002e0 0a 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 27 73 20 73 75 72 66 61 63 |.planet's surfac|
000002f0 65 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 75 73 74 20 64 69 73 63 6f |e and must disco|
00000300 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61 67 69 63 61 6c 20 |ver the magical |
00000310 63 72 79 73 74 61 6c 20 68 69 64 64 65 6e 20 64 |crystal hidden d|
00000320 65 65 70 20 62 65 6c 6f 77 0a 79 6f 75 72 20 66 |eep below.your f|
00000330 65 65 74 2e 20 57 69 74 68 20 70 6f 73 73 65 73 |eet. With posses|
00000340 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 63 72 79 |sion of this cry|
00000350 73 74 61 6c 20 61 6c 6c 20 70 6f 77 65 72 73 20 |stal all powers |
00000360 62 6f 74 68 20 69 6d 61 67 69 6e 61 62 6c 65 20 |both imaginable |
00000370 0a 61 6e 64 20 62 65 79 6f 6e 64 20 69 6d 61 67 |.and beyond imag|
00000380 69 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 72 65 20 79 6f 75 72 |ination are your|
00000390 73 2e 2e 2e 0a 0a 54 68 69 73 20 66 6f 72 6d 61 |s.....This forma|
000003a0 74 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 20 66 6f |t is the same fo|
000003b0 72 20 61 6c 6c 20 62 69 6c 6c 69 6f 6e 20 61 64 |r all billion ad|
000003c0 76 65 6e 74 75 72 65 73 20 74 68 69 73 20 70 72 |ventures this pr|
000003d0 6f 67 72 61 6d 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 69 6e 73 2e 20 |ogram contains. |
000003e0 0a 48 6f 77 65 76 65 72 2c 20 74 68 65 20 68 69 |.However, the hi|
000003f0 64 69 6e 67 20 70 6c 61 63 65 2c 20 77 6f 72 6c |ding place, worl|
00000400 64 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 65 61 6e 73 20 74 6f 20 64 |d and means to d|
00000410 69 73 63 6f 76 65 72 20 69 74 20 61 72 65 20 64 |iscover it are d|
00000420 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e 74 20 0a 65 76 65 72 79 20 |ifferent .every |
00000430 74 69 6d 65 2e 2e 2e 2e 0a 20 0a 47 45 54 54 49 |time..... .GETTI|
00000440 4e 47 20 53 54 41 52 54 45 44 0a 54 68 69 73 20 |NG STARTED.This |
00000450 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 |should be comple|
00000460 74 65 6c 79 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 65 78 70 6c 61 6e |tely self-explan|
00000470 61 74 6f 72 79 2e 20 53 74 61 72 74 20 75 70 20 |atory. Start up |
00000480 74 68 65 20 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 3b |the application;|
00000490 20 6d 65 6e 75 0a 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69 63 6f | menu.on the ico|
000004a0 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 73 65 6c 65 63 74 20 65 69 74 |n and select eit|
000004b0 68 65 72 20 22 54 6f 64 61 79 27 73 20 67 61 6d |her "Today's gam|
000004c0 65 22 20 28 63 68 61 6e 67 65 73 20 65 76 65 72 |e" (changes ever|
000004d0 79 20 64 61 79 29 20 6f 72 20 22 4e 6f 77 27 73 |y day) or "Now's|
000004e0 0a 67 61 6d 65 22 20 28 63 68 61 6e 67 65 73 20 |.game" (changes |
000004f0 65 76 65 72 79 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 29 2e 20 41 |every second). A|
00000500 6c 74 65 72 6e 61 74 69 76 65 6c 79 20 70 6c 61 |lternatively pla|
00000510 79 20 74 68 65 20 67 61 6d 65 20 63 6f 72 72 65 |y the game corre|
00000520 73 70 6f 6e 64 69 6e 67 0a 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 72 |sponding.to your|
00000530 20 74 65 6c 65 70 68 6f 6e 65 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 | telephone numbe|
00000540 72 2e 20 53 69 6d 70 6c 79 20 70 72 65 73 73 69 |r. Simply pressi|
00000550 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 6c 65 66 74 20 6d 6f 75 73 |ng the left mous|
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00000570 65 0a 69 63 6f 6e 20 62 61 72 20 69 63 6f 6e 20 |e.icon bar icon |
00000580 77 69 6c 6c 20 73 74 61 72 74 20 22 54 6f 64 61 |will start "Toda|
00000590 79 27 73 20 67 61 6d 65 22 20 77 68 65 6e 20 6a |y's game" when j|
000005a0 75 73 74 20 6c 6f 61 64 65 64 2e 0a 0a 49 66 20 |ust loaded...If |
000005b0 79 6f 75 20 66 69 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 |you find you are|
000005c0 20 75 6e 61 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 63 6f 6d 70 6c | unable to compl|
000005d0 65 74 65 20 61 20 73 70 65 63 69 66 69 63 20 67 |ete a specific g|
000005e0 61 6d 65 2c 20 73 69 6d 70 6c 79 20 77 72 69 74 |ame, simply writ|
000005f0 65 20 64 6f 77 6e 0a 74 68 65 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 |e down.the numbe|
00000600 72 20 61 6e 64 20 74 72 79 20 61 67 61 69 6e 20 |r and try again |
00000610 73 6f 6d 65 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 64 61 79 2e 20 |some other day. |
00000620 41 6c 6c 20 62 69 6c 6c 69 6f 6e 20 67 61 6d 65 |All billion game|
00000630 73 20 61 72 65 20 61 63 63 65 73 73 69 62 6c 65 |s are accessible|
00000640 0a 76 69 61 20 74 68 65 20 22 47 61 6d 65 20 6e |.via the "Game n|
00000650 75 6d 62 65 72 20 3d 3e 22 20 6d 65 6e 75 20 6f |umber =>" menu o|
00000660 70 74 69 6f 6e 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 67 61 6d 65 |ption...The game|
00000670 20 77 69 6e 64 6f 77 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 6f | window can be o|
00000680 70 65 6e 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6c 6f 73 65 64 |pened and closed|
00000690 20 61 6e 79 20 6e 75 6d 62 65 72 20 6f 66 20 74 | any number of t|
000006a0 69 6d 65 73 2e 20 41 73 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 61 73 |imes. As long as|
000006b0 0a 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 27 51 75 69 |.you do not 'Qui|
000006c0 74 27 20 74 68 65 20 61 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 69 |t' the applicati|
000006d0 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 67 61 6d 65 20 61 6e 64 20 |on the game and |
000006e0 63 75 72 72 65 6e 74 20 73 74 61 74 65 20 6f 66 |current state of|
000006f0 20 70 6c 61 79 20 61 72 65 0a 70 72 65 73 65 72 | play are.preser|
00000700 76 65 64 2e 20 0a 0a 43 4f 4d 4d 41 4e 44 53 0a |ved. ..COMMANDS.|
00000710 41 6c 6c 20 63 6f 6d 6d 61 6e 64 73 20 61 72 65 |All commands are|
00000720 20 65 69 74 68 65 72 20 73 69 6e 67 6c 65 20 77 | either single w|
00000730 6f 72 64 73 20 28 27 4e 4f 52 54 48 27 2c 20 27 |ords ('NORTH', '|
00000740 4c 4f 4f 4b 27 20 65 74 63 2e 29 20 6f 72 20 61 |LOOK' etc.) or a|
00000750 72 65 20 0a 74 77 6f 2d 77 6f 72 64 20 63 6f 6d |re .two-word com|
00000760 6d 61 6e 64 73 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 |mands where the |
00000770 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 20 69 73 20 61 6e 20 6f 62 6a |second is an obj|
00000780 65 63 74 20 28 27 44 4f 57 4e 20 4c 41 44 44 45 |ect ('DOWN LADDE|
00000790 52 27 2c 20 0a 27 53 4d 41 53 48 20 42 4f 54 54 |R', .'SMASH BOTT|
000007a0 4c 45 27 2c 20 27 47 45 54 20 44 52 49 4c 4c 27 |LE', 'GET DRILL'|
000007b0 20 65 74 63 2e 29 2e 20 41 6c 6c 20 6f 62 6a 65 | etc.). All obje|
000007c0 63 74 73 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 73 70 65 63 69 |cts can be speci|
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00000810 73 68 6f 72 74 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 69 73 20 0a 74 |short name is .t|
00000820 68 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 69 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e |he more importan|
00000830 74 20 77 6f 72 64 20 77 68 65 6e 20 74 68 65 72 |t word when ther|
00000840 65 20 69 73 20 61 20 63 68 6f 69 63 65 2e 20 65 |e is a choice. e|
00000850 2e 67 20 54 68 65 20 73 68 6f 72 74 20 66 6f 72 |.g The short for|
00000860 6d 20 6f 66 0a 27 48 75 67 65 20 70 69 6c 65 20 |m of.'Huge pile |
00000870 6f 66 20 67 72 61 73 73 27 20 69 73 20 6d 6f 72 |of grass' is mor|
00000880 65 20 6c 69 6b 65 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 27 |e likely to be '|
00000890 67 72 61 73 73 27 20 74 68 61 6e 20 27 70 69 6c |grass' than 'pil|
000008a0 65 27 2e 20 4d 75 6c 74 69 70 6c 65 0a 73 79 6e |e'. Multiple.syn|
000008b0 6f 6e 79 6d 73 2f 73 6f 70 68 69 73 74 69 63 61 |onyms/sophistica|
000008c0 74 65 64 20 70 61 72 73 65 72 73 20 77 69 6c 6c |ted parsers will|
000008d0 2c 20 49 27 6d 20 61 66 72 61 69 64 2c 20 68 61 |, I'm afraid, ha|
000008e0 76 65 20 74 6f 20 77 61 69 74 20 66 6f 72 20 74 |ve to wait for t|
000008f0 68 65 0a 6e 65 78 74 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 2e |he.next version.|
00000900 0a 0a 4c 49 43 45 4e 43 45 20 54 45 52 4d 53 0a |..LICENCE TERMS.|
00000910 50 65 72 6d 69 73 73 69 6f 6e 20 69 73 20 67 69 |Permission is gi|
00000920 76 65 6e 20 74 6f 20 66 72 65 65 6c 79 20 64 69 |ven to freely di|
00000930 73 74 72 69 62 75 74 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 70 61 |stribute this pa|
00000940 63 6b 61 67 65 20 6f 6e 20 61 20 6e 6f 6e 2d 63 |ckage on a non-c|
00000950 6f 6d 6d 65 72 63 69 61 6c 0a 62 61 73 69 73 2e |ommercial.basis.|
00000960 0a 0a 4f 54 48 45 52 20 43 4f 4e 53 49 44 45 52 |..OTHER CONSIDER|
00000970 41 54 49 4f 4e 53 0a 54 68 65 20 67 72 65 61 74 |ATIONS.The great|
00000980 65 73 74 20 64 69 66 66 69 63 75 6c 74 79 20 77 |est difficulty w|
00000990 69 74 68 20 61 64 76 65 6e 74 75 72 65 20 67 61 |ith adventure ga|
000009a0 6d 65 73 20 69 73 20 67 65 74 74 69 6e 67 20 74 |mes is getting t|
000009b0 68 65 20 6c 65 76 65 6c 20 6f 66 20 0a 64 69 66 |he level of .dif|
000009c0 66 69 63 75 6c 74 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 72 69 |ficulty about ri|
000009d0 67 68 74 2e 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 69 6d 65 |ght. I have aime|
000009e0 64 20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 61 6c 6c 20 62 69 |d to make all bi|
000009f0 6c 6c 69 6f 6e 20 67 61 6d 65 73 20 73 6f 6c 76 |llion games solv|
00000a00 61 62 6c 65 0a 75 6c 74 69 6d 61 74 65 6c 79 20 |able.ultimately |
00000a10 62 79 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 6c 69 |by someone of li|
00000a20 74 74 6c 65 20 61 64 76 65 6e 74 75 72 69 6e 67 |ttle adventuring|
00000a30 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 20 62 75 74 20 | experience but |
00000a40 6c 6f 74 73 20 6f 66 0a 70 65 72 73 69 73 74 65 |lots of.persiste|
00000a50 6e 63 65 2e 20 53 65 61 73 6f 6e 65 64 20 70 6c |nce. Seasoned pl|
00000a60 61 79 65 72 73 20 6d 61 79 20 6e 65 65 64 20 6c |ayers may need l|
00000a70 65 73 73 20 70 65 72 73 69 73 74 65 6e 63 65 2e |ess persistence.|
00000a80 0a 0a 2d 20 57 69 6c 6c 69 61 6d 20 54 75 6e 73 |..- William Tuns|
00000a90 74 61 6c 6c 2d 50 65 64 6f 65 2c 20 4e 6f 76 65 |tall-Pedoe, Nove|
00000aa0 6d 62 65 72 20 31 39 39 30 0a |mber 1990.|
00000aaa 
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