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From: rubywand@swbell.net
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Lost Treasures of Infocom MM (was Re: Treasure ....)
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 1997 15:17:44 +0000
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References: <5iat3m$h5r@dove.qut.edu.au> <33495448.0@pgh.nauticom.net> <5jgt3h$rs3$1@nixon.area.com>
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Matt Ackeret writes ...
> 
> In article <33495448.0@pgh.nauticom.net>,
> Kevin Loesch <kloesch@nauticom.net> wrote:
> >   Infocom did publish a "Lost Treasures of Infocom" for the Apple II. I don't
> >know if it is still available, it came out in 1992(It was probably one of the
> >last major commercial game releases for the Apple).
> 
> No, they didn't.
> 
> BRCC licensed the *rights* (or whatever the proper legal terminology is)
> to publish an Apple IIGS version of the Lost Treasures of Infocom I.
> 
> They packaged it with two really really bad ports of a freeware infocom
> interpreter called InfoTaskForce.  Really, really bad.
> 
> I ported a different interpreter, called ZIP, to the GS.. You can find it
> on ftp.gmd.de in the if-archive/ area, or on Apple II sites.  It's called
> "ZIP1.0a1.SEA" or something like that.  Even though I gave it a 1.0a1
> designation, it works well. It doesn't support timed input for BorderZone
> however.   Some year or another I'll finish my port of a better
> interpreter, called Frotz.
> ....

     Frotz (neat name!) will be a welcome enhancement for Infocom devotees.

     The attached mini manual is for those interested in some additional Lost 
Treasures' info including how to play Lost Treasures' II games on GS. (A Teach 
file version + game icons has been uploaded to the 1WSW area on Ground as well as 
Ground's AOL/Games/Adv./Roleplay folder. The file is named INFLTMM.SHK.)


Lost Treasures of Infocom 

     M i n i  M a n u a l

     to GS WorldView, 1WSW, csa2 ..., R/ 1997


     The Lost Treasures of Infocom ("LTI") was, originally, released by 
Activision for PC in two sets: Lost Treasures of Infocom and Lost Treasures of 
Infocom II. The Big Red Computer Club licensed a couple of interpreters and 
obtained the right to sell an Apple IIgs version of the first Lost Treasures set.

     Priced at $59.95 (for 1.25MB IIgs running GSOS 5.04 or later), LTI-1/gs is 
on three 3.5" diskettes. Contrary to on-box info, the set includes 19, not 20, 
games. The IIgs Reference Card (the yellow 'card' in the box) explains that Zork 
Zero is not runnable in this set because it requires a special interpreter which 
Big Red has not yet licensed.

     The LTI-2 collection was not released for Apple II. Happily, it is only 
necessary to move the 'game' file from PC to GS (e.g. via NULL modem) and set 
correct file type information in order to run an LTI-2 adventure using one of the 
two LTI-1/gs interpreters.  (If you are wondering why a PC user would bother, it 
can only mean that you have not had a chance to compare playing the adventures on 
the two platforms. Play is _much_ better on GS.)

     Both LTI collections include complete documentation; however, with the 
exception of maps, this is chiefly in the form of B/W reproductions in a large 
manual. You do not, for example, get such goodies as Sorcerer's "Infotator" or 
the "miniature space fleet" of Hitchhiker's Guide'. On the other hand, LTI-1 does 
include a good Hint Book covering the games in the collection. (LTI-2 does not 
include a Hint Book.)

     To play a game, you start one of the 2 executable interpreter files. 
LOST1.SYS16 is the "Standard Interpreter"; LOST2.SYS16 is the "Advanced 
Interpreter":

Standard Interpreter ("SI"): Game text appears in the standard desktop window 
with scrollbars and options to select fonts. Saved games include the 8K window 
display buffer (i.e. stuff you can scroll through at time of a save will be 
available when the saved game is restored).

Advanced Interpreter ("AI"): Game text is in 'text mode' with no font options and 
no scrollbar.  This interpreter allows "switching games" without need to quit and 
reload program. The Advanced Interpreter does not save a text buffer and, when 
loading a game saved under the SI, it ignores text buffer information.

     When you start an interpreter directly (e.g. by double clicking on its 
icon), it shows the LTI title screen and then lists the games you can run via the 
interpreter. For the AI, this includes all of the adventures. Most players prefer 
the SI; however, it cannot run all of the games.

     Games saved running one interpreter may be restored and played using the 
other so long as the game is playable on the selected interpreter.



Lost Treasures' II on the IIgs

     As noted earlier, it is possible to move the LTI-2 games from PC and play 
them on your IIgs. Once on the IIgs (e.g. on hard disk) all that is necessary is 
to set the filetype and subtype for each game using a utility like the new desk 
accessory named "File Manager".

     Correct filetype is $F5 for all LTI-1 and LTI-2 adventures.

     With two exceptions all of the LTI-1 games have subtype $8003. The two 
exceptions are ...

Beyond Zork-	$8005
Hitchhiker's- 	$8005.


LTI-2 subtypes are ...

AMFV-       	$8005
Border Zone- 	$8005
Bureaucracy- 	$8005
Cutthroats- 	$8000
Hollywood-   	$8005
Nord & Bert- 	$8005
Plundered-  	$8003
SeaStalker-  	$8003
Sherlock-    	$8005
Trinity-    	$8005
Wishbringer- 	$8003.


     For example, after the PC-to-GS transfer, Wishbringer might show up as a 
binary type file on the GSOS Finder. Using File Manager or some similar utility, 
you would change file Type to $F5 and Subtype to $8003. You could, then, play 
Wishbringer on the GS.

     The SI can run all games with subtype $8003 but not games with subtype 
$8005. The AI can run all of the games.



Installation on Hard Disk

Note: Programs use resources; so, copying via the normal GSOS
     desktop with Preferences set to Save Finder Information is recommended.

     1. create a folder (such as "Infocom") for your Infocom games and 
interpreters
     2. copy interpreter files LOST1.SYS16 and LOST2.SYS16 to the folder
     3. copy Game files (e.g. those files with names like "Deadline",
        "Starcrossed", etc.) to the folder



Infocom Game Icons

     A nice convenience is being able to start a game by just clicking on its 
icon. The two game icons in the Infocom.icons file descriminate adventures 
according to subtype. Games runnable via the Standard Interpreter show with a 
green "I"; those runnable only under the Advanced Interpreter have a purple "I".

     Clicking a game's "I" icon automatically launches the associated interpreter 
and starts the adventure .

     To use the icons, edit the "application pathname" part of each icon's 
attributes using an icon editor like Icon Ed. Change the "volname" part of the 
pathname to the name of the volume on which the games reside. The rest of the 
pathname assumes the interpreters are in a folder named "infocom" located in the 
volume's main directory. Modify this if your setup is different. Save 
Infocom.Icons in the ICONS folder on the system disk you boot to play the games.



Where to Start?

     If you're new to Infocom text adventuring, then, coming suddenly upon so 
many choices may, itself, be daunting. You could start at the beginning, with 
Zork, in a forest clearing near the legendary small white house, and continue on 
to Zork II and Zork III. Or, you might begin with the best of Zorkian questing at 
Enchanter. On the other hand, a newbie to text adventures might want to start 
with Wishbringer.

     Of course, 'Infocoms' can take you to many realms. Sci-fi fans may want to 
start with Planetfall. Other excellent choices include Plundered Hearts-- you're 
a damsel thrust amongst a crew of pirates-- and Infidel, which sends you into a 
puzzle-laden pyramid.

     Today, companies like SSI and Origin continue to 'create worlds' wrapped in 
SVGA color and wave-table audio. Part of the unique fun of Infocom adventuring is 
that your input is just text plus, sometimes, a map, letter, or similar document. 
The characters, scenery, and sounds 'happen' in your head.


Rubywand