STANDARD LEVEL VERBS

Standard level games have a fixed set of verbs -- although these may all be
supplemented by additional synonyms.  Professional level games have all of
the standard level verbs plus they can have additional verbs that are
defined uniquely for each game.  The standard level verbs and the form of
their commands are shown below:

Meanings of notation:
      [required word]
      {optional word}
      | (means OR, i.e., alternative words)

      Verbs that do not require nouns
      ===============================
            N,S,E,W,NE,NW,SE,SW,U,D,
            NORTH,SOUTH,EAST,WEST,NORTHEAST,NORTHWEST,SOUTHEAST,             
              SOUTHWEST,UP,DOWN
            ENTER | GO [IN | INTO]
            EXIT | LEAVE  (* directions *)

            SCORE  (* display score and status *)
            QUIT | Q  (* end game *)
            INVENTORY | I  (* list things player is carrying and wearing *)
            SCREAM | SHOUT | YELL  (* make noise *)
            WAIT  (* waste a turn *)
            BRIEF | VERBOSE  (* change description mode *)
            L | LOOK  (* repeat full description *)
            SAVE | RESTORE {GAME}  (* save and restore game status *)
            HELP | H  (* ask for help *)
            AGAIN | G (* repeat last command entered *)
            SCRIPT  (* echo all output to both printer (LP1:) and screen *)
            UNSCRIPT  (* send all output to screen only *)

      Verbs that require nouns (and perhaps objects)
      ==============================================
            LIST | SHOW [EXITS]  (* list visible exits *)
            THROW | CAST | DUMP [noun]
               {[AT | TO | IN | INTO | ACROSS | INSIDE] [noun]}
            ATTACK | KILL | FIGHT | HIT [creature] {[WITH] [noun]}
            DROP | PUT DOWN [noun | ALL]
            GET | TAKE | PICK UP [noun | ALL]
            OPEN [noun] {[WITH] [noun]}
            CLOSE | SHUT [noun]
            LOCK [noun] {[WITH] [noun]}
            UNLOCK [noun] {[WITH] [noun]}
            EXAMINE | CHECK | INSPECT | LOOK AT | LOOK IN [noun]
            READ [noun]
            EAT [noun]
            DRINK [noun]
            PUT | PLACE [noun]
               [IN | WITH | INSIDE | INTO | NEAR | BEHIND |
                BESIDE | ON | UNDER] [noun]
            PUSH | TOUCH [noun] {[WITH] [noun]}
            TURN [noun] {ON | OFF}
            TURN {ON | OFF} [noun]
            PULL [noun]
            PLAY {WITH} [noun]
            LIGHT [noun]
            EXTINGUISH | PUT OUT [noun]  (* synonym is "EXT" *)
            SHOOT | FIRE [noun] [AT] [creature]
            SHOOT | FIRE [creature] [WITH] [noun]
            PUT ON | WEAR [noun | ALL]
            TAKE OFF | REMOVE [noun | ALL]
            ASK [creature] [ABOUT] [noun]
            TALK [TO | WITH] [creature] {[ABOUT] [noun]}
            TELL [creature] [ABOUT] [noun]


SOME GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT COMMANDS

Figuring out what words work in a game is part of the "challenge" of some
adventure games.  The usual directions are understood by AGT games (N, S,
E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW, UP, and DOWN; in some cases, ENTER or EXIT might also
be appropriate).  Other events might also cause you to change location: if
you detonate a nuclear warhead, for example, you'll likely be immediately
transported somewhere far, far away.

You can try to TAKE or GET most things that are in a room with you; you
should EXAMINE or LOOK AT most visible nouns as well, whether or not you
are carrying them.  You can DROP or THROW anything you're carrying.  Eating
and drinking are often permitted, but eating strange things is usually
dangerous.  If something seems to be closed or locked, you can try to open
or unlock it -- but it may require some special kind of key.

There's no penalty for incorrect words: if the game doesn't understand a
word, it gives you another chance and doesn't count the invalid input as a
turn.

If you try to do something foolish like EAT THE CHAIR or GET THE BUILDING,
the game will give you an appropriate response like "Eat the chair?  You
must be kidding!" or "The building can not be taken".


ABBREVIATIONS AND SPECIAL KEYS

All of the directions can be abbreviated by using one or two key letters.
For example, N for NORTH, SW for SOUTHWEST, U for UP, etc.  You can also
abbreviate EXAMINE as EX (e.g., EX BOOK).  To turn out a light, you can
EXTINGUISH it, and EXTINGUISH can be abbreviated as EXT (e.g., EXT LAMP). 
Other acceptable abbreviation are L for LOOK, I for INVENTORY, G for AGAIN,
H for HELP and Q for QUIT.

It is also possible to use the function and cursor keys in lieu of many
frequently used commands and directions as follows:

           F1  --  GET                  Up Arrow  --  NORTH
           F2  --  DROP                 Down Arrow  --  SOUTH
           F3  --  EXAMINE              Right Arrow  --  EAST
           F4  --  READ                 Left Arrow  --  WEST
           F5  --  OPEN                 Home  --  NORTHWEST
           F6  --  CLOSE                End  --  SOUTHWEST
           F7  --  INVENTORY            Pg Up  --  NORTHEAST
           F8  --  LOOK                 Pg Dn  --  SOUTHEAST
           F9  --  SCORE                Gray "-" Key -- UP
           F10  --  HELP                Gray "+" Key -- DOWN
                                        Ins -- ENTER
                                        Del -- EXIT

If at any time during the game the player needs to be reminded of what the
function and cursor keys stand for, hitting the ? key followed by <ENTER>
will produce a diagram of what each cursor and function key means.


SPECIAL WORDS

Certain words have special meanings to AGT games.  SCORE will let you see
how much progress you've made and will give you an idea how much of the
game you've seen so far.  QUIT will permit you to stop the game and return
to DOS.  SAVE will allow you to save the current game status, and RESTORE
will restore a previously-saved game.  AGAIN (or its abbreviation G) will
cause the game to respond as if the previous command had been entered
again.

In addition, AGT also allows the use of SCRIPT to echo all of the game's
output to your printer (as well as the screen).  UNSCRIPT may be used to
turn off the printer output.

As you move around through the game, you'll notice that the game provides a
long text description of each room only when you first enter the room.  To
see the full description again, type LOOK or L or hit the F8 function key. 
The game doesn't keep these long text descriptions in memory, but instead
reads them from disk each time it needs them.  If you don't like this
delay, you can suppress the long text by using the BRIEF command.  VERBOSE
will bring them back.

Further, in AGT it is possible to issue commands for HELP or alternatively
hit the F10 key.  Be warned, however, that some game designers might feel
that the situation does not deserve any help or, worse yet, some deviate
designers might actually give the player a hint that is a little
misleading.


NOUNS

While the list of verbs is generally similar from game to game, all the
nouns change every time.  One game might be filled with weapons and
creatures, while another might contain many keys and locks.  Most nouns are
unique: you probably won't find more than one "gold key," but you might
find a "brass key," an "access card," and an "entry pass."  The game only
understands an adjective if it is correctly followed by the matching noun:
if TAKE RED FLUTE is valid, the game will not try to guess what you meant
by TAKE RED or TAKE RED INSTRUMENT or TAKE THE RED ONE.  It will accept
TAKE FLUTE, but not TAKE BLUE FLUTE.

With some verbs, nouns are optional.  For example, NORTH is quite clear by
itself, and any "valid" words following it will be ignored completely.  EAT
needs a noun of some kind, preferably an edible one.  And some things may
not be possible unless you specify a tool: UNLOCK PADLOCK may not be
acceptable, while UNLOCK THE PADLOCK WITH THE BRASS KEY may work fine.


NOISE WORDS

The words "THE", "MY", "ITS", "A" and "AN" are ignored; so are friendly
words like "PLEASE" and "NOW."  This way, PLEASE PUT A RED ROSE AND MY NOTE
ON THE SMALL TABLE NOW can be understood, while the game may be quite
confused by PLEASE YOUR MOTHER.


PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES

In some cases, the preposition need not be followed by an object (TURN THE
GAS STOVE ON is fine), but often the game will be puzzled unless you
provide one.  For example, UNLOCK THE PADLOCK WITH or PLACE THE BOOK BESIDE
just won't do.


