Question: What is a text adventure?

Answer: Like a graphical adventure, except better

Question: Why is it better?

Answer: Because you can use your own imagination to build the scene,
from the text provided; because you are not bound to 'predicted
actions', and because I say so!

Question: How do I talk to this 'text adventure' thing?

Answer: Much the same way as you would talk to a person, well sort of
anyway. Here are some examples of valid commands...

GET THE APPLE
EXAMINE THE APPLE AND EAT IT
GET THE HAT AND THE GLOVES, THEN WEAR THEM
I (short for INVENTORY)
LOOK
TOM, GIVE EVERYTHING TO DICK.
GET ALL. GIVE THE COAT TO PETER.
LOOK IN THE CHEST
UNLOCK THE CHEST WITH THE GOLD KEY, THEN OPEN IT.
LOOK IN THE CHEST
TAKE THE RING FROM THE CHEST
LIGHT LAMP
EXTINGUISH LAMP
SAVE
LOAD
VERBOSE
BRIEF
SCRIPT
UNSCRIPT
BECOME TOM
BECOME DICK

Question: How does the computer (games master) talk to me?

Answer: It sends text to your screen! It may be responding to your command
or, it may be informing you of something that has happenned that
is quite unrelated to your command.... i.e.

If you type GET APPLE
...and the APPLE isn't here, you may get the response
I don't see that here.

If you type EAT THE APPLE
...and the programmer was feeling a bit mean, you may get
Aaah! It was poisoned, the venom courses through your
lifeblood.. drone drone drone etc.
...or if the programmer is a nice guy (like me)....
Yummy yummy, in my tummy!

Maybe a goblin appears randomly sometimes.....
A goblin appears as if from nowhere!

Question: How do I know where I am?

Answer: The adventure world is divided into 'rooms'. These rooms do not
have to be physical rooms.. i.e. a room could be 'a field'; they
are just a way of dividing the universe! Whenever you enter a
room, the computer will kindly tell you where you are (presuming
it is light enough to determine!). If you have already visited
the room, you will just get a short description.

Question: What's the point?

Answer: These can be varied! Perhaps you have to get
all the treasure and stick it in the chest; killing all the
monsters as you go... or maybe you have to rescue the beautiful
princess lulu from the dark vader... or maybe the point of the
adventure is to discover the point of the adventure (a bit twisted).

Question: Okay. So what do I need to play it?

Answer: Well you're on to a good start! A computer, the adventure, a
sense of adventure, a sense of fun, a logical/illogical approach
(depending on the approach of the programmer), some paper,
a pen, and a padded cell.

Question: What am I waiting for?

Answer: Search me!