Ghost of the fireflies HELP FILE
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Document created and proofed on June 26, 2007.

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WHAT IS GHOST OF THE FIREFLIES?
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Ghost of the fireflies is a text adventure with RPG
elements. It is very different from other games that
I have authored in that the gaming environment, items,
parser and room descriptions all describe an internal
world (and not an external one). Although it may
seem that the game is taking place in a forest or
a small village, you will quickly discover that the
interior of a tortured mind is where this game
ultimately takes place.

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HOW DO I PLAY?
--------------

Before you complain that I did not make every
possible effect to ensure that this game's parser
was adequate, type 'help' at anytime during
gameplay to see the EXTENSIVE commands available
to the player. Not only do you have alias commands
that can be changed at will, but you can also type
various abbreviations as well (such as 'x' for
'examine'). Typing 'help' will also list how
to set aliases. You can have a total of 10
aliases set at any one time.

In short, you play the game by entering in one
or two word commands. You can also type in complex
command phrases, such as "GET LANTERN AND GO WEST"
or "PUT SWORD IN BAG AND WIELD SCIMITAR". This
parser was designed to shut up the naysayers
who claim I can't write an adequate parser without
using TADS or Inform.

If you still have questions, please email me and
I'll gladly answer: lumberjacks76@lycos.com

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WHAT VERBS/NOUN CAN I USE?
--------------------------

The very first thing that you will notice when
playing Ghost of the fireflies is the very top
three lines of the screen. The first line is
your Status Bar. This lists vital statistics
of the player during the course of the game.

The second thing that you will notice, under
the Status Bar, are 12 function key commands
that can be used in the event you don't wish
to type as much. 

Here are the shortcut commands available
to the player:

GET (Press the 'F1' function key)
DROP (Press the 'F2' function key)
USE (Press the 'F3' function key)
INVENTORY (Press the 'F4' function key)
EXAMINE (Press the 'F5' function key)
TALK TO (Press the 'F6' function key)
MAP (Press the 'F7' function key)
SAVE (Press the 'F8' function key)
GO NORTH (Press the 'F9' function key)
GO SOUTH (Press the 'F10' function key)
GO WEST (Press the 'F11' function key)
GO EAST (Press the 'F12' function key)

These shortcut keys are provided for you to
minimize the typing time required to enter in
common commands.

A full list of commands used during gameplay
is provided below:

Primary Verbs
-------------

Primary verbs are commands which are vital to gameplay. You will
find yourself using these commands over and over again.

GET - Picks up an object. The game also recognizes TAKE.
DROP - Drops an object. The game also recognizes THROW.
USE - Manipulate an object in some way. Also recognizes EQUIP and UNEQUIP.
EQUIP - Wields a weapon or wears armor. Also recognizes USE.
UNEQUIP - Unwields a weapon or removes armor. Also recognizes USE.
WEAR - Same as equip. Makes ready an armament, such as armor.
REMOVE - Same as unequip. Removes an armament.
WIELD - Same as equip. Makes ready a weapon, such as a sword.
UNWIELD - Same as unequip. Unreadies a weapon, perhaps for a shield.
INVENTORY - Check inventory of items carried. Also recognizes I and INV.
SCORE - Check player attributes, such as health. Also recognizes ? and SC.
LOOK - Look at a room again. Also recognizes L and LK.
EXAMINE - Look closely at an object. Also recognizes X and EXA.
KILL - Attack a monster. Also recognizes FIGHT and SLAY.
SAVE - Save a game in progress. Also recognizes SAVE GAME.
QUIT - Quit a game in progress. Also recognizes Q, EXIT and BYE.
HELP - Displays this help screen. Also recognizes H and HINT.

Secondary Verbs
---------------

Secondary Verbs are commands which, while important, are not vital
to the game. You may use them to enhance the game in some way or
otherwise make it more enjoyable. You can also score 1 point for every
emotion you express, such as laughter or sadness.

MAP - Displays a map of the adventure. Not every room is listed, however.
GET ALL - Picks up every object in the room, with some limitations.
WEAR ALL - Wears every armor presently carried.
REMOVE ALL - Removes every armor presently carried.
ALIAS - Set/list alias commands. You can use up to 10 at any one time.
NOD - Nod in agreement.
CHUCKLE - Chuckle (laugh).
LAUGH - Laugh at something funny.
CRY - Express sadness at something not so funny.
WIMPER - Moan or cry.
POUT - Throw a fit.
SMILE - Smile in happiness at something.
FROWN - Frown in disagreement at something.
THINK - Stop for a moment to think.
PONDER - Think deeply about something.
HMM - Neutral thought.
SMIRK - Show skepticism of something.
BOW - Bow in reverence or respect.
GRIN - An evil or mischevious expression.
CACKLE - A hysterical or mad laugh.
WONDER - To be in awe of something.
PUZZLE - To be stumped.
SHRUG - A sign of resignation.
SHAKE - Shake your head in disagreement.

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HOW DO I WIN THE GAME OR SCORE POINTS?
--------------------------------------

To WIN the game, you must do only one thing: defeat
Camphora's arch enemy, Sugawara no Michizane. This is
NOT an easy task, however, as 'Suga' possesses enormous
strength and vitality. Once you defeat him, the game
is won.

To SCORE points, however, you will need to solve quests
and act in certain ways which the game considers rewardable.
For example, if you find a specific object crucial to the
game's progress, you will be rewarded a set number of
points. You CANNOT exceed the maximum of 500 points.

To WIN with a PERFECT SCORE, you must defeat 'Suga'
*and* score 500 total points. This is not an easy
accomplishment and will often require playing the
game through a second time in order to do so.

You will be given a named rank depending on the number
of points scored:

NOVICE CHEF - You begin the game at this rank. 
APPRENTICE CHEF - 0 to 100 points scored.
SUSHI CHEF - 101 to 200.
MASTER CHEF - 201 to 300.
SUPREME MASTER CHEF - 301 to 400.
HER MOST HIGHNESS CHEF - 401 to 499.
THE NAMELESS ONE - 500.

By the way, you are a female in this adventure.

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HOW IS COMBAT SETTLED?
----------------------

This adventure features a unique and inventive combat
system unusual in the text adventure genre. Not only
can you fight monsters and cast spells, but you can
also combine basic ingredients purchased at the store 
in order to mix and match different spell combinations.

There are four ingredients used in the game:

Melon Cubes - Qty. 4. Combine with Sake Pellets to cast ORCHID RAIN.
Cherry Chunks - Qty. 5. Combine with Peach Slices to cast BLOSSOM SWIRL.
Peach Slices - Qty. 2. Combine with Melon Cubes to cast GHOSTLY GLOW.
Sake Pellets - Qty. 3. Combine with Cherry Chunks to cast VISIONS OF DEATH.

Spells are explained at length in the Oibara Inn. Type 'menu' for a list.

Additionally, you may use two ingredients from the store (Melon Cubes and Sake 
Pellets) to plant what is known as a SAKE TREE. The SAKE TREE will replenish
the items purchased without cost (but only grows in specific areas of the
forest). Once planted, the SAKE TREE will periodically produce all four
ingredients listed on the Oibara Inn menu.

To plant the tree, find the correct spot and type 'plant tree'.
To obtain all four ingredients from the mature SAKE TREE, be
in the same room and type 'harvest tree'. It may not always
bare fruit, however. Just wait for the right time of day.

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HOW DO I FIGHT/CAST SPELLS?
---------------------------

To attack a monster, type 'kill <monster>', where '<monster>' is any
valid monster presently in the room. Some 'monsters' are considered
friendly, however, and may not be engaged in combat.

Once engaged, you will be presented with a small menu of choices:

<><><><><> Fight menu <><><><><>
| [F]ight,[C]ast,[U]se,[R]un   |
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

This menu is self-explanatory:

Type 'f' to begin hand-to-hand combat.
Type 'c' to begin casting a spell.
Type 'u' to use an item, such as healing elixir.
Type 'r' to run away (not always successful).

Once a command is pressed, a round of combat will then commence,
which includes one attack each on either side (you and the monster).
It then repeats back to the above menu, unless either party has
been mortally wounded, in which case the combat system aborts
back to the game.

If you lose, you will be presented with a final score (as well
as attributes and any gold earned) and be given an opportunity to
play the game again. Don't worry -- you can easily restore a
saved game later on by answering 'yes' to the question 'Are you 
playing a saved game?'.

Sometimes you will be attacked without typing anything. This is because
a few monsters in the game actually auto-attack the player upon entry
into a room (similar to most MUDs). This is unavoidable, so use caution
when entering a new room. Always be ready for combat!

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HOW TO FIGHT
------------

You may fight without wielding anything, but you will do only minimal
damage. It is highly stressed that you wield SOMETHING while engaged
in hand-to-hand combat. The most obvious choice is the sword (found
elsewhere in the adventure).

Fighting is pretty simple: each round allows both the player and monster
to get in ONE HIT ONLY. Although Raiythius can fight alongside you, he
often misses and can only cause 5-10% damage to a monster per round at
maximum. If only Raiythius hits, the battle will be over quickly!

Hits are graded by the following scale in severity:

'You hit...' - This is a lovetap. You barely hurt them. Max 5% damage.
'You wounded...' - You stabbed the monster, causing blood to flow. 10-15%.
'You severely wounded...' - You really hurt it, causing a bad wound. 20-45%.
'You mortally wounded...' - A mortal wound. It will eventually die. >50%.

The same severity scale also applies to monsters fighting you.

When the percentage of wounds sustained equals 100%, the battle is won (or
lost, if the player has sustained such wounds).

It is possible for a mortally wounded monster to still cause damage to the 
player, but their attacks are obviously less effective. The player cannot 
continue in battle if mortally wounded, however. You will just sustain more 
damage until your hit points reach zero (0). You will know you have reached 
this state when the game says,'You are exhausted and cannot continue.'

If you are wearing armor, a monster CANNOT mortally wound you on a single
blow (unless your hit points have reached zero, however).

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SPELL CASTING
-------------

If you choose 'c' on the fight menu, you will then be presented with
the following submenu:

<><><><><><><><><> Cast a spell <><><><><><><><><><>
| [ 1 ] ORCHID RAIN      2/4 Melon, 1/3 Sake       |
| [ 2 ] BLOSSOM SWIRL    2/5 Cherry, 1/2 Peach     |
| [ 3 ] GHOSTLY GLOW     3/4 Melon, 2/2 Peach      |
| [ 4 ] VISIONS OF DEATH 4/5 Cherry, 3/3 Sake      |
| [ 0 ] Cast nothing...                            |
<><><><><><><><><> Type 0 to 4! <><><><><><><><><><>
===| Melon: 4 | Sake: 2 | Cherry: 1 | Peach: 2 |====
 
The quantity of units (for each ingredient needed) is displayed at the 
bottom of the submenu. It obviously will differ from the example provided 
above. If you don't have enough units of a particular ingredient to
cast a spell, the game will inform you and the spell will fizzle.

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WHAT PUZZLES ARE IN THE GAME?
-----------------------------

You will find several puzzles which present themselves throughout the
course of the game. I will not go into details here about all of them, but
suffice to say that at least one of them (the lily pad puzzle) requires
stepping on them a preset number of times and in the right combination.

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WHO IS RAIYTHIUS AND HOW CAN HE HELP ME?
----------------------------------------

Raiythius is an NPC (Non-Player Character). He has the capacity to fight
alongside you during battle and can even sustain damage from monsters
during combat. His attacks are generally mild, but he does have at least
one special attack which will severely damage the monster you are
fighting.

Because Raiythius has no opposable thumbs -- lucky you -- he cannot
pick up or otherwise manipulate objects. He can only be fed meat (to
regain his health). 

He will often say humorous things and behave in a manner inconsistent
with a domesticated animal. But he's your companion throughout this
adventure, so treat him well!

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WHO ARE THE SINGING NOBUNAGA'S? WHERE IS THE OIBARA INN?
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The Singing Nobunaga's are a fictional musical band found inside
Oibara Inn. The inn is located deep within Atsura Jingu forest. It is
a very important place for two reasons: first, you can purchase items
from Bruce Lee at the shop (don't ask). Secondly, you can obtain
ingredients for spell casting (as well as regular drinks) at the
Oibara Inn bar. Type 'menu' for a list of drinks, and 'list' to see
what items are presently in stock.

There are a few others rooms inside the inn, but I will leave it up
to you to find and discover them!

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HELP! I CAN'T GET BY THE LILY PAD PUZZLE?
-----------------------------------------

At the waterfall you will find a lily pad puzzle. There are four
lily pads upon the water, all color-coded. Next to the water (and blocking
your path to the east) is a transparent, multicolor wall. Your goal is
to touch the lily pads in a specific order and set number of times in
order to eventually crumble the wall to the ground. Once that is done, you
can head east to obtain a powerful sword.

You will need to pay attention when solving this puzzle. It is a number
puzzle in that the colors correspond to numbers. Since a pattern is
required to lower the wall, you will need to touch the lily pads in a
specific pattern. It may take you four or five tries (at least) to solve
this puzzle. Have patience, though, because the sword is definitely
worth the wait!

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FINAL QUESTION: DO YOU THINK THIS GAME WILL DO WELL?
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I have no idea. In past competitions I have received very low grades. The
nature of the competition is so competitive that a good game could
easily receive a poor mark. Unfortunately, my name alone may cause many
to vote this game down (which is unfair, as I put a lot of work into
it, much more than in previous competition games). If you don't believe
me, take a look at the long and complex source code (also included).

I set out to write a fun and interesting game and I believe I've
succeeded. If you think it is crap, well, that's ultimately your loss
and not mine. I have written more adventure games than most authors
will ever bother to play, much less write. I have been involved in
interactive fiction since the early 1990s. I believe I know how to
write a good text adventure by now. And I don't give a damn how
other people see me.

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