Three More Visitors By Paul Stanley For Z-code interpreters Solution by Garry Francis ---------------------------------------- This is a minimal solution to a very tightly structured game. It is modelled on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", but set 10 years later. Knowledge of the original story is useful (as the same characters are in this one), but probably not essential. You'll need to EXAMINE lots of things for this solution to make sense. In many situations, you can TALK TO or WAIT for events to unfold. Sometimes you must do this, other times it's optional. The game is fairly linear and it will lead you along all the way. If you get stuck on a puzzle, TALK TO or WAIT will eventually hand you the answer on a plate. It's very friendly in this respect and would therefore be a good game for beginners. Although the game is very forgiving, save the game before entering the Cratchits' house in part 5 in case things go badly. Optional (but significant) commands and commentary are shown in brackets. [Part 1: Present] (UNLOCK DOOR WITH KEY) (OPEN IT) N Z Z Z Z (you hear footsteps outside) Z (you hear voices) Z (sly old voice) Z ("Mr Scrooge" & "compliments of the season") Z (older man says something) Z (recognise voice of Tiny Tim) Z Z (old man says "...I have found him out") Z ("Jarboe" & "visit") Z (Tiny Tim knows of visit) Z (can't hear what old man is saying) Z Z (Italians, business to be sold, Bob Cratchit to be put out) Z (Tim asks "Is there nothing that can be done to stop him?") Z (old man) Z Z (something about slipping concoction into a drink) Z (Tim says "I will do it") Z (old man) Z (voices fade) (Z) (you feel very tired) (X TABLE) (you find a letter) (X LETTER) (it's a letter from William Jarboe regarding changes to your will) SLEEP [Part 2: The Ghost of Christmas Past] (L) (you see the Ghost of Christmas Past) (TALK TO GHOST) (G) ("I am here to show you a beginning") (G) ("Just walk through the door") E (to mother's parlour) (X MOTHER) (she's been beaten by your father) OPEN BOX GET HAMMER Z (Mordecai arrives) TALK TO MORDECAI (he wants hammer) Z Z (Mordecai takes hammer) Z (Mordecai advances) Z (Mordecai hits you on head and leaves) Z (mother wakes) Z Z (room changes) (TALK TO GHOST) ("you have grown up") (G) ("we are tracing evil to its source") (G) (G) (ghost gestures towards door) W [Part 3: The Ghost of Christmas Present] (TALK TO GHOST) (G) ("Why are you here?") (G) ("Touch my robe and I will show you") (G) ("I will take you to see something that may save you yet") TOUCH ROBE (transported to street in Camden) GET SIXPENCE (needed in part 4, but ghost can also make it appear when needed) (TALK TO GHOST) ("Ask rather who it is I have brought here") (G) (gestures to house) (G) ("what should I do?") D (TALK TO GHOST) ("The reason I have brought you is beyond that window") (G) ("There is something here you need to see") (G) (G) ("If you cleaned frost away") (G) (see movement beyond window) (G) ("Try rubbing the window") RUB WINDOW (TALK TO GHOST) ("what do you see inside?") LOOK THROUGH WINDOW (you see Cratchits' kitchen, Tim comes in) G (Tim looks at punch bowl) G (Tim pours liquid into bowl) G (see yourself and Bob Cratchit) G (Tim ladles punch into mugs) G (two men raise their mugs) G (draught takes its effect) G (you and Bob are dead) G (Tim rushes over) G (Tim leaves) G (two corpses lie there) G (Tim leaves house) G (steps fade into distance) G (ghost of present replaced by ghost of future) [Part 4: The Ghost of Christmas Future] (X CHINAMAN) (he's reading a magazine) (X MAGAZINE) (note the canary) (TALK TO CHINAMAN) (Mr Chu is having a party, you don't believe him) (G) ("only for friends of Mr Chu") (G) ("willing to give a present to Mr Chu") (G) ("Give me a present for Mr Chu") (G) ("Sixpence for admission") GIVE SIXPENCE TO CHINAMAN ("You may go in") W (inside opium den) (X ADDICTS) (you recognise Tiny Tim) WAKE TIM ("How I am cursed for my terrible deeds?") TALK TO HIM (he did it out of ignorance) G (spirit returns you to present) [Part 5: Back to present] (GET UP) E N W N (no need to follow man in astrakhan coat, you know who he is) KNOCK ON DOOR (Bob Cratchit welcomes you in) (X CANARY) (it likes alcohol) TALK TO BOB (you tell him about your dreams, but he doesn't believe you) G (Tim denies any wrong doing) G ("let's have some punch") G (Mrs Cratchit and girls will be back shortly) G (Tim returns with punch) GIVE PUNCH TO CANARY (canary dies, Tim confesses, everyone lives happily ever after) ***THE END***