Sample Transcript from Ballyhoo, typed in by Tom Schaefer
Comments in {} are mine, sentences in [] and () are in the original.
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This transcript is not from "Ballyhoo", but it does show most of the usual
things you can do in the story. It contains several simple puzzles and their
solutions, and it will give you a good idea of how Infocom's interactive
fiction works. The player's commands appear in capital letters after each
prompt (>). The map represents the terrain in the sample transcript as you
might have drawn it.
{Map of 5 rooms that can be reconstructed from the transcript}
Every summer the circus comes to town; and every year, you and all your
neighbors line the streets to watch the animals parade from the railroad
station to the big field on the hill. Many of the performers in the circus
also line the streets - acrobats, magicians, musicians, jugglers, and clowns -
to entertain the crowds before the parade. Usually, the sideshows are better
than the main event.
By the Grinder
You're awaiting the parade of the circus here on sunny Park Street, which
runs north and south. A thick hedge to the east runs parallel to the street.
People line the street as far as you can see in both directions. North of
here you can see strange objects being tossed into the air sporadically;
south of here you can hear "oohs" and "aahs" of a tighter crowd.
In front of you is an unshaven organ-grinder, looking hot, bored, and weary.
Strapped to him is a hand organ, a black-and-yellow box with a crank. On top
of the organ is a little gray monkey, dressed in a red-and-gold vest and
wearing a fez.
>PET THE MONKEY
The monkey jumps onto the organ-grinder's head, out of your reach.
>MONKEY, DANCE
The monkey yawns and ignores you.
>TURN THE CRANK
The organ-grinder steps back away from you. "No performance without a ticket,"
he grumbles.
>INVENTORY
You are carrying a circus ticket.
>EXAMINE TICKET
You see nothing interesting about the ticket.
>GO NORTH
By the Juggler
You're still awaiting the parade of the circus here on Park Street, which
continues north and south. A thick hedge to the east runs parallel to Park
Street.
In front of you is a young, dark-haired man juggling a broken plate, a
lacrosse ball, a cracked candlepin, and a chopstick.
>APPLAUD
The juggler bows, dropping everything. The candlepin lands squarely on your
foot.
>PICK UP THE CANDLEPIN THEN GIVE IT TO THE JUGGLER
candlepin: Taken.
candlepin: "Thanks," says the embarrassed juggler, taking the candlepin. He
starts to juggle again but soon drops everything.
>GO SOUTH
By the Grinder
The organ-grinder and his monkey are here.
The monkey is on its knees, arms outstretched, basking in the applause of a
small crowd. "That was great," you hear someone say. "The best act on the
street." The people disperse, talking appreciatively about the monkey's act.
>GIVE MY TICKET TO THE MONKEY
You give the ticket to the monkey, who sniffs the ticket, lets out a yawn,
and tosses it into the air. The ticket sails over the hedge to the east and
disappears. "You should've given the ticket to me," says the organ-grinder
sadly.
>ORGAN-GRINDER, FIND MY TICKEY
[I don't know the word 'tickey'.]
>OOPS TICKET
"Find it yourself."
>EAST
There's a hedge in the way!
>SOUTH
You can't go in that direction. There are too many people crowded around a
performer.
>N
By the Juggler
The juggler is here, dropping things.
>E
There's a hedge in the way!
>GO NORTH
By the Magician
Park Street continues north and south here. A thick hedge to the east runs
parallel to Park Street.
A woman wearing a black top hat and a tuxedo is here. She is waving colorful
handkerchiefs around, which turn into flowers, and then turn back into
handkerchiefs.
>EAST
There's a hedge in the way!
>CLIMB OVER THE HEDGE
Its branches are too little and prickly to climb.
>CRAWL UNDER THE HEDGE
You smell the dirt in your face and feel the thorns on your back as you crawl
under the hedge and find yourself...
In the Park, Near Trees
You're in a large, sunny park, nearly empty since most people are awaiting
the parade of the circus on Park Street. An apple tree and an elm tree stand
nearby.
A large dog comes bounding up to you, tail wagging. It has something in its
mouth.
>LOOK AT THE DOG
This is a very large dog, a cross (you'd guess) between a Great Dane and a
German shephard. It has your ticket in its mouth.
The dog runs around you playfully.
>TAKE THE TICKET FROM THE DOG
The dog, enjoying the game of tug-of-war, holds onto the ticket tightly.
>EXAMINE THE TREE
(Which tree do you mean, the apple tree or the elm tree?)
>APPLE
The tree already contains good-sized apples, even though apple season is weeks
away.
>PICK AN APPLE
apple: Picked.
>SHOW THE APPLE TO THE DOG
The dog isn't interested.
>THROW THE APPLE
The dog briefly considers chasing the apple, which bounces away, then decides
not to. It runs around you playfully.
>PICK AN APPLE
apple: Picked
>W
You crawl under the hedge and find yourself...
By the Magician
A woman wearing a black top hat and a tuxedo is here.
>ASK THE MAGICIAN ABOUT THE DOG
The woman ignores you.
>SOUTH.
The juggler is here, juggling.
>WAIT
Time passes...
The juggler drops everything. The lacrosse ball lands squarely on your foot.
>TAKE THE LACROSSE BALL AND THE CHOPSTICK
lacrosse ball: Taken.
chopstick: Taken.
>JUGGLER, TELL ME ABOUT THE DOG
"You mean the big dog in the park? I don't know much about him, other than
he's friendly and likes to fetch sticks."
>GIVE THE LACROSSE BALL AND THE APPLE TO THE JUGGLER
lacrosse ball: "Thanks," says the embarrassed juggler, taking the lacrosse
ball.
apple: "Hey, thanks! Keep the chopstick!" He starts juggling the apple, the
lacrosse ball, the broken plate, and the cracked candlepin.
>I
You are carrying a chopstick.
>CRAWL UNDER THE HEDGE
You crawl under the hedge and find yourself...
In the Park, South of Trees
You're in a large sunny park. North of here, you see an apple tree and an elm
tree.
The large dog comes bounding up to you, tail wagging. It has something in its
mouth.
>SHOW THE CHOPSTICK TO THE DOG
The dog looks excitedly at the stick, and starts jumping for it.
>THROW THE CHOPSTICK
You heave the chopstick as far as you can. The dog drops the ticket and bounds
happily after the stick.
>TAKE THE TICKET
ticket: Taken.
>W
You crawl under the hedge and find youself...
By the Juggler
The juggler is here, juggling.
>SOUTH
By the Grinder
The organ-grinder and his monkey are here.
>GIVE THE TICKET TO THE ORGAN-GRINDER
The organ-grinder smiles broadly as he takes your ticket and punches it.
"Thank you, sir," he says pleasantly. He cranks his organ, and despite the
tinny sound, the monkey performs a memorable interpretive dance, reminiscent
of Gene Kelly in "An American in Paris". Indeed, the best act on the street.
