Sample Transcript from Border Zone, typed in by Volker Blasius
Comments in {} are mine, sentences in [] are in the original.
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This transcript is not from "Border Zone", but it does show many of the usual
things you can do in the story. It shows a few 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 shows the layout of the rooms in the sample transcript as
you might have drawn it.
{Map of 8 rooms that can be reconstructed from the transcript}
You've just stolen the secret Prosser Papers from the Prosser Mansion. Now
you've got to make your getaway: you'll need to find a change of clothes
(you're dressed all in black, which makes you look VERY suspicious) and a
car.
Forest
You are surrounded on all sides by forest, except to the north, where a road
that sounds well-traveled lies up a small slope.
>NORTH
Edge of Road, South Side
You crawl on your stomach along the edge of a slope that lines the south side
of the road. Cars pass by sporadically.
>N
You start to cross the road, but a truck nearly hits you so you turn back.
>WATCH THE CARS
[If you were playing "Border Zone", at this point the status line would
graphically depict the movements of the cars as well as your position. Since
this manual does not come with a status line, the position of the cars
relative to your position will be included in the text.]
There is a car heading towards you about 100 yards to the west. There is a
car heading away from you about 500 yards to the east.
[At this point you could try to cross the street again or you could wait
(either by doing nothing or typing WAIT). After 30 seconds the new positions
of the autos would be shown on the status line.]
There is a car heading away from you about 300 yards to the east.
>GO NORTH
Edge of Road, North Side
You sprint across the road and dive into a gully on the opposite side,
landing on a prostrate hobo who yells "Ouch!" Directly to the south, across
the road, lies a forest. The gully leads off into the horizon to your east
and west. North of you is an overgrown hedgerow that looks as if it was once
part of an ornate landscape.
You are no longer watching the cars.
The hobo yells, "You hurt me!"
>SAY "FORGIVE ME"
The hobo responds, "Okay, you're forgiven."
>L AT THE HEDGEROW
The hedgerow is a long dense yew that encircles an estate. It looks as if it
could use some trimming.
>BEND THE HEDGE
By reaching both arms in the hedgerow, and separating the branches, you make
a space wide enough to crawl through.
>N
Lawn
You crawl through the hedges. Unfortunately, your black stocking cap gets
caught in the branches, and when the hedge returns to its original position,
your cap is flung onto the road. You dare not try to retrieve it. This is too
bad since your bangs come down to your nose and your vision is severely
impaired. The grass on the lawn is knee-high, and it would be hard to see any
obstacles lying in it. To your north is a garage, and to the west of the
garage is a white, boarded-up house. East of the garage is an old, shut-off
fountain in the center of a pool.
>INVENTORY
You have a black canvas jumpsuit (being worn), a pair of black shoes with
crepe soles (being worn), and the secret Prosser Papers.
>N
You begin to dash up to the garage, but the combination of uncut grass and
hair makes you trip on an unseen sprinkler, and you fall on your face.
>RIP CLOTHES
You rip a piece of your clothes and now hold a scrap in your hand.
>TIE THE SCRAP AROUND MY HEAD
You make a headband from the torn piece of clothing and tuck your bangs under
it. Now you can see much better.
>L AT THE HOUSE
The house is white and boarded up. It doesn't look like it's been lived in
for years.
>N
In Front of Garage
You dash up the lawn, narrowly avoiding on old tricycle. There is a large,
pull-up door here with windows shaped like diamonds.
>L IN WINDOW
You can't see much because the window is dirty on the inside. However, you do
catch the glint of moonlight on metal.
>OPEN THE DOOR
Although the garage door does not seem locked, it is stuck, probably due to
neglect.
>NE
East of Garage
You slide like a shadow along the east wall of the garage. There is a door
here. You can see a fountain to your east.
>OFEN THE DOOR
[I don't know the word "ofen."]
>OOPS OPEN
The door creaks like an old brass bed as you open it.
>ENTER THE GARAGE
Garage
As you enter the garage, a couple of bats flutter out through the open door,
giving you a start. Dim light shines in through the dirty windows. There is
an old car here. It looks like a sedan. Next to the sedan is a toolbench.
>L AT THE TOOLBENCH
On the toolbench you see a bottle of oil, a pair of pruning snippers, and a
trashcan.
>GET ALL
bottle of oil: Taken.
pair of pruning snippers: Taken.
trashcan: Taken.
>L AT THE TRASHCAN
The trash can is an old dented aluminium job with a lid that is tied onto the
handles with twine.
>CUT THE TWINE
What do you want to cut the twine with?
>SNIPPERS
The twine snaps with a twang.
>REMOVE THE LID
You remove the lid, and a musty smell wafts up from the bottom of the can.
>L IN THE CAN
Inside the can you see a green and purple plaid polyester sports jacket with
matching skirt and a peach shirt, along with some old magazines.
>GET ALL FROM CAN
sports jacket: Taken.
skirt: Taken.
peach shirt: Taken.
old magazines: Taken.
>WEAR SHIRT. WEAR SKIRT. WEAR JACKET
You remove your black turtleneck and overalls, put the on the floor, and put
on the peach shirt. You look less like a burglar already.
You are now wearing the green and purple plaid polyester skirt. You look even
less like a burglar.
You are now wearing the green and purple plaid polyester sports jacket.
Unfortunately, a patrol car has noticed the open side door and is turning up
the driveway to investigate. You only have moments before you're caught!
At least now you look more like a respectable, if tasteless, business woman.
>GARAGE DOOR {sic}
You grease the garage door, which immediately seems looser.
The patrol car is starting to drive down the long driveway.
>DROP CAN AND BOTTLE
trashcan: dropped.
bottle of oil: dropped.
>REPLACE THE LID
You replace the lid on the can.
>EXIT GARAGE
Garage, East Side
You crouch behind the garage door, but you're not particularly well hidden.
>E
Fountain
You skirt across the lawn, just missing an old lawnmower, and stoop behind
the low, white wall of a pool. There is a large white fountain here. The
water in the pool is dirty and covered with algae.
A patrol guard has just gotten out of the patrol car and is now entering the
garage.
>Z
The patrol guard leaves the garage and closes the side door. He is now
heading in your direction. You only have moments before you're caught.
>E
If you want to enter the pool, just say so.
>ENTER THE POOL
You distastefully slide under the surface of the pool, hoping the guard won't
be too curious.
The patrol guard continues to poke around the grounds, stopping to light a
cigar.
>WAIT 120 SECONDS
[If you were playing "Border Zone", at this point two minutes would elapse.]
The patrol guard, satisfied that it was only an animal, leaves.
>W.OPEN THE DOOR.ENTER THE GARAGE
You slowly crawl out of the pool and, after what seems like millennia, stand
on your feet. You imagine how disgusting you look in your dripping, muddy
green and purple plaid polyester suit as you wipe the pond scum from your
headband.
You jog back over to the garage.
Garage, East Side
The door gives a heartrendering squeal as you open it.
You furtiveley enter the garage.
Garage
You keep your head down so it won't be seen through the windows, and you pray
the guard doesn't return.
It is pretty dark in here.
>CLOSE THE SIDE DOOR.OPEN GARAGE DOOR
So as not to make the same mistake twice, you shut the door before you
continue. The door screams as it is closed. It is now pitch black.
With a not-so-mighty tug you wrench the garage door free. Enough moonlight
shines in for you to see. Now all you have to do is get the car going.
>OPEN CAR DOOR
The car door is now open.
>GET IN THE CAR
You slide behind the wheel, hot-wire the ignition, and drive to freedom,
albeit looking like a bag lady.
