Re: Suspended instructions?

["Adam 'Jw' Biltcliffe" <abiltcliffe@bigfoot.NOHORMELPRODUCTS.com>]

Mark J. Tilford <tilford@ralph.caltech.edu> wrote in message
slrn8cvg7u.3eh.tilford@ralph.caltech.edu">news:slrn8cvg7u.3eh.tilford@ralph.caltech.edu...
> On 15 Mar 2000 03:35:05 GMT, Jake Wildstrom <wild_dj@mit.edu> wrote:
> >In article <8amrg9$lia$1@flood.xnet.com>,
> >Jason Compton  <jcompton@typhoon.xnet.com> wrote:
> >>Max <massimo@gte.net> wrote:
> >>
> >>: There are no special instructions that are different than other
> >>: infocom games. You address your robots using the robot name and a
> >>: comma followed by the instructions eg. WALDO, PICK UP CABLE
> >
> >There are a couple other commands too, both game and metagame:
> >
> >QUERY xxx: You can tell Whiz to QUERY things when plugged into a
> >peripheral. For instance, send him to the Historical Archive, plug
> >him in, and QUERY FRANKLIN.
> >
> >ARR: Short for All robots report. Acts as if all robots LOOKed at the
> >same time. Takes only one turn.
> >
> >ARL: All robots, report location. Lists all robot locations. Takes a
> >turn.
>
> Actually, I think that ARR, and probably ARL, take seven turns (or,
> however many robots you have.)

A quick experiment shows that ARR takes (number of robots) turns, but
ARL takes only one.

> >CONFIGURE: Lets you set robot location and occurrance time of the
> >tremors.
> >May only be used on the first and second turn (note: it's not
> >_supposed_ to work on the second turn, but it does).
> >
> >EXPERT: Uses a more difficult configuration than usual. Also can only
> >be used on first or second turn.
> >
> >IMPOSSIBLE: Essentially a joke. Try it out... but you can't win.
> >Also, only first or second turn.

:)

Went and played it for the first time just now. These aren't mentioned
AFAICT in any of the documentation that comes with Masterpieces, along
with CONFIGURE, ARL and ARR, although you can figure out ALL ROBOTS,
REPORT LOCATIONS from the fact that this command is automatically issued
at the start of the game.

I love Suspended btw, does anyone know of any similar games that have
been written since?



Jw