Infocom Interpreter for Psion Series3 ===================================== 1. What is it ------------- This is a port of the Infocom Task Force 4.02 interpreter to the Psion Series3. It allows you to play the classic Infocom adventure games on the Psion palmtop, including PlanetFall, Zork, The Lurking Horror and The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The software is freely distributable, provided that this document is distributed with it. Frequent users are asked to register: see Copying for details. 2. You will need ---------------- 1. Psion Series3. Minimum of 256K (or 128K with 128KSDD). 2. A method of loading data into the Series3 (eg PCLink). 3. Infocom data file(s). The software may be compatible with the Acorn PocketBook, but I have been unable to test this. This version is probably not compatible with the Psion MC series. As a guide figure, when running PlanetFall the program needs 50K of memory, 17K of storage for the program image and 110K of storage for the data-file. This means that a basic 256K machine will have around 23K of memory left. However, it should be obvious that adding a 128K SDD will allow 127K of this to be moved out of the internal memory onto SDD. Hence, the absolute minimum requirement is a 256K Series3, or a 128K Series3 with 128K SDD. However, the recommended minimum is a 256K machine with 128K or more of SDD. Many early Infocom adventures have data-files in the 80-110K range (see later for a list of file-sizes). Playing larger games, such as HitchHikers, will obviously need 256K or more of SDD. The machine used for development was a 256K model with 512K of Flash SDD. Copying the program and data-files to your Series3 depends on whether you are using MacLink, PCLink or stranger methods (such as ZModem from a SUN workstation). The data files (which under DOS have a .DAT extension), need to be copied into an IDF subdirectory and given a .IDF extension so that the application correctly displays them in the same way the the Word application displays .WRD files. To install, simply put the Infocom.App file into the \APP directory on your internal disk or either SDD drive. You can then install from the application menu in the standard way. Once it is installed, any data files in the \IDF directories should be displayed under the Infocom icon on the system screen. Save files will default to the root directory on the internal disk. THE INFOCOM DATA FILES ARE NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN. To legally obtain a copy of the relevant files, you need to BUY a copy from your favourite software supplier. This used to be problematic, in that many of the games were no longer generally available. However, Activision has now released two packs, known as the Lost Treasures of Infocom. Volume I contains 20 of the most popular early games, and Volume II contains 11 later (and larger) games. These packages are useful in two ways. Firstly, they make available large numbers of the games at a reasonable price. Secondly, the games in the first pack tend to be the earlier versions; this means that they contain smaller files than released in the stand-alone packs. For example the data-file for PlanetFall supplied in the LostTreasures package is 110K, while the version sold individually by Mastertronic included online VisiClues at the cost of a 140K file size. 3. Copying ---------- This program may be freely copied provided that this message is kept with it. This software is freely distributable for the following reasons (a) The main bulk of the code is freely available, and contributed by others. (b) I hope to encourage others to do likewise; the Psion lacks the software base of the HP95, and the commercial distribution mechanism seems to require SDD as the most general distribution media and force prices up the 50 pound level. (c) I make frequent use of software with similar conditions attached, such as Gofer, !Larger and !Zap. It seems only fair to return the favour. However, if you make frequent use of this software, a registration fee of 10 pounds sterling (or more) sent with your name and address to the address below will mean that I enter your name on a mailing list so that you are notified of major revisions. Registered users are of course entitled to report bugs and make suggestions. The port was written for my own use, and released at the suggestion of members of the Oxford Archimedes User Group. The number of registrations received will obviously affect the amount of maintenance performed on this software, as well as the release mechanism for subsequent projects ... The source code for this release is NOT generally available; since I am prepared to accept bug reports I wish to avoid `improved' derivative versions being distributed. Of course, the original sources are available for anyone with the Psion SDK, an available PC and a few weeks to spare. 4. Acknowledgements ------------------- This package is based on Infocom Task Force Interpreter, the sources for which are available by FTP from remus.rutgers.edu and ftp.cse.unsw.edu.au [149.171.16.16] in the /pub/infocom directory. Note that this contains only the original sources, and is almost certainly available from a closer FTP site. Porting this software to the Series3 was made possible by access to machines and compilers owned by Formal Systems (Europe) Ltd. The bulk of the work was done under software PC-emulation on an Acorn Archimedes. The fact that is possible to port such an application into the Series3 small memory model is due both to the efficiency of the JPI TopSpeed code-generator, and the light-weight Psion SDK libraries supplied with their Documentation Kit. 5. Known problems ----------------- Windowing support in the interpreter is not correctly implemented. This means that the later games, such as Sherlock, which attempt to maintain a multi-line status line directly and offer online VisiClues occasionally make a mess of screen redraw. AMFV also has problems with screen redraw since it seems to assume an 80 column screen. Beyond Zork makes massive use of the windowing system for the mapping feature and is unusable. Where a choice had to be made between implementing a feature or saving significant amounts of memory, the feature was removed. For example, scripting within the interpreter has been disabled since it is of limited use on a palmtop. Similarly, support for proportionally spaced fonts has not been added since it would involve duplicating much of the code within Psion's console driver. The program will almost certainly not work on the MC200 and MC400. The techniques needed to interface to the system screen seem to be specific to the Series3 version of EPOC. However, the work involved in removing the Series3 interface code and using the MC command line mechanism is minor. Anyone with access to an MC machine, and preferably the SDK, who is interested in adapting the code is invited to contact me. 6. Bug Reports and Disclaimers ------------------------------ Trademarks of IBM, Sun Microsystems, Activision, Clarion TopSpeed, Hewlett Packard, Psion and Acorn Computers are hereby acknowledged. This program is provided "as is", without any warranty of any kind. The entire risk as to its quality and performance is with you. In no event will I be liable for damages arising from the use of this program. However, I am interested in bug reports and constructive suggestions. Comments along the lines of "Zork Zero doesn't work", when this needs CGA/EGA graphics and "Why can't I select the available commands from menus" will be ignored. If you are using the software enough to generate bug reports, or to make suggestions for improvements, then it would be appreciated if you register the software (see Copying). Reports and registrations can be sent by post to Bryan Scattergood 54 Mill Street Oxford OX2 0AL England Alternatively, I can be contacted by email as jbs@uk.ac.ox.prg. However, email is much more likely to be ignored, and is LESS likely to produce a speedy response. Appendix -------- File sizes given are for the Lost Treasures of Infocom. There are many versions of some adventures, and sizes may vary considerably. Note that the only Infocom game which might be playable on the Series3 and is not available in the packages seems to be Leather Goddesses of Phobos. Lost Treasures I BALLYHOO 126 Kbytes DEADLINE 106 Kbytes ENCHANTER 109 Kbytes HITCHHIKER 155 Kbytes INFIDEL 92 Kbytes LURKING 126 Kbytes MOONMIST 126 Kbytes PLANETFALL 107 Kbytes SORCERER 106 Kbytes SPELLBREAKER 126 Kbytes STARCROSS 82 Kbytes STATIONFALL 126 Kbytes SUSPECT 116 Kbytes SUSPEND 104 Kbytes WITNESS 102 Kbytes ZORK1 83 Kbytes ZORK2 88 Kbytes ZORK3 81 Kbytes BeyondZork and Zork Zero are not suitable for use on the Series3. Lost Treasures II AMFV 256 Kbytes BORDERZONE 174 Kbytes BUREAUCRACY 238 Kbytes CUTTHROAT 110 Kbytes HOLLYWOOD 107 Kbytes NORDANDBERT 166 Kbytes PLUNDERED 126 Kbytes SEASTALKER 115 Kbytes SHERLOCK 184 Kbytes TRINITY 256 Kbytes WISHBRINGER 126 Kbytes