FROTZCE V1.3 - an interpreter for most Infocom games. Complies with 
standard 0.2 of Graham Nelson's specification. 
Ported to Windows CE by Ian Dean in 1997 from Dos version 2.22.
Dos version written by Stefan Jokisch in 1995-97

Features:

    - support for V1 to V8 games (limited support for V6 games)
    - real-time input ('Border Zone')
    - word completion (similar to "tcsh" under Unix)
    - command line history
    - small save files
    - switch for setting the Tandy bit
    - switches for colour setting
    - cheat functions
    - multiple UNDO (via hot key, even for old V1 to V4 games)
    - input line recording and playback (via hot key)
    - support for European characters ('Zork I German')
    - italic, reverse and boldface text
    - option to use small fonts to maximise screen size
    - option to hide command bar to maximise screen size
    - option to display bold fonts to maximise readability
    - fast performance without virtual memory
    - auto-recognition of all Infocom story files

Special keys:

    Alt-D - toggle debugging options
    Alt-N - new game (restart)
    Alt-P - turn on input line playback
    Alt-R - toggle input line recording on/off
    Alt-S - set the random number seed
    Alt-U - multiple undo, works even for old V1 to V4 games
    Alt-H - help on hotkeys
    Alt-X - exit game

Button bar:

There are buttons for most common actions, and tapping on a word on the 
screen adds it to the input line, so you can theoretically play without
typing...

This project is now more or less complete (but the documentation isn't)...

It doesn't handle graphics, fonts or sounds (and probably won't ever).

At present the only editing keys are the <Backspace> and <Tab> keys...

All Infocom games work fully apart from:
 Arthur - Limited support as there are no graphics
 Journey - Limited support as there are no graphics
 Shogun - Limited support as there are no graphics (not tested)
 Beyond Zork - Limited support as there are no graphics characters
 Zork Zero - Not supported

You will also find the latest version of FrotzCE at my website.

Ian Dean
frotzce@pyram-id.demon.co.uk
www.pyram-id.demon.co.uk/FrotzCE.html

LEGAL MUMBO-JUMBO

1) This program is FREE. That means you cannot sell it NO MATTER WHO
YOU ARE. 
2) You can give this program to whoever you like, but ONLY AS LONG
AS YOU SUPPLY IT WITH ALL OF THE FILES IN THIS DISTRIBUTION.
3) I assume NO liability for ANY damages WHATSOEVER caused by using
this program. In other words you use this program at YOUR OWN RISK.
4) You are not allowed to modify any of the files in this distribution.

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ORIGINAL FROTZ README BY STEFAN JOKISCH
============================================================================
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FROTZ V2.22 - an interpreter for all Infocom games. Complies with standard
0.2 of Graham Nelson's specification. Written by Stefan Jokisch in 1995-97

    This program once started as a re-make of Mark Howell's Zip, but
    it has grown into an utterly new interpreter.

    Frotz is freeware: It may be used and distributed freely provided
    no commercial profit is involved. (c) 1995-1997 Stefan Jokisch.

    Please report bugs to: s.jokisch@avu.de

Acknowledgements:

    Many thanks to Paul D. Doherty for his continuing support of this
    project. Thanks to everyone who sent bug reports, contributions or
    helpful hints (in alphabetical order):

        Thomas Biskup, Ian Carpenter, Graeme Cree, Jason Dyer,
        Carl Edman, Bernhard Fuchs, Joe Hachem, John Kennedy,
        Kirk Klobe, Marnix Klooster, John Mackin, Ambat Sasi Nair,
        Alan Sherrod and Linards Ticmanis.

    Last but not least, thanks to the porters:

        Amiga................................David Kinder
        OS/2........................Christopher J. Madsen
        Unix (curses library).............Galen Hazelwood
        Windows 95..........................Rich Lawrence

    Executables are available from ftp.gmd.de and from

        http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Heights/3222/frotz.html

    which is the Frotz home page maintained by Chris Madsen.

Features:

    - support for V1 to V8 games
    - various text and graphic modes including 640x400 resolution
    - real-time input ('Border Zone')
    - built-in graphic font ('Beyond Zork', 'Journey')
    - mouse support ('Beyond Zork' and all V6 games)
    - function key support including number pad keys ('Beyond Zork')
    - command line editing and history
    - word completion (similar to "tcsh" under Unix)
    - small save files
    - switches for colour setting
    - switch for setting the Tandy bit
    - sound effects via Soundblaster ('The Lurking Horror' and 'Sherlock')
    - cheat functions
    - multiple UNDO (via hot key, even for old V1 to V4 games)
    - input line recording and playback (via hot key)
    - support for European characters ('Zork I German')
    - underlined, reverse and boldface text
    - fast performance without virtual memory

Special keys:

    Alt-D - toggle debugging options (-a, -A, -o, -O)
    Alt-H - help on hot keys
    Alt-N - new game (restart)
    Alt-P - turn on input line playback
    Alt-R - toggle input line recording on/off
    Alt-S - set the random number seed
    Alt-U - multiple undo, works even for old V1 to V4 games
    Alt-X - exit game

    When testing a text adventure it can be difficult to reproduce a
    specific bug. To avoid this problem you should use the Alt-R key
    to record all your inputs in a command file. Later you can press
    Alt-P to feed the command file back into Frotz. In some cases,
    however, you will find that the result is different because many
    games contain random events. Luckily, Frotz provides a hot key
    to control these events. Type Alt-S and you are asked for a seed
    value, i.e. a value in the range from 1 to 32767. Normally, you
    would choose a number >= 1000. Smaller values generate a special
    sequence of random numbers as proposed by Nelson. (For instance,
    the seed value 4 generates 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1...). In any
    case, random events become predictable until the next restart.

    See also the command line option -s below.

    cursor left       - move one character to the left
    cursor right      - move one character to the right
    ctrl-cursor left  - move to previous word
    ctrl-cursor right - move to next word
    home              - move to beginning of line
    end               - move to end of line
    backspace         - delete character to the left
    delete            - delete character below cursor
    insert            - toggle overwrite mode on/off
    escape            - delete whole input line
    cursor up         - get previous command
    cursor down       - get next command
    page up           - scroll status window up ('Beyond Zork')
    page down         - scroll status window down ('Beyond Zork')
    tab               - word completion (like "tcsh" under Unix)

    When you need to type an unpleasantly long word, try to type the
    first three or four letters then press the tabulator key. If you
    are lucky, Frotz fills in some or all of the missing letters. A
    high beep noise indicates that the word is ambiguous; a low beep
    indicates that it does not exist. Apart from that, you can also
    use the history feature to get to previous input lines. Type the
    beginning of the input line you are looking for, then use cursor
    up/down to scroll through all input lines matching that prefix.

Syntax: frotz [options] story-file

    -d #     select display mode

    Display modes: 0 mono, 1 text, 2 cga, 3 mcga, 4 ega, 5 amiga

    When no display mode is given, Frotz tries to select a mode that
    is suitable for the given story file. In theory every story file
    can be run under every display mode; in practice, however, some
    story files do not work very well in certain display modes. More
    information can be found at the end of this document.

    -f #     set the foreground colour
    -b #     set the background colour
    -F #     set the foreground colour for reversed text
    -B #     set the background colour for reversed text
    -e #     set the emphasis colour

    The emphasis colour is used in text mode instead of underlining;
    its default value is yellow. The reverse mode colours can be set
    to change the look of the status line; if you prefer the look of
    Infocom's V3 interpreter, try -F4 to turn the text on the status
    line red. All colours range from 0 to 15.

    For V6 games under Amiga mode the switches -F and -B don't work;
    and even -f and -b accept only certain colours.

    -i       ignore runtime errors

    Set this switch and Frotz no longer worries about anything the
    game tries to do. This can help you to get around fatal errors.

    -T       bold typing

    In modes 2, 4 and 5 this switch enables boldface characters for
    location names and other highlighted text bits. Sadly, boldface
    text tends to be less readable, especially when capital letters
    are used, which is why this is only an option.

    -w #     set the screen width
    -h #     set the screen height
    -l #     set the left margin
    -r #     set the right margin

    Setting the screen format can be useful if you are running Frotz
    under Microsoft Windows, or if you want to test a game on a more
    narrow screen. Setting the margins is a matter of taste; Infocom
    interpreters usually set a right margin of one character (-r1).

    -S #     set the width of the transscript file

    By default your transscript files are formatted to a width of 80
    columns per line -- regardless of the current screen width. This
    switch allows you to change this setting. In particular, you can
    try -S 9999 or similar to deactivate automatic line splitting in
    transscript files.

    -c #     set the number of context lines

    When the game prints several pages of text in a row, Frotz stops
    for a more prompt after each page. The first prompt appears when
    your input reaches the top of the window. Further prompts appear
    when the previous page has been scrolled off the window. You can
    use this switch to make the latter more prompts appear earlier.

    -u #     set the number of undo slots for multiple undo

    Frotz tries to allocate as much conventional memory as possible
    for multiple UNDO. If this strategy causes some kind of problem,
    use this switch to set a tighter limit. In particular, you might
    want to turn off the UNDO feature altogether by typing -u0.

    -s #     set the random number seed

    The given seed value is used as the initial seed value on every
    restart. This is helpful for testing games like 'Curses' which
    make random decisions before the first input (such that the hot
    key Alt-S does not really help). The meaning of seed values has
    been explained in the previous section.

    -x       expand abbreviations (g, x, z ==> again, examine, wait)

    This switch was made for old Infocom games that lack the common
    abbreviations introduced in later games. Use it with caution: A
    few games might use "g", "x" or "z" for different purposes.

    -o       watch object movement
    -O       watch object locating
    -a       watch attribute assignment
    -A       watch attribute testing

    Although these switches may be of assistance while debugging new
    games, they are are actually meant to be cheat functions. The -o
    switch, for example, helps to locate the thief in 'Zork 1' and
    the cat in 'Curses'. The other switches produce a lot of obscure
    messages during the game; but some of these messages might give
    you important clues if you watch carefully.

    -t       set the Tandy bit

    Some old Infocom games were sold by the Tandy Corporation. These
    games behave slightly different when you use this option. For
    example, 'The Witness' gets censored: bastards turn into idiots,
    private dicks into private eyes and so on.

Questions and answers:

    Q: What is Frotz?
    A: Frotz runs text adventures which come in so-called story files:
       ZORK1.DAT, TRINITY.DAT, CURSES.Z5, JIGSAW.Z8, ARTHUR.ZIP etc.

    Q: Where can I find story files to use with Frotz?
    A: First, you can use the files from your original Infocom games. It
       is possible to play Atari ST, Amiga or Macintosh games on your PC
       once you manage to transfer the story files. Some people even
       extracted story files from old Atari 800, Apple II and C-64 disks!
       Second, there is also an increasing number of new games available
       on the Internet. Check the if-archive at ftp.gmd.de.

    Q: Why does Frotz stop with an error message?
    A: It might have detected a bug in the story file other interpreters
       overlooked. Use the -i switch to run your story file anyway. It's
       also possible that the story file is corrupt; be sure to download
       story files in binary mode.

    Q: Is there a way to exit Frotz in emergency situations?
    A: If you run Frotz under DOS, try ctrl-break. If you run Frotz under
       Windows, better use the exit button.

    Q: What do I need to play graphic games?
    A: In addition to the story file, you also need appropriate graphics
       files in your current directory. CG1 files work for CGA mode, MG1
       files for both MCGA and AMIGA mode, and finally EG1/EG2 files for
       EGA mode. If you extract a story file from Amiga/Macintosh disks,
       you should get the MG1 file from the if-archive at ftp.gmd.de and
       run the game in AMIGA mode (-d5).

    Q: What do I need for sound?
    A: You need the original 'Sherlock' or 'Lurking Horror'. Next get the
       SHSOUND.ZIP or LHSOUND.ZIP package from ftp.gmd.de (directory is
       /if-archive/infocom/missing-files). Each package contains a readme
       file, sound files and a tool to update your old story file. Follow
       the instructions in the readme file.

    Q: When exactly should I hear sound?
    A: Here are two examples: In 'Lurking Horror', you can hear chanting
       during your dream in the terminal pool. In 'Sherlock', you should
       play the violin.

    Q: Why doesn't the sound work?
    A: Be sure to use the correct story files: 'Sherlock' release 26 (not
       release 21) or 'Lurking Horror' release 221 (not release 203). The
       release number is shown at the start of the game. Futhermore, look
       at your AUTOEXEC.BAT file: It must set the BLASTER variable to the
       proper values, e.g. "A220 I7 D1 T6" with capital A, I, D and T.
       Finally, all sound files should be placed in a subdirectory called
       SOUND.

    Q: How can I send transscription to the printer?
    A: Type PRN as file name.

    Q: Why does Frotz crash in monochrome mode?
    A: Some systems are configured to use the monochrome video area for
       upper memory blocks. Check your CONFIG.SYS: If EMM386.SYS is set
       with the option -I=B000-B7FF then Frotz will crash in monochrome
       mode. Remove this option or try -I=B100-B7FF instead.

    Q: Why is it impossible to save or restore?
    A: When your story file is stored on a floppy disk, do not remove the
       disk during save and restore.

    Q: Why do I get weird characters instead of accented letters?
    A: Activate IBM font 850 (consult your DOS manual). Alternatively,
       the hardware default font 437 displays most important characters
       such as French, German or Spanish letters properly.

    Q: Why don't the number pad keys work in 'Beyond Zork'?
    A: NumLock must be set.

    Q: How can I scroll the status window in 'Beyond Zork'?
    A: Use page up/down instead of cursor up/down.

List of fatal errors:

    - "Bad stack frame"
    - "Byte swapped story file"
    - "Call to illegal address"
    - "Call to non-routine" [1]
    - "Cannot open story file"
    - "Division by zero"
    - "Error reading save file"
    - "Illegal attribute number"
    - "Illegal object number" [2]
    - "Jump to illegal address"
    - "No such property"
    - "Out of memory"
    - "Print at illegal address"
    - "Stack overflow" [3]
    - "Store out of dynamic memory"
    - "Story file read error"
    - "Text buffer overflow"
    - "Unknown opcode"
    - "Unknown Z-code version"

    [1] The first byte of a routine must be less than 16.
    [2] In V4 and above, object numbers > 2000 are considered illegal.
    [3] This condition is only checked on every call instruction.

Table of display modes:

  +---------+---------+------------------+----------------+--------+--------+
  | # name  | format  | available fonts  | text styles    | colour | Europ. |
  +=========+=========+==================+================+========+========+
  | 0 MONO  |  80x25  | fix 1x1          | bold underline |        | *      |
  +---------+---------+------------------+----------------+--------+--------+
  | 1 TEXT  |  80x25  | fix 1x1          | bold [1]       | *      | *      |
  +---------+---------+------------------+----------------+--------+--------+
  | 2 CGA   | 640x200 | fix graphic 8x8  | underline [2]  |        | [3]    |
  +---------+---------+------------------+----------------+--------+--------+
  | 3 MCGA  | 320x200 | fix prop 5x8     | underline      | *      | [3]    |
  +---------+---------+------------------+----------------+--------+--------+
  | 4 EGA   | 640x200 | fix graphic 8x8  | underline [2]  | *      | *      |
  +---------+---------+------------------+----------------+--------+--------+
  | 5 AMIGA | 640x400 | fix graphic 16x8 | underline [2]  | *      | *      |
  +---------+---------+------------------+----------------+--------+--------+

  [1] Underlined text is shown in emphasis colour (-e switch).
  [2] Boldface text is available using the -T switch.
  [3] European characters are replaced with suitable substitutes.

Back to the Frotz Home Page.
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Last Updated: February 19, 1997 by Chris Madsen using txt2html
