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                                  Billion 

          "A game a night until sometime in the 27,399th century"
                                                
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INTRODUCTION
This program is intended to be a simple desktop adventure game system.
The emphasis is on variety and amusement rather than on sophisticated
graphics and user interface. By providing a billion different adventures
I hope that you will still be playing !Billion long after other
adventures would be solved or discarded.

GAME FORMAT
The adventures take place on an earth-like planet. You materialise on the 
planet's surface and must discover the magical crystal hidden deep below
your feet. With possession of this crystal all powers both imaginable 
and beyond imagination are yours...

This format is the same for all billion adventures this program contains. 
However, the hiding place, world and means to discover it are different 
every time....
 
GETTING STARTED
This should be completely self-explanatory. Start up the application; menu
on the icon and select either "Today's game" (changes every day) or "Now's
game" (changes every second). Alternatively play the game corresponding
to your telephone number. Simply pressing the left mouse button over the
icon bar icon will start "Today's game" when just loaded.

If you find you are unable to complete a specific game, simply write down
the number and try again some other day. All billion games are accessible
via the "Game number =>" menu option.

The game window can be opened and closed any number of times. As long as
you do not 'Quit' the application the game and current state of play are
preserved. 

COMMANDS
All commands are either single words ('NORTH', 'LOOK' etc.) or are 
two-word commands where the second is an object ('DOWN LADDER', 
'SMASH BOTTLE', 'GET DRILL' etc.). All objects can be specified with
their full name or a one word short name. Usually the short name is 
the more important word when there is a choice. e.g The short form of
'Huge pile of grass' is more likely to be 'grass' than 'pile'. Multiple
synonyms/sophisticated parsers will, I'm afraid, have to wait for the
next version.

LICENCE TERMS
Permission is given to freely distribute this package on a non-commercial
basis.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
The greatest difficulty with adventure games is getting the level of 
difficulty about right. I have aimed to make all billion games solvable
ultimately by someone of little adventuring experience but lots of
persistence. Seasoned players may need less persistence.

- William Tunstall-Pedoe, November 1990
