
       m       a       h       b       o       n       g       g

========================================================================
(introduction)

welcome to mahbongg, a dc5 production.
this is a game, and you play it.
when this happens, you will have fun.

========================================================================
(how to play)

pretend you are a member of tpolm.  (note: some of you will not have to
pretend.)  you are lost in some city, somewhere.  there are lots of
buildings in this city, as there usually are.

you are driving a car (which is probably stolen).  you need to travel
through the city and pick up all of the party supplies (hidden under a
"?").  the items are matches, bongs, weed, and money.

there are kops chasing you!  you need to avoid them, or they will catch
you and you will be arrested.  when two or more kops are directly around
you, you will be arrested.

do not take your time!  as you make more moves, more kops will be
chasing after you.

when a kop finds an item, it will be confiscated.  a new item will
randomly be placed elsewhere on the board.

when you spend money, more money will randomly be placed on the board.
however; weed, matches, and bongs do not grow on trees.

to win the game, you need to get a pair of the three main items: the
matches, the bong, and the weed.  the top left part of the screen shows
your inventory.  when you collect all six items, go into the tpolm
house, which is the building with a "T" in the middle.

the other buildings are: "K" for kops (do not go inside there if you
have any of the party supplies!), "P" for petrol (go inside to buy
petrol, if you have money), "C" for coffee (go inside to buy coffee,
if you have money).

you will collect money, which is also hidden under a "?".  this can be
used to purchase petrol and coffee.  you must not run out of petrol or
coffee, or you will get stuck and the kops will catch you.  the top left
part of the screen shows how much petrol and coffee you have left.  a
warning will flash when you are running low.

use the cursor keys to move your player.  press f1 to start a new game,
press f5 to change levels (only between games), and press f10 to exit
the game at any time.  there are (about) twelve skill levels.

========================================================================
(origins)

this game borrows inspiration (steals ideas) from many different games:

* mahjongg, a chinese card game
* mazz, a demoparty textgame
* harry ho ho, a pre-dc5-era textgame i wrote
* pin the carb-hole on the lamer, a game "the dude" told me about
* pac man (!), a true classic

========================================================================
(hint)

when you choose an odd numbered level, a secret key is activated.

========================================================================
(frequently asked questions)

Q: i don't know how to play!
A: it is not hard.

Q: why did dc5 make this game!
A: boredom.

Q: i want to write games for dc5!
A: that will not be permitted.

Q: the game is slow!
A: it will speed up in future versions.  maybe.

Q: in the higher levels, the "low" light doesn't come on early enough
   for my coffee and petrol supplies!  then i run out and lose!
A: the skilled player will not have this problem.

Q: new kops should always come out of the kop building!  sometimes they
   show up right in front of me and i lose!
A: the skilled player will find a way to get around this.

Q: sometimes, i'm playing the game, advancing through the levels. then,
   when i get to the highest level, everything is going fine.  except
   suddenly my computer crashes!  i hate that!  i want to play all the
   way through some time!  can you add a save game feature at least!
A: no.  we don't care.

Q: the last level is too hard!
A: the skilled player would never say something like that.

Q: why is this game about tpolm!
A: there are many reasons.  however, since you do not know, you do not
   need to know.  go get some gme, kid.

Q: the first level is too easy!
A: the skilled player does not need to play the first level.

Q: sometimes i go into a building, and a kop stands right outside the
   door so i am trapped!
A: this is a bug.  we might fix it.

Q: sometimes i move my player, but some kops don't move!
A: they are programmed to do that.  members of dc5 have a combined 82
   years of game design experience.  do not question our judgment.

Q: this one same bug keeps making me lose the game!
A: if this truly makes you upset you need to get a life.

Q: how come the kops never go to the coffee shop!
A: sorry folks, that is all we have time for today.

========================================================================
(register)

to register this game, email djc@uclink4.berkeley.edu

surely there are bugs and problems with this version.  email bug reports
and complaints to bneely@skaro.nightcrawler.com

========================================================================
