Hints/Tips for "The Golden French Fry"
By: Paul Allen Panks (dunric@yahoo.com

* - Hints/tips apply to version 1.26 (released Nov. 19, 2004)

(scroll down to "Tips & Tricks" below to view the game
walkthrough)

Updated News
------------

I just released a second updated version of "The Golden French Fry". It's
available from my website below:

http://www.geocities.com/dunric/westfront.html

(scroll down to "The Golden French Fry" to download game)

The game will also be made available to Winsite (www.winsite.com) and the 
IF-Archive (www.ifarchive.org). The filename will be "frefry.zip".

Quick Overview
--------------

I tried to make "The Golden French Fry" as traditional as possible. It's a 
30-room text adventure (with the following verbs/nouns):

Verbs
-----

GO,GET,DROP,USE,EXAMINE,LOOK,CLIMB,EAT,DRINK,INVENTORY,SCORE,
LIGHT,PLAY,KILL and QUIT.

(there are also others verbs available, such as "CHOP","CUT","FIGHT" and 
"TAKE")

You may also use "x" or "exa" in place of "EXAMINE".

Nouns
-----

fry 
(a golden french fry)

drink 
(a soda drink)

katana 
(an ancient sword)

apple 
(a red apple)

flute 
(a magic flute)

egg
(an owl's egg)

shield
(a large metal shield)

lantern
(a brass lantern)

dragon
(a menacing dragon)

troll
(an evil troll)

owl
(a large owl)

werewolf
(a large werewolf)

Tips & Tricks
-------------

* - To see a map of the game, read the text file "frefry.txt" (also
included with the game)

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(scroll down to read the hints/tips)

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There are several areas in the game (despite a relatively small 30-room 
adventure map):

1. House

This is where your character starts out the game. There should be the french 
fry and the soft drink (soda) on the table to start. Eating the french fry 
will teleport the player to another realm, and eating it again will teleport 
them back to the house. The drink heals the player (from wounds taken in 
battle).

2. Cave

This is technically the basement, but oh well. Eating the french fry takes 
the player to this small cave (complete with pool and waterfall). There is a 
katana sword here. Picking that up will enable the player to do more damage 
during battle. Note: There are no "wield" or "unwield" commands in this adv-
enture game. Nor are there "wear" or "remove" commands. In order to simply 
things, I wanted to remove these commands from the game. Merely carrying an 
armor or weapon will allow the player to use it come battle.

Also in the cave: a large, menacing dragon! Hehe. =) The dragon is lurking 
under the water, but can still be engaged in battle by the player. Beware!! 
The dragon is pretty tough. Although the player *can* fight the dragon right 
away, it is an uneven battle; in fact, the player should venture outside 
the house *before* fighting the dragon!

Eating the french fry (from the first cavern room) will return the player to 
the house. 

3. Street

There is a street heading east-west right in front of the house (outside). 
You can go east or south. Heading east will take the player to the end of a 
long road, while going south will lead into a small apple orchard.

4. Apple orchard

The apple orchard isn't large, but it does contain at least one tree the 
player can climb. Climbing the tree is simple: type 'climb tree'. The player 
should find a lantern and apple at the top of the tree. Alternatively, if the 
player does not wish to climb the tree, they can 'use sword' to chop it down 
and retrieve the apple (although chopping it down *before* retrieving the 
lantern, which is also in the tree, will lose the lantern forever!). The 
apple will fall to the ground in either situation.

Eating the apple is *not* recommend, however. Use the apple on the dragon at 
game's end.

5. Forest

There is a forest west of the apple orchard. Make sure you have the lantern 
in your inventory before entering the forest (otherwise, it will be "too dark 
to see!"). 

Once in the forest, you can move about to several locations. There is a 
cemetary hidden in the forest (towards the east), and a bridge crosses 
a river to the southwest. 

None of the trees in the forest may be climbed (because they are too tall 
obviously).

6. Cemetary

The cemetary stands on the eastern edge of the forest. A werewolf guards 
the entrance to the cemetary. There are two ways to get around the were-
wolf. First, you can engage the werewolf in battle. If you defeat the 
wolf, you can enter into the cemetary (where a shield is hidden some-
where).

Secondly, and even easier, you can find the bridge (where the troll is 
located) and pass across it. You'll need the owl's egg to cross, however, as 
the troll demands it. Fighting the troll, and winning the battle, will make 
retrieving the egg unnecessary. 

Nevertheless, once you get past the troll, you'll be on a dusty road heading 
east. Go all the way east (past the cabin) and into a toolshed (located next 
to the cabin). There you'll find a wooden flute. Get flute and head back to 
the cemetary.

Playing the flute will put the werewolf to sleep, allowing you to easily 
enter the cemetary. 

If you choose to fight the wolf without playing the flute, and if you win, 
you'll be in the cemetary. Go north, east, east, east, and north. You'll
find yourself in front of an old oak tree.

You'll find the shield next to a grave (with a statue overlooking it). Get 
the shield and enter the garden to the east.

7. Garden (near an oak tree)

There is a garden east of the cemetary (where an old oak tree stands). The 
garden isn't that important, although the oak tree certainly is! Go up to 
the top of the oak tree and you'll be on a branch where an owl resides.

8. Branch atop the oak tree

An owl will be guarding a nest of full of blue spotted owl egg's. Actually, 
there's only one you can take -- but the owl is guarding it and won't let 
you take it!

You'll need to fight the owl in order to retrieve it. If you defeat the owl, 
you'll be able to take the egg at your leisure. Get the egg and head back 
down the tree.

9. Troll on bridge

A troll will usually be guarding the bridge. He'll demand a small blue owl's 
egg before he'll let you pass. Merely having the egg in your inventory when 
you attempt to head south (across the bridge) will be enough for the troll 
to take it from you and allow you to pass.

You can also fight the troll, rather than give him anything.

Regardless if you choose to fight the troll and get the flute, or fight the 
werewolf and get the egg, you'll have to fight *a monster* to get the shield 
(in the cemetary).

Because I dislike trolls, I'd rather fight the troll at the bridge, get the 
flute and play it to put the wolf to sleep. You can do either action, but 
your score will increase if you do the 'nice' thing and get the flute 
first.

The egg cannot be eaten, but is necessary to cross the bridge (without having 
to fight the troll).

The flute puts the werewolf to sleep, but cannot be used to put the troll (or 
any other monster) to sleep. Doing so will only have the game remark that 
"nothing happens".

10. Dragon (in cave)

Finally, once you've got the shield, katana and apple, go back to the house 
and eat the french fry again. You'll be teleported back into the cave (near 
the pool and waterfall). 

Don't waste any time looking around (unless you're bored, I guess). Go north 
to the pool and (if you still have the soft drink) drink the soda. This will 
heal you, if you've lost hit points fighting the werewolf, troll or owl.

There are two ways to fight the dragon: use the apple, or fight the dragon.

Using the apple (type: 'use apple') will cause the player to toss the apple 
at the dragon's head. If it hits, the dragon will succumb and the game will 
be won (by the player).

If you choose to fight the dragon, make sure you are carrying the following:

katana (the sword, found in the cave)
apple (the red apple, found in the apple orchard)
shield (the metal shield, found in the cemetary)
drink (the soft drink, found in the house)

During the battle, you'll be able to drink the soft drink to heal
your wounds while in combat. Your shield will also have a special
attack (from time to time).

If you defeat the dragon, an ending game screen will be displayed, along
with a tally of your final score, hit points and items carried. The best
score you can achieve is 250 'adventure points'. You'll probably play
this game through a few times before you'll get the 250 points total.

Final Thoughts
--------------

I hope this game is satisfying and something that you'll enjoy playing. I 
didn't include a 'save game' feature (due to the smallness of the game). 
Experienced adventurers can probably win the game in 30-45 minutes. Average 
adventurers, or those just starting out, will probably spend 1-2 hours comp-
leting the game. Still, a save game feature isn't that necessary. I'll inc-
lude it in a feature edition of this game if enough people request it.

If you have any suggestions on how to make this game better, e-mail me at: 

dunric@yahoo.com.

The game itself is Public Domain, so feel free to copy and/or distribute it.

Website for "The Golden French Fry":

http://www.geocities.com/dunric/westfront.html

(scroll down to where it says "The Golden French Fry" to download game)

Sincerely,

Paul Allen Panks [a/k/a "Dunric"]
dunric@yahoo.com
ICQ# 12234336
