Hints for "You Are Standing" by Aaron A. Reed Answers are obscured via ROT13. You can copy and paste an answer into a tool like the one at rot13.com to reveal them. An unobscured plain text version is also available here: FILE 1 I don't know what to type... How do I interact with this part of the game? - This part of the game emulates a branching path book. You interact by typing a page number to turn to, like *110*. - You can always go to page *1* to review the instructions, *9* to review your discoveries, or *110* to return to the first room of the game. - You can type HELP in any part for a refresher on how to interact with it. What am I supposed to do in the desert? - Start by making sure you've explored every room you can easily get to. - You should have found a tomb (in 210) and a shovel (in 310). - Turn to *9* to review how to use your shovel. Where can I dig? - Try digging everywhere! Remember, you can dig somewhere by turning to the location + 1. - Specifically, try digging in *230* (by turning to location + 1, so *231*). What can I do with what I dug up? - There are two buildings on the map, in 130 and 210. Remember, you can use your key somewhere by turning to the location + 4. - Try unlocking the tomb in 210 by turning to 214. What can I do with the treasure I recovered? - Remember, you can use it by turning to the location + 9. Try this from a couple locations. How do I get "somewhere I previously couldn't go?" - Have you paid attention to the geography of the desert? - Have you noticed a relationship between the page numbers and the geography? - Going east from somewhere always adds 100 to your current location. Going south always adds 10. - It might help to sketch a quick map of page numbers and how they connect to each other via cardinal directions. - The map makes a ring around an unlinked central location at 220. Have you tried turning to that page? - If you've unlocked the tomb, you have a way to do something bravely. Turn to *9* to remember how to do it. - TURN TO 229. FILE 2 I don't know what to type... How do I interact with this part of the game? - This part emulates an early microcomputer text adventure on systems with very limited memory. You interact by entering one or two word commands like LOOK, TAKE SHOVEL, or GO SOUTH. - Type HELP for a list of verbs the story understands. You can type this in any part for a refresher on how to interact with it. What can I do in this desert? - This desert has some similarities to the one in File 1. - Specifically, you can find a shovel, and dig with it in a similar location to find a similar prize, in turn unlocking another similar prize... - Use the shovel from the starting location ("EDGE OF DESRT") to DIG in the room east of the area with the hermit ("BAKING-HOT PLAIN"). Now go to the area east of the starting location ("AN ANCIENT TOMB LIES HERE!") and UNLOCK TOMB. What can I do with the hermit? - You learn a new verb once you meet him, SHOW. You can SHOW the hermit any portable items you are carrying. - You don't need to SHOW the hermit anything to complete this part of the game, but he might have some useful or interesting commentary. What can I do with the mirror? - It reflects things and shows deeper truths. - It can REFLECT almost anything, whether fixed in place or portable. Sometimes reflecting a thing will reveal a new way you can use it. - Have you tried to REFLECT the tomb, the hermit, or the city? - Have you tried to REFLECT your tools (shovel and key)? What do I do with the new verbs I've learned? - You've learned how to BUILD. Have you tried doing that from various locations? - What might need rebuilding? - BUILD from the location with the tomb, and try going inside. - You can't seem to BUILD again for fear of being disturbed. How might the commands you've learned help with this problem? - From inside the cozy desert home, LOCK DOOR, then BUILD. FILE 3 I don't know what to type... How do I interact with this part of the game? - This part emulates a 90s-era interactive fiction parser game. You'll use commands of one, two, or more words to interact. Try experimenting by typing things like LOOK, INVENTORY, EXAMINE GATE, or OPEN GATE. - EXAMINE or X is a useful verb to get more info about the various things you can see. - DRAW is a special verb unique to this game. Try to DRAW various things you can see. How do I get into the city? - The gates are shut tight. Have you tried to EXAMINE them? - Have you learned some way your character in particular has to study things more closely? - Try INVENTORY if you haven't already, then EXAMINE SKETCHBOOK. - DRAW GATES. - Have you tried to EXAMINE GUARD? What about TALK TO GUARD (or SAY HELLO or GREET GUARD)? - Have you tried DRAW GUARD? What about drawing any other items in your possession? - What do you have that might interest a miserly man? - GIVE KEY TO GUARD or (SHOW KEY or THROW KEY). What can I do in the city? - Explore as much as you can. - Try to EXAMINE or DRAW interesting things (although note that guards will expel you if they see you DRAWing. You can re-enter the city and find your sketchbook discarded in a random room.) - See if you can find a particular citizen who stands out to you. How do I keep from getting kicked out of the city? - Remember the rules the gatekeep told you. Talking is forbidden, as is drawing or singing. - If a guard is nearby and observes that you aren't working (by typing WORK), they will be upset, and eventually expel you. - Guards will POINT in the direction of work if there is none available here. I've found someone interesting, but don't know what to do with them. - Have you tried to DRAW them? You'll need to wait until there aren't any guards present, although there might be ways to make this easier (see next question). - The winsome citizen is a singer, but singing is forbidden. Even if you're alone on the streets, the sound would carry. - You need to find a way to be alone with the winsome citizen in a place that no other guards or citizens know about. How might you use your abilities to discover such a place? - Remember how you found your way into the city, by drawing a gate that seemed at first impenetrable. - Try to DRAW any detail you see in the city, or just DRAW CITY. How do I get someone to go where I want? - How do the guards get citizens to go where they want? - You can POINT in a direction. The citizens here are so used to guards directing them this way that they will probably comply. - You may need to map out the twisting streets of the city to know where to direct someone. How do I finish this part of the game? - First, make sure you've read the preceding clues so you have a good sense of what you're trying to do. - You need to get the winsome singer into the secret cellar you've discovered (which will be DOWN from whatever room you were in when you discovered it). - You can POINT in a direction when you're in the same room as the singer to send him off that way. You can do this even if any guards or other citizens are present. - If the singer keeps moving around, just follow him and then POINT again in the direction you want him to go. - If the map connections are confusing you, the Court of the Ibis is the central location; the other four city rooms are all connected to there. If you can remember which direction your secret room is from the Court of the Ibis, you can get the singer to there and then point in that direction. - Once you reach the location of the cellar with the singer, POINT DOWN, and then GO DOWN to follow him. - If you haven't done it yet, DRAW SINGER. - Now simply do what your heart most desires. - You can SING, or TOUCH or KISS or HUG SINGER, or try to leave. FILE 4 I don't know what to type... How do I interact with this part of the game? - This part emulates a hypertext story (like a Twine game). Since it's a text-only interface, instead of clicking on an emphasize word, you'll type it in. (Type BEGIN after the introduction text, for instance.) - You can type HELP in any part for a refresher on how to interact with it. How do I leave the steps of the palace? - An exit won't appear until you've explored all the keywords in the starting area. Make sure you've encountered the PHYSICIAN and the HIEROPHANT in particular. - Once you're ready to leave, you'll see a new highlighted keyword SAND. What should I do while exploring the city? - Remember what the hierophant and physician told you. Your mirror will help you see greater truths, and there might be magical keys that could unlock an end to the curse. - Each time you move to a new location (by typing one of the words like ALLEY, COURTYARD, or STAIR that show up near the end of an area's description), there's a chance you'll see something unusual. - Look for the keyword REFLECT to show up, and type it when you see it. - You'll also encounter various problems which your singer or mirror might help you to fix (at least temporarily). What do I do after I find what I'm looking for? - You need to return to the palace and show your key to the physician. - Each time you move to a new location, there's a chance you'll see a way book. Look for the keyword PALACE to show up, and type it when you see it. How can I keep my mirror from cracking? - You can't. - Which reflects Jeff Crestin's increasingly pessimistic philosophy as he was writing this game. How can I protect my singer from corruption? - You can't. - He seems destined to die if things don't change soon. - Continuing to stay with you seems to be hurting him... - Which reflects Jeff Crestin's increasingly pessimistic philosophy as he was writing this game. How do I complete this part of the game? - You'll need to continue striking out into the SAND to find new keys with your mirror (REFLECT, when that keyword's available) and then finding your way back to the PALACE again (when that keyword's available). Once you've returned, type PHYSICIAN to show your key to him. - Even if your mirror breaks, don't despair: you can still find keys. - You'll need to have three keys evaluated before you can complete this part of the game. FILE 5 I don't know what to type... How do I interact with this part of the game? - This section emulates a quality-based narrative, with changing stats unlocking tiny storylets (called "scenes" here). You have a "playbook" of scenes you can play by typing their name (like DESERT in the beginning), and each scene has various ways it can be resolved by typing the header word (such as REMEMBER or FORGET). - If you can't play any of the responses, your only option is to type REFLECT. The scene will stay in your playbook unresolved. - You can type HELP in any part for a refresher on how to interact with it. What qualities should I be trying to increase? - You will gain and lose different qualities as you continue through this part of the game, and each have different rules. Memory, for instance, will only ever go down. - Don't worry too much about trying to min/max your playthrough. The rules of this section of the game will inevitably steer you towards the conclusion Jeff Crestin had in mind. Why do I have to keep typing DRAW to get new scenes? - After a while, a message will tell you you can type AUTODRAW to fill your playbook up automatically; you should probably do this. - The reason the game makes you DRAW scenes by hand at first is to help you understand the core mechanic behind this section of the game (scenes are first drawn and then need to be resolved.) I've got scenes in my playbook that I can't resolve because I can't perform any of the responses with my current qualities! - This is by design. - Just keep playing what options are still available to you. Remember you can REFLECT if you have a scene where no options are available, and try something else. How do I complete this part of the game? - Keep playing until your only available scenes are Sick, Pain, and Alone. - Keep playing these scenes and choosing responses until no responses are available. REFLECT if you can't choose any response. - Eventually something will happen that will push you forward to the final part of the game. FILE 6 I don't know what to type... How do I interact with this part of the game? - This part of the game is emulating a diagnostic tool where you need to repair "corrupt headers" (blocks of text) by selecting what texts each one should link to. - You do this with the POINT verb (or just P). Below each header will be one more pos(itions) where text can go. Just before your command prompt will be list of available texts with a 4-digit code. Link a position to a text node by typing a command like POINT 3 2033. - Once all positions in the current header are filled, you can type BUILD to resolve this header. - You can type HELP in any part for a refresher on how to interact with it. How do I know which text nodes to use where? - That's a subjective question with a subjective answer. - It's up to you to decide what feels right. How do I complete the game? - Keep POINTing empty positions at available text nodes until all positions for a header are filled, then type BUILD to complete it. - There are five headers to complete this process for.