

SPOILERS!

Don't read this file before trying to play the game :)



# None

    [XXX]
    Oh no!
    There are no instructions here.


# Main Plaque

    THE INSTRUCTIONS

    Win the game by unlocking the wall that is keeping you trapped.

    Use the mouse to navigate:
    - Left button grabs things to reveal instructions underneath.
    - The wheel zooms. (You can also zoom by dragging up/down with Shift.)
    - Drag with the right button (or with Ctrl) to move around the screen.

    Press keys on your keyboard to play.

    Reveal instructions and hints to figure out what keys to press.
    Basic tools and their handling are described behind “I”.

    Good luck!

# !

    Most importantly, don't give up!
    You can do it!

# /

    Make sure you keep moving! Preferably, up and to the right.

# .

    The goal is near! Don't stop now!

# '

    Are you sure you are not leaving anything out?

    Double-check!

# :

    If you find instructions that are not helpful, don't despair!

    You're not likely to run out of instructions to read.

# Keyhole

    UNLOCKING

    The lock needs a key. The key unlocks the lock.

    Make sure to use the right key – obviously, a wrong key won't open the lock.

# A

    MOVING LEFT

    Move your tool left by holding {A}.

    (That would be your left; not necessarily the tool's.)

# B

    BUGS

    Bugs are colorful wriggly organisms that frequently appear in all kinds of virtual environments.
    Some humans specialize in exterminating them; others expend significant effort to reproduce them.

    Examination of a bug can reveal useful information about the structure and operation of its environment.

    The best time to catch a bug is when it is feeding.
    As feeding spots are some of their favorite places, bugs tend to scurry towards food when disturbed.

# C

    TOOL DEACTIVATION

    For safety reasons, tools are deactivated whenever you click, zoom, or move around the screen.

# D

    MOVING RIGHT

    Move your tool right by holding {D}.

    This only moves the tool to the right. Figuring out the right tool to use, and the right way to use it, is up to you.

# E

    PANNING

    To navigate the scene, drag with the right (or middle) mouse button.

    Alternately, use the arrow keys: {LEFT}, {UP}, {DOWN}, {RIGHT}.

    Panning is only possible when zoomed in. Look behind a P for instructions on zooming in.

# XXX
    F

# G

    GRABBY TOOL

    The Grabby Tool can be selected by pressing {G}.

    When it's selected, you can grab or release white things by pressing the {G} key again.
    Any grabbed object will move with the tool.

    Moving things may scare creatures hiding underneath them.

# H

    Like many of your peers, you are quite bored with the outside world. Unlike many of your peers, you try to pass the time hacking into protected systems of the Empire.

    Usually, the protection is easy to break. Sometimes, there are traps – but so far, you seem to have managed to escape all of them.

    At first glance, the particular trap you are stuck in now doesn't seem too different from the others. But something is off. It is too designed; too colorful; too… entertaining.

    Is getting out of here even what you want?
    Or is it what THEY want?

# I

    TOOLS

    Tools can be used to interact with the game. They are controlled by {W}, {A}, {S}, and {D}.

    Tools are activated by pressing {G} and {K} on the keyboard.
    Instructions for specific tools can be found behind a G or a K in the game.

    Instructions related to a particular keyboard key are behind matching letters – until you use {R}.

# J

    Press {ESCAPE} or {X} to exit the game.

    Of course, if you do this, you aren't allowed to brag about winning.

# K

    KEY TOOL

    The Key Tool can be selected by pressing {K}.
    When it's selected, press {K} again to turn the key.

    When you find a keyhole, move the key to it, then press {D} to insert.

    A used key sticks in the lock – but don't worry: you can always get a new one!

    Square objects tend to have keyholes.

# XXX
    L
    M

# N

    INSTRUCTION INSTRUCTIONS

    Some instructions are short, some long.
    Some are helpful, some… Not so much.
    Some are explicit, others merely hints.
    They're behind everything: behind letters, creatures, objects, walls – everything.

    If you have lots of free time, you can try to read all the instructions – or you can only pick the ones behind interesting-looking things.

# O

    ZOOMING OUT

    There are several ways to zoom out:

    You can scroll down with the mouse wheel.
    If you don't have a mouse wheel, hold Shift and drag down.
    Alternately, you can press {O} on your keyboard.

    When zoomed out, you can look behind larger things.

# P

    ZOOMING IN

    There are several ways to zoom in:

    You can scroll up with the mouse wheel.
    If you don't have a mouse wheel, hold Shift and drag up.
    Alternately, you can press {P} on your keyboard.

    Once zoomed in, navigate the scene by right-dragging; look behind an E for details.

# XXX
    Q

# R

    REASSIGNING KEYS

    By pressing {R} you can reassign other keys.

    Press {R} followed by two other keys to swap their function.

    Switching a key with itself – for example, by pressing {R}, {X}, {X} – does nothing. But it can be used to check what {X} does.

# S

    MOVING DOWN

    Move your tool down by holding {S}.

    If you reach the stack of turtles, say hello to them.

# T

    EXCESSIVE MAGNIFICATION

    If something is too big, it will be impossible to reveal instructions from under it.
    In that case, zoom out and try again.

    Larger is not always better.

# U

    UNLOCKING

    Anything with a keyhole can be unlocked; usually, this opens a box or a wall.

    The locks on some things are dual-purpose: when unlocked, they disable other kinds of interaction.

    When one door opens, another closes…

# V

    VICTORY

    To win the game, escape.

    To escape, unlock the lock.

    It's that easy. Are any further instructions necessary?

# W

    MOVING UP

    Move your tool up by holding {W}.

    Up, up and away!

# X


    Press {X} or {ESCAPE} to exit the game.

    Of course, if you do this, you aren't allowed to brag about winning.

# Y

    You feel like you are being watched.

    Watched? No. Monitored.

    Monitored. That's the word. This is a challenge; a test.

    Is this room a left over toy? A toy for a bored child – a child that is now a soldier?

# XXX
    Z

# Bug

    SCRATCH MEMORY LEAK

    The key parameters for the main wall lock have been chosen as:

        {state.code[0]} — {state.code[1]} — {state.code[2]} — {state.code[3]}

# Adjusting

    ADJUSTING THE KEY

    By dragging one of the adjustment sliders found in the dot of an I, the Key Tool can be reconfigured.

# End

    CONGRATULATIONS

    As you unlock the main lock, the wall opens. You are free!

    You have finished the game in {end_time}.

# 2

    Set the environment variable GAME_DEBUG to enable debugging mode.
    No cheat codes are documented in these instructions.

# 4

    This software is available under the MIT license, as shown in the accompanying LICENSE file.
    May it serve you well.

    It is built upon open-source software: Python, Pyglet, PyPNG and attrs.
    Licenses for those distributed with the game are available in the LICENSES file.
