Hints file by: ac608@yfn.ysu.edu
* Getting Started
** How do I get into the building?
Go northeast from the Building front. (NE)
If that doesn't work, it's because you don't have the key.
The key is around somewhere.
Have you seen the bear?
To get to the bear, go (from the Building front) SW, SW, SE, and SE.
** What do I do about the bear?
Look at him. Ferocious, isn't he?
He won't attack you if you don't bother him.
Maybe he's just hungry.
Throw him the food. (THROW FOOD)
** How do I use the VAX?
Use the TYPE command. (Didn't you read the sign on the computer?)
Oh, it doesn't work. Maybe the computer is broken.
There's a part missing from the cabinet.
The missing part is not in the building.
It is outside.
Why do you think you have a shovel?
Find a good place to dig.
Try the fork in the road, where it's soft. (DIG)
Then PUT CARD IN VAX.
** How do I login on the VAX?
If the panel lights are steady and motionless, see the previous question.
You need a valid account name and password.
Have you been in the mailroom?
Look at the bins in the mailroom. (LOOK BINS)
Maybe one of those people has an account.
The account name might be the person's last name.
The password might be the person's first name.
login: toukmond
password: robert
* pokey the VAX
** How do I login?
See the questions about the VAX under Getting Started.
** Now that I've logged in, what do I do?
You are using a restricted Bourne shell. If you've never used Unix,
and don't have any idea what that means, you probably aren't going to
enjoy Dunnet very much.
Use `ls' to list your files.
The files with non-zero size are the commands you can use.
The files that end in .o are object files.
In fact, they're the objects in the game.
Type `uncompress paper.o.Z', `exit', and READ PAPER.
Try browsing through the filesystem.
Try `cd /'.
Try `cd /rooms'.
Try `cd /rooms/fork' and `cat description'.
Try looking in the other subdirectories of /rooms.
Yes, you are inside the computer which is running the Dunnet universe.
Try `cd /rooms/hidden-area', `ls', and `cat description'.
Yes, you can get to the hidden area by going SW from the Bear hangout,
and there is a bracelet there. Why don't you go get it?
** Help! I'm stuck at the '$' prompt.
Lift your hands off the keyboard, stand up, and walk away from the
computer.
Oh, you meant "How do I get from the `$' prompt back to the `>'
prompt?" Type `exit'.
** After I've explored pokey, what do I do?
This is a good place to save your game. If you're at the `$' prompt,
type `exit'. At the `>' prompt, type SAVE FILENAME (where FILENAME is
the name you want to give the save file).
Did you read the message when you first logged in?
Maybe you could connect to gamma.
Try `rlogin gamma'.
You need a password. What could it be?
Did you try `robert'?
Did you read the slip of paper?
The password is `worms'.
* The Receiving Room and beyond
** How do I get to the Receiving room?
If you haven't gotten to the computer room yet, see the questions
under `Getting Started'.
See the questions under `pokey the VAX'.
** Why do I keep tripping over grues?
Because it's dark and you can't see where you're going.
You need a lamp.
You had one when you started the game.
You need a way to move it from pokey to gamma.
Have you tried FTP?
On pokey, type `ftp gamma'.
You need a username. What could it be?
`toukmond' won't work.
Neither will any of the other names or words you've seen.
What's the most common FTP username?
Try `anonymous'.
The password should be your mail address (toukmond@pokey).
** What is this worthless pile of protoplasm?
Did you send something using FTP?
What kind of file ends in .o?
How do you transfer object files using FTP?
Don't object files contain binary data?
You didn't type `binary' before sending a file.
** Why doesn't the maze go anywhere?
Did you try pressing the button? (PUSH BUTTON)
The passageway closes as soon as you release the button.
Maybe you could find some way to keep the button held down.
You could try putting something on it.
There's a ten pound weight in the weight room.
Just DROP WEIGHT in the Maze button room.
The new passage is to the northwest. (NW)
** How do I find my way around the maze?
Make a map.
Read the descriptions carefully.
Each room in the maze has a different description.
The last hint contains a complete map of the maze.
N S E W NE NW SE SW UP DOWN You Move
0 Weight room . . . * . . . . . 1 Down
1 Maze button room . . 1 1 1 (2) 1 1 0 1 NW
2 little twisty 2 2 2 2 2 2 . 2 3 2 Up
3 thirsty little . 2 2 3 3 3 4 3 . 2 SE
4 twenty little . . . 2 . . . . . 5 Down
5 daze of twisty little . . . . . 6 4 . . . NW
6 twisty little cabbages 2 2 2 2 0 7 2 2 2 2 NE or NW
7 Reception area . * . . . . 3 . . .
** Why does the building explode?
It's because of something you did.
Or more precisely, something you didn't do.
Have you been in the sauna?
You didn't turn the sauna off before leaving.
** What should I do at the lake?
This is another good place to save your game.
You need to get across it.
You don't know how to swim.
You need the life preserver from the weight room.
You don't need to put it on, just carry it.
Then go S from Lakefront North.
* The cave and surrounding area
** What should I do at the chute?
Read the sign.
You should have two objects to put in the chute.
The bracelet and the diamond should go in the chute.
If you haven't found the diamond yet, it's not too late to go back and
get it.
If you can't find it, read "Where are all the treasures located?"
under General Questions.
** How do I get past the rockslide?
Have you tried digging?
Maybe it would help if you had a better tool than a shovel.
What about a pickaxe?
Or perhaps some dynamite?
Actually, there's no way to get past the rockslide.
** How do I get past the door with the combination lock?
Go WEST from the North end of cave passage and enter the combination.
Oh, you mean "What's the combination?"
Don't continue until you've found the PC.
The combination is stored on the floppy disk you found in the maze.
See the question about the PC.
** What should I do in the bathroom?
Aren't you toilet trained?
Actually, if you use the urinal for its usual purpose, you'll destroy
all the treasures you have deposited.
However, you can put a treasure in the urinal, and then FLUSH it.
This will deposit the treasure in the proper place.
You should flush the gold and platinum bars down the urinal before
leaving the cave.
If you didn't put the bracelet and the diamond in the chute, you must
flush them now.
** What should I do in the bedroom?
What do you usually do in a bedroom?
Why don't you take a nap?
SLEEP
Interesting dream, isn't it?
Why don't you see if you can find the room described in the dream?
** What is this box with a slit?
Have you examined it? (EXAMINE BOX)
Why don't you follow the directions?
PUT KEY IN BOX
You'll find the upgraded key later in the game.
It will be in the computer room when you return from gamma.
** What should I do with the PC?
The sign says to type RESET.
The computer won't boot. Have you examined it?
PUT DISK IN DRIVE
(You found the floppy disk in the "thirsty little" room in the maze.)
Now you can boot the computer with RESET.
Just hit Enter when it asks for the time.
Why don't you try a DIR?
How about TYPE FOO.TXT
Remember the combination shown. It will change every time you play.
Now type EXIT to return to the game.
** What should I do with the IBM 3090/600s?
This is a good place to save your game.
Have you examined it?
There's nowhere for you to type.
This is "gamma", the computer you used `rlogin' to access.
What would happen if you disconnected the cable?
You can't unplug it.
There's more than one way to disconnect a cable.
This problem calls for drastic measures.
Have you found an axe?
CUT CABLE
* The Meadow and the town
** How do I get past the gate?
Have you tried NW?
Have you examined the gate?
Why is it so large?
It's not a pedestrian gate.
The gate opens automatically if you are driving the bus.
If you went in on the bus and then left on foot, you're stuck.
I hope you have a saved game.
** How do I drive the bus?
Just type IN to get in the bus.
You must have your bus-driver's license, of course.
(You should have picked it up in the Meadow.)
Then just move normally (N, S, etc.). Type OUT to get off the bus.
** Where can I deposit my treasures?
Have you seen any likely spots?
What about the mail drop at the Post Office?
Once you get to the subway, there's a garbage disposal chute at the
North End of N/S Tunnel.
Either one will work fine.
** The Museum of Natural History
*** What does the switch marked "BL" do?
Why not try it? (SWITCH SWITCH)
It controls something elsewhere in the museum.
Explore the museum before and after flipping the switch.
It controls the black light in the Marine life area.
** I've explored the town and the museum. Now what do I do?
Have you been in the Marine Life Area in the museum?
Have you flipped the switch in the Maintenance Room? (SWITCH SWITCH)
Have you been in the Marine Life Area after turning the switch on?
Have you examined various objects under the black light?
Have you examined the dinosaur bone from the lobby in the black light?
The writing on the bone suggests that an explosion at Fourth St. and
Vermont might be useful.
Do you know where you can get a bomb?
Maybe you can make one.
Do you know what you get when you mix glycerine and nitric acid?
Nitroglycerine is a powerful explosive.
It's also very unstable. It tends to explode when jarred.
Get the glycerine (from the Classroom), the nitric acid (from the
Maintenance Room), and the jar (from the Marine Life Area). Then go
to Fourth St. and Vermont.
PUT ACID IN JAR
PUT GLYCERINE IN JAR
DROP JAR
BOARD TRAIN
** Is the subway important?
Don't continue until you're in the subway.
See the previous question if you can't find it.
Have you explored it?
There's an amethyst at the bottom of the stairs.
There's also another computer room down there.
See the first question under The End Game.
* The End Game
** How do I get to the endgame?
Don't continue unless you have scored all 90 points.
Don't continue unless you have been in the subway.
Did you see the computer room in the subway?
Do you know the name of that computer?
Type `rlogin endgame' on pokey.
** The endgame questions (spoilers)
*** How many corners are there in town?
twenty-four
*** How many megabytes of memory on the CPU board for the Vax?
2 (you must type the number, not the word `two')
*** How many places can you put treasures for points?
four
*** How many pounds did the weight weigh?
ten
*** Name either of the two objects you found by digging.
The CPU card for the VAX or the platinum bar
*** What cartoon character is on the towel?
Snoopy
*** What is one of the other last names in the mailroom?"
The other names are Collier and Stock.
*** What is the last name of the author of EMACS?
Give yourself fourty lashes with a nine-track tape.
It's Stallman. Richard Stallman.
*** What is the name of the bus company serving the town?
mobytours
*** What is the nearest whole dollar to the price of the shovel?
twenty
*** What is your login name on the 'endgame' machine?
toukmond
*** What is your password on pokey?
robert
*** What network protocol is used between pokey and gamma?
TCP/IP
*** What password did you use during anonymous ftp to gamma?
You'll have to remember this. It's whatever you typed.
This hint file suggested "toukmond@pokey", but you didn't have to use that.
*** What street runs right over the subway stop?
Fourth (Vermont is an avenue.)
*** What type of bear was hiding your key?
grizzly
*** Which street in town is named after a U.S. state?
Vermont
* General Questions
** What is the object of the game?
Have you tried HELP?
Dunnet is your standard "collect the treasures and bring them to the
treasure room" game.
** How do I find out what my score is?
Why are you so concerned about grades, anyway?
Type SCORE. (This only works at the `>' prompt, not when you're using
one of the computers.)
** Where are all the treasures located?
*** Where is the bracelet?
See the questions under "pokey the VAX".
The bracelet is in a hidden area SW of the Bear hangout.
*** Where is the diamond?
Don't read this until you've gotten to Lakefront North.
The diamond is hidden in one of the objects you should have collected
by now.
It's in the statue of RMS.
There is a way to get the diamond out of the statue.
What is the statue made of?
What happens to wax when it gets hot?
Take the statue into the sauna and turn up the heat until it melts.
TURN DIAL CLOCKWISE (three times)
*** Where is the gold bar?
The gold bar is in the Misty Room at the cave entrance.
*** Where is the platinum bar?
Don't read this until you've explored the cave.
See the question about the bedroom under "The cave and surrounding area".
It's buried in the Horseshoe boulder room.
*** Where is the silver bar?
It's in the Meadow north of the old building.
*** Where is the jewel-encrusted egg?
It's at the intersection of Main and Sycamore.
*** Where are the valuable coins?
They're at the intersection of Fifth and Oaktree.
*** Where is the ruby?
It's in the Marine life area at the Museum of Natural History.
*** Where is the amethyst?
It's at the Bottom of subway stairs.
** Where can I put treasures for points?
In the chute at the Cave Entrance
In the urinal in the Bathroom (don't forget to flush)
In the mail drop at the Post Office
In the garbage disposal at the North End of N/S Tunnel (in the subway)
This hint is here just to avoid giving away the number of places where
you can put treasures.
You'll need to know that there are four such places to win the endgame.
* Miscellaneous
** How all the points are scored
*** In the regular game
**** What objects are worth points?
You get ten points for each object you deliver to the treasure area.
The nine objects are:
A bracelet
A diamond
A gold bar
A platinum bar
A silver bar
A jewel-encrusted egg
Some valuable coins
A ruby
An amethyst
**** Where can objects be sent to the treasure area?
This question is answered under General Questions.
*** In the endgame
You get ten points for each object you deliver to the endgame treasure room.
There are the nine objects from the regular game.
There is a $100 bill already in the Endgame treasure room.
The Mona Lisa is in the Winner's room north of the Endgame treasure room.
** For your amusement
Don't read this until you've solved the game.
Have you tried the following things?
Note: Many of these activities can be hazardous to your health.
Save your game first.
Shaking a tree?
Shaking the bear?
Going to the hidden area without feeding the bear?
Taking the floppy disk into the sauna & turning up the heat?
Turning the dial in the sauna clockwise four times?
Leaving the health club with the sauna going full blast?
Driving the bus into the hole created by the explosion?
P*SSing in the urinal and then flushing it (after scoring some points)?
Going EAST at Fifth and Oaktree (with or without the bus)?
** Who wrote these hints, and is this hints file copyrighted?
This hints file is Copyright 1994 by Christopher J. Madsen.
Permission is granted to distribute verbatim or modified copies of
this hints file, provided that this copyright notice remains intact.
You can reach me at .
I'd also like to thank the author of Dunnet, Ron Schnell
, without whom this hints file would be
unnecessary, and the author of Emacs, Richard Stallman
, since without him I'd have to use "vi".
** How can I contact the author?
My email address is ac608@yfn.ysu.edu. I'd love to hear about
suggested hints. I even accept suggestions for revising the hints I
already wrote.
The author of Dunnet is Ron Schnell .
Return to Ron's FAQ page