solutions/Gc-gam.sol

A step by step walkthrough for "GC: A Thrashing Parity Bit of Mind" by Rac
This is my solution in a little under 420 moves, and a couple weeks of 
playing, and some source code reading.
  
This solution is for TADS Version 0.1.1.2.3 (Fibonacci version) 
Released in 1994.  Story by Carl de Marcken, David Bagget, and Pearl Tsai.

Comments and earned/total points are in (), exact instruction follow '>'
character and general instruction follow after '>>' characters.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  This game is full of mostly logical puzzles based on the arcane disciplines of  
Artificial Intelligence, Philosophy, Computer Science, Quantum Physics, etc. The
goal of the game is to obtain a degrees from Dean Chiquita  in return for a mere
banana.  Along the way to accomplishing this will have to traverse a maze three
times, and fool a professor and  his evaluator into thinking that a machine can
respond to questions as if it  were human. This solution will show you how to do
that, get your degree, and achieve the full 150 points of a Source Code Reader.
  In general a lot of clues are in the game itself, and can be found by frequent 
use of the word 'all'. This is the only game that I've played that has virtually 
no restrictions on it.  You can, for  example, 'read all', 'examine all', 'look 
behind all', etc.  Also if you listen to the NPC's, you will also gather a number
of clues.  The more obscure puzzles require a search of the source code.
  This solution does a lot of preparatory moves first, so as to give a relatively
short numbers of moves.  After the first point, it will be a while before more
points are scored.  You can probably do a more optimal solution by tracking the
room cycling of the NPC's, and planning for their arrival at certain rooms. This
would eliminate a lot of waiting in the game.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PATH
>read note. 
>drop all but glasses. get hamster.
>east.

PUBLIC PHONE BOOTH
>rotate phone. (From docs that come with game.)
>save "S001".  (001/001)
>dial 2536567. (From Mom's note.)
               (Now you know the how and the what of the game.)
>w. n. e. n.

CAVE
>get rock      (It's radioactive.  Let's move it to someplace useful.
                You have to irradiate lumenberries, but not the black
                box. Both found elsewhere.)
>s. se.

LARGE TREE
>examine robot, lemur. (He needs a planner to move blocks properly.
                        when he finishs, he'll leave. The lemur will
                        then drop his banana in the maze.)
>examine slot
>nw. w. n. n. e. e.

WIND TUNNEL BUILDING
>put corduroy in cylinder (Our power source.)
>south

TUNNEL CHAMBER
>get airplane. read it.   (Try throwing it at various places.)
>n. w. w. n. e.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB
>drop rock.
>>wait until Louis comes from the east otherwise he will kick you out 
  of the next room, and you will be minus some points and possesions!
>east.

CONTRAPTION MACHINE ROOM
>enter machine.           
>get all.                 (Dev/null takes everthing but never fills!)
>exit. w. w. n.

BUILDING 20
>look behind poster.
>unlock door.
>drop kee.
>northeast.

MORRIS HALLE'S OFFICE
>read paper.    (What to do with any 'P' you find.)
>sw.nw.

NOAM CHOMSKY'S OFFICE
>get drop.      (say what??)
>open desk.     (GPS helps with the maze.)
>drop message.  (Optional. Keep it if you want to decrypt later.) 
>se. s. nw. w. n.

BERRY PATCH
>drop drop.     (say what??)
>south.
 
PHYSICIST'S OFFICE 
>get all                  (The 'h' on the floor is Planck's constant) 
>e. se. ne.

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT
>read connected posting
>read tangential posting  (But dont do what it says until
                           you at a safe distance from 
                           Marvin Minsky. You'll lose points!)
>u. s.

ALYSSA P. HACKER'S OFFICE
>examine desk.            (Desk slot is a decrytion device, but it's
                           locked with a combination.  Dont use the ACME 
                           decrypter, found in one of the desks.  ACME
                           products are cheezy, except for the Wind Tunnel.) 
>open window.
>throw plane through window.
>n. d. sw.

NORTH COURTYARD
>get button.
>wear it.
>save "S007".  (006/007)
>s. s. w.

GARDEN ENTRANCE   (First time through - easy!)
                  (Just follow the green light on the GPS)
>w. n. n. e. n. n.

HEDGE OPENING
>examine horse, mouth.
>look in mouth.
>get bow.         (A mobius strip (or bow?) has only one edge
                   and one surface - A topology object)
>s. s.

GARDEN MAZE
>get arrow. drop GPS.
>e. u.

HAYLOFT
>search haystack. (Zeno bottle - always gives but never empties!)
>shoot arrow.     (The arrow of time?) 
>drop bow.
>push haystack.
>jump.

BIG RED BARN
>save "S010".  (003/010)
>move chicken. get egg.
>w. s. e. e. n. e.
                  (Somewhere around here you get a vision of
                   one of numbers required to open Alyssa's
                   locked decryption machine. After a number 
                   of moves the right number, of second-ary
                   importance, stays in your head, 28.) 

PATH
>get arrow.
>w. n. ne. u. e. 
                  
EAST HALLWAY
>examine pedestal.
>get cage. drop it.
>put egg on pedestal. (All eggs in the Unnkulian/Acme universe
                       must be cooked!  And doesn't that pedestal
                       look hot!!)
>save "S011"  (001/011)
>>south until you get into Louis's office.

LOUIS REASONER'S OFFICE
>look under notes.    (Brownie will keep the gnu from eating lemon
                       drop later on.)
>examine clock.
>drop arrow.
>save "S014". (003/014)
>z. z. n. n.          (Or wait until Louis throws you out.) 
>w. d. sw.

NORTH COURTYARD
>drop brownie.
>s. s. s. w.

CHEEZ BOAR INN
>ask Carl for a lite.   (From paper airplane.)
>get can.
>south.

KITCHEN
>examine toaster        (Fuzzy logic equals fuzzy bits)
>get cheez key          (DO NOT TYPE: >get 
                         the program assumes you are trying 
                         to take the toaster and you lose points!)  
>n. w.

CHEEZ BOAR DINING ROOM
>put fork on table.     (Listen & read description. they need a fork!)
>save "S021". (007/021"
>read paper.
>get fuzzy bits, bread, lettuce.
>spray lettuce.
                        (If you played the game before you'll notice
                         that whiteboards get gunkier when sprayed.
                         Could this stuff be poisonous? )
>fill spritzer with juice.
                        (Hoch and Konigsberg want a clean whiteboard.
                         Could this lemon juice be a good cleaner?) 
>drop flask.
(While doing all this listen to the philosophers. They will tell
 another number to unlock Alyssa's decrytion machine. The third, 41.)
>e. s.

KITCHEN
>put bits in toaster.   (Toaster now has fuzzy logic.)
>save "S023". (002/023)
>put bread in slot.
>push lever.
>z. z. z. z.
>save "S029". (006/029)
>get toast.
>light lite.             (Cave rock was the light source, now Bud Lite 
                          is our light source!)
>n. e. e. n.

CAVE
>pour milk in saucer.    (The cat wont show up if the box is radioactive,
                          which is why you removed the rock.  Also radioactive
                          lumenberries will prevent it's appearance. 
                          Schroedinger's Cat is an example from Quantum Physics.
                          Explained on a show from The Learning Channel.)
>save "S036". (007/036)
>unlock door with key.                          
>save "S046". (010/046)  (Without the cat your key gets eaten by the mouse)
>fly saucer.
>save "S049". (003/049)
>drop box, kee.
>east.

CHEEZ ROOM
>get shovel.
>w. s. 
>drop can.
>w. n. w.

GARDEN ENTRANCE          (Second Time - Difficult!!)
>examine well.           (a lanner! If you could join an aspirated 'P'
                          to it you would have a good planner.)
>fill well with milk.    (Six times and the lanner's your's.)
>fill well with milk.    
>fill well with milk.    
>fill well with milk.    
>fill well with milk.    
>fill well with milk.    (Bottle should be 1/128th full.) 
>get lanner.
>s.                      (0) (A Fibonacci series 0.1.2.3.5)  
>west.                   (1) 
>s. s.                   (2)
>w. w. w.                (3) 
>n. n. n. n. n.          (5)

VEGETABLE GARDEN
>examine sign.
>give lettuce to bunny.  (It will kill you if you try to take anything from
                          it's garden.  You need the carrot here, so Corduroy
                          can power the Wind Tunnel and aspirate the 'P'.)
>z. z. z. 
>save "S055". (006/055)
>dig ground with shovel. (Carrot - necessary for energy for Corduroy.) 
>dig ground with shovel. (Pea - optional for chemistry/alchemy puzzles.) 
>s. e. e. e. n. e.

PATH
>dig ground with shovel. (Another optional puzzle object)
>drop shovel.
>w. w.

DEAN CHIQUITA'S OFFICE
>get putter.             (Another optional puzzle object)
>e. n. nw. w. n.

BERRY PATCH
>pick berries.
>get drop.
>s. e. se.

NORTH COURTYARD
>get brownie.
>save "temp".
>>wait until ARPA Evaluator shows up.
>give toast to ARPA.  (if the bee stings you, restore "temp"
                       and try again)
>save "S059". (004/059)
>drop drop.
>east.                (after the gnu eats the brownie, you can safely 
                       enter the AI Lab with the lemon drop.)
>west.
>get drop.
>east

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB
>>wait until Louis comes from the east.
>east. 

CONTRAPTION MACHINE ROOM
>examine machine, lights.    (What things in your possesion look like LEDs?)  
>put berries in holes.
>enter machine.

INSIDE CONTRAPTION MACHINE
>close panel.                         (Louis must not see you!!)
>turn off switch.                     (The hummimg bee and flashing lumenberries
                                       will fool Louis into thinking his machine
                                       is on.)   
>>wait until ARPA and Louis arrive and
  Louis says he's ready.              (without breakfast ARPA will not arrive)
>save "temp".
>wait until ARPA recites some poem.   (Random. If you blow the question, 
                                       >restore "temp". Try again.
                                       PS. If Louis gets too many 'F's you
                                       lose 60 points!!!)
>wait.                                (Now he'll ask the machine a question.)      
********************************************************************************
There 12 possibilities:
If the question is:
   "What did I have for breakfast?"
>say "toast".
If the question is:
   "What did the Panther eat last?"
>say "owl".
If the question is:
   "What are the Southern Lights named?"
>say "australis".
If the question is:
   "If you swish with an Ish wish dish, what do get right on your dish?"
>say "fish".
If the question is:
   "Name one ingredient that little girls are made of?"
>say "spice".
If the question is:
   "Name one ingredient that little boys are made of?"
>say "snails".
If the question is:
   "How many rooms did the innkeeper have?"
>say "nine".
If the question is:
   "What color is the innkeeper's bear?"
>say "white".
If the question is:
   "What is the cat's name?"
>say "selima".
If the question is:
   "Who is buried in Grant's tomb?"
>say "grant".
If the question is:
   "How many were coming from St. Ives?"
>say "2752".
If the question is:
   "What kind of fish are in the pond?"
>say "herrings".
********************************************************************************
>save "S071". (012/071)    
>exit machine.
>w. w. nw.

PHYSICS BUILDING
>join pea to bee.            (Chemistry! P + b = Pb.  The symbol for lead.)
                             (Can only do this after the above puzzle, bee 
                              wont follow you after joining it to the pea.)
>save "S080". (009/080)
>get sphere. put it in funnel.
>save "S083". (003/083)      (Alchemy and fool's gold)  
>west.

PHYSICIST'S OFFICE
>spray board. drop spritzer. (Remember what Hoch and Konigsberg want?)
>e. se. ne. u.

WEST HALL
>drop ball                   (Optional puzzle, try different rooms
                              to find this one.) 
>putt ball
>save "S086". (003/086)
>east.
>>south until you get into Louis's Office.

LOUIS REASONER'S OFFICE
>get p                              (Louis has worked so hard for his 'P'.
                                     Too bad you have to rob him of it.)
>>north until c-lock lets you out.  (If Louis catches you - try again)
>w. d. sw. nw. w.

PHYSICIST'S OFFICE
>>wait until Hoch and Konigsberg see the clean whiteboard.
>save "S092". (006/092)
>e. se. s. e. e. s.

TUNNEL CHAMBER
>put p on platform.                 (Try this with anything else!)
>north.

WIND TUNNEL BUILDING
>give carrot to hamster.
>save "S097". (005/097)
>>wait until Corduroy poops out.
>south.

TUNNEL CHAMBER
>get p.
>examine it.                        (Remember Halle's phonology paper?)
>join p to lanner.
>save "S107". (010/107)
>drop join.
>n. w. w. s. s. e. se.

LARGE TREE
>put planner in slot                (Try the ACME planner.)
>wait.
>save "S115". (008/115)
>>wait until lemur leaves then follow him...
>nw. w. n. w.

GARDEN ENTRANCE          (Third Time - easy - follow the lemur!)
>w. w. n. n. w.

SPECIAL LEMUR RESTING SPOT  (last time in the maze!!)
>get banana                 (finally!!              )
>e. e. e. e. n. w.

DEAN CHIQUITA'S OFFICE
>give banana to dean.
>>ask dean about degree until he hands it over!!
>save "S128" (013/128)
>e. s. s. w.

CHEEZ BOAR INN
(The following is a  map theory coloring problem.  A flat plane, subdivided
 into any number of distinct region should only  require  only three colors 
 for each region, wherein no two adjacent or touching regions  have the same 
 color.  That is your job here. Color the ashtrays, so that no two connected
 ones are of the same color. 
 By watching where each person moves, you should be able to figure out
 which tables and ashtrays are connected/adjacent.) 

>pour milk into dev.         (Reading the source code wont help with this!)
                             (But if you ponder about what happens when an
                              unstoppable force meets an immoveable object...
                              ...it seems natural to try this.)  
>save "S133" (005/133)

>sit at limburger table.
>fill bottle with green paint.
>get up.

>sit at gouda table.
>fill ashtray with green paint.
>get up.

>sit at swiss table.
>fill ashtray with green paint.
>get up.

>pour green paint into dev.

>sit at stilton table.
>fill bottle, ashtray with blue paint.
>get up.

>sit at brie table.
>fill ashtray with blue paint.
>get up.

>sit at limburger table.
>fill ashtray with blue paint.
>get up.

>save "S144". (011/144)
(Carl gives you the fourth number to Alyssa's decrytion machine.)
>pour blue paint into dev.
>give bottle to Carl.
(Carl gives you the first number to Alyssa's decrytion machine.)
>e. n. n. n. ne. u. s.

ALYSSA P. HACKER'S OFFICE
>turn dial to  6.  (From Carl for giving him the empty Zeno Bottle.)
>turn dial to 28.  (From your vision(s).)     
>turn dial to 41.  (From the philosophers in the dining room.)
>turn dial to 24.  (From Carl for decorating the ashtrays.) 
>save "S148". (004/148)
(If you kept any the messages you found during the game you can now
put them into the slot to see what they say.)

Finally....
>Think.      (If you do this with Marvin around, he'll quickly 
              turn your good idea into a bad one.)
>save "S150" (002/150)

>quit        (Now you get your congratulations!)

*****************************************************************
** Congratulations you are now an official Source Code Reader. **
*****************************************************************


For fun, have you...
-----------------------------------------------------
Turned the dial to a wrong number on the dial at Alyssa's office.
Said "tmsxt", "plover", "plugh", "xyyzy".
Tried to take anything from the philosophers table, before giving them the fork.
Let Louis see you in the Contraption Machine, or Contraption Machine Room.
Tried taking any food from the sweet little (killer) bunny.
Joined something that can't be joined.
Thought in front of Marvin Minsky.
Given burnt toast to the ARPA evasluator.
Put the ACME planner in the robot slot.
Used any ACME product besides the Wind Tunnel.