Shadowgate Hints

These controls are confusing.

• I'd be confused too, if I wasn't familiar with both text-adventure and modern click-based adventure games. There are several actions you can perform at any time. Let me explain the controls.
  
  The window in the top left is the main display window, which shows your surroundings. Most of the actions you perform are on objects in this window.
  
  The window in the bottom is the command window, which gives all the commands. This is subdivided into three sections. The left corner is devoted to the MOVE command, and has a map of all the obvious exits in a room. Some exits are not mapped because that would spoil puzzles. The center contains the other eight commands, and the window at the bottom right contains the controls for moving your inventory around, the command object SELF, and the SAVE control.
  
  The window on the top right contains your inventory, seven items at a time. If you have more than that (and trust me, you will), your inventory spills over to another inventory card (accessed by clicking UP on the card controls), and another, and another.  Spells are the bottom card. There are few enough spells to fit on one card.
  
  To save the game, click the SAVE button. This will save your progress under the file you selected at the beginning. When you restart the game, just click on the file you saved under. At this point, you find a window that says CONTINUE, EXIT, or NEW GAME. Just click CONTINUE to restore.
  
  The first command is MOVE. This command is slightly strange. You can MOVE through any of the obvious exits on the map. You can move through anything that serves as a door on the main screen. A passage has to be open before you can move through it. MOVE only moves yourself, you can't move objects with this. If you try to move through certain doors, you can die.
  
  The second command is LOOK. This command is one of the best, because it doesn't take up any time and can never kill you. Always look at things. You can look at anything on the screen, or any of the obvious exits on the map. You can also look at things in your inventory.
  
  The next command is OPEN. You can open any containers, or any doors, or any obvious exits on the map, or any secret passages, or anything on the screen that resembles a door. Opening things can kill you, so be careful.  It is also possible to CLOSE something. You can close anything you can open. As far as I know, closing things can't hurt.
  
  Next is USE. You can use certain things on the screen, things in your inventory...basically, anything that looks like a tool. You can use things on yourself. Using things can be deadly, especially when used on yourself, so do be careful. Any liquid, practically, can be drunk by USEing it on yourself. Wearing things is accomplished by the same means. To light, burn, or melt something, USE the lit torch on the object.
  
  Next is LEAVE. You can use this to drop something or put something somewhere. I don't use it much; I prefer the USE command. I've tried to use it to unload my inventory, but it doesn't work.
  
  You can also TAKE things. This is what it sounds like; you can pick something up and put it in your inventory. This can be deadly if you take certain things.
  
  You may also HIT objects. You can hit inventory objects or objects on the screen. Hitting yourself is silly. Hitting things can be deadly, especially if the target is extremely dangerous.
  
  You have the ability to SPEAK. You can sometimes talk to things, and this can be used to cast spells.
  

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