Torin's Passage has five chapters plus a prologue. Each chapter takes place on one of Strata's five nested worlds. The first time you play, you'll see the prologue's opening movie that gives you important background information about the story. It ends where game play begins - in The Lands Above.
While it is not recommended, you may play the chapters out of order. On the main menu screen, select the chapter you wish to play. Your score will start at zero, even when you start at a later chapter.
Select the Resume Play button and, after seeing your "Tip of the Day" (if that feature is enabled), you'll be placed back in the game where you were the last time you quit. This button only appears if you have quit the game before. Select the Restore button and, , after seeing your "Tip of the Day" (if that feature is enabled), you can choose from a list of all your saved games. This button only appears if you have previously saved a game. Select the Exit button and... oh, just take a wild guess!
Main game screen
Below the game's graphics window lies its primary user interface, the game controls area. It includes the following features.
The scroll handles
Many of the Torin's Passage screens are larger than the visible window. Click and drag the scroll handle(s) to see the rest of the picture. Occasionally using a scroll handle is required to solve a puzzle.
The script
Click the script to open the book and a teleprompter-like screen will rise up out of the interface, displaying the last few lines of dialogue. Use the scroll bar to read any recent dialogue you may have missed. Click the speaker icon to hear any text. Click the script again to close the book and lower the screen.
The Torin & Boogle buttons
Torin's Passage uses a unique double inventory. Press the button with Torin's face and the Inventory displays everything you are carrying. Press the Boogle button to see the shapes Boogle can assume. Everything described in the inventory section below applies to your Boogle shapes as well as the standard inventory objects.
The VCR controls
The interface always holds a "Pause" button. To pause the game, press it (duh!). During play, other buttons sometimes appear near the Pause button. The Fast Forward button lets you skip animation you've seen before. New to Torin's Passage is the Rewind button. Press it to see a piece of animation again.
The score meter
Your score is constantly displayed. There are many ways to gain points, but only one way to lose them: hints.
The inventory
Sometimes when you click on an object in the game, you take that object. It then appears in the inventory window at the bottom of the screen. To use To use an object in your inventory, click on it. It becomes your cursor. Move it over the screen. It will brighten where it can be used. TO put it away, click it anywhere in the inventory window (you cannot mix Torin's possessions and Boogle's shapes). You may rearrange the inventory objects. Some inventory items may be combined with other inventory objects to create new inventory objects. To do this, first click on an item to select it. Then click its cursor on the item you want to alter.
The scanning platform
To closely examine an inventory object, select it, then click it on the scanning platform. Laser beams project a hologram of the object into the space between you and the game window. Use the five buttons on the control panel to alter its rotational direction, view it one frame at a time, or freeze it in place. To resume game play, remove it from the platform. some objects may be manipulated by clicking the play cursor on an object's holographic image. Check each inventory item carefully. Some conceal important information!
The hint hourglass
To keep you from getting stuck, torin's Passage has an on-line hint system, consisting of an "?" button and an hourglass. To het a hint, press the "?" whenever the hourglass is not visible. But be aware: each hint will cost you points and raise the hourglass, thus preventing another hint until it runs out. The hourglass is also raised whenever you score points. You can adjust the delay between hints by selecting "Hint TImer" from the "Game" menu.
The cursor
Use our "smart" cursor to explore and interact with the game world. Pass your cursor around the entire screen. When it changes, you are over something interactive. click and see what happens!
The menu bar
Move your cursor to the upper-left corner of the game window and a menu bar appears. Click on a word and a menu drops down. Select an action from the menu. Most work exactly like the menus in other software you own. Try 'em all... at least once.
The file menu
"New" stats a new game. "Open" restores a previously saved game. "Save" lets you save your game. "Quit" is the proper way to leave the game. Exiting any other way does not give you a chance to save your current game position. It's a good idea to keep several saved games around, in case you want to return to an older position in the game. Make each one's title descriptive of your current situation.
The game menu
"Audio mixer" lets you adjust the relative volume levels of the game's background music, sound effects and dialogue. Now you can enjoy the all-digital sound in Torin's Passage to the fullest. Think you can do better? Fine! Make your own. (Mess things up? Press "default"). "Walking speed" lets you change how fast Torin and Boogle walk. "Hint timer" lets you adjust the number of minutes the hourglass keeps you from accessing the hint button. It gets reset every time you score points or request a hint. "Scrolling" turns smooth scrolling on and off. On machines with slower graphics, turn it off. If you want to show off your hot, new killer machine and/or graphics accelerator video card, turn it on. "Closed captioning" turns on and off the subtitles at the bottom of the screen.
The help menu
"Help" offers a few suggestions about how to get started playing adventure games. "Tool Tips" turns on and off those handy little text boxes that appear in the game controls area. Hold your mouse still over an object for more than a few seconds and its name appears near your cursor. "Tip of the day" turns on and off the helpful tips and shortcuts you get when starting the game. "Customer support" gives you current telephone, fax, and email numbers for Sierra worldwide (no longer in use).
