                  	 Borrowed Time

		An Illustrated Text Adventure

		         Instructions

The hunter or the prey.  Which would you rather be? Actually, you have no
choice, because this time you're both.

Insert disk.  Suddenly it's 1934, and you're Sam Harlow, private eye.  Nice
guy, but somebody wants you dead.  Guess who?  Better yet, think.  Think
quick.  Because you're living on Borrowed Time.

Investigate your way through a web of seedy looking characters in a
blood-thick plot.  But be careful now.  Somebody's watching, and doom knows
every doorway.

				1

LOADING INSTRUCTIONS

Apple II Series, IBM PC and PCjr. and Tandy 1000

* Insert disk, label side up.
* Turn on computer
* Follow screen instructions.

Commodore 64

* If you are using a joystick, plug it into port #2.
* Turn on computer and disk drive.
* Insert disk, label side up.
* Type: LOAD"*",8,1, and press RETURN.

Apple Macintosh

* Insert disk, label side up.
* Turn on computer.

Amiga

* Turn on computer
* Insert Kickstart disk.
* When instructed to insert Workbench disk, simply insert the Borrowed Time
  disk.

Atari ST

* Insert disk #1.
* Turn on disk drive. Turn on computer.

				2

THE TASK AT HAND

As private eye Sam Harlow, you must discover who is trying to murder you,
collect the appropriate evidence and bring it to the police, while avoiding
constant attempts on your life.

THE ILLUSTRATED TEXT ADVENTURE EXPLAINED

Overview

You are the central character in a complex adventure that begins in your
office.  The computer shows you the world from the character's point of
view.

In order to save your skin and bring the perpetrator to justice, you must
explore your world and its many characters.  Search for clues, examine
everything, question everyone and be on guard for danger.  Then, put it all
together an discover your predator.  This will take a lot of thinking, some
clever approaches, a good memory and a penchant for risk-taking.

INTERACTING WITH THE COMPUTER

Let the computer be your eyes, ears, voice, hands and legs.  Tell it what
you want to do by using the keyboard, mouse or joystick to give it
commands.  Commands include verbs and nouns:  for instance, TALK TO MAN or
TAKE WALLET.  The computer also understands more complex commands, like
GIVE THE FLOWERS TO THE WAITRESS.

You can string commands together, too: TALK TO MAN AND SHOW GUN.  However,
the computer will perform the command separately rather than
simultaneously.  So in this case, if talking to the man gets you "killed",
you'll never get the chance to wield your gun.

Of course, the computer isn't as smart as you are.  It might not understand
all of your commands.  Since your vocabulary is bigger, experiment with
different words and ways of expressing what you want to do.  If an
important command is rejected, make several attempts to reword it.

The screen displays a list of verbs and nouns. These aren't all the words
the computer understands, but they suggest the sorts of that you can use. 
They can be used in command by pointing to them with the joystick or mouse.

				3

MOVING FROM PLACE TO PLACE

To move from one location to another, tell the computer the direction you
want to go - North, East, South, or West.  You can use the keyboard by
simply typing N, E, S, or W, or you can point with the mouse or joystick to
the desired direction on the screen 'compass'.  Also, some computers have
arrow keys which may be used to move in the direction of the arrows.

After you've memorized (or written down) the layout of the streets and
buildings, you may want to make several moves at once.  In that case, type
or point to a series of directions (example: N.E.S).  When typing, be sure
to put periods between letters.  However, if something is going to happen
to you when you go North, you won't miss it by going N.E.S. in one move. 
Anything that would have happened to you (had you made these directional
moves individually) will occur by the time you arrive at your ultimate
destination.

USEFUL OBJECTS

As you move around, watch for objects that might eventually be useful. 
These could be mentioned in the text or may only appear on-screen in the
visual.  So be observant.  We will describe how to TAKE or DROP an object
later in "Using the Computer".

MAKING DANGEROUS MOVES

Although you have to do all the thinking in Borrowed Time, the computer's
memory can be very useful.  Right before a risky move, give the QUICKSAVE
command.  Should you need with your demise with a subsequent move and,
thus, end the game, simply give the QUICKLOAD command.  The game will
return to the scene where you gave the QUICKSAVE command.  Hence, you can
pick up where you left off without having to replay the entire adventure. 
Details for this procedure are described later in "Command Shortcuts".

A NOTE...about your joystick or mouse.  With the multitude of mouse and
joystick designs presently available, it is difficult, if not impossible,
to consider each design in this manual.  For example, at times we may refer
to the "right and left buttons" when, on your peripheral, they may be on
the upper and lower buttons, or the red and black buttons. etc.  Our
references are based on the peripherals most commonly used.  If yours
differs, you can make the "button correlation" with a quick test run of
your joystick or mouse.

				4

VITAL HINTS TO GET YOU STARTED

Here are some hints that will greatly increase your chances of success:

* Be curious!  Be sure to EXAMINE or LOOK AT everything and everyone you
  see.  At time you can even LISTEN.

* GET and TAKE as many objects as you can carry. There's no telling what
  you might need later on.

* Read the text carefully and study every detail in the visuals.  Seemingly
  unimportant facts or objects may later enlighten your understanding in an
  crucial situation.

* Don't forget to look Inside things like drawers, file cabinets, chests,
  pockets - even trash cans.

* Good detectives write everything down.  Descriptions, people, places,
  case files...for easy reference and ultimate solution.

* A map is crucial.  Construct one as you go along, noting buildings and
  landmarks in each scene.  This makes is easier to backtrack or to make
  sequential moves (i.e. N.E.S.).

* One of your best street informants is a blind newspaper vendor by the
  name of Hawkeye. * Conversation is often possible.  For instance, if you
  want some information, approach a character and type TELL ME ABOUT  (fill
  in) . (People are often more willing to talk when you show them your gun.) 
 
* Take chances!  Use your imagination and try everything.  Enter a variety
  of different commands to pull as much information as you can out of the
  computer.  Dare to be clever!  If you frequently save (or QUICKSAVE) the
  game, you'll never have much to lose.

* Select the TUTORIAL display from the Main Menu before your first attempt
  at Borrowed Time.  It contains many more examples of commands you can use.

Good Luck!

				5

GETTING STARTED

* Select the TUTORIAL option (No. 2) on the menu to learn the basics of
  becoming a first rate adventurer.

* When you're ready to begin, select the PLAY option (No. 1).

USING THE COMPUTER

NOTE: If you are using an IBM or Tandy computer, please substitute the
ENTER key for the RETURN key.

The computer shows you where you are at every stage of your adventure. It
will do your bidding so you can move and explore.  You can use the keyboard
exclusively throughout the game, or you can use it in combination with the
joystick or mouse in the following ways:

TO MOVE

You can move in any of the four primary directions using the on-screen
compass.  Use the joystick or mouse to point to (N) to go north/forward,
(E) to go east/right, (S) to go south/backward and (W) to go west/left. 
Press RETURN to execute the command.

If you prefer, you can simply type the direction with the keyboard
(example: Type W to go west) and press RETURN.

				6

If you want to make one long move over several directions, use the keyboard
to type the abbreviations (example: N.N.E.S.E.).  Remember to put a period
after each one.  Then press RETURN.

NOTE: Arrow keys can also be used for directional moves by users of IBM PC
and PCjr, Amiga, Atari ST and Tandy computers only.

TO GET (TAKE) OBJECTS

You begin the game with a wallet and a gun.  These are displayed on-screen
in your "Inventory".  As you progress, you will often encounter additional
objects that you'll want to add to this inventory.

* If a desired object is visible on the screen, point to it, using the
  mouse or joystick, and press the (left) button.  If the object is
  'available' to be taken, it will appear in your inventory.

* If the object is not visible, or if you prefer in either case to use the
  keyboard, simply type GET THE  (fill in)  and press RETURN.

* To get every available object in sight, type GET ALL and press RETURN.

* Objects successfully taken will appear on-screen in your inventory.  For
  an on-screen list of your current inventory, type I and press RETURN.

TO DROP OBJECTS

When your inventory space is full, you won't be able to take any more
objects unless you DROP at least one of them.

* Use the mouse or joystick to point to the unwanted object in your
  inventory and press the (left) button.

* If you prefer to use the keyboard, type DROP THE  (fill in)  and press
  RETURN.

* To drop all the objects in your inventory, type DROP ALL and press
  RETURN.

				7

TO EXAMINE OBJECTS

By examining every person, place and thing, you will often get valuable
clues in the text responses.

* Use commands like LOOK AT or EXAMINE when referring to the object of your
  curiosity.

* Again, you can type the commands entirely with the keyboard or use the
  mouse our joystick to point to the objects, nouns and verbs on the screen
  display.

TO SAVE A GAME

If you wish to stop playing in the middle of a game, you can assign a
number to it and save it onto the disk.  Then, at a later time you can pick
up right where you left off.

ON THE KEYBOARD (ALL SYSTEMS)

* Type SAVE GAME and press RETURN.

* Follow the on-screen request for number assignment.

USING A JOYSTICK OR MOUSE

* Bring the arrow to the top left half of the screen.

* Press and hold the right mouse or joystick button to view the "pull down"
  menu.

* The marker to the left of the numbers indicates the last game saved.

* Point to the number you wish to assign to the new game.

* Release the button.

NOTE: If you are an IBM or Tandy user, you may have joystick with only one
button.  If so, you can't use the pull-down menu procedure described
above.  Instead, use the keyboard procedure.

				8

TO LOAD A GAME

Any game that is saved can be loaded back into the computer an onto the
screen.

The procedures for loading a game are the same as for saving a game,
described above.  Just type LOAD GAME (Instead of "Save Game") or, if
you're using a joystick or mouse, point to the pull down LOAD menu (instead
of the SAVE menu) as described above.

COMMAND SHORTCUTS

QUICKSAVE/QUICKLOAD:  Type QUICKSAVE before each risky move!  It will enact
an informal saving of your current game, with no number assignment gives. 
It is automatically erased when another game is Quicksaved.  Should you
meet with your demise and, thus, end the game, type Y to begin the game
again; then type QUICKLOAD.  This will load the game from Quicksave, and
you can pick up where you left off.

PRE-SET COMMANDS:  Two columns of words appear on the right side of the
screen.  The first column contains verbs; the second contains nouns.  To
cut down typing time, point to a desired word with joystick or mouse and
press the (left) button.  The word will appear on the command line.

TO ERASE:  Part or all of a command line, use the delete, backspace or
horizontal arrow keys, depending on which computer you are using.

FUNCTION KEYS:  Your computer's function keys are additional shortcuts to
typing commands.  Whenever a function key is pressed, the following words
will appear on the command line:

				9

  KEY      FUNCTION

   1       SAVE GAME
   2       LOAD GAME
   3       REPEAT LAST COMMAND
   4       TELL BE ABOUT  (fill in)
   5       DROP   (fill in)
   6       GET ALL
   7       QUICKSAVE
   8       QUICKLOAD
   9       TALK TO THE  (fill in)
  10       LOOK AT THE  (fill in)

NOTE: IBM, Tandy, Atari ST and Amiga computers feature all ten function
keys.  Apple II series computers feature function keys 1 - 9.  Commodore
64/128 computers feature function keys 1 - 8.  The Macintosh does not have
function keys.

IBM PCjr users must simultaneously press the key marked "Fn" and the desired
function key number.

Apple II users must press the SHIFT key and the desired function key.

IF YOU REALLY GET STUMPED...

Don't feel embarrassed about asking us for help.  We know you're a clever
cat, Sam Harlow, but even Einstein used to get lost sometimes - In his own
neighborhood!  So send for our handbook of hints (not answers, mind you). 
Mail your name, address and $1.00 for shipping and handling to the address
below.  Be sure to tell us which computer system you are using.  Send to...

			Consumer Relations
			Activision, Inc.
			P.O. Box 7287
 			Mountain View, CA   94039

Write "Borrowed Time Hints" in the lower left corner of the envelope. 

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         DOCS PROVIDED BY  -+*+-THE SOUTHERN STAR-+*+- for M.A.A.D.                                                               
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