5 DAYS A STRANGER (version 1.3)

INSTALLATION 

Unzip the contents of 5days.zip into its own directory (eg C:\5DAYS). Run setup.exe to customise the resolution and configure your sound card, then run the game .exe file.

STORY

Get in, get the loot, get out... that's how it usually goes for master cat burglar Trilby. But after he breaks into the supposedly vacated country manor erstwhile of the aristocratic DeFoe family, he quickly finds that things are not that simple. Together with a group of strangers, he finds himself imprisoned by some invisible intelligence. A force prepared to do anything to keep them there. Up to and including murder...

As the killings begin and suspicion threatens to tear the group apart, it's up to Trilby to unite his squabbling companions and destroy the supernatural entity that victimises them. But what exactly is it? What is the dark secret attached to DeFoe Manor? And what is the significance of the masked maniac who haunts their dreams?


DISCLAIMER

For those of you who have gotten used to me injecting a sense of humour into all my games, prepare to be disappointed. This was more of an experiment in programming and characterisation than a humourous effort. So, don't come running to me when you expect a light-hearted runaround, and find instead insane ghosts and people being murdered in nasty ways.


INSTRUCTIONS

- When you are free to play, there will be a status bar along the bottom of the screen which is absent during cutscenes. This will display the name of objects you can interact with as the mouse passes over them.

- Press the right mouse button to call up the interface, where you can select which verb to use and interact with your inventory.

- Pick up items in your inventory by clicking on them with the 'use' icon.

- You can dismiss the interface by moving your mouse pointer outside of its borders.

NOTE: It is possible to die in 5 Days A Stranger, so remember to save whenever things seem dangerous.


HOTKEYS

F1: Walk to
F2: Look at
F3: Use
F4: Speak to
F5: Current inventory item
Space: Cycle through verbs
F6: Save game
F7 (or Ctrl-Q): Quit game
F8: Restore game
F9: Restart game
F12: Save screenshot
Esc: Skip cutscene

CREDITS

Music nicked without remorse from RPG Maker 2000; where they nicked the music from is a matter for speculation.
AGS Engine by Chris Jones, a better man than you.
Everything else by Ben 'Yahtzee' Croshaw, without thanks or encouragement, you ingrates.


CHANGES

1.31

- Added translation support
- New executable icons 

1.3

- Fixed scrolling room walkto problem (thanks Edmundo)
- Added sound effects, whoopee!
- Fixed occasional metal detector bug
- Added scariness to a couple of paintings

1.2:

- Made hotkeys for verbs (F1-F5)
- Made hotkey for cycling through verbs (space bar)
- Made any click on nothing act as 'walk to'*
- Added stopmoving command to basement sequence
- Added second plug socket for television
- Made some sequences cutscenes (skippable)

* For some reason, this has a tendency to bugger up in scrolling rooms.

1.1:

- Fixed swimming pool bug
- Added verb buttons to statusline
- Fixed Jim disappearing from basement bug
- Changed use inventory dialog for fireplace
- Fixed Jim and Phil not looking back down after conversations