                                     LOOM

Getting Started
  NOTE: We recommend that you first make a backup copy of all disks and put 
the originals in a safe place. The disks are not copy-protected, so to copy 
them, just follow the instructions that came with your computer.
  
Keyboard Controls
 To spin drafts using the keyboard, you can use either of the following set 
of keys or click the mouse on the appropriate notes on the distaff:

Q    W    E    R    T    Y    U    I
                 or
C    D    E    F    G    A    B    [shift]C

Note: these keys correspond to the tonal positions of the distaff on the 
screen.

Function and Command Keys

F5        Save or Load a Game (only when the cursor is visible.)
ESC       Bypass a Cut-Scene
F8        Restart a Game
SPACE     Pause the Game
F6        Sound Control       (one press disables music but retains sound 
                              effects. second press disables all sounds.
                              third press restores all sounds.)
>         Faster              [shift] period
<         Slower              [shift] comma
ALT x     Exit Game
CTL v     Version Number


Save/Load Instructions

  If you are playing from floppy disks (and not a hard drive), you will need 
a blank, formatted disk BEFORE you start to play.  This disk will become you 
Save/Load disk.  If you are playing Loom from a hard disk, your games will 
be saved in the directory with the game files.
  Press F5 when you want to save or load a game.  If you are playing from 
floppy disks, you will be asked to insert your Save/Load game disk.  Once 
the Save/Load screen is displayed, you can move the cursor and click on 
either SAVE, LOAD or PLAY.The SAVE/LOAD option will not be available during
the opening sequence.

TO SAVE:
  Click on the SAVE option.  The current list of saved games will be 
displayed in slots along the left side of the screen.  Select a slot by 
pointing the cursor to it and clicking.  Now you will be able to type a new 
name for that slot or use the backspace key to change the existing name.  
Pressing ENTER will reactivate the cursor.  Click the cursor on OK to save 
the game, or CANCEL if you have changed you mind and do not wish to save it.

TO LOAD:
  Click on the LOAD option.  The current list of saved games will be 
displayed in slots along the left side of the screen.  Select a slot by 
pointing the cursor to it and clicking.  Click the cursor on OK to load the 
game, or CANCEL if you have changed you mind and do not wish to load it.

Note: Loading a previously saved game will cause you to lose the game you 
are currently playing.
  SAVE/LOAD is disabled during cut-scenes (whenever the cursor disappears 
from the screen).


About Loom

  In Loom, you play the role of Boffin Threadbare, a young boy coming of age 
in a fantasy world on the brink of apocalypse. Wielding a legacy of magical 
knowledge, you will set out across a landscape filled with beauty, danger 
and excitement, making new friends, solving mysteries, and growing in 
experience and power as you weave your way toward a destiny of overwhelming 
consequence.
  Loom is unlike traditional "adventure games" in many ways. Its goal is to 
let you participate in the unfolding of a rich, thought-provoking fantasy. 
It is neither a role-playing game (although it incorporates elements of 
role-playing), nor a collection of brainteasers. Its simple mysteries are 
designed to engage your imagination and draw you deeper into the story, not 
to frustrate you or increase the amount of time it takes to finish.
  You can never be stranded while playing Loom. We've gone to great lengths 
to insure that you will never find yourself in a situation from which you 
cannot escape. If you're not sure how to proceed, remember: the knowledge 
you need to continue the story is always available somewhere nearby. You 
don't need to save and restore your game frequently to insure success 
(although you can if you want to). Don't be afraid to experiment. Nothing in 
the game can "kill" you. If you're really stumped, ask a friend for help. 
Sooner or later, the answers will reveal themselves!
  Most important of all, Loom is designed to be completed, not played 
halfway through and then thrown on a shelf and forgotten. We spent a lot of 
time and effort creating these disks. We want you to enjoy them all!
  Listen to the audio drama! The Dolby Stereo cassette tape included in your 
Loom package will tell you everything you need to know to play the role of 
Bobbin and to enter his world. Listening to this tape before you start the 
game will help you to enjoy the story to its fullest. You'll also gain a 
clearer understanding of how Bobbin can weave magic to affect his 
environment.
  Read the Book of Patterns! It contains important information about the 
magical powers you will soon command.
  Read the rest of this manual! Loom looks and plays like no other adventure 
game. Take the time to learn how to make the most of its unique design.
  This is you role... You direct the actions of Bobbin Threadbare, an 
inexperienced member of the Guild of Weavers. At the beginning of the story, 
Bobbin doesn't know very much about the power of the Weavers or how to use 
it. As he encounters and masters increasingly challenging situations, Bobbin 
becomes a more proficient Weaver.
  If this is your first computer adventure game, be prepared for an 
entertaining challenge. Be patient, even if it takes a while to figure out 
some of the puzzles. If you get stuck, you might need to solve another 
puzzle first or discover a musical pattern. But hang in there and use you 
imagination, and you will guide Bobbin to understand the mysteries of the 
Loom!
  We've included the Book of Patterns to help you learn the magical patterns 
that have been created by Weavers over the millennia. As Bobbin explores the 
world around him, certain actions on his part cause musical nots, or 
threads, to be played. Pay attention to these threads- they will always 
occur in a series of four, which the Weavers call a draft. As the Book of 
Patterns points out, each draft has its own unique effect, and discovering 
the purpose for each draft is the secret to success in the world of Loom. As 
Bobbin finds new drafts, write down the individual threads (each draft has 
four) for future reference. Be sure to use a pencil when writing drafts in 
the Book of Patterns! Each time you start a new game, the threads of each 
draft may be different.


Playing the Game

  After the opening title sequence and introduction, you will see Bobbin 
standing high atop a rocky peak overlooking the island of Loom. You begin 
directing his actions when he finishes talking and turns to face you. The 
screen is divided into the following sections:

  1) The Animation Window is the largest part of the screen. The animated 
action takes place there. It shows the "camera's-eye view" of the room or 
location where Bobbin is.

  2) The Distaff, the magic staff of the Elders, is represented graphically 
below the Animation Window. The distaff is essential to Bobbin's success, as 
it allow him to spin the drafts which affect the world around him in 
different ways. Remember, Bobbin must first find the distaff for it to 
appear on the lower part of the screen!

  3) The Icon Box is in the lower right corner of the screen. When the 
cursor touches an object on the screen that can be used in some way, this 
box will display an icon representing that object (except when Bobbin is 
already standing next to an object).

  To move Bobbin around, move your cursor into the Animation Window, point 
it where you want him to go, and click. If you point to an open door and 
click, Bobbin will walk through it.

  To examine or "use" an object, point to the object and double-click, or 
click on the object's icon in the Icon Box. Some objects will produce the 
sound of a draft (or part of a draft) when activated in this way. Bobbin 
must be standing next to an object in order to examine it or spin a draft on 
it. You'll know when he's standing next to an object when its name appears 
under the icon in the Icon Box. You can deselect the object in the Icon Box 
by pressing the ESC key.
  To spin a draft, point and click on each note on the distaff in the proper 
sequence. For example, if you hear a series of four musical sounds in the 
game, like C D E C, you should first write the sequence in the Book of 
Patterns. next to the corresponding draft description. Then, you can try the 
draft yourself by clicking on an object on the screen, waiting for Bobbin to 
stand next to it, and repeating the same four notes on the distaff. Note: If 
you wish to stop spinning a draft while in the process of spinning it, you 
can press ESC.
  "Cut-scenes are short, animated sequences - like scenes from a movie - 
which provide clues and information about the characters (like when Bobbin 
is greeted by the message nymph). While you are viewing a cut-scene, you do 
not direct the action and the cursor will disappear from the screen.

Things to Try of the Island of Loom

  Touch the leaf on the tree next to which Bobbin is standing in the 
beginning of the game. (You can "touch" the leaf by moving the cursor over 
and double-clicking.)
  Walk to the Sanctuary of the Elders, at the far left end of the village. 
Inside you will find three tapestries which Bobbin can tell you about. You 
will also find the Elders in a heated discussion, and the Loom.
  Pickup the distaff which was dropped by the Elder Atropos. You must have 
this object to complete the game.
  Open the swan's egg into which Hetchel was transformed. Double-click on 
the egg to hear the Draft of Opening. Then, using the distaff, spin the 
draft on the egg yourself.
  Walk to Hetchel's tent, at the far right end of the village. Here you will 
find a flask with dye in it and a bye pot full of boiling dye. Using each of 
these objects will produce interesting and educational effects. (Be sure to 
have a pencil handy!)

                             L O O M
                         
                         BOOK of PATTERNS

   This is your personal diary of spellweaving. As you learn new drafts,
   record the threads in this volume for future reference and study.
   Not all drafts listed here will be encountered in your travels. Most
   Weavers actually use fewer than a dozen drafts in their entire lifetime.
   Nevertheless, by familiarizing yourself with the knowledge in these
   pages, you will be better prepared to deal with events unforseen by the
   Elders.       A WISE SPELLWEAVER ALWAYS WRITES IN PENCIL.

   OPENING * This fundamental draft is traditionally the first one taught
   to novice spellweavers. Once mastered, it may be spun into tarpaulins,
   theater curtains, or any covering that must be whisked aside on command.

                            E   C   E   D
                           --- --- --- ---
   DYEING * This draft was perfected by the dye chemist of the Woonsocket
   Chapter, who slaved for hours over steaming pots to satisfy the Clerics'
   appetite for colorful vestures. Originally woven into all types of fabric
   the applicability of the Dyeing draft has diminished over the course of
   centuries. Now it works only on wool.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   SUMMONING * Cheifly spun by the Elders in those rare instances when a
   member's physical presence is required in the Sanctuary. The draft may be
   perceived by its recipient in many different ways. It most often takes
   the form of a small, luminous spheroid, referred to in children's stories
   as a "messinger nymph".

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   TONGUES * The Pattern of Tongues was first spun into the dinner placemats
   at the 423rd Conclave of the Guilds, held at Elstree in 7610. For the
   first time, the Guild delegates could understand each other's speeches.
   This innovation was widely praised until an Undertaker was overheard
   insulting a Florist. Both Guilds were plunged into a bloody war lasting
   five hundred years.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   STRAW INTO GOLD * When times are lean, the Elders may invoke this draft
   to generate extra revenue. Its use is strickly regulated by the Treasurer
   of the Guild to prevent inflation. Other Guilds ignorant in the ways of
   spellweaving, have concocted a variety of outlandish fairy tales
   involving this rather elementary weave.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   TEMBLOR * Temblor was discovered by a reckless (and now very dead) spell-
   weaver who directed the threads of Rending upon a thought-to-be-dormant
   volcano. Eagerly sought after by the Guild of Seismologists, this
   extremely dangerous draft is included here only for reference; its
   spinning has been forbidden by the Guild since 7331.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   RENDING * The inventors of this innocent draft could not have imagined
   how badly it would be abused. The Guild of Embalmers originally licensed
   the draft for tearing rags into long strips. When the Embalmers were
   disbanded in 6529, a legal battle awarded the rights to the Guild of
   Career Politicians, who employed it to shred documents. The secret
   wandered from one unscrupulous Guild to another until it ended up amoung
   the Assassins, whose uses for Rending are too horrible to describe.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   NIGHT VISION * The threads of this distinctive and beautiful draft are
   extrapolated from the song of nocturnal birds. At one time, Night Vision
   was prized by the Guild of Miners, whose legendary underground realm was
   chiefly illuminated by luminous tapestries bearing our Seal. Tragically,
   demand fell off after the Great Earthquake of 7331.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   HEALING * In Volume 19 of her Breif History of the Guild of Weavers
   (Guild Press 5620), Third Elder Lazykate documents the way bandages were
   treated with Healing as early as 1716. The four threads have evolved far
   beyond their origional form. They can now be spun into virtually anything
   which needs rejuvination, with the notible exception of the spellweaver's
   own body.
                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   SHRINKAGE * Many simple fabrics contract when exposed to moisture or heat
   . In studying this phenomenon, the ancient Weavers isolated the threads
   that cause this natural Shrinkage, and soon developed a draft to weave
   the effect into any material object. Be wary in its use! Once spun, the
   Shrinkage threads can never be unwoven.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   DESIRE * The draft of Desire has its origins in the primitive days of our
   community, when it was used to lure unsuspecting passersby into Guils
   shops. When spun upon a creature or person, it warps the threads around
   the spellweaver so that he or she resembles whatever thing the victim
   desires the most. The illusion is quite fragile and impossible to
   maintain for more than a few moments.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   WATERPROOFING * The 5992 expedition of Fifth Elder Spindleshank to the
   rain forests of Lesser Uxbridge yielded this very practical draft, which
   shields any fabric from the effects of moisture. The Poison Galoshes
   Panic of 6003 almost resulted in a permanent ban on Waterproofing, until
   it was revealed that magazine test reports had been rigged by the Guild
   of Umbrella Openers.
                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   REFLECTION * This draft was commissioned by the Guild of Dancers to
   expidite costume changes for their 500th anniversary performance of the
   classic ballet OLEMA. When properly invoked, the spellweaver immediately
   assumes the appearance of the being the draft is spun upon, and vice
   versa. The four threads are based upon the mating grunt of the slit-
   throated chameleon.
                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   TERROR * This draft reweaves the spellweaver's appearance into a form
   drawn from the deepest anxieties of the being the threads are spun upon.
   In effect, it turns you into the thing the recipient fears most. Terror
   works only on sentient beings, but its potency more than makes up for
   this limitation. It is approved for limited therapeutic use by the Guild
   of Psychotherapist.
                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   FOLDING * Archaeological evidence suggest that Folding was never supposed
   to be spun upon the fabric of space. Instead, its inventors seem to have
   been more concerned with the management of laundry! No faster or more
   convenient way has been found to move a spellweaver from one place to
   another. Caution must be exercised when Folding a section of space
   already Folded by another spellweaver. Careless spinning can create an
   uninhabitable "wrinkle" zone such as the Gainsbourough Blind Spot.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   INVISIBILITY * When spun upon a person or group, Invisibility frays the
   focus of their vision, rendering the spellweaver quite difficult to see.
   The provenance of this draft is uncertian. It seems to have been acquired
   (under questionable circumstances) from the Guild of Shepherds, whose
   genius in the art of steatlth is probably unrivaled.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   TWISTING * The origins of this ancient draft are lost in history. The
   earliest references to it are woven into the foremost hem of the Long
   Tapestry, beside threads depicting the manipulation of flax and yarn by
   hand. Tradition has it that the four notes were derived from the rythmic
   squeak of First Elder Swellflax's own Spindle.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   CONFUSION * The reason why this unusual draft was first developed is lost
   in time. Revisionists claim that it was spun into the cheaper fabrics
   sold at Guild shops in an attempt to undermine the confidence of bargain
   hunters. Whatever its origin, Confusion's potency has not diminished over
   time. One spin leaves a victim helplessly bewildered until the spell-
   weaver is safely out of sight.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   SHAPING * Only a handful of Weavers possess the concentration necessary
   to Shape a material substance. The threads of the draft must be spun with
   unusual single-mindedness before the Pattern will yield. Even then, a
   sucessfully Shaped object may revert to its original form if the draft
   is not rewoven periodically.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   WARMTH * What Weaver has never been wrapped in the cozy threads of a
   Warmth draft? Second only to Aphrodesia in popularity (they are often
   sold togather), Warmth has been a staple of our Guild for much of our
   recorded history. Even a thin gauze coverlet feels as substantial as a
   Penumbrian quilt after a single application.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   APHRODESIA * The Guild's quick rise to prosperity and influence was due
   in very large part to the success of this best-seller. Fabrics woven with
   threads of Aphrodesoa are guaranteed to soften the heart of even the most
   indifferent love interest. Only the Elders are priviledged to know the
   true origin of the draft. Rumors of a secret affair between Second Elder
   Twillfast and a member of the Guild of Organist are malicious and
   completely unfounded.
                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   SLEEP * It would be difficult to find a pillow, baby bonnet or sleeping
   bag that has not been imbued with the soothing properties of this popular
   draft. The Guild of Nannies requires its use in all household fabrics,
   and the Anesthesiologist have approved an industrial-strength version as
   an alternative to chloroform.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   SILENCE * Silence was hailed as a welcome relief for first-time parents
   and dwellers in college dormitories. Unfortunately, our Guildmembers are
   too often hired to spin these threads in situations of doubtful
   approiateness. The worst offender is the Guild of Conductors, whose
   members frequently impose a draft of Silence over their audience before
   a concert.
                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   EMPTYING * The contents of almost any filled container may be instantly
   unravelled with this handy draft. Before its development c. 4200, the
   streams of Woonsocket ran green with the discarded dyes of the chemists.
   Avoid the tempation to spin Emptying upon lakes or clouds; its range is
   deliberately limited to prevent catastrophes such as the Double Deluge
   of 4202 (for which the Gulid admits no responsibility).

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   UNMAKING * Novices are often impatient to aquire the undeniably dramatic
   ability to Unmake physical objects. Luckily, these volatile threads lie
   well beyond the graps of all but the most mature spellweavers. Entire
   armies can and have been disembodied by the transawasome power of
   Unmaking. Let us hope we are never again called upon to demonstrate our
   craft in this manner.
                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   EXTINGUISHING * Open flames are easily smothered with the draft of
   Extinguishing. It untangles the threads of oxygen and fuel within a
   conflagration almost instantly, with few if any side effects and very
   little smoke. The guild of Firefighters awarded us with their 6222
   Plaque of Distinction for the development of this safe, fast-acting
   treatment.
                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   SHARPENING * Scissors, pins and knitting needles are the usual
   benefactors of this simple draft. In ancient times, however, warriors
   often submitted their blades to our Guildmembers for treatment. A formal
   protest by the Blacksmiths resulted in the Whetstone Bridge Treaty of
   7550, which specifically prohibits the use of the Sharpening draft on
   weapons of war.
                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   BLESSING * Also known as "Casino's Bane". Blessed items aquire a charmed
   state of probability which manifests itself as "good luck" to laymen. Use
   of this draft outside the Guild is restricted by the Emerick Agreement of
   5858, which coincidentally supplies our treasury with an ample endowment
   from the order of statisticians.

                           ___ ___ ___ ___

   TRANSCENDENCE * Few indeed are the Weavers who have successfully spun
   this, the most subtle and mysterious expression of our art. Transcendance
   dissolves the ties that bind our threads into the Pattern, elevating mind
   and body to an undefined state of existence. Transcended beings are said
   to assume the forms of birds, constellations, or even sunspots. Because
   corporal punishment is forbidden in our Guild, Transcendence is
   occasionally used as a means of humane banishment, but only for the most
   unforgivable infractions of the rules.

                            C'  F   G   C
                           --- --- --- ---