









                              Proudly Present 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.
  You can play Loom from either a hard disk drive or a floppy disk drive.

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 i     Reposition Instantly
ALT j     joystick on         n.o. note: I'm not sure if this works on the
                              ST version as these docs are from IBM
ALT x /   Exit Game
CTL c
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!)


                            The Book of Patterns

E C E D        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.

               Dyeing - This draft was perfected by the dye chemists 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 - Chiefly 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 
               "messenger 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 Undertake was overheard insulting a 
               Florist. Both Guilds were plunged into a bloody war lasting 
               five hundred years.

               Silence - Silence was hailed as a welcome relief for first-
- - - -        time parents and dwellers in college dormitories. 
               Unfortunately, our Guildmasters are too often hired to spin 
               these threads in situations of doubtful appropriateness. The 
               worst offender is the Guild of Conductors, whose members 
               frequently impost 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 temptation to 
               spin Emptying upon lakes or clouds; its range is deliberately 
               limited to prevent catastrophes such as the Double Deluge of 
               4204 (for which the Guild admits no responsibility).

               Unmaking - Novices are often impatient to acquire the 
- - - -        undeniably dramatic ability to Unmake physical objects. 
               Luckily, these volatile threads lie well beyond the grasp of 
               all but the most mature spellweavers. Entire armies can and 
               have been disembodied by the transawesome 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 any 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 Wetstone 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 
- - - -        acquire 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.

               Straw into Gold - When times are lean, the Elders may invoke 
- - - -        this draft to generate extra revenue. Its use is strictly 
               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) spellweaver 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 among 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 Brief 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 original form. 
               They can now be spun into virtually anything which needs 
               rejuvenation, with the notable exception of the spellweaver's 
               own body.

               Shrinkage - Many 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! Open 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 Guild 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 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 expedite 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 vise 
               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 Psychotherapists.

               Folding - Archaeological evidence suggests 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 
               Gainsborough 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 
               uncertain. It seems to have been acquired (under questionable 
               circumstances) from the Guild of Shepherds, whose genius in 
               the art of stealth is probably unrivaled.

               Confusion - The reason why this unusual draft 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 
               spellweaver 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 successfully Shaped object 
               may revert to its original form if the draft is not rewoven 
               periodically.

               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 rhythmic squeak of 
               First Elder Swellfax's own spindle.

               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 together), 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 Aphrodesia are 
               guaranteed to soften the heart of even the most indifferent 
               love interest. Only the Elders are privileged to know the 
               true origin of the draft. Rumors of a secret affair between 
               Second Elder Twillfast and a member of the Guild of Organists 
               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 
               Anesthesiologists have approved an industrial-strength 
               version as an alternative to chloroform.

C'F G C        Transcendence - Few indeed are the Weavers who have 
- - - -        successfully spun this, the most subtle and mysterious 
               expression of our art. Transcendence 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 form 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 the Rules.