INTRODUCTION

Your journey begins in the horrifying world of darkness as you find yourself
standing in front of a ghostly mansion in Part 1.  It is here where you must
find the missing ingredients to an unfinished potion, while avoiding the eerie
inhabitants which dwell there...

Once completed, your journey will take you deep into the dark dungeons below
the ghostly manor in Part 2.  There you will once again battle the unknown
forces of evil in an effort to save the girl and sail off into the sunset
together.

After sailing off into the sunset in Part 2, your happy ending is once again
foiled as you find yourself shipwrecked on an eerie island in Part 3.  Somehow
you managed to swim ashore to a nearby wharf and seek warmth from a burning
fire, although, your on

CONFIGURING AND STARTING YOUR JOURNEY

The first time you load The Last Half of Darkness, a setup screen will appear.
This screen allows the user to select an input device, audio output and speed
options.  Each time you play, you have the option of reconfiguring the
existing setup conditions

Type LASTHALF and then press the RETURN key.  Then press the S key.

Important:  Machines faster than 12Mhz may cause the mouse button to click
several times when only pressed once.  Should your system have a turbo option,
you might want to turn it to a slower speed.  You may also want to use the
SPACE BAR to "click" when

COPY PROTECTION

This product contains no on-disk copy protection, which allows the user to
make as many backup copies they wish.  It does, however, contain
manual-protection, which requires the player to input a word in CAPITALS from
the manual when asked by the game.

USING A MOUSE OR JOYSTICK

Simply move the mouse or joystick to position the cursor on objects, windows,
doors or commands.  Once the cursor is in the correct position, simply press
either the mouse button or fire button (on joystick) to "click."  The cursor
moves slowly when the  USING THE KEYBOARD option is selected.

If a mouse or joystick is not available, the keyboard can be used.  Use the
arrow and number pad keys to move the cursor around the screen to position on
objects, doors and commands.  Toggle the NUM LOCK key to move the cursor in
larger increments around the screen.

SELECTING A COMMAND

To select a command, simply move the cursor over the command of your choice
and "click."  For example, if you wanted to open a door; move the cursor to
the OPEN command and then "click."  Once selected, the OPEN command will be
highlighted to show it is taking action.

Throughout your journey you will be required to examine objects, open doors,
enter hallways, talk to strangers, and operate certain items to solve the many
puzzels which await you.  The following is a list of your commands:

Examine - This command will describe an object in more detail if there is
something interesting about it.

Go - This command allows the player move throughout the game.  This command
does not always have to be selected.  You may also move through doors,
windows, etc. by simply using the Exit Map.

Open - This command can open doors, windows, objects. etc.

Close - Closes doors, windows, objects, etc. (Not Used in Part 3)

Take - This command allows the player to take items to be used later to solve
puzzles, open doors, etc.  Once an object has been taken, it can then be used
by selecting it from the inventory window.  (See Inventory Section)

Hit - Allows the player to hit objects, walls, etc.  (Not Used in Part 3)

Speak - This command allows the player talk with people or objects throughout
the quest.  (See Talking Section)

Operate - This command allows the player to operate objects, equipment and
inventory items.

INVENTORY

Located below the icon menu in PART 3 is the inventory window.  This window
displays what the player is currently holding.  To display or select another
item in the player's bag, simply "click" on the up or down arrows to scroll
through the entire content

The inventory box in Parts 1 and 2 does not scroll and simply requires the
player to "click" anywhere in the box after selecting the OPERATE command.

EXIT MAP

The Exit Map (located below your Inventory window) is required to see all
possible exits at the player's current location.  The Exit Map is a top view
floorplan of your location.  All posible exits are shown as boxes.  To move
through an exit, simply posi

TEXT AREA (Part 3 only)

To read any additional text in the Text Area (located below your Inventory),
simply "click" in this area.  This option is available only when there are
three dots in the lower right corner of the screen.

LIFE POINTS (Part 3 only)

Throughout your journey you will probably encounter several dangerous forces
of evil.  When approached too closely, your life points may decrease.  (Shown
in the upper right corner of the screen).  Once these points are gone, so are
you.  In an effort to

TALKING

When an object or character has been selected to talk with, you must type in
what you want to say and press RETURN (Parts 1 & 2).

Part 3 displays a dialogue box in the center of the screen.  To scroll through
your choices, "click" on the up or down arrows beside the dialogue box.
Although the dialogue usually remains the same for general situations,
occasionally it will present new

SAVING & LOADING

To save your journey for later use, select the SAVE command (Represented as a
disk with an arrow pointing towards it in PART 3).  Once selected, you may
enter the save name in the Text Area below the View Screen.  Type in the name
of the file and then pre

To load a previously saved game, select the LOAD command (Represented as a
disk with an arrow pointing away from it in PART 3) and follow the steps as
above.

HOW TO PLAY

In your search for a way to destroy the Evil which prevails this haunted
experience you will be required to overcome certain obstacles such as, locked
doors, hidden rooms, and mysterious characters.  These puzzles will require
you to select the correct co

QUITTING

To quit the quest, simply press the capital Q key. Be sure to select the SAVE
command first if you want to continue your current game later.

TIPS & HINTS

This is an intermediate level of puzzle solving, it may be too tricky for the
novice player, but should provide a challenge for intermediate and advanced
players of interactive graphic adventures.  The following provides a list of
tips for the novice play

1.  You may want to draw a map as you go.  Some sections of your adventure may
seem very similar, providing little if no unique distinctions between the
various locations.  Sometimes a map can eliminate traveling in circles.

2.  When encountering a locked door or strange character, don't look at it as
an impossible obstacle, it"s probably just a puzzle to be tackled.

3.  Solving some puzzles first, may make others easier.

4.  Some puzzles may not be solved when others have been solved incorrectly.


If you're still stuck, there's a HINT BOOKLET available through us, although,
it is not required to solve the quest.  To order simply sent $9.95 to SoftLab.

TROUBLE SHOOTING SECTION

This section provides solutions to some common technical problems that could
arise during installation or the quest.  Although most problems are probably
simply solved from the list below, you may write or call us at 1-619-2-TERROR
for any additional support.

PROBLEM:  "Invalid Graphics Card!" Message appears. SOLUTION:  Your graphics
card does not support EGA, VGA or Super VGA.  Other cards, such as MONOCHROME,
CGA and MCGA are not compatible with this product.

PROBLEM:  An error occurred during the INSTALLATION procedure. SOLUTION:

*First, make sure you're booting from your hard disk. *Second, make sure you
are following the INSTALL.BAT file correctly. *Third, make sure you have
enough disk space available on your hard disk. *Fourth, make sure you have
enough memory available (see Memory Section)

PROBLEM:  The program locks up or the mouse doesn't work. SOLUTION:

*First, re-boot and select KEYBOARD instead of MOUSE for an input device
during the setup procedure (see Configure/Starting Section).  If the keyboard
works after the new configuration, then the mouse or mouse driver is taking
too much memory (see Memory

*Second, if the keyboard won't work, then there is a memory conflict or an
insufficient amount available (see Memory Section).

PROBLEM:  Returns you to DOS, can't find a file or asks you to insert a disk.
SOLUTION:  Not all the files are in the directory.  Try re-installing the game
onto your hard disk.

MEMORY

Although, many users may have several megabytes of Extended memory on their
system, The Last Half of Darkness can only take advantage of the Conventional
memory available.  This restricts the amount of programs which can be located
in memory prior to load

*Check your Conventional memory, using CHKDSK.  At least 600k is required to
run properly.

*Make sure you don't have anything else loaded into memory prior to "Last
Half," such as DOS Shell, Windows, Menu programs, etc.

*Some programs such as QEMM386.EXE, EMM386.EXE or STACKER may cause address
conflicts and therefore should be avoided if possible.

*Try making a separate boot disk with very simple AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS
files (see CONFIG.SYS example below).  Be sure to keep this disk in the boot
drive at all times during the quest.

*Make sure to load DOS into high memory (if possible).


*Try using the keyboard without loading the mouse driver to see if the mouse
is causing the conflicts.  Do not load the mouse driver into the UMB area of
memory.

A sample CONFIG.SYS file should look like this:

DEVICE = HIMEM.SYS DOS = HIGH FILES = 20 BUFFERS = 30


This product was designed to work on all systems wih different configurations
and very rarely requires the re-structure of your CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXECT.BAT
files.  If you are not familiar with how to re-configure these files, refer to
your DOS manual.

PLEASE WRITE

Here at SoftLab Laboratories we're not satisfied unless our customers are.
That's why we appreciate your suggestions, comments or any observations you
might have about our products.  Please write to:

ATTEN;  Customer Support SoftLab Laboratories P.O. BOX 4886 San Diego,
California 92104

WARRANTY INFORMATION

If your diskette(s) should fail within 90 days from the date of purchase, we
will replace the diskette(s) at no charge.  Simply return the original
diskette(s) and a copy of the sales receipt to address above.

Should your diskette(s) fail after the 90 warranty period, send check or money
order for $3.00 per diskette along with the original disks to the address
above.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

The enclosed product is copyrighted and all rights are reserved by SoftLab
Software Laboratories.  Copying (except for one backup copy), duplicating,
selling or otherwise distributing this product is a violation of the law.
This manual and all other doc

Violations of the Copyright Law in the United States can result in civil
damages of up to $50,000 in addition to actual damages, plus criminal
penalties of up to one year imprisonment and/or $10,000 fine.

IN NO EVENT WILL SOFTLABE BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, DIRECT OR
INDIRECT DAMAGES, SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, BENEFITS, OR
DATA RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS PRODUCT.  SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE
EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF

THE LAST HALF OF DARKNESS is a registered trademark of SoftLab Laboratories.
SOUNDMASTER II, SPEECH THING, and the COVOX logo are trademarks of COVOX, INC.

(C) MICROSOFT COMPILER 1985
(C) YOSHI 1988-89
