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Architecture: 68k
The Manhole
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| Year released: | |
| Author: | Rand and Robyn Miller |
| Publisher: | Cyan |
| Engine: | HyperCard |
A magical, open-ended children's world, designed by the brothers who went on to create "Myst."
The Manhole is a notable computer game because like Cosmic Osmo and Spelunx it has no goal and no end; the object is simply to explore and have fun.
This game is also available in black & white and color CD versions. See also Cosmic Osmo, available in floppy and in CD version, plus Spelunx and the Caves of Mr. Seudo, available in black & white and in color.
The podcast Ludiphilia did an audio documentary-style episode on how the Miller brothers made the world.
CompatibilityArchitecture: 68k
Requires HyperCard Player or HyperCard to run.
Comments
I just finished a Manhole 30th anniversary livestream with Robyn Miller, if anyone's interested in learning more about how he and Rand made the game, how he feels about it now, and how it links to Myst.
Replay available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kX5E7yOHJg
And on my Twitch channel at https://www.twitch.tv/videos/278446619
Thanks for the HyperCard primer.
I'd like to get my kids into something like this as the "gateway drug" to programming.
With most Macintosh programs the keyboard command to Quit a running program,
is "Command + Q".
With HyperCard, additional keyboard commands you might like to try, can be:
"Command + H" = Return to the Home Stack
"Command + R" = Show recent cards you've visited (and go to any one of them)
"Command + M" = Show Message window (type one line commands and execute them)
Depending on the current stack you are in, a stack's programmer may have scripted these commands to not execute. "Command + Q" should always work.
Go to last card of the Home Stack, set your user level to 5 (with a full version of HyperCard only, not the Player [exception]) and set Blind Typing to True.
Level 5 in HyperCard allows you to program stacks using HyperTalk and Blind Typing allows you to execute single line commands without evoking the Message Window. For example: A single line command such as "show menubar" (without quote marks) and then Enter or Return key to execute, may be useful in menu-less situations. Again, a stack's programmer may have scripted certain commands & even Blind Typing to not execute.
How do you quit HyperCard when you're in the middle of one of these stacks? The menu bar gets turned off when the stack is active.
I know it's late, but for those who are having trouble getting this game to work in emulation: The files (Manhole, Manhole 2, Manhole 3...) in the archive are HyperCard files, not disk images. Originally, each file came on its own 800k disk, but it's not really necessary to recreate that structure/format to install the game. If you put all the files on one disk image (more on that in the forums) or copy them to a HD-sized image and put them all in the same directory, the game will run seamlessly so long as you also have HyperCard/HyperCard Player installed. Slowing down the emulation, if you're using Mini vMac, helps the image and sound sync up a little better. It'd be really nice if someone could upload the original disks!
can we get the anniversary edition?
It runs well under Classic environment (though animation is a little bit too fast). The version of HyperCard Player I'm using is 2.1.
BTW, this one is not the colored version as the package pic suggests. It is B&W. Wrong package pic.
P.S. I can prepare the original package pic for B&W, if you ask me.
I am also having trouble getting it to work. I have the same problem where it is not in the correct format. I have also tried installing hypercard, but it does not work. Any help would be awesome.
Hey, I can't get this to work.. help? I have Basilisk running OS 7.5.5 and hypercard installed but when I extract the .SIT all the files are in the wrong format? I would really love to get this up and running, can someone help me?
Someone who knows what a manhole is and doesn't have a dirty mind like you, Anonymous.
Who the hell names a kid's game "Manhole"?