Barren is a relatively straightforward point and click adventure game, but since the game interface is not the most common, this small document should help you get acquainted with the complete game mechanics.

Barren is a screen by screen scrolling game. The player moves between scenes by clicking on portals (places on the screen that lead to new locations) and by using the blue movement arrows at the bottom of the game screen (inside the game interface). Observe the following screenshot:

A light blue arrow indicates an available direction. You can either click on a light arrow or press an arrow key (on the keyboard) that corresponds to its direction to initiate movement (change scene).

On the four main game scenes when a location is available to you, but you still didn't visit it this is indicated with a red arrow for few seconds when you enter that scene. So no need to spend time looking for locations to visit on the four main game scenes - this is pointed out to the player. On the remaining game scenes the player usually needs to find available paths (portals) that lead to other locations (by moving the cursor around), but these locations are always quite obvious and easy to find. When you hover over a portal this is indicated with a walking man cursor. Portals that lead to dialogue scenes are indicated with a mouth cursor. While the cursor is a walking man or a mouth the player needs to left click to initiate scene change.

The player interacts with the environment with two types of cursor (using left mouse click). The magnifiers corresponds to look/read/examine (visually) actions, while the hand corresponds to operate/push/pull/take/touch and similar actions. Both cursors can trigger an event. Have this in mind.

If you find objects in the game, they will be placed in the game inventory (refer to the screenshot). You scroll through (select) available objects using the inventory red arrows (a light one points to available inventory scrolling direction). To activate an object simply click on it in the inventory box. While the object is activated your cursor corresponds to this object and you interact with the environment using that specific object.

No matter where the mouse cursor is on the screen, right mouse click cycles the cursor between the magnifier, hand and selected object (if available).

A summary:

• left click - execute an action with the current cursor
• right click - change cursor

- look/read/examine

- operate/push/pull/take/touch

- go to a new scene

- go to a dialogue scene (talk)

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~ by Lachie Dazdarian (May, 2008)