.TH "GENERAL INFORMATION"
\fBFast Food\fR is a crass capitalistic simulation of a particularly
American phenomenon -- the Fast Food Joint, or "FFJ".
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Each player controls the development of FFJs on a unique set of plots,
(see "info view").
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The actual development of the plots takes place during the market "update",
(see below and "info update").
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FFJs, once developed, are NOT the property of the developer;
they become independent entities.
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When a plot is developed next to an existing FFJ a CHAIN is formed.
The newly formed chain issues stock, (100 shares), with a small number
of shares going to the person who developed the second plot and the other
shares being put up for public sale.
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The value of shares of stock is determined by the trading activity
in that stock and by barter among the players in the game, (see "info price").
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The stocks pay dividends based on the earnings of that particular chain,
both current and historical,
and the dividend rate in the game, (see "info dividend").
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Each player earns interest on the cash he/she has on hand.
This "bank interest" is paid at a fixed rate throughout the game,
(see "info param").
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When a plot is developed next to an existing chain that chain simply
incorporates the new FFJ and increases in size,
(which increases stock value, etc.).
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When a plot is developed next to more than one existing chain the larger,
(or largest), chain merges with the smaller chain, (or chains), absorbing
it, (or them), (see "info merger").
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Once a day (or more often) a market "update" is performed.
At this time plots are developed in the order specified by the Tycoons,
chains are formed, stock dividends are paid, and so forth.
"Info param" should indicate the update times.
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The market updates take place automatically (assuming at least one player is
logged in at the update time to trigger it by running any command).
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The game ends when no one can develop a plot; the winner is the person
with the highest net worth.
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There are two different ways to run the game.
In the first you simply execute the program
(which should be in your system's games directory, often "/usr/games"),
and it will ask who you are:
.NF
% /usr/games/ff
Who are you? Mr. Big
Welcome to Fast Food!
.FI
In this example we gave the complete pathname for \fBff\fR.
If we had the shell path variable set up to search the games directory
automatically then we wouldn't have to mention "/usr/games" explicitly
as in the following example.
Here we include the tycoon name on the command line:
.NF
% ff "Mr. Big"
Welcome to Fast Food!
.FI
Notice that we put the name in quotes this time because it's two words.
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Once you've started the game you will be presented with a prompt that looks
something like:
.NF
[12m] :::
.FI
The "12m" means there will be a market update in 12 minutes.
At this point you can give any of the twenty or so Fast Food commands
shown under "command list" (or "info commands" on-line).
Each command is described in a separate entry in this manual (check the
table of contents in the hard copy version or give the "info" command on-line).
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See also: commands dividend info merger param price view
