Amnesia (Solution)
Amnesia, for all the hype, is a dreary little game, populated mostly by unpleasant characters, including the one you manipulate through the adventure. Of course, you don't know that at the start, since you wake up unable to remember anything whatsoever.
There are two parts to the game: inside the hotel and out on the streets of Manhattan. The hotel portion is virtually automatic; you are guided along by the program, or actions are chosen for you, so that you have few chances to make any real errors, except possibly dawdling too long in your room. How you want to get through the game is up to you; this file provides you with the absolute minimum for finishing Amnesia, without any frills. Your score will not be terrific (somewhere around 'occasionally absent-minded'), but at least you can finish the game quickly.
Technically, this file really isn't necessary, as the manual provides most of the answers in the back of the book. Even so, for those who want to get this one over with in short order, the information here should be helpful. Of course, you can also mess around the city a bit if you like; that won't help you finish the game, but it might be interesting. Ok, let's get the hotel out of the way first.
In the hotel room, read the Bible, specifically John 1. Here you find a dollar bill. Hang on to it. Do not give it to the bellboy, you need it more than he does. Then go up to the gym, and sit through the silliness with the sauna. Back in your room, you can drop the bookbag and the satchel. It's always best to travel light.
Get into the tux, answer the phone, then go down to the lobby. You won't be needing your jeans and t-shirt, so just leave them behind. In the chapel, tell Alice 'no' when she asks if you'll marry her. Take the box when she offers it to you. Keep trying to stand after you trip, and eventually you'll make it back to your feet again. Leave the chapel.
If you try going back to your room, the bellboy will come over and ask for a bribe to keep his mouth shut. You can give him the Tiffany box; you won't need it later on. The vault can't be opened right now, so just leave the hotel, because you'll need to find a place to sleep for the night.
The one place to sleep is a tenement on 54th Street. It will probably be either on 9th Ave. or 10th Ave. It was on 9th the first time I played, and on 10th the second time, so just go one block north then head west until you come to it. Inside, do not force the right-hand door; this will only get you killed (the neighborhood junkies hang out in that apartment). Go left instead. Delightful place, but you can sleep here in safety.
On your way to the tenement, beg once or twice to pick up some extra cash. You should also get a dollar from someone who asks you directions (you do need the Street Indexer in the game for this; it is totally incorrect as regards Manhattan streets, but the program takes this into account. Obviously, this is some kind of anti-piracy device).
Now, if you want to skip some extra travelling, you can skip this paragraph and go on to the next one. The only worthwhile phone number in the book is the one for Tiny Tykes (TTTT). Call that (remember that ANY phone call you make in the game, you MUST hyphenate the number: 555-1314, *not* 5551314, or you'll never get an answer). Listen to the recording, and make note of the address, then take the train down there. You'll get a note from Alice, saying she'll be waiting for you every day at the NY Historical Society between Noon and 2 PM.
Make sure you eat something (beg for extra money if necessary; sooner or later, you should run into the Wacky Wanderer, and pick up some extra bucks), then take the train uptown to the NY Historical Society in time to meet Alice. Be careful that you do not inadvertantly leave the place; it costs $2 to get in, and money is still necessary here. Walk into the Tiffany Room any time after twelve, and Alice will be there.
Ask her a few questions, about herself, about Xavier, whatever. Then ask her about Denise. She'll get upset and run out; follow her. You will lose her on the street, but that isn't important. This entire episode is the trigger for something of far greater import: outside, you will meet an artist (walk a little bit). He is totally fascinated by your clothes, and eventually you end up exchanging yours for his. You also get $5, his sketchpad, a piece of charcoal, and some advice: go down to Washington Square park to draw portraits and make some money.
However, you will be doing that tomorrow. Right now, take the train back to the hotel, and get your disk out of the vault. If you don't know the password, you can try going to the Princeton Club. You're not a member, but outside you'll meet someone who will tell you what the password is (or, you can just not bother; the password is in the hints section of the manual). Time is moving on, so after you get the disk, go back to the tenement and just sleep until the next morning.
Eat something, then go downtown to the Park. Sit on the bench, open the pad, and wait. Eventually you will get some customers. It is important here to do things right the first time, otherwise you will have to reboot to restore your position (save before you enter the Park, to be on the safe side).
The first sitter will be a girl; when she asks if she should smile, say No. You'll get a much better portrait, and an extra $1.50 to boot. The next one will be a cowboy-type. Draw him straight on, not in profile, and you'll pick up $10. Easy money, huh? Then you'll get an out-of-towner; draw him with his eyes closed. Now keep waiting until Bette shows up. This is the woman you dreamed of in the tenement; your true love.
She'll take you to her apartment. Now you have a decent place to stay, and plenty of food as well. Ask her all kinds of questions, and find out what you can from her. You'll spend the night there. In the morning, after Bette leaves (and has written her phone number on your arm, in case you suffer another bout of amnesia), go uptown to the Friendly Computer store, and rent time on an Apple, so you can read the disk files. You MUST do this to complete the game.
You'll be able to read all but the last file; in fact, you will never read this one, but it doesn't matter. After reading the files, go back to Bette's place and just hang out. Spend another night there, then after Bette leaves, just wait until she calls you and gives you Denise's phone number.
Call that number, and identify yourself as John. Denise will ask you to come in a half hour or so. It's a trap of course, but you have no options. Get something to eat, then make your way over to the Dakota.
In the apartment, much of the action is automatic. You can give almost any answer you like to Denise's questions, it doesn't matter. Sit tight until Zane leaves the room and gunshots are heard. Denise will take off, and so should you. Any action except leaving will get you killed, so get out of there fast. Go back to Bette's apartment, and get some sleep.
In the morning, wait for Denise's phone call. She'll tell you that they have Bette, and then tells you to come to the Dakota the next day between 8 AM and Noon. This is another set-up. As soon as you hang up, leave the apartment, and go uptown. However, instead of entering the Dakota, go north one more block to W. 73rd, and then one block west. You'll see a service alley. Go in there, and pick up the tire iron, then climb up the fire stairs (note: you cannot do anything in the alley, unless you have first received Denise's call).
When you reach the fourth floor, pry off the grating with the iron. Now you can reach the window, which, as you might expect, is locked. You have a choice here: smash the window and enter, or stay on the stairs. Either way, you will be knocked out, and awaken to find yourself handcuffed to Alice.
Alice, alas, is dying, and there is nothing you can do for her. But, she has a lot of information, and this time, it's the truth. Keep her talking for as long as possible, and you'll have just about the whole, sordid, story.
Now Zane will come along, and drag you into another room. Denise is sitting at the computer, ready to boot the disk, and Bette is brought in, too. I still haven't figured out how Denise was able to bring up the last file, but she does manage it. Anyway, just sit there, and give out the answers to the various riddles, accurately. Finally the fifth file will come up.
Here you must give the last two letters that are missing from AMNES--. The correct answer, of course, is IA. However, Denise, who suspects a trick, enters TY instead, thereby erasing the file. That effectively ends your direct participation in the game; all the rest is automatic, as guns blaze and people drop like flies. You and Bette safely escape, to start a new life somewhere else. Personally, tho, I think that Bette deserves someone better than Xavier Hollings.....
Amnesia is copyrighted 1984-86 by Thomas Disch and Cognetics Corp.
