When you take on DEADLINE, you're not just pitting yourself against a 12-hour time limit to solve one of the cleverest and most baffling cases in the detective genre. You're encountering a totally original concept in interactive adventure that literally puts the case in your hands. Working from an actual dossier on the crime and piecing together the myriad clues along the train, you face a challenge so sophisticated that your suspects possess independent, flesh-and-blood personalities. And some of those personalities are so treacherous that, should you make the wrong move, one of them may do you in.

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Unknown Source

It's been called "part of the latest craze in home computing" (TIME magazine), an "amazing feat of programming" (THE NEW YORK TIMES) and the "Best Adventure of 1983" (ELECTRONIC GAMES). It's DEADLINE and it pits you, the keen-eyed sleuth, against a 12-hour time limit to solve a classic locked-door mystery. Infocom literally puts the case in your hands, providing you with a dossier containing lab reports, police findings, dastardly-looking pills and more. Once you embark on your investigation, you must sift through a myriad of clues and motives in order to track down the killer. No easy feat, for all six of your suspects exercise free will - coming and going, scheming and maneuvering independently of your actions. And some of these personalities are so treacherous that, should you make the wrong move, one of them may do you in. EXPERT LEVEL

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"The Incomplete Works of Infocom, Inc." Catalog

First Computer Mystery Announced

Imagine: instead of passively reading your favorite detective stories, having full control over the investigation, Infocom, creator of the unexcelled Zork adventures, has made another major advance in the development of the electronic novel: Deadline, first in the Interlogic mystery series.

As Chief Inspector, you have been asked to conduct an investigation into the death of the great industrialist and philanthropist, Marshall Robner, an apparent victim of suicide. For one day you may visit the estate: examining evidence and observing and interrogating his family, servants and close business associates, in an effort to determine what actually happened.

This mystery includes a number of major advances over previous computer games: the passage of time is quite realistic; the characters are very lifelike in their mobility and dialogue, and the ability of the program to understand English commands has been improved over that of Zork (which until now had the best language handling on the market).

In addition to the game disk and manual, the mystery includes a preliminary police report with interviews of the possible suspects, reports by the police crime labs and medical examiner, as well as physical pieces of evidence.

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From The New Zork Times, Vol.1 No.1

You

are about to see the fantastic worlds of Infocom unfold before your very eyes.

DEADLINE A dead man. A locked door. Suicide? Hardly. Starting with a dossier containing lab reports, police findings, dastardly looking pills and more, you've got just 12 hours to build your case. But be careful: should you make a wrong move, one of your six suspects may do you in.

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From the first Infocom fold-out catalog, 198?

DEADLINE pits you, the keen-eyed sleuth, against a 12-hour time limit to solve a classic locked-door mystery. Infocom literally puts the case in your hands, providing you with a dossier containing lab reports, police findings, dastardly-looking pills, and more. Once you embark on your investigation, you must sift through a myriad of clues and motives in order to track down the killer. No easy feat, for all six of your suspects exercise free will - coming and going, scheming and maneuvering independent of your actions. The NEW YORK TIMES' verdict says it all: DEADLINE is an "amazing feat of programming."

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From the 1983 Infocom catalog "OUR CIRCUITS, OURSELVES!"

(caption)
Suspiciously situated inside this and every DEADLINE package: your DEADLINE disk, evidence-laden police file, official medical examiner's report, letter from the decessed's attorney, picture showing the scene of the crime, dastardly-looking pills and more!

TWELVE HOURS TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY. ONE FALSE MOVE, AND THE KILLER STRIKES AGAIN.
It's been called "part of the latest craze in home computing" (TIME magazine), an "amazing feat of programming" (THE NEW YORK TIMES) and the "Best Adventure of 1983" (ELECTRONIC GAMES).
It's DEADLINE, and it pits you, the keen-eyed sleuth, against a 12-hour time limit to solve a classic locked-door mystery. Armed only with the clues inside this package and your own wits, you must sift through myriads of evidence and motives to track down the killer. No easy feat, for all six of your suspects exercise free will — coming and going, scheming and maneuvering independently of your actions. And some of these personalities are so treacherous that, should you make the wrong move, one of them may do you in.

**GET INSIDE A STORY.

GET ONE FROM INFOCOM!**
It's like waking up inside a story! Load Infocom's interactive fiction into your computer and discover yourself at the center of a world jam-packed with surprising twists, unique characters and original, logical, often hilarious puzzles.
For the first time, you're more than a passive reader. You can talk to the story, typing in full English sentences. And the story talks right back, communicating entirely in vividly descriptive prose. What's more, you can actually shape the story's course of events through your choice of actions. And you have hundreds of alternatives at every step. In fact, there's so much you can see and do, your adventure can last for weeks and even months.
To find the Infocom interactive story that's right for you, just choose any one marked with the level of difficulty listed below that best matches your current level of interactive skill.

Junior: Best introduction to interactive fiction. Written for everyone from age 9 up.

Standard: Good introductory level for adults. This is Infocom's most popular level of interactive fiction.

Advanced: A greater level of challenge. Recommended for those who've already experienced Infocom's interactive fiction.

Expert: For real diehards seeking the ultimate challenge in interactive fiction.

Then find out what it's like to get inside a story. Get one from Infocom. Because with Infocom's interactive fiction, there's room for you on every disk.

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Back of Box - C64/DOS (US)

You have 12 hours to solve the mystery.

One false move, and the killer strikes again.

When you take on DEADLINE, you're not just pitting yourself against a 12-hour time limit to solve one of the cleverest and most baffling cases in the detective genre. You're encountering a totally original concept in interactive adventure that literally puts the case in your hands. Working from an actual dossier on the crime and piecing together the myriad clues along the trail, you face a challenge so sophisticated that your suspects possess independent, flesh-and-blood personalities. And some of those personalities are so treacherous that, should you make the wrong move, one of them may do you in.

The time has arrived for you to investigate DEADLINE — First of the INTERLOGIC Mystery Series from Infocom.

**Other great adventures perpetrated by Infocom!

ZORK®,** the classic underground trilogy.

The WITNESS™, a hard-boiled whodunit thriller of the Thirties.

STARCROSS™, our astounding science fiction mindbender.

SUSPENDED™, the cryogenic nightmare on the edge of the far future.

PLANETFALL™, Infocom's nuu SF laf klasik.

ENCHANTER™, the inception of a spellbinding series in the Zorkian tradition.

INFIDEL™, the original action classic from Infocom Tales of Adventure™.

Step up to Infocom. All words. No pictures. The secret reaches of your mind are beckoning. A whole new dimension is in there waiting for you.

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Back of Folio - TI-99/4A (US)