
                        INTERPLAY PRODUCTIONS Presents:
                                RAGS TO RICHES
                                 Version 1.00
                                 Demo Version

INTRODUCTION
------------
        Welcome to the demo version of Interplay's RAGS TO RICHES.  This is
playable version of the game, but with many features and graphics removed.
        Rags to Riches (RAGS) is a simulation game of the stock market.  You
can buy and sell Oil, Gold, Chips and Bonds.  You want to buy low and sell
high!  With the money you make, you can open offices in London and Tokyo,
hire more employees, and buy material goods (what good is money, if you
can't spend it!).
        On just a pittance borrowed from your parents, you've started a
one-room stock brokerage company.  Now you have to turn that into a global
monolith.  And once you've made your money, you get to spend it on yachts,
houses, art and all the things that a skillful, devious, ruthless
businessperson deserves.
        But to acquire all those big boy toys, you need to make some shrewd
decisions.  Do you staff up with lawyers or take your chances that the SEC
won't dial your number?  Do you plant spies in your competition's office?
Do you risk insider trading?  Or do you apprentices deal with it all and
spend the day golfing?
        Don't worry--your greed will help you make those decisions.
        It's just natural.
        

REQUIREMENTS                        
------------

The RAGS demo requires the following:
        640k
        VGA or SuperVGA
        SoundBlaster (you must have a BLASTER enviroment variable)
         (if you don't have a SoundBlaster, you can still play, but no sound)
        Mouse recommended


INSTRUCTIONS
------------

From the RAGSDEMO directory (or wherever you put the demo files), type

RAGS <enter>

to start the demo.

The computer will play a game until you press key, then you are in charge!
You might want to watch the computer for a little bit to give you some idea
of what you need to do.  If you don't touch the mouse or the keyboard for
one minute, the computer will automatically play and you will lose your
current game.

Pressing ALT-X will quit the demo.


THE MAIN SCREEN
---------------

The main screen is your office (the actually game has many different offices,
the more money you make, the better the office).

At the top of the screen is the menu bar.  You can make several changes to
the game using the menu bar (like sound on/off, random events, etc).  If you
are using a keyboard, pressing ALT-F or ALT-O will bring up the menu bar.

From this screen you can make your choices to buy or sell.  Click on the 
computer screen to change the stock.  The computer screen also shows you
your current money and the status of the stock.  

Click the TV screen to change the current station.  The four stations will
tell you about the stock in question.

Your employees are on the left side of the screen.  This demo version only
allows you two employees, a secretary and a pit runner.  The actual game
also has lawyers, accountants, and spies.

In the lower left is your sleep meter.  You can only stay awake for a period
of time, before you need to go home and sleep.  But, the later you work, the
more you can get done.

The rolodex on the desk lets you select who you will call.  The demo version
only lets you call a few people.  Click on the phone to call that person.
A nice person gives money to charity, it certainly helps your image...

The top of the screen is your tickertape.  Important events will appear on
the tickertape.

On the lower right side of the screen (the door) is a selection of places you
can go to.  You can go home, or go shopping.  Shopping is where you spend
your hard (or easy) earned money.


KEYBOARD COMMANDS
-----------------

If you are using a keyboard, these commands are for you:

Arrow Keys : to move up and down or from side to side in menus
ESC : cancel an option
Enter : selects an option
ALT-X : exit the game
ALT-T : allows you to see the time in three time zones
ALT-F : selects the files menu
ALT-O : selects the options menu
ALT-P : pause the game
1 : selects the secretary
5 : selects the pit runner
T : change TV stations
C : change computer screen (bonds, chips, gold or oil)
G : full screen graphs
N : newspaper
Z : sens you straight to sleep at your desk
R : flips cards in your rolodex
D : brings up the door icons
M : change music stations on your radio


SOME TIPS
---------

Buy low, sell high.
Use an umbrella when it rains.
Lucky Strike in the fifth at Santa Anita.


AFTERWORD
---------

We hope you enjoy this playable demo of Rags to Riches.  For more information,
contact:

        INTERPLAY PRODUCTIONS
        17922 Fitch Ave.
        Irvine, CA, 92714
        ATTN: Customer Service

        or call

        800-969-GAME for a brochure and order information.


THANKS
------

<end of file>
