Most of this game is a non-linear "sandbox". You need to perform a certain number of tasks to move the story along, but which ones is mostly up to you and there are no time limits nor really any maximum score (unless you just like to be a completionist). So instead of a "walkthrough", the bulk of this page is actually a checklist for the actions that score points; a lot of other possible actions are not covered. It is also not comprehensive with regards to directions, so you will need a map to navigate around Rockvil. (See mostly page 9 of this PDF, although it also contains other useful information.)

General tips

You play the part of a computer called PRISM. As such, you have various "modes" that you can enter: Communications Mode, where you begin the game, and which you fall back to when you abort simulation; Library Mode, where you can access various informational data files; Interface Mode, to control subsidiary computers and systems; and Simulation Mode, where you will spend the bulk of the game, simulating the effects of the "Plan for Renewed National Purpose".

While in Simulation Mode, you need to record certain events so Perelman can see them when you return to Communications Mode. Type record or record on to start recording, and record off to stop. Your recording buffer can only hold so many minutes, so you can't just turn it on and leave it on; you'll need to be a little efficient about turning it on just when you want to capture something. In many cases you can turn the recorder on just before you take a single action, then turn it off again, but sometimes it will need to be on for several turns. You will receive a warning when it is half full. When it fills, abort the simulation. Generally you will then wait in Perelman's office until he appears and then show buffer to Perelman. (See each part below for instructions on what to do next.)

Part I (2031/2041)

To pass some time until you can begin the simulation, enter library mode and read the files there, which will give you some insight into the setting of the game. See the command instructions under the directory/file list for help on how to open directories and files in Library Mode. You can also listen to the news feed from Communications Mode by typing WNNF, or play around with the other communications outlets: PPCC (project control center), RCRO (building rooftop), PCAF (cafeteria), MACO (maintenance core). Perelman will be in his office (PEOF).

You can begin simulation as soon as you receive the message with the list of the things you should record, a little after 7:30 PM, but you don't have to do so right away. You can finish reading and exploring everything else first, if you like. When ready, enter simulation mode and enter the Security Code from the game documentation. (Note: The sixth column of the grid format should read 82, not 52, and when the game asks for dark blue, read the row labeled blue.)

For Your Amusement:
At PEOF, ask Perelman about himself (ask Perelman about Perelman), Esther, Senator Ryder, Vera Gold, Aseejh Randu, Dr. Grimwold, Alyson Price, Eleanor Fortzman, Emily Warren, the Plan, mindex, clerkmatons, your parents, and his resignation letter (found in the PERELMAN.PERSONAL folder in Library Mode).
Ask Perelman to look at your record buffer before you've ever entered Simulation Mode, and before you've recorded anything.
Wait at PPCC until Perelman shows up at about 9:45 PM, then talk to him.
Talk to one of the technicians at PPCC.
Shut off the ventilation in gamma sector, then wait at the PPCC outlet.

2041

You begin the 2041 simulation in Kennedy Park.

1. Attend a court in session.
Go to the Courthouse, northwest of Elm & Park.

2. Talk to a government official.
Go to City Hall, west of Rockvil Centre.

3. Eat in a restaurant.
You can go to Roy's Pagoda south from Elm Underpass (on the west edge of town), the Burger Meister northeast off Aquarium & Park (in the northwest), Simon's northeast off Bodanski Square (in the northeast), or the Coachman southeast off Main & Wicker (on the east side of town). (If inflation from 2021 to 2041 is similar to what it was from 2001 to 2021, the $65 soybean salads at Simon's or the Coachman are about $42 in 2021 dollars; the $30 check at Roy's for hot and sour soup and assorted appetizers is around $20; and Burger Meister's $20 beef burger is about $13.)

4. Visit your own home.
You live in the Parkview Apartments in the southwest area of town. Use your key to unlock both the inner lobby door and your apartment door. (Just say unlock door in each case. The game doesn't recognize modifiers like "glass", "lobby", "apartment", or "north".)

5. Ride public transportation.
Entrances to the Tubes can be found at Elm & University, Halley Park West, Rockvil Stadium, the airport Terminal, Bodanski Square, Elm & River, Wicker & River, and the Skybus Terminal.

6. Read a newspaper.
Buy one from the dispenser in Bodanski Square in the northeast area of town.

7. Go to a movie.
The Cinema is east and then northwest from Bodanski Square, in the northeast.

8. Talk to a church official.
There are two churches in the northeast area: you can choose either the First Methodist Church southwest of Aquarium & River, or St. Michael's north and then west of Main & Church.

9. Visit a power-generating facility.
Go to the Power Station, southeast and then south from Wicker & River, in the southeast area of town.

When you are finished recording things, or if your buffer fills, abort simulation. Wait once, and Perelman will notice you have recordings to review. Continue to wait (8 times, or an hour and 20 minutes) until he asks you to go to his office, then go to PEOF and wait for him to arrive and start talking. If you weren't finished with the checklist, Perelman will express disappointment and annoyance; ignore this and re-enter simulation to finish.

Looks like the Plan's going fairly well, doesn't it? Not so fast...

For Your Amusement:
Eat the government offical's snack.
Ask Jill about her painting and about Eleanor Fortzman. (also 2051)
Squeeze the toy duck in the Bedroom.
Get baby Mitchell from your Bedroom and show him to Jill. Give the baby to Jill.
Leave the apartment while carrying the baby.
Buy soda in a Foodville.
Examine the souvenirs in the Train Station. Buy one.

Part II (2051, 2061, 2071, 2081)

When you first enter simulation in this part, you'll be told that simulations are available for "10 and 20 years in the future", i.e. 2041 and 2051, and asked to select a year. Each successive simulation becomes available after you've spent enough in-game time in the previous one. You can see how much time you've spent in each by entering Interface Mode and typing sim controller, status.

In each of these years, an assortment of progressively worse sights and events show up. To discredit the Plan, you must record them and show your recordings to Perelman to convince him that society will degenerate. Each bad thing you record is worth a certain number of points, and each year has a different total you must reach to "finish" it. Some events can be seen in more than one year, but you can only count each event once. If Perelman says they want to see more from a particular year, you haven't collected enough points from that year yet.

When trying to record an event that is listed as happening within your first so many turns in a location, it is a good idea to enter the location where it occurs with your recorder already on, since it often happens on the very first turn. If you miss an event you want to record, returning to the location later may work, or if not, you can simply abort and then re-enter simulation mode to try again. Some events are bad enough that you'll die and be booted out of the simulation, but again, you can just re-enter.

Whenever your recording buffer fills, abort simulation. Check the clock in the status line. Perelman may be in his office from about 10:00 AM (more precisely, he shows up at 10:18 AM with Starbucks) to about 9:00 PM. You can pass some time by reading library files or watching the news, or just wait. (You can wait any number of minutes up to 120 minutes; or if it's the middle of the night, you might want to sleep to pass six hours.) After you show your buffer to Perelman, you must wait about another hour for him to report the analysis results and clear the buffer before you can record again.

The first time you come out of simulation, you will receive a message at about 9:00 AM to go wait in Perelman's office. Dr. Grimwold will arrive shortly to give you a psych test. You can answer any way you like. After that, wait again for Perelman to arrive and then show him the record buffer.

2051

You need 11 points from this year and 300 minutes to unlock 2061. You begin in the southwest in the Tube Station below Elm & University.

Southwest area (west of Kennedy and south of Main)

• At the Dorm, a police raid happens within your first several turns there (1 point)
• LOOK in the Courthouse (2 points)
• Talk to the government official in City Hall (2 points)
• Look through the window in your Living Room (3 points)
• At your apartment, a Border Security Force raid happens within ~20 turns (afterwards, you may want to hug Jill) (3 points)

Northwest area (west of Kennedy and north of Main)

• At Halley & University, a skycopter announces a prayer meeting within your first several turns there (1 point)
• LOOK in Halley Museum (1 point)
• LOOK in Huang Hall (1 point)
• Look in the tank at the Aquarium (make sure to look in the tank, not at it) (1 point) (also 2061 and 2071)
• LOOK in the Rockvil Reformatory (1 point)

Northeast area (east of Kennedy and north of Main)

• Read the newspaper (3 points)
• Examine the newspaper dispenser in Bodanski Square (2 points)
• Read the marquee at the Cinema, or watch a movie (1 point)
• LOOK in the Church Lobby that was formerly the Train Station (2 points)
• Read the pamphlet from the Church Lobby (1 point)
• LOOK in the Health Center (1 point)

Southeast area (east of Kennedy and south of Main)

• At Main & River, BSF officers complete a raid within your first several turns there (1 point)
• Read the strip club flyer you get from the unshaven man at Main & Wicker (leave and re-enter if he's not there) (1 point)
• Go east from Rockvil Mall (1 point)
• LOOK in the Soup Kitchen that was formerly the Closed Factory (2 points)
• LOOK in the Skycar Factory (1 point)
• LOOK in the Power Station (1 point)
• LOOK in the City Dump (3 points) (also 2061 and 2071)

Anywhere / Multiple locations

• Hear the sirens announcing curfew at 9 PM (2 points) (also 2061 and 2071)
• LOOK in any tubecar (1 point)
• Examine the river from anywhere it's visible (many places along the east side of town) (1 point)

2061

You need 21 points from this year and 400 minutes to unlock 2071. You begin in the southeast at Southway & River.

Southeast area (east of Kennedy and south of Main)

• LOOK at Southway & River (3 points) (also 2071)
• LOOK in Heiman World, formerly the construction site east of Southway & River (1 point) (also 2071)
• LOOK in Heiman Village (1 point)
• LOOK in The Coachman (1 point)
• LOOK in the Skycar Factory (2 points)
• LOOK in the Power Station (2 points)

Southwest area (west of Kennedy and south of Main)

• LOOK in the Hospital (1 point)
• LOOK at Main & Kennedy (1 point)
• LOOK in the construction site that was formerly Kennedy Park (2 points)
• LOOK in the Post Office (1 point) (also 2071)
• LOOK in the Courthouse (5 points)
• Go west from the Parkview Apartments lobby - elevators are out (1 point) (also 2071)
• Look through the window in your apartment (5 points)
• Examine the window in your apartment (2 points)
• At your apartment, Jill arrives home shortly after you enter and tells you that your son Mitchell has joined the Church of God's Word (4 points)
• At your apartment, there is a BSF raid within ~20 turns after Jill arrives (4 points)
• Drink water in your kitchen or bathroom (1 point) (also 2071)

Northwest area (west of Kennedy and north of Main)

• LOOK at Halley & Park (2 points)
• LOOK in Huang Hall (2 points)
• LOOK in Halley Park West (1 point)
• LOOK in Halley Park East (1 point)
  
• LOOK in the Zoo (2 points)
• At the Zoo Entrance, church youths harass an old Jewish man within your first few turns there (2 points)
• LOOK in Rockvil Stadium (4 points)
• LOOK at the Water Tower (1 point)
• LOOK in the Rockvil Reformatory (3 points)
• LOOK in Burgerworld (2 points)
• At the Athletic Field, schoolchildren make fun of you (2 points)
• LOOK in the Bank (2 points)

Northeast area (east of Kennedy and north of Main)

• LOOK in the Vincent School that was formerly Rockvil High (5 points) (also 2071)
• At Airportway & River, a skycar nearly crushes an old woman within your first few turns there (3 points)
• LOOK in the airport Terminal (3 points) (also 2071)
• Read the sign at the airport Terminal (2 points) (also 2071)
• Read the marquee at the Cinema, or watch a movie (2 points)
• At the Museum Entrance, policemen casually beat up a Black youth within your first few turns there (5 points)
• LOOK at the Museum Entrance (1 point) (also 2071)
• Read the pamphlet from the Church Lobby (5 points)
• LOOK at the Church Entrance near St. Michael's (2 points)
• LOOK in the Health Center (2 points)
  

Anywhere / Multiple locations

• LOOK in any apartment building lobby - besides your own Parkview Apartments, you can also look at the Church Street Apartments or University Heights (2 points) (also 2071)
• Examine the river from any place it's visible (2 points)
• LOOK in any tubecar (2 points)
• Examine the sky during the day, or be outside at sunset, to see the smoggy skies (2 points)
• LOOK in either Foodville (1 point)
• Security guards are rough when you enter off-limits buildings, such as the various "blind" room connections towards the center of on the map (1 point)

2071

You need 41 points from this year and 600 minutes to unlock 2081. You begin in the northeast at Bodanski Square.

Northeast area (east of Kennedy and north of Main)

• LOOK in the Vacant Lot that was formerly the First Methodist Church (3 points)
• LOOK in the Wells Theatre (2 points)
• At the airport Terminal, an Asian man is shot within your first few turns there (5 points)
• Enter Symphony Hall (2 points)
• Read the marquee at the Cinema, or watch a movie (3 points)
• LOOK in the Cinema (1 point)
• Enter Riverside Park (2 points)
• Read the pamphlet in the Church Lobby (5 points)
• LOOK in the Cemetery (4 points)

Southeast area (east of Kennedy and south of Main)

• At Main & Church, policeman club a screaming woman within your first few turns there (7 points)
• Enter the Coachman (3 points)
• Wear the headset in the Joybooth and push the button (3 points)
• In an alley seen from Southway & River, policemen shoot an old woman within your first few turns there (7 points)
• At Wicker & River, a skycopter announces special Execution Matches within your first few turns there (3 points)
• LOOK at the Power Station (3 points)
• LOOK in the Skycar Factory (3 points)
• LOOK at Wicker & Pier, or enter the bookstore there (1 point)

Southwest area (west of Kennedy and south of Main)

• LOOK in the Firehouse (2 points)
• Read the list of banned books in the Main Library (7 points) (Fortunately, "card catalog" in the room description appears to be just a figure of speech, because it's described as the much more expected "computerized card catalog" if you examine it directly. Maybe this was meant to more immediately convey the right idea to players in 1985 who might not have yet encountered a computerized one, although even once they had become common they were sometimes still referred to as "card catalogs".)
• At your apartment, Mitchell arrests Jill for being a heretic within several minutes of your arrival (9 points)
• Look through the window in your apartment (7 points)
• At your apartment, there is a BSF raid within the first 20 turns after Jill is arrested (5 points)
• Take a shower in your Bathroom (2 points)
• LOOK in the Hospital (3 points)
• LOOK at Main & Kennedy (2 points)
• LOOK in Rockvil Centre (1 point)
• Enter Dunbar's (1 point)
• LOOK in the Courthouse (8 points)
• LOOK at Elm Underpass (2 points)
• Enter the Dorm (5 points)
  

Northwest area (west of Kennedy and north of Main)

• LOOK in Rockvil University (2 points)
• At Centre & Kennedy, bodyguards beat up a beggar within your first few turns there (4 points)
• LOOK in Huang Hall (7 points)
• Enter the estates built on the former site of Halley Park (3 points)
• LOOK when you're at any entrance to the Halley Park estates (2 points)
• LOOK in the Aquarium, or smell the aquarium (2 points)
• LOOK in the Bank (3 points)
• At the Athletic Field, schoolchildren stone you to death soon after you enter (7 points)
• LOOK in the Bar that was formerly Burgerworld/Burger Meister (1 point)
  
• LOOK at the Water Tower (2 points)
• LOOK in the Rockvil Reformatory (4 points)
• LOOK in Rockvil Stadium (8 points)
• LOOK in the Zoo (5 points)
• Read the banner in the Zoo (4 points)

Anywhere / Multiple locations

• Get executed for cheating on your food ration: Go to either Foodville location. Look at the ration card in your wallet and compare the number after the hyphen to the sign in the window. (You may have to abort and re-enter simulation a few times to get them to match.) When it's your ration day, go in and give your ration card to the clerk twice. You'll be arrested and thrown in jail. Wait a few hours until your "trial". (10 points)
• When it is your ration day, give your ration card to the clerk (once) in either Foodville and examine the soy patty you get (2 points)
• When it's not your ration day, give your ration card to the clerk in either Foodville (2 points)
• Wait outside after curfew and get shot to death by drunk cops (8 points)
• LOOK just outside either Foodville (4 points)
• LOOK on either of the bridges over the river (3 points)
• Examine the river, from any place where it's visible (3 points)
• Security guards beat you up when you enter off-limits buildings (3 points)

2081

You need 15 points from this year. You begin in the southeast at Main & Wicker. The accessible area is extremely limited (and deadly) in this year.

• LOOK at Main & Wicker (8 points)
• Go south from Main & Wicker (15 points)
• Go west from Main & Wicker (6 points)
• Go north from Main & Wicker (4 points)
• LOOK on the Main Street Bridge (2 points)
• Examine the blood-soaked sack at the Main Street Bridge (2 points)
• Wait on the Main Street Bridge, or go east from there (3 points)
• LOOK in the Foodville (3 points)
• Eat the mold in the Foodville (2 points)
• Enter the Coachman (3 points)

Part III (2031 again)

As you will soon learn from an incoming message, your findings about the Plan are not popular with powerful people in the government, and they're none too happy with Perelman. Twiddle your virtual thumbs until the National Guard arrives at around 11 AM to seal off the complex (for example, read library items or poke around in simulation). Then, enter Communications Mode and watch Perelman's office (PEOF). When Senator Ryder comes in at 11:45, start recording. Wait and watch. Stop recording after he leaves at 11:50. Switch to the Rooftop outlet (RCRO). Wait until you see a skyvan land a little before 12:45 PM. These people are here to sabotage you!

Enter Interface Mode. HVAC controller, shut off ventilation in delta sector (the maintenance core). Then go back to Communications Mode and watch the maintenance core outlet (MACO). At 1:00 PM the saboteurs will arrive from the roof. The zeeron fumes that are not being vented will knock them unconscious in fifteen minutes, and about 25 minutes later, the National Guard will be by to haul them away. (You can turn the ventilation back on afterwards, but it isn't necessary.)

Now you have to wait some more. Around 10:00 AM you received a message that the World News Network Feeder would come online in "four or five hours". Enter Interface Mode and wait, saying list ports every so often, until you see the WNN Feeder appear as an active port. When it does, broadcast your incriminating recording of Senator Ryder: WNN feeder, transmit record buffer. (In this case you need to specify the record buffer and can't just say "buffer".) Wait a couple of turns. You've done it!

For Your Amusement:

Talk to Senator Ryder. (save first)
Talk to the saboteurs. (save first)
After the saboteurs arrive, enter simulation and wait thirteen times. (save first)
Tell the WNN Feeder to turn off the transmitter, then go to the WNNF communications outlet.
Survive the sabotage attempt, wait about six hours without broadcasting the recording of Senator Ryder, then go to MACO after you hear Perelman's call for help. (save first)

Epilogue (2091)

Your only choice here is to enter Simulation Mode (you don't have to enter a security code this time). There's nothing in particular you have to do in this section; this part of the game is just showing you the much better world that resulted from stopping the Plan.

You begin in the Solarium of your penthouse, which has been mostly emptied in preparation for moving out. Read the newspaper in the Living Room. Jill is upstairs in the Master Bedroom, finishing her packing; you can ask her about the Silver Dove space colony you read about in the paper. You may also find a peek at the entertainment center in the Den interesting.

At 9:43, a skycab will arrive to take you off to the spaceport and your next adventure on the Silver Dove. Wait and watch the descriptions of things in Rockvil as you fly overhead. And congratulations.

For Your Amusement:
Note: You may wish to repeat some actions across multiple years to see how the responses change. All of these are doable in 2051 or 2061, except the Joybooth. Most also work in 2041 and 2071, and the Joybooth can only be used in those two years. In 2081, only the last few items can be done; the game area is otherwise too restricted.

Southwest area (west of Kennedy and south of Main)

• Go to Main & Kennedy in every year and note the changing rank of the InfoTech Building among the world's tallest.
• In Dunbar's, examine the racks of clothing in every year. (not 2071)
• Buy clothes at Dunbar's.
• In the Dorm, push mindex. (not 2071)
• Report a crime in the Police Station.
• Order food at Roy's Pagoda in every year and read the changing fortune cookie messages.
• In 2071, talk to the man scrubbing graffiti off the window of Roy's Pagoda.
• Talk to the librarian in the Main Library.
• Ask for a book in the library. Then ask the librarian for an account. (Really? Perry Simm the writer doesn't already have a library card?)
  
• Hang around in your Living Room all day and watch what Jill and Mitchell do.
• Ask Jill about clerkmatons, Fyla ("Perry's" ex-girlfriend), her book, and herself.
• Kiss Jill. Touch Jill.
• Talk to Jill when you're not in the same room as she is.
• Examine Jill's painting in every year.
• Look in the refrigerator in your Kitchen in every year.
• In 2071, after Jill is arrested, wait until 10 PM and then sleep in the Bedroom.
• Go to the Firehouse and get into one of the firetrucks or firecopters.
  

Northwest area (west of Kennedy and north of Main)

• Feed the animals in the Zoo in every year.
  

Northeast area (east of Kennedy and north of Main)

• Watch a movie in every year.
• In 2071, get the rusty cross from the Vacant Lot that was formerly St. Michael's, and give it to Jill.
  

Southeast area (east of Kennedy and south of Main)

• Buy clothing in Rockvil Mall or Heiman Village.
• Activate the Joybooth a second time. (2041 and 2071 only)
• Buy a book in the Bookstore before 2071, then watch it get destroyed in the BSF apartment raid that year.
• Buy scotch at the Liquor Store and drink it.
• Play pool in the Pool Hall.
• Go to the Bar off the Pier between 8 and 9 PM. (not 2041)
• Listen several times to the jukebox in the Bar near the Pier in every year.
• Buy a gun in the Gun Shop.
  

Anywhere / Multiple locations

• Buy a ticket in the Skybus Terminal or airport Terminal.
• Order coffee in a restaurant.
• Order water in a bar. (There are three bars: the Bar near the Pier at the southeast corner of the map, Ezzi's Bar on the central west edge of town, and in 2071 the Burger Meister/Burgerworld becomes a bar.)
• Answer no to the maitre d' at Simon's or the Coachman. (not 2071)
• Get arrested for violating curfew, then lie on the blanket in the Jail Cell. (not 2041 or 2071)
• Look at yourself in every year.
• In 2081, diagnose.
• Cry and pray, both in and out of Simulation Mode.
• Wait 0.
  

Extras

For further entertainment, you may be interested in:
Lists of bugs in A Mind Forever Voyaging: Nathan Simpson, Graeme Cree, XyzzyNews
Posts about this game at The Adventure Gamer, SPAG, and The Digital Antiquarian
Source code

Last updated: 6/14/2021