---
name: "instead"
section: "6"
platform: "linux"
package: "instead"
version: "3.5.2+dfsg-0.2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/instead"
---

# instead(6)

Simple Text Adventure Engine, The Interpreter

## NAME

INSTEAD - Simple Text Adventure Engine, The Interpreter

## DESCRIPTION

The interpreter of STEAD (Simple Text Adventures) allows one to play games that combine visual novels, text adventures and classic quests of 1990-s. The STEAD games features are:

- \* very simple source code of the stories. (based on LUA);

  - \* graphical game interface;

  - \* supports music and images;

  - \* theme support - a game may change the interface look;

  - \* portability (originally written for Linux, depends on SDL and lua).

  ## SYNOPSIS

**sdl-instead** *\[options\] \[game.zip or game.idf or path to game\]*

## OPTIONS

- **-debug**

  Debug mode (for game developers).

- **-nosound**

  Run the game without sound.

- **-vsync**

  Vsync output. (SDL2 only)

- **-gamespath \<path\>**

  Add path with games.

- **-themespath \<path\>**

  Add path with themes.

- **-nostdgames**

  Do not use default games.

- **-nostdthemes**

  Do not use default themes.

- **-game \<basename\>**

  Select game in gamespath.

- **-theme \<basename\>**

  Select theme in themespath.

- **-owntheme**

  Force game to use own theme.

- **-notheme**

  Do not use own game theme.

- **-fullscreen**

  Run the game in fullscreen mode.

- **-nocursor**

  Do not use game mouse cursors (use system one)

- **-hires / -nohires**

  Set/unset the high resolution when run in fullscreen mode.

- **-window**

  Run the game in windowed mode.

- **-resizable**

  Resizable window (SDL2 only)

- **-scale \<scale\>**

  Scale window (SDL2 only)

- **-noautosave**

  Disable autosave load.

- **-encode \<lua file\> \[encoded file\]**

  Encode lua file. Encoded file can be executed with doencfile("encoded file").

- **-idf \<path to resources directory or game\>**

  Build idf file \[INSTEAD data file\] from directory.

- **-mode \[WxH\]**

  Use WxH resolution.

- **-modes \<WxH\>\[,\<WxH\>\[,\<WxH\>\]\] ...**

  Define available resolutions.

- **-software**

  Force software rendering

- **-renderer \<opengl\|direct3d\|software\|...\>**

  Select default renderer (SDL2 only)

- **-fontscale \<percents\>**

  Font scaling.

- **-nopause**

  Do not pause the game on window minimize.

- **-lang \<lang code\>**

  Select language.

- **-hinting 0\|1\|2\|3**

  Set the font hinting mode (helpful with infinality).

- **-install \[game in zip\]**

  Install game from zip archive

- **-quit**

  Quit :)

- **-appdata \[fullpath\]**

  Store saves and settings in appdata path. Path must exist!

- **-chunksize \[size in bytes\]**

  Size for audio buffer. Try this if sound lags.

- **-version**

  Show version and exit.

- **-lua \<script.lua\> \[arguments\]**

  Exec lua script (for game developers).

- **-luac \<script.lua\>**

  Check lua script (for game developers).

- **-standalone**

  Run game in standalone mode (no sandbox, no games selection ...).

- **-noconfig**

  Do not load saved config (run with defaults).

- **-profile \<profile\>**

  Using configuration profile. Profile file is the ini-styled file with parameter = value pairs. Where is parameters are arguments without -.

Configuration file name is 'insteadrc' and it's located in ~/.instead/.

Games can be downloaded from http://instead-games.sf.net. Unzip them in ~/.instead/games.

## CONTROLS

Please, see tutorial.

## LICENCE

This software is covered by the terms of the MIT license.

## WARRANTY

None.

## COPYRIGHT AND CREDITS

- **Peter Kosyh**

  INSTEAD author.

- **Ilya Ryndin**

  Initial port to Windows.

- **Boris Timofeev, Anton Kolosov, Aleksey Mahno**

  Port to Android.

- **.dm**

  Port to Mac OS X.

- **Andrey Afletdinov**

  Port to Windows CE.

- **Vadim Balashoff**

  Advices.

- **Vladimir Zhirov**

  Advices.

- **Alexander Yakovlev**

  manual.tex support.

- **Serj Kalichev**

  Advices and default theme correction.

- **Vladimir Podobaev, Oleg Gvozdev**

  Testers.

- **Alexander Soborov**

  Wiki support.

- **Andrew Lobanov**

  Games repository, slackbuild.

- Many others for comments, bug reports, games and ideas.

  ## SEE ALSO

**https://instead-hub.github.io**