Balrogs! Arise from your wintery sloth! Gird your loins and brush
your teeth, for the Balrog has arrived! Read the many missives
the Balg has collected from his mail-box in the gnarled oak somewhere
in the depths of Mirkwood. Plus the reviews of adventure clubs
and all the usual news, clues and help for Balrogs in distress.
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The Balrog's Postbag
Your wish is my command...
Could you please
print somewhere in your hallowed pages a list of fanzines containing
maps, helps etc which would be very useful. I've only been playing
adventure games for about 12 months. I cut my teeth on a game
called 'Heavy on the Magick' and for my money this is one of the
best games I've ever seen. Were there ever any follow ups to the
game as was promised in the accompanying booklet? I still haven't
managed to get through one of the exits - 'paradise' - and if
you know the password then please put me out of misery. Long live
Axil (and Balrog of course) Stephen Turzynski
No sooner said than done Stephen! See elsewhere in this column
for a complete list of adventure clubs available to the CPCer.
Heavy on the Magick was unfortunately never expanded, so it looks
like Axil is forever destined to roam the dungeon. If anyone can
help Stephen with the password please write in.
Cyrptci Hnist!
"Why don't you offer a prize for the best cryptic
hints? This way us adventurers with very little brain could at
least salvage some pride from the situation of being stuck, ie
a lot of the time a gentle push is all thats needed to provide
the key to finding a solution" writes Tim Bell. Great idea
Tim, the problem being that if you are not careful cryptic hints
can be so obscure that you don't realise what it means until after
you have solved the puzzle!
Aaahghg!
The Balrog got a letter from Daniel Tish 'I'd like to
enrole as member 50,060 of the "Aaahghg! I've discovered
another bug in Rigels Revenge!" club. Part two doesn't seem
to work - could you please give me Mastertronics' address so I
can replace it...' Mastertronic's address is 2/4 Vernon Yard,
Portobello Road, London W11 2DX.
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Clue Sniffing with the Balrog
If a game's really getting up your nostrils, then don't
despair - help is at hand. This month's tips come from the Witch
of Wessex, Jerome Young, Dave Harvard, Fizban, Stuart Whyte, Peter
White, Daniel Tish and Ken Dean.
Acheton
Toll Hole, S, SW, D to inside pillar, S, SE to Bend in passage,
Ex2 to Timeless Cavern, wait until lamp is shining very brightly,
S, SW, get the ivory chess piece, NE, E, get amber ornament, E
to spiral stair, UPx2, W, read writing ("EXAKCIP"),
E up the gallery, get crucifix, Dx3, W, S, Wx2 to bend in passage,
NW, W, SW, E, S, get stake, N, E, NE, E, SEx2, get amethyst pendant,
NW, SW, W, SW to room with Black, Blue and Grey stars.
Apache Gold
Hot Dry Desert: E, talk to Doctor Dodgy, given free sample, examine
and get the jar, E, talk to Jake, get sack, N, get bottle, N,
get rope, read tombstone, Up, cut branch (it falls into the rapids
and floats to the shallow pool), D, Sx2, Wx2, S, throw rope, Up,
give cure to the eagle (makes it's wings get sticky which stops
it flying and stealing the corn), D, N, enter wagon, flick reins.
Rigels Revenge
Escaping from the basement: Wear only your nightsights, climb
onto the sink, get the medikit. Drop all except your medikit and
nightsights out the window - and I mean all! Press some buttons
on the kit, bend bar up, pull bar, pull bar hard, bend bar up,
then drop the medikit out the window then jump out yourself.
Scapeghost
Moving David Ridge's urn enlists his help.
Search for Largo Grann
Type 'One Hundred and Ten' to get the password right on the cabinet.
Keep waiting at the strange construction until the bag of Shellac
appears.
Examine wall in Star view lounge.
Peter White has come to the aid of John Gibbins's problem in Guild
of Thieves:-
If
he has all the treasures banked then he must go to the bank where
he will find that it is open for business. He still has a lot
of tricky problems to solve and his final aim is to get back to
the boat with all the treasures. When the master thief sees all
the treasures the game is over.
And to Paul Daykin's aid in the land of Corruption:-
You cannot drive out of the car park, there is no need as all
the locations in the adventure are accessible by foot. To enter
the casino you need to prove to the waiter that you know it exists.
Two items can do this, either the casino chips in David's safe
or the book of matches with the casino name on them.
Ken Dean has written in with the answers to Lorry's problems in
Lurking Horror:-
To
get rid of the monster:- Go to the great dome, climb rope, you
can't get the ladder because you're carrying too much, so drop
all, get ladder and lower it. Take all and put all in container.
Wear gloves, open door, out, U to the very top of the Dome. Get
plug, get paper, read paper which you will find is a suicide note.
D, in, close door, Dx2, Ex2, N (Fruit & Nuts), D, SE, wear
boots, Ux2, read sign, open door with master key, out. You now
will be in a very critical situation where timing must be perfect.
U, when something smashes into the dome behind you, D, examine
shape. The creature should pounce and be right next to you on
the parapet. Throw stone off roof, the creature will then follow
and be seen no more, well at least for some time. Then go back
up and dig under the peach tree and get the hand.
Daniel Tish has written to help Trevor Fuller in Rigel's Revenge
- To cross No-Mans land... Ex2, S, SE, E - this should take you
across.
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Competition Winners
Tolkien Competition results
The Tolkien Competition to 'Draw the Balrog' prompted some very
strange entries, including one of the Balrog skateboarding armed
with a chainsaw! But the final winners were Mr David Graham (absolutely
brilliant!), Simon Tierney, Paul Claydon, Daniel Borrill &
Antcrusher whose marvels of modern art are displayed below.
*HAVE ALL PICTURES HERE*
Level 9 Competition results
The answers to the brilliant Level 9 competition were:-
1. What is the surname of the star of Gnome Ranger and Ingrid's
Back? BOTTOMLOW
2. What was Level 9's first science fiction game? SNOWBALL
3. Name the Level 9 game that has recently opened as a film?
Question three stumped a lot of people and answers varied from Return to Eden
to Adrian Mole! Of course the correct answer was Erik the Viking as all Level
9 fans will know (though the Balrog in his generosity also accepted Lancelot.)
The three winners of the software and T-Shirts were Joan
Pancott, Mandy Rodrigues and Lorna
Patterson with the runner up prizes of Level 9 T-shirts to Dave Harvard,
Bob Adams, Stuart Marini, Darren Stephens, Alan Cook, Debby
Howard and Ken Bond.
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Just for Laughs
Thanks for these adventurous rib ticklers are due to Antcrusher,
Ludwig the Egg, The Grue and Dave Harvard.
Sorceror
Disrupting Temporal Stability in the mine (take the Golmac scroll
a second time, or give yourself a different combination)
Don't cast Vardik on yourself before casting Swanzo on Belboz.
Aimfiz Helistar and Frobar.
Suspended
Send Poet off to the East, towards the filtering computers. He
dies in a most eloquent way.
Zork
Just for fun - try fighting the mailbox.
Zork
II
Say "Plugh"
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Round up of Adventure Clubs
Confidential
Confidential is the bi-monthly magazine of Official Secrets, the
adventure club run by Special Reserve. Confidential does not just
cover adventures but all thinking games as well as Play by Mail,
Chess, Role playing etc. It is now the largest Adventure Club
around (ACL was at one time until it lost it's reputation) with
over 3,000 members, and offers two games on subscribing:- Myth
and Gnome Ranger. Unfortunately Magnetic Scrolls never converted
Myth to the CPC but you get a 'surprise alternative' which at
the time of writing was Captain Blood (if you have either Captain
Blood or Gnome Ranger OS will replace them for something else).
Included with subscription is a free adventure helpline (very
similar to the Balrog's own L&LOA.) Subscription also allows
includes membership to Special Reserve (the 'exclusive gamers
club'). Overall Official Secrets is an expertly produced magazine
with a very impressive list of writers which is well worth subscribing
to. Be warned though, this magazine is much more 16-bit biased
than some and you may not find much about the Amstrad, even though
there are many general interest articles which apply to many machines.
Joining Official Secrets costs £22 (UK) for a years membership.
For further information, call John Trevillian on (0279) 726585
or write to him at PO Box 847, Harlow, CM21 9PH.
PICTURE HERE.
Adventure Probe
Adventure Probe is more of a group of friends than a formal club
and as such has a lovely atmosphere and many 'in' jokes. At first
it appears to be quite difficult to join this elite group of adventurers
but they are all very friendly - before you know it you're part
of the crowd. As well as a comprehensive monthly magazine Probe
offers an adventure solution database for over six hundred games
and many other facilities such as a helpline. Probe costs just
£1.50 a month and just has to be the Balrog's favourite adventure
magazine - it is very difficult to explain the enjoyment of being
a Probe reader. Buy a sample copy today!
Mrs Mandy Rodrigues HBalg, Editor, Adventure
Probe, 67 Lloyd Street, Llandudno, Gwynedd, LL30 2BN or Tel (0492)
77305 at any reasonable hour.
ADVENTURE PROBE COVER
Spellbreaker
Spellbreaker is a monthly magazine which publishes maps, solutions
and tips only. As such it is very good but it doesn't unfortunately
have the atmosphere of the other clubs. If all you want is adventure
solutions, then Spellbreaker is for you, but otherwise try somewhere
else. Spellbreaker costs £1.50 a month and is available from
Mike Brailsford, 19 Napier Place, South Parks, Glenrothes, Fife,
KY6 1DX or Tel (0592) 757788.
SPELLBREAKER COVER HERE.
Adventure Coder
Adventure Coder is a great monthly magazine edited by Chris Hester
and is all about writing adventure games. Thus it has articles
on creating intelligent characters, atmosphere and hints and tips
for making the most out of the various adventure creators (a bit
like an extended Programming with the Balrog). There is an ADLAN
column written by John Packham and many articles on GAC and especially
PAW. If you enjoy writing adventures it is essential reading and
well worth the price of just £1 an issue. More details can
be obtained from Chris Hester, 3 West Lane, Baildon, Near Shipley,
West Yorkshire, BD17 5HD.
ADVENTURE CODER COVER HERE
Harlequin & Steel
Harlequin and Steel is created by Inter-action a group of ex-Newsfield
writers (mostly from the Games Machine) who have got together
to form an adventure club. Harlequin & Steel has only been
out for one issue and, although it was very professionally put
together, the Balg didn't feel that there was much in it. However,
the whole point of H&S is that the readers interact to improve
the magazine, so obviously in future issues a more clubby, friendly
atmosphere will develop. H&S certainly has potential with
an impressive list of writers and the Balg looks forward to seeing
it grow. The first issue also seemed to suffer from the same problem
as Confidential - too much 16-bit coverage. An annual subscription
costs £15. As well as the magazine, the subscription also
covers a telephone helpline. For more information write to Interaction
at the Cottage, Ashford Carbonell, Shropshire, SY8 4DB.
HARLEQUIN & STEEL COVER
Adventurers Club Ltd
Adventure Club Ltd was the largest adventure club in the UK but
it gained a bad reputation when it had some financial difficulties.
The club has now been revamped and Henry Mueller, the editor,
is back. This is a difficult one to recommend - although the club
was once the biggest and best at one time, the temporary disappearance
of Henry for over three months caused quite an uproar and, although
I wish Henry luck with ACL, I feel I cannot recommend it, even
though it has an impressive magazine, helpline and software support.
ACL costs £24 annually (as well as an optional £7.95
for the ACL binder and £2 for the starter pack). More information
can be obtained from Henry at 64c Menelik Road, London, NW2 3RH
or telephone 01-794 1261.
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HELP!
Tim Bell is stuck in a number of adventures -
Rigels Revenge: I don't know what to do when you have the gun,
bomb, uniform and detector.
Shard of Inovar: I am stuck at the start, I have seen the symbol
in the boulder and that's it.
Venom: I have found where the parchment is but as soon as I get
out of the hole and try to go somewhere some idiot with a bow
shoots me! Help me please!
Ken Dean is stuck in C Sharpe's "Werewolf Simulator"
- Where can he get a mould and melt the silver to make some silver
bullets? Where does the bloodhound come into the story?
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Lords & Ladies of Adventure
Grovel before the Lords and Ladies of Adventure! These brave adventurers
have risked their lives to bring back from the brink of darkness
and disaster hints and tips that could save your lives! So, if
you're stuck in a game, drop them a line (NOT forgetting to include
an SAE) and they will do their best to answer your cry.
Adventure Quest, Aftershock, Apache Gold, Arnold Blackwood Trilogy,
Beer Hunter, Boggit, Bored of the Rings, Brawn Free, Bugsy, Colossal
Adventure, Circus, Classic Adventure, Cutthroats, Dodgy Geezers,
Dracula, Dungeon Adventure, Dungeons Amethysts Alchemists n Everything,
Emerald Isle, Enchanter, Escape from Koshima, Espionage Island,
Fantasia Diamond, Forest at the Worlds End, The 4th Protocol,
Football Frenzy, Galaxias, Gems of Stradus, Gnome Ranger, Gremlins,
Haunted House, Heroes of Karn, Hitch Hikers Guide, Hobbit, Hunchback
adventure, Imagination, Inca Curse, Jewels of Babylon, Kentilla,
Knight Tyme, Kobyashi Naru, Leather Goddesses of Phobos, Lords
of Time, Lurking Horror, Message from Andromeda, Microman, Mindshadow,
Mordons Quest, The Mural, Mystery of Indus Valley, Necris Dome,
Never Ending Story, Nythyhel, Pawn, Questprobe III, Rebel Planet,
Redhawk, Red Moon, Return to Eden, Return to Oz, Rigels Revenge,
Robin of Sherwood, Robin of Sherlock, Seabase Delta, Snowball,
Sorceror, Souls of Darkon, Spytrek, Sphinx adventure, Star Wreck,
Stolen Lamp, Subsunk, Sydney Affair, Theseus, Tomb of Kuslak,
Very Big Cave adventure, Warlord, Woodbury End & Zork 1!
Darren Stephens. Tel: (0795) 473490
Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Leather Goddesses of Phobos,
Lurking Horror and Moonmist.
Ken Dean, 63 Elmhurst Avenue, Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, Suffolk,
NR32 3AR
Aftershock, Brawn Free, Case of the Mixed up Shymer, DAA, Experience,
Fantasia Diamond, Forest at the Worlds End, Grange Hill, Haunted
House, Heroes of Karn, Kobyashi Naru, Lancelot, Lords of Time,
Message from Andromeda, Mindshadow, Rigels Revenge, Seabase Delta,
Spytrek, Subsunk, Terrormolinos, Three Weeks in Paradise, Trial
of Arnold Blackwood and Warlord.
Debby Howard, 10 Overton Road, Abbey Wood,
London, SE2 9SD
Meanwhile, what about you? Have you finished a game recently,
and would like to offer help to others? If you would, drop me
a line giving your name and address and the games on which you're
offering help. Everlasting fame and fortune will come your way,
not to mention the chance of making friends with people far and
wide. If you're REALLY keen, you can include a phone number, but
DON'T do so without first checking with other members of your
household. You may receive many calls, and adventurers tend to
keep strange hours! And if you're phoning one of the illustrious
Lords, do please keep your calls to sociable hours - between 6:30pm
and 10:00pm, is generally the best time for most people.
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Contacting the Balg...
For those wanting to contact 'Uncle Balrog', write to him at the
normal AA address. The Balg is hungry for letters of all sorts
so write now or you may find yourself on the Balrog's menu...