Images taken from CPC Oxygen
Cower in the presence of the Balrog, mortals! The Balrog has been busy exploring the land of Kerovnia this month, bringing back clues and tips for all those wanderers stuck in a Magnetic Scrolls game...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Balrog's Post
"Aren't Infocom games brilliant?" writes Dave Harvard of Fareham
"...One of the things I like most about Infocom adventures is the lack of
word matching exercises. I really do believe that if you let yourself get drawn
in by the atmospheric descriptions and responses, the solutions to most
problems are quite obvious. Let's face it, Balrog, Lurking Horror really DOES
get your hair whiter than other adventures! I recall being visibly shaken
climbing the "rope" in the Dome Room, only to find out later that it
was a tentacle from the THING!" You're right Dave, Lurking Horror is an
amazing adventure and very atmospheric - it is one of my favourite (Although
the Balrog's hair is still definitely black!) Dave continues "One of my
latest additions is Scapeghost by Level 9. What stunning graphics, especially
by the Austin's standards!" Yep, the graphics in Scapeghost are very good,
especially the lightning striking the church tower at the end of part one. It
is a shame that some of the later Infocom games with graphics were never
released on the Amstrad as the Balg would have loved to have seen them.
"One last question, in the Lords and Ladies column, should the adventures
stated be solved, or is it OK if you are quite a way into them?" When you
become a Lord or Lady of Adventure you should have completed all the games on
your list - then there is no chance of a reader wasting a stamp on someone who
has gone less into a game than themselves!
'Have you any hints for "Slaine"? We have got the eye from the
phoenix, also taken the gold ring and buried it in the mine. On putting the eye
of the phoenix into the furnace, the fire demon appears which you can kill,
likewise with the gold ring when you bury it, an earth demon appears which you
kill. Could you please help me in getting further in the game.' writes F
Collins. Unfortunately I do not have any tips for Slaine (anybody want to send
some?) However I do have a full map sent in by an anonymous reader, so I have
printed it for you.
The Balrog received his first bribe (a one pence piece!) glued to a very
strange letter (even stranger than Bob Adams!) from Douglas Thompson, otherwise
known as Sturm the Adventurer. Douglas wrote to join the Bards Tale club but
also asks some profound questions 'Is the Balrog human? Is Broadley human? and
Why did the World Start!?' he also enclosed a rather revealing picture of
Trenton Webb 'before the time warp accident left him terribly disfigured!' A
warning to David, messing with Trenton the Space Marine is dangerous, messing
with the Balrog is almost suicide but Broadley... Death!, make sure she doesn't
catch you asking questions like that again!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Programming with the Balrog
GAC hints thanks to Paul
Robson (Don't worry Paul - I'll review your game soon!) If you have any hints
or tips for writing an adventure game or using a creator please send them in!
1 GAC can't do conditions such as 'IF (ROOM > x AND ROOM < y)'
where you may want to, say, print a message in rooms X to Y.
To overcome this, you could use a set of conditions with a marker:-
HIGH 1 RESE n END
2 IF (ROOM > x) SET n END
3 IF (ROOM > y) RESE n END
4 IF (SET? n) MESS m WAIT END
(I haven't included the brackets which GAC inserts automatically)
2 It also has problems with 'NO2', the second noun in an input.
Using GAC's own example - 'PUT GOLD IN BOX', where
'PUT'=VERB n 'DROP'=VERB m 'GOLD'=NOUN x 'BOX'=NOUN Y
a IF (VERB n AND NOUN x AND NO2=y).... Does not work
( 'PUT' AND 'GOLD' AND 'BOX')
b IF (NO2=y AND VERB n AND NOUN x).... Works
('BOX' AND 'PUT' AND 'GOLD')
What if you want to say 'DROP GOLD IN BOX' as well as 'PUT'?
c IF (NO2=y AND VERB n XOR VERB m AND NOUN x).... Works
('BOX' AND 'PUT' XOR 'DROP' AND 'GOLD')
BUT 'DROP GOLD' also works, which is not what is required!
In fact, I can't find any combination which does work.
THIS works:-
d IF (NO2=y AND (VERB n XOR VERB m) AND NOUN x)....
('BOX' AND ('PUT' XOR 'DROP') AND 'GOLD')
But, (again!) GAC erases the added brackets when you next view the
condition. If you're prepared to not view it again, fine.
This also works and conditions are unchanged by GAC:-
Local or Low 1 RESE a END
2 IF (NO2=y) SET a END
3 IF (VERB n XOR VERB m AND NOUN x AND SET? a)....
('PUT' XOR 'DROP' AND 'GOLD' AND 'BOX')
3 Important for anyone who, like me, makes lots of mistakes or changes
their mind often!
You've entered a message (or Room, Verb etc) and then decide to delete
it. GAC does not reclaim the original memory used, but seems to flag the memory
location as unwanted, leaving most of the text intact but unseen. It's better
to leave the text as it stands, make a note of the message number (or verb
etc.) and re-use the message at a later stage, changing the text of course.
I discovered this when I looked at some saved code and saw words which
I had deleted. I did a print-out of everything and typed it all into an 'empty'
GAC, saving about 5,000 bytes!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bard's Tale Club
Richard wants to be a member as 'I was staggered by the enormity of the
game'
Richard Jamieson, 79 Land Street, Rothes, Aberlour, Banfshire IV33 7BB.
James Hale is currently having problems getting his Bard's Tale to load.
Manor Barn, Ardens Grafton, Nr Alcester, Warks B49 6DR.
'I have got characters with over 5000 hit points and stacks of gold each. I can
make a team full of whatever you want; just send me a blank cassette and an
SAE. Despite this I still cannot get into either of the towers...
Stuart Park, 24 Old Gates Drive Blackburn Lancashire BB2 5BY
Gareth Eynen, 207 Labumum Grove, North End, Portsmouth, Hants P02 0HE
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Clue Sniffing with the Balrog
A Magnetic Scrolls Special in this month Cluepot as the Balg gives tips on
every single Magnetic Scrolls games. Thanks to Joan Pancott, Fizban, Emma
Heggie, Ludwig the surreal egg, Paul and Timothy Stitt, Hazis Dolgizas,
Antcrusher, Adrian Forbes and Stuart Whyte. Special thanks goes to the
anonymous reader who mapped Slaine.
Acheton
Bend in passage, E, Sx2 to marble slide, D (the next move will take you into
a maze where the broadsword is in a fixed location, but the other objects are
in random locations, so the following route will take you through the whole
maze), S to lower levels of mine, S, NE, E, NW, S, NW, SE, NE, NW, E, W, N, SW,
W, S, Nx3, get broadsword, Sx2, E, SW, W, S, NW (check that you now have:-
Turquoise Amulet, broadsword, platinum brooch, jade earrings, lead, opals and
quartz), E to lodestone room.
Apache Gold
Show handbag to the crocodile
Classic Adventure
Hall of the Mountain King: Play flute, drop bird (the snake has gone), drop
cage, drop flute, S, get jewellery, N, E, S, get gold nugget, N to vast hall,
Y2 to Jumble of Rock, Y2 to Large Room, PLUGH.
Corruption
If you want to know what's going on at the meetings at 9:08 and 11:42 in Mr
Hughe's office then LISTEN AT WOODEN DOOR.
The cocaine is in the cistern at the cubicle.
If you don't get the envelope which is in Margaret's office before 10:59, then
she takes it as she leaves and gives it to David. Try to OPEN the ENVELOPE.
Dun Darach
The first thing you'll need is money so go and win some. (A tip is to save
the game when you first go into the gambling house, then put all of your money
on table B. If you lose, reload your saved position. If you win, save again and
repeat until you are rich).
It helps if you put some money in the bank to gain interest while you are doing
other things.
The first thing you should buy is a thieves licence from 83 Silver Street. When
walking the streets keep the * on it to stop people stealing from you; later it
will also enable you to steal the Pearl from the strong-room, 1 North Wall.
To buy something, you first pick it up and then offer the money.
Fish
Why make coffee yourself when there's an expert available?
To shut down the power station, turn off the protocopier and light switch in
your apartment before turning the big switch off.
Guild of Thieves
In
the junk room, move the junk to make a new exit. It leads to the moat, where
there is a night safe. You can put the castle's valuables in it without having
to get them past the gatekeeper.
While at the moat, if you have the maggot, (from the tin, under the
gatekeeper's bed), the billiards cue, and the needle and cotton, (from the
sewing box in the small bedroom), then tie the cotton to the cue, put the
maggot on the needle, then lower the needle. This gives you a fish with which
to feed the bear.
Before you feed the fish to the bear, sprinkle it with rat poison found in the
kitchen cupboard.
The rat poison isn't needed to kill the rats. Simply hold the pipe at the top
of the cellar, behind the door, and it will break. Open the valve to drown the
rats, close the valve when the water is getting a bit high.
Jinxter
The Wire Fence: Go to your back garden, get secateurs, go to the fence and
cut wire with secateurs.
The Bull: Go to your conservatory, get cloth, go to the bull, show cloth to
bull and drop cloth.
The Canoe: Go to your bedroom, look under bed, get sock, go to boat-house, get
bung, put bung in sock, slide doors, S, put sock in hole, get paddle and put
canoe in water.
Pawn
Tie rake and hoe (in palace shed) together with your shirt (or trousers). Go to big boulder, type lever boulder with rake, go to the peak, collect snow in the plant pot (also in shed under bench), go to the guru, put the water from the pot into the bowl and give it to the guru. Now go to the clearing, search the stump and you will get the pouch of colours. Mix them and you will have a light to use in the tree house.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Just for Laughs
More rib-ticklers this month from Simon Netherwood, Antcrusher and Stuart Whyte.
Big Sleaze
Try swearing and say Hi and Why.
Hollywood
Hijinx
Tried smelling the rose bush in "Garden, East"?
Have you called the operator on the phone?
How about putting on the catcher's mask?
Leather Goddesses of Phobos
Try
putting objects other than the jar into the machine - the rabbit turns into a
rabbi.
After getting the picture of Jean Harlow, open the door to the E.
Ask your partner to kiss the frog.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
HELP!
Two more adventurers require help. Can you help them in their hour of need? If so, write in and we will print the answer as soon as possible.
Adrian Forbes:-
In Jinxter can anyone tell me what to do with the carousel and how to get into
the clock-maker's shop?
In Cutthroats can anyone tell me how to buy the boat etc? Is Johnny's gang the
right gang to hang around with or should I follow McGinty?
M Sweetman
"In Imagination, what do I do with the pickaxe?"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Lords & Ladies of Adventure
Three more Lords and Ladies of Adventure this month to answer your every
question. Don't forget to send a SAE when writing to them though!
Acheton, Aftershock, Apache Gold, Arnold Goes to Somewhere Else, Base, Boggit,
Bored of the Rings, Brawn Free, Case of the Mixed-up Shymer, Castle Blackstar,
Castle of the Skull Lord, City for Ransom, Classic Adventure, Colour of Magic,
Countdown to Doom, Crystal Theft, Cursed Be the City, Dodgy Geezers, Dracula,
Dungeons Amethysts Alchemists n Everything, Enchanter, Escape from Koshima,
Espionage Island, Fantasia Diamond, Forest at the Worlds End, 4th Protocol,
Guild of Thieves, Heavy on the Magick, Heroes of Karn, Hitch Hikers Guide,
Hobbit, Hollywood Hijinx, Hunchback, Imagination, Inca Curse, Infidel, Island,
Jewels of Babylon, Jinxter, Kentilla, Kingdom of Hamil, Kobyashi Naru, Lost
Phirious (Parts 1 & 3), Message from Andromeda, Mindshadow, Mordon's Quest,
Mountains of Ket, Necris Dome, Never Ending Story, Not a Penny More Not a Penny
Less, Nova, Panic Beneath the Sea, Pawn, Philosopher's Quest, Planet of Death,
Project Volcano, QOR, Questprobe III, Return to Doom, Rigel's Revenge,
Robocide, Scary Tales, Seabase Delta, Seas of Blood, Smashed, Smuggler's Cove,
Sorceror, Souls of Darkon, Spellbreaker, Spytrek, Star Wreck, Subsunk, Sydney
Affair, Terrormolinos, Top Secret, Trial of Arnold Blackwood, Vera Cruz Affair,
Very Big Cave Adventure, Village of Lost Souls, Warlord, Wise and Fool of
Arnold Blackwood, Zork I & ALL Level 9!
Joan Pancott HPilg, 78 Radipole Lane, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9RS. Tel: (0305)
784155 Any day - 1pm to 10pm.
Adventure Quest, Colossal Adventure, Cricket Crazy, Dungeon Adventure, Dungeons
Amethysts Alchemists n Everything, Football Frenzy, Heroes of Karn, Knight Orc,
Kobyashi Naru, Life Term, Lords of Time, Mordon's Quest, Price of Magic,
Questprobe III, Rebel Planet, Redmoon, Return to Eden, Rigel's Revenge, Scary
Tales, Seabase Delta, Smashed, Snowball, Starwreck, Subsunk, Wizbiz & Worm
in Paradise
Mr H Higgs, 20 Naworth Close, Highbury Vale Estate, Bulwell, Nottingham, NG6
9EZ.
Bards Tale, Colour of Magic, Dungeons Amethysts Alchemists n Everything, Fourth
Protocol, Gems of Stradus, Not a Penny More, not a Penny Less, Return to Eden,
Scary Tales & Vera Cruz Affair
William Conlon, 171 Mulvey Park, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Coming Soon
Reviews of Adlan, Tower of light and a round up of all of the readers games
that the Balrog has received. Plus next month we have a special Topologika Clue
Pot.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Contacting the Balrog
As always, the Balrog is interested in all matters adventurial so write to
Amstrad Action c/o The Balrog and your letters will be sent by orc to the
Balrog's Lair. All letters are read and your points, although not always
printed, are always noted.