Essential tips - and much more - from the Dark One.
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News
Dungeons Amethysts Alchemists n Everything II
For fans of the cult adventure game Dungeons Amethysts Alchemists n
Everything (perhaps the longest adventure title ever?), the follow up has been
written called DAA II: Carrion Questing. The Balg recently saw the Atari ST
version running and was impressed; the Amstrad conversion should be with us
soon. Billed as the biggest, baddest, bawdiest, most exciting experience you
can enjoy (legally) with two hands and a home computer it has a unique new game
feature known as the Boredom Detector(TM) - which means that, for the first
time, an adventure can get bored with you before you get bored with it! The
same twisted humour is still there and the game looks like a winner. For more
details write to Streetwise at 37 Saltwell View, Saltwell Park, Gateshead, Tyne
& Wear.
- PICTURE OF DAA II BOX HERE -
Harlequin & Steel folds
Harlequin & Steel, the latest adventure club has folded after the
first issue due to a poor response despite 'extensive market research carried
out before its launch'. All members have been fully reimbursed. It is a shame
to see a club fail so quickly, especially as the Balg felt Inter-Action had
potential, but such is the way of the computer world.
Anita Sinclair Reveals All!
After months of talks and meetings, Anita Sinclair (Managing Director
of Magnetic Scrolls) has finally decided to reveal all for the members of
Official Secrets, the adventure and role-playing club!
Actually, this revelation is slightly less than a debut centre-fold as it in fact, means that Official Secrets are to produce the long-awaited solution books for the entire Magnetic Scrolls range of adventures (ie. The Pawn, Guild of Thieves, Jinxter, Corruption, Fish! and Myth). The clue books cost £2.50 each but of course you have to be a member of Official Secrets to buy them. For more information read the adventure club round-up in AA55 or call John Trevillian on (0279) 726585.
Editor Wanted!
Do you want to be the editor of "Adventure Coder", the
adventure magazine especially written for adventure game authors? To fit the
bill, you should be enthusiastic about putting together a monthly magazine, be
excited at the idea of seeing your efforts in print, but you also must be
prepared to go it alone inbetween issues when you may be receiving letters
every day about Coder. They all need answering. If you are interested then
write today to the present editor, Chris Hester, at 3 West Lane, Baildon, West
Yorkshire, BD17 5HD.
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Review
The Test
Ken Bond, 17 Adel Park Gardens, Adel, Leeds LS16 8BN.
Tel (0532) 672278.
£4.50 disc only.
Ken Bond is somewhat of a miracle - he is the only Amstrad user who actually writes adventures with Gilsoft's Professional Adventure Writer, and the results he obtains and the games he writes demonstrate the power of the PAW. The Test is no exception. If only more adventure authors would replace their copies of GAC and Quill with the PAW, then the quality of the games available on the CPC would improve - although of course this is a shame for tape users, it is the only way ahead for the adventure scene to survive on the CPC. Most of the good adventures released nowadays are disc only - Avon, The Island, Last Days of Doom and The Test being a good representation of the quality recently available.
The Test begins with you floating down through the air, with the great white canopy of a parachute billowing above you. Quickly you spot your target, a white cross, and you pull gently on the cords to change your direction slightly. Before you know it you have landed and have started the test.
The test is an aptitude examination given to prospective members of the EFF (The Elite Fighting Force - a bit like the SAS). This involves being dropped by parachute into an environment that has been made deliberately hostile and working your way out by means of your wits. Only the best will survive as you are pitted against mental and physical puzzles.
The Test comes in two parts and is text only. However, the text is verbose enough to conjure up a good atmosphere so that you do not miss graphics. Before you know where the time has gone you will have wandered through a mine-field, a stone quarry, a desolate churchyard - and that's before you're even half-way through the game!
Some of the puzzles are difficult but nearly all are logical and well thought out. There is the obligatory maze in the form of a bog (which is quite deadly if you don't poke around). One of the best puzzles involves an old train and is very well-thought-out as you learn how to drive it.
The Test is like a good book, easy to get into, but difficult to put down. Its size is impressive thanks to PAW's efficient text compression routines and Ken's work in making the game in two parts.
Well worth £4.50, the Test is an essential game in any adventure player's collection.
Atmosphere 82%
Interaction 66%
Challenge 84%
AA Rating 86%
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Help!
Ben Robinson is stuck in Roy of the Rovers - he can find two players, one at the building site and one in the burger bar. He knows there is another player in the Supermarket but how can he get him out?
Simon Avery is stuck in a couple of games: in Warlord he does not know how to get the Roman to attack him or how to get the amulet from the druid. Simon also wants to know how to stop himself attacking the man at the bridge in Wolfman - I seem to remember that you have to ask him a series of questions but perhaps a reader could help Simon out here.
Mark Cassell is stuck in Dracula - he wants to know what the name of J Harker's company is.
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Balrog's Post
'...Is Tower of Light, the game mentioned in a recent Balrog, based on the
stories and adventures of Frodo the hobbit from the Lord of the Rings? Could
you also tell me if an adventure based on the film Labyrinth (starring David
Bowie) was ever written...'
Wendy Watters, Bacup.
Sorry to disappoint you Wendy, but from the cover shots I have seen so far of
Tower of Light it has nothing to do at all with the Lords of the Rings. As to
the adventure game Labyrinth - I don't think one was ever written (although the
film would make a very good adventure) - unless of course you know different!
'While reading one of the Pilg's earlier columns, I read a small piece
mentioning that the old interceptor games "Warlord", "Forest at
the Worlds End" and "Aftershock" were still available for £1.99.
Could you please print the address of the company that now handles these games,
as no shops near me stock them.'
Michael Stirling, Dundee.
The Balg tried very hard to trace these games for you Michael but to no avail -
Interceptor, the company that made them, were selling them for £1.99 each but
lost all of their stock in a flood which hit their warehouse last winter. Your
best place to look now is in the classifieds or you could place a small ad in
an adventure magazine.
'Please could you tell me where I can get a copy of the Pawn?' Robert
Melody, Purley.
Certainly Robert, all Magnetic Scrolls games are now sold by Special Reserve
(the software wing of the Official Secrets adventure club). For more details
and prices phone (0279) 600204. They assure me that they have all of the
Magnetic Scrolls games in stock, so get ringing!
The Balrog received his first faxed letter today from Dr John McCann of Wakefield - John wrote in answer to Stephen Turzynski's problem in Heavy on the Magick - the password to allow Axil to escape via Paradise is 'LONG'.
'I recently bought the game "Knight Orc" - published by Rainbird -
the software division of British Telecom.
Contained in the game packaging is a card to send off to Rainbird for a clue
sheet (along with an SAE of course).
So I sent off for the cluesheet and what happened? Back came the card and
envelopes in a Royal Mail returned postal packet - marked as "not know at
this address."
Could you please use your journalistic muscle and considerable Balrogian
talents to find out what British Telecom are up to?
I would have liked the clue sheet - in fact I think the game is going to be
very orc-ward to solve without it!'
Carl Speight, Lancashire.
Thanks for your letter Carl - Rainbird software no longer exists at that
address (Microprose bought the company), but a quick phone call to Level 9 (the
authors of Knight Orc) revealed that they would be happy to deal with your
problem. If you want a hint sheet for Knight Orc, then just send the card
enclosed in the game along with a self stamped addressed envelope to Level 9,
PO Box 39, Weston-super-Mare, Avon, BS24 9UR and, before you know it, a hint
sheet will appear in your letter box.
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Bard's Tale Club
Yet more Bardists write in to show their dedication to their favourite game - if you want to join the club then just write in to the normal AA address.
Richard Fairhurst's party comprises of Melchet, Augustus, Baldrick,
Pavaroth, Cornius and Mystic Melvin.
2 Trent Road, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6HF
J Chan has the Old Man as his special, two archmages and over 400,000 in gold. He also wants some help - 'Could anyone tell me what the troll staff, truth drum, death ring, troll wand, daystore and Arc's eye do? Also where's the Spectre's Snare?'
- MAP OF CATACOMBS -
He also enclosed a patch for the disk poke in AA42 which now allows characters (including special) to be renamed. Here is his patch:-
1675 PRINT"R) Rename character"
1690 GOSUB 1180:a=INSTR("EHSLBXGR",a$):IF a=0 THEN 1690
1700 ON a GOTO 1710,1720,1840,1930,2020,2120,2260,2600
2600 LOCATE#4,1,10:PRINT#4,"Rename which character (1-6,S, else exit)
?":GOSUB 1180
2610 IF a$="" THEN CLS:CLS#4:GOTO 40
2620 IF a$="S" THEN v=0:GOSUB 2410:GOTO 2640
2630 GOSUB 2390
2640 LOCATE#$,1,11:INPUT#4,"Enter new name (15 characters)";name$
2650 IF name$="" THEN CLS:CLS#4:GOTO 40
2660 name$=name$+SPACE$(14):name$=LEFT$(name$,15)
2670 FOR y=0 TO 14:POKE st+y,ASC(MID$(name$,y+1,1)):NEXT
2680 LOCATE#4,5,3+v:PRINT#4,name$
2690 LOCATE#4,1,10:PRINT#4,SPACE$(160);
2700 LOCATE#4,68,3+v:PRINT#4,SPACE$(12):GOTO 1690
Leslie Rimell has written in with his Bard's Tale. 'I completed the game some
time ago and mapped all riddles and puzzles I encountered on the way; my
average level was 32. However, reading your articles stirred my interest again
and the idea of recruiting Mangar to the party sounded like fun so I charged
into the fray again. My quest was successful and I now have Mangar on my side.
My new average level is 46.' So, if anyone wants any help in the Bard's Tale,
then Leslie should be able to help!
50 Colne Orchard, Iber, Buckinghamshire, SL0 9NB. Tel: (0753) 651773
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Clue Sniffing with the Balrog
This aromatic selection of clues comes to you from Howard Swains, Ken Stokoe, Mark Cassell, Ian Howlett, Jerome Young, Stuart Whyte, Claire Smith, Jim Struthers, Jay Beddow and Mark Richards - may they all live long and prosper!
Andy Capp
To get your benefit card buy the Daily Mirror from the news-agents and give the paper to Flo. You must wait till Wednesday to sign on so do some other tasks while you are waiting.
Colour of Magic
Part 4: Get all the bottles of rum, then, starting at the drunk sailor, leave one bottle per location leading to the edge of the ship. Get the bucket, the sailor should fall overboard. Climb into the boat and keep bailing it out.
Dracula
In the coach look in the woman's eyes. Look around in the courtyard to find
staircase. Feel inside bat's mouth at the doorway. Examine table to find
bottle, break bottle, get shard of glass. Cut the drawcord on the dining room
curtains to get a rope. In the post office, examine compartment S in the letter
rack for a valuable clue.
When you are sitting at the table holding the menu, save the game and then ask
for bacon (don't have a drink), then go up to your room, sleep and then...
Frankenstein
Plug leak in boat with hemp then repeatedly bale boat to cross the lake.
Gnome Ranger (especially for Simon Avery)
To get the bridle - examine the rock, drop everything, lift the rock, get bridle then get all.
Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy (especially for Len Dean-King)
Keep on hitting the cliffs? Steer toward the spire.
To get the babel fish in your ear -
Hang your dressing gown on the hook to cover the hole, use the towel to block
the drain, get the satchel to block the panel and finally, put the junk mail on
top of the satchel to give the upper-half-of-the-room cleaning droid some junk
to collect.
Knightmare
When taking potion, make sure you have an open exit near you or the wizard
and his cronies get you.
The fat is in the kitchen - there is a locked door in the scullery, drink
potion and spell Caspar to get a second spade, dig ground down on the ground
floor for pitch. It moves, so just keep digging ground at different locations.
Redhawk (especially for Ben Robinson)
Give the vase to the caretaker. In return he will give you a book.
The keys from each villain are used to defuse the bomb in the power-station.
Seabase
Delta
Connect hoses to get air.
Get some ink from the angry octopus.
Tie magnet to washing line and go fishing down lift shaft.
Blow up bubble-gum near hen to get the egg.
Take the bowl, flour, milk and egg into the kitchen. Make and then fry a
pancake - throw the pancake at the camera.
G Bilclough, Ken Stokoe and Ann Robinson have answered Christopher Clarks
and Dean Sweets nightmares in Knightmare - Give the old man food and water to
get a spade, then dig the floor in next room.
Give maid gold (three or four times) and she will give you a locket.
To find the Dragon - go to the King's room, exit through door at back of room,
go down trap door (make sure you have spells first); the Dragon is through the
next door.
Wendy Watters has come to the aid of M Sweetman's problem in Imagination - the
pick axe is used to break the rock (to free the oil).
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Lords & Ladies of Adventure
Remember to send the Lord or Lady an SSAE when writing and to keep phone
calls within decent hours! Finally, if you want to come off the Lords &
Ladies list, just write in and say so.
Bards Tale, Colour of Magic, Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Nightmare, Quest for
the Golden Egg-cup, Shadows of Mordor, Times of Lore, Werewolf Simulator and
Wizard Warz.
Douglas 'the mad one' Thompson, 14 Cosgrove Close, Peterborough PE3 7JN.
Apache Gold, Boggit, Dodgy Geezers, Doomdark's Revenge, Heroes of Karn, Knight
Tyme, Kobyashi Naru, Message from Andromeda, Questprobe, Ship of Doom, Spytrek,
Terrormolinos, Never Ending Story, Warlord & Wizbiz.
Paul & Timothy Stitt, 7 Beaufort Avenue, Beechill Road, Newtownbreda,
Belfast BT8 4TY Northern Ireland.
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,
Rigel's 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
Forest at the Worlds End, Jewels of Babylon, Leather Goddesses of Phobos
& Message from Andromeda.
Iain McCarthy, The Old School, Church Lane, Brantham, Manningtree, Essex CO11
1QA.
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Contacting the Balrog
If you wish to write to the fanged fiend, then address your letters to The Balrog at our normal Amstrad Action address. The Balg welcomes letters on all matters adventurial and any suggestions or contributions are welcome.