Images taken from CPC Oxygen
From the depths of Moria the Balrog ascends and greets his valiant adventurers. This month the Balrog continues his perusal of the Public Domain adventure scene...
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News
FSF Convert games to CPC...
FSF Software is a Spectrum Software house run by Larry Horsfield. Larry is
a PAW expert and has written some brilliant adventures on the old speccie.
Anyway, 'What's this got to do with the CPC?' I hear you cry... Well, Larry has
just bought himself a brand new 6128 and is at this moment busily converting
his three Spectrum games to the CPC. The games are Magnetic Moon, Starship
Quest and Axe of Kolt. Magnetic Moon and the sequel
Starship Quest are three part adventures and very enjoyable, whilst Axe is a
four parter - they should all be worth waiting for. For more details, write to
Larry at FSF Adventures, 40 Harvey Gardens, Charlton, London SE7 8AJ.
Wow!
Can anyone stop Joan Pancott HPilg and her amazing
software company? The Balrog wishes that Joan would slow down so that he can
catch up on reviewing all her games! Since she was last mentioned in AA she has
released another four games! Two of them are re-releases (Case of the Mixed-up
Shymer and Flook) and two of them are new titles. Orb Quest is a four part QUILLed game, lovingly written by
Paul & Timothy Stitt, and looks well worth playing. The second new title is
a very strange (and funny) game called 'Yarkon Blues'.
In Yarkon you play Rik McQuick, hero and all-round good guy. The game is a
space spoof and also looks like it will be good. On speaking to Joan it seems
she has even more games in the pipeline... for more details, write to WoW at 78
Radipole Lane, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 9RS.
Red Five Software
This is the name of the company responsible for the humorous 'Yarkon Blues'
mentioned above. Well, Red Five have two more games coming shortly - 2001: A
Space Oddity and the Smirking Horror. More details soon...
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Adventure PD
Although originally only planned to be a two-part special on the few
adventure games available in the Public Domain market, the Balrog has been
amazed by the quantity of software available and the high quality of some of
it. So, when I have the space I will try and mention more Public Domain
software as I receive it. Public Domain is a great way to improve your
adventure-playing skills at little cost as well as trying out the games of new
and up-and-coming authors...
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Adventure PD Libraries
Scull PD
Although not a strict adventure library, Alan Scully certainly has quite a few
adventures (mostly written by Simon Avery!). To order some PD software from
Alan send him some blank discs and a pound for each PD Disc you want (ie if you
want Adventure Disc 1 & 2 then send him a blank disc and £2.)
For a 'concise stock list' and order form send an SSAE to Alan at *******
ADDRESS REMOVED AT ALANS REQUEST ********. Send a disc and an SSAE for the free
'stock-list-disc-magazine' which always contains one or two free programs
(currently an adventure and a demo).
Amstrad Adventure PD
Run by Lady of Adventure and UAUG Adventure Columnist, Debby Howard, Amstrad
Adventure PD is probably the best PD library for adventures. Debby has
developed the library into a club - as well as providing software, she also
offers a helpline, solution list, reviews and, like Scull PD, has an
interactive electronic magazine. The price per selection
is the same as Scull (ie £1 ) which will take up one side of a disc.
Please don't forget to enclose a jiffy bag, self - addressed, and enough
postage to cover the cost of sending it back to you. For more details send an
SSAE to Adventure PD, 10 Overton Road, Abbey Wood, London, SE2 9SD.
D.A.T.A. PD Software Library
Recently set up by Tony Kingsmill, Data PD now has quite a collection of
adventures and it even caters for some cassette adventures as well as disc
games. Cost is one pound per 'selection'. - For more details write to Data PD
Library at 202 Park Street Lane, Park Street, St. Albans, Herts AL2 2AQ and
Tony will send you his newsletter.
WACCI
Has a few adventure PD titles and although a little expensive compared to the
other libraries, offers very good service. WACCI also produces a good fanzine.
More details can be obtained from WACCI UK at 9 South Close, Twickenham TW2
5JE. Tel: (081) 898 1090.
The above libraries are good places to start looking for PD adventures but
most of the other libraries have the odd adventure as well. (Check out Caroline
Lamb's 'Where to go' this issue.)
If you run or know of a PD library that has some good adventures then write in
and tell me and I'll mention them in next months Balrog column.
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PD Disc 43 - Adventures 3
Scull PD
Jason and the Argonauts - Your quest is to sail to the island of the Gods and
find the Golden Fleece so that you can return home and claim your rightful
throne from Pelias, who stole it after your father, Aeson, was killed.
Unfortunately your ship was in a freak storm and you lost all of your crew
overboard (perhaps the game should be called Jason! - Balg); luckily you
survived (bit convenient really!). Jason is a well-structured game written
(again!) by Simon Avery. Based on the Jason legend (and probably the film) -
you'll meet the cyclops, sheep(!), a sphinx, dragon, centaur and other mythical
creatures.
Boredom - The third in the 'adult' adventure trilogy by Simon Avery. You are
Baz, a rather disappointing example of British youth. You live in a small town
which scores a massive -1 for night-life. To escape this boredom, you decide to
go and find heaven. The only problem is you have led a far from angelic
life-style so you can't get there by normal means (ie dying!) Boredom is an
average game with good humour in places but also some unfunny parts. Do not
play Boredom if you are easily offended.
Dungeon Adventure - You have been captured and placed in a dungeon by some
nasty trolls and must find your way out and back to your mum before she notices
you have gone. Typical dungeon exploration game with extra Simon Avery touches.
Jungle Bunny - You play the part of Tizpan, a regular hero who lives in a
normal bamboo hut in a tree in the deepest of the jungles. Untouched by outside
contact, you survive with the aid of Jayne, your lovely lady savage. You awaken
one morning to find your beloved Jayne has been kidnapped. Not sure how you
could live without her, you resolve to find her...
'The Secrets of Ur' is a text adventure QUILLed by Bill Clews. Having gleaned
important information from very ancient archives, you have set out to find a
remote temple in the middle of an Amazonian jungle in which may be found the
answers to Life, the Universe and Everything... The adventure starts with you
in a plane flying over a jungle - suddenly the engines splutter and go dead...
you must get out before the plane crashes. Ur is a good game but be warned -
you will need to make frequent saves as it is VERY easy to die! Even getting
out of the plane is not easy - you have only a very short time to grab a
parachute and jump.
Yawn! Is a QUILLed game by Dino - After arriving home last night under the
influence of a certain few beverages, you have been grounded for a month. There
is only one problem; as chance would have it, you arranged to meet a girl
tonight. So, you set out to find the keys and escape from your parent's
clutches. Bad Simon Avery take-off with poor spelling and no exit descriptions
- nothing to rave about.
-
PD Disc 84 - Neil Scrimgeour Adventures
Scull PD.
Also available from Wow at 78 Radipole Lane, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 9RS. Price:
£4.50 cassette, £3.50 disc.
This disc contains a science fiction trilogy titled 'The Lost Phirious'.
Actually it should be a quadruple but the author never started writing the last
in the series!
Set far in the future, you are an interstellar scrap dealer who has just
discovered information concerning the spaceship Phirious (the space equivalent
of the Titanic) which was lost many years ago. If you could just find the
Phirious, then you would be rich beyond your wildest dreams. But, as you might
have guessed, with the adventure being a trilogy, you're not going to find the
Phirious that easily!
You must first travel to Earth and find the area where to start looking for the
Phirious and then go there... Still sound easy? Well, in part one you don't
even reach the Earth! You see, your greed side-tracks you on your way when you
find another abandoned ship, Casiopia, which you feel is worth a look. This is
where the adventure starts - you beam on board the Casiopia to have a look
around when suddenly your own spaceship explodes (pretty bad luck I'd say!) You
must now find a way off the Casiopia and down to Earth. You'll also need a new
spaceship otherwise you're never going to find the Phirious and spaceships
don't grow on Earth-trees...
In part two, subtitled 'The Planets', you eventually have managed to land on
the planet Earth and you must now obtain as much information as possible about
the location of the Phirious as well as getting your hands on the transport and
supplies needed to get you there. Part two is set in a series of old
interplanetary tourist centres.
In the final part, Falkrahanon, you now have a ship and supplies and are on the
way to the Phirious when you are suddenly attacked by space pirates - you
manage to lose the pirates but you must land on a nearby planet, Falkrahanon,
to refuel before continuing in your quest.
Originally reviewed in AA8 and AA10 (well, the first two parts were reviewed -
the third wasn't) by the Pilgrim. The Pilg gave the games fairly decent reviews
but criticised the lack of logic of some of the puzzles and the games'
unoriginality. Written by Neil Scrimgeour (who also has drawn some Level 9
graphics in the past), the Phirious Trilogy is enjoyable but is spoilt a little
because, as part four was never written, you will never find the Phirious! A la
Level 9 Neil has made the first part easy, with the other parts getting
progressively difficult and this is a good idea. Worth getting.
-
CPM 1
Adventure PD
Reviewed in AA53 and written by Ken Bond using PAW. The Island is a lovely text only adventure. You start on board an old tramp steamer, returning to Britain after a long sojourn in the Far East. Unfortunately, while you were sleeping, the ship hit a mine left over from the Second World War and in the resulting confusion you lost consciousness. You awake to find the ship rapidly sinking and the crew disappearing over the edge of the horizon in the ship's life-boats! So, you must try and escape from the ship before it sinks to the bottom of the sea! The adventure is well-written and very enjoyable - a worthy addition to any adventurer's collection.
The Base
Also written by Ken, 'The Base' is a two-part adventure as good as (if not
better) than the Island. You start off inside a prison
cell, from which you have to try and escape. In the second part, you try to
break into a base and, photograph some plans hidden in a safe.
If you enjoy playing these games, then contact Ken for information regarding
his other two, The Test and The Spiro Legacy. Ken Bond,
17 Adel Park Gardens, Adel, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS16 8BN.
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Letters
Want to tell the world about your adventuring discovery, gripe about a certain game, or complain about the lack of money being paid to the Balrog? If so write to Letters, The Balrog, Amstrad Action, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, Avon BA1 2AP.
'Dear Balrog,
...Please could you give me information on where to get games like Hollywood
Hijinx, Lurking Horror, Rigels Revenge and Dracula...'
Christian Aldridge, Essex
Well, as I've said before, the best place to find games that are no longer
available in the shops is to look in the small ads of any of the various
adventure magazines (eg Adventure Probe - 0492 77305). You could also try the
Infocom swap line run by Nic Rumsey (03212 2737). If neither of these are any
use, then just put an advert in one of the fa
nzines requesting for the games you want - this (hopefully!) will work. Another
place to look is The Adventurers Club Ltd - they sell various CPC games. - For
more details phone Henry Mueller on (071) 794 1261.
'Dear Balrog,
...I would like to join your band of adventurers. I have just got into playing
adventure games - I have an Amstrad CPC464...'
Albert Hawes, Queensland, Australia
Hello Albert! All you need to join my merry band of adventurers is to send a
blank cheque to.... No, seriously, you've joined already - all you need to do
is just buy Amstrad Action every month and read the Balrog column. If you have
any questions or contributions, then send them to me at the above address and
I'll include them in the magazine - it's as simple as that!
'Dear Balrog,
...I am starting a PD Library called JPD, and so far I have a selection of
programs, but no adventures, so I would be most grateful if you could print my
address so your readers can send me any.
The library is tape only and as long as they include a stamped SAE they will
receive their tape bulging with PD...'
Justin Boniface, 119 Grinstead Lane, Lancing, Sussex BN15 9DR.
Consider it printed Justin!
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Clue Sniffing with the Balrog
Thanks to Madwolf, David Roff and Ross Instone, Howard Swains, Ian Howlett, Hazis
Dolgizas, Antcrusher, Adrian Forbes, R Melody (doncha just hate it when people
use initials?), Ken Stokoe, Debby Howard and Simon Netherwood.
Contributions are needed for this section so if you have any clues for any
adventure game, then please do send them in - the address, as always, is
Cluepot, The Balrog, Amstrad Action, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, Avon BA1 2AP.
The Big Sleaze - part 1 (especially for Jonathon May)
Close front door of office to avoid land mining!
Touch wires to start car.
If you have no money, then drive to Astoria Boulevard and go to bank.
Push obelisk in building on 21st street, open grill with crowbar from mac.
Put battery in flashlight and turn it on.
Bored of the Rings - Part 3
Give brick to Gold-Bum.
Wear sun-glasses to reflect stare.
Use de-bugger to kill Gremlins.
Corruption
If you want to go to the casino then SHOW THE WAITER THE CHIPS found in
David's safe. You'll be allowed in. But, if you manage to escape from the cell,
then show him the box of matches McNally gave you. You can't go into the
Private Room. But you can eventually see who's in there if your winnings exceed
the 100,000 pounds which is in theory impossible but not practically! Check the
following:-
You start with £500. Save the game. Play trente-et-quarante which is entirely
based on luck - and bet all your money. If you lose, load the saved position
and retry. But if you win save it and continue doing the same thing until you
reach £100,000. You'll then be introduced to the manager of the casino...
But there is a shorter way --> GIVE TELLER CHIPS.
Guild
Of Thieves
In the billiards room, open the red ball.
Hit the coal with the pick before hitting the mineral vein, as the latter
causes the pick to break.
The music sheet is a treasure and should be banked, unopened, to get a further
10 points.
Before moving the statue in the temple, make sure you have the gloves from the
garden. They solve a slippery problem.
Having moved the statue, dig in the sand with your hands. This solves another
slippery problem.
Ingrid's Back - Part 1
Ask Flopsy to chase the chickens.
When in mill yard drop the groceries and then pull rope. Hide behind the bush
and when Uncle Dusty comes along, get out.
Sit on rook and tell it to go to the lighthouse. Drop ladder in the yard of
Tacks Farm, climb it and open the wardrobe.
Island
To get the petrol: Put tube in filler cap, suck on tube and put tube in can.
Deflate the dinghy to get past the barbed wire fence.
Moonmist - Red Version
Search the window in the chapel.
Mystery of Arkham Manor
Spend the first night in the cemetery. You will need to photograph someone
there after midnight. Use the photo in a newspaper report - you will receive an
interesting telegram. Give the wallet to Mrs. Lemin the next day.
Use the knife in the Blacksmith.
Pawn
Go south from the corridor and get and examine the listing (to wander around
without getting killed type debug).
The prism, carrot, green bottle, rations, armour, wall-paper and paste are red
herrings.
At the Laboratory, go NE before NW. At the high ledge after the rope bridge,
also go NE before NW. At the crossroads in the tree, go SW before NW.
Look under the safe before opening it.
Wear the spiky boots to climb the ice tower wall.
Before climbing down the rope, you must first get rope, then climb down and
then drop the rope when you are on the high ledge.
Simon "Aragorn" Netherwood has come to the aid of Chris "The
Barbarian" Gore with his problem in Lord of the Rings:-
He needs to leave the ring off the courtyard in Bree and then go into the inn
and kill all three Black Riders. Then go to the Wandering Riders on the highway
and kill them too. Go back for the ring and then go east along the highway till
part one is finished. (This may not work on the disc version due to a bug -
Balrog)
Simon "Aragorn" Netherwood, Adam Shade and Robin Harley have the
answers to "The Kenderian's" problems in The Price of Magic:-
He must carry the sprig of wolfsbane past the werewolf N, NW, N, E, N, NW, SW,
Break curtain (you will need a weapon) and you will find the Fieldspar Lens. To
get the wheel you will need to cast the HYP spell on the bat. The focus for HYP
is the staff (cut vine outside front door with knife).
The Blue Box is reached via one of two ways. The first is by casting BOM at the
picture of Stonehenge in the rockwalled room west of butler's passage. The
second is by casting ZEN then going Sx2, W then down.
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Help!
If you're completely stumped in an adventure, can't find clues for it
anywhere and no-one in Lords & Ladies can help, then send a letter to the
Balrog and he will see what he can do! Please only write if you can't get help
from anywhere else - don't ask for help in, say, a Level 9 game when loads of
Lords & Ladies have completed them - you're just wasting the Balg's
valuable pages. Anyway on with this month's pleas for help...
Michael Hill is stuck in both Seabase Delta and Grange Hill:-
In Seabase Delta how do you get the car at the station to move?
In Grange Hill how do you get the matches and how do you get rid of the
caretaker.
Brendan McGoldrick is stumped in Lord of the Rings - he has three elfstones and
is in Bree but he has no idea what the elfstones are for!
Oliver Nally wants to know where the crowbar is in the Base.
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Lords & Ladies of Adventure
Once again the Lords & Ladies of Adventure extend their knowledge to us lesser mortals. When writing please remember to enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope and don't ask for full solutions - tell the Lord or Lady exactly where you are stuck. When phoning please do so only during sociable hours.
Knightmare.
Ross Younger, 3 Cammo Parkway, Edinburgh, EH4 8EP.
Adult II, Can I Cheat Death?, Doomlords, Firestone, Jason and the Argonauts,
Roog, Spacey & Tizpan.
Adam Maxwell, 9 Peth Green, Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne & Wear DH5 OEY.
Base, Hollywood Hijinx, Infidel, Island, Spiro Legacy, Test, Wishbringer
& help for PAW programmers.
Ken Bond, 17 Adel Park Gardens, Adel, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS16 8BN. Tel:
(0532) 672278.
Adventure Quest, Dungeon Adventure, Gnome Ranger, Imagination, Knight Orc,
Kobyashi Naru, Jewels of Babylon, Lancelot, Lords of Time, Mystery of Indus
Valley, Price of Magik, Redmoon, Return to Eden, Shadows of Mordor, Snowball,
Souls of Darkon & Venom. Wendy Watters, 82 Booth Road, Stacksteads, Bacup,
Lancashire OL13 OSF. Tel: (0706) 877518
Classic Adventure, Fantasia Diamond, Hobbit, Hollywood Hijinx, Inca Curse,
Mountains of Ket, Planet of Death & Sorceror.
Dave Havard, 21 Belvoir Close, Fareham, Hants PO16 OPJ.
Forest at World's End, Jewels of Babylon & Seabase Delta.
James Mackle, 45 Kenure Park, Rush, Co Dublin, Ireland.
Bards Tale, Big Sleaze, Boggit, Dragontorc, Forest at World's End, Hitchhiker's
Guide, Hobbit, Jackle & Wide, Jewels of Babylon, Kobyashi Naru, Laser
Squad, Lord of the Rings, Lords of Time, Lost Phirious (parts 1 & 2),
Lurking Horror, Mindfighter, Mystery of the Indus Valley, Never Ending Story,
Price of Magic, Quill (+Illustrator), Red Moon, Rigel's Revenge, Scapeghost,
Seabase Delta, Shadows of Mordor, Souls of Darkon, Venom & Very Big Cave
Adventure.
Simon "Aragorn" Netherwood, 36 Toothill Bank, Rastrick, Brighouse,
West Yorkshire HD6 3EZ. Tel: (0484) 719326 5-9pm weekdays, 12-11pm weekends.
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Getting in touch with the lovable cuddly Balrog
If you want to write to the cuddly Balrog (I am not hideously ugly as stated
in AA65!) then send a letter, cluepot contribution, just for laughs or anything
else (esp money) to:- The Balrog, Amstrad Action, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath,
Avon BA1 2AP.
All letters gratefully eaten.