THE BALROG

Plenty of news this month due to the Adventure Probe convention in Birmingham - get ready for the next few months because there are loads of great games coming out soon...

Adventure Probe Results

The annual adventure probe awards were another boost to the amstrad adventure market - again many Amstrad only adventurers were nominated and here are the results:-

Most helpful PD Library: 2nd Place Adventure PD (1st place went to a Spectrum PD library)
Best Utility: 2nd Place went to Incentive's 3D Construction Kit (first place went to an Amiga package)
Best text-only 8-bit adventure: 1st Place went to Larry Horsfield's Axe of Kolt (review very soon!) whilst the second prize went to Ken Bonds HBalg Spiro Legacy.
Best graphic/text 8-bit adventure: The first place went to a Spectrum adventure but 2nd place went to the PD Eve of Shadows by Rob Buckley and third place went to the Hermitage by Tony Colins.
Best 8-bit RPG: Went to Hero Quest.
Most Helpful adventure house: Was awarded to Larry Horsfield's FSF Adventures.
Most Promising Author: Was Bob Adams of Grue-Knapped fame.
Honourable Member of Probe: Went to Joan Pancott HPilg to her contributions to the Amstrad adventure world.

Famous 5

Also at the convention, I talked to the Amstrad programmer of Enigma Variations forthcoming Famous Five adventure - apparently it's nearly finished and if it's anything like the Sam Coupe version it looks like it'll be good - if any famous five fans are reading this (do people still read F5?) then you'll be pleased to hear that the game lets you control all the characters (bar Timmy the dog!) a la Lord of the Rings and it seems to hold true to Blyton's famous books.

Butch Cowardice and the Undersea Adventure

Is the name of Rob Buckley's newest game (his previous being the technically impressive PD game Eve of Shadows) which the Balg had a sneak preview of at the convention - Rob is still working away on the game but it is window driven by a very impressive graphical interface. On top of this Rob plans to use both sides of the disc - that'll be 360K of pure adventure! Watch out for it...

Adventure Probe Convention

The Balg would just like to say hello to all the Amstrad owners that turned up to the convention including Joan and Maurice Pancott, Simon Avery, Jason Davis (thanks for the game Jason!), Bob Adams, Dave Harvard (who the Balg crushed in a vicious game of Lords of Chaos), Sue Roseblade (editor of the Adventure and Strategy Club), Dave Adams, Larry Horsfield, Peter Clarke, Tom Frost, Mandy Rodrigues, Debby Howard, Rob Buckley and loads of other people to numerous to mention - see you all next year!

Starship Quest converted soon

Starship Quest, follow-up to the brilliant Magnetic Moon reviewed recently, will be ready soon according to it's author Larry Horsfield - if it's anything like it's predecessor then it will be a difficult but very good game...

Lost Dragon

Originally written last year on the Spectrum, The Lost Dragon is based on the first Adventure Probe convention and has you running around a hotel in Birmingham searching for... yep, you guessed it, said Dragon. Spectrum reviews have rated the game highly and the author Tom Frost is a very good adventure author so the Balg looks forward to reviewing Lost Dragon soon!

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Balrog's Postbag

Which Creator?

During the holidays I've got this sudden urge to write text only adventure games. I've tried writing one in BASIC but I keep getting mixed up with all the input commands. I need a relatively cheap adventure creator as I only get £5 a month. I need it on disc. I know Quill is available on tape but is it available on disc?Pervez Choudhury, Herts.No sooner said than done Pervez! Just transfer this months covertape and hey presto - GAC on disc!

Tooken again...

Another letter came via carrier harpy from the tavern, the Murdered Manticore, in that small village of LittleBed in Dragonfoot:-Greetings eminent(?) Balrog,I was recently approached by a sage specialising in the study of living/dead lifeforms. He claimed to be intrigued by the rumours coming from this tavern of one of its patrons speaking of a Balrog. Nicodromeanus (the sage) informed me that there was not a single account of a Balrog in any of the great libraries, not even Borania, the Wizard Isle.So he has asked me for information, for knowledge, of the Balrog. Nicodromeanus asked if I knew of the 'appearance, size, colour, hobbies, intelligence, diet etc.' of the Balrog I had mentioned. He is willing to pay me 30 dozen stareyes and a contract of seven years in which he will assist me in any time I require knowledge for no fee. So amicable Balrog, couldst thou reveal some snippets that I may tease the fool and still earn some profit.Your indebted follower,Tooken Strange the GnomeIllusionist to Xundra Sharmhand of GuardbyAppearance: Mean,Size: Big,Colour:Red/Black,Hobbies: Adventuring, Intelligence: Considerable,Diet: Small Gnomes who ask stupid questions... (All Balrog readers are completely sane - honest!)

Balrog Adventure?...

Why doesn't AA make an adventure game starring the Balrog?Chris MorganSee this months GAC competition Chris and get coding!Help needed...Has anyone out there got any tips or solutions for Can I Cheat Death?, Welladay or Doomlords?StuartStuart, you could always try the author, Simon Avery, who is a Lord of Adventure. His address is 71 Fore St, Chudleigh, Newton Abbot, South Devon TQ13 OHT. As always send a self stamped addressed envelope when dealing with the Lords and Ladies.

Please let us in on your secret!

I am having some difficulty with your rating system as compared with that in Action Test. I appreciate the need for distinction in the categories being assessed but whereas action test shows a clear weighting towards staying power in the overall rating, your overall rating bears no relationship apparently to the other defined factors.Anon Adventure (Name and address withheld for health & safety reasons)Yes the rating system of the Balg is a little strange to people who don't know it! - You see the overall rating is often heavily influenced by other factors outside the categories of Atmosphere, Challenge and Interaction - factors such as graphics, size of game, spelling, bugs, price etc - for example Rob Buckleys Eve of Shadows and Ken Bonds Island both received very good overall ratings, partly due to the fact that the were both public domain and as such nearly free. On the opposite scale you might get a game which is really good but just too overpriced for what it is - such games might get a low overall rating. I hope this has cleared up the confusion for you!

Melbourne House address

`...Could you tell me the address of Melbourne House, or give me the name of someone who supplies Kwah.Also could you tell me what happened to First Choice Software, the people you mentioned in AA70?`Chris Roberts, WrexhamI'm not sure of Melbourne House are still around but the last address I had for them was at Virgin Mastertronic who bought the company:-16 Portland Road, London W11 4LA. Tel: (071) 727 8070As to 1st Choice, I got their telephone number out of AA68 but it appears that since then they no longer seem to be trading!

Fighting Fantasy

I noticed in your wonderful section in the last issue (AA71) a German reader asked for help with two adventures 'Rebel Planet' and 'Seas of Blood'. Being a great fan of Fighting Fantasy novels (I have 31), I soon recognised theses titles. I have only ever noticed FF titles for the BBC, so I would like to know if they're any good and where I can get them from.Mark Cocerdale, Oldham.The Fighting Fantasy games did definitely come out for the CPC but as to their quality or who released them I'm not sure. I've got a feeling that a company called Adventure International used to sell them but I think they disappeared a long time ago - anyone know any different?

Gang War!

Is there any gang war games where you can battle with other gangs to control city blocks? Also, what do you think the best adventure game is?
John Grant, Hapeman

There are no gang war games on the Amstrad that I know of although I have heard of such a play by mail game. As to my favourite adventure - I have two (I can't make up my mind which is the better!), Suspect and Lurking Horror, both created by a company called Infocom and both unfortunately no longer available.

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Cluepot

Thanks to Pamela, Joan Pancott, Mark Wake, Steve Haddon, Ross Younger, Gwynne, Brendan 'Legolas' McGoldrick and Benjamin Lomax for this months selection of clues.

Astral Plain

Other side of gate of hell: Examine coffin, open coffin with rod, get, examine and read staff, type "LIFE".

Castle Warlock

The cupboard in the armoury is a lift, say "up" to go to next floor, but make sure you have the garlic as there is a vampire bat.
In room of mirrors pull curtain to find exit.
To get the shield stand on chair.
To get gold key from cell drop chair to stop ceiling crushing you.
When opening the chest in armoury make sure you are wearing the shield.
Use the block of wood to jam spiked door in mirror room then slide mirror, go north and take key.
In library lift the table to get the music manuscript.

Cursed be the City

To stop sphere spinning web around you, examine priest, take staff and wave it.

Crystal Theft

Cubicle Room: Get and examine blue pendant, get and examine green pendant, Nx2, get bronze key, Sx2, N, Sx2, E, N, drop green pendant (for score only, 100 points), Up, Sx2 (help at three doors tells you, Vegans are very fond of three stage sequential puzzles), unlock door, Nx3, S (note yellow picture), S, unlock door, N, W, unlock door, drop bronze key, S, get laser rifle.

Frankenstein

To heal bullet wound go to beach - Examine beach, take cake of salt and rub salt in wound.
When you have climbed as high as you can go up the ice wall, drop pick to make it to the top.

Heroes of Karn

Don't go south from the plain of stones without the money!
To get the money kill the barrowwight with the bible from the monastery.
Kill the black knight with the acid, use the bottle to carry the acid.
Kill the dragon with the sword and the hydra with the spear.

Knightmare

At the start of the game, TAKE FOOD, GIVE FOOD, GIVE WATER, ASK OLD MAN, GET SPADE, OPEN DOOR. Move through the door to the next screen and DIG GROUND. When you reappear, run down, through to the next room.

Lancelot

To get the harp from the mermaid:- red knight, wait, sw (or any other direction), get harp.

Lord of the Rings

Hop on the white stallion in part two and go across the ford until the Black Riders are washed away. Tell the door, "Friend" to enter moria. Make sure you have the candle from part one.To get past the hobbit guard you must wear the ring and go west. Remove the ring once past the guard.

Red Moon

To get past the dog put pink pills in meat and give meat to dog.

Scapeghost - Part 1

To open the shed door - Tell Joe to wait three times and then push long lever, then tell Bert to wait twice and push the medium lever, then tell alex to wait once and push the short lever. Then type "Push Barrel".To enlist Alex Pym, hit the statue.

Theseus - Part 2

To kill Chimera, throw lead in its mouth.Kill gorgon with the head of the medusa.Pray at altar to get sword blessed.

Wolfman

To stop you killing the man at the bridge, wait seven times and then close eyes.
Make sure you take the flower in the fields and when the hunter ambushes you eat it.

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Help!

If you're really desperate for help in an adventure and no-one else can help you then write to the help section at the usual address - if possible enclosing some contributions for cluepot and just for laughs whilst you're at it!

John-Lee Barber from Brighton would like to know what the ring of power does in Bard's Tale.Mrs J Constable is stuck in two adventures - the former being Lancelot (How does she kill the giant) and the latter being Subsunk (how do you open the bottle of pills and get into the safe?)Mark Zelionka is stumped in Shadows of Mordor - do you have to kill Smeagol by sending him over the cliff with the tree? (What do you do if you don't?) Secondly, how do you cross the weed infested swamp - he has made the raft but can get no further.Eilen Growes has completed Dun Darach many moons ago but is now replaying it - unfortunately she has forgotten how to open the locked door in the Alchemist shop - can anyone help?

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Reviews

Well, the Balg was planning to review The Axe of Kolt and Helvera - Mistress of the Park this issue but unfortunately the old disc drive finally gave up working - sorry about the reviews but I'd like to thank Mark Conmy for the loan of his 6128 - without it there would have been no Balrog column for the next two months either!

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Getting started

The Graphic Adventure Creator, like a machine code assembler, is not something you can just load in and use straight away - it can take months to learn properly but the basics can be learnt very quickly.In this brief two page guide I plan to write a small two location 'adventure' which should help you get to grips with the basics but to write a good adventure you will need the booklet (see later).So, let's get down to business - you've loaded in GAC and what do all those menus mean?!?!{Screenshot of opening menu}The first thing you must do is load in the quickstart file (explained below) - to do this type T on the menu for load adventure and then type T for tape followed by the filename QS.ADV. The quickstart file will now be loaded and you'll return to the main menu.So, you've got the quickstart file, but as yet you haven't got any locations - type R on the menu.Now, due to space limitations, the adventure we write will be VERY simple - as previously mentioned it will have just two location and one object:-You are now in the "Rooms" subsection and the program will be asking you for a room number. Type 1 and then type in the room description -'You are in a large bank vault. `You will then be prompted for connections - ie where can I go from this room? In our example type:-EAST 2Which means if you type EAST (or E) you will go to room 2.You will then be asked for a picture number - for now just press return (or though later you should play with the Graphics menu - it's good fun!)Now we need to enter a room 2 that people can go east into!So:-Which Room number? 2You are in a bank.Connections are...WEST 1To quit back to the main menu hit escape twice.Now you're back at the main menu you can test what you've done so far - so press ENTER/RETURN to go into the adventure...And you'll find yourself standing in a large bank fault! Granted you can't do much apart from walk between the bank and the vault but it's a start!Finally for our example adventure, let's add an object - press O from the main menu (if you're still in the game press escape twice to return to the menu).We'll number our object 1 and give it the description 'a bar of gold' (the input routine should be familiar to you now - it's the same as room entry), you want the bar to start in room 1 (the bank vault). Set the weight as zero as we're not imposing carrying limits in this example. --------- --------- N ! Large ! ! ! ! ! Bank !_______! Bank ! W _!_ E ! Vault ! ! ! ! ! (gold)! ! ! ! --------- --------- SNow go back to the main menu and enter the game again - you should also be able to see a bar of gold now in the vault but you won't be able to do anything with it as we haven't written that in the code yet!First we'll have to set up 'gold' as a noun - go to the nouns menu and type '1 gold' - this means that noun 1 is gold... But what if someone typed 'get bar'? So add '1 bar' as well (and add ingot as well if you want to show off!).So, we've now set up the object as a noun but we haven't set up the get and drop routines - to do this we need to go into Low priority conditions. Our first input should be line 8 (lines 1 to 7 are used by Quickstart), type:-IF (VERB 7 AND NOUN 1 AND HERE 1) GET 1 OKAY ENDWhoa! What did all that mean? Well, if you look in the verbs menu you'll see that verb 7 is get (or take), noun 1 you've just set up and HERE 1 checks to see if object 1 (bar of gold) is here - ie in the location!{Somewhere have the nice piccie from the front of the GAC packaging}So, if you typed 'get bar' (or some variation) and the bar is here then GET 1 (gets object 1), print 'okay' (OKAY) and then END (END is like a full stop in English - it tells the computer that you've finished the routine - clever huh?Ok, so we've written a get gold routine - now we need to write a similar drop routine on line 9 of the low priority conditions -IF (VERB 8 AND NOUN 1 AND CARR 1) DROP 1 OKAY ENDCARR just checks to see if an object's being carried.Let's also make it so you can type 'examine gold' in line 10 -IF (VERB 16 AND NOUN 1 AND AVAI 1) MESS 1 ENDVerb 16 is examine, AVAI returns true if object is available for us (is HERE or CARR) and MESS 1 prints message 1 on the screen...But we haven't defined message 1 yet I hear you cry! Whoops, let's go and do that now... Press ESC twice to get back to the main menu and select messages, then choose message one and type 'It looks like it could be worth thousands!'.Now select save adventure from the main menu and save on a blank tape/disc as a datafile.Go back to the main menu and (drumroll) enter the adventure - you should be able to carry the gold around, drop it and examine it! Now the adventure purists reading this probably won't be very impressed - but it's a start! Tune in next month for more...**What do all those menus mean?AdverbsUsed for words like 'in', 'out' (ADVE is used to check if one has been typed)Begin WhereInstructs GAC where the adventure starts (ie if you type 2 you will start in the bank location).Conditions (LOCAL)Room specific, these conditions can be used for puzzles. (For example we could have had a local condition that if in room 1 and input was 'get gold' then a message would be printed (alarm bells sounds)).GraphicsGreat fun to play with - any room in a GAC game can have a graphic, subject to memory limitations.High Priority ConditionsErr... The highest priority conditions! These conditions are checked before the others - so you could code a puzzle which depended on a time limit amongst other things.Low Priority ConditionsWhatever the player types these conditions check to see if the input is correct - ie in our bank example 'get gold' is a LPC.MessagesUsed for describing objects, events etc.NounsLike adverbs.ObjectsSee bar of gold example.Printer MenuLets you print out your program.Room DescriptionsUsed for locations descriptions.Save adventureObvious! You can save your file as an executable (which means you could load it independently of GAC) or as a data file (which can be loaded back into GAC).VerbsLike nouns/adverbs...Erase adventure dataDon't do this unless you're really sure you want to do it as it will delete everything you've typed in!Enter adventurePlay adventure you are writing (used for testing routines).**What is QS.ADV?QS.ADV is a quickstart file which saves you some typing - it has many system messages (such as "You are carrying" and "What now?..."), many useful verbs (examine, north, south, east, west, look etc.) and several of the common low priority conditions associated with them. This is to allow you get into writing your adventure without having to write the basics each time.

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Competition Time!

Yep! You guessed it - we're running a competition for the best GAC game written with this covertape. To stop people cheating and sending in games they wrote three years ago (not that we don't trust you or anything) we've decided to write a little storyline:-'You are intrepid editor Rod Lawton, saviour of the innocents and all round Mr. Nice Guy, who has been magically transported to the Balrogs lair - quite what will happen next is unknown but you must rescue a damsel in distress, Princess Cathy, who the Balg has captured for his dinner...'That's it - all you have to do is use your newfound GAC skills to write an adventure based around the above storyline. The prize? The winners game will appear on a covertape, which will probably lead to more fame than Michael Jackson and oodles of money (err... well probably not but you can dream!)The closing date is not till 1st November 1992 so you have lots of time to write in to the GAC clinic with questions as well as reading the programming tutorials. The only other stipulation is that games must be sent in with a full solution and map as well as any other items that you think might be helpful (ú5 notes appreciated!) - if you're game has a really clever routine, or a really hilarious response then tell me when you write in - else I might not see it! Remember there is no rush to send your game in so wait a while to read the next few issues tutorial...

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Booklet

This article is the tip of the proverbial iceberg in explaining the use of GAC - if you're serious about using GAC then write to GAC Booklets, c/o AA enclosing a cheque/postal order for ú3 and we'll send you the instruction book! However you don't necessarily need the book to use GAC but it certainly helps!{Rod,I am quite happy to do the booklet and make a few more pennies but I understand if AA would have to do all the work!Stuart}**What next?That is up to you! Next month I will continue the tutorial, adding to our bank adventure, but I would prefer to answer readers questions - if anyone has any queries concerning GAC then write to GAC Programming Clinic at the usual AA address.**The Quickstart data file explainedVerbs Nouns----- -----6 D 255 IT6 DOWN8 DROP3 E Messages3 EAST --------16 EXAMINE 239 You are carrying7 GET 240 What now?...13 GRAPHICS 241 You can't.10 INVENTORY 242 Pardon?9 L 243 Press a key for another game...10 LIST 244 Are you sure (Y/N)...15 LOAD 245 You've already got that.9 LOOK 246 You haven't got that.1 N 247 You can't see that1 NORTH 248 You're carrying too much to pick that 13 PICTURES up.11 QUIT 249 Your score was15 RESTORE 250 and you took2 S 251 It is dark. You can't see.14 SAVE 252 I can't find that anywhere.2 SOUTH 253 You can also see7 TAKE 254 Okay12 TEXT 255 turns.5 U5 UP4 W4 WEST12 WORDSLow priority conditions-----------------------IF ( VERB 9 ) LOOK WAIT END If you typed 'look', redescribe the room you're in and wait for a new command.IF ( VERB 10 ) MESS 239 LIST WITH WAIT END If you typed 'inventory' then print 'You are carrying ' and list all the objects that are with you.IF ( VERB 11 ) QUIT OKAY END If you typed 'quit' then ask the adventurer if they are sure and if they respond yes then quit, otherwise print okay and continue.IF ( VERB 12 ) TEXT OKAY END If you typed 'text' then turn the pictures off.IF ( VERB 13 ) PICT OKAY END If you typed 'pictures' then turn the pictures on.IF ( VERB 14 ) SAVE OKAY END If you typed 'save' then save the game position to tape or disc.IF ( VERB 15 ) LOAD LOOK WAIT END If you typed 'load' then load a previously saved game position from tape or disc, then describe the room you are in.