The Balg once again provides the answers to all your problems in the most excellent adventure column in amstradom!

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Contacting the Balg

To get in contact with the Balg, write to him at Amstrad Action, Future Publishing Ltd, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, AVON BA1 2AP.

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Balrog adventure entries

You may all be wondering where the results from the Balrog GAC competition are... The Balg apologises for the delay but is pleased to say that the delay was caused by such a healthy response to the competition - loads of you seemed to have turned GAC experts and the Balg is finding it hard to choose between such a wealth of quality games. However I'll try to rectify this soon.

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Balrogs postbag

PD Plee

Dear Balrog,

Now that the major companies have all pulled out of Amstrad adventuring, we all know how hard it is to find particular titles. I myself would love to get hold of any Magentic Scrolls or Infocom games, particularly classics such as Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Jinxter. The only Magnetic Scrolls game I have is Corruption (my favourite adventure game to date), and I have heard so much about Infocom games... but getting them seems to be next to impossible.

Unless... if the companies have really pulled out of the Amstrad adventuring, then there is no chance that they will make any more money out of us. Therefore, why don't they drop the copyright on their games just for the Amstrad format? This means that anyone who had a one of the titles could donate them to the PD library, thus making it available for everyone.

Is this possible? If so, could the Balrog arrange it? Please?
Steve Haddon, West Lothian

Steve, it would be brilliant to get some of the old, now unavailable, adventures rereleased on the Amstrad but the major problem is not persuading the authors to release the game but finding them! Most games were written years ago and the authors have moved elsewhere and are very difficult to trace. Even if you can find the author to an old commercial game it is often impossible to discover who owns the rights - especially in the case of companies such as Infocom who were bought by Activision who have now gone bust. However if any authors or anyone who knows authors read this then please rerelease the games on the CPC - it would be brilliant to have some of the older games available again. The Balg is always on the lookout for authors and old games but as yet my search has been mostly fruitless.

Adventure questions

Dear Balrog

Two questions:

1) What are the other games in the Red Moon trilogy?
2) Which of the following games would you recommend The Red Moon trilogy, Kentilla, Jewels of Babylon and Fantasia Diamond?
Robert Kershaw, Shropshire

1) The Price of Magick was the follow-up to the adventure Red Moon, whilst the game Lords of Time was sold as part of the trilogy although it actually wasn't! The trilogy is well worth playing if you can get it.
2) The Red Moon Trilogy (known as Time & Magick) is probably the best for value for money as you get three good games in one package. Fantasia Diamond, although quite old now, is a very well written game with one of the first examples of non player characters who follow the player and run around by themselves (watch out for the pixies!) Kentilla and Jewels of Babylon are alright but I would recommend the other two as the better games.

More chaos?

Dear Balrog,

I have recently completed Lords of Chaos - is the expansion pack still available and if so where from? Do you know of any similar type games?
N Jackson, 1 Edmonton House, Alberta Close, Dover, Kent CT16 2RT.

Sorry N(!), but Bladesoft isn't around any more but if any readers can help I'm sure they will write. Laser Squad is by the same author and is well worth a look if you can find it - it has recently appeared on budget so you should have no problem getting hold of it. PC owners may be interested in hearing that Julian Gollop, author of Lords of Chaos and Lasersquad, is writing a new game called UFO but unfortunately it will not be available on the good old CPC.

Quill queerie

Dear Balrog,

Is Quill better than GAC? Can Quill games have graphics?
James Coupe

Errr... Well, yes, the Balg does actually prefer the Quill to GAC although I feel that PAW and ADLAN are both vastly superior to both GAC and Quill. Quill games can have graphics (as shown in Terrormolinos) but a separate package is needed called the illustrator. I'd stick with GAC as it is easier to use and you should have it already after it appeared on the covertape!

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Cluepot

Yet another bumper bunch of clues from adventures near and far including Thomas Christie (Grangemouth), Glen & John McFarlane (Troon), Cath Duerden (Leeds), Claire Smith (Stretford) and Richard Smith (Bath).

The Black Fountain

To get past the guard at the town hall have your documents of identity with you.

Football Frenzy

There are some useful items in your desk and your car.

Grue-Knapped

The maze and the swiss roll have unseen similarities.
Bend the pin to make a fishing hook.
Plant the crisps to grow a bacon tree.
Crickets and bats are great friends.
Look behind the cupboard.

Rigel's Revenge

In the house with the pile of uniforms, pick up the Rigellian uniform, or you will be shot by the rebels as a traitor.

Sharpe's Deeds

Don't buy the guide book, as it's useless. Just examine it.

Smirking Horror

There is a flute in the music building.
If you haven't got a flashlight then go into the music building, get the flute and leave immediately to avoid getting eating by Cthulhu.
Wait outside to freeze the water.
Logon Lovecraft at the computer.
Wedge bar to open elevator.
Imitate the pied piper in the tunnel.
Don't attack Moon.

The Trial of Arnold Blackwood

Make sure that you have the sledge hammer with you before you enter the hall of mirrors.
If you are having a problem with the rats then play the flute.

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Lords & Ladies of Adventure

Aftershock, Colossal Adventure, Escape from Khosima, Gnome Ranger, Gremlins, Guild of Thieves, Haunted House, Hitchhiker's Guide, Ingrid's Back, Kingdom of Hamil, Leather Goddesses, Mindshadow, Mordon's Quest, Pawn, Price of Magic, Return to Eden, Rigel's Revenge, Scapeghost, Seabase Delta, Snowball, Sorceror, & Village of Lost Souls.
Robin Harley, 3 Shropshire Place, Eastgate, Peterborough, Cambs PE1 5BX.

Castle Blackstar, Heavy on the Magick & Mystery of the Indus Valley.
Andy Clayton, 29 Portman Road, Scunthorpe, South Humberside DN15 8PD. Tel: (0724) 872135 between 6pm and midnight.

Aftershock, Big Sleaze, Colour of Magic, DAA, Dracula, Escape from Khoshima, Espionage Island, Fourth Protocol (Pt. 3), Frankenstein, Hunchback 1, Imagination, Mega Bucks, Message from Andromeda, Mordens Quest, Mountains of Ket (Pt. 1), Return to Eden, Seabase Delta, Shard of Inovar, Souls of Darkon, Star Wreck, Stormbringer, Subsunk, Top Secret, Warlord, Werewolf Simulator, Wizbiz & Wolfman.
Dawn Greastrix, 10 Chatsworth Drive, Chadsmoor, Cannock, Staffs WS11 2EW.

Help with GAC Programming.
Len Townsend, 61 Lowergate Road, Accrington, Lancashire BBS 6LN.

Crispin Crunchy, Gnome Ranger, Message from Andromeda, Scapeghost, Simply Magic, Talisman of Power, Top Secret & Yarkon Blues.
Jay Honosutomo, 41 Thriftfield, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 5YH. Tel between Mon-Fri, 4.30-9pm (0442) 242957

Adult II, Bordedom, Cricket Crazy, Deadenders, Dungeon, Firestone, Football Frenzy, Gnome Ranger, Hitchhiker's Guide, Ingrid's Back, Jason & the Argonauts, Lancelot, Leather Goddesses of Phobos, Lords of Time, Mystery of Indus Valley, Quest for the Golden Egg-cup, Price of Magik, Red Moon, Rigel's Revenge, Scapeghost, Smashed, Tizpan & Venom.
Richard Jamieson, 79 Land Street, Rothes, Aberlour, Banffshire AB38 7BB.

Aftershock, Football Frenzy, Gnome Ranger, Kentilla, Knight Tyme, Mega Bucks, Rigel's Revenge & Seabase Delta.
Jon Bingham, 10 Cowslip Walk, Amblecote, Brierley Hill, West Midlands DY5 2QN.

Bestiary, Blue Raider, Firestone, Quad X & Wizards Castle.
Lee Davies, The Flat, 415 Whitehall Road, Bristol B55 7BP.

Fantasia Diamond, Fish, Future Wars & Guild of Thieves.
Bilbo Baggins, 67 Philip Avenue, Nuthall, Nottingham NG16 1EB.

Grange Hill, Great Escape & Knightmare.
Thomas Storey, 27 Queens Drive, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear NE26 2JU.

Star Wreck.
Steven Kenny. Tel (0942) 213195

Star Wreck.
James Morley, 27 Rowlestone Rise, Greengates, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD10 ODS. Tel: (0274) 616674

Hollywood Hijinx & Scapeghost.
Gwynn Hopkins, Albion House, Llandre, Nr. Aberystwyth, Dyfed SY24 5BS.

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Help!

Stuck in an adventure? Or desperately trying to find one - the helpline it the place for you! Just send a postcard to Balrog's Helpline at the usual Balrog address.

Wanted: Help in Bard's Tale and Snow Queen
Michael Craig, 28 Golfhill Drive, Bonihill, Alexandria G83 9ER

Wanted: Help in Five on Kirren Island.
Paul Dymott Jr, 38 Eshwood Square, Cannon Park, M'Bro, Cleveland TS1 5LN

Wanted: Help in Boggit - how do I get out the house
Lee Middleton, 6 Welbeck Avenue, Martham, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR29 4TA.

Wanted: Help in Star Wreck - how do I open the safe and what do I do when the elevator is inoperative? Also, where is the squirrel in TRD?
Robert Smith, 1 Tyn Y Coed, Benllech Road, Llangefni, Anglesey, Gwynned, North Wales LL77 8YX.

I need help to defeat Wizard Zak's in Magic Land Dizzy
Rix, 27 Alexandra Road, Wisbeach, Cambs PE13 1HS.

Desperately seeking Hitchikers Guide or Seabase Delta.
Kim Brooker, (0582) 592584

How do you get passed Arnold, the singing bush and the squirrel in Gerbil Riot ot '67?
David Staples, 27 Hathaway House, Pitfield Street, London 1 6QE.

Wanted: Any hints, maps or pokes on Three Weeks in Paradise, Seabase Delta, Zork II and Mordon's Quest.
Owen Williams, 98 Wickersley Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S60 3PP.

Wanted: Any help in Slaine (esp. how to avoid getting stranded on the island), Necris Dome and Druids Moon.
Richard Jamieson, 79 Land Street, Rothes, Aberlour, Banffshire AB38 7BB.

How do you get the water in Scary Tales?
James Coupe, 21 Victoria Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B72 1SY.

Wanted: Help in Leather Goddesses
Lesley Ralph, 38 Brow Nelson, Dalston, Carlisle CA5 7LE.

Wanted: How do you find the Bard in Magicland Dizzy?
Ben McCarthy, 4 Windway Road, Canton, Cardiff, CF5 1AM. Tel: (0222) 553155