MERLIN #12
MARCH 1986
Off into the sunset - with a blast

You may remember my asking in November's column whether anyone had managed to get out of the repository in Classic Adventure.

Well H. Bastien has written in to say how it can be done, thus earning himself a copy of Pettigrew's Diary.

Go to the second room of the repository and get the black rod. Take it to the first room and drop it.

When you are back in the second room type in BLAST. Some elves will carry you off into the sunset.

Neither of us can figure out why this should work, but it does.

This is obviously not the end of the game as it can be done with only 14 treasures. Has anyone managed to solve it yet?

Peter Bailey and lan Horsham say that the following BBC games work on the Electron - Escape from Pulsar 7, Ten Little Indians and Secret Mission.

Brian Rodwell wants to know if I have considered writing a book of hints and tips for frustrated adventurers. Does anyone else think this would be a good idea?

R. Henderson has sent in a tip for Adventure. He says that it is easy to press the Escape key by accident and that typing *FX229, 1 will disable it.

This is obviously a good tip for any program that doesn't disable the Escape key.

Paul Campbell wants to know whether Terrormolinos from Melbourne House is available for the Electron. The version released is suitable for both the BBC Micro and the Electron.

Several people have written in over the last couple of months about Rog Frost's review of Greedy Dwarf.

Lou Carey doesn't agree with Rog and writes that he finds the game slow and awkward to play.

Martin Beint, on the other hand, agrees with Rog and goes on to say that it was this game that first got him hooked on adventures.

The whole point of a review is to give readers a critical, informed, but above all fair opinion about a piece of software.

However it is still one person's opinion, and as such is not going to please everybody.

Stuart Kelly and Geoff Larsen both feature in the Hall of Fame this month. Stuart, judging by his 52,680 high score on Snapper, is as much at home with arcade games as adventures, and Geoff is an ex-Spectrum and ZX-81 adventurer who has now bought an Electron and is avidly devouring the games available.

PROBLEM CORNER

Before we look at some answers to readers problems, I have had a couple of letters recently that have caused me to ask those of you who write in to make sure that you are precise about the help you want and the way you ask for it.

One letter from a reader in Northants proved to be mainly illegible. Another asked for help with five adventures but didn't tell me where he was stuck, and yet another asked me if I could help but neglected to mention the adventure.

I welcome letters from anybody, but, please, if you have a question, make sure you give me as much information as possible.

Tony Bevan asks for help with Repton. He wants to know all the passwords and threatens to throw the game away if I don't tell him.

The passwords are Chameleon, Terrapin, Sidewinder, Gecko, Python, Salamander, Iguana, Cuttlefish, Octopus, Giant Clam and The Kraken.

Incidently, I managed to solve all the screens in this game but I still can't believe it's possible to do so without losing a life.

David McGloin has written in with questions about three adventures. The stars in Philosophers Quest are just an indication of nearby danger and can otherwise be ignored.

In the Eye of Zolton the gloves are hidden in the wizard's bedroom. You use the password in the secret passage with the keys to get out of the castle.

In Spiderman use the computer to start the presses.

G.B. Lambert wants to know where the orb is in Crown Jewels. I haven't seen the game yet, but as far as I know the orb is inside one of the waxworks. Use the matches and you should find it.

Paul Campbell has found that he can't get into the hole in the side of the chasm in Greedy Dwarf. Use the chain and choose the right direction.

Michael Peters can't get out of the pit or the tank in Mystery Fun House. Use the trampoline and give the mermaid something for her hair and then drain the water out.

Philip Stout has some questions about Pettigrew's Diary. How do I get into the underground station? You can't!

What do I do with the Japanese tourists? You have to do two things. When you meet the tourist on his own vou should take his map and read it.

Later on you will meet a party of tourists. You will get some money and a camera from them if you tell them where you saw their friend.

Martin Beint has found everything except the pirate's chest in Classic Adventure. From the west end of the hall of mist go: S, E, S, S, S, N, E, E,
NW.

Nick Southgate wants to know how to dock in Super Agent Flint. You don't! But if you have the suit and helmet and can insert the right disc into the computer you will be able to blast off and finish the game.

Nick also wants to know how to get past the slug in Blue Dragon. I managed to complete the game without finding a way past it, or into the cave, so I assume you can't do either.

Andrew Spratling can't find the time crystal in Stranded. Assuming you have already found the radiation suit, you should go S,E,E,E,S,S from the control room of the Tardis.

FEEDBACK

J. Scott writes, following Helen William's problems with Manic Mole, that she should leave out line 1070, which stops the screen becoming invisible and that leaving out line 1250 stops the girders melting in screen 4.

Matthew Pyecroft has written in to answer Carl Marlow's problem with Fighter Pilot. Apparently accelerating and pressing the UP key works 50 per cent of the time, and if this fails he can always press Caps Lock and invoke the automatic landing approach option.

Matthew goes on to give some tips for Crown Jewels. There is no Telecom Tower location, use TORCH ON in the Chamber of Horrors and you cannot attract the attention of the policeman or tower guard.

Lou Carey gives fuller information on the toad poisoning in Galadriel in Distress:

The secret is that both are poison and that to nullify them you have to drink from both at the same time. Try DRINK FROM BOTTLE AND GOBLET.

SOS

Michael Peters would like to know how to get back to the ship once you have the treasures and how to translate the writing on the boulder in Strange Odyssey.

R. Henderson is having problems with Alligata's Nightworld. He says the instructions are very vague and that he can't find the secret rooms and passages or replenish his energy.

Tony Haynes wants to know how to read the stone tablet on the river bed in Staff of Law.

Martin Beint has the same problem as me in Five Stones of Anadon. Where is the cross to exorcise the ghost? Can anyone help us?

HALL OF FAME

Philosopher's Quest - Stuart Kelly

The treasures: ruby, amulet, brass trophy, silver chain, ancient book, ivory tusk, gold tooth, jewelled platypus, treasure chest, filigree slipper, cheque, stuffed albatross.

Important locations: Curly passage, room full of holes, philosopher's room for contemplation, elephant's graveyard, whale's mouth, thin E-W corridor, octopus' room, sea cupboard, solicitor's office after dropping will, albatross room.

The dogs:

The danger room: JUMP NORTH, CRAWL NORTH, HOP SOUTH, RUN SOUTH.
The albatross: Go to the worker in the M.E. passages.
The octopus: Throw a bottle of ink.
The whale: Drop the driftwood and set fire to it by the gold tooth.
The portcullis: Rub amulet.
The mouse: Get the gorgonzola cheese if you are wearing a gas mask.
The elephant: Carry the mouse.

Sorcerer of Claymorgue Castle - Geoff Larsen

M. Tiplady has not solved as much of the game as he thinks. The answer to his problems are:

Stars are stored inside a tree in the forest.

There are two odd feelings. One as you age and one as you grow younger. The two must balance each other. The spell of Methuselah makes you grow old and the Fountain of Youth has the opposite effect. If the effect of one outweighs the other then you die and the game is over. A DRY towel wipes away the water droplets of youth.

You do not open the loft in the ballroom. The loft is reached by casting the correct spell while standing on the fallen chandelier.

The stone door is opened by casting the seed spell.

Invisibility is the key to entering the dragon's lair.

The oak door does not need to be opened.

In response to Julian Holden and Matthew Hall's problems:

To get through the stone door you need the seed spell. To enter the castle without using the spell, enter the moat and HOLD BREATH, SWIM DOWN, SWIM DOWN, SWIM EAST.

To get the can from the battlements you must throw the firebrick. A helping hand to do this can be acquired across the lava through the stone door.

Gremlins - Geoff Larsen

The electric drill is used to drill a hole in a metal plate which has been welded across the smashed vent in the hardware department.

The hacksaw is used to cut two pipes. One pipe is behind the bar in Dorry's tavern and the other is attached to the gas bottle.

In the pub K. and D. Harper should go behind the bar.

The mail box can be cut up into metal pipes using the welding torch, once you have coaxed Stripe, the worst of the gremlins, out of the box.

The film show at the cinema is handy for keeping the gremlins occupied while exploring the rest of the town.

Giles Harris should examine the counter to get the tape that will enable him to attach the gas bottle pipe to the whole in the metal pipe.

Circus - Geoff Larsen

In answer to David Anderson's problems:

Repair the generator and then you can syphon out the petrol with the snorkel.

You need a bar to prise open the door when trying to get into the wagon. The bar is reached by walking across the tightrope. Some soft shoes found inside the chest will help here, and if you can't open the chest you will need to give it a good kick.

This article appeared in the March 1986 edition of the "Electron User", published by Database Publications.

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