MERLIN #15
JUNE 1986
Adventure International on the Gold standard

The latest news is that Adventure International UK has ceased trading but US Gold has taken over its product range, so all should still be available - watch this space for further details.

Good news for BBC adventurers is that The Micro User has a new adventure columnist, the Mad Hatter. He is prepared to answer all questions on BBC Micro games, so in future write to him instead of me.

I am having problems deciphering Eve Thompson's address. Would you write and give me your address Eve?

Many thanks to the following people - Paul Staite for his map, and Paul James for his map and solution to Gisburne's Castle, Chris Bailey for a map of Five Stones of Anadon, Chris Ottewill for his map of Eye of Zolton, Jonathan Sambrook for his map and solution to Hampstead, and, finally, Benedict Seddon for his map of Citadel.

David Sturgess asks when the next Top Ten is due. I have had a lot of demands for a Top Twenty, so next time I'll double up to a Top Twenty based on all the marks I have received since we started the scoring system.

David Stirling send in a full solution to Sorcerer of Claymorgue Castle. He used lan Bevan's partial solution and went on from there to finish the game. Send an SAE if you want a copy.

Robert Henderson has sent in another interesting tip. When asked "Are you a wizard?" in Adventure, try typing in "Oui".

Several readers asked in which issues the two specials on Twin Kingdom Valley and Sphinx Adventure were published - July 1985 and January 1986, respectively.

Harjinder Burrha explained how to get unlimited moves in Countdown to Doom - plug in the cartridge and switch on, press Escape and then type LOAD "DOOM2" and, when it has loaded, list line 205 and change it to read 205 IF FNRS(78)>0 PROCM(286).

Brett Chandler, Megan McDonald and Joanna and Nicholas Fenwick have written from New Zealand to say that the following BBC adventures will run on the Electron - Perseus and Andromeda, Ten Little Indians and Circus by Digital Fantasia, and Neanderthal Man by Alligata.

Steve Rogers wants to know how to program the function keys to store commands to be used in adventures. The syntax for defining a function key is *KEY [number] [string] ¦M.

If you want to define a key so that a single keypress will allow you to open a door, type: *KEY 1 OPEN DOOR¦M. The ¦ character is found on the right cursor key and has to be Shifted to be used. ¦M simply inserts a Return so that the command is executed.

Gary Madison has produced a superb set of maps of Sphinx Adventure using his university's Macintosh computer. Please let me know Gary if I can copy them for readers.

Mike Herring seems to have used the least moves so far in solving Sphinx Adventure - 342. Has anybody done it in less? Incidentally, I have just received a comprehensive hint sheet for Citadel. Don't forget that SAE if you want a copy.

Diane Hurley has only just discovered Electron User and asks how long this column has been running. The first column appeared in the March 1985 issue and you can get copies of all the back issues.

Finally, I have decided that because my mail-bag keeps doubling every month, I'm going to have to concentrate on text adventures. So no more questions on arcade adventures please.

This month's Hall of Fame has a solution to Gisburne's Castle and there are also questions raised about Citadel. I don't think either of these can be considered as adventures and, though I'll publish any feedback I get about them, I am not prepared to consider them otherwise.

FEEDBACK

This section is again dominated by the adventuring prowess of Geoff Larsen.

To get Gold Baton in the game of the same name you need to feed the slugs to the giant crab, sail across the lake in the small raft, blow the horn and then throw the knife.

To finish the game in Hampstead Carl Barlow should return to the Oxfam shop by car, change back into his tracksuit, pick up his bike and go into Hampstead.

For Michael Peters to be able to return to the ship in Strange Odyssey he must make the plastic set in the wall glow one times - (sic) which is done as follows: PULL ROD, RUB PLASTIC - the plastic glow one times (sic) - which is PLASTIC - it then glows one time. Michael should now go back through the curtain of light.

Geoff has completed Strange Odyssey and says that he doesn't think you can translate the writing on the boulder.

SOS

To my eternal shame there are quite a lot of problems I can't answer this month - I'll get the worst over with first.

Has anyone solved Mayday? I just can't seem to get going in it. Jeff Fraser can't get the patch from the cargo hold and Jonathan Blair keeps running out of time.

There are requests for help with several adventures that I haven't heard of before. Luke Robertson wants to know how to get past the hound, climb the steep path and get out of the goblin graveyard in Usborne's Silver Mountain. He also needs help to get past the irate gamekeeper in Ten Little Indians.

M. Watts needs help with Xanadu. She can't get into the gate to the pleasure dome, despite having the credit card.

Keith Scotmorn and Matthew Sheppard are in trouble with Boffin. You are quite right Keith, this isn't my department. Can anyone help them get past the spider on level 2?

Russell Blake needs help with Wizard of Akyrz. He wants to know what to do after returning the fox to its home. It's a long time since I saw this game, but doesn't he have to make a close examination of the chicken run?

Alan Allcock has the BBC version of Old Father Time, a Bug-Byte game, and he can't read the Greek word on the coin. Past the boulder and through the wooden door to the east is some writing on the wall which he also can't read, and there is an unstable beam of light here that he can't pass.

I think the writing on the wall is the password to get through the beam but is anyone certain?

Harjinder Burrha is in trouble with several games. Can anyone help with the following?

In Gold Baton how do you light the matches or the oiled rag and get past the black knight in the castle courtyard?

In Time Machine how do you get past the brontosaurus and out of the passage under the sphinx?

In Circus how do you get into the maintenance room?

Finally, how do you get out of the first three rooms in Escape from Pulsar 7?

Keith Inman and Andrew Rogers are both stuck in Citadel. How do you get to the star port, raise the drawbridge, get into the temple past the wolf, kill the mummies, find the green/blue key to open the door to the well wheel, get to the palace and get past the man in the witch's house?

What do the five crystals look like and if they are the Cs in the buildings how do you get to them? Has any one got the answers?

BUG HUNTERS

I've had another letter about Castle of the Skull Lord by Samurai Software. Kelvin Haste says that the program keeps crashing with the message No room at line 2150. I have written to them for a copy and I'll come back to you when I have it.

Steve Parkinson says that Strange Odyssey crashes when he twists buckle. I'm not sure if he is wearing the belt when he does this but I'll give you more details when he lets me know.

By the way Steve, thanks for that useful Hampstead solution.

H. Bastien is finding quite a few bugs in The Ferryman Awaits from Kansas. In two locations he visits the game crashes.

HALL OF FAME

The quality and quantity of the tips sent in by readers continue to amaze me. This month sees the start of tips for Woodbury End, Spiderman, Wheel of Fortune and Gisburnes Castle. I shall be serialising them over the coming months.

Woodbury End - Les Shipton

Here are the meanings of the clues given when you ask for help:

Spiderman - Robert Henderson

Go to the room with the lift, open the doors and enter the lift shaft. Go up the shaft until you are stopped and then PUSH UP, Go up and you will find yourself in the penthouse. Take the painting and remove the cover to reveal a piece of paper.

Take it and go to floor 3. CLOSE EYES and enter the ringmaster's room and then PUSH KNOB and TURN KNOB. You can now open your eyes.

Go to the office with the chemicals in and get the exotic ones. Go to the chemical laboratory and MAKE WEB. Go back to the office, get the acid and calcium, then return to the lab and mix them together.

Wheel of Fortune - Craig Romans

Go straight from the starting location to the crossroads and then east down beggar's walk, picking up everything as you go - the beggar will follow you.

Keep on going until you get to the location west of the vending machine, then move one location west and then back the machine. Kick the machine and take the penny that falls out.

Go north until you meet the beggar and then turn round and follow him south. When he turns to retrace his steps follow him until you are one location north of the machine and then give him the penny.

Move south to the machine and empty the cup. Insert the penny that falls out into the machine for a box of matches. Go one location north of the crossroads and drop the truncheon an then go west from the crossroads to the building.

Search round the building for the entrance and then unlock the door with the brass key and go in. Get the ladder and lamp and leave the key and watch where they will be safe. To leave the building type GO OUT at the door.

Go south from the crossroads to the stone obelisk and then DROP LADDER and EXTEND LADDER. Climb up the ladder to get the bucket. Now find the beggar and tell him to follow you.

Go to the well and tie the bucket to the rope. Then CLIMB INTO BUCKET and tell the beggar to lower you. Don't type anything while you are being lowered. You will eventually see an exit - use it.

Gisburne's Castle - Paul James

You need the lamp to enter the castle. Use the poison on your arrows so that you can kill the henchmen in the castle. If you use the wooden key in the trap door rooms without having the rope you will fall and die. To prevent this use the rope before using the key. Never drop the rope as you can get trapped on a floor quite easily without it.

The wooden key is used for opening the trapdoors and the metal key is used to open the iron doors. The sack helps you to carry more, and the bottle is needed to carry the oil.

PROBLEMS

A much reduced section this month, mainly because Hall of Fame answers most of the problems raised. Each month it seems that the same old questions get asked, so please read back issues before writing in to ask for my help.

Andrew Watt can't get started in Strange Odyssey. Press a button.

Alex Smyth can't find the fairground in Woodbury End. Go north from the village then clockwise round the trees and then go north again.

Sue Johnstone must explore the maze to find the answer to the seeming dead end in Greedy Dwarf.

Mary Wilde can't find the cheese in Philosopher's Quest. The cheese is gorgonzola and can be found and collected if you use a gas mask.

Finally, can I remind you all to enclose an SAE when you write in with a problem. I can't guarantee you'll get an answer unless you do.

CONTACT CORNER

Unable to find anyone with your fascination for adventures? Write to one of the adventure fanatics below, and if you want readers to write to you just let me know.

Philip Mardlin <address removed>
Joan Davies <address removed>
Richard Meloni <address removed>
Michael Pemberton <address removed>
Derek Willoughby <address removed>
Martyn Amos <address removed>
Graeme Moore <address removed>
John Tipper <address removed>
Les Shipton <address removed>

Steve Parkinson wants help with Hampstead, Stolen Lamp, Terrormolinos and Eye of Zolton - he has nearly completed the last two. Ring: <tel no removed>.

Finally, someone has sent their address and telephone number, but not their name - <address removed>.

If you want to be mentioned in Contact Corner remember to enclose your name and address - preferably in large capital letters.


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

Scanned in by dllm@usa.net
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