MERLIN #7
OCTOBER 1985
Problems, problems, always problems
I've had a plea from D. Wynne
about SIM from Viper Software. He can't get anywhere and offers
me a fiver if I can solve it. This is one program I must
get a look at!
Carl Marlow has written in asking about Fighter Pilot from Kansas. Apparently he can't pull out of a dive when attacking enemy aircraft.
I'd like to help but unfortunately Kansas won't let have any programs to review. If any reader can help Carl please let me know.
Many thanks to Jonathan Ewing (J.R.!) for sending in a complete solution to Stranded and to Chris Wray and his brothers - how many of you are there? - for the solution to Gisburne's Castle.
Neil Sedgewick wants to know if I am any relation to a certain Alice. Who? No, she's a lot cleverer than me.
M.C. Rocca - what is your first name? - has written in with marks for Ten Little Indians. I didn't know this was available for the Electron.
Ben Twaddell has sent marks for Philosophers Quest and Hitchiker. Do these run on the Electron unaltered or have you been clever?
Stephen Waterworth has written in to say that BugByte's Dragon Quest will run on the Electron.
If any reader knows of any BBC Micro adventures that will run on the Electron will they let me know so that I can make up a list to be published in a future column?
Stephen Waterworth, Tim Cook and Jason Hewitt have all written in asking how to get into the pyramid in Pyramid of Doom.
Early versions of this game had a bug in that prevented you from getting into the pyramid. If you can't get the rock and unlock the tiny door then enter the pyramid, then contact Adventure International on 021-643 5102, who will be only too happy to arrange a replacement.
Eve Thompson, to whom I'm very grateful for all the maps and solutions she has sent in, is having problems with Kingdom of Klein.
She has searched in every direction in the moebius ravine but cannot find the last solid. Does anybody know where it is?
M. Tiplady has solved most of the Sorcerer of Claymorgue Castle but has the following questions:
How do you store the stars, how do you get rid of the odd feeling, how do you open the loft in the ballroom, how do you open the stone door, how do you get into the dragon's lair and, finally, is there another way to open the oak door?
Can anybody help?
Ben Twaddell wants to know how to get over the volcano in Classic Adventure and I want to know where the volcano is.
Stuart Nicholls has written in asking what the password is for you to be a wizard in Adventure. As far as I can find out, there is no password. I'm not sure if it is a red herring or a feature of the game that wasn't implemented.
Stewart Hogg has several questions about Comsoft's Serpents Lair. He wants to know if there is a way through the desert and the forest, where to use the canoe and where is the sword and when do you use it.
I haven't got Serpent's Lair, but one is on the way for me.
Stephen Martin has written in for help with the Greedy Dwarf. Apparently he doesn't make maps. To get out of the muddy maze he needs to learn how to! And drop sausages of course.
Andrew White can't find the antidote to toad poisoning in Galadriel in Distress. Does anybody know where it is? Tony Remmer has sent in a solution to TKV. He has scored 970 points but has still had the adventure finished message.
Unfortunately Tony, the SAE you sent in was only an AE as you didn't put a stamp on the envelope. Talking of AEs, Kevin Addinall has asked how to kill the rat in Adventure but has also forgotten to put a stamp on the envelope. I don't reply to people who do this!
On the other hand, Mark Hunter has sent in a partial solution to the Incredible Hulk and an SAE but hasn't asked any questions! Please write and let me know what your problems are Mark.
Stuart Nicholls wants to know how good Countdown to Doom, the Digital Fantasia series and the Epic series are.
Countdown to Doom is on ROM so if you have a Plus 1 then it's a good buy. The Digital Fantasia series are much the same format and content as the Scott Adams adventures and are therefore good buys too.
The Epic adventures are to the Electron what the Level 9 ones are to the BBC Micro. No true adventurer should be without them.
Mrs A.E. Morland and David Woods have some questions about Crown Jewels that I cannot answer. Is there a telecomm tower location?
In the chamber of horrors, is there a door east when going north or south? Daniel Beherall can't get into the material store or turn on the torch.
Tom Holmes would like to know how to attract the policeman's attention. So would I. Can anybody help?
Tim Hicks can't get the keys in the Greedy Dwarf and David Hill wants to know how to kill the spider. I know you need the sword, but do you need the keys to get the sword?
B. Britland can't find Annie Gramm or Rithmatiq in Pettigrew's Diary and I haven't even got that far. Can anyone put us out of our misery with a map and a solution?
Several people have written in with solutions to problems sent in the previous months. In particular let me thank all those of you who wrote in with tips and solutions to Crown Jewels.
Terry Mealing should look in the Houses of Parliament, Madame Tussauds and Buckingham Palace if he wants some treasure.
John Harnett has also written in to help Terry Mealing and says that he should smash the pillar and the column in Stolen Lamp to get the sword and key box.
M.C. Rocca has written in to say that the solutions to H. Bastien's problems are the black hole is a red herring and that to solve the Jovian mine he should examine the alien art gallery and that there is a definite TWIST in the plot.
Phillip Hooper says that Andrew Dickman's problem in Adventure is solved by turning off the lamp and hooting. Is that some kind of practical joke?
Finally, before going on to some problems that I do have the answers for, let me apologise for the delay in answering some of your letters.
I have been on holiday attending an advanced wizards spelling test.
Paul Dobson, Jonathan Tryer and Gary Procter, who's produced the best maps I have ever seen, are having problems with Gisburne's Castle.
Maid Marion is in the chapel. To get in, try a bit of excavation in the dungeons first.
If you are too big to get through a small opening then you should make yourself smaller. Try a spot of lubrication on that rusty door.
In Sphinx Adventure Tim Cook and Paul Donovan are stymied by having their lamp go out. Have you tried polishing it?
Julian D'Alberti and Tom Paterson can't carry everything at once. Find the sphinx and leave some treasures there for safekeeping.
They have also correctly interpreted the clues in the inner sanctum but, once again, need to find the sphinx to put their findings into practice. All of the objects you have found either have a use or are treasures.
Search the desert thoroughly if you want to find the sphinx. Richard Hollis and Ronnie Moore can't open the safe. Use a magic word.
Lewis Smith hasn't yet searched the inner sanctum thoroughly - use magic. Sean Robinson, David Marfleet and Martin Edmondson all want answers about the inner sanctum.
The crown is a treasure and you have to use magic to get out - unless you know differently. Richard Smith also needs magic to get across the glacier.
Mark Popkiewicz will find the jack in the rockfall and should polish the ring. Phillip Macdonald keeps getting killed by the dwarf after he has broken the sword. Did you pick up the axe that the dwarf threw at you when he first appeared?
Phillip Trease and Paul Daly can't get anywhere at all. Use the raised path and then go down. Fill the bottle with water from the lake and douse the flames.
Robert Pawson is stuck in Valley of the Kings. Examine a gold statue and you will be able to 'speak your reply'.
M. Hanson keeps getting his throat cut in Sadim Castle. Have you got the Bible?
Paul Sexton and V. Witson want some problems answered in Eye of Zolton. The password you need in the secret passages is to be found in a cryptogram, and to solve it you should try skipping backwards.
Wear some gloves to get the orb and pay the boatman.
L. Fletcher and David Hill can't decipher the cryptogram in Countdown to Doom. Try thinking of it as a 5*5 matrix.
Make sure that your suit is newer than it was and you can navigate around the bottom of the swamp. Protecting your eyes will help with the top.
Alexia Leventis keeps getting killed by the creature in the corridors of doom in Castle of Riddles. What colour is that paint that you should have found? If your lamp keeps going out when you enter the fountain of youth, put it out before you go in.
A. Dodds, Neil Jacques and Stephen Arnold all have problems with Classic Adventure. To get past the snake, soothe the savage beast and give it the bird.
The vending machine is a red herring. What use is the oil? How do you get through the rusty gate? Think about it.
I don't think the spelunker news does anything and there is no hydraulic jack, so Neptune tells me.
Stephen Gregory wants to know how to kill all the Gremlins when you've got them watching the film. You don't as far as I know.
Neil Macdonald can get out of the ship in Strange Odyssey but soon dies from lack of air. Have you got the spacesuit? Yes? Then try opening and closing it.
Stephen Waterworth can't get past the fan in Spiderman. Try using something to stop it turning. Want to get to the cloud? Try jumping.
Lewis Smith, R. Henderson and Paul Taylor are having problems with the Incredible Hulk. To pull the ring, remember what Dr. Strange told you and don't daydream.
The Hulk has a strong stomach so examine the egg. Yes, the astral projection of Dr. Strange is useful.
Marco Kerr cannot get into the machinery housing in Wheel of Fortune to lower the bridge. Keep picking at that lock.
Andrew White wants to know what YABADABADOO does in Staff of Law. It's a magic word, so look it up in a suitable tomb.
Neil Sedgewick, S. Midgeley, T. Holmes, David Woods and Andrew Busby all have questions about Crown Jewels. To get some money, clean the toilets and strike a pose. The matches are useful for setting light to things.
The orb is in Madame Tussauds and you'll need to drug somebody to get into the control room at Tower Bridge.
Ben Twaddell wants to know whether you should take everything to the dwarf's hut and where the dwarf is, in the Greedy Dwarf. No. I'm aMAZEd that you don't know.
Martin Watson and A. Dodds have
some questions about Quest for the Holy Grail. The dragon is
in need of lubrication. Try putting something valuable in the
niche in the huge stone. Don't listen to the maiden. Good advice
that!
This article appeared in the October 1985 edition of the "Electron User", published by Database Publications.
Scanned in by dllm@usa.net
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