Hampstead

[ian1970]

Hi everyone,

Is there any love out there for Hampstead? I'm currently replaying it (not easy as I have an SD-based system and it saves to tape only as far as I can see), and am interested in its more satirical/political edge. I remember finishing the game back in the 1980s (and getting the certificate - sadly now long lost), and replaying it again today is interesting to look at how it portrays the world at that time. I am also (slowly) seeing if I can convert it into a 'Twine' based html/javascript game which might be played today.

Does anyone have any suggestions for games which have a similar 'edge' in terms of trying to provide a commentary on the time they were written?

Thanks,

Ian

[tom_seddon]

Never released for the 8-bit Acorns, but https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruptio ... ideo_game) might fit the bill?

--Tom

[ian1970]

Hi,

Hampstead is available over at https://www.bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=1625 and I have it on my Master (but on sd so it's a bit tricky without save games).

Corruption is a great suggestion - thanks. It's one I've heard a lot about but never played.

Best wishes,

Ian

[danielj]

How about Denis through the Drinking Glass? https://www.mobygames.com/game/denis-th ... king-glass

I seem to remember that being very of its time!

d.

[ian1970]

Thanks. I've never played it, but do remember adverts for it way back when. My understanding is that it was surreal rather than satirical, but I'll certainly take a look!

Ian

[OneSwitch]

Only discovered Hampstead recently, but I loved it. There's a one-button (self-solving) cheat version on the C64. I think a Twine version could be excellent. Love the imagination in the game, and time-travel element of it today.

There was also Terrormolinos: http://www.acornelectron.co.uk/eug/sols ... s_000.html

Other social comment games I can remember included Adrian Mole (unless memory fails me) and Dennis Through the Looking Glass (as mentioned already). Frankie Goes to Hollywood sort of had some social comment (but not a text adventure game).

And nothing to do with this, but definitely find the story of St. Bride's Quill games fascinating too.

[ian1970]

Thank you so much - all these suggestions are really helpful. I've had a look at Adrian Mole, and it's an odd experience - a choice every few days and it's quite hard (apart from the score) to see what the effects are. Very strange, and hard to believe it is Level 9!

Thank you again,

Ian

[BeebMaster]

Never heard of it before, but seeing that it starts with a TV showing 3..2..1, I'll definitely have to have a go! It reminded me of the recently departed Janice Long, who was a contestant on the first ever edition.

[Dave_E]

I wrote a graphic adventure called Sunday which was set in 1992 and involved going on a date with a fourteen year old girl to see The Lawnmower Man. So if you did that in your yoof you might like to play it:

https://www.everygamegoing.com/litem/Sunday/1510/

It never gets any love otherwise...

[Beebson]

Other social comment games I can remember included Adrian Mole (unless memory fails me) and Dennis Through the Looking Glass (as mentioned already). Frankie Goes to Hollywood sort of had some social comment (but not a text adventure game).

Thank you so much - all these suggestions are really helpful. I've had a look at Adrian Mole, and it's an odd experience - a choice every few days and it's quite hard (apart from the score) to see what the effects are. Very strange, and hard to believe it is Level 9!

As Ian has noticed, Adrian Mole games were not text adventure games. Made by Level 9, but not text adventures. They had good descriptions, but "gameplay" was just choosing whether to press 1, 2, 3 or 4. It was a good idea that your actions made people to like or to hate you more, if it just could have been a true text adventure.

[OneSwitch]

From some of the Twine games I've played, I'd argue that it's a text-adventure game. Just not a conventional one for the 1980s. The scoring high or low element takes some judgement (or memory), and makes it more than just a story book. it's a highly accessible way of telling a story with some gaming elements. People say similar about the walking simulators, but they're still games in my book. All in the eye of the beholder I suppose.

Other social comment games I can remember included Adrian Mole (unless memory fails me) and Dennis Through the Looking Glass (as mentioned already). Frankie Goes to Hollywood sort of had some social comment (but not a text adventure game).

Thank you so much - all these suggestions are really helpful. I've had a look at Adrian Mole, and it's an odd experience - a choice every few days and it's quite hard (apart from the score) to see what the effects are. Very strange, and hard to believe it is Level 9!

As Ian has noticed, Adrian Mole games were not text adventure games. Made by Level 9, but not text adventures. They had good descriptions, but "gameplay" was just choosing whether to press 1, 2, 3 or 4. It was a good idea that your actions made people to like or to hate you more, if it just could have been a true text adventure.

[ian1970]

Hi,

I think the Mole games are odd, both in terms of their time, but also in the wider genre of both Twine and even Choose Your Own Adventure. I think that's because it is hard to see what difference a lot of the choices you are making, actually make. You have your score, which very slowly increase (or not!), but I don't have a sense that the story departs significantly from the books depending on what you choose - happy to be wrong on that though.

I guess the games are an attempt to make the books more interactive by involving the player. But I struggle with them as I don't see my choices making a great deal of difference. As it's Level 9, there might be a great deal more going on under the hood that I can't see though.

Ian

[fuzzel]

Here's Alice's review of Adrian Mole (TMU May-86). I must admit that although I was a Level 9 nut at the time I wasn't remotely interested in buying their multiple choice adventures (Adrian Mole x 2 and The Archers); being a mid-teen at the time I thought the former would appeal mostly to juveniles (by this time I thought of myself as an adult) or, in the case of the latter to old fogies. As I'm now much closer in age to the latter than the former I'm vaguely/mildly tempted to have a go at The Archers although I've never listened to it. I wonder what sort of sales figures these games generated btw? They haven't had much in the way of discussion over the years either in the old BBC magazines, on here or at CASA, I suppose they're a bit of an oddity.

[iamaran]

Hi,

I think the Mole games are odd, both in terms of their time, but also in the wider genre of both Twine and even Choose Your Own Adventure. I think that's because it is hard to see what difference a lot of the choices you are making, actually make. You have your score, which very slowly increase (or not!), but I don't have a sense that the story departs significantly from the books depending on what you choose - happy to be wrong on that though.

I guess the games are an attempt to make the books more interactive by involving the player. But I struggle with them as I don't see my choices making a great deal of difference. As it's Level 9, there might be a great deal more going on under the hood that I can't see though.

Ian

I'm pretty sure that your choices affect only your score, and not the gameplay.

[OneSwitch]

I didn't realise they made an Archers game, thanks for that. Looking at the quoted price on RetroGames.co.uk (50 quid), I imagine it was a rare game.

I'm quite enjoying this concept very late (sorry Level 9). I'm going to defintely give it a go. I enjoyed the bit in the game where I put the BBC into disrepute for pushing left-wing bias (something about bribes for honours). Quite a fun little game/interactive story. I do really like the simple interface. It's essentially a four-button game... 1,2,3 and SHIFT being enough to play. That sort of things always appeals to me having a back-ground in accessibility. I can see how it's not a game to stretch the grey-matter compared to the likes of Hitchhikers. Are there any other Twine type adventure games apart from these on the Beeb does anyone know?

Here's Alice's review of Adrian Mole (TMU May-86). I must admit that although I was a Level 9 nut at the time I wasn't remotely interested in buying their multiple choice adventures (Adrian Mole x 2 and The Archers); being a mid-teen at the time I thought the former would appeal mostly to juveniles (by this time I thought of myself as an adult) or, in the case of the latter to old fogies. As I'm now much closer in age to the latter than the former I'm vaguely/mildly tempted to have a go at The Archers although I've never listened to it. I wonder what sort of sales figures these games generated btw? They haven't had much in the way of discussion over the years either in the old BBC magazines, on here or at CASA, I suppose they're a bit of an oddity.
Alice-AMole2.png

[iamaran]

Are there any other Twine type adventure games apart from these on the Beeb does anyone know?

Yes, Prime Minister. Sort of.

[ian1970]

I have tried to play 'Yes Prime Minister' but need to dig out an instruction manual as I haven't work out how to answer the phone yet (and think that might be important). I know it got only middling reviews, but it sounds like it might be right up my street.

I've entered a couple of type-ins from a 1985 book by Mike Rose called 'Creating Political and Military Simulations Games On Your Micro' which are pretty much in BBC Basic. 'Downing Street' pretty close to you choosing whether you want different factors (defence spending, for example to be high or low in each period and trying to work out how that affects different social classes and your own popularity. I generally end up causing a revolution though....

I do like type-ins!

Ian

[fuzzel]

Here's Mad Hatter's review from February 1988's TMU:

Sounds like there's enough gameplay to while away a rainy day (like today) but beyond that probably not.

[leenew]

I have tried to play 'Yes Prime Minister' but need to dig out an instruction manual as I haven't work out how to answer the phone yet (and think that might be important). I know it got only middling reviews, but it sounds like it might be right up my street.

I've entered a couple of type-ins from a 1985 book by Mike Rose called 'Creating Political and Military Simulations Games On Your Micro' which are pretty much in BBC Basic. 'Downing Street' pretty close to you choosing whether you want different factors (defence spending, for example to be high or low in each period and trying to work out how that affects different social classes and your own popularity. I generally end up causing a revolution though....

I do like type-ins!

Ian

Hi Ian,
I have never heard of this book before now.
(I am just downloading it...)
Which type-ins have you err... typed in?
Would you mind uploading them?
Do you plan on typing any more in?

I have just typed in 30 programs from another book, along with quite a lot of the bumph so I am not exactly in an enthusiastic state for tackling the rest of these at the moment...

Cheers!

Lee.

[ian1970]

Hi Lee,

From this book I've had a go at 'Downing Street' and 'Corridors of Power'. Both are quite fun, but I think I learned more from typing them in than playing them (I seem to cause a lot of revolutions in them both). It's also apparent that 'Corridors of Power' is incomplete, but can be fixed by adding versions of the 'Universal routines' on pages 71-72.

I've only just got my Master. Can I just pop out the SD card and get copies of the type-ins that way?

If you are interested in seeing someone actually play 'Corridors of Power' (albeit on a Spectrum adaptation), there is a video over at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1kgmBukRqg&t=54s

He's a funny guy!

BW

Ian

[lurkio]

I've only just got my Master. Can I just pop out the SD card and get copies of the type-ins that way?

Hi, Ian. Can you upload the contents of the SD card? I've sent you a PM (Private Message) with a link to a dropbox where you can upload the contents of the SD card (which usually just means one or more files named something like BEEB.MMB).

[Beebson]

If press-a-key-to-select-action type games are allright, you might want to try Dictator by DK´Tronics. It´s a simple but amusing dictator simulation. It could have happened on any decade of the Cold War, though. Or now. But it´s a nice game about Cold War era country, where you can make simple but effective decisions.