LAND - A Multi-User Dungeon (well almost)

[Canalboy]

lurkio wrote:
... Oh, come on! I'm allowed at least one slip-up, surely?!

I'm pleased you said "at least" to cover yourself or canalboy would most likely have accepted the challenge.

In the First floor of windmill location the text reads "someone has smashed up the mill stones which ground the floor (sic) and has broken the drive shaft..."

Canalboy

[Canalboy]

lurkio wrote:
... Oh, come on! I'm allowed at least one slip-up, surely?!

I'm pleased you said "at least" to cover yourself or canalboy would most likely have accepted the challenge.

In the Graveyard location which contains the body of Bret the arch-wizard part of the text says "A nearby gravestone proclaims the the body of Bret the arch-wizard has been laid to rest here."

Canalboy

[fuzzel]

Keep going lad! Would you like to volunteer for the role of tester on my next game, MIST ?
I'm sure lurkio wouldn't mind a bit of company (if he's interested of course).

[fuzzel]

I've started a new topic for MIST, my latest project.

[Canalboy]

Keep going lad! Would you like to volunteer for the role of tester on my next game, MIST ?
I'm sure lurkio wouldn't mind a bit of company (if he's interested of course).

To be honest I have so many things on the go at the moment that I'm not sure I could allocate the time to it that is merited Fuzzel. I'll keep plugging away with the excellent Land though when time allows.

Canalboy

[Canalboy]

lurkio wrote:
... Oh, come on! I'm allowed at least one slip-up, surely?!

I'm pleased you said "at least" to cover yourself or canalboy would most likely have accepted the challenge.

Hello there

In the Main Bedroom in the Vicarage part of the description reads:

"A slightly ajar doors (sic) leads west to the nursery."

Canalboy

[Canalboy]

Keep going lad! Would you like to volunteer for the role of tester on my next game, MIST ?
I'm sure lurkio wouldn't mind a bit of company (if he's interested of course).

Another slight anomaly; if you are carrying the wooden rowing boat and EXAMINE it, the parser always returns the description for the magic boat even if the latter is in a different location.

Canalboy

[fuzzel]

Both boats are magic in that if you carry them you can travel on water.

[Canalboy]

Both boats are magic in that if you carry them you can travel on water.

I am beginning to make some progress in the aforementioned Vicarage area now Fuzzel and I have worked out how to ameliorate my inventory limit. Congratulations on an excellent game.

Canalboy.

[fuzzel]

Thank you for those kind words Canalboy, I'm pleased you're enjoying the game. And of course, if you get stuck you know where to go

[lurkio]

And of course, if you get stuck you know where to go

Doubtless what you're implying is that Canalboy should come here and ask you for some hints and/or for the full walkthrough!

Just wanted to clarify that, because I think it's great that Canalboy seems to be digging into the game and reporting typos and potential bugs. In that sense, he's only the second "serious" tester of the game, as far as I'm aware, and any feedback would, I'm sure, be much appreciated by you, fuzzel. So, if he gets completely stuck, you would, naturally, be anxious that he should get unstuck as soon as possible so he can continue playing and giving feedback, rather than just giving up in frustration. I'm sure I'm just preaching to the choir here, anyway.

Hope I haven't spoken out of turn. Genuinely am only interested in making the gameplay/feedback/bugfixing experience as frictionless as possible for both you and Canalboy, given that he is, as I said, only the second serious tester of LAND. But please ignore me if I'm sticking my nose in or misrepresenting anyone's views, or just stating the bleedin' obvious, or being tactless in any way whatsoever. Peace.

[fuzzel]

I am, naturally, delighted to help in any way as speedily as possible if anyone's stuck in the game. I'm flattered when people say they enjoy playing it. I'll release the walkthroughs in due course. If anyone would like an unofficial copy pm'd to them then I'll see what I can do. I suppose some people, like myself, enjoy playing a game and are prepared to sit there gnashing their teeth in frustration for hours on end until they come up with a solution. Others enjoy delving into the code for a solution (is that cheating or another way of creatively solving a puzzle?) and some are content to refer to a walkthrough as a guide whilst playing a game through in a reasonably short period due to, perhaps, time constraints. "And of course, if you get stuck you know where to go" was my little joke, I could have said "And of course, if you get stuck you know where to come".

[Canalboy]

Thank you for those kind words Canalboy, I'm pleased you're enjoying the game. And of course, if you get stuck you know where to go

I must admit that I am the type of person who never resorts to a walkthrough. As a consequence there are quite a few games I have never managed to finish, although I confess to using the hint sheets for Castle Ralf, Acheton and a few of the other Topologika games of extreme difficulty. I recently solved a puzzle eleven years after first encountering it!

Due to life getting in the way I only have a limited playing time like most of us but I'll keep you posted on my progress and on any insects encountered along the way.

Canalboy

[Canalboy]

I am, naturally, delighted to help in any way as speedily as possible if anyone's stuck in the game. I'm flattered when people say they enjoy playing it. I'll release the walkthroughs in due course. If anyone would like an unofficial copy pm'd to them then I'll see what I can do. I suppose some people, like myself, enjoy playing a game and are prepared to sit there gnashing their teeth in frustration for hours on end until they come up with a solution. Others enjoy delving into the code for a solution (is that cheating or another way of creatively solving a puzzle?) and some are content to refer to a walkthrough as a guide whilst playing a game through in a reasonably short period due to, perhaps, time constraints. "And of course, if you get stuck you know where to go" was my little joke, I could have said "And of course, if you get stuck you know where to come".

Hello Fuzzel

I'm not sure if you would call it a bug as such, but it is possible to PRAY in a certain place (I won't mention where in case it spoils it for others but you know the place) and the punyvpr (ROT13) is described as appearing for the second time even if you have already used it and stored it for maximum points.

Canalboy

[Canalboy]

I am, naturally, delighted to help in any way as speedily as possible if anyone's stuck in the game. I'm flattered when people say they enjoy playing it. I'll release the walkthroughs in due course. If anyone would like an unofficial copy pm'd to them then I'll see what I can do. I suppose some people, like myself, enjoy playing a game and are prepared to sit there gnashing their teeth in frustration for hours on end until they come up with a solution. Others enjoy delving into the code for a solution (is that cheating or another way of creatively solving a puzzle?) and some are content to refer to a walkthrough as a guide whilst playing a game through in a reasonably short period due to, perhaps, time constraints. "And of course, if you get stuck you know where to go" was my little joke, I could have said "And of course, if you get stuck you know where to come".

If you type DRINK BEER in the pantry the game responds:

Water? Where?
Water? Where?

Canalboy

[fuzzel]

Canalboy wrote:
I'm not sure if you would call it a bug as such, but it is possible to PRAY in a certain place (I won't mention where in case it spoils it for others but you know the place) and the punyvpr (ROT13) is described as appearing for the second time even if you have already used it and stored it for maximum points.

Thanks for pointing this one out as well as the other typos so far which I'll fix in due course. I've just had a quick go and can't replicate the error above, when I store the chalice and go back and pray again I get the (correct) message, "Bless you my son." Would it be possible to post a screenshot or pm me with more details if have have them?
Edit: On second thoughts you might be right...

[Canalboy]

Canalboy wrote:
I'm not sure if you would call it a bug as such, but it is possible to PRAY in a certain place (I won't mention where in case it spoils it for others but you know the place) and the punyvpr (ROT13) is described as appearing for the second time even if you have already used it and stored it for maximum points.

Thanks for pointing this one out as well as the other typos so far which I'll fix in due course. I've just had a quick go and can't replicate the error above, when I store the chalice and go back and pray again I get the (correct) message, "Bless you my son." Would it be possible to post a screenshot or pm me with more details if have have them?
Edit: On second thoughts you might be right...

Yes, you must have left the church and subsequently re-entered it for the problem to occur I think.

Canalboy

[fuzzel]

I've just fixed the bug and replaced the original ssd file in an earlier post with the new one. Phew!

[fuzzel]

The DRINK BEER "Water? Where?" message is because if you type DRINK and it doesn't understand the noun (eg beer) it tells you (possibly mistakenly) that there's no water there to drink. I'll have a think about updating the Drink procedure with a more understandable response.

[Canalboy]

The DRINK BEER "Water? Where?" message is because if you type DRINK and it doesn't understand the noun (eg beer) it tells you (possibly mistakenly) that there's no water there to drink. I'll have a think about updating the Drink procedure with a more understandable response.

Lol I have made a bit more progress today, finding the obql and the Ivxvat vfynaq.

Canalboy

[Canalboy]

The DRINK BEER "Water? Where?" message is because if you type DRINK and it doesn't understand the noun (eg beer) it tells you (possibly mistakenly) that there's no water there to drink. I'll have a think about updating the Drink procedure with a more understandable response.

A quick question Fuzzel. Is the obql useful for anything other than the 26 points for depositing it in the usual place?

Canalboy

[fuzzel]

It’s just a treasure, a funny sort of treasure mind

[lurkio]

It’s just a treasure, a funny sort of treasure mind

I.e. it's a pbechf qryvpgv or "qryrpgnoyr pbecfr".

[Canalboy]

It’s just a treasure, a funny sort of treasure mind

I.e. it's a pbechf qryvpgv or "qryrpgnoyr pbecfr".

Thanks for that Lurkio. Perhaps because I was playing the mainframe game Warp recently in which there is also a obql and an bcra tenir I was putting two and two together and making three.

Canalboy

[Canalboy]

The DRINK BEER "Water? Where?" message is because if you type DRINK and it doesn't understand the noun (eg beer) it tells you (possibly mistakenly) that there's no water there to drink. I'll have a think about updating the Drink procedure with a more understandable response.

This may be awkward to code Fuzzel, but if you have dropped a oheavat oenaq at the obggbz bs gur jryy and subsequently make your way to the small brick passage the game still says that the passage to the NE (i.e. the obggbz bs gur jryy) is a small dark chamber even though because of the presence of the oheavat oenaq that you previously dropped there it no longer is dark.

Canalboy

[Canalboy]

The DRINK BEER "Water? Where?" message is because if you type DRINK and it doesn't understand the noun (eg beer) it tells you (possibly mistakenly) that there's no water there to drink. I'll have a think about updating the Drink procedure with a more understandable response.

If you SWING most objects that you are carrying (i.e. the amulet) the game responds with "You can't see that here." Other objects in your inventory elicit the response "What a silly thing to suggest!"

Canalboy

[fuzzel]

Canalboy wrote:
If you SWING most objects that you are carrying (i.e. the amulet) the game responds with "You can't see that here." Other objects in your inventory elicit the response "What a silly thing to suggest!"

SWING has a verb type whereby it operates on objects in your location and not objects in your inventory which is why if you try to swing something you're carrying, it can't find it but if you swing something in your location it says "What a silly thing to suggest!" At least that was how it was supposed to work. I guess what I'm trying to say is there is a puzzle where you need to swing (on) something in a location and you don't ever need to swing something you're carrying eg a cat.

[Canalboy]

Canalboy wrote:
If you SWING most objects that you are carrying (i.e. the amulet) the game responds with "You can't see that here." Other objects in your inventory elicit the response "What a silly thing to suggest!"

SWING has a verb type whereby it operates on objects in your location and not objects in your inventory which is why if you try to swing something you're carrying, it can't find it but if you swing something in your location it says "What a silly thing to suggest!" At least that was how it was supposed to work. I guess what I'm trying to say is there is a puzzle where you need to swing (on) something in a location and you don't ever need to swing something you're carrying eg a cat.

If you fall to your end climbing into the quarry the valedictory message includes "Did your (sic) hear the splat! on the rocks below?"

Canalboy

[Canalboy]

Hello

The terra cyngr is described as "worthless" however if you VALUE it (away from its white neighbour to avoid equivocation) the parser replies by saying it is worth 10 points.

One thing I am curious about is why you are transported fbhgu bs gur ynxr if you fgnaq ba gur juvgr cyngr va gur Fgber Ebbz. Is this useful in solving a puzzle in the game or merely a short cut?

Canalboy

[fuzzel]

The terra cyngr's worthlessness is in the eye of the beholder obviously. To be honest this was the description in the original Essex version so I've simply included it verbatim. At least I've added a VALUE command so you can quickly assess its worth to you. Incidentally using this coding technique you get some interesting new words, indeed terra cyngr sounds like a mash up of latin and anglo-saxon.
Re being transported "fbhgu bs gur ynxr if you fgnaq ba gur juvgr cyngr va gur Fgber Ebbz", I'm not sure about that but it's a useful shortcut method and it's also crucial for one particular puzzle. Let's just say it allows you to znkvzvfr lbhe fpber.