Home » Personal collection » Acorn ADFS disks » Electron_User_Group » EUG_54.ADF » V/+AVART3

V/+AVART3

This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.

Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.

Tape/disk: Home » Personal collection » Acorn ADFS disks » Electron_User_Group » EUG_54.ADF
Filename: V/+AVART3
Read OK: ✔
File size: 1623 bytes
Load address: 2B204556
Exec address: 52415641
Duplicates

There are 3 duplicate copies of this file in the archive:

File contents
         [ DESIGNING ADVENTURE PUZZLES ARTICLE - CONTINUATION ]

I'D like to say something here about the conventions of adventure games,
and how they can be made less hackneyed. Firstly, Mazes. Many adventures
have mazes of some sort in them. They vary from the elementary (drop
objects in order to make the rooms look more different from each other)
to more subtle variants.
   In ZORK, for example, dropping objects is partially thwarted by a
thief, who wanders round and picks them up again ("My, someone's left a
fine sword here!"). In the HAMIL maze, life is made harder for the 
player by the fact that every time he leaves a room. the ceiling 
collapses, and so he can't visit any room more than once (and needs to
visit all the rooms in the maze since they all contain something). In
ACHETON there are the Ice Mazes, where the ice is always about to melt:
a thermometer is used to identify the safe way through.
   SANGRAAL has a rotating maze, where the directions keep changing.
FYLEET has a greatly simplified version of the Fifteen Puzzle, where you
have to manoeuvre objects about that cannot be put two in the same room.
MURDAC has a haunted house, where a poltergeist is throwing objects at 
the player, who has to deduce where the ghost is and avoid it. PHILOSOP-
HER'S QUEST has the notorious Garden of Eden, where the serpent very
persuasively offers the player all sorts of rewards if he will eat the
apple on the tree. Finally the snake says "Do I have to spell it out for
you? You're in EDEN!" The directions E-D-E-N may be found helpful here.
   Another convention is the Rusty Rod (sometimes with a star on the 
end). In various games that becomes a magic wand, a morning star (the
weapon), a crowbar, an electrical conductor...
   How much combat do you put in an adventure game? COLOSSAL CAVE has
the dwarves (and the player has a nonzero probability of being killed
whatever he does). In ACHETON there is a little green-eyed idol (cf. the
famous poem about a one-eyed yellow idol to the north of Khatmandu), 
which when robbed of its eye comes back for vengeance: and if the player
is unlucky he will get it! MUD of course contains large elements of 
combat, as does the original Fantasy game. MYSTIC WOOD and SORCERER'S
CAVE have been computerised, and make amusing "Hack-and-Slash" games.
   Combat systems can be rudimentary or very sophisticated indeed. You
can have a simple system where the player has a fixed probability of
winning a battle, right up to a full simulation of the system in some
Role Playing Game like DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS or RUNEQUEST.
   So where does one get ideas for puzzles? The answer is, almost
anywhere, as I'll indicate.
   One useful source is literature. One can pinch, I mean adapt, all
manner of classical themes. The Sword in the Stone has been used in
numerous games (in COLOSSAL CAVE you need the strength to pull it out,
in QUONDAM it breaks and needs repairing, in CROBE it's held in an anvil
by electromagnetism and you need to break the circuit). The Ancient 
Mariner turns up in PHILOSOPHER'S QUEST, and you end up with an alba-
tross round your neck that needs removing. The Hunting of the Snark pro-
vides a puzzle in HAMIL, the Phoenix legend to FYLEET.
   I once saw an opera (a Russian one, I think) where someone filled a
golden bowl with water and saw a vision. The idea was used in MURDAC.
Moses and the Ten Commandments (or, more precisely, the eleventh) have a
role to play in SANGRAAL, as do Edgar Allan Poe's Raven (Nevermore) and
Shelley's Ozymandias!
   Given an item in a game, one often devises puzzles which exploit its
various possible uses. A witch's broom can be used for sweeping the 
floor to expose a trapdoor. A duster can be a bandage, a cloth, etc. In
FYLEET there is a prayer mat which, when used appropriately, causes a
mighty wind to arise. This can blow things out of trees, disperse fog,
and so on.
   Thematic puzzles are enjoyable, and you get several at once that way.
SANGRAAL has two such. First there is a 'Seven Deadly Sins' area, where
the object is to commit each of the sins in turn - being slothful, being
gluttonous, and so on (I had trouble implementing Lust in a tasteful 
way). It also has a Noah's Ark puzzle, where you have to find animals to
take to Noah: sloths in trees that need waking, wolves that are too
fierce to handle, tied up emus that it seems impossible to free, and
others!
   Some puzzles depend crucially on timing. ACHETON has several such: a
giant who stomps around in a regular path (and will crush you if you are
in the wrong area at the wrong time); the mummy Yelka Oekim who must
equally be evaded (the solutions are different!); a notorious snake maze
which you can explore while the snakes are asleep, but which you must
activate later, risking attack from the snakes, in order to liberate the
treasure. Another example is CROBE's ship wrecking: you have to let some
pirates take over a ship, then show a false light to guide them onto the
rocks!
   Some puzzles come naturally and the adventure writer also has to
struggle to find a solution. For example, in the barn in FYLEET, an 
animated white sheet descends on you and smothers you: it was my wife's
idea that the player should wear a spiky Teutonic helmet to protect him-
self. Elsewhere I needed a one-way exit to avoid the player returning 
the way he'd been. The barn naturally suggested a bale of hay, down onto
which the player could jump.
   Finally, there are plenty of conventional puzzles which can be put
into adventure settings. A few examples will be found in the final part
of this article.

This article continued in V.+AVART4. First published EUG #54.

00000000  20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20  20 5b 20 44 45 53 49 47  |         [ DESIG|
00000010  4e 49 4e 47 20 41 44 56  45 4e 54 55 52 45 20 50  |NING ADVENTURE P|
00000020  55 5a 5a 4c 45 53 20 41  52 54 49 43 4c 45 20 2d  |UZZLES ARTICLE -|
00000030  20 43 4f 4e 54 49 4e 55  41 54 49 4f 4e 20 5d 0d  | CONTINUATION ].|
00000040  0d 49 27 44 20 6c 69 6b  65 20 74 6f 20 73 61 79  |.I'D like to say|
00000050  20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69  6e 67 20 68 65 72 65 20  | something here |
00000060  61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68  65 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 6e  |about the conven|
00000070  74 69 6f 6e 73 20 6f 66  20 61 64 76 65 6e 74 75  |tions of adventu|
00000080  72 65 20 67 61 6d 65 73  2c 0d 61 6e 64 20 68 6f  |re games,.and ho|
00000090  77 20 74 68 65 79 20 63  61 6e 20 62 65 20 6d 61  |w they can be ma|
000000a0  64 65 20 6c 65 73 73 20  68 61 63 6b 6e 65 79 65  |de less hackneye|
000000b0  64 2e 20 46 69 72 73 74  6c 79 2c 20 4d 61 7a 65  |d. Firstly, Maze|
000000c0  73 2e 20 4d 61 6e 79 20  61 64 76 65 6e 74 75 72  |s. Many adventur|
000000d0  65 73 0d 68 61 76 65 20  6d 61 7a 65 73 20 6f 66  |es.have mazes of|
000000e0  20 73 6f 6d 65 20 73 6f  72 74 20 69 6e 20 74 68  | some sort in th|
000000f0  65 6d 2e 20 54 68 65 79  20 76 61 72 79 20 66 72  |em. They vary fr|
00000100  6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 65  6c 65 6d 65 6e 74 61 72  |om the elementar|
00000110  79 20 28 64 72 6f 70 0d  6f 62 6a 65 63 74 73 20  |y (drop.objects |
00000120  69 6e 20 6f 72 64 65 72  20 74 6f 20 6d 61 6b 65  |in order to make|
00000130  20 74 68 65 20 72 6f 6f  6d 73 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20  | the rooms look |
00000140  6d 6f 72 65 20 64 69 66  66 65 72 65 6e 74 20 66  |more different f|
00000150  72 6f 6d 20 65 61 63 68  20 6f 74 68 65 72 29 0d  |rom each other).|
00000160  74 6f 20 6d 6f 72 65 20  73 75 62 74 6c 65 20 76  |to more subtle v|
00000170  61 72 69 61 6e 74 73 2e  0d 20 20 20 49 6e 20 5a  |ariants..   In Z|
00000180  4f 52 4b 2c 20 66 6f 72  20 65 78 61 6d 70 6c 65  |ORK, for example|
00000190  2c 20 64 72 6f 70 70 69  6e 67 20 6f 62 6a 65 63  |, dropping objec|
000001a0  74 73 20 69 73 20 70 61  72 74 69 61 6c 6c 79 20  |ts is partially |
000001b0  74 68 77 61 72 74 65 64  20 62 79 20 61 0d 74 68  |thwarted by a.th|
000001c0  69 65 66 2c 20 77 68 6f  20 77 61 6e 64 65 72 73  |ief, who wanders|
000001d0  20 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 61  6e 64 20 70 69 63 6b 73  | round and picks|
000001e0  20 74 68 65 6d 20 75 70  20 61 67 61 69 6e 20 28  | them up again (|
000001f0  22 4d 79 2c 20 73 6f 6d  65 6f 6e 65 27 73 20 6c  |"My, someone's l|
00000200  65 66 74 20 61 0d 66 69  6e 65 20 73 77 6f 72 64  |eft a.fine sword|
00000210  20 68 65 72 65 21 22 29  2e 20 49 6e 20 74 68 65  | here!"). In the|
00000220  20 48 41 4d 49 4c 20 6d  61 7a 65 2c 20 6c 69 66  | HAMIL maze, lif|
00000230  65 20 69 73 20 6d 61 64  65 20 68 61 72 64 65 72  |e is made harder|
00000240  20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65  20 0d 70 6c 61 79 65 72  | for the .player|
00000250  20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20  66 61 63 74 20 74 68 61  | by the fact tha|
00000260  74 20 65 76 65 72 79 20  74 69 6d 65 20 68 65 20  |t every time he |
00000270  6c 65 61 76 65 73 20 61  20 72 6f 6f 6d 2e 20 74  |leaves a room. t|
00000280  68 65 20 63 65 69 6c 69  6e 67 20 0d 63 6f 6c 6c  |he ceiling .coll|
00000290  61 70 73 65 73 2c 20 61  6e 64 20 73 6f 20 68 65  |apses, and so he|
000002a0  20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 76  69 73 69 74 20 61 6e 79  | can't visit any|
000002b0  20 72 6f 6f 6d 20 6d 6f  72 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20  | room more than |
000002c0  6f 6e 63 65 20 28 61 6e  64 20 6e 65 65 64 73 20  |once (and needs |
000002d0  74 6f 0d 76 69 73 69 74  20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65  |to.visit all the|
000002e0  20 72 6f 6f 6d 73 20 69  6e 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61  | rooms in the ma|
000002f0  7a 65 20 73 69 6e 63 65  20 74 68 65 79 20 61 6c  |ze since they al|
00000300  6c 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 69  6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68  |l contain someth|
00000310  69 6e 67 29 2e 20 49 6e  0d 41 43 48 45 54 4f 4e  |ing). In.ACHETON|
00000320  20 74 68 65 72 65 20 61  72 65 20 74 68 65 20 49  | there are the I|
00000330  63 65 20 4d 61 7a 65 73  2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20  |ce Mazes, where |
00000340  74 68 65 20 69 63 65 20  69 73 20 61 6c 77 61 79  |the ice is alway|
00000350  73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20  74 6f 20 6d 65 6c 74 3a  |s about to melt:|
00000360  0d 61 20 74 68 65 72 6d  6f 6d 65 74 65 72 20 69  |.a thermometer i|
00000370  73 20 75 73 65 64 20 74  6f 20 69 64 65 6e 74 69  |s used to identi|
00000380  66 79 20 74 68 65 20 73  61 66 65 20 77 61 79 20  |fy the safe way |
00000390  74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 2e  0d 20 20 20 53 41 4e 47  |through..   SANG|
000003a0  52 41 41 4c 20 68 61 73  20 61 20 72 6f 74 61 74  |RAAL has a rotat|
000003b0  69 6e 67 20 6d 61 7a 65  2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20  |ing maze, where |
000003c0  74 68 65 20 64 69 72 65  63 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 6b  |the directions k|
000003d0  65 65 70 20 63 68 61 6e  67 69 6e 67 2e 0d 46 59  |eep changing..FY|
000003e0  4c 45 45 54 20 68 61 73  20 61 20 67 72 65 61 74  |LEET has a great|
000003f0  6c 79 20 73 69 6d 70 6c  69 66 69 65 64 20 76 65  |ly simplified ve|
00000400  72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66  20 74 68 65 20 46 69 66  |rsion of the Fif|
00000410  74 65 65 6e 20 50 75 7a  7a 6c 65 2c 20 77 68 65  |teen Puzzle, whe|
00000420  72 65 20 79 6f 75 0d 68  61 76 65 20 74 6f 20 6d  |re you.have to m|
00000430  61 6e 6f 65 75 76 72 65  20 6f 62 6a 65 63 74 73  |anoeuvre objects|
00000440  20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74  68 61 74 20 63 61 6e 6e  | about that cann|
00000450  6f 74 20 62 65 20 70 75  74 20 74 77 6f 20 69 6e  |ot be put two in|
00000460  20 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d  65 20 72 6f 6f 6d 2e 0d  | the same room..|
00000470  4d 55 52 44 41 43 20 68  61 73 20 61 20 68 61 75  |MURDAC has a hau|
00000480  6e 74 65 64 20 68 6f 75  73 65 2c 20 77 68 65 72  |nted house, wher|
00000490  65 20 61 20 70 6f 6c 74  65 72 67 65 69 73 74 20  |e a poltergeist |
000004a0  69 73 20 74 68 72 6f 77  69 6e 67 20 6f 62 6a 65  |is throwing obje|
000004b0  63 74 73 20 61 74 20 0d  74 68 65 20 70 6c 61 79  |cts at .the play|
000004c0  65 72 2c 20 77 68 6f 20  68 61 73 20 74 6f 20 64  |er, who has to d|
000004d0  65 64 75 63 65 20 77 68  65 72 65 20 74 68 65 20  |educe where the |
000004e0  67 68 6f 73 74 20 69 73  20 61 6e 64 20 61 76 6f  |ghost is and avo|
000004f0  69 64 20 69 74 2e 20 50  48 49 4c 4f 53 4f 50 2d  |id it. PHILOSOP-|
00000500  0d 48 45 52 27 53 20 51  55 45 53 54 20 68 61 73  |.HER'S QUEST has|
00000510  20 74 68 65 20 6e 6f 74  6f 72 69 6f 75 73 20 47  | the notorious G|
00000520  61 72 64 65 6e 20 6f 66  20 45 64 65 6e 2c 20 77  |arden of Eden, w|
00000530  68 65 72 65 20 74 68 65  20 73 65 72 70 65 6e 74  |here the serpent|
00000540  20 76 65 72 79 0d 70 65  72 73 75 61 73 69 76 65  | very.persuasive|
00000550  6c 79 20 6f 66 66 65 72  73 20 74 68 65 20 70 6c  |ly offers the pl|
00000560  61 79 65 72 20 61 6c 6c  20 73 6f 72 74 73 20 6f  |ayer all sorts o|
00000570  66 20 72 65 77 61 72 64  73 20 69 66 20 68 65 20  |f rewards if he |
00000580  77 69 6c 6c 20 65 61 74  20 74 68 65 0d 61 70 70  |will eat the.app|
00000590  6c 65 20 6f 6e 20 74 68  65 20 74 72 65 65 2e 20  |le on the tree. |
000005a0  46 69 6e 61 6c 6c 79 20  74 68 65 20 73 6e 61 6b  |Finally the snak|
000005b0  65 20 73 61 79 73 20 22  44 6f 20 49 20 68 61 76  |e says "Do I hav|
000005c0  65 20 74 6f 20 73 70 65  6c 6c 20 69 74 20 6f 75  |e to spell it ou|
000005d0  74 20 66 6f 72 0d 79 6f  75 3f 20 59 6f 75 27 72  |t for.you? You'r|
000005e0  65 20 69 6e 20 45 44 45  4e 21 22 20 54 68 65 20  |e in EDEN!" The |
000005f0  64 69 72 65 63 74 69 6f  6e 73 20 45 2d 44 2d 45  |directions E-D-E|
00000600  2d 4e 20 6d 61 79 20 62  65 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20  |-N may be found |
00000610  68 65 6c 70 66 75 6c 20  68 65 72 65 2e 0d 20 20  |helpful here..  |
00000620  20 41 6e 6f 74 68 65 72  20 63 6f 6e 76 65 6e 74  | Another convent|
00000630  69 6f 6e 20 69 73 20 74  68 65 20 52 75 73 74 79  |ion is the Rusty|
00000640  20 52 6f 64 20 28 73 6f  6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73 20  | Rod (sometimes |
00000650  77 69 74 68 20 61 20 73  74 61 72 20 6f 6e 20 74  |with a star on t|
00000660  68 65 20 0d 65 6e 64 29  2e 20 49 6e 20 76 61 72  |he .end). In var|
00000670  69 6f 75 73 20 67 61 6d  65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20  |ious games that |
00000680  62 65 63 6f 6d 65 73 20  61 20 6d 61 67 69 63 20  |becomes a magic |
00000690  77 61 6e 64 2c 20 61 20  6d 6f 72 6e 69 6e 67 20  |wand, a morning |
000006a0  73 74 61 72 20 28 74 68  65 0d 77 65 61 70 6f 6e  |star (the.weapon|
000006b0  29 2c 20 61 20 63 72 6f  77 62 61 72 2c 20 61 6e  |), a crowbar, an|
000006c0  20 65 6c 65 63 74 72 69  63 61 6c 20 63 6f 6e 64  | electrical cond|
000006d0  75 63 74 6f 72 2e 2e 2e  0d 20 20 20 48 6f 77 20  |uctor....   How |
000006e0  6d 75 63 68 20 63 6f 6d  62 61 74 20 64 6f 20 79  |much combat do y|
000006f0  6f 75 20 70 75 74 20 69  6e 20 61 6e 20 61 64 76  |ou put in an adv|
00000700  65 6e 74 75 72 65 20 67  61 6d 65 3f 20 43 4f 4c  |enture game? COL|
00000710  4f 53 53 41 4c 20 43 41  56 45 20 68 61 73 0d 74  |OSSAL CAVE has.t|
00000720  68 65 20 64 77 61 72 76  65 73 20 28 61 6e 64 20  |he dwarves (and |
00000730  74 68 65 20 70 6c 61 79  65 72 20 68 61 73 20 61  |the player has a|
00000740  20 6e 6f 6e 7a 65 72 6f  20 70 72 6f 62 61 62 69  | nonzero probabi|
00000750  6c 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20  62 65 69 6e 67 20 6b 69  |lity of being ki|
00000760  6c 6c 65 64 0d 77 68 61  74 65 76 65 72 20 68 65  |lled.whatever he|
00000770  20 64 6f 65 73 29 2e 20  49 6e 20 41 43 48 45 54  | does). In ACHET|
00000780  4f 4e 20 74 68 65 72 65  20 69 73 20 61 20 6c 69  |ON there is a li|
00000790  74 74 6c 65 20 67 72 65  65 6e 2d 65 79 65 64 20  |ttle green-eyed |
000007a0  69 64 6f 6c 20 28 63 66  2e 20 74 68 65 0d 66 61  |idol (cf. the.fa|
000007b0  6d 6f 75 73 20 70 6f 65  6d 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20  |mous poem about |
000007c0  61 20 6f 6e 65 2d 65 79  65 64 20 79 65 6c 6c 6f  |a one-eyed yello|
000007d0  77 20 69 64 6f 6c 20 74  6f 20 74 68 65 20 6e 6f  |w idol to the no|
000007e0  72 74 68 20 6f 66 20 4b  68 61 74 6d 61 6e 64 75  |rth of Khatmandu|
000007f0  29 2c 20 0d 77 68 69 63  68 20 77 68 65 6e 20 72  |), .which when r|
00000800  6f 62 62 65 64 20 6f 66  20 69 74 73 20 65 79 65  |obbed of its eye|
00000810  20 63 6f 6d 65 73 20 62  61 63 6b 20 66 6f 72 20  | comes back for |
00000820  76 65 6e 67 65 61 6e 63  65 3a 20 61 6e 64 20 69  |vengeance: and i|
00000830  66 20 74 68 65 20 70 6c  61 79 65 72 0d 69 73 20  |f the player.is |
00000840  75 6e 6c 75 63 6b 79 20  68 65 20 77 69 6c 6c 20  |unlucky he will |
00000850  67 65 74 20 69 74 21 20  4d 55 44 20 6f 66 20 63  |get it! MUD of c|
00000860  6f 75 72 73 65 20 63 6f  6e 74 61 69 6e 73 20 6c  |ourse contains l|
00000870  61 72 67 65 20 65 6c 65  6d 65 6e 74 73 20 6f 66  |arge elements of|
00000880  20 0d 63 6f 6d 62 61 74  2c 20 61 73 20 64 6f 65  | .combat, as doe|
00000890  73 20 74 68 65 20 6f 72  69 67 69 6e 61 6c 20 46  |s the original F|
000008a0  61 6e 74 61 73 79 20 67  61 6d 65 2e 20 4d 59 53  |antasy game. MYS|
000008b0  54 49 43 20 57 4f 4f 44  20 61 6e 64 20 53 4f 52  |TIC WOOD and SOR|
000008c0  43 45 52 45 52 27 53 0d  43 41 56 45 20 68 61 76  |CERER'S.CAVE hav|
000008d0  65 20 62 65 65 6e 20 63  6f 6d 70 75 74 65 72 69  |e been computeri|
000008e0  73 65 64 2c 20 61 6e 64  20 6d 61 6b 65 20 61 6d  |sed, and make am|
000008f0  75 73 69 6e 67 20 22 48  61 63 6b 2d 61 6e 64 2d  |using "Hack-and-|
00000900  53 6c 61 73 68 22 20 67  61 6d 65 73 2e 0d 20 20  |Slash" games..  |
00000910  20 43 6f 6d 62 61 74 20  73 79 73 74 65 6d 73 20  | Combat systems |
00000920  63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 72  75 64 69 6d 65 6e 74 61  |can be rudimenta|
00000930  72 79 20 6f 72 20 76 65  72 79 20 73 6f 70 68 69  |ry or very sophi|
00000940  73 74 69 63 61 74 65 64  20 69 6e 64 65 65 64 2e  |sticated indeed.|
00000950  20 59 6f 75 0d 63 61 6e  20 68 61 76 65 20 61 20  | You.can have a |
00000960  73 69 6d 70 6c 65 20 73  79 73 74 65 6d 20 77 68  |simple system wh|
00000970  65 72 65 20 74 68 65 20  70 6c 61 79 65 72 20 68  |ere the player h|
00000980  61 73 20 61 20 66 69 78  65 64 20 70 72 6f 62 61  |as a fixed proba|
00000990  62 69 6c 69 74 79 20 6f  66 0d 77 69 6e 6e 69 6e  |bility of.winnin|
000009a0  67 20 61 20 62 61 74 74  6c 65 2c 20 72 69 67 68  |g a battle, righ|
000009b0  74 20 75 70 20 74 6f 20  61 20 66 75 6c 6c 20 73  |t up to a full s|
000009c0  69 6d 75 6c 61 74 69 6f  6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65  |imulation of the|
000009d0  20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20  69 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 0d  | system in some.|
000009e0  52 6f 6c 65 20 50 6c 61  79 69 6e 67 20 47 61 6d  |Role Playing Gam|
000009f0  65 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 44  55 4e 47 45 4f 4e 53 20  |e like DUNGEONS |
00000a00  41 4e 44 20 44 52 41 47  4f 4e 53 20 6f 72 20 52  |AND DRAGONS or R|
00000a10  55 4e 45 51 55 45 53 54  2e 0d 20 20 20 53 6f 20  |UNEQUEST..   So |
00000a20  77 68 65 72 65 20 64 6f  65 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 67  |where does one g|
00000a30  65 74 20 69 64 65 61 73  20 66 6f 72 20 70 75 7a  |et ideas for puz|
00000a40  7a 6c 65 73 3f 20 54 68  65 20 61 6e 73 77 65 72  |zles? The answer|
00000a50  20 69 73 2c 20 61 6c 6d  6f 73 74 0d 61 6e 79 77  | is, almost.anyw|
00000a60  68 65 72 65 2c 20 61 73  20 49 27 6c 6c 20 69 6e  |here, as I'll in|
00000a70  64 69 63 61 74 65 2e 0d  20 20 20 4f 6e 65 20 75  |dicate..   One u|
00000a80  73 65 66 75 6c 20 73 6f  75 72 63 65 20 69 73 20  |seful source is |
00000a90  6c 69 74 65 72 61 74 75  72 65 2e 20 4f 6e 65 20  |literature. One |
00000aa0  63 61 6e 20 70 69 6e 63  68 2c 20 49 20 6d 65 61  |can pinch, I mea|
00000ab0  6e 20 61 64 61 70 74 2c  20 61 6c 6c 0d 6d 61 6e  |n adapt, all.man|
00000ac0  6e 65 72 20 6f 66 20 63  6c 61 73 73 69 63 61 6c  |ner of classical|
00000ad0  20 74 68 65 6d 65 73 2e  20 54 68 65 20 53 77 6f  | themes. The Swo|
00000ae0  72 64 20 69 6e 20 74 68  65 20 53 74 6f 6e 65 20  |rd in the Stone |
00000af0  68 61 73 20 62 65 65 6e  20 75 73 65 64 20 69 6e  |has been used in|
00000b00  0d 6e 75 6d 65 72 6f 75  73 20 67 61 6d 65 73 20  |.numerous games |
00000b10  28 69 6e 20 43 4f 4c 4f  53 53 41 4c 20 43 41 56  |(in COLOSSAL CAV|
00000b20  45 20 79 6f 75 20 6e 65  65 64 20 74 68 65 20 73  |E you need the s|
00000b30  74 72 65 6e 67 74 68 20  74 6f 20 70 75 6c 6c 20  |trength to pull |
00000b40  69 74 20 6f 75 74 2c 0d  69 6e 20 51 55 4f 4e 44  |it out,.in QUOND|
00000b50  41 4d 20 69 74 20 62 72  65 61 6b 73 20 61 6e 64  |AM it breaks and|
00000b60  20 6e 65 65 64 73 20 72  65 70 61 69 72 69 6e 67  | needs repairing|
00000b70  2c 20 69 6e 20 43 52 4f  42 45 20 69 74 27 73 20  |, in CROBE it's |
00000b80  68 65 6c 64 20 69 6e 20  61 6e 20 61 6e 76 69 6c  |held in an anvil|
00000b90  0d 62 79 20 65 6c 65 63  74 72 6f 6d 61 67 6e 65  |.by electromagne|
00000ba0  74 69 73 6d 20 61 6e 64  20 79 6f 75 20 6e 65 65  |tism and you nee|
00000bb0  64 20 74 6f 20 62 72 65  61 6b 20 74 68 65 20 63  |d to break the c|
00000bc0  69 72 63 75 69 74 29 2e  20 54 68 65 20 41 6e 63  |ircuit). The Anc|
00000bd0  69 65 6e 74 20 0d 4d 61  72 69 6e 65 72 20 74 75  |ient .Mariner tu|
00000be0  72 6e 73 20 75 70 20 69  6e 20 50 48 49 4c 4f 53  |rns up in PHILOS|
00000bf0  4f 50 48 45 52 27 53 20  51 55 45 53 54 2c 20 61  |OPHER'S QUEST, a|
00000c00  6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20 65  6e 64 20 75 70 20 77 69  |nd you end up wi|
00000c10  74 68 20 61 6e 20 61 6c  62 61 2d 0d 74 72 6f 73  |th an alba-.tros|
00000c20  73 20 72 6f 75 6e 64 20  79 6f 75 72 20 6e 65 63  |s round your nec|
00000c30  6b 20 74 68 61 74 20 6e  65 65 64 73 20 72 65 6d  |k that needs rem|
00000c40  6f 76 69 6e 67 2e 20 54  68 65 20 48 75 6e 74 69  |oving. The Hunti|
00000c50  6e 67 20 6f 66 20 74 68  65 20 53 6e 61 72 6b 20  |ng of the Snark |
00000c60  70 72 6f 2d 0d 76 69 64  65 73 20 61 20 70 75 7a  |pro-.vides a puz|
00000c70  7a 6c 65 20 69 6e 20 48  41 4d 49 4c 2c 20 74 68  |zle in HAMIL, th|
00000c80  65 20 50 68 6f 65 6e 69  78 20 6c 65 67 65 6e 64  |e Phoenix legend|
00000c90  20 74 6f 20 46 59 4c 45  45 54 2e 0d 20 20 20 49  | to FYLEET..   I|
00000ca0  20 6f 6e 63 65 20 73 61  77 20 61 6e 20 6f 70 65  | once saw an ope|
00000cb0  72 61 20 28 61 20 52 75  73 73 69 61 6e 20 6f 6e  |ra (a Russian on|
00000cc0  65 2c 20 49 20 74 68 69  6e 6b 29 20 77 68 65 72  |e, I think) wher|
00000cd0  65 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e  65 20 66 69 6c 6c 65 64  |e someone filled|
00000ce0  20 61 0d 67 6f 6c 64 65  6e 20 62 6f 77 6c 20 77  | a.golden bowl w|
00000cf0  69 74 68 20 77 61 74 65  72 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61  |ith water and sa|
00000d00  77 20 61 20 76 69 73 69  6f 6e 2e 20 54 68 65 20  |w a vision. The |
00000d10  69 64 65 61 20 77 61 73  20 75 73 65 64 20 69 6e  |idea was used in|
00000d20  20 4d 55 52 44 41 43 2e  0d 4d 6f 73 65 73 20 61  | MURDAC..Moses a|
00000d30  6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 54  65 6e 20 43 6f 6d 6d 61  |nd the Ten Comma|
00000d40  6e 64 6d 65 6e 74 73 20  28 6f 72 2c 20 6d 6f 72  |ndments (or, mor|
00000d50  65 20 70 72 65 63 69 73  65 6c 79 2c 20 74 68 65  |e precisely, the|
00000d60  20 65 6c 65 76 65 6e 74  68 29 20 68 61 76 65 20  | eleventh) have |
00000d70  61 0d 72 6f 6c 65 20 74  6f 20 70 6c 61 79 20 69  |a.role to play i|
00000d80  6e 20 53 41 4e 47 52 41  41 4c 2c 20 61 73 20 64  |n SANGRAAL, as d|
00000d90  6f 20 45 64 67 61 72 20  41 6c 6c 61 6e 20 50 6f  |o Edgar Allan Po|
00000da0  65 27 73 20 52 61 76 65  6e 20 28 4e 65 76 65 72  |e's Raven (Never|
00000db0  6d 6f 72 65 29 20 61 6e  64 0d 53 68 65 6c 6c 65  |more) and.Shelle|
00000dc0  79 27 73 20 4f 7a 79 6d  61 6e 64 69 61 73 21 0d  |y's Ozymandias!.|
00000dd0  20 20 20 47 69 76 65 6e  20 61 6e 20 69 74 65 6d  |   Given an item|
00000de0  20 69 6e 20 61 20 67 61  6d 65 2c 20 6f 6e 65 20  | in a game, one |
00000df0  6f 66 74 65 6e 20 64 65  76 69 73 65 73 20 70 75  |often devises pu|
00000e00  7a 7a 6c 65 73 20 77 68  69 63 68 20 65 78 70 6c  |zzles which expl|
00000e10  6f 69 74 20 69 74 73 0d  76 61 72 69 6f 75 73 20  |oit its.various |
00000e20  70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c 65  20 75 73 65 73 2e 20 41  |possible uses. A|
00000e30  20 77 69 74 63 68 27 73  20 62 72 6f 6f 6d 20 63  | witch's broom c|
00000e40  61 6e 20 62 65 20 75 73  65 64 20 66 6f 72 20 73  |an be used for s|
00000e50  77 65 65 70 69 6e 67 20  74 68 65 20 0d 66 6c 6f  |weeping the .flo|
00000e60  6f 72 20 74 6f 20 65 78  70 6f 73 65 20 61 20 74  |or to expose a t|
00000e70  72 61 70 64 6f 6f 72 2e  20 41 20 64 75 73 74 65  |rapdoor. A duste|
00000e80  72 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65  20 61 20 62 61 6e 64 61  |r can be a banda|
00000e90  67 65 2c 20 61 20 63 6c  6f 74 68 2c 20 65 74 63  |ge, a cloth, etc|
00000ea0  2e 20 49 6e 0d 46 59 4c  45 45 54 20 74 68 65 72  |. In.FYLEET ther|
00000eb0  65 20 69 73 20 61 20 70  72 61 79 65 72 20 6d 61  |e is a prayer ma|
00000ec0  74 20 77 68 69 63 68 2c  20 77 68 65 6e 20 75 73  |t which, when us|
00000ed0  65 64 20 61 70 70 72 6f  70 72 69 61 74 65 6c 79  |ed appropriately|
00000ee0  2c 20 63 61 75 73 65 73  20 61 0d 6d 69 67 68 74  |, causes a.might|
00000ef0  79 20 77 69 6e 64 20 74  6f 20 61 72 69 73 65 2e  |y wind to arise.|
00000f00  20 54 68 69 73 20 63 61  6e 20 62 6c 6f 77 20 74  | This can blow t|
00000f10  68 69 6e 67 73 20 6f 75  74 20 6f 66 20 74 72 65  |hings out of tre|
00000f20  65 73 2c 20 64 69 73 70  65 72 73 65 20 66 6f 67  |es, disperse fog|
00000f30  2c 0d 61 6e 64 20 73 6f  20 6f 6e 2e 0d 20 20 20  |,.and so on..   |
00000f40  54 68 65 6d 61 74 69 63  20 70 75 7a 7a 6c 65 73  |Thematic puzzles|
00000f50  20 61 72 65 20 65 6e 6a  6f 79 61 62 6c 65 2c 20  | are enjoyable, |
00000f60  61 6e 64 20 79 6f 75 20  67 65 74 20 73 65 76 65  |and you get seve|
00000f70  72 61 6c 20 61 74 20 6f  6e 63 65 20 74 68 61 74  |ral at once that|
00000f80  20 77 61 79 2e 0d 53 41  4e 47 52 41 41 4c 20 68  | way..SANGRAAL h|
00000f90  61 73 20 74 77 6f 20 73  75 63 68 2e 20 46 69 72  |as two such. Fir|
00000fa0  73 74 20 74 68 65 72 65  20 69 73 20 61 20 27 53  |st there is a 'S|
00000fb0  65 76 65 6e 20 44 65 61  64 6c 79 20 53 69 6e 73  |even Deadly Sins|
00000fc0  27 20 61 72 65 61 2c 20  77 68 65 72 65 0d 74 68  |' area, where.th|
00000fd0  65 20 6f 62 6a 65 63 74  20 69 73 20 74 6f 20 63  |e object is to c|
00000fe0  6f 6d 6d 69 74 20 65 61  63 68 20 6f 66 20 74 68  |ommit each of th|
00000ff0  65 20 73 69 6e 73 20 69  6e 20 74 75 72 6e 20 2d  |e sins in turn -|
00001000  20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 73  6c 6f 74 68 66 75 6c 2c  | being slothful,|
00001010  20 62 65 69 6e 67 0d 67  6c 75 74 74 6f 6e 6f 75  | being.gluttonou|
00001020  73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73  6f 20 6f 6e 20 28 49 20  |s, and so on (I |
00001030  68 61 64 20 74 72 6f 75  62 6c 65 20 69 6d 70 6c  |had trouble impl|
00001040  65 6d 65 6e 74 69 6e 67  20 4c 75 73 74 20 69 6e  |ementing Lust in|
00001050  20 61 20 74 61 73 74 65  66 75 6c 20 0d 77 61 79  | a tasteful .way|
00001060  29 2e 20 49 74 20 61 6c  73 6f 20 68 61 73 20 61  |). It also has a|
00001070  20 4e 6f 61 68 27 73 20  41 72 6b 20 70 75 7a 7a  | Noah's Ark puzz|
00001080  6c 65 2c 20 77 68 65 72  65 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61  |le, where you ha|
00001090  76 65 20 74 6f 20 66 69  6e 64 20 61 6e 69 6d 61  |ve to find anima|
000010a0  6c 73 20 74 6f 0d 74 61  6b 65 20 74 6f 20 4e 6f  |ls to.take to No|
000010b0  61 68 3a 20 73 6c 6f 74  68 73 20 69 6e 20 74 72  |ah: sloths in tr|
000010c0  65 65 73 20 74 68 61 74  20 6e 65 65 64 20 77 61  |ees that need wa|
000010d0  6b 69 6e 67 2c 20 77 6f  6c 76 65 73 20 74 68 61  |king, wolves tha|
000010e0  74 20 61 72 65 20 74 6f  6f 0d 66 69 65 72 63 65  |t are too.fierce|
000010f0  20 74 6f 20 68 61 6e 64  6c 65 2c 20 74 69 65 64  | to handle, tied|
00001100  20 75 70 20 65 6d 75 73  20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74  | up emus that it|
00001110  20 73 65 65 6d 73 20 69  6d 70 6f 73 73 69 62 6c  | seems impossibl|
00001120  65 20 74 6f 20 66 72 65  65 2c 20 61 6e 64 0d 6f  |e to free, and.o|
00001130  74 68 65 72 73 21 0d 20  20 20 53 6f 6d 65 20 70  |thers!.   Some p|
00001140  75 7a 7a 6c 65 73 20 64  65 70 65 6e 64 20 63 72  |uzzles depend cr|
00001150  75 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20  6f 6e 20 74 69 6d 69 6e  |ucially on timin|
00001160  67 2e 20 41 43 48 45 54  4f 4e 20 68 61 73 20 73  |g. ACHETON has s|
00001170  65 76 65 72 61 6c 20 73  75 63 68 3a 20 61 0d 67  |everal such: a.g|
00001180  69 61 6e 74 20 77 68 6f  20 73 74 6f 6d 70 73 20  |iant who stomps |
00001190  61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 69  6e 20 61 20 72 65 67 75  |around in a regu|
000011a0  6c 61 72 20 70 61 74 68  20 28 61 6e 64 20 77 69  |lar path (and wi|
000011b0  6c 6c 20 63 72 75 73 68  20 79 6f 75 20 69 66 20  |ll crush you if |
000011c0  79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 0d  69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77  |you are.in the w|
000011d0  72 6f 6e 67 20 61 72 65  61 20 61 74 20 74 68 65  |rong area at the|
000011e0  20 77 72 6f 6e 67 20 74  69 6d 65 29 3b 20 74 68  | wrong time); th|
000011f0  65 20 6d 75 6d 6d 79 20  59 65 6c 6b 61 20 4f 65  |e mummy Yelka Oe|
00001200  6b 69 6d 20 77 68 6f 20  6d 75 73 74 0d 65 71 75  |kim who must.equ|
00001210  61 6c 6c 79 20 62 65 20  65 76 61 64 65 64 20 28  |ally be evaded (|
00001220  74 68 65 20 73 6f 6c 75  74 69 6f 6e 73 20 61 72  |the solutions ar|
00001230  65 20 64 69 66 66 65 72  65 6e 74 21 29 3b 20 61  |e different!); a|
00001240  20 6e 6f 74 6f 72 69 6f  75 73 20 73 6e 61 6b 65  | notorious snake|
00001250  20 6d 61 7a 65 0d 77 68  69 63 68 20 79 6f 75 20  | maze.which you |
00001260  63 61 6e 20 65 78 70 6c  6f 72 65 20 77 68 69 6c  |can explore whil|
00001270  65 20 74 68 65 20 73 6e  61 6b 65 73 20 61 72 65  |e the snakes are|
00001280  20 61 73 6c 65 65 70 2c  20 62 75 74 20 77 68 69  | asleep, but whi|
00001290  63 68 20 79 6f 75 20 6d  75 73 74 0d 61 63 74 69  |ch you must.acti|
000012a0  76 61 74 65 20 6c 61 74  65 72 2c 20 72 69 73 6b  |vate later, risk|
000012b0  69 6e 67 20 61 74 74 61  63 6b 20 66 72 6f 6d 20  |ing attack from |
000012c0  74 68 65 20 73 6e 61 6b  65 73 2c 20 69 6e 20 6f  |the snakes, in o|
000012d0  72 64 65 72 20 74 6f 20  6c 69 62 65 72 61 74 65  |rder to liberate|
000012e0  20 74 68 65 0d 74 72 65  61 73 75 72 65 2e 20 41  | the.treasure. A|
000012f0  6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 65  78 61 6d 70 6c 65 20 69  |nother example i|
00001300  73 20 43 52 4f 42 45 27  73 20 73 68 69 70 20 77  |s CROBE's ship w|
00001310  72 65 63 6b 69 6e 67 3a  20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76  |recking: you hav|
00001320  65 20 74 6f 20 6c 65 74  20 73 6f 6d 65 0d 70 69  |e to let some.pi|
00001330  72 61 74 65 73 20 74 61  6b 65 20 6f 76 65 72 20  |rates take over |
00001340  61 20 73 68 69 70 2c 20  74 68 65 6e 20 73 68 6f  |a ship, then sho|
00001350  77 20 61 20 66 61 6c 73  65 20 6c 69 67 68 74 20  |w a false light |
00001360  74 6f 20 67 75 69 64 65  20 74 68 65 6d 20 6f 6e  |to guide them on|
00001370  74 6f 20 74 68 65 0d 72  6f 63 6b 73 21 0d 20 20  |to the.rocks!.  |
00001380  20 53 6f 6d 65 20 70 75  7a 7a 6c 65 73 20 63 6f  | Some puzzles co|
00001390  6d 65 20 6e 61 74 75 72  61 6c 6c 79 20 61 6e 64  |me naturally and|
000013a0  20 74 68 65 20 61 64 76  65 6e 74 75 72 65 20 77  | the adventure w|
000013b0  72 69 74 65 72 20 61 6c  73 6f 20 68 61 73 20 74  |riter also has t|
000013c0  6f 0d 73 74 72 75 67 67  6c 65 20 74 6f 20 66 69  |o.struggle to fi|
000013d0  6e 64 20 61 20 73 6f 6c  75 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 46  |nd a solution. F|
000013e0  6f 72 20 65 78 61 6d 70  6c 65 2c 20 69 6e 20 74  |or example, in t|
000013f0  68 65 20 62 61 72 6e 20  69 6e 20 46 59 4c 45 45  |he barn in FYLEE|
00001400  54 2c 20 61 6e 20 0d 61  6e 69 6d 61 74 65 64 20  |T, an .animated |
00001410  77 68 69 74 65 20 73 68  65 65 74 20 64 65 73 63  |white sheet desc|
00001420  65 6e 64 73 20 6f 6e 20  79 6f 75 20 61 6e 64 20  |ends on you and |
00001430  73 6d 6f 74 68 65 72 73  20 79 6f 75 3a 20 69 74  |smothers you: it|
00001440  20 77 61 73 20 6d 79 20  77 69 66 65 27 73 0d 69  | was my wife's.i|
00001450  64 65 61 20 74 68 61 74  20 74 68 65 20 70 6c 61  |dea that the pla|
00001460  79 65 72 20 73 68 6f 75  6c 64 20 77 65 61 72 20  |yer should wear |
00001470  61 20 73 70 69 6b 79 20  54 65 75 74 6f 6e 69 63  |a spiky Teutonic|
00001480  20 68 65 6c 6d 65 74 20  74 6f 20 70 72 6f 74 65  | helmet to prote|
00001490  63 74 20 68 69 6d 2d 0d  73 65 6c 66 2e 20 45 6c  |ct him-.self. El|
000014a0  73 65 77 68 65 72 65 20  49 20 6e 65 65 64 65 64  |sewhere I needed|
000014b0  20 61 20 6f 6e 65 2d 77  61 79 20 65 78 69 74 20  | a one-way exit |
000014c0  74 6f 20 61 76 6f 69 64  20 74 68 65 20 70 6c 61  |to avoid the pla|
000014d0  79 65 72 20 72 65 74 75  72 6e 69 6e 67 20 0d 74  |yer returning .t|
000014e0  68 65 20 77 61 79 20 68  65 27 64 20 62 65 65 6e  |he way he'd been|
000014f0  2e 20 54 68 65 20 62 61  72 6e 20 6e 61 74 75 72  |. The barn natur|
00001500  61 6c 6c 79 20 73 75 67  67 65 73 74 65 64 20 61  |ally suggested a|
00001510  20 62 61 6c 65 20 6f 66  20 68 61 79 2c 20 64 6f  | bale of hay, do|
00001520  77 6e 20 6f 6e 74 6f 0d  77 68 69 63 68 20 74 68  |wn onto.which th|
00001530  65 20 70 6c 61 79 65 72  20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 6a  |e player could j|
00001540  75 6d 70 2e 0d 20 20 20  46 69 6e 61 6c 6c 79 2c  |ump..   Finally,|
00001550  20 74 68 65 72 65 20 61  72 65 20 70 6c 65 6e 74  | there are plent|
00001560  79 20 6f 66 20 63 6f 6e  76 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 61  |y of conventiona|
00001570  6c 20 70 75 7a 7a 6c 65  73 20 77 68 69 63 68 20  |l puzzles which |
00001580  63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 70  75 74 0d 69 6e 74 6f 20  |can be put.into |
00001590  61 64 76 65 6e 74 75 72  65 20 73 65 74 74 69 6e  |adventure settin|
000015a0  67 73 2e 20 41 20 66 65  77 20 65 78 61 6d 70 6c  |gs. A few exampl|
000015b0  65 73 20 77 69 6c 6c 20  62 65 20 66 6f 75 6e 64  |es will be found|
000015c0  20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20  66 69 6e 61 6c 20 70 61  | in the final pa|
000015d0  72 74 0d 6f 66 20 74 68  69 73 20 61 72 74 69 63  |rt.of this artic|
000015e0  6c 65 2e 0d 0d 54 68 69  73 20 61 72 74 69 63 6c  |le...This articl|
000015f0  65 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e  75 65 64 20 69 6e 20 56  |e continued in V|
00001600  2e 2b 41 56 41 52 54 34  2e 20 46 69 72 73 74 20  |.+AVART4. First |
00001610  70 75 62 6c 69 73 68 65  64 20 45 55 47 20 23 35  |published EUG #5|
00001620  34 2e 0d                                          |4..|
00001623
V/+AVART3.m0
V/+AVART3.m1
V/+AVART3.m2
V/+AVART3.m4
V/+AVART3.m5

© Dominic Ford 2021–2024.

Our privacy policy is here.
Last updated: 28 Jul 2024, 23:31 UTC
Website designed by .