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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 » Greaseweazled » adfs_EUG_54.adf |
| Filename: | V/+AVART3 |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 1623 bytes |
| Load address: | 2B204556 |
| Exec address: | 52415641 |
Duplicates
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- AEW website » eug » eug_3_5_discs_Eug-54_A-EUG54.adf » V/+AVART3
- AEW website » eug » eug_5_25_discs_Eug-54_D-EUG54.dsd » V.+AVART3
- Personal collection » Acorn ADFS disks » Electron_User_Group » EUG_54.ADF » V/+AVART3
- Personal collection » Acorn ADFS disks » Greaseweazled » adfs_EUG_54.adf » V/+AVART3
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
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