(C) V. Ovechkin
CROSSROADS DRAGONS
(Chapter from book)
Continued. Start see the ZX
REVIEW 1997 NN 1-2, 3-4.
Adventures Magic Knight
In this chapter we will discuss
a series of independent programs the company Mastertronic,
united by the common man - Magic Knight Yussom Piskesom (Magic
Knight Uss Pisces). Surely you have met at least one of these
four games:
1. SPELLBOUND 1985
2. FINDERS KEEPERS 1985
3. KNIGHT TYME 1986
4. STORMBRINGER 1987
Besides the general character, they share a great schedule,
one The same author, a huge number of challenging puzzles
associated with finding and using a variety of subjects, and a
very complex operation with multi- menu. Of the total picture
of a few fall program Finders Keepers, but this story goes
later.
I want to warn that the program has Speellbound
"Double" - the same name arcade game company Beyond Software,
which has nothing to do
(Except, of course, the title) with
our series. First I came upon a program of Stormbringer, so the
promotion of the show it started with her. Others
program has seen much later, when they were
described in the literature on the Spectrum. Repeat the work
already done someone working there has no meaning, and
although not resist and play
the game was simply impossible,
describe in full do
not worth it, considering also
the fact that the management all
games are very similar, and themselves better adventures and
correct left to share players. That is so and it turned out
that most fully described in this book was the last game of the
series - Stormbringer, and mini-descriptions
other games, there were references to
her. I hope you do not become too large, the pridavt
this inconvenience, and
it does not hide from you the beauty and
beauty of all four programs.
SPELLBOUND (Enchanted)
1985, Mastertronic
Mag-educated Gimbel (Gimbal)
Again mischief his sorcery. Somehow, no one knows a spell, he
tied together the fate of Magic Knight destinies of other
people, the characters of fairy tales and legends, ghosts and
even the gods. And now you have to unravel this incredible
ball, and unravel the carefully so that all the characters were
in their own (it was his!) spatial and temporal zones.
But the first thing to do is to save itself Gimbela,
who managed, by all
the same ignorance and carelessness, to fall into another
his spell, and now that
and look, completely melted in
embrace of black magic.
Author of David Jones
(David Jones) did a really good game, full of adventure and
mystery! Each of the characters inhabiting it has its unique,
not always pleasing to the surrounding nature and the habits
acquired in the time and place, benefited from his magic
Gimbela. Here only those who have already had to deal with
other programs of the David Jones (for example, with the game
Stormbringer), some face for sure
seem suspiciously familiar - yes, the way it is: when
all variety of fates and characters of the appearance of some
character remains unchanged
from the game in the game. Well, just have to program this
small drawback.
Equally similar and remained
very complicated control system with multi-
menu, but it is not weakness
On the contrary - the dignity of the program, as those of you
who already faced with the games of David
Jones would feel in this
adventyure like fish in water. But
Do not think that all management
remains unchanged at 100%.
No, change is inevitable - they
caused by many circumstances, and especially differences
scripting programs, which means that
those actions that make the characters in the game. But
I personally manage Spellbound
Like much more than managing all of the same Stormbringer, if
for no other reason that in all the menus of the first game
included "hot keys", exempt from the requirement to run all
over the menu in search of the desired command.
In order not to repeat one and the
a few times, let's restrict this description several
recommendations for the passage of the game, and those who will
not be enough, we advise to apply to the journal ZX-Review for
the 1991. There on page 220
You can find a brief description of all characters, descriptions
some items and even presentation of a possible debut game.
Characters in the game. The program
them, apart from the Magic Knight
- Eight: here and disembodied spirit
Banshee (The Banshee), and the legendary strongman Samson
(Samsun The Strong), and one of the main gods of Norse
mythology, Thor (Thor), and half-elf Elrand (Elrand Halfelven),
and ... To time and for all deal with them with
everyone is very helpful to make a table. This will allow you
not only always have on hand
characteristics of the characters, but also
know who and what and if you want to get. Please note that the
game should always monitor the state of not only the Magic
Knights, but also some minor characters. So, the mighty God
thunder storms and fertility, Tor Once in an unfamiliar
environment and Having lost his hammer, began to
so helpless, that his
have to constantly feed and
water, otherwise it dies from starvation, depriving your
ability to to continue the game. Try
get rid of him, having found and returning him to the magic
hammer. Otherwise we will not see you peace of mind, torn
between his pressing affairs and the need to feed the Torah.
Subjects. Here, too, it is desirable
have a table, as subjects
a lot and remember that where lies
and which may require,
not easy. List items can have something like this
form:
LIST OF ITEMS
Advert
Properties subject:
Weight - 1 (usl. units)
Opportunity to quit - there is
Ability to read - there is
Magic Power - 0
Do you have from the outset. Gives information about the
author programs and advises to buy
Game Finders Keepers. You can just throw it away.
Glowing Bottle (a bright
bottle)
Properties subject:
Weight - 1 (usl. units)
Opportunity to quit - no
Ability to read - there is
Magic Power - 0
Located on the second floor
Greenhouse (The Plant Room). On
label reads "Bubbly Lemonade" with the addition of radium.
Allows keep up the conversation in any company. But do not
believe your eyes - in bottle is not lemonade, but the spirit
Banshee (The Banshee). His (or her? - With
spirits in this regard there is some difficulty) can be
released, throwing the bottle. But do not do it before the
screen pass The Little Bottle - light emitted by the bottle,
will you survive in this room where otherwise worthless break
the neck.
Mirror (Mirror)
Properties subject:
Weight - 1 (usl. units)
Opportunity to quit - there is
Ability to read - no
Magic Power - 0
Located in the screen The Odd-Ball
(Strange ball).
If you obzavedetes this
subject, in the lower part of the game screen appears ruler
characterizes the Force (Strength)
Magical Knight. In addition,
there appear images of your existing items (up to five
which corresponds to the "duty" Knight). That and other
information are very useful for the player, so it makes sense
to wear mirror with him and throw him
only when absolutely necessary.
Red Herring (Red Herring)
Properties subject:
Weight - 1 (usl. units)
Opportunity to quit - there is
Ability to read - there is
Magic Power - 25
Located in the screen The L-shaped Room (L-shaped room).
Gives a few tips:
1. Two of the most useful
subject can be found in the garden
roof (Roof Garden).
2. Some kind of bottle can be helpful, if you give her
Florine, and then take it back (thanks to the magic power of
Florin).
3. Read the inscription on the key.
Teleport Key (teleportation
key)
Properties subject:
Weight - 1 (usl. units)
Opportunity to quit - there is
Ability to read - there is
Magic Power - 0
Located in the starting room
(The Start Room). Provides
move to the location
teleport pad (Teleport Pad). On the way there is a symbol of
ING-Yang.
Teleport Pad (teleportation
mat)
Properties subject:
Weight - 20 (usl. units)
Opportunity to quit - there is
Ability to read - there is
Magic Power - 0
Located in a greenhouse (The
Plant Room). Can move
it in any place it considers necessary for the immediate move
into it. You can only use the pad having key teleport (Teleport
Key). Rug is made in China in 6000 BC Copyrights are owned by
Lao Tze Inka.
Table are quite
great, but do not take it
Labour, you'll see - it will pay off handsomely. And do not be
lazy to read everything that is written on subjects - sometimes
benefit from This extract does not succeed, but it certainly
will not miss valuable clues, without which the game difficult
to pass through.
A few words about those things, without which it will simply
not do when communicating with others
characters in the game. First of all,
a magic wand (Command
Wand). It can be found in most
Right-floor location The Roof
Garden. Try to keep this
thing fell into your hands as soon as possible, since only with
its can be used to give orders to other characters, and thus as
something to control them action.
Another very important subject - the horn Elves (Elf-horn).
Blow it, and nearby
desired character appears.
Only, alas, the reliability of
horn is not too high - that way 50 percent, not higher. In
other cases, the cause of which program you need will tell the
characters on a magic horn summons are not. Be sure to include
this in their actions.
Team. Menu of available commands quite extensive and it
depends on available to the Magic Knight
objects and places where it is. Runs the command is similar to
that described in Stormbringer, that is, through
several successive menu
but it is very convenient that all the menus have a "hot" keys,
which are indicated next to each team. Those who have long had
a deal with adventyurnymi programs
can not make a list of commands, they are quite accustomed.
But for beginners it is desirable to look at the description of
the game Stormbringer and do something like references therein
table.
Separate check for himself the
commands that can be given
other characters. Such commands
very little and are likely to be a list of them will be no need
for beginners no aces, but have an idea
about the range of these teams have
required.
Map - not required, but
desirable. The action takes place
on seven floors of the castle Gimbela,
each of the floors - a minimum of 8
screens. Hence, a total of 56 screens (after
there is a lift and possibly some other location, do not fit
into a two-dimensional figure). In this vast game space is
scattered mass of objects and wandering (or stands and sleeps)
eight characters - in this situation it is convenient to have
all the same before the eyes of a sheet of paper on which a 56
rectangles (7 floors to 8 screens) will be written the names of
locations and objects held in them. Produce such a plan to
force even beginners, and the benefits from it will be even the
most experienced.
Tips. First of all, the inscriptions on the objects - about
the benefits that can be extracted from them,
already mentioned. We note here
Only one very special
object - a crystal ball (Crystall Ball). The dream of every
magician to acquire such an item: in our case the ball, first,
to determine where is a particular character,
and secondly, gives a lot of very useful tips, read
which must be true, rather
carefully, otherwise it is difficult sometimes
understanding consist in them hints and omissions.
Tips can also be obtained from
Banshee, but they are often no less vague and mysterious than
the inscription on the crystal ball.
Time. The entire mission you play 48 hours a conditional
game time, so once again remind you that you should not ignore
such trifles as a list items, the card game, features the
characters. Yes, because Then you will inevitably lose no
one game, but eventually
still win. But attempts
cope with the program without any prior preparation was doomed
to fail in 98% of cases. Well, while the remaining 2%? Let's
pushing them to share a very, very, very lucky
people with a phenomenal memory and
unlimited overbearing, but they are in their five hundred, and
even thousandth of an attempt to reach an
victory, did not make any marks on the memory.
Given the limited time we have with you "visual aids" will
give you his savings also due to the fact that, by expanding
them around you can be at leisure (not even including the
computer) to work the whole game, "and from up "to finally
return to places beyond measure exhausted you and your Speccy
characters Spellbound.
