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Today we present to your attention the game "SWORDS & SORCERY", in the D&D genre. It was created by the company "MIDAS" quite a while ago, but this game did not gain wide distribution in our country due to its "unfamiliar" controls and complex menu system. It is a pity that such a masterpiece did not receive enough attention - after all, the authors have done a tremendous job, resulting in the effect of "immersion in the virtual world" of the game.
You will surely be pleasantly surprised by the abundance of various weapons that you can use, magical spells that you will learn, and treasures that you will find during the game. Add to this the three-dimensional graphics, a whole army of monsters, a cascade of secrets and puzzles, and the game "SWORDS & SORCERY" will present itself to you in all its glory.
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Dmitry Usmanov, 1995.
SWORDS & SORCERY
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PSS
Before discussing the features of the game, let's figure out the controls. It is completely non-standard and may initially scare away novice players. All program control is done with six keys:
"1" - turn counterclockwise.
"2" - move forward.
"3" - turn clockwise.
"8" - left in the menu.
"9" - select option.
"0" - right in the menu.
At first, it will be a bit inconvenient to control, but then you will quickly get used to it, and soon this control will seem the simplest and most natural for this game.
It should be noted that you can only turn in the game while standing in the center of the floor tile, so don’t be surprised if, after pressing the "1" or "3" keys, your hero moves slightly forward (this is related to the three-dimensional graphics in the program).
When the game loads, you will see the main menu in front of you - a line at the bottom of the screen. A blinking arrow on the right or left means that the menu line continues in that direction.
By moving the red marker over the options, you will be able to see them all:
1. DEFAULT GAME
2. LOAD GAME
3. NEW CHARACTER
Let's consider these options:
1. DEFAULT GAME (pre-configured game). This option allows you to perform a "quick start" - you immediately find yourself in the game, controlling a character named FLUBBIT THE DULL. This character is more inclined to physical combat, using traditional types of weapons, and is not strong in magic, having all the necessary equipment for a warrior.
This option is good if you want to quickly familiarize yourself with the game, but if you decide to take it seriously, you will first have to train your character (more on that later).
2. LOAD GAME - load a saved state. This can only be done from this menu, which appears only once, at the beginning of the game.
3. NEW CHARACTER (new character) - allows you to choose a hero and develop him to your liking.
When you select this option, you will be prompted to enter the name of the future adventurer. The name is entered directly from the keyboard, with a maximum of 16 letters. If you press "ENTER" immediately, your hero will be named FLUBBIT THE DULL.
After you choose a name, you will be offered the services of 12 teachers who can train you for 14 days. Each new day you will choose a mentor who will develop certain qualities in your hero.
Here is what different teachers teach:
YAMA - The god of death in Indian mythology, Yama can teach you the secrets of death. This teaching does not affect the Magical Numbers (which we will discuss later), but in my opinion, it helps to defeat enemies more successfully in battle.
BOG - this mentor will teach you how to handle a sword. The sword is the most formidable weapon in the entire game, so you should devote a solid amount of time to training with BOG.
SCRAG - this teacher will show you combat techniques with a spear. If you decide to choose a sword as your weapon, this skill will not be very necessary for you.
GROL - will teach you how to make an ordinary staff a formidable weapon against enemies. Such a skill will be especially needed by wizards, however, in the game, there is an opportunity to act separately in magic and combat, so this knowledge is not your main one either.
IVA VESTOV - he will help you strengthen your health and develop physical strength.
VILLA will teach you the art of thievery. Unfortunately, even dedicating all fourteen days to this master, I still could not confidently pick locks and disarm traps. The main positive quality after training with VILLA is the simultaneous increase in agility and instincts.
JACK - increases agility. After completing his training course, you will be able to move significantly faster than your opponents. However, the more items you carry, the slower you will move.
GRIVES - will teach you etiquette, which is essential in social conversations. Perhaps because I did not pay enough attention to this subject in my time, my conversations with the inhabitants usually ended in nothing.
ISCATH - this master will teach you hand-to-hand combat. Sometimes punches are worth more than the most spectacular fencing techniques.
VERNA - will teach you to easily withstand opponents' blows. The maximum possible life energy will increase as a result.
MERLOCK - the most important teacher, in my opinion. He will reveal to you the secrets of magic, without which the path to victory becomes simply impossible.
HUBRIS - will work purposefully with you to develop instincts and premonitions.
The success of the entire endeavor will depend on which teacher you dedicate more time to. Pay attention to the font used in the program. Due to the abundance of decorations, it has become hard to read, especially easy to confuse the numbers "8" and "3". The difference is well noticeable right now when the remaining days until the end of training appear on the screen.
So, you have completed the training course of a young fighter and mage and can set off into the unknown. But before heading to the castle full of dangers, you will find yourself in a weapons shop, where you can choose your equipment. All calculations here are made in the local currency - dragon teeth. At first, you have a total of forty - enough to buy everything you need. In the shop, you will be offered:
SWORD - sword, it costs 20 dragon teeth (d.t.), the striking power of a regular sword is 6 units.
SPEAR - spear, only 9 d.t. Its striking power is 4 units.
STAFF - staff. It costs 16 d.t., and its striking power is also 4 units.
SHIELD - shield. It can be used in battle to deflect enemy blows. The shield costs 15 d.t.
ARMOUR - armor. You will have to pay all forty dragon teeth for it. The armor, despite its solid weight, significantly increases your defensive properties.
HELMET - for 7 d.t. you can buy a helmet. Unfortunately, this is clearly not your size (it doesn't fit), so it can only be worn as a decorative element.
GOLD - gold costs 20 d.t. But buying gold before heading into a castle full of treasures is at least foolish.
WINE - a bottle of the best wine for 5 d.t. Sometimes it greatly helps to quench thirst, but it is still not worth buying, as you can find more than one such bottle in the castle.
PIE - sweet pie for 8 d.t. There is very little food in the castle, so without good supplies, you are doomed to die of hunger.
An interesting feature of this shop is that the owner is willing to forgive you for a lack of money and give you goods for whatever you have left. Thus, you can buy armor for the last dragon tooth. If you don't have enough money for something - don't be upset, right nearby, in the castle, there are swords and wine - you don't have to buy everything here.
But now all preparations are complete, and you find yourself in a mysterious castle. This castle was built by a wizard named ZOB, to store his riches. To guard the treasures, he populated the castle with various monsters, set traps and chasms to destroy unfortunate wanderers. Your task is to collect most of the treasures, develop your abilities, and find a way out of the castle. Fortunately, an invisible guide who accompanies you in your wanderings through the castle gives you the chance to start life anew if you are killed. In this case, you will start the game from the starting point.
The screen in front of you is divided into five parts: the upper left - a three-dimensional image of everything you see with your own eyes. The upper right part is informational. Usually, it shows the map of the current sector (quadrant) of the castle, with a schematic representation of you, all discovered monsters, as well as all wandering creatures (initially there are none, but they will appear after your first death or moving to another quadrant). In addition, this part of the screen shows your status in "STATUS" mode, as well as your energy and the energy of the opponent in battles.
In the center is a scroll where some messages are displayed during the game, the names of the rooms you visit, conversations with other characters, etc.
Two lines below the scroll show what effect a particular weapon or magic has had. The line "NOW HOLDING" indicates the item currently in the hero's hands.
At the very bottom is the action window - a branched menu system that allows you to perform a wide variety of actions in the game.
The menu includes the following directions:
1. HIT
2. MAGIC
3. HANDLE
4. ACT
5. TALK
6. USE
1. HIT - to hit. This submenu allows you to start a fight by striking the opponent first. Entering it, you will be able to choose your type of attack and defense. First, the attack (ATTACK):
1.1.1. EXIT - exit to the main menu, saving the previously selected type of attack. (This option is included in absolutely all submenus, so I will not mention it further.)
1.1.2. PUNCH - punch. This option appears if you have no weapon in your hands and decide to fight hand-to-hand. As I noticed, punches are quite effective against snake-bodied creatures (you will encounter many varieties of such monsters). However, this method of attack is the least effective.
1.1.3. HACK - deliver a slashing blow with a weapon. It is difficult to dodge such a blow, but it often only leaves light scratches.
1.1.4. LUNGE - deliver a thrusting blow with a weapon. It is quite difficult to hit the opponent with such a thrust, but the wound will be serious.
In addition to these types of attacks, there are others, but they are used only by the inhabitants of the castle against you. These are:
1.1.5. BITE - bite. Used by beast-like monsters with heads of cats, snakes, etc. A snake bite is poisonous and can lead to dire consequences.
1.1.6. THRUST - the most terrifying blow I have ever seen. After such a thrust, I usually found myself skewered on the opponent's sword, like a piece of meat on a skewer, and this despite the shield and armor. Perhaps such a blow may appear in your menu over time if you achieve certain successes in the art of combat.
After choosing the type of attack, you will enter the defense selection menu:
1.2.1. STAND - stand still and do nothing. The enemy's attacks are not restrained in any way.
1.2.2. SHIELD - shield yourself - reduces the likelihood of being hit by weapons. This option only appears if a shield is worn on your arm.
1.2.3. RETREAT - back away. A character with this type of defense will try to back away from the opponent, which often ends very sadly.
1.2.4. ATTACK - attack, the best way to defend. In this mode, for every hit received, an adequate response is inflicted on the opponent, meaning that the same amount of energy is deducted from them. Therefore, often battles in this mode end with the death of both characters. The ATTACK mode does not work against bites.
1.2.5. DODGE - dodge the blow. Makes the use of thrusting attacks practically ineffective.
1.2.6. GRAPPLE - grapple. Makes it difficult to use weapons.
As in most other menus, you will not have such a variety of options at first.
However, as your skill increases, new and new possibilities will become available to you.
If you enter the "HIT" menu facing the enemy, and if the enemy attacks first, the game enters combat mode. (You will be informed of this with the phrase on the scroll "PREPARE TO BATTLE"). Instead of a map, the "MEELIE" (melee) table will appear on the screen. It is divided into two parts: the upper part displays your status, and the lower part - the status of the opponent (THE MONSTER). The table shows your life energy (HITS) and magical power (MAGIC). Below reflects information about the chosen defense (DEFENCE) and attack (ATTACK). You can observe the monster's energy and fighting style.
As you can easily notice, the inhabitants of the castle have the word "ATTACK" repeated three times, which means their ability to deliver three strikes in one round of battle. The numbering of strikes starts from zero, the current round is shown at the bottom left.
You always strike first. A description of its action appears at the bottom, for example, "HACK HITS" (the slashing blow hit the target) or "LUNGE MISSES" (the thrust missed). If the blow reaches the target, the consequences are indicated at the bottom right, for example:
HACK HITS AND WOUNDS - the blow inflicted a wound.
LUNGE HITS AND KILLS/AND SLAYS - the blow was fatal.
PUNCH HITS - A GLANCING BLOW - the blow passed by, leaving no serious wound.
Below, additional consequences of injuries inflicted by special weapons are displayed, for example: POISON! (POISON!), or DRAIN! (blood loss!). The effect of such a blow is noted at the bottom right:
FULL EFFECT - full impact;
EFFECT RESISTED - the action caused no harm.
After you strike, the right to strike passes to the opponent. If you are surrounded, then opponents from behind and the sides also strike. (In this case, the message "RIGHT /LEFT/REAR FOE HITS" appears). If you are attacked from behind, the combat mode does not activate, and the program writes: "REAR ATTACK!". Similarly, for attacks from the sides.
The battle continues until one of the combatants dies or until the distance between them increases (this is possible if one of them retreats). During the battle, you can simultaneously engage in other activities, such as helping yourself with magic or searching the room, etc.
2. MAGIC - this submenu allows you to use various spells in the game. Here are some of them:
2.1. FIREBOLT - fire bolt. Requires 5 units of magical power. If successful, it deducts 5 units of energy from the opponent.
2.2. HEAL - healing. Uses 6 units of magic. By using this spell, you add 10 units of life energy to yourself.
2.3. FEAR - fear. After successful processing with this spell, the opponent loses the ability to fight and often switches from ATTACK defense mode to RETREAT. Requires 6 units of magic.
2.4. CURE - healing. This spell helps to counteract the effects of poisons and substances causing hemophilia (blood loss). But it is powerless against festering cuts and the gangrene that develops from them. Therefore, it is better to reload the game if you receive a message like: "YOU HAVE TWO SLIME CUT OR THREE. YOU FEEL ABOMINABLE" (You have two or three festering cuts. You feel disgusted.)
2.5. PUSH - push. This spell requires 7 units of magic and allows you to push opponents without engaging them in battle. It does not work if the fight has already started. Often, if there is no free space behind the monster, its body becomes temporarily permeable, and you can pass right through the opponent.
2.6. ELECTROBOLT - electric bolt. Requires 7 units of magic and deducts the same amount of energy from the opponent. The spell works on most monsters, although there are some that are indifferent to any magical attacks.
2.7. WEAKNESS - weakness. Requires 7 units of magic and causes weakness in the target of the spell.
2.8. PARALYSE - paralyzes the victim, reducing their ability to move and attack.
The following spells are currently unavailable to me, but other inhabitants of the castle actively use them:
2.9. BLAST - explosion. Reduces life energy. Very powerful effect.
2.10. MISSILE - missile. The effect is similar to the previous one, although weaker.
2.11. SLOW - slow spell, reduces movement speed.
2.12. BLINDER - blinds, you can no longer see. To get rid of the effect of this spell, it is enough to turn your head left and right (although at that moment they may chop off your head).
2.13. STONE - a spell that causes paralysis in the victim. In general, after the effects of such spells, the hero often cannot move from the spot. To regain the ability to walk, enter pause mode (press "C.S."+"SPACE") and exit it. After that, paralysis usually passes.
The casting of combat spells is confirmed by some effect (lightning, flash, etc.). If it worked, the message "FULL EFFECT" appears at the bottom of the screen.
The casting of other spells is confirmed by a short sound effect.
If there is not enough magical power for a spell, you will hear a long sequence of various sounds.
3. HANDLE - in this submenu, all actions you perform with items without changing them are considered. This includes options such as:
3.1. PICK UP - pick up an item that is directly under you or in front of you. You cannot pick up containers that hold other items (with one exception - the chest in the fourth quadrant).
3.2. DROP - drop an item. A list of all the items you own will appear in front of you, except for the item you are holding. By selecting an item, you will drop it on the ground. This option is very important, as any item in the program has weight, which affects your ability to move quickly and jump.
3.3. WEAR - put on an item. Necessary for using shields, armor, etc. In addition, you can also wear various decorations - crowns, pendants, etc. The program allows the simultaneous wearing of several similar items, which increases their properties (for example, wearing three pieces of armor increases your defense threefold). An interesting fact: if you drop an item you are wearing, it is automatically removed. But if you pick it up again, it will be worn again.
3.4. TAKE OFF - take off an item. Often helps to increase movement speed.
3.5. HOLD - take an item in your hands. The item you are holding determines the range of your possible actions, alters attack, defense, and your status. Therefore, if you find a new unusual item, I recommend first trying to wear it, and then hold it to see how your status changes. Only in this way will you be able to distinguish ordinary items from magical and simply dangerous ones.
3.6. TAKE OUT - take an item out of a container. To perform this action, you need to stand next to an open or broken chest, bag, pouch, etc.
4. ACT - submenu of main actions, it includes the following options:
4.1. STATUS. When you select this option, a large informational table reflecting your main abilities will appear before you. Its upper part is almost indistinguishable from the reference window in battle mode - it also reflects your name, amount of life energy and magical power, as well as your method of defense and attack.
In a normal state, the energy and magic indicators gradually increase to certain values shown in the table below. This table is called "MAGIC NUMBERS" and is located below the previous messages. Each number in the table indicates the degree of development of a particular ability of yours. The numbers have no labels, so understanding their meanings had to be done through experience. Here is what I managed to find out:
Column 1, row 1: this number shows the degree of your susceptibility to missed strikes. The larger this number, the easier it is to endure hits. This indicator can be increased by wearing armor.
C.1,r.2: This number reflects your mastery in weapon handling. It increases after training with BOG, SCRAG, or GROL. The larger this number, the greater your ability to use additional types of attack and defense. The number will gradually increase with your combat experience.
C.1,r.3: This number characterizes your instincts. The larger this number, the earlier you will receive warnings about impending danger. For example: the entire castle is filled with pits, falling into which means certain death. If your instincts are well developed, as you approach a concealed pit, you will receive the message "YOU SENSE A PIT" ("You sense a pit"). Instincts also allow you to detect opponents outside your line of sight - a message appears, such as: "BEWARE BEHIND YOU" (Beware, behind you!). Unfortunately, instincts tend to decrease with the improvement of defense and magical abilities. Indeed, when a person possesses a whole series of deadly spells, and is also "packed" in powerful armor, it becomes difficult for them to hear their "inner voice." This indicator is developed by the teachers HUBRIS and VILLA.
K.1,r.4: This number shows the maximum limit to which your magical power can increase. It is this indicator that determines the number of spells available to you. To increase this number, you will have to engage in many battles with monsters and find the right application for certain magical items. The indicator can be increased by training with MERLOCK.
C.1,r.5: Here is reflected your degree of skill in hand-to-hand combat. The number increases if you train with ISCATH.
Column 2, row 1: This is the indicator of health and physical strength. If it reaches zero, you will die. This number decreases if you are bitten by a poisonous fang, struck by a poisoned sword, or cursed (in this case, you will read the message "YOU ARE CURSED").
Health can be significantly undermined if you handle magical items carelessly. After these events, strength gradually returns to its previous level. This number also increases with combat experience, and you can raise it by training with the teacher IVA VESTOV.
C.2,r.2: This number shows the power of the weapon in your hands. If it equals zero, the item you are holding is not a weapon. The strongest weapon is the magical sword. I discovered two such swords - in the first and second quadrants. Unfortunately, the first sword has a serious drawback - when you hold it, it reduces your fencing skill by 30 points.
C.2,r.4: The number here shows the maximum level to which life energy (HITS) can rise. Sometimes it is possible to exceed this level by using certain items. This number can be increased by studying with the master VERNA.
It remains unclear what the numbers N3 and N5 in the second column mean. Number five never changes, maintaining a value of 14. However, the third number changed only once, changing from 16 to 48. (At that time, I emptied a bottle of wine with cyanide. The program wisely noted that I did this completely in vain...)
As you can see, not all information is reflected in this table. You cannot discover your degree of hunger, weight of equipment, agility, dexterity, and much more from it.
But let's continue to get acquainted with the ACT submenu:
4.2. DISARM - disarm a trap. When attempting to open certain containers in the castle, magical traps may activate, which can cause you a lot of inconvenience - from curses to teleportation to another place in the maze. Often, when trying to open a chest, a small squad of cat-like monsters appears, with whom you will have to fight.
The DISARM option works on any trap in the room, even if you are not looking at it.
If all goes well, the program will inform you "TRAP DISARMED" (trap disarmed). Otherwise - "FAILED, A TRAP GOES OFF" (failed, the trap was triggered), and then - the effect it contained. There are also dummy traps that have no dangerous effects. If there are no traps in front of you, you will see the message "NOTHING HAPPENS" (nothing happened).
When disarming traps, keep in mind that some of them activate precisely when you attempt to neutralize them. How to act in each specific case is up to you.
4.3. PICK LOCK - pick a lock. I find this operation very, very rare. You can break the lock if you are faced with a locked chest. Moreover, even if you manage to unlock the lock, you still need to open the chest.
4.4. OPEN - to open chests (CHEST), as well as bags (SACK) and pouches (BAG). If you try to open a locked chest, a message will appear on the screen saying "IT'S LOCKED".
4.5. SMASH. A much more effective way to open chests is this command. One hit - and the lid shatters, allowing you to immediately take out the items. The option will not work if the chest in front of you is not locked. Thus, to obtain any item, you often need to perform a whole series of actions using the HANDLE and ACT menus, for example:
DISARM, SMASH CHEST, TAKE OUT [CHEST] - BAG, OPEN BAG, TAKE OUT [BAG] - GOLD, PICK UP GOLD.
4.6. SAVE GAME - to save the game to disk. The game loads "into itself", so if you want to have an additional load, use different disks with the rewritten program. After loading the state, you will be set to ATTACK mode - PUNCH, and DEFENCE - STAND, and you will not be able to change them immediately by entering the "HIT" submenu.
To establish a normal combat mode, do the following: take any item in your hands (HOLD), and then take your weapon again - now you can choose the desired attack and defense. This operation takes time, so never load if there is a monster in front of you.
4.7. EAT - to eat. The need for food for the main character is fully implemented in the game. Therefore, if you do not eat for a long time, your hero will feel hunger. The program will notify you of this by giving you the phrase: "YOU NEED A PIE". If after that you do not replenish with a pie or sandwich, the hunger will become unbearable, and exhaustion will begin.
You will be warned about this with a harsher phrase: "YOU FOOL, TRY EATEN." Starting from this moment, your life energy will decrease. When it reaches zero, you will die without warning. If you have no food at hand, do not despair - you can periodically restore energy with the spell "HEAL". This way you can last a long time, although hunger will increasingly intensify, and it will no longer be suppressed by food consumption.
Upon the command "EAT", the character tries to eat what he is holding. If the item is inedible, the hero will still swallow it, displaying the message "NOT EDIBLE". Only dust (DUST) remains in your hands afterward.
4.8. TASTE - to taste. With this command, the main character tries to take a sip of what he is holding. If he is not holding a bottle of wine, the message "YOU CAN'T" will be displayed.
You should definitely taste all the wine you find in the castle. If you receive the response "OK" - then everything is fine, you can drink.
The message "IT'S TASTES OF PEPPERMINT" means that you should not drink this liquid, otherwise, your life energy will stop increasing.
And if you receive the message "IT'S TASTES OF BITTER ALMONDS" - it means you have a bottle of potassium cyanide in your hands (this is the taste of this poison). Drinking the contents of such a bottle is extremely dangerous to your life.
4.9. DRINK - to drink. With this command, you drink the contents of the bottle in your hands. If you were feeling very thirsty, after drinking, your energy increases by 10 points (even if the liquid is caustic), and you will be informed that you feel better. The bottle then becomes empty (EMPTY). If you do not feel thirsty, no effects occur.
4.10. RUN - to run. Unlike all other options, after using this one, you do not exit to the main menu, but only increase your speed for a time. To run a significant distance, you will have to choose this option several times. After a quick run, you usually feel thirsty.
4.11. JUMP - to jump. At first, you cannot jump properly, so do not even try to jump over a chasm "from scratch". However, you can develop your jumping ability by wearing a ring (RING), or better yet - several (I found a total of five). The ability to jump long distances will be necessary for passing the 3rd and 4th quadrants, where otherwise you cannot pass. Jumping causes a feeling of hunger.
5. TALK. You can talk to other characters using this extensive menu system. You have access to such types of communication as:
5.1. GREET - greeting;
5.2. WAR CRY - battle cry;
5.3. BRIBE - bribe;
5.4. GROVEL - humiliation;
5.5. INSULT - insult;
5.6. THREATEN - threaten;
5.7. BOAST - boast;
5.8. COMMAND - commands.
5.1. GREET - greetings are divided into three types:
5.1.1. FRIENDLY
5.1.2. NEUTRAL
5.1.3. HOSTILE
Depending on how you greet the character, it will determine whether they will talk to you or attack. There are many possible greetings, and they change with the development of your etiquette. If it is not high, a "friendly" greeting might look like this: "Hello, oh not too disgusting skeleton with a sword, bony head!". Although the skeleton cannot talk, and therefore is indifferent to all your efforts.
5.2. WAR CRY. A battle cry helps some not very clever creatures understand who is standing in front of them. I have witnessed several times how monsters, hearing a phrase like: "Death to wizards by sword!", turn around and leave in peace.
5.3. BRIBE - After choosing this option, you will be offered to select an item you intend to gift to the character. If the gift is liked, the monster will take it, adding something like: "Give me more, mercy lover!". If not, the monster will throw the item back with the words "Take it back, humanoid". In principle, bribery makes most characters more compliant.
5.4. GROVEL. If you choose the "grovel" option, you will beg the enemy for mercy. The set of expressions is quite extensive, and all of them sharply increase the opponent's self-esteem.
5.5. INSULT - to insult the character, and the insults differ for each type of monster. If the monsters are not afraid of you, then after the insults, they will engage you in battle.
5.6. THREATEN - to threaten. A phrase is pronounced, such as "Beware of me, oh dead warrior, or I will cut off your arms and legs." Sometimes it works - the warrior retreats (if there is space to retreat).
5.7. BOAST - this is also a means of intimidation. Our hero knows how to boast and does it with pleasure. Many monsters decide not to mess with a person who beats his chest and shouts that he is "the most terrible wizard of all time and peoples".
5.8. COMMAND - to command. You can give five commands:
5.8.1. SURRENDER - "surrender", "kiss my feet", etc.
5.8.2. GO AWAY - "go away"
5.8.3. STAND AND DELIVER - "stand and give your treasures".
5.8.4. EVALUATE THIS - with this command, the hero demands the opponent to evaluate how much the item in his hands is worth.
5.8.5. INFORMATION - a demand to inform the main character. The usual phrase given with this command is: "GIVE ME INFORMATION, ARMOURED MAGE".
Unfortunately, I did not hear anything intelligible in response. Usually, I was answered with the phrase "go away" in various interpretations - from "go in peace" to "get lost".
In general, I was pleasantly surprised by the program's vocabulary and phrase construction. Sometimes some passing corpse puts it so that your ears literally curl up. Just the greeting alone is worth it - "I wish you happiness, dung eater, throwing pies." However, maintaining a conversation has a certain meaning - you get the opportunity to take a break to restore magic and energy, and you can search the room. And then, when everything is done, you can settle accounts for both the "pie thrower" and the "knight of the bucket and broom".
I remind you that you can only talk to those who can do it, and not grunt in response (GRUNT).
6.USE - to use an item. The traditional response that arises when choosing this option is "OK", while nothing happens. But this is not always the case. For example, if you have a magic staff with you, you can use it - a bright lightning will flash, and only memories will remain of the enemies in the room. But for such use, you will have to pay - almost all stats decrease.
When trying to use a book (BOOK), the message "BANG!" appears, and all stats decrease.
You will get the same effect if you simply touch the book when picking it up, throwing it, etc. By the way, the inhabitants often mention some book of Zob (BOOK OF ZOB). Perhaps one of the books in the castle belongs to the wizard?
FEATURES OF THE CASTLE STRUCTURE
The castle you have entered is not simple, but magical. It is divided into four sectors - quadrants. You can only move from quadrant to quadrant by using one-way teleporters. The teleportation point is not marked in any way; the transfer occurs when stepping on a specific floor tile. You can move this way both within the sector and beyond it. In addition, each quadrant has pits (PIT) that you can fall into and die. And while there are only five pits in the first sector, the further quadrants increasingly resemble a sieve.
Starting from the second sector, magical mines are installed in the castle. When you step on them or fly over them, your stats drop sharply, with messages like "BANG! BANG! BANG!" appearing. If desired, such zones can be crossed by running.
Each sector has rooms guarded by monsters. If you engage them in combat and win, they will not appear in that room anymore.
If you lose and die, then in that room there will be not one monster, but two - a "fresh" one and the one you have wounded. There are rooms that are always guarded - these are called "GUARDS ROOM". Moreover, they may not be limited by walls but may be part of corridors. As soon as you enter the boundaries of such a room, a guard - a skeleton - appears before you. The same effect occurs in the room titled: "THIS ROOM IS EMPTY" in the second quadrant.
In addition, there are passages in the castle that "overgrow" when reaching a certain place on the map. There are invisible walls, as well as walls that appear and disappear. You should not get caught under an appearing wall - you lose about 10 units of energy. (the message "SPLAT!")
There are also completely special rooms. Such as Zob's pantry (ZOB'S PANTRY), where any thrown food disappears without a trace.
The banquet hall (BANQUET HALL). If you enter it for the first time, you will hear a sound "PING!", and your stats will increase by 1-3 units. The same effect will occur if you place a cup (CUP) in this room. This is one of the ways to quickly increase magical abilities.
Sometimes there are rooms with announcements, for example: "the dining room is closed, please use the banquet hall".
I also managed to discover a swap shop (SWAP SHOP) with the announcement: "We exchange old swords for new wooden ones. The staff is locked with magic." There is indeed a staff in the room, but I could not take it. When I placed several swords there, one of them disappeared, but the spell on the staff did not break.
By the way, this is probably the second magical staff in the game. The first can be found in sector number one. If such a staff is taken in hand, magical abilities increase sharply.
But as soon as you put the staff down, the abilities return to their previous level. There is an original way out of this situation, described in "ZX-REVUE'91". If you swallow this staff (EAT), the abilities remain at a high level, and your hands are freed for the sword. Although this may not be the best solution - the staff may be needed later.
The same "ZX-REVUE" advises to store ALL found belongings in the first quadrant, in the sixth room, counting from left to right, starting from the top. In my opinion, this room, which does not even have its own name, is not particularly different, and I do not know why it is mentioned.
In quadrant No 4, there is a room with three doors (it is called: "ROOM WITH THREE DOORS"), in the center of which stands a powerful trap - you will literally be filled with various spells. A fatal outcome is guaranteed, although you can throw all your items and run quickly.
Keys. I found three of them. In quadrant number three, there is a door that you cannot enter without keys. (a bodiless voice says: "only a person who finds three keys will find the exit", after which death occurs.) But I could not enter the room, even having these keys - I was instantly killed.
In the end, I resorted to trickery: I set the spell "ELECTROBOLT" in the magic menu, and as soon as I entered, I used it several times. The monster died, and I was left in a completely ordinary room. Perhaps something else should have been done here, and then the opportunity to teleport to the 4th sector would appear. There is a room without doors there, which can only be accessed by teleportation. But where is the teleporter?
It remains unclear how to deal with gangrene. I remind you that first, you get festering cuts, then, after several poisonous bites or deaths, you receive the message "NO CHARITY NOW.
IT IS GANGRENE, THIS IS NO BUG". After a few seconds, the game simply crashes. (This is due to the fact that all memory is used to store a huge dynamic map of the maze, and there is not enough space to store the initial position.
An even greater mystery is the items - there are many varieties, how to use them all? I could not figure out where two SABATONs or three inedible fish (FISH) are needed. Perhaps they are the key to the riddle...
There is also ambiguity with Zob himself. Perhaps that is the name of the dragon depicted in the intro, but I cannot assert this for sure. The existence of the dragon is indirectly evidenced by conversations with characters - they often mention him...
"S": Is there a solution to these riddles? The word is yours, dear readers. We eagerly await letters from explorers of the mysterious castle of Zob!
Contents of the publication: Spectrofon #11
- Expertise - Дмитрий Усманов
Detailed manual for exploring a magical castle with focus on actions like opening chests and managing resources. Discusses survival strategies, character interactions, and solving mysteries in Zob's castle. Includes handling dangerous elements and exploiting magical properties.
- Assault
Discussion on game Mindfighter with reader insights, strategies, and puzzles. Exploration of gameplay mechanics through letters. Reveals challenges in progressing and interactive narrative elements.
- Premiere
Introduction of new software section featuring 'NOTEBOOK', a simple notepad program for ZX Spectrum by Andrey Egorov. Includes description of functionality and comparison with similar software. Also highlights the release of 'COLOR LINES', a game resembling 'TETRIS'.
- Review - Станислав Ефимов
Review of chess programs for ZX Spectrum with a focus on algorithms and features. Highlights strengths and weaknesses of popular programs like IS-Chess, Spectrum Voice Chess, and Colossus Chess 4. Offers insights into choosing the right chess software.
- Bits and Pieces
Discussion of various games and issues related to ZX Spectrum, including insights on 'Lords of Chaos' and tips for 'Elite-2' game.
- System - Станислав Ефимов
Discussion of undocumented features of the Z-80 processor and their use in programming. Examination of unofficial instructions and their applications in software. Insights into memory management and peculiarities of the ZX Spectrum architecture.
- Advertisement
Advertisement for purchasing 'SPECTROFON' magazine, calls for authors of programs, and offers distributor licenses across Russia.
