┌──────────────────────────────┐
│ ───────── EXAM ─────────── │
└──────────────────────────────┘
"S": It's time to summarize the task for the program "THEY STOLE A MILLION". To be honest, we were about to remove the second question about this game from the agenda, as we hadn't received any answers to it. The last, fifth level of the game apparently turned out to be too difficult for many: the Cairo Museum of Antiquities is certainly not a numismatist's shop. But just before the release of this issue, we received a letter from the city of Tomsk with the correct answer.
IGNATENKO IGOR (ZX-IGOR) & GOGA-GAMER: Two "robbers" from Tomsk are writing to you regarding the game "THEY STOLE A MILLION". We read the ninth issue of your magazine and felt sorry for Matka-Rus. Is there really no real strategists in our country? Couldn't the fourth mission be completed quietly? And why did we need to take so many people with us? After all, they all need to be paid. We took a simpler approach, and as they say, the simpler, the more reliable. And we doubt that the esteemed Mr. Igoshchev A.S. had enough money for the last mission. We had Bill Smith and Skeleton Joe "working". The boss had to work too. However, everyone has their own methods and techniques for planning heists. So, we begin.
The first four "jobs" we completed immediately, but the museum took a full three nights. For the curious, we can report how much money was left with the boss after each robbery:
1 - £93,800
2 - £161,700
3 - £282,400
4 - £648,300
5 - £1,313,560
And now the answer to the question:
To disable the alarm in the museum, we hired three "alarmers": Bill W. Smith, Bert B. Davies, and Harry Chimes. Skeleton Joe was also in the team.
FLOOR PLAN ONE
┌─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┐
│ █ │K▒▒▒▒│▒▒▒▒▒│▒▒▒▒▒│
│ │ │▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒│
├─┤├──┼── ──┼── ──┼── ──┼──═──┤
│▒▒▒▒▒│K │ │█████│K │
│▒▒▒▒▒ ║ │█████│ │
├─────┼── ──┤ ├─────┼──═──┤
│ │ │▓▓▓▓▓│K │
│ │ │ ║ MASK│ │
├─ ───┼─────┼─────┼─────┼──═──┤
│ │█████│▓▓▓▓▓│ │ │
│ │█████ ▓▓▓▓▓ │
├─ ───┼─────┼─────┼── ──┼── ──┤
│ │ │█████│ │█████│
│ │ │█████ │█████│
├─═───┼─────┼─┤├─═┼ ├── ──┤
│█████│K████│K . │ ...┴█████│
│1.............. │ . ┬█████│
└─────┴─────┴─────┴──═──┴─────┘
machine
FLOOR PLAN TWO
┌─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┬─────┐
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ ........................ │
├┤├─.─┼─────┼─────┼─────┼──.──┤
│ . │ │ │ . │
│ . ║ B │ A . │
├───█─┼─────┼─────┼─────┼──═──┤
│▓▓▓.▓│ │ . │
│2...▓│ │ . │
├─────┼ ├──═──┤
│▒▒▒▒▒│ │ . │
│3...▒│ │ . │
├───.─┼─────┬─────┬─────┼──═──┤
│██ ........................ │
│████ │ │ . │ │ . │
└─────┴─────┴─┤├──┴─────┼──.──┤
┴... │
┬ │
└─────┘
CONDITIONAL SYMBOLS:
K - CAMERA
▒ - INFRA-RED ALARM
█ - CO2 ALARM
▓ - PRESSURE ALARM
┤├ - STAIRCASE
─═─ - LOCKED DOOR
1 - INFRA-RED ALARM CONTROL PANEL
2 - CO2 ALARM CONTROL PANEL
3 - PRESSURE ALARM CONTROL PANEL
─█─ - DOOR UNDER ALARM
... - ROUTE OF THE ROGUE ROBBERS
The scheme for disabling the alarm requires coordinated action from all team members, including the boss.
First, Joe opens the entrance door (in 12 seconds) and the whole company quietly ascends the stairs to the second floor and hides there. The guards take their routes in 2 minutes and 34 seconds each. The intervals between the guards' rounds are 1 minute and 7 seconds and 1 minute and 27 seconds, respectively. Then Harry and Joe emerge from hiding at 2:08 and after passing through the locked doors (locking them behind them), hide in room "A". The boss locks the first door.
At 3:27 a guard passes by. Harry and Joe proceed and, having entered room "B", wait out the second guard there. Then at 4:22 Harry starts opening the door leading to the room with the CO2 ALARM. By this time, the PRESSURE ALARM has already been disabled. Harry disables the CO2 ALARM by 4:45 and stays in the room until the police arrive. Meanwhile, Skeleton goes for the mask.
3:56 - Bert Davies activates the CO2 ALARM.
4:01 - Bill Smith activates the INFRA-RED ALARM.
4:22 - Bill Smith disables the PRESSURE ALARM.
4:45 - Harry Chimes disables the CO2 ALARM.
As with all genius ideas - it turned out to be simple. After all this, taking the mask was a matter of technique.
NOTES:
1. We took the first two missions with a blunt robbery attack.
2. At the numismatist's shop, Detonator D'Arcy and Skeleton Joe were at work. In the other jobs, Bill and Skeleton worked.
3. Bert and Harry helped us in the museum, where we left them.
4. The entire fifth operation took about 11 minutes.
WE STOLE A MILLION!!!
And in conclusion, we would like to say a few words about your magazine. We are pleased to inform you that we really like your magazine. We read each issue in one go, and we eagerly await the next one. Say hello to all the Sinclairists. Keep up the good work.
LONG LIVE ZX-SPECTRUM!!!!!!
"S": Here is such an extensive response from our readers. Strategists have emerged who managed to "overcome" the museum. We have duly appreciated the robbery scenario proposed by the readers. But... we have a counter question, which we include in the next round:
IS IT POSSIBLE TO "TAKE" THE MUSEUM WITHOUT TURNING IN A SINGLE ACCOMPLICE TO THE POLICE? AND IF SO, HOW?
The first one to send the correct answer will receive a fresh issue of the magazine.
GOOD LUCK!
* * *
P.S. Dear winners of this contest! We apologize and ask you to send us your address for sending the prize issue. To protect ourselves from fraudsters, it is advisable to format the letter exactly as the previous one. A fresh issue will be sent to you.
Contents of the publication: Spectrofon #12
- Expertise - Дмитрий Усманов
Detailed description of gameplay mechanics for a tactical video game involving combat on an alien spaceship. The article outlines various game strategies and character abilities. Includes information on game stages and outcomes.
- The Exam
Description of a successful heist strategy in the game 'THEY STOLE A MILLION' by readers from Tomsk. Includes step-by-step details on disabling alarms and managing resources. Raises a new challenge for readers to accomplish a heist without arrests.
- Premiere
Review of two programs for ZX Spectrum: a math learning tool for children, and a cellular automaton simulation.
- Review
Review of recent gaming software releases in Moscow, highlighting domestic and foreign games, with detailed critiques of several notable titles.
- From the World by Bit
Discussion of the demo version of the game 'Star Heritage' by Step Creative Group, based on reader feedback and suggestions. Details about gameplay tips, technical aspects, and future plans for the full version. Comments on other game projects and software queries.
- System - Vladimir Larkov
Detailed guide on improving VG-93 turbo mode with corrected schemes.
- Advertising
Advertising opportunities for ZX Spectrum users and detailed instructions for purchasing Spectrofon magazine across Russia.
