·. QUfST1'USTfRS™

The Adventurer's Newsletter Vol. Ill,# 11 Novemb3r, 1986 Leather Goddesses of Phobos Despite the titillating title, Leather the cheap paper on which they were around for the experiments; luckily, the Goddesses is more risque than R-rated, and printed. So sex was the obvious angle for cell door is unlocked and you can escape is far from X-rated--unless you've got a this parody, which at times reminded me of without a severe cerebral struggle. You'll thing about kneecaps and toe-sucking. a certain Robert Crwnb comic book. (If soon meet another prisoner, who will be Instead this is Meretzky's madcap hwnor you remember its name, congratulations, male or female depending on your sex at its unbridled best, and he often pokes as your score just went up 12 points.) In this (which is cleverly determined in the much fun at some familiar aspects of story, the Leather Goddesses are plotting to opening scene). Upstairs you'll find an adventuring as he does at the Fifties' pulp invade earth and "turn it into their sexual observatory with a grand view of the science fiction he takes aim at in this all­ playground." Your goal is to stop these Goddesses' Pleasure Palace. On the floor text game. Even so, Meretzky's theme for fiends--and have a good time while you're you'll notice the first of many strange this parody is "adult-oriented." If it were a at it! You enter the story in 1937, when black circles. film, Leather Goddesses would be rated PG you are teleported from a· bar in Sandusky, even in the most forthright of its three Ohio, to a cell on the miniscule Martian Going Around in Circles "naughtiness levels. moon of Phobos. These are teleportation portals. Step on In case you weren't around in the Fifties, You have been snatched by the Leather one and you might suddenly have to outrun sex was a major fixation with science Goddesses, who have been kidnapping and a huge Venus fly-trap plant through the fiction authors and the artists who so experimenting on humans to prepare for steamy Venusian jungle. Another black luridly illustrated the covers of paperback the invasion. Wearing only a brass circle sends you to the Martian desert, novels. They were called pulps because of loincloth, you will not want to hang where you can ride a royal barge down the canal to one of the red planet's polar caps. locations per planet, which adds up to over The black circles give the game a similar a one and a half billion. [That's one map feel to H.itchhiker, which used the Starf light 4 you won't be seeing in QuestBusters.] Improbability Drive for the same purpose. Right away you'll notice that Starflight They are scattered throughout the game to by Stephen King is very colorful, something that's seen far connect distant locations, and you can use Have you ever wished your were Captain too infrequently in IBM-compatible games. , them like an instantaneous subway to Kirk of the Starship Enterprise? Or The array of lava planets, ice planets, ocean return to the cell, jet over to Venus and perhaps Commander Adama of the worlds and at.tier exotic destinations are visit other places. Battlestar Galactica? If the answer is yes portrayed with mediwn low-resolution Your travelling companion suggests the then you will be pleasantly surprised when fractal graphics because of the nwnber. of Leather Goddesses' plan can be thwarted you discover Starf/ight, the new fantasy colors necessary (color becomes very with a "Super-Duper Anti-Leather role-playing game from Electronic Arts. It important at the planetary level), but the Goddesses of Phobos Attack Machine." puts you in charge of an interstellar space encounters with alien creatures of the Much of the game is spent collecting the spaceship in the year 4619 and turns you seven different races are beautifully done in machine's bizarre components: things like loose to explore the biggest universe ever extreme hi-res. Sound effects enrich the a white mouse, six feet of rubber hose, and funneled into a computer game. atmosphere as you walk around, teleport, Continued on page 8 Programmed in Forth by Binary Systems, maneuver an · all-terrain vehicle and Starflight represents the equivalent of participate in other engaging activities. fifteen man-years in development time. If you're beginning to get the idea that > inventory This statement becomes less incredible as Starflight is literally studded with all the you begin to realize the breadth and details that make games interesting and News & Letters ...... 2 complexity of the universe that unfolds exceptionally playable, you're right! There Labyrinth ...... 3 when you head out into space. There are alien artifacts with special properties to Trinity Walkthru ...... 4 you'll find 270 star systems with a be found on the various planets, as well as Mercenary ...... 5 whopping 800 planets to be explored. messages from ancient civilizations. Space Bard's Tale Walkthru .. 6 Some of them look tiny from space, but seems filled with fluxes, which are a kind Hacker 2 ...... 9 even the smallest would take hours of real­ of interstellar gateway. Who knows? Keys to the Kingdom .. 10 time exploration to cover completely. Waiting for Duffy .... 10 There are 1.9 million unique Continued on page 8 Swap Shop ...... 11 Letters to the Adventure Hotline Editor Wrath of Who? character--Ennio the dog does not appear in the graphics. He is referred to in the text, Dear QuestBusters: Sierra has released their first RPG in a long but this is no way to treat a legend, I realize you want to review just new time, Wrath of Denethenor. Denethenor, a especially in his own time. adventure games. But I think it would be figure from an ancient Nordic myth, was a really great if you could begin reviewing prince who made a pact with the devil so he one "oldie but goldie" in each issue. There could take over the kingdoms that This Way to Mad God were many very good, very playable games neighbored his own land. Written by 20- In part one of our Bard's Tale solution in produced from 1980-84, and many of us year-old Christopher Crim, it is a single­ the last issue, the AP AR location of the didn't have computers back then. character game that covers both sides of two Mad God's Statue was incorrectly stated as Karen M. Lee disks and may be the first of a series. 1 north, -1 east, 1 up. The correct Sierra's John Williams calls it "an honest location is 1 north, -1 east, 2 up. We Now that we've got 12 pages to work with, to goodness hack and slash, have a good overlooked mentioning it last time, but the we will have space for occasional reviews time fantasy role-playing game." Wrath maps in the walkthrough were done by Brad of classic games. Any suggestions? will be selling at unusually low prices: Wright, who is getting AutoDuel for $29.95 for the Apple, $19.95 for C64/128. sending them in. Mike Bagnall contributed Dear QuestBusters: Sierra is wrapping up final bug-checks on the actual solution, and he got Ultima N. Shard of Spring should have been rated a King's Quest III, which will be shipping If you've got a complete solution to a Novice level game in your review. It's one for the IBM any day now, and the Mac recent game, let us know about it and you of the easiest rve played. version of King's Quest I is already out. may win the game of your choice. Aaron Chou So is Space Quest, a $49.95 graphic adventure in the KQ style for the IBM and Right, it was. Determining an adventure's MS-DOS compatibles. The first title in Wizardry V? the series is called "The Sarien Encounter, " Strange as it seems, Wizardry v is going difficulty level is often the hardest part of which will eventually be converted for the into beta-testing before the long-awaited the review. But we usually pin it down ST, Amiga and Apple's new IIGS. Wizardry w. Another surprise: the first pretty closely and will publish updates on version is for the IB~~ !1~t the ~pple. _ __this _and _ other _ ___ aspects _ of__ a _ new game. Detectives Needed Dear QuestBusters: Accolade has a new twist on the murder More New Games I wish you would print some hints for game. In Killed Until Dead the goal is to Gemstone Healer is SSfs latest sequel to Hitchhiker's Guide in the next "Keys to the prevent a murder rather than solve one. It Warrior. The first batch of the C-64 Kingdom." has over 20 plots, joystick & icons version of Roadwar were so flummoxed by interface, and a 24-minute time limit. And a disk duplicator that the program would Billy Lage in order to break into a room to search for crash after about an hour. SSI recalled the clues, you must first answer mystery-related games, but if you've already got one you We focus on clues for games whose trivia questions. The C-62/128 version is should return it to SSI's Customer Service solutions have not yet been published. already out; Apple is set for March. for replacement Datasoft is bringing over [Check "Passport to Adventure" to order some British games: Swords & Sorcery, a books with walkthroughs to older games.] maze-based RPG; Saracen, an arcade-style If you've got any tips, strategies or outright Clarification adventure; and Black Magic, also an action­ answers to share with other adventurers, Contrary to an item in the October issue, adventure. These are set for the Atari 8-bit, send them to "Keys". Electronic Arts is not publishing Questron C-64/128 and Apple in the first part of II. They may be publishing another fantasy 1987. Datasoft also has a supplemental role-playing game by the authors of game for Mercenary--The Second City. Questron sometime next year. Baker Street Detective, Gunfighter and QuestBusters ™ Dungeon (the first Alternate Reality Original Adventure sequel) are supposed to be out by now. Sir­ Editor: Shay Addams Tech's Mines of Qyntarr should be ready Contributing Editors: Ron Wartow, Ken Instead of playing Original Adventure on­ for the IBM and Apple by Christmas. St Andre, DWP, Tim Snider, Stephen line and racking up a huge bill as you Bard's Tale II: Knight of Destiny, originally King would on most networks, Commodore scheduled for October, has been pushed back gamers can download the program from to the end of the year. (The original is QuantumLink's public domain library. QuestBusters™ is published monthly by still a best-seller.) Datasoft's Alternate the Addams Expedition, 202 Elgin Ct., Reality: The City has been converted for Wayne, PA 19087. Annual subscriptions, No Dogs Allowed the IBM, ST and Macintosh. Other recent $15. International, $24 US funds. Contents It's a sad day in Tonetown: the Amiga, St conversions include: Origin's Ultima W copyright Shay Addams, 1986, All Rights and Macintosh versions of Tass Times in (IBM) and Ultima III (Amiga and ST). Reserved. Copying without permission is prohibited and punishable by having your Tonetown don't show the most important Electronic Arts has an Amiga Bard's Tale. head run through SSI' s disk duplicator. LABYRINTH: The Computer Game

Based on the Jim Henson Muppet film, maze--and Labyrinth, as the name suggests, Animation and graphics are well­ Labyrinth was produced by Lucasfilm is practically all maze. done, but don't expect to see any of the Games. A short all-text game serves as an The parser occupies two small windows fractal graphics that were the hallmark of introduction, in which you· must locate the at the bottom of the screen. You can scroll the first Lucasfilm games. Frankly I'm theatre where the film is showing. A through the left one to see all the verbs; the glad: those 3-D effects were the most couple of simple problems must be solved right holds nouns. It's easier to just type realistic I've seen, but they were slow and before a bordered box like those seen in the first letter of a word and watch the list got boring after a few days. The intricate silent movies fills the screen and announces skip to the first word beginning with that full-screen illustrations woven into the "The Movie Begins." Then you see an letter: type "t" and the word "take" is game here and there are good enough to almost Amiga-quality illustration of the highlighted. To move into the noun qualify as true computer art. In addition to Goblin, who calls you by name when he window you hit a cursor key, then follow various sound effects, you will hear well­ speaks to you from the screen. (Before the the same process to find the object you orchestrated and music at appropriate times. game you type in your name and other want to grab. (You can just hit return or Conclusions: Built around a kiddie information.) The Goblin says he has the joystick button to take an item if it is parser and joystick interface, this game is imprisoned you in his Labyrinth. You the only one in sight.) It's basically a best suited for adventurers thirteen and have thirteen hours of game-time (not real­ kiddie parser with a limited vocabulary, under. You don't have to be a Muppet fan time) to find the center of the maze and sufficient for this game but apparently less to enjoy Labyrinth, but it helps. An all­ vanquish the Goblin, or remain locked away intelligent than even a Scott Adams' parser. maze game, Labyrinth requires a lot of forever. You can type "time" to find out Besides the size of the characters and the mapping, but it's easy and doesn't interfere how much you've got left animation, another thing that reminded me ~with the fun. of Habitat was the way the game's text Into The Labyrinth responses were often shown in a colored, System: C64/128, Apple [64K] Next another box announces "The comic book-style bubble at the top of the Skill Level: Novice Labyrinth," and the next part of the screen. Price: $34.95, C; $39.95, Apple program is loaded. The graphics and Company: Activision general presentation are reminiscent of Crystal Balls and Cowbells Lucasfilm's Habitat, the online game that is The halls are strewn with crystal balls supposed to start up on QuantumLink and other objects that will prove valuable as Contest Winner sometime this month. · In the middle of a you penetrate the depths of the maze. But long brick-lined hall you see a two-and-a­ when you hear a cowbell clanging, it's time The winner of this month's contest was Gayle Stanford, who gets SSI's new half inch tall character. It may be male or to run for it. If you're caught by the man Gemstone Healer. If you've just female with hair and a shirt matching the in armor, whose footsteps cause this odd subscribed, your name has been already colors you indicated before the game by sound, he'll spring a trap door that dumps added to the contest, which is a random answering prompts. The interface consists you in a pit. There are ways to escape, but drawing from the subscription list of a simple parser for commands and once you're out of money the only way out joystick controls for moving your character. is to say a magic word that also costs you You can move forward and backward in the an hour of time. If you get caught in the If you've got a computer hall as well as left and right, which is pit and escape, the game restarts at the and a modem, join the online handy for entering doors; this provides a entrance to the maze; you don't have to sense of depth that borders on 3-D. repeat the text phase of the story. When gaming club that gives you Graphics cover most of the screen.. Most . you quit, your position is automatically more for your money! of the time you'll be walking down a long saved. Three games can be saved on the hall, solving object-oriented puzzles, program disk, and your name is recorded so entering doors that lead into more halls, and it's easy to keep track of them. People/Link so on until you finally reach the center of If you're familiar with Jim Henson's GAMER'S GUILD the maze. Below the graphics a long thin imaginary worlds--the Wise Man's Garden, bar represents the immediate hall and shows the Hall of Stone Faces, and others--you'll your current location in it with a blinking enjoy the opportunity to actually visit them >Lower Costs [$4.25@ hour] square. Black ones show where objects lie in Labyrinth. Sir Dydymus, Hoggle, and > Online role-playing games on the floor, and white ones point out other the Fireys are typical of the Muppet > Gamemasters play FREE! people who are hanging around in the hall. characters ·you will encounter. > More reviews, news, games You'll also see the locations of any vending Unfortunately, the limited parser won't machines in the hall, from which you may permit you say anything except "Speak and fun be able to buy some handy items. Doors Hoggle," so there is no genuine, satisfying leading into the maze are also shown, and character interaction. But young players Call 1-800-524-0100 for you can tell whether they are open or will probably be happy enough just to meet FREE Information closed. This bar can be copied on paper, Hoggle. The majority of the puzzles are which simplifies the task of mapping the centered on manipulating objects. East Reach in hive [53]. Herb Garden [You got honey.] East. A W alkthru Trinity Search refuse. Take garlic Northwest East by Rev. William E. Carte Ossuary [41]. Enter white door. Down. Enter door (on mushroom). Northeast Northeast Cottage This is a step-by-step solution. Take lantern [23]. West Take Drop coconut. Cut coconut For inventory purposes, you'll walkie talkie [24]. Tum on Cliff Edge with axe [54]. Take coconut. be storing objects at the bottom lantern. Drop lantern. West Examine fissure. Take Pour milk in cauldron [55]. of the stairs leading to the Put splinter in crevice. Take lemming. Put lemming in Put hand in cauldron [56]. Put sundial. The numbers in skink [27]. Put skink in cage [42]. Close cage. skink in cauldron [57]. Put brackets indicate your new score pocket. East Take lantern. Southwest Southwest. Up. garlic in cauldron [58]. West. each time it changes. Enter door. Search fertilizer. Enter door. West West Drop coconut. Wait (until Take key [28]. South. Put key Southeast. Southwest West explosion). East Look in Palace Gate in hole. Turn key [29]. Down. Drop cage and garlic. Up. Up. cauldron. Take emerald [59]. North. Buy crumbs. [1]. Get Turn lantern off. Hit icicle Pull lever. Wait (until shadow West Southeast Southwest. crumbs. Feed birds. Examine with umbrella. Take icicle falls on sixth symbol and ring West. Drop axe. Take spade. ruby. East. East. Read sign. [30]. East East. East. Up. clicks). Push lever. Down. West West North. South. Take ball [2]. Up. Down. Down. East Down. Take umbrella East Northwest. Unscrew gnomon. Northeast East East [Moor] Enter door. Cemetery Take gnomon [7]. North. Open crypt with spade [62]. Take bird. [10]. Unfold paper. Crater Thin Air Look in crypt Examine Read paper. Northeast Put icicle on lump [33]. West Open umbrella. Take bag and corpse. Take red and green Southwest West Drop umbrella. Wait (until girl boot. Wear red boot Wear Lancaster Gate lantern, walkie talkie and notices you). Give umbrella to green boot. Take shroud [63]. Wait until woman walks away. umbrella. Up. Up. girl. East Take spade [43]. Wear shroud. Take bandage. Throw ball at umbrella. Take Take paper from pocket. Give Wear bandage. Look in mouth. umbrella [15]. West. West Vertex paper to girl. West Climb on Take silver coin [64]. Drop Push pram east. Push pram Pull lever. wait until shadow bird. Enter door. spade. South. East. East. east. Push pram south. Open falls on fourth symbol and Put emerald in pocket Take pram. Climb in pram. Open brass rings clicks. Push lever. West West. Drop spade. Up. cage, walkie talkie and lantern. umbrella. Take all but pram. Dowrr. - Down. Take axe. Up. Pull lever. -Wait (until (This is a good place to save.) Enter water. Enter door. East. North. West ring clicks three times and Southeast finger is on second symbol). Meadow Chasm's Brink Push lever. Down. Down. The River North. East. North. Take log. Cut tree with axe. Push tree Take axe. East. Northeast Wait until ghosts enter vessel. Take splinter [16]. South. north [36]. North. Enter door. East Enter vessel. Give silver coin East. Southeast. West. Down. Open box. Push to oarsman. South (after you toggle. Push button. South. Crater arrive at sand bar). Enter door. At Arboretum Northwest Wait until coconut Take lump [47]. West West North. Up. Take axe [17]. begins to float in water. Point West Northwest. Enter dish. Be sure you have the ba,g. South. Down. (At this point at coconut. Take coconut [39]. Wait two turns until you're on lantern. walkie talkie. birdcage your east-west directions are Southeast. North. Up. Enter ground in bubble. South. and emerald in your possession temporarily confused by the door. Southwest (The waterfall, a before continuing. Klein bottle effect Don't good place to save the game.) panic.) East. Northwest Mesa Enter door. Shack North. Up. Up. South. East South. West Open book. Drop lantern. Drop axe and coconut. Up. In Orbit Take cardboard [65]. Examine Vertex Up. Pull lever. Wait (until Take skink. Kill skink [50]. cardboard. Read diagram [68]. Put gnomon in hole [22]. you hear a click and the shadow Wait three turns (when satellite

Gemstone Warriors! A new challenge awaits you in GEMSTONE HEALER

In this sequel to Gemstone Warrior, you have restored the fractured Gemstone to its rightful place in the temple. But because the five pieces have lost their magical powers, you must return to the demons' lair, locate the Healing Tools, and heal each part of the Gemstone. Only then can you fuse the pieces back into a complete working Gemstone.

For the Commodore 64 and Apple II series (64K) Suggested retail price $29.95

Strategic Simulations, Inc., 1046 N. Rengstorff Avenue, Mountain View, CA 94043 (415) 964-1353 Goddesses is here." In the same situation me smiling too. The first dock account, or outfit your ship in a lewd look elicits this I found on the Martian canal Ship Configuration. The Continued from page 1 response: "Sultan's wife #123 was called "Royal Dock" in the different areas of Starport are a picture of Douglas Fairbanks. is here, lying seductively naked upper left-hand comer of the comparable to the Guilds, By now you must be on a bed of furs." screen. Further downstream, Temples and other places in a wondering "where's the sex?" in The puzzles range from a the names of other docks grew fantasy RPG. Keyboard this game. Most of Meretzky's simple coded message to progressively sillier: Baby commands enable you to sexual allusions are limited to riddles to object- and character­ Dock, My Kinda Dock, Wattz­ choose from the various double entendres: towers thrust related problems. And for the Up Dock. options, which are displayed up into the sky, domes curve, a first time you'll find clues in Conclusions: Not as onscreen. "shaft of sunlight penetrates the the Infocom packaging, a 3-D difficult as Hitchhiker's Guide, You will need at least six stained glass windows," and comic book that comes Leather Goddesses is even officers to handle tasks such as your partner is confident that complete with red- and blue­ funnier. It is recommended, Engineering, Navigation, and together "we can lick the lensed glasses. At times the with the precaution that some Communications. These are Leather Goddesses." The first program tells you to "scratch parents may want to observe created in much the same way sexual encounter occurs after and sniff' one of the seven the action to make sure younger characters are generated in other you solve the Sultan's (or odors on the enclosed sheet, players don't "accidentally" shift role-playing games, then trained Sultraness') riddle and win a which adds a new dimension to into lewd mode. by paying a fee. Five of the chance to spend one hour with all-text adventuring. (I tried seven races are available for any of the 8,379 wives in his wearing the 3-D glasses while System: All recruitment to your ship's crew. harem. What you do in that playing the game but nothing Skill Level: Novice Each has its good and bad hour is up to you. If you want happened. However, I found Price: $34.95, C & AT 8-bit; points, and the enmity between to fool around with the wife, go that by wearing them while in $39.95, others two of them is so intense that right ahead. QuantumLink's "People Company: Infocom you won't be able to deal with Connection" section I could either race if you have members Tame toLewd read secret messages being of both in your crew. The program's responses will beamed in from a quasar in the Starflight Mechanoids are robots who are Continued from page 1 depend on which of the three Andromeda galaxy.) This is already half-trained, which play modes--tame, suggestive one of Infocom's easiest During the course of the game makes them useful crew or lewd--you are using. This "Standard" level games, and I've you may even find that most members in the early stages. can be changed at any time heard of one person who precious of things, a habitable There are five major skills: - during the game, and a prompt finished it in ten hours. planet to coloriize. Science, Communications, asks your age if you request the Mapping is required but not Your main objective is to Navigation, Engineering and lewd mode. The game won't too demanding, since most stabilize the star in the Arth Medicine. Humans excel in talk dirty unless you type dirty: parts of the game are system, which is being science, while Thrynn are good certain four-letter words will compartmentalized: you travel mysteriously destabilized from at communication. Each race not be used in the game's to one area and gain access to afar. But as with other role­ has it weaknesses, so forming a responses unless you have several locations, then on to the playing games, Starflight balanced crew is as essential as previously typed in the word. next area and its rooms. There scatters many lesser goals in a magic-oriented game. You (If you have correctly guessed is a diabolical maze with two throughout the game: to seek have to train each crew member the first such word, levels, and the packaging out and explore strange new to be excellent in at least one of congratulations. Your score provides a map of the worlds and civilizations, to find his respective fields of just went up 10 points.) catacombs. Even with the map the mythical planet earth, to expertise, and should probably For an idea of how this you'll still spend a lot of time bring back non-sentient alien train each of them to the works, I said "examine wife" in in the catacombs, which are life-forms and alien artifacts for maximum in all fields--just in each of the three modes. In the stocked with canal beetles, sand analysis and--most of all--to case an interstellar death occurs tame mode I learned there was crabs and alligators. Escaping keep from getting brutally during an intergalactic battle. "nothing eye-catching" about calls for some eccentricactions. killed. Then you face the choice of her. The suggestive mode's I found the funniest parts of outfitting your starship and response said her looks "turn the game were Meretzky's shots Starport Arth must choose between all the you on." And the lewd replay at certain aspects and familiar The game begins in Starport, little trade-offs: let's see, gave a more explicit elements of interactive fiction. a space station in the Arth solar should I get powerful engines description, one that some When you quit, the program system. Here you'll get your or shields first? How about parents would probably find announces your score in this assignment and starship from lasers or missiles? Will I need offensive, even though it's manner: "In 240 turns, you Interstel. Many options are arm or? nothing today's youth hasn't have achieved a score of, um, waitmg: you can check for A window on the left side of already heard in movies like oh, call it 24 out of 3149 notices in Operations, create the screen serves as your Porky's. It's not arousing in points. This gives you the rank and train new players in viewscreen throughout each the least, triggering a cheap ·of Sandusky Stablehand." The Personnel, make crew phase of the game. In laugh, not a sexual thrill. Sultan's riddle itself is a parody assignments, buy or sell StarPort's Ship Configuration Another example: A tame look of the riddle as a type of puzzle. minerals or alien artifacts in the department you see a diagram of reveals that "Sultan's wife #123 Meretzky's non-stop puns kept Trade Depot, check your bank the ship as the parts you add 8 QuestBusters appear in the proper places; important The program offers also be copied to a hard disk, quarters and showing a TV when talking with an alien a Captain's Log that can be since it is not protected. monitor in each. A row of you'll see its picture; during pulled down like a mini­ Conclusions: Starflight gets buttons runs along the bottom. combat a radar-like view of the notepad; but the memory is my highest recommendation. You can fiddle with them to ships fills the viewscreen. limited, hence the need for pen Colorful and very graphic, it change the channel and view of Other infonnation appears in and paper. offers all the complexity of each MRU, adjust the pictures, the bottom of the As with many fantasy RPGs, most fantasy role­ and record and play videotapes screen and on the right most of the early part of playing games and then some. of anything seen by them. In outer space you'll get Starflight is dedicated to Even the usually tedious job of You've got to figure out how to reports like "movement detected generating enough revenue to building up the necessary operate the MRUs and other at x-1, yl." Travel to these properly outfit your ship and attributes is interspersed with gear, which is supposed to be coordinates and you'll be train your crew for the enough novelty that it isn't part of the challenge. dropped out of hyperspace when confrontations in the latter part unduly boring as with many One monitor can be switched you arrive, and the scanners of the game. This is games of this type. If you like to show an aerial view of the will indicate a UFO. If your accomplished by mining the U/tima, Wizardry, Bard's Tale part of the building where your Science officer is sufficiently planets for precious minerals, or similar games, you can't go MRU is located. Other skilled he can scan the other analyzing and selling alien wrong with Starjlight. controls let you move iL ship and see its outline, which . artifacts, selling bio-data and around, hopefully avoiding the can be recognized by its shape, non-sentient alien life-fonns System: IBM & compatibles, guards and electronic for each race of aliens flies a captured on other planets, and Tandy 1000 surveillance. The first problem distinct design. Your recommending viable colony Conversions: Maybe Amiga is figuring out the controls, the Communications Officer can worlds. Watch out for this last &ST second is how to get your hail the aliens, in which case one, for there are very few Skill Level: Advanced MRU out of the room without you must adopt a diplomatic habitable planets, and they Price: $49.95 being detected, and the rest of posture of hostile, friendly or conform strictly to a set of Company: Electronic Arts the game involves exploring obsequious. guidelines laid out in the the building and mapping it. Then you can ask a question manual. Checking them out is Besides mapping, you must or make a statement Choose expensive, so make sure a HACKER II keep track of the patterns and the latter and the program spits planet if habitable in all I didn't like Hacker, and I timing of the guards. In the out a statement based on your respects before recommending don't like the sequel--which is monitors you will see them posture for the aliens to react it, or you will pay a heavy fine. not really an adventure game no walking down the corridors. If to. Ask a question and you'll The package consists of two matter what Activision's detected. your MRU is wiped be prompted for a category: 360K disks, a short "getting marketing department decides to out by the Annihilator and the general infonnation, other started" manual, a play manual call it. The game commences next MRU is activated. races, the Old Empire. Each with information that proves with a text sequence giving the There's no score in this race of aliens possesses different helpful in the early stages, a impression you have just game. You can get hard copy information, consequently stellar map that points out logged onto an information of some parts of the game. much of the action centers on nebulae and spheres of influence service. Suddenly the There is no way to save a game successfully interacting with of your alien neighbors, and an transmission is interrupted with in progress, so you have to get the aliens. If communications Interstel security access code a message about the Doomsday everything right in one session. break down, battle commences. wheel. The wheel represents Papers, a top secret Soviet for The sound effects are minimal, That means it's time to raise the copy protection, which has taking over America Your while the graphics and those shields, then maneuver been worked into the program assignment is to steal the plan animation are well-done. your ship with the cursor keys very inobtrusively by making it from a safe in a Russian base in Conclusions: Though not a and hit the space bar to fire. part of the game. Once I was Siberia. true adventure, this unorthodox The flight paths of missiles and approached in space by Four MRUs--Mobile Remote puzzle may intrigue some lasers are traced onscreen with interstellar cops wearing trench Units with TV carneras--have adventurers. But if you have animated effects. It's usually coats, who asked me to identify been placed inside the building, trouble setting your VCR Lo possible to outrun the aliens if myself by showing my and you are to direct their tape the Letterman Show, you decide to flee. knowledge of the wheels. actions via remote control in an forget it Not recommended Keep a pad of paper and a pen You have a choice of monitor effort to find and open the filing unless you have a remote handy while playing, because types, including two cabinets containing parts of the control mind and a good sense you never know when you will monochrome and two color safe's combination. After of timing. find an important clue that will standards. According to the retrieving the papers, you're start you shuttling across the manual, best results are supposed to give them to an System: C64/128, Mac, galaxy. Many clues turn up obtained on a composite agent at the front door. The Amiga, ST, Apple, IBM & jr, when you read the notices in monitor, but the Tandy 1000 I obstacles are roving guards Tandy 1000 Starport Operations. Since played it on worked equally (human and electronic) and TV Skill Level: Advanced these won't be available to well with RGB. The program surveillance of the halls and Price: $34.95, C64/128; reread when you return to is compatible with Borland's rooms. $49.95, Mac, Amiga, ST; Starport, you should write Sidekick, the best way to keep When the graphics appear, $39.95, others down anything that sounds track of your discoveries. It can they divide the screen into four Company: Activision Waiting for Duffy Sherwood Forest David KEYS TO THE KINGDOM Aulfather, 13209 Dessau Dr., Duffy's lost in space, so if Austin, TX 78753, you're stuck in an adventure Starlight: send in a brief ad. Need help with Bard, my first Train the officer who does scans and analysis as fully as game ever. Jeff Kidder, 2050 possible early in the game. If not sufficiently skilled he will Tass Times: How do I get past Scenic River Rd., Baxter, miss important discoveries w.!ien an~yzing things. f.n . the gate with the eye and nose MN 56401. engineer can repair some eqmpment m space, but will need SIX without getting killed? Aaron kinds of metal m order to do hls job. So when you find these Chou, 7032 Stratford Rd., Crimson Crown: After Eric metals, don't sell them all back at StarPort--keep a supply for Woodbury, MN 55125. gets & wears crown in last the engineer. It's easier to earn money by mining than opier room, how do I survive activities. Look for J?lanets with a high percentage of mmerals, Nine Princes in Amber: Need vampire? Brian Smith, 3035 then head for the higner altitudes. Don't sell plutonium at any help you can give. Jeff Montego, Plano, TX 75023. Arth. Instead, take It to the Thrynn (iust don t have an McLellan, Rte. # 1, Box 2490, Elowann onboard). They'll tracfe fuel worth twice its value. Waterville, ME 04901. Fantasic Four: How does Sell alien artifacts here too, after having them analvzed to see if Thing escape tar pit? King's you need to keep them. In battle, get as far away fium the King's Quest 2: How can I Quest 2: How do I cross enemy ship as possible without disengaging completely. At cross the poisonous lake? poison lake? Have 69 points, close range you can't dodge the lasers, but at long range can What's the cloth for? Where's no keys. Can give graduated maneuver to sidestep incoming missiles. the 2nd key? Also need help hints for~. Spellbreaker, badly in Hitchkier and Deadline. Fran1ctured Faebles, JklIDy Ahmad Jassem Al-Nusif, POB the Root, Alice & Crimson Tass Times in Tonetown 38305, Dahia, 72254 Kuwait ~. T. \Valsh, 116 Buy everything (you have enough picks). The newspaper is Homestead Cr., London, especially helpful. The Blobo will dig up a car.d so you can get Can help with Phantasie, Ont, Canaa N6G 2E8. access to the place where Gramps is being held. Talk to Eriruo­ Ultima 3, Bard's Tale, Ouestron for some clues. Put a red devil m a jar for a light & many others. Need help with Ultima 4: What is pure Perrv Mason, Dragonworld, axiom? Is this the answer to Uninvited Mindshadow. Need someone to last question, ''What does When you find your brother give him a good slap. When you play Lords of Midnight, thou possess if everyone may reach the dogs they will leave if you bring on a storm (thunder Dragonriders of Pem with. If relay on your every word? you live on Staten Island & Spellbreak:er: What do you do and lightning). want to play get in touch. S. in octogonal room? Can Bugaj, POB 1997, E. Hampton, help with most lnfocom Shard of_ ~pring _ _ _ NY 11937. No collect calls! g~es. Amazon and .J.IDima In Islanda, Greyhair wants to know the names of four people. ,2.M. A Lucyshyn, 239 You can get them by visiting the tombs, or just say Lothian, Need help! Wizarcby. Knight of Stevenage Dr., Longwood, Vaniguard, Murthin, Cercion. Don't worry about the forcefield Diamonds. Need solution to FL 32779. key ... you will find it in the last castle, the one surrounded by last riddle on level 6. Mike fire. To enter you must first get past the Gate Keeper's Tower Bertrand, 5213 Windsor Ave S., .fulrd: Can't fmd onyx key in to the east. You characters should be at least 6th level when E

INTERACTIVE NOVELS with graphics

Put a small universe inside your computer, and climb right in ... with a COMPREHEND Interactive Novel. Become the lead character and control the course of the story as you explore strange new worlds.

~f_Jt ~rim~on ~rotun™ transylvanhf

lkl-lqioo'" rq:~e Co"eteb Wlirror™

----P·8·LARWARE~ • 1 (800) 323-0884 fro m Polarware/ Pe nguin Software, In c.

' . t:'.O / L8 lttE6 ~J Eia109

- - -~ l806 I v d 'guAUA\. zz ~ - - _, I •t:) 11!~13 zoz JgUgJSMgN S JgJtllUgApy glU -~_;~ 1 -··~~::: w.i s1gisns:isgno.. -··-·- -·... - ~ _,.. -- ~----· ,, SWAP SHOP - Games for sale or trade: write Thane K. Sherrington, RR #2, Will trade or sell Ultima 1 or 3, Continued from previous page for free list of new & old Port Hood, N.S., Canada BOE 7.ork 3, Adventure Creator, Frank Saultz, 4827 W. 122 SL, 2WO. 902-787-3387. Questron. All originals w/docs. adventures. Kevin Kraus, 33 · ~ Hawthorne, CA 90250. Fox Hill Rd., Shrewsbury, MA Write first Brent Dollins, Rte. 01545. ATARI 2, Box 157, Powderly, TX Want all Ultimas, Moebius, For sale, $15 each: Realm of 75473. Rings of Zilfin & AutoDuel. Sell or trade: 64 Boot [for Impossibility, Archon 1 & 2, Will trade or sell Cutthroats, C128], utilities disk. Want any Lode Runner. $20 each: 7.ork 2 Passport to Amazon & Countdown to Infocom but Hitch or Zorks. & 3, entire Enchanter series, Shutdown. H. Stecker, 406 S. Mike Bagnall, RD #1, Box 95, Hitchhiker, 7 Cities of Gold, Adventure Dellwood, Cambridge, MN New Freedom, PA 17349. Cutthroats, Ultima 1. $22: 7.ork 1 w/map. $25: Deadline For a 10-20% discmmt on NEW 55008. games, order from QB--& get 3 IBM & Quest-alikes w/map & hintbook. $35: extra issues of the newsletter [1 Sale/trade:Suspended, Starcross, Want to buy Wishbringer, Ultima 3. All with original for books] for each one ordered. Deadline, all 7.orks, Quest for comJ?lete with docs & box. docs and boxes. J. Weigley, Holy Grail, See-kah of Assiah, Jennifer Shulman, 12 Ardmore 327 S. Smedley SL, Leather Goddesses ....C & AT 8- Gates of Dawn, Hero of Golden Rd., Scarsdale, NY. Philadelphia, PA 19103. bit, $29.95; others, $35.95 Talisman, Give My Regards to Starflight ...... $45.95 Broad St $15 each. Questron, Trade or sell [$25 each]: Apshai ST games wanted. Send list of Mercenary ...... $25.95 Phantasie 1 & 2; $26.50 each. what you want to sell to David Labyrinth...... $29.95, C; Trilogy, Sherlock Holmes, others, $35.95 Many others, will trade on King's Quest 1 & 2, Aultfather, 13209 Dessau Rd., Earthly Delights ...AP, PC & most Want Brimstone & Transylvania, Hitchhiker, Austin, TX 78753. compatibles, Mac ...... $25 Mindwheel. Write lst S. Planetfall, Suspect, Enchanter, Amnesia: AP ...... $37.95 Bugaj, POB 1997, E. all 7.orks, Sorcerer, Rendezvous To sell for At 800: Cosmic Roadwar: AP, C ...... $37.95 Hampton, NY 11937. 516-324- with Rama Will trade for The Balance 1 & 2 [these also run Tass Times ..all systems.$37.95 3329. [No collect calls.] Quest, Ballyhoo, Wizardry 1, on Apple], Universe 1, all Shard of Spring: AP, C .. $37 .95 Amazon, Witness, Infidel & Infocom titles, many more. Oo-topos: AP, C ...... $16 .95 Will trade my adventures, hints, many more. Byron Byrd, 5160 Chris Muller, 514 SW 34th Phantasie 1 or 2: AP, C, AT ...... $35.95 solutions for yours. C. Verdun Ave., Los Angeles, CA St,ApL6,Gainesville, FL Triirity:AP, PC, M, C ....$39 .95 Raudonis, 45 Pelham Rd., 90043. 213-294-9216. 32607. Book of Adventure 1 or 2 .... $19 Hudson, NH 03051. Will trade Ultima 2 & 3 with Want adventures for either 800 Enclose $1.95 for shipping & Will buy original adventures docs, also Zork 1 & King's or 130XE. Write if you have handling & make check payable with docs. Send list and prices Quest Want any good games for sale. B. Smith, to QuestBusters™. Sorry, no to J. Mox.low, 8957 Burnside adventures. Write or call, not 3035 Montego, Plano, TX Canadian or overseas orders. PA Rd., Brown City, MI 48416. collect, before sending game. 75023. residents add 6% sales tax.