uestBusters™ The Adventurers' Journal September, 1987 Vol. N, # 9 . The Return of Werdna triumphant gloat of this success-but your Ultimas III and IV. (For you history By Ronald Wartow triumph is shortlived, as you realize there buffs, Hawkwind of Skara Brae, has been are no doors! Adams' gaming persona for many years. Prostrate on a cold stone bier at the So begins The Return ofWerdna, the I recall his early '80's Softline article bottom of a ruin converted into a prison first expert level Wizardry scenario, a describing the plot of Proving Grounds dungeon lies your new alter ego, Werdna, game that is both stand-alone and stand­ through the eyes of Hawkwind and his in a deep trance. The heroic destruction out From the compelling start, you team.) Programming was the work of of Werdna and the loss of the magical venture into a 100-150 hour, puzzle-filled, Robert Woodhead, Wizardry's co-creator, amulet occurred in the first Wizardry mind-bending, philosophical, multiple­ who has given the world's computer scenario, Proving Grounds of the Mad ending joyride of a game. At its heart, gamers millions of hours of teeth­ Overlord. Werdna's body and spirit were gnashing pleasure through the Wizardry indestructible, so Trebor and his follow­ series and other games. ers, including Hawkwind, placed the entranced body at the bottom of a heavily The Legend of Wizardry guarded, horrific nightmare of a place. The success and popularity of the Clambering down from the bier, you Wizardry series paralleled the success note that this tiny 2 x 2 room has no and popularity of Apple Computer. But doors. You are alone, weak, naked, since early-middle 1983, when Apple defenseless, and lack magical powers. A __ introduced the 2e and the third Wizardry guard takes exception to your movements, scenario was released, there had been no unmercifully attacks and coldcocks you new Wizardry and only one release in the with one swift swordthrust. You awake other popular fantasy computer gaming again on the bier. Stepping into a comer series, Ultima IV. (Macintosh Wizardry of the room, you are now slightly and the two scenarios released for the strengthened and have recruited some IBM PC were not new.) This dearth of allies. Suddenly, another guard attacks, THE RETURN OF WERDNA fresh scenarios from the first widely­ but this time you successfully defeat your THE FOURTH SCENARIO circulated and popular role-playing adversary. Your wizened face reveals the systems prompted others to "fill the void." In those years we saw a slew of fantasy games, like the three Phantasies, the two Bard's Tales, and most recently, Might Pirates and Magic. The reviews and even some packaging made patent references to and By Mike Bagnall The Return ofWerdna is a Wizardry, but this circumstance only scratches the comparisons of those games to Wizardry, "Sail ho!" the master cries as you spy a surface. This Wizardry is fresh as a and The Bard's Tales even provided for ship sailing along the horizon-an enemy daisy, employing interface, visual and transfer of Wizardry characters. Still, no ship, preparing for battle. As the ships maze-layout techniques I have never seen new Wizardry. Until now! converge on each other at sea, boarding in a game of this type. Sporting the familiar 3-D maze, the parties leap over the rails and battle An intriguing role-reversal from prior ensues. Meanwhile the captain of the Wizardries, this mirror dungeon was Continued on page nine enemy ship seeks you out, and you fight designed by Roe R. Adams, III, who to the death with swords. InPirates, the holds 40 first-solve gaming titles, was > Inventory newest game from Sid Meier and Micro­ Reviews Editor for Softalk, and adventure Leisure Suit Larry ..... 3 Prose, you play the part of a pirate trying game editor for Computer Gaming World Dan Dare ............... 4 to make a living on the Spanish Main and Computer Entertainment. He played back in the 16th and 17th Centuries. an integral part in the design of Ultima Walkthrus ............ 6-7 The best comparison of the interface IV, did additional design work for Bard's Keys to the Kingdorns .. 10 and game-play is to Seven Cities of Gold Tale I and authored manuals for the new Golden Path ........... 11 Continued on page seven main Wizardry, the third Wizardry, and Swap Shop .......... 11-12 Letters to the ~ Adventure Hotline ~ Editor New Games & Conversions similar arrangement with Origin Systems, Dear QuestBusters: Things are slow this month, as most who switched to Broderbund last month. Is the business done in the Swap Shop companies gear up for the Christmas Origin's Ultima V is expected to ship late based on trust? What's a good way to market. Infocom'sNord and Bert this month, or early October. (Don't ensure honesty? Couldn't Make Head or Tail ofIt should complain about the wait Ultima IV was A. Cautious Consumer be out by now. So should their more just released in Japan in August.) conventional text game, Plundered Hearts, To ensure honesty, don't reply to ads from a 17th Century romance story aimed at Space Gamer Returns people named A. Thief or A. Rogue. women by author Amy Briggs, but which Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer, mainly Seriously, we have no way of verifying is also supposed to appeal equally to men. covering non-computer role-playing (Huh?) Sierra's Black Cauldron and games, is back on the stands. For info, any of the information in the Swap Shop Leisure Suit Larry may be ready for the write POB 8399, Long Beach, CA 90808, ads, but have heard of only one complaint Macintosh, .with Space Quest set for mid­ or call 213-420-3675. in a·ll these years. A couple of suggestions-: October. (It's not an adventure, but Sierra Make sure you get a phone number so you also has a 3-D Helicopter Simulation that ACS Newsletter Enhanced can call and personally harass anyone who lets two pilots play via modem and see Looks like The ACS Adventurer is being rips you off. Pay with a check or money other's chopper.) Police Quest will done on a laser printer. Now edited by order if buying games. By the way, Swap probably be out on the IBM in October. Will Bryan, whose Panama made him a Shop ads are for original games with winner in EA' s ACS contest, the ACS documentation, not illegally duplicated Origins '87 Oub's newsletter is full of game design software. (Most people state this in their Mike Bagnall covered the Origins tips, review and other ACS info and ads, but we edit it out to make room for convention in Baltimore last month. appears four times a year. (Ken St Andre more ads.) If you hear of anyone selling "Tournaments of war games and fantasy also continues to handle newsletter or trading pirated copies., let us know. games were the biggest aspect," he says. material and letters. ) The $5 fee includes But the vendor's exhibits gave him a club membership, so you also get two Dear QuestBusters: chance to see some new computer games biannual catalogs of ACS games in the too. "I spoke with Mike Stackpole, who's various archives. Write Will at 9920 In your July review of Lurking Horror, it doing Bard's Tale III and said it will be Milltrail Drive, Dallas, TX 75238. said the game contains a package of much bigger. Called Thief of Fate, it will rattlesnake eggs. Mine contained some consists of 53 maps, seven dimensions, Play-By-Mail Directories kind of funny looking insect. What gives? five cities and five wilderness areas. I also Paper Mayhem, the PBM magazine, has Did Infocom vary the sort of horrors they saw a preliminary version of SSI's published The Journal of the PBM Player, put in the packet? Hope you can clear this Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, which which lists several dozen games and up for me - I'm puzzled! looked most impressive on the Amiga. quotes prices, complexity and diplomacy Marian Apgar The C-64 version will be released first, ratings, and addresses of the companies. It however, sometime early next year." goes for $1 and updates are planned. Apparently someone at Infocom picked up (1518 Adams St, Ottawa, IL 61350-4764) a grab bag of stuff at the local novelty Activision Allies with FASA The company that runs Assassin, is shop.for we've received several other Activision has agreed with FASA, who preparing a Who's Who Among PBM reports of games that included different makes the role-playing games BattleTech, Players that will contain bias and ad­ Star Trek and Dr. Who, to develop a new dresses of people who return forms asking kinds of creatures. type of computer adventure. The idea is a for favorite games and other information. "synthesis of... fantasy role-playing and (K+C Enterprises, POB 1072, Blooming­ TM military strategy." OK, how about calling ton, IN 47402-1072) it The Ores ofNavarone? Wizards and QuestBusters Warbots? Winners Editor: Shay Addams This month's Keys to the Kingdoms News Editor: Nuyu Infocom Books winner was Robert Garcia, who will get Contributing Editors: Ron Wartow, DWP, Byron Preiss Visual Productions, who did the game of his choice. For his walkthru Ken St. Andre, Tim Snider, Stephen King, many of Telarium' s graphic adventures, is to The Mist, Brian Smith won Hollywood Brian Smith, Bob Guerra, William E. producing a line of novels based on 1lijinx, and Douglas Campbell will get Carte, Charles Don Hall, Mike Bagnall, Infocom' s bestselling titles.