HINTS, TIPS & GENERAL HELP by Phil Wednesday, 25th.March, 1992. This text file is being rushed a bit this month, as I'm trying to get the disk out in the next two or three days. First of all, I've an apology to make: One reader wrote to me asking for help with a COMPASS game, but I can't find the letter at the moment. If I unearth it soon, I'll write directly to Jon Lemmon for them and get help that way, unless I find the solution in some adventure magazine back- issues. If the person could write to me again, I promise to give it priority, and send grovelling apologies. I've just made a batch of folders to file letters in, so mistakes such as this shouldn't happen again. (STOP PRESS! See further down text.) Right, onto last month's game, RED DOOR: The main problem was the missing "UtilCode" file, which is on this disk, so more MORE >>>> of you may now be able to actually try the game. I've only received one plea for help with playing the game itself, and that letter arrived this very morning (honest!) from Carl Miller, who's trapped in the sarcophagus, and can't open the lock. Well, as you all may soon realise, I haven't played many games of late, and that includes RED DOOR, so I've had a quick read of RED HERRING and SPELLBREAKER to see what I could discover there. RED HERRING No.3 and SPELLBREAKER No.24 both feature maps of the game, but I can't find detailed solutions. RED HERRING has a very short solution, so I'll type out the first few lines IN REVERSE TYPE and hope that it's of assistance seimmum htob tisiV woc enimaxE kcatsyah enimaxE woc ot yah eviG nioc teG MORE >>>> nwoD fo moor ot oG nwod enimaxE ffluff enimaxE ybur teG ti enimaxe dna loop ot oG moor s'enibucnoc ot oG nioc dna ybur eviG reyashtoos ot llorcs eviG telecarb ees ot xob kcolnU ecalkcen teg ot evac enimaxE MORE >>>> ekoj a teg ot ymmum elamef tisiV I hope that Carl can sort out his problem from the above, and I hope I've typed it correctly! Typing backwards isn't very easy for me, in fact, it's REDRUM! (Yes, I saw and read THE SHINING, by Stephen King.) If anyone can devise a good way of coding solutions and tips, please let me know! They needn't be as text files, as a BASIC routine could be impressive and colourful. YIPPEE! SUCCESS! I've just been sorting through a vast pile of letters and bumph, just after typing the above, and I've found the plea for help in the COMPASS game mentioned earlier. (And have also just heard that England's just lost against Pakistan!) The letter's from Alex Jones, who's having trouble finding the coin in DEMON FROM THE DARKSIDE. Consulting SPELL- BREAKER No.6 yields the clue: How do I get the coin? - You need to 'beat back' the darkness: pleh ll'eh dna esiW yrraC (more backwards text!) MORE >>>> Next we have a plea for help with THE ISLAND, which is a PD CP/M 2.2 adventure running under PRO-DOS. Peter Quanstrom has managed to get into the dinghy, with the motor installed (full tank), but he can't start it, although he's tried inserting the belt into the slot and pulling, as there's no rope available. Any ideas, anyone? I've only managed to have a quick look around the ship so far, and managed to get an irritating parrot to sit (no typing error there!) on my shoulder, but I'd like to play it further, as it looks like a good game. David Munden would like to know the start address and length of the extra levels in THE BARD'S TALE. He's found the memory area that holds the party information, and if anyone requires help, they can write to him at: 13, Norfolk Close, Dines Green, Worcester, HEREFORD & WORCESTER. WR2 5RH MORE >>>> David has unsuccessfully tried to convert LORDS OF MIDNIGHT and DOOMDARK'S REVENGE to Sam format, using the MESSENGER. I've tried using EMUTILITY without success. I can load LORDS, but it locks up when night falls. I also know that Dave Ledbury wants to find out how to solve this problem. Has anyone yet converted these games? Although more strategy than adventure, they're classic Spectrum games, and deserved all the praise heaped on them. If we can solve the conversion trouble, I may try designing some card overlays for the keys, for members only, of course! MGT, when Sam was launched, intended to release Sam versions of both titles, which should have been great, if they were graphically enhanced. I wonder if Samco may decide to carry the project through sometime. It'd make a good double-game pack. That's the lot for this issue, so please send in any pleas for help, etc., and we'll see what we can come up with for the next issue. - Phil. *** --- ***