THE SPELUNKER'S TREMENDOUS CAVE ADVENTURE
            (AGT - converted by Douglas Harter)
   (Text adventure for ST (PD 345), PC (PD 346) and Amiga)

           Preliminary Review by John R. Barnsley

Talk about deja vu!!  This familiar-sounding title is a rather
good conversion utilising the Adventure Game Toolkit (BIG version)
of the now historical St.Brides/CRL adventure 'Very Big Cave'.
What makes this piece of software even more interesting is the
fact that Mr. Harter actually wrote to me all those years ago
pleading for help on VBC!! I don't really know what the possible
copyright implications may be as the author only 'apologises' to
the ladies of St.Brides for using their game as the basis for this
one! However, that aside, on with the review.

The plot, for those who do not recall the VBC on 8-bit machines in
1986, very VERY loosely follows the outline of Crowther & Woods
classic game but with many new twists and a more than generous
helping of humour. You are accompanied throughout the game by one
Trixie Trinian - though I hasten to add that, apart from admiring
her attire, I found little use for her. Many unlikely characters
are also waiting to assist or hinder you as you progress, such as
Thatman and a hairy hippie - you even get to drive the Batmobile
to Gotham City! As you collect each treasure and return it to the
building (the 'wellie house' in this game!) you are awarded points
for "fencing" your acquired loot to a rather shifty dealer.

So how does it play? Well, I think it would be unfair to compare
it to VBC - except that, being a text-only 16-bit game, it moves
along a little quicker, even by AGT standards! If you've played
the former version then you have a slight advantage, but there are
many surprises in store......there's no food, bottle or lamp in
the wellie house for starters (you must locate the secret
storeroom!) but the bull/penny/bomb combination is identical. Also
the moving of the log and lamp through the dark tunnels when you
can only carry the log on its own! It would be unfair to give too
much away at this stage, but you'll find a short 'Getting You
Started' file elsewhere in this issue. I have got as far as Gotham
City, but I've yet to sort this one out!
Along your travels you should keep a watchful eye on your
surroundings - one particular wall advertises a special word that
you can utilise to transport between that very location and the
wellie house.....a great time saver. Note also the specific
spelling of some objects. Inserting the penny into an 'APERATURE'
for instance! The parser is not over-friendly in most cases.

Finally, two points worth mentioning for ST users. Firstly, I am
not sure if it is because of the use of AGT (BIG) or the fact that
this game was re-converted from the PC, but you may experience a
problem with restoring a saved game every now and then. For some
obscure reason restoring certain saved files will throw you back
to the desktop. Secondly, when you are prematurely 'killed', there
is no option to restore - you just return to the desktop! However,
those two points aside, I believe the game should be judged on its
merits; it is very absorbing once you get into it and should keep
you occupied for many hours......and no, I'm NOT going to write to
Doug for help!!

@~See Letters for details on the occasional RESTORE problems.