STACs of Adventures for the ST
                  Compiled by Jean Childs

Many text adventures for the ST have come from the homegrown
market and have been written with STAC. The Atari ST Adventure
Creator written by Sean Ellis is an excellent program, enabling
people with no programming knowledge to write adventures. The
following short reviews are of STAC games that I have enjoyed
playing, some of which I am still playing.

Each game appeals to me for various reasons which I shall give in
the review, and I hope this article will be of interest to Atari
ST owners who enjoy and are on the lookout for some good text
adventures. The games are in alphabetical order rather than any
order of merit.

CORTIZONE by High Voltage Software

At the start of the game you find yourself hiding under a pile of
refuse in a dark alleyway outside the Zone, a hospital which was
converted after the great war to hold both human and robotic
criminals at little expense to the weakened government.
Conditions are barbaric as the inner building is mainly unguarded
leaving prisoners to fight over limited resources that are
periodically dropped into the building by supply chute. Your aim
is to gain entry to the Zone by any means possible and find the
mad doctor thought to be responsible for the creation of the
Adrenal Bomb, obtaining relevant information to find and defuse
this devastating new device.

This game wasn't meant to appear in this article, and it just so
happens to be alphabetically the first on the list. The game is
available from Zenobi Software for a mere œ2.99. I had written to
Zenobi asking for information on the availability of a couple of
other games, and they sent me a list of games available for the
ST. I saw CORTIZONE on the list and remembered Sue telling me what
a good game it was, so I sent for it. I am very impressed with the
graphics that I have seen so far and am enjoying playing it. But
I'm stuck and this isn't really a review, more a plea for some
other ST adventure fan to buy it and perhaps play it with me. So
give it a go, send for it and then give me a bell on 01276 475391.
Details on obtaining the disk (or in this case disks as it comes
on two disks) are given at the end of the article.

DON'T BANK ON IT by Ruth Sunderland

The PD version of this game is available from the SynTax library,
Disk Ref 247.  To register costs œ2.75 which entitles you to the
full version.  The difference is that the PD version has no save
and load facilities. I wondered if this clever tactic encouraged
people to register, but Ruth tells me that since the game was
released in 1991 she has only had about six registrations. It took
a year to write and other STAC authors disappointed with the
shareware market will not be surprised to hear that Ruth has not
written any other games. This is a great shame but it's a story
that I come across again and again.

Ruth offers help to registered players in the form of hints or a
solution, but I have so far restrained myself preferring to solve
this amusing game without the help of the author. I haven't
reached far into the game and as with the previous game in this
article, would love to play it with someone else.

The introduction to the game is quite long and tremendously funny,
and it would spoil your enjoyment if I printed it here.  It is the
history of the character Harry Pratt and is so amusing that I
still opt for the introduction when I load the game even though I
know it. All I will say is that Ruth ends the introduction with
Harry saying - "With the help of my friends, and a bit of careful
forethought, I have come up with a plan which will make me rich
beyond my wildest dreams".

Care has been taken in writing this game with the room
descriptions informative and just about the right size. There are
no graphics but you are treated to some good sound effects.  Like
the countryside location where the text states "The only sound is
that of joyous bird song". So I typed 'listen' expecting to get "I
don't understand that", instead of which I was treated to the
sound of bird song.

Another thing that I like about this game is the way Ruth has used
'scenery items' to invoke humour.

'Open drawer'

"Okay. This is where you keep some of your meagre possessions.
There are a lot of socks in here, but there's not one single pair
to be seen amongst them. You can see a torch."

'Take torch'

"Okay."

'Take socks'

"You will have to make do with the ones you are already wearing -
after all they were clean on last week!"

Apart from the general humour, the game contains some rather
tongue in cheek humour and probably one of the best skoda jokes
that I've heard. Objects are well hidden and there is a need to
look carefully at the scenery. Also, it is well worth remembering
that Harry Pratt is quite a ruthless character. I was stuck near
the beginning of the game for quite a while until, while testing
the verbs, I made a move that was quite vicious.

I am thoroughly enjoying playing this game and recommend it for
its humour.

THE ELLISNORE DIAMOND by Jack Lockerby

Introduction - "Many years ago during the English Civil War, King
Charles the First sought refuge in Garisbrooke Castle to escape
from the pursuing Roundheads. The governor of the castle, Sir
Roger Woodstock, also known as 'Blackbeard' because of his
jet-black beard, hooked nose and evil eyes, was rewarded by the
gift of a fabulous diamond, 'The Ellisnore Diamond'. But no sooner
had he laid claim to the diamond, than he denounced the King to
the Roundheads, hoping to receive some reward from them.  After
the King's capture, suspicion fell upon Blackbeard and he was
removed from his Governorship. He returned to his home village of
Moonholm and lived in seclusion, weighed down by guilt, until he
died. But even after death he could not rest; for men said that he
had hidden the diamond and, that not daring to reclaim it, had let
the secret die with him. And thus his ghost walked at night trying
to find it again. For he had vowed, shortly before death claimed
him, to sell the diamond and spend the proceeds on the poor of the
parish. After a long discussion with the parson it was decided
that you would attempt to complete Blackbeard's task, and thus
release his soul from eternal damnation. But before you could set
out on your quest, a sudden storm caused the sea to flood the
village. Many cottages were ruined and the church foundations
severely weakened. When the flood had abated you decided to
venture forth. You arrive at the market square and try to remember
where you lost your front door key. Was it in the churchyard?"

What I liked about this game was its simplicity in its location
descriptions that clearly marked all exits. It soon had you moving
about solving puzzles. But don't be misled into a false sense of
security in that everything is going to be handed to you on a
plate. You have to examine everything, especially when faced with
a sort of 'mini maze' where descriptions are identical. There are
many puzzles all of which are intriguing and cry out to be solved.
There is one puzzle that I will mention as it actually stopped me
from playing the game early on as I was completely stuck. When you
enter the underground vault in the churchyard follow these moves
exactly, using no 'saves' or 'scores':-

Down - SE - Examine Casks - Take Crowbar - Examine Vault - Examine
Coffin - Hide - Down.

If you don't use the exact moves, it is possible for the program
to tell you that "you grab something soft as you descend" but the
'something' isn't there. If I hadn't come across a solution to
this game, written by John Barnsley, while browsing through some
old issues of Red Herring I may never have gone back to it.
That's why I mention it now. If you are reading this, John, thanks
- it's not the first time that you have saved the day.  This game
is available from Zenobi Software at œ2.99 and is well worth
playing.  I recommend it for its puzzles.

THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE by Jack Lockerby

Introduction - "The old Sorcerer chuckles quietly to himself as he
walks along the forest trail. With one hand on your shoulder and
the other stroking his long white beard, he pauses to speak to
you. "Niki, this is your very last chance to become an Official
Sorcerer. You have been on a government sponsored training course
for the past 5 years and SHE who must be obeyed has cut out all
your allowances. Therefore we are going to put you in the
Enchanted Cottage for a spell, if you'll pardon the pun. Escape
and not only will you gain your diploma but also a position in the
Civil Service with an index linked pension. No reward could be
higher. Good Luck.""

You start the game in the Enchanted Cottage "whose walls, ceiling
and floor give off a strange vibration. A large cube sits in the
centre of the room."

'Examine cube'

"It has four sides. One yellow, one green, one red and the other
white. You can also see a label firmly attached to the bottom of
the cube. The cube is a pressing problem."

'Read label'

"Danger's first and then it's go. Purity's third and the coward's
last."

This first easy puzzle is just a warm up to get you going, and the
solving of it results in the appearance of three coloured spinning
discs. These are your gateways to three different areas of play,
and you can and need to return to this location in order to
explore each of these in stages. Many of the puzzles are solved by
magic, but you need to be carrying the correct item in order to
cast the necessary spells.

I've managed to get a long way into this game, but there are still
a couple of spells that elude me. The game is available from
Zenobi Software at œ2.99 and, as with the previous game, I
recommend it for its puzzles. But then Jack Lockerby is in a class
of his own when it comes to compiling puzzles.

THE GRIMOIRE by Richard W. Lee

The aim of this game is to find a grimoire (a collection of magic
spells), and bring it back to the lecture room so that you can
begin your studies. Your lecturer has given you an assignment -
"with reference to any respected contemporary grimoire, discuss
14th century lycanthropy techniques. Sources to be appended".
Unfortunately the library is empty.

The game is not vast with only 50 locations, each of which has a
picture. What this game does have, which is unusual with STAC
games, are non-player controlled characters (NPCs). I asked
Richard about his views on STAC and he rightfully thought that it
was a shame that it lacked the facilities for easily programming
NPCs. However, Richard managed to incorporate these into his game
successfully.

I read a review of 'The Grimoire' some time ago, where it was
heavily criticized for bad taste and also bad spelling and
grammar. Richard admits that he make rather a mess of the spelling
in the first version but released a second version with most of
the spelling mistakes corrected. My version has the mistakes but
it certainly hasn't spoiled my enjoyment of the game. Also the
game was originally released as shareware requiring only œ1 to
register, but when I wrote to Richard he informed me that the game
has since been released as freeware.  As to bad taste, well I
haven't found anything to support this criticism although I
haven't finished the game yet. It's an unusual game but I have
found it to be very playable with intriguing puzzles and a lot of
atmosphere, and I recommend it for these qualities. Available from
the SynTax library on Disk 130.

THE JADE STONE by Linda Wright

Introduction - "Life as the daughter of Lord Senidea has been
relatively peaceful, and you recently became engaged to Guy, your
childhood sweetheart. Things changed, however, when rumours
reached your father that Malluno, a second-rate sorcerer, was
planning to invade the surrounding countryside before conquering
the rest of the kingdom. Your father was outraged and your fiance,
determined to prove that he is not the wimp that Lord Senidea
believes him to be, gallantly trotted off to deal with said
villain. Days passed with no news of Guy's exploits. This morning,
however, an evil Putron demanded to see your father, claiming to
have an urgent message for him. When brought into the Main Hall of
your father's court, the Putron produced a ransom note from
Malluno that read "Guy held hostage. Will release him in exchange
for your lands - or your daughter!  Signed, Malluno." In a rage,
Lord Senidea tore up the note, threw the Putron into the dungeon
and then charged out, shouting "CALL OUT THE ARMY!", leaving you
and Sajo, his adviser, alone."

The good graphics and well written text make this game very
playable. The puzzles are very logical but require careful
planning. Conversation with the various characters is very
important and has been handled very well by the author. But my
main enjoyment from this game was the way Linda pulls you into the
game with its adventurous atmosphere, brought about by the
necessary information gently unfolding by investigating puzzles.
Highly recommended for atmosphere, this game is available from
Zenobi Software at œ2.99.

THE OBSCURE NATURALIST by Peter Hague

Introduction - "It is early summer. You are sitting on the head
wall of a dam listening to the water lapping against it and
staring out at a nearby island. You are an obscure naturalist and
have come here to observe the birds on the water and in the nearby
woods. Suddenly, you hear a swoosh in the air above your head, and
looking up, see a large and very rare Heron gliding in the sky.
The sunlight gleams upon its wings making them seem almost
metallic as it lands on the island. Excited, you use your
binoculars and see it has a nest and young chicks. If you could
get a close-up photograph of them, you would become world famous.
But first there is the small problem of getting to the island." An
unusual plot and one which doesn't immediately present the
opportunity for much variety in the puzzles. But if you thought
this, you would be pleasantly surprised.

The game is available from the SynTax library, on Disk 503, and
the œ5 registration fee entitles you to part two. Peter Hague is a
freelance graphic designer which explains why the graphics in this
game are of such a high standard. They really are magnificent. The
first time I played this game I didn't try solving any puzzles - I
just wandered around the locations admiring the scenery. Speaking
of puzzles, this game has a wide selection of difficulty level.
Some puzzles are relatively easy and some are downright difficult.
But the game flows and you can leave puzzles and return to them
later. The text is informative and the location descriptions give
information on what can be seen in the background, just like in
real life, unlike some games which only tell you what's in the
immediate vicinity.

This game has had numerous reviews, all of which have been unable
to criticize it in any way. But I have included it in this article
for two reasons. Firstly, there may be someone out there new to
text adventuring on the ST that might not have heard of it.
Secondly, it's impossible to write an article about one's favorite
text adventures and not include this game. I recommend it for just
about any element of a text adventure that you care to name.

THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF AN APPRENTICE WIZARD by Nick
Robinson

The introduction tells how you, an apprentice at the Wizards
Academy, make a mistake while mixing ingredients. You come face to
face with Death who explains that your little `accident' caused
him to be distracted, thus allowing a wizard to run off with his
lifetimer. Your mission is to find and return the lifetimer.
During the game you go through various glowing portals into a
variety of different worlds. These portals are actually rips in
the fabric of time, the beginning of the destruction of reality,
caused by the wizard who ran off with his lifetimer. You meet many
well-known characters who don't always behave as you would expect
them to.

There is a warning at the start of the game about some scenes
possibly causing offence. "If you object to poor wise-cracks about
religion, acres of bare nubile flesh, and the occasional piece of
mild swearing, then switch off". I found nothing offensive in this
game, it was just incredibly funny.

There are few graphics but these few are excellent. The room
descriptions are entertaining and well-thought out, occasionally
hiding an exit. Once or twice I found a lack of information on
exits, but my main gripe must be the style of text. One of STAC's
many features is the ability to design your own font.  This is
how, unlike some other game writing utilities, STAC games can be
made to look different from each other.  Unfortunately, I was not
too keen on Nick's yellow text on a black background, combined
with a rather elaborate font. In certain places the text was in
capitals, and due to the font it was a little difficult to read.

But this is forgiven when you get into the game and meet Nick's
sense of humour. At one point you meet up with your old tutor who
also suffered from the effects of your experiment. "He holds his
head in his hands...quite literally". At another place it says
"You can also see a seal".

"Examine seal"

"It rears up, slaps its front flippers together and barks at you.
No, sorry, wrong seal. This is a wax seal".

Usually you are allowed to `die' once, following which Death will
appear and resurrect you. But this isn't the case if you spend too
much time watching the Gods play chess. If you stay too long you
get squashed by a God. Death appears as usual but apologises for
not being able to resurrect you, as it was - an Act of God. This
is where you realise that the beauty of this game is not in the
solving of it, but in getting it wrong.

The game is available from the SynTax library and the registration
fee is a donation of whatever you like. The Read Me file mentions
that a follow-up is on the way, but unfortunately to date this has
never materialized. I found some of the puzzles quite hard but I
would recommend this game to experts and novices alike, mainly due
to its humour.

So there you have it, eight really good games. There might be
something there that you haven't yet tried. Every one of them is
entertaining and incredibly good value for money. I have a PC
which I use most of the time but when I crave a good old-fashioned
text adventure, I turn on the ST and load one of the above games
that I have not yet solved. I don't think I will ever get rid of
my ST.

The Zenobi games are available from - Zenobi Software , 26
Spotland Tops, Cutgate, Rochdale, Lancashire, and I would like to
mention here that Zenobi are very quick in replying.  The other
games are, as stated, available from the SynTax library for the
price of œ2.50. Or as Sue says in the contributions section -
"Ideally I'd like ST and PC contributions in ASCII form on disk
and, if you send on disk, I'll replace it with the PD disk of your
choice". What better value for money is there?
                              - o -