by Brad Griffin
In a remote part of Angola, the fair maiden, Glanoa, shivers with fear and disgust as the evil Captain Moonglug approaches. Her skin crawls as the vile scientist, caressing the silken strands of her hair, whispers in her ear, "You are mine now. No one can save you." As the foul stench of his breath causes our lady to recoil, a gust of fresh air with a hint of honeysuckle pervades the dark room of her imprisonment. Could this be an omen of hope? Or is it something too perverse to imagine? Far away, in the outer reaches of the desert known as Gala No, a lonely figure wanders aimlessly from dust to dune. Alan Og, a soldier of fortune, about to give up all hope of surviving, catches the faint hint of honeysuckle in the wind. A mystifying force surges through the sinewy body, as the wanderer feels a sense of purpose. He knows that the fairest maiden of all is a captive of the dreaded one, and he, Alan Og, is her only salvation. He begins the search anxious to encounter the one known as "pond scum", the villainous Captain Moonglug.
So begins your adventure into lands unknown, against never-before-dreamed-of foes. Among the scores of games in the burgeoning software market, the computer adventure is a genre of its own. What is an adventure? How does one play it? Who plays adventures? Are they all the same? We shall explore the computer adventure with all of its variations and review representative simulations from the different groups.
Deciding what games should be included in the category of adventure is becoming increasingly difficult. As programmers search for original ideas and games to attract the public, combinations of arcade and adventure games further cloud the issue. An adventure has been defined as a bold undertaking, in which hazards are to be met and the issue hangs upon unforeseen events. Using this definition as a guideline, we shall explore computer adventures.
There is stark contrast between the adventure game and the arcade game. Frequently, this same contrast exists in people. Arcade addicts with their lightning quick reflexes and unparalleled persistence must eventually succumb. They may achieve a higher score, but the invaders (centipedes, et al) always prevail, and losing is inevitable. The adventurer knows there is always hope, and, if one is clever and possesses dogged determination, The Quest will be accomplished. It is the possibility, even the probability, of success, that truly differentiates the adventure from other simulations. An arcade game is like shooting basketball; the more one does it, the better one becomes. A variety of obstacles may prevent one from reaching perfection or totality. Distance from the hoop, angle of the shot, fatigue, and the ever present, "in your face!", all enhance the game, but deny perfection. An adventure is like reading a book. The story line exists and the resolution is sought. The adventure game differs from the book in that one must be an active participant instead of an omniscient observer or reader. There is jeopardy in a computer adventure. The ever-present risk of being wasted in an encounter with a monster of low degree always exists; however, the true peril is failing to solve the puzzle and never achieving the final goal. This is like reading a mystery and never having the opportunity to finish the final chapter. The exhilaration of discovering the clue which finally enables one to get the key from the ogre by tickling its froboosh is not found in any other game. The exasperation of being unable to cross the ravine, beyond which is a buried treasure, is unmatched. The sense of accomplishment and pride when success is at hand is universal. The desire to complete the quest, and the anxiety in mastering the final obstacle give way to the feeling that a friend has been lost. Much the same feeling one has when a book is finished. The only way to rid oneself of this depression is to begin a new adventure. Quite a hardy lot these adventurers. Some of the newer adventures have random features assuring one of a different adventure with each new game.
The basic scheme in an adventure is to advance through a series of mazes to reach a final goal. Each section of the maze may be depicted as a room, a forest, or even the inside of a tourbillion? Traveling from one section to the next may simply require a command, such as, "GO DOOR." Certain items may be needed to allow progress. E.g., one must use the stick to knock the apple from the tree to throw at the fire-breathing Galumph, who, being terrified of apples (specifically, Golden Delicious), runs away, dropping the key to the secret door. Most objects have a purpose, but not one that is always apparent. There is usually a limit to the number of items one is permitted to carry, requiring discrimination in the load carried. Drawing a map is essential for most adventures. Dropping objects as one explores the maze, ala Hansel und Gretel, avoids traveling in blind loops, and the search for the way in or out is simplified.
The basic concept in computer adventure games is to reach an ultimate goal, whether it be to accumulate a certain number of *TREASURES*, rescue the princess, or discover the guilty culprit. However, adventures are not all the same. The most fundamental difference is the format of the adventure. These have been described by others, but the use of generalized terms has made these distinctions confusing. The most commonly abused term is "graphic adventure." Every adventure games uses graphics to some degree. How does one discern the difference between a game with a static graphic display of what the adventurer sees and one with a scrolling graphic map, where the adventurer is seen as a figure within the representation? Both are described in advertisements as graphic adventures. The following categorization may remove some of this confusion. There are two basic types of computer adventure games; the text adventure and the action adventure.
TEXT ADVENTURES
Here the adventure scenario and progress through it are conveyed with the written word. There are three kinds of text adventures. The Pure Text Adventure uses only written text. Usually, the adventurer sees through the eyes of a "puppet" and communicates using two word commands, a noun and a verb. The surroundings are described in some detail and the objects in view are listed. Objects are used by typing specific commands, such as, "TAKE AXE", or "USE AXE". The program responds with "OK" if it is an appropriate command, or with "I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE AN AXE." At times, one may feel compelled to "USE AN AXE" on the computer. The possible routes of exit from each location are displayed. Movement is accomplished using directional commands. Most adventures permit use of abbreviations, so instead of typing "GO NORTH", using "N" is sufficient. Other directions are abbreviated as S,E,W,U (up), and D (down). An inventory (I or INV) command displays the objects one possesses at that moment. Hints to aid the novice may suggest the correct word to use in a certain situation. Hints may also provide a classic straight man setup, as Scott Adams demonstrates when he suggests using the command "WEIGH ANCHOR". The more advanced adventure games do not contain hints within the program itself, although many hint books are available separately. (The Zork Users Group superbly complements Infocom's series of adventures with maps, blueprints, posters, hint books, T-shirts, etc.). Scott Adams' Adventures fall into this category, as do most of the APX adventures. Infocom's adventures allow the input of full sentences with multiple commands, successfully simulating actual conversation.
Slightly different is the Enhanced Text Adventure in which something extra is added to the basic text format. This may be done using sound or a simplified illustrated panel to embellish the overall effect. LABYRINTHS from P. C.A. is an example of an enhanced text adventure. Commands are selected from a menu, while sound effects for combat and changes in the background color for different locations are used.
The third type is the Illustrated Text Adventure where every location (room, panel, portion of the maze) is a picture of what the adventurer would be seeing. The static graphic display is accompanied by text in the lower window. Keyboard commands, as with other text adventurers, are used. If an object is picked up, or an action taken that would alter the scene depicted, e.g. cutting down a tree, the pictorial display is redrawn to show the changes. Although challenging in their own right, these adventures may be limited in scope, since an illustrated, and hopefully recognizable, object must appear on the screen. WIZARD AND THE PRINCESS, an Sierra-Online Systems Inc. Hi-Res Adventure, is an example of an exciting adventure scenario with high quality graphic illustrations that does not sacrifice the challenge of pure text adventures.
ACTION ADVENTURES
There are two sub-groups in this category. The Personified Adventure is a group that is most varied and difficult to classify. They are often referred to as graphic adventures, mapped adventures, or roleplaying fantasy adventures. The adventurer is usually represented by a symbolic human figure (ergo, personification) which is able to be moved about the screen from one location to another. As the edge of the screen is approached, it scrolls to the adjacent area. Control is through a combination of keyboard commands and joystick manipulation. The commands are most often in menu form and are quite limited. Consequently, the commands are known to the player and the challenge (or frustration) of discovering the game's special vocabulary is missing. Random encounters with danger highlight the quest, and combat is frequent. After achieving the final goal, the random nature of these games allows them to be played repeatedly. ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES by Quality Software is an example of this type of adventure.
Arcade Action Adventures are unique in that they require use of motor skills to facilitate interaction with the game. Features of the other adventure formats are incorporated, but quick responses to invading aliens, etc. are necessary. The display may be similar to the illustrated text, and animation added by having foes appear periodically. Unlike other adventures, the goal may be to attain a high score, rather than achieve a final success, although both goals are usually embodied in the arcade action adventure. The cerebral challenge of decifering clues and the mental images created by the text-based adventures are replaced with the reflex response to the droid which just appeared and blasting it to Cleveland where it will never be heard from again. STAR WARRIOR from Automated Simulations is a personified adventure with arcade action.
There are adventure players who consider themselves purists and only play the text adventures. They are involved in the challenge of the word game aspects and solving the mystery. The illustrated text and action adventures provide an enjoyable variety. There may be major differences between adventures with the same format. Documentation, game-save feature, real-time element, completion time, and originality of the scenario are a few areas where these differences occur.
The only way to find out if you will enjoy adventure gaming is to try it. For the beginner, Scott Adams' PIRATE ADVENTURE or Online's MISSION ASTEROID provides a good introduction. They are both available in illustrated text versions (PIRATE ADVENTURE is also available as pure text and on cassette for less money). Both are challenging, but not impossible, and will give hours of pleasure. If you want greater challenges after whetting your appetite, a bounty of adventures await you - many reviewed in this issue. Naming the best adventures is difficult because of wide variation in individual preferences. All of Scott Adams' Adventures are well done and original. WIZARD AND THE PRINCESS (Online Systems Inc.) was the first high quality illustrated text adventure available for the ATARI. This Hi-Res Adventure by Ken and Roberts Williams is still the standard of excellence in its field. ALI BABA (Quality Software) is without peer in the personified adventure arena. Stuart Smith has created a role-playing fantasy with many special features that no other adventure of this type has even remotely approached. ALI BABA's originality, playability, and use of ATARI's unique sound and graphics capabilities are unparalleled. Though not considered here as a true adventure game, CRUSH, CRUMBLE, AND CHOMP (Epyx Simulations) is a role-playing fantasy with the player starring as one of many available movie monsters attempting to destroy any of four major world cities. It is great fun. SNOOPER TROOPS (Spinnaker) offers an excellent combination of all the above formats, and though its advertisements seem to be aimed at children, it is challenging and fun for all ages.
No article on adventures would be complete without mentioning the creators of the first adventure, Don Woods and Willy Crowther. Their original trek through Colossal Cave has been recreated by many. A version of this classic adventure game should be part of every serious adventurer's collection. Let The Quest begin.