Ratings and Reviews by jgerrie

One might normally classify this game as a kind of arcade variation of role-playing games, but it can be argued that the earliest version, written in Basic for the TRS-80 Model 1, at least if played with careful use of the manual (and a certain trick perhaps limited to the TRS-80 versions of the game that is described below) allows for a very satisfying IF experience.

In 1979 when the game was first created on the Model 1, 16K was considered an extremely generous amount of RAM for a personal computer to have. However, within the confines of such limited memory resources and before the advent of fast permanent storage devices written documentation was used by the authors to serve the role that would later be played by devices like CD ROM drives and the like. The slow speed and lack of graphics of the TRS-80 also meant that the arcade aspects of the game, that would become so prominent in the M/L versions later created for the second generation 8-bit computers (64, 800, Coleco Adam, etc.) was really not a significant element of game play, since the combat sequences unfolded more like the slow-motion tabletop dice throwing recreations of their RPG inspiration.

In the face of such limitations, the "room descriptions" of the manual were clearly not intended in this original version as mere window dressing (which in the later "arcade versions" could simply be ignored), but an integral part of the experience of the primary activity of the game, which was to explore the temple in an attempt to fill out one’s understanding of the narrative only hinted at in the carefully sketched "prologue" provided in the manual. These descriptions go far beyond providing "mood" for the otherwise dull linear graphic presentation of the rooms provided by the extremely limited graphic capabilities of the Model 1 (although they do that too, such as with their careful descriptions of the smells one encounters)—they actually provide clues for uncovering elements necessary for one’s continued survival (and thus are roughly equivalent to the puzzles and clues of more standard IF games). These clues include information about hidden passages, traps, the monsters one is likely to encounter and the possibilities of treasure and magic, all of which if interpreted correctly can greatly aid one's survival. But perhaps most important of all, they provide a set of narrative hints to the completion of the back story so as to achieve a satisfactory conclusion to the introductory narrative. So contrary to what is suggested in many standard descriptions of the game, the purpose of this early version clearly was not simply "to pillage the temple" by hacking and slashing one's way in arcade fashion through the various levels.

At least in the TRS-80 versions the purpose can be to seek by way of a carefully made set of choices conditioned by the room descriptions to progress through the four levels to discover the truth about the sinister force at the heart of Apshian civilization and defeat that force to end the "curse of Apshai." One essential aid to this way of playing the game is the SHIFT-@ key sequence of the TRS-80 machines that allows one to freeze the execution of any Basic program at any time. Using this key sequence one can halt play upon entering each room to consult the appropriate description and then use this information to help determine one’s subsequent actions. So one might decide, for example, that a room represents an unnecessary danger at a particular point given one's condition and choose to leave and return later after obtaining potential aids in other areas hinted at by other room descriptions. The authors, by combining the information storage of the existing technology of printed text with the novel (but limited) capabilities of an early 8-bit computer, were able to provide an immensely rich narrative experience that as a TRS-80 player always seemed radically different from the experiences of friends playing the game on other platforms.

Castle Adventure was created by David Malmberg on the PET computer using a BASIC adventure engine created by Scott Adams for the TRS-80. Adams published and explained his engine in Creative Computing Magazine (August 1979), Byte Magazine (Dec 1980) and Softside (July 1980). It is the same engine which underlies adventures like Adam's "Pirate Adventure." However, unlike Pirate Adventure, which only has a few treasures, there are many more treasures to be found in Castle Adventure. The world that Malmberg creates is also much more internally coherent than what one typically finds in Adams' early adventures. The dangers are much less arbitrary too and on the whole I found the experience much more satisfying and less frustrating than Adams' Adventure 1 or 2. That being said, Adams adventure "driver" software is what I found most interesting and how Malmberg was able to apply it to a new story. However, one annoyance is that there tends to be some lag between entering a command and receiving a response. This is, I think, a legacy of the complexity and flexibility of Adams' driver software, so players of modern IF might find the experience a little frustrating. However, if you are curious about how the art of IF Basic adventure programming was spread and can appreciate some of the slowness of an 8-bit Basic game, this adventure is certainly worth a try.

(Spoiler - click to show)In the version I played there seemed to be some quirks with the guard routine. I'm not sure if there is supposed to be only one guard, but it seems like this should be the case. For example, one can fight the guard and be defeated and thrown in the dungeon. After escaping the cell, one can defeat the guard who is rendered unconscious. Despite being unconscious you can still run into a (another?) guard and end up back in the dungeon cell, but the cell door remains open and one can still find the unconscious guard. Also, the unconscious guard has keys, but as far as I can tell, they are never mentioned and cannot be "searched" for. One must simply think to "get keys" after defeating the guard.

This text adventure in the 8-bit Basic program category is unique in several ways. First, its design permits multiple narrative pathways to the completion of the adventure (despite the limits imposed on these possibilities by the 8-bit machine hardware it was developed on--the Matra-Hachette 'Alice' computer). Second, its single key entry decision and navigation system is a refreshing departure from the much more standard two word parser system, and is very appropriate for its multiple attempt variable ending play format. Third, it is based (very roughly) on a classic work of fiction. Although its single keystroke system is somewhat similar to other extremely simple early Basic text adventures, the number of rooms, the multiplicity of narrative arches (in which randomness, decisions and the objects and paths selected make a substantial difference), and the playful and well crafted scenarios make for quite an enjoyable hour or so of distraction. Although a game like this will be of no interest to hard core modern players of interactive fiction, it certainly will be of interest to those curious about early 8-bit computer systems and the Basic programming efforts of coders grappling with the inherent limitations of such systems.

The Alice was a French introductory computer system somewhat akin to the Sinclair ZX-81 or even the Spectrum, which shared some hardware elements with the TRS-80 Micro Color Computer from Tandy, upon which it was based. The version of the game I played was ported and translated by me from the Alice original program by François Coulon.

Although possibly not a part of its original "type-in" published form there seem to be many versions out there (I used a GWBasic version for MS-DOS, which can be found on Web) that contain program errors that make the game unwinable. Some of the errors in the code, though, were put there on purpose by Ahl in a clever scheme to obscure the solution from those using the tried and true technique of reading the Basic source listing. The Basic code, in this respect, is part of the allure (and original purpose) of this game. It is well structured and and heavily commented so that aspiring Basic programmers could use it to learn how to program their own adventure games. However, beyond these pedagogical benefits, if you can find a version that has been debugged, and you like logical puzzles, I can highly recommend this game.

That being said, the logical puzzle at the heart of this game is absolutely diabolical. No simple truth tables will be adequate for this one, and Ahl's recommendation in the supporting documentation that an "hour or so" will be required to finish, actually seems somewhat optimistic. The adventure is structured along the lines of a game of Clue, but from my attempts at trying to figure it out, I would say that it is not simply a logical exercise. Some of the clues are, I think, red herrings. Others require knowledge of (or research into) European cultures in order to properly interpret (such as the elements that go into French cuisine and an understanding of the diversity that characterizes European cheeses). The game also has historical elements that are absent from a game of Clue and the use of some simple sounds and descriptive messages are highly effective in invoking the feel of a long train ride.

Also, this game is not a standard two word parser. Rather, single key strokes and options are all you get, and most of these, are largely irrelevant to the solving of the puzzle (although they help add to the atmosphere of the game). In fact, it is really just a clever and engaging way to reveal a long sequence of narrative clues, after which one must enter two selections (the defector and the murderer) that the computer then will judge as to whether you have deduced correctly.

As with many low K Basic IF games, the supporting written narrative material is essential to the full enjoyment of the game. Ahl provides a detailed history of the company behind the Orient Express. I think most of this material is now included in most of the online distributions of the program. If not, it might be worthwhile to obtain a copy of Ahl's book, which like the famous train, should be considered a classic from a bygone age.

This was the first text adventure program I ever played. I remember choosing it for the simple reason that its byte count looked about right for fitting into the text buffer of my little MC-10 computer (something like the ZX-81), which was connected to a BBS via 300 baud Modem (text flows in at the speed most people can read at) and simple terminal package. The terminal package was so simple, in fact, that it had no download protocols other than straight text into the buffer and with only 20K in total, that buffer wasn't very big. DeedYork was one of the few non-binary file offerings of a local TRS-80 Color Computer BBS. I downloaded it, then printed the buffer and the re-typed the whole program back in. If I recall correctly part of the program got garbled, and thus a 2nd text to buffer and print operation was required. Much debugging was also required. At the end of this process I was treated to a fairly simple text adventure, which wasn't even a real two word parser. What it really was, was a one word parser, which was so tolerant of additional words, that for a while I was actually fooled into believing it required two words for accomplishing tasks. There are not too many puzzles to solve. Just an old house to explore, some possible death scenarios to learn to avoid and one main intuitive leap to make based on a large number of clues pointing to your discovery of a specific secret word. I recall being so stumped by the main puzzle that I had to resort to the time-honoured recourse of reading the source code. Of course, none of these limitations mattered to a 15 year old kid living in the midst of the 8-bit computer revolution. It was all magic. You're a wizard Harry! The one thing I was left wondering was whether the "Chomiuks", the family who play the role of the bad guys in the scenario, actually represented a real family in the Grande Prairie region of Saskatchewan. If so, I would like to thank them for inspiring a wonderful little piece of my childhood. Enjoy.

Originally written for the TRS-80 Model 1/Dick Smith System 80 and published in an Australian magazine for those machines it can be difficult to get the game running, as many of the disk images out there contain versions of the code set only for cassette use. This is a problem because the program must load a data file before it can run (a space saving technique for systems with only 16K of RAM). The original Cassette based Basic source must therefore be modified for disk use to get it to run on a disk system/emulator. See the following for an archived version of the original Micro-80 magazine article for some help with these issues:
https://archive.org/details/MICRO-80_Vol._3_Issue_08_1982-07_MICRO-80_AU
I have ported a version of this program to TRS-80 MC-10 which avoids this complexity.

The mapping of this program is very odd. Moving is non-logical. Reverse paths don't always take you back the way you came. Paths also double back in all kinds of strange ways that don't make geometric sense either. I originally thought this may have been a programming error on the original author's part (or my own part in porting the code to TRS-80 MC-10) but since playing it to completion (with the help of some excellent materials provided by Alex Dijktra over at solutionarchive) I have come to appreciate how it is actually a clever way to recreate a little bit of the creepy and mysterious atmosphere of the TV series. You won't like this game if you can't get into the spirit of this counter-intuitive navigation.

You also wont like this game unless you're the kind of adventurer who doesn't mind dealing lots of random elements affecting your possibilities of success (in puzzle solving, dealing with the NPCs you meet, as well as other aspects).

There are some unique commands such as: ENTER (takes you into the Tardis)
RESET (moves the Tardis to a new planet). SEARCH can accomplish quite a lot in certain rooms, but it is one of the many elements in the game affected by randomness, so multiple tries are necessary.

There are lots of NPCs in this game in the form of aliens who/that you can interact with in various useful or lethal ways. This is quite rare for Basic IF games under 16K RAM. I have found so few Basic adventures (at least that have easily accessible Basic source code) based on the Doctor Who theme (most Dr. Who adventures seem to be professional machine language affairs), which is part of my own fascination with this game. However, if you are simply a fan of interactive fiction and Doctor Who and not of the history of Basic text adventuring as such, you might want to give this one a miss.