* * WIZARD'S CASTLE GAME FROM JULY/AUGUST 1980 * ISSUE OF RECREATIONAL COMPUTING MAGAZINE * * ORIGINAL EXIDY SORCERER VERSION BY JOSEPH R. POWER * MODIFIED HEATH MICROSOFT BASIC VERSION BY J.F.STETSON * WIZARD'S CASTLE IS A FANTASY GAME ABOUT EQUAL IN COMPLEXITY TO THE SEVERAL VERSIONS OF "ADVENTURE" WHICH ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR MICROCOMPUTERS AND IS A VERY LARGE "BASIC" PROGRAM IN ITS OWN RIGHT. UNLIKE ADVENTURE, THE CASTLE IS RANDOMLY STOCKED FOR EACH GAME, WHICH MEANS THAT WINNING ONE DOES NOT DETRACT FROM PLAYING FUTURE GAMES. AT PRESENT, THERE ARE VERISONS OF WIZARD'S CASTLE FOR THE EXIDY SORCERER, TRS-80, HP-2000 AND HEATH H-8/H-89 COMPUTERS. * * BACKGROUND HISTORY * MANY CYCLES AGO, IN THE KINGDOM OF N'DIC, THE GNOMIC WIZARD ZOT FORGED HIS GREAT *ORB OF POWER*. SOON AFTER DOING THIS, HE VANISHED, LEAVING BEHIND HIS VAST SUBTERRANEAN CASTLE FILLED WITH ESURIENT MONSTERS, FABULOUS TREASURES, AND THE INCREDIBLE *ORB OF ZOT*. FROM THAT TIME HENCE, MANY A BOLD YOUTH HAS VENTURED INTO THE WIZARD'S CASTLE. AS YET, *NONE* HAS EVER EMERGED VICTORIOUS. * * INTRODUCTION * WIZARD'S CASTLE IS A COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION OF ONE OF THE MOST COMMON AND POPULAR FANTASY MOTIFS - THE LONE ADVENTURER'S QUEST WITHIN AN IMMENSE UNDER- GROUND LABYRINTH. EACH GAME IS SEPARATE FROM ALL OTHERS, SO THE GAME IS A CHALLENGE EVEN AFTER YOU HAVE WON SEVERAL TIMES. EACH GAME WILL RESULT IN A WIN OR A LOSS, DEPENDING ON A PLAYER'S SKILL AND LUCK. THE INSTRUCTIONS WHICH FOLLOW EXPLAIN THE RULES AND OPTIONS OF THE GAME. IF AT ANY TIME, HOWEVER, YOU ARE NOT SURE OF WHAT TO DO - EXPERIMENT. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PREVENT INVALID INPUTS. * * CHARACTER CREATION * AT THE START OF EACH GAME, YOU WILL BE ASKED A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF CHARACTER YOU WILL HAVE. YOU MUST MAKE CHOICES ABOUT THE FOLLOWING : * RACE YOU MAY BE AN ELF, DWARF, MAN, OR HOBBIT. EACH RACE STARTS WITH A TOTAL OF 32 POINTS (EXCEPT HOBBITS, WHO ONLY GET 28), BUT THEY ARE DISTRIBUTED DIFFERENTLY FOR EACH RACE. * SEX YOU MAY BE MALE OR FEMALE. BOTH ARE EQUAL IN ABILITY AND IN THE NUMBER OF POINTS. BE CREATIVE WITH YOUR RESPONSE. * POINTS EACH CHARACTER STARTS WITH A NUMBER OF POINTS FOR THE ATTRIBUTES OF STRENGTH (ST), INTELLIGENCE (IQ), AND DEXTERITY (DX). IN ADDITION, THERE ARE SOME OTHER POINTS WHICH YOU MAY DISTRIBUTE BETWEEN THESE THREE ATTRIBUTES AS YOU WISH. * YOUR ST, IQ, AND DX MAY BE ANY NUMBER FROM 1 TO 18. IF ANY OF THE THREE DROPS BELOW 1, YOU HAVE DIED. FOR ALL THREE ATTRIBUTES, THE LARGER THE NUMERICAL VALUE, THE BETTER. EACH CHARACTER ALSO STARTS THE GAME WITH 60 GOLD PIECES (GP'S) WITH WHICH TO PURCHASE SOME, NONE, OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS : * ARMOR YOU MAY BUY PLATE ARMOR FOR 30 GP'S, CHAINMAIL FOR 20 GP'S, OR LEATHER FOR 10 GP'S. YOU CAN WEAR ONLY ONE SUIT OF ARMOR AT A TIME. THE MORE EXPENSIVE THE ARMOR, THE MORE DAMAGE IT WILL ABSORB. * WEAPON YOU MAY BUY A SWORD FOR 30 GP'S, A MACE FOR 20 GP'S, OR A DAGGER FOR 10 GP'S. YOU CAN ONLY CARRY A SINGLE WEAPON AT A TIME. THE MORE EXPENSIVE THE WEAPON, THE MORE DAMAGE IT DOES TO THE VARIOUS MONSTERS. * LAMP IF, AFTER SELECTING ARMOR AND A WEAPON, YOU HAVE 20 GP'S OR MORE LEFT, YOU MAY BUY A LAMP FOR 20 GP'S. HAVING THE LAMP WILL ALLOW YOU TO LOOK INTO AN ADJACENT ROOM WITHOUT HAVING TO ENTER IT. * FLARES IF, AFTER ALL OTHER PURCHASES, YOU HAVE ANY MONEY LEFT, YOU MAY BUY FLARES FOR 1 GP EACH. LIGHTING A FLARE REVEALS THE CONTENTS OF ALL THE ROOMS SURROUNDING YOUR CURRENT LOCATION. * ONCE YOU HAVE CREATED AND EQUIPPED A CHARACTER, YOU ARE READY TO ENTER THE CASTLE AND BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURES. * * THE CASTLE * THE CASTLE IS ARRANGED AS AN 8 X 8 X 8 THREE DIMENSIONAL MATRIX. THIS MEANS THAT THERE ARE 8 LEVELS WITH 64 ROOMS ON EACH LEVEL. THE CASTLE LEVELS ARE NUMBERED FROM 1 (THE TOP LEVEL) TO 8 (THE BOTTOM LEVEL). EACH CASTLE LEVEL IS CONSTRUCTED LIKE A DOUGHNUT IN THAT THE NORTH EDGE IS CONNECTED TO THE SOUTH EDGE AND THE EAST EDGE IS CONNECTED TO THE WEST EDGE. IN A SIMILAR FASHION, THE SINKHOLES (EXPLAINED LATER) ON LEVEL 8 WILL "DROP" YOU DOWN TO LEVEL 1. THE ONLY ROOM WHICH DOES NOT FUNCTION LIKE THIS IS THE ENTRANCE / EXIT ROOM OF THE CASTLE WHICH IS ALWAYS LOCATED AT LOCATION (1,4) LEVEL 1. GOING NORTH FROM THIS ROOM TAKES YOU OUT OF THE CASTLE AND ENDS THE GAME. * EACH ROOM OF THE CASTLE WILL HAVE AS CONTENTS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING : * E THE ENTRANCE / EXIT ROOM . AN EMPTY ROOM CONTAINING NOTHING U STAIRS GOING UP TO THE LEVEL ABOVE D STAIRS GOING DOWN TO THE LEVEL BELOW P A MAGIC POOL FROM WHICH YOU MAY DRINK C A CHEST WHICH YOU MAY OPEN B A BOOK WHICH YOU MAY OPEN G FROM 1 TO 10 GOLD PIECES F FROM 1 TO 3 FLARES W A WARP TO ANOTHER RANDOM LOCATION M A MONSTER (ONE OF 12 DIFFERENT TYPES) V A VENDOR WHICH YOU MAY ATTACK, IGNORE OR TRADE WITH O A CRYSTAL ORB (THIS IS NOT THE *ORB OF ZOT*) S A SINKHOLE (A ROOM WITH NO FLOOR) T A TREASURE (ONE OF THE 8 IN THE CASTLE) * THE SINGLE LETTERS ARE THE ABBREVIATIONS FOR THE ROOM CONTENTS WHICH ARE DISPLAYED WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT YOUR MAP OR LIGHT A FLARE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR MAP, THE ROOM YOU ARE CURRENTLY LOCATED IN IS BRACKETED BY < >. * * PLAYER COMMANDS * WHENEVER THE PROGRAM ASKS FOR A COMMAND, YOU MUST DECIDE WHAT ACTION YOU WISH TO PERFORM. IF YOUR CHOICE IS NOT VALID IN YOUR CURRENT SITUATION, THE PROGRAM WILL INFORM YOU AND ALLOW YOU TO TRY AGAIN. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE COMMANDS WHICH THE PROGRAM UNDERSTANDS, WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THEIR EFFECTS AND RESTRICTIONS : * NORTH MOVES YOU TO THE ROOM NORTH OF YOUR PRESENT POSITION. WHEN YOU GO NORTH FROM THE ENTRANCE / EXIT ROOM, THE GAME TERMINATES. IN ALL OTHER CASES, THE NORTH EDGE WRAPS AROUND TO THE SOUTH. * SOUTH MOVES YOU TO THE ROOM SOUTH OF YOUR PRESENT POSITION. IN ALL CASES, THE SOUTH EDGE WRAPS AROUND TO THE NORTH EDGE. * EAST MOVES YOU TO THE ROOM EAST OF YOUR PRESENT POSITION. IN ALL CASES, THE EAST EDGE WRAPS AROUND TO THE WEST EDGE. * WEST MOVES YOU TO THE ROOM WEST OF YOUR PRESENT POSITION. IN ALL CASES, THE WEST EDGE WRAPS AROUND TO THE EAST EDGE. * UP CAUSES YOU TO ASCEND STAIRS GOING UP. YOU MUST BE IN A ROOM CONTAINING STAIRS GOING UP. * DOWN CAUSES YOU TO DESCEND STAIRS GOING DOWN. YOU MUST BE IN A ROOM CONTAINING STAIRS GOING DOWN. * DRINK CAUSES YOU TO TAKE A DRINK FROM A MAGIC POOL. YOU MAY REPEAT THIS COMMAND AS OFTEN AS YOU WISH, BUT YOU MUST BE IN A ROOM CONTAINING A MAGIC POOL. * MAP CAUSES A MAP OF THE LEVEL YOU ARE CURRENTLY ON TO BE PRINTED. ALL UNEXPLORED ROOMS ARE DISPLAYED AS "?". ALL OTHER ROOMS ARE DISPLAYED AS THEIR ONE CHARACTER ABBREVIATIONS. YOU MAY LOOK AT YOUR MAP AT ANY TIME UNLESS YOU ARE EITHER BLIND OR ARE RETREATING FROM A MONSTER. * FLARE CAUSES ONE OF YOUR FLARES TO BE LIT, REVEALING THE CONTENTS OF ALL ROOMS SURROUNDING YOUR CURRENT POSITION. BECAUSE EACH EDGE IS JOINED TO THE OPPOSITE EDGE, YOU WILL ALWAYS SEE NINE ROOMS WITH YOUR LOCATION IN THE CENTER. EACH FLARE BURNS AWAY TO NOTHING. YOU MAY LIGHT FLARES AS LONG AS YOU HAVE SOME AND YOU ARE NOT BLIND OR RETREATING FROM A MONSTER. FOR THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH ANY OF THE COMMON "STAR TREK" GAMES, A FLARE WORKS MUCH LIKE A LONG RANGE SENSOR SCAN WITH THE ADDITION OF WRAPAROUND. * LAMP ALLOWS YOU TO SHINE YOUR LAMP INTO ANY ONE OF THE ROOMS NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, OR WEST OF YOUR CURRENT POSITION, REVEALING THE ROOM'S CONTENTS. UNLIKE FLARES, THE LAMP MAY BE USED REPEATEDLY. YOU MAY USE YOUR LAMP AT ANY TIME UNLESS YOU DON'T HAVE A LAMP, ARE BLIND, OR ARE RETREATING FROM A MONSTER. * OPEN CAUSES YOU TO OPEN A BOOK OR A CHEST WHICH IS IN THE ROOM WITH YOU. * GAZE CAUSES YOU TO GAZE INTO A CRYSTAL ORB. WHEN YOU SEE YOURSELF IN A BLOODY HEAP, YOU LOSE 1 OR 2 POINTS OF STRENGTH. WHEN YOU SEE THE LOCATION OF THE *ORB OF ZOT*, THERE IS ONLY A 50% CHANCE THAT IT IS CORRECT. YOU CANNOT GAZE WHEN YOU ARE BLIND OR WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN A ROOM CONTAINING A CRYSTAL ORB. * TELE- ALLOWS YOU TO TELEPORT DIRECTLY INTO A SPECIFIC ROOM ANYWHERE IN PORT THE CASTLE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO ENTER THE ROOM CONTAINING THE *ORB OF ZOT*. YOU MUST HAVE THE RUNESTAFF IN ORDER TO TELEPORT. * QUIT ALLOWS YOU TO END THE GAME WHILE YOU ARE STILL IN THE CASTLE. YOU WILL BE ASKED IF YOU REALLY WANT TO QUIT, IN CASE YOU MADE A MISTAKE OR WANT TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. IF YOU QUIT, YOU WILL LOSE THE GAME. * HELP CAUSES A SUMMARY OF THE AVAILABLE COMMANDS, ABBREVIATIONS USED IN DESCRIBING THE CONTENTS OF ROOMS, AND THE BENEFITS OF POSSESSING EACH OF THE TREASURES TO BE DISPLAYED AT ANY TIME DURING THE GAME. * ALL OF THE COMMANDS, EXCEPT DRINK, CAN BE ABBREVIATED TO THEIR FIRST LETTER (M FOR MAP, Q FOR QUIT, ETC.). THE ABBREVIATION FOR DRINK IS "DR" (TO DISTINGUISH IT FROM "D" FOR THE DOWN COMMAND). * * MAGIC SPELLS * WHENEVER YOUR INTELLIGENCE (IQ) BECOMES 15 OR HIGHER, YOU GAIN THE OPTION TO CAST A MAGIC SPELL ON A MONSTER IF YOU HAVE THE VERY FIRST COMBAT OPTION. THE THREE SPELLS AND THEIR EFFECTS ARE AS FOLLOWS : * WEB TRAPS THE MONSTER IN A STICKY WEB SO THAT IT CAN'T FIGHT BACK AS YOU ATTACK IT. THIS SPELL LASTS FROM 2 TO 9 TURNS AND COSTS YOU ONE STRENGTH (ST) POINT. * FIRE- HITS THE MONSTER WITH A BALL OF FLAME THAT CAUSES BETWEEN 2 AND 14 BALL POINTS WORTH OF DAMAGE INSTANTLY. IT COSTS ONE STRENGTH POINT AND ONE INTELLIGENCE POINT. * DEATH- IS A CONTEST OF WILLS BETWEEN THE MONSTER AND YOURSELF. WHOEVER SPELL HAS THE LOWER INTELLIGENCE DIES AT ONCE. IT COSTS NOTHING TO USE, BUT IT IS VERY RISKY. EVEN WITH AN IQ OF 18 (THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE), YOU STILL HAVE A 25% CHANCE OF BEING KILLED. * * TREASURES, CURSES, BLINDNESS, AND SUCH * IN THE CASTLE ARE EIGHT RANDOMLY PLACED TREASURES : * THE RUBY RED - WARDS OFF THE CURSE OF LETHARGY. THE PALE PEARL - WARDS OFF THE CURSE OF THE LEECH. THE OPAL EYE - CURES BLINDNESS. THE GREEN GEM - WARDS OFF THE CURSE OF FORGETFULLNESS. THE BLUE FLAME - DISSOLVES BOOKS STUCK TO YOUR HANDS. * THE NORN STONE - HAS NO SPECIAL POWER. THE PALANTIR - HAS NO SPECIAL POWER. THE SILMARIL - HAS NO SPECIAL POWER. * THERE ARE THREE CURSES : * LETHARGY - THIS GIVES THE MONSTERS THE FIRST ATTACK WHICH PREVENTS YOU FROM BRIBING THEM OR CASTING SPELLS ON THEM. * LEECH - THIS TAKES FROM 1 TO 5 GP'S FROM YOU EACH TURN UNTIL YOU HAVE NO GOLD PIECES LEFT. * FORGETFULLNESS - THIS CAUSES YOU TO FORGET WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE CASTLE. YOUR MAP WILL SLOWLY RETURN TO ALL QUESTION MARKS. HOWEVER, THE CONTENTS OF THE ROOMS IN THE CASTLE ARE THE SAME. * IN ADDITION TO NULLIFYING THE EFFECTS OF THE CURSES, THE TREASURES ALSO PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM TWO UNDESIRABLE THINGS WHICH CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU OPEN A BOOK. THESE ARE GOING BLIND, WHICH PREVENTS YOU FROM SEEING YOUR MAPS, LIGHTING FLARES, USING YOUR LAMP, GAZING INTO ORBS, AND BEING INFORMED OF YOUR PRESENT LOCATION, AND SECONDLY, HAVING THE BOOK STICK TO YOUR HANDS, WHICH PREVENTS YOU FROM USING YOUR WEAPON TO FIGHT MONSTERS (YOU CAN STILL CAST SPELLS AT THEM IF YOU ARE SMART ENOUGH, HOWEVER). * * VENDORS * ON EVERY LEVEL IN THE CASTLE, THERE ARE VENDORS WHO ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO SELL YOU VARIOUS ITEMS AT GROSSLY INFLATED PRICES. NORMALLY, THE VENDORS WILL MAKE YOU AN OFFER FOR EVERY TREASURE YOU HAVE, AND THEN, DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF GOLD YOU HAVE, WILL SELL YOU NEW ARMOR, A NEW WEAPON, POTIONS OF STRENGTH, INTELLIGENCE AND DEXTERITY (NO MATTER HOW MANY POTIONS YOU BUY, THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF THESE ATTRIBUTES YOU CAN HAVE IS 18), AND A LAMP, IF YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE ONE. IF YOU CHOOSE TO ATTACK A VENDOR, YOU WILL THEN ANTAGONIZE EVERY VENDOR IN THE CASTLE, AND THEY WILL ALL REACT LIKE MONSTERS. YOU WILL ALSO LOSE THE ABILITY TO TRADE WITH THEM. KILLING A VENDOR, HOWEVER, WILL GIVE YOU NEW PLATE ARMOR, A SWORD, ONE OF EACH KIND OF POTION, AND A LAMP (IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE), IN ADDITION TO HIS HOARD OF BETWEEN 1 AND 1000 GOLD PIECES. TO END HOSTILITIES AND REESTABLISH TRADING PRIVILEGES, YOU MUST BRIBE ANY VENDOR IN THE CASTLE WITH THE TREASURE OF HIS CHOICE. * * MONSTERS AND THE RUNESTAFF * THERE ARE 12 TYPES OF MONSTERS IN THE CASTLE : * KOBOLD, ORC, WOLF, GOBLIN, OGRE, TROLL BEAR, MINOTAUR, GARGOYLE, CHIMERA, BALROG, DRAGON * PLEASE NOTE THAT EACH TIME YOU STRIKE A GARGOYLE OR A DRAGON, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT YOUR WEAPON WILL BE SHATTERED. * EACH MONSTER POSSESSES A HOARD OF FROM 1 TO 1000 GP'S WHICH YOU OBTAIN WHEN YOU KILL THE MONSTER. IN ADDITION, ONE OF THE MONSTERS IS CARRYING THE RUNESTAFF (YOU WON'T KNOW WHICH ONE UNTIL YOU KILL IT). YOU MUST HAVE THE RUNESTAFF TO TELEPORT, AND WHEN YOU TELEPORT INTO THE CASTLE ROOM WHICH CONTAINS THE *ORB OF ZOT*, THE RUNESTAFF DISAPPEARS (YOU MUST FIND YOUR WAY TO THE CASTLE EXIT WITHOUT IT). * * WARPS AND THE *ORB OF ZOT* * ALL BUT ONE OF THE ROOMS DENOTED AS "W" REALLY ARE WARPS, AND WALKING, FALLING, OR TELEPORTING INTO THEM WILL CAUSE YOU TO MOVE TO ANY ROOM IN THE CASTLE AT RANDOM. THE ONE EXCEPTION IS THE *ORB OF ZOT*, WHICH IS DISGUISED AS A WARP. WALKING INTO THIS ROOM ALWAYS CAUSES YOU TO MOVE ONE ROOM FURTHER IN THE SAME DIRECTION. TO ACTUALLY ENTER THIS ROOM, YOU MUST USE THE RUNESTAFF TO TELEPORT IN. AT THIS POINT, YOU WILL ACQUIRE THE GREAT *ORB OF ZOT*, AND THE RUNESTAFF WILL VANISH. TO WIN THE GAME, YOU MUST LEAVE THE CASTLE WITH THE *ORB OF ZOT*. REMEMBER THAT CRYSTAL ORBS ARE NOT THE *ORB OF ZOT* AND CANNOT BE PICKED UP. * * ERROR MESSAGES * ANY TIME YOU RECEIVE A MESSAGE STARTING WITH "**", IT MEANS THAT THE LAST THING YOU TYPED WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO THE PROGRAM AT THAT TIME. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU GET THE MESSAGE "** IT'S HARD TO GAZE WITHOUT AN ORB.", THIS MEANS THAT YOU TRIED TO GAZE FROM A ROOM WHICH DID NOT CONTAIN A CRYSTAL ORB. YOU ARE ALWAYS REQUIRED TO REDO YOUR LAST RESPONSE WHEN YOU RECEIVE AN "**" TYPE MESSAGE. * * GOOD LUCK, AND BEWARE! * EOF