The Gold Mine and the Princess William A. Austin You'll find this text adventure on Side "B" of this month's disk, all ready to run as an AUTORUN file. Just turn the disk over so Side "B" is up, put the disk in drive 1, and turn your computer off, then on again WITH BASIC. (XL/XE users DO NOT hold down [OPTION].) The object of the game is to find enough gold to buy cattle at auction. Get enough cattle, and you can marry the king's daughter. Your only source of gold, however, is the ancient gold mine not far from the village, abandoned years ago when a monster appeared. No one is certain if the Beast of the Deep is still in the mine, but the mine is definitely dangerous, falling apart and now the home of rats, bats and the fearsome shaft wolves. Adding to your problems, the princess has demands, too. You must first toll the Bell of Wondrous Things, and give her the diamond ring reportedly hidden in the mine, before the king will even consider your proposal of marriage. HOW TO PLAY The game has two main parts, the village and the mine. In the village, an on-screen menu will guide you. In the mine, press [H] for a HELP screen listing possible commands. IN THE VILLAGE The village offers you the opportunity to rest and recover from injuries, rat-bite fever or poisoning (usually, one rest period alone will not cure you completely.) You may also inspect your herd, and see its current market value. Births may add to your herd, and rustlers may subtract a few cows. You will also have the chance to hide your money before returning to the mine -- a good way to foil thieves. TREASURES and PITFALLS At the beginning your character is quite weak, but every action taken adds to your strength. At first, you will not be able to carry much gold, or remain very long in the cave before you begin to experience breathing problems. The deeper you go in the mine, the more likely you are to find ore. If you look for gold at a given level, and do not find any, try again. Repeated searching may result in success. MAGIC ITEMS The GOLD BEETLE will "sniff out" gold for you. The GOLDEN PICKAXE will enable you to dig out ore in ten times the normal amount. The EMERALD COW, when carried, changes the size of your herd. As you go down into the maze you'll gain cows (One for level one, two for level two, etc.) The reverse is true as you ascend. The WIZARD will cast a spell on you. The unpredictable effects last until a puff of blue smoke indicates that the spell has expired. The RUBY AMULET protects you from spells. A lucky CAT'S EYE NECKLACE will help you avoid disasters such as traps and falling rocks. The BONE RING protects you from oxygen deprivation. RED FUNGUS cures rat-bite fever. GREEN FUNGUS neutralizes poisons. BLACK FUNGUS transports you to the 25th level, the very bottom of the cave. WHITE FUNGUS transports you back to the Village. GREEN GAS is very poisonous. RED GAS will absorb oxygen from your system. PURPLE GAS will cause you to wander aimlessly. YELLOW GAS dissolves any gold you have on you. A magical CANARY protects you from the effects of any of the gases as long he perches on your shoulder. The SHAFT WOLF may bite or just wander by. Rarely, he will elect to accompany you, frightening away any other animals. VISIONS can have results ranging from added wealth to instant death. CAVE GOBLINS react in various ways, but encounters are rarely beneficial. The BELL will perform a number of unpredictable actions when rung. It cannot be instantly rerung. Various SACKS, CHESTS and BOXES may contain desireable objects. Some, however, are protected by explosive traps. When you offer your herd to the king he will consider the current market value of the collection, and not just how many head are there. If you bother the king with repeated pleas to accept your cows, or insult him with a small offering, he can became rather irritable. If you die without gaining the princess, you can find out how close you got by pressing the [SPACE BAR].
Back to previous page