tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post5774288937588456020..comments2024-03-28T04:44:28.648-04:00Comments on The CRPG Addict: Game 231: Heavy on the Magick (1986)CRPG Addicthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-35386759653566900832022-07-03T15:52:53.333-04:002022-07-03T15:52:53.333-04:00When I read "Who guards knows" I immedia...When I read "Who guards knows" I immediately thought of the C64 game "Who dares wins" which was such a blatant "Commando" ripoff it got stopped through an injunction, modified and re-released as "Who dares wins II" (https://www.mobygames.com/game/c64/who-dares-wins).<br /><br />When trying to look it up on Wikipedia (only the modified WdW II has an entry), I learned that "Who dares wins" is a motto made popular by the British SAS (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Dares_Wins).<br /><br />And now the "Commando" SID tune by Rob Hubbard is alternating in my head with imagining "Axel F" in the background while playing this game here (the latter would be a weird match).Buscanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-86874358336194386572022-02-21T04:40:57.466-05:002022-02-21T04:40:57.466-05:00I only just found this, so you've probably lon...I only just found this, so you've probably long-since forgotten this - one of my favourite games from back in the 1980's. I'm in the preliminary stages of making a remake.<br /><br />Astarot can teleport you across the dungeon. (e.g. "ASTAROT, WOLFDORP )<br /><br />Asmodee can destroy items. In at least one case, he can destroy a locked door. "ASMODEE, DOOR<br /><br />Belezbar can give you extra information about an object. "BELEZBAR, BOOK<br /><br />Magot can tell you where an object you're looking for is found. "MAGOT, SWORD --> "WOLFDORPNeil Grattonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17091756355959636365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-28533485409802165292017-07-03T03:08:50.250-04:002017-07-03T03:08:50.250-04:00Null Null had this information above, but you offe...Null Null had this information above, but you offered a lot more detail. Thanks for commenting.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-91255541292224942862017-07-02T19:31:29.460-04:002017-07-02T19:31:29.460-04:00Not sure if anyone's mentioned it yet, but the...Not sure if anyone's mentioned it yet, but the numbers like 2°=9° derive from the ranks of the occult society The Golden Dawn, and Crowley's successor group the A∴A∴. The first number corresponds to the member's actual rank in the organisation (counting up) and the second to the position they have reached on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life (which counts down from 10).<br /><br />In the unlikely event that anyone is curious, the full list is Neophyte 0=0, Zelator 1=10 (Malkuth), Theoricus 2=9 (Yesod), Practicus 3=8 (Hod), Philosophus 4=7 (Netzach), Adeptus Minor 5=6 (Tifareth), Adeptus Major 6=5 (Gevurah), Adeptus Exemptus 7=4 (Hesed), Magister Templi 8=3 (Binah), Magus 9=2 (Hokhmah), Ipsissimus 10=1 (Kether)<br /><br />Reaching the highest effectively means ascending to the astral plane. How that relates to the game, I have no idea. MockFerrethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08931362526047570416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-3809030154966009032017-05-07T02:48:20.122-04:002017-05-07T02:48:20.122-04:00Thanks for the additional context. Of the Spectrum...Thanks for the additional context. Of the Spectrum games so far, <i>Ring of Darkness</i> was a passable <i>Ultima</i> clone, and <i>Swords & Sorcery</i> had a few decent elements. I still have a few I haven't tried, including <i>Kingdom of Krell</i> (1987) and <i>Tower of Light</i> (1989). Maybe they will surprise me.CRPG Addicthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01238237377918550322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-12596199944812549572017-05-04T21:02:20.269-04:002017-05-04T21:02:20.269-04:00RPG's weren't really all that popular in B...RPG's weren't really all that popular in Britain until maybe the mid 90s (including the ones on Commodore machines which came and went with little fanfare). We actually didn't even get releases of most of the RPGs on 8 and 16-bit Nintendo console's, as they never sold in decent numbers.<br /><br />As such there wasn't a whole lot of incentive for major British companies to make any themselves, so you're only really going to find obscurities that nobody has heard of (like Ring of Darkness) or the odd oddity like Heavy on the Magick, which mainly sold on the popularity of that company's earlier adventure games Tir Na Nog and Dun Darach.<br /><br />Actually, you probably already know more about Spectrum RPGs than 99% of diehard Spectrum fans (which is why I'm glad to have found this blog).<br /><br />BTW What Spectrum RPG do you think sucks least?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16182903213982021574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-48892531652753450722016-10-30T12:29:31.459-04:002016-10-30T12:29:31.459-04:00We call it cantaloupe in the U.S., too.We call it cantaloupe in the U.S., too.Paphvulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17793765634686489221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-30190544956259916822016-10-26T06:08:13.215-04:002016-10-26T06:08:13.215-04:00As some other commenters have mentioned, the graph...As some other commenters have mentioned, the graphics are limited by the Spectrum's capabilities, so you're not going to see much improvement on that platform (especially regarding blocks of colour). Memory limitations were significant and the whole game had to fit in memory at once (including the screen buffer, on most platforms) so luxuries such as complete sentences come at a premium. To be fair, the Spectrum was the weakest home computer available, but in your timeline we're still some years off Amigas and Atari STs being the standard game machines of choice in the UK, and about 8 years off PCs becoming the main platform.<br /><br />As for conventions, I'm not sure they really existed in UK gaming in the mid-80s. We didn't really have access to IBM PCs or Apple IIs or the games shipped on them, so what you see is a mixture of undiluted British culture and programmer in-breeding. :)Ben Sizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16973645498493273495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-31894111730631605292016-10-25T01:48:32.576-04:002016-10-25T01:48:32.576-04:00I'm pretty sure that testing a real live salam...I'm pretty sure that testing a real live salamander's immunity to fire is tantamount to animal abuse nowadays.Kenny McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553499727945099493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-37225341803096986432016-10-25T01:42:47.076-04:002016-10-25T01:42:47.076-04:00Ah... dammit. Drew the wrong kind of attention to ...Ah... dammit. Drew the wrong kind of attention to myself again. <br />*back to acting like a horny dimwit*Kenny McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553499727945099493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-49572899723219933062016-10-24T18:01:43.086-04:002016-10-24T18:01:43.086-04:00Don't forget over medium! Although, I think m...Don't forget over medium! Although, I think many people actually want over medium when they say over easy, so that's understandable.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14874291376019276497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-83175729182566637822016-10-24T09:14:18.369-04:002016-10-24T09:14:18.369-04:00I fin your ideas intriguing, do you have a newslet...I fin your ideas intriguing, do you have a newsletter or blog?Mr. Pavonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13286558267156792637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-72490328397835100322016-10-24T04:10:21.582-04:002016-10-24T04:10:21.582-04:00At first I earnestly thought crpg addict was refer...At first I earnestly thought crpg addict was referencing Lord British :-D<br /><br />But recalling the addicts reviews/stories of the ultima games I think he rathers detests Lord British (at least in the games) ;-)captaingroghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137919363946007943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-87421839750864052962016-10-24T04:03:56.078-04:002016-10-24T04:03:56.078-04:00Or much simpler: the programmer just had the name ...Or much simpler: the programmer just had the name of this salamander in his mind: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_salamandercaptaingroghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02137919363946007943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-39154078731207377362016-10-24T02:18:05.267-04:002016-10-24T02:18:05.267-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Mr. Pavonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13286558267156792637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-56096586015708368502016-10-24T02:17:21.355-04:002016-10-24T02:17:21.355-04:00Don't forget the fire engine in Ray Bradbury&#...Don't forget the fire engine in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 was called "The Salamander" and the firemen wore badges with a salamander among flames.Mr. Pavonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13286558267156792637noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-42998383115399176422016-10-24T00:55:51.943-04:002016-10-24T00:55:51.943-04:00One of your best friends is British?! You should h...One of your best friends is British?! You should have told us! Is he done with Shroud Of The Avatar?Kenny McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553499727945099493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-36068674135383590672016-10-24T00:49:43.275-04:002016-10-24T00:49:43.275-04:00That's the basic idea of magic, actually.
If w...That's the basic idea of magic, actually.<br />If we grind down any process in the world, we have (A) Cause and (B) Effect.<br />Magic is the means (or wishful thinkings) to achieve (B) by simplifying/amending (A) or performing (A) to nullify/alter (B).<br />In numerical vales, it's similar to Magic Squares whereby you can get the same number from any direction; which is layman terms of saying, "waving a wand at a man OR stabbing him with a knife = same outcome".<br />Alchemy also works in the same way, where you want to get gold (Effect) by converting it from base metals (Cause).<br />I think the simplest form of magic; Chaos Theory Magic, also lets normal people like us understand how most of these cuckoos think. What Chaos Theory Magicians do is that, they will draw some kind of comic strip of themselves doing some random and small actions (opening the front door) and getting what they want (finding a $1000 bill on the floor).<br />Not saying that there's no such thing as magic but, wow, lots of cuckoos out there.Kenny McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553499727945099493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-9948311403119410782016-10-24T00:27:29.528-04:002016-10-24T00:27:29.528-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Kenny McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553499727945099493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-38363291839573630132016-10-24T00:27:26.679-04:002016-10-24T00:27:26.679-04:00Why are you faulting an ogre on his command of Eng...Why are you faulting an ogre on his command of English?Kenny McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553499727945099493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-75578649875304240952016-10-24T00:26:17.517-04:002016-10-24T00:26:17.517-04:00Ah... I see. Wait. That is pretty gross.
AAAAARGH...Ah... I see. Wait. That is pretty gross.<br /><br />AAAAARGH!<br />AAAAARGH!<br />AAAAARGH!<br />YOU DIE HORRIBLY (in Ecstasy)<br />AAAAARGH! (Realization that your death is due to reaching ecstasy by being near the the ogre is going to be etched on your headstone)Kenny McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553499727945099493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-6158146914824104192016-10-23T16:30:25.444-04:002016-10-23T16:30:25.444-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04860506019349657883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-17726735695603061802016-10-23T16:30:17.164-04:002016-10-23T16:30:17.164-04:00On the other hand, "Not Apex's hint"...On the other hand, "Not Apex's hint" has to be a typo?<br />I remember the gaming press raving about this game back in the day. Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04860506019349657883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-41541221136073885752016-10-23T09:28:29.949-04:002016-10-23T09:28:29.949-04:00Also 'in the basket' or 'with soldiers...Also 'in the basket' or 'with soldiers' or 'omelette with cheese, please' :)Tristan Gallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16769219573533545742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6162314467762792782.post-55718963310296992432016-10-23T05:14:01.451-04:002016-10-23T05:14:01.451-04:00Yeah, they're pretty common in RPGs and are us...Yeah, they're pretty common in RPGs and are usually synonymous with fire immunity. The clue was immediately obvious to me at least.Zardashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11856007425128087340noreply@blogger.com