Classic Computer Magazine Archive PROGRAM LISTING: 90-04/GOLDMINE.TXT


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].

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