Acorn Adventure

By Dave E

Originally published in EUG #51

Looking through the solution archives, here's a complete walkthrough to CSL's Acorn Adventure (originally published in EUG #33). This is an adventure for the beginner with a capital B, but the odd inventory system probably foxed some of you. If you pick up more than four items, for example, you will still be carrying all of them but your inventory will only list the first four. The object is to collect the four "top secret" Acorn projects and escape the building. Get to it!

You start by the Reception Desk. There's nothing there so go N and find yourself in the Managing Director's Office (Strange place for it!). Sitting here is a Distribution Contract. GET DISTRIBUTION CONTRACT and leave by going W. You will then be in the Customer Support Department. GET BASIC2 SOURCE CODE and go back to the MD's office by going E. Now leave by taking the N exit.

Now we are in the Secretary's Office, GET U.S. DEALER BUSINESS CARD. There is nothing else of importance here so continue N to the Word Processing Department. There is a Torch here, for those of you who remember back to the early Eighties the Torch was a Z80 computer (running CP/M). EXAMINE the TORCH to find a password. (For amusement value, GET TORCH and LIGHT TORCH.)

Leave the department by going W to the canteen. GET CUP OF COFFEE and then go back E and then E again to the Public Relations Department. Go N to enter the Export Department. Here you will find Herman Hauser (one of the creators of the BBC Micro). Bearing in mind he probably wants to know about exporting the BBC to the US, GIVE U.S. DEALER BUSINESS CARD and off he goes to look for his business partner. Return S, GET 'ACORN USER' PRESS CARD and go S again.

You will now see Chris Curry (the other creator of the BBC). Take the E exit (Chris won't stop us as you're a certified member of the press!) to the Prototype Laboratory. GET TELETEXT ADAPTOR and DROP 'ACORN USER' PRESS CARD (as you won't need it any more!). Now go back W and S to the Quality Control Department. EXAMINE EPROM ERASER and GET BLANK EPROM. Return N, N and N to the Export Department.

Continue N to the Mail Order Department. Leave the spade for now and go W. GET POWER PILL and EAT POWER PILL. The pill will be hard to swallow so DRINK CUP OF COFFEE to wash it down. Continue W to the showroom with Snapper (Acorn's version of Pac Man) playing. As we have eaten the Power Pill, Snapper won't stop us continuing. So go S.

In the Marketing Office you will find Sheridan Williams (Acorn's Marketting Manager at the time?). He probably wants a contract of sorts (Marketting people are so easily pleased!). OFFER DISTRIBUTION CONTRACT and he'll go away.

Go W to the Software Support Department. There is a Prow Blower here, and you will have the components of a Basic2 ROM. So BLOW BASIC2 ROM, GET BASIC2 ROM and finally DROP BASIC2 SOURCE CODE as it's not needed any more.

Leave and return E, N, E and E to the Mail Order Department. GET SPADE and return S, S, W and S to the Secretary's Office. Continue on to the W and a Room with Scaffolding. Hold on; does this remind you of the game Monsters? Hmmmm. DIG SPADE and the Monster will fall into a hole. DROP SPADE and head W. In the Warehouse is an Electron ready to ship. GET ELECTRON.

Now go E, E, N, E, N and E to the Despatch Bay. GET ECONET INTERFACE. Now you have all four items you need to escape so go W, N and W to the Rear Exit. The exit to the North is blocked off by a voice-activated lock. SAY 6502 (The password from the Torch) and Hurrah! You've won!