The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

FIRIENWOOD

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Text Adventure

Author             :

Standalone Release(s)  : 1984: FIRIENWOOD, MP Software, £9.95

Compilation Release(s) : None

Stated compatibility    : Electron

Actual compatibility    : Electron, BBC B, B+ and Master 128

Supplier            : MP, 165 Spital Road, Bromborough, MERSEYSIDE

Disc compatibility     : ADFS 1D00, CDFS 1D00, DFS 1D00

Instructions

Travel to a land of magic and monsters in this absorbing adventure game. Explore caverns and forest as you search for the Golden Bird Of Paradise. Few People survive to tell the tale so you will need all your wits about you. Written completely in machine code for extra speed.

An evil wizard has captured the magic Golden Bird Of Paradise and has imprisoned it in a weird castle in the middle of the enchanted FirienWood.

Your quest is to find the bird and set it free, in return for its freedom the bird will give you health, wealth and prosperity. You will need magic to overcome the wizard's powers and before you can enter Firien Wood safely, you will need to find a magic lamp. Beware! Many perils lie before you and every move is fraught with danger!!

Playing The Game

The computer acts as your eyes and hands as you journey on your quest. It tells you where you are and what is happening, then you must tell it what to do by typing a command of one or two words. For example if you find an object that you want to pick up, type "TAKE" followed by the object name. If you want to move, give the direction you want to go (Directions such as NORTHWEST must be given as NW to distinguish it from NORTH). Entering a dark location without a light source is rather bad for your health!!

Some of the objects are completely useless whilst others may have more than one purpose, that is for you to find out.

Useful Words

Many of the commands you will have to discover for yourself, but some of the more general ones are given here:

To move, try one of the points on a compass or something like "UP", "DOWN", "LEFT", "RIGHT", "ENTER".

To get or drop a bottle try "GET BOTTLE", "TAKE BOTTLE", "DROP BOTTLE".

If you want the description of a location, type "LOOK".

To list your possessions type "LIST". You may find that some objects can be worn as well as carried.

To kill a Goblin (if you have a weapon) try "KILL GOBLIN".

If you want to save a game and return to it later, insert a suitable tape and type "SAVE". Part of the database will be recorded and the game will then continue. To restart a game, FIRIENWOOD should be loaded and run as usual, the data tape inserted and the command "LOAD" given. The data will be loaded and the game will recommence.

To end the game, type "QUIT".

Scoring

To find out your score at any time, type "SCORE". Ten points are given for each monster you manage to kill.

Instructions' Source   : FIRIENWOOD (MP Software) Inner Inlay

Review (Electron User)

FIRIENWOOD is a 100 per cent machine code adventure which makes up in presentation and speed what it lacks in difficulty. An evil wizard gas stolen the fabled Golden Bird of Paradise. Your task is to search Firienwood in order to find and enter the
wizard's castle. If you can then overcome the wizard and free the golden bird, you  will receive untold riches and happiness for the rest of your life, plus an invitation to play the adventure again.

The game seems to concentrate more on difficulties than problems. For instance, you have to cross a river, but the boat you wish to use will only hold you and a certain number of objects. There are more objects than you can take with you, so what do you take?

MP tell me there are a few ways of solving the game. I only used one - but, from the number of locations and puzzles that seemed to have no bearing on my solution to the adventure, I think they must be right.

The vocabulary is fairly extensive and most of the GET, DROP and EXAMINE type of verbs are recognised as well as a few you wouldn't expect. The only drawback to this adventure is the market it seems to be aiming at.

I can't see an experienced adventurer taking more than a couple of hours to solve the game - and surely there aren't that many novice adventurers.

However, if you are a novice - better yet, if you have never tried an adventure before and are wondering where to start - then this is the adventure for you! It is free from spelling mistakes that sometimes plague even the more upmarket games.

Also the on-screen display is not off-putting, which novices sometimes find to be the case with the normal black-and-white display that we purists prefer.

Overall, definitely for the beginner, but should not be completely dismissed by the more experienced player.

Merlin, ELECTRON USER 3. 1