The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

HI-Q-QUIZ

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Quiz; Graphical Trivial-Pursuit Style Game

Author             :

Standalone Release(s)   : 1990: HI-Q-QUIZ, Blue Ribbon, £2.99

Compilation Release(s) : None

Stated compatibility    : Electron Side A/BBC Side B

Actual compatibility    : As stated

Supplier            : BLUE RIBBON, CDS House, Beckett Road, DONCASTER DN2 4AD

                    Tel: 01322 21134

Disc compatibility     : CDFS E00, DFS E00

Instructions

"Take The Challenge! "Test your knowledge and intellect across a broad range of subjects. Stretch your powers of recall and memory. Can you outwit your friends in each of the four levels of difficulty? Can you beat the clock to answer questions? HI-Q-QUIZ requires skill and judgement, and a little luck, to move around the board in your attempt to be first back to the Hi-Q Base. Answer questions on Sport, Entertainment, Geography, History, Art and Science. Tease your brain and enjoy this exciting and stimulating game!"

There are four types of questions, each type represented by a symbol on the screen:

      Red          Science Questions

      Blue         Sport Questions

      Orange       History and Geography Questions

      Grey         Art and Entertainment Questions

Each player has a marker with the player number on it. The marker "blinks" at each player's turn.

The die at the top of the screen will spin and may be stopped by pressing <SPACE> or FIRE. The marker may then be moved a corresponding number of spaces along the board in any direction using the JOYSTICK or KEYBOARD as above. A question of the category occupying the final position of the marker will be displayed. The player must answer the question out loud to the other players, then press <SPACE> or FIRE to display the correct answer. The computer will then ask if the player was correct or not. Use the JOYSTICK or KEYBOARD as above to select the response and then press <SPACE> or FIRE to confirm.

If the Timer option was set, then a bar of decreasing length is displayed to indicate the time remaining. If time runs out, the question is deemed to have been answered wrongly and play passes to the next player.

To Win a player must correctly answer the required number of questions for each category and then must land back on the centre position in order to answer a final, random question. If this question is wrongly answered then the player's marker is put back onto the board and he must try again.

Notes

No marker may jump over or finish a move on the same position as another marker. If this is attempted then the rest of the available moves are forfeit.

Once movement has begun, the direction of movement cannot be changed for that turn.

The Yellow Symbol on the board is a re-throw square which may only be used once in any turn.

Options

Select number of players using keys 2-4.

Select level of play using keys 1-4.

The level chosen is the number of correct answers required to complete

each category.

Select timer ON - Y/N

Select time limit using keys 1-9.

Game Controls

Use CURSOR KEYS and <SPACE> to FIRE.

Instructions' Source   : HI-Q-QUIZ (Blue Ribbon) Back And Inner Inlay

Review (Electron User) - "Trivial Touch"

Every once in a while a software house produces something that is so out-dated and run-of-the-mill that you wonder why it even bothered. Blue Ribbon has done this with its latest release, HI-Q-QUIZ.

Basically a budget version of Trivial Pursuit, the board consists of a wheel with four spokes, around which each of the two to four players move. Each segment on the wheel and spokes bears a symbol which indicates the type of question that you have to answer when you land on it - sport, sciences, history/art and natural history.

The questions vary in difficulty from easy: What is the name given to a baby cat? To relatively hard: Where were the 1932 Olympics held?

The questions are randomly selected from data files which don't seem large enough to prevent repetition - the same questions keep turning up and the one about the venue of the 1960 Olympics has been asked in every game I've played.

There are four levels of play, the higher you select, the more questions you need to answer to win. Success goes to whoever answers the required number of questions in each category and then returns to the centre and gives the correct answer to a final randomly selected question.

You stop the roll of dice on screen by hitting the spacebar then use the cursor keys to move your marker. You can set a device to limit the time in which the questions have to be answered and there are segments which allow you to roll again if you land on them.

There are a few differences between HI-Q-QUIZ and Trivial Pursuit, but not many. For instance, you can't pass over a segment occupied by another player's marker and you can't pass through into the centre unless you roll the exact number needed. Even then you can go there only if you have answered enough questions to qualify for the final one.

The graphics are a bit squashed to make room for as many segments as possible, and as such the game looks cluttered. Sound is minimal - the rolling dice give a random toned chattering and you get one of two different noises depending on whether or not you answer a question correctly.

There is also a little jingle at the end when the game declares the winner - and that's just about it.

To sum up, the game is fairly cheap, the whole thing takes just a few minutes to load in by tape and occasionally comes out with some tough questions. It is simple to play and contains elements that would make it a fairly nice piece of educational software for the young.

However, it fails badly as a quiz for those with a reasonably high IQ and would only just make a passable magazine listing game. There isn't even a facility for entering the player's names. I can think of much better ways of spending three quid.

Desmond

* * * Second Opinion * * * (Electron User)

I was initially confused by this trivia quiz as the correct answer is always displayed on the screen following the question. The idea is that you ask your opponents the question and press Y or N depending on whether he or she answers correctly.

Once I'd got the hang of it, I quite enjoyed it. Not as much fun as the board game but still quite good family entertainment.

Janice Murray

Sound ........................... 6

Graphics ........................ 5

Playability ..................... 4

Value for money ................. 6

Overall ......................... 5

ELECTRON USER 7. 1