Acheton ======= Introduction ------------ About The Author... Jon Thackray first encountered adventure games in 1978 while studying for his PhD at Cambridge, and started writing his own game soon after. In 1982, he joined Acorn Computers and started looking at putting adventure games onto micros in his spare time. He has maintained a keen interest in adventure games ever since, both single and multi-use, and is now an Arch-wizard on the British Telecom multi-user dungeon. About The Adventure... A mysterious body, known only as The Ruling Council of Acheton, has issued the following challenge to sentinent life-forms everywhere: "We hereby challenge the greatest adventurers in the known universe to uncover the dread secrets of our realm. "Acheton is no ordinary land. Although explorers are welcome, you may find that Death is the only reward. Deeds of heroic valour will be required, and feats of intellect that Newton and Einstein would have boggled at. Understanding of the arcane science known as Magic will be mandatory... "For the successful adventurer, the rewards will be great: riches immense, power supernatural, and the knowledge that you have succeeded where others have failed... "Good luck - you will need it! Signed and Sealed in the four thousand and twenty-seventh year of the Reign of Yelka-Dekklm TV. May his Dread Majesty live forever!" GAME SIZE: Expansive, with a wide range and a very high standard of problems. RATING: A real challenge. 1. The System Disc ------------------ Throughout this documentation, the disc that you have bought is referred to as the 'system' disc. It is a *protected* disc, and no attempt should be made to copy it in any way. Should it ever fail to load, please return it direct to our Freepost address and we will replace it free of charge. The system disc is used to start off every game. However, before you load it for the first time, follow the procedure outlines below in order to create what will be referred to from here on as a database disc. Use your homemade database disc during playing sessions in order to avoid wear and tear on the supplied system disc. 2. Making a Database Disc ------------------------- To make a database disc, following the instructions below: 2.1 Format a brand new disc 2.2 Put the system disc in drive 0, and the newly-formatted disc in drive 1 2.3 Type *COPY 0 1 D.STAT (RETURN). When that file has been copied, type: 2.4 *COPY 0 1 D. INIT (RETURN) 2.5 Note that the order in which you copy these two files is important. 3. Saved Games Discs Do *not* attempt to save games on the system disc; to do so will corrupt the files thereon. Instead, either (i) use your 'database' disc as the disc on which you save games or (ii) use a separate, formatted DFS disc. Alternatively, if you have a double-sided disc system, format the other side of the database disc as the saved games disc. 4. Getting Started 4.1 Follow the instructions on the disc label. The disc drive will whirr, and the program will start. Step through the first few pages by pressing SHIFT as instructed on the screen. Do not be alarmed by any strange noises that the disc drive makes, or by the lengthy loading time. 4.2 Shortly the credits screen will be displayed, and the message 'Insert database disc. Press Space Bar to continue.' At this point remove the system disc from the drive, and replace it with your database disc. (Put the system disc back in its packaging; you won't need it again until you come to start the game again from scratch.) 4.3 If, after following all the instructions, you still cannot get the program to start, return it to us and we'll test and replace. Some Questions Answered ----------------------- 1. I want to load a game I saved a week ago, but I can't remember what I called it. How do I find out? Use the *CAT command from the > DFS prompt, as described in your system manual. 2. I'm using a two disc system. Can I have the database disc in drive 0, and my saved games disc in drive 1? Of course. To save to drive 1, at the : prompt, type: SAVE (RETURN) The computer will respond with: Insert saved game disc Save file: Make sure that your saved disc is in drive 1, then type: :1.game where 'game' is the name that you are using for your saved position. (Note that you *must* type the colon following the 'prompt' colon.) The computer will respond wih: Saved Insert database disc (it's already in drive 0, of course) Press Space Bar to continue To get back to that saved position at a later date, type RESTORE (RETURN) and follow the on-screen instructions, using :1.game at the appropriate time. (Again, that initial colon is important!) 3. I tried to save a game, but got a 'Disc full' message. The disc *is* full. You have two choices: either put another (correctly formatted) disc in the drive that you are using, or use the *DELETE facility - from the DFS > prompt - to erase one or more of your old files. 4. I tried to save my position, but it won't let me! If the name that you're typing in is too long (maximum seven characters) the computer will object until you tpye an acceptable one. Similarly if you're stuck a write-protect sticker on the disc, the computer will let you know. 5. When I try to RESTORE a saved position, I get the message 'Bad file From file:' The program can't find a file of that name on the disc. You may have mis-typed the name (in which case, just type it again). You may be trying to load a game that you think you've saved, which, in fact, you didn't! Quit the program, and use *CAT to find out the names of all the files on your saved games disc. On-line Help ------------ Acheton comes with on-line help which you get into by typing HELP (RETURN). The program will halt and wait for you to type in a number so that it knows which 'hint' you want. You therefore need to know which numbers refer to which hints. Pages 2-4 of this Hint Sheet contain a series of questions that players typically ask, like 'What do I do in the enchanted forest?' Various 'key words' have been deleted from these questions - making it harder to accidentally see the solutions to other questions - and are reproduced below. The numbers alongside the words refer to the questions. The number that follows each question is the number to key for that particular hint. Good luck! ALCHEMIST 224 GARGOYLES 45 PYRAMID 155 ALCOVE 2 GATE 46 QUICKSAND 156 ALTAR 3,51,83 GIANT 47,70,104,231 REEF 157,174 BACK DOOR 4,52 GLADIATOR 48 REMBRANDT PORTRAIT 158 BALROG 5,53 GLASS 49,71 ROCKFALLS 159 BARRIER 6 GLOWING 50 ROCKS 160 BIRD 7 GNOME 72,91 SAFE 161,175,205,220 BLACK FLAG 8 GREENHOUSE 73 SAIL 162 BLACK MAGIC 9 HABERGEON 74,92 SALVER 163 BLEI AMEDI 10 HADES 75,93 SCENT 164 BOOK/S 11,84 HALL MIRRORS 76,94,105 SCYLLA 165,176,182 BOTTLES 12 HANDWRITING 77 SEA 166,177 BRIDGE 13 HARBOUR 78 SHEET 167,178 BULB 14 HELMET 79 SHIP 168,179,206 CAGE 15 HOLE/S 95,106,133,232 SIGNPOST 169 CANDLESTICK 16 ICE 81,96,107,134,147 SKELETON 170,180 CANYON 17,54 IDOL 82 SLAB ROOM 171 CASE 227 INLET 97 SNAKE/S 172,181 CAULDRON 19 J4 98 SNEER 173 CAVE/S 20,55,85,101 INSCRPN 99,108,135,148 SORCERY 207 CELLS 21 ISIS 100 STALACTITES 183,208 CELLAR 22 ISLAND 109,233 STALAGMITES 184 CHARYBDIS 23,56 LABORATORY 110 STARS 185 CHASM 24 LAMP 111,137 STONE 186 CHIMING 25 LAST POINT 112 STONE LIONS 187,209 CLIFF/S 26,57 LIBRARY 113 SWIM 188,210,221 CRUSHED 27,58 LODESTONE ROOM 114,138 THIRST 189 CURRENTS 28 MANACLES 115 TOLL HOLE 190,211,222 DARK PASSAGE 229 MAP 116,139 TOMB ROOM 191 DESERT 30,59,86 MARBLE SLIDE 117 TORCHES 192 DINGHY 31,60,87,102 MAZE 118,226 TRACKS 212 132,146,204 MINE 119,141,149,152 TRAILS 193 DINING ROOM 32 MINK COAT 120,142,150 TREASURE/S 140,194,213 DISC/S 33,61,88 MOSAICS 121 223,228 DUNGEONS 34,62 MUMMY 122 UKREN 195 DWELLINGS 35,63 MUSHROOM 123,143,151 VOICE 197,215 EXAKCIP 36,64 NERKY 124 WALL/S 198,216,217,225 FARMHOUSE 37 NEST 125 WELL 199 FIRE 230 NINGY ROOM 126,144 WHITE FLAG 200 FISSURE/S 39,65 OBJECTS 127 WINE 201,218 FLEDGLINGS 40,66 ODD 128 WINGD SERPENTS 202,219 FLOE 41 PIRATES 129,145 WIZARD 1,18,29,38,80 FOOD 67 PLANT 130 90,136,196,214 FOREST 42,68,89,103 PIT 131 ZOOGE 203 FREEZING TO DEATH 43 POCKETS 153 FRONT DOOR 44,69 PRISON 154 Hint 1 How do I prevent the ******'s front door from closing? 31 2 What is the significance of the inscription? 33 3 What do I do at the ***** of Ra? 84 4 How do I get past the wizard's **** ****? 155 5 How do I avoid bumping into the ******? 147 6 Why does an invisible ******* block my way? 93 7 How do I avoid being killed by the adult ****? 134 8 What is in the ship with the ***** ****? 122 9 What do I do in the cave with a faint impression of ***** ***** and sorcery? 48 10 What does "BLEI AMEDI" mean? 73 11 How do I get hold of the alchemist's ****? 149 12 How do I get the wine out of the *******? 89 13 How do I get across the ****** safely? 142 14 How do I get a new **** for my lamp? 101 15 How do I open the **** safely? 151 16 How do I get the bronze ***********? 83 17 How do I climb the walls of the desert ******? 65 18 How do I open the ******'s front door? 32 19 How do I get hold of the wizard's ********? 36 20 How do I swim out of the **** again safely? 143 21 How do I get out of the ***** in the wizard's dungeons? 11 22 How do I get the case of wine out of the ******? 88 23 What is *********? 111 24 How do I get across the *****? 30 25 Why is something ******* nearby? 35 26 How do I get down the *****? 50 27 How do I avoid being ******* by the giant? 29 28 How do I successfully negotiate the ********? 75 29 How do I get past the ******'s back door? 155 30 How do I climb the walls of the ****** canyon? 65 31 How do I get inot the ******? 52 32 How do I get the food from the wizard's *******s? 34 33 How do I carry more than one stone **** at a time? 161 34 How do I get out of the cells in the wizard's *******s? 11 35 How do I get down from the cliff? 140 36 What does "*******" mean? 102 37 What is the ********* for? 7 38 How do I avoid dying when I go thrugh the ******'s back door? 156 39 How do I get across the *******? 17 40 How do I avoid being killed by the **********? 150 41 How do I stop the ice **** melting underneath me? 157 42 What do I do in the enchanted ******? 2 43 How do I avoid ******** ** ***** in the ice area? 27 44 How do I prevent the wizard's ***** **** from closing? 31 45 What do I do with the *********? 60 46 How do I get out of the area near the **** of Isis? 126 47 How do I get past the *****? 21 48 How do I win the *********'s combat? 164 49 How do I get past the ***** sheet? 56 50 What is the significance of the ******* walls? 132 51 How do I avoid losing treasure at the *****? 130 52 How do I avoid dying when I go through the wizard's **** ****? 156 53 At the edge of the ****** pit, how do I get back safely? 148 54 What is the significance of the fissures in the desert ****** which look like giant handwriting? 70 55 Is there anything in the ****s on the island? 118 56 How do I avoid *********? 113 57 How do I climb the *****s? 61 58 How do I avoid being ******* by the things I'm carrying? 74 59 How do I get out of the ******? 63 60 How do I sail the ******? 53 61 How do I stop the stone ****s exploding? 162 62 How do I get out of the wizard's *******s? 96 63 How do I get up to the cliff *********? 141 64 What does "*******" do? 103 65 What is the significance of the *******s in the desert canyon which look like giant handwriting? 70 66 How do I get out of the area near the **********? 152 67 How do I get the **** from the wizard's dining room? 34 68 How do I get out of the enchanted ******? 3 69 How do I open the wizard's ***** ****? 32 70 How do I avoid being crushed by the *****? 29 71 What is the significance of the inscription on the ***** sheet? 55 72 Why does the ***** keep running away? 38 73 How do I get into the **********? 94 74 What is a *********? 28 75 What do I do in *****? 49 76 How do I get out of the **** ** *******? 90 77 What is the significance of the fissures in the desert canyon which look like giant ***********? 70 78 How do I swim in the ******? 26 79 How do I turn the ****** off? 125 80 How do I get out of the ******'s dungeons? 96 81 How do I avoid freezing to death in the *** area? 27 82 How do I stop the **** killing me? 139 83 How do I recover treasure lost at the *****? 131 84 How do I get hold of the ****s in the library? 136 85 What do I do in the **** with a faint impression of black magic and sorcery? 48 86 What is the significance of the fissures in the ****** canyon which look like giant handwriting? 70 87 How do I steer the *****? 54 88 How do I get out of the area with the stone ****s? 163 89 What do I do in the ordinary ******? 4 90 How do I get out of the cells in the ******'s dungeons? 11 91 How do I catch the *****? 39 92 How do I take the ********* safely? 85 93 How do I get out of *****? 108 94 How do I get hold of the treasure in the **** of *******? 91 95 How do I get past the toll **** without paying? 12 96 How do I avoid the melting *** passages? 44 97 How do I get into the ***** safely? 115 98 What does "**" mean? 23 99 What is the significance of the *********** beyond the west alcove of the slab room? 33 100 How do I get out of the area near the Gate of ****? 126 101 How do I get into the cave? 1 102 How do I survive the ****** crash? 76 103 How do I get out of the ordinary ******? 5 104 How do I let the ***** out of prison? 46 105 How do I navigate in the **** ** *******? 92 106 How do I recover things I've dropped down the toll ****? 13 107 In the *** passage where I see another *** passage below me, how do I get into this other passage? 86 108 What do the ***********s on the signpost mean? 40 109 Is there anything in the caves on the ******? 118 110 How do I get through the wizard's **********? 37 111 How do I recharge my ****? 100 112 How do I get the **** ***** in the game? 165 113 How do I get hold of the books in the *******? 136 114 How do I control the direction in which I leave the ********* ****? 47 115 How do I get out of the ********? 9 116 How do I *** mazes and other areas where every location looks the same? 10 117 How do I get back up the ****** *****? 14 118 How do I map ****s and other areas where every location looks the same? 10 119 How do I go down the ****? 6 120 How do I get hold of the **** **** safely? 19 121 How do I get the ******* out? 59 122 How do I get past the *****? 82 123 Can I do anything useful with the ********? 79 124 What does "*****" mean? 97 125 How do I climb out of the ****? 135 126 Why am I sneered at when I leave the ***** ****? 16 127 How can I locate ******* in the mine reliably? 41 128 What is the significance of the *** walls that various places have? 8 129 How do I survive the *******' visit? 119 130 How do I prevent the ***** from strangling me? 95 131 At the edge of the balrog ***, how do I get back safely? 148 132 How do I stop the ****** crashing into the reef? 77 133 What use is the toll ****? 99 134 How do I stop the *** floe melting underneath me? 157 135 What is the significance of the *********** on the glass sheet? 55 136 How do I get through the ******'s laboratory? 37 137 How do I get a new bulb for my ****? 101 138 How do I get back to the mine from the ********* ****? 42 139 How do I *** the lower levels of the mine? 15 140 How do I get hold of the ******** in the Hall of Mirrors? 91 141 How do I map the lower levels of the ****? 15 142 How do I stop the **** **** being eaten? 20 143 What do I do with the ********? 80 144 What do I do with the holes in the east wall of the ***** ****? 22 145 What are the ******* doing when they are ashore? 121 146 What do I do while the ****** is sailing? 78 147 What is the significance of the scented *** tracks? 158 148 What is the significance of the *********** in the Slab Room? 58 149 How can I locate objects in the **** reliably? 41 150 Why are the pockets of the **** **** bulging? 24 151 How do I control the ********? 81 152 How do I get back to the **** from the lodestone room? 42 153 Why are the ******* of the mink coat bulging? 24 154 How do I let the giant out of ******? 46 155 In the small room below the *******, how do I go along the dark passage to the east safely? 124 156 What do I do in the *********? 62 157 How do I get through the ****? 114 158 How do I get the ********* ******** out? 109 159 How do I get past the *********? 67 160 How do I get onto the dark *****? 117 161 How do I close the **** safely? 25 162 Where is the **** for the dinghy? 64 163 How do I get the palladium ******? 105 164 What is the significance of the *****ed ice tracks? 158 165 What is ******? 110 166 How far away is the furthest interesting feature in the ***? 116 167 How do I get past the glass *****? 56 168 How do I attract the attention of a ****? 120 169 What do the inscriptions on the ******** mean? 40 170 Why won't the ******** let me out? 106 171 What is the significance of the inscription beyond the west alcove of the **** ****? 33 172 How do I get out of the ***** maze safely? 133 173 Why am I *****ed at when I leave the ningy room? 16 174 How do I stop the dinghy crashing into the ****? 77 175 What is the booming voice at the **** talking about? 71 176 How do I avoid ******? 112 177 How do I swim in the ***? 51 178 What is the significance of the inscription on the glass *****? 55 179 What is in the **** with the black flag? 122 180 How do I get past the ******** with all my treasure? 107 181 How do I avoid being killed by *****s? 128 182 How do I kill ******? 144 183 How do I get back up the ***********? 127 184 How do I take the ***********? 69 185 What are the ***** for? 57 186 Why did the ***** make a noise? 87 187 Why do the ***** ***** kill me? 137 188 How do I **** in the harbour? 26 189 How do I avoid dying of ******? 66 190 How do I get past the **** **** without paying? 12 191 What use is the **** ****? 72 192 How do I get hold of the *******? 18 193 What is responsible for the sinuous ******? 129 194 Why was the voice at the safe dubious about one of my ********s? 160 195 What does "*****" mean? 98 196 How do I get hold of the ******'s cauldron? 36 197 What is the booming ***** at the safe talking about? 71 198 What do I do with the holes in the east **** of the ningy room? 22 199 How do I go down the ****? 104 200 What is in the ship with the ***** ****? 123 201 How do I get the **** out of the bottles? 89 202 How do I get out of the area near the ****** ********? 153 203 What does "*****" mean? 43 204 Where is the sail for the ******? 64 205 How do I open the **** safely? 159 206 What is in the **** with the white flag? 123 207 What do I do in the cave with a faint impression of black magic and *******? 48 208 How do I take the stalactites? 68 209 How do I avoid being killed by the ***** *****? 138 210 How do I **** in the sea? 51 211 How do I recover things I've dropped down the **** ****? 13 212 What is the significance of the scented ice ******? 158 213 How do I avoid losing ******** at the altar? 130 214 How do I get the food from the ******'s dining room? 34 215 Why was the ***** at the safe dubious about one of my treasures? 160 216 What is the significance of the odd ***** that various places have? 8 217 What is the significance of the glowing *****? 132 218 How do I get the case of **** out of the cellar? 88 219 How do I avoid being killed by the ****** ********? 154 220 Why was the voice at the **** dubious about one of my treasures? 160 221 How do I **** out of the cave again safely? 143 222 What use is the **** ****? 99 223 How do I recover ******** lost at the altar? 131 224 How do I get hold of te *********'s book? 149 225 How do I climb the ***** of the desert canyon? 65 226 How do I get out of the snake **** safely? 133 227 How do I get the **** of wine out of the cellar? 88 228 How do I get past the skeleton with all my ********? 107 229 In the small room below the pyramid, how do I go along the **** ******* to the east safely? 124 230 How do I light a ****? 146 231 How do I get back from beyond the *****? 45 232 What do I do with the ****s in the east wall of the ningy room? 22 233 How do I get off the ******? 145