Genre: | Text Adventure |
Publisher: | Acornsoft |
Cover Art Language: | English |
Machine Compatibility: | BBC Model B |
Release: | Professionally released on Cassette |
Available For: | Acorn Electron & BBC Model B |
Compatible Emulators: | BeebEm (PC (Windows)) PcBBC (PC (MS-DOS)) Model B Emulator (PC (Windows)) |
Original Release Date: | 6th November 1983 |
Original Release Price: | £9.99 |
Market Valuation: | £2.50 (How Is This Calculated?) |
Item Weight: | 126g |
Box Type: | Cardboard Box (Decorative) |
Author(s): | Peter Killworth & Jonathan Mestel |
There are 2 other items featuring this same game (that we know about!). Click any of them for their details.
Unfortunately no-one is currently selling this item.
However, this item has previously been sold on everygamegoing.com, so there is a good chance it will be offered again. Add it to your Wanted Items to be notified immediately anyone offers it for sale.
Worried you're being ripped off? Closing prices on eBay can help you decide what a reasonable price is for a particular item.
Don't be put off by the somewhat strange logic needed to play this game, as it is without doubt one of the finest adventures ever written for the BBC, and is therefore highly recommended. Read Review
An interesting and complex adventure with a fairly standard vocabulary. Read Review
Welcome to the adventure! This pack contains programs on cassette plus instructions for Philosopher's Quest, an 'intelligent' adventure where the player explores a strange land full of weird and unlikely things, some dangerous and some even magical.
In this new and authentic game the concept of the adventure is exploited to the full, and extended to include abstract thought as a means to progress and survival. However, wild speculation will get you nowhere - you have to use your wits!
The objective is to find all the treasures and bring them to where you began, but in the meantime you have to sift clues, weigh up risks, spot magic words and remember which way you came!
The game starts with a description of your immediate surroundings, and a choice of objects which you can take with you (use "TAKE" followed by the name of the object) on your quest. Choose carefully, before setting off with a command such as "WEST" if you want to try going west, or "NE" to go to the northeast.
The computer becomes your eyes and hands. It will tell you what you can see and what is happening around you. You must tell it, in return, what to do (it prompts you with a colon). Use commands of one or two words (in upper case).
The computer only looks at the first four letters of any word you type, so that the command "NORTHEAST" must be typed in as "NE" to distinguish it from "NORTH" (or "N" - there are various abbreviations you will pick up as you go).
Part of the fun is finding out what words are understood! However, a short list of those you might not guess is given here:
During the game you can display your score at any time by entering "SCORE" and pressing RETURN. Finding treasures will earn you points as will depositing them in the shop, and you will gradually discover other ways of gaining points - there may be some surprises here!
The maximum score is 250; consider yourself a philosopher if you score over 200!
Due to pressure of work, your chief philosopher is unable to answer your query in person. However, he has written out a list of the most commonly asked questions, together with a set of hints and answers.
Problem: I need more than two items out of the stop.
Hint: If you can't carry any more than two items out, how else could you get something out?
Answer: Try throwing something.
Problem: I die outside the shop/it's dark and I don't know what to do.
Hint: You need a light course. One is provided, and the game is fair!
Answer: Try "GET" and then "INV" outside the shop.
Problem: I can't get past the wall-crusher.
Hint: You need to wedge the walls apart with something strong, without going there yourself.
Answer: Try throwing the steel rod.
Problem: I can't get pas the cheese/I keep dying with the cheese.
Hint: You need something to ease the smell.
Answer: Look for a gas mask.
Problem: I can't get past the portcullis.
Hint: You need some magic. Try waving or rubbing things.
Answer: Rub the amulet.
Problem: I keep dying/falling into pits (in the Danger Room).
Hint: How would you avoid such danger in real life?
Answer: Experiment with JUMP, RUN, CRAWL, etc.
Problem: I'm trapped in the "you don't exist" state.
Hint: How can you prove you exist? How did the philosophers do it?
Answer: Try thinking.
Problem: I can't put the albatross down.
Hint: Neither could the mariner till he found someone (you) to tell the story to. Can you find someone?
Answer: Don't do the M.E. passage till you get the albatross.
Problem: I can't see how to get the albatross without running my lamp down.
Hint: Better not to have it on!
Answer: Turn your lamp off, strike a match and move.
Problem: I lose everything when I don't exist.
Hint: So don't have anything when you go in there.Hint: 43
Answer: Leave your lamp (on) and all your belongings behind and collect them later.
Problem: I get lost in the mazes.
Hint: The rooms look all alike, don't they? How can you make them not
look alike?
Answer: Drop an object in each room and map the maze.
Problem: I get squashed by elephants.
Hint: How could you scare the elephant away?
Answer: Take the mouse with you.
Problem: I can't get the mouse.
Hint: What do mice like?
Answer: Hold the cheese while you do it.
Problem: The old lady keeps dying because I can't get her tea out of the shop.
Hint: Where do old ladies keep their tea?
Answer: Leave it there and check her larder.
Problem: I can't find the (first) dog.
Hint: There are two other animals - where are they?
Answer: Past the elephants graveyard - but not till after tea.
Problem: I can't find the (second) dog.
Hint: Try calling it in a suitable place.
Answer: "SPOT" north of the Danger room.
Problem: I can't find the (third) dog.
Hint: Can you hear it near where it lives?
Answer: "GET" or "GET DOG" in kennel room.
Problem: How do I make the dog visible?
Hint: Try coating it with something sticky.
Answer: Take the dog under the paint-dropper.
Problem: The will isn't worth anything.
Hint: No, it's only a piece of paper, but it's probably valuable.
Answer: Take it to the solicitor's.
Problem: I drown when I try to swim.
Hint: You need proper preparation.
Answer: Take the aqualung with you.
Problem: I can't find anything in the sea.
Answer: Go down and south as far as you can.
Problem: I keep dying by the octopus.
Hint: What defence mechanism do octopi have?
Answer: Give him the ink.
Problem: I can't map the whale's stomach.
Hint: No, you can't, as you enter it randomly and things get moved about.
Remember what the octopus said.
Answer: Strike a match; see which way the wind's coming from - that must be out!
Problem: I die when I take the tooth.
Hint: The whale hates smoke.
Answer: Strike a match and light a fire with the driftwood.
Problem: I get the bends and die.
Hint: How do divers solve the problem?
Answer: Every turn you spend at mid-depth "removes" five turns you spent at depth. When you're "removed" them all you can surface safely.
Problem: I can't get the last point; I've got 249 out of 250.
Hint: Recall the instructions; nothing is a red herring.
Answer: "Blach" never achieved anything before; try it now.
Tape Version:
CHAIN "QUEST" (RETURN)
Disk Version:
Hold down SHIFT and tap BREAK.
Note that it is not possible to catalogue or back-up the original disc. The disc can be used in drive 0 of either 40 or 80 track disc drives.
This game was mentioned in the following articles:
The following utilities are also available to allow you to edit the supplied screens of this game:
A digital version of this item can be downloaded right here at Everygamegoing (All our downloads are in .zip format).
Download | What It Contains |
---|---|
A digital version of Philosopher's Quest suitable for BeebEm (PC (Windows)), PcBBC (PC (MS-DOS)), Model B Emulator (PC (Windows)) | |
A digital version of Philosopher's Quest suitable for BeebEm (PC (Windows)), PcBBC (PC (MS-DOS)), Model B Emulator (PC (Windows)) |
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts if you report something wrong on our site. It's the only way we can fix any problems!
You are not currently logged in so your report will be anonymous.
The 1 most recent sales for this item are as follows:
Date Sold | Price Sold For | As Part Of Bundle | By User |
---|---|---|---|
18th April 2019 | £2.99 | No | dave_e |
Change the country to update it. Click outside of this pop-up to cancel.
If you auction an item, it will no longer show in the regular shop section of the site.