THE LOST GNOMES. SOFTWARE BY ERIC BEAN ADVENTURES
Copyright 1984 Eric Bean Adventures.
(Illustrator-Quilled). Author: Carl K Bozicek.

REVIEW: By: Tony Bridge's Adventure Corner,
Popular Computing Weekly, 3-9 May 1984 Vol 3  No. 18

...The Lost Gnomes, merely the first in a series of Eric Bean Adventures.
Written by one C K Bozicek, it concerns a wily gnome called, you guessed it -
Eric Bean. That's you, the player, and your task is to get all your friends and the stolen treasure back to your home.
A sample vocabulary is given in the on-screen instructions before the game begins (a good point this) and the input during the play follows the normal Quill format of verb followed by a noun (although the program will make a stab at recognising longer sentences) and all the usual commands are recognised (Get Ferret, Drop Rock and so on - whoops, a couple of free clues there). 
There are some 130 odd locations, which seems pretty good value, as all the puzzles are nice and tough.
A charming adventure, which will prove really entertaining for the adventure fan.

EXTRACTS FROM CASSETTE INLAY:
In this adventure you take the role of Eric Bean, the wily gnome.
You find the Valley of Gnomes is strangely quiet.
You must explore...
You give the computer your commands and provided they are understood they will be obeyed. If a command is not understood then try re-wording it. You will find that the simplest, most logical and specific commands will enable you to explore an exciting and entertaining far off land.
A simple fast SAVE routine is provided to enable you to record your current position on to tape*. This will take a few seconds only as will the loading of a saved position from tape using the LOAD command provided.
By the way, you may be killed in your adventure, but provided fortune smiles upon you, there will be no need to restart or reload a position.
Throughout the game (excepting when you are killed and fortune does not smile upon you, or, you have entered a particular location with an unsuitable inventory and death is imminent at that location) there will be no need to restart or reload a position following any setback that might occur. Thus, the adventure is challenging yet kind. Good luck!

(* Alternatively, to a .tap file when using an emulator).

SOLUTIONS:
The author politely requests that complete game solutions are not posted on the web believing that the temptation to seek a prompt remedy to the obstacles encountered may lead to loss of enjoyment of the game and its challenges.
The shortest game solution could also prevent the player experiencing several diversions that may occur e.g. a singing ferret, a seasick ferret etc.
Typing HELP at critical moments can be useful.
If the player has difficulty with progress due to "phrasing" this will be best solved by using the most appropriate specific TWO WORD command e.g. ENTER HUT.

Warning: Players must possess a sense of humour. This is essential.

If you do need extra game help, for a cryptic reply, ask: ericbean@talk21.com

Printed: 18th March 2000.