Dragon Adventure

- Introduction
- Game Vocabulary
- Scoring
- Help
- Game Versions
- History
- Game Solution
- Game Locations and Puzzles
- Game Map

Introduction

This file is intended for teachers and parents wanting to find out more details of the game.

It also contains information explaining the game locations and puzzles which may spoil the game if you are intending to try playing it through. The information is provided so that a teacher or parent can help a child who is stuck in the game. The game can be played through in a minimum of about 100 moves (though about 400 is more usual), and generally takes a group 2-3 hours or so to finish.

Dragon Adventure is a text-based adventure with pictures and a few optional sound effects for players aged 9 and above, and should be suitable both for children and perhaps foreign English students, as well as beginners in these types of text adventure games. Its aim is to stimulate memory, language work and discussion within small groups, and to help foster a logical approach to problem solving. Within the UK National Curriculum for English, the program helps to develop oracy (both the speaking and listening), spelling and reading comprehension skills.

The adventure is set in a make-believe world, where the players are set the challenge of trying to get rid of the dragon. This can be done in either of two ways: by killing it with the enchanted sword, or by releasing the dragon from the bewitchment that has been put on it (by playing the magic pipe). Non-violent solutions earn a higher game score, encouraging players to use non-violent means. The players must then discover the dragon's hidden treasure hoard to complete the game.

Players must find either the sword or the flute, and discover the way to safely enter the dragon's tunnels and neutralise the dragon. To do this they must solve a series of simple problems involving gathering and using the objects that can be found in the various game locations. There are clues to this scattered throughout the game. You can also type HELP to get specific clues at different points in the game.

The program works by describing locations on the screen, together with any objects that can be seen. Commands are typed in the form of two words, eg. GET SWORD or RING BELL, or by more complex sentences. Movements can be made by typing the direction (GO NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, WEST, UP, DOWN, IN, OUT), and most can be abbreviated to a single letter. Commands such as ENTER COTTAGE can also be used in some places.

With children, ideally the game should be played by small groups of 2 to 4 people. The current position can be saved and restored at a later date. It is advisable to save the position at regular intervals so that if anything disastrous happens in the adventure, the game does not have to be restarted from the beginning. There is also an UNDO feature which will try to undo the consequences of the last move made, and will attempt to recover from unwinnable game situations (such as being trapped). The command RESCUE is provided as a last resort to attempt to recover otherwise irretrievably lost items (that may have been eaten, broken or given away), and will attempt to recover from unwinnable game situations (such as being trapped). There is also the command RUN which takes you away from immediate danger, but you will drop whatever you happen to be carrying.

Older children should be encouraged to make up their own map as they go along, though it may be found that a sketch-map of the main locations is best provided. The picture version of the game displays a map of the places visited so far, by entering the command MAP.
Game Vocabulary:
Disc commands:

SAVE | saves current game position
RESTORE | load and run a previously saved game position

Other commands:

UNDO | will attempt to undo the last move made - can sometimes be used successively
MAP | shows a map of places visited so far (picture version only)
INVENTORY or I | to list what you are carrying
EXAMINE or X | to examine something
SCORE | for the current score and move count
LOOK or L | to see the description of the location again

To see in the dark of the tunnels and to move around safely the candle must be found and lit. The candle can be extinguished, but it will not run out and there is no limit to the number of moves that can be made once it is lit.
Up to 6 items can be carried at once.
The program counts the number of moves taken and keeps a score based on the puzzles solved.
Typing the commands SOUND OFF and SOUND ON will switch the sound off and on (the sound is on by default).
Some of the actions recognised:

BLOW BUILD BUY CLOSE DRINK DROP EAT EMPTY END EXAMINE | FILL FLY FIND GET GIVE GO HELP INVENTORY JUMP KILL | LIGHT MAKE OPEN PLAY POUR QUIT READ RIDE RING RUB | RUN SAY SPEND STRIKE TAKE TIP UNLOCK USE

Some of the main game objects:

BANANAS BELL BICYCLE BATH BOOKLET BOOT BOTTLE BOX | CANDLE CHAIR CLUB COIN DRAGON FLUTE HORN HANG-GLIDER | KEY LAMP MAN MATCHES MONKEY MUG PAPER PARACHUTE | SCREWDRIVER SHEET SACK SIGNPOST STUMP SWORD TROLL

Object names can usually be abbreviated to just the first three letters.
Scoring:

- 1 for buying the box
- 1 for finding the screwdriver
- 2 for finding the candle
- 1 for finding the matches
- 1 for opening the castle door
- 1 for building the hang-glider in the right place
- 2 for getting the sword/booklet
- 1 for escaping from the tower
- 2 for killing the Troll to get the horn
- 5 for talking to the Troll to get the horn
- 2 for killing the dragon
- 5 for charming the dragon instead of killing him
- 5 for finding the treasure

= 25 points maximum total
(less 1 points for each UNDO)
Help:
By entering the command HELP some special help hints are available at certain points in the game:

- With the magic lamp in the cottage:
  "Remember Alladin..."
- In the dark tunnels without the lit candle:
  "You really need some light..."
- At the castle door:
  "You need a key..."
- At the bird bath:
  "Perhaps you should be kind to the birds..."
- In the closed cottage (if you haven't found the key yet):
  "Have you examined everything closely ..."
  otherwise:
  "You'll need some magic to get out of here! - try RESCUE"
- At the top of the tower:
  "You need to get from the tower to the ground somehow..."
- Otherwise the standard response is:
  "Look round and examine things."

A note on game versions:
Dragon Adventure was originally written on the Acorn BBC/RiscOS series of computers. It has recently been rewritten in Inform, a language devised specifically for the creation of text adventure games, and compiled as both text-only (z5) and text/picture/sound (Glulx Blorb) game files. Such files can be played using one of the freely available game interpreter programs. The advantage of this is that the game can be played on a wide variety of different machines including PCs, Macs, Linux and handhelds for which interpreters have so far been written. The sound/picture version is only available on the PC, Mac and Linux computers so far. Interpreters can be downloaded for free from Interactive Fiction website at www.ifarchive.org, which is the Alexandrian Library of all things to do with adventure games. The site includes a huge range of other free adventure games to download of varying quality, complexity and suitability.
History:
Dragon Adventure started life on the BBC micro around 1982. The basic framework of game locations and puzzles (including the violence towards dragons and trolls) was produced by a group of Year 5 children on a wet Friday afternoon (thanks to Tracey, Tracy, Julia, Joanne and the others). I put this into a finished game so the children could try out their own work. I also produced a Commodore PET version (the other Y5 class had the loan of one at the time - my class had the school's only BBC). The game was eventually distributed free to schools in the London Borough of Hillingdon, and was available from the MUSE (Microcomputer Users in Secondary Education) software library until its closure a few years later. It was converted to run on the Acorn Archimedes around 1990, and was updated in the late 90s for the more modern RiscPC with the addition of sound samples and pictures of the items carried.

It has been available in RiscOS format as a free internet download since 1999. Over the years it has been much used in various classes I have taught. Various minor changes have been made in response to the sort of things children tend to type in and try to do in the game.

In 2003 I taught for a while at Shellingford Primary and used a similar game, Goblin Adventure, with the children using the VirtualAcorn emulator on a PC laptop. I put the RiscOS versions of several games on the school website, and rewrote a slightly extended version of Dragon Adventure in z5 and Glulx (with pictures). These should now work directly on Windows and (in theory) on the Mac, so the children can use it at home.

The program is copyright but may be freely copied and distributed, as long as no charge is made.

William Stott, January 2004 (wstott@bigfoot.com)
Game Solution:
Go S, E, D, take the coin, examine the barrels and take the mug. Go U, W, W and give the coin to buy the box. Take the box (the hang-glider kit), examine it, open it and read the instruction leaflet (you need a screwdriver). Go W, read the sign, go S, read the sign, go W, N to the forge and take the magic lamp. Go S, E, N, E, S, S, E into the cottage. Examine the table and take the key and bananas then rub the lamp to be transported back somewhere outside (the lamp disappears). Go S, W, N, W, S, S into the lighthouse, examine then tip the boot and take the screwdriver. Go N, N, N, N, N and get the silver bell, unlock the castle door, drop the key and go N, U to the top of the tower. Give the bananas to the monkey, build the hang-glider, drop the broken screwdriver and take the sword and the instruction booklet. Take the hang-glider and jump to float down to the wasteland. Go E and ring the bell to summon the wandering Troll, who will appear somewhere in the outside locations. Once you find him, you can either kill him with the sword (for fewer points), or say HELLO to make friends with him. Greet him then give him the bell and take the hunting horn. Next, go to the lake and examine the reeds and get the flute. Fill the mug with water and go S, E and fill the bird bath. Take the candle dropped by the bird and go W, examine the tree stump and light the candle with the matches. The number of moves that can be made with the lit candle is unlimited. Read the instruction booklet to learn how to play the flute then drop the booklet (no longer needed) and go W, N, N, E into the cave. Go S, S and play the flute to break the dragon's spell. It is also possible to kill the dragon with the sword, though you earn fewer points for doing so. Examine the bones and take the bottle, examine it then break it and read the clue on the paper. Go N, N, E, U to the inn then in turn examine the chair, the carvings than the goblin to find the next clue. Go D, W, S, S back to the dragon's lair and blow the horn. Go E to the treasure. Take the gold or the jewels to complete the game. Trying to ride the magic bicycle will deliver you to the dragon's lair, and can be used as a shortcut. There is another shortcut inside the lighthouse.
(Total about 100 moves)
The only time you will die is if:

- you try to use the parachute to get down from the tower
- you try to move in the dark
- you try to kill the Troll or dragon without having the sword
- you attack or try to kill the little man in the swamp
- you spend too long with the suspicious Troll without speaking to him
- you wake the dragon by going into its lair without then quickly killing it or playing the flute

Game Locations and Puzzles:
(numbers refer to the map)
In some rocky mountains (14)
This is your starting-point in the adventure. You need to go south to get to the inn.

Outside an inn (15)

Inside the deserted inn (21)
There is a clue here to the way to find the dragon's treasure hoard. If you examine the chair, you will find some carvings. If you then examine the carvings, then examine the goblin, you see a goblin blowing a horn next to the dragon.

In a cellar under the inn (22)
Here there is an old coin that you need to give the little man in the swamp to buy the box with the hang-glider kit. If you examine the barrels you will find the pewter mug that you need to carry water for the bird-bath. There is also a short-cut here to the dragon's tunnels, but you need the lit candle to move safely. If you step into the dark, you can recover if you immediately return back the way you have come, otherwise you either fall in the dark or get killed by the dragon.

In a swamp (10)
There is a little man in the swamp who won't let you go past. You need to give him the coin from the cellar under the inn to buy the cardboard box containing the hang-glider kit. You need this to get down from the castle tower after you have the sword. Once you have bought the box you can get past the swamp. If you try to kill the man, he will just kill you instead. If you open the box and read the instruction sheet, it says 'Acme Hang-Glider Kit - all you need is a screwdriver'. If you build the hang-glider anywhere else but the top of the tower, it becomes too awkward to carry. The screwdriver breaks as you tighten the last screw, so you can't dismantle it.

Outside a cave (11)
This leads to the cave system where the dragon's lair can be found. You need the lit candle to go into the caves safely. If you go in without light, you can recover if you immediately return back the way you have come, though if you try to go in any other direction you will get lost in the caves and killed by the dragon, or else fall in the dark.

Beside a thatched cottage (12)

Inside the thatched cottage (24)
This is the Troll's cottage, which he has modified to trap any burglars and thieves. There is no way out of here without the magic lamp. If you examine the table, you will find a bunch of bananas that are needed for the monkey in the castle tower, and the key to the castle door. Rubbing the magic lamp will take you somewhere outside the cottage with whatever you are carrying, and the lamp will vanish. If you get stuck in the cottage without the lamp, UNDO will return you back outside but replace the bananas and key back in the cottage.

On a path in the forest (13)
There is an empty bird bath here. You need to fill the pewter mug with water from the lake and fill the bird bath. A bird comes down and drops a candle that you can use to move in the dark of the tunnels.

On a forest path by a tree stump (9)
If you examine the tree stump, you will find the matches you need to light the candle.

By a lake (8)
You need to collect water here in the old pewter mug from the inn cellar. The water is needed to fill the bird-bath. Amongst the reeds here you will find a snake-charming flute, which you need to break the spell on the dragon. The flute cannot be played properly without first reading the instruction booklet, found at the top of the tower. This tells you how to use the flute to 'charm serpents and other dangerous reptiles, and how to break enchantments'.

At the south end of a road (7)
There is a signpost you can read to find the way to the castle.

At the north end of a road (6)
There is a signpost you can read to find the way to the castle.

In some wasteland near a castle (3)
There is a magic delivery bicycle here. If you try to ride it, it takes you to the dragon's lair, delivering you to the dragon, whizzing through the various locations on the way.

By a pebbled beach (4)
There is a parachute here. This has no use in the game, but if you try to use it to get down from the castle tower, it will not open in time and you will be killed.

By a forbidding castle (1)
To get into the castle you need the key from the little cottage. There is a silver bell here. You need to ring this to summon the Troll. He then appears somewhere in the outdoor locations and wanders at random outdors. If you meet him he will soon attack you and try to kill you, unless you either talk to him or kill him first with the sword. If you try to move away, he will follow wherever you go. You can run away to a location 2 places removed from where you are by typing RUN, but you drop everything you are carrying as you go. The Troll will then continue to roam around, but he will not follow you unless you meet him again. If you say HELLO to him you will find that he is looking for his silver bell. He will stay in the location until you give it to him, then he will lend you his hunting horn in exchange. This is needed to open the secret door to the Dragon's treasure hoard. It is also possible to get the horn by killing the Troll with the sword, though this gains fewer points.

In the old castle forge (2)
There is a magic lamp here, with some writing on it, 'Merlin's Lamp Company - Alladin model'. If you rub the lamp, you will be transported somewhere to an outside location, and the lamp will vanish. You need the lamp to get out of the Troll's cottage. If you try to light the lamp with the matches, it will vanish.

In the castle hallway (23)
If you go up the stairs to the top of the tower, they collapse behind you and you can't get back down.

At the top of the castle tower (25)
As you go up to the top of the tower, the stairs collapse. There is a monkey here waving a sword. You need to get him to drop the sword by giving him the bananas or dropping them here. You also find the instruction booklet for the dragon-charming flute here, but the monkey will keep snatching it away from you until you give him the bananas. To get down from the tower, you need to make the hang-glider from the kit using the screwdriver, and then JUMP down to the wasteland near the castle. If you try to use the parachute, it will not open in time and you will be killed.

Outside the ruins of a lighthouse (5)

In a room in the old lighthouse (19)
There is an old boot here. You need to tip or empty the boot to find the screwdriver. You need this to make the hang glider at the top of the tower.

In a secret passage (20)
This leads from the room in the lighthouse to the dragon's lair. The passage collapses behind you as you go, so the only way is forwards to the lair.

Deep in a damp cave (16)
You can get here either by entering the cave, or by going from the cellar under the inn.

In a great chamber in the rock (17)
This leads to the dragon's lair to the south.

The dragon's lair (18)
You get here from the great chamber in the cave system, by riding the magic delivery bicycle, or by going through the secret passage from the lighthouse. Here the dragon is asleep, and you wake it when you enter. It will soon attack you unless you do something to stop this happening - either by playing the pipe or by killing it first. It will spend a little time watching you while pretending to be asleep, giving you the opportunity to play the dragon-charming pipe. Once the spell on the dragon has been broken by the music, the creature now has its freedom and in return it gives you its gold, which you will have to find. It is also possible to kill the dragon with the enchanted sword, though this approach earns fewer points. To find the treasure, you need to blow the Troll's hunting horn to open the door to the hoard. There are some clues to help with this - amongst the bones in the lair is a glass bottle containing a piece of paper. You have to break the bottle (which also happens if you DROP it) to get the paper and read it. The clue given is: 'Search the mountain inn with care, to find an answer lying there'. You need to go to the inn and examine the chair and its carvings to find the next clue, a carving of a goblin blowing the horn next to the dragon.

In the dragon's store (26)
The dragon's treasure hoard is here. You need to go in here and take the gold or jewels to complete the game.