<!--
	Title: (Scorpion's Tale) Stationfall
	Author: Scorpia
	Source: Computer Gaming World, v7(8)
	Date: November 1987
	Transcription by Steve Derby
-->

<div class="article-sidebar-box" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">InvisiClues.org editors note: Portions of this article,
like many of the <em>Scorpion's Tale</em> columns from <em>Computer Gaming World</em>,
may include material plagiarized from other sources, including the original
<em>InvisiClues</em> and uncredited postings to online gaming forums.</div>

<img class="float-left" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-scorpions-tale-amfv/scorpions-tale-logo-amfv.png" alt="Scorpion's Tale logo">

*Scorpia's regular hint column visits the sequel to Infocom's popular Planetfall.*

Ahhh...it's November again, my
favorite month! When cold winds
rattle the windows, the evenings are
long and dark, and winter is just
around the corner: the perfect time to
be indoors huddled over a warm computer.
Speaking of warm, let Fred
pour you a hot one tonight, because
it's pretty chilly in outer space, too.

Actually, *Stationfall* is not a very difficult
game. In fact, I'd venture to say
it's easier in many respects than its
predecessor, Planetfall. Perhaps, this
is partially due to all the information
that's just sitting there and waiting for
you to read it. Rather early into the
game, you'll be able to figure out much
of what has happened and what is
going on, with very little effort. This, in
turn, makes solving most of the puzzles
fairly easy. Experienced players
are likely to breeze through this one in
an afternoon or so.

Food is a consideration in the game,
although a fairly minor one. You
should have enough with you to get
through without starving. There is also
one food source on the station, in case
you run out, but unless you've really
been dragging your feet, you probably
won't need it.

You'll also need to sleep once or
twice during play, so it's necessary to
find a safe place to bed down for the
"night." Once you've done a tour of the
station, however, the right spot is pretty
obvious.

So, here you are, a lieutenant first
class aboard the *SPS Duffy*. Your
heroics in *Planetfall* got you promoted
from mopping latrines to shuffling
papers. Dealing with forms in octuplet
may not be the most exciting job, but
it's still better than what you used to
do. Kinda.

At the moment, you've been ordered
to take a small craft to a nearby space
station and pick up some forms. You
know it is going to be very routine and
very boring. At least you won't be
quite alone, since you get to take
Floyd with you.

<img class="float-left" src="/public/img/articles/cgw-scorpions-tale-stationfall/stationfall-cover.png" alt="Stationfall cover">

However, the routine suddenly becomes
non-routine when you arrive at
the station and find it completely
deserted of human life. Obviously,
something is very wrong here and it's
all the more unsettling, since there
were no emergency calls or transmissions
from the station. Where did
everyone go? Perhaps, you'd better
take a look around and find out. This
is more important than forms.

Using the handy maps that come
with the game, you begin your explorations.
Certainly, one of the first places
you'll want to look at is the Station
Commander's quarters, where a fair
amount of interesting information is
just waiting to be read (it's almost too
easy). On the other hand, getting the
safe open will not be so easy. The combination
is nowhere to be found, but
maybe you'll think of another way to
open it, later on.

From there, it's just a matter of going
up and down as far as possible, and
seeing what else is available on the
various decks. The two lowest decks
are not immediately accessible, but the
rest are, and you should certainly
check out all of those. A few places
will be dark, but there's no need to
worry. You'll find a light source, eventually.

Some more interesting material will
be discovered in the Science submodule,
by which time you should
have a good idea of just what occurred
before your arrival. It isn't too pretty a
picture, either.

As you wander around, you'll run
into a mechanical welder every so
often. I suggest you stay out of its way
whenever it shows up. This is easy to
do, and will have very positive effects
on your life span.

By now, you've put together a good
bit of information (not to mention,
picked up several items of interest)
and it takes no great leap of deduction
to determine you need to get into the
illegal village that has sprung up
around the outside of the space station.

If you paid attention to descriptions
as you approached the station, you
probably have a good idea of how to
reach it; all you need is the proper
form. This is not difficult, particularly
if you've read the log tape and have
been careful in your searching.

The village is an interesting place, for
which you will have to draw your own
maps, but that is not hard to do, and
there are no mazes to contend with.
It's all pretty straightforward.
Once there, you explore such fascinating
areas as the Mayor's office, a
fortune-teller's little cubbyhole, a barbershop,
a grocery store, a used-spaceship
dealer's, and even a small
casino, among others. Take your time
and examine every room carefully. A
few things are hidden, and you don't
want to overlook them. There's just
one unnerving thing about this otherwise
neat place. There are no humans
here, either.

However, you will find *some* life
here: an Arcturan balloon creature in
the pet shop and an ostrich (!) in the
doctor's office (we won't ask why an
MD would have an ostrich for a pet),
for instance. Both of them will be helpful
in solving puzzles later on. All you
need to do is figure out how to take
them with you, but there is plenty of
helpful reading matter around for that.

An item you'll probably want is a
weapon. For one thing, it will make
you feel a little more secure, considering
the circumstances. It could even be
useful in a couple of situations. On the
other hand, not even the exalted rank
of lieutenant first class is enough to
open the armory door. But there are
ways around such obstacles; just be
careful of junkyards.

Let's not overlook the alien ship,
either. Especially examine that message
concealed in strange dots on the
wall (no, it's not Morse code). It is
definitely worth deciphering, even if
your taste doesn't ordinarily run to unraveling
secret messages.

Hmmm, I see I forgot to mention
Plato. Plato is a sort of bookwormish
robot who wanders in and out from
time to time. He's very erudite, but not
especially helpful or informative
regarding the space station or what
happened there. That is, not at first.
However, Plato will eventually be
more than happy to tell you everything
you need to know. Just give him time.

So, you've read all there is to read (at
least I hope so, for your sake), collected
a number of promising items
(many of them thoughtfully left in
strategic places, since you can't carry
everything at once) which you have
also carefully examined, visited the
great outdoors, and just about reached
the end game.

As you've probably guessed, this involves
reaching the two lower decks,
which have been, so far, inaccessible.
Now that you're this far along in the
game, though, getting down there is
not much of a problem. You have the
key to success in your hot little hand,
and now's the time to use it.

When you reach bottom, you may
find yourself pestered by some berserk
machinery, but this is only a minor
nuisance (especially if you were careful
to read all the signs you came
across).

However, there is one aspect of the
ending that may give some people
trouble. Unfortunately, there isn't anything
you can do about it. Sad, but
true. You have to finish the job, unpleasant
though it may be, so you
might as well do what has to be done,
and think about it later. Not all victories
are sweet.

Well, you've saved the universe once
again, and you'll probably get another
promotion. I wouldn't be surprised if
you go from filling out forms to having
to read filled-out forms. The Space
Patrol is that kind of outfit (at least it
sure seems that way....).

I see by the old invisible clock on the
wall it's just about that time again.
Remember if you need help with an
adventure game, you can reach me in
the following ways (and please, don't
ask for maps or complete lists of magic
items from Wizardry/Bard's
Tale/Whatever; those are things you
have to work out on your own!):

On Delphi: Stop by the GameSIG
(under the Groups and Clubs menu).
On GEnie: Visit the Games
Roundtable (type: Scorpia to reach
the Games RT). On The Source: Send
Smail to ST1030. By US mail (enclose
a self-addressed stamped envelope if
you live in the United States): Scorpia,
PO Box 338, Gracie Station, NY NY
10028.

Until next time, happy adventuring!

Copyright 1987 by Scorpia, all rights
reserved.