<!--
	Title: (FAMILY COMPUTING: Software for Learning and Leisure) Quarterstaff: The Tomb of Setmoth
	Author: Jim Phelan
	Source: Family Computing, v7(6)
	Date: June 1989
	Transcription by Steve Derby
-->


<p class="tight" style="border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;">
<em>SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:</em> 1MB Mac</p>
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<em>PUBLISHER:</em> Infocom, Inc., 125 CambridgePark Dr.,
Cambridge, MA 02140; (617) 492-6000</p>
<p class="tight" style="border-bottom: 1px solid;">
<em>PRICE:</em> $50</p>
<p class="tight" style="border-bottom: 1px solid;">
<em>COPY PROTECTED:</em> No</p>
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<em>OVERALL PERFORMANCE:</em> ★ ★ ★ ★</p>
<p class="tight" style="border-bottom: 1px solid;">
<em>DOCUMENTATION:</em> ★ ★ ★</p>
<p class="tight" style="border-bottom: 1px solid;">
<em>PLAY SYSTEM:</em> ★ ★ ★ ★</p>
<p class="tight" style="border-bottom: 1px solid;">
<em>GRAPHICS QUALITY:</em> ★ ★ ★</p>
<p class="tight" style="border-bottom: 1px solid;">
<em>EASE OF USE:</em> ★ ★ ★ ★</p>
<p></p>

<figure class="float-right">
<img src="/public/img/articles/family-computing-quarterstaff-review/quarterstaff-screen-shot.jpg" alt="Quarterstaff screen shot">
<figcaption><em>To form a strong defense in</em> Quarterstaff, <em>it's
wise to know what weapons your opponents
carry.</em></figcaption>
</figure>

*Quarterstaff* stands out from the rest of Infocom's
excellent games. It has the depth and
variety of puzzles that we've come to expect
from Infocom, but is also highly realistic and
easy to use.

The story-line of *Quarterstaff* is nothing
special: The Tree Druids, who have helped
maintain peace over five kingdoms, disappeared
three months ago. It is your mission
as a man-at-arms to explore the deserted Tree
Druid colony for clues to their whereabouts.
But this is where conventionality ends.

Tired of getting stuck in adventures
searching for synonyms that the program will
understand? *Quarterstaff* solves this by providing
menus of 51 verbs, 11 prepositions,
visible exits, and all visible objects. These
lists not only circumvent the frustration of
not being able to express yourself, but save
you time since the words can be entered with
a simple point-and-click of the mouse.

Your commands can also include words
not suggested by the menus. Entries can be
one word, complex sentences, or a group of
sentences.

Another time-saving feature is the inclusion
of macros. If you use a sentence or
group of sentences often, simply create a
macro and then use a single keystroke or
click of the mouse to enter the words. The
extensive on-line help is also useful, offering
general information and specific hints.

*Quarterstaff* is the most realistic computer
role-playing adventure I've ever played. Not
only do you have to eat and drink on a regular
basis, but when you sleep (required each
day), there is a time-delay, simulating the
passage of 50 rounds. The limited light resources,
which extinguish after a predetermined
number of rounds, also add to the
realism, as do the digitized sounds of creaky
doors opening and screams of death.

The auto-mapping feature is an improvement
over previous Infocom games. Instead
of squares representing the terrain, detailed
maps of your surroundings are drawn as you
progress into the Tree Druid colony. The
only other graphics represent primary characters
and objects that appear infrequently.

Throughout the course of the game, you
meet many interesting characters, and you
have to cooperate with some of them to
successfully complete the game. The most
advanced feature of the game allows you to
split your party into several units and venture
into different areas of the colony simultaneously.
Another lets you shoot objects from
room to room.

*Quarterstaff* was originally released in
1987 by Simulated Environment Systems
(SES) but did not receive widespread distribution.
Infocom purchased the rights to the
game and cleaned up the program before
releasing it under its own banner. Many improvements
were made, including word
menus, on-line help, and a revised story line.

A fatal bug in version 2.0C causes the
game to crash when object-carrying adventurers
enter one of two locations. The bug is
fixed in the latest version, 2.0E, so be sure to
inquire about the version before purchasing.
And purchase the program you should, since
even with the bug, *Quarterstaff* is an exciting
adventure.
