Archeoshot #013: Fire on the Water (ZX Spectrum, 1984)

Front

Front Cover Detail

Side End

Tape

Keyboard Overlay

Inlay, internal

Inlay, internal

Original Game Book and Videogame Tape

Archeoshot #012: Flight from the Dark (ZX Spectrum, 1984)

Front

Tape

Inlay, external.

Keyboard Overlay.

Inlay, internal illustrations.

Original Game book and Videogame Tape.

Lone Wolf and The Ice Halls of Terror (Commodore 64, 1985)

The first Lone Wolf Gamebook I have ever read was The Caverns of Kalte and I always wanted to see a videogame porting of one the best chapters of LF Saga. Unfortunately, even if a game was planned (HCP for C64 & ZX Spectrum), it never actually happened and the only official visual is represented by the advertisement below.

Computer Gamer, Advertisement, 1985

The advertising above, even if visually interesting, it wasn't revealing anything about the game itself. Luckily I managed to find a more accurate ad appeared on the Lone Wolf Club Newsletters (Summer Special 1985). 

Lone Wolf Club Newsletter, Summer Special 1985

The promise was quite inviting: 3D animation and graphics, unique combat system and multidimensional plot lines (?); the possibility to order the game was a quite unusual choice especially when probably neither a playable preview nor a demo was available. Anyway a small note at the bottom of the page was remarking that almost 30 days were needed for the delivery. What happened to this title so? 

Time for more digging. 

And yes, here's my copy of Caverns of Kalte. 

Note.

One thing I've discovered reading the English version of the Gamebook, was that for unknown reasons, in the Italian version, Vonotar (the main villain of Kalte) was renamed as Vonatar. A (repeated) typo or just a phonetic choice? Who knows why.

The Oracle's Cave Advertising (1983)

The Oracle's Cave Advertising, Sinclair User, 1983

Vaporware: Hero Quest aka Swords and Sorcery II (1986, ZX Spectrum)

Heroquest, Sinclair User issue 55 p 39

I wasn't sure that a Swords and Sorcery sequel was ever officially advertised but today I found the answer to my dilemma. Heroquest (aka Swords and Sorcery II) was announced in the 1986 with a new and improved Midas System but then never released. 

Archeoshot #004: Swords and Sorcery (Spectrum 48k, 1985)

Front Box

Front Box, Bottom close up

Front Box, Top close up

Back Side

Back Side, Close up

Back Side, Top close up

Spine

Manual

Cover Manual, Close up

Back Manual, Close up

Tape, Spectrum 48k version

Fighting Fantasy Software Packs: an example of Fantasy medium crossover.

Take two different mediums, one book and one videogame and here's the Fighting Fantasy Software pack. 

Fighting Fantasy Software Packs were an interesting effort to promote two different mediums which contained similar contents. In fact both elements shared the gaming and fantasy component translated in different aesthetics and language. Additionally this project allowed people to get literate about the Puffin's game books and approach in the same time the new video game experience. 

Definitely a very interesting early attempt to combine two different mediums, which now look closer than they were before.

 

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain Software Pack, 1984

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain Software Contents, 1984

Source: http://fightingfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/The_Warlock_of_Firetop_Mountain_(computer_game)

Swords and Sorcery, Advertising (Commodore and Spectrum version,1984)

The Swords and Sorcery version for C64 was the classic example of retro vaporware. The game was advertised and announced many times and never released and as far I can read from the good GTW coverage on the case, they never worked on it. So a C64 version on Swords and Sorcery never existed.

In the end, only the Spectrum only version was actually released and there was a good advertising coverage which comprehended some mentions about the c64 version as well. The advertising was highlighting the use of the MIDAS Adventure Concept (Multi Dimensional Animation System) which at that time sounded really promising and revolutionary.

Stunning 3D Graphic Animation simulating video disk games.  

A unique fully interactive adventure language using the latest ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE techniques. 

State of the art data compression techniques enabling enormous scenarious and vocabularies to be incorporated. 

Real Time Interactive Conflict Sequences. Talk to your opponent, attack them, flee them and even confuse them.  

Joystick capability for movement, combat and actions through unique menu feature. Keyboard operation for more complex interaction with the adventure when time permits. 

Develop your own unique characters. For example - specialize in magic, swordplay etc.  

Total expandability - your own characters can be transferred to future adventures and new opponents, scenarious and objects can be added to all the games. A series of expansion modules to increase indefinitely the playing life of each game written with MIDAS.

Source: Swords and Sorcery Official Full page advertising.

I've managed to collect almost all the ads appeared back in the day on various 8bit magazines. The only thing which is still not clear for me is if an Amstrad conversion has been released either.  Apparently there are some available roms around but I haven't got time to test them and I couldn't find any official mention to an Amstrad release of S&S. I will have a closer look this evening for further updates.

Crash issue 10, page 73

Crash issue 26, page 77

Home Computing Weekly issue 81, page 21

Personal Computer Games issue 12, page 110

Popular Computing Weekly issue 85,
page 5 (Only Spectrum version)