The Retro Adventurers

• Episode 16 - A Conversation With Jonathan Partington

  Jason and Dave welcome classic text adventure author Jonathan Partington to the program. While studying at Cambridge University, he created and contributed to several memorable games including Avon (featured in Episode 12), Crobe, Sangraal, Fyleet, Monsters of Murdac, and Spy Snatcher. We discuss how Jonathan got hooked into text adventures, how the pipeline between Cambridge mainframe creations and the broader commercial market worked, and the best time of day to play games on official campus computers without getting scolded. And for the first time, we ask a living author which of his games we should play next! Special thanks to Mark Hardisty for helping connect us with Jonathan. CORRECTION: The interview mistakenly credits L to Peter Killworth. The game in question was actually GiantKiller. Jonathan Partington on IFDB Topologika (The Digital Antiquarian) Phoenix (mainframe operating system) on IFWiki Mystic Wood (board game) Sorcerer's Cave (board game) Peter Killworth on IFWiki How To Write Adventure Games by Peter Killworth on MOCAGH L: A Mathemagical Adventure

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• Episode 15 - Lancelot and G.F.S. Sorceress

  Our first three-player episode since the premiere pits Ben, Jason, and Nick against challenges that span millennia! Learn the intricacies of long-lost Earth military law as Joe Justin fights for freedom in Avalon Hill's G.F.S. Sorceress before traveling way back to King Arthur's England in Level 9's Lancelot. Robots, colored objects, and companion knights (so, so many companion knights) stand ready to assist! Lancelot on Level 9 Memorial Lancelot on IFDB Lancelot playable online (BBC Micro) Lancelot documentation Lancelot walkthrough (AppleAdventures) G.F.S. Sorceress documentation G.F.S. Sorceress walkthrough (AppleAdventures) Avalon Hill computer titles (MobyGames) The Visible Zorker SAM Coupé Adventure Club Crown of Arturo for Sharp MZ-700  

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• Episode 14 - The Dark Crystal and Ship of Doom

  Dave and Jason return to the pioneering Artic Adventure series with Ship of Doom (Adventure C) before plunging into a fantasy world on the brink in The Dark Crystal by Sierra, licensed from Henson Associates and representing the very last example of Roberta Williams' parser game design. The Dark Crystal manual and short story The Dark Crystal on SierraGamers The Dark Crystal map and solution in New Atari User Ship of Doom on Spectrum Computing Ship of Doom, reimagined top-down All Sierra On-Line Hi-Res Adventures Roberta Williams full credits (Mobygames) Artic Adventures gallery (MOCAGH)

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• Episode 13 - 2024 Year-End Chatisode

  Holiday merriment! All the hosts! Return special guests! Minimal editing! Retro Adventurers Dave, Jason, Nick, and founder Ben(!) chat about the year that was, later joined by Scott Adams (Episode 3) and Tim Gilberts (Episode 5)! Hear about Tim Gilberts' Heathkit, Scott Adams' next professional moves, adventures in ADABAS / Natural, and a long-overdue callback to the Clarion Beauty Computer! Ken Reed's Adventure II article in Practical Computing Maze for the MK/14 computer kit PDP-12: HELLORLD! The Beepy handheld computer Adventuron Nick's Cloak of Darkness in AWK Knytt Stories The Book of Adventure Games Tim Gilberts on YouTube Scott Adams Consulting Bubble Bonk Final Pilot Adventureland XL

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• Episode 12 - Avon and Macbeth

  Chewing the food of sweet and bitter fancy, Jason and Nick ask for a double-helping of Shakespeare text adventures. The chef heaps a challenging amount of "appetizer" Macbeth (1984, Oxford Digital Enterprises) on their plates, but main course Avon (1982/1988, Topologika) has its day. And that day may be foul, and/or fair, as you like it. Macbeth on MobyGames Macbeth on MOCAGH Avon on MobyGames Avon (Playable online, BBC Micro) Avon mainframe source code Topologika Ltd. overview Topologika on The Digital Antiquarian Macbeth solution (almost) The Tempest (1997)  

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