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Prisoner, The (Prisoner_flame.txt)

THE PRISONER
Stephen Preston
Flame Software 1984/1985
Spectrum 48


There are several versions of this game.

This one is a bizarre game. While you soon determine that your aim is to 
escape, there is no context to this. There appears to be an order in which to 
do things, but you will be hard-pressed to determine what that is. HELP is not 
available.  It is difficult to determine who the "bad" guys and who are the 
"good" guys. Somehow maybe the authors felt that this was logical, though 
clairvoyance, in my opinion is needed, though, on retrospect, an order is 
evident. If you cannot drop something, or do something in a particular 
location, keep looking: you can drop it somewhere, or return to this location 
and then maybe later you can perform that action. Finding the correct verb is 
sometimes difficult. You think you know what to do, and there is a logic 
though very obscure. You will need to play "guess the verb" in many locations. 
Otherwise open the game in Wordpad (not a "saved" game, but the original, 
unzipped game), and that will help you. There is no scoring system.

Hints: 

Once you have done (obtained, gotten, etc.) something, you will need to 
revisit all your locations in order to find some new objects, or meet some new 
people and thus determine what to do next. I am not sure whether this is time-
sensitive, or action-sensitive (i.e. you need to have done some action first).

Wander around and explore what you can and map it out. There are a limited 
amount of moves before you are taken to hear the "speech".

The hint about composer (A, B, C) refers to composers whose name begins with 
that initial). Do some research. Additional hint: the composer you want is not 
a "classical" composer, and his name begins with a "B".

There are two pages in the sheet music. TURN PAGE to read more.

When you see the mask, PULL MASK twice.


Solution:

INVENTORY (nothing), WAIT (or wander about until Rover takes you to hear the 
speech by Number 2; a person tells you to pay attention to the composition and 
note A, B, C, ), S, E (at the bandstand), LISTEN (the conductor asks you about 
a composer), BIZET (you get sheet music), READ SHEETS (2 pages, on page 1 is a 
piece by Ron Grainer), TURN PAGE, READ SHEETS (you see an advert), READ ADVERT 
(try the Salutation Cafe), W, N, E, E, N, W, W, EXAMINE CARVINGS (you see a 
picture of a man sailing a boat), W (at the cafe), SIT DOWN, ORDER MEAL, EAT 
MEAL (you get a bill), READ BILL (there is a poem at the bottom), READ POEM, 
(somewhere high in the sky, waste some time, for the chime, then look down, 
with a frown, and see a clue from this view).

Go E, E, E, E, E (you see stone statues, EXAMINE HEAD STATUES (they appear to 
move), W, W, S, S, S, S, S, UP, READ SIGN, WAIT (you notice something below), 
LOOK DOWN (you see something in the pool but you need to get a closer look), 
DOWN, N, N, W, W, N, LOOK IN POOL, EXAMINE POOL (you get a piece of canvas), 
EXAMINE CANVAS (it's a painting of  #2), S, W, N, N, W, TAKE ROPE, TAKE AXE 
CHOP TREE, MAKE RAFT, MAKE SAIL, TAKE BOAT, E, S, S, S, E, SW, S, S, DROP 
BOAT, ENTER BOAT, SAIL BOAT (you find yourself back in the village and are 
summoned to # 2's house; he says that you cannot escape; he wants 
information), W, W, NW, W, S, W, W, SW, S, W (at the chess player who invites 
you to play), SIT DOWN, PLAY CHESS (he wins and says that you must become part 
of the game).

Go E, N, NE, E, E, N, N, N, W, W, S, S (a pawn asks you to play), PLAY CHESS 
(the pawn tells you to talk to the queen), CALL QUEEN (she gives you a piece 
of paper and whispers "amis reunis"), EXAMINE PAPER (it's blank), W, S, E, SW, 
S, S, W, DROP PAPER, E (# 2 is replaced and # 14 challenges you to a duel; you 
find yourself in the gym; Kosho tells you to demonstrate you individuality; 
you should transmit it through the proper channels), N, E, E, E, E, N, N (you 
see an aerial), S, S, S, W, W, S (you see a radio), TAKE RADIO, CONNECT AERIAL 
(you make a transmitter), TRANSMIT MESSAGE (a telephone rings somewhere), 
ANSWER TELEPHONE ( # 2 says to meet him outside the Town Hall), N, W, N (he 
says to follow him), W, W (# 2 takes your transmitter and asks you to try the 
computer), TYPE WHY, E, E, E, E, E, N, N, N, E, E, EXAMINE STATUES (you see an 
inscription), READ INSCRIPTION, (be alert to escape and tally ho for the room 
where you fought in the east end).

Go W, W, S, S, S, W, W, W, W, N (you see headphones), WEAR HEADPHONES (you 
pass into a dream state – you now know where to go and and when you get there, 
how to succeed; will power will be  the answer or strategy, and cunning)? 
Having emerged on re-arrangements), S, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, E, (# 2 tries to 
break you); you must answer), SEVEN DAYS, KILL NUMBER 2 (how), WILL POWER (the 
supervisor leads you to a huge cave; the crowd waits for you to make a 
speech), UP (in the control room of # 1 – you see a hooded figure), REMOVE 
HOOD, PULL MASK, PULL MASK (you feel as if you are in two places at once), 
DOWN (you see a lorry), ENTER LORRY (you get home and die, but have completed 
the adventure.

Terri Sheehan
2008-04-27

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