AFRICA GARDENS /by Tom Davis - Gilsoft/ ======================================= This game is strictly deterministic, without random events, so it is possible to give exact step by step solution. However, the scoring system in the game is so strange that this is impossible to have the score greater than 60% at the end of the game, assuming that finishing the game scores 40% (which is not shown in the game). This strange fact is proven by reverse-engineering the game using the UNQUILL utility. Anyway, here are given two solutions. The first one is probably the most logical solution which gets maximum from the game, and which allows the maximal possible score at one moment (but you can not keep this score up to the end of the game). The second one is the shortest possible solution, but it is too trivial. Solution I: ----------- This solution seems the most logical solution for me: N, N, E, GET KEY, N, N, E, GET MATCHES, W, N, E, E, GET MEDALLION, W, W, S, W, W, W, W (here you will get a hint about the true purpose of the key, assuming that you are carrying the key), W, DROP KEY, GET FOOD, E, E, S (the cat will steal the food, and you are safe - you scores 5%), W, GET WAXCANDLE (it will automatically become alight if you are carrying the matches - strange), DROP MATCHES, GET KIPPER, E (the cat will steal the kipper - now you have 10%), S, GET RING, N (unfortunately, you have not anything to fool the cat; it will attack you, and you will lost the score - now you have 5%), N, N, DROP RING, W, GET DAGGER, W, W (the medallion protect you from the weakening power of the room - your score is now 10%), N, DROP MEDALLION, GET CLOAK, E (a candle is needed here, else you will lost the score), E, DROP LIGHTED CANDLE, D, N (you can not pass through if you carry more than two objects here), N, E (the cloak protects you from sinking - the score is 15%), W, W (the dagger you carry enables you to kill the rats - you will have the score of 20%), W, GET DIAMONDS (the score is now 40%), E, E, S (again, you must not carry more than two objects to pass through), S, U, DROP DAGGER, GET LIGHTED CANDLE, W (a candle is needed here), W, GET MEDALLION, S (the medallion protects you), E, DROP MEDALLION, GET KEY, E, E, GET RING, E, DROP KEY, S, GET BOOK (you need it to be able to cast spells), N, E, U, N, E, N, E, SPELL RING (the Power of the Ring allows you to pass further), N, DROP DIAMONDS (whenever you drop the diamonds, your score will become lower, so now it is 20%), S, W, S, W, S, D, W, GET KEY, E, U, N, E, N, E, N, DROP RING, GET DIAMONDS (the score is again 40%), E, E, S, DROP KEY, S, W, S, W, SPELL RUBY (to get the ruby - your score is now 60%, but there is no way to keep this score until the end of the game), E, N, E, DROP DIAMONDS (as you can carry only 4 objects, you must drop them, but, heh, score is 40% now), GET CASKET, N, DROP RUBY (you must drop ruby too to pick up the key, this decreases your score to 20%), GET KEY, W, SPELL TREASURE, SPELL CASKET, DROP KEY (the end, your final score is probably 60% - it would be 100% if there is a method to bring the diamonds and the ruby there, but there is no chance for doing this). Solution II: ------------ If you only want to reach the end of the game, regardless of the achieved score, the following solution is the shortest one, but note that it makes the game extremely trivial: N, N, E, GET KEY, N, N, E, GET MATCHES, W, W, W, W, S, W, GET WAXCANDLE, DROP MATCHES, E, S, GET RING, N, N, E, S, GET BOOK, N, E, U, N, E, N, E, SPELL RING, N, E, E, S, S, DROP RING, GET CASKET, N, W, SPELL TREASURE, SPELL CASKET, DROP KEY (the end). Hints: ------ - The lighted candle is needed in the dark room, and nearly everywhere on the first floor. - Do not play with the bell in the Room of Silence - this is not a good idea. - Do not enter into the burning room if you don't carry the goblet of water, else the candle you carry will melt in the flaming heat of the room. - You must not carry the jar of oil in the room with the doors which are painted black. Else, the candle will ignite the jar. Comment: -------- This game is written using The Quill, and it is really a very contraversal game. From one point of the view, the descriptions of the locations are very nice and colorful (sometimes quasi-ilustrated using some graphic characters), which make the overall atmosphere quite good. From the other point of the view, the game is extremely limited: the only verbs which the game understands are GET, DROP and SPELL (not counting the system verbs SAVE, LOAD, QUIT, REDESCRIBE and INVENTORY). There is no response to EXAMINE in the game. Everything you need to do is to have a right object on a right place, and not to have a wrong object on a wrong place. All actions happen automatically - the unlit candle becomes a lit one if you have matches, etc. Maybe this is not so bad for absolute beginners, but this fact makes a game extremely limited. In addition, the scoring system is very strange and inconsistent - this fact is already explained before. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Game solution by Zeljko Juric If something is not clear, ask me using e-mail: zjuric@utic.net.ba ***************************************************** Displayed on the Classic Adventures Solution Archive: http://solutionarchive.com