Star Reporter

ZX Spectrum (author and publisher unknown)

Overview

The player takes the part of Lee Derpage, a junior reporter on the Daily Blah, who aims to advance his or her career by interviewing the reclusive millionaire, Howard Shooz, currently occupying the penthouse suite in the Grand Hotel.

This is a coherent and literate Quill-ed game which uses the standard verb-noun format. "Examine" can be abbreviated to "x". "R" or "L" may be used to redescribe a scene. Bear in mind that the player's inventory may only contain four carried objects and some actions (such as attempting to take the long glass while wearing the oven gloves or venturing into certain locations) will either make the game unwinnable or lead to your arrest by the Hotel Detective. Some flags have also not been set, so it is possible to repeat a number of actions infinitely. However, understanding why some items are needed in particular places can only be achieved by saving the game before entering any private suite and restoring afterwards.

Walkthrough

You begin in the lobby of the hotel.

X case ("In case of fire break glass"), west, get keys (you are not authorized to do so), east, break glass (this distracts the detective), west, get keys, east (ignore the broken glass).

South x 2, unlock door, west, x body (a drunken waiter), get uniform, x uniform, wear uniform, east x 2, x table, get recipe, read recipe ("Howard's Hotstuff" - note the ingredients), east, x knob (attached to the cooker), turn knob, wait (for a response from the Italian cook), west, south, east (note the frozen dinner, but leave it for the moment).

West, north, west, x optics (you see a shot of whiskey - but leave it and the bucket for now), west (note the glass, but, again, ignore it for the present), east, north x 3, east (hmm, seems you'll need illumination).

West, south, press button, west, press P (nothing happens, so let's start at the bottom), press B (for "Basement"), east, north, west, get trolley (and note how warm this room is for future reference), east x 2, get gloves, west, south, east x 2 (a private party and you will need an invitation to enter), west, south x 2, x mixer (seems it needs a new motor), north, east, south, roll carpet, open trapdoor, down (darkness again), up, north, west, north.

Press button, west, press G, east (outside the lift on the ground floor is a good place to store items you'll need later in the game), drop gloves, drop trolley, drop recipe, press button, west, press 1, east.

Unlock door, east (leave the watch or you will be arrested for theft), east, get wallet, x wallet, drop wallet, get card, x card (an employee's pass), north, west, south, west, south, east x 2 (ignore the lighter and don't go south unless you want to disturb a guest - there's nothing useful in this suite), west x 2, south, west (note, but leave the suit - what use could that be?), north (nothing here), south, east, north x 2.

North, x projector (it needs a new bulb), west, x plaque, get film, east, drop film, south, press button, west, press 2, east (and do not head east again yet - if you want to know why, save the game and try it), south, east x 2 (nothing here), west, south, east, get envelope, open envelope, drop envelope, get invitation.

West, north, west, south, west, get torch, extinguish torch (or, if you want to know what happens otherwise, save game and then go south), extinguish torch, south, east, north x 3, west, up (the roof is not a maze, but watch your step), east x 3, south x 3, west x 3, north x 2, examine box (so that's why the lift won't take you to the penthouse suite), south x 2, east x 3, north x 3, west x 3, down, east, south, press button.

Let's head for the first dark place. Press G, east, drop card, drop invitation,  north, east, light torch, x screen (blank), east, unlock door, south, x shelves, drop keys, get relay, get bulb, examine bulb, get motor, north, west x 2, extinguish torch, south, press button, west, press 2, east, north, west, up, east x 3, south x 3, west x 3, north x 2, fix box (with the relay), south x 2, east x 3, north x 3, west x 3, down, east, south, press button.

West, press 1, east, north, mend projector (with the bulb), get film, insert film, press switch (let's go and catch the movie), south, press button, west, press G, east, north, east (odd, it seems you have to light the torch to watch the film!), examine screen (note the order of events).

West, extinguish torch, south, get invitation, press button, west, press B, east x 2 (seems there's a dress code), west, south x 2, fix mixer (with the motor), east, south, light torch, down, west, get bottle (of lemonade), east, north, turn tap (strange, no container needed), get rum, west, east, south, up, extinguish torch, north, west, south, drop rum, drop lemonade, north x 2.

Press button, west, press 1, east, south x 2, west, remove uniform, get suit, wear suit, east, north (note that if you are just carrying the suit you will be arrested), north, press button, west, press B, east x 3, north, get badge, examine badge ("Vote Democrat"), south, west x 2, remove suit, drop suit, drop invitation, drop torch, wear uniform, wear badge.

Press button, west, press 2, east x 2 (wearing the badge makes this room safe now), north, get matches (do not head east unless you want to disturb the President with his pants down), south, west, press button, west, press G, east.

Right, it's time to make that meal. South, east x 2, turn knob, light gas, drop matches, west, south, east, get dinner (what a cheapskate hotel - serving frozen dinners to millionaires!), west, north, east, cook dinner (the cook tells you that it needs defrosting), west x 2, north, press button, press B, east, north, west (the dinner begins to defrost), east, south, press button, west, press G, east.

Get card, get trolley, get gloves, wear gloves, south, east x 2, cook dinner, get dinner, west x 2, north, press button, west, press P, east, insert card, south, drop trolley, south, east, give dinner, west, north, press button, west, press G, east, remove gloves, drop gloves.

South x 2, get glass, east, get whiskey (seems Howard prefers the Irish version), north x 2, press button, w, press B, east, south x 2, get rum, get bottle, mix cocktail, look, get cocktail, north x 2, press button, west, press G, east, south x 2, get bucket, north, east, north, turn tap, fill bucket ("Could you put that another way?"), get water, south x 2, east (the water turns to ice), west, north, west, north.

Press button, west, press P, east, south, east, north, serve cocktail - you obtain the interview with Mr Shooz and your career as a star reporter is guaranteed.

Things to try:

•	drinking the rum, whiskey or lemonade - strangely, you cannot drink the cocktail;
•	serving Howard the rum, whiskey or lemonade or giving him the cocktail without any ice;
•	serving Howard the cocktail before you have fed him;
•	giving Howard the cold dinner;
•	attempting to get the button, sink, table, case, etc;
•	trying to fill the sink twice;
•	getting the broken glass;
•	trying to take the cooked dinner while not wearing the oven gloves;
•	taking too long to deliver the meal;
•	visiting Howard without either the meal or cocktail;
•	dropping anything in Howard's presence;
•	typing "help", "score" or "V" for "vocabulary";
•	trying to wear the uniform while you're still wearing the monkey suit - great response!

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