MURDER AT HAMILTON HALLS
by The Fly on the Wall
Spectrum 48
This is a game of the type "find the murderer". It appears to use "real"
characters (at least the victim is real) and probably is based on the
author's real life experience in the early days of computer adventure
games. For that reason alone, it is interesting. I can only hope the
people on which this is based have a sense of humour and did not pursue
libel suits!
Hints:
You can EXAMINE and SEARCH and QUESTION and ASK ABOUT <a person> with all
the suspects, and once you have evidence (a particular object) to
incriminate any, and all, of them, you can then ARREST them. There are few
locations (eight to be exact), and you need to LOOK AROUND to see other
objects. You can EXAMINE and TALK to all the suspects about each other,
which does make for some tediousness, as many tell you the same thing but
it is often helpful. Several of these seem to be "inside jokes" (e.g.
Anne has a thing about men in shorts). There does not appear to be a time
limit, and you can carry an unlimited number of objects. Sometimes the
objects themselves give clues about who they "belong" to. The suspects
stay in their location which is a plus. If you don't know what to do, the
game allows you to keep all objects you find until the end. I believe the
game is built on the premise that you can SAVE and RESTORE.
The torch lacks a battery and there is none to be found. So you don't need
it. There is another light source to go into the cellar.
EXAMINE and SEARCH all locations and people and objects there. LOOK UNDER,
BEHIND, etc. MOVE the books.
There is an interesting twist. Two objects are found in another location
once you appear to have lost them. You will get them eventually. You will
have to get on the ledge for one, and hit the machine again for the other.
While I played the game not knowing who was the victim, one of the
suspects will eventually tell you this. So rather than write a step-by-
step walkthrough, these hints will tell you which object goes with which
suspect, and who to whom to talk to find out, plus others. This is, of
course, dependent on whether you have seen these people.
Soon into the game you find that everyone had a motive. If you are into
the mystery genre, read Agatha Christie's novel "Murder on the Orient
Express" for a general clue.
Can't reach the ledge? Find an object that you can jump on to reach the
ledge. Think of a material that is elastic and "bouncy".
Can't go down the cellar with the torch? It is useless, You need to find
light in another way (in this location).
Can't get a phonecard to use the phone? PRISE the chairs with a letter
opener. Can't get the letter-opener? Go onto the ledge.
What to do with the dispenser machine? HIT it, LOOK BEHIND IT.
Anne snatches the book when you examine it?. So don't.
ASK, QUESTION, and EXAMINE:
Ask everyone about Larry. You will find out what he did to whom.
Bob is rolling a cigarette – this is a hint about the machine. HIT this
machine more than once, at different times.
Ask Bob about Vicky. He tells you the victim ratted on her.
Ask Bob about Larry (Bob has a motive).
Ask Vicky about Debbie (her PD library always wins an award. Does Debbie
have a motive?)
Question Vicky (she had a motive).
Ask Debbie about Bob (It was a shame that Larry deserted the Amstrad
market – she has a motive.
Ask Sharon about Larry (he gave her her first chance at playtesting. They
sacked her, i.e. she wasn't very good at it – so she have a motive.
Examine waitress: fudge beneath her fingertips.
Ask barman about Larry: he and Martin were close.
Ask Sue about Larry: They shared transport to the convention. He wrote an
article about the convention.
Ask Sue about Bob: they shared transport to the convention.
Ask Sue about Larry he wrote a successful book which Anne wanted. Hint:
Anne and book.
Ask Sue about Anne: she was after him for his book for her library.
Motive?
Ask Jenny about Larry: he played a joke on her. Motive?
Ask Jenny about Anne: she was short of books. Motive?
Examine Sue: there is something missing.
Question Scott: Jenny had brought one of her cakes.
Ask Scott about Larry: a "holier than thou" attitude.
Ask Scott about Sharon: She playtested but wasn't very good (hint?).
READ the message on the mirror. When you talk with the coroner (once you
have the phone card), you find out that Larry had traces of nail varnish.
(Hint about Sue?)
ARREST:
Person
Weapon
Method
Motive
Sue
fingernail
strangulation
he never shut up
Anne
book
crushing
he didn't give her his book
Debbie
rope
hanging
he deserted Amstrad
Vicky
letter opener
stabbing
he called the Inland Revenue on her
Scott
cola can
bludgeoning
he took "Michael" out of his games
Martin
Big-Mac
poisoning
he was critical
Sharon
gun
shooting
he fired her
Lynne
wheel brace
bludgeoning
he didn't travel with them to Birmingham
Jenny
rum log
setting a trap
he played a joke on her
Bob
computer disc
infecting his computer
he was critical and did not send royalties regularly
Barman
machine
electrocution
he interfered with his relationship with Martin
Waitress
log cake
pushing off balcony
he never ate her food
Terri Sheehan
2007-11-17
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