Tin Star, release 3
By Gianluca Girelli & Garry Francis
For Z-code interpreters
Solution by Garry Francis
----------------------------------------
This is a minimal solution. You'll need to EXAMINE lots of things for this solution to make
sense. Some optional (but significant) commands are shown in parentheses. These can be omitted once
you know what to do.
The game starts in a desert. You can map this using the conventional method of dropping items in
rooms to make them unique. You can acquire a few items from the starting location and you can find
some more nearby. However, a thirst daemon starts when you leave your starting location and you die
of thirst after 20 moves, so your first priority should be to find water, then map the rest of the
desert.
You will need to ride your horse to cross long distances, but your horse won't let you mount
until his thirst has been quenched and you can't mount him until you've eaten something to
replenish your energy, so these are your next priorities.
You can find a couple of non-player characters along the way, so ask them about things of interest
and anything significant that they mention for some important clues.
There is a HINT command, but only use this if you're desperate. You shouldn't need it, as
everything you need is clued within the game.
(X HORSE) (he's your faithful stallion)
(X ROPE) (it's a long rope that ties you up)
(GET IT) (you can't get anything while you're tied up)
(X CAMPFIRE) (coals are still warm)
BLOW ON COALS (flame lights up)
BURN ROPE (you burn it enough to free yourself)
TIE IT TO HORSE (he will now follow you when you're holding the rope)
GET BLANKET
(X IT) (can be used to make smoke signals)
W (your horse follows you, as you're holding the rope)
W
W
X CARCASS (you find a saddle bag)
GET SADDLE BAG
N
N (your horse spots the water and drinks its fill, he'll now let you mount)
DRINK WATER (your own thirst is quenched)
(MOUNT HORSE) (you're too weak, you need to eat something)
OPEN SADDLE BAG (it contains some pemmican and an empty canteen)
GET PEMMICAN
EAT IT (you feel your strength coming back, you can now mount your horse)
GET CANTEEN
(X IT) (it's closed)
(OPEN IT)
FILL IT WITH WATER (you'll need it later)
(DROP SADDLE BAG)
W
E
(X WAGON) (it might be worth searching it)
SEARCH WAGON (you find a stick of dynamite)
GET DYNAMITE
(X IT) (it's got a long fuse)
(X FUSE) (you reckon it would burn for three moves before the dynamite blows up)
S
(S) (it's too far to walk on foot)
MOUNT HORSE
S
S (you see a dead tree with a large branch)
GET BRANCH
W
S
(D) (you can't take the horse into the crevasse)
DISMOUNT
DROP ROPE
D
GET HEADDRESS
(X IT) (it surely belongs to a chief)
U
N
E
S
(X INDIAN)
(TALK TO HIM) (ask him about something specific)
(ASK HIM ABOUT APACHES, BANDITS, HEADDRESS, HIMSELF, KNIFE, ME, NAVAJO, SMOKE)
(SHOW HEADDRESS TO INDIAN) (it's his, he lost it and couldn't find it)
GIVE HEADDRESS TO INDIAN (he gives you a knife in return)
LIGHT BRANCH
N
W
S
E
(X MAN) (he's tied to the stake by leather ties)
(X STAKE) (it's buried in ground, man is bound to it by leather ties)
(X TIES) (they're wet leather that shrinks as it dries out)
CUT TIES WITH KNIFE (ties fall to ground, but you need to revive man)
REVIVE MAN (he sees that you're a sheriff, but unarmed, so gives you his rifle)
(ASK MAN ABOUT APACHES, BANDITS, INTRUDERS, HIMSELF, INDIANS, ME, NAVAJO, SMOKE)
GET BRANCHES
W
GET ROPE
N (horse follows you)
E
E
(S) (it's too far to go on foot)
MOUNT HORSE
S
S
(U) (you can't get past the rattlesnake)
SHOOT SNAKE WITH RIFLE (you can now get past)
U
(E)
(N) (you can't take your horse across the rope bridge)
(DISMOUNT)
(DROP ROPE)
(N)
(N)
(N) (the Apaches won't let you pass, you need to somehow send them away)
(S)
(S)
(W)
DISMOUNT (if you didn't do it earlier)
DROP BRANCHES
LIGHT THEM WITH TORCH
MAKE SMOKE SIGNALS WITH BLANKET (the distant Apaches ride away)
E
DROP ROPE (if you didn't do it earlier)
N
N (Apaches are now gone)
N
(X HOLE) (it's about the size of a candle)
PUT DYNAMITE IN HOLE
LIGHT IT WITH TORCH (get out of here before it blows up)
S
Z
Z (Kaboom!)
N (there's a large hole in the mountain)
N
N
N
N
GET HATCHET (the dripping water douses your torch)
S
E (you can now see cracks of light in the darkness)
(X CRACKS) (another entrance has been boarded up from the outside)
CHOP BOARDS WITH HATCHET (you reveal another entrance to south)
S
(X BRIDGE) (it's been chopped down by the bandits)
CHOP TREE WITH HATCHET (tree falls across ravine to form makeshift bridge)
S
S
E
N
N (you must have your rifle with you)
Z
Z
Z (you hear horses approaching)
Z (horses arrive in a cloud of dust)
(Z) (men dismount to water their horses, it's the bandits)
(Z) (they look like Mexicans, they're talking in Spanish)
(Z) (they're joking about their carnage)
(Z) (time to hand out some justice)
(Z) (they're almost ready to leave)
SHOOT BANDITS WITH RIFLE
***THE END***
