=============================================================================== FAQ/Walkthrough for THE ZACARON MYSTERY =============================================================================== GUIDE INFORMATION ----------------- Author: Tom Hayes E-mail: thayesguides(at)gmail(dot)com System: ZX Spectrum Updated: 29th March, 2011 Version: 1.1 CONTENTS -------- 1. Introduction 2. Walkthrough 2.1. Part 1 2.2. Part 2 3. Item List 3.1. Part 1 3.2. Part 2 4. Maps 4.1. Part 1 4.2. Part 2 5. Credits 6. Copyright Information VERSION HISTORY --------------- 1.1: 29th March, 2011 (Submitted to solutionarchive) 1.0: 17th September, 2010 (First version) =============================================================================== 1. Introduction =============================================================================== The Zacaron Mystery is an interactive fiction adventure that was published by Players Software in 1986. The game is set in the year 3065. With only enough fuel reserves on Earth to last for a few more months, you are sent into space to recover two crystals from the planets of Plutor and Myra. When recovered, the crystals will have the power to heat the Earth for thousands of years. =============================================================================== 2. Walkthrough =============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.1. Walkthrough - Part 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The game starts on the space craft. Move WEST to the control room. SEARCH the room to find a talisman. GET TALISMAN. WAIT twice and the handle will start beeping. PULL HANDLE and the shuttle will prepare to land on the planet Prutor. WAIT three times to land on the planet. Move EAST and SOUTH to the ship's hold. TURN WHEEL and the airlock door will open. You step out onto the grassy plain. Move EAST twice to the huts and tents. SEARCH the area to find a silver and black coin. GET SILVER COIN. Move WEST twice, NORTH, EAST twice and SOUTH to the cave opening. GIVE SILVER COIN to the man and he will tell you to knock three times at the castle door with a birch stick. GIVE TALISMAN to the man to receive the skin bucket. Move NORTH twice, WEST and NORTH to the small river. FILL BUCKET from the river. GET RING. Move SOUTH twice and EAST twice to the huts and tents. THROW WATER on the fire to get dragged into the nearby tent. DROP BUCKET. CUT HOLE in the tent with the penknife. GO HOLE to exit the tent and receive a golden locket from the woman. SEARCH the stony path to find stones. GET STONES. Move EAST to enter the deserted hut. SEARCH the hut to find an axe. GET AXE. Move OUT, SOUTH and WEST to the avenue of trees. CUT TREE with the axe and a birch branch will drop to the floor. DROP AXE. GET BRANCH. Move WEST to the castle entrance. Remembering the words that were said by the old man in the cave, KNOCK THREE TIMES on the door with the branch to enter the castle. DROP BRANCH. Move EAST to the sitting room. GET HALBERD. EXAMINE TRAY to see a bottle of whiskey. GET WHISKEY. Move WEST and SOUTH to the state room. GIVE WHISKEY to the butler and he will fall asleep. EXAMINE BUTLER to find a chain. EXAMINE CHAIN to see a keyring. EXAMINE KEYRING to find a gold key. GET KEY. Move NORTH to the castle exit. UNLOCK DOOR with the gold key. DROP KEY. OPEN DOOR. Move NORTH and EAST twice to the track. THROW STONES. When asked at what, enter AT CROWS and they will fly away. Move EAST to the small farm gate. CLIMB GATE and the farmer says that you can walk on his land now that the crows have been scared away. Move SOUTH and NORTHWEST to the oakwood. GET RABBIT and a pedlar will take it back. HIT PEDLAR to threaten him with the halberd and he will run away. DROP HALBERD. GET RABBIT. Move NORTH, NORTHWEST and NORTH to the plain of the standing stones. GIVE RABBIT to the beggar and he will walk off into the wood. Move NORTH to the copper gates. GIVE COINS to the guard to enter the town. Move SOUTH three times and EAST to the pawnbrokers. PAWN RING to receive 20 bronze coins. Move WEST, NORTH and WEST to enter the apothecary's shop. SEARCH the shop to find a strange liquid. BUY LIQUID for 5 bronze coins. Move EAST, NORTH twice and EAST three times to the gibbet. HIT GUARD. After freeing the man from the gibbet, the man offers to buy you a drink down the pub. The lawyer, a friend of the man, is in the pub as well. SHOW LOCKET to the lawyer to travel to the temple. DROP LOCKET. Move NORTH three times to the end of the passage. THROW LIQUID on the crystal to cool it. GET CRYSTAL. MOVE ALTAR to arrive at the river bank. SEARCH twice to find a boat and a pair of oars. GET OARS. GO BOAT. ROW BOAT to the small river. Move SOUTH twice and WEST into the hold of the space craft. Move NORTH to complete the first part. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.1. Walkthrough - Part 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The password to start part 2 is MATCH POINT. Part 2 of the game starts in the control room of the space craft. Move EAST to the engine room. SEARCH to find a screwdriver. GET SCREWDRIVER. Move WEST, SOUTH and EAST to the smaller computer room. GET LAMP. Move SOUTH and WEST to storage hold 1. CUT WIRE on the fridge using the table lamp. DROP LAMP. GET WIRE. Move SOUTH and SOUTHEAST to the Personal Transmission Chamber entrance. UNSCREW PLATE with the screwdriver. INSERT WIRE to complete the circuit. SCREW PLATE with the screwdriver. DROP SCREWDRIVER. PUSH BUTTON to enter the PTC. GET CROWBAR. Move NORTH, NORTHEAST and NORTH to storage hold 2. OPEN BOX with the crowbar. DROP CROWBAR. EXAMINE BOX twice to find a broom and a sunhat. GET BROOM. GET SUNHAT. WEAR SUNHAT. Move SOUTH and SOUTHWEST to the PTC entrance. PUSH BUTTON to enter the PTC. PUSH BUTTON using the broom to arrive on Myra. DROP BROOM. Move EAST to the boulder. MOVE BOULDER. Move EAST, IN and SOUTH to the end of the cave passage. GET FLINT. Move NORTH twice, WEST twice and SOUTH twice to the tumbledown shack. SEARCH to find a sturdy vine. GET VINE. Move SOUTH and EAST to the path. GET STICK. MAKE AXE using the flint, stick and vine. CUT TREE with the axe. DROP AXE. GET LOGS. Move WEST and SOUTH to the river. MAKE BRIDGE across the river using the logs and vine. CROSS BRIDGE. Move SOUTH five times to the road inside the city gates. WAIT five times and the guard will leave. Move WEST into the guardhouse. SEARCH to find a rifle. GET RIFLE. Move SOUTH to the backroom. SEARCH the room to find 2 intergalactic marks. GET MARKS. Move NORTH, EAST, SOUTH and EAST to the clothes shop. BUY TIGHTS. Move WEST, NORTH three times and EAST twice to the strange chamber. EXAMINE TIGHTS to see the serial number 4526. Enter 4526 and the safe door will open to reveal the Zacaron crystal. GET CRYSTAL. Move WEST twice, SOUTH four times and EAST into the bank. WEAR TIGHTS. ROB BANK to steal 750 marks. GET MARKS. Move WEST, SOUTH and EAST to the ticket office. BUY TICKET. When asked where you want to go, enter EARTH to get the ticket. Move SOUTH and EAST to the spaceport landing platform. Move IN the shuttle to complete the game. =============================================================================== 3. Item List =============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.1. Item List - Part 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 BRONZE COINS Found by pawning the silver ring at the pawnbrokers in the town. 5 bronze coins are needed to buy the strange liquid from the apothecary shop. BOTTLE OF PORT Found by examining the tray in the castle sitting room. It is not used. BOTTLE OF WHISKEY Found by examining the tray in the castle sitting room. It is given to the butler in the castle state room to make him fall asleep. BRANCH OF A BIRCH TREE Found by cutting the birch tree in the avenue of trees. It is used to knock three times on the castle door to enter the castle. COPPER COINS Available at the start of the game. They are given to the guard at the copper gates to enter the town. CRYSTAL Found after the strange liquid has been thrown on the glowing crystal in the temple. It is needed to complete the first part of the game. GOLD KEY After the butler has been given the bottle of whiskey in the castle state room, the gold key is found by examining the butler, chain and keyring. It is used to unlock the castle door. GOLDEN LOCKET Found after using the penknife to cut a hole in the dimly lit tent. It is shown to the lawyer in the pub to travel to the ancient stone temple. HALBERD Found in the castle sitting room. It is used to hit the pedlar after trying to get the rabbit in the oakwood infested by wildlife. HANDFUL OF SMALL STONES Found by searching the stony path. The stones are thrown at the crows on the track so that the farmer will let you walk on his land. LONG SWORD Found in the castle sitting room. It is not used. PAIR OF OARS Found by searching on the river bank outside the temple. They are used to row the boat to the small river. PENKNIFE Available at the start of the game but not listed as an inventory item. It is used to cut a hole in the dimly lit tent. ROAST RABBIT Found after the halberd has been used to hit the pedlar in the oakwood infested by wildlife. It is given to the beggar in the plain of the standing stones so that he will let you pass north to the copper gates. SILVER AND BLACK COIN Found by searching the area near the huts and tents. It is given to the old man in the cave opening to learn about the birch branch. SILVER RING Found by the small river. It is pawned at the pawnbrokers in the town to receive 20 bronze coins. SKIN BUCKET Found by giving the talisman to the old man in the cave opening. It is filled from the small river. It is then thrown on the fire near the huts and tents. SMALL WOOD AXE Found by searching the deserted hut. It is used to cut the branch off the birch tree in the avenue of trees. STRANGE LIQUID Found by searching the apothecary's shop in the town and bought for 5 bronze coins. It is thrown on the crystal at the end of the passage in the temple. TALISMAN Found by searching the control room of the space shuttle. It is given to the old man in the cave opening to receive the skin bucket. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3.1. Item List - Part 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 INTERGALACTIC MARKS Found by searching in the backroom of the guardhouse. They are used to buy tights from the clothes shop. 750 INTERGALACTIC MARKS After the pair of tights have been worn, the rifle is used to rob the bank for the 750 intergalactic marks. They are used to buy a ticket to Earth from the ticket office. AXE Made with the small piece of sharp flint, strong straight stick and length of sturdy vine. It is used to cut the tree into logs on the path that is south and east from the tumbledown shack. BROOM After the crowbar has been used to open the box in storage hold two on the space craft, the broom is found by examining the box once. It is used to push the button in the Personal Transmission Chamber on the space craft. COLLECTION OF LOGS Found by using the axe to cut the tree on the path that is south and east from the tumbledown shack. It is used with the length of sturdy vine to make a bridge over the river. CROWBAR Found in the Personal Transmission Chamber on the space craft. It is used to open the box in storage hold two on the space craft. LENGTH OF STURDY VINE Found by searching in the tumbledown shack. It is one of three items needed to make the axe. It is used with the collection of logs to make a bridge over the river. NEAT "TOURISTY" SUNHAT After the crowbar has been used to open the box in storage hold two on the space craft, the broom is found by examining the box twice. It is worn to survive walking on the surface of Myra. PAIR OF PLIERS Found in storage hold one on the space craft. It is not used. PAIR OF TIGHTS Bought with the 2 intergalactic marks from the clothes shop. They are examined to see the combination for the safe in the strange green chamber. They are worn before robbing the bank. RIFLE Found by searching inside the guardhouse. After the pair of tights have been worn, the rifle is used to rob the bank for 750 intergalactic marks. SCREWDRIVER Found by searching the engine room on the space craft. It is used to unscrew the metal plate outside the Personal Transmission Chamber on the space craft. After the wire has been inserted into the metal plate, the screwdriver is then used to screw the metal plate. SHORT PIECE OF WIRE Found by using the table lamp to cut the wire in storage hold one on the space craft. After the screwdriver has been used to unscrew the metal plate outside the Personal Transmission Chamber on the space craft, the wire is inserted into the metal plate. SMALL PIECE OF SHARP FLINT Found at the end of the cave passage. It is one of three items needed to make the axe. STRONG STRAIGHT STICK Found on the path south and east from the tumbledown shack. It is one of three items needed to make the axe. TICKET FOR SHUTTLE Bought for 750 intergalactic marks from the ticket office. It is needed to enter the shuttle. TABLE LAMP Found in the smaller computer room on the space craft. It is used to cut the wire in storage hold one on the space craft. ZACARON CRYSTAL Found in the safe in the strange green chamber. It is needed to complete the second part of the game. =============================================================================== 4. Maps =============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.1. Maps - Part 1 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAP 1 - OUTSIDE SPACE CRAFT --------------------------- _______ |Side of| |Stream | |___ ___| |x __x|___*5 | Small | | River | |___ ___| | +----------+ _______*1 _______*15 ___|___ ___v___ ___|___ |Control| | Space | | Pine | |Outside| | Cave | | Room |--| Craft | |Forest |--| Cave |->|Passage| |_______| |___ ___| |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| | | | | | ___|___*4 | | | Cave | | | |Opening| | | |_______| | | ___|___*2 ___|___ _______ _______*3 _______*6 |Ship's | |Grassy | |Between| |Huts & | |Dim Lit| | Hold |--| Plain |--|Rocket |--| Tents |->| Tent | |_______| |_______| |_______| |_______| |___ ___| | ___|___*7 _______*8 | Stony | |Desertd| | Path |--| Hut | |___ ___| o|_______| | _______*10 _______*9 ___|___*13 _______*14 |Outside| |Avenue | | | | Farm | |Castle |--| Trees |--| Track |--| Gate | |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| |_______| | | ___|___*12 _______ ___|___ |Inside | |Sitting| | Wide | |Castle |--| Room | | River | |___ ___| |_______| |_______| | ___|___*11 | State | | Rooms | |_______| *1: SEARCH to find a talisman. *2: TURN WHEEL to exit the ship's hold. *3: SEARCH to find a silver and black coin. THROW WATER on the fire to enter the dimly lit tent. *4: GIVE SILVER COIN and GIVE TALISMAN to the man. *5: FILL BUCKET from the river. CROSS RIVER to move north. *6: CUT HOLE and GO HOLE to exit the tent. *7: SEARCH to find stones. *8: SEARCH to find an axe. *9: CUT BRANCH of the birch tree with the axe. *10: KNOCK THREE TIMES with the birch branch to enter the castle. *11: After giving the whiskey to the butler, EXAMINE BUTLER, EXAMINE CHAIN and EXAMINE KEYRING to find the gold key. *12: UNLOCK DOOR with the gold key. *13: THROW STONES, AT CROWS. *14: After scaring the crows away, CLIMB GATE to Side of Fence on map 2. *15: Return to the space craft with the crystal to complete the first part. MAP 2 - OTHER SIDE OF FENCE --------------------------- _______*4 |Copper | | Gates | |___ ___| | ___|___*3 |Between| | Plain | |___ ___| | ___|___ |Stnding| |Stones | |_______| \__ \_______ |Edge of| | Wood | |___ ___| | ___|___*2 _______ | Oak | |Side of| | Wood | | Fence |-*1 |_______| |___ ___| \__ | \___|___ |Ploughd| | Field | |_______| *1: EAST leads to the Farm Gate on map 1. *2: After trying to get the rabbit, HIT PEDLAR with the halberd. *3: GIVE RABBIT to the beggar and he will leave. *4: GIVE COINS to the guard to enter Inside Gates on map 3. MAP 3 - TOWN ------------ *1 ___|___ _______ _______ _______*4 _______ |Inside | | Small | |Gibbet | | | |End of | | Gates |--| Alley |--|Street |--|Gibbet |--|Street | |___ ___| |_______| |_______| |_______| |_______| | ___|___ |Cobbled| |Street | |___ ___| | _______*3 ___|___ _______ |Apoth- | |Cobbled| | | | ecary |--|Street |--|Bakery | |_______| |___ ___| |_______| | ___|___ _______*2 |Cobbled| | Pawn | |Street |--|Brokers| |___ ___| |_______| | ___|___*5 | | | Pub | |_______| *1: Leads to the Copper Gates on map 2. *2: PAWN RING for 20 bronze coins. *3: SEARCH to find the strange liquid. *4: HIT GUARD with the halberd to travel to the Pub. *5: SHOW LOCKET to the lawyer to travel to Outside Temple on map 4. MAP 4 - TEMPLE -------------- _______*1 _______*2 |End of | | River | |Passage|->| Bank | |___ ___| |_______| | ___|___ | | |Passage| |___ ___| | ___|___ |Inside | |Temple | |___ ___| | ___|___ |Outside| |Temple | |_______| *1: MOVE ALTAR to travel to the River Bank. *2: SEARCH twice to find a boat and a pair of oars. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4.1. Maps - Part 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAP 5 - SPACE CRAFT ------------------- _______ _______*1 _______ |Control| |Engine | |Weapon | | Room |--| Room |--| Bay | |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| | | ___|___ _______ ___|___ |Computr| |S Comp | |Docking| | Room |--| Room | | Area | |___ ___| |___ ___| |_______| | | ___|___*2 ___|___ _______*5 |Storage| |Crystal| |Storage| |Hold 1 |--|Storage|--|Hold 2 | |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| | | ___|___ ___|___ | Long | | Long | |Corridr| |Passage| |_______| |_______| \__ __/ \_______/*3 |Outside| | PTC | |___ ___| | ___|___*4/*6 |Inside | | PTC | |_______| *1: SEARCH to find the screwdriver. *2: CUT WIRE using the table lamp. *3: UNSCREW PLATE, INSERT WIRE, SCREW PLATE and PUSH BUTTON to enter the PTC. *4: GET CROWBAR. *5: OPEN BOX with the crowbar. EXAMINE BOX twice to find a broom and a sunhat. *6: PUSH BUTTON with the broom to arrive on the plains of Myra. MAP 6 - MYRA ------------ _______*1 _______*2 _______ | | | | | Huge | |Plains |--|Plains |--| Cliff | |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| | i| ___|___ _______ ___|n__ _______ | | | Tall | | Dark | |End of | |Plains |--| Cliff | |Passage|--| Cave | |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| |_______| | | ___|___*4 _______ ___|___*3 |Tumbled| | Back | |End of | | Shack |--| Room | | Cave | |___ ___| |_______| |_______| | ___|___ _______*5 _______ |Narrow | | | | | | Path |--| Path |--| Path | |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| | | ___|___ _______ ___|___ |Beside | | Thick | | | | River | | Trees |--| Path | |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| | | ___|___*6 _______ ___|___ _______ |Bank of| | | | | | | | River | |Clearng|--| Path |--| Path | |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| |_______| | | ___|___ _______ ___|___ | | |Trunked| | | | Road | | Trees |--| Path | |___ ___| |_______| |___ ___| | | ___|___ ___|___ | | |End of | | Road | | Path | |___ ___| |_______| | ___|___ _______ _______*7 |Constrc| |Overgwn| |Strange| | Road |--| Path |--|Chamber| |___ ___| |_______| |_______| | ___|___ | Open | | Gates | |_______| *1: Arrival point after exiting the space craft. *2: MOVE BOULDER to continue east. *3: GET FLINT. *4: SEARCH to find the length of sturdy vine. *5: GET STICK, MAKE AXE, CHOP TREE and GET LOGS. *6: MAKE BRIDGE across the river using the logs and vine and CROSS BRIDGE. *7: SAY 4526 to open the safe. GET CRYSTAL. MAP 7 - TOWN ------------ _______*2 _______*1 |Inside | |Inside | |G House|--| City | |___ ___| |___ ___| | | ___|___*3 ___|___ _______*4 | Back | | | |Clothes| | Room | | Road |--| Shop | |_______| |___ ___| |_______| | ___|___ _______*5 | | |Inside | | Road |--| Bank | |___ ___| |_______| | ___|___ _______*6 | Port | |Ticket | |Entrnce|--|Office | |_______| |___ ___| | ___|___ _______ _______*7 |Waiting| |Landing| | | | Room |--|Platfrm|--|Shuttle| |_______| |_______| |_______| *1: WAIT five times and the guard will walk into town. *2: SEARCH to find the rifle. *3: SEARCH to find 2 intergalactic marks. *4: BUY TIGHTS. *5: WEAR TIGHTS and ROB BANK for 750 intergalactic marks. *6: BUY TICKET for EARTH. *7: Move IN the shuttle with the crystal to complete the game. =============================================================================== 6. Credits =============================================================================== - EMUZWin (http://kolmck.net/apps/EmuZWin_Eng.htm) The emulator that was used to run the tape image for this game. - GUEmap (http://www.cjmweb.net/GUEmap/) A program that was used to map out the locations in this game. - World of Spectrum (http://www.worldofspectrum.org/) A website that hosts a massive amount of Spectrum-related material. The tape image for this game was found here. - ZX Modules (http://www.zxmodules.com/) Hosts different applications for managing and editing Spectrum files. The ZX Preview application was used to extract information from this game. =============================================================================== 7. Copyright Information =============================================================================== This file is Copyright 2010-2011 Tom Hayes. As it can be difficult to keep track of websites that haven't posted the latest version of this file, please do not distribute it without my permission. Send an e-mail to me if you would like to post this file on your website and you will likely receive a positive response. If you do post the file, please keep it in its original form with all of the sections intact and credit the author (Tom Hayes) as the writer of the file. The latest version of this file can be found at www.solutionarchive.com.