Fortress of Fear - help needed

[David Whyld]

Here be spoilers! Not many, because I haven't got far enough to spoil it for anyone, but be warned: there could well be spoilers soon.

O
B
L
I
G
A
T
O
R
Y

S
P
O
I
L
E
R

S
P
A
C
E

Okay, I'm in the 2nd floor Hexagonal Tower. I've examined the long bed and been informed that there's something in the gap between the headboard and the wall, but I'm damned if I can figure out how to take it. I can't GET SOMETHING, REACH INTO GAP doesn't work, PUT HANDS IN GAP informs me (quite worryingly) that I'm not carrying my own hands! I've tried moving and pushing and pulling the long bed, but to no avail, and the only hint available advises me to check the beds, which I've already done.

Any idea how I retrieve the mysterious something from behind the bed? (And yes, I tried "retrieve" as well.

[Lazzah]

David,

There are several commands which will achieve what you are trying to do:

O
B
L
I
G
A
T
O
R
Y

S
P
O
I
L
E
R

S
P
A
C
E

[Reveal] Spoiler:

LOOK/SEARCH/FEEL BEHIND HEADBOARD/LONG BED or LOOK/SEARCH/FEEL IN GAP or just SEARCH GAP

None of the playtesters tried REACH INTO GAP and I didn't think of it either! (So forget about ""REACH INTO" when playing FoF!)

HTH

Larry

[David Whyld]

Thanks. Do LOOK and EXAMINE mean different things?

Also I've noticed that sometimes referring to an item as "it" and referring to it by its name produce different responses. CLIMB VINE gives a different response to CLIMB IT. Is this an issue with V5 or the way the game was written?

[Lazzah]

Thanks. Do LOOK and EXAMINE mean different things?

Yes, as described in the PLAYING INSTRUCTIONS - you can read them by typing INSTRUCT at any time.

Also I've noticed that sometimes referring to an item as "it" and referring to it by its name produce different responses. CLIMB VINE gives a different response to CLIMB IT. Is this an issue with V5 or the way the game was written?

Could be either I think. I tend not to use "IT" when playing, and looking at the playtester's transcripts neither did either of them, as they did not report any issues with the use of "IT".

Hope you are enjoying the game!

[Campbell]

I've noticed that sometimes referring to an item as "it" and referring to it by its name produce different responses. CLIMB VINE gives a different response to CLIMB IT. Is this an issue with V5 or the way the game was written?

This is one area where v5 should be improved over v4 if tasks are defined using references. I'd be interested to know how any problem tasks were implemented.

[saabie]

There are 39 "climb" tasks in this game which are specific tasks and so will work properly with "it".
However 3 have been implimented as general tasks: climb vine, climb coach and climb well, which wont work with "it".
Lazzah probably started writing this game a long time ago using v4, or using v4 methods, then switched to using specific tasks when he learnt v5.

[Lazzah]

There are 39 "climb" tasks in this game which are specific tasks and so will work properly with "it".
However 3 have been implimented as general tasks: climb vine, climb coach and climb well, which wont work with "it".
Lazzah probably started writing this game a long time ago using v4, or using v4 methods, then switched to using specific tasks when he learnt v5.

I never ever used V4 at all, but I did start writing FoF before I was fully conversant with V5, I learnt as I went along. Looking at the game file, I remember that if I created a specific task for a action but, for some reason it wouldn't work, I would just mess around with it until it DID work, even if that meant using a general task instead of a specific one.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I rarely use "IT" when playtesting my games as in the days when I used to play game regularly - in the 1980's before I started writing games - most text adventures didn't allow the use of the word "IT"! It never occured to me that there will be players around today who use the word "IT" all the time. Strangely, none of the people who playtested FoF complained that "IT" didn't work all the time and, looking at the playtest transcripts, they never played the game using "IT" at all!

When I have time I will go over the game database and see where I can change general tasks to specific ones so that using "IT" will work and I will upload "Version 2" to the Adventures Page.

[Campbell]

I use "it" all the time, just out of habit. It speeds up typing.

[Lazzah]

I use "it" all the time, just out of habit. It speeds up typing.

I find that sometimes I have to use a general task to get something to work as I want it to work when I should be using a specific one, and this can mean that using "it" will not work.

[P/o Prune]

I have just run my entry to the Adrift Annual Comp and I found that:
When I >get key and examine it I get the reply: I don't understand what you want to do with the skeleton key.
Whereas if I first >get key and then >examine it, it seems to Work fine.

[David Whyld]

For some reason, V5 seems to have an issue with multiple commands on a single line.

[Campbell]

That's going a bit off-topic. Multiple commands aren't yet supported in v5 - you can vote it up here tho.

[Lyricasylum]

I have to say I'm completely stuck. I've got 40 points and I seem to be wandering around the castle yard, to no avail. I can't find anything to help me with the ghosts! And It's frustrating to use the German translator program just to understand what the ghosts want. At least I studied enough German to understand what language they were speaking!

[Reveal] Spoiler:

I got the thread from the tapestry in the church. I moved the tapestry aside and found the way downstairs, but can't get through the door down there.
I found the scrip under the bed and the shield behind the headboard. I filled the well bucket with water.
None of the ghosts want the thread, the shield or the wooden plank.
Also, I can't seem to wake the sow to help the poor piglets.

I'm ready to give up!

EDIT: At least I can understand the ghosts now, thanks to

[Reveal] Spoiler:

finding Walther and drinking the vial that lets me understand German. Too bad the ghosts don't want the crossbow or the vial either.

And I'm now up to 43 points.

[Campbell]

Lazzah?

[Lazzah]

Lazzah?

I actually missed this post but Lyric has PM'd me and I replied with help. Hopefully he has been able to progress, but I haven't heard back.