Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

People are still making stuff for the Sinclair related machines. Tell us about new games and other software that runs on the Spectrum, ZX80/ZX81, Pentagon and Next.
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Blerkotron
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Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

Today I'm releasing a new spooky text adventure for the Speccy 128 called 'Unhallowed'.

It’s Halloween and you’re on your way home from work, tired and hungry and wanting nothing more than to put your feet up in front of the TV. But something dark and evil lurks within your home, waiting for you to return...

Unhallowed is a classic text-adventure game with a few twists to make it more palatable for modern players. It's a little bit different to your common or garden text adventure, so might be worth a look even if you don't think you're a fan of the genre. Be sure to check out the documentation or the HELP command to help you get started!

It's also available as an Adventuron HTML file to play in your web browser if you prefer. :)

Downloads are free from my web page - I hope you like it!
https://blerkotron.itch.io/unhallowed


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Ralf
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Ralf »

Maybe it's a silly comment but you have a very nice font ;)
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Blerkotron
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

Not silly, it's a beautiful font!

http://www.type-invaders.com/sinclair/clairsys/
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R-Tape
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by R-Tape »

Top stuff! I'm not familiar with the early LucasArts adventures, but like the player-friendly approach.

After an hour's play I've solved a couple of things, but have hit my usual text adventure brick wall and need to think again (yes I've read the instructions!). So far there have only been subtle hints that things are going to get eerie, but it's much the better for it (especially as some of the descriptions of the 1960's terrace are too familiar!).

I tried playing in the dark, but couldn't see the keyboard...
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R-Tape
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by R-Tape »

I just tried "USE KEYS WITH TOILET", so I must be getting desperate. I know I haven't got very far, but could I ask for a cheeky tip?
Spoiler
I found a menu but can't phone. I cooked the ready meal I didn't eat. I got the card and need the torch to find the shed keys on the floor to get in the shed. I don't seem to be able to OPEN, CLOSE, PUSH, PULL, GET or USE anything else yet.
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Blerkotron
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

Cryptic clue:
Spoiler
Torches are so old-fashioned, nobody needs one in this day and age.
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R-Tape
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by R-Tape »

Aha. Now things are happening. Cheers!
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Kozelek »

I am blocked a bit later in the adventure :)
Spoiler
I have a disturbing photo and a very scared cat under a sofa.
Could you give me a hint?

P.S.: By the way, I am enjoying it a lot so far. If this is going to be the quality of the story in the new zx spectrum adventures, I am very keen on their revival!

P.P.S.: (Sorry if my English sounds weird... It is not my first language!)
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Blerkotron
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

Kozelek wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 5:02 pm I am blocked a bit later in the adventure :)
Spoiler
I have a disturbing photo and a very scared cat under a sofa.
Could you give me a hint?

P.S.: By the way, I am enjoying it a lot so far. If this is going to be the quality of the story in the new zx spectrum adventures, I am very keen on their revival!

P.P.S.: (Sorry if my English sounds weird... It is not my first language!)
Spoiler
Did you check the bath? Perhaps something to help you go fishing would help?
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Alessandro
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Alessandro »

Blerkotron wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:45 pm
Kozelek wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 5:02 pm I am blocked a bit later in the adventure :)
Spoiler
I have a disturbing photo and a very scared cat under a sofa.
Could you give me a hint?

P.S.: By the way, I am enjoying it a lot so far. If this is going to be the quality of the story in the new zx spectrum adventures, I am very keen on their revival!

P.P.S.: (Sorry if my English sounds weird... It is not my first language!)
Spoiler
Did you check the bath? Perhaps something to help you go fishing would help?
I suspected that too.
Spoiler
I guess I have to use the hook to get the item out of the bath, but the hook won't come away, and nothing in my possession seems to help.
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Blerkotron
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

Alessandro wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:51 pm
Blerkotron wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 6:45 pm
Spoiler
Did you check the bath? Perhaps something to help you go fishing would help?
I suspected that too.
Spoiler
I guess I have to use the hook to get the item out of the bath, but the hook won't come away, and nothing in my possession seems to help.
Spoiler
There's something in the bathroom itself that'll help you with the hooks.
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R-Tape
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by R-Tape »

^Yep^, and it's not only doors and boxes that you OPEN ;)

I really like the direction the game takes after that, thumbs up Blerk!
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Blerkotron
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

Thanks! It's always hard to know how an adventure will be received so it's great to see so many people playing and enjoying it! :)
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Juan F. Ramirez
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

It seems strange to me playing a Spectrum text adventure in which you type 'I' (inventory) and the output is 'your keys and a mobile phone' :D

Anyway, cool adventure!
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Alessandro »

Another dead end...
Spoiler
I managed to spill some of the monster's blood on the floor, but I cannot pick it up. I tried with the bottle but I cannot make any use of it.
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Blerkotron
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

Alessandro wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2018 4:59 pm Another dead end...
Spoiler
I managed to spill some of the monster's blood on the floor, but I cannot pick it up. I tried with the bottle but I cannot make any use of it.
Spoiler
Something from one of the kitchens will help you here. You may have seen it already but had no use for it until now.
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Alessandro »

I did it! :D Here is the complete solution:
Spoiler
(You begin outside your house) GO FRONT DOOR, GO DINING, EXAMINE SIDEBOARD, OPEN DRAWERS (you find the menu), USE PHONE (it does not work), GO KITCHEN, OPEN FRIDGE (the ready meal is inside), USE MEAL WITH MICROWAVE (you hear a noise from the letterbox), GO DINING, GO HALLWAY, GET CARD, EXAMINE CARD, GO DINING, GO CUPBOARD, USE PHONE (you find the shed key), GET KEY, GO DINING, GO KITCHEN, GO BACK DOOR, OPEN SHED (you find the package), GET PACKAGE, GO GARDEN, GO KITCHEN, GO DINING, OPEN PACKAGE, GO HALLWAY, GO LANDING, GO BEDROOM (you see the cat), TAKE CAT (you notice the presence of the book), GET BOOK, (you end up in the run-down kitchen), OPEN MICROWAVE (you find your keys), GO BACK DOOR, GO DINING, EXAMINE DEBRIS (you find a stick), GET STICK, GO CUPBOARD, EXAMINE JUNK (you find an instant camera), GET CAMERA, GO DINING, GO HALLWAY (the black creature is here), GO LANDING, USE STICK WITH HOLE (you find a screwdriver), GET SCREWDRIVER, GO BEDROOM, EXAMINE CORPSE x 2 (on the second time you find your phone), GET PHONE, USE SCREWDRIVER WITH PHONE (you remove the battery), USE BATTERY WITH CAMERA, EXAMINE BASKET (you find a box of matches), GO LANDING, GO HALLWAY, USE CAMERA (the creature disappears and you now have a photo of it), GO LANDING, GO BEDROOM, GO BATHROOM, OPEN TOILET (you find a wooden mallet), GO BEDROOM, GO LANDING, GO HALLWAY, GO DINING, GO CUPBOARD, USE MALLET WITH HOOK (it falls on the ground), GET HOOK, GO DINING, GO HALLWAY, GO LANDING, GO BEDROOM, GO BATHROOM, USE HOOK WITH BATH (you extract a remote control), GO BEDROOM, GO LANDING, GO HALLWAY, GO LOUNGE, EXAMINE PICTURES, EXAM SOFA (the cat is hiding under it), GET CAT (the cat is hungry), USE REMOTE WITH TV (after an interlude you return to the run-down kitchen), GO DINING, GO HALLWAY, GO LOUNGE, GET REMOTE, USE REMOTE WITH TV (you are brought to your lounge), GO HALLWAY, GO DINING, GO KITCHEN, EXAMINE BIN (you find the ready meal), GO DINING, GO HALLWAY, GO LOUNGE, USE REMOTE WITH TV (back to the dark house), GIVE MEAL TO CAT, GET CAT (you find a key), GO HALLWAY, GO LANDING, GO OFFICE (a monster comes out of the mirror), GO HALLWAY, GO LOUNGE, USE REMOTE WITH TV, GO HALLWAY, GO LANDING, GO OFFICE, EXAMINE DESK, OPEN DRAWER (you find a bottle of brandy), GET BRANDY, USE MALLET WITH MIRROR (the mirror is smashed), LOOK (a shard of mirror is there), GET SHARD, GO LANDING, GO HALLWAY, GO DINING, USE SCREWDRIVER WITH FIREPLACE, GET POKER, GO HALLWAY (you are in the dark house again), GO DINING, EXAMINE FIREPLACE, USE POKER WITH ASHES, (you find the long key) GET KEY, GO CUPBOARD, USE KEY WITH TRAPDOOR, OPEN TRAPDOOR, EXAMINE SLAB, TAKE KNIFE (the book reacts to blood), GO TRAPDOOR, GO DINING, GO HALLWAY, GO LANDING, GO OFFICE, (the monster is here), EXAMINE MONSTER (it is covered with sores), EXAMINE SORES, GO LANDING, GO HALLWAY, GO DINING, GO KITCHEN, OPEN MICROWAVE (you take the dead rat), GO DINING, GO HALLWAY, GO LANDING, GO OFFICE, USE RAT WITH MONSTER, USE SHARD WITH MONSTER (blood flows on the floor), GO LANDING, GO HALLWAY, GO LOUNGE, USE REMOTE WITH TV, GO HALLWAY, GO DINING, GO KITCHEN, OPEN CUPBOARD (you take the flask), GO DINING, GO HALLWAY, GO LOUNGE, USE REMOTE WITH TV, GO HALLWAY, GO LANDING, GO OFFICE, USE FLASK WITH BLOOD, GO LANDING, GO HALLWAY, GO DINING, GO CUPBOARD, GO TRAPDOOR, USE BLOOD WITH KNIFE (the knife falls to the floor), GET KNIFE, GET BOOK, GO TRAPDOOR, GO DINING, GO HALLWAY, GO LOUNGE, USE REMOTE WITH TV, GO HALLWAY, GO DINING, USE BRANDY WITH BOOK, USE MATCHES WITH BOOK (you think about the cat), GO HALLWAY, GO LOUNGE, USE REMOTE WITH TV, EXAMINE SOFA (the cat is there no more), GO HALLWAY, GO LANDING, GO OFFICE, USE KNIFE WITH PHOTO, GO HALLWAY, GO LOUNGE, USE REMOTE WITH TV, GO HALLWAY, GO LANDING, GO BEDROOM, GO BATHROOM, USE CAT WITH BATH (you find yourself in darkness), USE MATCHES (you see an oil lamp), USE MATCH WITH LAMP, GET LAMP, EXAM SHELF, GO DOOR, GET STICK, USE STICK WITH EFFIGY (you find a bronze key), GET KEY, GO DOOR, EXAMINE BASKET, OPEN BASKET (the cat comes out of it), USE KEY WITH CLOCK (the book is here), USE LAMP WITH BOOK.
Now, what can I say? That was good fun; a "light" adventure so to speak, but really atmospheric - I appreciated the detailed and evocative descriptions very much. Quite a nice way to get back to text adventures after a long time I hadn't played one; everything felt "logic" and in no way twisted to the point of hair-pulling :D
Spoiler
And I am an avid lover of cats, so the presence of Shadow is a huge plus!
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Blerkotron
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

Thanks for the kind words, Alessandro - I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Kozelek »

Thanks to a tiny little bit of help from Alessandro's walkthrough (Yes, I know, I've always been awful with text adventures :lol: ) I managed to finished the game as well.

I love the story, the writing and the atmosphere. Seriously, this is one of the 8 bit text adventures I've enjoyed the most in recent times. I have to check the rest of your adventure games, and seriously, you have to write more like this one!

I don't think it's just a small story. Text adventures this large were considered "full length" during the days of the ZX Spectrum (though it may still be short by today's standards) Definitely, I finished playing it with the impression that it was as long as this story needed to be.

There is just this one thing that felt a bit weird in my opinion:
Spoiler
I had problems to understand the actions of the protagonist, risking his own life when he was about to burn the book for good, just to save the life of the cat. But perhaps that's just my problem, as I never had any pet.
In any case, a really good little horror adventure for the ZX Spectrum. Two thumbs way up!
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Blerkotron
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

It's what I like to call my "Sigourney Weaver moment".
Spoiler
Ripley does exactly this in the final stages of Alien. It makes no sense for her to risk her life to save the cat, but she does it anyway. :-)
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by stupidget »

I'm trying to get this game to work on my +2 via my DivMMC, but, it keeps saying 'out of memory.' All other 128k games, such as Gandlaf Deluxe, work fine.

Anybody else managed to get this game game to work via a DivMMC?
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Blerkotron »

I've seen another DivMMC user complaining of the same thing, but I'm not sure why this would be because I'm not familiar with the hardware. It sounds like it's loading in 48K mode for some reason (you can get the same effect in an emulator by selecting a 128K machine but going to 48K before loading) but I dunno what influences that.

What I do know is that the other chap managed to get it going by making a snapshot of the game in an emulator and loading that on the DivMMC instead of the TAP file. If all else fails that might work for you too.
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by 8BitAG »

Presumably you have a regular +2 rather than a +2A or +2B?
8-bit Text Adventure Gamer - games - research.
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by Alessandro »

DivMMCs and DivIDEs boot 128K Spectrums in USR0 mode, and under that, the adventure will always return an Out of memory error, presumably due to PAW's way of storing data across memory banks. This also happens with other PAW-authored 128K-only titles (e.g. Monster, Grimalkin The Cat).

To load them in 128 BASIC you could employ Velesoft's 128 BASIC Z80 snapshots for DivIDE. I cannot test them right now (I am not home) so download them and see what happens.

Copy the three Z80 files on the interface's memory card. Enter the interface's menu. Select the game tape file by highlighting it and press T, then run one of the three Z80 files according to your machine. The game should load automatically.
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Re: Unhallowed - a spooky text adventure for Halloween

Post by stupidget »

Well butter my baps, that worked perfectly. loaded it up, took a Snapshot and it loads as normal now. Cheers
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