_________________________________________________________________________ 'Locked In!' Simon Allan Software 2022 Written by: Simon Allan _________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION & THANKS 'Locked In' is an Escape Room type game that I started to write after receiving my ZX Spectrum Next from the Kickstarter funding scheme. I've written quite a lot of Adventure Games with the Quill, Illustrator and Patch and after noticing a copy of the Professional Adventure Writing System (PAWS) from Gilsoft on the SD Card (that came with my Next) I thought to myself it's probably time to give this piece of software 'a go'. PAWS is quite different from The Quill so I decided early on to develop a game that was simple, linear, TEXT only and limited to 48K so that everyone with a Speccy could play the game. I started to put my ideas to paper late 2020 and programming started early 2021. The Summer came, then Autumn and Winter and before I knew it 2022 was here and the game still needed finishing. Catching the COVID-19 virus and self-isolating then prompted me to both finish the game, test it then convert it into TZX and TAP formats. Converting from magnetic tape to a TZX file as always been 'tricky' but this time the process nearly got the better of me. But after 40 odd attempts I finally got there with the help of the MakeTXZ software from Ramsoft. This is a very old piece of software dating back to 1st August 2003 but without it making a TZX file would be even more difficult. May I remind you that you can download my other games from various websites around the world but I normally use the World of Spectrum and the CASA (Solution Archive) websites: Trail published by Central Solutions 1985 The Ring of Dreams published by Central Solutions 1985 The Land Beyond Time published by CASA website 2006 Wizard, What Wizard? published by CASA website 2007 Moonscape published by CASA website 2008 The Quest for the Sacred Flame of Hestia published by CASA website 2019 If you have tried any of the above games then may I take this opportunity in thanking you. 'Locked In!' is therefore a brand new puzzle game for you to play which probably took about 3 months to write in total. This puzzle game does not use all the features of PAWS but I did use a couple of extra features that The Quill doesn't offer. It's my first time using PAWS remember ;-) The game was written using a ZX Spectrum Next (Issue 1) and I must admit the keyboard was a joy to use. The database was saved on both the SD Card and on magnetic tape as backup and this saved a lot of 'saving' time during development. Again I used Melbourne Draw for the Title Screen which took only a couple of days to complete. 'Locked In!' It's your Birthday and your friends have paid for you to have a go in the new Escape Room styled activity based in the City centre. You don't like the sound of this to start off with but reluctantly you agree to take part. Words that may help you include: DROP EXAMINE FEEL GET GO HELP IN (I)NVENTORY LOAD (L)OOK LOCK OPEN PUT READ REMOVE SAVE STAND TOUCH TWIST WEAR Special Commands to help: RAM LOAD - which is a quick load routine RAM SAVE - which is a quick save routine A BIG THANK YOU TO: My wife, again, for putting up with me during the writing of this new computer game. Jacob Gunness at the CASA website (www.solutionarchive.com) for putting this game on his Website so that you can download and play it. We must also thank him again for all his hard work in keeping the ZX Spectrum 'alive and kicking' through this website. The World of Spectrum website (www.worldofspectrum.org) for it's inspiration to us all. Gilsoft Home Computing Software for writing/publishing 'The Quill', 'The Illustrator', 'The Patch' and 'PAWS'. Melbourne House for 'Melbourne Draw' ref: Title Screen. Finally, all Spectrum users for keeping the Spectrum alive since 1982. ____________________________________________________________________________ Simon Allan Software 2022