Hi, everyone. I hope you enjoy my first-ever effort to make a video! Matt Chat #1: Pool of Radiance. Please let me know what you think and feel free to give me tips or suggestions for future episodes. Just keep in mind that this is my first attempt at this, so be gentle. :)

I recently received a request for manual scans from my copy of Six-Gun Shootout: Gunfights of the Wild West (1985), from SSI. I was happy to oblige, but of course I wanted to do a little extra since it's the same approximate amount of effort. In addition to the manual, I also scanned the box, the Apple II disk, one side of the registration card and the inside cover of the 1985 SSI catalog, featuring both Six-Gun Shootout and Colonial Conquest, the latter of which is one of my all-time favorites (C-64 version, though the Atari ST version is overall the best).

Here is the link to the Flickr gallery, which includes a few screenshots from the Virtual Apple 2 - Online disk archive, which allows you to play Apple II and IIGS games in your browser, including of course, Six-Gun Shootout. SSI's western-themed game is an interesting blend of strategy and RPG elements, similar in style to their war-themed, Computer Ambush, which I'm also lucky to own (I'm obviously a huge fan of SSI's entire catalog of games, from themes to cover art to when they used bookshelf boxes). If you have the time, I definitely recommend you check it all out. Enjoy!

(See the prior entries in this ongoing feature)

NOTE: The format of these for now are going to be the REVIEW (semi-walkthrough) portion first, followed by the STORY (fictionalization) portion. Each portion is stand alone and I'll separate them with headers.

REVIEW

(See The premise at the end of this posting for details on this ongoing feature)
OK, I'm sure you're getting tired of "setup" at this point, but this is finally it. Frankly, it was bothering me that I'd have to type on the same system I was using as a display that I was also capturing direct images and videos on, so I decided to be a bit technically poor and split the composite video/mono audio signals coming from the C-128D into two outputs. There appears to be little-to-no noticeable degradation, so there you go. This will now allow me to be as "authentic" as I prefer to be, meaning I'll be playing "Wizard's Crown" on a real Commodore 8-bit system with a vintage monitor, while still having full capture capability on my laptop.

So, once and for all, here are the specs for the review and chronicle:

(See The premise at the end of this posting for details on this ongoing feature)
With most of the setup behind us, with the two prior features, (00) and the unnumbered preparation, it's time to provide the last of the build-up before the actual feature starts to unfold. I have scanned the complete box and complete manual. Go to the set, here. First the box is presented (all sides), then the rather long manual, then the rest of the photos as the chronicles continue. You can view this as a slideshow or click on the individual photos to get high resolution imaging options. Enjoy!

Wizard's Crown: Apple II version (emulation)(See The premise at the end of this posting for details on this ongoing feature)

Having literally dozens of boxed classic CRPGs (Computer Role Playing Games) and related software to choose from in my collection for the first Armchair Arcade Chronicle, I finally decided to go for what was generally known as one of the hardest of hardcore full Computer Role Playing Games (CRPGs), Wizard's Crown, published by SSI in 1987. Even though the Atari ST is probably the best from a visual standpoint (and adds a debatable mouse-driven interface), the C-64 version is the version I happen to have complete in the box. I've never played Wizard's Crown, but it's always been on my list.

In order to set the scene for what is to come, first some background on Wizard's Crown...

Welcome to the sixth of the ongoing series of exclusive photos here at Armchair Arcade from my private collection, the Commodore 128DCR from 1986.

The photo's main page.
The full-size image.

Without further ado, here are some neat facts about this week's photo (feedback welcome!):

After Matt's couple of CRPG articles, I’ve sat down and thought through rose tinted memories on my favourite CRPG titles, time for some armchair commentary on my favourite golden age CRPG's.

Magic Candle, Wasteland, Questron II, Curse of the Azure Bonds + Pool of Radiance, Eye of the Beholder, Bards Tale II, Ultima III, Demons Winter.

The Warp Factor (SSI, 1981): Front of box image from an eBay auctionAh, the wonders of eBay. While you can occasionally get a hard-to-find game for a low price with lots of luck - say maybe $35 with shipping - other times you'll see boxed software go for ridiculous prices that no mere mortal can afford, like SSI's classic "The Warp Factor" for the Apple II, with a very recent final sale price before shipping of $449.44! Even though it's sealed, it's still an amazingly over-the-top winning bid. As is usual with SSI games - particularly pre-1986 SSI games - the cover artwork is beautiful and there are nice extras inside the oversized box. A fine specimen or not (though this one is actually a bit crushed!), average-to-good game itself or not, it can't help but make you reflect on the meaning of collecting, particularly as it applies to our hobby.