Spectrofon #14 23 августа 1995

Игры

Archive - discussed in detail the game "ARCHON". You are invited to fight against the computer or with a live opponent in the fairy chess, where instead of the traditional chess pieces involving dragons, witches, etc.

  Andrew Shkolnikov, 1995.


             ARCHON


   Freefall Associates 1983.


           But the fire burned the Lions,

        who ate snakes, which
        torye huddled in gaubi
        particle, which destroyed

        spears, which resulted in

        unusable gas chamber
        py, which is vaporized in
        du, which is repaid

        fire.


           P. Shackley. "Exchange once
        mov ".



   Archon - the game is old and venerable. Suffice it to say 
that it was written in the good old 1983, when the Earth has

dinosaurs roamed, and the Speccy (Well
how it will be in Russian?)
barely one year old. Except
addition, the Archon is uncommon and
almost unknown to the masses
sinkleristov.


   And yet ... Archon, despite his pathetic antiquity, has 
tremendous appeal. Beginners head to Flood, the climate games - 
something like Chess with mythical figures, arcade

fights and magic.



   And when you are comfortable, and emerges - you realize how
finely matched fighting properties
figures and in which strategic
allows a simple fall pleasures
the type of game. (Incidentally, Archon - a typical game with 
intransitive system of relations "Stronger-weaker." The fact 
that this this, see epigraph).



   Of course, in this second stage, you will win a computer 
with his hands tied behind their backs, invents for itself 
limitation of "the whole mission on the left caterpillar. "But 
the Archon can play together, so that the interest

this game is not lost very
long.



   The playing field Arjona - board
9x9; at first glance it's just
Chessboard unusual size, but the second is,
that it is a field of three colors: light, dark and white -
Neutral. In five fields - one light, one dark and three
neutral - shows a flashing
icon like the eyes is magical field.


   It is not hard to guess that the battle is between the light
and the dark forces. Accordingly, the figures - different fairy
beings. Their species so
a lot that Archon can be used as a reference book of monsters.
Missed unless the vampires and werewolves. All creatures 
figures are traditional (no orcs!). 



   On the bright side, more or
less than good characters, behind the dark, respectively, are 
fighting the forces of evil. Most of these creatures are well 
known, but trichetyre self-explanatory. Valkyrie - a 
Scandinavian maiden-spirits of the battle, the Golem - one of 
the first Robots - magically animated

clay or wooden figure.
Basilisk - extremely ugly
creation of a body toads head
a rooster and a snake tail, which kills a look (and in some 
variants - even just their appearance). Banshee - a spirit of 
death, boding per se piercing cry; and Manticore -

composite monster with a lion's body,
human head and scorpions
tail. Shapeshifter same - most likely the invention of the 
authors program.



   It takes the shape of a
Who fights, if that word
not been employing a man-wolf,
could call it a werewolf. I obzovu its terrible
the word "shifter" (play around a bit and you'll notice that 
dubbed him the same way - this is confirmed experience).



   I do not know for what reasons, so did the authors of the 
program, but the dark forces a distinct advantage. This is 
easily seen, causing the computer to fight

with itself: the dark win,
From my observations, 90 percent of cases. True, the computer, 
as it should, play blunt. But when fighting

people who break the forces of almost no importance;
skillful selection of pairs for matches
nullifies. But this
we are ahead.



   To win at Archon, you must
do one of two things: either
kill all the enemies, or
take all five of magical fields
pieces of his color.


   To make a move any piece, just move on
cursor over it and press the "fire".
If this figure can go,
under the board lights up her name,
method of travel and the maximum number of steps that it
can do. For example:
SORCERESS (TELEPORT 3) - Witch can teleport to
distance of up to three steps. Do not forget that in effect 
Arjona rule "touched - go: make

this move is another figure not
succeed.



   Each figure is given for one
move a constant number of steps
(3 to 5). On how to move all the pieces fall into
walking and flying (or teleported). The difference is that
walking figures moving speed
Rook (ie can not go on
diagonal) and not being able to pass
"Through" his supporters, although
through strangers for some reason they can.
Flying the same steps and make right,
and diagonally, and can move, not paying attention to
obstacles. Able to fly: the dark
- A witch, a dragon shifter, and
Banshee; in white - a magician
Genie, the phoenix and the Valkyries (ie
a black and white "flyers"
are symmetrical).



   Every time someone from
your army is a square occupied by an enemy piece, the program
asks you whether you want
grapple with the enemy. If
You think you do not
worth, simply move on or
back. But if you're spoiling for a fight, feel free to press 
the fire; arcade game goes into a part -

mode of combat.


   When you enter into a duel, a board with the figure 
disappears. Illuminate the battlefield, where

randomly arranged
obstacles shots
and movement, and begins
battle. In the course of the battle position of these obstacles 
randomly altered. On both sides

battle arena shows two
column - indicating energy
fighting.



   This energy decreases with injuries, when the energy level 
of a fighter (or both simultaneously) would fall to zero - this 
soldier is killed and the contest ends. 


   The initial energy level is determined by two things. 
Firstly, it is the original castle beings: from birth, they 
have different levels of energy. Most strengths - a dragon, a 
wizard, witch, a genie, the weakest -

knights and goblins. Secondly, it
the battlefield: light and dark
cells possess a magic place
which supports its own and weakens others. At neutral
cells, no such magic, and both
begin to fight the enemy with his
natural energy level.



   Almost always, the winner also gets in a fight in a battle 
wound, lowering its energy, and if to attack him immediately 
after the battle in which he was injured, then

his health because of these injuries
turns out to be worse than in the previous
battle. Wounds heal slowly,
What contributes to a very magic
location: the cell of another color
healing process is strongly delayed, and on his - is 
accelerating. It seems that even better treat the magical 
field. However, by magical force fields on the figures "are 
still little studied. 


              - - -



   Each hero has Arjona
her unique style of combat. Battle properties
Your opponents and allies
deserve to talk about them more in detail -
bloodless victory in the Archon is possible except in the 
inquisitorial sense, that is, the fire instead of a sword.



   The most powerful figure in the battle -
it's certainly a black witch. But who in second place - the 
question is very difficult. On this place can claim and

dragon and unicorn, and banshees.
It all depends on who and whom
fights.



   The fact that the fighting qualities of all the heroes 
Arjona determined by a large number of parameters - strength, 
speed, strength and speed shot. It turns out that

Everyone has a "favorite" enemy.


   For example, the dragon - the most
strong creature in the game, with extremely fast and powerful 
ognedyhaniem, but clumsy. Therefore, the dragon can easily kill 
nimble, but weak knights: those only one or two charges

fire, while the dragon stands nearly a dozen strokes
sword knight. But the unicorn
represents a serious threat for the dragon: he is stronger,
very fast, and shooting a unicorn are comparable in strength 
with the dragon. 

   So the unicorn can operate with impunity fire dragon
long distance, dodging
from the dragon of fire but if I
battle moves to the near the stage,
get tight already unicorn:
do not manage to dodge both
the enemy, and the dragon is better "holds blow."


   We list the fighting properties
Arjona characters in more detail.


    I. Light power.


   I.1. Magician (wizard). AND
magician and the witch - this
something like a queen in the role of
King. They are strong in battle, but wiser to give them the 
opportunity to live quietly and not fight as long as possible.



   The fact that they have
important property, almost necessary for victory - magic. About
Magic will be discussed later. A
that before the fighting properties, the magician rather 
strong, very strongly (though weaker than the dragon)

shoots, but he and his
shots is very slow.


   I.2. Djinn (djinni). Genie
also quite strong, powerful and
quick shot, but slow. Its good to use against
rapid but weak figures - basilisks and goblins.


   I.3. PHOENIX (phoenix). His
way of fighting is unusual. He did not
shoots, and, striking,
surrounded by a short time the fireball. Opponent, getting
in this ball gets wound.


   In addition to Phoenix, so are able to
beat just banshees. Against
fast dark figures phoenix powerless - for example, weak 
basilisk can easily, avoiding encounters, shot Phoenix

distance. But Phoenix is ​​well
used against the world who can not shoot the goblins. A
while playing with light computer reasonably incite
Phoenix on the shifter - phoenix, computer controlled, fights
bad.


   I.4. Unicorn (unicorn).
In my opinion, this is the most combat
light figures. They are quite
strong, very fast,
fast and strong shot. Fresh and full strength unicorn can 
safely withstand only very dark witch.



   The only way to kill
unicorn - cost of a few
dark figures and wounded him. True, the weakness of unicorns is
that early in the game they are on
dark cells, and the magic of the place
weakens them. Therefore, if you
play for the dark, you can at the very beginning of the game on 
napustit unicorns, dragons - at least one

of them do not have time to escape. On
dark field unicorn stable
dragon loses.


   I.5. Golems (golem). These golems are known to
dumb and slow but strong
and almost invincible - which would make
a piece of clay? These are the golems, and in
game. They are sturdy, strong shot, but also the golem, and his
shot barely crawling on combat
arena.


   Quick shapes can win
Golem, if they can all the time
battle to keep their distance -
because it is difficult to evade close
even on a slow shot. Therefore, the Golem is good to use
against the goblins - they can not
shoot and have to approach in order to strike. Moreover, from 
the golem takes good royal guard - the cost of his life (or as 
it is called a golem? "), they can wounded a strong opponent

going to attack the wizard, following which the magician 
himself will be easier to deal with it. 


   I.6. Valkyrie (valkyrie).
Virgin-warrior like virgins
it should be, creating fragile.
They move slowly, shoot slowly and weakly.

   In general, the use of the Valkyries at the forefront of 
stroke is not worth it. They are good for holding the captured 
magic fields and preventing attacks of weak dark figures. 


   I.7. Archers (archer).
Archers are roughly analogous
Valkyrie, except that slightly
weaker and shoot faster. K
Also, they - as pedestrians, and move around the board slowly 
flying Valkyries. I usually put the archers in the wings in 
Valkyries. 


   I.8. Knights (knight). The weakest and most numerous light 
pieces. They do not know how to shoot and fight

sword in the melee. Naturally, despite his speed,
Knights are very vulnerable.


   However, one of their property
very helpful knights in battle -
they may be more likely to strike.
The fact that all the figures after
shot (or wrapping a fireball like a phoenix and the banshees)
while defenseless, while
do not recharge your crossbow, a magic stick, cancer 
ognedyhaniya or whatever. On late charge shall notify a short 
beep - for a little light higher tone for the dark a little

lower. Knights, too, must be
Time to pick up a sword and get ready for the next stroke, but
they have the time it takes times
two to three fewer than all the rest. This gives the Knights an 
advantage. 



    II. Dark forces.


   II.1. Witch (sorceress).
This is the most powerful figure in the battle. She runs like a 
unicorn, and shoots like a dragon. None

However, it is better not to throw it particularly
in the fight - with the death of a sorceress lost all the magic 
powers of darkness. 


   II.2. Dragon (dragon). This
the strongest character Arjona.
He moves slowly, but
fire it flies fast, and the charge
this fire is very strong. If a fight
goes to the dark field, only the strongest light shapes can
withstand two shots dragon.
As expected, the dragon
especially likes to have the knights.



   II.3. Shapeshifter. Shifter - a very interesting monster. In 
combat, he copies his opponent, but with his energy level that 
he has a pretty high - at around Phoenix. It is clear that the 
shifter prefers to fight in the dark

cells. It is convenient to use it
for the Defense of dark magic
field.


   II.4. Basilisk (basilisk).
Shoot and run like unicorns, but much weaker than them.
Basilisks can be set at
strong, but slow-light
Creature - Golem or a magician.


   II.5. Trolls (troll) -
similar to golems.



   II.6. Banshee (banshee) fight surrounding fire
halo, like a phoenix. Banshee
much weaker than Phoenix, but much faster. They are perhaps the 
most universal soldiers. Their well-

let in almost any
light figures, except those
that as fast -
unicorns and knights.


   II.7. Manticore (manticore) - Martial properties
close to the archers, although slightly
more and shoot more slowly.


   II.8. Goblins (goblin) -
armed with a cudgel, not a sword;
However, in a battle they are almost completely analogous to 
the knights. 


                - - -



   Of course, no battles in the Archon's impossible to win. But 
not necessarily all the time break to victory through the 
mountains of corpses. There is another very interesting feature 
that helps you win. It's about magic.



   Apply the magic can only
wizard and witch. With the death of
any of them corresponding
party loses the magical support. Available to them the same
sets of spells. Each spell can only be used
once, then it disappears. On the figures standing at the magic 
boxes (all the same - their this figure, or someone else's) 
spell do not apply. Use spell several weakens wizards, so be 
careful with magic!


   To use magic
Hover over the magician, and then "fire" twice. Under the board
lights up "SELECT A
SPELL "-" then spell "
and under the label - the first from a list of the remaining 
spells. References possible spell scroll keys "up" - "down"

choice of spells - the "fire".


   We present a list of all spells available to mages Arjona.


   1. TELEPORT - Teleport.
It's all clear - this spell
transfers any of your figure, if it is not captive enemy (about
what it is, see below), any field, except for magic.
You can teleport, and on the field,
occupied by the enemy. That, of course, outraged at such an 
intrusion, and there is a fight. 

   Teleportation is useful, for example, early in the game,
when some pieces the enemy still
stand in the cells of your color. K
example, you can teleport
dragon on a dark field to the unicorn, the phoenix on the 
bright field to banshee, etc. Is it possible to use 
teleportation as a means of escape from an uncomfortable 
position, or combine both objectives.



   2. HEAL - treatment. Action
this spell is too obvious -
it treats any of your associates to its original level
energy, if he is not on the magic box.


   3. SHIFT TIME - the time shift. As far as I understood it
just a pass move.



   But it is possible that this
Spells there are some non-obvious effects - for example,
associated with the magical fields
(Again, these fields!).


   4. EXCHANGE - Exchange. This spell allows you to swap any 
two pieces, no matter Yours or not, if only they were not in 
captivity (see below) and not stand in the magical fields. In 
practice, change their shape with enemy, or to save

their own, or substitute an enemy.


   5. SUMMON ELEMENTAL - call
elemental. Under this spell
there is elemental - the spirit of one
of the four elements (in order of
increase strength elemental): water, air, fire or earth.



   This elemental you set at the selected opponent; then
there is one move you will have an extra fighter. What
Elemental you get, the program selects a random manner. If you 
see the earth elemental, consider that you are very lucky: he's 
very strong (sometimes stronger than the dragon) and nimble. 
But if the water elemental has appeared - most likely spell in 
vain: sometimes He is so weak that

dies by itself, without
shots of the enemy, although sometimes
Even this elemental to something
able.


   6. REVIVE - revival. This
spell allows to revive one of the dead figures.



   When you select a shape for
animation, lights inscription
"PLACE IT IN THE CHARMED SQUARE"
and you put a resurrection
each white square, adjacent
to your magic box.


   7. IMPRISON - prisoner. Spell captivity for a number of 
moves (usually about ten) blocks the opponent's piece in the 
field where she stood. Again, no effect on the figures standing 
on magic fields. Conveniently capture enemy pieces when they 
are in the fields of your color. In addition, this spell is 
used to stop the excesses of the strong figures an enemy in 
your rear, or lock watch the magic field, accidentally came 
down with it, but you never know yet for what. Captivated by 
the magician can not use magic. 

   8. CEASE CONJURING - stop the witchcraft. By name
you would think that this spell as a sorcerer, weakens the 
enemy. But in fact it does not spell well

just an option "Exit" - the refusal to cast spells. On-call 
CEASE CONJURING menu spell disappears again and you can choose 
which piece to go. This option can be used

as much as necessary - in contrast to
spells, it does not disappear after use.


            - - -



   In conclusion, I propose
tactics started a couple of possible
for your "opening books".



  1) "Sabotage". Choose a strong figure, which is not very
sorry - for example, one of the two
unicorns or banshees, and sends it to the enemy's rear. It can 
be teleport, thereby finding someone from enemies

napping on the field of your color.
Saboteur produces havoc behind enemy lines, panic,
contracts over enemy forces. Typically, in the end he
dies, but manages to significantly disrupt enemy forces.


   And if you feel sorry for the hero of the saboteur, he is 
quite to the rescue may come a dragon or a genie.

Generally, when playing for the black couple
dragon-banshee act in the white
the rear is particularly effective.



   Dragon starts with murder
unicorns in the dark fields, and
then switched to the Knights.
Banshee attacks, slower pieces. At a certain
skill and luck you can even
win the game, without moving any dark figures, except those
two.


   2) "Trenches." Quieter
Home-based defenses. Since the party, you are reshuffling their 
troops so that they were on the cells of your color. Thus it is 
desirable move forces and the enemy

half board. When the position
busy start to fight for the magical field and lies in wait
enemy figures in the margins of your
color.


            - - -


   And it is quite a conclusion
thank my friend,
acting under a pseudonym
"Hacker Taper Diskens" (why
programmers in general, and hackers
especially so love to take myself all sorts of tricky names?)
granted to me by a disk version of Archon.


            *