Scott Adams Text Adventures

Here is a collection of the five text adventures by Scott Adams, packed in a single disk with a handy menu, a memory check utility and a launcher for each adventure.

Memory requirements

In order to run these adventures smoothly, you need a switchable expansion on blocks 2 and 3 (you might use something like this or also use an emulator with blocks 2+3 active only, under VIC Settings). If you meet the requirements, then use the menu by loading the first program on disk:

LOAD”*”,8

Once you are in the menu, the first program is just a memory requirements checker. Then it will get you back to menu.

As the first program reminds you, after loading each game, you will start the adventure with the command:

SYS 32592

Please note that having a 24 expansion (which puts blocks 1, 2 and 3 on) is not the same thing. If you must use such expansion and you cannot switch block 1 off, then you will not be able to use the menu and the automatic loaders – you will need to load games with a manual procedure explained below.

Procedure for 24k expansion

This procedure is for the 24k expansion only. If you can switch block1 off, then you can use the simple menu included.

1. Enter these few POKEs to turn the VIC20 into unexpanded mode:

POKE 648,30
^——- You’ll have to press RUN/STOP + RESTORE after this one. It moves screen memory to it’s position when unexpanded.

POKE 56,30
^——- This one lowers memory top to unexpanded size.

POKE 44,16 : POKE 4096,0 : NEW
^——- This line should NOT be written in three parts, as it moves start of BASIC to it’s position when unexpanded.

Every other value that depends on memory expansion is automatically changed after these POKEs, so we do not need to worry about them.

Notice that memory left now is exactly 3581 bytes, as the VIC20 would be in unexpanded mode. Also notice the +24k is still there, but it’s hidden for BASIC. Invisible memory, huh?

3. Now load the game from either tape or disk with

LOAD “P”,x,1
^—- Device, 1 for tape and usually 8 for disk.
The second 1 is important, because it tells the computer to load the game to the same position in memory as it was saved on. About the “P” letter, replace with:
A=Adventureland
P=Pirate Cove
V=Voodoo Castle
M=Mission Impossible
T=The Count

4. To run game, you have to know the secret start address:

SYS 32592