Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
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From: tke@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (thomas.j.epstein)
Subject: Re: And now for something completely different
Message-ID: <CL4MHu.50K@cbfsb.cb.att.com>
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Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 19:37:06 GMT
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Part of K.C's sig struck a chord that I just can't ignore. 
To wit:
> "Look, you stupid bastard, you've got no arms left.." -King Arthur

Now *there* is a potential rival to The Hitchiker's Guide 
to the Galixy:  An IF version of The quest for the Holy Grail
based on Monty Python's brain-bending spoof.
(I'll never write the game either though.  Maybe if whizzard is
looking for another project.)
 
Now, let's see... The player is King Arthur, commissioned by a
rather petulant Diety to recover the Holy Grail.  The adventure
can be broken into two main parts: 
        1) Recruit Knights of the Round Table.  Arthur must 
           find willing (or sufficiently drunken) knights errant
           while also solving some of life's great mysteries --
           Why does a witch weigh the same as a duck? What is
           the air-speed velocity of a coconut-laden African 
           Swallow? How does a sovereign monarch talk sense to
           a 10th-century would-be Marxist peasant *without* 
           demonstrating the "violence inherent in the System."
           A King has to know these things, you know.
 
        2) Find the Grail.  Here some of the third-person/
           view shifting stuff could come into play.  Arthur's
           knights are his to command (As for his nights, those
           are for Gwenevere to command, but that's another 
           story.).  Let's say that Arthur et al are unable to
           enter the Cave of Wondrous Twitt Droppings because
           it is guarded by the Unbeatable Knight of the Very
           Clean Handkerchief. Personalities can come into play
           > Attack
                You draw Excalibur and advance.  The Knight of the
                Very Clean Handkerchief parries your attack with 
                inhuman skill.  He delivers a blow to your noggin
                which makes your ears ring like the bells of St.
                Mary's (This is curious because St. Mary's hasn't 
                been built yet.) He helps you to your feet and 
                dusts you off with his very clean handkerchief.
           > Tell Lancelot, attack.
                "Yes Sire!" Shouts valiant Lancelot as he draws his 
                sword and advances.  The Knight of the Very Clean
                Handkerchief literally wipes the floor with 
                Lancelot.
          >  Tell Bedevere, attack.
                "Sire," says Sir Bedevere the Learn-ed.  I regret
                that I cannot attack as I am freshly out of sheep's
                bladders.
          >  Tell Galahad, attack.
                Sir Galahad advances.  The Knight of the Very Clean
                Handkerchief cleans Galahad's clock.
          >  Tell Robin, attack.
                Sir Robin draws his sword. The Knight of the Very 
                Clean Handkerchief regards Robin.  "Boo," says the
                knight to Robin, who bravely soils his armor.  
                "UGH!  Verily that is a deed most foul!" cries
                The Knight of the Very Clean Handkerchief.  "I 
                am bested.  The knight covers his mouth and nose
                with his very clean hankie and flees.  Among the 
		Knights there is much rejoicing.
 
           Perhaps at some locations (Such as the Castle Anthrax)
           Arthur may send nights (er..knights) on little side 
           quests.  This allows the user to play from another 
           character's viewpoint.  I wonder how the story might 
           have changed had it been Lancelot the libidinous
           rather than Galahad the chaste who entered Zoot's
           castle?
 
 
-- Tom Epstein ---------------------------------------------------
 
 Just hanging around on a Saturday.



