Continuing the theme that is “Games that were on a dodgy C60 cassette I had for my Spectrum” is this game: Alchemist.
Like most of the games on that tape, I’d never heard of them before, didn’t know what I was supposed to do, and unless it used a standard key layout like QAOP or something I was going to be totally lost. So it wasn’t surprising that Alchemist, with its unusual keyboard controls, was going to cause me problems.
I still don’t understand what you’re supposed to do. You’re a wizard (not an Alchemist) who can turn into a bird. The wizard can shoot bolts of lightning that appear to do nothing but drain your magic power, and the bird can fly. The wizard can pick things up. That’s everything I know. Can you do any better?
[includeme src=”http://torinak.com/qaop#l=https://lofi-gaming.org.uk/tools/speccygames/ALCHEMIS.TAP” frameborder=”0″ width=”440″ height=”330″]
The controls are, according to a file on World of Spectrum (but they seem to be partly incorrect):
Walk/Fly Left – CAPS SHIFT, X, V, N, SYMBOL SHIFT
Walk/Fly Right – Z, C, B, M, SPACE
Cast Spell – A, D, G, J, L may be used to cast either the lesser
spell you are carring or the “Spell of Destruction” if you have
all four sections of the Mystic Scroll in your possesion. If you
are not carrying a lesser spell or the “Spell of Destruction”
you may use these keys to hurl lightning bolts at your attackers.
Transform – S, F, H, K, ENTER may be used to transform from the
Alchemist to the EAGLE, and back.
Flap – Q, E, T, U, O may be used to flap the Eagles wings.
Pick Up/Drop Object – The Alchemist may only carry one object at a
time. If he is standing next to an object he can pick it up or
put it down by using one of the following keys: W, R, Y, I, P.
Pick Up/Drop Spell – Any key on the top row may be used to pick
up/drop lesser spell and/or a piece of the “Spell of Destruction”.
Quit Button – If you get stuck you may abandon current game by
pressing Key ‘1’
The emulator used is Qaop/JS – a rather spiffy HTML5 Spectrum emulator.
