Future Tense - Solution
2004 Wilko Schröter
COMMON RULES
On the MSPV stations: if you don't see the message "You also observe an
MSPV.", type several times I until „An MSPV arrives."
SOLUTION, PART 1
1: SEARCH UNDER BED (=> carrot costume), SEARCH BED (=> discplayer), X
TABLE (Engraved into the varnished wood is the message: "M.S. 1987"),
SEARCH TABLE (=> phospholamp), TAKE ALL, D
2: X DISPENSER (A very old machine, long since outdated by the
"etcetera" (energy transference capsule). It is operated by a button.),
PUSH BUTTON (=> nutripill), X PILL (The small, rectangular nutripill is
marked "BOEUF BOURGUIGNON"), X SOFA (For "antique", read "old". It is
that annoying kind of sofa which is inexplicably attractive to anything
the unfortunate sitter happens to possess.), SEARCH SOFA (=> pass), TAKE
ALL, EAT PILL (Gulp! You've never tasted boeuf bourguignon before, and
if this is anything to go by, you don't want to.), X PASS (It is an MSPV
pass, marked with a complex and unique pattern of interwoven lines
printed in magnetic ink.), X ENVELOPE (A plain brown envelope, stamped,
and addressed to Zedaron 729.), REMOVE STAMP, X ENVELOPE (Where the
stamp was, are the enigmatic words "CUCUMBER SANDWICH".), X STAMP (It
bears the portrait of a ZX81 and is marked "1mM".), OPEN ENVELOPE (=>
mycrodisc), X DISC (About the size of a 1 millimunit token, it is
designed to fit neatly into a discplayer.), TAKE DISC, INSERT DISC
As you insert the disc, a holographic image of the Chief of the SHP is
projected from the discplayer. He begins to speak: Greetings, fellow
agent! As you know, humankind's meddling with the balance of nature has
resulted in the creation of a race of humanoid fruit and vegetables.
They have multiplied at an alarming rate and now occupy a whole
continent across Westsea. At the moment, our main cause for concern is
Quentin Kumber, a long, green megalomaniac. He has already tried to take
over the world several times (as megalomaniacs will), but has always
been thwarted by the keen vigilance and swift action of our agents. But
now he has come up with his most frightening plan yet... ...namely, to
destroy the Earth completely and colonise the moon with an elite group
of fruit and vegetables, he, of course, being their absolute ruler.
Moonbase Kumber is nearing completion and nuclear warheads are already
directed from there towards the Earth. Your mission, if you choose to
accept it (and even if you don't), is to travel to the Vegetable Nation
(which is, by the way, illegal), penetrate Kumber's defences, travel to
the Moonbase, divert the nukes, and destroy the Moonbase. First,
however, contact our computer expert in Arbora. This disc will self
destruct...
DROP DISCPLAYER, DROP ENVELOPE, DROP STAMP, X COAT (The standard "rugged
look" trench coat for spies, private eyes and other off-beat types.),
SEARCH COAT (=> magnoscope), TAKE MAGNOSCOPE, X MAGNOSCOPE (A simple
arrangement of a convex lens in a polydamine case, used for
magnification.), W
3: X CHUTE (A square-shaped opening in the wall leads to one of the 23rd
century's most advanced pieces of technology: the Refuse Incinerator.
Here, piles of rubbish are carbonized at regular intervals and the
energy produced is used to power the Chief Computer's electric
toothbrush.), SEARCH CHUTE (=> sheet of newspaper), X SHEET
X BIN (How quaint.), ENTER BIN
6: X LEVER (It was once part of a joystick.), PULL LEVER, UP
7: X SKELETON (Aaggghh! It's a human skeleton!), SEARCH SKELETON (=>
cloak), X CLOAK (It is extremely long and made of coarse cloth.), X
DEBRIS (The splintered wood of the roof and walls and the shattered
stone of what seems to have been an open fireplace.), SEARCH DEBRIS (=>
wooden beam, sword), X BEAM (It once formed part of the roof of the
farmhouse and is splintered at one end.), X SWORD (The blade is covered
in dried mud.), TAKE ALL, RUB SWORD WITH CLOAK, X SWORD (The broad blade
bears an intricate pattern of carved grooves.), S
8: X TROUGH (It is a long, open vessel from which farm animals once
fed.), SEARCH TROUGH (=> straw), X STRAW (The light straw has been dried
by long days in the hot sun.), X PAVE (It is cracked and uneven.),
SEARCH PAVE (=> nail), X NAIL (It is a crooked, iron horse-shoe nail.),
TAKE ALL, W, S
10: X SHELF (It seems to be made of wood.), SEARCH SHELF (=> pair of
stilts), X STILTS (Made of wood, they should add considerably to your
height.), DROP COAT, TAKE STILTS, N
9: X BRICK (A block of roughly-hewn stone.), DROP ALL, TAKE BRICK, E
8: DROP BRICK, W
9: TAKE ALL, E
8: RUB NAIL AGAINST BRICK (=> fire), BURN BEAM, X BEAM (It gives off
powerful heat.), S
11: WEAR CLOAK, WEAR STILTS (The ogre, seeing how tall you are, runs off
in terror.), E
12: X DOOR (The stone door is tall and broad and there is a narrow slot
in the rock beside it.), INSERT SWORD, S
13: X DIAMOND (It is as big as your fist and obviously very valuable.),
TAKE DIAMOND, N, W, N, N
7: REMOVE CLOAK, REMOVE STILTS, DROP CLOAK, DROP STILTS, DROP NAIL,
DROP BEAM, ENTER BIN
6: PULL LEVER
3: W, N
5: GIVE DIAMOND (=> 100 munits), X 100 (It bears a flattering portrait
of a ZX81 and is marked "100M".), S
4: If you don't see the message "You also observe an MSPV." => type
several times I until "An MSPV arrives." X MSPV (An old model, it
rattles and creaks under the strain of constant use. Beside the sliding
door is a narrow slot.), X SLOT (Designed to allow the insertion of an
MSPV pass.), INSERT PASS
14: SAY "ARBORA"
15: E
16: X INTERCOM (Beside a receiver is a button.), PUSH BUTTON (A voice
says, "Yes?"), SAY "CUCUMBER SANDWICH" (=> cartridge), X CARTRIDGE (It
is basically a small black plastic box with twiddly bits at one
end...something to do with computers...I think.), TAKE CARTRIDGE, W
15: If you don't see the message "You also observe an MSPV." => type
several times I until „An MSPV arrives." INSERT PASS
14: SAY "HABER"
17: E, D
19: X WHEEL (It is a wooden wheel with "spokes" radiating from the
centre.), TURN WHEEL, W
20: X PLANT (Don't worry - it's plastic.), SEARCH PLANT (=> bug), X BUG
(Though cleverly disguised as a Colorado beetle, a tiny receiver on its
underside betrays its guilty secret - it's a LISTENING DEVICE!), TAKE
BUG, E
19: DROP BUG, W
20: GIVE 100 (=> note), X NOTE, E, UP, W
17: If you don't see the message "You also observe an MSPV." => type
several times I until „An MSPV arrives." . INSERT PASS
14: SAY "SEAPOINT"
21: S, D, W
24: X POOL (David Bellamy leaps out from behind a rock, enthusing about
the assorted wildlife of the rockpool. Then he disappears.), SEARCH POOL
(=> knife), X KNIFE (Sharpness Factor: 2.1), TAKE KNIFE, E
23: DIG (=> stone), X STONE (It is large and heavy, and has a rough
surface.), RUB KNIFE AGAINST STONE, X KNIFE (Sharpness Factor: 39.7),
GIVE NOTE
26: N
25: Type several times I until "A tentacle appears on the railing." X
TENTACLE (It is long and purple, and glows with radiation.), CUT
TENTACLE, S
26: Type several times I until "Ahar! We've arrived!" shouts the Pilot,
cheerfully kicking you from the hovercraft. "Have a nice day!" he roars,
hovering off into the sunrise."
Save the game.
SOLUTION, PART 2
1: X COSTUME (Left over from last week's party, it would be quite
convincing if it wasn't for a conspicuous "100% Polyester" label.), CUT
LABEL, DROP LABEL, WEAR COSTUME, S
2: X POTATO (The potato stands on the street corner, attempting to earn
a living by asking passers-by for money.), X LAMP (It is a thinnly-
disguised version of the traditional hand-held "ADVENTURE LAMP" complete
with an ON/OFF switch.), BURN LAMP, SHINE LAMP AT POTATO (=> pair of
dark glasses), X GLASSES (The potato spoke the truth: they are indeed
very trendy.), S, E
4: HELP (Make like a detective!), X KEYBOARD WITH MAGNOSCOPE (You notice
that, while the other keys remain almost untouched, keys 3, 7 and 9 are
covered in leafy markings.), TYPE 739, S, E
6: X TAP (It's old and rusty.), TURN TAP (OK. You hear a loud whooshing
noise.), W, W, W
9: X DESK (It is made of a sturdy, durable plastic.), SEARCH DESK (=>
photograph, boarding permit), X PHOTOGRAPH (It is a photograph of
Quentin Kumber signed:- To all my millions of adoring fans (i.e. my
slaves). Quentin.), X PERMIT, TAKE ALL, E, S
8: SAY TO KUMBER "AUTOGRAPH" (With a flourish, Kumber signs his
favourite name on your boarding permit.)
7: X PERMIT, E, ENTER POOL
10: X PLATFORM (It is made of a shiny black metal.), STEP PLATFORM
11: W
12: X DETONATOR (The ACME THOUGHT-ACTIVATED DETONATOR.), X TANK (It is
marked "O2".), TAKE ALL, E, S
13: WEAR GLASSES, W
14: ("Hurry up. You've almost missed the rocket." You pass through a
long walkway to a rocket where you are shown to your seat by an
attractive rubber plant in a tartan skirt.)
15: S
16: X LUMP (It is a heavy, jagged piece of volcanic rock.), X RUBBLE
(The rubble consists of huge, jagged boulders which seem to have been
smashed out of the surface of the satellite.), SEARCH RUBBLE (=> stick
of plastic explosive), X STICK (Connected to a detonator, this could be
dangerous.), DROP LAMP, DROP PASS, DROP PHOTOGRAPH, DROP PERMIT, REMOVE
GLASSES, DROP GLASSES, TAKE LUMP, TAKE STICK, CONNECT DETONATOR TO STICK
(OK. You've made a Bio-Organic Matter Blaster.), N, E
17: X SCREEN (It is showing Quentin Kumber's holiday slides. How
interesting.), PUT LUMP AT SCREEN (=> securitron), E, S, E
20: X GUARD (It is a leafy plant which you do not recognise.), CUT LEAF
OUT GUARD (=> leaf), X LEAF (You notice that's its size, its shape and
the arrangement of its veins are distinctive.), W
19: X TILE (It glows with strange, fluctuating colours.), STEP TILE
21: E
22: X BED (A simple layer of loose earth.), SEARCH BED (=> ID papers), X
PAPERS TAKE PAPERS, W, W
26: X BOX (It is marked: ACME SMOKE ALARM.), BURN PAPERS USING
MAGNOSCOPE (The lens directs the light towards one point on the ID
papers. A thin column of smoke appears, then the papers burst into
flame.), X MACHINE (The machine is a foliage identifier console. It is
fitted with a touch sensitive pad beside which is the instruction,
"PRESS LEAF AGAINST PAD".), PRESS LEAF AGAINST PAD
27: X KEYCARD (On one end is a pattern of raised bumps.), TAKE KEYCARD,
N, W
28: X SUIT (The spacesuit is connected so that its wearer can breathe
carbon dioxide.), TAKE SUIT, DISCONNECT CARBON FROM SUIT, CONNECT OXYGEN
TO SUIT, X SUIT (The spacesuit is connected so that its wearer can
breathe oxygen.), N
29: REMOVE COSTUME, WEAR SUIT, N
30: X GROUND (Scrawled on the floor is an apparently meaningless
message: "72KB4".), S, S, E, E
21: REMOVE SUIT, WEAR COSTUME, X DOOR (Their is a narrow slot beside the
perfectly smooth door.), INSERT KEYCARD
23: X LAVATORY (It is of the chain-pull variety.), PULL CHAIN, N, W
25: DROP BOMB, X COMPUTER (It is an 8000000K ZX Spectrum.), X VDU (TYPE
CODE), TYPE 72KB4. TYPE 2 (The cartridge slot is open.), INSERT
CARTRIDGE (MISSILES DIVERTED), E, S, S
21: STEP TILE
19: N, W, W, S
16: THINK STICK
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