CHATEAU GAILLARD Ballantine Books (by Tim Hartnell), 1983 ======================================== Solution by Exemptus - September 2022 Overview and general hints: --------------------------- A BASIC type-in game, mix of RPG and classic text adventure. It has a few puzzles of sorts, but the main mechanic is random combats. The scenario is that the player accidentally stumbles upon the entrance of Castle Gaillard, which is haunted by lots of evil ccreatures, and must survive and find the exit while getting as much treasure as possible. The location of monsters is random, as well as their attributes. The Player's arttributes (the classic STR, DEX, CON, INT, CHA and WIS) are also random, but they do not serve specific purposes: they are all equivalent and the player must always choose two in combat. We are told the stats of any monster we come across, so the idea is just to choose the two attributes which have the highest combined difference with the monster's in order to have the best chance to defeat it. We have no control over the fight themselves. There are several weapons scattered around as well in random places, but all of them seem to be exactly the same and make no difference in fights. Treasure is randomly placed, but there are objects that are not treasure and are in fixed places: two keys and two chests. The chests can be ignored, as one is empty and the other only has a clue, but the keys open respective doors. There is also a healing potion which tops STR up to 20 points, and counts as a treasure if not drunk. The treasures to be found are: Treasure Value -------------------------- Copper pieces $27 Crystal ball $99 Diadem $141 Dilithium crystals $162 Ebony ring $166 Mystic scroll $195 Healing potion $231 Amulet $247 Gems $462 The player can only carry five objects, so the maximum score is obtained by getting to the end with the five most valuable treasures on the list. The game is not well conceived. There are a number of insta-death locations and a room (the Yellow room) that once entered cannot be exited without the amulet, as it contains a dwarf that wants it (BRIBE DWARF allows us to press forward if we have the amulet). As treasures are randomly placed, this may or may not be possible, but it happens that the puzzle can be bypassed entirely, as this location is not even in the way to the exit. To boot, most ready typed copies of the game that can be found are full of game-breaking typos. There are also two rooms that automatically subtract points from CON or CHA, but again, they are not in the right path. So, basically, we can walk right out to the exit and even ignore most fights (some we are forced into). The walkthrough below does just that, ignoring any treasures or fights along the way. Of course, if you come across the healing potion, you may use it. The game is over the moment one of the six attributes reaches zero, but while this does not happen, the game is in principle solvable. Being defeated in a monster fight only affects yout stats, but does not necessarily kill you. Walkthrough: ------------ [The walkthrough just consists of walking to the exit while surviving the random fights on the way. We begin at the shed in the woods.] GO D GO E [Hall of mirrors] [From now on there will be random encounters. Try to just ignore the monster and walk away first. In case you can't, pick up the first weapon you find (any will do).] GO S GO S GO W GO S GO D [Basement level] GO N GO W [Dancing hall] [The N entrance of the dancing hall is locked with the golden key, but the E one isn't. This allows us to have ignored the key and take the shortest path.] GO W GO U GO N GO N GO W [Straw mattress room] [We need the silver key, as a door we'll come across in a bit requires it, so we have to make a brief detour.] GO W GET SILVER GO E GO S [Kitchen] UNLOCK DOOR GO W GO W GO S GO U [End of game.]