Return to Pirate's Isle

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Return to Pirate's Isle is an Adventure video game created by Scott Adams exclusively for the TI-99/4A home computer system. Return to Pirate's Isle is considered adventure #14 in the Scott Adams adventure series. Unlike other adventure games that Scott Adams created, Return to Pirate's Isle was created only for the TI-99/4A and had graphical elements in the game as well. It was released on Solid State SoftwareTM Command Module cartridge during the first quarter of 1984 as part #: PHM 3189. It originally retailed for $39.95 (USD).

Return to Pirate's Isle
Return to Pirate's Isle
Return to Pirate's Isle (Front Cover) [1] [2]
Publisher(s) Adventure International
Original Retail Price $39.95 (USD)
Programmer(s) Scott Adams
Part# PHM 3189
Format(s) Solid State SoftwareTM Command Module
Release 1984 (1st Quarter)
Genre(s) Adventure

Gameplay

Like all other text-based adventure games, Return to Pirate's describes a series of scenes that the player finds himself/herself facing, and the player enters a series of terms specifying his/her desired response to the circumstance. The game then responds to the player's choice presenting additional information. The player continues with these text-based decisions until the game ends. Unlike earlier adventure games, however, Return to Pirate's Isle presents visual elements of the story which may help the player decide what to choose.

Advertising Blurbs

Front Cover of Manual

Step into a fantasy world where logic and ingenuity are your keys to success. Return to Pirate's Isle, another in the popular Adventure series, challenges you to find hidden treasure in a treacherous environment.

Triton Catalog - Spring 1984

You're on a fantasy island - a world teeming with monstrous evils. But you've got to stay, because 13 treasures are hidden here and you must unearth them and escape! Only logic and ingenuity can help you defend yourself. (Disk or Cassette System recommended.)

Manual

The World of Adventure

The world of Adventure takes you to many exotic locations. In each Adventure you face unexpected danger as you carry out your mission. Whether your goal is to explore a mysterious pyramid or escape from a savage jungle, your reasoning power is challenged at every turn.

To help you select your next Adventure, here is a brief summary of the Adventures currently available.


Pirate's Adventure

Your adventure begins in a flat in London, but you soon find yourself on a strange island filled with treasure. Explore it thoroughly and make friends with its inhabitants, whose help you need for success.

Adventureland

The Adventureland game begins in the forest of an enchanted world. By exploring this world, you can locate 13 treasures, as well as the special place for storing them to score points. However, be careful not to wake the sleeping dragon!

Secret Mission

Your impossible mission starts with a tape recorder in a briefing room. Can you find the mysterious person who just ran out of the room as you try to save the world's first nuclear reactor from destruction?

Voodoo Castle

When the Voodoo Castle adventure begins, you are in a chapel looking at a closed coffin. By exploring the castle, you try to find the information necessary to free Count Cristo from the fiendish curse placed on him by his enemies.

The Count

In The Count, you wake from a nap to find yourself in a strange bed holding a tent stake. Now it's up to you to discover who you are, what you are doing in Transylvania, and why the postman delivered a bottle of blood.

Strange Odyssey

Your Strange Odyssey begins as you realize that you are stranded on a small planetoid and must repair your ship before you can go home. As you search the planet for the necessary parts, you find the ruins of an ancient civilization. Try to discover the civilization's secrets, collecting treasures as you go.

Mystery Fun House

Before exploring the Mystery Fun House, you must figure out how to get inside. Once inside, you'll see all the typical Fun House sights, concealing a valuable prize.

Pyramid of Doom

The Pyramid of Doom adventure starts in a desert near a pool of liquid, with a pole sticking out of the sand. As you investigate further, you find a pyramid only recently uncovered by the shifting sands. Find its entrance, collect the treasures, and then try to escape from the pyramid.

Ghost Town

All ghost towns are mysterious, but this one holds a particular fascination-it contains both treasures and real ghosts. Explore all of the old buildings and the entire area thoroughly to see how many treasures you can locate.

Savage Island I & II

You begin the two-part Savage Island Series on the edge of an impenetrable jungle. As you explore the island, you may meet some very unusual creatures. Upon the successful completion of Part 1, you receive the password that enables you to begin Part 2. If you complete the second part of the series, you become the world's greatest hero. However, if you fail, you suffer a quick, horrible death.

The Golden Voyage

Before embarking on your Golden Voyage, you must locate the royal palace in the Persian city. In the palace, you meet an aging king who only has three days to live, unless you can restore his youth. Starting with only a bag of gold, you eventually set sail for the four corners of the globe on a quest for the mythical fountain of youth.

More to Come

Check with your local dealer or Adventure International for a list of other available Adventure games.

To order an Adventure game, write to:

Adventure International, Incorporated P.O. Box3435 Longwood, Florida 32750 or call, toll free, 1 (800) 327-7172

Introducing Return to Pirate's Isle

In Return to Pirate's Isle, you use logic and cunning to find 13 hidden treasures. Examine your surroundings carefully. Every move you make could lead to a treasure or an object you may need to discover a treasure. Take your time and be persistent to be successful.


With Return To Pirate's Isle, you can:

  • Enjoy graphics that create a 3-D effect
  • Use a printer to plot your commands and the responses of the program
  • Play at your own pace by saving the game on a storage device
  • Play with a friend and see who can solve the Adventure first

• Become part of a growing number of avid Adventure players world-wide

Note: Return to Pirate's Isle is an advanced Adventure game and is not recommended for the beginning player.

Before You Begin

Before you start your Adventure, you can choose several options that make the game more enjoyable. You can use a printer to plot moves, plan strategy, and provide a record of game action. Because an Adventure can take days or weeks to complete, you may choose to stop and save the game and resume play at that stopping point. Clues are important in playing Adventure. Consider each clue carefully to plan your strategy.


Using the Printer Option

The first item that appears on the screen is the message PRINTER?.

If you want a printout of all text appearing as you play, type Y.

If you type Y, the program message DEVICE? appears. Type the specifications of your printer and press ENTER. (See your RS232 and printer manuals for further information.)

If you do not wish to use a printer, press ENTER or any key, except Y.

Note: Your printer must have the Word Length set to 7-bit and the Auto Feed set to ON. For the TI printer, insure that Dip Switches SW 2-1 and SW 4-3 are ON. For other printers, refer to your owner's manual for the correct settings.

Make sure that your Device name is no longer than 13 characters. An example of a Device name is: RS232.BA=1200.

Saving a Game

As you play an Adventure game, you may decide to stop and continue it at another time.

To save an Adventure in progress, type the command SAVE GAME in response to the COMMAND ME: screen message.

Next, the program asks you DEVICE?. Save the game on either a diskette or cassette. If you are saving the game on cassette, type CS1. If you are saving the game on diskette, type DSKl.filename. Press ENTER. (See yourTI-99/4A User's Reference Guide for additional information.)

After completing the Save procedure, the message COMMAND ME: appears. To continue the game, enter the command for your next move. To stop the game, type QUIT and press ENTER.

Reloading a Game

When you choose to continue your Adventure, respond to the message RELOAD OLD GAME? that follows the PRINTER? message and type Y.

The program responds with the message DEVICE?. Type the Device name you used when saving the game (CSl for cassette or DSK1.filename for diskette) and press ENTER. (See your TI-99/4A User's Reference Guide or RS232 Manual for additional information.)

Note: You are limited to 12 characters when defining Device.

If you do not wish to reload an old game, press any key (except Y) to proceed.

Playing Tips

Most of the items listed under VISIBLE ITEMS do not appear within the picture.

The computer reads the first 4 letters of each word. For example, the command START ENGINE can be entered as STAR ENGI to save time.

Chart your travels by drawing a map.

Be sure to carefully examine the items you find during your Adventure.

Keep in mind that most problems only require common sense to solve.

If you are faced with the possibility of losing the game on your next move, save the game before entering your next command. Then, if you lose, you can reload the game and try a different move.

Your Adventure Begins

It is now time to step into the unknown. Your mission is to locate thirteen hidden treasures. You must find and deposit the treasures in a secret place to score points. Carefully plan your moves to avoid unexpected dangers as you search for the treasures. Does wealth or death await you? Good luck and good hunting!


Playing Screen

The top of the screen shows a picture of the current surroundings.

The bottom half of the screen gives you a brief description of your surroundings. A treasure is designated by an asterisk (*)next to it on the VISIBLE ITEMS list.

The message COMMAND ME: appears at the bottom of the screen.

Return to Pirate's Isle: On the Deck

If you do not wish to use the screen graphics, press Z. This eliminates the pictures. Press Z again to restore the pictures.

The following illustrations show examples of two screens from this Adventure and the command used to proceed from the first screen to the second.

Return to Pirate's Isle: On the Dock

Commands

In response to the message COMMAND ME: type a command ( usually two words consisting of an action verb, followed by a noun or direction) and press ENTER.

The nouns or directions that you enter to complete your commands are taken from the list of visible items, directions shown in the description of the screen, or from clues in the graphic.

As you play Adventure, you discover new commands. Some examples of commands you might use are listed below.

CLIMB ROCK
ENTER CAVE
FEEL AROUND
LOOK DOWN
DROP HAMMER
LOOK UP
GO WEST
MOVE DESK

There are some one-word commands, such as INVENTORY (tells you what items you currently have in your possession) and SCORE (tells you your present score).

Note: When you type a command to TAKE an item, the screen may tell you that you are wearing it. At other times you must type WEAR item if you want to put the item on. There are also subtle differences in similar commands. For instance, READ item could result in something entirely different from EXAMINE item.

Clues for Playing Adventure #14

For those of you familiar with the Adventure series, Adventure #14, Return To Pirate's Isle, is a sequel to Adventure #2, Pirate's Adventure.

You use information gained in Adventure #2 to find an object you need to discover one treasure in Adventure #14.

If you have yet to play Adventure #2, decode the following clue. DO NOT USE THIS CLUE UNTIL YOU ARE BY THE CRACK IN THE ROCK!

ECNO OUY ERA EDISNI EHT KCARC NI EHT KCOR, UOY LLIW EB NI A EGRAL NREVAC. NI EHT NREVAC SI A DEHSLOOT. A REMMAH SI NI EHT DEHSLOOT. OT TIXE EHT DEHS, OG HTRON.

If, at the beginning of the game, you have difficulty getting started, decode the following commands.

  1. TEG PU
  2. LEEF DNUORA
  3. EBIRCSED TI

The End of Your Adventure

To successfully complete the game, you must find and store all the treasures. But be careful, if you make a wrong move, you may end up in "Never Never Land" and the game ends.

Scoring

To accumulate points, find the treasures and locate the secret place where they must be deposited.

Your score is calculated on a scale of 0 (for no treasures deposited in the secret place) to 100 (for all treasures deposited). To see your score during the game, type SCORE when COMMAND ME: appears on the screen.

One of the treasures counts your moves. Once you have found this treasure, you can keep track of the number of moves you have taken.

Ending the Game

There are two ways of ending a game. When you wish to stop a game, type QUIT and press ENTER.

Note: If you wish to continue the game at another time, be sure to save the game on diskette or cassette before you type the QUIT command.

If you lose the game as a result of a wrong move, the program responds, I'M IN NEVER NEVER LAND. GAME OVER. HIT Y TO REPLAY.

To replay, press Y. To stop the program, press QUIT.

Downloads

References

External Links