Balances

Adventure

Fantasy

Wilderness

Balances

Author(s)	Graham Nelson
Publisher(s)	n/a
Release date(s)	1994
Authoring system	Inform 5 and Inform 6
Platform(s)	Z-code 5 and Glulx
Language(s)	English and Spanish
License(s)	Freeware
Multimedia
Color effects	none
Graphics	only in Glulx version
Sound/Music	none
Ratings
Cruelty scale	Cruelty to be determined

How It Begins

You are an Enchanter, that is, a magic user, carrying your spell book, a silver coin, and a magic burin. You don't quite remember how you arrived outside this ramshackle hut, but you think it has something to do with your colleague Helistar, another Enchanter who was investigating some dark magic and hasn't been seen lately. You're rather vague on the details. Perhaps you should explore and see what you can discover.

Notable Features

Set in Zork, this game reincorporates the basic magic system from Infocom's Enchanter trilogy including some of the more common spells and the featureless white cubes first seen in Spellbreaker.
This game works as a small practical example of the Inform language's versatility. For example:
- Similar sets of items, such as the coins, scrolls, spells, and cubes are implemented using classes. Similar items are also reported together in a group when part of the PC's inventory or located in the same location.
- Identical objects are possible and can be refered to with numeric qualifiers, such as "three gold coins".
- It is possible for the PC to write a small arbitrary word on a cube, making it distinctive. The player can then refer to that cube by the word written on that cube.
- The lottery tickets are an example of how to create a large number of nearly-identical objects without actually coding each one separately.
- The barker provides a simple example of ask-tell conversation.
- The cave provides an example of a darkness puzzle.
The game understands commands of the form WHO IS topic or WHAT IS topic for a handful of possible topics.

Versions

Note: Releases 1 to 3 were written in Inform 5. Release 4 was the first version in Inform 6.

Release 1 (Original release)

Balances (Graham Nelson; 25-Sep-1994; Z-code 5).

Release 2 (Updated release)

Balances (Graham Nelson; 06-Oct-1994; Z-code 5).

Release 3 (Modernised release)

Balances (Graham Nelson; 11-Dec-1995; Z-code 5).

Release 3 with Adaptive Hints

Balances (author: Graham Nelson, hints by: Mike Phillips; 17-Apr-1996; Z-code 5).
- Release 3 / Serial number 951220 / Inform v1502 Library 5/12
- IFID: ZCODE-3-951220-C702
  IFID links: IFDB
- Download ah_balances.z5 from the IF Archive. The story file.

This version uses the Adaptive Hints library by Mike Phillips as an example of its use. It requires Inform 5.5, library 5/12 or later to compile.

Additional files specific to this version:

Download ah_bal.h from the IF Archive - The actual hints.
Download ah_balances.dif from the IF Archive - A difference file showing the changes made to Balances.inf
Download ah_balances.inf from the IF Archive - The source code for this version (not counting the actual hints).
Download bal_parser_fix.pat from the IF Archive - "a fix for the parser in Balances, applied to both ah_balances.inf and ah_balances.z5"

Release 4 (Inform 6 port)

Balances (Graham Nelson; 08-May-1996; Z-code 5).
- (These details pertain to the version supplied on the cover CD of Acorn User issue 170, July 1996.)
- Release 4 / Serial number 960508 / Inform v6.03 Library 6/1
- IFID: ZCODE-4-960508-14D4
  IFID links: IFDB.
- Download Balances-r4.z5 from the IF Archive.

Release 5 (Minor bug fixes version)

Balances (Graham Nelson; 16-Dec-1996; Z-code 5).
- IFID: ZCODE-5-961216-A7BC
  IFID links: IFDB, IFDB cover
- Download Balances.z5 from the IF Archive. The story file.

Spanish translation

(game title to be determined) (translators: Sirrus and Zak; c. 2000; Spanish).
- Premios Hispanos 2000: Zak and Sirrus were awarded a Premio especial (Special prize) for their collaboration in the translation of Balances by Graham Nelson.

More info about this version is wanted, particularly a download link.

This section is a stub. You can help by adding to it.

Release 5 (Glulx port)

Screenshot of the beginning of the game using Windows Glulxe.

Balances (author: Graham Nelson, Glulx additions: L. Ross Raszewski; 2001; Glulx).
- IFID: GLULX-5-961216-D9CE7EE9
  IFID links: IFDB, IFDB cover
- Download balances.blb from the IF Archive. The story file.

This version has "GUI enhancements". Inventory items are displayed on the left (initially, these are the spell book, silver coin, and magic burin). Along the bottom are the spells that you currently have memorised (the writing hand icon is the GNUSTO spell). Clicking any of these icons will insert the name of that item into the current command.

Links

General info

Balances (archived) - at Baf's Guide.
Balances - at IFDB.

Reviews

Balances - at SPAG.
Balances - at IF Ratings.

Spoilers

Download Balances.inf from the IF Archive. Source code for Release 5.
Download Balances.solve from the IF Archive. Solution.
Walkthrough and map by David Welbourn.