A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives
1984 Triffid Software Research
For a more detailed analysis of Triffid Software Research and the Runemagic Adventure Series, read the entry for The Secret River. A quick summary is that a series of eight adventures were planned, the first two of which, The Secret River and The Wizards Citadel, were released on the BBC Micro and had planned releases for the Spectrum 48k, the Commodore 64 and the BBC Electron. However, none seem to have been released for unknown reasons.
The games were text adventures loosely based on the Dungeons and Dragons RPG system. In The Wizards Citadel your character sneaks into a wizards citadel (as you do) to steal treasure and the like. You are captured by the Wizard who sends you into the dungeons beneath his citadel to collect some ingredients for him, including the eye of a Cyclops and four other unsavoury (and presumably hard to get) things. If you retrieve these objects for him, he will spare you your life, which is only fair considering you broke into his home and tried to rob him blind.
Why the C64 version never came onto the market is unknown. Presumably it would be a very straightforward port, though youd hope theyd add a few graphics here and there to soup it up a little.
Its unlikely well find out more about these two games, or the planned games that also never saw the light of day. Its a shame as the concept of eight adventures you could play through with the same character is a true role-playing concept and perfect for frustrated gamers who didnt have people to play with in their own neighbourhoods. Sadly, despite advertising directly at the target audience (via Games Workshops magazine White Dwarf) the games presumably never sold in large enough numbers to fund further releases.
Finding these games would be a real boon to C64 RPG fans, but will they be harder to find than the eye of a Cyclops?
- ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/company-pics/TriffidSoftwareResearch/
- http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekpub.cgi?regexp=^Triffid+Software+Research$
Graphics – Duncan Rigden
Sound – Unknown
