Gateway to Apshai

From C64-Wiki

Gateway to Apshai

Game No.	83
Developer	Connelley Group
Company	Epyx
Publisher
Musician
HVSC-File
Release	1983
Platform	C64
Genre	Adventure, Arcade 2D
Gamemode	Single player
Operation
Media
Language
Information

[edit] Voting

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
6.62 points at 13 votes (rank 386). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	7	3rd August 2008 - "very good" - 2740 downs
Lemon64	8,3	3rd August 2008 - 57 votes

[edit] Description

Fights shock the country and the only rescue can be found in the magic of the temple of Apshai. Unfortunately, in the course of time the location of this temple has fallen into oblivion. Many heroes have tried to find it, but all of them were killed. A legend says that only the blood of the greatest hero of Apshai will be able to relocate the lost temple. Stupidly this "greatest hero" has no blood any more as he was killed during the fights. But hope ist not lost yet, as a wise man, Merlis, has found the son of this fighter, who also fulfills the prophecy. And so you are led to the entrance of the dungeons to find a save way to the temple...

[edit] Design

"Gateway to Apshai" is a action adventure (role play) for one player with a view from above and scrolling in four directions. The aim of the game is to reach as many points as possible. You have 6 1/2 minutes to explore as much as possible of a level. After this time you are autoamtically teleported to the start of the next level.

Each of the 8 levels consist of 16 dungeons. Every dungeon has about 60 screens. So this makes altogether 7500 different rooms. Each of the 128 dungeons is built differently.

[edit] Hints

Investigate the dangerous dungeons of Apshai to collect experience points, money and mighty magical items.

By pressing the fire button the game is started. Your character automatically starts with 3 strength, agility and luck points. 9 health points and 5 lives. To choose one of the 15 dungeons press the joystick up or down. By pressing the fire button you enter the dungeon.

[edit] Controls

Move the adventurer with the joystick.

To pick up items, as e.g. weapons or treasure chest, just walk over them.

With the key F3 the collected items can be used

With the key F5 different modes can be called up. These are:

Keys: use the keys to open doors. Closed doors are shown as red squares at the walls. Choose "Keys", stand in front of a door and then press fire to open the door.

Locate Trap: some areas of the floor are traps. Choose "Locate Trap" with key F5 and then press fire to detect the traps.

Search Spell: some areas have hidden secrets. Choose "Search Spell" with key F5 and then press fire to detect the secrets.

Drop Item: If you have picked up too many objects, you need to put down some. Choose "Drop Item" with key F5 and then press the fire button. Now choose the item that you want to put down with the joystick and press the fire button.

Check Supplies: Choose "Check Supplies" with key F5 and then press the fire button. The items that you have collected will be shown.

Check Status: Choose "Check Status" with key F5 and then press the fire button. The state of health and the constitution of your character are shown.

Check Weapons: Choose "Check Weapons" with key F5 and then press the fire button. Your weapons and armour are shown.

Next Level: To get to the next dungeon before the time is over, choose "Next Level" with key F5 and then press the fire button twice.

To fight monsters, you need to be in the fight mode. For this you press the key F7 . "Fight" appears in the upper screen area. Keep wepaon ready or fire your weapon by aiming towards your enemy with the joystick and pressing fire.

- The screen flashes red when you are hit by a monster, and green when you hit a monster.

- With F7 you can change the weapon.

[edit] Points

You get points by collection treasures. The type of treasures are: necklaces, chests, coffers, chalices, sceptres, crowns, and plaques. The number of points result from the type of material of the treasure and the level number, where it is found. Exampled: if you find a crown of gold in level 6 and gold has a basic value of 100, you will receive 600 points.

Lead = 0 points

Iron = 10 points

Bronze = 25 points

Silver = 50 points

Gold = 100 points

Jeweled = 1000 points

[edit] Solution

Tips

Monsters and traps: If you encounter a monster you can run away or fight. After a fight you should check your health. If you have been wounded you will have lost some health ponts. If these fall to zero you will die. Health points are also reduced when you have run into a trap. Only "Freeze" and "Teleport" traps have a different effect.

Weapons, magic and elixirs: The strength of a weapon or a spell is shown through the name. Other magic as "Luck Charm" and "Agility Amulet" each raise your points. If your health points fall to a low number, use a "Health Potion" to rehabilitate your health.

Treasures: The higher the level in which the treasure is foznd, the more points it will be worth. But the more points it is worth the more dangerouse it will be to collect it.

[edit] Cheats

unlimited lives (not tested): POKE 2264,99

[edit] Critics

Robotron2084: "I have digged up Epyx's commendable attempt to deliver an action role play with joystick operation some days ago after a 20-year long pause, played it intensely and would more or less describe it as monotonous monster bashing with marginal graphics.
Compared to other games of this genre at this time as Sword of Fargoal or Telengard GTA drops off, instead there are too many defects in the game design. So essential data as characteristics and life points e.g. constantly need to be called up laboriously over the keyboards and constantly needed actions as fighting and opening of doors/locating of traps need repeated pressing of the corresponding buttons. This just sucks!
In addition there is the excessively represented idling, that you have literally, as the once occupied parts of a dungeon will not be refilled with monsters. This might be "realistic" - as far as this term is appropriate in a fantasy role play - but it also takes the excitement away. It is also irritating NOT to give points for killing the monster, it is very unusual. So you walk mediumly bored through the eventless dungeons until you at best reach the eighth level, whereupon the games will not progress any more but just loop. Unless you will get the victim of one of the in 95% of all games appearing programming mistakes with teleport traps, which beams you out of the game area and at worst at the same time switches the keyboard off so you cannot go on. The game can also do spontaneous crashes, but this happens much less frequently.
GTA is classical case of a game, that I had better in mind, but which I today can only give gnashingly 5 out of 10 points due to its many weaknesses".