In Search of The Most Amazing Thing

In Search of The Most Amazing Thing
Title screen of the game
Game No.	553
Voting	2.00 points, 1 votes
Developer	Tom F. F. Snyder, Omar H. Khudari, Gabrielle M. Savage
Company	Tom Snyder Productions
Publisher	Spinnaker Software
Release	1983
Platform	Apple II, Atari 400/800, C64, IBM-PC
Genre	Lernspiel, Adventure
Gamemode	Single player
Operation
Media
Language

Description

In the game In Search of The Most Amazing Thing, the player, on behalf of their old uncle Smoke Bailey, scours the land of Darksom Mire for am amazing thing that the uncle once brought back from a journey and possessed, but then lost.

An almost 7-minute demo provides an introduction to the game.

The adventure begins with a letter from Uncle Smoke Bailey.

Backstory

The English manual contains a detailed backstory to the game:

As a boy your Uncle Smoke Bailey found The Most Amazing Thing, and then lost it. The Most Amazing Thing holds great powers and may be able to reveal the meaning of life. The Most Amazing Thing is now a golden metallic ball but it changes form throughout the ages. Smoke wants you to continue the search for this object and when you find it, bring it back to Metallica.

Smoke has a B-Liner for you to use on your journey. The B-Liner is a combination of hot air balloon and dune buggy. You will have to learn to fly through storms and fog. The B-Liner has special tires so you can drive on the sticky tar ground of Darksome Mire without sinking in. Also, you will be equipped with a jetpack that will allow you to fly short distances.

When you enter the underground city of Metallica, you should go to Smoke's apartment. Smoke has very interesting things to tell you about the Mire People who live in odd huts and speak with their antennae. He will tell you about trading chips or songs with the Mire People in exchange for clues about The Most Amazing Thing. You will also learn about the feared Mire Crabs that you should avoid, Popberries that you can eat, Night Rocks that give you fuel for the B-Liner, and Bunchmarks [sic!] that you see from time to time.

Smoke will give you things that he collected on his travels. You can trade these things with the robots at the Metallican Auction for chips. These chips will let you buy gizmos at the Galactic Store to outfit the B-Liner. You can get software for the B-Liner computer and meters that will help you on your trip.

So go quickly, because if you are clever, persistent, and lucky you might find The Most Amazing Thing and bring it back. Your Uncle Smoke Bailey is counting on you.

Once The Most Amazing Thing is found, its location will change. This allows a player to search for The Most Amazing Thing again and again, each time looking for new clues that will lead to the new location.

Also included in the manual is a somewhat tattered letter from Uncle Smoke Bailey:

Please, Kiddo. Don't go runnuin' out into the Darksome Mire until you come to me for plenty of advice. Remember, no one has ever flown the B-liner before, so even if you buy every balloon gizmo in the store, flying the B-Liner will be a risky business. It will take a lot of patience and practice to be a good pilot, but don't give up. You'll get the hung of it. And I may just be the only one who can help you find The Most Amazing Thing!

Smoke Bailey

Design

The game's graphics consist, on the one hand, of a few, almost unchanging still images, into which only the communication between the characters is superimposed, and on the other hand, of the journey through the Darksome Mire displayed via flip-screen. The former are nice to look at, but always look almost the same and therefore soon become boring; the latter are a negative example of a particularly simple and — due to the use of BASIC for the program logic — slow and jerky screen display.

Graphics

The graphics are mostly displayed in monochrome bitmap mode (bitmap at address $2000, video RAM at $0400), and simple text output is also in monochrome text mode (video RAM at $0400). In some scenes, monochrome sprites are used (for example, for the flying character, the elevator, or the cursor); all other elements are integrated into the background graphics.

Sound

The gameplay is accompanied by only a few, extremely simple sounds and noises. Even the player's compositions, which they perform for the inhabitants of Darksome Mire in return for their advice, are so primitive and dissonant that they hardly deserve the name "music".

Hints

The goal of the game is to find the most amazing thing in the entire universe, starting with Uncle Smoke Bailey in the underground city of Metallica, and then, in several stages, to return to Smoke.

After starting the program, you must decide whether to watch a demo or play directly: Pressing D  runs the demo, while P  starts the game (left illustration in the gallery below; the demo is the first illustration in the "Description" section).

If you choose to play the game, you will be asked whether you want to be Player 1 or Player 2. This determines the filename under which the game save ("SAVE-1" or "SAVE-2") and a self-composed piece of music ("SONG.1" or "SONG.2") will later be saved. This allows two players to use the storage device independently to search for the most amazing things in the universe step by step (middle illustration).

The current game save can be accessed from the main menu of the B-Liner installed. Save your progress from the B-Computer using the S  key (right illustration). Subsequently, whenever you load the program, you will be asked whether you want to start a new game or restore this save. The first and last animations of Phase 2 in the section "Hints" show the necessary transfer to the B-Liner and logging in to the B-Computer.

Selection between demo and game after starting the program

Setting the player number under which game saves and music tracks will later be stored

The current game save can be saved from the B-Computer

1st Phase: Earn chips and buy equipment in Metallica

For the above-ground search for the most amazing thing, Uncle Smoke will provide a B-Liner, a cross between a hot air balloon and a beach buggy. However, a whole range of additional equipment needs to be purchased for this vehicle, and the player's initial cash balance (5 red, 5 yellow and 30 green chips) is far from sufficient to purchase them. Therefore, by repeatedly visiting Uncle Smoke's underground apartment, the player obtains a travel souvenir from him, which he then sells (left animation in the following gallery). To do this, he first moves the joystick up or down, riding the elevator to the level of Uncle Smoke's apartment. He enters by pressing the fire button and wakes Uncle Smoke by briefly moving the joystick left and right. Smoke then gives him some advice and — possibly only after waking him up again — a souvenir from his travels, which can be auctioned off for a profit. Afterward, the player returns to the elevator by moving the joystick, as Smoke now wants to be left in peace.

The item received from Uncle Smoke is then sold two floors below at the Metallica auction.The price that auction attendees are willing to pay for an item is — invisible to the player — a random integer between 2 and 9 chips. To gauge the audience's willingness to pay, the player should first make one or more price suggestions and observe the auction attendees' reactions (middle animation): If no buyer can be found for an item offered at too high a price, a cheeky resident of Metallica will surely steal the item from the player.

As long as the chips earned in this way are not yet sufficient, the player can visit Uncle Smoke up to 43 more times and auction off the treasures he provides. With the chips earned in this way, the player then goes to the "Galactic Store" and buys equipment for the B-Liner (right animation). To do this, the player first moves a short distance into the store by moving the joystick up and down, and then turns left or right into one of the aisles. The player's shopping cart is now visible at the bottom of the screen. The shopping cart can be moved left and right in front of a shelf of goods (symbolized by their labels). If you place the cart directly under an item's label (with the handle just to the right of the last letter) and then press the fire button, you can confirm the purchase of the corresponding item by pressing the "Y" button — but only if you have enough green tokens to pay. The exit labeled "EXIT" leads back to the store's central aisle, and — once all shopping is complete — you can return to the elevator by moving the joystick up or down.

The player should save some money for the journey, as the inhabitants of Darksome Mire, on whose help they depend, charge for their advice. However, the player shouldn't carry too much cash, as the price demanded by the Mire Folk depends primarily on the player's available funds.

After being awakened several times, Uncle Smoke gives out a souvenir that can be auctioned off

Selling Uncle Smoke's junk brings in money, for example, for outfitting the B-Liner

Equipment, along with other electronic gadgets, can be purchased in the "Galactic Store"

Because the Galactic Store only displays the items by name, without a description or price, the game's manual includes a list with this information. The following tables summarize this information and supplement it with a brief comment on the item's use.

Accessories for the B-Liner

The equipment listed below is available at moderate prices and is mostly useful. It's therefore worthwhile to patiently sell Uncle Smoke's travel souvenirs until you've saved up enough chips to buy them.

Name	Display	Description	Price	Remark
DIR-?	DIR-?	Shows what direction the B-Liner is moving	10	It's part of the standard equipment of the B-Liner, so it doesn't need to be purchased separately
HIGH?	High?	Tells how high the B-Liner is above ground	7	Not absolutely necessary
HOME1	Home1	Directs you back to Metallica	9	Unnecessary if you have memorized the coordinates of the area where the entrance to Metallica is located
STORM	Storm	Warns about approaching storms	8	Not absolutely necessary
FUELO	Fuelo	Measures how much fuel is in the B-Liner	6	Not absolutely necessary
AUTOP	AutoP	Automatically flies the B-Liner back to Metallica	10	Automatically returns the B-liner to the area where Metallica is located, not necessarily to the correct field/screen — still very convenient if a temporary return to Metallica is needed
RADAR	Radar	Helps locate huts	8	It has a similar function to HUT 1, but a shorter range (only 70 miles horizontally and 50 miles vertically)
HUT 1	Hut 1	Points to the nearest hut	9	Very useful for finding huts

Computerprogramme

Most of the computer programs listed here — with the exception of the mysterious program "TRAC4" — are also helpful and should be part of the equipment installed in the B-Liner.

Name	Anzeige	Beschreibung	Preis	Bemerkung
MAP-H	Map-H	Locates every hut in Darksome Mire, one culture at a time	8	This module HUT 1 complements the existing module and helps with targeted navigation to a specific hut.
CULTS	Cults	Contains facts about the people of each Mire Culture	8	Contains information that is important for gameplay; however, this information is the same in every game and can therefore also be transferred to a notepad
DICTO	Dicto	Translates important words and phrases used by all 25 cultures of Darksome Mire	8	Contains information that is important for gameplay; however, this information is the same in every game and can therefore also be transferred to a notepad
MUSIX	Musix	Enables you to create original songs to trade with the Darksome Mire cultures	9	Absolutely necessary in every game, as the mire dwellers only reveal their tips in exchange for self-composed musical pieces
TRAC4	Trac4	Mystery software	9	Function unclear, possibly an Easter egg — and in any case not required

Household items

The following electronic household helpers are described in spectacular detail and are relatively expensive. While the player cannot use these devices themselves, some mire dwellers specifically request such a device as a souvenir before they are willing to help in the search for the Most Amazing Thing by providing a clue.

Name	Display	Description	Price
POSIX	Posix	Electronic trash destroyer	25
HOVAK	Hovak	Radio-controlled pencil sharpener	18
ESSEX	Essex	Digital lawnmower	19
LIFT5	Lift5	Spare elevator button	29
WINDG	WindG	Ultrasonic robot dog groomer	23
XXX-2	XXX-2	Macrowave oven for cooking robot food	22
GASEX	Gasex	Fuel gauge for a robotcycle	21
NAMEX	Namex	Electronic letter opener	24
TURBO	Turbo	Robot toothbrush	23
ABCDE	ABCDE	Learning game for robot children	28
TAKOM	Takom	Microwave burglar alarm	26
ZENER	Zener	Radio-controlled back scratcher	22
FAZER	Fazer	Electronic food defroster	21
YUKAL	Yukal	Robot Halloween costume	20
PLAXI	Plaxi	High-speed infrared window washer	19

2nd Phase: Seek out Hut Dwellers in Darksome Mire and Ask for Tips

Once the player has the necessary equipment and money, they take the elevator to the surface and enter the B-Liner (left animation in the gallery below; the character is guided to the hatch of the vehicle and enters by pressing the fire button). This vehicle is ready to go thanks to its solar power, but initially it can only drive and not fly, as it lacks the fuel necessary to operate the hot air balloon. This fuel can be obtained by drilling near the Night Rocks (middle animation; the drilling process can be started from the B-Liner's platform by pressing the fire button).

Equipped with technical equipment and sufficient funds, the journey across the Darkmoor begins.

The fuel for flights with the B-Liner must be extracted by drilling near the Night Rocks.

Although Night Rocks cannot be located with the B-Liner's navigation devices, they are so numerous that even driving blindly will quickly lead to the destination. The player controls the vehicle using the joystick. Disguised as Night Rocks, but recognizable by their movements, are the mire crabs, which occasionally follow the B-Liner on its journey and put the player to sleep upon encountering them (left animation of the next gallery). In the dream, the player hears advice from their uncle but can immediately wake up, return to the B-Liner's control stick, and continue driving (right animation). If the player character gets hungry along the way (indicated by the word "HUNGRY"), they can satisfy their hunger with the fruit from the popberry tree (left animation; both shaking the tree and collecting the fruit are done with the fire button).

While searching for Night Rocks and popberry trees, the B-Liner is pursued by a mire crab.

The popberry tree's berries are edible but must be collected quickly before they sink into the mire.

The following gallery presents all the objects the player sees from a bird's-eye view while driving the B-Liner. Besides the vehicle itself and — at the start of the first journey — the entrance to the underground city of Metallica, these include the aforementioned Night Rocks and Popberry Trees, as well as the Mire Crabs disguised as Night Rocks and recognizable only by their movements. The meaning of the "Bunchmarks" (far right image, a portmanteau of "Bunch" and "Benchmark") is only revealed later in the game or in the Chapter "Solution".

B-Liner from above

Entrance to Metallica

Night Rock

Mire Crab

Popberry Tree

Bunchmark

The player can obtain the first clue for finding the Most Amazing Thing in any hut; for further clues, they must specifically seek out members of a particular culture. The following sections therefore focus on navigation and communication during this phase of the game.

Orientation in Darksome Mire

Darksome Mire occupies a rectangular area, which is divided into 25 × 25 rectangular sections. While driving the B-Liner, its boundaries are visible as double white lines. For better orientation, the sections are labeled with coordinates in both the game and the manual; horizontally with the letters A to Y, and vertically with the numbers 1 to 25. The B-Liner's current position, given in these coordinates, can be queried from the control panel, with the screen displaying the double line already counting entirely towards the higher of the two coordinates. If you leave the mire, the message "OTBRAK" appears in the display instead of the coordinates until you return to the mapped area. This outside world also contains popberry trees, night rocks, and bog crabs, but no huts.

Each such area is further divided into 7 × 7 rectangular fields, each 10 screens wide and 10 screens high. For better orientation, these fields are separated by simple white lines. Both the double and single lines cannot be crossed by the mire crabs, thus providing welcome opportunities to shake off pesky pursuers when traveling within the mire. The B-Liner's navigation devices display distances in miles, with one mile corresponding to one screen side in both the horizontal and vertical directions.

In total, the Darksome Mire thus has a total area of ​​25 × 7 × 10 = 1750 screens or miles in both the horizontal and vertical directions; its surface area therefore consists of more than 3 million (3,062,500) screens or square miles. Searching for a cabin or the entrance to the underground city of Metallica "at random" is therefore virtually hopeless and can only be accomplished with the help of the navigation devices built into the B-Liner. And even if you know the target coordinates — for example, those of the entrance to Metallica — it can be helpful to also memorize the approximate location within the area.

Each 5 × 5 area is inhabited by a tribe. Each tribe has a name, its own language, and its own musical tastes. Since the clues to the location of the sought-after Most Amazing Thing refer to individual tribes, the manual includes a map showing their locations. This map is very complex, but it can be reduced to the following assignment of the individual tribes to intervals of 5 horizontal and 5 vertical coordinates:

	A — E	F — J	K — O	P — T	U — Y
21 — 25	FASTAK	THOMIZEK	MUHILL	MAXAZE	SOLVAQUE
16 — 20	NUTRILE	HOGAAN	FORTHEL	LASKA	TRELISS
11 — 15	MUFFIJI	UNDEFLAS	ODASK	TORBION	SLOPING
6 — 10	FONDEF	KARTOFF	ZYZY	GIRFLEEZ	JAVE
1 — 5	CAMAWHY	LOGRETCH	WATERSI	BERIBEY	PAELAZZIA

As preparation for contact with a mire dweller, one should also compose a piece of music on the B-Liner's computer using the computer program MUSIX, which suits the musical taste of the person one is speaking to ("short" or "long and complex", see table in the following section).

Cultures

After entering a hut, one encounters the somewhat shy inhabitant, who hides behind a table and communicates only with his antennae, which extend over the edge of the table. The meaning of the individual positions these antennae can assume varies from culture to culture. A translation table for the six most important phrases is provided by the computer program DICT, and information about musical tastes and exchange rates is provided by the program CULTS. Alternatively, the following table can also serve as a reference. It is sorted alphabetically by the names of the cultures.

The "Index" column shows the internal — not visible to the player — sequential number of the respective culture; this allows conclusions to be drawn about implementation details. For example, cultures with an odd index prefer short pieces of music, while those with an even index prefer long and complex pieces.

Index	Name	Musix	Chips	Language
4	BERIBEY	long, complex	1 red = 2 green, 1 red = 4 yellow
1	CAMAWHY	simple	1 green = 2 yellow, 1 green = 4 red
21	FASTAK	simple	1 red = 1 yellow, 1 red = 1 green
6	FONDEF	long, complex	1 red = 2 yellow, 1 red = 4 green
18	FORTHEL	long, complex	1 red = 2 green, 1 red = 4 yellow
9	GIRFLEEZ	simple	1 green = 2 red, 1 green = 4 yellow
17	HOGAAN	simple	1 yellow = 2 green, 1 yellow = 4 red
10	JAVE	long, complex	1 yellow = 2 green, 1 yellow = 4 red
7	KARTOFF	simple	1 red = 1 yellow, 1 red = 1 green
19	LASKA	simple	1 yellow = 2 red, 1 yellow = 4 green
2	LOGRETCH	long, complex	1 green = 2 red, 1 green = 4 yellow
24	MAXAZE	long, complex	1 yellow = 2 green, 1 yellow = 4 red
11	MUFFIJI	simple	1 red = 2 green, 1 red = 4 yellow
23	MUHILL	simple	1 green = 2 red, 1 green = 4 yellow
16	NUTRILE	long, complex	1 green = 2 red, 1 green = 4 yellow
13	ODASK	simple	1 red = 2 yellow, 1 red = 4 green
5	PAELAZIA	simple	1 yellow = 2 red, 1 yellow = 4 green
15	SLOPING	simple	1 green = 2 yellow, 1 green = 4 red
25	SOLVAQUE	simple	1 red = 2 green, 1 red = 4 yellow
22	THOMIZEK	long, complex	1 green = 2 yellow, 1 green = 4 red
14	TORBION	long, complex	1 red = 1 yellow, 1 red = 1 green
20	TRELISS	long, complex	1 red = 2 yellow, 1 red = 4 green
12	UNDEFLAS	long, complex	1 yellow = 2 red, 1 yellow = 4 green
3	WATERSI	simple	1 yellow = 2 green, 1 yellow = 4 red
8	ZYZY	long, complex	1 green = 2 yellow, 1 green = 4 red

Since the hut dwellers will end the conversation if they give an incorrect answer, it is important to correctly decode each of their questions or statements and respond appropriately:

• If the dweller asks "Are you a friend?":

F  means "I am a friend"

• If the dweller asks "What is your quest?":

A  explains "I am in search of The Most Amazing Thing"

• If the answer is "OK.":

T  is used to suggest exchanging chips from one color to another. The table above provides an overview of the exchange rates for each culture — from 1:4 to 4:1. The mire dweller then asks, "What color chips do you want?", which can be answered with G  (green), Y  (yellow), or R  (red). Finally, you count the amount to be exchanged onto the table using these letter keys and complete the transaction with the SPACE  spacebar (see the left animation in the gallery below).
C , on the other hand, signals that you want to buy a clue. The hut dweller then indicates how many chips of which color he wants for the clue. If you have enough chips, you can count them onto the table using the G , Y , and R  keys.

• If the inhabitant then requests "Play me a musix":

M  plays the piece of music you composed during your journey with the B-Liner (see the animation on the right in the gallery below for instructions). This should be appropriate to the musical tastes of the respective culture.

• Press L  to leave the hut.

Exchanging 3 green chips for 12 red chips in a Thomizek hut

Composing a piece of music on the B-Computer using the "MUSIX" program

Even with optimal controls, a flight from Metallica to the center of nearby Kartoff takes more than 30 minutes.

3rd Phase: Find the Most Amazing Thing and Return to Uncle Smoke Bailey with it

Once you've finally found the sought-after most amazing thing, you have to make your way back home to Uncle Smoke. Unfortunately, at this stage of the game, neither the autopilot nor the tracking device that points you in the direction to Metallica is available. You should therefore have the exact location of the entrance to the underground city memorized in order to reach it first by flying and then by driving. This is made more difficult by the fact that from now on, contact with the mire crabs is fatal and results in an immediate game end.

Tips

• Before the first flight with the B-Liner, you should carefully memorize where the entrance to Metallica is located. To do this, you not only memorize the coordinates of the area in question, but also measure the distance to the nearest double white lines in the Darkmoor.
• A "short" piece of music has between 6 and 39 notes, a "complex, long" piece of music has at least 31 notes. Therefore, a piece of music with around 35 notes is particularly pleasing to all the inhabitants of the Darkmoor.
• If the player character gets hungry, this is regularly indicated by the word "HUNGRY", but it has no further effect on the game. In particular, the character is neither weakened nor does he starve.

Solution

The solution path to finding the most amazing thing in the entire universe is already described in considerable detail in the "Hints" section. The following sections are therefore primarily aimed at those who are interested in the clues regarding the location of this object, its nature, and Uncle Smoke's reaction upon his nephew's return, but who do not want to spend hours wandering aimlessly through Darksome Mire to find this information.

The keys to solving the game are two pieces of advice that build upon each other. The first can be obtained from any hut in Darksome Mire, while the second is only available from a specific culture and in exchange for a specific gift. The cultures mentioned in these clues, as well as the required gift, change from game to game. In the following example, the Muffiji can help and expect in return a Zener, a radio-controlled back scratcher that can be purchased for 22 green chips in the "Galactic Store." For the grand finale of the game, a trip to Logretch is required:

The first piece of advice only refers to another culture and mentions a souvenir required for the second tip

The correct souvenir unlocks the second piece of advice

The second piece of advice sends the player on a journey to the mire crabs in another part of Darksome Mire

Luring a mire crab to one of the Bunchmarks reveals what is the most amazing thing in the universe

Only upon his nephew's return from a perilous journey does Uncle Smoke realize his true worth

Advice and Sayings from Uncle Smoke Bailey

Most of Uncle Smoke Bailey's advice can be discovered during the game, but some of it prevents the player from making poor decisions and is therefore quite helpful.

Text
My old trunk is full of stuff from my travels.
The robots like to steal your items at the auction.
Don't fly away from Metallica until you know just where you are.
After you buy everything for your balloon go outside.
Out there are many huts where the Traders live.
There are 25 different cultures. Each one is different.
Traders will sell you Amazing Thing clues for chips.
In some cultures a red chip is worth 4 green chips.
In some cultures a yellow chip could equal 2 red chips.
The value of chips is different in every culture.
Going to the right cultures you can collect a lot of chips.
Traders will not talk to you if you ever give a bad answer.
If a Trader won't talk give him a Musix to soothe him.
If a clue costs too much trade chips with other cultures.
Return to a culture to buy a clue when you have the chips.
Lines on the mire will help you navigate when driving around.
Look out for those Bunchmarks on the ground. They're soft.
Some cultures love complex Musix. Some hate complex Musix.
Don't ever waste a Musix with a Trader. You may need it.
Most of those rusty Metallicans have never been outside.
You'll need food out there. Shake a Popberry tree for food.
Popberries that have popped sink into the tar very quickly.
A good chip trader can travel around collecting alot.
The Software in the Galactic Store must be bought.
The AutoP can save your life. But it takes a lot of time.
Mire people use 3 kinds of chips, RED YELLOW and GREEN.
Those Mire Crabs may be the answer to your problems.
Mire people are always very shy. You'll never really see one.
Mire people talk with their antennae. Learn their words.
You must tell Mire People often that you are their friend.
Bunchmarks are the biggest mystery on this planet.
Tar around the Bunchmards is very soft. Be careful.
There are dangerous Mire Crabs out there. Look like Night rocks.
The faster you go the more you will attract Mire Crabs.
Storms are not worth fooling around with, Land.
The B-Liner car has a Solar Battery for driving.
The B-Liner balloon needs a lot of fuel. Drill for it!
The higher you fly the faster the wind blows.
I hope you'll remember exactly how to get home without AutoP.
Take the B-Liner up or down 'til you find a good wind.
Getting back to me may be the most important goal.
Those Mire Crabs can never leave their zone. You'll see.
Once a Mire Crab finds you it will send for many Mire Crabs.
Some Mire Crabs will steal your fuel or put you to sleep.

Travel Souvenirs from Uncle Smoke Bailey

All the items in Uncle Bailey's collection can be auctioned off in the same way, and in particular, the prices that can be obtained are random values ​​from an identical distribution. The following descriptions are therefore more entertaining than informative.

Text
chunk of Night Rock
Popberry tree bark
wicker basket from the A-Liner
glass fragment from the glass mountains
Gaxonfrax tail feather
white rubber snow
silver hair from the Being
jar of red smoke from the Being's fire
rare pink chip found in Otbrak
piece of nylon from the A-Liner balloon
zirconium baby rattle from ZyZy
Jave gerbil fur
petrified tar beetle from Fondef
hailstorm photo from Camawhy
jar of Popberry rind from Hogaan
colored sand from Odask
Laska snakeskin
Popberry branch basket
rug made by Muffijians
Beribey Trutix shell
Mire Crab photo from Logretch
Nutrile chip bracelet
Gaxonfrax egg
dried Muhill mushroom
rare Bunchmark photo
braided belt made by a Fastak trader
petrified clamshell from a Treliss bog
bent fork from a Kartoff family
ant from Sloping mire
ancient Fongole book
tape recording of a Jave trading session
umbrella made in Paelazia
original A-Liner Plan
earmuff woven from Popberry bark
book bag used by Thomizek childern [sic!]
candle made by Watersi traders
fossil of ancient Solvaque fish
teacup used by a Maxaze family
photo of a nest of a Gaxonfrax
Otbrak soil sample
gravity fuel gauge from the A-Liner
take-off photo of A-Liner's first flight
Odask diary bought from head trader
Mire Crab crust

Map

The game board of "In Search of The Most Amazing Thing" consists of over 3 million screens and is therefore far too large to be shown in this article. Exact knowledge of it is also not necessary to solve the game, as the B-Liner's navigation systems guide you to your destination quite reliably. At most, a map of the area where the entrance to the underground city of Metallica is located is helpful: After finding the Most Amazing Thing, the B-Liner's autopilot and the way-home navigation system are no longer available, and any contact with a mire crab at this stage of the game is fatal. In addition to the coordinates R 15, the following graphic is helpful, illustrating the location of Metallica within this area:

Location of the entrance to the underground city of Metallica within the area with coordinates R 15

Cheats

There are no cracks with a trainer function available on the internet. However, because the program is written entirely in BASIC and has no list protection, it is advisable to make a copy of the game disk, load individual program components onto it, modify them appropriately, and then save the new file version under the same filename.

Before any such manipulation, the beginning of the BASIC memory should be moved to address $4101, as is done within the game itself — otherwise, the pointers in the program that point to the beginning of the following BASIC line will be corrupted, and because this would not be corrected in the game, those program sections would no longer run. Therefore, immediately after switching on the C64, enter the following line and complete it by pressing the RETURN  key:

POKE 44,65 : POKE 16640,0 : NEW

Subsequently, the individual program sections of the game can be loaded, modified, and saved in any order. However, the program sections should not become longer, so you may need to delete some comment lines first before you can edit the program code to your heart's content:

LOGO2.BAS

This program section implements the intro and the initialization of the variables. After loading, it's advisable to delete the line `20005` (and, if necessary, the five comment lines that follow it) to make room for future additions.

Subsequently, the initial stock of chips can be optimized, for example, because the variables CH(1), CH(2), and CH(3) store the stock of green, yellow, and red chips, respectively. You shouldn't eat more than 999 chips of each type, otherwise the status message won't fit on the screen:

old:1010 SL=0:FU=0:CH(1)=30:CH(2)=5:CH(3)=5:X0=2995:Y0=2745:EQ=33
new:1010 SL=0:FU=0:CH(1)=999:CH(2)=999:CH(3)=999:X0=2995:Y0=2745:EQ=33

ELEV.BAS

This is the implementation of the underground spaces, namely Uncle Smoke's apartment, the auction house, and the B-Liner accessory shop.

Auction participants can be persuaded to accept any proposed price as fair:

old:6010 AG=0:X9=0:VA=INT(8*RND(0)+2):GOSUB25050
new:6010 AG=0:X9=0:VA=9:GOSUB25050

Shopping is much more relaxed when the items for sale are free:

old:20220 FORX=0TO20:READT:PRICE(X)=T:NEXT X
new:20220 FORX=0TO20:READT:PRICE(X)=0:NEXT X

FLY.BAS

This program implements the command center from which the B-Liner can be flown.

It is very convenient to be able to fly even without fuel:

old:1000 IFBUANDFU>0THENVO=VO+.2:FU=FU-.1
new:1000 IFBUTHENVO=VO+.2:FU=100

TRADE.BAS

Here you will find the program code for trading with the hut dwellers.

A fixed, fair price for hints makes the mission considerably easier:

old:5051 CP=CP+INT(RND(0)*10)+2
new:5051 CP=3

Votes

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
2.00 points at 1 vote. You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	3	7. Februar 2026 - 21645 downs
Lemon64	5,67	7. Februar 2026 - 3 votes
PC Magazine	15.5 (Fun 5, Challenge 5, Graphics/Sound 5.5)	Volume 3, Number 13 (July 10, 1984)
Rombachs C64-Spieleführer	10	September 1984 - "Verdict 1"

Critics

Stephan64: "In Search of The Most Amazing Thing is a very versatile, extensive adventure game, but it is extremely long-winded and is constantly interrupted by pauses for reloading program parts — and therefore demands a level of patience from the player that only a proud C64 owner who owned this one game could still muster in 1983. Let the game's opening scene serve as a warning to everyone else: For everyone else, the game's opening scene should serve as a warning: a grumpy old uncle who constantly falls asleep during conversations and, when awake, only gives the same advice over and over again. Only two concepts of the game are noteworthy: a huge game board within which one can only orient oneself using navigation devices, and a machine language routine for alternately loading and starting several BASIC programs that pass their variables to each other in fixed memory locations using POKEs and PEEKs. Therefore, and also considering the early release date and the detailed instructions, I still give it 2 points."

Rombachs C64-Spieleführer: "A game full of original ideas, the only drawback of which is that one must understand English (Judgment 1)."

Miscellaneous

Cover

The game's cover can be found at "Moby Games" and in Wikipedia. It shows the game character in bright colors in two different poses in front of the B-Liner, in a landscape with night rocks and popberry trees. In the background, a number of buildings are visible, and three moorland creatures look down at this scene from a cloudy sky.

Video Recording

Excerpt from the gameplay

Advertisements

In advertisements — found, for example, on "c64games" in the "Cover" section — the game was effusively promoted as the greatest adventure of a lifetime. Under a picture of two children discussing the best course of action in the face of a group of aliens, the game manufacturer advertises:

When you go in search of The Most Amazing Thing, don't expect to be home by dinner time.

Finding The Most Amazing Thing in the Whole Wide Galaxy isn't something you can do quickly.

In fact, you'll get so wrapped up in this computer game that you may have trouble coming back down to earth.

For starters, you get to fly, drive, bargain, eat, sleep, compose music, drill for oil, and speak 25 different languages.

Sound tough? Relax. You'll have the help of your old Uncle Smoke Bailey. He'll give you a B-liner (sort of a cross between a hot-air balloon and a dune buggy) to use on your journey. And he'll teach you about the Mire People and the strange languages they speak.

You'll visit the Metallican Auction, where you'll trade with tricky aliens. You'll shop for gadgets and gizmos to outfit the B-liner.

And you're off — in search of The Most Amazing Thing!

It will take time to find it.

But it'll be the best time you ever had.

IN SEARCH OF THE MOST AMAZING THING can be played on Apple, IBM, Atari and Commodore 64 computers. To get started, see your local software dealer.

Bugs

Because the individual program components that make up the game are written in BASIC, the game is susceptible to typical runtime errors of this programming language: For example, the STOP key is not locked during gameplay, so accidentally pressing it will cause the game to crash (left illustration in the gallery below, continue by typing CONT and pressing the RETURN  key). Furthermore, the memory available for variables is not always sufficient for all the strings used in the game, which occasionally results in an ?OUT OF MEMORY ERROR (right animation).

Accidentally pressing the STOP button will cause the game to crash.

Depending on the course of the game, the search for the Most Wondrous Item can fail simply due to a lack of memory.

Furthermore, there are some instances in the program where a certain procedure was not tested or a certain player behavior was not anticipated. For example, if you position the shopping cart in the "Galactic Store" exactly where a "Takom" used to be on the shelf, you can buy this item a second time, even though it is no longer there (left animation in the next gallery). Finally, the bird's-eye view and the external view of the B-Liner do not match up perfectly, especially when there are several objects in the B-Liner's immediate vicinity (right animation).

Items can also be taken from an empty shelf in the "Galactic Store" and placed in the shopping cart.

Although the B-Liner appears to be parked right next to a cabin in the bird's-eye view, a popberry tree is found in front of the exit hatch instead.

Emulator Settings

Players of "In Search of The Most Amazing Thing" on a C64 emulator will appreciate being able to increase the speed to a multiple of the original value. Nevertheless, numerous phases of the game, especially the B-Liner journeys, still feel extremely drawn out even under these conditions.

Trivia

On the last page of text, the computer program's manual addresses parents and educators to emphasize the game's educational value:

A note to parents and educators

Anyone from the age of 10 years old on up will enjoy this game.

In Search of The Most Amazing Thing challenges players at all levels of sophistication with a rich variety of experiences that are educational, creative, and entertaining.

The player in the role of the B-Liner pilot goes in search of The Most Amazing Thing in the land of Darksome Mire. From the beginning, decision-making, organization, and note-taking are essential parts of the program. A B-Liner pilot travelling in Darksome Mire must constantly use his or her own judgement to decide the best plan of action under each new set of circumstances. For example, in order for a pilot to deal effectively with the many different cultures he or she will come in contact with, the pilot must keep track if vital information about each culture. Careful note-taking can bring a pilot that much closer to finding The Most Amazing Thing.

Mapmaking and an understanding of trading are other key points of this program. A good pilot will have to use the coordinate system on the map of Darksome Mire to help plot a course of travel. There will also be a lot of trading and bargaining, so a traveler must become adept at dealing with different exchange rates so as to make the most advantageos deals.

Fun and eduction are constant companions in In Search of The Most Amazing Thing. This program offers many ways to stimulate a child's natural interests and curiosity. And you, as a parent or educator, can help a child toward further growth and learning simply by becoming involved. In fact, In Search of The Most Amazing Thing can be a terrific opportunity for family members or an entire class to work together as a team. This kind of cooperative effort can be a rewarding experience for everyone.

This game can be played many times. Once The Most Amazing Thing is found, its location will change. This allows a player to search for The Most Amazing Thing again and again, each time looking for new clues that will lead to the new location.

Accesories

The game's user manual can be found at archive.org. While most of the information it contains can be gleaned during gameplay, the backstory, the map of Darksome Mire, and the list of items in the Galactic Store make getting started considerably easier.

Easter Egg

The mysterious software Trac4, found on the B-Computer in the B-Liner, may be an Easter egg. However, the author of this article was only able to elicit the same dot cloud from this software.

Technical Details

The files that make up the game "In Search of The Most Amazing Thing" can be divided into three categories:

• Two blocks of machine language code, containing the graphics routines and the code for loading and starting BASIC program parts. These files, named "UTIL1" and "UTIL2", are loaded once at the start of the game, absolutely, to addresses $B000 and $E000, respectively.
• A whole series of BASIC subprograms, of which exactly one is active at any given time. These are loaded to address $4101 and overwrite each other. Global variables shared by all programs—for example, the number of chips a player owns or the B-Line configuration—are passed in the memory area $1800...$1826. Each subprogram has subroutines for this purpose, starting at BASIC line 25500 or 25550, to read this information at program startup and to write any changed values ​​before switching to another program section.
• Serial files containing text that could not be stored in memory, for example, the file "ADVICE" with Uncle Smoke's advice or "ITEMS" with descriptions of his travel souvenirs. A saved game state and a self-composed piece of music are also found on the disk as serial files named "SAVE.1" or "SAVE.2" and "SONG.1" or "SONG.2" (for player 1 or player 2).

Highscore

A highscore is not useful in this game.

Links

• C64Games.de - Game No. 4051
• Gamebase64.com - Game No. 3738
• CSDb - Release No. 234752
• Lemon64 - Game No. 6634
• C64.com - Game No. 1925
• ready64 - Game No. 2335
• In Search of The Most Amazing Thing at MobyGames

• Universal Videogame List
• User manual
• Byte Magazine test report (pp. 372)
• The Australian Apple Review test report (p. 14)
• PC Magazine test report (pp. 291)
• InfoWorld's Essential Guide to ATARI Overview of learning software (pp. 46, esp. pp. 48)