Moonstone (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Moonstone: A Hard Days Knight, is a computer game developed and published by Mindscape in 1991. It was released on the Amiga
and one year later converted to DOS
-based PC
s. The title is a play on A Hard Day's Night
.
Moonstone's gameplay blends several different genres, including strategy, real time fighting and role-playing games.
It allows up to four players to participate in a basic turn based Role Playing Game with real time combat for any encounters. It is also notable as one of the goriest games of its time, with some exceptionally bloody fight and death scenes, similar in tone to the famous Black Knight
fight scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail
.
When the game was released, it got quite positive reviews from some magazines (90% from Amiga Action, 89% from Amiga Computing) while some reviewers did not like it at all (59% from Amiga Format, 52% from The One) . However, these days the game has a large cult following among vintage gamers. The game is highly sought after as a collectible; an original copy in good condition with all the original included contents, including a map of the game world, is extremely rare costing over 500 pounds at eBay.
who is sent by the druids to return the mystical 'moonstone' to Stonehenge
. The game supports between 1 to 4 players at once, with the computer controlling any knights not controlled by human players as rival NPC
s.
The world map is divided into 4 distinct regions:
Gameplay consists of two distinct modes: Turn based exploration and real time combat.
In turn based mode where each player can move a limited distance on the game's world map and visit various locations. Players will mostly visit the many dolmen
s that are scattered across the map. These places represent areas guarded by enemy beasts. Visiting these dolmens will trigger the second main gameplay mode: real time combat. The player takes control of his chosen knight and attempts to defeat the beasts using sword combat similar to Barbarian (Palace Software) or Sword of Sodan
.
Defeating the beasts will allow the player to steal treasures from that location, which vary depending on game's random placement algorithm. Success will also result in gaining one experience point. These then can be distributed in one of the 3 abilities: Strength, Constitution and Endurance, each to a maximum of 5.
The required amount of XP needed to advance varies according to the number of human controlled characters (For example, a single player game needs 3 XP to advance one point etc). This, combined with some powerful weapons that can be discovered or bought, can boost the player combat abilities. However, the difficulty of the game increases to compensate - high level players will encounter more monsters in their travels.
In addition to the dolmens, there are also enchanted places, towns where you can buy equipment or try your luck in gambling and special locations that have specific story roles.
The overall objective of exploration is to find the lair that holds one of the four keys. The player who gathers together all four keys (either by finding them or by stealing them from rivals), will have access to the Valley of the Gods at the center of the map. The knight will have to fight against the Guardian in order to win a 'moonstone'. The moonstone corresponds randomly to a lunar phase, and grants the knight more power during that phase. The moonstone must be returned to Stonehenge for the game to be completed.
Complicating each player's quest is the presence of the opposing players, who can attack the player or be attacked by the player. This triggers real time combat where the opposing knights fight to the death, the victor can then steal the other player's money and equipment, including the moonstone.
After some days, a dragon will appear and make regular sweeps across the land. In the event that an unskilled player is unfortunate enough to encounter the dragon early on in the game, defeat is almost inevitable. Skilled players, however, should be able to take advantage of the dragon's weak spot, granting them victory regardless of their current stats. The dragon's weak spot is its neck; a successful blow to the neck will render it unable to move for a short period of time. A successive series of upward thrusts from underneath the dragon makes it unable to move, as each stab stuns the dragon long enough for the knight to recover and deliver yet another attack.
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
and one year later converted to DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
-based PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
s. The title is a play on A Hard Day's Night
A Hard Day's Night (song)
"A Hard Day's Night" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it was released on the movie soundtrack of the same name in 1964...
.
Moonstone's gameplay blends several different genres, including strategy, real time fighting and role-playing games.
It allows up to four players to participate in a basic turn based Role Playing Game with real time combat for any encounters. It is also notable as one of the goriest games of its time, with some exceptionally bloody fight and death scenes, similar in tone to the famous Black Knight
Black Knight (Monty Python)
The Black Knight is a fictional character who appears in a scene of the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As his name suggests, he is a black knight who guards a "bridge" over a small stream, for unknown reasons...
fight scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1974 British comedy film written and performed by the comedy group Monty Python , and directed by Gilliam and Jones...
.
When the game was released, it got quite positive reviews from some magazines (90% from Amiga Action, 89% from Amiga Computing) while some reviewers did not like it at all (59% from Amiga Format, 52% from The One) . However, these days the game has a large cult following among vintage gamers. The game is highly sought after as a collectible; an original copy in good condition with all the original included contents, including a map of the game world, is extremely rare costing over 500 pounds at eBay.
Story and setting
The player takes on the role of a chosen knightKnight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
who is sent by the druids to return the mystical 'moonstone' to Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
. The game supports between 1 to 4 players at once, with the computer controlling any knights not controlled by human players as rival NPC
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s.
The world map is divided into 4 distinct regions:
- Misty Moors: The NW region of the Blue Knight (Sir Godber). Monsters found there are the Axe and Spear-bearing Troggs as well as their War Beasts. There is also the city of Highwood with the High Temple where the player can buy and sell magical items.
- Wetlands: The SE region of the Red Knight (Sir Edward). Monsters are the Trolls and the Mudmen. There is also the city of Waterdeep with Mythral the Mystic who can advance the player's abilities in exchange of gold (or randomly reduce them).
- Great Forest: The SW region of the Green Knight (Sir Jeffrey). Monsters are the Troggs and the Ratmen. It features the Stonehenge where the player can gain a life by donating a magical item.
- Northern Wastelands: The NE region of the Orange Knight (Sir Richard). Monsters include Troggs and Baloks. It also features the Tower of Math the Wizard who can randomly reward the player or transform him into a frog if he asks repeatedly.
Gameplay consists of two distinct modes: Turn based exploration and real time combat.
In turn based mode where each player can move a limited distance on the game's world map and visit various locations. Players will mostly visit the many dolmen
Dolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
s that are scattered across the map. These places represent areas guarded by enemy beasts. Visiting these dolmens will trigger the second main gameplay mode: real time combat. The player takes control of his chosen knight and attempts to defeat the beasts using sword combat similar to Barbarian (Palace Software) or Sword of Sodan
Sword of Sodan
Sword of Sodan is a hack and slash video game released for the Amiga in 1988 by Discovery Software and Apple Macintosh System 7 in 1993 by Bethesda Softworks, with a scaled down port released for the Sega Genesis in 1990 by Electronic Arts.-Story:...
.
Defeating the beasts will allow the player to steal treasures from that location, which vary depending on game's random placement algorithm. Success will also result in gaining one experience point. These then can be distributed in one of the 3 abilities: Strength, Constitution and Endurance, each to a maximum of 5.
The required amount of XP needed to advance varies according to the number of human controlled characters (For example, a single player game needs 3 XP to advance one point etc). This, combined with some powerful weapons that can be discovered or bought, can boost the player combat abilities. However, the difficulty of the game increases to compensate - high level players will encounter more monsters in their travels.
In addition to the dolmens, there are also enchanted places, towns where you can buy equipment or try your luck in gambling and special locations that have specific story roles.
The overall objective of exploration is to find the lair that holds one of the four keys. The player who gathers together all four keys (either by finding them or by stealing them from rivals), will have access to the Valley of the Gods at the center of the map. The knight will have to fight against the Guardian in order to win a 'moonstone'. The moonstone corresponds randomly to a lunar phase, and grants the knight more power during that phase. The moonstone must be returned to Stonehenge for the game to be completed.
Complicating each player's quest is the presence of the opposing players, who can attack the player or be attacked by the player. This triggers real time combat where the opposing knights fight to the death, the victor can then steal the other player's money and equipment, including the moonstone.
After some days, a dragon will appear and make regular sweeps across the land. In the event that an unskilled player is unfortunate enough to encounter the dragon early on in the game, defeat is almost inevitable. Skilled players, however, should be able to take advantage of the dragon's weak spot, granting them victory regardless of their current stats. The dragon's weak spot is its neck; a successful blow to the neck will render it unable to move for a short period of time. A successive series of upward thrusts from underneath the dragon makes it unable to move, as each stab stuns the dragon long enough for the knight to recover and deliver yet another attack.
Trivia
- The game was put on the infamous German index by the BPjSBundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende MedienThe Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons is an upper-level German federal agency subordinate to the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. It is responsible for examining media works allegedly harmful to young people and entering these onto an...
.