I am extremely sorry that I shall not be able to use the music of Thamos, but this piece … is now among the rejected works which are no longer performed. For the sake of the music alone it might possibly be given again, but that is not likely. Certainly it is a pity!
— Mozart writing to his father Leopold in 1783, nine years after the first performance of Thamos, King of Egypt
I’ve seen the end of the game. I wouldn’t say I “finished” exactly as you’ll see in a moment. My previous posts on Thissala are needed for context, although a brief recap: Thissala is a very large game made for Data General systems by David Auerbach, Paul Chiasson, and Peter Macaulay, with work starting even earlier than the megagame Ferret (1979 vs. 1982). It’s another “find the treasures” plot leading to the search for a lost flute.
Thus spoke Thamos. He then raised his flute in his hand, then lowering his hands the flute remained suspended in the air. And Thamos said:
Go
The flute ascended and disappeared over the trees and into the mountains.
Data General Eclipse MV/8000 from the Living Computer Museum, picture via Jimmy Lamar Sorrells on Facebook.
The “finish” was by using a debug-mode unearthed through the work of Rob and gschmidl. The game is clearly too outright broken to beat “honestly” but the abilities are extensive enough you might be able to come up with a “fake” walkthrough which only activates the debug commands when truly needed. I didn’t do that: I just wanted to see what I was missing, which includes a full endgame. (You can download the debug version of the game at this link. This runs in Windows with no emulator, but saving and potentially other things are broken, so this is mainly for playing with the debug menu.)
This means there are big chunks I haven’t seen “honestly” but I’ll at least give you a tour.
Initialized … Objects = 211 Rooms = 710
Thissala — revision 0.60
Please type HELP for latest information concerning the game and implemented commandsMiddle of the parking lot
You are in the middle of a large parking lot that stretches off in all directions. In the distant north you can see a large mountain. To the northeast you can hear the sound of water.
At your feet lies a long square dowel.
The game is divided into sections (like Ferret) almost certainly due to the same memory issues Ferret has. The way Ferret managed was to make everything one-way; here it seems to be more freely possible to jump to section 2 and back to 1, but I’m not really certain as I used the “express” command built into the debug system. The format is express “section/room number”. You can also simply use section 1 for everything and teleport all the way to room 710. Unfortunately, if you teleport outside the section a room is designated for, it means going in a particular direction causes the game to crash. For example:
express 1/319
Whoosh …
Inside MacDonalds
You are standing inside of the Adrian MacDonalds, which looks very much like any of the other MacDonalds back on Earth. The resturant is, like the city, deserted. There is a doorway to the south, and an alcove to the northeast. Directly in front of you is a long high counter.
Sitting on the counter are some golden fries
On the counter is an astonishingly appealing Big Mac
Going northeast here has a crash, because 319 isn’t in section 1 of the game. I think the division is
1 to 127 (section 1)
128 to 296 (section 2, or 2/1 to 2/169)
297 to 384 (section 3, or 3/1 to 3/88)
385 to 505 (section 4, or 4/1 to 4/121)
506 to 651 (section 5, or 5/1 to 5/146)
652 to 748 (section 6. or 6/1 to 6/97)
but I can’t swear to this, as the code while in debug mode is unstable. For example, a teleport to 1/127 (which seems to be in section 1) results in a cave with some room exits mentioned but the game prohibits me from going anywhere. Going into the later rooms of section 6 results in garbage characters.
express 6/80
Whoosh …
␦29.#8%}?2:8]P;w$8(w899w(‘}?8%8{}.2″}6/2}>3w?>:w)%2″?
From the MV/8000 manual.
I’ll go through section by section first, open the locked postbox I was stumped by last time, and finally show off the endgame.
Section 1:
This has all the outdoors sections of the main game, as well as the “prison” area from last time. There’s a little bit of the initial cave area, but it actually cuts off before everything outside is included. For example, “inside the ground keeper’s hut” lands past section 1 in section 2. In the main game you can just go in and out of the hut with no trouble; no one-way only route like Ferret.
Includes also the White House transplanted from Zork. Art from David Ardito via Andrew Plotkin.
Section 2:
This has most of the rest of the King’s room area (including the library with the curtain which we never got to work). This leads up through the train station and the desert / Dry Gulch section. The library seems to link between the two, as I was able to walk the other direction back up to the library with teleports.
I wasn’t able to get down here in the regular game, but I can still explore with cheats:
Hidden room
You are in a small room that has two obvious exits east and west. From somewhere high above the eastern exit, a stream of light is focused on a square hole set in the southern wall.
There is an interperters guide here
On the ground here, is a metal pyramid, approximately 3″X3″ at the the base, that has a mirror-like finish.
I can show off what the pyramid does, but let me save that for a later section. Instead, I’ll keep going west:
w
Dusty Passage
You are walking along a dusty passage that travels east and west.w
Ore Car Room
This is apparently the room in which ore mined in the tunnels would be loaded into mining cars, and sent out somewhere. On the ground are two rails, narrowly set on ties. At one end of the track is a bumper; the other end disappears under a steel door that is solidly imbedded in the stone wall of the room.
There is a hole in the ceiling, too high to reach from the floor.
Resting on the tracks is an ore car, large enough to hold a person with room to spare
I wasn’t able to get anything to happen with the pyramid or the guide, but the ore car you can “board” just like the boat in Riverworld, and there’s a blue and yellow button. Pushing the blue button takes you to a new area.
push blue button
You suddenly become aware of a moving sensation … the ore car is rolling. The steel door in front of you opens quickly to allow the car to pass into a tunnel. The stone walls of the tunnel flash by faster and faster as the ore car gains momentum despite the fact that the track is not sloped. A different set of steel doors open in front of you and you plunge out from the tunnel into another well lit room.disembark
Bank Vault
You are inside the bank vault of the small local bank. In one corner is a stairway up. There are TV cameras high up in the ceiling that slowly pan back and forth observing you and the room. Running near one of the walls is a set of narrowly placed railroad tracks. One end terminates with a bumper, the other end disappears under a steel door.
Resting on the tracks is an ore car, large enough to hold a person with room to spare
You can go “out” to leave up the stairs, which brings you back to the bank with the gnome. Trying to go back down again has the gnome stop you.
Inside the local small bank
Fastened against the wall in the corner is a set of chairs. Secured to the floor is a small counter that was at one time used by townfolk to fill out deposit and withdrawl slips. On the north wall is a button marked in letters now barely visible “Ring bell for service”. In the corner of the room is a staircase going down.
Surrounding the stairway down, is a metal cage, with a closed door in the frontin
A little gnome pops out and says “Sorry … you cannot enter without the appropriate withdrawl form”
I think the whole reason for this section is to tote treasures over; I mentioned it a long time ago, but if you try to leave the main mountain while holding treasures the gnomes stop you, but taking them through the bank is safe.
It is possible to go back down and I’ll show that off later, as it needs a particular item.
Section 3:
Might as well start with Room 3/1, where it really gets into unknown territory:
The city’s periphery (Stone Ring) and the white ramp
Inward, there is the water ring, behind you is a white ramp.
Lying on one of the stones of the ring is a small brown tablet with writing on it.
On the ground is a mailing label with an address on it
On the ground is an envelope with a rare stamp attached
Reading the tablet first, which gives what I’d expect to be a room description:
You are standing at the outer most ring surrounding the City in the sky. This ring is made of large stones that appear randomly distributed. The ring is about 100 feet wide. Behind you to the south is the white ramp. To your north is the second ring, a ring of water, again about 100 feet across. The stone ring, which is truely circular and complete, heads off in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions.
(This irregularity is part of why I think the objects may be misplaced.) The label gives no description, but the envelope gives some ASCII art.
From here, you can’t go “in” as “The Water ring is sacred, and unsuitable for swimming” but you can go “out”.
The white ramp
You are standing on a narrow white ramp joining the ledge on minor mountain and the clouds interior. The ramp is unlike anything you have ever seen. It is translucent and obviously very thin, but it can support your weight without the slightest sign of strain. Through the ramp you can see the ground many feet below.
Trying to go “north” on the bridge results in the message that results in getting arrested (from last time).
A little gnome stops you on the bridge. After staring at you for a couple of seconds, he grows angry and curses you, waves his arms and suddenly there is a flash of bright light and when the smoke clears you find yourself in …
There’s many more rooms in section 3 devoted to the water ring area, but I’m still not sure where all this is in relation to the main game.
On the walkway.
You are slowly gliding along the outbound moving walkway leading from the City in the Sky. Below you is the second ring, the Water Ring. Outside of the plastic enclosing the walkway is a small sign.
I think there’s some kind of spinning mechanic but it doesn’t seem to be fully functional (at least not when warping in and sequence breaking the game). There’s one other significant chunk of rooms in section 3…
express 3/50
Whoosh …
Crystal Mazeexpress 3/70
Whoosh …
Crystal Maze
…but for reasons I hope you understand I didn’t bother to map them or figure out if there’s something coherent. I’ll save that for some future archaeologist.
Section 4:
Back to familiar territory, in the extra-large desert area, including the house with rooms where the authors never finished room descriptions. Shortly after the “end diggins” room are some rooms describing a tent, but since you can’t even leave the tent I’m pretty sure they didn’t get wired in.
Desert cheiftan’s tent
The tent is large, cool, airy and luxurious, and its entrance faces north across the centre of the encampment. The cloth walls of the tent flap gently in the breeze.
Section 5:
Remember that hidden room with the metal pyramid and the hole? Now let’s see what happens when you put them together.
put pyramid in hole
The ray of light is deflected by the metal pyramid. The light falls on the northern wall. Seconds later, there is a click from within the wall, and it glides open silently.n
Entrance to the Pyramid
You are in what appears to be the entrance to an ancient Pyramid which has been buried for eons. The floor of the chamber seems to have long ago been coated with what had once been a slippery substance. Time, however, has transformed it to a hard slick surface so you must still watch your step. There is a passage North and West as well as the one to the South.
The entrance to the pyramid is 5/1 so the start of this new section. Going north:
Pit Room
While ambling along, the light from your helmet reflects off the floor Just in the nick of time you notice there is a pit North of you, apparently a trap designed by the builders to deter theives from stealing the royal treasures. Suddenly stopping at the brink, your foot dislodges a piece of the edge which plummets to the bottom of the pit. Counting the seconds before you here the sound of it hitting bottom, you estimate that the pit is about 50 Meters deep.(?) Had you fallen, there would have been no way you could have survived.
As you scan your surroundings you notice an inscription in the ceiling above you.
The inscription is unfortunately gibberish, even if you’re holding or trying to use the “interpreters guide” from the earlier room. Maybe I’m just applying the wrong verb. Potentially it’s a straight cryptogram, but I’ll leave it to my astute readers to take a stab if that’s the case.
Unfortunately, going north further is DEATH.
Obviously you do not know the secret of the pyramid and the sun god Ra has seen fit to punish you. Down you fall into a seemingly endless pit until suddenly you see the bottom of the pit. Looming up before you see meter long spikes of steel tipped with barbs coming up at you.
Suddenly you find yourself becoming impaled on the spikes. Death mercifully comes swift and ends the agonizing pain.
You open your eyes to find yourself floating in a dark empty void.
Suddenly from all around you is heard the voice of GOD saying:
” Time to pay, to pay, to pay….”
The exit from the Entrance to the west just seems to be a maze; if you get by whatever the sun god Ra is wanting it leads into a further Egyptian complex including a treasure room.
Treasure Room
You have entered the treasure room of the Great Pharoh and are amazed at the immensity of it. The walls are decorated with heiroglyphics, each one many feet high. The chamber itself is so large, that it could easily be divided into two separate chambers and it would still be amazing. To the North, too far to read, is writing scribbled next to a skeketon.
A large Platinum Shield rests in front of you.
An intricately woven Silken Robe lies on the floor
A large metal Broadaxe lies at your feet.
A skillfully faceted crystal cube shines in the lamplight.
Heading north there’s a little bit of a puzzle resolved by breaking a particular flask.
Northern Wall
Arriving at the northern wall you notice that there is a poem written on it in ancient Androvian. All around you you here the words “beware, beware, beware. death is stalking you.. AH ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!”
There is a red flask, a small blue flask, and a green flask in the wall
On your right to the east which contains a recess made of marble
stones polished to mirror smoothness.break blue flask
While breaking the blue flask, all traces of the others vanish. To your right you notice that the recessed part of the east wall is slowly sinking. (obviously the secret way out.)e
Escape passage
You are in the escape passage of the pyramid. Passages continue to the east and back to the west where you came from.e
Junction in the escape passage
After wandering down the escape passage, you come to a Northeast- Southwest junction inthe path.ne
Subterranean Jungle Path
You seem to be on a jungle path underground in a seemingly ancient land. The long dead vegetation leaves a stench which is unbearable. The path continues north and southwest in a winding manner.
Lying in the vegitation you notice a titanium machete.
The machete lets you go further ahead into a ziggurat and even more ancient cultures / puns.
Babalonian Room
You now occupy an ancient Babalonian assembly room, once used as an area for the populace to gather before religious services. It also Served as a staging area for the protection of the Emperor in case of attack. There are passages to the Northeast, South, and West.ne
Prayer Room
You have entered the prayer room of the ancients. There are motifs and wall carvings depicting the ancient gods of all races. As you scan the room you notice the images of Bal, Matu-Mico, Ra, and the Tana-kuktankalphanon(pizza-piea). there are passages off to the North East, and Southwest.
a coral bangle lies before you.
Somewhere in all this must be a major change, because starting at 5/83 there’s a spaceship.
Air Lock
You are in the airlock of a spaceship somewhere out in space. As you look out the large viewing port you notice that you are in space, traveling at a tremendous speed. Looking east you notice that there is an opening out to space but there is no door. For some reason the air in the spaceship is noy being vented into space. There is a passage out and one back west to the preparation room.
There is a spacesuit hanging in the corner by the exit to the airlock.
This is followed by a museum of sorts which might be in space although it was never clear to me (keep in mind there’s no guarantee anything is connected here, I’m just going by room numbering). At least there’s a reminder of the lore, which I was able to ignore for most of the game.
Center of the Rotunda
You are in the center of the Great Rotunda, in front of a shimmering monument. As you reach to touch it, your hand passes through, it is a holographic projection. Your approach seems to trigger something since it changes form and displays a huge plaque. As you attempt to read it, the words seem to speak directly to you through some telepathic link.
The voice says:
..
To thee who hears these words, the fortune of knowledge be yours.
In times of trouble, forget not the holy quest, remember these:
Forget not the quest, though your wealth be threatened.
Kindness amplifies all that can be thine.
Though often you conquer death, remember that it can conquer thee.
..
Above all remember this:
To the vision of Thamos be true, only thus will all be thine.
After comes what seems to be a completely disconnected museum of music. The exit west from the Museum Entrance is one step away from the hidden room past the curtain via one-way passage; this feels like a bug rather than what was truly intended, though. There’s also a museum of science hiding in the files, and I think it likely they’re all supposed to form one complex.
In the Chamber of Sound, “pieces of music from every known composer seem to be playing at once, creating a great confluence of sound.”
Some of the Riverworld rooms are tossed in here too, including leading to…
Section 6:
…the next teleport section, where 6/1 is the “Lower river along the shore”, 6/28 is the silver room (where you put in the coins to warp back to realty) and 6/29 is inside the boat (that you use to go back and forth from the island with the tower). 6/30 is a “warning room” where going south leads to blank space.
Warning room
You can see a passageway up to the gravel room. To the west and east, available light shows walls of stone. But strangely, to the south there is darkness. There is a slight draft coming from that direction indicating a passage, but you can see nothing.
By “blank space” I mean you get no text response at all from going south, but heading back north does go somewhere so it isn’t a softlock:
n
The room you are in apparently absorbs all light. You can not see which direction you are heading. Good luckThe Adytum
To the north is total darkness, to the south and southeast there are passages
Sitting on the ground before you is a famulus’ notebook
Since you’re likely curious:
read notebook
Notes on the Magic
of the Wizard
Quidopen notebook
The book is held together by some mysterious force. You will need more strength to open it
The “held together” is dependent on stats, another aspect of the game I’ve mostly been able to ignore. There’s “power”, “wisdom”, “coordination”, and “magic”; I tried boosting strength to 100 (via cheats) and it wasn’t enough, but 200 was sufficient to open the notebook and read it.
open notebook
The famulus’ book is forced open by your strengthread notebook
This book contains the notes of a famulus of the Wizard Quid. The information can not be read, but rather absorbed. The magic is now yours … use it wiselyAs you finish reading what there is to read, the book bursts into flames, flames that incinerate the book, but do no harm to your hands
This boosts magic level from 0 to 1000. I have not experimented to see if this allows for any extra effects. The game just says magic “can be used in various parts of the maze to solve problems and accomplish feats” but that could mean it isn’t really linked up yet.
I’m wondering if there was a plan for magic words akin to Zork II. Image from the Zork 2 Invisiclues. Source.
There’s yet more rooms past this, but I again get the sense not everything has been plugged in to be fully functional.
Moist sloping path
You are continuing along a moist sloping path the runs along one of the edges of an incredibly deep chasm. The chasm appears to be slowly narrowing as you head down, widening as you head up.d
Bottom of a moist sloping path
The bottom of the moist path still leaves you miles above the bottom of the chasm. The chasm appears to be more narrow towards the north. The path here levels out and continues north.n
Rock ledge
You are standing on a wide rock ledge that extends partially across the chasm. There is another rock ledge on the other side extending out towards you. The other ledge ends about 8 feet from you and can not be jumped to.
Hanging down from the center of the chasm is a thick vine
An intricately engraved escutcheon lies at your feet.
(I can’t use the vine for anything, it’s too far out. No variant I’ve tried of jumping to the vine and/or swinging has worked.)
Trying to jump to 7/1 results in a full crash, so let’s get back to something I promised.
Open the Postbox
In my previous post, I noticed that you could examine a faceplate to see a combination lock. I did not know what the combination was.
I do now, because there are three “scrap of paper” items which each have two digits, forming a six digit number. I do not know where or how to find these objects without cheating. There is a fair chance they weren’t placed anywhere yet, because the result of opening the lock is…
push “1”
Click.push “0”
Click.push “1”
Click.push “6”
Click.push “5”
Click.push “4”
Click.
There is a second click, and the post office box swings open
it has nothing.
look in boxThe box contains:
…nothing. Absolutely nothing. Maybe it was supposed to have the item intended to trigger the endgame, eventually. Fortunately, I can use debug commands and get that item too.
The Endgame
The item in question is a withdrawal slip, which can be nabbed with ASSIST:28 (that’s the “set up for end game” debug command). There’s no description of it, but if you take it back to the bank and summon the gnome, the magic starts to happen.
Inside the local small bank
Fastened against the wall in the corner is a set of chairs. Secured to the floor is a small counter that was at one time used by townfolk to fill out deposit and withdrawl slips. On the north wall is a button marked in letters now barely visible “Ring bell for service”. In the corner of the room is a staircase going down.
Surrounding the stairway down, is a metal cage, with a closed door in the frontpush button
From out of nowhere, a little gnome appears in response to your signal. He checks to see if you are carrying the appropriate withdrawl slip, and seeing that you do, waves his hands, and disappears. But as he vanishes, the gate in front of the stairs down into the vault swings open.
Now the bank vault has treasures. Remember these weren’t here when we snuck in via mine cart.
Bank Vault
You are inside the bank vault of the small local bank. In one corner is a stairway up. There are TV cameras high up in the ceiling that slowly pan back and forth observing you and the room. Running near one of the walls is a set of narrowly placed railroad tracks. One end terminates with a bumper, the other end disappears under a steel door.
There is a golden egg here
There is a metal broadaxe here
There is a crystal vase here
One beat later there’s an explosion, followed by an announcement.
In the distance, you can hear a large explosion … and within seconds, the ground on which you stand begins to vibrate. A gnome runs into the bank yelling “A hole has opened in the base of the mountain … better watch your own treasures … we gnomes are clearing out”. The gnome then runs up the stairs out of the vault, taking the steps three at a time.
You will see a cloud of dust in the distance upon leaving the bank.
To the distant north, in the direction of minor mountain, you can see a cloud of gray dust rising skyward.
Heading back to the mountain section, there’s a new long passage. (Notice also the stick.)
Eerie tunnel
The temperature here is very cold and there is a slight wind blowing from the northeastern direction. There is the smell of evil on that wind. The tunnel is bathed in a crepuscular glow; you cast a long shadow to the south. The tunnel continues to the south and northeast.
Resting on the ground at the top of the steps is a sharp stickne
Checkpoint
The room you are was carved in the rock millions of years ago. There is a passageway leading south, back to the stairs, one leading to the north and one, very large portal carved in the rocks to the east. Above the doorway to the east is a large sign that reads “GUARD ROOM — UNATHORIZED ENTRANCE PROHIBITED”
Standing in the cave, blocking the far northern exit, is a cyclops
No matter what action you try next, the cyclops will then try to get your name.
The cyclops says “Ah ha … what is that I smell … a human … here !” What is your name human ?
This is free-form typing but it doesn’t allow everything (a blank response gets something about not being tricked). You can do the “nobody” thing if you want, and if you take the stick and poke the cyclops with it (“poke cyclops with stick in eye”), he’ll shout about nobody attacking him.
The cyclops screams “HELP … HELP … I am being blinded by nobody”
The other cyclops hearing the cries of the guard come running out of the room and attack you
I’m unclear if there’s a way past the cyclops with the game in its current state. (Maybe one of the treasures will help, but some, like the instruments in the music museum, are impossible to get via regular play.) I know 6/48 is just to the north of him so I didn’t need to solve a puzzle here.
The tunnel to the south bursts open into a small room with luminous rock walls. To the north is a wide opening that enters into what appears to be a much larger room. Above the opening a strange rock formation, with another, much smaller opening above it.
Going north leads to Ragnarok. If you haven’t killed the monsters (the pirate / rat combo) by the time you reach here, they show up here. Or maybe even if they’re dead they revive here. Either way, entering is instant death without messing with stats.
Rangarok
As you cross the threshold of the opening, the rocks behind you slide together blocking your escape to the south. As you begin to look around, you understand that this is not really a room. The ceiling is is beyond view, and the walls are smoothly curved. The floor is like that of a sand-less desert, dryed and cracked. To the distant north, you can see what appears to be the only passageway out.
The nasty pirate lashes out at you with his knife but you avoid him.
The giant rat circles … He bites you squarely … and you feel the life running out of you
Let’s just keep skipping ahead, though. 6/50 is a warm tunnel.
Warm tunnel
Unlike the tunnels before Rangarok, this tunnel is warm, and exudes a blissful tranquility. The passageway from the south has closed shut, you must continue eastward, and upward.u
Large field
You are standing in a large field, located high atop somewhere. In the sky to the north are two glowing yellowish-red balls of fire. Their sunlights illuminate the ground with a subtle glow, and the grass of the field grows strongly toward the suns. To the south, the largest of the moons is slowly rising up, while to the east, another sets. High atop distant cliffs, seemingly miles away, are perched the wildlife of the area. They are waiting for you … watching you … briefly there is an image of parchment … of battle … of victory.In the middle of this wonderous field, floating no more than 3 feet of the grass is the oak flute of Thamos. The rays of the two suns converge on the flute, appearing to support it, motionless in the light breeze that blows over the field.
get flute
As your outstretched hands grasps the oak flute of Thamos, it begins to sing out a hauntingly beautiful melody, and then if by magic, it accompanies itself with harmonies new to the world. The flute plays for less than a minute, and then there is a sudden silence, which is shattered seconds later by a thunder clap … a bolt of light … and a blinding flash. When the smoke clears, you find yourself standing outside of the bank again … empty handed.
The northwest corner of the parking lot (that we started the game at, long ago) now has a white Chevy van.
Inside the Chevy Van
You are sitting inside the Chevy Van, at the driver seat. In front of you are two buttons. One is white, and marked “START”, the other is black, and marked “FORWARD”. Behind you, piled up neatly, you can see:push white button
The engine of the Chevy van sputters into life, and automatically, the doors lock. In the side mirror, you can see someone attaching a car trailer onto the back of the van. On the trailer is a brand new Porche 928. From all sides you see people running toward you cheering. From the left approaches a mounted escort perched on top of beautiful white and brown horses. To the right you can see a motorcycle escort nearing and as they reach the van, the split to form a column on both sides. Above, you can see two helicopters circling, their blades apparently stationary, as their bodies rotate slowly beneath them. By now there are thousands of cheering people around you. Over their cheers you can here numerous brass bands playing with a confluence of sound that would make Charles Ives happy.push black button
The Chevy van slowly moves forward, preceded by the mounted escort, and surrounded by two columns of motorcycles. The fence in front of you lowers to allow your passage. The people now are running along side; some are crying, others cheering madly. They are yelling THISSALA … THISSALA. As you pass by the remaining southern fence section, you notice a gray-beared man, perched on top of a great turtle. In his hands, he is carrying the oak flute. He bows in salute as you pass by … and his lips appear to say THISSALA. You have done it. You have liberated the good people of Makassar and they are greatful. You have obtained the total points, which is 1000 and have required 106 moves You are entitled to the classification of GRAND MASTER … congratulations In the crepuscular light that bathes the world now, you see fireworks flashing in the near-night sky, and they too spell out THISSALA. The mounted guard before you pulls off to the sides of the road and they salute you. The motorcycles break their columned formations and cross in front of you, and they to mouth THISSALA. The bands stop playing … the sunlight starts fading … and the warm air still blows.
The end. We are Thissala.
From a 2022 production of The Magic Flute via The Metropolitan Opera.
Weirdly, despite the clearly broken way I reached the ending, that felt like victory.
There’s enough code lying around it does seem possible to link up broken points and make a “remastered” version of the game, but even given that I think there’s a lot of author intent missing: what’s going on with the vast empty desert, for instance? What was planned to manipulate the various statistics, and what was going to be the result of getting magic? It would be nice to ask one of the authors. Peter Macaulay (the author originally from Northern Ireland) has already passed, but one of the other authors (David Auerbach) was found (alive) by Rob while researching another mainframe. For privacy reasons I’m going to leave that thread be, as maybe in the future there will be the possibility of an interview and some more of the history of this game explained.
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