Flying Circus
| Flying Circus | |
|---|---|
| ◄Eamon adventure #93► | |
 | |
| Author | Rick Krebs |
| Created | 1984 |
| Released | May 1985 |
| Revised |
5 July 1985 (DOS) 11 May 1993 (ProDOS) |
| EAG number | 93 |
| EDX number | 15-02 |
| EDX set | Classic Eamon Adventures, Vol. 3 |
| Native format | Apple DOS 3.3 |
| Files |
Eamon 93 - Flying Circus.dsk Eamon 93 - Flying Circus (ProDOS).dsk |
Flying Circus is a humorous Eamon adventure written by Rick Krebs inspired by the popular British comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus. It's one of only two adventures by Krebs (the other being Blood Feud), both introduced in the May 1985 issue of the Eamon Adventurer's Log.
Background
In correspondence with Huw Williams in 2021, Krebs stated that he was prompted to write Flying Circus and the subsequent Blood Feud in 1984 by a friend who was interested in trying to commercialize the Eamon library, and created them as tests to evaluate the system. Though the project never got off the ground, Krebs enjoyed building the adventures and later shared them with the newly-formed National Eamon User's Club.
Premise
From the game's introduction:
Good day! We apologize most sincerely to those of you who have bought this program, under the impression it was connected in any way with the humorous television series, Monty Python's Flying Circus. It is really an adventure based on World War I air heroes as compiled by Oscar Tritt.
...
We apologize for the previous apology. That apology was unnecessary and appeared on this disk owing to an administrative error. This program is not as stated in the previous apology, but does contain material from the humorous television series, Monty Python's Flying Circus.
The quest, though not stated in the introduction, is to collect at minimum the thermonuclear device (owned by the Piranha brothers) and the "treasure" (a copy of Krebs's own role-playing game Gangbusters) before returning to the Main Hall. If successful, the adventurer receives the Medal of Silliness and a one-point increase to their armor class.
Walkthrough
Aficionados of Monty Python who wish to experience every room, monster, and artifact should refer to the accompanying map which serves as a key to the adventure's many zany vignettes. Players who (for some fathomless reason) wish only to complete the game without visiting every location, and to avoid unnecessary backtracking, may following the walkthrough below.
Begin by going north from the aerodrome until you reach the first intersection.
Western section
- Go west twice to the garden path.
- Go south through the orchard and jungle to reach the beach and battle the electric penguin. Open its egg to discover the 1949 FA Cup inside, upon which is written the inscription, "1949–Woolverhampton Wanderers".
- Return to the garden path, then go west through the intersection to reach the Licensing Bureau.
- Enter the back room to the south, then go west to the apiary. Open the hive and peek inside to find a key to some handcuffs.
- Return to the Licensing Bureau and go east to the intersection.
- Go north through the town of North Minehead to reach the Cheese Emporium.
- Head west through the intersection, up the steps, and into the hovel. Collect the rat pie (ew!), inside of which is concealed a key.
- Retrace your steps back to the intersection north of the aerodrome.
BBC Castle
- Go east to enter the castle.
- Exit south into the great hall, then east into the theatre.
- Go north and follow the hallway east until you see a photograph hanging on the wall. Examine it and you'll discover it's a picture of Teddy Johnson and Pearl Carr winning the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest with their version of "Sing Little Birdie".
- Return to the intersection north of the aerodrome.
Piranha Castle
- Go north, through the gate, then along the path as it heads north and then east.
- Enter the castle, past the intrepid Harry "Snapper" Organs, and go north until you reach the large parlor.
- Go east through the small parlor to reach the first talking door which asks, "Who won the FA Cup Final in 1949?" Give the answer you found on the cup and it will open for you.
- The next door asks, "What was the winning song in the 1959 Eurovision Song Contest?" Give the answer from the hallway photo and you can proceed east.
- Enter a large room and tangle with the enormous and bad-tempered hedgehog Spiney Norman.
- Go south through the hall and into a reception area where you can use your handcuff key to free the prisoners.
- Go south again and you'll be in the lair of the infamous Piranha Brothers, Doug and Dinsdale. Defeat them and take the nuclear device (the first of the two required treasures).
- Return north to Spiney Norman's room, then north again to reach the last talking door. It asks, "What's brown and sounds like a bell?" Answer "dung" and it will open.
- Go north and you'll meet the Pythons themselves, relaxing in the treasure room playing a game of Gangbusters (the final treasure). Collect it and return the way you came.
- Make your way back to the aerodrome and exit south to complete the adventure and receive your rewards.
Trivia
- The Gangbusters roleplaying game found in the treasure room was created by Krebs and published by TSR in 1982.
- There have been at least five licensed, commercial video games based on Monty Python, beginning with Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Computer Game (1990) and Monty Python's Complete Waste of Time (1994).
- The scenes of King Otto and Princess Mitzi in the Happy Valley are not from the BBC television series but are instead drawn from a comedy special the Python's made for German television entitled Monty Python’s Fliegender Zirkus.
- The French city of Lourdes can also be visited in A Vacation in Europe by David Smith.
External links
- Eamon Adventurer's Guild Library Master List
- The Interactive Fiction Database: Flying Circus
- Interactive Fiction Reviews: Flying Circus
| ||||||||