Let's Go On A Fool's Errand! (1987) (Puzzle)

[lacktheknack]

<spoiler=Index><link=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.949243-Lets-Go-On-A-Fools-Errand-1987-Puzzle#23956372>1. The Sun
<link=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.949243-Lets-Go-On-A-Fools-Errand-1987-Puzzle#23958198>2. The Moon
<link=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.949243-Lets-Go-On-A-Fools-Errand-1987-Puzzle#23960809>3. The Wheel of Fortune

<spoiler=Preamble>Let's play a game that's very close to my heart.

The Fool's Errand, a game from 1987, is a strange and brilliant beast. I don't want to give away too much, but the game is notable for being the first to contain meta-puzzles. It follows a fractured narrative, driven along by the player solving a whackload of puzzles and uncovering more and more of the story out of order. It's a remarkable little 80s gem and I hope you'll follow along as we play.

If you're intrigued by the thread and want to play ahead yourself, <link=http://dosgames.com/dl.php?filename=http://www.dosgames.com/files/fool.zip>here is the DOS version I'm using. The game is legal abandonware. Make sure you know how to use DOSBox! It's only playable around 2000 CPU cycles per second!

In short, I'm going to leave the bulk of the puzzle solving to you.

No Googling! D:

Most of the puzzles are single-screen affairs with clear cut answers. Some of them will not work in thread form - like the Wheel of Fortune card game - and I'll simply solve them myself with accompanying screenshots or video. Some will be difficult to solve, like the masking puzzles, but I'll put them up for stubborn readers to try their hand at anyways. Many, however, can be done through logic, intuition, and a piece of paper. Challenge your brains!

Assuming the thread doesn't die right away, I'll be updating the LP periodically - two or three times daily, I hope - so we should be able to finish the game in less than a month. We'll need you to help us move forward, however, so don't just lurk - post suggestions and interact! This will be fun!

<spoiler=Prologue><youtube=_4shxapXHaQ>

Part 1: The Fool Meets the Sun

<spoiler=The Sun>

Well, it was certainly grand for the sun to give us a map! Let's just take a look here...

Uh. Hmm?

Huh... Uh oh.

Looks like something went very wrong here.

Unfortunately, we don't have nearly enough pieces to try and reassemble the map, so we'll just have to try and strike out on our own!

The Sun is a meta puzzle, as it turns out - you collect more pieces for it by meeting other people of the land and solving their puzzles. So, let's get to it!

The Kingdom of Wands

The Kingdom of Pentacles

The Kingdom of Cups

The Kingdom of Swords

The War Zone

Even though we haven't got a map, there's still a great number of places we can blindly stumble into.

So, gentle viewer... where should we go and who should we meet first? Vote in posts.

Current options are:
The Wheel of Fortune
The World
Strength
Temperance
The Hanged Man
The Hierophant
The Moon
The Emperor
The Empress
The Star
The High Priestess
Justice
The Chariot
The Hermit
Judgement
The Tower
The Devil
Death
The Magician
The Lovers

 

[Maximum Bert]

I remember playing this game a few years back now for the first time but I never finished it as my save got wiped. Is pretty impressive especially for the time it was released in but found that the puzzles did not diversify as much as I would have liked.

Regardless for the purpose of this thread I vote for:-

The Moon

I always meant to buy the sequel the fool and his money but the price put me off i.e 39.99 usd and honestly the way it is sold I do not think it will drop anytime in price soon if ever. Its obviously hoping to cater to a very niche and dedicated audience.

 

[lacktheknack]

Oh, the thread didn't die after all! Let's get this show started!

PART 2: THE ADVICE OF THE MOON

<spoiler=The Moon><img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/nef6hizj3/013_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/fa72csd3z/014_The_Moon.png

We start this thread with a masking puzzle, which I think are the hardest puzzles in the game. So that's an awkward start. xD

In short, each button adds a "mask", which puts a bunch of black on the field. If two masks overlap, they "cancel" each other and undo the black spot.

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/djo1bavkv/015_The_Moon.png

This puzzle makes three secret letters.

Here are the individual masks.

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/4px4u78m7/016_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/5th965t9b/017_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/m5ravw7kv/018_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/hxwin565b/019_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/wv4zo5jdr/020_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/nomp0ve5b/021_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/96phsvmu7/022_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/49gilia8v/023_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/9m5czmy5b/024_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/c4r20bjvj/025_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/f04576nvj/026_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/66d8q30wv/027_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/nxov4jgbj/028_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/e1ns4wajj/029_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/vszejcpy7/030_The_Moon.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/8ssr70s4f/031_The_Moon.png

To give you a boost and a fighting chance, I've built the first letter for you.

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/u3qbbaa8v/032_The_Moon.png

So, what are the three letters? Be aware that this is a hard puzzle, so don't get scared off if you can't solve it. I'll auto-solve it tomorrow for you all even if I get no attempts.


While you're thinking about it, please vote for the next location! Even if you don't want to try this puzzle, you can still vote.

<spoiler=Options>
The Wheel of Fortune
The Blacksmith (NEW)
The World
Strength
Temperance
The Hanged Man
The Hierophant
The Emperor
The Empress
The Star
The High Priestess
Justice
The Chariot
The Hermit
Judgement
The Tower
The Devil
Death
The Magician
The Lovers

 

[Maximum Bert]

Hmm I dont remember the masking puzzles but then again there were a few I was not 100% sure what I was doing on them plus been a fair while.

I am not going to spend ages trying to solve it on a forum anyway may do if I was playing properly and had time so basically I am going to guess er B

Also Wheel of Fortune please unless anyone else has preferences. Also I know its tarot but always get Persona vibes now when I see these names now.

 

[lacktheknack]

Sorry for the delay - my computer borked and it had to go in for repairs for a couple days. >__> <__<

<spoiler=Solution to The Moon>
It masked out to this.

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/ypd8s5h0f/012_The_Moon.png

PART 3: CARD GAMES BY THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE

<spoiler=The Wheel of Fortune>
<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/7qxd7j0bj/033_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/60ec61isf/034_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/qlxpbopr3/035_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

Well then.

The puzzle here, really, is to suss out the scoring rules.

The outline is simple: I can't see one of his two cards, and he can't see one of mine. There are three cards I get to choose from, and he chooses one of the two remaining.

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/lbsqke5i7/036_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/uxmb0ownz/037_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/papy37u5b/038_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/3pkvflxen/039_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/6kxymh1en/040_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/ksnnb4e3j/041_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/k4ess6fdr/042_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/tdgz2ao9r/043_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

I won the game with a triplet.

<img width=640>https://s25.postimg.org/l98uxk1un/044_The_Wheel_of_Fortune.png

The puzzle I present to you is this:

Consider the exchanges I show above.

Presuming I had the Empress (showing) and Justice (hidden), while the old man had the Hierophant and an unknown card, and the three cards to choose from are the Emperor, Temperance, and the Lovers, which is the smartest card to take?



The Archway (NEW)
The Blacksmith
The World
Strength
Temperance
The Hanged Man
The Hierophant
The Emperor
The Empress
The Star
The High Priestess
Justice
The Chariot
The Hermit
Judgement
The Tower
The Devil
Death
The Magician
The Lovers