The Mercenary Site

Update: Paul Woakes sadly passed away on July 15th 2017. RIP †

The Mercenary Site

I love finding websites that are active and buzzing with great content for games that are available for the Atari ST. The Mercenary Site is run by a great guy called 'Symoon' and is dedicated to the entire Mercenary series. He's a bit of an obsessive and it shows when you browse his immense website!

Personally, I'm all about the second game, Damocles which is a cracker thanks to an open-world environment that isn't hampered by linear restrictions. Yep, you're free to do whatever you like and how you choose to do it is up to you. That's something that holds dear because I'm a sucker for messing about!

Before you rush off to his website, we chatted and I asked him a few questions about it...

My site is horribly old but, to me, the content is more important than its look - and spare time is a rare thing these days ;) .... (we then began to talk about Hunter!) ... I also have fond memories of Hunter, except that the energy was dropping way too fast! I cheated to stop that and finished all the missions a long time ago. Really good fun using helicopters or hovercrafts!

There isn't much to say about me - I can't call myself an active Atari ST owner. But my brother bought an Atari ST and we mainly played games with it. I remain attached to it, but not as much as I am to my very first computer (the Oric!). You'll find a few occasional posts from me on some Atari forums under the nickname Symoon, but nothing worth talking about really ;)

I began the website around 1996, learning HTML to make a solution page for Mercenary III while I was doing the compulsory military service in France. I had struggled so much to get my copy of Mercenary III (I guess it hasn't been imported at all in France then) that I played it and found a way to complete it with all the solutions. There was almost no information about Mercenary III on the Internet at the time, and I had discovered the great Mark Sachs' guide to Damocles which inspired me. So it all began as "the Mercenary III solution page", designed in the same way...

Then the site grew little by little, as I added content very quickly thanks to many, many contributors. I recently read old emails and was puzzled at how many people wrote to me about it, and how interesting many of the messages were. I got in touch with many people from Novagen (first was Mo Warden), all very kind, and even met some of them. I'm so sad that Bruce Jordan, who lead the Novagen company with Paul Woakes, passed away 9 years go.

Firstly, because he really was a friendly man! Of course, on more Mercenary-driven motivations, because he was a great source of information. The MDDClone, that appeared around 2002, also was a source of real motivation. Its author hadn't been here, I might not have kept updating the site so long - and certainly not with so much detailed content.

What I loved about the games? I can't tell you really, I'd say the freedom feeling, and the first-person 3D which put YOU in the world (it wasn't that common at this time). The fact that a whole world was created for the player to simply walk around and the mix between adventure and some kind of flight simulation too. Also, it's humour. As a French young man though, I didn't always notice or understand the fun there was in Benson's words!

I was visiting each and every location hoping to find something significant at any corner. I found (and still find) it amazing that a whole universe was there on a disk. Thanks again, I hope you spend many pleasant hours in the Gamma system soon!

Black Lamp

Fancy a medieval adventure?

Let's cut to the chase: you’re a clown. Well, you are plucky Jack The Jester who happens to be in love with the Princess, Griselda. Sadly, she will never look at you with the same love-struck passion (probably because of your silly costume!). Fortunately, for you, the kingdom of Allegorid was attacked by dragons!!

Since when was that fortunate? Well, they stole all the magical lamps, which helped to protect everyone in the kingdom from evil. This also includes the most acclaimed lamp - a cherished and powerful Black Lamp. So, let's get going and rescue our dolly bird princess Griselda. Fail and death awaits you... great storyline, uh?

Okay, let's take a little break because it's time to see the first screenshot...

The thing I adore about Black Lamp's visuals is the detail - from backgrounds to sprites!

How about a medieval nightmare!

Black Lamp is a flip-screen platformer with ledges to hop on, ladders to climb, items to collect, and monsters to kill. Not to mention what feels like thousands of rooms to visit as we undertake the honourable lamp quest. Interestingly, once our plucky jester ventures outside, that visual mechanic becomes a scrolling platformer. Here we can walk the castle walls, woodlands, and streets, looking for areas to visit. Various bonuses are offered for points, and also special abilities like increased firepower and invincibility.

The monsters reign supreme, and this is perhaps the game’s greatest and possibly most annoying characteristic. Not only are their numbers countless, but their assaults are relentless!! Wherever you go, they appear like magic - they don't need open doors because they can walk through the walls. This means there is literally no safe place that can offer a quiet moment of refuge, which is brilliantly insane but can also be OTT.

This ain't a boring yawnfest and will entertain throughout. Let's check out another screenshot...

Beautiful locations and lots of monsters to kill. Just look at that ogre!

A beautiful looker?

Throughout, the graphics are awesome. It feels like a cartoon chronicle of England's medieval age. The monsters are incredibly alluring with much charm. My favourites are the Imps and Trolls, which are bewitching to watch with beautiful animation. It's hard to imagine anything better than this in 1988 on a 16-bit platform.

The audio is perfect. Not only is there an incredible theme tune, but all in-game sound effects are zappy and exciting. This is exactly how a game should sound and makes it enthralling to play. Do I need to mention the in-game music? Like, wow!! Greensleeves, the olde English folk song. Wow, the audio is superb!!

And with that revelation out of the way, let's see the final screenshot before the gripping concussion...

Black Lamp was one of the first games I saw after leaving the Spectrum. Can you imagine my joy!

The CryptO'pinion?

Black Lamp is a brilliant game, but it's not perfect. My beef is with Jolly Jack's controls that react slowly due to his (superbly) animated movements. Imagine that you are walking right, and need to turn left to kill oncoming monsters. This action does not immediately happen because his walking animation must finish.

Black Lamp is up there with other ST legends. It's a classic and nothing short of a fun-filled, hectic adventure that looks and sounds amazing. Sure, the aesthetics don't matter, but it's good to have them.

Everyone should play this platformer and experience what the Kingdom of Allegorid offers. It's challenging, addictive and rewarding. You won't regret booting up Black Lamp whatsoever, I guarantee it.

One of my favourite Atari ST games.

Available on floppy and hard drive.

Hey, I bought this game :-)

HUNTER

Behold, the best 16-bit game

Hunter was developed by Paul Holmes for Activision in 1991, and many consider it one of the first open-world/sandbox 3D productions. Now, that's a pretty big claim when you think about it for any 16-bit computer. It's also relevant to today's younger gamer who might assume there was nothing before the likes of GTA or Battlefield. I wonder if anyone under 40 reads my stuff... As if. Bah, kids today!

This game takes place within a huge three-dimensional world filled with wonder and danger. This is also a game of objects, many vehicles, and gadgets. We are essentially a James Bond dude with various mission objectives to complete (should you decide to play the game properly - no pressure). All of these are far-reaching, with the key to success being careful exploration, interaction, communication, and often quick reactions.

Oh, and common sense won't go amiss before heading out into the wild landscapes:

• I wouldn't drive off in a jeep without carrying a spare jerrycan!
• It might be a good idea to find a medkit, as it's dangerous out there.
• It's always a good idea to stock up on ammo.
• Hey, use the map!

Never will you play a game that offers so many different types of vehicles to drive, pilot, ride, etc...

I knew this was gonna be good, and it wasn't long before I was Howling Mad Murdock!!

I start well, but it's going dark, and I'm on foot. Then I got rundown!

No rules, only fun!

Hunter provides an incredible array of vehicles to hop into. I love riding a wonky bike, tearing up the land in my jeep, and even stopping to watch birds. However, something like a helicopter might take practice. The hippie in you might fancy a swim with the fish? Why not chase rabbits? Why? Well, why not!

But why would you do any of this when you can drive an army vehicle, steer a speedboat, or pilot a helicopter? Heck, you can even hop into a tank and blow stuff up, like somebody's house!! Release your inner psychopath and terrorise the world. Your options are almost endless. This game will rock your world.

You can ignore the missions and go for your own adventure. I often boot up Hunter to drive around its fascinating landscape - what's better than exploring a new world, with the option of blowing stuff up? So, create mayhem and have yourself some fun. It's this freedom that is the best aspect of Hunter - because we are completely free to roam. Go anywhere and choose to do anything you like. Just don't get shot or blown up!

Hunter is limited only by your imagination. Be heroic. Be ambitious. Be an explorer...

There's nothing quite like this game - jump into a jeep and be a Mud Muppet for a day?

Armoured cars are every bit as good as they sound. Love these so much!

Polygons and squeaks?

Hunter's world is fantastic thanks to a concise design by Paul and Christian Roux, who have the Atari ST exhibiting fast and fluent visuals. The 3D objects look cool with an array of vehicles and buildings. I love the superb details, everything from the chequered landscapes to your bike looks and moves great.

Faster computers will benefit; like my 16Mhz Mega STe that performs exceptionally well.

Sonically, we have sampled music on the title screen. Everyone knows I prefer Chip, but I quite enjoyed this tune. However, it's the kind of thing you leave playing once, because we wanna play!! In-game sound effects are nice, with some funky booming effects. Along with hilariously silly ones - like the seagulls!

Much love went into Hunter with its stunning aesthetics. So let's see more screenshots...

Forget the objective, I'm going sailing on the open oceans. It's up to you what you wanna do!!

Hangers are always worth checking out. Always.

The CryptO'pinion?

In some respects, this is years ahead of its time, with comparisons already made to later games, like GTA and Battlefield 1942. It's remarkable exploring this strange new world. It's immense, and heading out into the unknown never fails to please, so who knows what you might find out there? Wear a good pair of walking boots, tread carefully, and leave no stone unturned in this thrilling and dangerous world.

Even when played properly (yeah, I should do that more!), this is an engrossing experience with taxing missions that require a tactical and careful approach. The emphasis is always on your freedom, and this priority extends into how you choose to complete a mission - there are no linear paths to blindly follow. That, I find utterly enthralling, to say the least. Yes, they're difficult, but never boring and always enjoyable.

An extraordinary adventure, and I guarantee it's one of the best 16-bit games you'll play. Hunter is epic.

Epic is a strong word. But it's also very true, so Hunter earns the accolade of an AtariCrypy SMASH!

Download FLOPPY and HDD.

 

~~~ Interesting Map Coordinates ~~~

Security pass = 90, 153

Master key = 164, 169

Old man = 181, 197

Second man = 99, 61

Third man (In rock) = 195, 119

Professor = 49, 115

Prisoner = 135, 239

Injured man = 10, 36

Antibiotics and saw = 151, 121

Monk (in tree stump) = 85, 174

Scroll = 91, 173

Disk = 100, 225

Computer = 244, 199

General's bunker = 135, 239

Officer's red uniform = 190, 65

VROOM

I don't think I've ever taken this (outstanding) racer very seriously. Never have I booted it up to play through as a champion challenger. I admit that I boot up this game whenever I'm bored and in need of a thrill... Madness, I know!!

Today I was bored.

Vroom is just the ticket for speed and thrills.

Enjoy the video :-)

Cannon Fodder

  

I've just stumbled upon a nifty program for Cannon Fodder. It's an intro that offers various cheats like infinite ammo and level select and was created by "Dr D" from The Casualty Dept. I've copied it to my Atari ST and it works like a charm! Now, I'm not bothered about the infinite ammo/men but being able to start on any level is superb & opens up the game. Highly recommended for those playing via floppy disk - enjoy!! :-)

[ Clickety-Click and Download ]

App appreciation day

A time to celebrate!

Some programs don't get the credit or respect that they deserve. The ones that we use regularly never let us down and get the job done perfectly. Yet, once their task is complete, they are TOSsed to one side without so much as a thank you. How cruel we are. Do you know a downtrodden PRG? Then shame on you!

Sadly, I am guilty of this sin. For me, it's called FastCopy (Pro) by Martin Backchat. An iconic copier/formatter for the Atari ST. In fact, you will be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn't/doesn't use this funky program. I'd bet good money that every ST owner has a copy on their computer. Rightly so.

But why? Well, because it has several distinct features that I admire...

• A brilliant backup tool.
• Essential formatting options.
• Actually, very smart formatting. Woo!!
• Nifty virus prevention.
• Can run either as a PRG or an ACC.

I format all my disks using Fastcopy Pro. It never lets me down (touches wooden head), and I've used it since the 80s. How cool is that! So, dear FastCopy, I promise to start being nice to you, appreciating your commitment to ST floppies. Greetings to Mr Backschat for making such an awesome Atari ST program.

I hope this silly post made you smile :)

 Atari-Forum Wiki  |  Atarimania

Rick Dangerous

Indiana Jones

Rick Dangerous is a brilliant platformer. Simple as that! Well, I almost fell over myself when I found this superb website dedicated to this incredible game. Go on, take a look at it - have a guess which is the best version of Ricky Dangerous!! :-) Before you go, here is my video recording of this excellent game!