Imogen

By HeadFirst PD

Originally published in EUG #15

Key:

M - change into monkey
C - change into cat
W - change into wizard
Duckling - change into duckling

A HeadFirst PD SolutionBelow follows a step-by-step to solution to the Superior/Acornsoft Arcade Adventure, Imogen. One of the best games ever released for the BBC/Electron, it features superb graphics with wonderful animation. Do not worry if you make a few mistakes while following these instructions, as it is possible to complete the game with 31 changes remaining.
 
Section A - BALLOONACY
M Climb rope and jump onto platform. Jump onto rope held up by balloon and float down. Jump through gap in the wall. Move onto left hand screen. Climb rope and jump onto platform. Climb next rope, jump onto balloon, float down and onto protruding wall section. Climb rope and jump onto platform. Jump onto balloon, next rope and protruding wall.
W Jump on table to collect bow and arrow. Jump down to floor.
M Move onto right hand screen. Climb rope, jump onto balloon and through gap. Move onto right hand screen. Climb rope and jump onto platform.
W Use bow and arrow facing right to pop balloon. Jump off platform.
W Jump higher to right over table. Move onto right hand screen.
M Climb rope and onto left hand platform.
W Use bow and arrow to shoot baby (!).
W Jump across gap to left.
M Climb rope, and go across to the magic spell.
W Use it.
 
Section B - WHIP-IT
M Move onto left hand screen. Climb rope and get whip. Move onto right hand screen. Climb rope and jump to platform where dog is standing.
W Go up to dog (do not touch it) and whip it (it is a whippet after all!) until it is against far wall.
M Go up rope and onto right hand screen. Go down left hand rope and jump onto left hand platform.
W Jump across to collect frog from right hand platform.
M Climb up left hand rope onto left hand screen. Move left again.
W Move under SPEAK HERE sign and use frog. The barrier will now be lifted so move onto left hand screen.
M Climb rope and get spell.
W Use it.
 
Section C - DUCK-EGG-BLUES
M Move onto right hand screen. Go up second rope and collect small egg. Move onto left hand screen. Climb rope and jump into nest.
W Turn around to face large egg and throw small egg at it. Collect small egg.
M Back up rope to nest.
W Throw small egg again.
W Jump onto egg and then up onto ledge. Move onto left hand screen.
M Climb rope and jump into duckling.
Duckling Fly up and collect spell from screen above.
W Use it.
 
Section D - APPLESOURCE
M Move onto right hand screen. Climb rope, jump onto platform and climb tree, avoiding rabbit. When rabbit has passed carry onto the rope and left hand screen. Climb rope to screen above. Dislodge apple from tree and push through hole in floor. Follow it down. Push apple to right hand screen, then to left hand screen, and follow it.
W Jump onto apple.
M Jump onto rope. Jump onto right hand ledge, back to rope and onto left hand screen.
W Jump onto rock.
M Jump onto rope, then onto sliding rope, right hand rope and then right hand ledge. Repeat in the reverse direction to gain spell.
W Use spell.
 
Section E - DRIPPING-STUFF
M Move onto left hand screen. Climb rope and collect bottle. Move onto right hand screen.
W Hold bottle under dripping-stuff (fertilizer). Move onto right hand screen and pour fertilizer onto plant. Repeat two more times until plant touches roof.
M Climb tree and move onto right hand screen.
W Collect dripping-stuff (poison). Move onto left hand screen. Move left again, and again.
M Climb rope and stand just in front of dog's dinner.
W Pour poison into dog's dinner.
M Climb rope and collect spell.
W Use it.
 
Section F - SAXOPHOBIA
W Jump onto first table.
M Jump onto rope and then second rope. Climb up until just below the ball and then stop. As soon as the ball passes, climb up, jump onto mouse's head and then next rope. Go onto right hand screen, past trapdoor, and onto the next screen.
W Go down and push table to left. Jump onto it and then onto ledge. Go onto left hand screen, collect saxophone and then back to right. Push table to right. Jump onto it and then onto ledge.
M Climb rope and jump onto platform.
W Jump across gap to left hand screen.
W Stand on trapdoor and hold saxophone. You will fall down. Go right and down again.
W When the baby has just gone away from your end, jump up then quickly change to a wizard.
W Hold saxophone and play it. The baby will fall down and you can go across to collect spell and proceed to next section.
 
Section G - PAVLOV-WAS-HERE
M Climb left hand rope up to next screen. Go onto left hand screen. Go across gap using rope and collect drumstick. Go back right and down. On lower screen jump at bell to knock it off its platform. Push bell right and follow it.
W Hit bell, and the dog will begin to drool. The barrier will be raised.
W Jump up and collect spell.
W Use it.
 
Section H - HAMSTER-JAM
W Jump onto tub
M Jump as follows: rope, tub, rope, tub, rope, and finally onto ledge (do not jump too high up). Move onto left hand screen. Go across onto ledge and collect tulip bulb. Across again and through upper hole in wall. Jump onto rope. As hamster moves under tub, jump off and squash it to form very acceptable fertilizer.
W Plant tulip bulb in fertilizer.
M Climb tulip and move onto left hand screen. Climb first rope, second, and then land on tub.
W Jump across to collect spell (this is tricky).
W Use it.
 
Section I - SEE-SWORD
M Climb right hand rope up to top screen. Jump at ball to flip other ball onto small ledge. Climb rope again and collect small ball.
W Move down, and onto left hand screem. Throw small ball at large. Sword will stick in wall.
M Move onto right-hand screen, climb left-hand rope, back left and fall down to collect sword. Move right twice.
W Cut rope with sword and collect spell. Use it.
 
Section J - DOWN-AND-OUT
W Go left and collect bowl from table. Go back right.
M Climb rope and collect taper. Carry on right and jump at TNT to knock it over.
W Jump over TNT.
W Drop bowl in TNT and pick it up again.
W Jump over TNT.
M Keep going left until you reach room with spell in it.
W Drop bowl on trap door. Go back right, light taper, left and light TNT. The trapdoor will open and you may then go down it.
W Jump on table to get spell.
W Use it.
 
Section K - TENDER-HOOKS
M Go onto left hand screen. Climb rope and jump at magnet to push it across to pick up the hoop. Keep trying if you don't manage this first time. Climb rope and jump at hoop to collect it. Go right. Climb right hand rope and go onto right hand screen.
W Throw hoop onto hook.
M Jump onto rope and go down far enough to collect hoop but don't come off! Back up and jump onto platform.
W Throw hoop onto hook.
M Use rope to get across gap to next screen. Jump across using ropes to get spell.
W Use spell.
 
Section L - FIRE-WORKS
W Jump onto top rock.
M Climb rope to next screen. Jump onto platform, back onto rope, and then onto right hand screen. Use rope to get onto right ledge.
W Get flamethrower.
W Set fire to table.
W Go back to left hand screen. Fall down to bottom screen.
W Go under left hand rope and set fire to it.
W Jump onto top rock.
M Climb rope to next screen. Jump onto top platform.
W Jump across gap to left hand screen. Jump onto top rock.
M Climb first rope untill parrot reaches top. Then drop down to bottom of rope, onto second rope, third rope, jump onto rock and keep X and SHIFT held down to get spell.
W Use it.
 
Section M - GNU-PROBLEM
M Move onto right hand screen. Use rope to pass blocks and then right again. Climb rope and collect gun. Climb back over.
W Shoot baby(!). Move left.
W Get over blocks. Move onto left hand screen. Left again and jump over blocks to ledge.
W Shoot GNU CLIMBING sign until it moves onto right hand screen.
M Climb rope, onto next one and get axe. Go onto right hand screen and right again. Climb rope to get onto ledge and go back left.
W Shoot GNU CLIMBING sign until it moves back onto left hand screen.
M Get top top left ledge, using ropes with gnu's head as a platform. Go back onto top right ledge by the same method and onto right hand screen.
W Use axe to break down door. Go right, collect spell and use it.
 
Section N - FOLLOW-ME
M Move onto left hand screen and drop down. Climb rope to platform and collect banana.
W Go across left using rocks to get back up.
M Climb rope up to next screen and then jump onto floor. Climb next rope to right hand ledge. Go onto right hand screen. Go to the right end of the central ledge.
W Hold banana and as soon as baboon jumps onto rope change into cat.
W Jump across gap to right hand screen. Jump onto rock and then to spell (kepp X and SHIFT down).
W Use spell.
 
The last two levels are far harder than any of the others. This is due to the timing required for several of the jumps, more especially in section O than in the last section. In fact, if you say youcan successfully do Section O without any mistakes first time then you are probably a liar. For this reason I would suggest that you read the instructions through first before attempting the level.
 
Section O - BABOONACY
M Go onto left hand screen and collect cannonball. Come back and change into wizard.
W Throw cannonball at baboon and change into monkey.
M Back to left hand screen to collect cannonball. Back right and then across and right again (these three stages above must be done very quickly to avoid hitting baboon). Jump onto rope and then platform. As soon as the first monkey moves from bottom of rope jump onto it, then onto second as soon as you can and straight on and off the third rope (this is very tricky indeed). Move onto right hand screen. Go across in front of door.
W Throw cannonball at door.
M Climb rope and get spell.
W Use it.
 
Section P - TIME-FLIES
W Go right and collect hourglass. Go left.
M Climb rope and jump on top of rock.
W Hold hourglass.
W Go left by jumping off rock and jump onto top table. Knock pendulum. Jump to far right of screen, onto platform.
M Jump onto rope and into cuckoo when it comes out (after every eight beats).
W Go back right twice.
M Climb rope and jump off rope into pendulum. Recilmb rope and jump onto clock.
W Use cuckoo.
W Jump across rocks to right hand screen.
M Climb rope, go across top platform and down far rope. Go back up facing spell and keep Z and SHIFT down until you get spell.
W Use it.

Brilliant! You have now completed Imogen - Enjoy the message!

First published EUG #15.