
The Aardvark's Burrow

   Docs for the Bard's Tale III code wheel chart creator (what a name).

   Code wheel chart creator written by The Syringe.

   Some notes.  There are three needed files: "Creator", "Wheel.2", and
"Wheel.3".  I would STRONGLY suggest you put these files on a RAM drive before
you run it (do to the fact that the program constantly is accessing the two
wheel files, and that makes for a LONG time with the 5.25" as well as 3.5"
floppy drives (I know, I've tried it).).

   The code wheel is in four parts.  There are three wheels, with sixteen
'spokes' around the edge of each.  There are also sixteen holes in the center of the top wheel.  I am going to tell you a way to look up anything on the
chart that will be printed, but it won't be exactly the way the game tells you
to look it up.

   If you think about it, you'll realize that no matter how you set the wheel,
there will always be sixteen different positions at the same time, since each
wheel has sixteen spokes.  Therefore, I will give you a way to convert what the
game tells you into a form that you can use with my listing.

   Following is a listing of what is on the outside of each wheel, along with
its numerical value.  The numerical value will be explained in a bit.

Outermost wheel (bottom)        Middle wheel                    Innermost wheel
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1: Urmech                       1: Crystal Spring               1: Lucencia
 2: Tslotha                      2: Old Dwarf Mine               2: Kinestia
 3: Cyanis                       3: Shadow Rock                  3: Tenebrosia
 4: The Old Man                  4: Sulphur Springs              4: Tarmitia
 5: Hawkslayer                   5: Warriors Vale                5: Malefia
 6: Scrapwood                    6: Ciera Brannia                6: Valarian
 7: Bard's Hall                  7: Celaria Bree                 7: Lanatir
 8: Stagger Inn                  8: Black Scar                   8: Alliria
 9: Hic Haven                    9: Dark Copse                   9: Ferofist
10: Violet Mountain             10: Nowhere                     10: Sceadu
11: Crystal Palace              11: Festering Pit               11: Werra
12: Catacombs                   12: Sacred Grove                12: Tarjan
13: Tunnels                     13: Ice Keep                    13: Skara Brae
14: Workshop                    14: Shadow Canyon               14: UnterBrae
15: Wizard's Guild              15: Tar Quarry                  15: Arboria
16: Brilhasti                   16: Cold Peak                   16: Gelidia

   Here is what you must do.  Take the numerical value of word that the game
gives you for the outermost wheel.  (Find out which word is on the outer wheel,
and take its value.)  Then find the difference between it and '1'.  (That is,
if the word you get was Urmech, the difference is 0.  If the word you get is
Cyanis, the difference is 2.  For Tunnels, it's 12, and so on.)  Remember that
number.  Then, find out the numerical value of the word on the middle wheel.
(If your word is Ciera Brannia, your value is 6.  If you got Black Scar, your
value is 8, etc.)  Then, subtract the difference from the value of the second
word.
   For example:  Let's say you got Stagger Inn as your first word, and
Tar Quarry as the second word.  Stagger Inn is number 8.  The difference is 7.
Tar Quarry has a value of 15.  Subtract 7 from 15, and you get 8.
   If you get a value less than 1, add 16 to it (that is, let's say your number
ended up as -5.  Add 16 to it, and your new number is 11).
   The number you get from that subtration process is the value of your new
word for the middle wheel.  In our above examples:  In the first one, we got 8,
so the new word is Black Scar.  In the second one, we got 11, so our word is
Festering Pit.  Simple, eh?
   You do the same process for the inner wheel.  Find the value, and subtract
the original difference from it (the difference you got from the stuff with the
outermost wheel).  The result is your new word.
   Your two new words are what you will be looking up on the chart.  It's
important that you do the math correctly, because otherwise, the code you get
will be completely off.

   Here's how the charts are organized.  They are split up into two sections
for each spoke on the middle wheel.  It will print 'xxxxxx Spoke'.  That's on
the middle wheel.  You have to find the section with your word at the top of
it.  In that chart, there are 16 columns of numbers.  Each column represents
one spoke on the inner wheel.  In each column there are 16 abbreviations, with
a number next to each.  You have to find the correct column (using the name you
got for your inner wheel), and then look up the correct abbreviation.
Abbreviations are as follows:

Acorns: AC          Arefolia: AR        Crystal Key: CK     Arrows of Life: AL
Crown of Truth: CT  Rainbow Rose: RR    Strifespear: SS     Crystal Lens: CL
Smokey Lens: SL     Shadow Door: SD     Black Lens: BL      Shadow Lock: SH (!) Nightspear: NS      Wineskin: WS        Wand of Power: WP   Hammer of Wrath: HW

   NOTICE!  Shadow Lock is abbreviated as SH, NOT SL, as you would expect.
This is because SL is Smokey Lens.  DON'T GET THEM CONFUSED!

   I think this will help you out.  Shit, I sure as hell HOPE so.

   A little note on the way this works:  Figure it out for yourself.  I'm just
a genius.  What else can I say?  Heh.  hIp.  (t0dd, I still remember you!)


     This doc file typed by The Syringe on 4/13/88, 1:15 AM.  (Heh.)


     One more personal comment.  I would really suggest that you buy this game.
If we support Interplay's move of distributing Bard's Tale III unprotected, who
knows?  Maybe in the future, ALL wares will be unprotected.  And that I would
REALLY like to see.  So even though this file will help you to win the damn
game, I urge you to support Bill Heineman et al and BUY the thing.

   My commendations go out to Bill, Michael A. Stackpole, and Todd J. Camasta
for their GREAT work on this game.  Let's see more, guys!

 The Aardvark's Burrow (> 