Walker Boh Ohmsford’s Guide to:

     Hunter by BSC Games

     Contents

     Preliminaries

1.Legal Stuff
2. Intro
3. Frequently Asked Questions (updated as necessary)
4. The Main Menu

     Walkthrough
1. Jungle Hunt
2. Walking the Swampy…Swamp
3. Goin’ Fishin’
4. Attack of the Gnapper Bugs
5. Smooth sailin…or maybe not
6. Valley of the Tigers
7. Mountain Climbing
8. Treasure Cave
9. Bone Pipes
10. Escape from Marpoo

     Colsing

Closing

     Legal Stuff

  This document is copyright 2004 and is the property of me, Walker Boh Ohmsford AKA Bryan Peterson. You can post it on your website but don’t change anything. I’ll make any changes as they are needed. Hunter itself is the property of Justin Daubenmire and all the good folks at BSC Games who spent many a late night programming the game for us optically challenged folks.

     Intro

  Computer games have of course been around for many a year, and as each generation became more sophisticated, so did the graphics. Unfortunately, this left fully 20% of America’s population in the dust, so to speak. Though there were computer games for the blind back in the early days of computers, these were extremely boring (or could quickly become so even if they weren’t right at first), and required an external speech synthesiser in order to run properly. Now, what with the existence of many different programming languages and DirectX technology, there are now computer games designed not only for blind people, but by them as well. BSC Games’ Justin Daubenmire is a case in point, as he happens to be blind (or optically challenged as he’s been known to put it).

  One of the first audio games I ever encountered was BSC Games’ Hunter, which is a completely sound based adventure game that put me fondly in mind of such Atari games as Jungle Hunt. Only thing is, I think Hunter is even more challenging…Ok so Jungle Hunt really isn’t all that hard if you know what you’re doing. I must say that with a limited budget and limited resources, BSC Games really made the best with what they had at the time, and it shows. The sound effects are simply superb.
  Hunter features ten action packed levels, from sneaking through a jungle to avoid a mysterious Voodoo Doctor to fighting off swarms of venomous insects. These are just two of the ten levels you’ll encounter. You’ll have to read on to learn more. One really cool feature of all BSC Games is that they allow you to demo all their games before buying them. You download the free demo, which allows you to play the first four levels on easy difficulty (some allow you to play all three but not all of them do), for a limited time. If you want the full game, you must purchase a license. To do this, go to the Register (insert game name here) screen and click the Copy Product ID button to copy the product ID to the clipboard. Then go to BSC Games and click on the game you’re trying to order. Follow the instructions given to order your license and, if you choose to, the CD as well.

     Frequently Asked Questions

  This section will contain all those questions people send in. Here are just a few that could possibly be asked.

Q. Where do I buy Hunter and how much is it?
A. Hunter can be purchased at www.BSCGames.com. It generally costs about $30.00, ten bucks more if you request the game on CD.
Q. Optically Challenged?
A. That’s a phrase from Justin Daubenmire, the head honcho of BSC Games.
Q. Why doesn’t Gamefaqs have listings for Hunter?
A. Probably ‘cuz they don’t know about it. It’s a shame, really. They’re really missing out on something good.
Q. How do I complete (insert level here)?
A. Read below or check the game docs.
Q. What are the system requirements?
a. Windows 98 or higher, DirectX 8 or later. Check the documentation and the Hunter page at BSC Games for more information.
Q. What’s the latest version of Hunter?
A. Right now it’s v1.2.

     The Main Menu

  When you first start Hunter, you get a menu of options. Here they are in order.
Start Adventure: Do I really need to explain that one?
Random Adventure: Lets you play the game in a different order.
Test Speaker Settings: You should always run this diagnostic when you purchase a BSC Game for the first time. It will help you make sure your speaker orientation is correct. Just press enter on this option and follow the instructions.
Learn Game Sounds: This is another one you should use before you start. It lets you learn what each of the game’s sounds mean. They’re divided into levels. Press Enter on Learn Game Sounds and the game will guide you from there.
Final Score: Lets you hear the final score of the last game you played.
View Top Ten Scores: Lets you view your local top ten scores.
Post Score to BSC Games: Lets you send your last score to BSC Games’ web site. If your score is high enough, you’ll get a spot on the top ten. Note that this is only available to registered users of Hunter and not those with demos.
Quit Game: Had enough for one day? This is the option for you.

     Walkthrough

  Before we start I should say that when you first install Hunter, you’ll be asked to run the configuration program. This just asks you some questions. Follow the instructions given to set the game up. Besides, you have to supply certain info if you want to post your score. Now let’s get to the game.

     Level 1 Jungle Hunt

     Keystrokes

Up/Right/Left Arrows: Moves targeting reticle.
Control: Fires blowgun.
Space Bar: Press three, five or six times depending on your difficulty level to climb a tree to avoid the Voodoo Doctor, or Voody as I sometimes like to call him.
Enter: Press three, five or six times depending on difficulty level to pull out your machete and kill snakes.
P: Pause game, all levels.
Tab: Speak number of lives remaining, all levels.
Left/Right Shift: Speaks current score, all levels.

  This level is really not that tough. You’re sneaking through the jungle in hopes of avoiding the murderous Voodoo Doctor. Your goal is to lull the animals to sleep with your blowgun, so they don’t tell the not so good doctor your location. Move the target until you hear a looping putter sound. This means you’re on target to hit an animal. Each animal takes a certain number of hits depending on both the kind of animal and the difficulty setting. If at any time you hear the Voodoo Doctor, press the space bar until you hear the tree climbing sound. Do not come down out of the tree till ol’ Voody is gone. If he catches you it’s lights out for ol’ Hunter Joe. Fortunately this game doesn’t deduct points for lost lives. Note that while you’re in the tree, each animal that passes by will take points off your score, so be careful. Also note that each miss with your gun will subtract ten points, so don’t be trigger happy! After you’ve killed a certain number of animals (30 on Easy, 35 on normal and 40 on insane), the level ends.

     Level 2 Walking the Swampy…Swamp

     Keystrokes
Up Arrow: Walk forward
Left Arrow: Walk left, tap rapidly to avoid waterfall.
Right Arrow: Walk right, tap rapidly to run from waterfall.

  Your goal is to make it across this foul swamp in as few left/right steps as possible. Each left/right step costs one point. Step around the geysers to avoid them. At times you’ll fall into deep water.Tap Up arrow to swim across. Don’t hold the arrow or you’ll sink to the bottom and drown. You’ll know you’re across when you hear Hunter Joe panting. You’ll also encounter two waterfalls in this level. To avoid them, tap the left or right arrow keys rapidly to run. I find the left arrow works best. Don’t stop until you no longer hear the waterfall. If you stop too soon or start walking forward too soon, you’ll die. Do it right and you’ll just have to avoid a few more geysers and you’re done.

     Level 3: Goin’ Fishin’

     Keystrokes

  Control: Cast Net.
Space Bar: press 1, three or four times depending on your difficulty level to pull net into shore.
Down Arrow: Step back away from riverbank.
Up Arrow: Walk back to riverbank.

  This is a fun level. Your goal is to catch thirty, thirty-three or thirty-six fish depending on your difficulty. TO do this, wait till you hear the splashing sound in the center of your speakers or as close to there as possible, and press Control. If your cast is successful, Hunter Joe will laugh. Now press Space to bring your catch into shore. At times a crocodile will come, so tap the down arrow to back away from the shore. I find it helpful to tap the down arrow constantly so you’ll start backing away right when the croc comes. For some reason you don’t always hear them coming. And no, Hunter Joe doesn’t always back away from the river, only when crocs come, so you won’t have to worry about having to always step back to the river. Catch the prescribed number of fish and it’s on to level 4!

     Level 4: Invasion of the Gnapper Bugs

     Keystrokes
Control: Press to kill Gnapper Bug.
Left: Move left.
Right: Move right.

  This level is similar to the Jungle Level. Press Left or Right to move target. Note that as it’s dawn right now, Hunter can’t see too well, which is why there’s no audible cue for your moving target like on the jungle level. Fortunately, there is a sound for when your target lands on a Gnapper Bug (they wouldn’t leave you hanging like that). Press Control when you get the cue and you’ll smash the bug. This level can be very frustrating. I find that tapping the arrows rather than holding them works best for me. Just don’t ever let them get ahead of you or they’ll swarm over you and kill you. On this level, if you score 5500 or more on easy, 7000 on normal and 8800 on insane, you’ll get an extra life.

     Level 5: Smooth Sailin’…or maybe not

     Keystrokes

Left: Tap to align yourself with oncoming rocks.
Right: Same as Left.
Control: Press to lasso rocks.
Space: Press to twirl past crocodiles.

  Uh-oh! Hunter’s in a bit of a mess! He’s out on a raging river in a little boat, and them sharp rocks ain’t friendly! Luckily for you, there just happened to be a rope in the canoe. Line yourself up as best you can with the rocks, then when you hear the rapid beeping, press Control to lasso the rock and avoid it. When you hear the crocodile, wait for Hunter to scream and press Space to twirl past the big reptile. I find it helpful to press space several times once you hear Hunter scream, just to make sure you do do it right. Repeat until the level ends. If you hit a rock or a croc, it’s lights out, so avoid that.

     Level 6: Valley of the Tigers

     Keystrokes

Left; Tap to run left.
Right: Tap to run Right.
Control: Press to jump over rhinos.

  Hunter’s in trouble again! He’s in a valley infested with tigers! Oh my! Run left or right to avoid them (left works best for me). When you hear the rhino, wait till he’s almost in the center of the speakers and jump over him with Control. If you make it, you’ll hear a little trumpet fanfare. Then keep running from tigers. The rhino will usually come at you again, but you seemingly don’t always have to jump over him, and indeed I’ve noticed that you can’t unless you die. If you don’t die, the rhino may charge right past you. Keep going and you’ll reach…

     Level 7: Mountain Climbing

     Keystrokes

Left: Climb Left
Right: Climb Right
Up: Climb Up
Down: Climb Down

  We’re climbing up a mountain. At the top, a gorilla stands throwing coconuts. No, he’s not offering you a snack. In fact, if one of those coconuts hits you it’s lights out. The gorilla tends to throw right where you are. When you hear the coconut start its descent, press the left or right arrow once depending on your position and you should move out of the way. At every other coconut you’ll encounter a rattlesnake. To avoid it, hit the opposite arrow from the direction you were going. If you had just moved left or right (let’s say left), and then hear a rattle, you’ll want to hit right when you hear the rattle. Do it once or twice. The snake should stop rattling. If you panic and hit the up or down arrow, it will strike you and you’ll die. Once the rattle stops, you can resume climbing. Just remember that if you moved within range of a coconut when avoiding a snake, you’ll want to get back out of the way by pressing left or right (remember that snakes only come with every other coconut). Keep doing this sort of thing to reach the top. You’ll know you’re close because the gorilla’s screams will become louder.

     Level 8: Treasure Huntin’

     Keystrokes

Left: Tap or hold to walk left.
Right: Walk right.
Control: Press when aligned with treasure to pick it up.
Space Bar: Crush Scorpion.

  You’ve done it! You’ve found the mysterious treasure of Bobo! This level’s simple. Grab as many coins as you can and watch out for scorpions. The strategy I find most helpful is to keep pressing the space bar as you walk. Tap the desired direction and tap space at the same time. This way you’ll be on the alert in case scorpions pop out from under the coins. When you’ve got a coin centered (the sound is in both speakers), press Control to pick it up. Score 4000 points or more on easy, 5500 on normal and 7500 or more on insane difficulty to get an extra life. Watch out for scorpions.

     Level 9: Bone Pipes

     Keystrokes

Left: Move left through bone pipes
Right: Move right through bone pipes
Control: Take/swap bone pipes

  This is a game of concentration. You have a series of bone pipes. Your goal varies depending on your difficulty. On easy, you arrange the pipes from lowest to highest tone. On normal, you reverse it, arranging them from highest to lowest tone. On Insane, you have to arrange the pipes in a musical scale, which I haven’t as yet attempted. When you find a pipe you want to move, press Control to take it. Move to the pipe you want to swap it with and  press Control again to make the switch. Do this until the pipes are arranged in proper order. Note that you have at most one minute to do this correctly. If you don’t, the Marpoo Warrior you hear from time to time in this level will catch you and kill you in a rather gruesome manner judging by the sound. This is one of the reasons why BSC Games recommends Hunter for ages 13 and up. Anyway, if you do succeed, the level ends.

     Level 10: Escape from Marpoo

     Keystrokes

Up: Jump up to grab the vine.
Down: Release the vine.

  This level is almost exactly like the first level of that Atari game Jungle Hunt that I talked about earlier in the guide. The only difference is that in Jungle Hunt there wasn’t a waterfall. Anyway, this is the last level of the adventure. Marpoo wasn’t too happy about you winning his little game and he’s chasing you. Your only hope is to cross a waterfall on swinging vines. There’s a catch though. Ya gotta do it six times! Here’s the best way to do it.

  As the level starts (whether for the first time or after dying), you’ll hear a running sound in either the left or right speakers. A moment later you’ll hear the vine. You’ll want to wait till the vine is in the same speaker that the running sound was. If it’s in the left speaker, wait till the vine’s on your left. This takes timing. You want to wait till the vine’s at the far left or right, then hit up arrow to grab it. Do it too soon or too late and you’ll fall into the river. The same goes for landing. Wait till it’s at the opposite end, then let go by pressing down. If you do it right you’ll hear an Ooff! Sound, the same sound it made when you climbed out of the tree in the first level. Do this five more times to win the game, each one getting progressively quicker. If you succeed, you’ll have won the ancient Bobo statue for good! Now, try posting your score to BSC Games.

     Closing

  True, there’s a walkthrough in the documentation included with the game, but I thought I’d right my own just for fun. Hope you enjoy it and, more importantly, hope you enjoy hunter! For more great titles such as Troopanum and Pipe 2: Blast Chamber, you can check out BSC Games’ web site at www.BSCGames.com. Have fun!