Xanadu - The World's Only Hope by XanMag

You are Xanadu Magoo, a somewhat decent science teacher at a not-so-prestigious school for the behaviorally challenged. You are not incredibly impressive in any way whatsoever, so you are surprised Marcus Straussberger, a former high school acquaintance (you like to call him a friend) and current military icon recruits you for a mission. You are to accompany him to the abandoned compound of a rogue terrorist who goes by the name of Dr. Dingo. 'Strauss' tells you that he wants you to go along because of your interest and knowledge of the subjects you teach - chemistry and physics - and that having you there will make his job in tracking this Enemy of the State go much more smoothly. Your adventure begins innocently enough when you are riding in the backseat of a army issued vehicle with your "good friend", but that changes quickly when you are ambushed by mysterious men dressed in black. Before you know it, you and the vehicle you are riding in are airborne. You come to moments later, separated from 'Strauss' and stranded on a rocky outcropping thirty feet below your burning vehicle.

Equipped with only bad luck and unattractiveness, you must now (as an American Patriot) withstand the heat of the scorching desert, avoid being killed by ruthless assassins, and make your way into the compound in hopes of reuniting with what is most likely your only means of survival.

Some of the puzzles are a bit tricky. Please ask if you have any questions! Happy gaming!

Cover Art: from https://pixabay.com/

Play online

Review lemonade123456789

05 Mar 2024

super hard and annoying do not play ever worse than a big poop

Comment SaieBOX

16 Aug 2023

the game is fun and i did enjoy it but sometimes i do get stuck on some things

Comment 王礼皓没鸡巴

24 Feb 2023

COOL GAME!!!!!!!!!

Comment XanMag

25 Jan 2023

Thanks for playing. I replied with PM. Hope it helps. Will check again soon to see if it did!

Comment CellarFiend

24 Jan 2023

Excellent game. A bit stuck with tree though! Sent you a PM.

Comment XanMag

27 Sep 2022

@Luizgui - see your in-game email. Hope this helps! And thanks for playing!

Comment Luizgui

24 Sep 2022

Eu queria saber como arrancar a raiz do chão, aquela raiz que você à encontra no deserto

Comment XanMag

21 Jul 2022

@Megfa03,

This is not good! I have had minor bugs and most have been corrected but to have it crash like you’ve described is maddening. I can assure you that this happened on the server side and not the game. For future references, if you can download the game and play from your computer it runs really smooth especially for the larger games.

Hopefully you have the courage to pick back up and try again. I will play from my side and make sure it seems good to me.

Sorry about your experience. Happy gaming!

Comment Megfa03

21 Jul 2022

I got so far in and then the site crashed while I was in the tree trying to count things, (second riddle), and now the game is glitched so bad that I can't restore a save. I can load back in and move around the map but the text no longer works, even if I move to a different area and save to see if it will work when I load back in again. Nope, game permanently ruined. Very disappointed, I feel like I was on to something and having fun.

Comment XanMag

05 May 2022

Super thanks for playing it through. I think you’ll appreciate the second installment. After learning the system, part 2 is cleaner and easier to navigate. Also, a built-in hint system (which means it might be a little trickier, too)!

Thanks again and happy gaming!

Review professor_who

05 May 2022

This is a great game! The puzzles are really ingenious and engaging. The commands can be a little difficult to figure out, but the author is extremely helpful. If you're willing to reach out to him for assistance, it's totally worth your while.

Comment professor_who

05 May 2022

Finished it! What an ingenious game. Thanks so much for the help. I can't wait to play part 2!

Comment XanMag

05 May 2022

Oh man… you can’t pick up the lever after you’ve dropped it?? That’s a bug. That’s for pointing it out! Will fix at next update. Hopefully it didn’t bugger up your game.

As for the lever… I’m pretty sure you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. You’ll need to add enough weight on one end to get the job done. What could YOU be “carrying” that is heavy enough. Hopefully you jump to the right conclusion…

PS… I’m ready for bed so… I’ll check the code tomorrow on the PC to see if you still need more help!

Thanks again!

Comment professor_who

04 May 2022

@XanMag

Please disregard my last comment! I was able to figure it out. Now I have a lever, and I think I have it in the right place, but I'm stumped on the command I need. So far, the "use ___ on ___" command has worked well, but it doesn't seem to be working here. And if I drop the lever, I still can't use it, nor can I pick it up again. Just a little command help would be so great. I feel like I'm almost finished...

Comment professor_who

04 May 2022

@XanMag

Nice hint! :D I had figured out that much...I guess I'm stuck on how to find the proper number. Do I learn that from the burlap square?

Comment XanMag

04 May 2022

So, you can see the proper
Number from the high point in the tree but you can’t see it at ground level…

It would be nice be able to drop something at that proper number and mark the spot below.

But… with those winds and from that height, it better be something weighty and aerodynamic.

That puzzle is just plain nuts, isn’t it?

Comment professor_who

03 May 2022

So I'm totally stuck on the alphabet riddle. I have gotten to the top of the tree, and from there I have been able to determine the meaning of the differently colored dirt beneath it. I know this must align with the riddle, but I'm struggling to see how. I looked through your older hints, and I found the one dated 13 July 2016. You mentioned there that you had updated the puzzle, but you went on to talk about the "fourth and fifth" lines of the riddle. Is this different from the riddle on the burlap square? That one seems only to be three lines. Have you updated this puzzle again, or am I totally in the wrong place?

Comment XanMag

15 Apr 2022

Excellent! Ask if you have more questions. Hope you enjoy!

Comment professor_who

15 Apr 2022

@xanmag:

That did it! Thanks for the help. I could have sworn I tried that command. I'm not sure why it didn't work before, but it's good now!

Comment XanMag

15 Apr 2022

@professor_who:

If you haven't figured it out yet... you have to "tie rope to rock" to have a useful tool.

Comment XanMag

14 Apr 2022

Ahhh… I THINK (until I get home to confirm)… there is one instance where you use the rope. It sounds like you’re almost done? Anyway…

You need something of substantial weight that you need to tie the rock to in order to use it properly with a really big object.

So I THINK the command you need is “tie rope to [correct object]”. I’ll double check when I get home from work. Give me a couple hours. Sorry about the confusion.

Thanks for playing!

Comment professor_who

12 Apr 2022

This is a great game! I'm having some trouble with commands concerning the rope, though. If I type "use rope on ____," it says to "try tying it to something." However, the command, "tie rope to ____" causes a "can't see that" error. Can you help with this?

Comment XanMag

12 Mar 2022

Thanks fellow gamers in pointing out a little bug. When tying the wire to the cell door, apparently you do not get a message about it being tied there. If you do 'tie wire to door' the game will progress and you have done the correct thing. A message reflecting that step in the game will be added next update. Thanks!

Review 69420hahafunni

11 Mar 2022

Is nice. I would like for the game to become more command friendly but other than that its a very nice text adventure.

Comment XanMag

11 Mar 2022

Get you “butt on” your computer which is probably sitting on a desk somewhere… if you red this correctly, you won’t be blue. Unless you need to be. Happy gaming!!

Comment 69420hahafunni

11 Mar 2022

@SELI-chan Thanks for the tip! I will see if I can try to find out how to get into a dire situation that requires the window to be broken. Once again, thanks.

Comment XanMag

11 Mar 2022

Thanks for answering the window question! There are a couple items that will work for the window.

For the boulder… I believe all the stuff you need is found in the wooded maze section. You need to make a big lever of sorts and really put your weight into it!

Wood you believe that this little hint could rock your world? And don’t worry about my grammar errors. I’m a little tired but I believe I’ll be vine…

Comment SELI-chan

11 Mar 2022

Hi! I got through almost all of the game, but I'm stuck on the last puzzle. You said in an earlier comment that I need *something more* to move the boulder, and that I won't need anything I got before getting the Man Card, but I'm pretty lost.

Also to the above commenter -- you won't be able to break the window until you are in a dire situation that requires it. In order to break it though, you need something heavy...something that might otherwise put you to sleep?

Comment 69420hahafunni

10 Mar 2022

Hello I need some help with how to break the window. I've already gotten the bowl and grew the tree but don't know where to go from now. Any help? Also great game. Only suggestion is that it becomes more command friendly.

Comment XanMag

12 Jan 2022

I believe the key you are looking for is on the other side of chasm. But… what is the LASSt Object you need? Just STICK Your head up! Or hide. Whatever you do, just don’t let it BUG you.

Let me know how you DUNE.

Comment DreadedCrab

11 Jan 2022

Where is the key?

Review erana

16 Dec 2021

Really can not give you a review of what lies behind the intro, but I can give you a review of the intro: it was so grating that erased from existence any desire whatsoever I could have of playing this game. If you are willing to take the rish of checking if the intro is not representative of the game, be my guest. But as a writter, I must say that the job of an intro is to catch your atention, not to give you no desire at all to continue. If the author failed his job at the intro so blatantly, what guarantee do I have that he didn't similarly fail his job at other parts of the game?

Comment erana

16 Dec 2021

Closed game at the intro. That kind of, quoting another commenter, "typed timing", is a no-no for CYOA games.

Review CYOAgal

01 Dec 2021

Very good except for typed timing. That is not a good design.

Comment XanMag

28 Nov 2021

Okay… so it’s 1am here and I just happened to come back to the site to check some
stuff out. And… I’m super glad to see the game made it onto editors pick. Exciting. As for your question, my clue may not be so great (1am here), but here it goes…

You need something to carry water in. Maybe a bowl? Bowls are made of glass. Glass is made of ____?

Also, I can’t remember if I corrected a minor error (I think I did?), but you should be able to take the cloth that was on the gate at the village entrance. If you haven’t, you can still get the cloth if you type “get cloth” where the locked gate used to be before you opened the gate.

I’ll check back frequently to see
How you progress has gone. Hopefully this helps. Thanks for playing!

Comment puzzledMina

24 Nov 2021

So, it's 2021, and from what I know, 6 years after this marvelous creation. I'm hoping you still check comments, cause I'm super stumped with this machine... and the burlap square isn't helping me at all. Help please?

Review Nancok

23 Feb 2020

I died at the beggining because i looked away, aparently you have to type against time in what's suposed to be a mistery puzzle game, that's what i call bad game design
But that's not all, at the beggining i tried to speak with Strauss to find out that even while flying trough the air from an explosion he has the exact same dialogue with no option to at least say something different and that the beggining is basically a cutscene where it doesn't matter what you do
I needed short of 2 minutes to dislike this

Comment WCBlazeheart

25 May 2019

Thx! I've got it now!

Comment XanMag

25 May 2019

Examine the belt. It should contain a few useful items. If my memory serves me
Correct.

Comment WCBlazeheart

24 May 2019

Still a total idiot. By lasso do you mean belt? I haven't acquired a lasso yet... am I missing something?

Comment XanMag

24 May 2019

Go to the sprawling desert (I think that’s the name of it). Hide behind dune. Use lasso on sticky bugs. You can use lasso now to get a key. The key is good on the locked gate leading into the town. Just make sure you take the cloth from the gate BEFORE you open the gate.

Comment WCBlazeheart

24 May 2019

I'm an absolute idiot...

And by that I mean I'm still stuck.

Comment XanMag

23 May 2019

Hint 1 that should open up a lot more of the game:

Grab your whip. Go to a dangerous spot. Hide. Get sticky.

Let me know if you need more info!

Comment WCBlazeheart

23 May 2019

Help! I'm stuck on only the beginning! It's hard to say which part I'm stuck on, but I only have a "belt, shovel, burlap square, and a Large Rock" in my inventory. I can't figure out what to do with the planks and wood in the quarry. Are those things important? I have absolutely no clue what to do.

Review bozwellox

02 May 2019

I actually played part 2 first, because I'm weird like that. This one is much shorter but equally entertaining. A couple of parts had me stumped as you have to say exactly the right thing, which isn't immediately obvious (the tree bit), but got there in the end (with a little help from XanMag!).

Brilliant.

Comment XanMag

01 May 2019

You’ve got the right idea and... admittedly, I probably need to rework it a bit so it’s a little more “command friendly”. Any of the following should work:
Count leaves with bullhorn
Use bullhorn to count leaves
Count leaves using bullhorn
Count with bullhorn

Let me know if it works!

Comment bozwellox

29 Apr 2019

OK I'm stuck on the birds bit. I understand what I'm supposed to be counting, but on the first bough I can't due to the birds. I try "use bullhorn", which makes them fly away but they return straight away. What am I missing?

Comment XanMag

22 Jul 2018

@Natloud,

I sent you a PM but just in case you didn’t get it, here it is in the comments:

“If you’re hurting yourself, that’s a good start! Lol

You use the machine twice:
Once, to make a bowl.

Twice, to get your first kill.

These can be done in any order. Have you closed the lid?
Make sure you aren’t holding anything still connected/placed in the machine.
Don’t turn the machine on until everything is in place.

Let me know if you need a bigger jolt in the right direction!”

Comment Natloud

18 Jul 2018

I can't figure out how to use the machine without injuring myself... think I am missing something very obvious.

Comment XanMag

06 Jun 2018

Holy cow, rebekiah27!! May 30! This one slipped by my attention. Sorry for the delay.

69,105... Go ahead and google search that number and it should lead you in the right direction. =)

If you have any more questions please leave another comment! Thanks and best of luck!

Comment rebekiah27

30 May 2018

I'm also stuck on the second (white paper) clue, very similar to the last poster Sinca12 - I don't know what I'm supposed to be counting and the birds only appear on the first bough with the bullhorn. Could you please point me in the right direction?

Thanks.

Review Sinca12

26 Oct 2017

Truly incredible. There were some bugs (ex the gui allowed you to press up before the tree existed and you were even able to "throw rope at bough" and climb up the tree before it existed making the water part pretty useless.) But the author is extremely active and even more helpful! I can tell this took a lot of work! Lots of clever puzzles. I can't wait to do the next one!

Comment XanMag

26 Oct 2017

Of course I’m still active. I could never leave! I will send you a pm very shortly!

Thanks for playing!

Comment Sinca12

26 Oct 2017

Hey I recently came back to text adventures and, with that, this game. I doubt you're still active but if you are I could really use some help. I can't find the spy glass or figure out the white paper clue. I've climbed to the first bough of the tree and all up and down it using the bullhorn all the way but there's no mention of birds except on the first bough where they fly away and come back but are only mentioned upon using the bullhorn. I can't see anything while on the first bough so I don't know what I'm supposed to be counting. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Comment XanMag

08 Feb 2017

Finally got 1,000. That didn't take long... =)

In case anyone is still curious... Part III has been delayed but work will resume again soon. Hang on to your hats. It's a doozie!

Thanks and happy gaming!

Comment rcsjr1951

04 Dec 2016

Just for fun since this is such a great game I went back and played it again. Even more fun this time. This is one game that is well worth playing again and again. I was able to get through it much faster this time but found littlle fun details that I had missed the first time through. Despite my notes I still had a hard time rememberinng how to deal with the prison cell. Thanks again for such a great game. I definetly reccomend it to anyone who likes a good Text Adventure Game. By all means a FIVE STAR!

Comment XanMag

16 Oct 2016

@lighnagain again... =)

When I update this again, this will be fixed. I'm not even sure how I did this scripting...

Anyway, go to the town entrance and type 'get cloth'. That'll give you the object you need. Sorry!

Comment XanMag

16 Oct 2016

@gamersguy80...

If you leave a review, especially a 3-star one, I would appreciate more than "It's ok, but it can be inproved"

See, I am kind of a perfectionist and would like to know in what ways you think the game could be improved. If you have time, let me know. Thanks...

Comment XanMag

16 Oct 2016

@Lighnagain,

You are correct in your assumption about the sand and the machine... I'll give this subtle hint. I know for a fact that you have seen the object needed for the sand/machine. The first part of this object's description is as follows:

"It's about the size of a small bowl..." Hopefully this isn't a goof. I looked at the scripts again and my coding was incredibly goofy at the time... There is a white cloth on the fence. Hope this helps. If not, let me know! Thanks and good luck.

Comment XanMag

16 Oct 2016

Review gamersguy80

16 Oct 2016

It's ok, but it can be inproved

Comment Lighnagain

15 Oct 2016

So it has really taken me a long time to get around to playing this! I am a little stuck--
**possible spoilers?**
I am acting under the assumption that I need to get sand into the machine to turn it into glass. I have not so far been able to get anything to change properties in the machine... But I also cannot figure out how to "pick up" sand. I have a lot of assumptions on what I do after that point, so I might end up with more questions, but I'm hoping this one stumbling block will enable me to continue trying out my other ideas. I really want to finish this so I can start on your sequel!

Comment XanMag

29 Sep 2016

Thanks a ton for your kind words and constructive criticism. I've made a list and will correct the errors on the next update. Also, please consider that this was my first game and was learning the "Quest"-ropes! =)

I encourage you to play part two: Xanadu, The Worlds Only Hope - Revenge. It's longer, better coded, more intricate puzzles, and has a built-in hint system to avoid verbiage issues or getting stuck! If you give it a play, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks again!

Review joshtgb

29 Sep 2016

I can only give this game 5 stars?

The easter eggs alone had me falling out of my chair from laughing so hard. The game felt just the right length (splitting it up into 3 parts was a good call), definitely challenging, and thoroughly enjoyable. Towards the end I needed a little help which the author graciously provided and I was eventually able to beat the game. I found a few instances where the GUI commands didn't quite match up with what the game was expecting but nothing serious enough to take away a star (read some of my comments if you get stuck).

Enjoy the game and please rate it so that others can enjoy this hidden gem as well!

Comment joshtgb

29 Sep 2016

Great, thanks for the advice! I finished the game and will review. Loved the game and looking forwards to the next one when I get a chance to play.

Found 1 more "bug" for future gamers to be wary of:

If you click on the "circle of dirt" via the gui and click "stand on" you just stand on the circle of dirt and nothing happens. If you try to stand on the circle again then the following error message appears: "Error running script: No verb response defined" (luckily I had a backup save).

You have to type something similar to "stand on circle" and not use the GUI in order for the game to work properly.

Comment XanMag

28 Sep 2016

Everything you need to solve the final puzzle is found AFTER you have been awarded the Man Card.

Just pushing won't do. You need more J-for... I mean g-force.

The verbiage is all use ___ on ___. Hope it helps. Thanks again.

Comment joshtgb

28 Sep 2016

But of course, I hadn't experimented with the pod gun long enough.

I'll play around with the boulder/fulcrum puzzle a little longer before asking for help.

Comment joshtgb

28 Sep 2016

Thanks for your dedication and persistence to resolving this issue. I think I finally found the issue with your help (this was a fun one to resolve). BTW I've been playing offline but I'm assuming this issue is occurring online as well. I'm providing a list of commands that work and don't work below:

Commands I tried that don't work that I would think should work:
-use spy (shorthand for use spyglass, I was able to use similar shorthand when I cleaned the spyglass)
-use Clean Spyglass (this is also what is inputted when you use the GUI interface, this SHOULD work if nothing else)
-use spy to look ne

Commands you gave me that work:
-use spyglass
-use spyglass to look ne

Hopefully this will help the next guy that gets stuck at this part.
---------------------------------------------------
Anyways...I seem to be stuck again :).

Location: "You are in a Northeastern Patrol Area."

Inventory: You are carrying a belt (on which there is a knife, a shovel, a burlap square, a Dirty Key, a sticky lasso, a desert berry, a planks (on which there is a triangular shaped rock), a broken bottle, a small glass bowl, a white cloth, a slip of paper, a book, a bullhorn, a screwdriver, a Velvet, a gold key, a Clean Spyglass, a Man Card, a Vine and a pod launcher).

I'm not focusing on the pod launcher atm, let me know if I should be. I am trying to create a makeshift weapon and believe I have all the necessary parts but can't seem to fine the right combo of commands to make what I want (The weapon involves something pointy, something sturdy to put that pointy thing on, and something "pliant" to attach the two together).

Maybe it's just me tripping up on the right words to use again...I've only run into this issue towards the end of the game for some reason. Thanks Again!

Comment XanMag

26 Sep 2016

I played through entirely online and the 'look ne' does give a blank response, but 'use spyglass' from the top of the tree worked though. Hopefully all else is good. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns!

Comment XanMag

25 Sep 2016

Odd... I played through to that point and all I needed to do is 'look ne' if I have the Clean Spyglass in my inventory. Dumb question here, but you are at the very top of the giant tree, right? Also, not sure if it matters or not, but perhaps you need to lower case your 'ne'?

Also, 'use spyglass' and 'use spyglass to look ne' should also give the same result.

Let me know if this does, or does not help.

Comment joshtgb

25 Sep 2016

Xan, thanks for the reply, but notice my inventory says "Clean Spyglass"; I've already taken the steps to scrub that dirt off. It's what I need to do with that spyglass now that I've cleaned it that is baffling me. As I commented below, I would have expected looking NE from the top of the tree would be the next logical step, but maybe I'm missing something?

When I look NE from the top of the tree WITHOUT the clean spyglass in my inventory the game returns some dialogue.
When I look NE from the top of the tree WITH the clean spyglass in my inventory the game returns nothing.
When I use the clean spyglass (I've tried everywhere I'm pretty sure) it says "...Perhaps this is not where you should use this?"

Perhaps I found a glitch?

I was hoping to be less explicit for the sake of future gamers but didn't want to beat around the bush any more since it looks like we haven't been on the same page. Maybe I can get a hold of you some other way, or maybe it's better to stick with the comments section so that others don't run into the same issue I'm having. Let me know either way.

Comment XanMag

25 Sep 2016

Go back to where you first find the spyglass. You'll find something that is well suited to clean that dirty spyglass. You'll need your knife though to cut a piece loose.

Comment joshtgb

24 Sep 2016

I haven't been able to try again until today but I'm still stuck.

Inventory: You are carrying a belt (on which there is a knife, a shovel, a burlap square, a Dirty Key, a sticky lasso, a desert berry, a planks, a broken bottle, a small glass bowl, a white cloth, a slip of paper, a book, a bullhorn, a screwdriver, a Velvet, a gold key and a Clean Spyglass).

Like rcsjr1951 I've tried using the spy glass everywhere. Not sure what you meant by focus down but if you mean adjusting the focus on the spyglass I haven't figured out how to do that.

One thing I did notice is if I look NE at the top of the tree WITHOUT the spy glass in my inventory I get dialogue, but if I am carrying the spyglass and look NE, the game returns nothing, no more dialogue. Another hint would be greatly appreciated.

Comment XanMag

20 Sep 2016

If you haven't done so yet, perhaps your focus should be down?

Let me know if that helps!

Happy Gaming.

Comment joshtgb

20 Sep 2016

Thanks Xan, it's been quite enjoyable so far. I figured out the access panel shortly after posting, I had been focused upwards, not downwards. As far as the wire goes, it was a matter of figuring out the right command combo, I was eventually able to "shock" my problems away. I now have the shiny object you mentioned in the comment before mine and am stuck again (yes it is very shiny). I've gone to where I can look in all sorts of directions at different parts of the map, very high up. Again I seem to be stuck on finding the correct command combo, or maybe I'm not where I'm supposed to be (I'm guessing my inspiration is either nw or ne, but I can't see because "Everything is big and blurry")?

Anyways the help is much appreciated, and I am looking forward to part 2.

Comment XanMag

19 Sep 2016

I'm glad you've found my game! I'm surprised this question hasn't popped up as I think it is the hardest part in the game.

I'll try to give you subtle hints as not to spoil anything.

> "access panel - can't seem to get open, even from the sheriff's desk "

"This sheriff's office doesn't seem to have been used for a VERY long time. Cobwebs cling to every corner of the room. There is a thick layer of dust laying undisturbed on the desk in the <b>center</b> of the room.

On the <b>eastern</b> side of the ceiling, you notice an access panel."

> "machine - put copper wire in when it was wound and unwound, no effect after using the machine, but I'm thinking I need to figure out the first two items before I mess with the machine"

If you have it unwound... "This is a completely unwound spool of copper. When it was wound up, it was neatly wrapped, but since you have unwinded it, it is a big mass of continuous bare copper wire. The wire has two ends to it."
I think all you need to do is put the correct 'part' of the wire in the machine. Putting the entire unwound spool in there won't work. At this point I think you can figure out what to do? Save frequently around this part. =)

Let me know if you need another nudge! Good luck!

Comment joshtgb

19 Sep 2016

I've looked through the comments and can't seem to figure out the "jail trap" setup

Inventory:
You are carrying a belt (on which there is a copper wire, a knife, a shovel, a burlap square, a Dirty Key, a book, a sticky lasso, a broken bottle, a bullhorn, a screwdriver, a desert berry, a slip of paper, a small glass bowl (containing a water) and a white cloth).

Action attempts:
access panel - can't seem to get open, even from the sheriff's desk
jail cell/door - not sure how/what to attach the copper wire to
machine - put copper wire in when it was wound and unwound, no effect after using the machine, but I'm thinking I need to figure out the first two items before I mess with the machine
plank - not sure what this is for or if I need it yet

Any help is appreciated, thanks!

Review rcsjr1951

16 Jul 2016

Fantastic game. Very challenging and full of red herrings , or are they. Well play and you will find out! Nice variety of puzzles and obstacles to overcome. Look forward to the future installments.

Comment XanMag

16 Jul 2016

Not sure if you have done this part yet so here's a little hint if you have not.

The description of the chest in the vault is important. There are TWO things in the chest. The obvious one and the subtle one. You'll need some of that subtle one and you have the correct object in your inventory to get it. Once you have it, you should be able to use it on the other object you found in the chest.

You need to use this new, sparkly object somewhere where you have a fabulous view and can see for miles.

In doing so, you will find new found manliness and might be able to venture into other places dark and scary where you couldn't before!

You are getting quite close to completion at this point! Please continue to ask questions if you have them. Thanks for playing!

Comment rcsjr1951

16 Jul 2016

Thank you so much for the cryptic hints. The game has been very challenging just the way I really like them to be. This is by far one of the better ones I have played. May I trouble you for one more hint?
Presently I'm carrying a slip of paper, a Velvet, a gold key and a belt (on which there is a small glass bowl, a sticky lasso, a Clean Spyglass, a Dirty Key, a knife, a shovel, a desert berry, a white cloth, a screwdriver, a bullhorn, a broken bottle and a planks). Obviously I have found other items and have used them up in the game. I have revisited every visible spot on the map and have tried using the device I found in the vault on everything but still get nothing but errors. Can you provide me with another nudge? Thanks again for such a great game.

Comment XanMag

14 Jul 2016

After counting everything you need to count (all 4 levels) and doing some simple subtraction, you should have a passcode.

Now... the window... we might have a bit of an issue. If you pushed the red button, broke the window and ran quickly back in and pushed the blue button, we have a bug. If you did it in this order (which I think is the only way to bug the game), you will likely need to load your last saved game before the window breaking. Hopefully it wasn't too long ago. I'll fix in the next update. Sorry. =(

Once you break the window, do not push the blue button. Breaking the window draws him toward you. You need to wait for the baddie to enter the room with you and dispose of him. That is quite tricky though.

HINT 1: In just about ANY room, if you wait for him to find you, he will kill you immediately with his rocket launcher.

HINT 2: In one specific room, something slightly different happens. He still kills you though, right?

HINT 3: Once you find that room, read what he does carefully. He doesn't blast you right away. He grabs the metal cell door and slams it shut.

HINT 4: What are some of the obvious properties of metals (iron, copper, for example)?

HINT 5: There is a device somewhere that generates what you need.

The solution to this puzzle is quite shocking!

Comment Cyril

14 Jul 2016

Thanks for your input; I found the shovel during the first few minutes of play. I have also located the belt, knife lasso( now sticky) the burlap square, the planks, dirty key, white cloth, desert berry, screwdriver, rope and rock, broken bottle, bullhorn, sand, small glass bowl, spool of copper wire, burlap square, water, porcelain box, slip of paper, the image. I managed to break the window and not get killed. I can manage to get the birds to leave while I am counting but I can progress no further. Great game but I am still feeling dazed and confused. Another hint would be greatly appreciated. I am looking forward to starting your 2nd episode but don't want to until I have finished this one. Thanks again for a great game.

Comment XanMag

13 Jul 2016

Also,

I have yet to look into the broken window causing nothing to happen comment, so, until I do... I suggest you save before breaking any windows! If the previous poster found a bug (which couldn't reproduce), make sure you save before breaking the window!

Comment XanMag

13 Jul 2016

rcsjr1951,
Thanks for playing!

In the most recent update, I altered the tree/nut puzzle. In the old version there was a '34' on the cloth but I replaced it with the letter 'U'. Long story! Now the player must line the alphabet up in a 4x5 grid and 'dispatch' the six letters indicated, leaving only 20 letters of the alphabet. If you number them, as you would read a book, that will lead you to the correct answer. Might be a bit tough, I know. =/

The following hint assumes you have found the shovel (if not, your hint is that it is hidden in a dark place... but, over time, the light will creep in and reveal a prize).

Admittedly, the bit found thereafter is likely the toughest part of the game. So, even if you have not found the shovel, I'll nudge you in the right direction when you do. The second and third line of the riddle tells you WHERE you need to carry out the first bit of arithmetic. The fourth and fifth lines of the riddle should tell you where you do the next four clever 'deductions'. The last line is the big problem. Those darned birds are distracting so you'll need to get rid of them. You'll need to be loud (desk). You'll need to continue being loud as you count.

If you have any problems or get stuck again, please ask! And when you are finished, I urge you to try Xanadu, Part 2! It has a built-in hint system so, even though it is a bit longer and more tricky, it's a bit less frustrating!

Good luck! Thanks again!

Comment rcsjr1951

13 Jul 2016

Hey XanMag;
Congratulations on a great game. I am having a few problems though. One of your clues given in a post indicate that the number 34 is found on the white cloth. Funny that does not show up in my game.?? The number riddle does not make any sense without some kind of clue as to what I should be looking for. By dropping something from the tree on each number I was finally able to get to the wet ground. But now I am lost. The rest of the puzzle leaves me as dazed and confused as getting hit up side the head by Bart. Any help of suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Comment Sinca12

24 May 2016

Thank you very much. As for the window, I'm actually not sure if nothing happened. Now when I climb to the roof of the doctors office and try to exit there while the siren/announcement thing is going, I end up in the jail. The window is no longer in the description of the jail. I'll see if progression with the riddle gets me to understand it fully.

Comment XanMag

23 May 2016

I didn't know you could break the window and nothing would happen... I hope it's not a bug! I'll look at the game again tomorrow. If you number the alphabet and remove the capital letters indicated on the square AND order them in 4 columns of 5, the intersection of column 3 and row 4 give you number 15. You cannot see the 15 from ground level so you need to mark it somehow. You have the needed object. As for the machine... You also have the needed object for use two of the machine but I think you need to 'unwind' it first.

Hopefully the broken window doesn't break the game. This was my first game and I know I need to edit it a bit to iron out yet discovered bugs. Will you try to throw shovel or book at the window and see what happens? Let me know. Thanks for playing!

Comment Sinca12

23 May 2016

Hi,

I'm so stuck. I think I'm missing something but I don't know what or how to get it. I have a glass bowl with water, shovel, burlap square, knife, screwdriver, bullhorn, huge nut, planks, book, copper wire, desert berry, white cloth, belt, dirt key, sticky lasso, and a broken bottle. I've been up the tree and seen the unique image. I've broken the window in the jail but nothing happened. I have no idea how to solve the riddle, despite the clues you've given others. I have no idea what you're talking about with the 34-U thing. And you mentioned the machine does something significant to metal but all the metal items I've put into it come out the exact same. And then you said something about the gate? But idk what that's about. Please help. Also is there anything important about the thicket?

Thanks

Comment Sinca12

23 May 2016

Okay, nevermind. I had to throw the rope at the bough. Now I have a different problem. This has happened before. If you "x square" (as in the burlap square) while you're holding it, it disappears completely. I have to go back to my last save to get it back.

Comment Sinca12

23 May 2016

Hey,

Idk if you're still active but I'm having a bit of trouble with the tree. I can't seem to get it to exist. I assume it's the one in the "undisturbed ground" and I'm able to get a reaction from the game when I try to go 'up' but it says the branch is out of reach. Then, when I try to 'use rope on branch' or 'use rope on tree' or any other similar command, the game says "I can't see that (branch/tree/bough/etc)." Is there something I need to do to get the tree to appear?

Thanks!

Comment XanMag

17 May 2016

Ignore the lasso. That's used elsewhere and isn't long enough. You do need the rope, but it will not work if it isn't properly weighted, so you'll need to tie it to something suitable first.

If you've done that, you should be able to throw rope at bough or just use rope on bough. If that doesn't clear it up, let me know!

Thanks for playing and ask questions if you get stuck. There's a pretty nasty couple riddles/puzzles once in the tree, but scanning these comments will likely lead you to the right answer!

Happy gaming!

Comment stella1

17 May 2016

hi xanmag,

i dunno for the life of me if i'm getting the command wrong but i've tried everything to tie the rope/lasso to the first bough and the tree. is there a proper syntax that will allow me to properly get up the tree?

thanks!

Comment Xenon.invisible

29 Apr 2016

Thank you, XanMag. Your tips hit the bullseye. I am stuck anew, but I will feel a complete fool if I abuse your hospitality any more. Will try to figure it out somehow on my own. Thanks again, will PM you if I prove a dimbass XDDD

Comment XanMag

27 Apr 2016

I do apologize. I did not read your post correctly. It sounds like you have found the next little riddle (the one buried under the ground)! So... here is a better hint:

In reference to the poem riddle:
The first two lines are self explanatory, right?
"The lowest level you count"
Do you know what you are counting?

"then subtract the amount
you find straight up above."
So... count those things in each level above the lowest.

"Hope you like my sweet doves."
Those birds sure are distracting! You'll have to get rid of them before counting properly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5uJsa7Lb7A <-- even that won't help, but it's close! =)

You should now be able to find the answer to the code with a little simple math. Ask if that doesn't clear it up!

Comment XanMag

27 Apr 2016

At the bottom of the home page there is a little blue link that says forum. Click it. I think you need to create a forum id/password. Then you can search and pm me if interested.

I think you should have a solution already. Now, have you tried dropping something from the top of the tree? Specifically, dropping something on your solution? You need to mark the spot on the ground that has the solution because at ground level you can't see that spot, right? When you do that, I think you'll know what to do next. If not, keep asking!

Comment Xenon.invisible

27 Apr 2016

Ugh. Still can't get the 4-digit code. I understood all the 4-by-5-marching thingy, saw the figures dug in the sand from the tree, applied the 34-U intersection, and still find myself stuck. Can't figure the 4 digits. Things I've tried...definitely must be missing something - or just stupid. But the game is awesome, BTW! Would PM to you, XanMag, but not sure how.

Comment XanMag

16 Apr 2016

@Jamex,

Sorry I missed the last question. It slipped past me on the news feed! But, I'm glad you got it figured out. As always, ask if you have other questions!

Comment Jamex

13 Apr 2016

disregard my comment, I have figured it out, for now.

Comment Jamex

13 Apr 2016

ok, so I figured all that out already, but no matter which way I slice it, I'm not getting a four digit answer....what am I missing here?

Comment XanMag

13 Apr 2016

The letters of the alphabet are just there to tell you how many numbers are there. So, alphabet letters - dispatched letters = numbers in the puzzles. Line those numbers up 4 across and 5 down. "34" is the intersection of the answer, which is a number. Too difficult?

If you are not sure what to do after that, let me know! =)

Comment Jamex

13 Apr 2016

Hey again,
wracked my brain on this one, just cant get it. any further hint?

Comment XanMag

06 Apr 2016

Let's see...

I'll assume you have had experience with the giant tree? If not, do not read any further. The riddle on the burlap is solved from the top of that tree.

What do we know from the burlap riddle? Reading the lines from three to one might help.
1. It's an alphabet riddle.
2. C - A - P - T - I - N are letters of the alphabet and they should be "dispatched". There are SIX of them.
3. They "march FOUR by FIVE"
X X X X
X X X X
X X X X
X X X X
X X X X
4. The number "34" is marked on the cloth.
Let me know if that helps?

Comment Jamex

05 Apr 2016

Hey, could I have a hint on the burlap square riddle?

Comment XanMag

31 Mar 2016

This first game I think is easier even without the hint system.
I'll be interested what you think.
The machine is used multiple times and is definitely the hardest part of the game (that and maybe the tree riddle?)
I'm sure you've noticed what happens when you turn it on?
This should be a big hint. What does this result have on sand? Or on metal?

Once you've figured this out, your last question will be answered unless you've overlooked the town gate.
Also, there are two, (if I remember right), deadly areas. One I'm sure you've seen, but the other is in the sheriff's office. Be sure to sure to save prior to encountering any "red" flags. I'm only bringing this up because there is a solution related to the machine.

I think all problems are ironed out. It is MUCH simpler in terms of coding, but let me know if you notice anything or have further questions.

Comment Jamex

31 Mar 2016

Hey, I'm just getting into it, and kinda at a stand still. Don't really know how to progress.
Could you give me a hint or two about the machine, and possibly how to carry the water? Thnx

Review TakingFlyte

13 Jan 2016

Fantastic job! An interesting piece. Loved it!

Comment XanMag

19 Aug 2015

Advertisement!! Play me! Play me! Ask if you run into problems please!

Review Paper Asssassin

31 Jul 2015

Wow! This game is incredible, especially the intro! The game really deserves some more attention.

Comment XanMag

09 Jul 2015

Beat it now and get ready for part 2 - "Xanadu - Revenge". Beta-testing one week from today!

Happy Gaming!

Comment Willyd6952

28 May 2015

This game is great! Definitely have to have a good head on your shoulders to think through the riddles and puzzles.

Comment XanMag

26 May 2015

I just played through the key part and had no problems. As long as the lasso is sticky, you should just need to 'use lasso on key' and you get this message "...You pull the rope (and the key) across the chasm to your half of the mine." Then all you need to do is pick up the key.

Let me know if you still are having issues with that. Not sure why that would happen. Happy gaming!

XanMag

Comment sangeeta07

26 May 2015

how to get the key?? and my lasso is sticky.. (adventure with the bug.. hope it's not a problem :D ) i thought lasso wud be the thing to use for the key.. but can't seem to find out how.. pls help

Comment XanMag

25 May 2015

When you first hide or whenever you 'look' from your hidden spot behind the dune, it tells you that you only have to 'unhide' or 'emerge' to return to the sprawling desert. :)

Comment Scoticis

25 May 2015

Great game!
Only ran into one problem so fare. on one run through I hid behind a sand dune and apparently fell off the earth as there was no way to get back out. lol
Otherwise a great bit of fun!

Comment XanMag

18 May 2015

Thanks for playing. I'll look into the key/chasm thing.

Have you hidden yourself in the sprawling desert? After you do, the solution is hopefully obvious. X dune gives a clue. Ask if you need more. Thanks.

Comment Marzipan

18 May 2015

Feel free to PM me on the forum if you don't want to post spoilers here.

Comment Marzipan

18 May 2015

Hi XanMag,

I've explored the desert as thoroughly as I can and I'm assuming getting past the chasm is the way to progress. I'm guessing I need to use the lasso somehow but can't figure out the command. (The hook and key seem a bit buggy btw...hook is not visible when you look at it, and no mention of the key anywhere except the object pane. 'get key' gives you a bogus 'you take the key' message tacked onto the custom one about not being able to reach it)

Other things I've found which may be relevant are the root and the riddle on the burlap square, but I can't figure out what to do with either one yet. I also have the white cloth and the berry along with the items you get in the beginning.

Comment XanMag

14 May 2015

A couple tips:

1. Download - the game is pretty lengthy.
2. Save frequently - a common death spot is near the police station.
3. Don't fear the machine. It's quite useful!
4. And leave a comment here/pm me if you need suggestions if/when you're stuck!

Happy gaming!

Comment MisterPibb316

06 May 2015

Will keep that in mind! From what I played, I think you have one of the better games on this site, and I definitely think you deserve a very nice increase in plays/downloads.

Comment XanMag

04 May 2015

Thanks for playing it.

Small hint for the riddle... you won't need the solution until you are at the "highest point" in the game. Let me know if you need another hint.

Thanks again!

Comment MisterPibb316

04 May 2015

Thanks for recommending your game to me! Pretty good stuff from what I played. Got hopelessly stuck on the riddle. Once I figure it out I'm sure I'll feel silly.

Review Josiah18

30 Apr 2015

Great game! i felt like i was actually in the action.

Comment XanMag

23 Apr 2015

Making the map appear is easy. There's an option to do so in the game tab. There is a maze section during the game where I needed the map feature turned off. That bit was a little trickier! Thanks for the comment.

Happy gaming!

Comment Arch

23 Apr 2015

This is the Best Game Ever. Best Game Ever. Best Game Ever. Does are echos. Also how did you make the map appear?

Review Jordan-Tanker

15 Apr 2015

Hey, dude. Took your advice and played the game. Didn't get all the way thru. I'm still not good at TA's, but from what I saw, I loved it. 5 star. And, thanks again for the feedback.

Jordan

Comment Dwhiteboy

14 Apr 2015

Review is in progress for this one. But so far, so good. Very few hiccups gameplay wise. Well, except for the whole "screws in the scaffold" part. but I think that got fixed in an update. I can't wait to finish it though, just need to find the time.

Comment Zefou

26 Mar 2015

The game did not have me disappointed. I have not been able to finish it yet, but I do have a few things to say about the game.

First: Great setting. In a text adventure, I always enjoy feeling "hunted" so to speak. I guess it makes the game feel more alive. This game did have a little of that, and I think you could expand upon it. Other than that, the setting made it feel like an 80-s game... And in interactive fiction, that is of course a compliment! I also enjoyed the humor, for some reason particularly trying to use the shovel!

The things you need to work on are the verbs and commands. Maybe it changes later in the game, but I think a lot of "natural" things were not accounted for (typing "cut lasso", for example, should propably have a response about the knife being to blunt or something like that).

Other than that, it is easily interesting enough for me to come back and try to finish the game the next time I have the time. Well done!

Comment XanMag

19 Mar 2015

All good. Happy gaming.

Comment XanMag

17 Mar 2015

For those currently playing the game or starting soon, there is something you must know... After removing the screws, do NOT leave the rooftop before pushing the scaffolding. If you leave before pushing it makes it unwinnable. I will fix it tonight, but just a heads up for now! Thanks!

Comment XanMag

08 Mar 2015

3 days and only 3 plays?!?

Somebody out there play this one! I don't think you'll be disappointed in this text adventure! And give feedback so I can make part 2 better!

Thanks and happy gaming!

Comment XanMag

05 Mar 2015

If you get a layer error while playing, simply click the directional icons. I couldn't stop it from happening in editor mode!! =(

As an aside... this is the GREATEST text based adventure I have ever played. But, then again, I'm a little biased.