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 (>