| The Minder Computer Game |
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Written by Don Priestly |
In June 1985, DK'Tronics published a Minder
computer game, written by Don Priestly.
This game was available for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad
CPC464.
The game is very much based on the TV series, as you play the role of Arthur trying to make some nice little earners. Click here (opens a new window) for an amusing article page about this game from Sinclair User.
Below are some screenshots from the game itself...
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For those wishing to play the game today, you can do so using ZX Spectrum Emulation Software (that allow your computer to emulate or pretend to be another computer), hence allowing you to load software originally written for this other system.
There are several ZX Spectrum
emulators available, via
The
World Of Spectrum or Planet
Sinclair.
Once you have downloaded the emulation software and installed
it on your computer, you need to download the Minder game
itself.
Who needs 30 packs of pure gold acupuncture needles? Hookey stuff, without a doubt, but that won't stop you from making a deal in Minder, based on the hit TV series. Minder puts you in Arthur's shoes with a two grand stake and a fortnight to get rich.
Visit the Winchester Club to make the contacts you'll need to buy your stock, or have a chat with proprietor Dave about the doings of the Old Bill, in the person of mean, moody, Inspector Chisholm. When you've bought the goods you want, you'll have to try and sell them to one of the many shady dealers in the manor.
If they're bent, Chisholm will be after you. And there's always the aggravation of trying to get hold of Terry to do the fetching and carrying. True to form, all Arthur ever does is count the money. The game is played out through conversations with the many characters. There are up to 35,000, identified by an identikit style of graphics to build up their faces. you can use Arthur's own brand of cockney most of the time; the program recognises much slang, although at times you have to use a specific phrase to clinch a deal. You can also play a more devious game, selling goods you don't own and then trying to pick them up cheaply before time runs out to make a killing.
It's all great fun and very much like the TV show, except in so far as Terry's life as a minder, with all the violence and confusion, is barely mentioned. Unfortunately the game is marred by the occasional bug in the interpreter, so that conversations can go off the rails, with words missed out or the wrong prices agreed on. That tends to destroy the illusion and show up the program as rather more simple than it appears when things function properly. however, you will never get the old 'I don't understand' comments. There is plenty of humour, particularly in the extraordinary goods you will have to buy and sell. Chisholm can be a right pain at times, and you may have to cut your losses and dump bent stock to avoid being hassled on other deals. But the roots of Minder are still those of a fairly simple trading game, and although it may sustain itself for a while, it will ultimately become boring to play.
In all fairness, Minder could have been done extremely badly indeed, and to the credit of DK'tronics and Thames TV it is not at all bad. Just a bit more care at the final stages, with a touch more variety and depth to the conversations, and it could have been a classic.
Due to the age of the game we think it unfair
to comment on sound/graphics by today's standards - remember this was 1985
on a 48k ZX Spectrum! If you were a youngster in the 1980s and were brought up on these sorts of machines hearing the crackling Spectrum
sound isn't all that bad. With this taken into consideration, we have to
say that the game matches the essence of the TV series very well.
One point is that the game is focused solely on the role of Arthur, and
Terry doesn't get involved in any sort of minding or punch ups, just simply
shifting and collecting. Our major quibble has to be that at some points
it can be difficult to guess what to do without a valid set of instructions
and a comprehensive set of text commands, but the tips above should be
sufficient to set you on your way!
Thankfully, fellow Minder fan Shaun Roberts has been able to provide us with some expert tips on playing the game! It is strongly recommended that you print this text and print it out before attempting to play the game. As well as that, before you play the game itself, get yourself a pen and paper handy to jot down details of the deals made!
General Tips
1. Each day, it is important to GET INTO A ROUTINE,
and remember that Terry will be in his flat first thing.
2. Catch the dealers in the morning. Go down the Winchester
Club in the evening for the bargains.
3. Some dealers offer higher prices than other for your goods.
4. Try and avoid going to the lock-up, why you should ever
need to go there is beyond me.
5. If you choose to hang around the lock-up expect to get stung,
you have been warned!
6. You can ask Terry to "dump" stolen or dodgy goods
for you.
7. Selling stolen goods will not get you money in the long
run.
8. Dave, at the Winchester Club is a good source of information,
not to mention booze.
9. Terry can be hired as a Minder. Say to Terry: "Terry,
be my minder", but as always there's a cost.
10. If you go to a dealer and Chisolm is there, talk to him first. You'll
find out what's hot, he'll go, and you can deal!
11. Remember, when selling you've got to cover the cost of of collection
and delivery.
12. Jelly babies go mouldy.
13. Try not swear, it doesn't get you very far (unless Terry's looking
after you).
14. Rather than saying TV's, put "televisions". "Flypaper"
not Flypapers.
15. Check that your selling the right stuff, internal widgets instead of
external widgets etc.
Selling Goods
16. Go to one of your friendly dealers.
17. Check what you have, making note of quantity, price and the name.
18. Ask a dealer "Do you want any" or "Interested in any"
then put the name of the goods. (See 14)
19. When your asked the price say "10 quid" or "20 pounds"
or "30 sovs" etc. Never just put a figure. (See 25)
20. Once you've haggled over the price and found out how much of your dodgy
stuff a dealer wants to buy.
21. Make a note when you have to deliver by and the details of the deal.
KEY TIP: 22. Dealers' names are a key to the stock
they like to buy and seem to give you better deals in accordance to the product
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i.e. Oddgood buys weird stuff like spots etc. and Watt buys Electrical stuff.
Buying Goods
23. Go to the Winchester Club, either wait for a punter
to approach or pick one you think has the goods for you.
24. Listen to the buff, if you like the sound of rubbish he's trying to
dump on you say "how much".
25. If you think you want some other (alternative) goods, rather than what
is on offer, say "do you have any......".
26. Remember always when talking money, use the words: pounds, quid
or sovs.
27. Say how many you want, once you've agreed a price, or ask "how
many do you have".
28. Make a note of when you have to pick up the stuff and the details of
the deal.
Collection & Delivery of Goods
29. Find Terry - he is usually at his flat first thing,
or in the Winchester Club.
30. Say "Collect some...." Or "Deliver some...."
31. Once you have asked Terry he'll run off for you and do the biz - Terry
will confirms he wants a cut.
32. Next time you see Terry he will give you the money for the deal, minus
his share.
If your web browser is Java enabled, you can now try it out and Play Minder Online! from the menu on the left. Good luck!
