Conquests of the Longbow
Encyclopedia
Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood is a graphic adventure game
designed by Christy Marx
and published by Sierra On-Line in 1992. It is considered the second (and last) part of the Conquests series, which began with Conquests of Camelot
. It features VGA graphics
and uses Sierra's standard icon
-driven interface first seen in King's Quest V.
The player assumes the role of the legend
ary Robin Hood
in his efforts to restore King Richard I
to the throne of England
. To do so, he must collect enough money to pay the king's ransom
while avoiding the efforts of the Sheriff of Nottingham
to capture and hang him and all his men.
by Robert Graves
. The manual also includes essays by Marx outlining the history of the legend and the approximate dates at which different characters were incorporated into the Robin Hood legend, such as Friar Tuck and Marian in the 15th century. (Though the essay mentions Guy of Gisbourne
, Gisbourne does not appear in the game.) Other essays cover the tree lore and early British history and video game piracy.
with adjustable difficulty.
Gameplay is divided into days, each day ending with a recap of its events and discussion of the plot. Each day involves certain actions that must be completed before advancing, though it is possible to leave vital tasks undone that make parts of the game difficult or impossible later.
Like most games of this period, Conquests relies heavily on the user's ability to read instructions and character dialogue and contains almost no voice acting. Several of the puzzles are entirely language-based. Even though Sierra is an American company, the entire game is written and punctuated using British English
conventions.
The game keeps score in three ways: the number of points for puzzles solved, the amount of money collected for King Richard's ransom, and the number of Robin's outlaws who are still alive. There is one opportunity to recruit new members and several chances to get them killed.
Depending on how well the player performs, there are four possible endings. Robin Hood can be hanged
for his crimes, given a pardon but no other reward, pardoned and offered a job in the king's service (but denied Maid Marian's hand), or he can be granted a noble title and married
to Maid Marian
.
#179 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
designed by Christy Marx
Christy Marx
Christy Marx grew up in Danville, Illinois and is an American writer and a photographer. She has written scripts for various episodes of TV-series, mainly for kids' shows, including Jem, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Conan the Adventurer, G.I. Joe, Hypernauts, Captain Power and others...
and published by Sierra On-Line in 1992. It is considered the second (and last) part of the Conquests series, which began with Conquests of Camelot
Conquests of Camelot
Conquests of Camelot: The Search for the Grail is a graphic adventure game released in 1989 by Sierra. It was the first game in the Conquests series designed by Christy Marx and her husband Peter Ledger. The only other game in the series was 1992's Conquests of the Longbow: The Legend of Robin Hood...
. It features VGA graphics
Graphics
Graphics are visual presentations on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, computer screen, paper, or stone to brand, inform, illustrate, or entertain. Examples are photographs, drawings, Line Art, graphs, diagrams, typography, numbers, symbols, geometric designs, maps, engineering drawings,or...
and uses Sierra's standard icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
-driven interface first seen in King's Quest V.
The player assumes the role of the legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
ary Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
in his efforts to restore King Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
to the throne of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. To do so, he must collect enough money to pay the king's ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
while avoiding the efforts of the Sheriff of Nottingham
Sheriff of Nottingham
The Sheriff of Nottingham was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order in Nottingham and bringing criminals to justice. For years the post has been directly appointed by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham and in modern times, with the existence of the police force, the position is...
to capture and hang him and all his men.
Development
Conquests of the Longbow is notable for the amount of historical and cultural research and detail included in the story's setting and puzzles. The game manual lists twenty-eight volumes in Conquests bibliography, including Robin Hood by J.C. Holt, The Outlaws of Medieval Legend by Maurice Keen, and The White GoddessThe White Goddess
The White Goddess: a Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth is a book-length essay on the nature of poetic myth-making by author and poet Robert Graves. First published in 1948, based on earlier articles published in Wales magazine, corrected, revised and enlarged editions appeared in 1948, 1952 and 1961...
by Robert Graves
Robert Graves
Robert von Ranke Graves 24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985 was an English poet, translator and novelist. During his long life he produced more than 140 works...
. The manual also includes essays by Marx outlining the history of the legend and the approximate dates at which different characters were incorporated into the Robin Hood legend, such as Friar Tuck and Marian in the 15th century. (Though the essay mentions Guy of Gisbourne
Guy of Gisbourne
Sir Guy of Gisbourne is a character from the Robin Hood legends of English folklore. In The Ballad of Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne , he hunts Robin for the Sheriff of Nottingham, but Robin kills him and cuts off his head...
, Gisbourne does not appear in the game.) Other essays cover the tree lore and early British history and video game piracy.
Gameplay
Most of the game takes place in a standard adventure game mode, in which the player causes an image of Robin Hood to walk between screens and interact with characters and objects by clicking on them. For navigation between screens, the game has several hot spots built into a map. There are also minigames involving archery, combat and Nine Men's MorrisNine Men's Morris
Nine Men's Morris is an abstract strategy board game for two players that emerged from the Roman Empire. The game is also known as Nine Man Morris, Mill, Mills, Merels, Merelles, and Merrills in English....
with adjustable difficulty.
Gameplay is divided into days, each day ending with a recap of its events and discussion of the plot. Each day involves certain actions that must be completed before advancing, though it is possible to leave vital tasks undone that make parts of the game difficult or impossible later.
Like most games of this period, Conquests relies heavily on the user's ability to read instructions and character dialogue and contains almost no voice acting. Several of the puzzles are entirely language-based. Even though Sierra is an American company, the entire game is written and punctuated using British English
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
conventions.
The game keeps score in three ways: the number of points for puzzles solved, the amount of money collected for King Richard's ransom, and the number of Robin's outlaws who are still alive. There is one opportunity to recruit new members and several chances to get them killed.
Depending on how well the player performs, there are four possible endings. Robin Hood can be hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
for his crimes, given a pardon but no other reward, pardoned and offered a job in the king's service (but denied Maid Marian's hand), or he can be granted a noble title and married
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
to Maid Marian
Maid Marian
Maid Marian is the wife of the legendary English outlaw Robin Hood. Stemming from another, older tradition, she became associated with Robin Hood only in the 16th century.-History:The earliest medieval Robin Hood stories gave him no female companion...
.
Characters
- Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
is depicted as a gallant, yellow-bearded woodsman and master of disguiseDisguiseA disguise can be anything which conceals or changes a person's physical appearance, including a wig, glasses, makeup, costume or other ways. Camouflage is one type of disguise for people, animals and objects...
. While the game introduction mentions that Robin was driven into outlawry by corrupt men, it is not established whether he is a commoner or a disinherited nobleman. He is shown as devoted to commoners, women, his king and the Virgin Mary.
- Maid MarianMaid MarianMaid Marian is the wife of the legendary English outlaw Robin Hood. Stemming from another, older tradition, she became associated with Robin Hood only in the 16th century.-History:The earliest medieval Robin Hood stories gave him no female companion...
is living a double lifeDouble LifeDouble Life is a 2-CD compilation album of songs by Värttinä. It includes the entire 6.12 live album, and songs from studio albums Seleniko, Aitara and Ilmatar...
as a young noblewoman of Nottingham and pagan forest priestess. Though she sees no conflict between her priestess duties and Christianity, equating the "Virgin Queen of Heaven" with the Virgin Mary, she fears being burned as a witch if she is ever caught. Her primary role in the story is as Robin Hood's love interest and his contact with the Queen Mother's network of spies and loyalists, who are also trying to raise money for King Richard's ransom. (The Queen, an unseen characterUnseen characterIn fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
, is implied to be Eleanor of AquitaineEleanor of AquitaineEleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
.) Marian's priestess duties include, among other things, a one-person spiral danceSpiral DanceSpiral dance, also called the Grapevine dance and the Weaver’s dance, is a Neopagan group dance emphasizing community and rebirth, although it is also used as an effective way to raise power in a ritual...
.
- The Sheriff of Nottingham is a slovenly, cruel and somewhat stupid man. Loyal to Prince JohnJohn of EnglandJohn , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
, he works with the Abbot of St. Mary's and the Prior to divert ransom money away from the Queen and ensure that Richard will remain a prisoner.
- The Abbot of St. Mary's is shown as greedy and cunning. The game mentions that he forces peasants and artisans to work on his large abbey for free under threat of excommunicationExcommunicationExcommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
. He is fond of jewels, young women and drinking contests.
- Friar TuckFriar TuckFriar Tuck is a companion to Robin Hood in the legends about that character. He is a common character in modern Robin Hood stories, which depict him as a jovial friar and one of Robin's Merry Men. The figure of Tuck was common in the May Games festivals of England and Scotland during the 15th...
, a curtal friar, is the band's chaplain, treasurer and chef. Though shown as "fond of food for a holy man" himself, he also shows distaste for laziness and soft living.
- Little JohnLittle JohnLittle John was a legendary fellow outlaw of Robin Hood, and was said to be Robin's chief lieutenant and second-in-command of the Merry Men.-Folklore:He appears in the earliest recorded Robin Hood ballads and stories...
, Will ScarletWill ScarletWill Scarlet was a prominent member of Robin Hood's Merry Men. He was present in the earliest ballads along with Little John and Much the Miller's Son....
, Much the Miller's SonMuch the Miller's SonMuch the Miller's Son was, in the tales of Robin Hood, one of his Merry Men. He appears in some of the oldest ballads, A Gest of Robyn Hode and Robin Hood and the Monk, as one of the company.Generally he becomes an outlaw when he is caught poaching...
, and Alan-a-DaleAlan-a-DaleAlan-a-Dale is a figure in the Robin Hood legend...
are, along with Tuck, Robin Hood's inner circle. Will is the best woodsman. Little John is the strongest. Alan is shown as a troubadourTroubadourA troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
. The game mechanics permits Robin to call John, Scarlet, Much, Alan and Tuck to discuss strategies with him before most big heists.
- The Widow lives in an isolated cottage in Sherwood Forest with her three sons, Hal, Hob and Dicken. She offers the outlaws help in the form of spun wool and advice. She is later revealed to be Marian's predecessor as forest priestess, knowledgeable about tree lore and other subjects.
- The Prior runs a monastery in the fens full of militant monks loyal to Prince John. Though they live a disciplined monastic life, every one of them was a soldier before taking vows. Their weapon of choice is the quarterstaffQuarterstaffA quarterstaff , also short staff or simply staff is a traditional European pole weapon and a technique of stick fighting, especially as in use in England during the Early Modern period....
and they are required to have knowledge of gemstone lore.
- Fulk is King Richard's jester. Richard had sent him ahead to England, where he is captured by Prince John's men.
- Lobb the Cobbler is a commoner living in Nottingham. Along with Marian, he is secretly loyal to King Richard and working with the Queen to secure his freedom.
- The Green ManGreen ManA Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit...
is a powerful forest spirit whose trust Robin must win.
- The Bartender is a veteran of the Crusades, now running the Trip to Jerusalem pub in Nottingham.
- The Sheriff's Wife is a plump, shrill woman, very fond of jewels.
- Roger, Giles and Jack are the three of the Sheriff's guards most often depicted in cutsceneCutsceneA cutscene is a sequence in a video game over which the player has no or only limited control, breaking up the gameplay and used to advance the plot, strengthen the main character's development, introduces enemy characters, and provide background information, atmosphere, dialogue, and clues...
s.
Reception
The game was reviewed in 1992 in DragonDragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#179 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars.
External links
- Conquests of the Longbow on Christy Marx's personal website
- Conquests Omnipedia Wiki on WikiaWikiaWikia is a free web hosting service for wikis . It is normally free of charge for readers and editors, deriving most of its income from advertising, and publishes all user-provided text under copyleft licenses. Wikia hosts several hundred thousand wikis using the open-source wiki software MediaWiki...
- GameFAQs