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The Fourth Protocol (computer game)
Encyclopedia
The Fourth Protocol is an interactive fiction
computer game based on Frederick Forsyth
's 1984 spy novel The Fourth Protocol
. The detective-style gameplay resembles contemporary menu-driven adventures such as The Vera Cruz Affair, and later titles such as Yes, Prime Minister and Floor 13.
The game was released in 1985
by Hutchinson Computer Publishing, a subsidiary
of the publishing house Hutchinson
. It was designed by John Lambshead and Gordon Paterson, and the programming
was credited to the Electronic Pencil Company Ltd. The game was released for the ZX Spectrum
in July of 1985, with the Commodore 64
release following one month later, and the Amstrad CPC
conversion in 1986
. The gameplay was split into three parts, and large sections of the programming was outsourced to others: Andrew Glaister
(program conversion Spectrum, parts one and two), Dave Jones (programming Spectrum, part three), Ray Owen (graphics Spectrum, part three) and John Gibbons (programming C64, part three). The IBM PC version was developed for the Electronic Pencil company, by a developer called Brian Mallett. The PC version was written in 8086 assembler and used CGA graphics in 4 colour mode. The PC version was ported from the Z80 and 6502 versions. The PC version did not use DOS but booted up from its own floppy.
The game comprises three sections - The NATO Documents, The Bomb and The SAS Assault. In order to get into the last two the player must use a secret code which is given in the previous section. Macintosh-like icons were used to drive the game along. The game attracted favourable reviews, but sold poorly, and proved to be Hutchinson's first and final game title. One of the main reasons for the poor sales, is that the software was mainly sold in books shops.
The scene is Preston's office. You take the role as John Preston, the new head of Section C1(A). Somewhere in England, a burglar steals the famous Glen Diamonds, but he also finds some secret NATO documents. He alerts the MoD
by sending them the documents anonymously. The Paragon Committee decides that John Preston's most important task is to find out who is leaking secrets, to whom they are being leaked and why. However, you will not be able to devote your time exclusively to this task, since many other events will be unfolding in the intelligence community which will demand your attention. (From the instruction manual.)
The Cencom icon offers access to your personal files where you can store information throughout the first part of the game. The Assessment icon gives you an idea of your progress, it tells you how much of the first stage you have solved and your rating at MI5
. Using Surveillance you can assign 'watchers' to targets, these are snoops who provide valuable information, in addition to Memos and Reports, which will be brought to your attention via the Sitreps icon. The Calendar icon lets you know how much time has passed. The Telephone icon allows you to accept calls or call out. It is also possible to save and restore the game at any point.
From the clues in the first part you should have an idea about the plot and who could be responsible. This part is similar in gameplay to the first part, however you are now in the field, on the trail of the nuclear device which has been smuggled into the country.
This requires additional icons to control Movement, and a Manipulate icon to Take, Drop and Use objects. You are able to Look around, and Examine objects. The Communicate icon allows you to talk to others, via the phone if needed.
In this part you have discovered the location of the bomb. Using the information you have gathered in the previous two parts, you must work out how to defuse the device. This part of the trilogy
requires textual input, and plays differently depending on the version of the game.
Interactive fiction
Interactive fiction, often abbreviated IF, describes software simulating environments in which players use text commands to control characters and influence the environment. Works in this form can be understood as literary narratives and as video games. In common usage, the term refers to text...
computer game based on Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth, CBE is an English author and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan and The Cobra.-...
's 1984 spy novel The Fourth Protocol
The Fourth Protocol
The Fourth Protocol is a novel written by Frederick Forsyth and published in August 1984.-Explanation of the novel's title:The title refers to the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which contained four secret protocols. The fourth, of the protocols, was meant to prohibit the non-conventional...
. The detective-style gameplay resembles contemporary menu-driven adventures such as The Vera Cruz Affair, and later titles such as Yes, Prime Minister and Floor 13.
The game was released in 1985
1985 in video gaming
-Notable releases:* Brøderbund releases Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, the first game of the prolific Carmen Sandiego series* Nintendo releases Super Mario Bros. on September 13, 1985, which eventually sells 40 million copies making it the best-selling video game of all time until 2008.*...
by Hutchinson Computer Publishing, a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of the publishing house Hutchinson
Hutchinson (publisher)
Hutchinson & Co. was an English book publisher, founded in 1887. The company merged with Century Publishing in 1985 to form Century Hutchinson, and was folded into the British Random House Group in 1989, where it remains as an imprint in the Cornerstone Publishing division...
. It was designed by John Lambshead and Gordon Paterson, and the programming
Computer programming
Computer programming is the process of designing, writing, testing, debugging, and maintaining the source code of computer programs. This source code is written in one or more programming languages. The purpose of programming is to create a program that performs specific operations or exhibits a...
was credited to the Electronic Pencil Company Ltd. The game was released for the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
in July of 1985, with the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
release following one month later, and the Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
conversion in 1986
1986 in video gaming
-Events:-Notable releases:*Namco releases Sky Kid Deluxe, Hopping Mappy, Toy Pop, The Return of Ishtar, which is the sequel to Tower of Druaga, Genpei Tōma Den, and Rolling Thunder....
. The gameplay was split into three parts, and large sections of the programming was outsourced to others: Andrew Glaister
Andrew Glaister
Andrew Glaister, born July 4, 1967 in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, is a video game programmer.He initially started programming games on the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum between 1981 and 1987, forming a company called Programmers Development Systems Ltd....
(program conversion Spectrum, parts one and two), Dave Jones (programming Spectrum, part three), Ray Owen (graphics Spectrum, part three) and John Gibbons (programming C64, part three). The IBM PC version was developed for the Electronic Pencil company, by a developer called Brian Mallett. The PC version was written in 8086 assembler and used CGA graphics in 4 colour mode. The PC version was ported from the Z80 and 6502 versions. The PC version did not use DOS but booted up from its own floppy.
The game comprises three sections - The NATO Documents, The Bomb and The SAS Assault. In order to get into the last two the player must use a secret code which is given in the previous section. Macintosh-like icons were used to drive the game along. The game attracted favourable reviews, but sold poorly, and proved to be Hutchinson's first and final game title. One of the main reasons for the poor sales, is that the software was mainly sold in books shops.
The NATO documents
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
by sending them the documents anonymously. The Paragon Committee decides that John Preston's most important task is to find out who is leaking secrets, to whom they are being leaked and why. However, you will not be able to devote your time exclusively to this task, since many other events will be unfolding in the intelligence community which will demand your attention. (From the instruction manual.)
The Cencom icon offers access to your personal files where you can store information throughout the first part of the game. The Assessment icon gives you an idea of your progress, it tells you how much of the first stage you have solved and your rating at MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
. Using Surveillance you can assign 'watchers' to targets, these are snoops who provide valuable information, in addition to Memos and Reports, which will be brought to your attention via the Sitreps icon. The Calendar icon lets you know how much time has passed. The Telephone icon allows you to accept calls or call out. It is also possible to save and restore the game at any point.
The bomb
This requires additional icons to control Movement, and a Manipulate icon to Take, Drop and Use objects. You are able to Look around, and Examine objects. The Communicate icon allows you to talk to others, via the phone if needed.
The SAS assault
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
requires textual input, and plays differently depending on the version of the game.