The Magic Candle
Encyclopedia
The Magic Candle is a computer role-playing game designed by Ali Atabek and developed and published by Mindcraft in 1989.
(1990) was an action-title spinoff. Bloodstone: An Epic Dwarven Tale, released in 1993, is a prequel to The Magic Candle.
The series also spawned two spin-offs: Siege (1992) and its sequel Ambush at Sorinor (1993) are tactical strategy games, both taking place in the world of The Magic Candle.
#148 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 3 out of 5 stars. Scorpia of Computer Gaming World
gave the game a very positive review, noting that killed monsters tend to stay dead, a welcome change from the "endless wave" of other CRPGs. Criticisms included the relatively slow combat and the inability to quickly find people or shops in town. The magazine later recognized it as "Role-Playing Game of the Year", describing it as "extensive, well-written, and balanced.".
Story
In the game, players must assemble a group of six adventurers and journey across the kingdom of Deruvia to keep the demon Dreax imprisoned in the eponymous magic candle, which has begun to melt. The game's world includes several towns and cities, two castles, and several dungeons and towers. Unlike many computer games, one wins not by defeating a final enemy, but by collecting the necessary items and learning the necessary chants in order to preserve the magic candle. Players begin with one adventurer, a human hero called Lukas. Additional adventurers can be found in the game's two castles. Much of The Magic Candles fun derives from discovering exactly what is needed to preserve the eponymous candle.Races
There are five races available in this game:- Dwarves - Very short but exceptionally strong.
- Elves - Tall and slender with special attachment to the forests.
- Halflings - Small charismatic race with large furry feet.
- ManManThe term man is used for an adult human male . However, man is sometimes used to refer to humanity as a whole...
- Or HumanHumanHumans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
. - Wizards - Wizards are considered a race in this game. This race is similar to the race of Man, but practices magic.
Professions
There are nine Professions available in this game:- CarpenterCarpenterA carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
- Can build shelter for camping. - FighterWarrior (character class)Warrior is a character class found in many role-playing games. This class may also be referred to as Fighter, as in Dungeons & Dragons. The class is sometimes also referred to as a Knight, although in some games this is a separate class with a more chivalric aspect...
- Skilled in combat. - Gem-Cutter - Can recognize gems for sale.
- KnightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
- Skilled both in combat and in defense. - MageMageMage may refer to:*Magi, a tribe from ancient Media of Iran*Mage, Burma*Magician , a practitioner of paranormal magic*Magician , a practitioner of magic as portrayed in works of fiction...
- Skilled in Magic. Only Wizards can be mages. - MercenaryMercenaryA mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
- Offer their services for hire. - Metal Smith - Can repair weapons.
- RangerRanger (character class)A Ranger is a type of warrior appearing in fantasy fiction and role-playing games....
- Good hunters and move well in unknown terrain. This is Lukas' profession. - TailorTailorA tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
- Can make and repair garments. Good for getting jobs in towns.
World Realism
The Magic Candle is known to have several traits that increase the realism of the game and of the world of Deruvia:- Party Splitting - You could split your party into several different groups and have each of them perform a different task, including working at different jobs to earn money in a town.
- Wear and Tear - Weapons would accumulate wear and tear, and even break if not maintained properly.
- Hunger and Fatigue - Characters need to eat, rest, and sleep in order to remain healthy.
- Residences - You can't just go barging into a private home. You have to knock on the door, and know the name of the residence owner.
- Time Factor - Shops close during the night and re-open at dawn. NPCs can be in different places at different times of the day.
Sequels
The Magic Candle was successful enough to have sequels: The Magic Candle II: The Four and Forty (1991), and The Magic Candle III (1992). The Keys to MaramonThe Keys to Maramon
The Keys to Maramon is a computer game published by Mindcraft Software, Inc. in 1990 for the PC/MS-DOS. It takes place in the same universe as The Magic Candle.-Plot:...
(1990) was an action-title spinoff. Bloodstone: An Epic Dwarven Tale, released in 1993, is a prequel to The Magic Candle.
The series also spawned two spin-offs: Siege (1992) and its sequel Ambush at Sorinor (1993) are tactical strategy games, both taking place in the world of The Magic Candle.
Reception
The game was reviewed in 1989 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...
#148 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column. The reviewers gave the game 3 out of 5 stars. Scorpia of Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
gave the game a very positive review, noting that killed monsters tend to stay dead, a welcome change from the "endless wave" of other CRPGs. Criticisms included the relatively slow combat and the inability to quickly find people or shops in town. The magazine later recognized it as "Role-Playing Game of the Year", describing it as "extensive, well-written, and balanced.".
External links
- Jason Spangler's Magic Candle page