Bugs that you can take advantage of - an IFDB Poll
by Fredrik
RSS FeedBugs are an annoyance, usually, but in some rare cases, bugs can actually make the life of an adventurer easier. Some bugs can help you in certain situations, perhaps even to bypass puzzles, and they can sometimes provide positively otherworldly experiences. This poll is intended for your favourite benign bugs. Please provide a description of the bug in question.
I think we should restrict ourselves mainly to commercial games and freeware games of commercial quality.
| Zork I, by Marc Blank and Dave Lebling 1 vote "Juggling strongman" [+]"Juggling strongman: In some versions, inventory weight restrictions can be bypassed by putting objects directly into containers that are already being carried." ( ) --Fredrik...  Vote for this game | |
| Zork Zero, by Steve Meretzky 1 vote "The spyglass shortcut" [+]"The spyglass shortcut: You can repeatedly ask Otto for the spyglass, even after putting it in the cauldron. So you don't actually have to get any of the other Flathead Items to win the game!" ( ) --Nathan... Vote for this game | |
| The Hobbit, by Philip Mitchell and Veronika Megler 1 vote "Trolls and arrows" [+]"Trolls and arrows: The complexity of this game makes it particularly prone to these kinds of bugs. For example, in some versions the bow can be fired without the arrow (which is particularly fortunate in versions where another bug makes it impossible to pick up the arrow). It is also possible to make the trolls kill each other by various means." ( ) --Fredrik... Vote for this game | |
| Beyond Zork, by Brian Moriarty 1 vote "Repeatedly selling the butterfly" [+]"Repeatedly selling the butterfly: In early versions, the butterfly can be sold, and since it exits containers automatically, it can be sold repeatedly for doubling prices." --ralphmerridew... Vote for this game | |
| Infidel, by Michael Berlyn 1 vote "What inventory limit?" [+]"What inventory limit?: While wearing the knapsack, say PUT KNAPSACK IN AIR. Then it's always accessible to you, and you can always put things in it and get things from it." ( ) --Nathan... Vote for this game | |
| Sherlock: The Riddle of the Crown Jewels, by Bob Bates 1 vote "Doesn't ring a bell" [+]"Doesn't ring a bell: You can skip the bell puzzle by saying GET SCRATCH to take the sapphire without the bell ringing." ( ) --Nathan... Vote for this game | |
| The Lurking Horror, by Dave Lebling 1 vote "Stealing the keys" [+]"Stealing the keys: You can take the keyring away from the hacker, using WEAR KEYS, FILL KEYS, or BREAK something WITH KEYS. Now all you have to do is ASK HACKER ABOUT KEYS to make the master key appear, and the key problem is solved. No need to mess with the microwave." ( ) --Nathan... Vote for this game | |
| Delusions, by C. E. Forman 1 vote "The needle gun" [+]"The needle gun: While trapped in the simulation, you can refer to the gun before it is present." --Christina Nordlander... Vote for this game | |
| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams and Steve Meretzky 1 vote "No Babel fish needed!" [+]"No Babel fish needed!: In early versions, you can get the atomic vector plotter out of the case without typing the key word. In version 47 you can READ PLOTTER, BREAK something WITH PLOTTER, LOCK something WITH PLOTTER, or BLOCK PANEL WITH PLOTTER. In versions 47 and 56 you can HANG PLOTTER ON HOOK." ( ) --Nathan... Vote for this game | |
| Enchanter, by Marc Blank, Dave Lebling 1 vote "The ultimate weapon" [+]"The ultimate weapon: BREAK something WITH JUG says, "The jug shatters into innumerable pieces.", but the jug is left intact. In fact, the first object is the one that is removed. You can use this to destroy many objects in the game." ( ) --Nathan... Vote for this game | |
| Starcross, by Dave Lebling 1 vote "Ordering around inanimate objects" [+]"Ordering around inanimate objects: Famously, in version 15 you can bypass two puzzles by saying NEST, DROP RED ROD and BEAM, GO WEST." ( ) --Nathan... Vote for this game | |
| Zork II, by Dave Lebling, Marc Blank 1 vote "Skip the treasure hunt" [+]"Skip the treasure hunt: In versions 7 through 23, you can use the IT bug to win without getting any of the treasures. After putting the black sphere in the circle to summon the demon, say GET IT. Then you can repeatedly give it to the demon as a treasure, saying GET IT after each time. In version 48, GET IT no longer works after giving the demon something, but you can still use it to get back the black sphere and the last of the three spheres, letting you skip two of the treasures (Bank of Zork, anyone?). There are even ways in early versions to use the Wizard's wand without the demon's help, if the Wizard visits you in the right place. In version 7 you can order the aquarium, glacier, pool of tears, or dead sea serpent to take the wand. In versions 7 and 15 you can order the robot to take it. In versions 7 to 19 you can WAVE WAND AT MENHIR without even taking it. Finally, in versions 7 to 23 you can THROW WAND AT AQUARIUM then take it." ( ) --Nathan... Vote for this game | |