The specifically French landscape seems to be very important, if not essential, to every (published) adaptation of The White Mountains. The TV script even, for some reason, makes a tiny issue of which specific port the Parkers land at in episode 3 — the Orion takes them not to Boulogne, as they seem to have wanted (presumably because of the map?), but to Calais. Really, this could not matter less, as their quest would be the same wherever they were landed. This is a point nicely made by the BBC-licenced ZX Spectrum computer game. The Spectrum, released 1982, was Britain’s best-selling microcomputer, purged of all inessential components and mass-produced for a market which was, to a first approximation, parents buying Christmas presents for teenage boys. It was used almost exclusively for games, and many part-time indie developers tried their hand at software releases sold on cheaply-duplicated cassette tapes.

Bill Potts’s The Tripods is one of the results. It has the feel of having been obsessively worked on by an author who was a little oblivious to what made good game mechanics — a metaphor there, a cynic would say, for the whole show it was based on. The game is nobly trying to evoke the sense of scale in The Tripods: hundreds of kilometers, months of elapsed time. But that inevitably makes it about as fast and furious as play-by-mail chess. Up to four players can choose to start at any of six ports, though ironically neither Calais nor Boulogne — we must set off from Dieppe, Le Havre, Cherbourg, St Malo, La Rochelle or Bordeaux, and then trek our way across France, day by day. An obvious comparison would be Oregon Trail, but the trans-continental trek in this case is far more two-dimensional. Again, that is both good and bad. You have the freedom of movement to go around in circles.

Screenshot

We don’t play as the Parkers, or Beanpole: as the cassette inlay tells us, player-characters are other un-Capped recruits sent south from England by Ozymandias, so their stories run parallel to the TV show and do not contradict it. The game feels not like an interactive version of the TV show as a whole, but an endless continuation of episode 4 — where the plot consists of wandering through a largely empty landscape in the right general direction. As we’ll see, the same can be said of BEEB comic’s stories. Though episode 4 isn’t at all typical of the programme, maybe it’s the part which people take to be the essence of it.

The Tripods is a highly simulationist game, with too much geography and not enough story. It’s implemented in just 476 lines of BASIC, but with a large database attached. The map has 26 types of landscape feature — PINEWOOD, RIVER, MOORLAND, RUIN, CAVE and so on — and plots the geography of France onto a 64 by 64 grid. Each grid square therefore represents a parcel of land about 14km across. In case anyone’s interested, here are:

By the standards of 8-bit gaming, this is a France rendered with extraordinary fidelity: its coastline, its arterial rivers, its elevations. About 50 of the 4096 locations are named towns, some quite obscure — could you pin Avranches on a map of France? — with Bordeaux, Paris, Lyon and (a bit surprisingly) Rennes each large enough to occupy multiple grid squares. The victory condition is to reach the Free Men — located, as they are in the TV series, just south of Lake Geneva — and you’d better be keeping an accurate map if you want to find them. With a dinghy you can cross a river, but large lakes and marshes are impassable. The game also tracks night and day, food, a few possessions, Black Guards and Tripods. And yet, despite the occasional knight or villager, the landscape is, as in episode 4 of the television show, largely deserted. Only 1% of locations are towns. Find yourself a horse and travel faster, catch a rabbit with a snare, but for the most part just walk, and walk, and walk. The way landscapes are composited on screen is quite original, but slow on 1982 hardware, and results in the cumbersome business of having to keep track of which direction the player is facing in. You can’t tell the game to go east: only to turn left, turn right or go forwards. Somehow, that’s one simulationist touch too far.

The game is now remembered mainly, if at all, for its telling status message THERE IS NO TRIPOD DANGER. In the end, earnestly faithful to geography though it is, it needed more puzzles and more problems to solve, and therefore it adds only a little to our fictional world. But I like that you can use a mirror to dazzle a Tripod, provided the sun is shining, and that a radio from the time of the Ancients can jam its communication equipment. I could imagine that as a scene for Beanpole.

I’ve said some unkind things about this game, and yet, I would still like to offer up its map, as a sort of homage to the dedication which Potts put into it. Little touches make me smile: the Eiffel Tower at the centre of Paris, for example, or the bend in the Rhône river as it flows south from Lyon to Marseille — Avignon having become a VILLAGE. What’s going on with the enormous tunnel apparently running under the Cévennes, I’m not sure, though there are certainly gorges with railway tunnels in the general area. The mountain ranges of Belgium and the Low Countries also come as a bit of a surprise, geographically speaking, but of course they’re really just fences to keep the players from wandering off the play area. Anyway, colours here are my own, but the key letters are those used in the game’s own database.

JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJAAAANAAAAAANAAAFFFOBBBBJBAAAANQBBJNSYYXX
JJJJJ%JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJOAAAAAAAAAAAAPAFLBBNBBNJBLFFFFFFBJBBYYXX
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJDDDDDDDDDDJJJJJJJJJDDDDDDDDDJDDDDXX
JJJJJJJ%JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJEEEKEEJJDDEEDDEEHEEVKEEEEDDDENFDDFHKMYXXX
JJJ%JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJAAEEEVEEEEBEMEREEHEEEFFEEEDELBBFELHHPYYXXX
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJEREDAEEEERFFBEAAVEWHIHHFLEREEEZZZMEAHBSYYXXX
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJEDDNAKVEEEFZBVKAAEEEQEHFEENEEGBBZEAAHBNLYXXX
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJEELEFFFFEEEEMZZCCCCANAPEEHHHHHHWENBZEMEHBYYYXXX
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJEEEEEEOEEEEEEBZEENEEMEHIHHBBBGHHHHEQEEAHBOBYXXX
JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJEFEEHRHHHENEREBZENEEEDJHEEEELZBFEENEEPEHHBQRYXXX
JJJEJRJJJJJJJJJJEMDNHAAMHPDDDEEEEHHRHHHHEQEBZZBFEEAEQEGIFLBBYXXX
JJJLEEQJJJJJJJJREJDEHAAEHHHELEEEEHEFEEEEARVBZMEFBBEEEEEHNBBYYXXX
JJJEKENEJJJJJJJJHHHHHEEEEEHEAEHHHHOFGFEMAVFFLZEGEEZLEEQHFSYYYXXX
JJJPEEFFEMOPRJEEBBBBEEFAEEHEAEHEEDEEEWZZAEGRFNEEDEZBENJHBBBQYXXX
JJJJNEKFFEEEEHNEBZZLEERAWEHEARRREDEMENEEAGGDPEKEEMZBEJMHEKDBYXXX
JJJJEEEAANAAEHEEBBZEEEEEEEHHHRWRHHHHEEEEEELDEEEEDEBBEAEHHNSYYXXX
JJJJERDDEAAAEHEEEMZQEEAAENEERRRTEEEHEEWEEEEDEOEDDEEPAAEERBBYYXXX
JJJRDDFBLEAEHHFFFEPEAEEAAAEEEEQEEMEHQEQEHHHHHEEEREGEEEEEHBPYYXXX
DDDEDQFBEFFFHPEFEEEEANEAAEFFFBAAREEHEEAAHELEHVEEENEKVELEHBSYODXX
DDJEKVFBZEMFHEERELZYLEEEEEEMELAAAAEHHHIHHVKEHEEELEEWEBZEHHNBBDXX
DDJEEEPZZZBEHWEEEEZYSFFEREBZZZEEEDDLEEQEEEEEHEMEBBEEEMZEEACLFDXX
DDJEEEZYYEEEEENECCEEFFNEEEBZBBEEFFFBYYOEEQWEHDDDZZMZZEEEERCCNDDX
DDJRAAAALZZBEEEECCEMZBEEEPEEEEEEFEKBZZBEEEHHHEEEFFFBBEQMEHHHHJDX
DDJRAABBBZZMEEERCCEAZBEMZZXZELEJEEAAKEEENEREEKEEFPAMEQEESVKFNJDX
DDJEEEBZZYYOELBBBENAAAEEBBBEEEJJEPEAEEZEFFHEEEDDAAAECCYYYEBBYJDX
DJDLEEEEMYYBEZBBEEEEEEEEMHHEHHJJEEEEAEZLFFHHHEEEEAKECCLYYEFSYJDX
DJDVENEKEBBBXXXEEBBBLEEEEHEEPHHHNEEEMEEEEEEEHEEELEEEHHHYYEFYYJDX
DDJEEFFFFBBEEEMEEZZBFERHHHOEEEEHHHEEEEDDKEGEEDNEEEEEHGFFFEPBNJJJ
DDDJEFLDPEEEEEFFEMZBFFEHGEEPEENEEHIHNEDDEEEPDEEEDDMEHEENEEEBFDDD
DDDJLFEDMHRHMEFFJEEEHHHHGEEPEDEBBBEHHIHEDENDEELEOHHHHEBBSEZLEDDD
DJJDEEEDEHOHHEEFJEQEHEEGEFVKLDEBBBMEEEHEDVDEKEBBEHEPEEKYYZBBNDDD
JDDRHHHHHHEEHHNEHHHRHHHEPFFEEDEEBEWEEIHHHEEEBBZBEHMEELBYYZBSMJJJ
JDDEELENEEAAEHHHHEEEQEHHHENBZDENEAAELENEHEEMZZZBEREEBBZYYBBYYJJD
JDDEQEKVEAAAEEHDFOEEEEEEHEEBZMEGEAAAEEEERAAEEPEEEHEEGLZYYEPYYJJD
JDDDDEKEEEEAAEHHEEEENELWHEEAAAGEEEAAAEEEHFKWEEGEEHEGGBZYYBSYYJJD
DDDDECCCCKEENEPHEDEKCCCEHHEEAFFEEDEDNADDHFEEENEAEHHHEBZMEBYYJJDD
JDDVECCCCFFAEEEHHHEEWECEEHEKEFNEDDDLDDNEHEMHGAAEEEQHDKEZZLYJJJDD
JJDDENFMCAAAAAENEREEZMCEEREQEEEEEEEDGFEEHEEHEECCELEHEAMZBBSENXJJ
JJDDEEFEEEENAADEBBBEZFVEEHHEOEKEEBBJJFEEHHHHELCCEEQIOAEZVKPEJJJJ
JJDDEEKVEELEEEDEZBBLPFKVEEHEEBBBEZZDDGBBPEEOEEEKFFFHEAQEEHHRJJJJ
JJDDDEEEEEDEEEMEZMEEEEEEDDHHDZZZZZEEEEJZEKWEEGEEHHHHENMEEHLNJJXX
JJJJDEEEEEDKEEEEJAAAAEEEEMEHDLZZBEEELEYZCEEBBBEEHNEEGEHHHHBM*XXX
JJJJJVELEPEEEENEJEEAAAAEFFCHEEGZBEEBSXYZMEEBXBMEHEEPEEHEQBZZZXXX
JJJJJEREEHHHHHHELEFEEENEECCIEEEMBEMBYXXEEBBBXYYBHEEENEHHELZYYXXX
JJJJJJEEEHEEEEHHEKFENEEQEECHDKFEEEEBYXBEEZZZXYYBHHLDFMFHBZZZYXXX
JJJJJJHHHHEKEEBBBFFEEEJJJJJHPFWECCCPENBBBXXXXZZLEHHDHHHHBZBKYXXX
JJJJJEEEEFCEEMBBZZMCCCCEGEEHEEGEECEREEBLVZZZXZZBTRWECCCNBZBBYXXX
JJJJJELAAFCEEEEBZZBCCCCEEEEHEEEEEEEEBECCCMEEXBBBEREEEMEFFLBYYXXX
JJJJJVAAEECCZZZBZZBOBBCEEQEDQEEWEEEEBZZZEEESXLBEEHGEEEDAANBSNXXX
JJJJJAAEKVCEMBBPBOYYZBLEEEEIEEEEEFLEYZPZZBBYXSBMEHEGVFLAAMZZZXXX
JJJJJEEFFEEEEKELYYYXZBCCGEDDQNEEEFFOYYYXZBBYXYSBBHHEKFPERBZYZXXX
JJJJJJJEEOZLEBZZYYYXYYZZEEEHHHHHHHHEEYYXZBBYUYZZBEHENEWBBBZYMXXX
JJJJJJJJEMZEEMZZYYYXYYZZMEOPEENEEOHEMEUUBKBYXYZZBEHEMEEELYYYYXXX
JJJJEERJJFDGGEBBBBKEXXZZBGEZLEAAEEHEBBYXBKYYXYLEOEHHHHNEBYYYYXXX
JJJEPTRRJFQEEBZZYYZZBBSBBEEZBFAAAAHEEBBXBBYYXYZZEFNENHBZBSMYYXXX
JJJEEERREFEDELZZYYBBBPXXKEEBBFEEAAHEKDDSEBXXXYZZZFEHHHBZNKBZZXXX
JJJJEOEWHHHHHQEGEQELFFMEPEGEEVEEEEHEEEAAEBYYYYZMEKEHPFZYYYNZZXXX
JJJJEELBEGEEHEEEMEEEEEEEREENEDDEEEHNELAEEEUUUUUBFFEHHFZYYYBKZXXX
JJJJJELLMENEHHIHHHEEENEEEEEEEDGEEEHEEEEEEMZZBLBBNEEEIBBBYYLZZXXX
JJJJJEEEEEEENEAAEHEMEEBEEVBBEDENEEHEPEVBBBZZKEZZEEMEHNFZZZOZZXXX
JJJEEVEDDDDDEQAEEHBBEBBEBBBBEEEENEHEENEBZZZZVBBBFVBBRFMZZZSNMXXX
JJJJDDDDJJJDDDDDDJJJJJJJJJJJDDDDDDJJJJJJXXXXXXXJJJJJJJXXXXXXXXXX
JJJJJAANAAAAALAAAJYYYYYYYYYJBLBBBBNBOBBJXXXXXXXJXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
JJJJJAAAAANAAAAAAJYYYYYYYYYJYYYYYYYYYYYJ[XXXXXXJXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Key: A = WOOD, B = PINEWOOD, C = MOORLAND, D = MARSH, E = FIELD, F = BEET FIELD, G = VINEYARD, H = RIVER, I = BRIDGE, J = WATER, K = FARM, L = SHOP, M = HOUSE, N = VILLAGE, O = CHATEAU, P = RUIN, Q = CAMPSITE, R = CITY, S = CAVE, T = METRO, U = TUNNEL, V = WINDMILL, W = TOWER, X = PEAK, Y = HIGHLANDS, Z = FOOTHILLS, * = the White Mountains

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