#Hawkstone

[fuckyeahjeremyclarkson]

This is how you use your platform for good.

[shortbread-crew]

Name: Hanna

Species: Dog

Breed: Sheepdog

From: Jess @ Hawkstone

[manonamora-if-reviews]

Hawkstone by Handsome McStranger

============= Links

Play the game (IFComp) See other reviews of the game

============= Synopsis

Hawkstone: A retro TRS-80 adventure with extras for modern day adventurers. Combining old school text adventures with RPG elements, opening up a deeper world of discovery options and choices for the player. Hawkstone has traditional puzzles to solve with new twists, comedy, and an underlying fantasy story with secrets to discover.

============= Other Info

Hawkstone was made in a custom engine, submitted to the 2023 Edition of the IFComp. It is only available on Windows, working best with Win8 or Win10.

Status: Completed Genre: Adventure

CW: -/ your retro adventure content

============= Playthrough

Played: 9-Oct-2023 Playtime: about 2h (with loading up the game, half abandoned) Rating: - [IFComp vote] Thoughts: Run around in circles... literally.

============= Review

Hawkstone is a retro-type parser adventure, using old-school RPG elements to drive the puzzles, and a Scott Adam-style of gameplay (not all locations are listed in the directions and puzzles can be obtuse). The game includes a walkthrough listing the required commands and order of actions*, and a built-in help system (pay in-game currency to get it). *I messed up wanting to go my own way and skipped some steps

Spoilers ahead. It is recommended to play the game first. The review is based on my understanding/reading of the story.

To say this was not the kind of game I am good at is an understatement. It combines a confusing worldmap (with weird locations) and difficult to almost impossible puzzles (hit the wrong butterfly and meet an early end). I did try to give it my best shot, but after finding myself stuck, I exclusively followed the walkthrough - save for not wanting to drop loot (but that's me playing RPG).

So Hawkstone is essentially an RPG exploration game. You get items, break some stuff, give stuff to people, maybe sell some items maybe buy some, attack harmless butterfly, and go round and round you go around the map. Do some actions and maybe level up and your skills, or get a random dice roll for extra stats. If you finish enough puzzles, you get to the end (I didn't).

There's not much direction given to you (aside from the start text telling you in case of stuck, look at stuff) and you have to rely on guess work (or just be like me and follow the walkthrough) and thinking of silly ways to solve things. The combat system is pretty fun (though it would be nice if there had been more opportunities to use it), and the game as a swanky stat/inventory system. There is quite a bit of humour in the text, especially in the reaction of actions, and if you manage to run the game without any glitches, it's pretty cool looking too!

But darn, you need to be a level 9999 experienced parser to do this adventure on your own... even a sword is not enough.

[andyoubleedandbreathetheair]

Currently stuck in my head: "Let's say we take this town, no king or queen of any state. Get up to shut it down, open the streets and raise the gates. I know a wall to scale; I know a field without a name. Head on without a care, before it's way too late!

[frimleyblogger]

Garden Hermits

The curious craze of #garden #hermits https://www.countrylife.co.uk/gardens/curious-questions-what-is-a-garden-hermit-259843

The curious and fortunately short-lived craze for having a living, breathing hermit living in your country estate is explored in my latest article to feature on the social media platforms of Country Life magazine. To read more about this 18th century craze, follow the link below: What is a garden hermit?

[this-wandering-mind]

11.4.23

Hawkstone Park Follies, Shropshire

A Hillside park of sandstone calved out into caves, bridges and gorges in the 19th century, with monuments and towers along the way and stunning views over the shropshire feilds.

[saintmeghanmarkle]

Longtime trustee of Harrys charity quits after 11 years by u/Mickleborough

Longtime trustee of Harry’s charity quits after 11 years Johnny Hornby, half-brother of author Nick Hornby, was a trustee of Harry’s charity Sentebale for 11 years, the last 5 as chairman of its board.Hornby’s described as ‘a smooth operator and a hard commercial man’ in his field of marketing. This Daily Mail article (archived / unarchived) doesn’t indicate the magnitude of his contribution to Sentebale, but having a top marketing person on the board couldn’t have hurt.The connection? Hornby’s a business partner with Jeremy Clarkson in a brewery called Hawkstone. Apparently, after Clarkson’s article about Meghan, Hornby suggested that Clarkson write a letter of apology, which he did last Christmas. The Sussexes graciously issued a statement declaring that it was ‘clear that this is not an isolated incident shared in haste, but rather a series of articles shared in hate.’ [What clever word play! Whose fragrant hand is detectable in this?]Is there a connection? post link: https://ift.tt/TUxkLR2 author: Mickleborough submitted: July 15, 2023 at 07:17AM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[scotianostra]

Happy Birthday Scottish Golfer Sandy Lyle.

Saandy was on February 9th 1958 in Shrewsbury, England but considered Scottish, Lyle was one of Europe's top golfers during the 1980s. He is one of the golfers credited with breaking American domination of golf on the world stage.

Lyle was introduced to golf as soon as he would walk. His father, Alex, was a teaching professional at Hawkstone Park GC and had his son playing with miniature clubs from the age of 3. Lyle had an outstanding amateur career culminating in victory in the English Amateur Stroke Play championship in 1975 and 1977. He also served on the Walker Cup squad twice.

He turned professional in 1977 and was nominated Rookie of the Year in his first full season a year later. His first professional victory was the 1978 Nigerian Open. As a player, Lyle is renowned for his cool temperament and focus. However, his form is not always consistent and tends to play either exceptionally well or exceptionally bad.

Lyle won his first Major, the Open, in 1985. Perhaps the highlight of his career was victory in the 1988 US Masters. He was the first non-American to win the event, a victory made sweeter because of the intense competition between America and Europe in all aspects of golf. Lyle has also played on 5 Ryder Cup squads and represented Scotland 3 times in the World Cup.

On a personal level, Lyle has an amiable character and is modest despite his success and stardom. He enjoys Chinese food and is somewhat of an expert. He is also a keen enthusiastic of motorbike scrambling. In 1989, Lyle's form began to slump. His last victory was the Volvo Masters in 1992 and since then has quietly retired from the main tour.

On turning 50 in 2008 he played on the Champions Tour and the European Senior Tour winning his first tournament in 19 years when he captured his first European Senior Tour title at the 2011 ISPS Handa Senior World Championship, held in China.

Lyle has morphed into a lumberjack since bringing down the curtain on a near-50-year career last year. A five-hour round of golf is like a stroll in the park compared to a hard day-long shift developing his farming skills at his Balquhidder estate 10 miles north-west of Callander.

[twogargs]

GET TO KNOW THEM! Riverdale and his brother Hawkstone run the Twilight Detective Agency, sussing out and solving supernatural mysteries while trying to navigate the human world without being discovered! twogargs.com/tda with art by Miguel Puerta! (Ad art by Jeremy Thew) #gargoyles #monsterboys #indiecomics #oc

[fuckyeahjeremyclarkson]

Oh dear...

[hawkstonedraws]

Artfight 2023 is a go! Well, not quite, site’s still running like ass. But soon!

https://artfight.net/~Hawkstone

[totalmotorcycle]

2023 Hawkstone Park International UK MXGP News https://www.totalmotorcycle.com/2023-hawkstone-park-international-uk-mxgp-news/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[seagirlreads]

Worth Every Game

This is my second ARC from Rae and the second book in the Hawkston Billionaires series. This one was as good as the first! Elly and Jack were so fun. I loved seeing Nico and Kate again, too. I'm ready for the next book in this series.

[mrdrummerman9015]

The Grotto at Hawkstone Park Follies near Shrewsbury.

[influencermagazineuk]

Jeremy Clarkson’s Pub Gamble: A Traditional Take on Country Hospitality

Jeremy Clarkson is venturing into the pub business, aiming to revive the charm of traditional country pubs. Despite being advised against it, he has purchased The Windmill in Asthall Leigh, near Burford in west Oxfordshire. This historic pub, set on five acres, cost him “less than £1 million.” Clarkson, 64, revealed his new venture over the weekend, highlighting the pub's breathtaking views and proximity to his farm, Diddly Squat. His plan is to create a fun, traditional pub experience, featuring produce from his farm and his own Hawkstone Lager. The pub, currently used as a wedding venue, lacks accommodation but promises to offer a lively atmosphere with bar billiards, darts, and Aunt Sally in the garden. Ed Perchick, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons The area is known for its upscale establishments like The Fox at Oddington and The Double Red Duke, which cater to affluent Londoners. Clarkson’s vision is a stark contrast, aiming to attract everyday visitors looking for a good time. Locals see potential in Clarkson's purchase, noting that The Windmill has always had untapped charm and a beautiful location. Operating a successful pub is no easy task, with challenges like tight profit margins, strict drink-driving laws, and staffing issues. Many entrepreneurs have tried and failed to maintain the idyllic vision of a country pub. Dan Brod of the Beckford Group and chef Tom Kerridge, both experienced publicans, warn that running a pub is extremely challenging, especially post-Brexit. Despite these hurdles, they acknowledge that Clarkson’s high profile could draw attention to the struggles of country pubs and potentially boost support for them. Clarkson’s colleague James May, co-owner of the Royal Oak in Swallowcliffe, also emphasizes the importance of food in pub business. While some celebrity ventures have failed, Clarkson’s previous success with “Clarkson’s Farm” shows he can turn challenges into triumphs by highlighting the difficulties involved. As Clarkson embarks on this new journey, he hasn't set an opening date yet, but if he can replicate his success from the farm, he might just breathe new life into the traditional country pub scene. Read the full article