Venture FAQ(arcade) version 1.0.0

Venture FAQ(arcade) version 1.0.0
copyright 2001
by Andrew Schultz [email protected]

Venture is copyright Exidy 1981. I am not affiliated with Exidy in any
way.

Please do not recopy and post this FAQ for profit without my permission.
If you write me a brief note for this specific FAQ and use my name, I
will probably allow access.

This FAQ is for version 4 of Venture. According to the MAME executable
there is a version 5.

** AD SPACE **
My home page: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Exhibit/2762

================================

OUTLINE

GENERAL TIPS

SCORING

LEVELS 1, 4 AND 7

MAP

HINTS BY ROOM

GOBLIN ROOM

WALL ROOM

SKELETON ROOM

SERPENT ROOM

LEVELS 2, 5 AND 8

MAP

HINTS BY ROOM

LEVELS 3, 6 AND 9

MAP

HINTS BY ROOM

WHAT TREASURE IS WHERE--WITH PICTURES!

MAME CHEATS

VERSIONS/CREDITS

================================

GENERAL TIPS

In Venture, the scenes cycle every three levels(red, blue, and yellow)
with different maps, but they get progressively faster. Anyone who gets
through level 9 will get to replay it, not a thrilling prospect as it's
rather difficult and once you solve each room once there's little

The arrows are more valuable as defense than as attack in the latter
stages of the game. When you shoot them, the monsters move out of the
way. It's very tough to hit the monsters(although diagonal shots work
better than straight shots.) The major problem you have is that you
can't turn around and shoot quickly, and the monsters get faster than
you after the first round.
Monsters get faster in later levels, although the main factor in
difficulty is which map you are on. I still found level 2 to be harder
than level 7, and level 3 to be about as hard as level 8. Halls also
become tougher to navigate as you increase levels. At some points(level
9 especially) they are utterly unfair.

Don't panic after you get the treasure. You're invincible while you
stay on it, so wait a second or two if you need the monsters to clear
out.

Watch out for hall monsters--if you leave a room before one arrives,
the timer for hall monsters does not reset.

Shooting the decomposing remains of the monster makes all the remains
appear again.

Remember that shooting an arrow a long distance without hitting a
target makes you vulnerable. Use your shots wisely.

SCORING

Scoring is too disjointed for me to write up quickly now, although
points for shooting monsters seems to be constant throughout the levels.
As each monster in any room has a different speed you get different
points for each one. You may get more points for treasures in the same
room as levels increase.

LEVELS 1, 4 AND 7:

MAP

*****************************
*...........................*
*............X..XXXXXXXXX...*
*...XXXXXX...X..X.......X...*
*...X....X...X..X.......X...*
*...X....+...X..+.......+...*
*...+....X...X..XXXXXXX.X...*
*...X....X............X.X...*
*...XXXXXX............X.X...*
*.....................X.X...*
*............XXXXXXX..X.X...*
*..XXX+XXXX...........X.X...*
*..X..XXXXX...........XXX...*
*..X..X.....................*
*..X..X.....................*
*..X..X............XXXXXXX..*
*..X..X.......X....X.....+..*
*..X..X.......X....X+XXX.X..*
*..X..X.......X........X.X..*
*..X..XXXXXX..X........X.X..*
*..X.......X..X........X.X..*
*..X.......+..X..XXXXXXX.X..*
*..XXXXXXXXX..X..X.......X..*
*................XXXXXXXXX..*
*...........................*
*...........................*
*...........................*
*****************************

WALL ROOM SERPENT ROOM
GOBLIN ROOM SKELETON ROOM

The inside is in similar ratio to the outside. However, the WALL ROOM
has odd barriers. Its map is below.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X..........................X
X..........................X
X..........................X
X..........................X
X.......X..........X.......X
X.......X.--------.X.......X
X.......X..........X.......X
X....XXXX..........XXXX....X
X..........................X
X.....|.....XXXX.....|.....X
X.....|..............|.....+
X.....|..............|....++
X.....|..............|.....+
+.....|.......$......|.....X
++....|.....XXXX.....|.....X
+.....|..............|.....X
X.....|..............|.....X
X..........................X
X....XXXX..........XXXX....X
X.......X..........X.......X
X.......X.--------.X.......X
X.......X..........X.......X
X..........................X
X..........................X
X..........................X
X..........................X
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

There should be very few problems getting into each room. Going
clockwise from the Goblin Room, you will not have to deal with the hall
much.

HINTS BY ROOM

GOBLIN ROOM

The goblins don't change direction much, so when they bounce off a
wall, you can get by. The best bet is to be just above hugging the
lower wall and shoot. That way you'll hit too-slow goblins or force
them to move away. Once you get the treasure, get out the same way.
Just watch for goblins coming straight at you. Shooting a monster will
never block the path to or from the treasure, which is one less concern-
-for now.

WALL ROOM

The WALL ROOM in the upper left is the easiest. You can either shoot
the right wall from a horizontal distance or time things so you can
shoot it from above(much quicker, but if timing's off you're in
trouble.) Grab the diamond(or other treasure) and get out. There's
nothing particularly tricky about this except that if you shoot the wall
and see a very small sliver, you can run through that safely. Also,
hall monsters come in a bit quicker. Avoid being squashed to the top
wall by the moving walls. If the moving side walls push you out, align
yourself with the door and you'll exit the room.

SKELETON ROOM

Time is of the essence here, as you have to go into a corner and get
out. If you can enter from the right side, do so, as it will save you
some time. Straddling the wall and shooting works pretty well again.

SERPENT ROOM

It might be a bit tricky to get to the apple, as one snake seems to
hang around just above it, but if you enter from the right side you can
save a bit of time. Again, straddle either wall and shoot at the
snakes. There may be some logistics here--if you hit two corpses in the
same place, they'll create a roadblock, since it's a skinny passage to
the treasure.

LEVELS 2, 5, AND 8:

MAP

*****************************
*...........................*
*...........................*
*.XXX...XXX.....XXXXXXXXXXX.*
*.+.X...X.+.....X.........X.*
*.XXX...XXX.....XXXXX.XXXXX.*
*..XXXXXXX..........X.X.....*
*...XX.XX...........X.X.....*
*....X.X............X.X.....*
*....X.X.....XXX....X.X.....*
*....X.X.....X.X....X+X.....*
*....XXX...XXX.XXX..........*
*..........X.....X..........*
*........XXX.....XXX........*
*........X.........X........*
*........XXXXX+XXXXX........*
*...........................*
*............XXX............*
*..........XXX.XXX..........*
*........XXX.....XXX........*
*.XXXXXXXX.........XXXXXXXX.*
*.+.......................+.*
*.XXXXXXXX.........XXXXXXXX.*
*........XXX.....XXX........*
*..........XXX.XXX..........*
*............XXX............*
*...........................*
*****************************

TWO HEADED ROOM TROLL ROOM

DRAGON ROOM

SPIDER ROOM

The inside is in similar ratio to the outside. However, the troll room
has some borders that disappear, and the before and after maps are
below.

[BEFORE]

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X.....X.....................X
X.....X.....................X
X.....X.................$...X
X.....X.....................X
X.....XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.....X
X.....XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.....X
X.....XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.....X
X............XXX............X
X............XXX............X
X............XXX............X
X............XXX............X
XXXXXXXXX....XXX....XXXXXXXXX
.......X....XXX....X........
.......X....XXX....X........
.......X....XXX....X........
.......X....XXX....X........
.......X....XXXXXXXX........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X.....+.....X........
.......XXXXX+++XXXXX........
............................
............................

[AFTER]

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
X...........................X
X...........................X
X.......................$...X
X...........................X
X.....XX...XXXXXXX...XX.....X
X.....XX...XXXXXXX...XX.....X
X.....XX...XXXXXXX...XX.....X
X...........................X
X...........................X
X...........................X
X............XXX............X
XXXXXXXXX....XXX....XXXXXXXXX
.......X....XXX....X........
.......X....XXX....X........
.......X....XXX....X........
.......X....XXX....X........
.......X....XXX....X........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X...........X........
.......X.....+.....X........
.......XXXXX+++XXXXX........

You will probably want to start off going to the right, and be sure to
go slightly down to avoid the bottom of the spider room. Although
monster formation is random, they seem to favor the left, and if you are
going up the narrow way to the left, you stand a good chance of getting
caught. You'll have to avoid a slow monster to the right, but once you
do, you are in business.

HINTS BY ROOM

SPIDER ROOM

Possibly the easiest room of them all, you can pretty much round the
spiders(shooting diagonally.) You don't even need to bother with
hitting them, as they seem to move randomly. After you get the
treasure, don't be shocked by the yellow spiders that will act as
replacements. More shooting will get them out of your way.

DRAGON ROOM

On the one hand, you'll get a lot of kills here. On the other hand,
there are four dragons, and they like to play "prevent defense." They
frequently hang around by the treasure at the apex of this room. I
suggest firing immediately left when you get in the room. Because there
are four dragons, scattered shots in the general direction you want to
go will be successful. Diagonal shooting seems to be particularly
effective here. The hall monster seems more impatient than usual on
this board.

TWO-HEADED ROOM

This is the easiest room to get the treasure from, even when monsters
only jump away from shots. Make sure yours hit the wall quickly so
you'll be virtually firing continuously. However, it's a bit tricky to
get out. I recommend leaving to the right since the hall monster
appears to the left.

TROLL ROOM

Man, this one's hard. For level two, you can probably sit below the
barrier at the bottom of the "T" and fire at the troll that gets stuck
there, circle around, and get the jug. Barriers are very useful here,
but on level five they are absolutely essential. The only way that
seems to work is to position Winky parallel to the exact center of the
top corridor and to fire continuously right waiting for the barrier to
fall. You should be able to sneak past the corpse, which will also
block the other troll from coming up. You then need to circle around to
get the treasure, fire left quickly after the other troll moves toward
you. He'll be stuck in the narrow corridor and shot, and you can exit
safely.

LEVELS 3, 6, AND 9:

MAP

*****************************
*...........................*
*................XXXX+XX....*
*................X.....XXX..*
*.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.......X..*
*.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.......X..*
*...XX..XX.......X.......X..*
*...XX..XX..XXXX.X.......X..*
*...........X..X.X.....XXX..*
*...........+..X.XXXX+XX....*
*...........X..X............*
*.......XXXXX..XXXXX........*
*...XX..X..........X........*
*..XXXX.X..........X........*
*...XX..XXXXX..XXXXX........*
*...X.......X..X............*
*..XX.......X..X....X+XX....*
*.XX...XX+X.X..X....X..X....*
*......X..X.XXXX..XXX..XXX..*
*.XXXX.X..X......XX......XX.*
*.XXXX.X..X......X........X.*
*...XXXX..X......XX......XX.*
*...X.....X.......XXX..XXX..*
*...XX...XX.........X..X....*
*....XX+XX..........XXXX....*
*....................XX.....*
*...........................*
*****************************

DEMON ROOM
BAT ROOM
GENIE ROOM CYCLOPS ROOM

The inside is in similar ratio to the outside except for the DEMON ROOM.
Also, the GENIE ROOM, CYCLOPS ROOM and DEMON ROOM all have barriers.
The modified maps are listed below. In the first two cases the barriers
are good ways to shield yourself from enemies, and the bat room is much
easier to complete than to find.

****GENIE ROOM****

.............XXXXXXX+++XXX
.............X.......+...X
.............X...........X
.............X...........X
.............X...........X
.............X...........X
XXXXXXXXXXXXX.X...XXXXX...X
X...........X.X...XXXXX...X
X.$.........X.X...XXXXX...X
X...........X.X...XXXXX...X
XXXX........X.X...XXXXX...X
..X........X.X...XXXXX...X
..X........XXX...XXXXX...X
..XXXXX..................X
......X..................X
......X..................X
......X..................X
......X..................X
......X..................X
......X..................X
......X..................X
......X..................X
......X..................X
......X..................X
......XXXX............XXXX
.........X............X...
.........X....+.......X...
.........XXXX+++XXXXXXX...

****DEMON ROOM****

..........XXXXXXXX+++XXXX...
..........X........+....X...
..........X.............XXXX
..........X................X
XXXXXXXXXXXX................X
X....................XXX....X
X....................XXX....X
X.$..................XXX....X
X....................XXX....X
XX...XX...XX.........XXX....X
X...XX...XX.........XXX....X
X...XX...XX.........XXX....X
XXXXXXXXXXX.........XXX....X
..........X................X
..........X................X
..........X.............XXXX
..........X........+....X...
..........XXXXXXXX+++XXXX...

****CYCLOPS ROOM****

......XX+++XXXXXX.......
......X..+......X.......
......X.........X.......
......X.........X.......
......X.........X.......
.XXXXXX.........XXXXXX..
.X...................X..
.X...................X..
XXX........XXX........XXX
X..........XXX..........X
X..........XXX..........X
X..........XXX..........X
X.......................X
X.......................X
X.......................X
X.......................X
X.......................X
X.......................X
XXX...................XXX
.X...................X..
.X...................X..
.XXXXXX.........XXXXXX..
......X....$....X.......
......X.........X.......
......X.........X.......
......XXX.....XXX.......
........X.....X.........
........XXXXXXX.........

There will usually be a very fast monster that forms in the nook of the
key-shaped room, and he'll get you if you're not careful. On later
levels diagonal movement to get into the cyclops room(lower right) is
recommended. A monster usually forms between the key and the cyclops
room, and you have to be quick to beat it. Entering the genie room from
the north is not hard.

HINTS BY ROOM

GENIE ROOM

The GENIE ROOM in the bottom left gets progressively more difficult.
One of them is very fast indeed, and if you enter from the top you may
be able to entrap or shoot him. This seems necessary on levels 6-9 as
otherwise he'll beeline for you, and if you shoot at him the other guy
will get you. As for the guy playing "prevent" on the left with the
treasure, a good diagonal shot should take care of business. Just pray
that you hit him so that you leave a path to the treasure. Exiting
below is highly recommended, and you may want to locate the quick guy
and ward him off with arrows. Try to make sure that your shots quickly
hit a wall so they recharge.

BAT ROOM

It's harder to get to this room than to solve it. If you go directly
there you run the risk of being squashed, so don't try it from your
starting position unless you've got a lot of lives left. The bats
themselves aren't too bad. The white ones are faster than the yellow.
A quick diagonal lower right shot may pick a white bat off, and the bats
aren't after you as the genies are, so you can probably dodge them.
Shooting the gold bat isn't much of an accomplishment but it could help
as long as its corpse doesn't impede you.

CYCLOPS ROOM

These guys are frustrating. If you go left and quickly shoot down,
you may take one out and will still have the time to go right(which is
less crowded,) but whther you get a hit, moving and shooting diagonally
is the best way to split cyclops from in front of you, get to the
treasure and leave. Although the block in the center looks like a
nuisance it can shield you from the faster cyclops.

DEMON ROOM

It's easy enough to get the treasure, but there's a timer that, once
it's set off, releases the demons. Firing arrows as they are about to
enter the long part of the key-shaped room will get you by easily in the
third level, but in levels six and nine you'll want to move around the
lower wall(well, the upper wall's OK too--but in the middle, the demons
will hit the wall and you'll be without ammo for defense.) A demon will
follow you into the narrow part, and only by firing an arrow and hugging
the wall will you be able to slip past him. Be sure to fire an arrow to
part the demons hanging around just outside the narrow part, and book
diagonally for the exits. The lower one is better because otherwise
you've got a whale of a trek to any other room.

WHAT TREASURE IS WHERE--WITH PICTURES!

LEVEL 1:

WALL ROOM=diamond

**********
** ** **
* * * * * *
* * * *
****************
* * * *
* * * *
* * * *
* ** *
* ** *
* *
**

GOBLIN ROOM=pile of gold

* *
* * * *
* * * *
* * * *
* *

* * **
** * * ** **
**************
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
********

SERPENT ROOM=apple

*
*
*
* *
*** **
*******
********
*********
****** **
****** **
**** ***
*******
*******
** **

SKELETON ROOM=chest

*********
* *
* *
* *
***********
** * **
** * ***
************* *
* * * * *
* * * * *
* *** * * *
* * * *
*** ** ** ** *
*** ** ** ** **
* ****
**************

LEVEL 2:

TWO HEADED ROOM=rook

** ** **
** ** **
******
******
******
******
****
****
****
* *
* *
* **
* *
******
* *
**********

TROLL ROOM=jug(?)

******
** *
** *
*****
*******
*********
***********
***********
*** * * * ***
**** *** ****
** * * * **
***********
***********
*********
*********
*********

DRAGON ROOM=crown

* * *
* *** *
* * *
** * **
** *** **
*** ***** **
*** ***** ***
**** ******* ***
****************
****************
****************
*** **** **** **
** ** ** *
*** **** **** **
****************
****************

SPIDER ROOM=idol(?)

**
*** *
* *
* *
******
***
***
*
***
*****
*******
* *
* *
* * *
* *
**

LEVEL 3:
DEMON ROOM=key

***
*****
** *
************ *
*********** *
* ** *
* *****
*** ***
*

BAT ROOM=chalice

* ******** *
* **** **** *
* ** ** ** *
* * * * * *
** * * **
** ** **
*** ***
******
****
**
**
**
**
**
****
******

GENIE ROOM=flagon

**
* *
* *
** **
**** ****
*************
** * ** * **
**** ****
******
**
**
**
******
**********

CYCLOPS ROOM=shield

********
**********
**********
** **** **
*** ** ***
**** ****
*** ** ***
* **** *
********
********
******
******
****

LEVEL 4:

WALL ROOM=diamond ring

***
* *
*******
* *
* *
*
***
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
***

GOBLIN ROOM=lyre

** **
* *
* *
* * * *
* * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
* * * * * *
*********

SERPENT ROOM=martini(WTF?!?!)

*
*
***********
* * *
* ** *
*** *
* *
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*****
*******

SKELETON ROOM=flag

*
*
****
** **
* * * *
** ** **
***** ***
* *** *
* **
* ***
*
*
*
*
*
*

LEVEL 5:

TWO HEADED ROOM=swords

* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
*
* *
** * * **
* ** ** *
* * * *
* * * *
* *
* * * *

TROLL ROOM=torch

**
**
** *
* **
**

******
* *
**
* *
**
**
**
**
* *
**

DRAGON ROOM=mace

*
***
* *
** **
* * *
** **
***
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
***
*

SPIDER ROOM=pigtailed girl("Get 'um, Winky!")

***
*******
*********
*********
*** * ***
**** * ****
* ********* *
* **** **** *
* ** *** ** *
** ** ** **
*******
*****
*******
*********
* *
** **

LEVEL 6:

DEMON ROOM=sword in gold pile

* *
* *
**
***
* ***
* ***
***
** **
*******
*********
*********
************
*************
**************
***************

BAT ROOM=heart with arrow

*
** ** * **
**** **** **
**************
***********
***********
*********
*********
*******
*******
*****
*****
* * ***
** *
***

GENIE ROOM=shepherd's crook

**
* *
* *
* *
* *
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

CYCLOPS ROOM=lightning bolt

** **
*** *** *
*** **** **
**** ******
*** *** **
** ** **
* * **
*

LEVEL 7:

WALL ROOM=dollar coin(cheapskate treasure there :) )

****
** **
* *
* * * *
* ***** *
* * * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
* ***** *
* * * * *
* * * * * *
* ***** *
* * * *
* *
** **
****

GOBLIN ROOM=axe

*
* *
* *
* **
*****
*****
* **
* *
* *
* *
*
*
*
*
*
*

SERPENT ROOM=hourglass

*********
* *
* *
* * *
* *
* *
* *
*
* *
* *
* *
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
*********

SKELETON ROOM=great sword

**
***
** ****
******
***
****
******
**** **
****
****
****
****
***
**
*

LEVEL 8:

TWO HEADED ROOM=violin

*
*
*
* **
******
* * ********
*********** ***
* * *** *
*********** ***
* * * ********
* ******
* * *
**

TROLL ROOM=candle

*
*
***
* *
* **
* *
**

**
**
** *
** * *
** * *
** ***
******
************

DRAGON ROOM=mace

***
** *****
* * **** *
* * * ** **
* * * ***
* * *
** **
**
**
**
**
**

SPIDER ROOM=flower

**
**
*****
*****
******* **
******* ****
****** ****
***
**
**
***
* ***
** ***
* **
* *

LEVEL 9:

DEMON ROOM=skeleton on pedestal

******
* **** *
* ** *
*** ***
******
* * * *
* ** *
* *
****
**
**
**
**
**
* *
******

BAT ROOM=rolling pin(maybe a rolled-up parchment, but I prefer gag
weaponry to realism)

*
*
*
*****
***
***
***
***
***
***
***
*****
*
*
*

GENIE ROOM=star

*
***
***
*****
************
**********
********
******
******
*** ***
** **
** **
** **

CYCLOPS ROOM=mega super duper arrow

*
** **
*****
** *
*** ** *
***** **
****
** *
*** **
******
***
***
*** *
****
***
****

The first four treasures you get on the screen are white, the next
four are purple, and the next four are green.

MAME CHEATS

These are the only way to get through the game. You want to give
yourself infinite lives. www.mame.net should have info on this.

END OF FAQ PROPER

================================

VERSIONS/CREDITS:

9/18/2001: 1.0.0 completed first draft(maps, info, rough strategy, no
scores) 3/16/2001 and sent to GameFAQs just over six months later!

--the late, great emux.com for having the rom image.
--the mame.net people for all their hard work.