The Fool's Errand (Mac OS Classic)

The Fool's Errand
Developer: Cliff Johnson Publisher: Miles Computing Platform: Mac OS Classic Released in US: 1987 This game has revisional differences. This game has a prerelease article

The Fool's Errand is a fractal knot of puzzles within puzzles, set in the world of the Rider-Waite tarot deck.

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Prerelease Info

Revisional Differences

There are three known versions, each with a date stamped in its about box:

• Version 1.1 (30 July 1987) was released on three 400K disks.
• Version 2.0 (25 July 1988) was released on two 800K disks.
• Version 3.0 (1 April 1998) was released as a free download on Cliff Johnson's website. It addressed numerous compatibility issues that had arisen with later system software, sometimes by removing features altogether (such as the synthesized sound effects).

Prologue

• 

  Version 1.1.

• 

  Version 2.0 made the title a registered trademark.

• 

  Version 3.0 redesigned the logo and added 1998 to the copyright line.

Title Screen

• 

  Version 1.1.

• 

  Version 2.0. The L and D of the title have slightly taller stems. The copyright text is punctuated with periods, and "All Rights Reserved" is no longer all-caps.

• 

  Version 3.0 redesigned the logo and added 1998 to the copyright line.

Menubar

The trick used to put custom characters in the menubar no longer worked under later systems, and was abandoned in version 3.0.

1.1, 2.0
3.0

Apple Menu

Version 1.1's Apple menu doubled as an about box.

Version 2.0 moved this info into the progress window.

Version 3.0 sacrificed the decorative dividers, which were no longer spaced properly in Mac OS 8.

Progress Window

Version 1.1's progress display was white-on-black.

Version 2.0's absorbed the about box content from the Apple menu.

Version 3.0 capitalized the title and added an ® symbol.

File Menu

The Quit screen was redesigned in version 2.0, keeping the game visible in the background and adding a Cancel option.

• 

  Version 1.1.

• 

  Version 2.0.

A Sound toggle was added in version 2.0, but removed in 3.0 along with all of the game's sound.

The Print Story command was also deleted in version 3.0.

Gameplay

In the commercially published editions (including ports), a game of Thoth is won by the first player to exceed 700 points. In Johnson's freeware release, the finish line was changed to 666 points.

Finale

The name of the sequel changed from The Fool's Paradise to The Fool and His Money between 1987 and 1988.

• 

  Version 1.1.

• 

  Version 2.0.

In 1998, this title card was removed altogether. However, The Fool and His Money was finally completed in 2012, and Johnson has considered capping off a trilogy with The Fool's Paradise.