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Arthur's Computer Adventure is the 17th Living Books PC CD-Rom Game from 1997 and the 4th Arthur Living Books game based on the Arthur's Computer Disaster book by Marc Brown and the episode “Arthur the Wrecker”. The CD Rom Game was released on July 28, 1998.

Arthur's Computer Adventure
Living Books - Titles-Arthur's Computer Adventure.
Living Books CD Rom (1997)

Released

July 28, 1998

Characters

Arthur, Mom, D.W., Buster, The Brain, Dad

Language

English

Pages

16

Previous

The Cat in the Hat

Next

D.W. the Picky Eater

Plot[]

One evening, Arthur asked his mother if he could use her computer so he could play his new computer game, "Deep Dark Sea". When D.W asks Arthur what the game was about, Arthur said the game is a haunted sunken ship with sea creatures like skeletons, ghosts, and sharks. D.W said, "Sounds spooky". When Arthur asks again, Mrs. Read lets him do it, but only when he finishes his dinner.

After Arthur finished his dinner quickly, he started playing "Deep Dark Sea" in which the goal of the game is to find "the thing," which if done, he'll win. He spends all the time he can, but can't actually make it before bedtime by his dad, so he saves his game.

The next morning, Arthur invites Buster over to play. However, they can't use the computer since Mrs. Read is working on it and tells Arthur and Buster that it is her tax season and she "needs her computer all day."

When the phone rang, it was for Mom making a phone call from one of her co-workers at her office. Then she tells them that no one touches her computer. That is, before heading off to her office building. But Arthur (after talking about the game with Buster) shows his "Deep Dark Sea" game to Buster anyway.

After Mrs. Read leaves, Arthur and Buster anxiously stare at the computer. And he (Arthur) shows the game to Buster anyway. D.W is skeptical about Arthur's actions. (That is, as she says, "I know what you are thinking!".) Arthur says that he so close for finding the treasure chest (which is supposed to finish his game with a win). Buster says, "You probably could find it before your mom gets home". When D.W sees that Arthur is trying to play the game, she warns him that she is telling Dad if Arthur goes on to the computer. Then Arthur taunts D.W that he will "give him her desserts forever".

Arthur then loaded the game. Finally, he shows the game to Buster. Buster tells Arthur to watch out for the squid squad. Arthur looks at his energy bars and says, "I am running out of oxygen!".

When they approach to a treasure chest, Arthur finds out it's the "thing" (the goal). The treasure chest ends the game on a "win". Arthur cheered, "THAT'S THE THING! I FOUND IT!". And he celebrates that he won. Buster (in response) says, "Let me open it!". Arthur argues that he found it. (He says, "I found it!".) When Arthur and Buster begin fighting for the keyboard and mouse (in an attempt to open it), they inadvertently knocked the keyboard off the desk, causing the screen to go break off and go blank. Although the screen went blank, the keyboard and mouse (despite crashing to the floor) did not result in breaking. But still, the screen went blank. Arthur says, "Uh oh…!". D.W (to Arthur) warns, "You are in big trouble!".

Arthur calls his mom (Mrs. Read) (who says on the phone that she is not going to come back until tonight). Then she asks Arthur if everything is OK. Arthur responds, "Fine. Just great". (That is, to which D.W. says, "Mom can tell when you're lying, you know!".) After Arthur hangs up and tells himself that they can fix the computer before Mom comes back home. He put his effort into fixing the computer before Mom comes home, then Mom might never know that the computer was broken when she was gone.

Since turning the computer off and on again didn't solve the problem, they run through the computer manuals looking for a solution, but it fails. So Arthur and Buster try to find another solution. And it was the Brain. Knowing that the Brain can fix things like computers (even if it is not his fault when things get broken), Arthur and Buster decide to look for the Brain.

When Arthur and Buster look for the Brain at his house, the Brain's mother (when they get to the Brain's house) looked for the Brain but found him not home. The Brain's mom --unnamed in the book (but is called "Mrs. Powers" in the Arthur TV series)-- she tells them that Alan (the Brain) is not at home. (She says, "Alan is not home. But you might see him at the library".) Mrs. Powers does not know where the Brain is, but maybe he is at the library. Arthur and Buster looked everywhere for the Brain. First, they check the library. Then they check the museum. Before they were about to give up, they found him.

After searching for a long time, they finally see him at the pond (skipping rocks at the stream). Before going back to Arthur's house, Arthur and Buster skip a few stones with the Brain. They spend one hour with the Brain skipping stones with him. Soon, everyone goes back to Arthur's house (Arthur, Buster, and the Brain).

An hour later, Arthur, Buster, and the Brain get back to Arthur's house. Then the Brain examined the computer. The Brain says, "Hmmm?". And then he shakes his head. Arthur asks, "That bad?". The Brain says, "It must be. I can't find the problem". Then Arthur knows that (since the Brain couldn't find the problem), sometimes there are things that grown-ups (like the Brain) can't fix. And therefore, computers with this kind of situation is one of them. The Brain turns out to be no help either. (He can't find the problem.) The Brain couldn't fix it. Arthur thanks him anyhow for trying (saying to him, "Well, thank you for trying".). The Brain couldn't find the problem, but it was worth a try. D.W warns Arthur that he is going to be in so much trouble when Mom and Dad come home, and Mom finds out about the computer. (She says to him --in a warning manner-- "Now you are going to be in really, really, really big trouble!".). At this point, Mom does not know about the computer yet (since she's still at work). Buster wonders, "If the Brain can't fix it…! Who can?". As a result, that attempt fails too. The computer manuals did not work for fixing it nor did the Brain. Arthur (with another attempt to fix the computer) says "I have an idea".

Finally, as a final resort, the trio (Buster, Arthur, and D.W), they go to the computer store (the computer repair shop). At the computer repair shop, Arthur asks the computer expert for a solution to fix it. He explained his problem to the computer expert. When he explains his problem, the computer expert explained how much a house call and hourly fees would cost. Arthur (seeing his opportunity to fix the computer once again gone) says to himself that he would need more birthday/holiday money for the fees on the fixing. (That is, as he says, "This might be more birthday money than I would ever see in my whole life!".) This final attempt failed and nothing that the trio (Arthur, D.W, and Buster) did made the computer work (computer manuals, the Brain, or the computer repair store). D.W (when clicked on by the user) says, "We're all doomed! Because now, Mommy is going to lose her job! And we are not going to be able to live in the house! So we all have to live in the cold and on the street! Then we are going to all get pneumonia and probably die! And it's all your fault, Arthur!". Arthur (when the next page is clicked on), he says, "I am doomed!".

That evening, Mrs. Read comes home before they can fix it as a result. Arthur asks Mom if she would like to play a game of cards or do a family bike ride, Mrs. Read says to him that she does not have time tonight (just not today). Because she has tons of work. However, Arthur is too nervous to talk to her. Then, when Mrs. Read heads to the computer room (and off to the computer), Arthur gets sick.

Mom reached to the computer room and Arthur ran after her. Arthur ran after Mom, followed by D.W who ran after Arthur, and followed by Buster who ran home.

Later, in the computer room, Arthur desperately tries to keep Mom away from the computer. Before Mom's finger is about to hit the power button of the computer, Arthur yells, "STOP!". He says, "I was playing Deep Dark Sea. And the screen went blank!". So, the screen went blank when Arthur (sneakily) got on to the computer and played "Deep Dark Sea" (showing it to Buster) and broke the computer. Then he says, "I'm sorry. I wrecked it. It's all my fault". At that, he is eventually forced to admit his mistake. Mrs. Read says that it happens to her all the time. Then asks him, "Did you jiggle the switch?". She jiggles the switch and then the game comes on. The game came on and she found the computer still unbroken.

Mrs. Read asks Arthur why he didn't call her in the first place and says that he should always call her with his problems. Arthur says he thought she would be mad (he says, "I thought you would be mad!"). But Mrs. Read says she is disappointed but not mad. Everything (including the screen, the mouse, and the keyboard) still work. Therefore, everything on the computer was now all good.

When Arthur asks if he is going to get punished, Mrs. Read says, "Of course. You did something you weren't supposed to do". D.W (to Mom) says, "Make the punishment really good!". When D.W. tells Mrs. Read to make the punishment "really good", Mrs. Read (to D.W's request about making the punishment good) grounds Arthur by saying "No computer games for a week," and Arthur accepts that punishment as "fair." Finally, Mrs. Read tells Arthur to go get ready for bed.

As Arthur and D.W. both get ready for bed, Mrs. Read ends up trying the game out.

When Arthur and D.W. are already for bed, she decides to play Arthur's game (Deep Dark Sea). Arthur and D.W do as they are told. Then when they call Mom to tuck them in, Mom (who is now playing Arthur's game (Deep Dark Sea)) says "In a minute. The sharks are attacking". D.W suggests that she and Arthur should tuck themselves in tonight. That is, to which Arthur replies "Good idea".

Mom tells them she will be right up as soon as she blasts the skeletons from the treasure chest. But finally, Arthur and D.W (now they are in bed as they've tucked themselves in) both say "Goodnight" to Mom.

Characters[]

Pages[]

  1. Arthur asks his Mom if he can play Deep Dark Sea on her computer. / Mrs. Read lets him play the game when he finished with his dinner.
  2. Arthur plays Deep Dark Sea until his bedtime.
  3. Arthur invites Buster over the next day to play the game, but Mrs. Read says to the boys that she needs to use the computer all day for work (tax season). Then she says she has to run to the office and warns Arthur and Buster, "And no one touches my computer!".
  4. Arthur is tempted to play the game (despite what his Mom told him). So he shows it to Buster. After D.W warns that she is telling Dad if Arthur gets on the computer, Arthur bribes him that he is going to give her his desserts for good. / Arthur loads the game in the computer and shows the game (Deep Dark Sea) to Buster.
  5. Arthur and Buster play Deep Dark Sea. / Arthur wins the game when he finds the treasure chest/ After Buster tells Arthur he wants to open the treasure chest, they (Arthur and Buster) both accidentally break the computer while fighting for the mouse. (D.W. warns Arthur that he is in big trouble.)
  6. Arthur gets a phone call from his Mom. He tells her that everything is fine (just great). (D.W says to Arthur, "You know? Mom can always tell when you are lying".)
  7. Arthur, Buster, and D.W. look through the computer manual for solutions. / They decide to ask the Brain for help.
  8. Mrs. Powers (the Brain's mom) tells Arthur and Buster (who are looking for the Brain) tells him that Alan is not home. But she says that even though he is not home yet, they (Arthur and Buster) might see him at the library. Arthur and Buster look for the Brain. (They checked the library. And they checked the museum. Just when they were about to give up, they found him.)
  9. Arthur and Buster find the Brain skipping stones by the stream. / He offers to help.
  10. The Brain examines the computer. (He thinks to himself, "Hmmm?" and shakes his head.) He is unable to determine the problem. Arthur then thanks the Brain anyway for trying. (D.W warns Arthur that he is in really, very, very, very big trouble when Mom and Dad come home and when Mom finds out about the computer.
  11. Arthur and Buster (followed by D.W) go to the computer store. Arthur tries to get a solution (to fix the computer) from the computer expert. He explained his problem. Then the computer expert (after getting Arthur's problem) explained how much a house call and hourly fees would cost. Finally, he (after he finds the price and hourly fees for fixing) tells himself that it would be more birthday money than he ever sees in his whole life. And the fact remained. Arthur, his plan for fixing the computer was cancelled.
  12. Mrs. Read arrives home. Arthur is too nervous to talk with her. Mom headed for the computer. Arthur got sick. Finally, he tries to prevent her from using the computer. / She heads for the computer anyway.
  13. Arthur chases after his Mom. (Arthur ran after Mom, followed by D.W who ran after Arthur, and followed by Buster who --on the other hand-- ran home.)
  14. Just when Mrs. Read's finger was about to push the on button, Arthur yelled, "STOP!". Arthur confesses up and tells his Mom what happened. Mrs. Read then reveals that it wasn't broken. Even though Mrs. Read wasn't mad, Arthur still gets punished by being grounded from playing on the computer for a week. Then, Mrs. Read (turning to Arthur) says, "No computer games for a week. Now get ready for bed. I will be upstairs to say goodnight in a few minutes".
  15. Arthur and D.W. get ready for bed (only to find out that their Mom is now playing Deep Dark Sea). / They decide to tuck themselves in.
  16. Mrs. Read is still playing Deep Dark Sea. / Arthur and D.W. say goodnight to her.

Arthur's Computer Adventure games[]

  • Frankenfish
  • Toy-Copter
  • Deep Dark Sea
  • Treasure Hunt
  • D.W.'s Store

Elwood City Locations[]

  • Arthur's House
  • Elwood City Library
  • Elwood City Museum
  • Elwood City Park
  • Computer Castle Store

Quit[]

  • "Are you sure you want to quit?
  • [clicking no; which is the octopus] "Alright. Let's go back to my story".
  • [clicking yes; which is the goldfish] "Okay. See you later".

Songs[]

  • Dance By The Sea
  • Beans Song
  • Deep Dark Sea Song
  • The Hawaiian War Chant
  • Starfish's Song
  • A-Tisket, A-Tasket

Trivia[]

  • Arthur's Computer Adventure also known as "Arthur's Computer Disaster" is released in 2000 before the Little Critter's Just Me & My Mom PC CD-Rom Game was released in 2000.
  • You leave the book when Arthur says "Okay. See you later" (if "Yes" is chosen) but you might want to keep playing when he says "Alright, let's go back to my story" (if "No" is chosen). The "No" and "Yes" characters are the sea creatures (from Arthur's said game --"Deep Dark Sea"). The "No" option is the octopus while the "Yes" option is the goldfish.
  • In the Options Menu screen, it has the pages, activities and the credits, but it doesn't have the Living Books Sampler, which however is included on the disc, but separate from the program (making this the next game since The Berenstain Bears Get in a Fight to have such a treatment). To date, this is the last game in the series overall to contain a Living Books sampler on the disc.
  • The Treasure Hunt mini-game is a remade version of the racing game in Arthur's Reading Race.
  • This game also comes with an adventure game called "Deep Dark Sea" (based on the game Arthur was playing on the computer in the story) and is the only Living Book to include such a thing.
  • Like Ruff's Bone, Green Eggs and Ham, and D.W. the Picky Eater this game's credits screen is completely original and uses music from the Deep Dark Sea mini-game.
  • This is the last appearance of Arthur's friends in the Arthur Living Books games (Muffy, Francine, Buster, The Brain, Binky Barnes, Sue Ellen, or Prunella).
  • This was the last Living Books game to have the "Read to me" function and also the last Living Books game given a "No" or "Yes" answers on the Quit button.
  • This is also the last Living Books game with a "Quit" screen:
    • To have the character ask, "Are you sure you want to quit?".
    • To have Quit Animations (as well as quit animation characters --characters who say "No" and "Yes" for "No" and "Yes" answers).
      • In D.W. the Picky Eater (the next game after that (and also the final "Living Books" game)) there is also a "Quit" button. But the character (that being D.W) says a unique "quit" quote instead of "Are you sure you want to quit?".
        • And by extension, instead of "No" or "Yes" answers, the answers are "Quit" and "Stay".
  • This is also the last Living Books game to feature a “The End” screen, and it is the only The End screen to be in the same background screen as the main menu.
  • This game was (for some reason) not planned to be re-released by Wanderful, leaving it out of print and somewhat hard to find. Copies of the CD-Rom can still be found on some auction sites including eBay.

Quotes[]

(Page 7)

(As Arthur and Buster are looking through computer manuals, the think bubbles with the Good Angel and the Bad Angel appear. And the Good Angel, she confronts Arthur for playing his game even though he wasn't allowed on the computer.)

The Good Angel: (to Arthur) See? I told you to listen to your Mom.

The Devil/The Bad Angel: (to Arthur) Maybe you can blame it on D.W or Pal!

(Arthur glares at the Bad Angel and stands up for him in response.)

Arthur: (to the Bad Angel) YOU GOT ME A LOT INTO THIS MESS! I AM NOT GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU AGAIN!


(Page 8)

Buster: (to Arthur) Arthur? Let's skip some stones before we leave.

Arthur: Okay. But just for a minute or 2. I am worried about the computer.

(Arthur picks up a stone. But it is round. He throws it in the water, and it does not work when he tries to skip it like the Brain's stones. Buster tries one too. But it is also round like Arthur's. The same thing happens for Buster's stone.)

The Brain: You need a flat stone!


(Page 11)

(D.W --when clicked on-- gets into a flashback --in a think bubble-- and imagines herself and her family in the snow and living on the street. That is, if Mrs. Read finds out about the computer and if it is not fixed yet and broken forever.)

D.W.: We're all doomed! Because now, Mommy may lose her job for good! And we might not be able to keep our house! Then we might all have to live in the cold on the street! And we all get pneumonia and die!

(D.W turns to Arthur.)

D.W.: (turns to Arthur) AND IT IS ALL YOUR FAULT, ARTHUR!


(Page 11)

(Arthur --when clicked on-- gets into a flashback --in a think bubble-- and imagines himself in jail while grounded from computer games for a week. A sign in front of the jail window says, "GROUNDED FOR LIFE!".)

Arthur: (silently reading the sign) GROUNDED FOR LIFE!


(Page 14)

Lamp: (when clicked on for the third time) NOW YOU HAVE GONE AND DONE IT! THAT IS IT! I AM OUT OF HERE!

(The lamp --after saying this-- runs away from the desk. He --offscreen-- gets into a taxi and the taxi driver drives him away from the house.)



(Page 14)

Arthur: (when clicked on) I thought you would be mad!

(But Mrs. Read says she is not mad. She is disappointed.)

Mrs. Read: (to Arthur) I am not mad. I am disappointed.


(Page 15)

(Despite the fact that Arthur is grounded from computer games for a week, he --when he does get ungrounded-- has an idea. That is, which regards to his game "Deep Dark Sea".)

Arthur: Maybe after a week, Mom should change her mind. She might be able to stay home and play Deep Dark Sea with me next week.

D.W.: (in a taunting smile) MAYBE IN YOUR DEEP DARK DREAMS, ARTHUR!

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