New game - VIRUS - work-in-progress...

[bobs]

Decided to try a scrolling arcade-adventure-shooter type thing for my second ZX81 game. The current work-in-progress build can be downloaded from:

http://www.bobs-stuff.co.uk/extras/virus_wip.zip

All thoughts, comments, and suggestions greatly received.

I've also got a facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bobs-Stuff/396771680380 if anybody wants to drop by and say hello. (The game is also being discussed there by a few people)

[thewiz]

Wow. Thats amazing. Its games like this that keeps me interested in the ZX81. Makes you wonder what could of been if the ZX81 had had a longer commerical life span.

[Moggy]

Nice work bobs can't wait for final version.
It seems all the best software has been written 20 years after the zeddy became obsolete.
To think of some of the crap that was sold back then , an inverse letter x chasing an inverse <> symbol slowly round the screen seemed to be the norm!! ( I accept there were exceptions to this )

[iturbez]

I do like this job! Really nice...

Let's see next version...

[RWAP]

I do like the smooth scrolling etc - I was just struggling to work out where I get new ammo from!!

It is another great game though Bob - keep up the good work!

[nama]

thats pretty cool

[sirmorris]

Stunning!!

Top work!

Now where's that last crate ...

[kmurta]

Fantastic game, congratulations for the initiative.
One suggestion: why not include some AY sound effects through the interface ZONX81?
This would not cause any incompatibility with the standard ZX81 and further enrich the game.
Please think about it.

[bobs]

Thanks for the great comments everybody!

To think of some of the crap that was sold back then , an inverse letter x chasing an inverse <> symbol slowly round the screen seemed to be the norm!! ( I accept there were exceptions to this )

That's something I wanted to address when I started coding for the Zeddy this year - I felt it could be capable of some really great looking games if I tried to push it a bit. I'm really happy with the way this game looks & plays so far, especially as it doesn't feel like an 81 game.

I do like this job! Really nice...

Let's see next version...

Should be soon - I've got a second level in & running now, along with some slight cosmetic changes.

Currently the game plan is that you have to wipe-out the virus, and then find the exit from the area - does this sound like a plan?

I'm also currently deciding whether your health, ammo & keys should be carried over into the next level, or if they are exchanged for points and you are given a new supply for the next level. What does everybody think?

One suggestion: why not include some AY sound effects through the interface ZONX81?
This would not cause any incompatibility with the standard ZX81 and further enrich the game.
Please think about it.

Unfortunately two things will most likely stand in the way of including AY effects and/or music in this game.

Firstly is a lack of memory - I want to get this running on a "stock" 16K machine, and it's already standing at over 11K with only the one level in place, and I'd like to have as many levels as I can get - at least 8 - which will probably take the rest of the available memory.

Secondly is the fact that I'm pretty hopeless at the audio side of things, and so would need somebody else to handle creating the music/SFX, and the play-back routine(s). I've worked with some great AY musicians in the past, but they are currently all very busy in the real world, and so don't know of anybody who could immediately take the job. I'm also rather enjoying the fact that I can write my these games at my own pace & time-scale and gain a quick turn-around on them.

I'm not against the idea though - so if somebody does want to do AY music/SFX for this, and can come up with the goods quickly and within at most 1K, then get in touch.

[Moggy]

God mode infinite ammo, health etc because I am a KERRAPP games player

Seriously though I was thinking about Your memory problem when I remembered a game called compac listed in zx computing magazine. The author used a compression technique He called "quinbit decoding" as a space saver. I have managed to find a link to said article, go to the page and look at jpg's 841000100 to 84100105, also if memory serves this listing had a problem which was cleared up in the next issue (something to do with line 9999). I have attached working p file .

ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sincl ... 410/Pages/

Hope this helps in some way.
Regards Moggy