Timo's Castle - Interview with Roman Werner
What got you into programming C64 games?
Roman: I spent my teenage years in the boom time of home computers. In 1983 I was 15 when I got my own C64 and started like everybody else at the time with type-in listings and trial & error. I did not even have a storage facility and after hours of hours of typing in BASIC commands, fixing bugs and playing for half an hour or so I had to switch the computer off – and lose all the work. But I didn’t mind. The clickety clack of the Keyboard was music in my ears and half the enjoyment. A few months later I earned myself a1541 Floppy Drive by cleaning schoolhouses and was ready for the real games. Every other month there were new and exciting games announced in computer magazines, making use of new unveiled C64 magic. Unfortunately, very few of those made it to Switzerland. But London (UK) was the place to go if you wanted to buy the latest games. In 1984 I went to London with a nerd-friend of mine and it just happened to be the time when Elite came out for the C64. I didn’t hear of this game before, but Boxes over boxes were stacked on the salesfloor in HMV and it promised to be something special. And it was! This was my key moment when I decided I want to become a games developer myself. The rest was simply dedication and more trial & error until I understand what the C64 needs to be told to make what you want. Over many months, if not years. But then the Commodore Amiga came out and I thought it would give me a head start to switch to 16-bit early on. But it took me again years until I understood the Amiga’s chip architecture. I’m not a genius but I have lots of patience when I want to achieve something. Haha.
What has been your favourite project so far?
I usually like to work on my own (code, graphics, music), because I don’t want to hurt someone if I am not happy with the result. But for Timo’s Castle, I learned a new mindset that teamwork can also be a bliss. The three of us (Timo Weingärtner, Ben Dibbert and I) had so much fun working out ideas and contributing towards a common goal, that I think this was my best experience with a C64 project so far. We also had some fights and disagreements but in the end, it glued us even more together. And seeing the final result and being able to share the moment of a new commercial release with my friends, feels so much better as a team.
What is your development environment, and any major tools used?
I use the free (accepting donations) CBM prg Studio by Arthur Jordison because this is with what made me start again in 2016 when I discovered, how close the VICE emulator came to the real C64 and how easily you could write and test C64 programs that would eventually even run on the real machine. Nothing could stop me from then on. I guess there are better, faster development environments than CBM prg Studio, but as long as my projects don’t exceed a certain scope it works best for me.
How did you decide to create a follow-up to Henry's House?
It did not come to my own mind that Henry’s House would be a good choice for a remake. Not until a German lad called Timo Weingärtner sent me a heartwarming e-mail in October 23 to say that he is a huge Commodore 64 and Amiga enthusiast but can neither do coding, music nor graphics. But his biggest dream was to be part of developing a C64 or Amiga game. Timo knew about my itch.io site where I had just published the Bill & Ted’s Excellent Game Boy conversion for the C64 and he also found out that I made Traps ’n’ Treasures for the Amiga in 1993. Timo also stated in this e-mail that Henry’s House was his favourite game on the C64. Since I had just built a framework for a C64 platformer I thought that such a joint venture could actually be quite fun. Especially because on one hand I had someone trustworthy in the team who could provide valuable feedback but at the same moment I had still full control over the design and output. Only then I had a closer look at Henry’s House and fell in love again with the mix of vivid household items, entertaining action and challenging platform paths where you had to work out the best way to collect all pickup items and make it to the exit.
Were you disappointed by the copyright problems you have faced?
We had contacted Chris Murray already in January 2024 to let him know about our already progressed state for a new game based on his Henry’s House. Chris is a very nice guy and from developer to developer I think we have a lot of respect for each other. Making it an official Henry’s House 2 was an option we discussed but this got a bit complicated with the launch of THE400. In the end, Chris advised us to make some changes, so it will become our own IP. It was a bit stressful for us to give up the name and Chris’ iconic hero sprite because these were the few things that brought back that nostalgia feel. But in the aftermath, I am grateful for this step back to the drawing board since 99% was already our own original content and we could prove as a team, that we can make positives out of drawbacks.
Announcing a new game on April 1st was a risk - did many people think it was an April Fool?
Don’t laugh but I actually asked ChatGTP if it was wise to do a release announcement on the April 1st and this was the answer…
“Announcing a new game release on April 1st can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, April Fools' Day can be a fun and attention-grabbing time to make announcements, as people are often looking for surprises and novelty. If your announcement is genuine and exciting, it might stand out more amidst the flood of April Fools' jokes. However, there's a risk that your announcement could be mistaken for a joke, especially if it's particularly innovative or unexpected. This could lead to confusion or skepticism among your audience. Additionally, if your announcement is indeed a prank, it might not reflect well on your brand's credibility. Ultimately, the decision depends on your specific circumstances, the nature of your announcement, and your audience's expectations. If you do choose to announce a new game release on April 1st, consider being clear and straightforward in your messaging to avoid any misunderstandings. Alternatively, you could plan your announcement for a different date if you're concerned about it being overshadowed by April Fools' Day pranks.”
I also knew that Ron Gilbert had also announced Return To Monkey Island on April 1st, 2022, and got away with it.
I believed in my gut feeling and so we took the risk. At the beginning of our announcement on April 1st, I left questions open if “Believe it or not - Henry is back!” was a serious statement or not. But later in the morning I realised that remaining vague would not be the best answer. So, I gave more and more evidence and published screenshots during the day to proof that this announcement was real. At the same time, it was a great feel to see that we must have hit a soft spot. The reaction was unexpectedly high. And the many posts, hoping it wasn’t a joke, felt good.
What are the major differences between the new game and Henry's House?
(I noticed the little pictures on the doors for the cutscene between levels - that's very cool!)
Better ask what the similarities are: The game has 8 rooms like the original. There are platforms, ladders and furious household objects. There are items to pick up and a key that opens the exit. The screen mixes hi-res elements with multi-colour. The atomization when Timo is dying, the sound effect when Timo is falling, and the pickup sounds are meant to give familiar vibes of the original game but were completely differently achieved and/or composed. The interlude scene with the two doors you mentioned is probably the closest what reminds of Henry’s House but has completely different code, graphics and music. Ah, and the concept of endless continues – which is a rather modern claim of enjoying games nowadays – was also considered. Other than that, it is a completely new platformer made from scratch that tries to bring new life to an old game mechanic.
What have you added to the game?
The fun.
Henry's House was a difficult title to complete - have you got different difficulty levels?
Yes. On one occasion when I demoed our game and a random viewer had a go, the first reaction was “Oh. You can die from falling?”. After so much playtime I had no problems to reach other platforms without falling and it only then occurred to me that this “additional challenge” part of Henry’s House probably got forgotten with the Mario games era. Learning from that feedback I implemented an Easy mode with no risk of falling damage. It was a good decision because it makes the game so much more approachable to beginners and/or children. But…in Easy mode you cannot take profit of the time bonus that you get in normal mode.
What have been the most challenging parts of the game to create?
Running out of memory. A long time I wasn’t sure if I could get an 8th room in, due to the more advanced graphics and rich amount of music clips. I wanted to keep the game file a one-filer, so I used compression methods to cram everything in. At the end I had to look for single bytes and needed to shift code around just to fix a simple bug. And getting my own Sound FX-engine working was a hassle. Still learning how to tame the SID.
Are there any special technical tricks or techniques you have used?
I have built my own little Sound FX-engine with the goal to produce more interesting or dynamic sound effects that are not possible with the means of Goattracker. Something I want to develop further.
The border is open to show the room title and little messages outside of the common screen area but I don’t see this as a technical trick anymore but common knowledge. In this game my main focus was not technical but on game design. We have spent a lot of time in polishing and make the gameplay and controls feel right.
Who else has been working on the game?
Timo Weingärtner, producer and responsible for the idea, design, quality assurance and testing. Also active footballer, 80’s/90’s movie-connoisseur and fan of Sylvester Stallone.
Ben Dibbert (Nordischsound), a well-known musician in the German 8-Bit music scene and responsible for the Timo’s Castle soundtrack. I had already worked with Ben in the Bill & Ted conversion and still can’t believe his steady and immense output of high quality 3-track-pieces of SID music. Check out his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/Nordischsound
Cover artist Ogan Kandemiroglu (his father Celal did Turrican art)
Are you looking forward to the Bitmap Soft physical edition of your game?
Absolutely. The planned box design looks already stunning and holding your own game in your hands is the best feel a game developer can wish for.
Do you have any new projects in development that you can reveal?
I have some projects I put on hold while I was working on Bill & Ted and Timo’s Castle that I would like to finish first. Super Marble Boy for example. It is about 90% done, so that should be the next game out soon.
Is making a full game like this very different to working in the limitations of some competitions (4K or BASIC 10-Liner)?
Yes and no. I like to work with limited space. The BASIC 10-Liner and 4K contests were a great preparation for a full 64K project which requires more experience and planning of what you would like to achieve in the end. If you make a game in 4K people will compare you against other games in 4K. If you make a game in 64K than you must compete with other games in that league. You always must go to the limit to impress.
What would be your dream C64 title to work on, or somebody you want to work with?
My bucket list says I want to challenge myself in all of the genres, be it 3D vectors, car racing, pinball, shooter, you name it. On the C64. Many cool things to look forward to.
And I already have my dream team. I think three team members is an ideal size for any C64 project.
Are there any homebrew games recently that have impressed you?
Not recently but for sure in recent years. I like homebrew games that hit the spot – big or small - where style, music and gameplay show a perfect harmony. And I prefer games with original sound effects and nice music, because music and sound is what brings soul into a game. Tiger Claw, Joe Gunn and of course Sam’s Journey hit that spot for me. So much care and love went into these games. And they are – fun! Also, Paul Koller (LuftrauserZ), Carleton Handley (Millie and Molly), Lasse Öörni (Metal Warrior Series) and Antonio Savona (A Pig Quest), are good examples of getting it right. Stunning quality and highly polished games that are fun to play. And I must get the feel that I like to meet the people behind these games. After all, talented people are what homebrew is all about.
NEWS BYTES
AMSTRAD CPC: Check out the Galaga-inspired Galastrad from Amstrad GGP - https://bit.ly/galastrad
AQUARIUS: Roy Templeman’s double-pack of Astro Convoy and Paqu Deluxe from Cronosoft is £7.95 (requires 16K memory expansion) - https://bit.ly/astro-convoy
ATARI XL/XE: Haplo’s latest is a preview of puzzle platformer Shift, also available for C64 - https://bit.ly/shift-haplo
GAME BOY COLOR: Thalamus Digital unleashed two new shoot ‘em ups in Starseed and Starseed 2 - https://bit.ly/starseed-gbc and https://bit.ly/starseed2-gbc - plus puzzle game Block Droppin’ - https://bit.ly/block-droppin - all created by Shane McCafferty.
MSX: Sadly, MSX programmer Markus Vordermeier (Hamlet) passed away 17th of April aged 53. Condolences to friends and family.
PC: RetroWorks made the PC version of The Sword of Ianna DX available through itch, at $4.95. https://bit.ly/ianna-dx
PICO-8: Prion is TPNK’s superb remake of the David Braben classic Zarch (also known as Virus on Amiga/ST). https://bit.ly/prion-pico8
PLUS/4: Miracle workers TCFS, Csabo and Unreal combined forces to bring you Giana Sisters – an amazing conversion of the C64’s The Great Giana Sisters. https://bit.ly/giana-plus4
SHARP MZ-80A: Sharpworks has new cassette stock of Joachim Froholt’s Minesnake with an exclusive loading screen by DataDoor (also playable on MZ-80K and MZ-700). https://bit.ly/minesnake-mz80a
VIC-20: Huffelduff released Formula V20 ’85, inspired by Pole Position and Pitstop II. Requires 24K expansion. https://bit.ly/formulav20
ZX SPECTRUM: Sloanysoft released the amazing platformer Jet Set Steamboat Willie (pictured) - https://bit.ly/jetset-steamboat
CHAMPION CODER
[Name]
Damian Gareth Walker aka Cyningstan
[Info]
From: England
Website: http://dos.cyningstan.org.uk/
Format: PC DOS / CGA
Previous game: Ossuary (DOS)
Working on: Ossuary sequel (DOS)
Cyningstan’s unique games are designed with CGA graphics for running on a 1981 PC.
My full name is fine, "Damian Gareth Walker" - I tend to use all three names as there are other Damian Walkers out there doing other things.
What got you interested in programming your own games?
I've been interested in programming since I first got access to a computer in the mid-80s. And since 11-year-old me had little use for serious software, it was natural that I'd gravitate towards making games.
In recent years, a friend and colleague of mine was developing games for the web in JavaScript, and that encouraged me to get back into game development.
Where does the handle Cyningstan come from?
It's Old English meaning "king stone", a piece in a board game that the Anglo-Saxons played. I was heavily into ancient board games back then and chose the name for my board game activities. It might be difficult to pronounce, but it has the virtue of not being already taken!
When did you start making games targeting the classic CGA display
In about 2015, when I got a Hewlett Packard 100LX I started tinkering with game ideas for its CGA display. But it wasn't until 2020, when the pandemic hit and everyone started working from home, that I had the time and energy to put some serious effort in. Before that, the commute left me too drained to do this kind of thing alongside my job.
As for the why: I'm not much of an artist and I'd get lost in 16 million colours on a 1080p display. But give me four colours and a 16x16 sprite grid and I can just about manage. I don't want to involve an artist, because this is a hobby, and the organisational overhead of involving others would risk turning play into work.
What is your development setup and any major tools used?
I develop on three machines: a desktop Linux machine with DOSBox and OpenWatcom C; when I'm feeling lazy a laptop with similar setup for developing in bed; when I'm away from home I use an Android-based clamshell computer (the Gemini PDA) with DOSBox. For testing on real hardware, I use a Hewlett Packard 100LX and one of those new Book 8088 machines that I couldn't resist buying late last year.
Recently I've started developing in Linux itself using GCC, as the debugging facilities are better than DOS. But the results aren't good enough for production release, so I'm not planning on native Linux releases.
How did you create the CGALIB and KEYLIB libraries?
At first, I tried to avoid doing so, as OpenWatcom has graphics output and keyboard input. However I found that OpenWatcom's graphics weren't fast enough for Ossuary, so I decided to write my own library that quickly manipulates screen memory directly. Some of the speed improvement is subterfuge: CGALIB lets me build up complex images off the screen and then copy them to the screen in one fell swoop (CGA doesn't have a second graphics page for that purpose).
KEYLIB came about because I wanted to detect multiple keys at once for the Team Droid menu interface. I think I'll eventually fold that into CGALIB, along with the separate speaker sound library that I also developed for Team Droid.
What has been your most successful game to date?
In terms of downloads, probably Ossuary, although on Itch the figures are skewed because the downloads of the original ZX Spectrum version are included. Barren Planet is doing just as well, but given Ossuary has a 3-year head start, I don't think Barren Planet will catch up any time soon.
How do you make the games available to play in the browser?
I found a template for JSDOS and simplified it for my website. Adapting that to Itch is on my to-do list. The web versions are "trial versions" since saves aren't preserved. Not an issue for Ossuary and The Anarchic Kingdom which don't have saved games, but it limits the playability of Team Droid and Barren Planet on the web. Still, adding browser play to the Itch pages is on my to-do list.
Will you add any more expansions to your existing games?
I've got plans for more expansions to Team Droid and Barren Planet. I'd also like to create a fuller version of Team Droid, which is currently limited in scope because it was a 1-month jam game. I've got plans for future games that would warrant expansions too.
Are you working on any new projects?
Yes, although I'll not give too much detail to avoid jinxing them. I've been working on another roguelike to build on Ossuary's success; Ossuary was designed for the 16k ZX Spectrum and it would be nice to release a roguelike that takes advantage of the PC's more abundant memory and more convenient storage. I've got a squad combat game in progress too.
I tend to keep two projects on the go to avoid burnout, but I keep it at that to avoid loss of focus. Any other ideas I just jot down for later, or at the very most spend an hour or two doing a mock-up.
I've got mock-ups, jottings, and bits of code for other projects too: a space conquest 4X, another roguelike, a couple of ancient board games, a card game, and some games with interesting themes (evolution, and running a medieval monastery) that I may or may not take further.
DATABURST
Roguecraft
Format: Amiga (ECS or AGA, 1Mb Fast Ram & 1Mb Chip RAM, or 2Mb RAM)
Credits: Badgerpunch Games for Thalamus Digital (Ricki Sickinger - code, Henning Ludvigsen – art, Jogeir Liljedahl – music)
Price: $9.99 digital download, physical preorders SOLD OUT
The hero Zendar stands outside the Dungeons of Mordecom, ready to search for a powerful magic amulet. But the legends say dark powers and creatures with tentacles guard it. Zendar can choose one of three classes; Warrior is the easiest difficulty, fighting with a sword, the Rogue (medium difficulty) can use a teleport limited by a cooldown to jump away from battle, and the weak Wizard (hard difficulty with lower starting Health) can fire Magic Missiles to hit enemies at range. The Rogue-like isometric dungeons change with each playthrough, with the hero gaining Strength from Blue Gems and energy from Red Gems. As you descend to deeper floors, the enemies you face get tougher. Treasure Chests award Gold but watch out for the dangerous Mimics pretending to be a chest at lower levels. Hearts and Green Potions will help heal battle damage. Blue and Red Potions change their powers each game at random; they could blast all enemies, reveal the map of the current floor, or get you drunk (giving a temporary Strength bonus). Run out of Hearts and the game is over, showing the stats for that run and what the Potions did that time. Gorgeous graphics, an atmospheric tune and irresistible gameplay make this one you will want to return to.
[Score] - 90% (Retro Gamer Sizzler)
Binary Battle
Format: ZX Spectrum (reviewed), C64, Plus/4
Credits: Haplo (code & graphics), Andy Johns (additional graphics)
Price: Name your own price
Inspired by the PC game Folder Dungeon and the GEOS operating system, you have taken possession of a brand-new antivirus program, Binary Battle. And your precious source disks have been infected! Moving through folders and carrying out actions causes drive heat (an overheating drive suffers damage) while virus attacks will reduce health. Fortunately, screwdrivers improve alignment to recover health and cotton swabs reduce heat. Defeat a virus and it leaves behind a file of goodies; an encryption key is needed to open encrypted files, buffs are collected to add extra abilities, and bitcoins are found to spend between levels - once all the viruses have been destroyed. The clever presentation and strategic gameplay are fun, but it does become repetitive.
[Score] 82%
Ghostbusters
Format: BBC B (enhanced version uses Sideways RAM)
Credits: Chris Bradburne
Price: Free download
This is a superb adaptation of the classic David Crane tie-in forty years on – starting with the synthesised speech and the “bouncing ball” on the theme’s lyrics. Start a Ghostbusters franchise with a bank loan, buy one of four cars and equip it with items (including at least one ghost trap). Drive to the alerts, trap the ghosts for profit and avoid being slimed. Well-made graphics and music retain the original’s atmosphere, and account numbers earned let you keep the extra money for the next game. Very well made.
[Score] 87%
PROCESSING - KNIGHTMARE (ZX SPECTRUM) PREVIEW
Tom Potter of Sausageware Games interview:
What got you interested in writing your own Spectrum games?
The humble 48k Speccy was my first home computer. I vividly remember as an 8-year-old lad in 1988 going with my Dad to buy it from the local Co-Op along with a copy of 10 Computer Hits from Beau Jolly. Loading up those games and playing them for the first time was a foundational experience in my life, and that’s even before I discovered the amazing community surrounding the machine embodied in Crash and Your Sinclair magazines, both of which I would read every month.
As a kid, I coded a few projects in basic, but I was too young to join the bedroom coding generation. Life went on, and I went in a different direction, but I always thought about what it would have been like if I’d pursued coding and game development more seriously. Recently, a change in life circumstances led to me stepping away from my job, and with my newfound freedom, I started investigating the homebrew scene. That’s when I stumbled across Jonathon Cauldwell’s fantastic MPAGD game design suite, and my eyes lit up when I realised that it could be the tool to allow me to realise my long-repressed dream of creating games of my own.
Why did you choose to make a new Knightmare game?
Like many kids of my generation, I was obsessed with the Knightmare TV show. I loved anything to do with fantasy – Hero Quest, Warhammer, Fighting Fantasy books, you name it – and Knightmare presented such a superbly crafted dungeoneering experience that I was hooked from the moment I first saw it. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of the original Activision home computer title, which despite somehow garnering a “Classic” review score in Sinclair User, was a really terrible game. It’s become infamous amongst the community as a prime example of the “couldn’t get off the first screen” genre.
So after all these years, I decided I would try to make the game I wished I could have found awaiting me on that cassette all those years ago. That is to say, I want to make a game that represents a true 8-bit facsimile of the Knightmare show. The objective I’ve set myself is to make a game that’s true to the TV show source material, including the puzzling and character interaction, as well as plenty of fun arcade action.
What is your development environment and any major tools used?
I am using the mighty MPAGD. It’s a superb tool, and I’d recommend it to any would-be Spectrum game developers out there who harbour dreams of game creation while not necessarily having the necessary coding background. It’s even available as a free download! I’m not an artist, so sprite development and graphics represent a stumbling block for me. To that end, I use a mixture of tools to create the necessary assets. I use Photoshop to render images into the resolutions and colour palettes that I need, then translate the information pixel-by-pixel into bespoke sprites. I also found an amazingly useful tool called Img2spec Image Spectrumizer by Github user Jarikomppa, which renders artwork directly into the Spectrum .scr graphics format that I can then use in the game. That’s how the famous image of the Helmet of Justice made its way onto my loading screen. I also used Vortex Tracker to recreate the show’s famous theme tune. Fortunately, I have a background in music, so that aspect comes more naturally to me than the creation of graphics and artwork.
What are the main differences from the licensed game published in the 1980s?
The licensed game represents a mid-point in the evolution of games between the text adventures of the early eighties and the point-and-click games that came later. The consensus among the community is that the puzzles were pitched way too high for the problem-solving abilities of the typical pre-pubescent kid who was playing the game, and as a result, no one had a clue what they were supposed to do. In the days before YouTube playthroughs, that meant the game rapidly found its way to the back of the drawer in favour of more accessible titles like the Dizzy series and Rainbow Islands.
Unlike the original game which really isn’t at all faithful to the look and feel of the TV show, my game is an attempt to allow the player to live out their own Knightmare adventure in the comfort of their own home, following the format of the show as closely as possible. Just like the show, Treguard will be constantly on hand to provide clues to help you progress, while the player will encounter the same characters and challenges as a team would encounter in the TV show. For example, in one room you will meet Folly the Jester, who insists you play him in a game of cards. In another, you have to solve riddles posed by the mighty Wall Monster. Also like the show, you’ll find spells and items along the way that you will need to use to progress. And all the while, you’ll be watching your life-sprite ebb away in the corner of the screen, your image turning slowly from adventurer to deathly skull, evoking Treguard’s trademark “Ooh, nasty!”, followed by a swift dismissal from the castle.
One difficulty is that the TV show is effectively a series of 30-ish back-to-back mini-games. There’s no way I’m going to be able to squeeze anything like that variety into the memory available, so I’m expecting my game to feature some degree of repetition from level to level. Additionally, another challenge is in working through the element of cause-and-effect that the TV show hinged on. For example, an item that you failed to find in an early room might lead to your inability to progress through a room at a much later point. From a game development point of view, this leads to a great cascade of “if this... then that...” that is a genuine headache to implement when you only have a very limited amount of memory and variables to work with.
How long have you been working on it?
I first picked up MPAGD in Autumn 2023 and initially began work on a flick-screen platformer. Although that was a lot of fun and really helped me get to grips with MPAGD’s interface and programming language, there are a great many such games being produced at the moment for the Speccy, many of which are really excellent, and I didn’t feel like I necessarily had anything fresh to add to that genre that hadn’t already been done. So just before Christmas I abandoned that project and began work on Knightmare instead. I quickly worked up a few initial screens and along with the version of the theme tune I’d created, posted a video to Twitter/X to gauge the response. A lot of people responded with great excitement, and that really spurred me on. Shortly after that, a musician called Joe Olney got in touch to offer his services to create the in-game music, and I’ve been liaising with him on the game since then. It’s fascinating, as neither of us has worked on a Spectrum game before, so we’re both feeling our way in terms of what’s possible with the memory limitations of the system. At this point, we’re hoping to have a separate score for each of the three dungeon levels as well as the theme tune.
Would you be interested in seeing it converted to other systems?
I’d love to look into converting to other systems, and the beauty of MPAGD is that it does allow for that. That having been said, the Spectrum is my true passion, and I have so many other ideas for games I’d like to create, I’m more inclined to imagine that once this project ends, I’ll move onto creating other games for the Speccy rather than converting this one across to other platforms.
Are you working on any other projects right now?
I am indeed, and I’m absolutely as excited about my second project as I am about Knightmare. The first-person dungeon crawler genre is much under-served on the Spectrum, and after being impressed by the success of Red Zebra’s Wycheweald last year, I’ve started building a game engine for my own Eye-of-the-Beholder-style game. I’m feeling really pleased with what I’ve got so far. Initially, I had hoped I might be able to cram into the Speccy’s memory a game featuring maybe 7 dungeons with around 35 screens in each. But with a bit of chicanery, I’ve come up with a method that allows me to have dozens of dungeons with over 400 screens each! The next step is to implement the combat system, which I’m really looking forward to getting to grips with.
What have been some of your favourite Spectrum homebrew games recently?
I’ve got to mention a developer called Minilop. His Spectrum games Hakkenkast, The Swarm is Coming, and the Cocoa series are top-notch. Marsmare: Alienation by DrunkFly was fantastic, as well as the aforementioned Wycheweald. The games by Zosya, Seraphima and Angels are staggeringly good, although I wouldn’t describe those as homebrew. Also, special mention to a new developer called Ottersoft, whose game Mushroom Soup includes a super-fun hiding mechanic and some rather excellent sprite ear-physics!
Pre-order Knightmare cassette version at:
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