SteveSmith

If anyone is interested, I've released a new version of Manic Destruction, which now has 5 levels recreated from the original. I'd be interested to know how easy/hard people find them. https://stephensmith.itch.io/manic-destruction

Hmmm... wouldn't that make it too easy? (Having said that, no-one could accuse Lunar Jetman of being too easy).

It does make it more of a puzzle game than a straight platformer.

Thanks for trying it. Sorry, I should have been more elaborate with the instructions. If you click with the mouse, Willy shoots in that direction which will destroy the blocks and allow him to continue. The trick is to enable him to get through by strategically making the platforms fall into places which he can then use to climb higher.

If anyone would like to try a pre-pre-pre-alpha version of this game, it's available to play in a browser at https://stephensmith.itch.io/manic-destruction . The password is "writetyper" (obviously!). Any thoughts or suggestions are most welcome.

Thanks, that JSW: Mind Control looks really good, but almost makes me feel agoraphobic with the sheer size of it - so many rooms and challenging jumps! 🙂

It's for Win/Linux/Mac. There's no way I could create this on a Speccy. (even the Next!) :)

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't know if I've misunderstood though, but wouldn't that exacerbate the problem, since there would be less platforms for the player to climb onto so they'd be stuck at the bottom?

Hi all. I recently started a new remake project of Manic Miner, this time using a new game mechanic of destructible scenery. However, I've got a problem of trying to create some good levels for it. The problem is that by its very definition, destructible stuff tends to fall to the floor, meaning eventually everything is rubble around the player and they can't go anywhere. My version of the Skylab Landing Bay works well as the player can climb the wrecked skylabs, but after that I'm stuck. Does anyone have any suggestions for how the other levels could work?

It wasn't until I replayed MM again recently (after years) that I remembered that once you're on the conveyor belt, you have to go left and the only thing you can do is jump. I decided to change this (like the fact you can move while jumping) as I think it makes it more playable, and the objective of this game is to be the first, rather than it be a difficult test of skill like the original was! 🙂 Glad you liked it though, and I'm working on the Cold Room now.

Thanks for all the comments, glad you liked it! A few people have mentioned the "dropping platforms" problem, so having nothing else to do today, I've just released a new version 1.2 which has fixed this. I've also slowed Willy down, unscientifically setting the speed to approximately almost the same as the original.

Thanks for trying it. I'm afraid I don't have Windows so I can't check it. However, I've just created a quick version 1.1 that's available to download, which starts off windowed and you can press F12 to toggle full-screen. Hopefully that might work? Regarding Knight Lore, I started recreating that in 3D. I got the whole basic map down, I just need to create all the graphics for everything that's in the game. I did the first few rooms which you can see here:-

Well I finally managed to coerce my kids into playing it, and it seemed to work pretty well (although they were obviously struck by the 80's style difficulty level which they weren't used to). it's now fully available at https://stephensmith.itch.io/multi-manic-miner if anyone would like to try it. It's just the Central Cavern at the moment.

It's already available to try. The link is in my earlier post from Tuesday, but just in case: https://stephensmith.itch.io/multi-manic-miner , and the password is "writetyper". I wasn't going to release it formally until I've had a chance to actually play it with other people, which should hopefully be soon! BTW, it is local multiplayer, not networked, and there are no bots. As it currently is, if you die there's a small delay and then you respawn back at at the start, so there is a small forfeit.

That almost sounds exactly like the game as it currently is, with the exception of losing all your keys if you die, which IMHO might get a bit frustrating, and also no time limit. I don't think any game has been improved by having a time limit, even MM!

These sound like a great ideas, something that could improve the long-term replayability of the game. If anyone is interested, and has a friend that is prepared to play retro-themed multiplayer games, the first basic version is available for people to try. It's at https://stephensmith.itch.io/multi-manic-miner , and the password is "writetyper". It's the Central Cavern screen at the moment.

I don't know if anyone listens to RGDS ( https://retrogamingdailyshow.libsyn.com/ ). A few times this year Kingy has mentioned regular Thursday night multiplayer JSW sessions. Presumably they host the game themselves? I've never joined in though, but it sounds like fun.

Thanks. I googled Ovine though, and couldn't find anything? However, having each player collect their own set of keys (but in the same place for all players) seems to work really well, as it turns it into a memory game as each player has to remember which keys they have already collected. It also means that no-one knows exactly who is in the lead, so players don't feel like they've got a lost cause.

Thanks for the feedback, some good ideas. Agreed, I made the players "incorporeal" as crashing into each other and blocking was making it unplayable. Another issue was the "dropping" platforms since once they dropped, other players then couldn't get across (my solution was to have the platforms raise back up again after a short time). My concern about only having one set of keys for all players is that (certainly on the first level) the one player that is slightly in front of the others is almost guaranteed to get all the keys, and the other players feel like they might as well give up, especially if they get killed and go back to the start. I think your solution of adding lots of keys, so players can take different routes, sounds like a great idea.

Hi all, I'm currently recreating Manic Miner as a multiplayer party game, where players all run around a level. It's local multiplayer, not online. However, I'm stuck on some game design questions, like how to determine who the winner on each level is, and should each player have their own flashing objects to collect or should it be a race to collect them first? And any other thoughts on how you'd like to see a multiplayer Manic Miner work?

No problem, thanks for playing! (I would have replied sooner but I didn't realise this thread had gone onto a second page, and I've only just noticed the "next" button at the bottom). If anyone has any requests for a Speccy game for another screen in the game that they think would be good, let me know.

Fair enough. :) There's now a link to download it, on the same page. You'll need Java to run it if you haven't already got it.

Thanks a lot. I could probably create a downloadable version quite easily, I just didn't imagine there would be any demand for it since it can be played instantly in a browser.

Thanks. :) No, it can't be completed yet. First I have to think of something to show if a player does complete it (probably just a "well done" in classic Spectrum fashion). It's more of an adventure to discover all the rooms. I mean, did anyone seriously try and complete Jet Set Willy? ;)

Cheers. :) Yes, at the moment there's about 20 screens, all unique, and all with several references to different Spectrum games. I was also going to try and add stuff like a Jetman trailer and any other "folklore" I can think of.