Jet Set Willy cycle randomiser - mod idea

[Spider]

Seems quite good. 🙂

 

[RuffledBricks]

So I played this on stream for just over an hour and a half today. It was a good lark, although I'm definitely a long way off being able to get a full run in on this version! It's amazing how something as simple as adding RNG to the game can completely re-shape how it plays.

Here's a few initial observations:

• Nightmare Room is much harder as I expected. The opportunities to shortcut across the middle of the room are significantly truncated by the randomised cycles.
• Conservatory Roof is now a boss stage.
• The rope randomisation is really effective. So much so that I've had to change the order in which I go to Swimming Pool now because it's too risky compared to my normal route.
• Under The Drive has gone from the 'pixel perfect jump' room to the 'pray that you can even get anywhere near that pixel' room. 😅
• We did wonder during the stream whether the Chandeliers' cycles had been randomised too...

Thanks again for doing this @Norman Sword, it's ended up being as fun as I expected it to be.

 

[IRF]

If the Under the Drive 'Dalek' sets off leftwards from near the right-hand side, might it be possible to clear both the guardian and the Fire cell in a single jump sometimes?

[Norman Sword]

The scope of the patch/change is such that it is possible to stop individual sprites from moving. Just add the room number and indicate which sprite needs to be left alone. This enlargement of scope can/could stop individual ropes from being moved in certain rooms. 

The chandeliers are phase moved in only 2 cycles. so Not much scope for it looking different. I did contemplate altering the vertical limits in a similar way to the horizontal limits, but whilst it is easy to do. It starts to introduce more variables for problems to occur. I am aware of potentially one or two ways for the routine to freeze.  So the introduction of vertical limit checking was a step too far. (having said the above, it is probably not a problem with the game data as it is)

So another patch to add the the list of JSW patches.

Next week I am aiming for the woodcraft patch

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by Norman Sword
wording change.

[RuffledBricks]

39 minutes ago, Norman Sword said:

The scope of the patch/change is such that it is possible to stop individual sprites from moving. Just add the room number and indicate which sprite needs to be left alone. This enlargement of scope can/could stop individual ropes from being moved in certain rooms. 

That's good to know, but I do think the main fun of the mod is working within the new issues that the RNG throws up rather than just trying to patch anything remotely dangerous out.

If nothing else, it leads to moments like this:
https://clips.twitch.tv/DifficultEnjoyableArmadilloANELE--d9OOI0-BOZvobV0
 

Quote

The chandeliers are phase moved in only 2 cycles. so Not much scope for it looking different. I did contemplate altering the vertical limits in a similar way to the horizontal limits, but whilst it is easy to do. It starts to introduce more variables for problems to occur. I am aware of potentially one or two ways for the routine to freeze.  So the introduction of vertical limit checking was a step too far. (having said the above, it is probably not a problem with the game data as it is)

I was being slightly tongue-in-cheek. I think we were more speculating over whether the animation of the Chandeliers alternated between starting frames or not.

Edited March 4, 2021 by RuffledBricks

[Spider]

I wonder if any thought has been given to doing this to Manic Miner. / ponders the idea

Although slightly "off topic" in this topic , I wonder if you had given any random (no pun intended) thought Norman to perhaps using a similar routine in your excellent Manic Panic, perhaps on a higher difficulty level ?

[IRF]

A couple of further thought on this:

- Arrows aren't affected by Norman's patch, in terms of their starting position being randomised (because arrows are moved as part of the routine which draws guardians, rather than the 'Move the guardians' routine);

- I imagine the Toilet Run will be riskier, because when Willy leaves the Master Bedroom, the Razor Blade and/or Swiss Army Knife in Top Landing won't always be at the right position to allow Willy to reach the brief drop down into First Landing, and then after Willy pops back up again from First Landing, the Swiss Army Knife might then stand in the way of him reaching The Bathroom.

(Pressing 'P' to make Willy freeze on the spot during the Toilet Run may help with the former problem, but not the latter.)

[Spider]

Vague recollection of the C64 version of JSW applies some kind of immunity to M.W during his "dash" , I may have to check that.

I think a few years back I may of mentioned this idea for custom games at one point ie when in 'mode 2' (run to toilet) perhaps collision detect should be disabled, this is more helpful for altered layouts where the designer then does not have to be hugely concerned with guardians 'in the way' 🙂

[IRF]

Or you could just make the guardians disappear (along with Maria!) at that stage of the game?

Edited March 26, 2021 by IRF

[Spider]

7 minutes ago, IRF said:

Or you could just make them disappear (along with Maria!) at that stage of the game?

That may be a saner (easier to code too) solution as its not unviable that 'he's won' so the guardians have run away! It does make more logical sense than allowing him to pass through otherwise erm 'solid' sprites.