Multiplayer Manic Miner game design

[SteveSmith]

21 hours ago, CPL said:

I also feel like an element of randomness - Mario Kart pickups or Worms style drops - would make this more fun. Double-speed walking? Spring boots for extra high jumps? Wall gloves to climb up the sides? Freeze Ray to stop other players in their tracks for a few seconds? Something that lets you steal collected objects from the next player you touch? I'm sure there could be plenty of good ideas.

 

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.

Edited December 14, 2021 by SteveSmith

[MtM]

 

I agree that the overall game idea is a really interesting one and I hope it all comes to fruition.

 

Personally I disagree with a lot of the suggestions though. I think single screen, all the original screens with whatever modifications

necessary, not unlike the original Mario Bros game if ou have seen it, single screen, winner jumps into the flashing square first, square only flashes when players have

enough flashing items, player dies they lose all their items back to the original locations (similar to gold bars being dropped in the original

Lode Runner when you trap or kill a nasty) players can be competitive but sometimes must collude like in MULE, whereby you might

not get chance to get a certain piece because someone else has it and will not die, air level is still present so time limit against all players,

if air runs out all pieces return to original locations and free for all begins. Something like that anyway. If that makes sense.

 

I definitely think use original single screens. _Maybe_ speed movement up of Willy a bit, but not much, and keep jump mechanics, precision or skill

should always be rewarded, and not just knowing a level, though there is always an element of this. No random winners, that is rubbish.

[jetsetdanny]

20 hours ago, SteveSmith said:

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.

The (archival) link to Jet Set Willy Online given on the podcast's page:

https://archive.org/details/swizzle_demu_Jsw 

[SteveSmith]

On 12/14/2021 at 3:57 PM, MtM said:

 

I agree that the overall game idea is a really interesting one and I hope it all comes to fruition.

 

Personally I disagree with a lot of the suggestions though. I think single screen, all the original screens with whatever modifications

necessary, not unlike the original Mario Bros game if ou have seen it, single screen, winner jumps into the flashing square first, square only flashes when players have

enough flashing items, player dies they lose all their items back to the original locations (similar to gold bars being dropped in the original

Lode Runner when you trap or kill a nasty) players can be competitive but sometimes must collude like in MULE, whereby you might

not get chance to get a certain piece because someone else has it and will not die, air level is still present so time limit against all players,

if air runs out all pieces return to original locations and free for all begins. Something like that anyway. If that makes sense.

 

I definitely think use original single screens. _Maybe_ speed movement up of Willy a bit, but not much, and keep jump mechanics, precision or skill

should always be rewarded, and not just knowing a level, though there is always an element of this. No random winners, that is rubbish.

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!

[MtM]

I'd probably disagree with the time limit statement, Unreal Tournament in all its flavours comes to mind, you can only play a level for so long,

however, thanks for the reply, and of course it does sound really good what you are doing, I can hardly wait to see it, there will be bots of course

so you don't have to play online? 😉 I suppose again I am thinking that if you die too there has to be some kind of forfeit, otherwise there is

little motive not to die, again like in Unreal Tournament you lose all your weapons and ammo, seems fair enough.

 

How about pieces you could collect that would boost the time, say put extra time on the clock that appear randomly, it is up to the players

if they want to collect them, if you are doing badly you might not want to, but if you are doing well you have a motive to pick them up, they

could be time limited in their appearance. Or does that sound a bit much?

[SteveSmith]

9 hours ago, MtM said:

I can hardly wait to see it, there will be bots of course

so you don't have to play online? 😉 I suppose again I am thinking that if you die too there has to be some kind of forfeit, otherwise there is

little motive not to die, again like in Unreal Tournament you lose all your weapons and ammo, seems fair enough.

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.

[SteveSmith]

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.

[Spider]

Looks good. I also see other games of interest 😄

Sent you a quick PM about the readme. 🙂

Unrelated:

Spoiler

Mind you I would love to see Knight Lore actually, never really could "get into" Alien8

I could not get it to function properly GoDot engine is not responding.

Also, is there a key to run it in a window ?

I may try it later via virtualisation actually instead.

For reference (this might be the issue) I'm using W7x64 with the ESU (so its still updated)

 

EDIT... I was running FS-UAE at that time but minimized, I wonder if that had any effect as its crashed its display driver from the excitement 🤣😞

Edited December 18, 2021 by Spider

[SteveSmith]

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:-

 

[Spider]

Ooh that looks good. Almost a 'Driller' Freescape style but much better 😄

 

On topic, thanks for the window option. Works fine. A little short but quick positive feedback:

I love the sound effects and tune.

I like the effect when you collect a key it moves across up the screen.

It plays a bit fast for me but its OK 😄 , if there was a speed option that would be good (and this from someone who likes to play JSW and MM at more than their original speed)

I'd noticed the crumbly cells, if you walk along the lower right ones, you have to jump or you fall through too quickly even if constantly moving.

The conveyor seems a bit fast in its action in moving Willy along.

Otherwise , all very good! 😄