Cheat mode in Super Robin Hood (Codemasters)?

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richl
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Cheat mode in Super Robin Hood (Codemasters)?

Post by richl »

I've tried to keep this relatively ramble-free and coherent but essentially:

Is there a cheat mode in Super Robin Hood that no-one's found yet? (And do the Oliver Twins really like the Spec? ;-))

OK... the longer version:

I saw a video earlier today which mentioned a built-in cheat mode for Ghost Hunters on the Amstrad. I tried it on the Spec version and it didn't work. I had a quick look at the Tipshop and it appears that you need to enter GHOST instead of COMPLEX on the Spec version.

I decided to look up the Amstrad version online and it obviously mentioned COMPLEX for the cheat mode and also mentioned different messages that come up on the high score table if you enter certain names. I had a look at the code on the Spec version and it seems to have a few additional ones as well.

Get over 5000 points so you can enter a high score. Then entering any of the below alters the name in the high score table as follows:

Enter nothing = BASHFUL
KILLAPEDE = GREAT GAME
CHEAT = NO THANKS
PANDA = WRONG GAME
ROBIN HOOD = TRY PANDA
I HATE SPECY = YOUVE GOT IT
COMPLEX = GOOD TRY !!!
ANDREW OLIVE = THE MAP MAKER
PHILIP OLIVE = THE ANIMATOR
SPECTRUM = HATE IT !
CODE MASTERS = GREAT VALUE

Notice the lack of love for the Spec - tch!! :P

In fact, the entry for Ghost Hunters on Wikipedia may explain this:

Porting to the Spectrum

Codemasters paid the Oliver brothers £10,000 for the Amstrad CPC release and were offered another £10,000 for a ZX Spectrum release. However, the twins did not wish to produce a port by actually coding on the Spectrum, so to save time, they hired their friend Ivan Link to build a cable that links the Spectrum and the Amstrad. After which the twins produced the only software for the Spectrum they ever wrote called SPLINK (SPectrum and LINK) that enabled the code to be altered for the Amstrad and ported to the Spectrum.
"This enabled us to write Spectrum games on our Amstrad, making the most of the benefits of its on-board source code and graphics, its very fast and reliable disk drive and a leading Assembler/Machine Code compiler called MAXAM. That way SPLINK gave us an enormous advantage over our competitors who were trying to write Spectrum games - using a Spectrum!" — Philip and Andrew Oliver


Also notice how the secret messages in the high score table seemingly mention a cheat mode for (Super) Robin Hood.

So, I looked up the game on the Tipshop and no cheat modes mentioned. Looked it up for the Amstrad and sure enough there is one. The Amstrad cheat involves pressing 6+A+P which brings up an on-screen message of CHEAT. I'm guessing the cheat refers to A(ndrew) and P(hilip) but dunno what the 6 is... if anything? Trying the same thing on the Spec doesn't seem to do anything.

I had a look at the code and there are definitely several references to PANDA in there along with "CHEAT", "YOU CHEAT", "THERE ARE SEVERAL CHEAT MODES IN THIS GAME BUT THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM" etc. I tried entering a few variations into the high score table but seemingly got nowhere.

There's also the proper ending message along with an alternate one if you did cheat (very similar to what happens in Ghost Hunters):

Robin has rescued Maid Marian, and they lived happily ever after. Until ...
Robin has rescued Maid Marian by cheating, and she runs off with Little John!

As far I can tell, the Oliver Twins didn't code the Spectrum version of Super Robin Hood themselves (even though they are actually credited with it if you complete the game) but it seems odd that mentions of the cheat mode are still in the code if they're not accessible somehow. Maybe it's just how it was ported but why leave redundant code in it? Anyway, just thought I'd write all this drivel down in case anyone who's a lot better at understanding Spec code than I am (and clearly bored with nothing better to do!) was able to definitively work out if there is an official cheat mode in the game and if so, how do you access it?? :)
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Kweepa
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Re: Cheat mode in Super Robin Hood (Codemasters)?

Post by Kweepa »

I don't know anything about Super Robin Hood, but on a quick tangent, did many pro Spectrum authors code on a Spectrum?
Cross assembly was going on as early as 1983 by teenagers (Matthew Smith for example).
AndyC
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Re: Cheat mode in Super Robin Hood (Codemasters)?

Post by AndyC »

I think there is an error in that Wikipedia quote - " After which the twins produced the only software for the Spectrum they ever wrote called SPLINK (SPectrum and LINK) that enabled the code to be altered for the Amstrad and ported to the Spectrum." should read " After which the twins produced the only software they ever wrote on the Spectrum called SPLINK (SPectrum and LINK) that enabled the code to be altered for the Amstrad and ported to the Spectrum." - the twins certainly did write software for the Spectrum.
Bizzley
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Re: Cheat mode in Super Robin Hood (Codemasters)?

Post by Bizzley »

Andrew and Philip tell the story behind Super Robin Hood themselves at www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTwQ-qmJ07c. The Spectrum conversion was carried out by Mark Baldock as stated in the video and in other sources.

Fun Fact. The twins needed a retail copy of Spectrum Super Robin Hood when they were putting together a page on their Blitz Games website showcasing their old 8 bit titles but didn't have one, so they asked me and I lent them mine. 8-)
"He made eloquent speeches to an audience consisting of a few depressed daffodil roots, and sometimes the cat from next door."
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jpnz
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Re: Cheat mode in Super Robin Hood (Codemasters)?

Post by jpnz »

Yeah there is a cheat mode tucked away and it's not that far off from the Amstrad key sequence

Hold down 6+Z+P during game-play, and the cheat prompt will appear:

Image

With those keys now held down, also pressing

E will bump up your health points
Y will unblock platforms
H collect all hearts

(Descriptions from translated Super Robin Hood CPC Power page)

If you do cheat then the border will go blue for the duration of the game:

Image

I've not really played this through so I don't know if collect all hearts actually works

The cheats, as noted above, are located at 0xb7d8, 0xb7e8 and 0xb7f4
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