Let's talk about life/energy counters

General software. From trouble with the Banyan Tree to OCP Art Studio, post any general software chat here. Could include game challenges...
Post Reply
User avatar
Juan F. Ramirez
Bugaboo
Posts: 5102
Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2017 6:55 am
Location: Málaga, Spain

Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

This video inspired me to make this thread:

https://youtu.be/B8HT8aUb5q4

What's your fave energy/life counter in a Spectrum game? What's the most original?

The Saboteur energy bar is one of my fave (I used to call it 'blood bar') as if you stop walking/run, it recovers. And as the video mentions, the Atic Atac roast chicken is amazing and quite original.

Another cool counter are the one in Agent X:

Image

... and Rambo III's, where the face changes to 'normal' to a skull, then you're dead.

Image

What's your fave game counters?
User avatar
R-Tape
Site Admin
Posts: 6353
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:46 am

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by R-Tape »

I Chiller recently and decided I didn't like energy bars.
Juan F. Ramirez wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 7:08 am The Saboteur energy bar is one of my fave (I used to call it 'blood bar') as if you stop walking/run, it recovers.
But I'd forgotten ^they^ can be good.

It's a normal energy bar but Higgledy Piggledy has a fun one. You change from a jolly pig into a can of spam.

Image

And turning into Jack Nicholson in Batman the Movie was a nice touch.
User avatar
PeteProdge
Bugaboo
Posts: 3521
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 9:03 am

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by PeteProdge »

Has to be Feud really.

Image

A brilliant at-a-glance visual comparison between yourself and the enemy.
Reheated Pixels - a combination of retrogaming, comedy and factual musing, is here!
New video: Nine ZX Spectrum magazine controversies - How Crash, Your Sinclair and Sinclair User managed to offend the world!
User avatar
MatGubbins
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1238
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 11:45 am
Location: Kent, UK

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by MatGubbins »

Let's add Zub to the mix
Image
The energy display will strip away Zub's outfit to show his bones.
User avatar
R-Tape
Site Admin
Posts: 6353
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 11:46 am

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by R-Tape »

I never really got into Zub but it has one of the coolest sprites, even though he does look like he’s wearing Grandad long johns.
User avatar
Ast A. Moore
Rick Dangerous
Posts: 2640
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 3:16 pm

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by Ast A. Moore »

Ducks in Joffa’s Terra Cresta:
Image
Every man should plant a tree, build a house, and write a ZX Spectrum game.

Author of A Yankee in Iraq, a 50 fps shoot-’em-up—the first game to utilize the floating bus on the +2A/+3,
and zasm Z80 Assembler syntax highlighter.
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by druellan »

What about Knightmare?

Image
User avatar
Spud
Manic Miner
Posts: 372
Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2017 8:50 pm
Contact:

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by Spud »

Disintegrating duck also used as the weapon timer in Cobra.
User avatar
Juan F. Ramirez
Bugaboo
Posts: 5102
Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2017 6:55 am
Location: Málaga, Spain

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

Hong-Kong Phooey has a 'book of Kung-Fu':

Image

And Heartland has a skull (isn't showed in the pic) that reminds me of the Motorhead logo, sort of :) :

Image
User avatar
GreenCard
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1112
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2018 1:46 pm
Location: Saaaf London

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by GreenCard »

I always thought the face in Sweevo's World/Whirled was quite good. Also, the "courage" meter in Ghostbusters 2.
User avatar
Morkin
Bugaboo
Posts: 3251
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:50 am
Location: Bristol, UK

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by Morkin »

Nice vid. :)

I generally preferred good old health bars (boooooring - Ed) but appreciated the imagination into other methods of showing health (anything other than numbers).

I thought Thanatos had a good one, with the heart beating faster as you took damage, and you can rest to restore your energy.
My Speccy site: thirdharmoniser.com
User avatar
Juan F. Ramirez
Bugaboo
Posts: 5102
Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2017 6:55 am
Location: Málaga, Spain

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

Morkin wrote: Wed Jun 20, 2018 10:33 pm
I thought Thanatos had a good one, with the heart beating faster as you took damage, and you can rest to restore your energy.
Now I remember something similar in Nodes of Yesod, the astronaut's heart.
User avatar
druellan
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1466
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 7:19 pm

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by druellan »

Last night I was testing maze games and found How to Be a Hero and its pineapple counters

Image
User avatar
Juan F. Ramirez
Bugaboo
Posts: 5102
Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2017 6:55 am
Location: Málaga, Spain

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

Another beating heart in Rastan:

Image
User avatar
Alessandro
Dynamite Dan
Posts: 1908
Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 11:10 am
Location: Messina, Italy
Contact:

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by Alessandro »

Do you remember the glass of milk called "Snooze Energy" in Pyjamarama?

Image

It was renamed "Nuove forze" (literally "new forces", "new strengths") in the authorized Italian translation by Jackson Soft.

Also in the series, the filling drop in Herbert's Dummy Run:

Image
User avatar
WIWC
Manic Miner
Posts: 348
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:02 pm

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by WIWC »

Nemesis the Warlock, a hand that squeezes your heart.
User avatar
zxbruno
Manic Miner
Posts: 213
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2018 6:13 am

Re: Let's talk about life/energy counters

Post by zxbruno »

The Great Escape flag pole. It may not be considered an energy counter but we all knew what it meant.
Another vote for Thanatos, although it made me nervous.
Post Reply