Statement regarding Wonderful Dizzy for ZX Spectrum Next

[moroz1999]

I would like to clarify our position and plans on ZX Spectrum Next version of Wonderful Dizzy. Wonderful Dizzy was published on 18.12 for free in form of version made for ZX Spectrum 128.
However, there have been some false expectations from the ZX Spectrum Next owners: for unknown reasons the game was marked as exclusive in ZX Spectrum Next's campaign's stretch goal description.

We have never discussed the exclusive model within our team. Quite contrary, from the very first letter we and The Oliver Twins have agreed upon making the version capable of running on original ZX Spectrum 128. Somewhere in the beginning of the development the idea has appeared to make a separated Next's version which would support some set of Next's features.
Most likely, the supported features would have been:
* Background graphics recolored with ULANext extended palette colors with some minor changes.
* 6-channel music
* Clashing-free sprites.
* No additional tape loadings ingame.

We have made some tests already almost two years ago:
* Evgeniy has made an early test version of engine for clashing-free movement. This was put on hold because of the numerous Next's firmware changes of that time.
* Jarrod has made a colourful Dizzy's sprite for usage Next's sprites system.

However, since we had some problems in development process non-related to ZX Spectrum or game itself, the release took us 2 years more than we thought. This means that we have agreed to release anything as soon as its ready without keeping people waiting for some artificial reasons. Since 128 version got ready first, we have released it first. There was no change of plans in producing and releasing ZX Spectrum Next version after original 128.

As a result, we've got a literal shitstorm of whining and complaining in social networks. Kickstarter campaign backers have started to complain about non-exclusiveness of the Next's version. We've tried to explain and clarify as much as we could, but we have got no interest in pursuiting every forum and every twitter post with our clarifications. We (and The Oliver Twins as well!) have not invented that exclusiveness, so we are not the ones to blame for the false expectations of original campaign backers.

Today we have also noticed that the official Next's website is stating our game as "cancelled". Please see the attached screenshot.
Nobody has contacted us and asked for our plans regarding Next's version. Nobody has discussed exclusiveness with us or The Oliver Twins directly from the Next team. The statement has just appeared for unknown reason with some strange manual text below.

As a result, we (Dmitri Ponomarjov and Evgeniy Barskiy) would like to state that starting from today we totally agree with the cancelled status of ZX Spectrum Next's version of Wonderful Dizzy. After all this mess we don't really retain any interest in making a version with support of ZX Spectrum Next's features.
We are very thankful to The Oliver Twins for a great opportunity on working together, for a really pleasant collaboration and an outstanding result game. We have done everything totally for free (except the early dev board we've received in the beginning of the project), this is a game from friends to friends, and we owe Next's community nothing. All our agreed obligations to Kickstarter campaign backers have been fullfilled by now.

[catmeows]

Welcome in 21st century, age of online lynch.
I'm not big fan of Dizzy series but I tried to play Wonderful Dizzy and I think whole team did exceptionaly good work.

[akeley]

Kickstarter campaign backers have started to complain about non-exclusiveness of the Next's version.

Jeez, the pettiness of it all... There clearly has been some miscommunication but is it a really such a big deal? Just enjoy the game for krissakes.

[PeterJ]

Welcome in 21st century, age of online lynch.

Twitter seems especially prone to this. It's obviously way too late, but I do think that when social media networks started they should have enforced a link to the actual person. I appreciate freedom campaigners would have been against it. However, if your not doing anything wrong, what have you to hide. It would have stopped these keyboard warriors in their tracks.
Sorry, rant over.

Facebook is a little better, as you can see the person's profile and see if it's a genuine user (to a certain extent).

[Vampyre]

Over the last few years, and this started with the outcry over the Mass Effect 3 ending (but undoubtedly stretches back even further), I've come to the conclusion that a significant percentage of videogamers are some of the most petty-minded, entitled assholes out there. They make me ashamed to be a gamer.

[PeterJ]

I use Desktop Linux a lot, and you get the same sort of fools there too in social media, and comments to posts on websites, especially around choices of distros and desktop environments.

[Pegaz]

[mention]moroz1999[/mention]

Henrique is a mastermind.
Everything on the Next site is with his knowledge and approval.
You don't owe them anything and I'm glad you got rid of that burden.
Thanks again for the wonderful “Wonderful Dizzy” to you and Oliver twins.
Remastered Crystal Kingdom Dizzy and Wonderful Dizzy are the pearls in the crown of Spectrum’s games library..

[akeley]

Over the last few years, and this started with the outcry over the Mass Effect 3 ending (but undoubtedly stretches back even further), I've come to the conclusion that a significant percentage of videogamers are some of the most petty-minded, entitled assholes out there. They make me ashamed to be a gamer.

Totally agree. Hell is other gamers.

I've never done social media, but it's one of the reasons I don't really participate in forums anymore. As a lifelong fan of Bethesda games unreasonable hate is something I'm well used to, but in the recent years it has spiralled out of control, what with the rise of the 140 character/meme//utube clip hot-take. Seen it happen in regard to No Man's Sky, Watchdogs, and now Cyberpunk. Hypocritically enough, other games which could be found guilty of the same failings (some of which are completely made up or blown out of proportion) get a free pass. And most of people participating in these hate snowballs haven't even played the games in question.

I miss the olden style of face-to-face arguments and media opinion makers. It was far from perfect but way better than the modern rule of the pitchfork.

[Mousey]

I'm dumbstruck that the Wonderful Dizzy team have been subjected to this. I guess I shouldn't be, but (like akeley) I don't do social media, so don't fully understand what it can be like on Facebook / Twitter (although posts like this give me a good idea).

As a backer of the first Kickstarter for the Spectrum Next I can honestly say that NONE of the stretch goals bothered me at all, whether they are "exclusive" or not. All I cared about was getting my Next, and I did. Anything else is just a bonus.

If there could only be one version then I'd rather it was for the original Speccy. Why? Because the Next can play Speccy games, but the Speccy can't play Next games. So everyone can enjoy it if it's on the Speccy.

[Alessandro]

Another confirmation, if there was any more need for it, that social media bring out the worst from people: narrow-mindedness, egotism, narcissism, mental laziness, unjustified aggressivity, groupthink, wanton disregard for other people's feelings and so on. The Web has definitely become a worse place since the likes of Facebook and Twitter took hold.

That said, thank you for stating that. Actually I also got the impression that a version of Wonderful Dizzy for the Next would have been available at some point in the future, but now I understand that it was, in fact, just a possibility and not a certainty. I'll stick with my Next on one side, and with the excellent Spectrum game on the other.

Throwing mud at the people who made this piece of retro gem possible and available for free is not only foolish, it's yet another example of the damage social media have done to human interactions.

[AndyC]

However, if your not doing anything wrong, what have you to hide.

Where that argument falls down is when The Government/Evil Corporation/Supervillain of Choice has done something wrong and they don't want people broadcasting it. Sometimes anonymity is genuinely important to avoid things being covered up.

I can understand why some backers might be frustrated, especially if they only forked out for a higher tier on the basis of an exclusive game, but blaming the developers rather than those behind the Kickstarter itself doesn't help anyone.

[Lethargeek]

Today we have also noticed that the official Next's website is stating our game as "cancelled". Please see the attached screenshot.
Nobody has contacted us and asked for our plans regarding Next's version. Nobody has discussed exclusiveness with us or The Oliver Twins directly from the Next team. The statement has just appeared for unknown reason with some strange manual text below.

As a result, we (Dmitri Ponomarjov and Evgeniy Barskiy) would like to state that starting from today we totally agree with the cancelled status of ZX Spectrum Next's version of Wonderful Dizzy. After all this mess we don't really retain any interest in making a version with support of ZX Spectrum Next's features.

Wow. Didn't see that coming. Anyway, whatever it ends up, anybody who just wants to try Wonderful Dizzy without the colour clash (closest thing to that 'cancelled' version you can get right now) is welcome to use my emulator (forgive me for shameless self plugin)
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2098

[PeterJ]

Where that argument falls down is when The Government/Evil Corporation/Supervillain of Choice has done something wrong and they don't want people broadcasting it. Sometimes anonymity is genuinely important to avoid things being covered up.

I thing the pros are way stronger than the cons, but you do make a good point and I can understand your point of view. There is no perfect solution, other than people acting sensibly (which ain't going to happen)

[PeterJ]

For those of you who don't use Facebook, Henrique has posted in the FB Group. Its a very good post.

A Dizzy word.
Back in 2017 when the original Kickstarter campaign went live, we understood (and I believe it was the plan) that Wonderful Dizzy was a Spectrum Next exclusive project. We referred to it as such in the KS page, in the stretch goals, and generally in all posts we made back at the time.
It was only recently that we realised the game would also come out on the 128KB Speccy. There’s method to this decision: back in 2017 and 2018 the Next core and capabilities were changing a lot, often, and the Dizzy team thought best to work on the game as a 128KB first, and then focus on the Next once the platform’s features consolidated.
The main issue is that we didn’t know until a few months ago that this decision to work on the 128KB was made, and now some backers are rightly questioning the ‘exclusive’ wording we used. This questioning is absolutely correct: we did state it would be exclusive, and I particularly understood it as such. Since at the time I was the one writing pretty much all the comms and the Kickstarter page, the responsibility lands squarely on me.
So, what do we do now?
First, we need to take a step back and stop blaming the Dizzy team for this. It’s absolutely not their fault. These folks created a lovely game for the Spectrum community and, hopefully, will make a Next version of it. It’s truly unfair to direct criticism at them, and disheartening to see this taking place. The Dizzy team deserves nothing but praise for their dedication -- so please, if you have the chance, do support them with some encouraging words as a small payback for the game they made for us all, and for free. This kind of effort and passion is what keeps the Spectrum alive.
Second, I now have a debt with the original KS backers for an exclusive game. I’ll pay this debt. We’ll make a new game to take Dizzy’s place as a Next exclusive and fulfill the stretch goal. As of this morning, we’re talking about what game could it be, how it will be done, and soon I’ll update everyone on this: what game will it be and when you should expect it to be launched.
It’s Xmas, time to be merry and find nice surprises under the tree. Here is ours: we get Wonderland Dizzy for the Speccy and a new exclusive game for the Next. Hope that scratches the itch!

[olifiers]

Hey Evgeniy, folks,

Super sorry for the way this issue took place. It's absolutely not right for people to complain or criticise the Dizzy team in any way, this was genuinely a miscommunication issue that is very much on me.

I've just posted a statement on the FB group about this. I didn't realise until now some people were giving Evgeniy and his team trouble for this, so I'm moving as fast as I can to try to limit the damage in the best way possible. Here's the statement:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/specnex ... 562867327/

Lastly, honestly don't know why Wonderful Dizzy was listed as 'cancelled' on the SpecNext site, this was not on purpose. In fact, just last Saturday I posted about the game to all the Kickstarter backers on the game's release at the very top of the Update, even before we announced the new accessories for the Next. This was not intentional and it's fixed now.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sp ... ts/3055758

Lastly, Evgeniy, please accept my apologies for the trouble this has caused you and your team. It shouldn't have happened and, as far as I can tell, was an honest mistake. If you look at the original Kickstarter campaign back in 2017, we did mention it was exclusive throughout, as we did believe it was as such. It was just a few months back that I learned that wasn't the case, and only now that I'm grasping the full extent of the problem.

[PeterJ]

Thank you for joining [mention]olifiers[/mention], and for posting the update.

Quite a few of our members don't do social media, so it would be great if you have time to post any major updates here too for our members.

[olifiers]

Quite a few of our members don't do social media, so it would be great if you have time to post any major updates here too for our members.

Indeed, it's high time I join!

[clebin]

Welcome to the forum Henrique, and big thanks for everything, including rearranging delivery of my Next when it couldn't be delivered to my work (just another bit of unseen work that deserves recognition). And big thanks to the Dizzy team as well - I've only had chance to play a bit of it, but it's really great so far.

I've lost count of the number of retro projects I've seen cancelled because some entitled pricks start kicking off like they're owed something, even when people are working for free. Almost universally, they contribute nothing themselves and have no idea of the dedication and personal sacrifice it takes to get any project, even a small one, off the ground. It makes me f'king mad. It's a shame that the Next community is no different in that. No reason why it should be, but you can always hope...

[Vampyre]

Yup, welcome to the forum Henrique, and many thanks for the clarification on the situation. I'm a V2 Next backer so I'm really pleased that you've decided to join us and I'd be really happy to see any news you can post here. I've weened myself more or less fully off Facebook after being a big user for many years and I simply don't understand Twitter. It moves much too fast for my liking. But then... I'm old

[jcnventura]

Also, a lurker here now (finally) registering so that I can write a message supporting [mention]moroz1999[/mention] post. You guys, with the support of the Oliver Twins have made a labour of love that we all just need to say a THANK YOU.

At most, we can report any bugs we find. And if you decide to never fix them, it is your right to do so. Any gift you give is just that: a gift. You guys being good members of a community. In Facebook there are now tens, and maybe in a few hours hundreds of posts supporting your position, and just enjoying the game. Most of them are very happy that they got a game that they can enjoy in their Next computers. And in their 128K computers or emulators.

I know where you are now. As an open-source developer, I've had people DEMAND that I implement something, and start complaining when I simply tell them "provide a patch, and I'll consider merging that, if it is any good". A note for non-developers, after applying the patch, I'd be responsible for maintaining that code out of my own free time. So, if you decide to not spend any more time preparing a Next version, I totally understand and support you guys. Just go do stuff that you like, and forget the haters. The Spectrum (and Dizzy) communities will be here to support you either way, and we'll appreciate the gift you already gave us, even if you decide to never give anything any more.

So, thanks!

[TMD2003]

I admit at this point, I have been through less than ten screens of Wonderful Dizzy.

I will get through more, in time. I will try to map it. I will probably fail to do so before someone else sends the map to maps.speccy.cz.

Maybe, after reports of the bugs that prevent getting 99 coins in one completed session, I will hold off for a bug fix.

I think this game is marvellous. But then, I would, because I am a few years younger than the "average" Spectrum fanatic who favours Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy. I am more a product of the Dizzy Generation, and I'm not Russian either.

It would sound slightly stroppy to me to say "I'm not bothered about the Next version". But, the truth is, I backed the Next Issue 2 solely because I wanted the hardware. I hadn't even noticed the stretch goals. What I was concerned about was "I will get what the Loki project might have been" (in my mind, at least... until I realise even the Loki couldn't have been this advanced). So I'm quite content with the 128K Spectrum version. And given that I have come to loathe and despise and detest the usual "social media" channels, I can completely see what Evgeniy and the others were saying, because I'd probably have done the same myself a long time before they did. My patience is a lot lower than theirs.

If it is no longer to be, so be it. I will instead investigate that Rick Dangerous clone, for reasons that might be obvious for those who were paying attention.

This post was brought to you by Ardbeg (from Scotland), English whisky (from St. George's distillery in Norfolk), Penderyn (from Wales), and Dr. Jim's cider-with-rhubarb.

That last paragraph will explain away any inconsistencies,

[ParadiseGames]

Like others I've been pretty shocked to hear how a team who; spend years on a passion/fan project, get the original creators involved, and obtain legal clearance from the rights holder, only to give it away for absolutely free... are treated from the darker corners of the interwebs

I really hope it doesn't prevent us from seeing more great things from this development crew in future

You've done a great job on it guys! Please don't stop doing amazing things...

[Alcoholics Anonymous]

It's not right you collected hate from some group of people in exchange for devoting years of your free time to produce a game for free for people to enjoy. It is a top quality game in all respects and is appreciated by most people, Speccy fans and Next fans alike (who are also Speccy fans). I think someone nailed it on fb: ".. for (these people) it's not enough that some people are rich; they also want others to be poor."

Unfortunately I think this is the norm now so you have to grow a thick skin if you're going to be doing anything where you're connected directly to the public. Social networks amplify the negative because negative is the noisiest -- the people who are appreciative don't always say anything. Social networks also spread falsehoods with speed and truth very slowly if it all. You can try to stamp these things out on your twitter feed or various fb forums, but the bad will continue to spread elsewhere for a long time. This applies to all walks of life, not just Spectrum games, and is not a unique experience for your team in the Spectrum world.

I thought I'd add my thanks for continuing to add some joy to a hobby by developing quality games I can enjoy. I hope the experience doesn't put the team off creating new ones in the future, original spectrum or not.

[michellekg]

I've summarized all the information about why Wonderful Dizzy for ZX Spectrum Next was cancelled. To get the most objective view of the situation, I took comments from all the participants of the events - Evgeny Barsky, Dmitry Ponomarev, Enrique Olifers and the Oliver Twins.

Just for this article Dmitry made a mockup of what Wonderful Dizzy for Next could look like, and Evgeniy shared some technical details and a couple of screenshots. It turned out to be a pretty big text - read it if you're interested (translation from Russian is semiautomatic, so apologies in advance for possible sloppiness):

https://idpixel.ru/news/2296-vyhod-wond ... tmenen/en/

[MicroMan]

Hi, I am one of the Next's pledgers, and I am literally shocked to hear this news.

I mean, seriously, the exclusivity of the new Dizzy game is something that matters? Really? For what particular reason, by god? The Olivers, Dmitri and Evgeniy with the crew made, in my opinion, an absolutely marvelous work bringing to life one of the most solid and stunningly elaborated projects on the Spectrum platform ever, it is available absolutely for free (BTW I would gladly buy a physical copy!), and there is somebody who starts to whimper "oh no, not for everyone, just for us who pleeeedged"?.. Unbelievable. Something I cannot understand.

I didn't follow the social networks and have no idea of the scale of the "shitstorm" Dmitri and Evgeniy mention, whether it is representative taking into consideration there are over 5000 pledgers of the second Kickstarter, but from the tonality of the message it is clear the authors of the game are really annoyed with this sort of reception of their game, and the overall situation is perceived as "the Next backers vs. the game creators", which — unfortunately — leaves no chance for the Next version to appear. It's a shame, because what the authors were planning to do, is, in my opinion, the perfectly right way of making the Next games: a light retouch of a solid classic version keeping the Spectrum graphics recognizable.

Dmitri, Evgeniy, thank you very much for the new Dizzy, you've made an excellent work, and it is absolutely perfect there is a classic 128K version, available for each and every Spectrum enthusiast. (Please come and take my money for the hard copy!) Just don't listen to some exalted personalities, and please, take into consideration, that not all Next backers are the same.