New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

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Alessandro
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New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by Alessandro »

Hello everyone!

Apulija-13, the game that Jonathan Caldwell himself listed among those better showing what you can do with AGD, is back - and it's bigger, bolder and better than ever!

[youtube]https://youtu.be/S-UT3W3NEKg[/youtube]

What's new in version 2.0:

- This version is based upon the Director’s Cut, but also runs on 48K Spectrums (without AY background music) and has two more screens.
- The ‘forced perspective’ has been dropped in favor of a top-down view similar to that of Laser Squad, with the aim of making game locations wider and more orderly.
- Game area proportions are now 1:1.
- Two difficulty levels: easy/hard.
- The extra part is now accessible through a secret code that the player must discover.
- A separate key for picking up objects is not needed anymore; this is now done by pressing the FIRE key.
- A new information panel has been added.
- Sprites are no more all white.
- Jonlan now wears his typical golden armor (as in Laser Squad).
- Sprites for the walking Jonlan, the white human enemy and the alien globe have all been retouched. In particular, Jonlan now points his weapon only when he shoots.
- A death animation for Jonlan and an explosion animation for the surveillance droid have been added.
- Enemies now cause damage more slowly.
- The surveillance droid now explodes on contact with Jonlan.
- Human enemies now occasionally drop a box containing a small amount of health or ammunition when eliminated.
- Several small changes to the scenery elements: some (doors, crates, the energy core, beds etc.) have been redesigned; the walls of the various sections of the base are now different from each other. Their disposition in several screens has also been modified.
- Half of the objects are now randomly placed at game start.
- All of the objects are now visible.
- A new object has been added, the fire extinguisher.
- Instead of leaving the bomb in front of the energy core, Jonlan must now touch the core while carrying the bomb to place it.
- Some minor changes to text messages.
- Additional sound effects.
- (128K only) AY background music.
- New keyboard redefinition routine, allowing the user to choose any of the keys.
- High scores table.
- The loading screen has been retouched.

Game and documentation are still available in six languages - Italian, English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese.

Download it for free from: http://www.alessandrogrussu.it/zx/A13_V20.zip

Enjoy!
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R-Tape
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by R-Tape »

Congrats Ale.

I won't have time to play this properly until next week, but my first thoughts are:

1 - Sorry to disregard all the effort you put into the music, but I think this game is more atmospheric with sound effects, I will play this in 48k mode.

2 - You've removed the secret cheat room where 'Alessandro' makes a guest appearance, or at least it's not where it used to be :mrgreen:
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Alessandro
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

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R-Tape wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:37 pm1 - Sorry to disregard all the effort you put into the music, but I think this game is more atmospheric with sound effects, I will play this in 48k mode.
No problem, I am more than happy to cater for the needs of as many people as possible ;) To be honest, I do not like the trend of churning out "128K" titles which are mere 48K ones with an AY soundtrack bolted on - often pre-existing, not made by the author and therefore completely unrelated with the game itself. There are so many 48K/+'s still around! I think games should be made for real hardware first and then for emulation, not the other way around.
R-Tape wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:37 pm2 - You've removed the secret cheat room where 'Alessandro' makes a guest appearance, or at least it's not where it used to be :mrgreen:
:lol: You must look elsewhere. And if you discovered it in the Director's Cut, well, I changed its location once again ;)

By the way, it has the same purpose it had in the Director's Cut (hint, hint). ;)
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Einar Saukas
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by Einar Saukas »

Good work!

Alessandro wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2018 2:34 pm- The ‘forced perspective’ has been dropped in favor of a top-down view similar to that of Laser Squad, with the aim of making game locations wider and more orderly.
Although I can understand your decision to sacrifice "forced perspective", it was a nice unique touch that I'm going to miss...

My suggestion is keeping both old v1.1 and new v2.0 available for download from Spectrum Computing. New players arriving to the site will obviously chose to play the latest version, as long as the versions are clearly indicated. Also more "nostalgic" players may have fun comparing both versions.
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by Alessandro »

Einar Saukas wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:59 amGood work!
Obrigado! :D
Einar Saukas wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:59 amAlthough I can understand your decision to sacrifice "forced perspective", it was a nice unique touch that I'm going to miss...
It was not an easy decision, but in the end I feel it was worth it. Game locations feel bigger and less cramped than before, thus improving playability.
Einar Saukas wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:59 amMy suggestion is keeping both old v1.1 and new v2.0 available for download from Spectrum Computing. New players arriving to the site will obviously chose to play the latest version, as long as the versions are clearly indicated. Also more "nostalgic" players may have fun comparing both versions.
You have got a point, Einar. I reworked the game quite extensively - there are many new things going on 'under the hood' - and I feel this new version is much more adherent to the vision I wanted to turn into reality five years ago. Comparing the two versions of a game that was already well received in its earlier and more primitive form could be a sort of 'case study' for aspiring designers - who knows? However I am concerned that users could be bewildered when presented with so many files to download. If there was a special section for philological purposes, containing older versions and/or unfinished material... But maybe I am asking for too much.
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by Morcar »

Fantastic game...

Is it ok for me to do a video review of your new game plz?
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

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Morcar wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:31 pm Fantastic game...

Is it ok for me to do a video review of your new game plz?
Oh no....

Things haven't got so bad we need to ask permission to make a video have they? :cry:
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by Morcar »

yip, i had 2 videos claimed by bum fun software. one was on youtube so i got permission from the dev and i uploaded the video to Facebook. Then he claimed that one too.
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Alessandro
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by Alessandro »

Morcar wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:31 pm Fantastic game...
Thanks! :D
Morcar wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2018 10:31 pmIs it ok for me to do a video review of your new game plz?
Of course! But I should ask you to wait until tomorrow, I am fixing a bug I found in the script (nothing crippling anyway because other users already completed it) and slightly reworking the player name immission script for the high score table. The fixed version will be online at the usual address and will be announced here.
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by Morcar »

ok thats brilliant thanks for letting me know and i cant wait to get started :D
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R-Tape
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by R-Tape »

Alessandro wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 9:15 am You have got a point, Einar. I reworked the game quite extensively - there are many new things going on 'under the hood' - and I feel this new version is much more adherent to the vision I wanted to turn into reality five years ago. Comparing the two versions of a game that was already well received in its earlier and more primitive form could be a sort of 'case study' for aspiring designers - who knows? However I am concerned that users could be bewildered when presented with so many files to download.
I also think having v1 and v2 side by side could be problematic, for newcomers it may just mean one is a variant rather than the improved, definitive version. My suggestion would be to have the old version zipped with a .txt file of the history and available in 'additional downloads', we could call it developmental material.

The same goes for LIMS, it would be a shame for the original versions not to be available at all.

If there was a special section for philological purposes, containing older versions and/or unfinished material... But maybe I am asking for too much.
Yep! :-p
(Maybe I shouldn't speak for others as it's not me doing the work, but I can't see that happening anytime soon).
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Alessandro
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

Post by Alessandro »

R-Tape wrote: Mon Feb 12, 2018 1:55 pmI also think having v1 and v2 side by side could be problematic, for newcomers it may just mean one is a variant rather than the improved, definitive version. My suggestion would be to have the old version zipped with a .txt file of the history and available in 'additional downloads', we could call it developmental material.
That could be a solution. I want users to play the new versions above all, otherwise I would not have bothered to make them in the first place :P

Anyway - here is version 2.01!

What's new:
- a bug that could, under certain circumstances, alter the normal proceeding of the game has been corrected;
- when typing your name for the high score table, pressing DELETE (CAPS SHIFT + 0 for the 48K) will erase the last inserted character, while by pressing ENTER the name will be inserted immediately.

Download link is the same.
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Re: New version: APULIJA-13 V2.0

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