Spectrum Computing

Ever wondered why there is so much empty space on the Chaos loading screen?



Vote Chuckie Egg.

After listening to some old Retro Asylum podcasts last night, I realise we are missing a proper classic from this time round. Now, we did do the week-long discussion and it never came up, and now the week-long vote is in full swing and we can't add it in now it's started.

The game I'm referring to is Contact Sam Cruise. Can't believe we missed that. Yeah, it's not as good as the developer's similar titles, Skool Daze and Back To Skool, but I think it'd be a reasonable contender if it were in this poll.

It's worth putting in, along with some of the other games in there that are half decent but which we all know aren't going to win, like Cookie.

I so wanted to love Sam Cruise like I did the Skool games, but I just found it impossibly difficult without a cheat and impossibly cryptic without a solution.

And I never understood why we can't see the interior of the buildings, as in Skool Daze/Back2Skool. The first time I played it I found it bizarre.

Anyway, it's a very interesting game that I tried several times.

Juan F. Ramirez wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2018 3:09 pm And I never understood why we can't see the interior of the buildings, as in Skool Daze/Back2Skool. The first time I played it I found it bizarre.

I think it has a much larger playing area than the Skool world, and if they did it the 'dolls house' way, they'd run out of memory pretty soon. (Just a theory I have.)

Morkin wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:36 pm ... other games that are half decent but which we all know aren't going to win, like Cookie.

Harrumph.

Will someone else please vote for Cookie? It's getting pretty lonely here in the Cookie-love shack. I promise you it's 16K of pure heaven.

It's getting so few votes I'm starting to suspect Russian electoral interference...

Nomad wrote: ↑Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:30 am I can't be the only one that wasted their vote on Dizzy? But have to admit it was a tough choice between the two eggs...

Probably, it was by far the weakest of the Dizzy series. Maybe you can do the sensible thing and change it to Cyclone.

There are just too many good games in there - picking just one just reminds of the definition of agony: a one armed man hanging off the top of a cliff with itchy macadamias.

But went for Chase HQ - the opening sequence of AY + beeper, speech, and a great game to boot.

At least a top 5 would allow some sanity:

1. Chase HQ
2. Cabal
3. Chaos
4. Cyclone
5. Cybernoid

Stefan wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2018 10:52 pm There are just too many good games in there - picking just one just reminds of the definition of agony: a one armed man hanging off the top of a cliff with itchy macadamias.

Chortle!

This is my top 5 today, tomorrow might be different. I'll need to play Chaos & Chase HQ at the weekend. Who knows my vote may even change.

Chuckie Egg
Chronos*
Cybernoid
Camelot Warriors
Commando

*auto text changed this to Chronic!

Even though Cyclone is my no.1, I must say Commando & Cobra are close to it. Both brilliant games. A bunch of good games in that list, definitely (including Chaos & Cookie!)

Rorthron wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2018 6:09 pm

Morkin wrote: ↑Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:36 pm ... other games that are half decent but which we all know aren't going to win, like Cookie.

Harrumph.

Will someone else please vote for Cookie? It's getting pretty lonely here in the Cookie-love shack. I promise you it's 16K of pure heaven.

It's getting so few votes I'm starting to suspect Russian electoral interference...

бред какой то.

R-Tape wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:18 am I'll need to play Chaos & Chase HQ at the weekend. Who knows my vote may even change.

Oh, it will, it will. Just ensure you give Chaos a few goes. It's certainly not a quick arcade blaster. One of my friends got into it heavily, and for a layman, he described it as 'animated Chess'.

R-Tape wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:18 amChronos*
[...]
*auto text changed this to Chronic!

"I approve."

PeteProdge wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:44 am

R-Tape wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 8:18 am I'll need to play Chaos & Chase HQ at the weekend. Who knows my vote may even change.

Oh, it will, it will. Just ensure you give Chaos a few goes. It's certainly not a quick arcade blaster. One of my friends got into it heavily, and for a layman, he described it as 'animated Chess'.

Someone needs to explain the charm of Chaos to me. It's exactly the sort of game I should love, but when I played it back in the day, it bored me to tears. More recently I tried it again, convinced I hadn't given it a proper chance, but was surprised to find that no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't like it. It was just really dull.

I like strategy games. I love the idea of a game of magical duels. But I honestly would count Chaos as one of my Room 101 games (now there's another poll idea).

Rorthron wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 4:04 pmSomeone needs to explain the charm of Chaos to me. It's exactly the sort of game I should love, but when I played it back in the day, it bored me to tears. More recently I tried it again, convinced I hadn't given it a proper chance, but was surprised to find that no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't like it. It was just really dull.

I like strategy games. I love the idea of a game of magical duels. But I honestly would count Chaos as one of my Room 101 games (now there's another poll idea).

A Room 101 poll is a good idea, slightly different to your standard "worst game" thread. Do it..!

Regarding Chaos, the main attraction for me is that every game you play will be different, because of the randomised spell lists. I usually play against 7 other wizards, so to win you have to plan your tactics quite carefully right from the start, and adapt them as you watch how the contest develops, deciding when and where to aim your attacks. Secondly, it has a relatively simple rule set, and no undue complications. That's why I prefer it to its sequels (and why the rebooted Chaos doesn't really interest me) - sometimes you can add too many features and lose the essence of the game.

The only slight downside for me is that once you know how the AI works & the computer reacts to things, you can 'play' it a bit (like you could with Rebelstar). For example, non-undead creatures can't attack undead creatures, but the computer doesn't seem to recognise this and still tries to do so. So you can use weak undead as temporary 'tactical blockers' when another wizard's creatures are bearing down on you.

In case you haven't voted yet.

Lie back and think of the early 1980s, a simpler time, a happier time. Think of the exhilaration of running and jumping, of ladders, of eggs, of ziggurats of chicken feed, small ziggurats. Remember the cacophony of squelches and farts? Remember how it was even better than music? Remember. Remember the giant bird that would chase you and make the game nearly impossible after a few levels? Actually no, don't remember that. Remember how it was Violet Berlin's favourite game? Remember how it was your's too?

Use your vote, use it wisely.

(It may not actually be Violet Berlin's favourite game, odds on it probably is though.)

Looks like neither of you, guys, played Carrier Command. That was one heck of a game!

Ast A. Moore wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:22 pm Looks like neither of you, guys, played Carrier Command. That was one heck of a game!

My mate got Carrier Command on the 'sort-of-cheap-but-not-really-in-the-long-run' from one of those Home Computer Club adverts and we tried to play it but didn't really know what we were doing. There may be an amazing realtime strategy game in there but it was wasted on some young teenagers. I'd class it in the same way as Stunt Car Racer or Sim City - all very admirable and technically clever adaptations of 16 bit titles but with that nagging doubt that it's all much nicer on the 16 bit side and that your 8 bits is starting to look a bit tatty in comparison. I didn't fare much better when I encountered Carrier Command on the Amiga but it looked nicer with the solid 3D and the mouse made the icon driven frontend easier to use.

Anyway, we played Chaos loads more than we did Carrier Command.

Morkin wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 4:27 pmThe only slight downside for me is that once you know how the AI works & the computer reacts to things, you can 'play' it a bit (like you could with Rebelstar). For example, non-undead creatures can't attack undead creatures, but the computer doesn't seem to recognise this and still tries to do so. So you can use weak undead as temporary 'tactical blockers' when another wizard's creatures are bearing down on you.

It's a much better game when you're playing with a group of people rather than against the AI because then many of those weaknesses don't matter and all sorts of different strategies come into the mix (such as weaker players teaming up to take down a stronger opponent). Coming from a big family, it got a lot of play simply because of the simulataneous play options (that and CRL's Formula One).

Grrr...

Not surprised but still annoyed that we have a pretender to the throne that's won. Through gritted teeth, I have to make the democratic announcement that Chase HQ has won, narrowly edging out the title that should have been first - Chaos. Tsk. It's like Brexit all over again.

To conclude, first place with 7 votes: Chase HQ by Ocean.
Second place with 6 votes - Chaos by Games Workshop.

Two games got 4 votes, that's Chuckie Egg by A&F Software and Commando by Elite.

Closely followed by Cyclone by Vortex, which garnered 3 votes.

In the 2 votes position, two titles: Cauldron II by Palace Software and Cookie by Ultimate.

Sitting in the 1 vote area: Carrier Command by Rainbird; Chronos by Mastertronic; Crystal Kingdom Dizzy by Code Masters and Cybernoid II by Hewson.

You lot have just got no taste! Cookie was the choice of the cognoscenti.

At least it wasn't Chaos.

Rorthron wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:40 am You lot have just got no taste! Cookie was the choice of the cognoscenti.

What can we say? Looks like everyone's browser rejected that Cookie.

Rorthron wrote: ↑Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:40 amAt least it wasn't Chaos.

DISBELIEVE

Ooh, that was a close one.

Well I suppose there's a plus, in that everyone who didn't vote for Chaos obviously never played it, so now get to play it and realise what they've been missing out on...


[Edit: ... and at least Cookie didn't win]

Well if I hadn't voted for the vastly superior, but clearly underrated, Cyclone I'd have had to go Chase HQ. So I can't entirely disagree with that one, it's a classic after all. Tough choice as there were a lot of really good C games.

I would have voted for Cyclone or Cobra, but probably for the latter, because I can't watch it obtaining zero votes.