Maze Castle

[Jbizzel]

https://jbizzel.itch.io/maze-castle



Map:

Spoiler

A little game using that ZXGm engine

[Jbizzel]

Updated version just released

Graphics + enemy placement and tweaks to the maze.

[DVDfever]

Nice one! I got it done in 3 goes!

However, I still got the sound FX whether in 48K or 128K mode.

[Jbizzel]

Nice one.

The sound effects were updated in the engine last night. So the current version has this feature.

Lots of work is being done all the time to improve it. I was intrigued to make a game with the engine as it was, and use it's limitations and characteristics.

The level design follows these limitations:

1 key, one door and one health per screen. So the last area where you unlock all the doors to enter the final chamber - it was necessary to have these doors on different screens.

Worth noting that this is a '0 code' game engine. No scripts, not Basic. Just design the level, sprites and tiles.

Also, I attempted to explore the quirks if the jump mechanism in this engine. Some small blocks are hard to leap, and othertimes, leaping big monsters is trivial - as your video shows.

You can have 3 enemies on the screen, but I didn't add many as I found the maze hard enough to navigate without them.

[R-Tape]

I had a go on it last night. It's good to have another engine for a bit of variety. I wish it used different sound effects library though, as when I hit a spike I felt like I was playing a clunky churro (MK1 game).

Is this game engine easy to pick up and use?

[Jbizzel]

Agree. The output reminds me of churro style games.

BUT - this is a NO CODE engine. That is key here. No coding or scripting what so ever. That is different.

Music wise - some development is ongoing.

It uses vortex tracker and beepfx

So actually there are a lot of options.

I added AY music to this game tonight, but there is a bug!

[Jbizzel]

Some bugs were fixed last night.

The game now has an AY music version (using music by Marco) and the kempston joystick issue if fixed.

Please re download the game and take a look at the musical possibilities.

By the way, you can no longer shoot baddies. I didn't like that aspect of the game, so now you must dodge them, which is.more fun

[DVDfever]

Thanks. I'll have a go at it later. In the meantime, I saw you also made the demos for Little Whale and Tubular Bells, which I've put up here, but for the latter, while I see the whole album is there, I just put up the main track

[Jbizzel]

I managed to add AY music to my game, but I am hopeless with Vortex 2. Well funny you should say @dvduk because I popped in to say that Maze Castle has in game AY music that also works on a 48k spectrum with an AY chip!!

PS the little whale explores the calm sea is from my son's grade 1 piano book - lol.

[DVDfever]

Even managed a shorter time to complete the game with the music

[Jbizzel]

Nice! you are a pro at this game now. Great video.

[flatduckrecords]

@Jbizzel do you have a link to more info about the engine? I was curious about it but it has completely evaded my google-fu.

[DVDfever]

Nice! you are a pro at this game now. Great video.

Thanks And I'll just add it here, only because I didn't realise I'd posted it at the bottom of the first page, so by default, people will now come to this page, and miss the video altogether

[Jbizzel]

@Jbizzel do you have a link to more info about the engine? I was curious about it but it has completely evaded my google-fu.

I put the link on my itch page, take a look Also, I can help if you have questions about it just shoot me a message.

[flatduckrecords]

I put the link on my itch page, take a look

Ahahah, how did I miss that?

Also, I can help if you have questions about it just shoot me a message.

Thanks!

[Jbizzel]

@flatduckrecords You basically design you tiles and draw your map in Tiled. Then add sprites and collectables etc.

It is limited:

1 collectable, 1 door, 1 health and 3 enemies on any given screen.
The paper must always be black.
Enemy movement is either horizontal or vertical
ridable platforms must be horizontal.

[flatduckrecords]

@flatduckrecords You basically design you tiles and draw your map in Tiled. Then add sprites and collectables etc.

Ta! As it happens I've used Tiled before for some HTML-based games so that's good to know.

1 collectable, 1 door, 1 health and 3 enemies on any given screen.
The paper must always be black.
Enemy movement is either horizontal or vertical
ridable platforms must be horizontal.

That sounds like more than enough to be getting on with!

[Supamax]

https://jbizzel.itch.io/maze-castle

The webpage above is giving me an error. Is it just me?

[Mpk]

https://jbizzel.itch.io/maze-castle

The webpage above is giving me an error. Is it just me?

Itch.io seems to be down generally.

https://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/itch-io

[Jbizzel]

The link is working for me :/

PS - I made the game with these challenges in mind (easy to hard):

Challenges

Find the shortest route
Complete the game
Speed run the game
No damage run.
Speed run, no damage + all hearts collected.

[DVDfever]

The link is working for me :/

PS - I made the game with these challenges in mind (easy to hard):

Challenges

Find the shortest route
Complete the game
Speed run the game
No damage run.
Speed run, no damage + all hearts collected.

The itch.io page is now up again, but as for those challenges, "No damage"? Blimey, there's one or two tacks on the levels that catch me EVERY time!

[Jbizzel]

There is one tack that is very difficult to jump, top left most screen of the map.

That is the only one that almost always gets me. To the point I wonder if there is a bug.

I will look into it.