Manic Jet Set Willy v3

[z80 coder]

A search on this forum, seems to indicate that this program is not known about or just not mentioned. So I will provide a link for Manic Jet Set Willy.

My interest on a zx spectrum is to push the envelope as to what could have been acheived back in 1982/3/4 when Jet Set Willy and Manic Miner were released. I have no interest in moving to a machine that did not exist when these programs were released. So all my effort is only concerned with the mundane 48k zx spectrum.

Both Jet Set Willy and Manic Miner run in 48k, both use most of the available ram. The task I set my self was to improve the game flow of Manic Miner and also Jet Set Willy. Making the graphics smoother and the transistions more free flowing. I removed a lot of the screen flicker.

So far I have mentioned nothing that has not been done contless times by me and other people. However I upped the task to my self and proceeded to rewrite the game structure and data structure to allow both Jet Set Willy and Manic Miner to BOTH run (modified) in 48k at the same time. To allow for both games to be played at the same time, I restructured the game very slightly, but in essence it is still Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy

The game runs faster - with the ability to change the game speed
The sprites no longer glitch when drawn
The infinite death loop has been removed
etc.

The game is available at https://jswmm.co.uk/files/file/160-mani ... -willy-v3/

[hitm4n]

This is very cool. I completed the first portal to MM level 1. Found what looked like 3 more portals but none took me anywhere. Are they all portals to MM1, or is this a bug? Enjoying the game though

[z80 coder]

Default play - Fixed by play

When the game is played in standrad form- The first portal for every game is the first cavern in Manic Miner. If that cavern is completed the return from that cavern is back to Jet Set Willy. The next cavern entered from JSW will be the second cavern in Manic Miner and so on. This is the default play.

Pressing 1 on the title screen will change the defualt play to - FIxed by room.

Here the portals are designated to a specific room. So access is set and fixed to the room. This will still leave the bathroom with access to the first cavern.

pressing 1 again will take you to Random by play and also Random by room.

Here the portal access to each room changes on every play. Whilst tecnically random by room and random by play are different. The playing will be still the same. The portal will access an unknown room.

The graphics depicted on the portals are a reflection of the portal used in Manic Miner. When played in random mode the portal graphic in Jet Set Willy will be just a question mark - giving no indication to which room/cavern you will enter.

[hitm4n]

Hmm, i had it on the first option. I played the first MM room, portal above toilet, screen 1. Second portal i came to (at the stairs with the Cross in it) was not flashing and i couldn't go in it. Nor the third or fourth portals i came across.

[spider]

Hmm, i had it on the first option. I played the first MM room, portal above toilet, screen 1. Second portal i came to (at the stairs with the Cross in it) was not flashing and i couldn't go in it. Nor the third or fourth portals i came across.

You need to collect all the items in each room for the Portal to become active.

I suspect you're referring to First Landing ? There's an object lower right hand side, then that Portal will become available.

EDIT... Quick .gif of me starting the game, collecting the 'tap' (note the Portal is not flashing until I do so) , then going to First Landing and collecting that item, note the Portal is not active until that item has been added to Willy's collection.

Spoiler

I did test play-test this V3 release quite a lot during its development to assist, for which I'm happy to have done so.

[Jbizzel]

excellent and bonkers. I love it. thank you.

[hitm4n]

You need to collect all the items in each room for the Portal to become active.

This'll be it... Thanks.

[Spud]

Very novel Idea, I really like it. Really love that the portals operate once the items on that screen have been collected. As @Jbizzel says - excellent and bonkers

[StanVanman]

This is amazing, not least because it finally delivers a Speccy Manic Miner that makes a noise when you collect an object

[Jbizzel]

The game plays a lot faster that manic miner, in fact I had to check my emulation speed settings. The extra speed make manic miner feel like a new game. Very smooth too. (*Edit I realised I pressed H which sped up the game)

How did you manage to fit both games into 48k? I thought manic miners 20 levels were pushing what could be achieved?

[bob_fossil]

How did you manage to fit both games into 48k? I thought manic miners 20 levels were pushing what could be achieved?

The room data in Manic Miner and JSW is very compressible as the levels are mostly gaps. Adding 20 new levels is very doable as Jet Set Willy 2 has a load more screens than the first game.

[Van_Dammesque]

Great effort on the idea and code optimization!

[z80 coder]

Interesting aspect of expanding Jet Set Willy as stated by bob fossil as being easy.

The game has room to add around 8 rooms so it is easy enough to expand to 72 rooms.

I will list below every version of Jet Set Willy that is written in 48K that I did not write with over 72 rooms.

here is the list.

..... Nothing

Every single version expanded above 72 rooms, was written by me. I did note of course the Bob Fossil expansion of Manic miner. That was an expansion from 20 rooms down to erm 6. and minus all the sound and title screen graphics. I did do an expansion of Manic miner and called that Manic 40 Miner. That took a couple of days. It did eventually take a couple of months because I also added a part game editor into the 40 room game.


In order of size expansions of JSW by me.

Manic Jet set Willy. That is two full games in 48k and 84 rooms

manic Panic - Full screen and 30 rooms - actually a lot more compression in that, than might be apparant

Altered reality . that has 128 rooms

Jsw2 - that has 137 rooms

and Jsw2+ that has 147 rooms

The supposed ease of expanding is not or has not been done , by others in 48k