Resource centre for ZX Spectrum games
using Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy game engines
Versions and minor mods of the original Manic Miner
Manic Miner: creme de la creme
Author: Norman Sword
Year: 2021
Language: English
A file created for the purpose of demonstrating Manic Miner being auto-played with the maximum possible score.
Its history starts with a topic on JetSet Willy & Manic Miner Community in which a user nicknamed "crem" shared his attempts to generate new strats for speedrunners for Manic Miner. He created an algorithm that uses mostly a brute force approach, which worked pretty well, yielding various optimizations, some micro, some quite substantial. The results of Manic Miner played by crem's algorithm, saved as RZX recordings, helped establish - together with the best results obtained by human players - the maximum possible scores in each cavern.
During the development of this topic, Norman Sword released TAP files presenting the first caverns of Manic Miner played by scripted movement. He altered the keyboard input routine to accept input from a data stream. The data stream was simply a file he would write, with values for the various inputs (left, right and jump). The cavern was played and the data was taken from the data stream one entry at a time, which simulated the keyboard input.
Norman Sword used per frame keypress data for all levels generated and provided by crem, with the best route for each level. He refined this data by eliminating some of Willy's erratic, incessant movements generated by crem's algorithm (which does not cope well with inactivity, such as waiting for the guardian to move away). He released the first full version of Manic Miner: creme de la creme in March 2021. It was followed by some improved editions, with the initial focus of the algorithm on the fastest "real world" completion time being replaced by a concentration on maximising the score obtained (it is generally the case that completing the caverns in the fastest time will maximise the remaining air supply, and thus in turn yield the highest score, but there are exceptions, such as taking a detour to collect the bonus points for the optional "Kong flips" in caverns 8 and 12, and selecting a route through the "Solar Power Generator" [19] that minimises Willy's contact with the air-sapping light beam).
Manic Miner: creme de la creme is meant to be watched, not played. Pressing "K" while on the title screen brings up a menu that allows one to choose which cavern should be auto-played (keys "Z" and "X" can be used to select a cavern). Pressing "L" causes the auto-play of the selected cavern and the following ones (when the first cavern is selected, pressing "L" will auto-play the whole game). Pressing "V" switches between the Bug-Byte and Software Projects versions (the highest score that can be achieved in the SP version is one point higher than the one achievable in the BB version, due to the possibility of jumping over a guardian in "The Warehouse" [17] that, due to a different sprite, cannot be jumped over at the same time in the BB version).
In turn, pressing "ENTER" leads the player to a degraded version of the selected cavern with a message encouraging them to buy the original game, which is not meant to be played (even though a part of the screens can actually be played to completion by collecting all items and reaching the portal). Pressing "ENTER" on the title screen leads the player to a degraded version of "The Central Cavern". This is also where the end of the auto-play brings the player (or rather, the spectator) to when the game has auto-completed.
The high score is constantly updated during the game. It alternates in colour when a new high score has been achieved. Furthermore, a graphic representation of the data stream corresponding to Willy's automatic movements is diplayed flowing through the status bar.
The solar beam in "Solar Power Generator" (19) has been modified so that it turns red when it is touching Willy and sapping additional air.
Number of rooms: (20 + 20) x 2
(There are two sets of 20 rooms each: one featuring "normal" rooms which cannot be played, but are meant to be watched while auto-playing, and the other one featuring "degraded" rooms which can be played to a limited extent, but are not meant to be played. Furthermore, each of these rooms can be displayed either in the Bug-Byte or Software Projects version.)
The total score when the game is auto-played:
The Bug-Byte version:
- upon reaching the swordfish sign: 38,254 points;
- upon first re-entry into the first cavern: 39,530 points.
The Software Projects version:
- upon reaching the swordfish sign: 38,255 points;
- upon first re-entry into the first cavern: 39,531 points.
Download links
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The topic where the game was released on JetSet Willy & Manic Miner Community |
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Game file in TAP format |
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Game file in TAP and TZX formats |
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RZX walkthroughs of both versions of the game |
Screenshot gallery |
Title screens:
Cavern selection screens in both versions:
Rooms during the auto-play in the Bug-Byte version:
Rooms during the auto-play in the Software Projects:
Degraded, poorly-playable versions of the rooms:
Game Over screen
