Resource centre for ZX Spectrum games
using Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy game engines
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Manic Miner & Jet Set Willy Yahoo! Group
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Message: 5605
Author: steven620810
Date: 28/02/2006
Subject: Re: Quirky features / Broadsoft's MM/JSW Trainer
--- In manicminerandjetsetwilly@yahoogroups.com, andrewbroad
<<< SNIP >>>
> * Quirky features are not bugs (at worst they are unintended
I'm afraid I'm gonna have to disagree with you there Andrew and side
> loopholes). A bug is an error that makes a game not possible to
> complete, or even causes the Spectrum to crash.
with Dunny... A bug is an error in the program code. The bug
manifests itself as unintended behaviour when the program is run
against the way the program was designed to work.
Software bugs can be critical in that the computer may crash or in
the case of MM/JSW games not be completeable, or non critical in that
unforseen side effects such as the "Quirky Features".
It would be interesting to ask Mathew Smith whether he designed the
quirky features into the engine, or whether they're bugs due to the
way Mathew coded his design. I suspect it's the latter!
Don't get me wrong, I think the new breed of MM/JSW games are
beautiful and well designed, but I think the extensive use of quirky
features spoils the game for the lay player.
For me, the difficulty level in a MM/JSW game should arise from
having to work out the route to take along the platforms to collect
objects and also having to work out the timings for when to jump in
order to navigate the platforms while avoiding the guardians / arrows
etc.
I'm planning on writing a JSW game myself, which will be more in line
with classic JSW to be called Jet Set Willy - Redux. I've put the
preservation effort very much on the back burner and intend to have a
good read of the JSW64 editor manual and have a bash...
Wish me luck..
Steve
http://tzxvault.retrogames.com
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