Released: pulse

[orion70]

One copy arrived in Italy . More and pics tomorrow.

[vicist]

Works fine. Great intro. I really suck at this game but the game most definitely does not suck.

Thanx pixel for all your efforts to get this into production.

Respect.

[pixel]

Works fine. Great intro. I really suck at this game but the the game most definitely does not suck.

Thanx pixel for all your efforts to get this into production.

Respect.

My pleasure. Wouldn't have happened without darkatx, boray and beamrider – and totally VIC–unrelated people like Lukas Ramolla (who by the way is a guitar God in Germany) and the overall support of Denial and also external reviews which basically, can only speak for myself there, set my butt on fire. Then again there's my ex–flatmate, Robin Gras (who was never robbing grass from me btw), who witnessed the very first beginnings of the game and tested it into the ground. Nigel Parker sparked the initial thought of going physical and one Hannes Schlisio got totally exhausted with my personality type when VIC games suddenly got hammered into a Raspberry Pi driven shit pipe called "Retro Arcade Tube". Oh, and then there's Feline Lang, who's heading a band called "Feline & Strange". She stuffed my apartment with – no kidding – a van load of retro hardware. Watch them on Youtube, please. (You might spot me in one of their videos.)

I must say I think Misfit's "Super Starship Space Attack" is a lot more rounder artistically, which personally impresses me a lot more than technical novelty. Wish I could've caught up with that. Am deeply impressed about the releases people here come up with alone. Would've left everything else in the dust to do the real intro but found myself in the dust rather unexpectedly. So, f'ings go to my gambling–addicted landlord who messed things up just at the very wrong time. What an irony.

Will have to take a rest from game programming but I'll continue with Arukanoido when the seat belts got fastened.

As the radio part in the intro is barely understandable, here's the transcript:

"…unfortunately it never came to the release: his liver imploded on his way to the post office."
"That was our documentary about Pixel and this is Space Radio Denial! Next time on Homebrew Heroes: Misfit! You think you know everything about him? Maybe next week, same time."
[Space Radio Denial jingle]
"Now Ladies and Gentlemen it's time for a surprise update of your radio software after which we will provide you with the #1 one hit of the universe. Back in a sec!"

[orion70]

Tried it this morning, and I must say I'm AMAZED! Never seen such a highly-addictive, fast-paced, colorful shoot'em up space game for the VIC. Mind you, this genre is not my cup of tea, but I was GLUED to the screen, at least until wife rescued me to the early morning routine .
I felt like a double-face experience. First part of the game: collected several power-ups, then felt omnipotent in my powerful ever-shooting spaceship. Said something like "wow, didn't remember I was so skilled at arcades!".
But then, I lost a life against a wandering bomb, and felt naked again. Following lives were lost in seconds . So yes, I remembered correctly: I S*CK at space shooters.

[pixel]

Tried it this morning, and I must say I'm AMAZED! Never seen such a highly-addictive, fast-paced, colorful shoot'em up space game for the VIC. Mind you, this genre is not my cup of tea, but I was GLUED to the screen, at least until wife rescued me to the early morning routine .
I felt like a double-face experience. First part of the game: collected several power-ups, then felt omnipotent in my powerful ever-shooting spaceship. Said something like "wow, didn't remember I was so skilled at arcades!".
But then, I lost a life against a wandering bomb, and felt naked again. Following lives were lost in seconds . So yes, I remembered correctly: I S*CK at space shooters.

Am glad the wait paid out for you. How I cope with the game tells me how good breakfast was. But it's very possible to make over 2000 points with two lives lost before the terrain scrolls in – there're extra lives each 1000 points.

By the way there are also piles of extra bonuses so secret that I don't know myself how it works in the code really. Just a hint: good things come to those who wait.

Great setup!

Also thanks for your photos everyone.

[beamrider]

Well finally got around to trying this (thanks Pixel, my copy landed on the door mat a few days ago)...

..unfortunately, I can't get my particular copy to work. I've tried two different datasettes (both of which work with commercial tapes). I tried with and without additional memory and both sides of the tape. One attempt did get to the loading screen but then just stayed black after the intro, the others resulted in load errors, resets, black screens or ?syntax error.

Would you happen to have a .tap file I can burn myself?

Thanks
Adrian

[pixel]

Would you happen to have a .tap file I can burn myself?

Sure! Mind sending me your mail address?

Tested every copy but I knew this would happen… I'd better send it to everybody who ordered.

EDIT: Found your address.

[joshuadenmark]

@beamrider have you tried to move the datasette a bit away from the other electronics when loading?

[pixel]

TAP files for NTSC and PAL went out to everyone who paid. Harrharr! The others can still send their missing email address, beer, pizza or controlled substances to the return address on the package.

[beamrider]

Thanks, just got your email.

Yes I moved the tape far away from the screen (just like the old days), but no luck. I could try another datasette I suppose. How long does it take to load and should the screen go blank for a long time?

I'll try again tomorrow before re-recording using the .tap files.

Cheers
Adrian

[pixel]

Thanks, just got your email.

My pleasure!

Yes I moved the tape far away from the screen (just like the old days), but no luck. I could try another datasette I suppose. How long does it take to load and should the screen go blank for a long time?

Unfortunately that's the case. But you should hear the radio programme followed by a couple of seconds of silence. Well, you'll see with the TAPs I sent you.

I assume there's something wrong with the tape itself. They seem to be too fragile for the datassette. Can't find another manufacturer anywhere else. Asked Tapeline twice if they could come up with thicker tapes but basically got no bloody answer (yes, the effects of meditation are starting to wear off).

I'll try again tomorrow before re-recording using the .tap files.

As I stated in the mails I sent: can also pass you the master WAVs – no better quality to have had with these. Promise!

[beamrider]

Thanks, well I finally got it working on the 3rd datasette.

I think this loading system is pushing the limits of 30 year old commodore tape tech. I wrote out the .tap file using the Princess but found that datasettes would only reliably load their own authored tapes. Also, they were fussy as to the cassettes used. I guess I need to go through my collection of datasettes and align and clean their heads - that's a job for a rainy day (well actually it's rainy today, but too cold in my garage/man-shed).

Great game btw, love the high score screen!

[pixel]

Thanks, well I finally got it working on the 3rd datasette.

I think this loading system is pushing the limits of 30 year old commodore tape tech. I wrote out the .tap file using the Princess but found that datasettes would only reliably load their own authored tapes. Also, they were fussy as to the cassettes used. I guess I need to go through my collection of datasettes and align and clean their heads - that's a job for a rainy day (well actually it's rainy today, but too cold in my garage/man-shed).

The loader did quite well with a terribly wobbly datassette around here. Must be more of a problem with head alignment, I assume.

Great game btw, love the high score screen!

Thanks! That tune is playing with 2 bits at 3kHz – more proof that reality is an illusion.

[darkatx]

Thanks! That tune is playing with 2 bits at 3kHz – more proof that reality is an illusion.

2 bits at 3kHz?!! That's insane!!!

[pixel]

Thanks! That tune is playing with 2 bits at 3kHz – more proof that reality is an illusion.

2 bits at 3kHz?!! That's insane!!!

That for the hiscore table. Boray's theme is rocking along with 4 bits at 5kHz. The inaudible radio part is 4 bits at 2kHz (loads data at the same time).