New Game Release: HEIST

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:16 am

Hm yes, the MiniGame compo is still running, but barely.

As for shooting the cop, perhaps it is just a stun gun in order to get away? Perhaps it doesn't matter to the legislation if it is a lethal shot or just something that paralyzes cops, you get lifetime anyway.

fgasking · Post by **fgasking** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:37 am

Great little game, really enjoying it so far

Wonder-Boy · Post by **Wonder-Boy** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:10 pm

Nice game!
I can report that it doesn't work when you have a 16K RAM expansion cartridge plugged in.

Post by **Jeff-20** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 3:49 pm

Yeah, none of my games work with memory expansion. I didn't have that option when I was a kid. I remember being so annoyed when a great game would appear in a magazine and it required additional RAM! I must still have a grudge against them, because all of my cheap games require absolutely nothing more than a joystick (something I had because of the family Atari VCS). In theory, this should allow my games to work on every existing VIC 20.

eslapion · Post by **eslapion** » Sun Sep 14, 2008 4:28 pm

Jeff-20 wrote:Yeah, none of my games work with memory expansion. I didn't have that option when I was a kid. I remember being so annoyed when a great game would appear in a magazine and it required additional RAM!

I got my VIC-20 on november 25th 1983... and an 8k Expansion on december 25th 1983...

Everyone I knew who had a VIC could play copies of carts specifically because they had memory expansions so getting one was an imperative.

nbla000 · Post by **nbla000** » Mon Sep 15, 2008 3:19 am

eslapion wrote:I got my VIC-20 on november 25th 1983... and an 8k Expansion on december 25th 1983...

Everyone I knew who had a VIC could play copies of carts specifically because they had memory expansions so getting one was an imperative.

you were a lucky boy, in that time, memory expansions were expensive for me and my friends, at least here in Italy, and we didn't know that using an hacked 8k memory expansion we could play cart games too

carlsson · Post by **carlsson** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:10 am

Actually the number of VIC-20 games that will work with any kind of memory expansion are very few. Even some cartridge games may misbehave if you'd have a 8K or 16K memory expansion simultaneously plugged in.

Games that only use built-in graphics and standard 22x23 screen may be possible to rewrite to play both on unexpanded or +16K, but the more bells added, the harder it gets unless you want to make it a multipart loader.

Iltanen · Post by **Iltanen** » Sat Sep 27, 2008 7:35 am

That's a nice game, finally had the time to beat it. I robbed 2 banks in VICE.

I guess your partners take it while you are locked up... for life (as Golan points out, the number of crimes should total far more than 10 years)

Well, this game could take place in Finland.. here the maximum penalty for whatever is 12 years, called a "life sentence"

Post by **Jeff-20** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 2:07 pm

Since so many of you actually completed the game, I need to ask a few questions about game design.

Should I cut a few minigames and replace them with tutorials... "If you fall down a ladder, don't try that ladder again." Or a hint with the code, "The number above is the correct code. Match it."?

I've been adding more "in-game instructions" to my programs. I'm really torn on the issue because I could also include that info in a text file, but often PRGs are separated from manuals.

English Invader wrote:I'm finally going to ask; what's the point of Heist?

As far as I can see, it's just pure guesswork. You either guess the right ladders or you break your leg. When you get upstairs, you presumably spend an eternity trying to guess the security code. There doesn't seem to be any skill involved.

I was disappointed really because when I read the scenario it sounded like a lot of fun.

It seems like the most confusing parts for some players were the very first ones! I could just make those parts easier, but then I would feel like Pacman's designer making the ghosts edible all the time. So, maybe I just need to explain them better in game. No one wants to play a game with the manual next to the screen.

It's hard for me to see it in perspective because I made it.

robinsonmason · Post by **robinsonmason** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:57 am

This is great! Worked with PRG starter, too.

It took me a sec to figure out the ladders section, and I stood around stupidly on the dye pack screen until I realized I had to grab as much cash as I could, but it's fun and I love the many games packed in to one aspect.