Release: Popeye

[beamrider]

Thanks for the fixes and the nice animation at the beginning

No problem, glad someone is actually playing it..

I have found this YouTube longplay:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H_K4YVcd6k

You are right. The intro does not play on level 3 the second time through. However interestingly level 6 is not the ship-level but the first level again. So the second round is 4 levels. After that the original 3 levels play in original order again for the rest of the game.

Also, rounds after round 9 are named A to Z (and then going into special characters)

OK, I think I'll let those differences slide..

[beamrider]

Managed to complete the 3 stages with a score of 35,800 - so it is possible even for an old timer like me....

That was on the latest version 0.31 and not using Snapshots.

(waiting for Boray to beat me at my own game now, like he did with Tank Battalion)

[hasseapa]

My best is 39000 but I have yet to complete level 3 (very close though). It is so darned long!

I fired up MAME yesterday. I made it to level 3 on the first go. This is surely a big compliment to the VIC-conversion - the skill carries over.

But the arcade game is also easier and this is first and foremost due to shorter lasting levels. It took me 1:45 to clear level 1 on MAME and 3:35 on VIC. The hearts/notes/letters generate at much higher frequency in the arcade game. This makes the game somewhat more hectic while it lasts (you are in much more danger to lose a life by losing a heart) but as you have to live through the other adversaries for a shorter time, it makes it easier to clear a level. Higher frequency should necessitate faster vertical velocity of the hearts so that they don't clump together. If it is not a technical limitation, I suggest you try a higher frequency and see how it affects the game overall.

In the arcade game the hearts freeze while in spinach mode. This is probably a good choice if the frequency/speed is substantially increased. In the VIC-version you can climb both up & down on the ladder in level 1. That is not possible in the arcade game (but in the NES-conversion IIRC). I am grateful for that opportunity in the VIC-game (at least with the current difficulty level).

Thanks for fixing the ladder in level 2. I did have some difficulty trying to descend it. I have also had some troubles trying to get the spinach in level 2. Not sure if the blame should be on the game or on me, though!

I hope to give level 3 another go tonight!

[beamrider]

Thanks for the insights..

The VIC can only display four hearts at a time tho, hence the slower pace. This makes it a different game in which you need to stay out of trouble for longer, but that kind of makes it tense. My heart was pounding on the final stages of completing level 3 after having tried several times and failed. Can't remember feeling like that from a game since trying to complete Super Mario World on the SNES. I supose I had the added pressue of making sure it was actually possible. I kind of like the way it plays now, so I'll probs leave it as is.

Suggest you use Snapshots and practice level 2 making sure you can finish it fairly easily with all your lives in tact as a strategy to beat level 3. After I'd completed level 3, I kind of lost the inclination to continue.

The skills do transfer well. I tried the NES version just now and it seemed ridcoulously easy by comparison.

I'll take a look at collecting the spinach on L2 and see if I can see anything wrong.

[hasseapa]

Yeah, I suspected it was due to technical reasons.

I haven't used snapshots for training yet as it feels like cheating The first times I entered level 3, i felt very disoriented and did not know what strategy to use, but now after a few plays, I think I am equipped to deal with it. As you say, it is a very nerve wrecking experience

Yes, the NES-version is much easier than the aracde. The C64-version is easier as well IIRC, but I haven't played it in a long, long time.

[beamrider]

I haven't used snapshots for training yet as it feels like cheating T

Oh dear, naughty me!

I hadn't really considered it that way. I viewed it that so long as the actual "attempt" didn't make use of snapshots, that was OK. Guess it's too late for me now...

[tokra]

One more snapshot... I don't think I should die there, the bottle is clearly below me. Sometimes I try to evade bottles by the wizards and Brutus simultaneously by placing Popeye just right on the stairs, but get killed anyway...

[hasseapa]

Finally... I really messed up at the end and only had one life left for round 4, where I did not last long (not because it was that hard but because I messed up again). 44800 points.

I may have encountered bugs and unwanted behaviour during round 3 but I was too stressed out to really take notice. Not only were my fingers slippery from the sweat but I was sweating all over. I will now use snapshots and try round 3 under less stressful circumstances If I find any bugs, I will let you know.

[beamrider]

Well done!

I'm improving the vertical hit testing accuracy as tokras above post for the next release, which will probably make it a bit easier and allow refuge on the third step , so you will have the accoldade of being the only one to complete the tough version 0.31 without Snapshots!!

[beamrider]

OK, version 0.4 is available to download.

Contains:

- improvements to vertical hit test accuracy for bottles/hearts (thanks tokra)
- slight speed improvement (maybe)
- bug fix: doesn't go straight down the central ladder on level 1 if you jump off the right ledge and press down straightaway

I noticed that the more 'fair' hit testing makes the game a bit easier.

Cheers

[beamrider]

One more snapshot... I don't think I should die there, the bottle is clearly below me. Sometimes I try to evade bottles by the wizards and Brutus simultaneously by placing Popeye just right on the stairs, but get killed anyway...

thanks for the Snapshot - see v0.4

[tokra]

Ok, just did a playthrough with 64550 points, got to level 6. Looks fine to me, no more "unfair" deaths.

Maybe you can add a highscore-list that is saved to disc (if available) and an "attract-mode". But this would just be icing on the cake. The game is pretty perfect as is.

[hasseapa]

Well done!

I'm improving the vertical hit testing accuracy as tokras above post for the next release, which will probably make it a bit easier and allow refuge on the third step , so you will have the accoldade of being the only one to complete the tough version 0.31 without Snapshots!!

Thanks! I missed v0.31 so it was actually v0.3.

The improved hit testing for bottles could come in handy quite often, so I definitively welcome it. In the arcade game, the two middle steps offer a safe haven from bottles - both from below and from above.

Ok, just did a playthrough with 64550 points,

I certainly need to practice at level 3 before I can challenge that!

[beamrider]

Ok, just did a playthrough with 64550 points, got to level 6. Looks fine to me, no more "unfair" deaths.

Maybe you can add a highscore-list that is saved to disc (if available) and an "attract-mode". But this would just be icing on the cake. The game is pretty perfect as is.

Thanks, @tokra

I'm running out of spare time now so will release as is. I've added to anouncements thread and bumped it to v1.0

[rhurst]

Just gave this a go... two big thumbs up!! You produced another marvel.