New Release: Exit Plan Z 2

[R'zo]

Name: Exit Plan Z II (Channel Z)
Author: R'zo
Genre: rouglike zombie escape
Code: Basic
Requirements: Unexpanded Vic-20

Description: A simple Rogelike top view zombie action escape game. Work your way through each level of Channel Zs tower. Avoid zombies, get the key and make your way to the door for the next levels. Earn points for each level completed, step bonus and time bonus. Complete 20 levels and beat the game.

Story: You are a News reporter for Channel Z. Zombies have over taken the T.V. station (a 20 story high rise.) While hiding in the basement you found some old radio equipment. Using it you contacted a nearby military base. They are sending a rescue chopper to save you. They will meat you on the roof top. You have to get there alive.

Contols: A=left W=up S=down D=right F1=restart level

Downloads: XPZ2.prg , XPZ2.tap

Update- Final expanded version
EXIT PLAN Z II EX (expanded edition)
code: basic compiled with austro compiler
Requirements: Vic 20 with 16k expansion. Joystick optional.
download:epzii16k

program includes story, directions and credits.

controls-js, awsd+shift for fire or ijkl+shift for fire. Z reloads level.
[/quote]

[LoadError]

Nice, I like "get the key" games, kind of reminds me of Bewitched and Tutankham.
Anyway, I hope they don't literally "meat" me when I get to the rooftop!

[GreyGhost]

I like them as well. Can't wait to try this out.

[R'zo]

Anyway, I hope they don't literally "meat" me when I get to the rooftop!

Oops, that's a nice pun of a typo. I think I'll leave it

[R'zo]

After a few good test plays I have come to the conclusion that this game is extremely easy.

It seems a little difficult at first but once you get use to how the zombies move it becomes nothing to blast through all 20 levels. You are more likely to lose because a level starts you out right next to a z who jumps you before you have a chance to move than you are to lose from your own mistake or lack of skill.

All though I like the realism that random functions produce in a game a game should be difficult beyond such said randomness.

I took a side step in writing this game because I wanted to do something in unexpanded basic. That being said this will be my last game in basic. My ideas are just growing beyond what I can do with basic.

My focus on games from here is in action/adventure rpgs as I feel there is not enough for the Vic. My next game will be based loosely off of adventure for the 2600. It was one of my favorite games as a kid.

[orion70]

It's a good game though, you shouldn't be too harsh with your creature! Going for an Adventure-like release is not a bad idea at all, but so why not porting Adventure itself to the VIC altogether then?

[GreyGhost]

I'd like to add, all of the test playing we do as a game develops, the game play does become easier. It's the nature of things. What's obvious to you may not be so to someone else. Think of ways to make the AI surprise even yourself. <-inspirational, no?

[hasseapa]

My focus on games from here is in action/adventure rpgs as I feel there is not enough for the Vic. My next game will be based loosely off of adventure for the 2600. It was one of my favorite games as a kid.

I would also love more VIC game in the style of 2600 Adventure (a proper port would also be super cool).

We have Pharaoh's Tomb and its successor Zok's Kingdom, but they are both really slow and much more static than Adventure.

P.S.
Will try Exit Plan Z 2 later

[R'zo]

You are all very right. Thank you for your kind words every one.

I've been giving this some thought and I think I'm going to experiment around with this a little. First I'm going to try compiling it. This should allow me to speed things up a little, get more movement out of the zombies and add to the difficulty. This will of course require me to go beyond unexpanded but it will be worth it.

As far as adventure goes, I'm just not a porter. I'd rather write my own game with it's own unique twists and directions.

There is a port of adventure on the sd2iec collection but its not as good as the 2600.

[LoadError]

I was just about to suggest it. By compiling it, the speed and the overall experience will be dramatically changed, and you will be hard pressed to recognize your own zombies. You may need some tweaking afterwards on the controls. If I may, I'd also eliminate or reduce the moving sounds, as the VIC chip sound synthesis is notoriously rather dreadful.

[R'zo]

I was just about to suggest it. By compiling it, the speed and the overall experience will be dramatically changed, and you will be hard pressed to recognize your own zombies. You may need some tweaking afterwards on the controls. If I may, I'd also eliminate or reduce the moving sounds, as the VIC chip sound synthesis is notoriously rather dreadful.

You are absolutely right

I compiled it (love being able to run Austro-Compiler in vice with warp mode.) Nested the zombie control routine in a loop that allows for 3 zombies to move per frame instead of just 1. I also had to add a time loop to slow things down a bit as everything was now running to fast to react to.

Results, game flows faster, smoother and I am having difficulty making it past level 5. The game also now requires more strategy.

I initially wanted to keep this unexpanded which is the only reason I hadn't compiled it. Now that I've sacrificed that idea I now have room for other features like optional difficulty level, title screen/game over music, optional joystick control and more. And yes there will be some changes to the sound as well.

I will also add in a short pause after the level has loaded to give the player a moment to react before every thing starts moving.

Now that I am back on track with this I will also say that after this version is complete you will also be able to look forward to Exit Plan Z III. It will have more in game elements that will expand quite a bit on the actual gameplay.

My goal is to release 2 to tape and when the 3rd is complete to release the trilogy to disk.

I would like to have test players but don't want to release further demos publicly, pm me if your interested.

[R'zo]

I have decided to add more this game. This game started as a practice program for what was going to be after this a 3rd game in the series. It had been a while since I had written any code and this was originally meant to get my feet wet again while testing out some of the basic routines to be used for the third. I have 1: Built this game close enough to the third that I might as well go ahead and take it all the way and 2: been flirting around with the third being an adventure like action game where you have to explore a zombie infested community on a search and rescue mission for survivors.

current build-epziiexp.prg(requires 8k expansion.)

Current additions
-Title screen
-menu
-difficulty settings (The higher the difficulty the more levels you have to beat. Infinite Nightmare is an endless arcade mode for score grinding. settings 3,4 and five have faster moving zombies than 1 and 2.)
-animated zombies
-optional joy stick controls (joystick to move, fire button will reload level.)

future additions
-survivors (rescue them to increase your party size which will increase your final score and allow for continues.)
-bombs
-title music

The story, direction, credits and links menu options are not written in yet.

From my recent test play the current build is both fun and addictive. The future additions will help add more depth to the gameplay.

[LoadError]

Massive improvement.

[English Invader]

I highly recommend Keyquest as a great example of this genre:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi8szf1jiac

It's a very rare cartridge that is virtually impossible to buy as an original but it's available on the Mega-Cart and eslapion's Behr-Bonz and it's also available to download as a CRT image.

[Mayhem]

It's one of those games that I wish more people got to play because damn, it's rare heh... and it's also a very good Tutankham clone.