Dodgy Kong

[cardboardguru]

I've started on a new project. A Dodgy Kong port. I know there were a couple of versions done back in the 80s. But there's got to be room for another. I'm hoping for this one to be closer to the arcade game, both graphically and in gameplay. Both the 80s ports seem to have used the then popular mode 2 graphics so lots of colours, but the fat pixels looked very different from the arcade.

The arcade game was in portrait mode, 224x256 resolution. So I'm going with a 256x256 4 colour mode, and using the centre 224 pixel width to get that accurate.

The arcade game had 4 colour graphics. But it was 4 colours for the tiles, and then 4 colours for each of the individual sprites, so there were far more than 4 colours on screen. Obviously can't do that on the Beeb. So it'll be 4 colours throughout. And Jumpman should be the right colour, so red, blue and white on black.

Here's the first screenshot. Tile system is done, and sprite drawing for the first sprite partially done. But there's no game as yet. Nothing moves. Very, very early.

[fizgog]

Be careful with this as Nint*ndo is very protective over their property.

I did some tech demos here https://stardot.org.uk/forums/viewtopi ... 54&t=24852 but didn’t take it any further

[cardboardguru]

I did some tech demos here https://stardot.org.uk/forums/viewtopi ... 54&t=24852 but didn’t take it any further

Blimey. Fascinating to see you went down the very same path I'm on a year ago. Right down to the graphics choices being almost identical. I never saw that thread because I haven't followed the programming board for the last couple of years.

Good choice making the ladders white. And I like Beebson's dithered gorilla too.

[fizgog]

This was the latest image I ever created, When you started (pressing RETURN) it did a random level of the 4 screens.

Only the pie and and end screens allowed climbing, I broke the level 1 girders at some point and stopped the player from rising up the girders which made him not being able to climb the ladders and the bouncing level one did nothing. Also added a bit of dithering on the stage screen

Pressing Escape took you back to the start

dkong4.ssd

(7.5 KiB) Downloaded 24 times

Good luck with your code and hopefully you'll go further than I did.

[cardboardguru]

Thanks for that. You made a good start there. For sure this game is harder than it first appears.

[lovebug]

maybe dont worry about nintendo ?
 

[fizgog]

Yes they are hypocrites, they had to write it again from scratch for the nes version as they weren’t allowed to use the original

All current ninte*do game remakes use the nes for the starting point, apart from Rares donkey Kong with the built in Arcade roms which you can play

[cardboardguru]

That's an interesting video, Lovebug. I didn't know that story.

I was watching another interesting video about Donkey Kong the other day. A lot (maybe most) of the "Donkey Kong" machines that we saw in arcades in the UK were actually "Crazy Kong" a weird copy that seemed to get the gameplay more or less spot on, but the graphics were weird, with odd colour palettes and mistakes. This video tells the story of that.



At that time my brother worked for an amusement supply company, and spent much of his time on site in arcades converting machines to "Donkey Kong". I suspect it was actually "Crazy Kong" and thoroughly bootleg. I'll have to ask him about it next time I see him.

[EDIT: Thanks Tricky for the pointer on how to embed youtube.]

[tricky]

If you write a post with a video, you can copy the but for the code, just replaced the bit after the v

[lovebug]

I never liked the nintendo version (arcade and console), my favorite was always this one
 

 
plus in this version (and other crazy kong bootlegs) you can stand at the top of the lower right most ladder on the first level then move right and 1 pixel later hit jump, you'll fall down but pass through the platform and wrap around to the top of the screen and finish the level

[Rob_hawk]

Two interesting videos about the history.

[caspian]

I just noticed a couple of things where Killer Gorilla is like Crazy Kong instead of Donkey Kong - "HOW HIGH CAN YOU TRY" and the sound of the bouncing girder at 75m.

[cardboardguru]

I've been convinced that this game and other Nintendo clones is not a good idea. So I'll take this no further. I'll do a different project instead.

[fizgog]

Best thing about this game is it has a lot of gaming mechanics

It’s how I learned how to climb ladders and jump

But good luck in you new venture, looking forward to seeing what it is.

[tricky]

Yes, goodluck with your next pick. It does feel like a lot of work that would probably get a takedown order very soon after release!

[tricky]

Do you have any affection for Nebulus?
I don't think that I have seen it on the beeb.

[Rob_hawk]

Do you have any affection for Nebulus?
I don't think that I have seen it on the beeb.

That was a superb C64 game. Challenging if I remember correctly!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkt-p1-pENA

[Rich Talbot-Watkins]

Snuggsy187 is working on an Electron version of Nebulus, which looks amazing!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1633952753318764545

[Rob_hawk]

Snuggsy187 is working on an Electron version of Nebulus, which looks amazing!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1633952753318764545

My word that looks incredible!

[cardboardguru]

Yeah, I've been following Snuggsy's twitter posts on his version of Nebulus. Looks great so far.

For myself, I have picked another project. Will do a post when there's a picture of something on the screen to share.

[Rob_hawk]

Yeah, I've been following Snuggsy's twitter posts on his version of Nebulus. Looks great so far.

For myself, I have picked another project. Will do a post when there's a picture of something on the screen to share.

Suspense! Look forward to seeing what you’ve decided on…