Manic Miner 2021

[TobyLobster]

I've updated the original BBC Micro version:

Improvements

* Fast
* Flicker free player movement
* Fixes to cavern layouts, graphics, and colours
* Better air bar and colours
* Fixed the shape of the jump to match the Spectrum
* Better collision detection
* Better music
* 'GAME OVER' added
* Master compatible

https://github.com/TobyLobster/ManicMin ... WMINER.ssd

I've written notes and published the source code here https://github.com/TobyLobster/ManicMiner2021

[lurkio]

What you've done here is absolutely epic. I've only had a quick go -- and I'm no expert player of Manic Miner -- but even I can immediately see and appreciate quite a lot of the many, many improvements you've made!

I encourage everyone to read the writeup on Github. It's amazing. I didn't understand all of it -- which is entirely my own fault -- but it's still amazing.

Fantastic work! Congratulations!



Btw, I found that your .SSD crashed on boot with a "Bad program" error in my default setup in Mac BeebEm, but it worked in Win BeebEm (under WINE). I'll investigate and report back.

EDIT: It was Disc Doctor! (Perhaps predictably!) Your new version of Manic Miner seems to be incompatible with the Disc Doctor ROM for some reason.

[billcarr2005]

Fantastic achievement and a great write-up!
Plays so much better

Although !BOOT is never CHAINing"MANIC" because it's got a REM on the same line (before CLOSE#0)

[Dave Footitt]

Wow, great job

[lovebug]

such an improvment. fantastic work there.

congratulations

[0xC0DE]

Just my kind of project, well done!

[cardboardguru]

That's a huge improvement. It's playable now!

[marcusjambler]

Wow great work

[MarkMoxon]

I encourage everyone to read the writeup on Github. It's amazing.

I agree! Reading about the whole process is absolutely fascinating - thank you for posting this. It's really impressive stuff...

Mark

[Lardo Boffin]

Blimey! Can’t wait to get my broken laptop back and download this.

[BigEd]

Brilliant - and many thanks for the writeup. If anyone feels like doing a video comparison, I'd love to see it!

[SteveF]

I encourage everyone to read the writeup on Github. It's amazing.

I agree! Reading about the whole process is absolutely fascinating - thank you for posting this. It's really impressive stuff...

Absolutely - I went straight to the writeup before downloading the game and thoroughly enjoyed it. (I wish it had been longer, although it doesn't have anything obviously missing.) The game itself looks great, although I couldn't even get off the first screen before my patience wore out.

[FourthStone]

Very much enjoyed the write up, looks like we're going to have to cycle this version into the High Score comp. I played through a few levels and found I had to adjust my timing a bit to compensate for everything running at a smoother speed. One thing I won't miss from the original is the glacial walk speed.

Excellent job

[mlouka]

Wow — great job!

[Kweepa]

Fantastic work and writeup, thanks!

[Snuggsy187]

Excellent work Toby

Great write-up too, just had a quick read. Had no idea all those optimisations were available ! Will have a more in-depth read when I get some time.

[jms2]

What a fantastic effort, I really loved reading your writeup. Having heard how sub-optimal Manic Miner was, I was hopeful that someone would do something like this, but you've really exceeded my expectations.

I always found the original version to be unplayable, but now I'm off to have another go...

[tricky]

Just making the list of things that were done in a very naive way must have taken ages, let alone "fixing" them.
The game looks and plays as well if not better than I remember from 35 years ago on a friends speccy!

There was a YouTube stream last night of a guy playing 12 versions of Manic Miner, but unfortunately he didn't play this one!

Off topic, but does anyone else's youtube comments get auto deleted if they contain "start dot", "stardot" or "bbcmicro.co.uk"?

[lovebug]

not sure if this is an issue or just me but after pausing the game with the del key I cannot seem to unpause ? i tried del to unpause and then every key on the keyboard but no luck

[TobyLobster]

COPY key is unpause. I have that mapped to End and Page Down on my emulator.

[lovebug]

ah thanks, I guess I didnt try all keys after all

sorry about that


btw I just read the details on the changes you made, amazing

[fwibbler]

This is great! (And unexpected)
The game is fun to play again.
You've also made it onto google news...

[0xC0DE]

This begs for a MODE 4 Acorn Electron conversion... (which I may just attempt to do)

[daveejhitchins]

This begs for a MODE 4 Acorn Electron conversion... (which I may just attempt to do)

Dave H.

p.s. You get more when it complete

Dave H.

[melchett]

I've updated the original BBC Micro version

This is quite some improvement (the original was never bad as you acknowledge in your notes on Github). I find it so much more playable than the original though (responsive, faster, truer to the Spectrum version) which has made it easier for me to complete levels and to enjoy it far more. I was pleased back in the day when "D. J. Coathupe" ported the original as it was such a huge game and it finally made its debut on the BBC.

But I just flew through the first four levels on your tweaked version on JSBeeb because of the speed improvements. Wow.

Write up is fascinating too - love how you simplified reverseBits.

Thank you for this, I'm sure many people will enjoy the upgrade!



Andy

[anightin]

Excellent upgrade, love it!

[0xC0DE]

This begs for a MODE 4 Acorn Electron conversion... (which I may just attempt to do)

Step 1 is done. I have a BeebAsm compatible source file now that assembles to a 100% identical MINER20 file.
(and I've read through the entire source as a consequence; it was only 15000 lines of code and data )

@TobyLobster: I hope you don't mind I'm working on this Acorn Electron conversion?

[TobyLobster]

I hope you don't mind I'm working on this Acorn Electron conversion?

I fully approve, go for it!

[Snuggsy187]

@0xC0DE - I hope you're not getting distracted from 'Sexy Curves' game/demo....?!

[nicolagiacobbe]

I loved the description of the changes more than the game itself, swift job indeed. Super.