Repton: The Lost Realms review requested for DnD

[Test Pilot Monkey]

Got my copy today, thanks!

[Arcadian]

Ok, last lot of 15 now on eBay:
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/merchant/dllm

Once these have gone I probably won't have time to create any more for quite a while, so get them while you can ...

[jms2]

I've taken a while to get round to it, but I thought I should post a quick review of Repton:TLR. This is mostly by way of thanks to the Retro Software team but also I hope useful to anyone who might still be considering buying the game.

I wasn't in too much of a rush to buy Repton:TLR at first, because the experience of playing the original Repton releases ending ultimately with Repton Infinity had left me feeling that there wasn't anything more that could be done with the format. However I took the plunge and it was certainly worth it. I now realise that the very open-ended (and sluggish) nature of Repton Infinity had, in effect, killed off my enthusiasm for this kind of game. The Lost Realms, by contrast, breathes new life into the genre.

I'm immensely impressed with the whole package. Apart from buying a game, you also get the uniquely nostalgic feeling of receiving in the post and unwrapping what is in essence a product that has travelled through time from the 1980s.

The touchy-feely peripheral stuff is very professionally put together, including the cover art, the instructions, and the loading screen. The game itself more than lives up to all this, and I think it has two great strengths:

1) It combines the smoother animation and generally nice appearance of Repton 2 with the password system of Repton 3 and the fiendish levels of the later screen sets. In other words, the best features of previous Repton releases.

2) The new elements to the game play (such as the opposite-hand spirits) are extremely well-considered and feel like a very natural continuation of the Repton series.

A review wouldn't be complete without finding some negative points, but all I can really come up with is that I'm not totally convinced by the music. However I can't imagine players of any version of Repton keeping the music switched on for very long anyway.

All in all - if you like the previous Repton games (or puzzle games generally) you will love this. Thanks to the dedicated people who put it together.

john

[LeeB]

the instructions

you know what, it's going to sound silly, but it's probably that instruction sheet that made me feel the most nostalgic about this release. don't get me wrong, i think the whole thing is simply fantastic, but it was the surprise of finding that little instruction booklet in the case that made me smile the most. sometimes, it's the little things.

i have to admit, i've not had time recently to give this a proper playing yet, but what i've seen so far, it's great.

[Kecske Bak]

but it's probably that instruction sheet that made me feel the most nostalgic about this release.

It's lovely to hear that because I put a lot of work into making it look authentic - and it was even professionally proof-read (by our very own The Kraken).

[MatthewThompson]

I agree too about the instructions and the packaging too, It was just like getting a brand new Superior Software release, as I did many times all those years ago.

If the packaging/instructions has been any old packaging then it wouldn't have had the impact that these ones have had on people, but because of the way it looks, it has. (I hope that makes sense!)

[Test Pilot Monkey]

I like the instruction book too, but it has my name on so I'm kind of biased

[MatthewThompson]

I would just like to mention that the jerky scrolling that I mentioned in a previous posting on this thread was 100% down to the program 6502em on RISC OS and nothing to do with the actual program itself.

I can see why in the little mention in Retro Gamer (I hope they give it a full proper review) said about it being possibly the best Repton engine so far, as the scrolling is a lot smoother than the original BBC Repton games ever were, as there was always the scrolling upwards flicker.

So Lost Realms does not suffer from flickery scrolling, it's the emulator that can't handle it, playing it with BeebEM on Windows, and also BeebIT on RISC OS, the problem vanishes.

I just thought I should clear that up.

[retroclinic]

Aye, the scrolling is really smooth now, like Repton 3 on the Arc.

Are you planning an Arc version Tom?

Mark.

[SarahWalker]

I did write an early Arc version (before I started on the Beeb version) but it's a long way from being finished.

[Kecske Bak]

Got my copy today, thanks!

Still haven't got my copy yet

[MatthewThompson]

Finally completed Level D on the 'Allegro' set, that was a seriously hard level, the most difficult one so far I think.

[Kecske Bak]

Well done - I expect you'll find Level E really easy in comparison!

[MatthewThompson]

Now completed the whole of the "Allegro" scenario, It was a mixed set of screens, I liked the first screen, second one easy enough once you'd sussed out the spirit route and the correct order of which transporter to use.

Screen C was fine, but screen D was one was the hardest Repton levels i've ever played, took ages was really frustrating at times.

Screen E wasn't too difficult either one the proper route had been figured out but it took me a while to do, the final Screen F was really hard to start with but when I left it alone for a day and then came back to it the bits I got stuck on suddenly became easy, hardest bit in the end was using the transporters in the right order.

A pretty tricky set of levels overall, Level D was horrible, but nice to have completed them all now, but I think less experienced Repton players may struggle on a number of these levels.

Now to scenario 4 , what will that be like ?

[Arcadian]

I can assure you PRESTO is a walk in the park ... an absolute breeze ... especially the last screen ...

[Kecske Bak]

But screen D was one was the hardest Repton levels i've ever played, took ages was really frustrating at times.

I'm sorry about that.

Level D was horrible,

I'm really, really sorry about that.

Now to scenario 4 , what will that be like ?

Well, if you thought Allegro Level D was horrible...

[MatthewThompson]

I've been replaying the whole "Allegro "scenario to get the proper final screen, and I don't think the screens overall are as hard as I originally thought, but unfortunately Screen D has got me stuck again, I managed the top part eventually but the bottom part is proving really tricky again, I can't remember how I did that part at all now.

[MatthewThompson]

I can assure you PRESTO is a walk in the park ... an absolute breeze ... especially the last screen ...

I wish I could believe you !! I'll let you know how I get on.

[The Kraken]

But screen D was one was the hardest Repton levels i've ever played, took ages was really frustrating at times.

I'm sorry about that.

Allow me to quote a recent e-mail exchange between myself and Richard Hanson concerning a set of Repton 3 levels. (For confidentiality reasons, the title of the set and name of the author have been blanked out.)

The author, ___, had said about the ___ levels: "As a set I think it is probably too hard as the latest levels are all pretty difficult"

In my opinion there is no such thing as a "too hard" Repton level -- unless of course the difficulty is artificially inflated by adding a luck factor. If the day ever comes when I have to extend my difficulty scale beyond 20, that will indeed be an occasion for rejoicing and congratulations. It's already the case that only a dedicated and skilled player will be able to complete all the levels, so there's no harm done by adding further hard levels for the better players to have something to get their teeth into -- and less skilled players still have hundreds of easier levels they can enjoy playing.

___ was concerned that some of his levels were too hard, so I told him that – based on the feedback I have received – Repton players are generally keen on difficult levels provided that the levels are fair.... Players mainly ask for difficult levels, provided that they are fair – not reliant on luck or excessively awkward manoeuvres.

Considering the list of the most popular [Repton 1] levels [i.e. according to the poll on Superior's site], I’m not surprised to see Tuatara well in the lead; it’s the most difficult level that is also considered to be entirely fair!

So yes Don't ever apologise for making a Repton level too difficult. I'm not going to, and neither should you!

[Kecske Bak]

but unfortunately Screen D has got me stuck again, I managed the top part eventually but the bottom part is proving really tricky again

The bottom part of that level was inspired by something I had to do in my first job. I had to make animations of the rod and bar "logic gates" that are below the levers in mechanical signal boxes and that's what I was thinking of when I designed that bit of the level.

[MatthewThompson]

But screen D was one was the hardest Repton levels i've ever played, took ages was really frustrating at times.

I'm sorry about that.

Level D was horrible,

I'm really, really sorry about that.

No need to apologise, just because I found it a hard frustrating level, doesn't mean other players will, some probably really like it and didn't find it hard at all.

However, despite that, I think harder levels should definitely be included, as it's good to have the harder challenging levels, but it's nice to have simplier levels too, but we don't want endless easy levels levels like Screen B Of Repton 3 Prelude.

It's also satisfying in when you complete these tricky levels, gives a sense of achievement when you finally complete it.

[MatthewThompson]

but unfortunately Screen D has got me stuck again, I managed the top part eventually but the bottom part is proving really tricky again

The bottom part of that level was inspired by something I had to do in my first job. I had to make animations of the rod and bar "logic gates" that are below the levers in mechanical signal boxes and that's what I was thinking of when I designed that bit of the level.

I worked it out in the end, and have now completed the scenario in it's entirely, got the finish screen, and now for the fourth and final scenario.

[kingcobra]

Any complaints you have about the first screen, pass them in my direction because I'm responsible for that one

If you've played Adagio F you'll already be familiar with my work!

[MatthewThompson]

Any complaints you have about the first screen, pass them in my direction because I'm responsible for that one

If you've played Adagio F you'll already be familiar with my work!

No complaints whatsoever, I completed Screen A pretty quickly and Screen B soon after, but Screen C has got me stuck at the moment, the top bit i've done easily enough, but the bottom section with the cages is a bit tricky shall we say!!

[Kecske Bak]

Screen C is one of kingcobra's too - and I couldn't solve it. When testpilotmonkey told me how to do it I felt like a right idiot!

[The Kraken]

Mind you, Richard Hanson discovered an unintended solution, which we were able to remove in time for the release, so it's now even harder than when testpilotmonkey solved it

Mr Hanson himself is responsible for Presto D -- this came as quite a surprise as he doesn't normally design difficult levels, but this one is a real beauty Both of the last two are mine, so I hope you enjoy them!

[MatthewThompson]

I haven't given up on Presto C just yet, it really is hard but i'm sure it will be so obvious when I know how to do it, i've drawn a map of the area and put it into the editor and took a screen shot of it, so I now have a map of the area, it might help, it might not.

I would imagine the last 2 levels will be pretty tricky then if they are your creations, but at least I know they won't contain random fungus moments or anything like that.

Richard Hanson normally does good levels, they usually have loads of boulders in them, look forward to playing his level, and the other two levels, if I ever figure out Screen C.

If only there was one more boulder or balloon ...

[MatthewThompson]

OK I admit defeat I cannot figure this area of Screen C out at all, even with my home made map, I am still no nearer to completing this level, I can get one spirit caged every time but am always one component short of caging the other cage.

I have been trying to complete this level since Friday night and have spent too long on getting nowhere, I could spend all month doing this and get nowhere at all which is where I think I am heading, so in short - HELP !!!

I don't want a walkthrough or total solution (well not yet anyway) but can anyone give me a few pointers and clues to how you do this one area of the screen. I've tried everything I can think of, but the same result every time.

I bet the solution is so obvious and I will be cursing it when I know it's done, but I cannot see it at all.

[The Kraken]

Don't worry, it's not obvious at all I remember that when Jonathan showed me that section I said "Nice idea, but how about paring it down to the minimum number of rocks and balloons that still leaves it possible to complete?" -- but then after taking a few off, I was staring at it for ages feeling that it ought to be possible with that many, it would be a really nice puzzle if it could be done, but I just couldn't see how.... and then in the end I saw it

Okay, a small clue. Both cages should be connected (not at the same time, obviously) to the upper edge; and you will need to be able to open the absorbency door.

[MatthewThompson]

That was the conclusion I had come to that you needed to connect the cages above the start position rather than below it, just seemed to be an easier way to do it, that does help a lot - so thanks for that.

One other thing, which was do you move Repton at the start ? I think downwards, am I right ?