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New game: COUSIN HORACE

Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
edited March 2015 in Brand new software
CH0.png

Hello everyone!

After many months of work, finally COUSIN HORACE is here, my new game for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48/128 - an epic adventure with the following main features:
- Five different chapters for a mix of platform, shoot-?em-up, puzzle solving and maze exploration.
- An immersive plot illustrated by ?Spectrumized? pictures and comic book-like in-between screens.
- Comes in TZX (Biturbo-II fast loader) and TAP format.
- Game and documentation immediately available in six different languages: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese.

Download it from my web site (download link at the bottom of article)

Have fun!


CH-1.gifCH-2.gif
CH-3.gifCH-4.gif


But wait...

A note for those folks who like to record RZXs etc.:

Cousin Horace is my opus magnum; it is, so far, the game which costed me the most in terms of time and efforts.

I would like players to follow the path set by the story and therefore not to jump straight to a chapter before having experienced the previous ones.

Therefore I am asking you not to publicly reveal any of the game codes because all of my efforts would be vain. Recording a RZX file is great for players having difficulties to figure out how to proceed in the game, but I would not be happy with people neglecting whole parts of the game just because they read the codes for the following parts. Maybe I am just being paranoid, but I believe the temptation would simply be too strong.

Thank you for your understanding :-)
Post edited by Alessandro Grussu on
Personal website, including the Spectrumpedia, fixes for +2A/+3 incompatibilities and SetoLOAD turbo loader
«1

Comments

  • gabriele amoregabriele amore
    edited October 2014
    well they could make a video skipping the part in which the codes are revealed...right?

    looks like a very good game, congrats and thanks for making that!
    :D
    Find my (mostly unfinished) games here
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/1694367894143130/
  • ellvisellvis
    edited October 2014
    Downloading, thanks for such a big game!
  • RalfRalf
    edited October 2014
    Congratulations on completing this big job! It certainly required a lot of talent and workhours.

    You certainly know how to get the most from existing game tools and turn it into a game :)
  • reidracreidrac
    edited October 2014
    I've played a couple of times 1st chapter and it's a really nice platformer, well done!

    I'm not very good jumping into the void :D, so I've found some jumps a little bit tricky when you're changing screen and you don't know where are you going :)
    My speccy games: The Legend of Traxtor, Escape from Colony 8, Micro INC, The Return of Traxtor and Castaway.
  • 4throck4throck
    edited October 2014
    Well, the animated preview screens on the first post are really wonderfull. What a nice presentation!
  • DeusXDeusX
    edited October 2014
    Alessandro Grussu wrote: »
    A note for those folks who like to record RZXs etc.:

    Roger that, Alessandro. :)
    Will probably submit the walkthrough ro Daren some time soon, but I'm sure he'll agree to delay its release.

    Many thanks for your work! Enjoying every bit of the game so far!
  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited October 2014
    Thanks everybody for the positive feedback; I hope you will enjoy the game as a whole. If you want a taste of the other chapters (except for the mystery Chapter 5 ;)) you can always download the playable demos from the development thread (look here for a demo of Chapter 3).
    gabriele amore wrote: »
    well they could make a video skipping the part in which the codes are revealed...right?
    I hope they will do so, Gab :)
    reidrac wrote: »
    I'm not very good jumping into the void :D, so I've found some jumps a little bit tricky when you're changing screen and you don't know where are you going :)
    The Guardians' tower is a hellish building indeed ;) Either try to memorize a suitable path - with some trial-and-error you will learn to negotiate your way between the screens - or wait for Pavel to create a map of the level ;)
    Personal website, including the Spectrumpedia, fixes for +2A/+3 incompatibilities and SetoLOAD turbo loader
  • Rebelstar without a causeRebelstar without a cause
    edited October 2014
    I've been looking forward to this one, but I'm not sure when I'll have the time to give it a proper play through.
    Damn you real life!
  • MorkinMorkin
    edited October 2014
    Thanks for the effort with this, it's amazing to see all the different language versions.

    Eventually I got to the key at the top of the first level, but the journey back is quite difficult..! There are a few drops onto spikes/barrels which seem to sap a few lives if you have to re-attempt some sections a few times (expectantly waits for the obligatory post from the retired Andrew ;-)), so it's good to see you start with a decent amount of lives. I'm comfortable with Churrera games now so find the first section quite nice to play.
  • dm_boozefreekdm_boozefreek
    edited October 2014
    Ooooooooooooo!

    It's finally here! :D

    Off for a blast instantly........Thanks Mr. Grussu (Notice I didn't even say Grusso ;)).
    Every night is curry night!
  • hikokihikoki
    edited October 2014
    Thanks! I always enjoy Churrera platformers for their cool inertia movements and it's curious to see them with new graphics and design of platforms placement. It feels good, in this one, that you can take bloody revenge once you unlock the power-up gaining the ability to smash enemies. Besides its nice the win-to-play to access parts of the game made with different Spectrum frameworks, i'm looking forward to play the western part made with AGD.
    Fuse-SDL-win32
    JSpeccy-win32-portable
  • na_th_anna_th_an
    edited October 2014
    Awesome effort. I'd like to congratulate you for the astonishing design. I absolutely love your graphics style (a bit different in each part) and level design is top notch.

    I don't like "jumps into the void" at first, but once you learn where the platforms are, they aren't hard.
  • SaltorSaltor
    edited October 2014
    Alessandro, you're a master!
    Cultural association in south Italy
    www.apuliaretrocomputing.it
    Personal site
    www.sinclairitaly.wordpress.com
  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited October 2014
    Thank you all, I am glad you are enjoying the game. I hope it contributes to carry the spirit of Horace games well into the 21st century :)

    But wait a minute... There is an important message:

    Please note:

    a bug that prevented the end-of-game message to be displayed has been discovered in Chapter 5.

    The error has been dealt with, but please download the ZIP file again from my website, as usual.

    Sorry for the inconvenience! :oops:

    Many thanks to Albert "DeusEx" for bringing this issue to my attention.
    Personal website, including the Spectrumpedia, fixes for +2A/+3 incompatibilities and SetoLOAD turbo loader
  • goodboygoodboy
    edited October 2014
    2
    Spoiler:
    3
    Spoiler:
    4
    Spoiler:
    5
    Spoiler:
  • DeusXDeusX
    edited October 2014
    goodboy wrote: »
    2
    3
    4
    5

    Well, that's precisely the info Alessandro asked not to make public yet...
  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited October 2014
    Hi goodboy, if you really would share the code for part 2, could you please at least use the "spoiler" tag? Thank you. :)
    Personal website, including the Spectrumpedia, fixes for +2A/+3 incompatibilities and SetoLOAD turbo loader
  • AnemosAnemos
    edited October 2014
    Looks like beautiful ZX game,
    thanks for your work!
  • DeusXDeusX
    edited October 2014
    The walkthrough is finished and ready, although its upload will be delayed for some time according to Alessandro's wishes.
  • def chrisdef chris
    edited October 2014
    Nice game! looks real cool. will get stuck into it over the weekend....
  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited October 2014
    Thanks again folks!

    Enjoy the antics of our little blue friend from the States (well actually he's black sometimes) ;)
    Personal website, including the Spectrumpedia, fixes for +2A/+3 incompatibilities and SetoLOAD turbo loader
  • def chrisdef chris
    edited October 2014
    well I've had loads of goes and can't do level 1, lol.

    I can work my way up as far as the screen where there's a little platform in the top left hand corner entirely made of spikes, but the jump up to the next screen from that platform is too high :-(
  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited October 2014
    def chris wrote: »
    well I've had loads of goes and can't do level 1, lol.

    I can work my way up as far as the screen where there's a little platform in the top left hand corner entirely made of spikes, but the jump up to the next screen from that platform is too high :-(

    Hi Chris,

    as stated in the manual, you should avoid spikes - altogether. That platform is not meant to be jumped onto but as a 'trap' for the player when crossing the screen above.

    You should go to the right instead, jumping over the radioactive waste barrel. The warped and twisted design of the tower reflects the evil ways of the Guardians ;)
    Personal website, including the Spectrumpedia, fixes for +2A/+3 incompatibilities and SetoLOAD turbo loader
  • def chrisdef chris
    edited October 2014
    Thanks, will try that, although I couldnt find a different way up to the right. I thought maybe the spikey platform needed a box moving onto it so you could jump up safely or something.
  • R-TapeR-Tape
    edited October 2014
    Congratulations on completing this epic series Alessandro.

    I just hope I can do it justice as a player now.
    My speccy games.
  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited October 2014
    R-Tape wrote: »
    Congratulations on completing this epic series Alessandro.

    I just hope I can do it justice as a player now.

    Thank you Dave!

    Did you notice I changed the keys of Chapter 2 before the final release? I thought it was silly to keep them different from those used in all of the other parts.
    Personal website, including the Spectrumpedia, fixes for +2A/+3 incompatibilities and SetoLOAD turbo loader
  • R-TapeR-Tape
    edited October 2014
    Alessandro Grussu wrote: »
    Thank you Dave!

    Did you notice I changed the keys of Chapter 2 before the final release? I thought it was silly to keep them different from those used in all of the other parts.

    Not yet, still just dabbling. Good to know though, means I don't have to hack Chapter 2!
    My speccy games.
  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited October 2014
    R-Tape wrote: »
    Not yet, still just dabbling. Good to know though, means I don't have to hack Chapter 2!
    You see, it's written in the user manual ;)
    Personal website, including the Spectrumpedia, fixes for +2A/+3 incompatibilities and SetoLOAD turbo loader
  • R-TapeR-Tape
    edited October 2014
    Alessandro Grussu wrote: »
    You see, it's written in the user manual ;)

    I'm sure it is, I just haven't started properly yet sir!
    My speccy games.
  • Rebelstar without a causeRebelstar without a cause
    edited October 2014
    Having got the power pill on level 1, I'm having trouble stomping the enemies. Sometimes it works but mostly it doesn't. I think I must be doing something wrong!
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