The trouble is, even with good remakes, I spend 5 minutes playing, dwelling on the nostalgia, then it's onto the next thing.....or the pub. Is it only me that does that?
I'm not that impressed with it. Technically it's okay but the decision to use the ZX Spectrum's shading on the blocks in a polygon-based game looks pretty terrible and I found shooting-at and avoiding the ants more difficult and "fiddly" than in the original. It's also irritating that the grenades don't have a shadow (which makes judging where they're going to land a little difficult) and I'm sure that, in the original, landing on an ant's back paralysed it rather than having a grenade go off near it.
I've been playing this one for the past 30 mins and I must say I quite like it! Graphically, it's aesthetically pleasing and the music is tres-cool! Some of the sound effects are a bit of a let down though.
As for the game, I enjoyed running around through the maze and avoiding the ants. I haven't played the original too much so it's difficult for me to draw comparisons but I dare say that it's all nicely done. Sure the blocks do look a bit too samey but I guess it's keeping in spirit of the original.
The multiple camera modes and the Picture-In-Picture mode are also a nice touch!
The forever reoccurring problem of a typical Linux user.
Oh well...
There's a well known fix for your problem - install windows.
Seriously, if you're wanting to play games then why install linux? Very little of this sort of homebrew ever makes it to the other side. Personally, I'd like to be able to run linux, but there's so much software that I'd miss (games, mainly - oh, and a decent API for a graphical UI which is sorely lacking under linux... Actually, make that a "decent graphical UI" as windows98 even runs on my 486 which I've *never* gotten any flavour of linux to do...).
There's a well known fix for your problem - install windows.
Seriously, if you're wanting to play games then why install linux? Very little of this sort of homebrew ever makes it to the other side. Personally, I'd like to be able to run linux, but there's so much software that I'd miss (games, mainly - oh, and a decent API for a graphical UI which is sorely lacking under linux... Actually, make that a "decent graphical UI" as windows98 even runs on my 486 which I've *never* gotten any flavour of linux to do...).
Sorry. Rant over :-)
D.
Well, i'm used to maintaining UNIX-type systems at work (Solaris, AIX, HP-UX). Have done so for many years. Linux systems have started to appear there, and in numbers, i might add.
I think this is the sole reason why Windows annoys me to no end, with to me its extremely primitive UI (no virtual desktops or anything. looks nice though, with some tweaking), sudden unexpected behaviour (mainly strange slowdowns), viruses/spyware concerns, and all those things.
I also tend to build my own systems from scratch. In that case they don't come with Windows, which means i'd either have to buy it, or |)0wnl04d it (i won't). :-)
That's the end if my own rant. It all comes down to taste anyway. At least i don't have to pay for Linux (although i have paid for it in the past when i first wanted to try it).
All that's left for Linux is the lack of enough mindshare to give app makers the incentive to port everything. It'll just have to grow with time (very slow process i think).
Generally I like the idea of this remake, but it has many niggling flaws. Character control is sluggish in turning and jumping feels awkward. The ants move too quickly and find you too soon. And what's with the awful music? It really doesn't go with the style at all. Ant Attack is meant to be dramatic, and should have a sinister ambiance. The look of the game is perfect however, and the choice of colour schemes and viewpoints is spot-on! Please, please, please continue to update this game, as it is certainly worthy of the effort. It's soooo close to being a masterpiece!
The game looks ok and plays ok, generally. It has something of a Japanese manga thing going on.
Could do with some better texturing, and it definitely needs atmosphere improvement. Present day computer can do so much more.
Picture the ambiance from a post-apocalyptic earth. Maybe like the planet-side parts of the newer Battlestar Galactica series (except the robots, of course).
Thanks for the link ADJB. I thought it looked good. I never really played the o.g. that much, so I can't compare. Good on you Mr. Uncle. Now, I'm still waiting on a Tirnanog remake...anyone??
Comments
ADJB
Thanks pottyboy. Im glad you like it.
and thanks ADJB for advertising my game here... you beat me to it.
Cheers,
Unc
Please let it work with OS X....
Please let it work with OS X....
Bah! No such luck.
Well, the screenshots look nice at least.
The trouble is, even with good remakes, I spend 5 minutes playing, dwelling on the nostalgia, then it's onto the next thing.....or the pub. Is it only me that does that?
Ta,
Xeno
As for the game, I enjoyed running around through the maze and avoiding the ants. I haven't played the original too much so it's difficult for me to draw comparisons but I dare say that it's all nicely done. Sure the blocks do look a bit too samey but I guess it's keeping in spirit of the original.
The multiple camera modes and the Picture-In-Picture mode are also a nice touch!
Bytes:Chuntey - Spectrum tech blog.
The forever reoccurring problem of a typical Linux user.
Oh well...
There's a well known fix for your problem - install windows.
Seriously, if you're wanting to play games then why install linux? Very little of this sort of homebrew ever makes it to the other side. Personally, I'd like to be able to run linux, but there's so much software that I'd miss (games, mainly - oh, and a decent API for a graphical UI which is sorely lacking under linux... Actually, make that a "decent graphical UI" as windows98 even runs on my 486 which I've *never* gotten any flavour of linux to do...).
Sorry. Rant over :-)
D.
Well, i'm used to maintaining UNIX-type systems at work (Solaris, AIX, HP-UX). Have done so for many years. Linux systems have started to appear there, and in numbers, i might add.
I think this is the sole reason why Windows annoys me to no end, with to me its extremely primitive UI (no virtual desktops or anything. looks nice though, with some tweaking), sudden unexpected behaviour (mainly strange slowdowns), viruses/spyware concerns, and all those things.
I also tend to build my own systems from scratch. In that case they don't come with Windows, which means i'd either have to buy it, or |)0wnl04d it (i won't). :-)
That's the end if my own rant. It all comes down to taste anyway. At least i don't have to pay for Linux (although i have paid for it in the past when i first wanted to try it).
All that's left for Linux is the lack of enough mindshare to give app makers the incentive to port everything. It'll just have to grow with time (very slow process i think).
Shadows have just been added in version 1.02
Cheers,
Unc
The game looks ok and plays ok, generally. It has something of a Japanese manga thing going on.
Could do with some better texturing, and it definitely needs atmosphere improvement. Present day computer can do so much more.
Picture the ambiance from a post-apocalyptic earth. Maybe like the planet-side parts of the newer Battlestar Galactica series (except the robots, of course).
I see you are also working on a remake of StarStrike, which I must say, is looking absolutely fantastic. :-o
Linky
Thanks for the link ADJB. I thought it looked good. I never really played the o.g. that much, so I can't compare. Good on you Mr. Uncle. Now, I'm still waiting on a Tirnanog remake...anyone??