I agree ! Was gutted when this came out, doesnt look a terrible game but i'm sure back then we all expected much more from this TV license. Not one lizard in sight ! Ridiculous
This calls for a fan release. "V - This time with lizards" :grin:
Absolute cack. Great tv programme back in the day , possibly - along with Scooby Doo - the worst use of a licence ever
The trouble is, it's clearly a C64 game, but on the Spectrum. I mean look - no playability, no innovation, tedious, unclear graphics with repetitive colouring, lots of long and tedious scrolling sections, graphics that lack character, a totally generic and unfulfilling game that generates no feeling of involvement or achievement in the player, and an all pervading feeling of "why bother?".
If it had continuous music, no keyboard option, and crashed regularly then it'd be the full C64 experience, but on a Spectrum.
I can remember playing this a lot and never getting anywhere. I guess I must been one of the few games I had on disk; that would be the only reason I would keep going back to it.
It was obviously some sort of Impossible Mission clone that Ocean slapped the V license on, as was the case with many titles in order to get a quick turnaround.
In the Zzap! review, I think Gary Liddon wrote that V was programmed by the same people (Softstone) who ported Impossible Mission to the Spectrum, so he was like what a funny coincidence... I can't get that to validate by looking on WOS & Lemon64, but I have a feeling he may have known something about it.
Oh, I don't know... there must be worse, surely? They seemed to license anything back in the day, and there was some absolute rubbish... Give My Regards to Broadstreet for example... :) Mind you, maybe that's just the best use of a license to make an appropriately bad game.
Worse games maybe , but worse use of a licence? At the time it was one of the most exciting talked-about programmes on tv , enhanced by the fact that as kids it was supposed to be for adults only , but we somehow all got to watch it. And a real family programme to boot - us kids got to see all the lizard-bating action , dad had Diana , Barbara and the delectable Juliett , and mum got to drool over Marc Singer (well , maybe).
What did we get? Shootouts between lizards and freedom fighters? Exciting , tense, covert missions against visitor strongholds? Maybe even air combat with Donovan piloting a captured shuttlecraft?
No , instead we got to attempt to solve dull puzzles whilst fighting annoying robots (robots?!). Very disappointing, and VERY disappointing from a company who - whilst not always making the most enjoyable games - at least made them feel that there was SOME connection with the licence being used.
Once you get a feel for the game, it becomes relatively easy. I would say that making an rzx would take a minimum of one hour if the codes are worked out quite sharpish. Mapping would have to be restricted to a shell of the background as the teleporters and walls appear in different positions each game. Waste of time waiting for an rzx to map it and vice versa as it's a doddle to complete without a map and not all rooms need to be visited to complete the game.
The following method shows how to complete the game. You can see where you need to go by first viewing your own position and then clicking one of the top four buttons of six shown that represent the alien counting system.
Plane 5
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Place a bomb in the docking bay.
Transit OUT.
Plane 4
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Place a bomb in the water inlet.
Transit OUT.
Plane 3
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Place a bomb in the computer.
Transit OUT.
Plane 2
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Place a bomb in the reactor.
Transit OUT.
Plane 1
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Goto the air plant and enter the formula code to disperse the red dust.
Place a bomb in the air plant.
Transit IN.
Plane 2
Transit IN.
Plane 3
Transit IN.
Plane 4
Transit IN.
Plane 5
Goto docking bay to finish (animation sequence).
You can now view each level without Donovan. The last two pokes allow you to go up and down without having to stand on a teleporter. However, you can't then use the Transits or view other menu info. To allow that, as and when required, simply put the (default) values back.
Obviously, you have gone out of bounds if you see any garbage so go back.
Here's a bit more that will help with the random elements of the map.
Start a game. Walk right and find a teleporter and wall.
Examine the contents of address $9200 (37376). This is your location in the map. It's a word value so will start $94XX. In my case it is $9407. Now look at the bytes following. You should see a $09 (teleporter) and $04 (wall). Change them to 0s (normal background graphic), return to the game, walk left then go back right and they have disappeared :) Of course, you can put any graphic code in you want.
Well, I have mapped the plane 5. How I can visit other ones?
Yep, if using the pokes posted earlier, now put the default values back in these two :-
48689,195 (202)
48656,195 (202)
become :-
48689,202
48656,202
Now you can go through the Transit OUT to visit the next plane (plane 4). The Transit OUT graphic looks like a black rectangle on the walkway. With the default values back, you can also check its location by firstly pressing down to access the menu. Now click the 2nd button along on the top row to view your own position and then (usually) the rightmost button on the middle row to view where the Transit OUT location is. When you find it, simply press down to go through it (you will have to be dead centre) and then put the pokes back again to 195.
I've just thought of something else that will be important for mapping. Hopefully, you are playing the game through anyway but if you aren't, you need to be aware that the levels change in appearance once the red dust is dispersed. We can fake it if need be ;)
From the start of a game after pressing '0', enter the menu by pressing down but don't do anything and enter these pokes :-
47871,1: 37406,45
37547,1: 37548,1: 37549,1: 37550,1: 37551,1
Now click the leftmost button on the middle row, then click the next button to it (second button from left on the middle row). The red dust should now be dispersed.
To fake the animated ending sequence you can poke the following before starting a game.
...To fake the animated ending sequence you can poke the following before starting a game.
48568,198:61118,192
Only seems to work with the Original Speedlock 2 Release, but mighty fine POKEing! :)
To echo the sentiment of other posts, I loved Impossible Mission but suffice to say was disappointed after buying V then loading it...
Thought you'd found me out there jp ;) as that's the version I was using but having tried them all (normal tap + erbe tzx +tap) it looks like I've found you out! They all seem ok here, waiting until at least when the menu appears before applying.
Would have to crack time-travel first for that one.. ;)
Why time travel? It was already aired in a land called "usb" (United States of Bush?) or similar: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_%282009_TV_series%29
And the visitors are no rockstars, but still eat the hamsters...
Just clicked on that link and was more horrified than ever!
No Donovan?
No Diana?
The missed another trick with this remake...
They really should have removed the lizards altogether and just had a whole ship of useless robots that self-destruct for no reason whatsoever. Would make a great game too!
That new V isn't that bad, and it's still airing it's only half way through, but so far I prefer the original. They are already steering down the road of ruin and I'm beginning to wonder if all 13 scheduled episodes will actually make it.
You know these american series have a habit of falling short, and never being concluded.
You still haven't seen a full lizard though, just glimpses of bits of skin and teeth.
Started off with 14 million viewers, now down to just over 5 and not even the top ranked show on that timeslot. Looks like this might be a one-off series
V The Computer Game, kind of reminded me of Impossible Mission. Nice background graphics, but the main sprite didn't stand out too well against all the detail. Vaguely remember playing this back in the day and didn't get far. I think you had to work out the Alien alphabet to use the computer or something. If I recall correctly there are telepads that allow you do move from one corridor to another, you might have to be facing forwards to use them, not sure on that?. There might be doors also.
Comments
The animation was good however...
This calls for a fan release. "V - This time with lizards" :grin:
The trouble is, it's clearly a C64 game, but on the Spectrum. I mean look - no playability, no innovation, tedious, unclear graphics with repetitive colouring, lots of long and tedious scrolling sections, graphics that lack character, a totally generic and unfulfilling game that generates no feeling of involvement or achievement in the player, and an all pervading feeling of "why bother?".
If it had continuous music, no keyboard option, and crashed regularly then it'd be the full C64 experience, but on a Spectrum.
Grrrr.
In the Zzap! review, I think Gary Liddon wrote that V was programmed by the same people (Softstone) who ported Impossible Mission to the Spectrum, so he was like what a funny coincidence... I can't get that to validate by looking on WOS & Lemon64, but I have a feeling he may have known something about it.
Worse games maybe , but worse use of a licence? At the time it was one of the most exciting talked-about programmes on tv , enhanced by the fact that as kids it was supposed to be for adults only , but we somehow all got to watch it. And a real family programme to boot - us kids got to see all the lizard-bating action , dad had Diana , Barbara and the delectable Juliett , and mum got to drool over Marc Singer (well , maybe).
What did we get? Shootouts between lizards and freedom fighters? Exciting , tense, covert missions against visitor strongholds? Maybe even air combat with Donovan piloting a captured shuttlecraft?
No , instead we got to attempt to solve dull puzzles whilst fighting annoying robots (robots?!). Very disappointing, and VERY disappointing from a company who - whilst not always making the most enjoyable games - at least made them feel that there was SOME connection with the licence being used.
The following method shows how to complete the game. You can see where you need to go by first viewing your own position and then clicking one of the top four buttons of six shown that represent the alien counting system.
Plane 5
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Place a bomb in the docking bay.
Transit OUT.
Plane 4
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Place a bomb in the water inlet.
Transit OUT.
Plane 3
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Place a bomb in the computer.
Transit OUT.
Plane 2
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Place a bomb in the reactor.
Transit OUT.
Plane 1
Visit the laboratory to obtain part of the formula.
Goto the air plant and enter the formula code to disperse the red dust.
Place a bomb in the air plant.
Transit IN.
Plane 2
Transit IN.
Plane 3
Transit IN.
Plane 4
Transit IN.
Plane 5
Goto docking bay to finish (animation sequence).
41409,0
41356,0
41912,0:41913,0:41914,0
41898,0:41899,0:41900,0
48689,195 (202)
48656,195 (202)
You can now view each level without Donovan. The last two pokes allow you to go up and down without having to stand on a teleporter. However, you can't then use the Transits or view other menu info. To allow that, as and when required, simply put the (default) values back.
Obviously, you have gone out of bounds if you see any garbage so go back.
http://www.zx-spectrum.cz
Start a game. Walk right and find a teleporter and wall.
Examine the contents of address $9200 (37376). This is your location in the map. It's a word value so will start $94XX. In my case it is $9407. Now look at the bytes following. You should see a $09 (teleporter) and $04 (wall). Change them to 0s (normal background graphic), return to the game, walk left then go back right and they have disappeared :) Of course, you can put any graphic code in you want.
$b0d7,$c9 - no enemies.
http://www.zx-spectrum.cz
Yep, if using the pokes posted earlier, now put the default values back in these two :-
48689,195 (202)
48656,195 (202)
become :-
48689,202
48656,202
Now you can go through the Transit OUT to visit the next plane (plane 4). The Transit OUT graphic looks like a black rectangle on the walkway. With the default values back, you can also check its location by firstly pressing down to access the menu. Now click the 2nd button along on the top row to view your own position and then (usually) the rightmost button on the middle row to view where the Transit OUT location is. When you find it, simply press down to go through it (you will have to be dead centre) and then put the pokes back again to 195.
http://www.zx-spectrum.cz
http://velesoft.speccy.cz/data-gear/dma-games/dma_visitors.zip
Work on real MB02+ interface witch DMA chip, or with DATA-GEAR interface.
Emulator realspectrum also support MB02+ emulation....
I've just thought of something else that will be important for mapping. Hopefully, you are playing the game through anyway but if you aren't, you need to be aware that the levels change in appearance once the red dust is dispersed. We can fake it if need be ;)
From the start of a game after pressing '0', enter the menu by pressing down but don't do anything and enter these pokes :-
47871,1: 37406,45
37547,1: 37548,1: 37549,1: 37550,1: 37551,1
Now click the leftmost button on the middle row, then click the next button to it (second button from left on the middle row). The red dust should now be dispersed.
To fake the animated ending sequence you can poke the following before starting a game.
48568,198:61118,192
Would have to crack time-travel first for that one.. ;)
Only seems to work with the Original Speedlock 2 Release, but mighty fine POKEing! :)
To echo the sentiment of other posts, I loved Impossible Mission but suffice to say was disappointed after buying V then loading it...
Thought you'd found me out there jp ;) as that's the version I was using but having tried them all (normal tap + erbe tzx +tap) it looks like I've found you out! They all seem ok here, waiting until at least when the menu appears before applying.
Why time travel? It was already aired in a land called "usb" (United States of Bush?) or similar:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_%282009_TV_series%29
And the visitors are no rockstars, but still eat the hamsters...
No Donovan?
No Diana?
The missed another trick with this remake...
They really should have removed the lizards altogether and just had a whole ship of useless robots that self-destruct for no reason whatsoever. Would make a great game too!
You know these american series have a habit of falling short, and never being concluded.
You still haven't seen a full lizard though, just glimpses of bits of skin and teeth.
Got a feeling that V might be cancelled after this season, its watchable, not bad but i just cant see it lasting. Shame
Just had a look on wikipedia (i know its not gospel), looking at the ratings...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_V_%282009_TV_series%29_episodes#U.S._Nielsen_ratings
Started off with 14 million viewers, now down to just over 5 and not even the top ranked show on that timeslot. Looks like this might be a one-off series
On the main menu, there was a key check to run the end sequence if you held down Q+W
The check is disabled but can be reinstated with a POKE
However... the stack is not quite right - so the game will crash after forcing the run of the end sequence
Anyway, spoiler below:
There's also a message from the programmer starting at address 39800...