Project X: Special Edition 2.0

[earok]

I got really annoyed at Project X so I spent some time this evening trying to fix some of the issues (and ease the difficulty down a little more).

* Upgrades aren't triggered by accidental wiggles. Meaning, either a keyboard, CD32 Pad or Mega Drive pad is a requirement.
* All five levels can be accessed from the start from the regular level select menu.
* Level five can now be played in rookie mode (theoretically meaning the game is beatable in rookie mode, though I haven't tested. Note that I also don't know if level five is actually any easier due to rookie mode).

Still one major outstanding issue that was in the original CD32 edition - pressing ESC on level 5 will crash (you can still game over normally though). If anyone more competent than me can jump in and fix, please go right ahead

This is based on the CD32 edition, but should work fine from an HDD IF you assign px: to the folder you've installed it to, and then run main. The initial release (no readme yet) is in the zone.

[s2325]

level selection may be the best feature here, thank you

[Amigajay]

Great work Earok!

[Aladin]

Thanks

Works with slave Project-x SE CD32
http://www.whdload.de/games/ProjectXSE.html

With Retroplay archive: Replace all files and rename the file "main" to "projectx"

[Gzegzolka]

Cool, I remember that game somehow sometimes pick power-ups I do not want to pick, but I never understood why. Now I know, somebody who made it works that way must do not understand shumps. Thanks for fixing it.

[Shatterhand]

Originally Posted by Gzegzolka

Cool, I remember that game somehow sometimes pick power-ups I do not want to pick, but I never understood why. Now I know, somebody who made it works that way must do not understand shumps. Thanks for fixing it.

I'm pretty sure who made the whole of Project-X do not understand shmups.

*Every* major flaw a shmup can have, Project-X has it. From inertia to unbalanced weapons to lack of flow to unfair difficulty to die-and-you-are-fucked syndrome, to dull enemy patterns, to nearly unkillabe enemies with default power to...........

[s2325]

I think it's to make game longer, you need to learn enemy patterns and your ship features. It's different but not bad for me.

[Gzegzolka]

It is not bad game, actually I like it much despite those few cons, for me it is one of better euro shump.

[Shatterhand]

I don't feel like going into a "Project-X is overrated crap" rant once more. I'll just say the only reason I can see Amigans praising Project-X is the lack of contact with proper shmups from arcades/consoles from the same era. If you were playing japanese-made shmups back at that time, Project-X feels really mediocre at best. It looks pretty and its smooth, but the gameplay and overall design is completely flawed

Even on Amiga, Apidya trumps all over it (I dare to say, even from a technical point of view... at least it has an awesome soundtrack), yet it rarely gets the praise it deserves.

[S0ulA55a551n]

Originally Posted by Shatterhand

I don't feel like going into a "Project-X is overrated crap" rant once more. I'll just say the only reason I can see Amigans praising Project-X is the lack of contact with proper shmups from arcades/consoles from the same era. If you were playing japanese-made shmups back at that time, Project-X feels really mediocre at best. It looks pretty and its smooth, but the gameplay and overall design is completely flawed

Even on Amiga, Apidya trumps all over it (I dare to say, even from a technical point of view... at least it has an awesome soundtrack), yet it rarely gets the praise it deserves.

I love Apidya and agree it is often over looked but i feel this game too falls foul of the did and your fucked situation. Loss of levels of power ups over a couple of lives and you quickly cant kill enemies

[ross]

Originally Posted by earok

Still one major outstanding issue that was in the original CD32 edition - pressing ESC on level 5 will crash

Project X SE 2 - Level 5 quick-fix in The Zone!
Please test.

[earok]

Thanks everyone!

@Ross that does indeed work! Thanks heaps how did you find the bug, and what's the layman's explanation of what was causing it?

There is one other crash though which may or may not be worth fixing.. if you invoke the level skip cheat on that level it causes a crash (hold right mouse button, press escape and then immediately press left mouse button afterwards).

[DamienD]

As mentioned, this is why ross has a newly found exoplanet named after him

[ross]

Originally Posted by earok

how did you find the bug, and what's the layman's explanation of what was causing it?

A bad INTENA recover, D0 moved in it instead of D7.

There is one other crash though which may or may not be worth fixing.. if you invoke the level skip cheat on that level it causes a crash (hold right mouse button, press escape and then immediately press left mouse button afterwards).

Ok, fixed.
And so found that ALL levels are bugged, but are working by chance.
Re-upped the full package

Originally Posted by DamienD

As mentioned, this is why ross has a newly found exoplanet named after him

[earok]

Originally Posted by ross

Ok, fixed.
And so found that ALL levels are bugged, but are working by chance.
Re-upped the full package

Thanks mate, you rock would you like to be credited as co-creator on this?

[ross]

Originally Posted by earok

Thanks mate, you rock would you like to be credited as co-creator on this?

Nah, don't worry, it was a very quick patch

[DamienD]

Originally Posted by earok

Thanks mate, you rock would you like to be credited as co-creator on this?

You should mention "Ross 128b" anyway IMHO

[earok]

Hah! I should have slipped 128b but in any case I've got Ross in the readme and highscroe (the least I could do for the much appreciated assistance )

So the (hopefully) final build is zoned, including prepacked WHDLoad, non-WHDLoad and CD32 editions. I'll give it a home at http://earok.net/game sometime

The CD32 edition should in theory work on a CDTV - provided the CDTV has both a 2.0 kickstart and a memory upgrade.

[DamienD]

Nice work earok and ross128b!!!

<in fact ross; I'm going to ask RCK to change your memebership name>

[NeoHippie2016]

Thanks to Earok and Ross! by the way, i have both Project X/F17 Challenge CD32 CDs (V1. 0 & V2. 0) as originals. Maybe anyone know, what the Differences between them? I can't wait to test your wonderful work, Guys!!