Gods -Deluxe- beta released

[TCD]

Originally Posted by jotd

BTW a Gods fan (Rick) created a new 4-level set (lockdown can't be all bad!). I've zoned it. I can't tell the quality of it because I didn't spoil it by editing the levels. I just had time to play world 1 level 1 (workload is pretty big ATM) and that looks promising.

Could you also zone the latest Gods Deluxe version again? I've seem to have missed it

[jotd]

my remakes page: https://jotd.pagesperso-orange.fr/ where Gods can be downloaded

[jotd]

New version online, with new Rick levels & joystick working again (I have to use a DLL and it needs to be in 64 bits now that most JREs are 64 bit)

Enjoy! (I wasn't able to get past 1.2 of Rick levels, but I haven't tried too hard)

[Viceroy]

Nice one JOTD ;-)

[jotd]

Main contributor was Rick that time, designing 4 entire levels. Madman's task (I did that once, not going to do it again)

so now game has 3 4-level sets plus demo level. Hours of fun figuring out the twisted puzzles.

[Cherno]

I hope it is ok to post the result of a quick experimentation with Interprite I did some months ago to see if I could make a smoother Hercules (Gods) anim. Needs lots of afterwork, of course, but it shows what's possible. I always wanted a version of Gods that had faster and smoother movement and maybe more in-air control (when jumping).

[gimbal]

I don't think that more air control would fit the game, they clearly went for a little realism there going as far as to have to duck to pick something up off of the ground and the game having gravity with matching fall damage The levels are designed specifically for the jumping mechanic that is there.

Nice animation though, once the jitter is cleaned up.

[jotd]

I love that. maybe the same process would need to be applied to other characters too. And only in "reworked gfx" mode, but in that case there's a lot of game mechanics rework to be able to propose original graphics or reworked graphics.

ATM reworked graphics are just resized+pixel corrected graphics, same number of frames.

[Cherno]

Originally Posted by gimbal

I don't think that more air control would fit the game, they clearly went for a little realism there going as far as to have to duck to pick something up off of the ground and the game having gravity with matching fall damage The levels are designed specifically for the jumping mechanic that is there.

Nice animation though, once the jitter is cleaned up.

You know, when I wrote that bit about the air control, I realized that Gods has more in commin with cinematic platformers like Flashback than with typically jump'n'run games like Super Mario. So you are basically right, although I would still say that the hard-set jumping distance and height is more suited to a more rigid environment design, where platforms are all at distinct heights and distances from each other (instead of their location being bound to small tiles). Oh well, it is what it is

Originally Posted by jotd

I love that. maybe the same process would need to be applied to other characters too. And only in "reworked gfx" mode, but in that case there's a lot of game mechanics rework to be able to propose original graphics or reworked graphics.

ATM reworked graphics are just resized+pixel corrected graphics, same number of frames.

I saw a video of Gods oon the SNES today for the first time and thought about how ridiculous the speed/framerate was. Of course, the Amiga version is fairly slow and choppy as far as character movement is concerned, so maybe a middle ground between both would give a good illusion of smooth animations without needing more frames (as the high-speed SNES animations looks very smooth).

[Dastardly]

That's cool to see the main character moving more smoothly , although I think the amount of character control while in the air is fine as it is. When you jump you are commited to that jump and I think that is deliberate and a part of the games design. You get a tiny bit of 'aftertouch' while falling that comes in handy and you can shoot to a limited extent, again deliberate decisions, I would guess. What is it that you want to do extra?

I don't even really consider Gods a proper platform game because the platform jumping isn't the main focus. I'd class it as an action, exploration puzzle game before platformer.

[gimbal]

True, you're spending more time falling down trapdoors and climbing ladders than doing actual platforming and jumping Now that I think about it it is kind of funny that the game has realistic jumping and falling mechanics, and then there are the floating moving platforms which just slide away from under you if you don't inch along with them. But I guess it can be forgiven since floating platforms are unrealistic to begin with

[Dastardly]

Originally Posted by gimbal

True, you're spending more time falling down trapdoors and climbing ladders than doing actual platforming and jumping Now that I think about it it is kind of funny that the game has realistic jumping and falling mechanics, and then there are the floating moving platforms which just slide away from under you if you don't inch along with them. But I guess it can be forgiven since floating platforms are unrealistic to begin with

Yeah, there's realistic and then there's realistic. It a type of 'realism' that grounds it more in real life to suit the theme than that of say Mario where no attempt at realism is needed or made because of its theme, and so you can change direction in mid air etc. Obviously this type of realism it only goes so far.

[Muzkat]

I've always considered Gods a "thinking man's platformer."

It's got ladders and platforms, so in my mind that makes it, well, a platformer.

But it's got that slower pace and more of an emphasis on exploration and secrets. It's also not cutesy.

This all made it feel very different to the fast-paced, family-orientated, "complete the level as quickly as possible" platformers back in the day.

Gods is also still my favourite Amiga game btw

[gimbal]

I can't go that far, I dislike the fact that you get punished with instant kill traps for experimenting trying to find said secrets and the rigid combat system. So much standing still and spamming attacks. But that's just the Gods way, I can't call it flaws.

[Dastardly]

Originally Posted by gimbal

I can't go that far, I dislike the fact that you get punished with instant kill traps for experimenting trying to find said secrets

Can you give an example? I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I can’t think of where the game does this.

[gimbal]

Putting me on the spot eh? You're right to do so. I'm moaning about games I don't have fresh in my memory which is not the best of ideas. But it's fun.

Now I'm not too sure. Wasn't there one right at the beginning in the first sequences of switches? One of them spawns a spike trap and remember that it spawns right next to you so it can spell your death if you're standing in the wrong spot.

[DamienD]

I'm sure you correct Gimbal; from memory I also think I got stuck in certain traps back in the day...

It's been over 15 years that I've seriously played this though.

[Dastardly]

Originally Posted by gimbal

Putting me on the spot eh? You're right to do so. I'm moaning about games I don't have fresh in my memory which is not the best of ideas. But it's fun.

Now I'm not too sure. Wasn't there one right at the beginning in the first sequences of switches? One of them spawns a spike trap and remember that it spawns right next to you so it can spell your death if you're standing in the wrong spot.

Not trying to put you on the spot You could be right.

Is this the area you mean? If so, you do get teleported there (optionally), but even though you're right next to the spike, it's not actually touching you and so you won't die unless you walk right and in to it. As you can see, I'm not losing any energy standing there.

[Predseda]

I am ALMOST sure there are no traps that can not be solved in Gods. But I may be wrong of course.

[jotd]

you can get stuck at times (requiring ESC because it's impossible to make progress), but you really have to do it on purpose.

Double & triple spikes are uncrossable. But sometimes with the right object, the triple spike explode, and only one spike remains / with the right lever the spikes are killed.

Unkillable spikes are there to prevent you from turning back/being stuck. The screenshot at level 1 is a fine example of that. The game doesn't want you to go back to get the chest because you took the shortcut. In fact, you can get the chest, but it will cost you a life.

An example where you can get stuck: at 1.3, get the giant jump, jump on the wooden platform. Spikes appear below. But fall down. The diamond appears after a long time, teleport up, then fall down again: stuck.