aGTW Update: Nobby the Aardvark, X-Fighter CD32 and Lone Wolf: the Mirror of Death

CodyJarrett · 14 August 2010, 14:14

Amiga Games That Weren't covers three games in this update:

The Nobby the Aardvark is a famous C64 game that was in development for the Amiga. Sadly, the Amiga was about half complete and was affected by Thalamus' liquidation. aGTW speaks to developers Jonathan Temples and Ashley Hogg.

aGTW talks to the elusive Kwok Man about his game X-Fighter CD32. X-Fighter was the commercial successor to PD game Mad Fighters II, was due to be published by Thalion and was reviewed by a number of Amiga magazines before it mysteriously disappeared.

Finally, we query Ian Upton, the designer of Lone Wolf: the Mirror of Death. This action/platform game was based on a popular series of gamebooks and was released on a number of 8-bit platforms. Although advertised for the Amiga, Atari ST and DOS, only the PC saw a release.

Retro-Nerd · 14 August 2010, 14:24

Thanks for the update. Especially for the playable Nobby the Aardvark Demo.

CodyJarrett · 14 August 2010, 14:25

It's playable to an extent e.g. there's a big bug on the first level!

s2325 · 14 August 2010, 14:31

I'm curious about Lone Wolf, is it EGA mixed with CGA?

alexh · 14 August 2010, 14:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by CodyJarrett

X-Fighter was due to be published by Thalion

Thalion had closed their doors and all had joined BlueByte almost a year before this demo was made. Whoever this was, it wasn't Thalion Software GmbH in Germany, i.e. those who made Amberstar, Ambermoon and Lionheart etc.

CodyJarrett · 14 August 2010, 14:46

Kwok said that he was in touch with Tony King at Thalion, so perhaps it was a UK offshoot?

alexh · 14 August 2010, 15:28

I'll ask but I feel it was either a different Thalion or some new company which bought the name when the Germans closed.

demoniac · 14 August 2010, 21:27

Nice update on Lone Wolf.

andreas · 18 August 2010, 01:45

Good work guys, as always!

Maybe a little marginal thing but...
what's the thing about Jonathan's name change? Is the one a sort of stage name and the other is his real name?
Thought it could have had something to do with marriage, but that's individual for every country per se.

MethodGit · 24 August 2010, 22:44

Something confuses me re: Thalion. IIRC, Amiga Power reviewed both X-Fighter and the English version of Ambermoon within the same issue (AP51). If Thalion GmbH had already been defunct for (almost) a year by then, how was the English Ambermoon able to make its way to reviewers, deals done etc? Did this supposedly alternative Thalion obtain the English Ambermoon rights at the time or something?

alexh · 25 August 2010, 00:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by MethodGit

Amiga Power reviewed both X-Fighter and the English version of Ambermoon within the same issue (AP51). If Thalion GmbH had already been defunct for (almost) a year by then, how was the English Ambermoon able to make its way to reviewers, deals done etc?

The last build of the beta version of English Ambermoon (1.07) was assembled over a year prior to AP51 being published and the first German version of Ambermoon (1.00) had been on sale for almost two years!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MethodGit

Did this supposedly alternative Thalion obtain the English Ambermoon rights at the time or something?

From what I recall, everyone who developed for Thalion had left months before July 1995 (AP51).

When they closed lots of rights were sold off to pay bills. Mostly to magazines for coverdisks. I do have some emails somewhere regarding how these magazines got their rights and also how the CD32 versions of Chambers of Shaolin & The Seven Gates of Jambala by Unique came to exist in 1993 (again work not done by Thalion GmbH).

There may have been someone trading under the name Thalion in 1995 but it did not included anyone from Thalion GmbH.

I don't know but you can probably work out dates of when the Thalion team joined BlueByte from the age of the files on the two Albion demos for Amiga.

MethodGit · 25 August 2010, 21:13

You know, I always wondered why Ambermoon looked so familiar in parts to Albion (which I played lots in the past), haha. I take it it pretty much started off as a Thalion project before BlueByte got involved (and used the same engine programmers)?

alexh · 25 August 2010, 21:52

Yes, same everyone. It was to be an A1200 game at first, even a bluebyte but the bottom dropped out of the Amiga market and commodore went bankrupt etc.

There are two Albion demos on the Amiga, one is very early and looks nothing like it but the second above ground has similar / same graphics as the released PC version.

http://eager.back2roots.org/DATA/A/ALBIO.html

Don_Adan · 15 November 2011, 14:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by CodyJarrett

It's playable to an extent e.g. there's a big bug on the first level!

No big bug, first level is fully playable. WHDLoad slave for seven levels is available on the WT page.

CodyJarrett · 15 November 2011, 14:36

Thanks, I'll check it out!

nujack · 15 November 2011, 20:00

@Don_Adan: Thank you very much for that WHDLoad-install. Is it possible to include a trainer or level-jump? That would be great!!! 1st Level is a bit hard for me or is there an option to destroy the enemies?

Don_Adan · 16 November 2011, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by nujack

@Don_Adan: Thank you very much for that WHDLoad-install. Is it possible to include a trainer or level-jump? That would be great!!! 1st Level is a bit hard for me or is there an option to destroy the enemies?

Perhaps enemies can be killed with ants (must be collected).

nujack · 16 November 2011, 17:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don_Adan

Perhaps enemies can be killed with ants (must be collected).

Thank you, that was the important hint. I didn't know that I can collect ants.

Level 1 already completed, but Trainer or better a Level-Jump would be great.

BTW would it be possible to include some nice music or are there any SoundFX? Maybe it's possible to add the music from the C64-version?
Thank you.

Don_Adan · 16 November 2011, 17:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by nujack

Thank you, that was the important hint. I didn't know that I can collect ants.

Level 1 already completed, but Trainer or better a Level-Jump would be great.

BTW would it be possible to include some nice music or are there any SoundFX? Maybe it's possible to add the music from the C64-version?
Thank you.

For me this game is too easy to be trained. Music or SoundFX perhaps can be added, but I don't have access to other (even damaged) beta or demo version of this game.

Don_Adan · 12 January 2012, 14:22

Small trainer added fo the new slave.

14 August 2010, 14:14	#1
CodyJarrett Global Moderator Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: UK Age: 46 Posts: 6,160	aGTW Update: Nobby the Aardvark, X-Fighter CD32 and Lone Wolf: the Mirror of Death Amiga Games That Weren't covers three games in this update: The Nobby the Aardvark is a famous C64 game that was in development for the Amiga. Sadly, the Amiga was about half complete and was affected by Thalamus' liquidation. aGTW speaks to developers Jonathan Temples and Ashley Hogg. aGTW talks to the elusive Kwok Man about his game X-Fighter CD32. X-Fighter was the commercial successor to PD game Mad Fighters II, was due to be published by Thalion and was reviewed by a number of Amiga magazines before it mysteriously disappeared. Finally, we query Ian Upton, the designer of Lone Wolf: the Mirror of Death. This action/platform game was based on a popular series of gamebooks and was released on a number of 8-bit platforms. Although advertised for the Amiga, Atari ST and DOS, only the PC saw a release. Last edited by CodyJarrett; 03 April 2013 at 09:38.

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14 August 2010, 14:24	#2
Retro-Nerd Missile Command Champion Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Germany Age: 52 Posts: 12,435	Thanks for the update. Especially for the playable Nobby the Aardvark Demo.

14 August 2010, 14:25	#3
CodyJarrett Global Moderator Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: UK Age: 46 Posts: 6,160	It's playable to an extent e.g. there's a big bug on the first level!

14 August 2010, 14:31	#4
s2325 Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Gargore Age: 43 Posts: 17,789	I'm curious about Lone Wolf, is it EGA mixed with CGA?

14 August 2010, 14:46	#6
CodyJarrett Global Moderator Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: UK Age: 46 Posts: 6,160	Kwok said that he was in touch with Tony King at Thalion, so perhaps it was a UK offshoot?

14 August 2010, 15:28	#7
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,329	I'll ask but I feel it was either a different Thalion or some new company which bought the name when the Germans closed.

14 August 2010, 21:27	#8
demoniac Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: - Posts: 1,677	Nice update on Lone Wolf.

18 August 2010, 01:45	#9
andreas Zone Friend Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Germany Age: 50 Posts: 5,857	Good work guys, as always! Maybe a little marginal thing but... what's the thing about Jonathan's name change? Is the one a sort of stage name and the other is his real name? Thought it could have had something to do with marriage, but that's individual for every country per se.

24 August 2010, 22:44	#10
MethodGit Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: The Streets Age: 39 Posts: 2,731	Something confuses me re: Thalion. IIRC, Amiga Power reviewed both X-Fighter and the English version of Ambermoon within the same issue (AP51). If Thalion GmbH had already been defunct for (almost) a year by then, how was the English Ambermoon able to make its way to reviewers, deals done etc? Did this supposedly alternative Thalion obtain the English Ambermoon rights at the time or something?

25 August 2010, 21:13	#12
MethodGit Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: The Streets Age: 39 Posts: 2,731	You know, I always wondered why Ambermoon looked so familiar in parts to Albion (which I played lots in the past), haha. I take it it pretty much started off as a Thalion project before BlueByte got involved (and used the same engine programmers)?

25 August 2010, 21:52	#13
alexh Thalion Webshrine Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oxford Posts: 14,329	Yes, same everyone. It was to be an A1200 game at first, even a bluebyte but the bottom dropped out of the Amiga market and commodore went bankrupt etc. There are two Albion demos on the Amiga, one is very early and looks nothing like it but the second above ground has similar / same graphics as the released PC version. http://eager.back2roots.org/DATA/A/ALBIO.html

15 November 2011, 14:36	#15
CodyJarrett Global Moderator Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: UK Age: 46 Posts: 6,160	Thanks, I'll check it out!

15 November 2011, 20:00	#16
nujack Zone Friend Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Leipzig/Germany Age: 49 Posts: 458	@Don_Adan: Thank you very much for that WHDLoad-install. Is it possible to include a trainer or level-jump? That would be great!!! 1st Level is a bit hard for me or is there an option to destroy the enemies?

12 January 2012, 14:22	#20
Don_Adan Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Warsaw/Poland Age: 55 Posts: 1,954	Small trainer added fo the new slave.

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