James Pond - too hard for my badly aged reflexes

[Mr Creosote]

Good environmental message, nice mission system per level, cute graphics and appropriate music. Though seriously, why did they have to make it so unfair?

https://www.goodolddays.net/game/id%...ter-Agent.html

[TCD]

The last paragraph sums it up pretty well. When I got the game I was pretty hooked by the light puzzle elements and the different take on 'platforming' just to be put off by the difficulty in the later levels. You can play with a trainer, but it's just not that much fun.

[jotd]

As far as I love all those games I don't have time to spare to play them through again or just get better... Sad.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by jotd

As far as I love all those games I don't have time to spare to play them through again or just get better... Sad.

The second part is what I call the 'level one syndrome'. I play level one and really like it and then when level two gets tricky I just leave the game and don't try to get better. I changed my attitude a bit in the last years so I'll try to replay some games that I gave up on way too easily 'back in the day'.

[jotd]

thanks for putting a name on that, that definitely makes sense

[Mr Creosote]

Originally Posted by TCD

I changed my attitude a bit in the last years so I'll try to replay some games that I gave up on way too easily 'back in the day'.

Same here. For many years, I felt the effect of "there are hundreds, thousands of other games, why should I try this one if it doesn't convince me right away". But then, I realized I can't play them all anyway, ever. Now I'm really giving my best to appreciate whatever I play. Not just dismiss it so quickly anymore. Surprise, surprise – I feel good about a lot more games, or at least when I do dislike them, I can put my finger on it and say why exactly. And still appreciate their good sides, even if sometimes it is just good intentions.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Mr Creosote

For many years, I felt the effect of "there are hundreds, thousands of other games, why should I try this one if it doesn't convince me right away". But then, I realized I can't play them all anyway, ever.

Indeed. If I feel really frustrated I still stop playing a game, but if I can see that I just need to put some more effort into playing the game to see the good and the bad in it I'll do it. You are right that most of the time it's worth the effort and if only to understand better why I like a game or not.

[gimbal]

James Pond is bonkers. You lose health SO quickly, it's almost a single-hit-death game. Especially because the collision detection is equally unforgiving. And then health pickups give you -so- little back, and they tend to spawn near things that hurt you...

And then they pull tricks on you like some enemies are invisible, you need to wear glasses to see them so you can take them out and then stockpile all the collectables at the start of the zone (because you can't wear glasses AND transport items at the same time of course...). At least they made the wise decision of showing the invisible enemies while you're in your death state or else you'd really think the game is bugged, just dying out of nowhere.

Or what about a pirate ghost that likes to hang out exactly where you come out of a time saving teleporter making it a real gamble to even use that thing - essentially you shouldn't unless you have unlimited lives on. That's the devs giving you the finger. Thought you'd save time eh? No mate, you are going to be doing the same exact trip to-and-fro every single time because that's how we make it so you don't finish this game in 15 minutes.

If your life loss would have been a quarter of what it is now, good game. Repetitive, but good. But what we have is a frustration simulator. You'd think the devs were under the impression you'd be feeding coins into your Amiga.

[Nobby_UK]

The number of games I got nowhere in

I could have saved a fortune and stuck to the Demo's

[Mr Creosote]

Originally Posted by Nobby_UK

The number of games I got nowhere in

The funny thing in retrospect is how little I minded back then. Even when I bought a game, i.e. spent money, and then just kept replaying level 1 over and over again. Never seeing the rest of what I paid for.

[Superman]

The difficulty curve in this one is very steep indeed. The first level is fairly straight forward but from then on it gets very hard very quickly. Even with a trainer activated the later levels are so large and complex you just get completely stuck.

[7-Zark-7]

I loved the game for it's cartoon visuals & though the "puzzle" elements were Dizzy like in simplicity,(not to mention carrying things one at a time!),I probably still liked it a tad more than the console style sequel,(as good a game as it is,just personal preference).

That said,I had to use the in-built cheat (& probably a trainer now),when Dr Maybe started popping up later...things could slow down with the amount of times he warped all over the place!

[gimbal]

Originally Posted by Mr Creosote

The funny thing in retrospect is how little I minded back then. Even when I bought a game, i.e. spent money, and then just kept replaying level 1 over and over again. Never seeing the rest of what I paid for.

Yeah I hear that. In retrospect I think I am better today though... because what made it possible for me in those days came close to obsession/addiction. I have put countless hours into pretty shitty games, for no real good reason other than it was a computer that did bleep bloop.

[rabidgerry]

I agree with pretty much all that has been said and also experienced the same things. However I'd say since getting back in Amiga a few years ago I have not only started to play new games I never had back in the day, but I have also went back and played a lot of games I used to play but was rubbish at. I personally think I'm a lot better at them now. Like I never ever got past Ghost Ship level in James Pond, but I have since got past that level.

Great Giana Sisters I have gotten so far in it now that compared to when I was younger I'm light years ahead or where I got to back then. But those are two games I had the

'level one syndrome'

with but since I have gotten better. A few stinkers I had 'level one syndrome' with also was Back to the Future II and Terminator 2. But back when I was a kid I actually really put a lot of effort into those 2 games and got past Level 1. Once I got past the first levels then it suddenly became enjoyable. Then I ended up completing them. I kinda got this bug where I would just go "right that's it I'm gonna fuck this game up and beat it". Good determination I suppose for back then. I've taken a bit of that with me as I've gotten older. So put more time into Fire and Ice and Ruff n Tumble and gotten way further into those games than I ever did as a kid.

But the problem is now, I've access to so many games from all these new ports for Amiga plus the tonnes I never had back in the day and now there is a wealth of games for me to try out and the problem is there are too many!!! So I'm trying to select a few gradually to get better at. I believe Assassin to be one I never had back in the day but decided to try get further in it. I had 'level one syndrome' with this though as I could not figure out the controls. But I have done since, so it's just a matter of time.

One I'm still shit at and was shit at back in the day was New Zealand Story. Man that's a tough game.

[Anubis]

My list of 'level one syndrome' would be very long...

Zool (both games)
James Pond
Hudson Hawk
Blues Brothers
Gods
Switchblade (both)
First Samurai
Second Samurai
Wolfchield
Sleepwaker (this one is worst, I could not even finish first level?!)

And many others...
...

[gimbal]

Dojo Dan. Is that game even possible? I had a demo version once which I could complete, but... I hardly get far from the starting point in level 1. Enemies take three hits to defeat and they keep bloody respawning almost immediately, what the heck.

[TCD]

Originally Posted by Anubis

My list of 'level one syndrome' would be very long...

Blues Brothers
Gods
First Samurai
Wolfchield
...

Those four I actually tried very hard to get past level one. I didn't finish any of them without a trainer, but I did get pretty far in Wolfchild and Blues Brothers though. Gods... that one is so riddled with the 'Rick Dangerous' syndrome You either know what will hit you or you'll suffer

[rabidgerry]

Wolfchild level 1 is easy, but I was stuck at the 2nd level for a long time. Again later years Amiga me got to the 3rd and 4th level.

Blues brothers got to the 2nd level years ago, but can get to the 4th level now.

Sleep Walker can't get anywhere with that one.

First Samurai was stuck on level 1 for back in the day but again progressed to level 3 as "later years Amiga me"

Switchblade, still stuck to this day on level 1.

[jotd]

Originally Posted by Anubis

My list of 'level one syndrome' would be very long...

Zool (both games)
James Pond
Hudson Hawk
Blues Brothers
Gods
Switchblade (both)
First Samurai
Second Samurai
Wolfchield
Sleepwaker (this one is worst, I could not even finish first level?!)

And many others...
...

I have to agree on that small selection of games that people picked here.


Zool does the "level 1 syndrome" on purpose, with that ridiculous piano play thing to end the level at level 2.2. I had bought the original, and I gave up...

James Pond, well... too hard, yes

Switchblade 2 I tried for the recent EAB contest. Actually could pass a few levels, but used the trainer.

Gods: I can complete that one anytime anywhere Chaos Engine is another example.

First Samurai I found rather easy once you passed the first level. The inverted level 1 syndrome. Level 1 is large and it's hard to find the magic items and teleport back. The other levels are easy in comparison.

Blues Brothers has a very annoying "jump high enough or retry" moment in the sky to reach the right/upper part of level. If you miss, you don't have enough crates to kill the enemies and you have to do that again. That's bad because the rest of the game is not as unfair.

2 games I'd like to go more into would be Ruff'N'Tumble and Turrican 2 (AGA!!). I suck at both of them, but they're legendary games. Another one is Raffles. Pretty intriguing, there's a walkthrough but only for 8 bit versions. 16 bit versions have more puzzles and I was stuck pretty quickly. Shame as it looks like a very cool isometric game.


I think the problem with the games now is that we don't have as much time as we used to have in the past. I'd like to play Cadaver, Push Over, Magic Pockets ... again but every time I find something better to do (like sleeping for instance )


Ok back to Bzil's Wolf 3D. First level was easy, but second level is a tough nut. Wait...

[gimbal]

I've been playing Cadaver on the mini, perfect couch game I'm quite happy it came with the mini itself even though that version skips the intro with the epic music and just plops you directly into the game.

I've played Blues Brothers enough that I can complete it; its a typical muscle memory game. Not exactly a perfect game but I love the music. The sewer level though... Even back then sewer levels were game development evil.