e Source code is available from here

www.riimukivi.net/data/fastboy/vic20_ fastboy_ld27_src.zip

FastBoy won 36th place in 48h compo (1437 entries)

www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-27 /?action=preview&uid=10677

ABOUT LUDUM DARE

This is a regular accelerated game development Event. Participants develop games from scratch in a weekend, based on a theme suggested by community,
The LudumDare 27 theme was the 10 seconds.

That's why "fastboy" has a "10 seconds" timer on each screen.

PREABLE

Now when a game is released and it's labelled; "for the unexpanded vic 20"
it usually means one of two things, either it's a load of rubbish, or….
You have a programmer who`s original idea was so good; and his programming skills are so competent; he managed to fit an incredible concept into such
a small amount of memory; and still come out with an amazing game

Well for the record it's the latter of the two, it`s an amazing game!

Fastboy is of those quite annoyingly simple games in concept, but actually
when it comes to play the game; it`s so difficult to actually play, not
that its hard, its simple and that's the beauty it`s so simple it`s
difficult to play. You know like Tetris, it's a simple game and easy to
play but sometimes so difficult to master.

GAMEPLAY

Fastboy is a retro game for unexpanded Commodore VIC-20, and was written in
a 48 hour period from scratch for the Ludum Dare competition. As the competition has ended and the results are in; with this game came in 36th place, I am judging the game purely on a Vic release rather than a
competition entry.

The instructions for the Game are sparse, In fact within the game they are Zero, with the games roots in the competition, I suppose more time was
focused on the game rather than rules, as a game release that's one of the games downfalls, I felt; the game lacked instructions, on screen or from a
text file with instructions. (Although as said it's a competition entry
rather than a game release)

The games splash screen is effective, with scrolling bricks underneath the static text, although not a new idea; is still incredibly effective and
with the shading works very well to grab the gamers attention.

The game is incredibly simple anyway, it needs a joystick, you control fast
boy who appears as a white blob on screen, You "the fastboy" have 10
seconds of time and need to collect at least one diamond before you can
move onto the next level. If you fail to collect a diamond within the 10 seconds then it`s GAME OVER

Of course that would be easy if it wasn't for other things in the way that
are also moving around the screen, the higher the level the more things
that are in your path, hit one, and again you are show to the score screen ready to start the game again.

Not what you could call a new idea, however apart from the said lack of instructions, it's nicely implemented and runs incredibly quickly on the
Vic. Yes I know it's a competition entry but its being judged here as a
Game release.

SOME TIPS FROM THE AUTHOR ABOUT RUNNING THE GAME UNDER EMULATION

If you use VICE, xvic.exe is a VIC-20 emulator. Configure joystick and
open my D64 disc image.

LOAD"*",8,1 command loads a program if emulator does not run it
automatically.

RUN command starts the game (if emulator does not start it automatically)

First you see start screen. Push joystick fire button (or space)

wait.. it loads...

Push joystick fire button to start the game.

Thanks!!

SCORES

Graphics: 5/10
nice splash screen and in game
borders/shading otherwise graphics
are basic
Sounds: 5/10
nice tune and spot sound effects
Gameplay: 6/10
arrrrrrrrrrrgh just one more go
Overall: 6/10

SUMMARY

Basically just a competition entry but with some good ideas, as it stands
it's a credible game for the vic and I am sure one you will load to have
just one last attempt at a better score.



*************************************
REVIEW: BOLDER DAN FOR THE
UNEXPANDED VIC 20
By Commodore Free
*************************************

Author: Misfit
Requirements: Unexpanded VIC-20
+ Joystick.
Tested: VICE 2.4 and real
VIC (PAL)

Bolder Dan is labelled as a simple Boulder Dash clone and will run on the unexpanded VIC-20, now remembering what I said about the unexpanded
machine, 3.5k of memory isn't a lot; and it takes some skill to create a
game, it`s possible but some fall short in both quality and gameplay.

D64: riimukivi.net/data/vic20_bolder_dan.zip
T64: riimukivi.net/data/vic20_bolder_dan_t64.zip

Once loaded the splash-screen appears with sparce instructions, but I can`t think anyone would not know what to do in this game. Basically you need to collect all the diamonds but beware of the rocks as walking under one will cause it to topple and fall, this could crush you or block you way to collecting all the diamonds on the screen, you need to think quickly and
plan your route through the screen

Selecting a dungeon the game begins

As you progress through the levels various "enemies" try to get in your
way, by following you or generally annoying you. The game has 4 levels or dungeons with 29 levels.

The game looks great, the animations are a little rough and jerky; but it
all adds to the games charms, the tracks left by the players moves are a
nice touch and the "sparkle" of the diamonds is another imaginative idea,
taken from the game that this is a clone of. The title screen has some
manic music that adds to the tension of the game, but I wish it would
returned to this screen after all your lives had expired, you just see the score and have the option to play again, I guess this is down to memory limitations. It's all in here as you would expect from this type of game,
you can push boulders to kill or trap creatures; and the game controls work well, also the gravity seems to be acceptable, all in all a really good
release for the Vic

SCORES

Graphics: 8/10
colourful
Sounds: 7.5/10
great tune on the splash screen,
with in game bleeps and pops
Gameplay: 8/10
great, everything you would expect
is here all packed into such a
small space
Overall: 8.5/10
quite brilliant

SUMMARY

Showing that games really can be packed into small amounts of memory, it
has everything you would expect from a game in this category, with great
sounds colourful graphics. A brilliant release from the author. Its
another Vic Must have title!



*************************************
INTERVIEW WITH MISFIT
VIC 20 Developer
By Commodore Free
*************************************

Q. Please introduce yourself to our readers

Hi, my name is Mika "Misfit" Keränen, I am 37 years old; and am a punk rock coder from Northern Finland (City of Kajaani).

I'm a software specialist (boring software developing stuff for Windows/Linux/mobile/embedded devices etc.) and making games is my long
time hobby. I hate game design; but low level and Hard Ware independent
coding are my favourites.

When I was a kid I received a VIC-20 and started to learn basic
programming. The VIC however was my second computer, Salora Fellow was my first one. A Few years later my parents bought a C64 for me and rest is as they say is history.

- - - - - - - - - -

Q. How did you start programming on the Vic

I don't remember my first VIC program; however it was some kind of text adventure. I was about 8 or 9 years old when I wrote it. My parents sold
that VIC and time passed..

A Few years ago I met my school friend Aleksi Eeben in the Boozembly event;
and he told me that making programs for VIC-20 is awesome. After that
meeting; I thought that maybe I would have to go back to my roots too; and
I bought a VIC again. I downloaded the VICE emulator and a copy of the CC65-compiler, and started to make simple "hello world" tests. ..a few
days later I started to develop a simple Boulder Dash clone.I noticed that coding for 8-bit machines is very inspiring, and it was like a ti

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