Has anyone made maps for Roland in Time and Roland in Space? I checked the usually reliable CPC Power site but they don't seem to have any.
Nobody? Hm, that seems kinda strange.
Hm, indeed it is!
there are not that many screenshot maps for CPC to begin with...
Some french are actually trying to do some at CPcpower but it is a long process and too many games to do.
There at Amstrad CPC fans forum, a section about this...
:: Game MAP (http://amstradcpc.forumforever.com/f12-Game-MAP.htm)
there must be some section at CPCrulez as well.
I've been trying to do some CPC screenshot maps but is tricky lining them up.
To align the screenshots, also to get them :
you can copy-past the screen from the find graphics function with winape...
just set the proper size and it is not so difficult...
see picture attached.
good to work with a checkerboard picture with 2 colours not used by CPC (like dark and bright grey...), most graphic utilities have a checkerboard option, I often use them in 8x8 pixels...
the find graphics option with winape :
=set encoding on "screen"
=adapt window size so the screen appears, no zoom.
You can then select with you mouse a zone of "tiles" and copy it (ctrl+c)
then switch to graphic utility : and paste (ctrl+V) then align it into the checkerboard...
you may then recolour the 2 inks used by checkerboard into black or whatever you want...
I use paint.net because of its simplicity, nice to pixelart... just add a few plugins and enter a CPC palette manualy then save it...
Sorry, don't have time to do the map myself at the moment.
and not sure i'm good enough in Roland in time/space...
you may also erase Roland sprite after, or copy paste diverse sprites in order to display their movement pattern or add any information with the graphic utility options...
screenshot maps can really become big big big pictures so save often and be sure your videocard/PC/RAM can handle it, you may encounter some lags when doing some stupid errors like filling a whole colour on the whole picture into a dithered colour... ;)
I really wonder how big was this game...
is this as big as jet set willy 2 map ?
Also Roland in time may be quite easily moded to have better sprites or tiles... sprites are easy to find and stored quite simplily so it is normally very easy to replace them with better graphics.
Not sure about the tiles though...
I'd do it but if Annabelle catches me doing something as stressful as this, she'll have my head
who is Annabelle ? :o
His daughter :D
anyway, I fail to find longplay of those games, did someone actually manage to finish those ?
They were quite hard because Roland is a big slow compaired to Jet Set Willy...
You need to know timings for almost every monsters/jumps...
Many levels are with quite few screens indeed.
Ok I started to do it a bit, but this freaking game is freaking difficult, lol...
I failed to note the levels number at the moment but see this as a begining... all can be edited and put betterly on a big map.
But I simply failed to passe many levels/screens so I quit for the moment... :D
Funny to rediscover the good fluff, very whovian indeed...
Quote from: Carnivac on 22:00, 09 June 14
Nobody? Hm, that seems kinda strange.
Not really strange, having to play those monstrosities is bad enough, but mapping them too? It's no wonder it hasn't been done.
Quote from: EgoTrip on 23:47, 22 June 14
Not really strange, having to play those monstrosities is bad enough, but mapping them too? It's no wonder it hasn't been done.
I dunno. I kinda like them (even though I heavily dislike Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy). Maybe it's the Doctor Who homage that makes them appeal to me. Plus it's been long enough and people have mapped all sorts of games and these being Roland games have some significance to the CPC.
Thanks MacDeath for making a start on that. Nice to see how some of those rooms link up. :)
I guess its a matter of personal taste. Im not a fan of Doctor Who. Manic Miner was great, but I hated JSW. However I liked Chuckie Egg 2 so that probably invalidates my opinion.
I was doing some pixels for another project this weekend and couldn't continue this map for the moment...
issue is that it's a damn hard game, each screen may be tricky to pass ass Roland is quite slow, each jump must be well timed and need some pixel precision.
Also there are 10 levels.
Not all of them have a lot of screens but still, this can lead to quite a big map anyway.
Look at the level with missiles and airplane, I actually failed to pass beyound screen4... damn...
the Dome number 9 level also took me quite some times, and so on...
Not because it is difficult to copypaste graphics into a checkboard big picture, but it takes a lot of time to pass those fu****ing screens easily.
The most annoying thing I find is that you have to go back to the start of the level if you biff up. Which is also a slow affair and ruins the flow of the game. I suppose it should train you to concentrate on not dying but still it's a draaaagggg!
Why not use the GameMapper I implemented in JavaCPC?
It can create game maps from RAM (Like in this example) or directly from screen, too (Is almost the same technic)
JavaCPC GameMapper (RAM Mapping) (http://cpc-live.com/gamemapper/)
I was reading old spanish magazines and i found an article about "Roland in time" with pokes and a map (but no using game screens).
You can find it in the pages 58-61 from the Micromania nº5 (https://archive.org/stream/MicromaniaPrimerEpocaspanishIssue05/Micromania_Primer_Epoca_05#page/n57/mode/1up).
I have tested the pokes and they work perfectly with the preserved versions in CPC-Power.
The basic list to add the tricks is:
[attach=2]
The list adds a few new extra keys:
1.- CTRL is for kill a life in case you get trapped.
2.- H is for stop enemies, press again to they can move.
3.- Cursor UP for returning to the "Time Tunnel".
4.- S + H save the actual screen to tape.
I'm going out in a few minutes and i can not write the list, but if somebody want to write it, i'm going to translate a few things from spanish for not having problems, the questions of this program makes are (S = YES / N= No):
1.- "Monitor verde S/N" is "Green Monitor Y/N"
2.- "Vidas infinitas S/N" is "Infinite Lives S/N"
3.- "Numero de vidas 1-10" is "Number of lives 1-10"
4.- "Se mata en la caida S/N" is "You should die falling from high places Y/N"
5.- "Te maten los objetos S/N" is "Objects can kill you Y/N"
6.- "Neutralizar objetos voladores S/N" is "Disable flying objects Y/N"
For people using emulators, they can ignore this list and use directly the pokes that appear after the list:
1.- Vidas Infinitas/Infinite lives
2.- Numero de vidas/Number of lives
3.- Paralizar/Stop enemies
4.- Neutralizar ciertos objetos/Disable certain objects
I hope that this can help to finish the map of Roland in time :)
Nice (holy roland!) digging! I just wrote "online OCR" on Google. I had to correct every lines, it's not complete... and I must.. quit internet too
Micromania Primer Epoca (Spanish) Issue 05
PROGRAMA CARGADOR
10 MODE 1
20 LOCATE 11,13:PRINT "CARGANDOSE ROINTIME"
30 OPENOUT "DUN"
40 MEMORY 4999
50 CLOSEOUT
60 LOAD "!ROINTIME,5000
70 CLS
80 LOCATE 9,19:INPUT •MONITOR VERDE S o N ",COLOR$
90 IF COLOR$="s" THEN POKE &1389,1
100 LOCATE 8,19:INPUT "VIDAS INFINITAS S o N",V$
110 IF V$="s" THEN POKE &1712,&A7:POKE &13F0,&A7:GOTO 140
120 CLS:LOCATE 8,19:INPUT "NUMERO DE VIDAS DE 1 - 10 ",N
130 IF N<1 OR N>10 THEN GOTO 120 ELSE POKE &145D,N
140 CLS:LOCATE 5,19:INPUT " TE MATEN LOS OBJECTOS ? S o N ",O$
170 IF O$="n" THEN POKE &1B4E,0:POKE &1A02,0:POKE &1A90,0
180 CLS:LOCATE 1,19:INPUT "NEUTRALIZAR LOS OBJECTOS VOLADORES S o N ",N$
190 IF N$="s" THEN POKE &1EBB,&C9
200 POKE &164D,195:POKE &164E,76:POKE &164F:POKE &1519,54:POKE &152C,53
210 FOR I=40000 TO 40113:READ A:POKE I,A:NEXT I
220 CALL 5000
230 DATA ....
Good work Token!!! :)
I have fixed a few syntax errors at your work and adding the data lines:10 MODE 1
20 LOCATE 11,13:PRINT "CARGANDOSE ROINTIME"
30 OPENOUT "DUN"
40 MEMORY 4999
50 CLOSEOUT
60 LOAD "!ROINTIME",5000
70 CLS
80 LOCATE 9,19:INPUT "MONITOR VERDE S o N ",COLOR$
90 IF COLOR$="s" THEN POKE &1389,1
100 LOCATE 8,19:INPUT "VIDAS INFINITAS S o N ",V$
110 IF V$="s" THEN POKE &1712,&A7:POKE &13F0,&A7:GOTO 140
120 CLS:LOCATE 8,19:INPUT "NUMERO DE VIDAS DE 1 - 10 ",N
130 IF N<1 OR N>10 THEN GOTO 120 ELSE POKE &145D,N
140 CLS:LOCATE 5,19:INPUT " SE MATA EN LA CAIDA ? S o N ",C$
150 IF C$="n" THEN POKE &1B2E,0
160 CLS:LOCATE 5,19:INPUT " TE MATEN LOS OBJECTOS ? S o N ",O$
170 IF O$="n" THEN POKE &1B4E,0:POKE &1A02,0:POKE &1A90,0
180 CLS:LOCATE 1,19:INPUT "NEUTRALIZAR LOS OBJECTOS VOLADORES S o N ",N$
190 IF N$="s" THEN POKE &1EBB,&C9
200 POKE &164D,195:POKE &164E,76:POKE &164F,156:POKE &1519,54:POKE &152C,53
210 FOR I=40000 TO 40113:READ A:POKE I,A:NEXT I
220 CALL 5000
230 DATA &FF,&49,&2E,&44,&2E,&42,&41,&44,&41,&49,&4F,&5A,&3E,&17,&CD,&1E,&BB,&C2,&D9,&16,&3A,&AF,&2D,&B7,&C2,&50,&16,&3E,&2C,&CD,&1E,&BB,&20,&0B,&3E
240 DATA &00,&CD,&1E,&BB,&C2,&8D,&14,&C3,&50,&16,&3E,&3C,&CD,&1E,&BB,&20,&1D,&3A,&40,&9C,&ED,&44,&32,&40,&9C,&FE,&FF,&28
250 DATA &08,&3E,&C9,&32,&BB,&1E,&C3,&F4,&15,&3E,&FD,&32,&BB,&1E,&37,&C3,&50,&16,&3E,&01,&CD,&6B,&BC,&06,&0B,&21,&41,&9C
260 DATA &CD,&8C,&BC,&21,&00,&C0,&11,&00,&40,&01,&00,&C0,&3E,&02,&CD,&98,&BC,&CD,&8F,&BC,&C3,&50,&16
I have added a floppy with this list, RUN"POKES and choose what you want, one of the best is press H for stop enemies and at the same time the sprites can not kill you.
Now it's time for the people interested in making the map and not forget to send the map to CPC-Power ;)
I have no idea what any of this is that I started with this topic but if it results in maps finally being made for those games then YAY! :)
We have given the cheats and now it's only somebody with enough time to browse the game and capture the screens (around 50).
I'm more than happy to do it for the community... give me a few hours to sober up first and I'll post the complete maps!
(well, IF I ever sober up!)
Incoming upside-down map in 3...2...1...
Since nobody else's making the map and CPCE makes mapping easy with its F12 key...
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_01.png)
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_02.png)
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_03.png)
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_04.png)
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_05.png)
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_06.png)
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_07.png)
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_08.png)
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_09.png)
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/rointime_map_10.png)
It's worth saying that "Roland in Time" was published with a big bug: it was originally made with 139 gems in mind but new screens were added and the final number of gems became 143. This makes the game unfinishable without these pokes: &149C,&8F ; &1559,&8F ; &15B3,&8F ; &15CE,&8F ; &166E,&8F ; &17F5,&8F
It's also worth saying that ROINTIME is notable because of the many invisible platforms within. "The End of Time" has a bunch of horizontal and vertical conveyor belts that let you reach the last gem, but also push you towards the lethal fireball in the centre of the screen or make you fall from too high. Similarly, the left wall of "Dome 9 Spaceport" features a tunnel of non-solid blocks that lets you walk into "Stepping Out", and both "The Guardroom" and "The Crumbling City" can be reached by standing behind the time machine of "Seen my Ballista?" and "After the Holocaust" and carefully jumping to the left. Bear in mind that ROINTIME predates the second part of "Jet Set Willy" and its twisted screens "Loony Jet Set" (invisible ramps) and "Star Drive (Early Brick Version)" (undistinguishable conveyor belts).
Ladies and gentlemen, here you have the maps of "Roland in Space" fresh from the oven!
SOL 3
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/ROLSPACE_MAP_SOL_3.PNG)
ALPHA CENTAURI 4
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/ROLSPACE_MAP_ALPHA_CENTAURI_4.PNG)
BETELGEUSE 2
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/ROLSPACE_MAP_BETELGEUSE_2.PNG)
ARCTURUS 7
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/ROLSPACE_MAP_ARCTURUS_7.PNG)
POLARIS 4
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/ROLSPACE_MAP_POLARIS_4.PNG)
ALGOL 6
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/ROLSPACE_MAP_ALGOL_6.PNG)
POLLUX 3
(http://cngsoft.no-ip.org/ROLSPACE_MAP_POLLUX_3.PNG)
This map was made thanks to a couple of pokes that kept the enemies from moving. In this aspect it was a bit more difficult than in ROINTIME, where you could press H while a screen was being rendered and this ensured that the following screenshot would show everything in their starting locations.
Fun fact: ROLSPACE was published without any bugs. It's finishable as it is! :-)
Groooooo-vey!
Quote(if you can't see the banner right now my server is currently offline)
I can't see any picture at all...
:(
Quote from: MacDeath on 05:30, 09 July 14
I can't see any picture at all...
:(
It's online again. After all, the computer needs to sleep like his owner...
ok I can see them now...
nice work my friend, as usual.
those games were such "die and retry" it hurts... but they were somewhat cute for 1984 games on CPC... and for the 6 year old brat I was... :D
I'm pretty sure it may be possible to get some new upgraded/soupedup/redone versions, with moderner graphics (more into Doctor Colin Baker Who) feel... and control/responses for sprite (eand speed) more like Jet Set Willy...
Good think would be to have sprites different for each lives, representing each doctors.
Also may be possible to have quite subtle tiles variations to indicate the hidden passages like :
bright cyan and pastel cyan, bright yellow and pastel yellow, or different bright greens, a few pink/orange pixels mixed/swaped... those are so subtily different that they would not appear at first sight.
This game would be a double anniversary one : 50 years of doctor who and 30 years of Doctor Roland in time/space... sort of... ;D
Huge thanks to cngsoft for snapshotting the maps and those who made the pokes too. Very much appreciated. :)
Quote from: MacDeath on 13:23, 09 July 14
This game would be a double anniversary one : 50 years of doctor who and 30 years of Doctor Roland in time/space... sort of... ;D
When I did that Roland Returns mock up a month or so ago I did pixel an 11th Doctor version of the Roland sprite and TARDIS variant of the phone box sprite too. In my imagined version it would have Roland bump into the Doctor in some room realising they both have come to the same planet for some reason and then the Doctor 'steals' one of the crystals that Roland needs (the Doctor coming to a planet to get a crystal being a reference to the Third Doctor and Metebelis III) and then you find him again on a later screen right at the end where he's come back to return the crystal to you now he doesn't need it anymore so you can get the full percentage. Also would have been an easter egg to swap the sprites so that you could play through the game as the Doctor and encounter Roland later instead. :P
(http://i.imgur.com/0GSqVSB.png) (http://i.imgur.com/0GSqVSB.png)
The "doctor Roland" from those both games was more like an actual poorly designed Colin Baker Doctor (AKA the underrated one, yet with sexy scantily clad Nicola Bryant companion** and low special FX budget and executive medlings at full force)...
see :
(http://i1.cdnds.net/13/31/618x579/uktv-doctor-who-colin-baker.jpg)
yeah, he is supposed to have a hat, yellow pant and somewhat red vest...
Graphic artists on CPC in 1984 were just coders with no artistic skills (coding monkey geeks) and no tools (with GUI and so on) to do proper modern infographics jobs...
But if you look at this picture you clearly understand that Roland in time/space is based on this exact design.
** yeah, with popular demand : this one...
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/gallery/bryant/images/340/bryant16.jpg)
(http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm2zggNhYK1qb6e5oo1_500.jpg)
Gotta love the eightitties...
eh, maybe but from what I see the Roland sprite in these games (which is slightly different in each of them, the arm colour) seems mostly coloured that way so that each part is recognisable with no shading and cramming a human sprite into that size and resolution similarly to how the Mario sprite in Donkey Kong was designed.
Quote from: MacDeath on 00:41, 10 July 14
yeah, he is supposed to have a hat, yellow pant and somewhat red vest...
yes each Doctor has his own style both in the way he acts and the way he is dressed.
But that also makes it more fun each time there is a new Doctor.
Roland in time/space is the wonderfull 6th Doctor,my favourite with 7th and 3th.
Nice mockup.Any one want to refresh gfx of this game in order to have another doctor who game ?
I want to see daleks (you can see daleks in brian bloodaxe),cybermen,k9(it have a clone in 2112AD) in roland in time/space :D
Colin Baker let down by an awful costume and the BBC's desire to get rid of Dr Who
(http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2009/354/e/f/Colin_Baker_is_Six_by_Lithrael.jpg)
Roland in Awesome.
Nice pic mac death,where did you found it ?
dcdrac: I like colin baker costume :)
googled picture it... looks like a deviant-tart...
Also just for the news : those maps of Roland in Time/Space have been put at CPCpowers pages (for said games).
Thx to the author... th... Ave Cesar !!!
Was Doors of Doom meant to be a third one in this series?
I just ask cos it's by Amsoft and the main sprite is coloured very similarly despite being bigger and more detailed. I know the gameplay is somewhat different being that it scrolls and you can shoot but I just curious about the character design.
(http://www.cpcgamereviews.com/d/doors_of_doom.png)
Quote from: Carnivac on 11:34, 05 August 14
Was Doors of Doom meant to be a third one in this series?
I just ask cos it's by Amsoft and the main sprite is coloured very similarly despite being bigger and more detailed. I know the gameplay is somewhat different being that it scrolls and you can shoot but I just curious about the character design.
It's an interesting thought, but remember that all three games (
Roland in Time,
Roland in Space and
Doors of Doom) were developed by Gem Software. I think that's the only reason for the similar design and palette of the main character.
Quote from: Nich on 20:26, 05 August 14
It's an interesting thought, but remember that all three games (Roland in Time, Roland in Space and Doors of Doom) were developed by Gem Software. I think that's the only reason for the similar design and palette of the main character.
Maybe. It does seem somewhat intentional cos they could have picked any colours but it clearly looks like the character is wearing the same exact outfit. Certainly Roland from Time/Space looks more like the Doors of Doom guy than he does to any other of the many Roland sprites.
Maybe Gem Software thought that outfit was the absolute height of 80's fashion and wanted to re-use it. :laugh:
Does anyone know how to get the last item (to the bottom left) in the Ice Maze? [attachimg=1]
There are blocks you can 'walk through' but I tried jumping like mad everwhere I can but can't get to it. :(
Any idea?
Quote from: Xyphoe on 11:48, 25 August 14
Does anyone know how to get the last item (to the bottom left) in the Ice Maze? [attachimg=1]
There are blocks you can 'walk through' but I tried jumping like mad everwhere I can but can't get to it. :(
Any idea?
All you have to do with that Crystal is position Roland under it, when you're in the correct spot, Roland will Jump up amongst the Ice and grab that Crystal.
Quote from: AMSDOS on 12:34, 25 August 14
All you have to do with that Crystal is position Roland under it, when you're in the correct spot, Roland will Jump up amongst the Ice and grab that Crystal.
AAaarrghh! OK I've done it now. Thank you for that! I must have jumped up at that a 100 hundred times, have to be pixel perfect and found the spot. Cheers!
Finally I finished the longplay for this!!! :o :P
[AMSTRAD CPC] Roland In Time - Longplay & Review - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_xW92gJaJ0)
Thanks for playing this so we don't have to
Some of the graphics on this are actually really good. Others not so. But I really don't have the skills or patience required to see this through to the end.
@Xyphoe (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=109) : I really admire you for finishing this game :). It doesn't even have a proper ending, but what matters is the journey, not its end, I guess :). Well done!
This game was actually quite big for its time.
Of course it takes time because the movements are quite slow as well.
Lots of pixel tight action indeed.
The level design/themes is really faithfull to Doctor who indeed.
This game is one of the hits from 1984 on the Amstrad and was fun to see that the coder/devs were involved in many great games afterward.
aren't you searching for "Lode runner" at one point ?
And yep, merry X-Mas, this game was such a big X-Mas present to have in X-mas 1984-1985.
Fitting 30 years X-Mas anniversary video.
Had to dig this thread up again after spotting a version of Roland in Space/Time on the Tatung Einstein!! Under the Name of Time Trap? Not a straight port either graphics different and not sure if the game is different but it is definitely cut from the same cloth. 'Down at Dollis Brook' and 'The Roman Fort'. Anyone have any info relating to this or even other versions?
Quote from: Puresox on 23:59, 25 August 15
Had to dig this thread up again after spotting a version of Roland in Space/Time on the Tatung Einstein!! Under the Name of Time Trap? Not a straight port either graphics different and not sure if the game is different but it is definitely cut from the same cloth. 'Down at Dollis Brook' and 'The Roman Fort'. Anyone have any info relating to this or even other versions?
both by gem software.
perhaps time trap came first and gem converted it for cpc using the roland character.
Dammit Roland, aren't you in any games that weren't previously something else on another system.
Except Roland of Sherwood of course...
(http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/resource://jid1-xgtdawe3yyuebq-at-jetpack/data/download_off.png)
Are you sure?
C64 Text Adventure - Robin of Sherwood, the Touchstones of Rhiannon - Longplay (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3f4ZhiE5v0)
Yeah, that game is based on one of my all time favourite TV shows which my Roland game is inspired by slightly (in name but the general setting is a typical Robin Hood setting with a few references to the TV show cos the 80's ruled). Is not like I'm taking that text adventure and changing all occurences of the name 'Robin' to 'Roland' :P I'm not Amsoft. :)
(http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/resource://jid1-xgtdawe3yyuebq-at-jetpack/data/download_off.png)
Quote from: arnoldemu on 07:11, 26 August 15
both by gem software.
perhaps time trap came first and gem converted it for cpc using the roland character.
I also recently was shocked to spot Sultans Maze was a game on the Dragon and the Lynx Camputer! Gem again?
Quote from: Puresox on 19:49, 26 August 15
I also recently was shocked to spot Sultans Maze was a game on the Dragon and the Lynx Camputer! Gem again?
Sultan's Maze was made in 1983 for dragon.
Amstrad was released in 1984, but some companies had development machines before then. So... either developed in parallel or originated on dragon first!
Think this...
Amstrad approached a number of companies, perhaps very close to when machine was released.
They were given development machines.
Gem software must have been one of them.
They must have written the cpc versions fairly quickly to get them ready for release. I can't see they ported from the dragon because of the different cpu and different video hardware, but at least they had a fully designed game ready that they could write.
It would be great to find some Gem Interviews from that era , or at least talking about the era.