ChinnyVision: Lost Caves

[chinnyhill10]

Had this one hanging around for a while now so decided to finally get it out. A look at Lost Caves, written by AA's own technical editor Adam Waring:





Oddly enjoyed it alot when I got it with AA (transfer to disk mean I played it more mind). Doesn't seem so good today.

[Gryzor]

Huh, cute one. Except for that tune, that is...

[chinnyhill10]

If the display was a little more zoomed out, it would improve the game. Not to mention a better difficulty curve.

[Puresox]

What are your problems with Boulderdash on the Amstrad? I personally thought it was a pretty comparable version ?

[chinnyhill10]

What are your problems with Boulderdash on the Amstrad? I personally thought it was a pretty comparable version ?

Boulderdash on the Atari 8 bits is like drinking a fine wine. The CPC version is like drinking cheap supermarket wine.


In the old days when people only had one machine you'd have just have lived with the CPC version. But I have loads of machines and can play the best games each machine has to offer. Why play Boulderdash on a CPC when I have an Atari and C64 next to it that have far better versions? The machine could have done far better and it's ironic that the CPC version ends up looking as garish as the Acorn Electron version, a machine far less capable.

[mr_lou]

Have to say I'm also a bit surprised by that opinion.

I also thought Boulder Dash on the CPC was pretty much the same as on the other platforms.
Not that it's ever been a favourite game of mine.
But I gotta check out some comparison vids now to see if I can spot what you mean.

EDIT: Ok I saw this one:


The only noteworthy difference I saw, was the smooth scrolling in the C64 and Atari version. Granted, smooth scrolling means a lot. I've always been a big advocate for smooth movement in general.
But I assume that the game first appeared on the Arcade machines? In which case, the game was born with chunky movement.
ZX Spectrum version though.....  then we can talk about cheap wine..... if we're even talking wine....

[chinnyhill10]

But I assume that the game first appeared on the Arcade machines? In which case, the game was born with chunky movement.
ZX Spectrum version though.....  then we can talk about cheap wine..... if we're even talking wine....

No. It started on the Atari 8 bits and is a rare example of a home micro game being ported to the arcade rather than the other way around.

[mr_lou]

No. It started on the Atari 8 bits and is a rare example of a home micro game being ported to the arcade rather than the other way around.

I see. Well in that case it's a very poor arcade version.
The CPC version looks like a great arcade version. It's faster than the arcade version.

What you think of a game on a certain platform though, will always depend a lot on where you played it first.
I recognize that the Atari and C64 versions looks a lot smoother, but I don't think I'll ever prefer playing their versions over the CPC version.

[Puresox]

The only thing I notice is that the Scrolling is a little smoother on the C64 and Atari, which is to be expected. But I think the Amstrad's scrolling was pretty adequate, especially for the time it was developed. The Amstrad version is quite alright IMO. I would find larger problems with other games.

[chinnyhill10]

The only thing I notice is that the Scrolling is a little smoother on the C64 and Atari, which is to be expected. But I think the Amstrad's scrolling was pretty adequate, especially for the time it was developed. The Amstrad version is quite alright IMO. I would find larger problems with other games.

To be honest, as an Amstrad fanboy myself I find it odd when people say "oh well the CPC version is alright, I prefer it". Why play second best?


The CPC is capable of much better than the version it got. It's very similar to the Electron version which is a far less powerful machine.


On the CPC I'd take Lost Caves despite all it's faults over the CPC Boulderdash.

[arnoldemu]

BTW, With safety browsing mode on, I can't see your videos, but I think they're completely suitable for kids.
How can you get it rated?


So what makes the atari version better than cpc? Smoothness of the game play? more responsive?



EDIT: Why is safety mode on? It's defined in google etc and I do it to protect my daughter from things she is not old enough to see, unfortunately the way I have set it up means I also have it turned on It's amazing how many innocent videos are blocked, exactly like this one.

[Gryzor]

Hm. Just watched the video. I don't think the CPC is a bad version at all. As for garish? All home ports *were* garish (well, all but c64 which couldn't do garish if you threw buckets of paint on it).

I prefer the 800XL version (will be playing on my MiST later today ) but bashing the CPC version? Nah..

[CraigsBar]

All home ports *were* garish (well, all but c64 which couldn't do garish if you threw buckets of paint on it).

haha. I'd love to see someone attempted to get even close to garish in shades of brown and grey ;-)

[Gryzor]

haha. I'd love to see someone attempted to get even close to garish in shades of brown and grey ;-)

This would smell like a disaster, if you catch my drift.

[chinnyhill10]

BTW, With safety browsing mode on, I can't see your videos, but I think they're completely suitable for kids.
How can you get it rated?

So what makes the atari version better than cpc? Smoothness of the game play? more responsive?


EDIT: Why is safety mode on? It's defined in google etc and I do it to protect my daughter from things she is not old enough to see, unfortunately the way I have set it up means I also have it turned on It's amazing how many innocent videos are blocked, exactly like this one.

The Atari version is smoother, more responsive, looks better, has better audio, and is the original and best!


As for the content block, I had no idea. The videos aren't age restricted and the account is in good standing. So I really don't know.


In a few weeks I'll be reviewing the Electron version and you'll see what I think of the game on a far less capable system than the CPC (and trust me I say something in that review that will have Acorn users at my door with pitchforks and flaming torches). Stay tuned.....

[TFM]

Now you got a real AA meeting [nb]Amstrad & Acorn  [/nb]

[Puresox]

Acorns version although it is admirable, doesn't compare well to the Amstrad version because at least the CPC version holds the character central to the screen , which makes the game vastly more playable. Nowt wrong with CPC version,bar the slightly stuttery scrolling, it does everything it needs to.

[chinnyhill10]

Acorns version although it is admirable, doesn't compare well to the Amstrad version because at least the CPC version holds the character central to the screen , which makes the game vastly more playable. Nowt wrong with CPC version,bar the slightly stuttery scrolling, it does everything it needs to.

I was only suggesting that on the Electron the game makes far better use of the limited hardware than the CPC version does. And even more amazingly the Electron version is by the purveyors of crap, Tynesoft, who for once do a half decent job.


On the Elk, Rockford does move further away from the centre of the screen before it scrolls but I can't say it was something that bothered me.


Don't want to say much more about the Elk version as otherwise I'll spoil the review when it comes out. 

[Puresox]

Never liked games which didn't scroll with the character central , limits the vision, changes the flow of the game (Similar to the zoomed in view on Lost caves, to bring it back to the subject at least).I think another example would be the New Zealand Story and possibly Turrican?(although the Turrican games are still great games .