Another one of those Mastertronic games that gives you a huge number of screens (512) but is rather empty and dull. Can't really separate the CPC, Speccy or MSX versions from each other.
And characters that can only bounce or stick to a ceiling. Might have seemed like a cool idea to the programmer but they are just annoying to play with.
The Speccy's high-res graphics look wonderful. If they could be matched with the CPC's lovely colours, this would be a very pretty game indeed. Dull and ultimately lacking, but pretty.
Jesus Christ, it is a huuuge game.
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/games-maps/t/Terminus_Part1.png (http://www.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/games-maps/t/Terminus_Part1.png)
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/games-maps/t/Terminus_Part2.png (http://www.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/games-maps/t/Terminus_Part2.png)
I enjoyed the video a lot, I did not know this game in before! :)
On checking out that map, I have only one question: What does this excessive size add to the game?
It was probably to increase the length of the game, because there is one guy in Youtube finishing it in just 24 minutes...
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLE7ttbf0hY)
[/url]
Maybe the programmer found that it would be too easy otherwise.
Quote from: Zoe Robinson on 18:38, 04 March 16
On checking out that map, I have only one question: What does this excessive size add to the game?
Nothing. Nothing at all. It was the big fad at the time to have huge games. Nonterraqueous had 1004 locations and Explorer by Electronic Dreams claimed 40 billion locations. Another Mastertronic offender was Into Oblivion with 2500 screens.
All of these games had one thing in common, they were big, empty and devoid of gameplay. The idea of all the screens was to give an idea of 'value' without any thought ever being given to the gameplay or if the game is even completable.
Although that said I've seen Terminus completed. If you map it, it can be done. But you'd have to have alot of patience and the game just doesn't warrant it.
Quote from: ||C|-|E|| on 19:00, 04 March 16
It was probably to increase the length of the game, because there is one guy in Youtube finishing it in just 24 minutes...
He's working from a map. He pretty much never takes a wrong turn. Given the game is full of dead ends and with all those 4 way junctions to explore, without a map there is zero chance of getting very far into it at all.
Any maze is easy if you have a map.
That is also very true, it would be very easy to get lost in normal circumstances :)
Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 19:05, 04 March 16
He's working from a map. He pretty much never takes a wrong turn. Given the game is full of dead ends and with all those 4 way junctions to explore, without a map there is zero chance of getting very far into it at all.
Any maze is easy if you have a map.
Could also be working from memory too if he's graced with a decent one. I still know my way around games like the first level of Platoon and Wonder Boy in Monster Land without a map. xD
But yeah, Mastertronic had a nack of putting their name on all sorts of tripe. Hollywood Or Bust was another awful one.
There's one for you, Chinny... give that a go! ;)
I played this back in the day. I had no idea what to do with it, but it did look quite pretty. 10 levels, I doubt I got off the first!
Quote from: Sykobee (Briggsy) on 00:05, 05 March 16
I played this back in the day. I had no idea what to do with it, but it did look quite pretty. 10 levels, I doubt I got off the first!
Although the map denotes levels, it never actually says when you have changed levels. You just teleport to the new zone (but it never says what zone you are in).
Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 19:04, 04 March 16
Although that said I've seen Terminus completed. If you map it, it can be done. But you'd have to have alot of patience and the game just doesn't warrant it.
I've completed it, without making a map - although I haven't timed myself doing it.
I first played
Terminus when I was 11 years old, and for whatever reason, the bright, colourful graphics really appealed to me back then (and they still do, even if some of them look like they're made from Lego).
I rated the game 9/10 on CPC Game Reviews but that's because I keep thinking about it with my rose-tinted glasses on! :laugh:
Quote from: Nich on 10:45, 05 March 16
I've completed it, without making a map - although I haven't timed myself doing it.
Are there any power-ups anywhere (I can't see any) and did you make use of the annoying bouncing character and the one who sticks to ceilings?
Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 16:18, 05 March 16
Are there any power-ups anywhere (I can't see any) and did you make use of the annoying bouncing character and the one who sticks to ceilings?
There are no power-ups, but there are a few places scattered about the maze where you can restore your energy.
Spex (the annoying bouncing character) is totally useless and seems to have been included just to "make up the numbers". Magno (the character who sticks to ceilings) is useful in a section of the maze which mostly consists of long vertical corridors but this characteristic is more of a hindrance in most of the other sections.
I can't remember if I managed to complete the entire game using Mobod only (by far the easiest and best of the four characters to control).
Quote from: Nich on 17:32, 05 March 16
There are no power-ups, but there are a few places scattered about the maze where you can restore your energy.
Spex (the annoying bouncing character) is totally useless and seems to have been included just to "make up the numbers". Magno (the character who sticks to ceilings) is useful in a section of the maze which mostly consists of long vertical corridors but this characteristic is more of a hindrance in most of the other sections.
I can't remember if I managed to complete the entire game using Mobod only (by far the easiest and best of the four characters to control).
On the play through on Youtube they manage it just using Mobod. All the other characters are annoying for one reason or another. As you say, Spex is totally useless to the point you can't even use him to get out of the initial start position.
I actually love the looks of this; it's tempting to say it's a truckload of colour puke but you can see the programmer(s) really put an effort into drawing nice, interesting and funny things to populate the world...