H.E.R.O. for VIC20

[bjonte]

A new VIC20 port of the classic Atari 2600 game H.E.R.O. was released yesterday.

 

https://kollektivet.nu/hero/

[+SpiceWare]

Nicely done!

 

[RobertB]

On 10/10/2022 at 1:11 AM, bjonte said:

A new VIC20 port of the classic Atari 2600 game H.E.R.O. was released yesterday.

Now all you need is a conversion of the game for the C128! 

 

Writing from Haywards Heath, England,

Robert Bernardo

Fresno Commodore User Group - http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm

Southern California Commodore & Amiga Network - http://www.portcommodore.com/sccan

Commodore Los Angeles Super Show - http://www.portcommodore.com/class

[Chris+++]

On 10/9/2022 at 11:11 PM, bjonte said:

A new VIC20 port of the classic Atari 2600 game H.E.R.O. was released yesterday.

 

https://kollektivet.nu/hero/

 

Since the VIC-20 doesn't allow for hardware sprites, are the characters, background, etc. in graphically intense games like this all the results of redefining the default character set?

 

 

[+cvga]

Wow! Looks amazing!!

 

Question: Can walls be destroyed with the microlaser beam in the Atari 2600 version also? If so, I never knew that!

[bjonte]

9 hours ago, RobertB said:

Now all you need is a conversion of the game for the C128! 

 

Haha!

[bjonte]

7 hours ago, Chris+++ said:

 

Since the VIC-20 doesn't allow for hardware sprites, are the characters, background, etc. in graphically intense games like this all the results of redefining the default character set?

 

Yes, it is. If the screen size is reduced a bit all characters fit on the screen and will effectively become a bitmap.

[bjonte]

6 hours ago, cvga said:

Wow! Looks amazing!!

 

Question: Can walls be destroyed with the microlaser beam in the Atari 2600 version also? If so, I never knew that!

Thanks! Yes, the microlaser can remove walls on the Atari 2600 version as well. I didn't know it either when I started this conversion. It looks a bit different. Half of the wall is removed horizontally as the first step and then it disappears. It's not used very often but can be handy sometimes. I found a bug regarding that in the 2600 version. If you stop shooting and start again it may be ineffective so you can end up shooting forever without anything happening. If you stop and start again it may start taking damage again.

[Casey]

It's an excellent port, and a great example of what the VIC 20 is capable of when programmed by someone willing to take the time to let the VIC shine.  The animation is very smooth.  This was one of my favorite games for the 64 back in the day - it's great to see it just as playable on the VIC 20.

[bjonte]

4 hours ago, Casey said:

It's an excellent port, and a great example of what the VIC 20 is capable of when programmed by someone willing to take the time to let the VIC shine.  The animation is very smooth.  This was one of my favorite games for the 64 back in the day - it's great to see it just as playable on the VIC 20.

Thanks! I played it mostly on the C64 as well. A very good game, even if it's hard.

[bjonte]

I just want to let you know I released an update that only modifies the colors used on NTSC.

[Casey]

Downloaded and played V1.3 also - I do think the average person would be surprised if they saw this game to know the VIC-20 doesn't have hardware sprites, because the animation is so smooth.

 

One minor bug I've noticed.  If the character dies because they blew up dynamite too close to them, or they hit a magma flow, and there is an enemy further away (a bat as an example) - the enemy goes away when the player is respawned.  That's the only thing I've noticed while playing.  

 

Great work!

[bjonte]

On 10/17/2022 at 11:19 PM, Casey said:

Downloaded and played V1.3 also - I do think the average person would be surprised if they saw this game to know the VIC-20 doesn't have hardware sprites, because the animation is so smooth.

Yes, you can be fooled. It also makes it harder to convince anyone that it's harder to do a VIC20 version than a C64 version for this reason.

 

Quote

One minor bug I've noticed.  If the character dies because they blew up dynamite too close to them, or they hit a magma flow, and there is an enemy further away (a bat as an example) - the enemy goes away when the player is respawned.  That's the only thing I've noticed while playing.  

It's by design and this is how the original works as well. All dangers in the same vertical section as the hero will disappear when he dies to avoid the possibility of death on respawn. A typical scenario could be that the hero drowns in water and respawns where there's an enemy.

[Casey]

Interesting!  The C-64 version does not do that.  If I die due to hitting a magma flow, and there is a bat or spider beyond it, it stays there and I have to kill it after I've respawned.  I have not played the Atari version, so I didn't realize it didn't do that.

 

It's a great game - I enjoy it!