| Posted By
RobertB
on 2016-12-19
01:41:59
|  The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
(Perhaps with enough urging, Bruce can port the following game to the Plus/4; he began work on it as a C128 40-column game. See below.)
In 2012, game programmer Bruce Gottlieb showed the then top-secret game, Unknown Realm, to the attendees at the Commodore Vegas Expo. It was so secret that no one from outside his team was allowed to photograph or videotape his session. The CommVEx attendees saw a potential game full of fun, and they were excited that it was to be released.
Fast forward to now... That early version of Unknown Realm is now graduating to the release version, "Unknown Realm: The Siege Perilous", and Bruce is putting it up on Kickstarter. Go to
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stirringdragongames/unknown-realm-an-8bit-rpg-for-pc-and-commodore-64
Available for the Commodore 64 (NTSC and PAL), Windows, and Mac, Unknown Realm is a new, 8-bit, role-playing game in the style of Ultima RPG's. At the above Kickstarter page, you'll be able to see all the details of the game release, including video shots, screenshots, and screen animation. Also at the page, you'll be able to see the many and various pledge amounts to get this game released.
As one who saw the early game version at CommVEx, I am excited that Unknown Realm is finally going public.
Merry Christmas,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
|
|
Posted By
MMS
on 2016-12-19
19:28:17
 | Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
WOW, look fantastic... It's cartridge on C64, could be little problematic to transfer to Plussy. (maybe I am wrong)
|
|
Posted By
Csabo
on 2016-12-19
19:53:21
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
No, you're right MMS, it will be released on cartridge only. They mention that disk version would not be possible. If that does happen somehow (thanks for the C64 scene), then possibly a Plus/4 port could happen.
|
|
Posted By
JamesC
on 2016-12-19
23:56:04
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
@Csabo: my interpretation is that the game will be released on PC (Win/Mac) on a DRM-capable online service. This makes the title piracy-resistant.
Similarly, issuing the C64 version on a cartridge with "special" hardware within = a comparable resistance to piracy.
If the author really wanted to appeal to the masses, they would offer a .d64 download for around US$40 -- just expensive enough that one would think twice before sharing it. No physical media costs (for the custom cartridge OR diskette duplication) should make up for the lower retail price. 
|
|
Posted By
RobertB
on 2016-12-20
04:42:34
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
When Bruce was working on the C128 version, he was thinking of releasing it on 1571/1581 disk, just to contain all of it. So, if he were to work on a Plus/4 version, then he could use those disk formats (.D71/.D81).
Merry Christmas,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
|
|
Posted By
JamesC
on 2016-12-20
12:28:54
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
@RobertB - there is a reason very few 128-native titles were released in 1571/1581 formats ... the programmers assumed the lowest common denominator, which is a 1541. Only a 128D owner is guaranteed to own a 1571. 
If Bruce is looking *strictly* at disk space, he can overcome it with a "flippy" 1541 diskette (like Infocom's "Bureaucracy" for the 128) or split the different levels over multiple 1541 diskettes (prompt the user to insert Disk 2 or Disk 3 when appropriate).
Similarly, if Bruce wants to allow people to run his game on an emulator, all Commodore 8-bit emulators support .d64 files. The user can attach a different .d64 when prompted, just like flipping the disk or inserting Disk 2 on a real machine.
|
|
Posted By
RobertB
on 2016-12-20
14:31:34
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
Yeah, he was looking at the flippy disk solution, too.
Merry Christmas,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
|
|
Posted By
MMS
on 2016-12-28
04:19:44
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
OFF
Actually, I have an 1571, but is does not grant more space, just a little more comfort on a C128.
It can work with Plus/4 in double sided mode, but in that mode my Flippy discs second side become unreadible due to different rotation direction (logically)
So a release in 1571 format is completely useless, as the second side become incompatible at once with the massive volume of 1541/1541/II and even 1570 drives. (as they cannot read the second side by default, and flipping of the disc does not help -they cannot read it)
So a release in "flippy disc" or 1581 format makes sense, mainly the later.
1581 release (D81) makes sense only if distributed in elecronic, downloadable/buyable form for emulators.
Why:
"Physical only" 1581 release will reduce the potential buyers to <10% of the original number. This is clearly against high sales volume.
In this year I wanted to buy an 1581 (for a fair price), but this drive became really rare and expensive (fortunately the external PSU cancels the 110/230V issue, as I have an 1541/II with European external PSU).
(maybe I will look for that kit in 2017 that could be used with Mitsumi 3.5" PC drives)
// switch on 1571 double sided mode
OPEN 15,8,15,"U0>M1"
CLOSE 15
// switch on 1541 mode
OPEN 15,8,15,"U0>M0"
CLOSE 15
|
|
Posted By
RobertB
on 2016-12-30
22:29:38
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
The Kickstarter is now 100% funded!
Happy New Year!
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
|
|
Posted By
siz
on 2017-01-04
04:47:03
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
I've already backed this project on Kickstarter and just received a project update containing (among other things) the following:
"The cartridge evolved out of the design of the game, which originally started as a floppy-based game. Really, the cartridge was just a means to an end once Bruce realized how much data and disk swapping this game would require to bring his vision to life. A floppy based game of this size would require 12 floppy disk sides on the C64 and involve a ton of disk swapping. In comparison, Ultima VI on the C64 had 6 floppy sides. Everyone who experienced playing these games on their C64’s in the 80's remembers how painful is was dealing with load times and floppy swapping every few minutes. In fact, doing simple things like entering and exiting towns would involve load times upwards of 45 seconds.
We just couldn’t expect modern gamers to wait 45 seconds to load up a town (even though, oddly enough, some modern games still take that long!) - our game loads up a town in about 2 seconds flat thanks to this cartridge.
We initially looked at other cartridge options that were available at the time for the C64 (such as EasyFlash) and quickly ruled those out because they didn't have the capacity or features to accomplish what we needed for Unknown Realm. "
I think it explains a lot.
|
|
Posted By
RobertB
on 2017-01-18
02:59:34
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
With a little more than 24 hours to go, the Kickstarter campaign for Unknown Realm is now at 168% of its goal. Various stretch goals have been reached, the last one being that all pledgers who have put in over $19 will receive the R.J. Mical parody game that was demonstrated last year. The next stretch goal is $4,692 away, that being an Underwater City Level. For a complete list of the stretch goals, see
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stirringdragongames/unknown-realm-an-8bit-rpg-for-pc-and-commodore-64
Back in California,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
|
|
Posted By
Mad
on 2017-01-18
08:46:43
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
Wow! They got a Chris Huelsbeck Soundtrack, too!
|
|
|
|
Posted By
George
on 2017-02-07
14:55:54
 | Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
Really impressing project:
* Old school RPG-game of the 80's for old-school computers.
* Real box with feelies and manual! (very important!)
* Colectiors edition
* Cartridge (Plug and play!). I was always fan of Carts. A pity the made only a handful for the plus/4.
They should distribute the game also on SD-Cards. I never was a fan of the floppies or even CD's.
I wish them a great success.
You don't need much of technology to make a great game. It's always about the idea, the love and the energy you put in every good game, which magically tranfers to the gamer.
|
|
Posted By
RobertB
on 2017-02-08
04:32:03
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
George wrote:
> You don't need much of technology to make a great game.
Unknown Realm creator Bruce tells me that the game is so full that only a few hundred bytes free are left to work with.
Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://www.dickestel.com/fcug.htm
|
|
Posted By
Mad
on 2017-02-08
13:16:23
| Re: The C64 game, Unknown Realm, on Kickstarter (Plus/4 port possible?)
Pretty hard to have just several hundred bytes left.. :)
|
|
| |
Copyright © Plus/4 World Team, 2001-2024 |
