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2024 4KB Craptastic Game Competition Preview

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The Reset64 Magazine 2024 Craptastic Game Dev Spectacular Preview

Development for the 2024 4KB Craptastic Game Competition is in full swing. With the deadline fast approaching (August 31st), we thought we’d give you all a quick look at what some of the very talented devs are up to for this coding competition.

Best of luck to all the competitors and we can’t wait to try all of your craptastic creations!

As always, thank-you to our competition sponsors and supporters:

Bitmap Books

 

Protovision

 

Ausretrogamer – retrogaming and pinball

Title: Weights and Crates

Author: TND Games

Status: In Progress

Synopsis: You are a worker at an explosives factory. You have been sent outside to the water logged shipping yard, where you are operating a conveyor belt, with crates on board. For every crate that passes points are scored. Yellow crates give 100 points and red crates award 200 points. Landing on yellow crates will stun you for a bit. If you are pushed to the central point of the red rollers, a fault occurs on the belt, resulting in you falling into the water. If you land on red crates or getting hit by falling 10 ton weights will result in instant death.

Title: Shark Under The Sea 4K

Author: SkyBerron

Status: In progress

Synopsis: You take on the role of a hungry shark. Eat small fish, avoid depth charges and don’t let yourself be hunted by the hunter divers.

Title: MoruBOOST

Author: Alexander Martinelle, Cogitare Computing

Status: Submitted

Synopsis: Speed across the alien planet dodging your alien captors!

MoruBOOST is a game of timing and luck. Use the robotic guinea pigs speed to dodge enemies and reach the end of the level as fast as possible to gain as many points as possible.

Title: Nightmare 4k

Author: PATAGONIA – Juan Castiñeira

Status: Submitted

Synopsis: Ghosts will take over your dark and scary house, you must escape from them. Your only safe zone is to stay under the light, that’s when the ghosts disappear. Take the key and find the exit door.

Title: Hydrogen

Author: Chris Stanley / Megastyle

Status: Submitted

Synopsis: Taking the form of a traditional ‘brick breaker’, Hydrogen is a game in which you must battle your way through twelve chambers of an alien space station to achieve victory. Use your effector and power spheres in order to decimate all the defence cubes. Liberate canisters containing one of four isotopes of hydrogen fuel, each providing the player with a different and useful ability to help win the day!

Title: Escape from the Metaverse

Author: Space Moguls / Carl-Henrik Skårstedt

Status: In progress

Synopsis: You’re trapped in the metaverse! Escape a fractured universe where gravity is not a constant and try to get the fastest time possible.

Title: Geom4K

Author: Oziphantom

Status: In progress (hopefully I make it)

Synopsis: It’s a twin stick shooter with geometric shapes that hunt you.. Needs two joysticks to play or two mapped to a good enough keyboard in an emulator. Currently supports 3 different enemy types. Hunter, Boxer and Kamikaze! Can currently handle 32 enemies at 25fps, but I will either add “superior hardware” support that hopefully gets it locked 50 or make a new version for the better platform.

Title: Drone Zone

Author: Code/Design: Carleton Handley, GFX/Music: Saul Cross

Status: Submitted

Synopsis: A racing game with a drone. Fly around six tight, small courses inside caves for the fastest time. Whilst you can fly around slowly the game is designed as a time attack game. All courses can be completed in under 20 seconds with practice, I’m hoping somebody can finish the easier course in under 10 seconds after release.

Title: The Revenge of the Blobby Thingies

Author: Martin Piper

Status: Completed

Synopsis: This is you, the other monsters are jealous of your light green colour. Find freedom from the monster factory! Shoot the monsters. There are 65536 types of monsters in this game. Each has their own characteristics and animations.

Title: Jerry Kavinsky versus Space Goblins

Author: Bago Zonde / Commocore

Status: In progress

Synopsis: “Jerry Kavinsky versus Space Goblins ” is going to be a loose tribute to the game “Jim Power”. In the game we play the role of Jerry Kavinsky, a time warp hero whose mission is to rescue the kidnapped President’s daughter from the hands of mutants. Mutant goblins and mutant plant spikes will do everything in their power to stop Kavinsky. On top of that, Kavinsky must be careful not to fall into the abyss. Otherwise he will be forgotten forever. Not mentioning the President’s daughter!

Title: Cavern Drone Race

Author: Geir Straume

Status: In progress

Synopsis: This is a drone racing game, in which you compete against two AI controlled drones. The race takes place in a large cavern, and you have to successfully fly through some checkpoints before completing the race, or you will be disqualified.

<SURPRISE, no screenshot>

2024 Reset64 4KB CRAPTASTIC Game Competition

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Craptastic has been a huge success since the first competition in 2016, and we’re very excited to be doing it all again in 2024! This year’s competition theme is once again…. Craptastic!

“What the bloom’n heck does craptastic mean?”, I hear you ask.

It certainly doesn’t mean crap, although it can! Craptastic can mean ludicrous, bonkers, outrageous, funny, wacky, far out, and silly. The theme simply implies that the compo is just for a bit of fun, not a serious coding competition. You are more than welcome to make an excellent game to submit for the compo. Your game may contain some humour or silliness to fit more with the theme, but it doesn’t have to!

2022 Craptastic Comp Winner: Marble Boy (Roman Werner)

In our previous competitions, some entries were truly excellent, others excellent but silly, others truly awful but funny! It’s just a chance for people to do something a little different if they wish and explore ideas/concepts that wouldn’t normally work well in a more serious compo.

Please remember that this competition is limited to 4KB. Yes, any entry submitted can be no more than 4KB when compressed. If your game is more than 1 file, then all the game files put together must not exceed the 4KB limit. This includes hi-score save files.

We want craptastic game entries. Remember, the key word here is fun. We want both coders and players alike to have fun and enjoy this comp!

Submit your entries to RESET64 (via email: resetc64@gmail.com) by 31st August, 2024 (23:59:59 GMT).

Take a look at our previous Craptastic compo entries to help draw inspiration!

RULES

Basic rules are as follows:

  • The competition deadline is 23:59:59 GMT on the 31st August, 2024. All entries to be submitted to resetc64@gmail.com by the deadline or will be deemed ineligible.
  • All entrants must register at resetc64@gmail.com
  • Entrants are free to preview screenshots and videos of their game(s) to other publications/websites.
  • The competition will only begin when there are at least 5 registered entrants.
  • All submitted games MUST be 4KB or less (when compressed or uncompressed), and executable on a stock C64 on either or each of tape, disk and cartridge. Your submission may have a separate docs file (either as a C64 executable or a txt file, which doesn’t count towards the 4KB cap). However, hi-score saver files will count towards the cap.
  • The games must be previously unreleased and be your own work, whether that be by yourself or as part of a collaboration.
  • PAL must be supported, with additional NTSC support optional (but encouraged).
  • Participants may submit multiple entries, either as an individual or within a team. Team entries must be registered by an individual, and any potential prizes will be sent to the registered individual only.
  • Entries should be submitted exclusively to RESET64 by the competition deadline. Please feel free to share your entry as you wish after the competition has ended (after the compo deadline has passed).
  • There will be a panel of judges (TBA), and entries will be scored on a point distribution basis across several criteria. The decision of the panel is final.
  • Games must be submitted as freeware.
  • Games will be published by Reset64 (not necessarily exclusively) on a future disk compilation for the whole world to enjoy, after the competition has concluded. All entries will be made available on the Reset64 itch.io after the compo concludes.
  • Games must not be released before the competition deadline, or they will become exempt from scoring and will be deemed ineligible. Games can be submitted after deadline but will be counted as *out of competition* and will be ineligible for a placing.

We reserve the right to change, add or delete rules during the competition if deemed necessary!

2nd place in the 2022 Craptastic Comp: Circles by James

SCORING SYSTEM

The scoring system used for Craptastic is very simple. Each game will be scored against 7 criteria, each worth 5 points. An entry can score up to 35 points. When the panel has scored each game accordingly, the totals for each individual game will be divided by the number of judges to produce a mean average. The average will be the game’s final score.

The criteria that each game will be evaluated on are:

Originality – New idea or “rip off”? Off the wall ideas encouraged.
Concept – Quality of game design, is it fun, is it bonkers, is it craptastic?
Execution – Execution of design, taking into account controls and other factors such as excecution.
Presentation – Quality of graphics, audio and overall presentation. Supremely bad can be seen as a positive in some cases!
Gameplay – A measure of how enjoyable the game is to play.
Lasting Appeal – replay value, addictiveness.
OMG factor – when you see it, do you think “wtf!?” This is the true measure of craptasticness!

If a panel member has entered a game themselves, then the number of points that they can award will be adjusted (in this example, to 5) and they will not score their own release.

CSDB will not be used for voting. Also, entries should not be uploaded to CSDB, or elsewhere until after the competition has closed. Feel free to post screenshots or info though.

PRIZES

A craptastic gaming comp requires craptastic prizes, right? We have some fantastic prizes lined up for this year’s compo thanks to some very generous sponsors.

A big thank-you to the following sponsors and supporters:



More sponsors to be announced.

Unkle K / Reset64
Official Twitter account for Reset64 Magazine – dedicated to the world’s favourite 8-bit computer!

Follow Reset64 Magazine on Twitter

2022 Reset64 4KB Craptastic Game Comp Preview

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Development for the 2022 Reset64 4kb ‘Craptastic’ game competition is in full swing. Deadline is fast approaching (June 30th) so we thought we’d give you all a quick look at what some of the devs are up to for the comp.

Best of luck to all the competitors and we can’t wait to try your craptastic creations!


Title: Catch 22 *
Author: Cout Games (Cout)
Status: Submitted
Synopsis: The aim of the game is to catch 22 instances of the number “22” from a maze, however the ‘catch’ is you can’t go back where you have walked.

Title: Hard Foam *
Author: TWAiN PAiN Games (Alexander Paalvast)
Status: In Progress
Synopsis: “HARD FOAM” will be a card game like Hearthstone in PETSCII. It has 32 different cards split over 4 suits: Goblin (black), Polystyrene (white), Candy (red) and Soap (cyan) with various mechanics. It has keyboard and joystick and works on PAL and NTSC.

Initially I was developing this for the “C64 Cassette 50 Charity Competition” but keeping it all below <$1000 was a bit too much. But right now it looks quite promising, hitting around 3500 bytes.

Title: Skiddy
Author: Design/Chaos
Status: In Progress
Synopsis: Our game is currently called Skiddy and supports 1 or 2 players – the game is finished and is 4066 bytes. I will hold on to it for a while yet as there is still plenty of space to make adjustments.

Title: Poke *
Author: Protovision (Code: Oziphantom, Graphics: Lobo, SFX: Saul C)
Status: In Progress
Synopsis: The kingdom is under attack, you must defend the realm from these invading bubbles.

Title: Morubotto *
Author: Cogitare Computing (Alexander Martinelle)
Status: Submitted
Synopsis: Morubotto – An amalgamation of the Japanese words morumotto (guinea pig) and robotto (robot).

Dangerous, radioactive, exploding asteroids are descending upon earth. Only Morumotto can save us!

Morubotto is a variation of missile command where instead of controlling crosshairs you control a robotic guinea pig and have to bounce around the level and try to collide with as many asteroids as possible to minimize the amount of damage that the asteroids do to the world.

Title: Infinirail
Author: Goerp
Status: In Progress
Synopsis: A simple tactical game I hope to get finished in time. Technically no challenges, but hope to keep it small enough to be able to add some sound.

No humour or weirdness this time, so it has to be fun to play (uh oh!).

It’s going to craptastic!

Title: Snake Break
Author: Encore (Mikkel Hastrup)
Status: In Progress
Synopsis: The idea is to combine two classic games into one. Progress is about 66%, each of the games have mostly been written, but the big task left is to work on the gameplay, visual effects, write original music and package it all.

Title: Top Hat Challenge
Author: Gazunta (Cameron Davis)
Status: In Progress
Synopsis: Top Hat Challenge (final name TBD) is four kilobytes of collecting top hats, delivering top hats and avoiding falling obstacles! No screenshots yet as I’m keeping the development exclusive on Patreon until release, but I can guarantee it features the most handsome hero sprite ever seen!

Title: Old Mine Hoist *
Author: Geir Straume
Status: In Progress
Synopsis: The objective of the game is to lower a small hoist cage as deep as possible into an old abandoned mine.
The hoist cage swings from side to side, and there are wood obstacles on both sides which must be avoided to prevent damaging the cage. When the cage gets too damaged, it will break off the hoist cable and fall into the abyss, ending the game.

The hoist moves downwards at a constant speed, but you may halve or double its speed by pushing the joystick up or down.

Beware: Some of the deeper mining levels contain old and unstable dynamite, which may explode and severely damage the hoist cage!

Title: Mike Quarter (The Kitchen Porter) *
Author: Arlasoft (Nick Sherman)
Status: Submitted
Synopsis: You are Mike Quarter, a newly hired kitchen porter. Can you keep your job?

Title: Little Nippers 4K *
Author: Richard Bayliss
Status: Submitted
Synopsis: Little Nippers is an animated single button challenge with a difference. It is a casual fun for five minutes challenge in which people are running across the screen. Your task is to launch grumpy crabs from out of the bucket and nip the runners. Scoring will be based on the distance in which the person is running.

Title: Brownfinger *
Author: Megastyle (Docster)
Status: Submitted
Synopsis: The aim of the game is to catch the toilet paper coming from either right or the left side, before it hits the fire. If it hits the fire it’s game over. If a toilet hits you, you are “teleported” to the opposite side as you where.

Title: Delve!: The Goblin Grotto *
Author: Ant Stiller (coding and design), Cal Skuthorpe (art)
Status: In Progress
Synopsis: Delve!: The Goblin Grotto is a procedurally generated rogue-like with a unique 3D view, all created with PETSCII characters. Goblins have holed up in a nearby dungeon so, before the nasty blaggers start eating the local cats and making the milk curdle, you have been tasked to strike terror in their gobliny hearts by fighting your way down to the lowest levels (no-one’s actually discussed how you get back out but you assume that’s just a clerical oversight). This game is impossible to squeeze into 4k so I expect we’ll be cutting more features than you can shake a catapulted orc at.

* game entries with screenshots

So there it is. We hope you enjoyed this Craptastic preview and we look forward to being able to play these amazing looking games after deadline. Of course, there are more registered entries and some real Craptastic surprises that weren’t previewed as well!

As usual, a big thank-you to our sponsors and supporters. Please visit their sites and show them your support:

ausretrogamer

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unkle K / Reset64
Official Twitter account for Reset64 Magazine – dedicated to the world’s favourite 8-bit computer!

Follow Reset64 Magazine on Twitter

 

 

 

 



Extra! Extra! Reset64 Issue 14 is Out Now!

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Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Your awesome Commodore 64 magazine, Reset64 issue 14 is out now for your reading pleasure!

If you want to read an awesome contemporary C64-centric magazine full of news, reviews, interviews and everything in-between, then you are in luck – go and grab the latest Reset64 mag right now!

This issue’s theme is all about one of our fave gaming genres, run ‘n’ gun. This page turner of an issue was lovingly put together by like-minded (and very cool) peeps. We love Ant Stiller’s cover art and Del Seymour’s amazing editorial illustrations – it’s just full of eye candy!

Grab Reset64 Issues 14 right here!

Image source: Reset64



2022 Reset64 4KB Craptastic Game Competition

By

We’re excited to announce the 2022 Reset C64 4KB game coding competition. This year’s competition theme is once again…. Craptastic!

“What the bloom’n heck does craptastic mean?”, I hear you ask.

It certainly doesn’t mean crap, although it can! Craptastic can mean ludicrous, bonkers, outrageous, funny, wacky, far out, and silly. The theme simply implies that the compo is just for a bit of fun, not a serious coding competition. You are more than welcome to make an excellent game to submit for the compo. Your game may contain some humour or silliness to fit more with the theme, but it doesn’t have to!

2020 Craptastic Comp Winner: Fall by Megastyle

In our previous competitions, some entries were truly excellent, others excellent but silly, others truly awful but funny! It’s just a chance for people to do something a little different if they wish and explore ideas/concepts that wouldn’t normally work well in a more serious compo.

Please remember that this competition is limited to 4KB. Yes, any entry submitted can be no more than 4KB when compressed. If your game is more than 1 file, then all the game files put together must not exceed the 4KB limit. This includes hi-score save files.

We want craptastic game entries. Remember, the key word here is fun. We want both coders and players alike to have fun and enjoy this comp!

Submit your entries to RESET64 (via email) by 30th June, 2022 (23:59:59 GMT).

Take a look at our previous Craptastic compo entries from 2018 and 2020 to help draw inspiration!

RULES

The basic rules for the competition are as follows:

  • The competition deadline is 23:59:59 GMT on the 30th June, 2022. All entries to be submitted to resetc64@gmail.com by the deadline or will be deemed ineligible.
  • All entrants must register at resetc64@gmail.com
  • Entrants are free to preview screenshots and videos of their game(s) to other publications/websites.
  • The competition will only begin when there are at least 5 registered entrants.
  • All submitted games MUST be 4KB or less (when compressed or uncompressed), and executable on a stock C64 on either or each of tape, disk and cartridge. Your submission may have a separate docs file (either as a C64 executable or a txt file, which doesn’t count towards the 4KB cap). However, hi-score saver files will count towards the cap.
  • The games must be previously unreleased and be your own work, whether that be by yourself or as part of a collaboration.
  • PAL must be supported, with additional NTSC support optional (but encouraged).
  • Participants may submit multiple entries, either as an individual or within a team. Team entries must be registered by an individual, and any potential prizes will be sent to the registered individual only.
  • Entries should be submitted exclusively to RESET64 by the competition deadline. Please feel free to share your entry as you wish after the competition has ended (after the compo deadline has passed).
  • There will be a panel of judges (TBA), and entries will be scored on a point distribution basis across several criteria. The decision of the panel is final.
  • Games must be submitted as freeware.
  • Games will be published by Reset64 (not necessarily exclusively) on a future disk compilation for the whole world to enjoy, after the competition has concluded. All entries will be made available on the Reset64 itch.io site after the compo concludes.
  • Games must not be released before the competition deadline, or will become exempt from scoring and will be deemed ineligible.

We reserve the right to change, add or delete rules during the competition if deemed necessary!

2nd place in the 2020 Craptastic Comp: Dots by James

SCORING SYSTEM

The scoring system used for Craptastic is very simple. Each game will be scored against 7 criteria, each worth 5 points. An entry can score up to 35 points. When the panel has scored each game accordingly, the totals for each individual game will be divided by the number of judges to produce a mean average. The average will be the game’s final score.

The criteria that each game will be evaluated on are:

  • Originality – New idea or “rip off”? Off the wall ideas encouraged.
  • Concept – Quality of game design, is it fun, is it bonkers, is it craptastic?
  • Execution – Execution of design, taking into account controls and other factors such as execution.
  • Presentation – Quality of graphics, audio and overall presentation. Supremely bad can be seen as a positive in some cases!
  • Gameplay – A measure of how enjoyable the game is to play.
  • Lasting Appeal – replay value, addictiveness.
  • OMG factor – when you see it, do you think “wtf!?” This is the true measure of craptasticness!

If a panel member has entered a game themselves, then the number of points that they can award will be adjusted (in this example, to 5) and they will not score their own release.

NOTE: CSDB will not be used for voting. Also, entries should not be uploaded to CSDB, or elsewhere until after the competition has closed. Feel free to post screenshots or info though.

PRIZES

A craptastic gaming comp requires craptastic prizes, right? We have some fantastic prizes lined up for this year’s compo thanks to some very generous sponsors.

A big thank-you to the following sponsors and supporters:

ausretrogamer

More sponsors to be announced!

Unkle K / Reset64
Official Twitter account for Reset64 Magazine – dedicated to the world’s favourite 8-bit computer!

Follow Reset64 Magazine on Twitter

 

 

 

 



Reset64 Presents – Chuckie Egg (VIC20)

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This is so awesome to see – Chuckie Egg can now be played on the VIC20! Oh yeah, it can also be played on the TheC64/TheVIC20 or your fave VIC20 emulator. So those ZX Speccy, BBC Micro and Dragon 32 folks can stop gloating, us Commdore gamers can now play this classic game too! Big shout out to Reset64 Magazine and Derek for keeping us gamers entertained with brilliant (and quite nostalgic) video games!

For more information on (and instructions on how to play) Chuckie Egg (VIC20), and to download the game, go to the Reset64 Magazine itch.io page now! What are you waiting for, Hen-House Harry needs your help!!!

image source: Reset64 Magazine itch.io



Yo Commodore 64 Fans, Reset64 Issue 13 is OUT NOW!

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Are you keeping up with the Commodore? If you aren’t, then you will with the release of the latest edition of Reset64 Issue 13!

Reset64’s Ed, Kev, and the rest of the crew have been working pretty hard on this issue to make it very special. As for our Ed, Alex Boz, he is still going around the office telling all and sundry how proud he is to still be part of the Reset64 team!

What are you waiting for, go and grab the Reset64 issue #13 PDF now – it is free (or pay what you want/can afford). Choo Choo!

 

2020 RESET64 C64 Craptastic 4KB Game Competition Results

By

Thanks to the competitors, judges, sponsors and everyone in between for making the Reset64 2020 4kb Craptastic Game Competition our most successful yet! Also, a special thank-you to Richard Bayliss for once again compiling the official compilation disk. It was an amazing competition with a record 38 entries making the deadline. Each of these games are an outstanding achievement and it was great to have both novice and experienced coders participating and exploring their ideas.

The expert judges this year are Rob Caporetto, Andrew Fisher, Raj Singh, Richard Tappenden, Paul Koller, Louie Dimovski and Andrew Hayes. We couldn’t have done it without the judges, who extensively played, critiqued and reviewed each of the 38 games. There was a lot of variation between scores from each judge, which illustrates just how different concepts appeal to different people! Overall, it was a very close competition and there wasn’t much separating each placing.

The Winner: Fall by Megastyle!

Thanks again to the compo sponsors – Bitmap Books, Protovision, Fusion Retro Books, Freeze64, K&A Plus, Puddlesoft, Megastyle, and Ready64. Please visit and support the competition sponsors. A big mega special thank-you to Ausretrogamer for hosting and publishing the compo updates and continued support!

Judges’ comments and more information about each game will be published in the near future. Until then, enjoy the games (which can be downloaded from the 2020 Craptastic page) and congratulations again to all of the entrants and winners.

PLACINGS

1. Fall – Megastyle (28.71)

2. Dots – James (28.57)

3. Jumpin Jalopies – Megastyle (27.71)

4. RodMän Jr – Misfit (27.43)

5. Bring Back My Bones – Commocore, Hose It Out – Oziphantom (27.29)

6. Orcapult – Puddlesoft (26.86)

7. Avoid – James (26.71)

8. Star Lair – Malcontent (26.43)

9. SWYD – Megastyle (26.29)

10. Blockheads – Carleton Handley (26.14)

11. Rainbow Edge Run – Geir Straume (25.29)

12. Makealevel – Monsters Go Boom (24.57)

13. Jump4k – Megastyle, Kung Poo Fighter – Megastyle (24.43)

14. Al-Bert – Derek (23.86)

15. Ewe Woz Ere – DESIGN/chaos, WYR – Malcontent (23.57)

16. Mini Danmaku 64 – Cogitare Computing  (23.43)

17. Stacks – Derek (23.29)

18. A Day in the Life of a Teleporter (BASIC 10 Liner version) – Roman Werner, Flappy Space – Megastyle (22.86)

19. Spunk v.s. The Rest – Twain Pain Games (22.57)

20. Plazzle – Goerp (22.29)

21. Dodonuts – DESIGN/chaos (21.71)

22. Make Them Jump 2K – map/Plush (21.57)

23. Snout About – Nick Sherman (21.29)

24. Fight – Megastyle (21)

25. MeteorMath – fancollector1980 (20.57)

26. Parking Ticket – Ruerob (20.29)

27. A Day in the Life of a Teleporter – ZeHa (19.71)

28. Customs – Vk4mx (19.29)

29. Zzaped in the Butt! – TND (18.71)

30. Kugelblitz – Haplo (17.43)

31. Cover Fire! – Jammer (17.29)

32. Country Pop – Tomaes (16.17)

33. 1991 USSR deep space probe control centre janitor – Goerp (15.71)

34. Rescue64 – Syed (12.43)

Dots

Jumpin Jalopies

RodMän Jr

Bring Back My Bones

Hose It Out

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unkle K / Reset C64
Father, husband, teacher and retro gaming/computer enthusiast! Editor of Reset64 C64 magazine.

Follow Reset C64 on Twitter

2020 Reset64 4KB Craptastic Game Competition Preview

By

Development for the 2020 Reset64 4kb ‘Craptastic’ game competition is in full swing!

Deadline is fast approaching (June 30th!) so we thought we’d give you all a quick look at what some of the clever devs are up to for this most awesome competition.

Best of luck to all the competitors and we can’t wait to try your craptastic creations!

Title: Rainbow Edge Run
Author: Geir Straume
Synopsis: Run along the edge of the rainbow and collect as many gold coins as you can, but look out for the exploding mines!

Title: Jumpin’ Jalopies
Credits: A Megastyle Production. Code by Chris Stanley, Graphics by Roy Widding, Music by Roy Widding & Magnar Harestad
Synopsis: This bouncy little game was inspired by my 1954 Morris Minor, affectionately known as ‘Galloping Gussie’! Driving your clapped-out old jalopy you must climb your way up the multi-storey car park/parking lot, using your hydraulics to bounce your way from floor to floor. Climb higher and higher and watch the sky grow darker as you head above the clouds and up out of the atmosphere! Make sure you don’t crash into any of the other vehicles which are all vying for space because one collision and it’s back down to the bottom to begin again. Play it over and over again to keep improving on your previous best score. Can you make it all the way to the top?

Title: Ewe Woz ‘Ere
Credits: Code by Chris Page, Graphics and sound by Chris, Rose and Brent Page.
Synopsis: A cyborg sheep from the future named Baaary must defend his fields from an invasion of meanies, using just his wits and a plasma spitter. It is a score chasing shoot ‘em up with a single life and an emphasis on energy management.

Title: Kugel Blitz
Credits: Code & Graphics by Haplo, Graphics by Marukpa, Music by Richard Bayliss, Fonts by TCH and CyberBrain.
Synopsis: “How long can you hang on before falling to your death?!”

Title: Orcapult
Credits: By Ant Stiller for Puddlesoft
Synopsis: The best orc is an orc flung at its enemy via a catapult. Assault the enemy tower with your green-skinned payloads and conquer its defences before your catapult is destroyed.
(Note: Screenshot is a WIP and may not represent the final version. Many, many orcs were harmed in the making of this game.)

Title: Stacks
Credits: By Derek
Synopsis: You have to repair the chimney stacks one brick at a time.

Title: Mini Danmaku 64
Credits: Everything was coded, drawn & composed by Alexander Martinelle, Cogitare Computing 2020.
Synopsis: The ever smiling alien flirbzies are attacking. It’s up to you to protect your world by figuring out how avoid the onslaught of bullets and obliterate the aliens at the portal.
Good luck with that!

Title: Hose It Out
Credits: Code & Maps by Oziphantom, Graphics by Lobo, Additional maps by Jazzcat.
Synopsis: A simple puzzle game where you have you put out all the burning fires so you can find a way forward 🙂 Make a path for the water and then Hit the water tanks to make it flow and hopefully put out the fires.

Title: Cover Fire!
Credits: By Kamil ‘Jammer’ Wolnikowski
Synopsis: If you enjoyed ‘Gun Fight’ on arcades and its C64 port entitled ‘The Duel’, you will love this two player title as well. This time we abandon wild west setting in favour of modern military operation in the jungle. Kill your opponent and don’t get yourself killed!

Title: Bintris
Credits: Code by Janne Hellsten, Graphics by Iiro Harra.
Synopsis: The game is called BINTRIS. You play Tetris but instead of tetromino pieces, you play with zeros and ones. It’s a major PITA of a game.

Title: Snout About
Credits: Code, Graphics and Sound by Nick Sherman of Crappertronic, a subsidiary of ArlaGames.
Synopsis: ‘Snout About’ is an action game of risk and reward. The quickest way to build a big score is by extending Ian’s snout far and wide, but your reactions will need to be quick to avoid falling hammers from giving your hooter an almighty and game-ending clonk….

Title: sudspccj (working title)
Author: By Goerp
Synopsis: I had the idea for this game for several years. I was thinking about finally learning Unity to realise it, but that never happened. Then the Craptastic 4K compo came along and I started wondering: maybe I can make the game for the Commodore 64, in 4K? I have a working prototype (which was a struggle at times, having never done any floating point calculations in 6502 assembly and having to to refresh my High School trigonometry), but I’m on track for finishing before the deadline. So what I couldn’t do with a modern day 3D game engine looks to be realised on a 38 year old computer in 4K. I love how restrictions sometimes can focus you to realise your ideas! I’d rather not tell too much about the game itself other than: it’s going to be craptastic!

Title: Plazzle
Author: Goerp
Synopsis: I woke up with this simple idea in my head: make a puzzle game with plasmas. And by plasmas I mean the demo effect. The plasma screen is dissected into rectangles and all rectangles are then shuffled. You have to construct the original pattern by switching two rectangles at a time. The player hasn’t seen the original pattern beforehand and because it’s a plasma it’s moving all the time. The code had to be fast but also small, so it required so called speed-code that was generated at run time. Even then I’m very close to 4K, so a few features will have to be sacrificed for a post-compo edition. The game will have a high-score mode and a random mode. Personally I like playing it and I hope others will too.

Title: Blockheads
Credits: Code and Design by Carleton Handley, Graphics by MonstersGoBoom
Synopsis: A Meat Boy style platform game where you can race against the clock in one player mode or against a friend in the split screen two player mode.

Title: Kung Poo Fighter
Credits: A Megastyle Production. Graphics & Code by Roy Fielding, Sound by Roy Widding.
Synopsis: It’s Kung Poo Fighting! Hit it!

Title: RodMän Jr
Credits: Code, Art and Audio by Misfit
Synopsis: The weirdest son of Rodmän & Rodwina got an own game. You must collect pills & bombs and watch out annoying twins Rod and Dave. Craptastic theme gives something different for the game play. 4k causes a few problems and I removed many good ideas. I’m sure I’ll release a bigger and bolder version later.

So there it is. We hope you enjoyed this Craptastic preview and we look forward to being able to play these amazing looking games after deadline. Of course, there are more registered entries and some real Craptastic surprises that weren’t previewed as well!

As usual, a big thank-you to our sponsors and supporters. Please visit their sites and show them your support:

ausretrogamer

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Unkle K / Reset64
Official Twitter account for Reset64 Magazine – dedicated to the world’s favourite 8-bit computer!

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2020 Reset64 4KB Craptastic Game Competition

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We’re excited to announce the 2020 Reset C64 4KB game coding competition. This year’s competition theme is once again…. Craptastic!

“What the bloom’n heck does craptastic mean?”, I hear you ask. It certainly doesn’t mean crap, although it can! Craptastic can mean ludicrous, bonkers, outrageous, funny, wacky, far out, and silly. The theme simply implies that the compo is just for a bit of fun, not a serious coding competition. You are more than welcome to make an excellent game to submit for the compo. Your game may contain some humour or silliness to fit more with the theme, but it doesn’t have to!

2018 Craptastic Comp Winner: Conga 4098 by Paul Koller

In the previous competitions (2016 and 2018), some entries were truly excellent, others excellent but silly, others truly awful but funny! It’s just a chance for people to do something a little different if they wish and explore ideas/concepts that wouldn’t normally work well in a more serious compo.

Please remember that this competition is limited to 4KB. Yes, any entry submitted can be no more than 4KB when compressed. If your game is more than 1 file, then all the files put together must not exceed the 4KB limit.

We want craptastic game entries! Remember, the key word here is fun! We want both coders and players alike to have fun and enjoy this comp!

Submit your entries to RESET64 (via email) by 30th June, 2020 (23:59 GMT).

Take a look at our page for the 2018 Craptastic Comp Winners and download the games!

RULES

Even a craptastic comp needs some basic rules, so here they are:

  • The competition deadline is 23:59 GMT on the 30th June, 2020. All entries to be submitted to resetc64@gmail.com
  • All entrants must register at resetc64@gmail.com
  • Entrants are free to preview screenshots and videos of their game(s) to other publications/websites.
  • The competition will only begin when there are at least 5 registered entrants.
  • All submitted games MUST be 4KB or less (when compressed or uncompressed), and executable on a stock C64 on either or each of tape, disk and cartridge. Your submission may have a separate docs file (either as a C64 executable or a txt file, which doesn’t count towards the 4KB cap).
  • The games must be previously unreleased and your own work, whether that be by yourself or as part of a collaboration.
  • PAL must be supported, with additional NTSC support optional (but encouraged).
  • Participants may submit multiple entries, either as an individual or within a team. Team entries must be registered by an individual, and any potential prizes will be sent to the registered individual only.
  • Entries should be submitted exclusively to RESET64 by the competition deadline. Please feel free to share your entry as you wish after the competition has ended (after the compo deadline has passed).
  • There will be a panel of judges (TBA), and entries will be scored on a point distribution basis across several criteria. The decision of the panel is final.
  • Games must be submitted as freeware.
  • Games will be published (not necessarily exclusively) on a future disk compilation for the whole world to enjoy, after the competition has concluded.

We reserve the right to change, add or delete rules during the competition if deemed necessary!

3rd place in the 2018 Craptastic Comp: Snake-a-Space by Jamie & Molly Fuller.

SCORING SYSTEM

The scoring rules are very simple. Depending on the number of entries, the judges will award points to each game over several criteria (as discussed below). If there are 6 entries, 6 points go to the best, then 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 to the worst.

If a panel member has entered a game themselves, then the number of points that they can award will be adjusted (in this example, to 5) and they will not score their own release.

The criteria that each game will be evaluated on are:

  • Originality – New idea or “rip off”? Off the wall ideas encouraged.
  • Concept – Quality of game design, is it fun, is it bonkers, is it craptastic?
  • Execution – Execution of design, taking into account controls, NTSC/GS compatibility.
  • Presentation – Quality of graphics, audio and overall presentation. Supremely bad can be seen as a positive in some cases!
  • Gameplay – A measure of how enjoyable the game is to play.
  • Lasting Appeal – replay value and addictiveness.
  • OMG Factor – when you see it, do you think “wtf!?” This is the true measure of craptasticness!

When the panel has scored each game accordingly, the totals for each criteria will be divided by the number of judges to produce a mean average. These averages are then added together for each game to give a final score.

PLEASE NOTE: CSDB will not be used for voting. Also, entries should not be uploaded to CSDB, or elsewhere until after the competition has closed. Feel free to post screenshots or info though.

PRIZES

A craptastic gaming comp requires craptastic prizes, right? We have some fantastic prizes lined up for this year’s comp thanks to some very generous sponsors.

A big thank-you to the following sponsors and supporters:

ausretrogamer

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unkle K / Reset64
Official Twitter account for Reset64 Magazine – dedicated to the world’s favourite 8-bit computer!

Follow Reset64 Magazine on Twitter