Difference between revisions of "R-Type"

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R-Type is a classical and cult Shoot'em up  ported from the famous IREM's arcade game with the same name, released in 1987.  
+
{| align="right" valign="top"
 +
|{{Infobox Game
 +
|Image = [[Image:Rtype.png|center|300px|Titlescreen of the game]]
 +
|Company = [[Electric Dreams]]
 +
|Developer = [[Keith A. Goodyer]], [[Coder]], [[Coder]]
 +
|Publisher = [[Publisher Company]]
 +
|Musician = [[Richard Stevenson]]
 +
|Release = [[Category:Games 1988|1988]]
 +
|Platform = [[Amiga]], [[Amstrad CPC|CPC]], [[Atari ST]], [[Commodore 64|C64]], [[Game Boy]], [[MSX]], [[SEGA Master System]], [[TurboGrafx-16]], [[ZX Spectrum]]
 +
|Genre = Action
 +
|GameModes = {{Single player}}
 +
|Controls = {{Keyboard}} {{Joystick}}
 +
|Media = {{Disk}} {{Tape}}
 +
|Language = {{EN}}
 +
|Info = Remake 2012
 +
}}
 +
|}
  
−
It was ported on almost every computer of the era. And was released on Amstrad CPC in 1988.
 
  
−
And despite being good, it remains an awfull [[Speccy Port]].
+
R-Type is a classic and cult Shoot'em up  ported from the famous IREM's arcade game with the same name, released in 1987.
 +
 
 +
It was ported on almost every computer of the era and was released on Amstrad CPC in 1988. Despite being good, it remains an case of [[Speccy Port]].
 +
 
 +
 
 +
'''''You make one little mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down.... Electric Dreams / Activision gave me 21 days to do the port. I wish i had the time to do a nice mode 0 port with new graphics, but alas it was never to be.'''''
 +
 
 +
''Keith A Goodyer at [http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?topic=699.msg5756#msg5756 CPCwiki forum], 02/25/2010 ''
 +
 
 +
'''''The completed Spectrum version - including the source code - was handed over on September 16th 1988 (Activision didn't quite get it that day but that's another story). This was the first day of the PCW show at Earls Court in London and Activision had press releases stating that the release date for this, and for the original Amstrad CPC version, would be November 1988. Keith received the source code the following week and started work immediately on the conversion (after a phone call or two) which means that, allowing for the 21 days it took to complete the conversion, the original CPC version was finished mid October.'''''
 +
 
 +
''Bob Pape at [http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?topic=699.msg31597#msg31597 CPCWiki forum], 03/10/2011
  
 
==The Fluff==
 
==The Fluff==
Line 15: Line 41:
 
==The Game==
 
==The Game==
  
−
A classical lateral/horizontal shooter.
+
Considered nowadays as a classical horizontal shooter, R-Type introduced two revolutionary concepts in gameplay :
  
−
The game was notorious for being very hard, as you have to know precisely the patterns of enemy waves and movements.
 
  
−
Also the Weapon system was good and new at the time.
+
*Extra module named "Force" that can be docked on front or behind the player ship.
 +
*Loaded shot named "Beam".When you are loading the Beam , its power grows but you can not shot (except additionnal missiles)
  
−
Graphics and design were typically inspired by GIGER's Alien designs.
 
−
Some Bosses were actually made of Vagina, sphincters and strange tubular appendices, even clitoris...
 
  
−
Also the 3rd level started the great tradition of the big-big-big boss : A ship so big that it is the level in itself.
+
The mastery of theses features is required if you want to master the game itself.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
 
 +
With gorgeous "Gigerish" graphics , unforgeable soundtrack , perfect gameplay and innovative level design , R-Type became a legend of the video game.There are a lot of clones and sequels , and a lot of shooters were (and still are) inspired by this game.
  
 
==The Port==
 
==The Port==
Line 30: Line 58:
 
As said above, R-Type on CPC was a Speccy port.
 
As said above, R-Type on CPC was a Speccy port.
  
−
Yet because the spectrum version was perhaps one of the best in the 8 bit area (and many say the best speccy game ever), the Amstrad version remained playable, fun, yet so disapointing... and by far inferior to the Spectrum's one.
+
Yet because the spectrum version was perhaps one of the best in the 8 bit area (and many say the best speccy game ever), the Amstrad version remained playable, fun, yet maybe disappointing and inferior to the Spectrum original:
  
−
It is well known the Amstrad R-Type is perhaps the worst version ever, yet this game remains good.
+
*Animation is a bit sluggish, lacking the smooth moves and precision.
 +
*Scrolling is a bit cascaded.
 +
*Backgrounds are mono-coloured (a classical Speccy port feature) despite the Mode 1 screen displaying 5 colours
 +
*As usual, a Raster is included, to no effect
 +
*Sprites manage to feature a bit more colours, yet are afflicted by pseudo colour attributes : 8x8 pixels tiles were 1 bit coded, but sprites could feature different inks
 +
*Sprites are not masked either, as unmasked sprites were a trick to avoid Colour Clashes on ZX spectrum
 +
*Thankfully, it still features no colour clashes.
 +
*A code analysis by [[Arnoldemu]] showed that double buffer is not used, and screen is located from &0040. &5800 even has attribute data just like on a real spectrum. &7800 has a copy of the attribute data (maybe double buffered so colours can be changed and then updated quickly). Screen is only updated where necessary. it is possible that the same programmer worked on both the Spectrum and Amstrad version, with the process being: start with the Spectrum version, remove some colours because the cpc can only display 4 colours in mode 1 (without using raster tricks), use 90% Spectrum code and convert graphics at runtime into CPC form colouring them as you do this. The result is R-type. This explains why the colours are bad and why the game is so slow.
  
 +
It is of note that the speccy version was itself ported (graphically) from the Atari ST version.
  
−
Animation was a bit sluggish, lacked the smooth moves and precision.
+
==The good Aspects==
  
−
Scrolling was a bit saccaded.
+
As said the Spectrum version was good.
  
−
Backgrounds were mono-coloured (a classical Speccy port feature) despite the Mode 1 screen displaying 5 colours...(maybe six...sometimes ?)
+
The main reason was because it was so close and faithfull to the Arcade original version.
  
−
As usual, a Raster is included, just for nothing !
+
* In graphics : the fine square pixels (Mode 1) allow fine details.
 +
* In Gameplay : most enemies patterns are closely respected.
  
−
Sprites managed to feature a bit more colours, yet were afflicted by pseudo colour attributes : 8x8 pixels tiles were 1 bit coded, buta sprite could feature different inks.  
+
As a result, even the humble Amstrad version was very close to the Arcade, at least in gameplay (even sometimes more than the c64 version).
  
−
Sprites were not masked too, as unmasked sprites were a trick to avoid Colour Clashes on ZX spectrum...
+
Also the Amstrad version did include good (though sparse) sound effects too. It is also of note that the game is quite big, as it includes the full 8, challenging levels.
  
−
Thanksfully, it still features no colour clashes.
+
Last but not least, the intro screen is in Mode0 and quite nice.
  
−
*Comment from Arnoldemu: I looked at the code to discover why R-Type was like this.
+
== Screenshots ==
−
Double buffer is not used, screen is located from &0040. &5800 even has attribute data just like on a real spectrum. &7800 has a copy of the attribute data (maybe double buffered so colours can be changed and then updated quickly). Screen is only updated where necessary. I think the same programmer worked on both the Spectrum and Amstrad version. Ok, start with the Spectrum version, remove some colours because the cpc can only display 4 colours in mode 1 (without using raster tricks), now use 90% Spectrum code and convert graphics at runtime into CPC form colouring them as you do this. The result is R-type. This explains all.. it explains why the colours are bad and why the game is so slow.
+
  
−
*Comment from MacDeath : so if Colour attributes datas are present, they may be removed (as CPC don't even know what is it) in order to get a proper real re-coding of the graphics...
+
<gallery>
−
Maybe the Extra 6128 memory may be used well too...
+
Image:Rtype.png|Intro screen
−
Yet it will remains sluggish ?
+
Image:rtype_lvl1.png|Level 1
 +
Image:Rtype1.png|Level 8
 +
</gallery>
  
−
==The good Aspects==
+
==The Cure==
  
−
As said the Spectrum version was good.
+
Being attribute based animated, R-Type was of course a bit short on 464/664 config (=64K RAM) to get properly recoded in 2bpp graphic data.
 +
Yet a 128K RAM version can actually benefit from such true Amstrad CPC graphics and display 4 colours per 8x8 character (mode1) or 16 colours per 4x8 characters (mode0, wider pixels).
  
−
The main reason was because it was so close and faithfull to the Arcade version (the original).
+
However, the single coder who did the port in 3 weeks simply couldn't do that because he had no graphician to re-do the graphics  and no 128K version was actually planned.
  
−
* In graphics : the fine square pixels (Mode 1) allows fine details.
 
−
* In Gameplay : most enemies patterns were closely respected.
 
  
−
As a result, even the humble Amstrad version was very close to the Arcade, at least in gameplay.
+
'''How it is :'''
  
−
Also the Amstrad version did include good sound effects too... yet they were too few (and no real music).
+
[[File:RType original level 2 Cpc.gif|800px]]
  
−
It is also notable that the game was quite voluminous, as it included the full 8 levels... and very challenging too.
+
Original Level 2.
  
−
Last but not least, the intro screen was in Mode0 and quite nice.
 
  
−
== Screenshots ==
+
'''How it could be:'''
  
−
<gallery>
+
[[File:Level2 plus.bmp|800px]]
−
Image:Rtype.png|Intro screen
+
−
Image:Rtype1.png|Ingame
+
−
</gallery>
+
  
−
Good exemple of pure fail:
+
Level 2 mock-up, redesigned by MacDeath.
−
*mono colour backgrounds
+
−
*unmasked sprites.
+
−
*colour attributes.
+
  
−
Yet the original design were faithfully ported and still awesome.
 
  
−
==The Cure==
+
'''What will be:'''
  
−
[[File:RType original level 2 Cpc.gif|800px]]
+
[[File:Rtype128k_stage2.png|800px]]
  
−
Original Version, level 2.
+
Stage 2 map from the 128k version by Easter Egg.
  
  
−
[[File:Level2 plus.bmp|800px]]
+
[[File:Carnivac games-r type-mode0.png]]  
−
''Level recoloured and redesigned in CPC standards by MacDeath.''
+
 
 +
Mode 0 mock-up, courtesy of Carnivac Games.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
{{#ev:youtube|C_GDjT1tivo|360}}
 +
 
 +
Stage 1 video preview (original vs 128k), by Xyphoe.
 +
 
 +
== Game map ==
 +
 
 +
<gallery caption="R-Type game map">
 +
image:rtype map.jpg
 +
</gallery>
 +
 
 +
==Longplay videos==
  
−
How it should have been... level 2 again.
+
source : Youtube.
  
−
Some often argue that a good Amstrad Version would be in Mode0.
+
{{#ev:youtube|t2Vo8dbBJig|300}}
−
Why not too, but Mode 1 could have been better used too and get fine detailed graphics, and have the merit to actually exist.
+
{{#ev:youtube|G3UWCzzk2To|300}}
 +
{{#ev:youtube|CmnBO8j7IQY|300}}
 +
{{#ev:youtube|uxMz7EEDzjQ|300}}
 +
{{#ev:youtube|Db2MPcuFwn4|300}}
 +
{{#ev:youtube|oGbL5Da9NE8|300}}
 +
{{#ev:youtube|arINXwvGdzQ|300}}
 +
{{#ev:youtube|biTJY89DT0s|300}}
  
−
[[File:Carnivac games-r type-mode0.png]]Mode0 R-type mock-up, courtesy of Carnivac Games.
 
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
  
−
[http://www.sitedesteph.freesurf.fr/rtype/index.php A good site in French]
+
*{{CPCPower|1848}}
 +
*{{CPCPower|7174}} (128k version)
 +
*{{EnWiki}}
 +
*Official R-Type page at Irem web site no more exist
  
−
[[Category:Games]][[Category:Games 1988]]
+
[[Category:Games]]
 +
[[Category:Games 1988]]
 +
[[Category:Video contents]]
 +
[[Category:Shoot them Up]]
 +
[[Category:Extended RAM Software]]
 +
[[Category:Arcade]]
 +
[[Category:Arcade Port]]

Latest revision as of 13:16, 30 March 2020

R-Type
Titlescreen of the game
Developer Keith A. Goodyer, Coder, Coder
Company Electric Dreams
Publisher Publisher Company
Musician Richard Stevenson
Release
Platform(s) Amiga, CPC, Atari ST, C64, Game Boy, MSX, SEGA Master System, TurboGrafx-16, ZX Spectrum
Genre Action
OS
Game Modes Template:Single player
Controls Keyboard Joystick
Media disk Cassette
Language Language:english
Information Remake 2012


R-Type is a classic and cult Shoot'em up ported from the famous IREM's arcade game with the same name, released in 1987.

It was ported on almost every computer of the era and was released on Amstrad CPC in 1988. Despite being good, it remains an case of Speccy Port.


You make one little mistake in your life and the internet will never let you live it down.... Electric Dreams / Activision gave me 21 days to do the port. I wish i had the time to do a nice mode 0 port with new graphics, but alas it was never to be.

Keith A Goodyer at CPCwiki forum, 02/25/2010

The completed Spectrum version - including the source code - was handed over on September 16th 1988 (Activision didn't quite get it that day but that's another story). This was the first day of the PCW show at Earls Court in London and Activision had press releases stating that the release date for this, and for the original Amstrad CPC version, would be November 1988. Keith received the source code the following week and started work immediately on the conversion (after a phone call or two) which means that, allowing for the 21 days it took to complete the conversion, the original CPC version was finished mid October.

Bob Pape at CPCWiki forum, 03/10/2011

The Fluff

  • The mission : defend the human race against the BYDO threat.
  • The weapon : the R-9 spacefighter, equiped with "the Force", a fragment of Bydo flesh.
  • The game : R-Type.

Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!

The Game

Considered nowadays as a classical horizontal shooter, R-Type introduced two revolutionary concepts in gameplay :


  • Extra module named "Force" that can be docked on front or behind the player ship.
  • Loaded shot named "Beam".When you are loading the Beam , its power grows but you can not shot (except additionnal missiles)


The mastery of theses features is required if you want to master the game itself.


With gorgeous "Gigerish" graphics , unforgeable soundtrack , perfect gameplay and innovative level design , R-Type became a legend of the video game.There are a lot of clones and sequels , and a lot of shooters were (and still are) inspired by this game.

The Port

As said above, R-Type on CPC was a Speccy port.

Yet because the spectrum version was perhaps one of the best in the 8 bit area (and many say the best speccy game ever), the Amstrad version remained playable, fun, yet maybe disappointing and inferior to the Spectrum original:

  • Animation is a bit sluggish, lacking the smooth moves and precision.
  • Scrolling is a bit cascaded.
  • Backgrounds are mono-coloured (a classical Speccy port feature) despite the Mode 1 screen displaying 5 colours
  • As usual, a Raster is included, to no effect
  • Sprites manage to feature a bit more colours, yet are afflicted by pseudo colour attributes : 8x8 pixels tiles were 1 bit coded, but sprites could feature different inks
  • Sprites are not masked either, as unmasked sprites were a trick to avoid Colour Clashes on ZX spectrum
  • Thankfully, it still features no colour clashes.
  • A code analysis by Arnoldemu showed that double buffer is not used, and screen is located from &0040. &5800 even has attribute data just like on a real spectrum. &7800 has a copy of the attribute data (maybe double buffered so colours can be changed and then updated quickly). Screen is only updated where necessary. it is possible that the same programmer worked on both the Spectrum and Amstrad version, with the process being: start with the Spectrum version, remove some colours because the cpc can only display 4 colours in mode 1 (without using raster tricks), use 90% Spectrum code and convert graphics at runtime into CPC form colouring them as you do this. The result is R-type. This explains why the colours are bad and why the game is so slow.

It is of note that the speccy version was itself ported (graphically) from the Atari ST version.

The good Aspects

As said the Spectrum version was good.

The main reason was because it was so close and faithfull to the Arcade original version.

  • In graphics : the fine square pixels (Mode 1) allow fine details.
  • In Gameplay : most enemies patterns are closely respected.

As a result, even the humble Amstrad version was very close to the Arcade, at least in gameplay (even sometimes more than the c64 version).

Also the Amstrad version did include good (though sparse) sound effects too. It is also of note that the game is quite big, as it includes the full 8, challenging levels.

Last but not least, the intro screen is in Mode0 and quite nice.

Screenshots

  • Intro screen

  • Level 1

  • Level 8

The Cure

Being attribute based animated, R-Type was of course a bit short on 464/664 config (=64K RAM) to get properly recoded in 2bpp graphic data. Yet a 128K RAM version can actually benefit from such true Amstrad CPC graphics and display 4 colours per 8x8 character (mode1) or 16 colours per 4x8 characters (mode0, wider pixels).

However, the single coder who did the port in 3 weeks simply couldn't do that because he had no graphician to re-do the graphics and no 128K version was actually planned.


How it is :

RType original level 2 Cpc.gif

Original Level 2.


How it could be:

Level2 plus.bmp

Level 2 mock-up, redesigned by MacDeath.


What will be:

Rtype128k stage2.png

Stage 2 map from the 128k version by Easter Egg.


Carnivac games-r type-mode0.png

Mode 0 mock-up, courtesy of Carnivac Games.


{{#ev:youtube|C_GDjT1tivo|360}}

Stage 1 video preview (original vs 128k), by Xyphoe.

Game map

  • R-Type game map
  • Rtype map.jpg

Longplay videos

source : Youtube.

{{#ev:youtube|t2Vo8dbBJig|300}} {{#ev:youtube|G3UWCzzk2To|300}} {{#ev:youtube|CmnBO8j7IQY|300}} {{#ev:youtube|uxMz7EEDzjQ|300}} {{#ev:youtube|Db2MPcuFwn4|300}} {{#ev:youtube|oGbL5Da9NE8|300}} {{#ev:youtube|arINXwvGdzQ|300}} {{#ev:youtube|biTJY89DT0s|300}}


Links

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