baktra Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Curse of the Lost Miner is a simple platformer with features of a logic game originally released for Atari 800XL, now ported to Atari 5200. Your goal is to guide the cursed miner through dangerous caves and collect all diamonds in each cave. 13 deviously designed caves 4 "Looks and Feels" of the caves Training cave Both source code (C and ASM) and game data are freely available. Download from home page: http://www.baktra.wz...re/culomin.html 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aking Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Good job ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bohoki Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 neato thanks man i gotta get a flash cart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrekMD Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Very cool! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baktra Posted May 12, 2015 Author Share Posted May 12, 2015 I am not much of an artist, but at least a simple cartridge label couldn't hurt. I hope the dimensions are good. In the pdf, there is a color version and also a grayscale version. culomin_cartlabel.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKE5200 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thanks for the game though I think it's hard using standard controllers. Did anyone get pass the first screen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DamonicFury Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I finally got the game running - I had to find the right USB cable for the flashcart, and re-install the AtariMax software on my newer computer. But it was worth the effort... very cool game! Thank you for converting it to the 5200 and sharing it with us all! Like MIKE5200, I find it incredibly challenging using an analog controller. Perhaps it will be a bit easier with a Competition Pro (or Masterplay/Redemption for those who have them.) So far, I haven't even got close to clearing that first screen (but I did at least complete the Training screen!) I'll try it again soon with a Comp Pro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baktra Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 I was afraid of controls being tough. The game requires precise and quick miner movement, which is diffucult with analog and non-centering control device that I never had in hand. Do you think that certain changes would help, for example: - Adjustable joystick dead zone (to prevent unintended moves after long jumps) - High jump invoked not by FIRE+UP, but by another button on the keypad (to ease movement to the left or to the right when performing high jump) - "Lock" the miner until the stick is recentered when the miner lands after jump or fall (to prevent unintended moves after jumps or falls) The game can be easily changed, so I am not reluctant to make adjustments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DamonicFury Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I was afraid of controls being tough. The game requires precise and quick miner movement, which is diffucult with analog and non-centering control device that I never had in hand. Do you think that certain changes would help, for example: - Adjustable joystick dead zone (to prevent unintended moves after long jumps) - High jump invoked not by FIRE+UP, but by another button on the keypad (to ease movement to the left or to the right when performing high jump) - "Lock" the miner until the stick is recentered when the miner lands after jump or fall (to prevent unintended moves after jumps or falls) The game can be easily changed, so I am not reluctant to make adjustments. Those sounds like good ideas! The 5200 has a second fire button, so that could be used for the high jump instead of a harder-to-reach keypad button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegamezmaster Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Very nice work! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MIKE5200 Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I finally got the game running - I had to find the right USB cable for the flashcart, and re-install the AtariMax software on my newer computer. But it was worth the effort... very cool game! Thank you for converting it to the 5200 and sharing it with us all! Like MIKE5200, I find it incredibly challenging using an analog controller. Perhaps it will be a bit easier with a Competition Pro (or Masterplay/Redemption for those who have them.) So far, I haven't even got close to clearing that first screen (but I did at least complete the Training screen!) I'll try it again soon with a Comp Pro. I thought it was just me, Though I'm not great for this type of game. I like shooting games, I did make it through the training screen and that was it. Dang, I need to get Competition Pro or something else for these games! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baktra Posted May 16, 2015 Author Share Posted May 16, 2015 Hello again. I have prepared a version with alternative controls. Changes of the controls are the following: Jumping High jump is initiated by pressing the secondary fire button Waiting for recentering The miner will not be able to move to the left or to the right until the stick is recentered in certain situations: After falling when miner moved to the left or to the right during the fall After high jump. The miner is of course still allowed to move to the left or to the right once during the jump After long jumps. Recentering is detected also during the jump, so the jump can be followed by a fall with movement to the left or to the right if needed How these changes should help Preventing unintended movement after all kinds of jumps or after falling Easier high jumps culomin5200.bin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aking Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Hello again. I have prepared a version with alternative controls. Changes of the controls are the following: Jumping High jump is initiated by pressing the secondary fire button Waiting for recentering The miner will not be able to move to the left or to the right until the stick is recentered in certain situations: After falling when miner moved to the left or to the right during the fall After high jump. The miner is of course still allowed to move to the left or to the right once during the jump After long jumps. Recentering is detected also during the jump, so the jump can be followed by a fall with movement to the left or to the right if needed How these changes should help Preventing unintended movement after all kinds of jumps or after falling Easier high jumps easier now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DamonicFury Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 Baktra, I do indeed appreciate the effort in trying to help with the controls. But it may actually be somewhat harder now. This may be largely because the standard jump doesn't seem to work at all anymore, just the high jump using the secondary button. Pressing the main button during the game now does nothing... but it does successfully start the game from the menu. Anyway, I now can't seem to get diamonds that I used to be able to before. (For example, the one at the top far right.) Anyone else finding that the standard jump isn't working and/or that the game feels a bit harder now than it was? If it's just me, I can just go back to using the original version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baktra Posted May 17, 2015 Author Share Posted May 17, 2015 It is strange. I do not have the real hardware, however on both atari800 and Altirra, the long jumps work (Primary FIRE + JS left or right). The game cannot be finished without long jumps. I will try other emulator, if possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DamonicFury Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 It is strange. I do not have the real hardware, however on both atari800 and Altirra, the long jumps work (Primary FIRE + JS left or right). The game cannot be finished without long jumps. I will try other emulator, if possible. Never mind, it IS working... I didn't understand that the joystick needed to be pressed along side the primary fire button. So, for others who are trying to figure this game out: Primary fire + left or right = long jump to the left or right. Secondary fire = high jump straight up. Can move character to the left or right one space during jump At one time or another now, I've been able to collect every diamond on the screen, just not all at once! Super fun game, just also super challenging! It helps a bit to realize that it's something of a puzzle game... if all your attempts to reach a diamond are failing, it's quite likely you are approaching it in the wrong way. Try getting to it by digging down from a higher level, or using a different jump, or approaching it from a different side. Thanks for the alternate controls, baktra. Now that I understand them, it's a big help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baktra Posted May 17, 2015 Author Share Posted May 17, 2015 Thank you for trying. The controls are also described inside the game, under the "Training" option. I've re-packaged the game, so if you download it from the home page, you get an archive with both versions (two cartridge images and source code). As the controls are at least acceptable now, I am considering release of 5200 version of the immediate predecessor of this game - "Caverns of the Lost Miner" game from 2007. Old caves, green background, and this new game engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aking Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Thank you for trying. The controls are also described inside the game, under the "Training" option. I've re-packaged the game, so if you download it from the home page, you get an archive with both versions (two cartridge images and source code). As the controls are at least acceptable now, I am considering release of 5200 version of the immediate predecessor of this game - "Caverns of the Lost Miner" game from 2007. Old caves, green background, and this new game engine. "Caverns of the Lost Miner" 5200 WOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baktra Posted May 18, 2015 Author Share Posted May 18, 2015 (edited) All right, port of the Caverns of the Lost Miner is available here: http://www.baktra.wz.cz/software/calomin.html. You may have to refresh the page. Do not expect anything very special, just the old (and easier) caves run by a stripped-down version of the new engine. Green menu background and no in-game music or training as in the original version. Alternative controls are of course available. Edited May 18, 2015 by baktra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DamonicFury Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 All right, port of the Caverns of the Lost Miner is available here: http://www.baktra.wz.cz/software/calomin.html. You may have to refresh the page. Do not expect anything very special, just the old (and easier) caves run by a stripped-down version of the new engine. Green menu background and no in-game music or training as in the original version. Alternative controls are of course available. Yay, easier caves! Looking forward to trying this soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aking Posted May 18, 2015 Share Posted May 18, 2015 thank you for the old new game! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aking Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 what About Superminer 1 and 2 5200 to complete the colection ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baktra Posted May 20, 2015 Author Share Posted May 20, 2015 what About Superminer 1 and 2 5200 to complete the colection ? These two games are written in Atari BASIC. Unless there is an Atari BASIC port for 5200, a straightforward conversion is out of question. Perhaps it would be possible to modify CuLoMin engine and extract levels from the Super Miner games (different jumping + interactive elements like bomb and teleport). But if the CuLoMin is tough because of the controls, Super Miner will be even more difficult. The reason I introduced two kinds of jumps in the CuLoMin was my bad experience with Super Miner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aking Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 These two games are written in Atari BASIC. Unless there is an Atari BASIC port for 5200, a straightforward conversion is out of question. Perhaps it would be possible to modify CuLoMin engine and extract levels from the Super Miner games (different jumping + interactive elements like bomb and teleport). But if the CuLoMin is tough because of the controls, Super Miner will be even more difficult. The reason I introduced two kinds of jumps in the CuLoMin was my bad experience with Super Miner. many of us find culomin hard but fair, i´m on level 6 myself... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aking Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 now on level 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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