Planet Bob

Hello Manuel,

 

Populous has always been one of my favourite games too. A couple of weeks ago I introduced it to one of my nephews, and he was really surprised that they made games that good before he was even born.

 

On the sound issue of the PC version:

I think it depends on which soundcart support you enable. The Roland version has good music but poor sound effects. The Adlib version has not so good music, but much better sound effects. And you might have to disable the music during gameplay to get the most out of the effects.

 

I don't know about the Final Frontier add-on, but the Promised Lands disk exists for the PC version. I still have my original copy.

 

 

Ciao, Eckhard Stolberg

Hi Eckhard!

 

Populous has always been one of my favourite games too. A couple of weeks ago I introduced it to one of my nephews, and he was really surprised that they made games that good before he was even born.

 

Bravo for introducing it to the next generation!

 

Do you have enough hardware to show him that even networked play existed back then?

It was the first game I ever enjoyed with two computers linked

 

On the sound issue of the PC version:

I think it depends on which soundcart support you enable. The Roland version has good music but poor sound effects. The Adlib version has not so good music, but much better sound effects. And you might have to disable the music during gameplay to get the most out of the effects.

 

Thanks for these suggestions! I didn't even think about using the Roland option, I never thought that DOSBox would emulate that as well! You're right, the music is much better!

 

A problem a lot worse I just encountered is that the game just crashed. Maybe that was a one-off bug or at least get's better now with the Roland option, but if it happens again I fear that I need to switch back to the Amiga version. Damn... Now I need to find a code for ~ level 50...

(The codes are in the Power Play with Stunt Car Racer on the Cover, no? *scratches head* )

 

I don't know about the Final Frontier add-on, but the Promised Lands disk exists for the PC version. I still have my original copy.

 

Thanks for confirming ...since it exists I will find it...

 

Final Frontier probably was some X-Mas gift for Amiga Cover Disk magazines only. AFAIK it only has a single scenario set in space.

I remember that game. Maybe I need to dig it out. When playing against the computer, a useful strategy early on seemed to be to build large flat areas 2 or 3 clicks above the ocean. The computer would build one click up from the ocean; a flood spell would thus be very effective. In later levels, though, the computer seems able to build itself out of a flood; if I can do a second flood quickly, that will help but in later levels even that's not a sure thing.

This is one game I'd love to see updated for current hardware. Being able to see a larger map on my 1680x1050 display would be sweet.

When playing against the computer, a useful strategy early on seemed to be to build large flat areas 2 or 3 clicks above the ocean. The computer would build one click up from the ocean; a flood spell would thus be very effective. In later levels, though, the computer seems able to build itself out of a flood; if I can do a second flood quickly, that will help but in later levels even that's not a sure thing.

 

I think in higher levels floods only work when "water is fatal", IIRC even the computer can't work too good around that. With "water is harmful", he will lightning fast rescue his folks. It will still do some harm, but doesn't justify the higher energy usage required for a living on the 3rd/4th floor

 

I really do love "water is fatal" when the comupter is sending knights. Klick, klick - Bye!

 

Here's some tactics of mine:

 

- Swamped Armageddon

When forces are almost equal, then I will place a couple of swamps into the computers estimated path right before calling Armageddon. Especially if the swamps are bottomless a lot of the evil followers are doomed then.

 

- Highlanders

In later levels, when the computer is really fast and especially when he's placing one volcano in your area after another, I simply use that against him: I reside with my folks on the highest possible level (ignoring rocks). That way, with volcanos the computer is even helping me reaching the top. Also when the two folks meet then, you will automatically run him over

 

- Poor Mans Volcano

When the two folks meet somewhere, I move the nearest house of mine into one of the edges of the viewport. Then I lift up the ground on the opposite edge to the highest level. Has almost the same effect than a real volcano, without the side-effect of putting rocks onto the playfield. (Kinda like the Populous version of a Neutron Bomb )

The SMS has 5000 levels???

 

I am aghast. It has been a long while since I played Populous. I think it was around 1990 or so when I used to actually rent my software from a place here in Austin called Floppy Joe's. I don't think I got much further than than level 50. I'm shocked to hear that there were 500 levels on the PC version and 5000 on the SMS. Shocked, like, falling out of my chair shocked. I wonder if there is anybody who has ever played all 5000 levels? Dang.

The SMS has 5000 levels???

 

I also found it a bit dubious, but it says so in the manual and on the back of the box

 

The dubious part is that it shares the same passwords than all other versions. Since I think Populous is backed by some kind of fractal generator for creating the worlds, it should use the same generator then. On the other hand, the SMS levels are slightly smaller I think, with the playing area being only 6 levels high for example, so they must've tweaked the generator anyway.

Maybe to compensate for smaller levels they just gave you more

 

I am aghast. It has been a long while since I played Populous. I think it was around 1990 or so when I used to actually rent my software from a place here in Austin called Floppy Joe's. I don't think I got much further than than level 50. I'm shocked to hear that there were 500 levels on the PC version and 5000 on the SMS. Shocked, like, falling out of my chair shocked. I wonder if there is anybody who has ever played all 5000 levels? Dang.

 

I'd be interested in that as well. Even if you manage to beat all worlds on the first try and considering that you jump 5 worlds on average, that is still 1000 * 10-20 minutes...

 

But well, there's someone on Lemon64 who played completely through 10.000 worlds of "The Sentinel" last year: http://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21688 (Though there you can make larger jumps, usually more than the ones from one Populous world to the next.)

 

So I think some insane maniac will have played through the SMS version as well.

(Note to self: Try a 49X code on the SMS and see what happens if you beat that world... )

But well, there's someone on Lemon64 who played completely through 10.000 worlds of "The Sentinel" last year: http://www.lemon64.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21688 (Though there you can make larger jumps, usually more than the ones from one Populous world to the next.)

Wow. Thanks for the link. The Sentinel was one of my favorite C64 games.

 

Too bad, that there seems no way to do something similar for the 2600.

(Note to self: Try a 49X code on the SMS and see what happens if you beat that world... )

 

Did so and it continues! I think the SMS really has 5000 worlds!

 

Meanwhile I'm at world 122 QAZIKEBAR. So far I won each world on the first try, but it's starting to get tougher already, as the computer gets faster and better