TI-99/4A Break Free

[Davvel]

I just released a new game called Break Free, a kind of Break Out game.

 

In this variant one can move the bat around up, down, left and right and the aim is not to break all the bricks but to break enough to find a key which will open the gate to break free to the next level.

 

The game has 6 levels with 3 difficulty levels for each level.

 

Powerups help you clear the level faster and the ball will not break if it hits the ground, it only breaks if it hits the pointy ground.

 

A boss level spices up the end of each phase before moving to a harder level.

 

In the harder levels the key will be hidden in a different tile every time.

 

You can post your High Scores on a dedicated facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/BreakFreeHOF/

 

To give you an idea please follow :

 

It took me almost a year to complete and had to engage a proper composer for the music pieces which I could not compose otherwise.

 

Games is written in 100% GPL.

 

Have Fun and comment... I plan to keep writing games and hopefully be a net contributor to this TI community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[+save2600]

I like how you don't have to hit all the bricks in order to complete the level. On regular Breakout/Arkanoid type games, that can be a PITA sometimes!

 

Looks really nice with interesting game play using your bat or paddle like that. Kind of reminds me of Jinks that way.

 

BTW: You control the bat with the joystick or keyboard?

[+Ksarul]

I've been using the joystick to control things while testing the cartridges to verify functionality. I think I did try the ESDX keys once as well. One other note on this one: this cartridge requires nothing except for the console. I just plug the cartridge in and turn it on That makes it a very good thing to pull some of those console-only folks into the mix again.

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Is the game file released here or as a cartridge ?

[+Ksarul]

This one is released as a cartridge through the ArcadeShopper site. . .it also uses all five GROMs, so it isn't suitable for the FlashROM either.

Edited December 3, 2016 by Ksarul

[+RXB]

Nice would like to try it!

[+InsaneMultitasker]

This one is released as a cartridge through the ArcadeShopper site. . .it also uses all five GROMs, so it isn't suitable for the FlashROM either.

Gotcha... I was hoping to try it on my Geneve.

[+retroclouds]

You guys keep hem coming! Congratulations, the promo video looks really impressive and I want a cartridge badly, so ordering this weekend.

 

So many good things happen right here on Atariage. It was the right decision requesting Albert to setup a Ti-99/4A subforum for us many moons ago.

[Schmitzi]

cool game, and cool video. and I like the highscore list at the end of the video

 

 

[+Vorticon]

Now that is what I call an intro video! How can one resist buying a cart after watching this?

Looks like a fun game. Well done.

[Davvel]

BTW: You control the bat with the joystick or keyboard?

 

 

Thanks for the kind remarks. You can control the bat with either keyboard or joystick.

[eebuckeye]

Looks great!! Ordered!

[Davvel]

cool game, and cool video. and I like the highscore list at the end of the video

 

 

highscore.JPG

 

Thanks, and you have not yet heard the sound track.

 

"I want to break free" from Queen as an intro and during the game by pressing V to turn background music on/off.

"We will Rock You" by Queen in the hall of fame screen, hope Brian May will not sue me on getting his music and photo not to his liking .

And the surprise ending (if you beat the boss) has yet another score from Queen and another image of my beloved Rock Group.

 

Have fun.

[Davvel]

Now that is what I call an intro video! How can one resist buying a cart after watching this?

Looks like a fun game. Well done.

 

Thanks. I tried to do my best

[vectrexroli]

That game looks amazing, well done!

[Davvel]

That game looks amazing, well done!

 

Thanks Vectrex. I am an avid follower of your videos. Keep up the great work as you are doing a great service to this community.

[Davvel]

Ready & Available for distribution, thanks to Arcade Shopper.

 

[Sinphaltimus]

It's on my list for 2017....
It really looks great and the video is perfect judging by all the responses including my own.

Congrats. This great stuff.

[PeBo]

Ordered the cart earlier this week as an Xmas present to myself (why should the wife and offspring get my entire gift budget eh??)

 

What struck me about the demo video was that it reminded me of a (non-scrolling) version of my favourite Ball n Paddle game of all time. An Atari ST game (coulda been released for other systems as well) called Addict-a-ball.

 

That one still keeps me up until the wee small hours from time to time (although sadly, the most recent version of STeem seems to have issues with it).

 

If anyone out there uses a trackball, it would be interesting to find out if BreakFree is compatible as this (and Backstein) would be good reasons to buy one.

[+arcadeshopper]

I will be hooking up my trackball this weekend

 

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

[+arcadeshopper]

I will be hooking up my trackball this weekend

 

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

 

Trackball does not work correctly with the XY interpretation in the game. It wants to move both directions at once and the game is really set up for 4 way joystick only.. you can roll the ball up or down or right or left, but not in any diagnal way and the game seems to ignore the diagnals.. stick to joystick as the game was designed for

 

Greg

[PeBo]

Thanks for checking. Good to know and saves me $30-$40 US.

[+Vorticon]

Question: Can the game be converted to a disk image? I did order the cart, but it's always nice to have a disk image as well.

[+Ksarul]

Note: the game uses all five GROMs, so it is larger than the 32K space available to the TI. All but the last one use the full 8K (there is about 4K of free space in the last GROM, so the game itself is 36K). The only choices to run this are physical cartridge or a GRAM device, and the author has only authorized a physical release at this time.

[+Vorticon]

Note: the game uses all five GROMs, so it is larger than the 32K space available to the TI. All but the last one use the full 8K (there is about 4K of free space in the last GROM, so the game itself is 36K). The only choices to run this are physical cartridge or a GRAM device, and the author has only authorized a physical release at this time.

 

Ah too bad...