Malcolm Kirk's Crap Games Corner

Something a bit different this time. Today is the 30th birthday of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, a classic British 8-bit computer. To celebrate this, I've decided to upload a few programs I 'created' way back when, (I actually nicked two of them from books and fiddled about with them a bit). They're .Z80 files and the most of them are crap, (but that just adds to the nostalgia). You'll need a spectrum emulator to have a proper look at them, though you should be able to find something suitable online.

Click HERE to download the tiny zip file containing all the programmy stuff.


1 : ADENOIDS

This was a Breakout clone printed in the Spectrum +2 manual in the BASIC programming language. I modified it slightly, adding graphical flourishes and snazzy effects, making it far slower and quite a bit worse. Hurrah!


2 & 3 : ATTACK OF THE KILLER LAWNMOWERS FROM HELL 1 & 2

I'll let the video speak for itself...





Controls for AOTKLFH1 : Shift & M     Controls for AOTKLFH2 : M


4 : ADVANCED GETTING EATEN BY SOME GIANT BABY BALD EAGLES SIMULATOR

An unplayable demo programmed in BASIC, using user-defined graphics.


5 : MICK THE MOLEKILLER

Another UDG BASIC demo thingy.


6 : TARGET CRAP

You can 'play' this one. Enter your initials, press enter,  and press SPACE to fire and see if you can hit the target. Basic in every sense of the word.


7 : ULTRA BOMBER

This was another type-in program printed in a book, (not sure which one). Again, I added a few extra graphicy bits, namely, an explosion, a splash and some contrails.

Controls are 8 : Down, 9 : Up  and 0 : Fire.


...and last but not least, a proper, less crap game...


8 : LOUPS GAROUX





This is a game created using Domark's 3-D Construction Kit, a nifty program that allowed you to create 'Freescape' games in the style of classic spectrum games, such as Driller, Total Eclipse and Castle Master. I'd originally intended to send the game for inclusion on Your Sinclair magazine's cover-tape, but this was 1993, the Spectrum was no longer in production. Its commercial life was over, and so games and software were disappearing from shops, and inevitably, all the magazines disappeared too, with Your Sinclair being the last to go in September of that year, (although it would return for one more issue, eleven years later, as a free giveaway with Retro Gamer magazine).

THE PLOT

In Loups Garoux you play the part of Antoine Gandillon, a man cursed to become a wolf each full moon. Seeking a cure for your affliction, you must find a witch and collect potions for her. You'll also need crucifixes. Not only do these restore energy, you'll need them to defeat a creature which holds one of the potions.

CONTROLS

O : Forward
K : Back
Z : Left
X : Right
Q : Turn left
W : Turn right
P : Look up
L : Look down
R : Stand up
F : Crouch
A : Activate object
SPACE : Toggle gun-sight
B : Fire
U : U-turn
I : Centre view


COMING SOON...

I've got a few more crappy bits and pieces that I'll probably upload at a later date. So, keep an eye out for those, and there's also another one of those Freescape things that I've been meaning to finish for ages which will definitely be online in some form or other by the end of this year. Yes, it will. I've said it now. Watch this space!

In the meantime, check out World of Spectrum for "loads" (ho, ho), of speccy goodness.

Hallowscream Print Editions Now Available & The New Issue(s) Guidelines

Physical print editions of all three issues of Hallowscream! are now available to buy from Lulu. If you fancy owning one of these glossy covered, A4 black and white volumes, then click here to view them on Lulu. If you're a skinflinty scrooge you'll still be catered for, because they'll remain available as free pdf downloads from Back From The Depths.


Talking of Scrooges, there are new guidelines online for those who'd like to contribute stories and artwork to the comic. However, we're now looking for submissions for two issues, one of which will be Hallowscream 4, the other, a Christmas Special. Click here for more details.

15 Seconds to Zarjaz (Part 2) & Down The Tubes 2000ad Interview

Here's eight new drawings of 2000ad characters, each done in 15 seconds. For the first lot, click here. Some of these characters are a bit more recent than the last lot, but you should know at least a couple of them if you've ever been a squax...

















Also, it being 2000ad's 35th birthday this month, Down The Tubes have been running a series of interviews on the subject with a variety of comic creators and fans. My one seems to have been the last to go up, (always better to be fashionably late to a party). You can read it by clicking HERE and the whole lot of 'em by clicking HERE.


Splundig Vur Thrigg!

15 Seconds to Zarjaz

It's 2000ad's 35th birthday this week. In honour of this, I thought I'd post some pictures I drew a couple of years ago depicting some of the characters from this long running, alien-edited, science fiction comic. However, they're slightly odd because I decided to do an experiment to see if I could capture a recognizable likeness in 15 second scribbles. I kinda' could.

Might do some more of these. For the moment, if you're familiar with the comic, see if you can work out who these are supposed to be...

















Edit : You can now see eight more HERE .

Back From The Depths Presents : BLACKFRIARS

The year is 793 AD. Savage, heathen armies from the north invade Northumberland, for today is the day of the viking, but the night... The night belongs to something else.

Now available as a free pdf download, Blackfriars is a tale of vampires versus vikings by Michael Crouch.

The first episode appeared in the 2010 edition of Hallowscream, with further episodes appearing on Michael's blog in weekly instalments. The story is drawn in the style of a serial from the classic British "Scream!" comic.

The cover is by John Caliber and there's a short image gallery at the back of the collection with artwork by Andrew Milne, David Blankley, and Grant Perkins (with Mike Bunt inking and Owen Watts colouring).

Download now from CLICKWHEEL, MEDIAFIRE or view online at MYEBOOK.

A download link will probably also appear on the homepage of BACK FROM THE DEPTHS in the near future.

File size = 30MB.


OTHER LINKS

Michael Crouch's website

Michael Crouch's blog

Temple APA Issue X

FROM THE DEPTHS OF SPACE... The tenth issue of the Temple APA digital comics showcase is now available for free download.

This issue contains 60 pages of artwork and strips by a host of creators, including Tony Suleri, Dave Hailwood, Simon Mackie, Paul Eldridge, Greg Meldrum, Tim West and Malcolm Kirk, (who also compiled the issue and created the cover artwork).

To download, right click HERE and "save target/link as".

PDF file size is 17.2MB.

You can also download from CLICKWHEEL, MEDIAFIRE or view online at MYEBOOK.

The Temple APA is a showcase for amateur and professional creators active in the UK comics scene. If you'd like to contribute or just want more information, check out the Temple website.

templeapa.blogspot.com

Totoro & Laputa

Did this for The Weekly Themed Art Blog.