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Lode Runner

Developer(s) Douglas E. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video Smith
Publisher(s) Brøderbund & Ariolasoft
Designer(s) Douglas E. Brøderbund Software was an American maker of Computer games Educational software and The Print Shop productivity tools Ariolasoft was a German computer game developer, publisher and distributor A "game designer" is a person who designs Video games or one who designs traditional games such as Board games Video Games Designer A video game designer Smith
Platform(s) Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, VIC-20. In Computing, a platform describes some sort of Hardware architecture or Software framework (including Application frameworks, that allows The Atari ST is a home / Personal computer that was commercially available from 1985 to the early 1990s The VIC-20 ( Germany: VC-20; Japan: VIC-1001) is an 8-bit Home computer which was sold by Commodore Business Machines MSX, Atari 400/800, ZX Spectrum, MS-DOS, IBM PC, Mac OS, NES, Game Boy, BBC Micro, Nintendo DS, Virtual Console, Xbox 360 (XBLA)
Release date 1983
Genre(s) Platform, Puzzle
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: E (Everyone, VC)
System requirements Keyboard

Lode Runner is a 1983 platform game, first published by Brøderbund. MSX was the name of a standardized Home computer architecture in the 1980s The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit Home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992 The Sinclair ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal Home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd MS-DOS (short for M icro' s' oft D isk O perating S ystem is an Operating system commercialized by Microsoft. A PC booter, or booter, is a type of Software for Home computer era (early 1980s to early 1990s Personal computers that was loaded and executed Mac OS is the trademarked name for a series of Graphical user interface -based Operating systems developed by Apple Inc The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. Virtual Console, sometimes abbreviated as VC, is a specialized section of the Wii Shop Channel, an online service that allows players to purchase and download The Xbox 360 is the second Video game console produced by Microsoft, and was developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, and SiS. Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA is an online service operated by Microsoft that is used to digitally distribute video games to Xbox and Xbox 360 owners Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction Platform game, or platformer, is a video game genre characterized by jumping to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles Puzzle video games are a genre of Video games that emphasize Puzzle solving In video gaming, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of Video games into suitability-related groups The Entertainment Software Rating Board ( ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, Advertising guidelines and In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys Events A major shakeout of the video game industry begins By 1986, total video games sales will decrease from US$ 3200 million to US$100 million Platform game, or platformer, is a video game genre characterized by jumping to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles Brøderbund Software was an American maker of Computer games Educational software and The Print Shop productivity tools It is one of the first games to include a level editor, a feature that allows players to create their own levels for the game. A level editor (also known as a map, campaign or scenario editor is a software application used to design levels maps or campaigns This feature bolstered the game's popularity, as magazines such as Computer Gaming World held contests to see who could build the best level. Computer Gaming World ( CGW) was founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication [1]

Contents

History

The prototype of what later became Lode Runner was a game developed by Douglas E. Smith of Renton, Washington, who at the time was an architecture student at the University of Washington. Renton is a city in King County, Washington, United States. A suburb situated 13 miles (21 km southeast of Seattle Washington, Renton The term architecture (from Greek αρχιτεκτονικήarchitektoniki) can be used to mean a process a profession or documentation See Washington (disambiguation for other uses The University of Washington, founded in 1861, is a public research University [2] This prototype, called Kong, was written for a Prime Computer 550 minicomputer limited to one building on the UW campus. Prime Computer was a Natick Massachusetts -based producer of Minicomputers from 1972 until 1992 A minicomputer (colloquially mini) is a class of multi-user Computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum in between the largest Multi-user Shortly thereafter, Kong was ported to VAX minicomputers, as there were more terminals available on campus. See also Software portability In Computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created Name "VAX" was originally an Acronym for V irtual A ddress e' X' tension, both because the VAX was seen as a 32-bit The game was programmed in Fortran and used ASCII character graphics. Fortran (previously FORTRAN) is a general-purpose, procedural, imperative Programming language that is especially suited to American Standard Code for Information Interchange ( ASCII) History Typewriter art Since 1867 typewriters have been used for creating visual art When Kong was ported to the VAX, some Pascal sections were mixed into the original Fortran code. Pascal is an influential imperative and procedural Programming language, designed in 1968/9 and published in 1970 by Niklaus Wirth as a small

In a weekend (circa September 1982), Smith was able to build a crude, playable version in 6502 assembly language on an Apple II+ and renamed the game Miner. The MOS Technology 6502 is an 8-bit Microprocessor that was designed by Chuck Peddle for MOS Technology in 1975 See the terminology section below for information regarding inconsistent use of the terms assembly and assembler Through the end of the year, Smith refined that version, which was black-and-white with no joystick support. A joystick is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling He submitted a rough version to Brøderbund around October 1982 and received a one-line rejection letter in response to the effect of "Sorry, your game doesn't fit into our product line; please feel free to submit future products. Brøderbund Software was an American maker of Computer games Educational software and The Print Shop productivity tools "[2]

Smith then borrowed money to purchase a color monitor and joystick and continued to improve the game. Around Christmas of 1982, he submitted the game, now renamed Lode Runner, to four publishers and quickly received offers from all four: Sierra, Sirius, Synergistic, and Brøderbund. A video game publisher is a company that publishes Video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a Video game developer For the company formerly known as Sierra On-Line see Sierra Entertainment. Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky with a visual Apparent magnitude of &minus1 Synergy (from the Greek el-Latn syn-ergo, el συνεργός meaning working together is the term used to describe a situation where the final outcome He took the deal with Brøderbund.

Smith had around seven to ten levels. In March or April of 1983, as Brøderbund prepared marketing materials and packaging, he was asked how many levels would make the final version. Off the top of his head, Smith blurted 150. Toward the end of development, he was paying others to create levels in order to fulfill this stated goal.

The game was released in mid-1983. Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) The original microcomputer versions included the Apple II series, the Commodore 64, the Sinclair Spectrum 48K/128K, and a version licensed for the MSX computer. microcomputer is a Computer with a Microprocessor as its Central processing unit. The Sinclair ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal Home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd MSX was the name of a standardized Home computer architecture in the 1980s Later versions include those for the Atari computer, NES, Windows 3.1, Macintosh, and the original Game Boy. The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit Home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992 The Nintendo Entertainment System (often abbreviated as NES or simply Nintendo) is an 8-bit Video game console that was released by Macintosh, commonly nicknamed Mac is a Brand name which covers several lines of Personal computers designed developed and marketed by Apple Inc The is a handheld video game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo.

Gameplay

The player controls a stick figure who must collect all the gold in a level while avoiding robots who try to catch the player. A stick figure is a very simple type of drawing made of sticks and circles generally of the Human form although stick figures of other types of Animals are possible A robot is a mechanical or Virtual Artificial agent In practice it is usually an electro-mechanical system which by its appearance or movements After collecting all the gold, the player must travel to the top of the screen to reach the next level. There are 150 levels in the game which progressively challenge players' problem-solving abilities or reaction times.

Levels feature a multi-story, brick platform motif, with ladders and suspended hand-to-hand bars that offer multiple ways to travel throughout. The player can dig holes into floors to temporarily trap robots and may safely walk atop trapped robots. Over time, floors dug into will regenerate, filling in these holes. A trapped robot who cannot escape a hole before it fills is consumed, immediately respawning in a random location at the top of the level. Floors may also contain trapdoors, through which the player and robots will fall, and bedrock, through which the player cannot dig.

The player starts with five lives; each level completion awards an extra life. Should a robot catch the player, one life is lost and the current level restarts. The player's character can fall from arbitrary heights without injury but cannot jump, and players can trap themselves in pits from which the only escape is to abort the level, costing a life, and begin again.

Reception

A review in Computer Gaming World praised the game's particularly easy-to-use level editor and the strategy involved for an arcade title, describing it as "one of the few thinking men's arcade games". Computer Gaming World ( CGW) was founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication [3] Tetris designer Alexey Pajitnov claimed it to be his favorite puzzle game for many years. Tetris (Тетрис is a Video puzzle game originally designed and programmed by Alexey Pajitnov in June 1985 while working for the Dorodnicyn Alexey Leonidovich Pajitnov (ru Алексей Леонидович Пажитнов regularly Aleksei Leonidovich Pazhitnovborn [4]

GameSpot named Lode Runner as one of the "Greatest Games of All Time". GameSpot is a video gaming Website that provides News, Reviews Previews Downloads and other information [5]

Legacy

Brøderbund followed Lode Runner with Championship Lode Runner and Lode Runner's Rescue. In Lode Runner's Rescue (Atari XL/Commodore 64), the game takes place in an isometric environment and the user plays as Lode Runner's daughter, Alexandra. The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit Home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992 Alexandra eats "magic mushrooms" to run faster and jump higher.

Other versions of Lode Runner were created in subsequent years, such as Battle Lode Runner, Lode Runner: The Legend Returns, Lode Runner 2, and Lode Runner Online: Mad Monks' Revenge. Battle Lode Runner is a Video game based on the Lode Runner series of games originally released for the NEC PC Engine by Lode Runner The Legend Returns is a 1994 Windows and Mac OS remake of the classic Lode Runner Lode Runner 2 was a Computer game released in 1998 for Mac OS and Windows. Lode Runner Online Mad Monks' Revenge is an enhanced version of the 1994 Computer game Lode Runner The Legend Returns. Each adds several items to the game, such as jackhammers, bombs, and snares, along with differing backgrounds and sound.

The arcade version had numerous sequels, including:

In 1999, a 3D version for the Nintendo 64, Lode Runner 3D, was also released. Gameplay Lode Runner - The Bungeling Strikes Back is a advanced remake of the original game developed for the arcade 3D computer graphics (in contrast to 2D computer graphics) are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer The, often abbreviated as N64, is Nintendo 's third home Video game console for the international market Lode Runner 3-D is a Nintendo 64 game based on the Lode Runner franchise

Several versions of Lode Runner were not released in the U. S. , such as Lode Runner Twin and Power Lode Runner, which vary gameplay, mostly by adding different characters and scenarios. is a variation of Lode Runner released for the Super Famicom in Japan on January 1 1999 Another title, Battle Lode Runner, was originally exclusive to Japan, but made available in April 2007 on Nintendo's Wii Virtual Console service. Battle Lode Runner is a Video game based on the Lode Runner series of games originally released for the NEC PC Engine by is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Kyoto Japan founded on Virtual Console, sometimes abbreviated as VC, is a specialized section of the Wii Shop Channel, an online service that allows players to purchase and download The original Lode Runner followed in June 2007. There is also an Cubic Lode Runner, a 3-D Lode Runner variant released only in Japan for the Gamecube and PlayStation 2. Lode Runner is a 1983 Platform game, first published by Brøderbund. The, often abbreviated as GCN, is Nintendo 's fourth home Video game console and is part of the sixth generation console era. [6]

Hudson Soft also announced a version of Lode Runner for the Nintendo DS. Hudson Soft Company Limited is a Japanese Electronic entertainment publisher The is a dual-screen Handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. [7]

A Lode Runner board game was designed by Donal Carlston and published by Tsukuda in 1986. [8]

Xbox Live Arcade

Xbox Live Arcade version.
Xbox Live Arcade version. Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA is an online service operated by Microsoft that is used to digitally distribute video games to Xbox and Xbox 360 owners

On January 7, 2008, an enhanced version of Lode Runner, developed by Tozai and Southend Interactive, was announced at CES '08. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES is a Trade show held each January in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is sponsored The game will feature revamped, HD graphics and multiplayer support, as well as Live leaderboards and a timeline of the game's history. There was no mention of a level editor at that time—however, a "Download Content" option was visible on the menu screenshot. [9]

Trivia

See also

References

  1. ^ “Lode Runner Contest”, Computer Gaming World: 22, August 1984 
  2. ^ a b “Lock'n'Lode”, IGN, February 17, 1999, <http://ign64.ign.com/articles/066/066952p1.html> 
  3. ^ a b Besnard, John (October 1983), “Lode Runner”, Computer Gaming World: 20 
  4. ^ Interview to Alexey Pajitnov. N is a Freeware Adobe Flash Computer game developed by Metanet Software. Computer Gaming World ( CGW) was founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video Computer Gaming World ( CGW) was founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication Retrieved on 2008-01-01. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC
  5. ^ Greatest Games of All Time: Lode Runner from GameSpot
  6. ^ キュービックロードランナー公式サイト
  7. ^ LodeRunner | ロードランナー
  8. ^ Lode Runner | BoardGameGeek
  9. ^ CES 2008: Lode Runner coming to XBLA, Joystiq

External links


GameSpot is a video gaming Website that provides News, Reviews Previews Downloads and other information StrategyWiki is a Wiki -based MobyGames is a Website devoted to cataloging computer and video games, both past and present World of Spectrum is a Website devoted to cataloging and archiving material for the ZX Spectrum Home computer popular in the 1980s and has been officially The Killer List of Videogames (KLOV is a Web site devoted to cataloging Arcade games past and present
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