Gateway Remake (playable demo)

Started by HandsFree, Thu 17/07/2014 20:01:25

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HandsFree

The gamble is the same for every Gateway prospector. You strap yourself into an alien starship whose destination was programmed 500,000 years ago by a race called the Heechee. You may return with a motherlode of technology that will make you rich. More likely, you will die.

Frederik Pohl's Gateway by Legend is already a pretty good game so there isn't much that I can do to upgrade it. That's why this has been sitting on my hard drive for a few years, but every now and then I load it up to just walk around Gateway.
In the original you have to type or select verbs from a long list which is something that not everyone finds comfortable, including me, so...

Anyone like to check this demo? It's the start of the game up until you are allowed your first mission. In the original game you can reach that stage in just a few clicks but to make the demo more playable I made it a bit more linear so you will have to explore the whole station before the day is over. I might loosen up that part.

Not sure if this is allowed here but I would like to hear if this setup, modelled after later Legend games as some of you might notice, is actually more inviting to play. Or is the original still attractive enough?

Try the demo here

Remake:




Original:




agentbauer

Just saw that. I'm a fan oft the old legend games. And Gateway is really a great game. I like your updates version. Its a nice idea to make the game more user friendly
Roger Wilco Rules
NEW HOMEPAGE: http://spacequestiv5.pytalhost.at
Space Quest IV.5 Version 3.00 is finally done, check it out:
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TheBitPriest

My 2 cents:  I really hated the later high resolution interface.  It always felt like I was playing a business application, not a game.

I think this later interface came about during an awkward transitional time where the availability of higher-resolution GUI interfaces were making the older, low-resolution games seem antiquated. But something was lost in the translation when the developer caved into the pressure to modernize.  They were just... they weren't immersive. 

HandsFree

Really? I always liked that interface, much more than the old one anyway. What got lost in your opinion? Apart from the opportunity to kiss every character?

Darth Mandarb

Let's take the off-topic discussions into PMs please.

agentbauer

Hehe Darth strikes back :-D

Played through the demo, and I must say as before, I like it.
BUT... I could need a ingame map. The station is as complicated as in the original^^

Will you remake the whole game?
Roger Wilco Rules
NEW HOMEPAGE: http://spacequestiv5.pytalhost.at
Space Quest IV.5 Version 3.00 is finally done, check it out:
http://www.bigbluecup.com/yabb/index.php?topic=40735.msg538357;boardseen#new

HandsFree

Quote from: agentbauer on Sat 26/07/2014 14:43:13
Will you remake the whole game?
That's the plan at this point. I'm a bit further than what the demo shows (done the Dayan 7 part).
A map will be difficult cause the original doesn't have one either.

Ghost

Lovely demo. I remember playing the original back then- never beat it though :-[ Your remake feels faithful, and the touch-ups are all justified, so well played!

mkennedy

Maybe include a map in the docs? While working on the game you should hopefully get a feel for how the station and other areas are laid out which would be helpful in creating any maps. Plus the maps could not only be helpful to the player, but may also prove helpful when designing the game as well.

HandsFree

Thanks Ghost. And that coming from someone who doesn't like remakes. ;)
For the discusions about maps and other things:
See the Critics' Lounge

WesY2K

Dear HandsFree,
I just stumbled upon your demo and I love how this feels like a later Legend product like Xanth. The earlier once gave me a headache and were as fun as using SAP... are you still working on this?

Darth Mandarb

WesY2K - please read the forum rules before digging up any more threads.

HandsFree - if you're still working on this and want to post an update, let me know (PM) and I'll unlock this.

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