Saturday, May 16, 2009

When Retro-Worlds Collide

Over the last few years I've been contacted maybe half a dozen times by people interested in making some form of video game based on Labyrinth Lord. As far as I know, no one has followed through on it, which is a shame, because I'm a big fan of retro console gaming too and would love to see someone develop something in the same vein as this:

I like to play this game maybe once or twice a year now, straight through, while sipping a few beers. I've occasionally tinkered with the idea of trying my own hand at writing a game. There are a few packages out there that aid in making games compatible with either the NES or the Atari 2600. Batari basic for the 2600, and this site for making NES games.

The problem is that even though I did a certificate program in C++ several years ago (so I can fumble around with programming if I have to) this is a whole other animal. Programming is only one challenge, you need artists and people who can make music, for starters. Not to mention the learning curve would be too steep for me at this time, with writing RPG books and of course pesky real life writing tasks.

None-the-less, I sometimes fantasize about new retro-fantasy console games like Wizards & Warriors being released. If anyone out there is up to the task, especially for an NES compatible game, drop me a line. The free trademark license for Labyrinth Lord could be applied to such a product, and I think it would do pretty well.


4 comments:

BlUsKrEEm said...

One of my favorite console RPG's is Warriors of the Eternal Sun, for Sega Genesis. The game is licensed from TSR, set in the Hallow World setting. The game actually use B/X mechanics for the overland maps (in caves it switches to an odd first person shooter method.) I'd love to see a LL game in the same vein, but I can barely manage C.

I'm a huge Roguelike fan, and I can definately see a LL roguelike game being a blast, but after my failed "King of Kaiju" project I don't think I'll volunteer.

Dan of Earth said...

Cool, I'll have to check that game out. I'd love to see a list of the various good fantasy and licensed TSR console games that were made for these systems.

nomilieu said...

So wait, we can make an amateur computer game using the Labyrinth Lord system?

By the way, I too play Wizards & Warriors straight through once or twice a year.

-Random

Dan of Earth said...

So wait, we can make an amateur computer game using the Labyrinth Lord system?Sure the system is no problem of course, it's all OGC. As for the name, I'd be happy to make a free arrangement with anyone willing to make a game like that.