Universal Gridrunner [Llamasoft]

Discussion in 'iPhone and iPad Games' started by strivemind, Feb 24, 2012.

  1. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    Freeware ?!? Totally disagree, not all games need lots and lots of pages detailing what to do. Thats part of the fun with these games by Jeff Minter, in the early days of arcades you simply put in your money and tried to work out what to do.

    I think most of Jeffs games are very simple, just kill everything ! Plus you can test things out to try and get different scores or see what happens when you shoot certain aliens etc.

    Like Goat Up, sometimes i try getting lots of goats, try killing the enemies, other times i just keep going up and up and see how high i can get without trying to get all the points/items etc.

    Think some games with tutorials act like we're all dumb sometimes. I never used to read instructions when i used to buy games, just load it up and play

    Caverns of Minos is a great 'thrust/lunar lander' type game, Minotron i also love as its a great Robotron type game.
     
  2. eev

    eev Well-Known Member

    Oct 26, 2009
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    @CroRock,
    leveling up is definitely a wrong therm, i mean finishing the level and entering new one. i dont see how it works. sometimes it's on picking a powerup. sometimes it's just dealing quickly with all enemies. i think there are other conditions too. and it is quite important in therms of scores. yeah, comparison with freeware is harsh. the gameplay is there and it's actually fun. just i think titles from this studio could really use more polishing. like proper gc links with offline support. more info about what's going on in the game and of course more control options.

    @psj3809
    caverns is probably great game with icade, but i think touch stick does not work that good on later levels in that game.
     
  3. drelbs

    drelbs Well-Known Member

    Jun 25, 2009
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    @eev: if it helps any, here's the original manual for the C64 version of the game...
     
  4. CroRock

    CroRock Well-Known Member

    Feb 20, 2011
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    #124 CroRock, Mar 5, 2012
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2012
    OMG where did you get that?! :eek:

    I guess scenario from manual is related to Vic or C64 mode and doesn't have anything with this Pure and Casual modes... :D
     
  5. eev

    eev Well-Known Member

    Oct 26, 2009
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    @drelbs
    the new version is quite different but thanks. ;)
     
  6. drelbs

    drelbs Well-Known Member

    Jun 25, 2009
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    #126 drelbs, Mar 6, 2012
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2012
    The basics are the same - the game is very much like Centipede except:

    - Powerups: you could learn what color does what, but I don't see any point in not grabbing all the ones you can - just pretend you're grabbing for that brass ring. :p

    - Destroyed "centipede" blocks start shrinking and eventually fire a missile at you (which can be shot, but it takes quite a few hits.) Shooting the block will reverse the shrinking process. (Kinda replaces the fleas in Centipede.)

    - The "centipede" can run diagonal and other unusual patterns (Millipede might have had this, I'm not sure.)

    - Last but not least, the bastard lasers. Keep an eye out for those, they're a whole bunch of no fun.

    Caveat Emptor: I grew up playing stuff like Centipede, so the reference might not be a good one for everybody. I'm sure interested individuals can seek out one of the various recent releases of the game by Atari or play it with MAME or something... ;)
     
  7. eev

    eev Well-Known Member

    Oct 26, 2009
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    basics are clear, but the main question what are the exact conditions to enter new levels. chaining to get a powerup seems to be just random from level to level, but that's seems to be a feature of other games of this studio too.
     
  8. drelbs

    drelbs Well-Known Member

    Jun 25, 2009
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    I haven't detected any patterns to the powerups.

    Conditions to enter new levels are destroy all the 'centipedes'...
     
  9. syntheticvoid

    syntheticvoid Well-Known Member

    Jun 20, 2010
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    Musician & factory worker.
    a[V-O-I-D]
    there have been times when I wouldn't enter into the next level until I got a power up or a power up fell off the screen...
     
  10. tops2

    tops2 Well-Known Member

    Jan 21, 2011
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    #130 tops2, Mar 6, 2012
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2012
    It seems to me, to clear a level is killing all enemies and picking up the power up thats currently on the screen, which ever is last. So if you kill the last enemy and it doesn't drop a power up, you move to the next level. If the last enemy drop a power up, if you pick up the power up, you move to the next level. If you miss the power up (let it fall off the screen), you move to the next level.

    I still can't figure out which centipede drops power ups, but certain enemies seems to always drop power ups.
    The red/yellow missile, the grey squares, the spinning enemies, the "Millennium Falcon" (lol) seems to drop power ups.
    Haven't gotten past lev ~35 to see what else is after.
     
  11. eev

    eev Well-Known Member

    Oct 26, 2009
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    #131 eev, Mar 6, 2012
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2012
    @drelbs
    but sometimes levels can be finished very quickly, just by picking up some powerups or something else. some levels however can be played and played but then still with enemies on the screen you can move to the next level too. but if only these snakes are important, than it makes some sense. should check it if it works like that.
     
  12. Royce

    Royce Well-Known Member

    Mar 22, 2011
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    If you chain powerups, you kill everything very quickly, so you go to the next level. Collecting a powerup is not a trigger for moving on as far as I have noticed. It does seem to be a matter of killing all the snakey things.
     
  13. drelbs

    drelbs Well-Known Member

    Jun 25, 2009
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    Yup. and sometimes just staying put in the right spot kills off the baddies really fast - when you're hitting powerups left and right you can slaughter them very quickly and with all the effects running it can be hard to notice.
     
  14. anqi2000

    anqi2000 Active Member

    Mar 5, 2012
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    I love these shooting game but the graphics doesn't look encouraging.
     
  15. tops2

    tops2 Well-Known Member

    Jan 21, 2011
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  16. masvil

    masvil Well-Known Member

    Apr 24, 2011
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    #136 masvil, Oct 13, 2012
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2012
    Controls tweaked

    Gridrunner Free went out on 06 September 2012.
    Novice controls have been tweaked to perfection: it's like a 1:1 system a little bit delayed (like Super Ox Wars). That's an undocumented (!) but great news. I doubled my score at first attend! :)

    After IAP you have same content of old version + interesting survive mode.
     
  17. Royce

    Royce Well-Known Member

    Mar 22, 2011
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    Yeah I posted a new thread about the free version but no one ever responded I think :p Anyway, I'm still hoping he updates the full version with the new features of the free one. I hate having to install multiple versions of the sake game.
     
  18. masvil

    masvil Well-Known Member

    Apr 24, 2011
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    They have separated GC boards, right?
     
  19. Qwertz555

    Qwertz555 Well-Known Member

    May 22, 2010
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    From the description: As can be relied on in a Llamasoft game
    the controls are excellent and the gameplay fun, satisfying
    and rewarding.

    IMHO, besides Super Ox Wars (pretty good), the controls
    never satisfied me !

    For a game like Gridrunner it's a must to have the best there is.
    Unfortunately here isn't, still. Pity. Besides SOW no other game
    survived to stay on my iphone.

    I hope Llamasoft won't be that lazy in their next game. Hope.
     
  20. tops2

    tops2 Well-Known Member

    Jan 21, 2011
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    #140 tops2, Oct 13, 2012
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2012
    To me, these Minter games are tougher than it needs to be until the controls clicks. Gridrunner controls eventually clicked with me so its really fun. But most of the others I have just is hard to get used to...

    That being said..I should really pick up Minotaur Rescue as others have recommended to me..

    Edit: wow..tried the free version and the novice controls feel great. Too bad theres a lot less people on that leaderboards... Hope he eventually updates the paid ver with that controls too.
     

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