Electronica

Happy Friday everyone!



And if you liked that, you're gonna love this:



Thanks to MRK!

Freddies

All I ever really needed to know I learned from FRANTIC FREDDIE: go for the gold; avoid the baddies; if a bonus turns up along the way, seize it. Think fast; move faster; trust your instincts; learn from your mistakes. Perseverance wins.

Frantic Freddie is my favorite videogame of all time. It's a puzzle on speed, thumb-candy for thinkers. I hated it at first look. It frustrated me no end, even after I got the hang of its gameplay. And though I've managed (on occasion) to best all sixteen levels (twice without losing a life), it still challenges me today.

Released in 1983 by CDS Software for the Commodore 64, Frantic Freddie falls into the 'platformer' game genre, though I prefer to call it a 'grab n' run'. I use that term to refer to a game where you, the player, navigate a maze or grid of some sort, collecting treasure (the grabbing). The running is necessary because you must also avoid badguys whose sole purpose in life is to end your treasure-collecting. To sum up, you have only two tasks in a grab n' run: nab treasure, flee baddies.



Arguably, the first grab n' run was Pac-Man, wherein Mr Pac maneuvers around a maze-grid eating power pellets and avoiding four ghosts. If a ghost so much as touches Pac-Man, his pellet-eating is brought to an end and he loses a life. But he does have recourse against his enemies. Eating a special jumbo power pellet, he becomes invulnerable and can chow down on the ghosts for a short time, removing them from the grid until they're able to regenerate and oppose him again.

This simple game mechanic splintered into different permutations over the years, first in the arcade, then the home computer. One sub-genre is the 'climbing' game - essentially a grab n' run with ladders. The maze-grid is still present, but it's turned on end so the player looks in from the side rather than a bird's eye POV.

In Pac-Man, the grid is one long twisting corridor viewed from above. In a climbing game, the grid is a series of stacked tiers, or platforms, joined by ladders. Originally, a player only ran to reach treasure. Now, they must also climb, moving from tier to tier. Of course, the baddies can climb too, which results in a lot of diquing and dodging and changing between platforms.

Hence, the 'platform' game.

Following are some classic platformers. Each provides the player with some form of defense or recourse against the enemy.



In Donkey Kong, Mario can leap over barrels Kong rolls at him, and occasionally smash the obstacles with a mallet.



Jumpman's special power is, of course, jumping.



In Miner 2049er, Bounty Bob can activate a 'safe-mode' by grabbing certain objects; this renders the baddies temporarily non-lethal so he can pass through and disable them.



In Mario Bros., Mario and Luigi take out baddies by pounding the underside of a tier they traverse.



And in Lode Runner, Jack puts baddies out of commission by digging self-filling holes they fall into. After the ground swallows them up, they regenerate and give chase anew.

Grab n' run platform games tend to move at very high speeds and the player is constantly shifting between two modes of play: the offensive (that is, the collection of treasure) and the defensive (the avoidance or neutralization of baddies). Watching someone play a grab n' run reminds of the proverbial chicken with its head cut off, madly dashing around, making abrupt changes in direction, never standing still.

Little wonder PANIC CITY was so named. This game, written in 1982 or thereabouts for the Commodore VIC-20 (the first Commodore home computer), was a classic grab n' run in the platform style. The player is a 'space janitor' who removes radioactive ore (the treasure) from a space station (the grid) before hostile mutations (the baddies) can kill him. As its addition to the grab n' run model, Panic City incorporates a timer into the gameplay: the player must remove all the ore from the station before it explodes. And, in a bold move, it also subtracts a core element from the original model: the player has no recourse against his enemies. No invulnerability power pellets. No digging tools. No jumping.

Let me stress this properly. At no point in Panic City can the player come into contact with the baddies without losing a life. Nor can a player disable the baddies in any way. Here, defensive play is not simply avoiding baddies until you can temporarily neutralize them. Here you must avoid any encounter whatsoever. That demands a different style of gameplay. You anticipate - look ahead and think ahead - to circumvent possible disaster. Standing still is not a good idea. Wasting time even less so. You gotta move - your fingers, your eyes and your brain. The action is non-stop, adrenaline-charged. Frantic.

So.

It's Grade 10 summer break in 1983 and the two authors of Panic City, Kris Hatlelid and Gregor Larson, are hanging out in Regina, Saskatchewan, having formed their own game company, Fantasy Universal (FUN for short). In two months, they write a new iteration of Panic City for the Commodore 64 (the next Commodore home computer) and end up creating the game that has stolen more happy hours of my life than any other computer diversion ever conceived. They license it to CDS Software, who put it in stores, who sell copies to resourceful pirates, who crack the game and make illegal copies for everyday C64 enthusiasts, who eventually, through luck, fate, destiny...get a copy to me.

I load it up, take a shot at the first level, and fail within seconds. In my C64 gamelist catalogue, I make an entry: "Frantic Freddie -- stupid game". I put the disk away.

25 years later I am writing this disturbingly genuine love letter.



In Frantic Freddie, there are two goals:

1) Move around the grid to collect the pots of gold and whatever bonuses turn up (four per level).

2) Avoid the baddies.

Only those two.

There is also one deviation from the original grab n' run model:

To use a ladder in the grid between platforms, Freddie must be facing the rungs he intends to use. Meaning, if he is approaching a ladder from the top right and wants to go down the left side of the ladder, he must go past the first set of rungs on the right, turn around and face the opposite direction, then go down the left set of rungs - as demonstrated below.



In other words, the ladders are double-sided. Freddie cannot get on a ladder and choose which side he's going to get off; he must mount the ladder from the same side where he intends to dismount.

That's it. Only one deviation from the original model.

Nonetheless, these three game mechanics make for a lot of work, if, like me, you wanna win. Enough work that most casual gamers did as I did in 1984: started up Freddie, became frustrated within seconds, and ditched.

But there are those among us who became dedicated students of the Fred. Longtime enthusiasts of that unique and character-building ladder deviation. Fanatics? Yes. And dare I say it...experts. We are few and far between. Spread so thin across the globe that for one to come upon another would surely be viewed as an accident (Google-assisted or no) so designed as to argue for divine providence. Last night, it happened to me. And now it forces me to reevaluate everything I've ever held sacred.

You see, I've never witnessed anyone play Frantic Freddie as well as I do. I've never been exposed to a talent that can power past all 16 levels (especially the damnably fast and furious Final Four) while losing only one or two Freds along the way. That kind of zen joystickism...that so-far-advanced level of deep personal development...you just don't expect to find match for it in your lifetime - because you know how much it takes - the hours, the years, the tears, the blowups and apologies, the resentments, recriminations and remonstrations, the so-sore thumbs and ever-paralyzed fingers - to reach enlightenment and transcendence.

I KNOW how much it takes.

And now I know I'm not alone.

HE exists.

Continents and oceans separate us, but we breathe the same sky, wake under the same sun, walk the same Earth.

I thought I had found my soulmate. I was sure my life partner was finally in my life. But now...I must reconsider. Now...everything is different.

Must I truly question my longest-cherished assumptions, my most life-affirming decisions...even my sexual orientation?

Yes. The answer can only be Yes. Because I cannot deny the proof, now laid bare before my astonished eyes:



My heart beats frantically in my chest.

I've found my fellow Freddie.

Video from here:
Internet Archive

Via here:
C64 Videogame Archive

And, blessed be, here:
C64 Longplays

(My thanks to God for the links.)

Time And Forgiveness

Hey Stephen, Tyler. I thought I'd send this email to both of you because you like games and have giant brains. ;)

If you get the chance, try a game on Xbox Live Arcade called Braid. It's like Super Mario Bros. These are the instructions:

A Button: Jump. (Jump on monsters' heads to jump higher.)

B Button: Do stuff.

That's it. When you "die" (fall into spikes, run into a monster) you press the X button to reverse time (like Prince of Persia). You can reverse time all the way back to the beginning of a level. There are no limits to your time manipulation. But (and this is the kicker) certain objects can exist outside of time.

For example, you come across a locked door and there's a hole in the ground that contains a key. You jump in the hole, but there's no way out. So you grab the key (which exists outside of time), then you reverse time. The key comes with you as the game rewinds itself like an instant replay, and you're out of the hole but now you have the key. Jump over the hole, open the door and you beat the level. It's simple, but maddening at the same time.

The other strange feature is the use of jigsaw puzzles. In the background to a level (like the clouds in Mario) are picture frames, and scattered throughout the levels are jigsaw pieces. The pieces you pick up and place in the frames become the background to the level, and can be manipulated. So you could come across an impossible jump, but then find a piece that has a drawing of a bridge. Go back, slide the piece into the background:

Presto.

It's too bad neither of you are here, because I think you'd both love it. Stop by sometime and you can try it out.

-d-

Finding Fantasy

Top search terms finding Mini Nerd this week:

filth.tube
if you dig this, then you dub this and its all about the nerd life
nerd right here i ain't goin' nowhere
psychology test story path woods horse vessel
spokane clothes drop yer drawers
guy gavriel kay books sold
steve is a nerd.com
agnes nerd.com
yard deckerations
vulk movies
cbc radio slappin my belly song
dion phaneuf's family
online games when you beat this guy up or tickle him to get him to tell the truth
70's band called the bzz
night monkey enemies
steve reese no im not gonna write you a love song
dr. alec holland explosion
blondie angel on the balcony meaning of lyrics
fighting fantasy -firetop app -torrent

A pleasing series of tubes!

Timeless Advice

C.R.E.E.P.Y.

For best results, play these two videos simultaneously:

It's Only A Game

Great time to be alive, innit?





And if you liked that, you're gonna LOVE this:

A Moss Tor

You know that feeling you get when you read a book, see a movie, hear a song...and you think, wow, this [insert] was made for me? It just fires on all cylinders for the particular molecular makeup that is your curse/blessing in this given world?

Well, I haven't felt it for a while. I'm afeared that's a result of getting older, "growing up", being just a smidgen less receptive to experiencing a work of art for the first time without the "maturity"-imposed matrices for parsing who "made" it (where they come from, what their circumstances were, their limitations, personal hangups, financial situation, patrons real or imagined, etc.) that tend to hang around once you realize it's merely (wo)men who create things less than the universe entire, however direct and uncluttered their connection to the divine may chance to be.

The closest I've come to that kind of relationship with art in, geez, I dunno..."a long time", or something, was tonight. And it wasn't a book, a movie or a song.

It was a videogame.

Thing's called Samorost, and I'm gonna go against my nature here by resisting the urge to look up all the details on who exactly was involved with getting it out there, in the hopes of improving my chances at preserving mystery (and gratitude) for the fruit of their efforts. I know the folks responsible are European, at least. They like imagining things, and they have a kind sense of humor, and they understand game design better than most, and they were likely stoners at one point or another.

Their creation is a dead-simple, point-and-click online game (one part Flash, another part still-frame beauty) where you explore a whimsical alien environment, observe what's happening, and solve cute little puzzles that help you access the next area(s) - in these cases (there are two installments: a trippy original outing that might be especially resonant with the aid of a psychedelic substance of your choice, and a more literal but nonetheless more thematically compact sequel) to improve your chances of saving your odd little homeworld or, even better, your dog.

I have my reservations, of course. There're some puzzles played less intuitive for me, but that likely says more about this overly-critical bundle of molecules than the design itself. And I had to realign my mind to take on the role of a theoretically omniscient God-entity who can modify elements of the gamespace arguably not accessible by my goofy little avatar (whom I came to care about, I'll point out - possibly the highest accolade anyone could afford a videogame, after all). I'm accustomed to playing *as* the character in the space. Here, you're more an audience, but you can facilitate the story (and story there is, I'll be damned, in the most minute dances of cause and effect between various creatures and their respective environments; you'll need to affect both to succeed in your quest). If you can let go an insistence on naysaying logistics and "realism", you'll see playing Samorost is not unlike interacting with a dream.

I'm not sure I have any greater praise for art.

I appreciate dreams, see.

So do check it out, if you're game for this kinda game, and for those of you with children, I urge you play it together. It's appropriate for all ages, indeed, and somehow I know I might certainly have tapped older wells of ingenuity in solving the bugger, had I been just a few decades closer to when I entered this life. More neighbor to when the world was a startlingly open, curious and wondrous place...with nothing but possibility to suggest its edges.

I also dare you not to pay the beyond-reasonable price of around eight bucks to enjoy the third piece of the puzzle, once you've navigated the FREE Samorost 1 and the portion of numero two that's open to everyone. There wasn't really a choice, for me.

Bless these folks. It's a charming diversion.

And thanks to the internet, for another anagram post title. ;)

And kudos to Amo, who posted this game to CM two years ago! (I didn't play it then, but I'm inclined to guess, as always, the timing is better now than I might think.)

-Reese

Thou Shalt Kick Ass

Look: one intention of the Bible, if I have it right, is to evolve a peaceful, pious, selfless and self-sacrificing civilization of Meek folk to inherit the Earth.

That said, the ratio of ass-kicking to cheek-turning in the Good Book is rather high.

The irreverent folks at Adult Swim recognize this truth, and now blare it from on high. I give you their blasphemous creation, and simultaneously ask forgiveness:

BIBLE FIGHT

My only complaint so far: you don't get to beat the crap outta Judas. Maybe he's a secret character to be unlocked at a later stage. And I'm already hoping for sequels where you get to clobber important figures from other faiths!

Go in peace, geek brethren. (And apologies to any of my Christian friends who may find this offensive. I'm actually really curious to see what Gordon thinks...)

Subsessed

Some friends and colleagues of mine at Comrade enjoyed the opportunity to build an amusing campaign for gamemaker Ubisoft and their upcoming naval warfare simulation Silent Hunter: Wolves of the Pacific. The result is Subsessed! The Depths of Destiny, a mockumentary about James Cameron-lookalike Cutter Wilson, whose "subsession" will be cured with a videogame.

Congrats to Thelton for his disgruntled office worker (not too much of a stretch!), and sympathies to Christy for wardrobe's insistence on dressing her so frumpy. Apparently she gets a chance to tart it up in Episode 5 of the series (Episodes 1, 2 and 3 are currently live). Friends, gamers, YouTubers, enjoy!

More The Merrier

Please join me in welcoming two new arrivals to the Friends section of the sidebar here at Mini Nerd: the lovely and talented artists Tinselman and Etherbrian.

I've been a fan of Brian's since nigh on my AOL days (i.e. over a decade). If I didn't need to attract a desirable female mate, I'd likely wallpaper my entire home with his glorious pixelated whimsies and smoove vectorific dreamscapes. At the very least, now that I'm past my below-the-poverty-line years, I can't wait to commission (read: pay for) an illustration from Brian to make up for all his free font and icon sets I downloaded back in the day.

Robyn Miller over at Tinselman I've lauded earlier here at Mini Nerd for his work with Cyan on the classic adventure videogames Myst and Riven, and his later collaboration with Keith Moore for the project 1,000 Years and 1 Day by Ambo (a favorite album of mine from last year). That is to say, his output's near and dear to my heart. As for you, if you've any interest in art, Robyn's radar for cool and interesting art-related web links is impeccable.

A warm welcome to Brian and Robyn!

Televisikinepathy

I'm a little wary of making a post about the boys in red. Last time I did, it was for my first attempt at a blog (failed) and Calgary's first attempt at the Stanley Cup in recent years (also failed).

I wrote in ecstatic, beer-fueled reverie about the pleasure of cheering for the Flames at local hangout The Rose & Crown, and our subsequent stampede (har har) into the finals. I even foregave the gal who emptied her entire pint onto my coat (since replaced) in her enthusiasm, because, as my friend Lisa pointed out, it seemed a prerequisite for a win at those games I watched in public that somebody spill beer all over me. Yes: I am prone to superstition, belief in jinxes and general meaning-mongering, even outside hockey season. And during - let me tell you, buster.

Watching last night's game against the Phoenix Ferrets - screaming, yelling, bouncing on the bed and violently disturbing my agonized lover (for she is at the mercy of her back this week and spent the previous day and night immobile on the hardwood floor of our living room) - I theorized (no, believed), as I always do, the intensity of my passion could propel our team to a decisive win.

(Andrea, bless her heart, forgave me the animated display. I think the reason I was pardoned is she's a hockey maniac, making this an acceptable breach of conduct.)

Maybe you yell at your television set when your team isn't playing up to standard. Maybe you laud these well-paid athletes with oft-deserved applause through the negligible membranes of glass, liquid crystal, plasma or cathode-ray - knowing they can feel your appreciation miles away on whatever ice they carve and conquer.

Me, I take it a step further. I've convinced myself I can achieve a telepathic link with hockey players, particularly my man Dion Phaneuf (chosen not because he became the upstart goal-scorer of the season, but because saying his last name aloud amuses me no end). I can even manipulate his actions with my mind.


Note the clear line of sight from my eyes to Phaneuf's brain.

I guess that's telekinesis, actually. At any rate:

Blame it on too many years playing computer games; playing God, even (thank you, Will Wright). But if we do edge our way closer to that ultimate win on account of my mad televisikinepathy skillz (and yours, too; I believe anyone can do it), then don't turn up your nose at those of us who've spent years honing The Craft.

For what it's worth...at home, in the 'dome, on the road:

Support your Flames!

< televisikinepathy >
Shoot the puck! Skate the ice! (Hi, Doug.) Win the Cup!
< /televisikinepathy >