Jeff Minter's Space Giraffe

[bcass]

We'll see the PC version, at least. I don't have much faith in Microsoft, although he did code the visualiser (Neon) so maybe he can try and pull some strings at some point. I'm just hoping they're bogged-down with other XBLA requests and haven't completely dismissed this new game.

[mjclark]

Well I've just been playing Typhoon2001, and although it predates Space Giraffe by 2 years it seems a whole lot more attractive.
It's still visually great, it's freeware, it's got a level-editor and,best of all, it's not up it's own ass

[MJR]

Well I've just been playing Typhoon2001, and although it predates Space Giraffe by 2 years it seems a whole lot more attractive.
It's still visually great, it's freeware, it's got a level-editor and,best of all, it's not up it's own ass

Yeah, it only looks more conservative and boring.

[bcass]

Well I've just been playing Typhoon2001, and although it predates Space Giraffe by 2 years it seems a whole lot more attractive.
It's still visually great, it's freeware, it's got a level-editor and,best of all, it's not up it's own ass

Errrm, yeah, right. Typhoon 2001 is a remake of Jeff Minter's Tempest 2000...

[dcharlie]

Go buy it.

If you don't like it keep playing.

Discovering how to properly play the game is half the fun.

yeah, the biggest thing with SG is that it looks a hell of a lot like Tempest 2000 but plays nothing like it.

The moment when things start clicking with the games system really is a moment of enlightenment.
Though i can't decide whether a better tutorial/demo would have helped - the whole fun of the game was everything clicking together.

[mjclark]

Go buy it.

If you don't like it keep playing.

Discovering how to properly play the game is half the fun.

yeah, the biggest thing with SG is that it looks a hell of a lot like Tempest 2000 but plays nothing like it.

The moment when things start clicking with the games system really is a moment of enlightenment.
Though i can't decide whether a better tutorial/demo would have helped - the whole fun of the game was everything clicking together.

Well maybe I have seriously misjudged Space Giraffe then, and I guess that's what these forums are for. As soon as I get a PSU in my Windows machine I'll give SG some more considered attention....
...Ha ha-Typhoon2001 is still fucking fantastic though

[dcharlie]

excellent, you'll be "bulling" and listening for sound cues in a sea of LSD WTF-ness with the rest of us !

[MJR]

There is excellent walkthrough on llamasoft's page if you get stuck on any level in SG

[bcass]

Go buy it.

If you don't like it keep playing.

Discovering how to properly play the game is half the fun.

yeah, the biggest thing with SG is that it looks a hell of a lot like Tempest 2000 but plays nothing like it.

The moment when things start clicking with the games system really is a moment of enlightenment.
Though i can't decide whether a better tutorial/demo would have helped - the whole fun of the game was everything clicking together.

Well maybe I have seriously misjudged Space Giraffe then, and I guess that's what these forums are for. As soon as I get a PSU in my Windows machine I'll give SG some more considered attention....
...Ha ha-Typhoon2001 is still fucking fantastic though

SG is probably the most misunderstood game of all time. Once you 'get it' though it's amazing. If you didn't get on with the 360 version because of the overwhealming graphics, give the PC version a try. It has a new mode called NUXX with considerably toned-down backgrounds plus other gameplay tweaks that make it more friendly for the beginner.

[mjclark]

My word-in response to the replies I got above I have temporarily forsaken Linux, bought a PSU for my Windows machine, played through the tutorial for Space Giraffe and now I am eating my hat.
Although this thread has said it many times, it's just clicking for me that this aint Tempest at all and that bulling makes all the difference,eh?
I guess that's what threads are for....

[Davey]

I haven't experienced the mind-blowing epiphany that suddenly makes this game brilliant. I'm not even sure I understand the mechanics yet, but it seems like the gist of it is:

- Keep energy zone alive
- Avoid shooting enemies as much as possible; let them build up on the rim
- Bull them off for points

Is that about right?

I know you're not supposed to play it like Tempest, but I never played Tempest (living under a rock, I know), so I doubt I'm doing that.

[bcass]

- Keep energy zone alive
- Avoid shooting enemies as much as possible; let them build up on the rim
- Bull them off for points

That's more or less the basic gist of it, yeah. However, you can't let all enemies onto the rim (some are more deadly than others). The whole game is about managing what you allow to get onto the rim and what you don't let onto the rim. Oh, and don't forget to juggle bullets. Best scoring methods go something like this:

- Get your score multiplier up to max (9) - do this by bulling multiple enemies off the rim - a group of 3 bulled enemies will add +1 to your multiplier

- Once you get your multipler up to max (9), start juggling bullets - do this simply by shooting enemy bullets. This sends them away from you, but when they get to the bottom of the grid, they bounce back towards you, each time faster and faster. The longer this goes on, the better your score will be, but proportionately there will be more and more chaos as you try to manage bouncing all the bullets AND managing oncoming enemies. Oh, and don't forget to catch a powerup as you leave a level - this give you fast bullets at the start of the next level - absolutely essential for the later levels.

[mjclark]

Wow-it's got me now
Can someone please explain the exact criteria for earning the Pod Diligence Bonus, and also i read something about some kind of bonus for getting 20 sneezes at the end of a level but can't find that reference again either.

[bcass]

I think you get the Pod Diligence Bonus if you don't jump (which uses a pod) for the whole level, or it is set depending on how many pods you have when you finish a level. And yes, you get an achievement if you get 20 or more sneezes (20 or more bullets being juggled when you complete a level).

[dcharlie]

and we all need to become "Boi Bumbas"

(multilayered minter humour for the win!)

[mjclark]

Playing PC v1.101

[Ed Oscuro]

and we all need to become "Boi Bumbas"

(multilayered minter humour for the win!)

lol

He's a mouthbreather though!



I need to try his games out sometime.