LGR - Repton - Acorn Electron Game Review
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Date: 2022-04-14
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Comments and reviews: 10
Pj
You really gotta play the BBC B version of this game to get the best out of it, Clint. Electron versions were either A) duplicate games that ran the same as the B cos they didn't take a whole lot of memory, or B) completely redone (and often corners cut) on the Electron for more complex games, such as this.
Growing up with a BBC B, Repton was my -thing-, for years, he was my Mario. I'd draw him on school books, design my own screens (later entries had level creators, non stop.
I'll have to say, the first one is maybe a -You had to be there- entry. If you're coming in decades later for a review, Repton 3 on the BBC B is the one to look at (Repton 2 was insanely hard, and effectively one big level - with no passwords or saves) Repton 3 had more interesting elements added, good puzzles, etc. the best game-play, etc. Surprised you didn't think much of this one but as I say I don't think you really saw the best 'example' of the game here. (Loved the review though. A Repton 3 review (er even a series overview) would be great, and I think you'd have some fun stuff to say about it, too. :)
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You really gotta play the BBC B version of this game to get the best out of it, Clint. Electron versions were either A) duplicate games that ran the same as the B cos they didn't take a whole lot of memory, or B) completely redone (and often corners cut) on the Electron for more complex games, such as this.
Growing up with a BBC B, Repton was my -thing-, for years, he was my Mario. I'd draw him on school books, design my own screens (later entries had level creators, non stop.
I'll have to say, the first one is maybe a -You had to be there- entry. If you're coming in decades later for a review, Repton 3 on the BBC B is the one to look at (Repton 2 was insanely hard, and effectively one big level - with no passwords or saves) Repton 3 had more interesting elements added, good puzzles, etc. the best game-play, etc. Surprised you didn't think much of this one but as I say I don't think you really saw the best 'example' of the game here. (Loved the review though. A Repton 3 review (er even a series overview) would be great, and I think you'd have some fun stuff to say about it, too. :)
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Xaranar
The reason it is so well respected here in the UK is because it was developed by one guy who was 15 years old at the time. It's hailed as a success story of the bedroom coder, many of which were emerging in the 80s due to the increasing prevalence of computers in the home, and the UK education system's computers initiative which made learning to program part of mandatory high school education. Furthermore, the company that won the contract with the government to provide schools with computers to teach on was, you guessed it, Acorn.
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The reason it is so well respected here in the UK is because it was developed by one guy who was 15 years old at the time. It's hailed as a success story of the bedroom coder, many of which were emerging in the 80s due to the increasing prevalence of computers in the home, and the UK education system's computers initiative which made learning to program part of mandatory high school education. Furthermore, the company that won the contract with the government to provide schools with computers to teach on was, you guessed it, Acorn.
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atrainhxdotcom
phreak
do you do requests?
I've mentioned previously that I really enjoy your videos and the presentation. Would it now be rude if I requested/suggested that you make a short 'about me' style film. Just a few more details about yourself, interests, how you came to be doing what you do, etc, etc. I feel many readers would appreciate a little more insight into phreak - the man.
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phreak
do you do requests?
I've mentioned previously that I really enjoy your videos and the presentation. Would it now be rude if I requested/suggested that you make a short 'about me' style film. Just a few more details about yourself, interests, how you came to be doing what you do, etc, etc. I feel many readers would appreciate a little more insight into phreak - the man.
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LGR
-tombert256 Yeah, it's not always easy finding the time. So I might do one or two of these on weeks it's really tough to get a -full- review out. Or just wheneer I feel like it.
Most of the normal ones take around 8-10 hours to complete, just guessing. This one I started at 5PM and was done at 7.
Thanks, I certainly -can- so I certainly will!
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-tombert256 Yeah, it's not always easy finding the time. So I might do one or two of these on weeks it's really tough to get a -full- review out. Or just wheneer I feel like it.
Most of the normal ones take around 8-10 hours to complete, just guessing. This one I started at 5PM and was done at 7.
Thanks, I certainly -can- so I certainly will!
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foulplay99
I used to play Repton for hours and hours as a kid and was a ninja at the first level! I think the password for level 12 is Salamander, but I can't quite remember as that was about 29 years ago. I played some of the other Repton games, but they were kinda weird and nails hard. Repton 2 was a complete nightmare. Citadel was my other favourite.
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I used to play Repton for hours and hours as a kid and was a ninja at the first level! I think the password for level 12 is Salamander, but I can't quite remember as that was about 29 years ago. I played some of the other Repton games, but they were kinda weird and nails hard. Repton 2 was a complete nightmare. Citadel was my other favourite.
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LGR
-atrainhxdotcom I certainly take requests! I am not always able to fill them, but I take them: )
As for this one, that sounds possible at some point. Not sure when, or what I'd do with such a video actually. Personally I find myself uninteresting but if there is enough interest I might just do such a thing if I can find a way to make it fun
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-atrainhxdotcom I certainly take requests! I am not always able to fill them, but I take them: )
As for this one, that sounds possible at some point. Not sure when, or what I'd do with such a video actually. Personally I find myself uninteresting but if there is enough interest I might just do such a thing if I can find a way to make it fun
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kyber
-MagikGimp The zooming text has nothing to do with it. I played all the Repton games on the BBC Micro and enjoyed them, but never even saw that Electron text effect before today XD
And yes, the game series is so well respected that a new sequel was just released last year for the original platform - 20years after the last one!
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-MagikGimp The zooming text has nothing to do with it. I played all the Repton games on the BBC Micro and enjoyed them, but never even saw that Electron text effect before today XD
And yes, the game series is so well respected that a new sequel was just released last year for the original platform - 20years after the last one!
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GameHammer
A lot of respect this game gets comes from two sources: people who appreciate the quality this one coder, a child at the time, managed to put into this game; and people who owned a BBC computer, where it originates, as the BBC had very few games so anything that was decent enough to play got lavished with praise.
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A lot of respect this game gets comes from two sources: people who appreciate the quality this one coder, a child at the time, managed to put into this game; and people who owned a BBC computer, where it originates, as the BBC had very few games so anything that was decent enough to play got lavished with praise.
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kyber
-phreakindee BBC BASIC did have a pretty huge range of error messages. The usual ones to receive in this sort of circumstance were 'Syntax Error' for badly phrased instructions, 'Bad command' for incorrect file system commands or simply 'Mistake' if the input made no sense whatsoever; >
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-phreakindee BBC BASIC did have a pretty huge range of error messages. The usual ones to receive in this sort of circumstance were 'Syntax Error' for badly phrased instructions, 'Bad command' for incorrect file system commands or simply 'Mistake' if the input made no sense whatsoever; >
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Mark
-phreakindee Well, trust me. Regardless of the effort in these videos, the name is one that sticks very well. I also enjoy watching the Angry Video Game Nerd, but you don't need elaborate plots or special effects to get in the way of concrete info and opinion. Keep up the good work.
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-phreakindee Well, trust me. Regardless of the effort in these videos, the name is one that sticks very well. I also enjoy watching the Angry Video Game Nerd, but you don't need elaborate plots or special effects to get in the way of concrete info and opinion. Keep up the good work.
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