DestinyHunter for X16

[Xiphod]

DestinyHunter is a simple PETSCII-graphic game. I originally made this for the PET 4032 (hence why it uses 40-column mode).

In honor of 8-bit gaming: it has 8 stages, 8-directions of firing, monster names are 8 characters, there are 8 character stats, there are 8 spirits, and other themes of "8" throughout (like the 8x8 Taijiun symbol, stage-6 having 8 monsters, and 8 background types). The stages were setup like scenes from a play.

The game is playable and beatable (hence why I put it here in Downloads instead of WIP), but there are some in-work aspects on this X16 version (mainly, gamepad and sound support isn't there yet - which were features the PET version had).

This is a cc65 project, which took me some thinking to come up with a playable flicker-free solution in text-mode (at least for the 1MHz PET; at 8MHz on the X16, we can now probably use this "engine" at 80-col mode with no problem). The game is "self contained" in a single PRG (the maps are encoded and made part of the program data).

- The game is slightly challenging, but there is a bit of a surprise on the final stage that I think makes it worth it.
- There is a "flip" skill you learn after a while (based on number of movements plus number of arrows shot). But the instructions at the beginning don't tell you about this (that was intentional; you press "i" to use it once you've learned it). It was intended as a clutch skill for people doing speed runs.
- The screen "flickers" when you get hit.
- The combat is simple: if you get within the "scent" range of a monster, they'll chase after you for a bit, then it's just RNG of their ATK versus RNG your DEF if you get hit (so just run away or attack them quickly).
- There is a lot of "story lore" my daughter put into the first part of the game (re: spirits ringing chimes that form your character), which ultimately helps decide how much "persistency" you start with - but SPACEBARing through that is fine too (it decides some other things too).

Other info:
https://destinyhunter.org/1515-2/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0LiTMPaJ4E

PET source: (cc65 C and inline assembly)
https://github.com/voidstar78/DestinyHunter
(I'll put the X16 source eventually, probably as a different branch)

Try It Now!

[Xiphod]

Game (mini)Maps.

And some game-related concept art my daughter did awhile back. The green in the eyes was in tribute to the PET green monochrome.