Knight Lore MSX2 remake spotted

You may recall the Alien 8 MSX2 remake gaining very positive reactions from the MSX scene, not too long ago. And not without reason, the new MSX2 graphics were nothing short of outstanding.

Today, a new video popped up at YouTube showcasing what appears to be Manuel Pazos' next big bang: an MSX2 remake of Knight Lore, the isometric MSX1 game from 1986 by Ultimate Play The Game. This remake is visually as spectacular as the Alien 8 remake, maybe even better, although it's a different genre of course. In any case, this new remake represents some of the best graphics you can find in any MSX2 game. The video showing a bit of the gameplay is one you want to see. At once!

Relevant link: YouTube - Knight Lore MSX2

Comments (44)

By Abi

Hero (602)

18-03-2009, 23:30

WoW! That's look superb!

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10092)

18-03-2009, 23:34

Maybe what I'll be writing down here is blasphemy or immoral, and maybe there's not even CPU-time available, but I think this game needs in-game music! In Alien 8 the blips and blops could be perceived as environmental machinery 'n things (suitable for the genre), but this here is different..

By Manuel

Ascended (19300)

18-03-2009, 23:36

Absolutely amazing! I really like the use of the palette effect

By SLotman

Paragon (1242)

19-03-2009, 00:24

Awesome!!! Game of the Year!!!
Astonishing how smooth it plays, incredible the fading effects, and loved the in-game map!
Can't wait to play it

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

19-03-2009, 00:39

Awesome game with awesome graphics, although I do not totally agree with the sprites adaptation. In my own one-colour imagination, I conceived a younger explorer. But you're totally right: graphics like these are brilliant! And palette changes have been wisely introduced. I love the intro and the main menu, but the map makes the game easier.

By Guillian

Prophet (3516)

19-03-2009, 09:39

Pitpan, Lord Fred checked the "official" look of Sabreman in the GBA version of Sabre Wulf game by Rare. That's why it looks a bit old ^^!
www.rareware.com/images-small/sabrewulf-cast1.gif

By Metalion

Paragon (1622)

19-03-2009, 09:45

Really great !

It makes me think of the Amiga and Atari ST games that we looked upon with envy at the end of the MSX era.
If only all MSX2 games had that look when MSX2 was still alive !!! Maybe the story would have been different ...

Awesome work ... Kudos to the developpers.

By konamiman

Paragon (1194)

19-03-2009, 10:19

Pazos, you chicken! You only dare to remake european cassette games! If you have balls, try with some konamis. What about Maze of Galious with MSX2 graphics? What about Nemesis with smooth scroll? (I hope this agressive motivation technique works...)

By pitpan

Prophet (3155)

19-03-2009, 13:49

@Guillian:

Yeah! That's his look right now, but not back in 1984 I guess he was younger then...

By Gakubuchi

Expert (100)

19-03-2009, 13:54

Just two words: IM-PRESSIVE (sorry, spanish joke).
Fantastic graphics! As Metalion says, it has an Amiga/AtariST looks. Very polished... And the inclusion of the map, great!

Can't wait to play it!

By Walter.MSX

Expert (73)

19-03-2009, 19:25

After Alien 8 Remake, this preview demonstrates a new excellent work of the hispanic community MSX.
I hope that this magnificent project will be finalized.

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6932)

19-03-2009, 19:39

Manuel, nothing like this has never appeared on msx
Flames and light using palette looks awesome!
Great work !! I eager to see the final rom

I know, it is hard, but why not facing the challenge of a new isometric engine doing things like:

1) light / shadow computed on each "square" according to the distance from light sources
2) rooms larger than a screen: even using "fake" scrolling it should be quite simple to allow that when you reach a room boundary the screen windows move in order to center you again.
3) more evolved interaction with NPCs (e.g. allowing text widows or scripts)...

I think that modern C/ASM coding techniques could do better than the pure ASM manual approach followed in developing ancient isometric games

Manuel, what you think ? Is really efficient the isometric engine you enhanced?

By KNM

Master (172)

19-03-2009, 20:15

Oh!This Pazoses always working hard and giving us those masterpieces!Breathtaking!GRANDE PAZOS !!!!!

By PingPong

Prophet (4093)

19-03-2009, 21:21

@Manuel Pazos: congratulations for the good work.
There is another game that i like to be converted " Gun Fright ".
This game however have one more challenge. Does "scroll" . Do you think is doable?

By msd

Paragon (1510)

19-03-2009, 21:35

Maybe better port gun fright to msx2+

By PingPong

Prophet (4093)

19-03-2009, 21:49

@msd: this kind of scrolling does not take advantage of v9958 facilities.

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6932)

19-03-2009, 21:51

pingping, i'm not sure of this, IMHO at least a bit of
copy/past work can be saved using xy HW scroll

By Oscar

Guardian (584)

19-03-2009, 23:17

Amazing!!! Cool graphics with very nice effects. Great job again Manuel. Alien 8 and Knightlore in cartridge please!

Don't forget Nightshade. With scroll like Gunfright too.

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6033)

20-03-2009, 00:15

Oh my god, how beautifull this is! I didn't even realize that MSX2 had that many shades of brown.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10092)

20-03-2009, 00:28

Well, if your game's main graphics are based on one specific color hue, then you've got some options for soft shadows, phong and all other kinds of shading. That's what this remake seems to benefit from.

By Guillian

Prophet (3516)

20-03-2009, 01:26

Thanks for the feedback!

@ARTRAG:
- The flames are animated by bitmaps, not palette effects.
1)There is no enough room to store graphics with different lights. Also, I don't think it is possible to redraw the whole screen to update all the elements (i.e.: when the flames blink)
2)That could be possible, as done in Batman
3)Also possible.

The engine is not fully optimized. But I think it is difficult to make a real and fast isometric engine for MSX2. But you are welcome to try it ^^!

The remake was finished a few weeks after Alien 8. We just need to wait a bit before releasing it.

About Night Shade and Gun Fright. I have not in mind to make a remake of those games.

Nice to hear you all liked the game. Thanks again.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10092)

20-03-2009, 01:30

what about in-game music?

By NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (6033)

20-03-2009, 02:49

I agree with wolf_ ... Some nice FM-tune would fit here perfectly...

By poke-1,170

Paragon (1783)

20-03-2009, 03:23

indeed it looks more 16 bit console styled, nicely detailed and lovely use of colours !
but yeah....some nice fm or psg or scc music or whatever and it's a gem !

By Bernard

Resident (50)

20-03-2009, 06:31

Wow, breathtakingly beautiful graphics. Very nice!
About the music: what about something along the lines of the amateur C64 port of the game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiXKj2G7P3Q

By viejo_archivero

Paragon (1395)

20-03-2009, 07:30

I already saw it at RetroMadrid and I must say it just rocks. Great graphics and nice ingame addons (map)! What about shifting from Ultimate to Ocean and give a try to Bat Man (or to my big favourite, Head Over Heels)?

By spl

Paragon (1470)

20-03-2009, 08:41

I also saw the preview on Retromadrid. Graphics are outstanding!!! MSX 2 rules!.

By Guillian

Prophet (3516)

20-03-2009, 09:40

About the music. PSG is used by the game SFXs, which I don't want to remove since it is a well known feature in Ultimate's games.
FM sound could be a good option. I'll think about that
Bernard, long time I don't see you!

By PingPong

Prophet (4093)

20-03-2009, 18:49

@ARTRAG: there is no need in using v9958 features for scrolling. That's because the game scroll in a small viewport of the screen that is sourrounded by static gfx. Check the screen shot of the original game

By Hrothgar

Champion (479)

21-03-2009, 15:51

Hmm, just checked out Gunfright and I don't think it's feasible to do this on MSX2 / Screen 5 without using the MSX2 hardware scroll. Doing scrolling *and* drawing/removing buildings in realtime using only copies won't give you much joy. MSX2+ hardware scroll wouldn't be necessary though, the game hardly reaches speeds like Turrican or Sonic.

The result would be a remake larger than Knight Lore or Alien8 however, as the screen size and layout will have to change.

By sd_snatcher

Prophet (3645)

22-03-2009, 15:58

Pazos,

This remake is really impressive! Please also add support for turbo MSXzes. That will help a lot to avoid the slowdowns.

By Imanok

Paragon (1198)

26-03-2009, 12:14

It looks really impressive!!... can't wait to give it a try!!

By Jorito

Mr. Ambassadors (1786)

29-03-2009, 18:34

Wow, looks great!

By lionelritchie

Champion (439)

31-03-2009, 04:44

give us the GAME! NOW! OR I WILL KILL MY FAMILY.

By muffie

Paladin (933)

01-04-2009, 03:24

Nahhh, never publish the game. Stop listening to this bloody Brazilians. Just shoot one of those famous "Lack Of Respect" posts, burn the .ROM into a single cartridge and erase the .ROM file forever. Then sell it at eBay for over 1.000 euros....

By lionelritchie

Champion (439)

01-04-2009, 03:27

PLEASE, let LUIS ROYO draw a very big titted werewolf girl for the cover

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6932)

05-04-2009, 01:46

Pazos, what about doing Diablo for msx?
I mean Diablo from Blizzard (1996)

By Guillian

Prophet (3516)

05-04-2009, 12:24

To be honest, I don't feel like doing it. I prefer to do "small" (2-4 weeks) projects.

By wolf_

Ambassador_ (10092)

05-04-2009, 14:33

Diablo took a full-time professional team years to make..

By iamweasel2

Paladin (709)

05-04-2009, 20:08

Wolf: I think what Pazos meant was that Diablo would take 10 - 12 weeks of him to be done, and he only works in 2-4 weeks projects.

By Guillian

Prophet (3516)

06-04-2009, 12:13

Yes, I wanted to mean that right now I don't want to start a long project. I prefer to work in small ones that can be finished in a few weeks.
And Diablo, of course, is not a game that can be done in that way

By ARTRAG

Enlighted (6932)

06-04-2009, 17:32

In a (far) future, after Moam, we could do a 2d real time game based on AD&D (a 2D Diablo ?)
Having a 3d rendering engine could make a lot of difference in our plans for future projects...

By Guillian

Prophet (3516)

07-04-2009, 10:50

I think the isometric engine used in Alien 8 and Knight Lore is not suitable for a project like Diablo or similar. The game would be really slow when two or three characters were moving on screen.

By muffie

Paladin (933)

28-05-2009, 17:34

I was not able to find the download link at Computer Emuzone?

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