Difference between revisions of "Space Cadet"

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{{box
 
{{box
 
|header='''''Space Cadet'''''
 
|header='''''Space Cadet'''''
−
|file=[[File:spacadet.png|290px|border]]
+
|file=[[File:spacetitle.gif|290px|border]]
 
|text=
 
|text=
 
'''Release type:''' [[Shareware]]<br />
 
'''Release type:''' [[Shareware]]<br />
−
'''Release date:''' ?<br />
+
'''Release date:''' ~1993-[[1994]][[Category: 1994]]<br />
 
'''Levels:''' 3<br />
 
'''Levels:''' 3<br />
 
'''Author:''' [[Matthew Groves]]<br />
 
'''Author:''' [[Matthew Groves]]<br />
−
'''Registration bonus:''' sequels ''Space Cadet 2'' and ''Space Cadet 3'', hint mini-books, 1-year subscription to bimonthly newsletter<br />
+
'''Website:''' [http://www.mgroves.com/ mgroves.com]<br />
 +
'''Registration bonus:''' sequels ''[[Space Cadet 2]]'' and ''[[Space Cadet 3]]'', hint mini-books, 1-year subscription to bimonthly newsletter<br />
 
'''Registration price:''' $10<br />
 
'''Registration price:''' $10<br />
−
'''Related games:''' none
+
'''Related games:''' ''[[Space Cadet 2]]'', ''[[Space Cadet 3]]''
−
}}This is perhaps par for the [[Game-Maker]] space shooter course. For the visuals Matthew Groves employed his best MS Paint skills; for the music he raided Sierra’s ''Space Quest''. The game design involves roaming around an inscrutable maze in a sort of a cross between a lunar lander and a Space Invader. The space bar fires lasers at monsters yanked from, I believe, [[Penguin Pete]].
+
}}{{Disambig|Gary Acord|Spacecraft}}
  
−
And yet, the game has charm. And it plays well. The laser in particular has a satisfying crunch. Part of that comes from the sound, part from the visuals, and part from the timing of the animation. Movement is precise. Groves seems to have paid actual attention to the difficulty balance. There’s little sense of nonsense about this game, and yet a huge sense of playfulness. Stereo visualizer bars serve as spikes. What seem to be old 1950s B-movie posters animate in the background.
+
In some ways ''Space Cadet'' is par for the [[Game-Maker]] space shooter course. It's a bit of a patchwork, that more or less colors inside the lines set by RSD's engine. The game design involves roaming around an inscrutable maze in a sort of a cross between a lunar lander and a Space Invader. For the visuals [[Matthew Groves]] employed his best MS Paint skills; for the music he raided Sierra’s ''Space Quest''. The space bar fires lasers at monsters yanked from, I believe, ''[[Penguin Pete]]''.
  
−
==Story==
+
And yet, the game has charm. And it plays well. The laser in particular has a satisfying crunch. Part of that comes from the sound, part from the visuals, and part from the timing of the animation. Movement is precise. Groves seems to have paid actual attention to the difficulty balance (unusually for a Game-Maker game). Stereo visualizer bars serve as spikes. What seem to be old 1950s B-movie posters animate in the background. There’s little sense of nonsense about this game, and yet a huge sense of playfulness.
 +
 
 +
This is one of those cases where sensibility and design judgment trump ambition. ''Space Cadet'' may not break the mold, but it feels like Groves had fun in designing it, and that reflects on the player's experience.
 +
 
 +
The game has two follow-ups, ostensibly available to registered parties.
 +
 
 +
{{SeriesNav|Space Cadet series{{!}}(Overview)|Space Cadet|Space Cadet 2|[[Space Cadet series]]}}
 +
 
 +
== Story ==
 +
 
 +
[[File:spacadet.png|thumb|320px|Level 1 of ''Space Cadet'']]
  
 
In a distant, far off galaxy, there lived a man named Don. Don was a Space Cadet who dreamed about being an ace StarFighter, but alas, he was too young.  
 
In a distant, far off galaxy, there lived a man named Don. Don was a Space Cadet who dreamed about being an ace StarFighter, but alas, he was too young.  
  
 
One day, then planet of Kwendor was taken over by Daiwn, the king of Galia. Daiwn was an evil ruler and was not satisfied in his  conquest, so he kidnapped Don's niece. Nobody dared  join in Don's quest to  recuse his niece. Not even  his brother.  
 
One day, then planet of Kwendor was taken over by Daiwn, the king of Galia. Daiwn was an evil ruler and was not satisfied in his  conquest, so he kidnapped Don's niece. Nobody dared  join in Don's quest to  recuse his niece. Not even  his brother.  
 +
 +
[[File:CadetPoster.png|center]]
  
 
So begins the game where you help to get Don to the evil mini-men-in-the-moon who are  Daiwn's top guardians on Kwendor. Good luck, and may the force be with you!
 
So begins the game where you help to get Don to the evil mini-men-in-the-moon who are  Daiwn's top guardians on Kwendor. Good luck, and may the force be with you!
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==Credits==
 
==Credits==
 +
 +
[[File:SCadet2.png|thumb|320px|Level 2 of ''Space Cadet'']]
  
 
'''Design and Programming'''
 
'''Design and Programming'''
 
      
 
      
−
: MATTHEW GROVES
+
: [[Matthew Groves]]
−
: GAME-MAKER
+
: [[Game-Maker]]
  
 
'''Artist'''
 
'''Artist'''
 
   
 
   
−
: MATTHEW GROVES
+
: Matthew Groves
−
: GAME-MAKER
+
: Game-Maker
  
 
'''Sound Effects'''
 
'''Sound Effects'''
  
−
: MATTHEW GROVES
+
: Matthew Groves
  
 
'''Opening Music '''
 
'''Opening Music '''
Line 52: Line 67:
 
'''Alpha-Testing'''
 
'''Alpha-Testing'''
  
−
: JEFFREY BUSSEY
+
: Jeffrey Bussey
−
: MATTHEW GROVES
+
: Matthew Groves
 +
 
 +
== Availability ==
 +
 
 +
This game seems to have been made available on several shareware compilation CD-ROMs. More precise details TBD.
 +
 
 +
== Archive History ==
 +
 
 +
Added to the archive on July 25, 2010; located on a now-defunct CD-ROM Web archive, by searching Google for '''GMTITLE.GIF''' and '''GMSONG1.CMF'''.
 +
 
 +
== Links ==
 +
 
 +
<videoflash>eSMpmbemjP0</videoflash>
 +
 
 +
=== Interviews / Articles ===
 +
 
 +
* [http://www.diygamer.com/2010/12/lost-space-matthew-groves/ Lost in Space with Matthew D. Groves (DIYGamer)]
 +
* [http://www.diygamer.com/2010/07/gamemaker-archive-part-13-world-wide-haystack/ The World Wide Haystack (DIYGamer)]
 +
 
 +
=== Listings ===
 +
 
 +
* [https://archive.org/details/SpaceCadet_1020 archive.org entry]
 +
* [http://demu.org/resource/SpaceCadet_1020 demu.org entry]
 +
 
 +
=== Misc. Links ===
 +
 
 +
* '''[http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/java/scadet.php Play ''Space Cadet'' online]'''
  
−
==Downloads==
+
== Downloads ==
  
−
* [http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/downloads/space.zip Space Cadet]
+
* '''''[http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/downloads/space.zip Space Cadet]''''' (172.4 kB)
 +
* [[Media:SCadet1.png|Level 1 map]] (53 kB)
 +
* [[Media:SCadet2.png|Level 2 map]] (109.3 kB)
 +
* [[Media:SCadet3.png|Level 3 map]] (74.4 kB)
  
−
[[Category:Game-Maker games]][[Category:Free-floating]][[Category:Shooters]][[Category:Matthew Groves]]
+
[[Category: Game-Maker games]]
 +
[[Category: Shareware]]
 +
[[Category: Matthew Groves]]
 +
[[Category: Nonlinear]]
 +
[[Category: Free-floating]]
 +
[[Category: Shooters]]
 +
[[Category: New discoveries]]
 +
[[Category: Space Cadet series]]
 +
[[Category: Complete games]]
 +
[[Category: Ohio]]
 +
[[Category: United States]]
 +
[[Category: DIYGamer]]

Latest revision as of 05:23, 6 August 2017

Space Cadet
Spacetitle.gif

Release type: Shareware
Release date: ~1993-1994
Levels: 3
Author: Matthew Groves
Website: mgroves.com
Registration bonus: sequels Space Cadet 2 and Space Cadet 3, hint mini-books, 1-year subscription to bimonthly newsletter
Registration price: $10
Related games: Space Cadet 2, Space Cadet 3


Not to be mistaken for Gary Acord's Spacecraft.

In some ways Space Cadet is par for the Game-Maker space shooter course. It's a bit of a patchwork, that more or less colors inside the lines set by RSD's engine. The game design involves roaming around an inscrutable maze in a sort of a cross between a lunar lander and a Space Invader. For the visuals Matthew Groves employed his best MS Paint skills; for the music he raided Sierra’s Space Quest. The space bar fires lasers at monsters yanked from, I believe, Penguin Pete.

And yet, the game has charm. And it plays well. The laser in particular has a satisfying crunch. Part of that comes from the sound, part from the visuals, and part from the timing of the animation. Movement is precise. Groves seems to have paid actual attention to the difficulty balance (unusually for a Game-Maker game). Stereo visualizer bars serve as spikes. What seem to be old 1950s B-movie posters animate in the background. There’s little sense of nonsense about this game, and yet a huge sense of playfulness.

This is one of those cases where sensibility and design judgment trump ambition. Space Cadet may not break the mold, but it feels like Groves had fun in designing it, and that reflects on the player's experience.

The game has two follow-ups, ostensibly available to registered parties.

Previous Current Next
(Overview) Space Cadet Space Cadet 2
Space Cadet series

Story

Level 1 of Space Cadet

In a distant, far off galaxy, there lived a man named Don. Don was a Space Cadet who dreamed about being an ace StarFighter, but alas, he was too young.

One day, then planet of Kwendor was taken over by Daiwn, the king of Galia. Daiwn was an evil ruler and was not satisfied in his conquest, so he kidnapped Don's niece. Nobody dared join in Don's quest to recuse his niece. Not even his brother.

CadetPoster.png

So begins the game where you help to get Don to the evil mini-men-in-the-moon who are Daiwn's top guardians on Kwendor. Good luck, and may the force be with you!

Instructions

The control of Don's ship is fairly easy. Arrow keys or joystick to move around. The fire button is space and the blasters will shoot in the last direction you moved in. (Or joystick button 1)

Credits

Level 2 of Space Cadet

Design and Programming

Matthew Groves
Game-Maker

Artist

Matthew Groves
Game-Maker

Sound Effects

Matthew Groves

Opening Music

This is the theme song to Space Quest III but it was downloaded as PD software, and if you've played Space Quest III, you can tell this is not the actual song. I will however give some credit to Sierra for making such a great song. If you haven't played Space Quest III, it is a great game and I hope you get to play it.

Backround Music

Anonymous Authors

Alpha-Testing

Jeffrey Bussey
Matthew Groves

Availability

This game seems to have been made available on several shareware compilation CD-ROMs. More precise details TBD.

Archive History

Added to the archive on July 25, 2010; located on a now-defunct CD-ROM Web archive, by searching Google for GMTITLE.GIF and GMSONG1.CMF.

Links

Interviews / Articles

Listings

Misc. Links

Downloads

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