Difference between revisions of "Shanna"

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'''Release type:''' [[Shareware]]<br />
 
'''Release type:''' [[Shareware]]<br />
'''Release date:''' August 15, 1994<br />
+
'''Release date:''' October 1, [[1993]][[Category: 1993]]<br />
 
'''Levels:''' 1 (in demo version)<br />
 
'''Levels:''' 1 (in demo version)<br />
 
'''Author:''' [[Angelo Felix]]<br />
 
'''Author:''' [[Angelo Felix]]<br />
'''Website:'' [http://nahunta.org/ Nahunta.org]<br />
+
'''Website:''' [http://nahunta.org/ Nahunta.org]<br />
 
'''Registration bonus:''' Full game<br />
 
'''Registration bonus:''' Full game<br />
 
'''Registration price:''' $10<br />
 
'''Registration price:''' $10<br />
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}}On its own merits, ''Shanna'' is a rather unassuming, cleanly presented platformer. You’re a knight off to find the eponymous lost little girl.
 
}}On its own merits, ''Shanna'' is a rather unassuming, cleanly presented platformer. You’re a knight off to find the eponymous lost little girl.
  
Although the game is hardly ambitious, [[Angelo Felix]] exhibits a better-than-average mastery of (very early) [[Game-Maker]]’s quirks, has his own voice, and manages to paint a game that is enjoyable on its own terms regardless of the whole Game-Maker thing. Rather like [[Parsec Man 3D | Mark Hadley]], Felix avoids enough of the typical pitfalls, complications, and tropes of many of his peers’ games that ''Shanna'' hardly feels like a Game-Maker game. It’s just simple, charming, and itself.
+
Although the game is fairly modest, [[Angelo Felix]] exhibits a better-than-average mastery of (very early) [[Game-Maker]]’s quirks, has his own voice, and manages to paint a game that is enjoyable on its own terms regardless of the whole Game-Maker thing. Rather like [[Parsec Man 3D | Mark Hadley]], Felix avoids enough of the typical pitfalls, complications, and tropes of many of his peers’ games that ''Shanna'' hardly feels like a Game-Maker game. It’s just simple, charming, and itself.
  
The visuals are mostly original, and for their part are both striking and appealing. Something about the world that the game paints, with its spare yet well-defined, slightly surreal imagery -- the occasional enormous sunflower, the confusing leaf monster sections, the chunky red bricks, the classical way the scores drift up from slain monsters -- exhibits a refreshing spirit. With just a little a nudge and some polish, this could get really interesting.
+
[[File:ShannaMons.gif|center]]
  
Yet there is a bit of trickiness at work; some of the monsters and weapons appear to have been borrowed from ''[[Firefall]]''. It’s not hard to tell the original, if you’ve used [[Deluxe Paint]] and have a grasp of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA VGA] palettes. It's unclear why Felix felt compelled to borrow the sprites, as he has such a lovely visual style of his own, and frankly ''Shanna'' is a much better game than ''Firefall''. You will notice, though, that Felix put some effort into hiding the theft. He only borrowed the animation frames he needed, and then altered them a bit to match the game’s style. If anything, his edited axe is more attractive than the original.
+
With the exception of a few sprites, the visuals are mostly original and for their part are both striking and appealing. Something about the world that the game paints, with its spare yet well-defined, slightly surreal imagery -- the occasional enormous sunflower, the confusing leaf monster sections, the chunky red bricks, the classical way the scores drift up from slain monsters -- exhibits a refreshing spirit. With just a little a nudge and some polish, this could get really interesting.
  
[[File:shanna2.png|thumb|320px|Hidden leaf monsters in ''Shanna'']]
+
As it turns out, Felix named ''Shanna'' after his daughter. This may explain the game's intangible appeal. Its author just cared a heck of a lot about what he was doing.
 
 
Granted Felix and [[Firefall Softwarez]] may well be the same entity, but it seems unlikely. Their visual styles are quite different, as is their external software. ''Shanna''’s title screen is an EGA job probably assembled in Paintbrush or something similar, and ''Firefall''’s is a complex Deluxe Paint project. Consider that ''Firefall'' came first, and the downgrade in tools would be peculiar.
 
  
 
==Story==
 
==Story==
  
[[File:Shanna-Try1-try1.png|thumb|320px|The map to ''Shanna'']]
+
[[File:shanna2.png|thumb|320px|Hidden leaf monsters in ''Shanna'']]
  
 
Shanna, a cute little pig-tailed girl, was out running around one day with Mandy when her good friend Te'Tare got lost. She had to find him! So off she went, and has yet to return. Where is she?  
 
Shanna, a cute little pig-tailed girl, was out running around one day with Mandy when her good friend Te'Tare got lost. She had to find him! So off she went, and has yet to return. Where is she?  
 +
 +
[[File:ShannaSprite.gif|center]]
  
 
"That's for me to know and you to find out!" says the evil 'Scard. "And you had better hurry up, 'cause she lost Yito and she's drivin' me ''nuts''!!!"
 
"That's for me to know and you to find out!" says the evil 'Scard. "And you had better hurry up, 'cause she lost Yito and she's drivin' me ''nuts''!!!"
  
 
Well, it's not right for a little Princess to be alone in 'Scard Land. So you, Lance, set out to find her.
 
Well, it's not right for a little Princess to be alone in 'Scard Land. So you, Lance, set out to find her.
 
[[File:Lance.png|center]]
 
  
 
And there you have it, the first episode of ''Shanna''. Here you need to find her, and believe me little Shanna can be stubborn!
 
And there you have it, the first episode of ''Shanna''. Here you need to find her, and believe me little Shanna can be stubborn!
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==Instructions==
 
==Instructions==
 +
 +
[[File:Shanna-Try1-try1.png|thumb|320px|The map to ''Shanna'']]
  
 
Rescue Shanna!!!
 
Rescue Shanna!!!
 +
 +
[[File:Lance.png|center]]
  
 
Here are the controls:
 
Here are the controls:
Line 60: Line 62:
  
 
==Credits==
 
==Credits==
 
[[File:shanna-compare.png|frame|320px|''Shanna'' and ''Firefall'']]
 
  
 
Graphics.........[[Angelo Felix|Angelo]]
 
Graphics.........[[Angelo Felix|Angelo]]
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HECHO EN PUERTO RICO !!!
 
HECHO EN PUERTO RICO !!!
  
==Links==
+
==Resources==
 +
 
 +
[[File:shanna-compare.png|frame|320px|''Shanna'' and ''Firefall'']]
 +
 
 +
Some of the monsters and weapons appear to have been borrowed from ''[[Firefall]]''. [[Deluxe Paint]] and palette artifacts betray the original.
  
<videoflash>tmVgc402Xeo</videoflash>
+
It's unclear why Felix felt compelled to borrow the sprites, as he has such a lovely visual style of his own, and frankly ''Shanna'' is a much better game than ''Firefall''. It is clear, though, that Felix put some effort into personalizing the sprites. He only borrowed the animation frames he needed, and then altered them a bit to match the game’s style. If anything, his edited axe is more attractive than the original.
 +
 
 +
When asked, Felix remembered ''Firefall'' but was hazy about the details.
 +
 
 +
== Background ==
 +
 
 +
Angelo Felix:
 +
: It was a lot of fun making [''Shanna''], I named it after my daughter Shanna. I need to try and find those games, I'm sure I have them stored somewhere. But the sprite (character), I remember spending a lot of time working on it.
 +
 
 +
: I should have kept the Game Maker box - still possible it may be laying around in storage somewhere. I think the Game-Maker kit came with a set of default sprites and graphics; the idea to Game-Maker was to get the end user quickly up and running with your own games. Later, if you decided, you could take more time and make your own graphics. Probably, a lot of the graphics and sprites you see in ''Shanna'' were taken from the kit that Game-Maker came in. I also might have altered them (which was allowed), I think the most original was the character sprite, I remember spending a lot of time on that one (I think the graphics were original too).
 +
 
 +
: I actually played ''Shanna'' for a while today and as remembering some of what I did to make it (after over 10 years!). Some of the routines you see were hackish as I was told by [[RSD|the makers of the box]], it couldn't be done yet. For example the 'upward floating score on kill' was not conventional, took me a long time to figure out a way to get it to work.
 +
 
 +
== Availability ==
 +
 
 +
During the early 1990s the game also was available for download from GameLynk's [[Frontline BBS]].
 +
 
 +
Also available on several shareware compilation CD-ROMs, including '''[[:Category: Gold Medal Software|Gold Medal Software]]'''[[Category: Gold Medal Software]] (1994).
 +
 
 +
== Archive history ==
 +
 
 +
This game was introduced to the archive in c1994, through download from the Frontline BBS.
 +
 
 +
== Links ==
 +
 
 +
<youtube>tmVgc402Xeo</youtube>
 +
 
 +
=== Interviews / Articles ===
  
 
* [http://www.diygamer.com/2010/06/gamemaker-archive-easy-lifting/ Easy Lifting (DIYGamer)]
 
* [http://www.diygamer.com/2010/06/gamemaker-archive-easy-lifting/ Easy Lifting (DIYGamer)]
 +
* [http://www.napostriouf.com/shanna/ Shanna] (Nap'n'Retrogaming)
 +
 +
=== Listings ===
 +
 +
* [https://archive.org/details/Shanna_1020 archive.org entry]
 +
* [http://demu.org/resource/Shanna_1020 demu.org entry]
 +
 +
=== Misc. Links ===
 +
 +
* '''[http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/java/shanna.php Play ''Shanna'' online]'''
  
==Downloads==
+
== Downloads ==
  
* [http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/downloads/shanna.zip Shanna] (133.5 kB)
+
* '''''[http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/downloads/shanna.zip Shanna]''''' (133.5 kB)
* [[:File:Shanna-Try1-try1.png|Game map]]
+
* [[Media:Shanna-Try1-try1.png|Game map]] (274 kB)
  
[[Category:Game-Maker games]][[Category:Side-scrolling]][[Category:Platformers]][[Category:Angelo Felix]][[Category:Shareware]]
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[[Category: Game-Maker games]]
 +
[[Category: Shareware]]
 +
[[Category: Angelo Felix]]
 +
[[Category: Side-scrolling]]
 +
[[Category: Platformers]]
 +
[[Category: Old discoveries]]
 +
[[Category: Frontline BBS]]
 +
[[Category: Complete games]]
 +
[[Category: Compilation CD-ROMs]]
 +
[[Category: Puerto Rico]]
 +
[[Category: United States]]
 +
[[Category: DIYGamer]]

Latest revision as of 18:38, 22 June 2021

Featured.png
Shanna
Shanna-title.gif

Release type: Shareware
Release date: October 1, 1993
Levels: 1 (in demo version)
Author: Angelo Felix
Website: Nahunta.org
Registration bonus: Full game
Registration price: $10
Related games: Firefall

On its own merits, Shanna is a rather unassuming, cleanly presented platformer. You’re a knight off to find the eponymous lost little girl.

Although the game is fairly modest, Angelo Felix exhibits a better-than-average mastery of (very early) Game-Maker’s quirks, has his own voice, and manages to paint a game that is enjoyable on its own terms regardless of the whole Game-Maker thing. Rather like Mark Hadley, Felix avoids enough of the typical pitfalls, complications, and tropes of many of his peers’ games that Shanna hardly feels like a Game-Maker game. It’s just simple, charming, and itself.

ShannaMons.gif

With the exception of a few sprites, the visuals are mostly original and for their part are both striking and appealing. Something about the world that the game paints, with its spare yet well-defined, slightly surreal imagery -- the occasional enormous sunflower, the confusing leaf monster sections, the chunky red bricks, the classical way the scores drift up from slain monsters -- exhibits a refreshing spirit. With just a little a nudge and some polish, this could get really interesting.

As it turns out, Felix named Shanna after his daughter. This may explain the game's intangible appeal. Its author just cared a heck of a lot about what he was doing.

Story

Hidden leaf monsters in Shanna

Shanna, a cute little pig-tailed girl, was out running around one day with Mandy when her good friend Te'Tare got lost. She had to find him! So off she went, and has yet to return. Where is she?

ShannaSprite.gif

"That's for me to know and you to find out!" says the evil 'Scard. "And you had better hurry up, 'cause she lost Yito and she's drivin' me nuts!!!"

Well, it's not right for a little Princess to be alone in 'Scard Land. So you, Lance, set out to find her.

And there you have it, the first episode of Shanna. Here you need to find her, and believe me little Shanna can be stubborn!

Hope 'Scard doesn't get her... Or vice versa...

Instructions

The map to Shanna

Rescue Shanna!!!

Lance.png

Here are the controls:

Left arrow (4) -Move left
Right arrow (6) -Move right
Slash (/) -Climb Up
Up arrow (8) -Jump up
Down arrow (2) -Climb Down
PageUp (9)-Jump diagonly right
Home (7)-Jump diagonaly left
SpaceBar - Throw the Axe

Joystick Recomended...F9 Sets it and F8 Turns it on

Save (F5) often!

Credits

Graphics.........Angelo

Story............Angelo

Music..RSD and Creative Labs

My Teacher.......Ernesto Perez

Special thanks to :

Ernesto
RSD
Creative Labs

Adios.. HECHO EN PUERTO RICO !!!

Resources

Shanna and Firefall

Some of the monsters and weapons appear to have been borrowed from Firefall. Deluxe Paint and palette artifacts betray the original.

It's unclear why Felix felt compelled to borrow the sprites, as he has such a lovely visual style of his own, and frankly Shanna is a much better game than Firefall. It is clear, though, that Felix put some effort into personalizing the sprites. He only borrowed the animation frames he needed, and then altered them a bit to match the game’s style. If anything, his edited axe is more attractive than the original.

When asked, Felix remembered Firefall but was hazy about the details.

Background

Angelo Felix:

It was a lot of fun making [Shanna], I named it after my daughter Shanna. I need to try and find those games, I'm sure I have them stored somewhere. But the sprite (character), I remember spending a lot of time working on it.
I should have kept the Game Maker box - still possible it may be laying around in storage somewhere. I think the Game-Maker kit came with a set of default sprites and graphics; the idea to Game-Maker was to get the end user quickly up and running with your own games. Later, if you decided, you could take more time and make your own graphics. Probably, a lot of the graphics and sprites you see in Shanna were taken from the kit that Game-Maker came in. I also might have altered them (which was allowed), I think the most original was the character sprite, I remember spending a lot of time on that one (I think the graphics were original too).
I actually played Shanna for a while today and as remembering some of what I did to make it (after over 10 years!). Some of the routines you see were hackish as I was told by the makers of the box, it couldn't be done yet. For example the 'upward floating score on kill' was not conventional, took me a long time to figure out a way to get it to work.

Availability

During the early 1990s the game also was available for download from GameLynk's Frontline BBS.

Also available on several shareware compilation CD-ROMs, including Gold Medal Software (1994).

Archive history

This game was introduced to the archive in c1994, through download from the Frontline BBS.

Links

Interviews / Articles

Listings

Misc. Links

Downloads