Difference between revisions of "Sample"

From The Game-Maker Archive
Jump to navigationJump to search
(Created page with 'The game is well-named. It is basically a final lesson in combining all of the elements you’ve learned in the tutorials into a functional game. And indeed, it’s a simple game…')
 
 
(82 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
−
The game is well-named. It is basically a final lesson in combining all of the elements you’ve learned in the tutorials into a functional game. And indeed, it’s a simple game; it all takes place on a single map, and its elements don’t really cohere all that well — and yet it’s fascinating and evocative, and its influence on end-user games approaches infinite.
+
{{featured}}{{box
 +
|header='''''Sample'''''
 +
|file=[[File:Sampletitle.gif|290px|border]]
 +
|text=
 +
'''Release type:''' [[:Category:Demo games|Demo game]]<br />
 +
'''Release date:''' [[1991]][[Category: 1991]]<br />
 +
'''Levels:''' 1<br />
 +
'''Author:''' [[Joan Stone]]<br />
 +
'''Related games:''' ''[[Terrain]]'', ''[[Houses]]'', ''[[Pipemare]]'', ''[[Nebula]]'', ''[[Penguin Pete]]''
 +
}}The game is well-named. It is basically a final lesson in combining all of the elements learned in the [[Tutor | tutorials]] into a functional game. And indeed, ''Sample'' is a simple game; it all takes place on a single map, and its elements sit together rather awkwardly — and yet it’s fascinating and evocative, and its influence on end-user games approaches infinite.
  
−
Sample is an attempt at an action-adventure exploration game, using a two-block-tall character. The effort is hampered by an awkward sense of perspective and the inability in Game-Maker to set foreground objects, for the character to walk behind. So when you walk into, say, the top of a tree or the top of your house, you bang your shins on it instead of just walking past, partially obscured from the camera.
+
''Sample'' is a basic action-adventure exploration game, using a two-block-tall character. Level interaction can be strange, due to a disjointed sense of perspective and a lack of foreground objects. So when you walk into, say, the top of a tree or the top of your house, you bang your shins on it instead of just walking behind the object, partially obscured from the camera.
  
−
And yet the sense of space, and the use of space, are both charming and clever. Within that one map you will find several mazes, swamps, forests, traps, gardens, and a sort of a village. For such a small area, there seems no end of surprises to find or new areas to lurk around in. And as the game takes place all on one map, there’s never any loading. It’s all one seamless adventure — and one that may take a while to complete.
+
[[File:SampleMons.gif|center]]
  
−
It is significant that the background tiles pop up again, in some form, in nearly every Game-Maker game made. Furthermore, find me a game with a two-block-tale male protagonist, and I’ll find you a sprite edit of our protagonist here.
+
And yet the sense of space, and the use of space, are both charming and clever. Within that one map you will find several mazes, swamps, forests, traps, gardens, and a sort of a village. For such a small area, there seems no end of surprises to find or new areas to lurk around in. And as the game takes place all on one map, there’s never any loading. It’s all one seamless adventure — one that may take a while to complete.
 +
 
 +
[[File:Sample.png|thumb|320px|Exploring the garden in ''Sample'']]
 +
[[File:Sam-stone.png|center]]
 +
 
 +
It is significant that the background tiles pop up again, in some form, in nearly every Game-Maker game made. Furthermore, find a game with a two-block-tall male character and chances are you'll find a sprite edit of our protagonist here.
 +
 
 +
In turn, many of the background elements in ''Sample'' (indeed also in ''[[Terrain]]'' and ''[[Houses]]'') are borrowed from [[Andy Stone]]'s ''[[Labyrinth]]'', the Ur game that led to the development of Game-Maker. Those tiles include the maze walls and some of the grass and mud elements.
 +
 
 +
{{SeriesNav|Sample series{{!}}(Overview)|Sample|Terrain|[[Sample series]]}}
 +
 
 +
== Story ==
 +
 
 +
There is no  need  to study or sweat  through  school if  you can only  pick up the  ''book of knowledge''.  But finding  it is a bit  of a problem.  There is only one way through the maze, and a  variety of monsters are moving about.
 +
 
 +
== Instructions ==
 +
 
 +
[[File:Sample2.gif|thumb|320px|Visiting the neighbors in ''Sample'']]
 +
 
 +
The ''SAMPLE''  game shows many of Game-Maker's features.  A two block high character walks  in four directions, shoots, drops bombs, picks  up  items,  gets hurt, and dies. 
 +
 
 +
Arrow keys move the character, as  does a joystick.  On  the numeric  keyboard,  keys '''2''', '''4''', '''6''', and '''8''' act as arrow keys. 
 +
 
 +
In  order  to shoot the '''laser''', you need to first  pick it up. In order to shoot the '''revolver''', you    need  to  pick  it  and its  ammo  up.  You start with five '''bombs''',  and  can  pick up others.
 +
 
 +
The  '''space  bar'''  shoots  four laser  monsters away from  the character.  The''' 'b' '''key  sets down bombs which explode.  Key '''5'''  shoots  bullets.    On  the numeric keypad, the  '''1''',  '''3''', '''7''', and '''9''' keys shoot single lasers various ways. 
 +
 +
The  character starts with 250 hit points  and  3 lives.  The objective is to  pick  up  the Book of Wisdom.  To  do this, you must eat enough hamburgers to  get  strength,  find  '''two keys''', and  fight  through  the maze -- and  you  are going to need a '''sword'''.
 +
 
 +
Monsters  subtract hit points, food  adds  hit points.  Most monsters  can  be  killed, but some  are  too  strong  to  be killed by a laser.
 +
 
 +
==Credits==
 +
 
 +
[[File:SampleMap.png|thumb|320px|The wide world of ''Sample'']]
 +
 
 +
Designed by [[Recreational Software Designs]].
 +
 
 +
Graphics, monsters, and concept by Joan Stone.
 +
 
 +
Further map design by G. Oliver Stone.
 +
 
 +
Additional features by G. Andrew Stone.
 +
 
 +
==Background==
 +
 
 +
G. Andrew Stone:
 +
: ''Sample'':  A mismash.  I think that the blocks and the start house were my mom's [Joan] (notice the garden, she is a big gardener).  It was her first game. My dad [Oliver] came up with idea to repurpose it into a sample and added a lot to the map.  And I'd go in there at times to add the new features I'd written.
 +
 
 +
== Resources ==
 +
 
 +
* Several of the monsters are shared amongst all of [[RSD]]'s games.
 +
* The background blocks, character, and character blocks also appear in ''[[Terrain]]'' and ''[[Houses]]''.
 +
 
 +
== Availability ==
 +
 
 +
Distributed with all versions of [[Game-Maker]].
 +
 
 +
In addition, full versions of Game-Maker and its gameware were illegally distributed on several shovelware CD-ROMs in the early-mid 1990s, such as '''[[:Category: Softkey Entertainment Pack|Softkey Entertainment Pack]]'''[[Category: Softkey Entertainment Pack]] (July 1996)
 +
 
 +
== Archive history ==
 +
 
 +
''Sample'' was introduced to the archive with the purchase of Game-Maker 1.02 in September 1992.
 +
 
 +
== Links ==
 +
 
 +
<youtube>1KuWwoWmPHA</youtube>
 +
 
 +
=== Interviews / Articles ===
 +
 
 +
* [http://www.diygamer.com/2010/05/gamemaker-archive-samples-demos/ Samples and Demos (DIYGamer)]
 +
* [http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/EJRTairne/20130512/192139/Bonus_Time_with_Andy_Stone.php Bonus Time with Andrew Stone] (Gamasutra)
 +
 
 +
=== Listings ===
 +
 
 +
* [http://www.archive.org/details/Sample_1020 archive.org entry]
 +
* [http://www.demu.org/resource/Sample_1020 demu.org entry]
 +
 
 +
=== Misc. Links ===
 +
 
 +
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXK2ywox7T4 Older clip]
 +
* '''[http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/java/sample.php Play ''Sample'' online]'''
 +
 
 +
== Downloads ==
 +
 
 +
* '''''[http://www.aderack.com/game-maker/downloads/sample.zip Sample]''''' (258.1 kB)
 +
* [[Media:SampleMap.png|Sample map]] (313 kB)
 +
 
 +
[[Category: Game-Maker games]]
 +
[[Category: Demo games]]
 +
[[Category: Joan Stone]]
 +
[[Category: Recreational Software Designs]]
 +
[[Category: Nonlinear]]
 +
[[Category: Top-down]]
 +
[[Category: Adventure games]]
 +
[[Category: Old discoveries]]
 +
[[Category: Game-Maker 3.0 CD]]
 +
[[Category: Sample series]]
 +
[[Category: Complete games]]
 +
[[Category: Compilation CD-ROMs]]
 +
[[Category: New Hampshire]]
 +
[[Category: United States]]
 +
[[Category: DIYGamer]]

Latest revision as of 17:22, 22 June 2021

Featured.png
Sample
Sampletitle.gif

Release type: Demo game
Release date: 1991
Levels: 1
Author: Joan Stone
Related games: Terrain, Houses, Pipemare, Nebula, Penguin Pete

The game is well-named. It is basically a final lesson in combining all of the elements learned in the tutorials into a functional game. And indeed, Sample is a simple game; it all takes place on a single map, and its elements sit together rather awkwardly — and yet it’s fascinating and evocative, and its influence on end-user games approaches infinite.

Sample is a basic action-adventure exploration game, using a two-block-tall character. Level interaction can be strange, due to a disjointed sense of perspective and a lack of foreground objects. So when you walk into, say, the top of a tree or the top of your house, you bang your shins on it instead of just walking behind the object, partially obscured from the camera.

SampleMons.gif

And yet the sense of space, and the use of space, are both charming and clever. Within that one map you will find several mazes, swamps, forests, traps, gardens, and a sort of a village. For such a small area, there seems no end of surprises to find or new areas to lurk around in. And as the game takes place all on one map, there’s never any loading. It’s all one seamless adventure — one that may take a while to complete.

Exploring the garden in Sample
Sam-stone.png

It is significant that the background tiles pop up again, in some form, in nearly every Game-Maker game made. Furthermore, find a game with a two-block-tall male character and chances are you'll find a sprite edit of our protagonist here.

In turn, many of the background elements in Sample (indeed also in Terrain and Houses) are borrowed from Andy Stone's Labyrinth, the Ur game that led to the development of Game-Maker. Those tiles include the maze walls and some of the grass and mud elements.

Previous Current Next
(Overview) Sample Terrain
Sample series

Story

There is no need to study or sweat through school if you can only pick up the book of knowledge. But finding it is a bit of a problem. There is only one way through the maze, and a variety of monsters are moving about.

Instructions

Visiting the neighbors in Sample

The SAMPLE game shows many of Game-Maker's features. A two block high character walks in four directions, shoots, drops bombs, picks up items, gets hurt, and dies.

Arrow keys move the character, as does a joystick. On the numeric keyboard, keys 2, 4, 6, and 8 act as arrow keys.

In order to shoot the laser, you need to first pick it up. In order to shoot the revolver, you need to pick it and its ammo up. You start with five bombs, and can pick up others.

The space bar shoots four laser monsters away from the character. The 'b' key sets down bombs which explode. Key 5 shoots bullets. On the numeric keypad, the 1, 3, 7, and 9 keys shoot single lasers various ways.

The character starts with 250 hit points and 3 lives. The objective is to pick up the Book of Wisdom. To do this, you must eat enough hamburgers to get strength, find two keys, and fight through the maze -- and you are going to need a sword.

Monsters subtract hit points, food adds hit points. Most monsters can be killed, but some are too strong to be killed by a laser.

Credits

The wide world of Sample

Designed by Recreational Software Designs.

Graphics, monsters, and concept by Joan Stone.

Further map design by G. Oliver Stone.

Additional features by G. Andrew Stone.

Background

G. Andrew Stone:

Sample:  A mismash.  I think that the blocks and the start house were my mom's [Joan] (notice the garden, she is a big gardener).  It was her first game. My dad [Oliver] came up with idea to repurpose it into a sample and added a lot to the map.  And I'd go in there at times to add the new features I'd written.

Resources

  • Several of the monsters are shared amongst all of RSD's games.
  • The background blocks, character, and character blocks also appear in Terrain and Houses.

Availability

Distributed with all versions of Game-Maker.

In addition, full versions of Game-Maker and its gameware were illegally distributed on several shovelware CD-ROMs in the early-mid 1990s, such as Softkey Entertainment Pack (July 1996)

Archive history

Sample was introduced to the archive with the purchase of Game-Maker 1.02 in September 1992.

Links

Interviews / Articles

Listings

Misc. Links

Downloads

Retrieved from "https://aderack.com/game-maker/index.php?title=Sample&oldid=23950"