Legends of the Land

I started working on this ZX Spectrum game in 1986, when I was in 6th grade primary school. Designing and coding it (I used assembly language at that time) took me more than 3 years, so I only finished it after having started high school in 88/89. By that time, the games market for speccy was in heavy decline. Even though a fairly known publisher at that time, Mastertronic, had shown interest in the game and we started to negotiate about its release, the company sadly went under water pretty soon afterwards.

The game leaked onto internet around 95 when spectrum emulators became more widely available, so I officially released it as public domain then: World of Spectrum. But I never got to actually making some kind of a page or site for it. So I now finally decided to do it here.

The instruction manual is included in the zip file. I have to apologise for the game's interface quirks in advance, but try to realise it is now almost 30 years old, and it was made by a 15 year old kid. For example, the only method back then that I could find for slowing down player input (in menus etc) was to play a "magic sound sample", a brief buzz that is played in response to each keyboard input. The menus are also "infinite" and have to be manually scrolled "next page" style.

On the other hand, it was also pretty revolutionary for that time. A brief list of features follows:

• The game sported more than 2500 locations and 10000 possible views. Yes, it was achieved with landscaping technology invented by Mike Singleton. But I improved it by crossing it over with image scale and RLE compression algorithems to conserve a HUGE amount of space that I could then fill up with content. This game had more content than any 8 bit RPG of that time.

• Entirely nonlinear solution. All problems could either be solved strategically (on the field of war), by stealth, or through adventuring means & questing.

• Stealth mechanics allowing player not only fight their way around but sneak as well.

• Open world with survival mechanics. Gather food, build campfires to chase monsters away, travel by boat, horse, ride a dragon, let giants carry you around.

• Spells that alter storyline, help you solving puzzles, turn enemies or even monsters to your side, alter the terrain, teleport around.

• Items that are quest items and weapons at the same time, and may be used in tactical or adventuring part of the game, or both.

• Creating multi character parties and sending them around on various quests. Allowing stronger characters to protect more important ones in battles.

• Night & day cycle with various effects on gameplay and even the storyline.
  #rpg