Repton (computer game)

:"For the Defender-inspired computer game written by Dan Thomson and Andy Kaluzniacki and published by Sirius Software in 1983, see Repton."

Infobox VG| title = The Repton Series


developer = Tim Tyler (Repton 1 & 2), Matthew Atkinson (Repton 3), David Lawrence and David Acton (Repton Infinity)
publisher = Superior Software
designer = Tim Tyler
engine =
released = "Repton", "Repton 2" 1985
"Repton 3" 1986
"Around The World in 40 Screens", "The Life of Repton" 1987
"Repton Thru Time" 1988
"Repton Infinity" 1989
"Repton Spectacular" 2006
genre = Puzzle game
modes = Single player
ratings =
platforms = BBC Micro
Acorn Electron
ZX Spectrum
Commodore 64
Acorn Archimedes & Risc PC
Microsoft Windows
Nokia Series 60
Linux / KDE
MS-DOS
Game Boy Advance
Sony PSP
media =
requirements =
input = Keyboard

"Repton" is a British computer game originally developed by a then 15-year-old Tim Tyler for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron and released by Superior Software in 1985. The game spawned a series of follow up games which were released throughout the 1980s. The series sold around 125,000 copies between 1985 and 1990 [http://www.acornelectron.co.uk/eug/64/a-rept.html Repton] on Acorn Electron World] with "Repton 2" selling 35,000 itself. [ [http://www.stairwaytohell.com/articles/EUFEB89-Superior.html Stairway to Hell] ]

Series Overview

s making it possible to jump directly to later levels.

The sequel to the game, "Repton 2", released for Christmas 1985, is much bigger. It introduces several new features: spirits (that follow walls and objects to their left and must be guided into cages, turning them into diamonds) and skulls, both of which are fatal to Repton on collision. There are also jigsaw puzzle pieces to collect, which eventually spell out the message "Repton 2 is ended". There are no levels as such in Repton 2, instead 'transporters' move Repton between different screens which, subject to a few restrictions, can be completed in any order desired. The entire game is in effect one very large level without passwords, meaning that it must be completed in one attempt. Finally, certain screens also contain an exposed 'roof', where meteors (predictably fatal to Repton) fall from the sky.

Repton's requirements in "Repton 2" are onerous: Repton must not only collect all diamonds (including those held in safes and behind cages), but also collect all earth, kill all the monsters, collect all puzzle pieces and use all transporters. Once these substantial tasks have been completed, Repton must then negotiate the roof of the entire length of the final screen, avoiding meteors falling from the sky in order to collect the completion piece and thus complete the game. This part is particularly tricky, since the meteors fall from the sky in a random fashion, making it difficult for the gamer to guide Repton to safety. This long list of requirements, coupled with the fact that the game must be completed in one attempt, is unique among the Repton series and makes "Repton 2" by far the hardest Repton game to successfully complete. To add to the inevitable frustration suffered by anyone attempting this, a bug in the original version of "Repton 2" meant that the game contained one diamond fewer than the stipulated number needed to complete the game. This means that successful completion of these versions is, in fact, impossible.

"Repton 3", released in November 1986, was developed by Matthew Atkinson at Superior's invitation since Tim Tyler wasn't interested in programming it—although he did design some of the levels for the new game. While the first two games had only taken a month each to program, "Repton 3" took 8 months. It reverts to the form of a series of limited time password-protected levels. A few new features were introduced: fungus (a substance that gradually spreads wherever it finds space and kills Repton on contact), time capsules (resetting the current level's time limit each time one is collected), crowns (one per level), and a time-bomb which must be defused to complete each level. The inclusion of the time bomb meant that, as well as collecting all of the diamonds and crowns, the user had to plan their route so as to finish up at the time bomb at the end of the level.

"Repton 3" includes a map editor along with the game, so that it became possible to create data files with alternate maps and new graphics for the levels. Three themed sets of such files were released as expansions for "Repton 3", with the titles "Around the World in 40 Screens" (1987), "The Life of Repton" (1987) and "Repton Thru Time" (1988).

"Repton Infinity" was released in 1989, by which time the BBC Micro's popularity as a games platform was beginning to wane. It was developed by Dave Acton and Dave Lawrence (who wrote the user-submitted program section *INFO in Acorn User Magazine) It supplements the map editor and graphics editor with a powerful game logic editor which made it possible to alter the way all game objects behaved using a purpose-designed language called "Reptol". Four different example games are included to demonstrate its flexibility:
*"Repton 3 - Take 2", with a couple of small technical differences in gameplay from "Repton 3";
*"Repton 4", with imaginative new objects including photocopiers and moving jewels;
*"Robbo", “a crazy robot in a strange topsy-turvy world”, according to the game inlay; and
*"Trakka", a chaotic game in which a bulldozer-driving protagonist must destroy various monsters by pushing fruit at them, and all scores are multiples of 17. (There was a long-running problem, infamous amongst owners of the B+, the updated BBC B with 64k, when the newly released "Repton Infinity" ran on the original BBC B but refused to load on the updated B+. A string of unsuccessful replacements were issued before one that was compatible with both was eventually released.)

The music for "Repton" is "Black and White Rag", by George Botsford, which has been well known in Britain at least since its 1969 popularization as the theme tune to the long-running TV snooker programme Pot Black. The Scott Joplin ragtime intermezzo "The Chrysanthemum" is used as the music for "Repton 2". The music for "Repton 3" was composed especially for the game by Paul Hughes and Peter Clarke. "Repton Infinity" did feature in-game music, if you pressed the 'T' key, but it could not play at the same time as the sound effects in the game and was not switched on by default. It was composed especially for the game by David Acton.

"Repton" ports and clones

", "Master Break" and "Arcpinball"). None of these ports achieved the sales of the BBC originals.

Under the name [http://www.superiorinteractive.com/ "Superior Interactive"] (as of 2005) they have re-released versions of "Repton 1", "Repton 2" and "Repton 3" (including all of the expansion games) for Microsoft Windows. They have also released a large pack of new levels for all three modern Repton ports, named "Repton Spectacular".

The library of Risc OS ports for the Acorn Archimedes and RiscPC is a little more complicated, as Superior Software later sub-licensed the games to ProAction:

Other individuals and companies are also developing their own versions: such as the version for wireless devices and Nokia Series 60 mobile phones (from [http://www.masabi.com/ Masabi] ), and 3D enhanced multimedia version such as "Repton Returns". "Repton 3" seems to be seen as the definitive Repton game and to have attracted the most interest, including a free version for Linux.

A deliberate clone called "Ripton", extremely faithful apart from different level design and several humorous digs at the original game, was written by Kenton Price and submitted to "A&B Computing" but the magazine never dared to publish it. It is, however, now available at BBC software Internet sites.

The original BBC Micro games are also freely available to download from several websites. They can be used on a PC with a BBC Micro Emulator (also freely available to download).

There was also a PD clone for the ZX Spectrum called "Riptoff", which included a level editor and was arguably superior to the original game. It was developed by Rick O'Neill and Craig Hunter, and was released exclusively on a 1991 Your Sinclair covertape. [" [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0004151 Riptoff] " at World of Spectrum]

Games that are not "Repton" clones

Although Repton did not invent the rocks-and-diamonds genre (the author was inspired by a review of the recently-released "Boulder Dash", but had never played the game) it is far from being, as is sometimes erroneously assumed, a clone of "Boulder Dash". (The perception that it was may have hurt sales when Superior, buoyed by a huge success in the BBC/Electron market, released the C64 and Spectrum conversions.) "Repton" was a much more calm and organized playing experience with the emphasis on puzzle-solving, as opposed to arcade-style improvisation prevalent in other games; this remained true as more types of object were added in the sequels.

Likewise, because of "Repton"'s ubiquity on the platform it became impossible not to compare to it any later commercial scrolling-map game for the BBC/Electron. Later puzzle-based games such as "Bonecruncher" and "Clogger" might justifiably be said to be derivative of "Repton", but this perception also encompassed arcade adventure/role-playing games presented in the four-way-scrolling format (the notable ones being "Ravenskull" and " Pipeline") despite their different style involving unique objects and encounters and unexpected traps.

A game marketed as "Ego: Repton 4", was released for the Acorn Archimedes in 1992. It was designed by Richard Hanson and programmed by Gary Partis. The game bears little relation to the Repton series, particularly in that contrary to the spirit of the original it relies on "secret" traps and passages which can only be discovered by walking onto them. (The objects and objectives in all the previous Repton games are visible and there are no hidden secrets to be discovered, although in some advanced episodes - notably "OAP" in "Life of Repton", "Oceans" in "Around the World" and"Future" in "Repton Thru Time" - some objects and enemies are invisible or appear very similar to desirable or innocuous objects.)

"Repton"'s original author has written a freeware Java rocks-and-diamonds game, Rockz, which owes approximately equal amounts to "Repton 2" and to "Boulder Dash".

References

External links

* [http://www.superiorinteractive.com/ Superior Interactive]
* [http://timtyler.org/ Repton author's personal website] , including his free Java rocks-and-diamonds style game [http://rockz.co.uk/ Rockz]
*WoS game|id=0004094|name=Repton