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Thesius XIII Code Review (15 Years Later) -

Started by kevin, February 28, 2023, 05:16:51 AM

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kevin

  Thesius XIII Code Review (15 Years Later) -   The Good the bad and the ugly.. mostly ugly !


Thesius XIII -  Introduction:

Experience the classic shoot'em up gameplay of Thesius XIII, a revamped tech demo built with PlayBASIC programming language. Developed as a remake of the original Thesius XII game written on the Amiga back in 1995, Thesius XIII showcases many updated graphical features that take advantage of modern hardware.

The Thesius XIII demo is a game example included with PlayBASIC, featuring 2.5 perspective graphics, pixel-perfect sprite collision, translucency, and alpha blend effects. Despite these advanced features, the game retains backward compatibility with older Windows PCs and can even run on pre-Windows XP computers.

As you take control of your spacecraft and navigate through the levels, you'll face an onslaught of enemies and obstacles that will challenge your skills and reflexes. The game's immersive sound effects and music enhance the gameplay experience, making it a must-try for fans of the shoot'em up genre.

Whether you're an aspiring game developer or a seasoned player looking for a challenge, Thesius XIII tech demo is a great example of what you can achieve with PlayBASIC programming language. Download the demo now and see for yourself!"


PlayBASIC CODE REVIEW:   The Good The Bad And The Ugly

 While the Thesius XIII source code demo is undeniably attractive, especially considering that it was developed in PlayBASIC, it may be a bit daunting for new coders to examine closely. With approximately 7,000 lines of code and a mix of lesser-known PlayBASIC libraries and hard-coded routines, this demo may prove to be a challenge for those seeking to learn from it.

  Now due to the complexity of the Thesius XIII demo source code, we are currently undecided on whether to continue including it as part of our standard example packs. However, even if we decide to remove it, the game will still be available for download directly through the PlayBASIC forums.

  Let us know what you think in the comments bellow !




Celebrating 28 Years Since Thesius XII   (On the Amiga)


It's hard to believe that more than 28 years have passed since we started working on Thesius XII, our side-scrolling shoot'em up game for the Amiga. Looking back, it feels like only yesterday when we were coding away on our Amiga 500 machines, trying to make the game run smoothly on the stock hardware.

Although Thesius XII was never fully completed, we did release an 'as is' version with three levels back in 2000/2001. While it's missing some polish, it still offers a glimpse into the game's world and gameplay. You can download Thesius XII from our website if you're interested in trying it out.

Thesius XII was loosely inspired by classic shoot'em up games such as R-Type and SilkWorm, which were popular at the time. We designed the game to run on an Amiga 500 with a 7mhz 68000 CPU, 512K memory, and the Original Chip Set. Despite the limitations, we were proud of what we achieved and had a lot of fun developing the game.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Thesius XII, we've put together some related links, including the full 2003 re-release, retro Amiga tech demo videos from UnderwareDesign.com, and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the game.

Thank you for your support and interest in Thesius XII over the years. We hope you enjoy playing the game and reminiscing about the golden age of Amiga gaming.







PlayBASIC Links:

https://playbasic.com
https://underwaredesign.com

Thesius XIII Development Blog  (PlayBASIC - Windows)
https://www.underwaredesign.com/forums/index.php?topic=1896.0

Download Thesius XII  (AMIGA)
https://www.underwaredesign.com/?page=programs.Thesius-XII


stevmjon

the code may be big for beginners, but it would be nice for them to see what you can code in playbasic. even if just to have a play.
It's easy to start a program, but harder to finish it...

I think that means i am getting old and get side tracked too easy.

kevin