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Xbox Arcade Crystal Quest Maker Interviewed

Posted by Zonk on from the all-about-the-shiny dept.

Xbox Live Arcade is, so far, the easiest thing to point to as a complete success for the Xbox 360. The number of excellent games (some of them quite original) released for the service since the system's launch is very impressive. Gamecloud has an interview with Patrick Buckland, founder of Stainless Games. Stainless created Crystal Quest, the most recent addition to the Xbox Live Arcade. From the article: "Gamecloud - How did using the Xbox 360 Live Arcade to distribute the game come about? Patrick Buckland - It's a marriage made in heaven. We are going to do a downloadable PC version as well, but you get into the whole piracy issue again. Xbox 360 Live Arcade is just SO perfect for classic games - and for new games as well, as you'll see in the future from Stainless."

35 comments

  1. Easy game. by Saige · · Score: 2, Informative

    It's mostly an easy game... or at least the achievements are easy. I got the game the night it was released, and by the next morning, had all 12 achievments. Only a few were even any real effort. All I had to do was camp the levels on standard difficulty, and got most achievements that way.

    Going for high scores isn't that much fun either, since you camp again, just on the hardest difficulty.

    --
    "You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."
  2. ObPA by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I thought we were moving away from this sort of interview.

    --
    Slashdot Burying Stories About Slashdot Media Owned
  3. Crytal Quest has been defiled! by losman · · Score: -1, Troll

    I don't have an Xbox and never will. I never even laid hands on any Xbox controller and never will. So yes, I am very anti-MS. What makes me sick to my stomach is that I was playing Crystal Quest on my Macintosh Classic last week. And now to see it exist on this platform makes me want to hurl!

    --
    Q: I am short, useless and provide no value. What am I? A: a sig
    1. Re:Crytal Quest has been defiled! by MrPeavs · · Score: 1

      Wow, just wow plus throw in pathetic there.

      Can't you just accept that MS may actually do something right? I have thoroughly enjoyed my Xbox and still am. I don't own a Xbox 360 yet, but eventually will. It is nice to see something new in the console world, to shake things up. It was getting rather static with just Sorny and Nintendo.

      The Xbox platform is a great one. Such that if you are a gamer on a budget or limited time, it is perfectly fine to only own. It more than can hold its ground in that aspect.

      Anti-MS people really make me laugh, some are just downright pathetic. I am not an avid supporter of MS, in fact, if it wasn't for work and my fiancée, I wouldn't be using Windows or Windows based products at all. But I am not going to limit myself by a stupid hatred. To dismiss something just because it is MS is just silly, especially to say that you will never try. Talk about being closed-minded. Though, I guess it is a Apple Zealot thing you have going on.

    2. Re:Crytal Quest has been defiled! by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      What makes me sick is watching jobs-following machead slashbots slam microsoft for no reason. I mean, I dislike Microsoft as much as the next guy but the Xbox is fucking great and the original gigantic controller is the best controller EVER if you have big hands. Which I do. And the Xbox, once hacked, makes the most bitchin' media player ever, too. Plus it plays assloads of classic games through all the really excellent emulator ports to the Xbox. Criticise Microsoft all you like but since they're not even making money on Xboxes, you might as well save your pathetic ire for someone who deserves it, like the schmucks running the patent office.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    3. Re:Crytal Quest has been defiled! by meccaneko · · Score: 1

      ok so the Xbox makes a great media player once it's hacked. And that we shouldn't criticize Microsoft because they arent making any money on xbox consoles.

      so basically it's yay for microsft because they made a console which was hacked easily and turned to uses it wasnt designed for and that their profits are being sucked away by their attempts to rule the console wars? uh huh?

    4. Re:Crytal Quest has been defiled! by drinkypoo · · Score: 1
      It's not yay for microsoft, it's yay for those of us who buy the system and don't buy games for it. At least new. Although I have to admit to buying one game new - GTA San Andreas. I wanted the map. Every other game I've purchased has been used and every peripheral I've purchased has been used.

      Seriously though, I'm way tired of Macintosh users acting like Apple is the only good in the world and Microsoft is evil. If Apple had come out on top, and Microsoft had been #2, we'd all be locked into super-proprietary platforms today. As it is, we're only locked into very-proprietary ones :) Apple has a long history of keeping other people out of their stuff, and/or forcing them to obey their commands to even be allowed to remain a "licensed" developer. They are also more protective of the hardware specifications than any other developer. And they go through significant trouble to prevent me running their OS on other computers instead of just offering the product in two versions, one for Macintosh computers, and one for clones. So they annoy the piss out of me. Microsoft's not wonderful or anything, but Apple's no angel.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    5. Re:Crytal Quest has been defiled! by ronjeremysjohnson · · Score: 1

      Im at a loss, what did they do right?

    6. Re:Crytal Quest has been defiled! by icroak · · Score: 1

      Hmm. Let's see. This post is about a game that is being released on Live Arcade. Not sure how that slipped by you.

    7. Re:Crytal Quest has been defiled! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So, what you're saying is, you like the Xbox because it's a cheap PC. PCs (and Macs) play media, have emulators, and can use Xbox controllers via an adaptor. They can play San Andreas too. I think what you actually like is PCs and money... which I think is fair enough. So no need to go flaming the Mac losers, like the troll you replied to.

      Nice sig, btw. Rage Against the Playstation, baby!

  4. Same as on Game Boy by CRCulver · · Score: 1

    Is this XBox offering just a downloadable version of the older game for Game Boy?

    1. Re:Same as on Game Boy by Goldfinger7400 · · Score: 1

      It's an updated version of the 1987 Macintosh game. They even included a classic mode that's EXACTLY like what I played on the iici, right down to the Chicago font. Too bad the "updated" version sucks in my opinion, and classic doesn't have high-score lists.

  5. Check the tip of your nose... by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1, Funny
    "The number of excellent games (some of them quite original) released for the service since the system's launch is very impressive."

    What's that smell? (Sniff, sniff.) Um, check the tip of your nose...

  6. A true classic...... by ShyGuy91284 · · Score: 1

    I had that game on my IIGS (Identical grpahics to the retro-style screenshot on the XBox site about Crystal Quest). That game was great. So simple, but so addicting.

    --
    In undeveloped countries, the consumer controls the market. In capitalist America, the market controls you.
  7. History of Crystal Quest by dave1212 · · Score: 1

    I played this game on many Macs over the years, Casady & Greene did a great job on it. Mind you, I never played it in colour, but it was still a ton of fun.

    Read more about the history of Crystal Quest here. Makes me wonder if we'll ever see a new version of Dark Castle. (The best black & white game ever)

    1. Re:History of Crystal Quest by cei · · Score: 1

      Makes me wonder if we'll ever see a new version of Dark Castle

      Maybe...

      --
      This sig intentionally left justified.
    2. Re:History of Crystal Quest by dgood · · Score: 1

      If all you want is the original game in color, you can get it now:

      http://www.deltatao.com/darkcastle/

    3. Re:History of Crystal Quest by DurendalMac · · Score: 1

      I remember getting the special edition with the graphics editor, so you could make your own animated nasties and whatnot. I made a completely Space Lego themed one. The other was centered around bathroom items and, of course, shit. I thought the Shrapwarden (I think) was hilarious. You shoot a huge log and it explodes into crumbs.

  8. XQuest by Trogre · · Score: 1

    The best Crystal Quest clone i've played was XQuest on my old DOS box. I see the source is out now; perhaps it's time to port it to SDL if the licence permits.

    It would be nice to just apt-get install xquest one day.

    --
    "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
    1. Re:XQuest by Erich · · Score: 1

      Try koules

      --

      -- Erich

      Slashdot reader since 1997

    2. Re:XQuest by at0mjack · · Score: 2, Informative

      I'm the author of XQuest. I've been tempted several times to do an up-to-date port, but (a) I've got a family and hence no time, and (b) the original was written in a mixture of Turbo Pascal and assembly language, so it would have to be more like a complete rewrite rather than a port. The source is available, so if anyone wants to port and/or rewrite it I'd be more than happy to let them do so under the GPL or similar.
      It's probably worth mentioning that the original doesn't work under W2K or XP, but works fine in a DOS emulator (such as DosBox).

    3. Re:XQuest by Trogre · · Score: 1

      Hi, at0mJack.

      I can confirm that XQuest runs fine in DOSBox, and with sound! I notice that your web site says that sound doesn't work but it works just fine here.

      With the default configuration the sound does lag by about half a second, but changing blocksize from 2048 down to 512 in the [mixer] section of ~/.dosboxrc fixes that. Maybe a note to that effect on your web site?

      And thanks for the many hours wasted in this addictive little game when I should have been studying :)

      --
      "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
  9. 400+ Dollars For What??? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I guess this is what you get excited about when the games for your system look no better than average current gen pc games - and quite a few significantly worse.

    Wake me up Microsoft when your 'next gen system' has next gen games to play...

  10. What about the clones? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    There have been clones like burble, and X-Quest. How do the gameplay stack up again Crystal Quest?

    1. Re:What about the clones? by at0mjack · · Score: 1

      I always thought that XQuest was even better than Crystal Quest, but then I'm biased :).

  11. Mac Users? by losman · · Score: 0

    Okay Mr. Drinkypoo,

    You asserted in your reply that I was a Machead/Zealot/blah blah blah... Truth be told I run primarly on SuSE Linux. I have a couple of older macs around (68K units) for nostalgia and I have a PM8150 for graphic works for my website. I use that not because I'm a Machead, I use that because the machine cost me $35.00 used and I'm using older titles like Photoshop 6.0 and so on.

    You spend all that money on a game system not to play games? Ok. I'm off to the car dealer to by a new car because it's great to store my clothes in it. Whatever floats you boat, I'm glad you found a great way to justify your ridiculous purchase.

    --
    Q: I am short, useless and provide no value. What am I? A: a sig
    1. Re:Mac Users? by bigman2003 · · Score: 1

      "You spend all that money on a game system not to play games?"

      I'm not sure if you know this...but the Xbox has just about the best performance/dollar ratio you can find.

      The original Xbox was a fantastic value, and so is the 360.

      It is actually smart to buy one if you can re-purpose it to something else. That is why people are emphasizing the fact that they do not purchase games- which is where Microsoft makes the money to (theoretically) offset the loss they take on the hardware.

      (Using your car/furniture analogy)

      What if the furniture dealer was selling one of those race-car beds for $300. But you could convert it into a REAL race-car....that is what he is doing.

      --
      No reason to lie.
    2. Re:Mac Users? by fimbulvetr · · Score: 1

      You spend all that money on a game system not to play games? Ok. I'm off to the car dealer to by a new car because it's great to store my clothes in it. Whatever floats you boat, I'm glad you found a great way to justify your ridiculous purchase.

      I'm sorry, I just have to point on how wrong this is. I own a modded and non modded xbox. Guess which one I use more? Modded. At least 2-3 times a week I download/rip/etc a new movie and have friends/relatives over watching it. What else, besides Nero, can play a x264 LA-AAC MPEG2? That's right, XBMC. How about downloading the latest Tiger woods before you decide to buy it? How about those videos of the kids? Perhaps that collection of 2600+ Nintendo ROMS? How about checking the weather while watching a movie? XBMC downloads it automatically for your area and you can view the current/forecasted weather while watching a movie in XBMC's PiP setup.

      Dolby surround sound from that DVD you just downloaded? Your computer cannot do it, but XBMC can. Region locked dvd? Xbmc. Streaming movies from your computer in the closet? Your media center needs its own hard drive - mine can stream off any computer in the house.

      If you've got a bit (60 minutes) of time to dedicate, + a $60 modchip, and an xbox, Xbox+Avalaunch+XBMC makes a media center years ahead of what else is on the market.

    3. Re:Mac Users? by MrPeavs · · Score: 1

      Wow, aren't we a intellegent one, can't even reply to the proper replay.

      I was only merely posing a question. You run SuSE Linux, good for you, do you want a cookie or something?

      Who are you to tell me how to spend my money? Where are you pulling this stuff that I do not play games? Are we making stuff up now, have you run out of valid things to day, not that you have had any valid things to say yet. You are just angree at the world and also Microsoft it seems. Whatever, no skin off of my teeth.

      I do however find your ignorant comments rather funny. You rag on Microsoft, yet you have already said you will never own a Xbox. Really, talk about being narrow minded. It is one thing to say you don't like the Xbox because of x, y and z. But to make stupid, ignotant and clueless comments about something you know next to nothing about and never will. Just makes you look dumber and dumber.

      Man, you are just pathetic. Expand you horizens, don't be so ignorant and narrow minded. Maybe you will have fun, or something.

  12. Geometry Wars by Hubbell · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Geometry Wars is one of the simplest and most fun games I've played. I played it for the first time tonight and played it for hours fighting off my friends from using the 360 cause I got hooked on it so fast. I'd have to say the 360 Arcade is an EXTREMELY good setup, and a very good reason to get a 360 on top of the games you can purchase at the store.

    1. Re:Geometry Wars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Does the 360's library of games suck that much?

    2. Re:Geometry Wars by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Without question. Live Arcade has been a lifesaver for them.

  13. Buckland threatened to sue me over XQuest by at0mjack · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I released XQuest back in 1994-ish. The gameplay was vaguely similar to Crystal Quest, but the graphics, sound etc were all original. Buckland claimed I'd violated his copyright and asked me to pull the game. I played nice and changed aspects of the game that he'd claimed were too similar to Crystal Quest but he still waved copyright-infringement threats at me and demanded I stop distributing XQuest.
    Eventually I called his bluff and he gave up, but the whole experience left a bit of a bitter taste. Interesting to see that he's now made some more money from the franchise...

    1. Re:Buckland threatened to sue me over XQuest by Trogre · · Score: 1

      the graphics, sound etc were all original.

      Really? I'm sure I've heard those "doh" and "woohoo" sound effects somewhere before ;-)

      --
      "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
    2. Re:Buckland threatened to sue me over XQuest by at0mjack · · Score: 1

      OK, got me there. They weren't copied from Crystal Quest, though :).