SPECTRES
based on the original ZX Spectrum game
written by David H Lawson and released by Bug-Byte Software (c)1982
remake by David Cooper (aka Jetman's Dad) and released by JDGames (c)2003/2004
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THE STORY
A local Property Magnate has decided that the derelict Manor House he has had on his books for 15 years could now be a tidy little earner as prestige offices, and he has brought in Eddie the Electrician to re-wire the whole place. 

So far, the job has gone according to plan, with the new wiring now in place, but as soon as Eddie started to install the new lights everything went seriously pear-shaped. The years of emptiness have not passed unnoticed, and the house is now inhabited by a plethora of spooks who have made their home within its undisturbed walls and are not prepared to see their beautiful, dark home spoiled by those infernal human beings and their awful lights. 

Lesser electricians might have been bothered by the ghostly inhabitants with the lethal touch and quit, but not Eddie - girding his loins, he sets out once more into the house to fit the lightbulbs. 

Noticing that the spooks run away when the lights are turned on, Eddie first fits temporary generators in each room as a defence mechanism. These are activated by large, strategically positioned switches and powered by the fuel he finds strewn around the place. Unfortunately use of these generators will burn out the bulbs already placed, but at least he will gain some respite. 

Once he has placed all the bulbs, he can move on to the next room.  


THE CONTROLS
Cursor Keys: Move Eddie Up, Down, Left and Right 
F1: Display this Help Screen
F5: Save the Game
F6: Load a previously saved Game
S: (from Title Screen) View High Scores
C: (from High Score Screen) Clear High Scores
Esc: Quit


THE CULPRITS
Coding & Game Engine: jetman's dad
Graphics: oddbob0 and jetmans's dad
Assistance beyond the call of duty: oddbob0


A MESSAGE FROM JETMAN'S DAD
Way way way back in the mists of time (1982 to be exact), I awoke on Christmas morning and unwrapped a gift that would spark an interest that has lasted (on and off) for the last 21 years. A brand, spanking new ZX Spectrum, a cassette recorder (remember those?) and two unassuming audio cassettes - Trans Am and Spectres.

After figuring out how to set the damn thing up, we loaded up Spectres and I was blown away. I then proceeded to waste (probably) months of my life over the next 6 years or so until my umpteenth replacement Spectrum+ finally gave out. 

I flirted with consoles over the years (I even had a Saturn at one point) but, for me, games have moved too far away from the simple joy of addictive gameplay that hooked me in the first place, becoming complicated and long-winded. I have a life, and when I play a game I want to just be able to sit down, switch it on and get on with it. 

Thus, discovering the Retro Remakes site early in 2003 was a revelation. Now I could go back and play all my old faves, complete with all the gameplay that made them great, but faster and funkier so they didn't look out of place on my modern PC.

In the back of my mind I have always had a burning desire to make games of my own, but no programming nouse whatsoever, apart from some rudimentary HTML. Now I have discovered Gamemaker, Mark Overmars' brilliant, cheap, game building tool, and the world is my oyster. 

As it was the first game I ever played on my Speccy, so it seemed appropriate that it was my first remake.

I hope I have done it justice.


WHAT'S CHANGED BETWEEN 0.1 & 1.0?
*Engine tightened to prevent ghosts getting stuck between walls
*4 distinct maze designs (David Lawson's original 3 plus a JD original)
*16 levels with increasing difficulty
*If you get far enough, the 16 levels repeat ... but faster
*Improved High Score handling
*Graphics and Sound updated and improved 
*Background Music added


TECHNICAL NOTES
Version: Release 1.0
Minimum Spec: absolutely no idea. Sorry
Feedback: jdgames@thatfatalkiss.com
Website: http://www.thatfatalkiss.com/jdgames

oddbob0's Websites: http://www.merseyremakes.co.uk & http://www.starbaseremakes.co.uk

Made with: Gamemaker v5.2
Gamemaker Website: http://www.gamemaker.nl