TAROTICA VOO DOO now available!

Paladin (931)

15-01-2018, 11:40

Just figured I'd post on here and let you guys know that this bizarre Japanese homebrew game is now actually released on Steam, apparently as an MSX game running through an emulator, with the source code included (along with an extensive PDF that goes over how the source code works, to make modifying the game much easier for those who are interested). You can purchase and download it here:

http://store.steampowered.com/app/603280/TAROTICA_VOO_DOO/

I've been following the development of this game for a while, and played an early demo of it on my MSX a couple years ago, which I really enjoyed. I contacted the creator via email back then to ask if he had the full MSX version of the game available for sale on disk, and he did not -- YET -- but he said he would in the future, and that I should email him again once the Steam game was released.

So of course, I just emailed him again! And when he gets back to me, I'll let you know what he says. ;)

Once I find out whether or not he plans to distribute the MSX game itself on disk in any sort of wide capacity, I'll submit this as a news article. But since its status as an actual MSX game is still unknown, I figured I'd just post here for now and bring this to your attention, in hopes that you guys will buy the game on Steam and support his efforts -- I know I certainly will!

It's a really strange game, but definitely enjoyable, and very much unlike any other game on the MSX. It's also really impressive that every single piece of art in this game was hand-drawn with a mouse!

Definitely a unique specimen.

-Tom

Por Philip

Champion (380)

15-01-2018, 21:39

Unique it is for sure
I do like the style though !

Por MicroTech

Champion (385)

16-01-2018, 09:20

Never seen before such a gem

Por wyrdwad

Paladin (931)

16-01-2018, 10:20

I did hear back from the creator, and he said that there are not currently actual MSX disk versions available, but he is planning on offering them sometime soon. In the meantime, I purchased the Steam version, and it plays just fine -- it uses MSXPLAYer 2016 (KAI) version 0.12.0.9, so it is legitimately an MSX game bundled with an emulator. I was hoping if I examined the game folder, I'd find a .dsk file or something that I could just write to disk and play on my MSX, but no such luck: the game folder only has one single executable file in it, which is apparently the emulator + game all bundled together into a single file.

Also, the PDF that was supposed to be included with it as free DLC isn't downloading for me, and checking the game's Steam page, I think it's just not ready yet. Hopefully, it will be ready soon, because I'm really curious to read through it!

I replied to the creator's email and informed him of the existence of MRC, and told him that I'd like to create a news article about his game on here, and am waiting for him to give his OK to that end before submitting anything of the sort.

-Tom

Por rderooy

Paladin (686)

16-01-2018, 10:43

So there is a newer version of the MSXPLAYer emulator that runs on current windows versions? How does it compare to the old releases? https://www.msx.org/wiki/MSX-PLAYer

Por wyrdwad

Paladin (931)

16-01-2018, 11:28

No clue! Never used it before. This is literally the only game I've ever seen running on it.

Seems to run just fine for this particular game, though!

-Tom

Por NYYRIKKI

Enlighted (5939)

16-01-2018, 19:22

I remember I tried some of the early demo versions on MSX about 20-25 years ago and I really liked the concept. Very original indeed! It kind of appeared from nowhere and disappeared in to black hole just as mysteriously as it appeared... I really didn't expect to hear anything about this game anymore since so much time passed... but I must say I'm very happy to hear it is still live and kicking! I'm sure I'll buy it if MSX version some day appears.

Por Grauw

Ascended (10604)

16-01-2018, 19:35

Yeah, it seems familiar to me as well… the art at least.

Por wyrdwad

Paladin (931)

16-01-2018, 22:12

Evidently, the guy who made it has been working on it solidly since 1993, and has put five years' worth of time into drawing the art for it (as in, five solid years' worth of actual drawing -- one-fifth of his existence for these past 25 years), individually drawing every single frame of every single animation on every single screen by hand... with a mouse. So yeah, I'm not surprised some of you have heard of it or seen early versions of it before. I'm just amazed he had the wherewithal to see it through to completion after all this time!

-Tom

Por ~mk~

Champion (306)

16-01-2018, 23:49

Probably the version NYYRIKKI is referring to... demo from 1998:
http://www.tpmcosoft.com/msx/tarotica.shtml

Interesting game although I couldn't get too far yet... barely managed to kill the dog and enter the house oO

Por wyrdwad

Paladin (931)

17-01-2018, 00:10

Once you get the hang of how the game plays, it has a nice rhythm to it. You just have to remember that every animation has 8 frames, and the only way to attack is to ensure that you cycle through all 8 of them for your character, from the farthest down to the farthest up; and when you want to defend, you need to be on the farthest frame down.

-Tom