Talk:Manic Miner/Archive 1

Cheat
6031769 ... well, in some Bug-Byte versions this combination didn't work. one had to type 60731769, inserting '7' after the initial 60. My copy of the game had this problem, and I found out the correct combination after many attempts. Has anybody anybody met similiar problems?
 * Why is the cheat listed twice (cheats & trivia)? This seems to me unnecessary (CMIIW). physicsboff 21:04, 2 April 2006 (UTC)
 * The listing under the Cheats section is the actual cheat. The listing under the Trivia section is the trivia about the cheat. --Frodet 21:39, 2 April 2006 (UTC)
 * About the cheat, I don't think it has ever been confirmed to be Matthew's number. It was always "alleged".First time I saw it here so I am wondering whether there's a final confirmation of this. OTOH since the trivia is mentioned in the actual cheat section there's no reason to repeat it in the trivia section.--Arheos 17:50, 20 April 2006 (UTC)
 * Yes, Arheos, that's precisely my point. Thank you. CMIIW 17:14, 29 April 2006 (UTC)
 * Has it been removed? I searched to find information about the cheat, but it is not on the page. Why?? --194.251.240.114 03:47, 6 March 2007 (UTC)

ZX81 version
There is a ZX81 version of Manic Miner; see. If you want to argue the fact it's an "emulation era" release and therefore shouldn't be counted, please do so, but please don't just revert with sarcastic comments in the edit summary. Happy Christmas --Pak21 01:40, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * fair enough, just looked like someone had enjoyed an early xmas tipple.. Should we add all the platforms then, such as the PC  ?  Also, what do you think about modifying the "infobox" to include all the platform.  Ta, and xmas greets, --Oscarthecat 08:32, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * I think I'd split the releases into two sets: those done in the 80s/early 90s as "real" commercial releases, and those done since essentially as hobby projects. I don't know where I'd classify any commercial versions for mobiles, though. Cheers --Pak21 11:15, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Perhaps split it between "Official" and "Unofficial", complete with release dates. Manic Miner is available for a colossal number of platforms (indeed, it's one of the most ported games I've heard of) and all should be listed in an encyclopaedic entry but we need to differentiate --Zagrebo 14:29, 17 February 2007 (UTC)

Mobile phone?
N. Harmonik has added this, and a few similar games, to the mobile phone games category. As this article doesn't mention mobile phones otherwise (e.g. in the platforms portion of the infobox, or in the article body itself), I'm concerned this could be bogus. Have posted a message on N. Harmonik's talk page. --Oscarthecat 21:07, 28 May 2006 (UTC)


 * It's not bogus. It can be bought like here: http://www.matica.com/mobile_Phone_Java_Game.php?gameID=4.  I remember reading about it in an interview with Smith, but can't remember where....  --Frodet 22:04, 28 May 2006 (UTC)

Gameboy
A company called Jester Interactive came out with a version for the gameboy a few years back. I'm not up for editing the page myself but here's a couple of links to be going on with.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Jesters-Manic-Miner/dp/B000063XBT http://blog.dessgeega.com/?p=47 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.149.58.143 (talk) 18:03, 5 November 2007 (UTC)

Cover art
Who produced the cassette sleeve images for Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy? I assume it was the same artist? 2fort5r (talk) 22:19, 5 October 2009 (UTC)


 * The art for most of the software projects games was done by the same person - don't have a name to hand. The original Bug-byte version was done by a different artist - I think, as the style is quite different to the SP titles.  The Bugbyte cover art is notable incidentally, as it shows Miner Willy's face.  He's depicted as an old man with a grey beard.   a_man_alone (talk) 05:05, 6 October 2009 (UTC)


 * There actually seem to be two different Bug-Byte covers, both of them here. The first has an old man with a grey beard, although it's not clear that he's supposed to be Miner Willy; th second is much closer in style to the Software Projects covers. -Ashley Pomeroy (talk) 22:50, 25 July 2010 (UTC)

Art was by someone called "Tissyman"? A variation of the Jet Set Willy cover appeared in the Dec 84 issue of Sinclair User (page 88). Towards the bottom-right of this image, the name "Tissyman" is written into the floor tiles (see scan of page). One would assume this was the cover artist providing a commission for Sinclair User, though of course it could be a doctored version of the cover and it's the name of this person that appears here. Would seem like taking credit where it wasn't due though... Opwerty (talk) 16:41, 9 June 2011 (UTC)


 * You are correct - as soon as I read that I remembered the tissyman signature. I had a big calendar from SP signed by Tissyman as well.  I'd forgotten about that until now.   a_man_alone (talk) 18:16, 9 June 2011 (UTC)


 * I note that user:Werieth is busy removing images from this article on the grounds of NFCC and lack of use within the article for relevant content. In particular, removing the Software Projects "wellyphone" cover, leaving the Bug Byte "Moses / Jeff Lynne" cover in the infobox.
 * I think there's a case to be made for keeping both of these. One is the original cover, and shows the BugByte bug. The second is the much better known version and the first sight of the canonical Willy-wellies. Comment is needed, per NFCC, but there's a case for both. If only one is permitted, by some Quirkafleeg-like WP policy, then it ought to be the wellyphone. Andy Dingley (talk) 14:18, 26 September 2013 (UTC)
 * The main reason for removal is that this article has a lot of non-free content that really cannot be justified. The bar set by WP:NFC is fairly high. There is an allowance for the infobox cover for visual identification. Usage of a single screenshot is also permitted. Beyond that the criteria for meeting WP:NFCC are fairly stringent. Ive got File:ManicMinerLoadingScreen.gif under review to see if its copyrightable, but if it is non-free its fairly easy to replace with a text description (It uses the game title with each letter in different colors and alternates between the first and second word of the title). There is zero sourced critical commentary about the significance of the added color in File:SAM_Coupé_Manic_Miner.png and otherwise looks identical to the first image. If it can be established that the color additions where more than just a minor upgrade with the changing technology. And that the game is notable for this change (being the first, biggest, or whatever) then the second screen shot might be justifiable. Right now the whole Ports section could use a lot of love and better sourcing as only the lead and Xbox 360 subsection have any sources, let along reliable third party sources that establish critical commentary of these non-free files. Werieth (talk) 14:32, 26 September 2013 (UTC)
 * Interesting - I have a different opinion on what should stay, but in general agree with Andy that mass removal of images is not justified and harms the article, even under NFC. My opinion is that we can do away with the screenshots, which as Werieth says are essentially the same as the original ZX screen.  Actually, I would prefer to keep them all, but am prepared to sacrifice them in order to keep the animated loading screen, and the re-release cover, which I think are of greater benefit to the article.
 * The animation is mentioned in the article itself, as a part of the Spectrums unique method of colour usage, and that it was homaged in modern culture.
 * The re-release is notable for the reasons Andy mentions above, but also because it shows the difference in style between the two cassette covers from the different companies - Bug-bytes is far more serious in tone than the Software Projects cover.
 * Werieth is obviously looking at NFC as a means to exclude the images - as is his prerogative - whereas I am looking at it with a view to include them. My interpretation of NFC, when discussing images regarding a 30 year old game by a software company that ceased trading in the mid-eighties, is that they can be included.  Chaheel Riens (talk) 15:03, 26 September 2013 (UTC)
 * Wikipedia's Mission is to provide free content, not only in regards to access but the licensing of the content. When using non-free content you need to ask why am I required to use this piece of non-free work? is there any way I can still cover the topic in question without having this image? In a lot of cases you will find that multiple pieces are in fact not needed, or can be significantly reduced. yes the articles may not be as appealing but the comprehension of the topic wont be significantly degraded. I am not looking for reasons to exclude, quite the opposite, when using non-free media we need a fairly solid and definable need for an image before we can justify its inclusion. If you justify the files with reliable third party sources that discuss the issues, the images can be justified. Right now the article does not include a rationale for the usage of the non-free media in question. I am not saying that such a rationale isn't possible, just that it doesn't exist in the current article. I am not familiar enough with the topic to determine if there will ever be or not be said justification, just currently the file usage fails WP:NFCC. Werieth (talk) 17:13, 26 September 2013 (UTC)
 * There's an argument (which I support) to delete all of these images, because fair-use just isn't a defensible concept in UK copyright law. Any nonsense about "The Mission" has to be accurate as to which project it's dealing with (WMF isn't Meta, isn't MediaWiki, isn't Wikimedia Commons and isn't Wikipedia (where non-free fair-use is accepted)). Making a "freely reusable resource" about a UK game isn't terribly useful when it contains any fair-use resources, whether they meet the letter of US law or not. I'm not going to loose any sleep over such images when Commons is already bulk-deleting UK-PD content because of fears over COM:URAA.
 * I see the point that fair-use images can't be used for mere decoration but need to be addressing a significant need in the article. However I think we can address such, by adding content. The Spectrum vs SAM images would even be justified in the Attribute clash article, as examples of a game port with different constraints per platform. As to the other images here, then let's get something usefully expanded before the hungry ghosts delete the images. Andy Dingley (talk) 11:04, 27 September 2013 (UTC)

20 Caverns
Please add a section listing the illustrious names of the 20 caverns e.g Eugene's Lair. Also were the names of the caverns linked to Peer Gynt?Zanze123 (talk) 14:19, 16 December 2009 (UTC)


 * A bit too much like trivia listing all the caverns. And no, none of them had any relevance to Peer Gynt.
 * a_man_alone (talk) 19:57, 5 February 2010 (UTC)

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zx81 version
a zx81 version exists, by Ales Martinik. It looks like it was available in 1984! squeezed to 11 levels, using tricks to allow high resolution. It appeared online in 2003 151.68.41.39 (talk) 20:38, 14 May 2022 (UTC)