Knight Lore
Encyclopedia
Knight Lore is a computer game developed and released by Ultimate Play The Game
in 1984. The game is the third in the Sabreman
series, following on from his adventures in Sabre Wulf
and Underwurlde
. Unlike the earlier games in the series it used Ultimate's filmation engine
to achieve a 3D look using isometric projection
. In the game Sabreman has to find the ingredients for a magic
potion. The game was written by Tim and Chris Stamper
.
Knight Lore was regarded as a revolutionary title and was the first of the "isometric adventure" genre, by displaying a detailed 3D world using isometric perspective. It was extensively copied by other publishers, and was described as being the second most cloned piece of software after WordStar
.
(spelt as "werewulf" in the game) travels to Knight Lore castle in the hope that the dying wizard, Melkhior can free him. He has only 40 days and nights to find a potion that will break the curse or he will remain a "werewulf" forever.
Again taking the role of Sabreman, the player must find the wizard Melkhior, then scour Knight Lore castle to retrieve the objects successively requested by his cauldron
. Once collected, the objects must be returned to Melkhior, and dropped into the waiting cauldron. Successfully following all of the cauldron's requests within a forty day period frees Sabreman from the curse of lycanthropy
cast upon him by the Wulf encountered in Sabre Wulf.
The curse itself plays an important role in gameplay. While beginning the game as Sabreman, the player is periodically transformed into a werewulf
as day turns into night (see the sun
/ moon
dial in the bottom right of the screenshots below). At the point of transformation (either to, or from, the werewulf), Sabreman experiences a short, but humorously animated, seizure
, and is vulnerable to enemies or hazards. Certain enemies (including Melkhior's cauldron itself) will attack Sabreman when a werewulf, making the timing of certain actions crucial.
In what was revolution
ary for its time, the castle is presented as a series of isometric, flip-screen
rooms. Negotiating many of these rooms requires good platform
skills, especially since some platforms disappear or move when stepped on. In some rooms, objects such as tables or treasure chests (or even the objects collected for the cauldron), need to be used to reach carefully positioned goals (see screenshots below).
Aside from platform-hopping, Sabreman must avoid a series of enemies and hazards. Static beds of spikes and falling spiked metal balls are among the simplest hazards. Malevolent portcullis
gates guard many thoroughfares, and are often accompanied by slow-moving, but lethal, guards. Faster moving enemies, such as ghosts and Melkhior's cauldron spirit, provide more dangerous company.
Tim Stamper suggested in a 1988 interview that Knight Lore was actually completed before its less technically-accomplished prequel Sabre Wulf. However, they delayed its release because "the market wasn't ready for it":
However, this chronology has been disputed by an independent analysis of the source code
routine used by Ultimate's games for reading keypresses. While this routine has been found to be optimised in all of Ultimate's games from Knight Lore onwards, the optimisation is not present in Sabre Wulf. Given Tim Stamper's chronology for Sabre Wulf, one would expect otherwise if it had truly been completed after Knight Lore.
described it as a "stunningly original concept" and praised its addictive gameplay, calling it "without doubt one of the best three games available on the Amstrad". CRASH
was equally enthusiastic, calling it "incredible, and a joy to play ... simply a great game" and describing the animation as "terrific from the smallest detail right through to Sabreman himself".
Your Sinclair magazine called it "one of the most important (and best) games ever written for the Speccy".
The game's reputation survives intact to this day and it still receives acclaim as one of the most important and advanced titles of its era. GamesTM
have hailed it as "seminal" and "revolutionary", while Gamesmaster
magazine's Adam Norton claims that "this slightly cryptic puzzle/platform adventure defined isometricism in the same way Super Mario 64
defined 3D". X360 magazine have said Knight Lore is "one of the most successful and influential games of all time", while Edge
has described it as representing "the greatest single advance in the history of computer games".
Ultimate Play the Game
Ultimate Play The Game was a critically acclaimed video game developer of the early home computer era. "Ultimate Play The Game" was the trading name of Ashby Computers & Graphics Ltd. , a software company founded in 1982 by two ex-arcade game developers Tim and Chris Stamper...
in 1984. The game is the third in the Sabreman
Sabre Man
The Sabreman series of games was released by Ultimate Play the Game for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum in the 1980s. Some of the installments were also released on other popular home microcomputers, namely the Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Commodore 64 and MSX...
series, following on from his adventures in Sabre Wulf
Sabre Wulf
Sabre Wulf is a ZX Spectrum video game developed and released by Ultimate Play The Game in 1984. The game is the first in the Sabreman series. It was written originally by Tim Stamper and Chris Stamper, and later ported to many other computer platforms...
and Underwurlde
Underwurlde
Underwurlde is a video game for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64 developed and released by Ultimate Play The Game in 1984. The game is the second in the Sabreman series, following on from his adventures in Sabre Wulf. The format of the game is a 2D side view flip-screen platform game...
. Unlike the earlier games in the series it used Ultimate's filmation engine
Filmation engine
Filmation is the trademark name of the isometric graphics engine employed in a series of games developed by Ultimate Play The Game during the 1980s, primarily on the 8-bit ZX Spectrum platform, but various titles also appeared on the BBC Micro, Amstrad CPC, MSX and Commodore 64 platforms.The...
to achieve a 3D look using isometric projection
Isometric projection
Isometric projection is a method for visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions in technical and engineering drawings...
. In the game Sabreman has to find the ingredients for a magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
potion. The game was written by Tim and Chris Stamper
Tim and Chris Stamper
Tim and Chris Stamper are the co-founders of Ashby Computers & Graphics and later Rare...
.
Knight Lore was regarded as a revolutionary title and was the first of the "isometric adventure" genre, by displaying a detailed 3D world using isometric perspective. It was extensively copied by other publishers, and was described as being the second most cloned piece of software after WordStar
WordStar
WordStar is a word processor application, published by MicroPro International, originally written for the CP/M operating system but later ported to DOS, that enjoyed a dominant market share during the early to mid-1980s. Although Seymour I...
.
Plot
A man cursed to be a werewolfWerewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
(spelt as "werewulf" in the game) travels to Knight Lore castle in the hope that the dying wizard, Melkhior can free him. He has only 40 days and nights to find a potion that will break the curse or he will remain a "werewulf" forever.
Gameplay
Cauldron
A cauldron or caldron is a large metal pot for cooking and/or boiling over an open fire, with a large mouth and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger.- Etymology :...
. Once collected, the objects must be returned to Melkhior, and dropped into the waiting cauldron. Successfully following all of the cauldron's requests within a forty day period frees Sabreman from the curse of lycanthropy
Lycanthropy
Lycanthropy is the professed ability or power of a human being to undergo transformation into a werewolf, or to gain wolf-like characteristics. The term comes from Greek Lykànthropos : λύκος, lykos + άνθρωπος, ànthrōpos...
cast upon him by the Wulf encountered in Sabre Wulf.
The curse itself plays an important role in gameplay. While beginning the game as Sabreman, the player is periodically transformed into a werewulf
Werewolf
A werewolf, also known as a lycanthrope , is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely or after being placed under a curse...
as day turns into night (see the sun
Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
/ moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
dial in the bottom right of the screenshots below). At the point of transformation (either to, or from, the werewulf), Sabreman experiences a short, but humorously animated, seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
, and is vulnerable to enemies or hazards. Certain enemies (including Melkhior's cauldron itself) will attack Sabreman when a werewulf, making the timing of certain actions crucial.
In what was revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
ary for its time, the castle is presented as a series of isometric, flip-screen
Flip-screen
In video games, flip-screen is a principle whereby the playing environment is divided into single-screen portions...
rooms. Negotiating many of these rooms requires good platform
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
skills, especially since some platforms disappear or move when stepped on. In some rooms, objects such as tables or treasure chests (or even the objects collected for the cauldron), need to be used to reach carefully positioned goals (see screenshots below).
Aside from platform-hopping, Sabreman must avoid a series of enemies and hazards. Static beds of spikes and falling spiked metal balls are among the simplest hazards. Malevolent portcullis
Portcullis
A portcullis is a latticed grille made of wood, metal, fibreglass or a combination of the three. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege...
gates guard many thoroughfares, and are often accompanied by slow-moving, but lethal, guards. Faster moving enemies, such as ghosts and Melkhior's cauldron spirit, provide more dangerous company.
Production history
However, this chronology has been disputed by an independent analysis of the source code
Source code
In computer science, source code is text written using the format and syntax of the programming language that it is being written in. Such a language is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers, who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing source...
routine used by Ultimate's games for reading keypresses. While this routine has been found to be optimised in all of Ultimate's games from Knight Lore onwards, the optimisation is not present in Sabre Wulf. Given Tim Stamper's chronology for Sabre Wulf, one would expect otherwise if it had truly been completed after Knight Lore.
Critical reception
Knight Lore received an overwhelmingly positive reception from the gaming press at the time of its release. Amstrad ActionAmstrad Action
Amstrad Action was a monthly magazine, published in the United Kingdom, which catered to owners of home computers from the Amstrad CPC range and later the GX4000 console....
described it as a "stunningly original concept" and praised its addictive gameplay, calling it "without doubt one of the best three games available on the Amstrad". CRASH
CRASH (magazine)
Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published from 1984 to 1991 by Newsfield Publications Ltd until their liquidation, and then until 1992 by Europress.-Development:...
was equally enthusiastic, calling it "incredible, and a joy to play ... simply a great game" and describing the animation as "terrific from the smallest detail right through to Sabreman himself".
Your Sinclair magazine called it "one of the most important (and best) games ever written for the Speccy".
The game's reputation survives intact to this day and it still receives acclaim as one of the most important and advanced titles of its era. GamesTM
GamesTM
GamesTM is a UK-based, multi-format video games magazine, covering many video game platforms including PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 2, PC games, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS and Arcade machines...
have hailed it as "seminal" and "revolutionary", while Gamesmaster
GamesMaster (magazine)
GamesMaster is a monthly multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom.GamesMaster is the biggest selling multi-format video games magazine in the United Kingdom, outselling its sister publication Edge.-History:The magazine was launched in...
magazine's Adam Norton claims that "this slightly cryptic puzzle/platform adventure defined isometricism in the same way Super Mario 64
Super Mario 64
is a platform game, published by Nintendo and developed by its EAD division, for the Nintendo 64. Along with Pilotwings 64, it was one of the launch titles for the console. It was released in Japan on June 23, 1996, and later in North America, Europe, and Australia. Super Mario 64 has sold over...
defined 3D". X360 magazine have said Knight Lore is "one of the most successful and influential games of all time", while Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
has described it as representing "the greatest single advance in the history of computer games".
Conversions
- Martin K. converted the game from ZX SpectrumZX SpectrumThe ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
to Sharp MZ-800Sharp MZThe Sharp MZ is a series of personal computers sold in Japan and Europe by Sharp beginning in 1978.-Overview:...
in 1989. It was a monochromeMonochromeMonochrome describes paintings, drawings, design, or photographs in one color or shades of one color. A monochromatic object or image has colors in shades of limited colors or hues. Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale or black-and-white...
version. - In 2008 Krzysztof Dudek aka XXL made a version for Atari XL/XEAtari 8-bit familyThe Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers manufactured from 1979 to 1992. All are based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU and were the first home computers designed with custom coprocessor chips...
. It is a conversion from the BBC MicroBBC MicroThe BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
, the title screen was taken from the ZX SpectrumZX SpectrumThe ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
version (as Hi-Res graphics) and was colored with the G2F program. Music was also added to this conversion. - Although Ultimate Play the Game were primarily associated with European software publication, Knight Lore did reach Japanese players in the form of a conversion on the Famicom Disk SystemFamicom Disk SystemThe was released on February 21, 1986 by Nintendo as a peripheral for the Family Computer console in Japan. It was a unit that used proprietary floppy disks for data storage. It was announced, but never released, for the North American Nintendo Entertainment System...
(see cover art to the right). Though details of the port's developer are uncertain, its publisher was JalecoJalecois a Japanese video game publisher and developer established in 2006.The original Jaleco Ltd was founded in 1974. In 2006, it decided to become a pure holding company by renaming itself Jaleco Holding and splitting its video game operations into a newly created subsdiary that took its former name...
, and it was released on December 19, 1986. - Manuel Pazos and Daniel Celemín made an MSX2 version in 2009, fixing bugs of the original and adding new features like a map, torch animation or different palettes for day and night. Knight Lore MSX2 video
- A colourful remake for Windows PC by Jordi Martín Caballero (program) and Davit Masiá Coscollar (graphics) is available for free at Classic Retro Games
- An atmospheric remake for Windows by RetrospecRetrospecRetrospec is an internet based collective of coders, graphics artists and computer musicians. They specialise in taking popular games from the eighties and rewriting them using the extra power that is available in more modern computers, whilst attempting to stay true to the feel and gameplay of the...
is available here
External links
- Knight Lore at Ultimate Wurlde
- A walkthrough video of Knight Lore on the ZX Spectrum
- Adds-on for Atari xl/xe version (maps, *.sap music and instruction)
- Knight Lore download at Atarimania.com
- Knight Lore page with map and objects