Star Quest Wallpaper 1440 x 900

Download this cool Star Quest wallpaper. Star Quest is a free, indie, meta-video game. It is about video games, it contains many games inside of it, and of course, it's also a game itself.

With huge amounts of secrets that I'm pretty sure have never been found, Star Quest has at least 20 hours of gameplay for the first time player. Like Myst, if you know the solutions you could speedrun it much, much faster.

You won't be bogged down with leveling up or experience. You explore the world at your own pace, do things how you want to do them. Your quest is simple enough: stop the Scientist and recover your memory.

You'll need the help of Princess, King, and Lobtron if you are going to succeed. 

Also:

-Collect quarters to access the arcade machines. 

-Solve the puzzles to unlock more machines. 

-Hang out in shady arcades.

-Think about why adventure games are fun

-Talk to 100s of NPCs

-Make ethical decisions

-Explore a huge sci-fi/fantasy world that feels familiar and unique at the same time 

-Slowly realize the sinister undertones of the entire planet...

DOWNLOAD STAR QUEST BETA 1.1

Click here for the original post with screenshots!

8-Bit City and Star Quest Update

You might be wondering, "Where the heck are all the updates?" I am sure you were not. I felt like taking a little time off from all the super serious video game criticism and informally address readers and tell a little about everything video game related in my recent life.

I'm now getting a lot of emails asking for me to do graphics for their game, or if they can use my graphics in there game, or if I'd write something for them, or if they can write something for me. Unequivocally I've turned everyone down in the form of not responding.

Nobody acts professionally. Rather, some of these emails borderline unsettling. Keep reading, I'll tell you whats wrong with the messages.

As far as graphics go, anyone is free to use my sprites in their own FREEEEE games. Not sort of free, or any sort of pricing anything. I'm talking down and fucking dirty indie game devs doing it all for free can use anything they want as far as I'm concerned. If you wanna make an iPhone game don't email me with some ambiguous nonsense about a shady "project" or "game." I am not opposed to design or graphics jobs, but have your shit together before emailing.

Second, if you want to write an article for 8-Bit City, just do it and email the article to me. However, I have never published an article by another author on 8-Bit City, but I've also never received one by submission. Of course, I reserve the right to not publish anything you send me. You should also send 3-4 pictures with the article if applicable.

If you are working on/finished an indie game and want me to blog about it, please email me the link! Know about a cool game? Hit me up! These are the kinds of emails I really do enjoy, and you can also post this sort of thing in the comments section of recent posts and I'll read it.

As far as games go, I am in "recharge" mode, playing through Phantasy Star 3, finishing the Phantasy Star 2 article, playing NESTalgia & Final Fantasy 6, and about to Start Dragon Quest VIII... so just remember that one has to play games in order to write about games.

NEStalgia, the 8-Bit MMORPG, is set to receive a new patch which will allow the player to recruit almost any monster (humonoid's included) as a party member with it's own set of skills, promising much expanded gameplay and party options. If you haven't played NEStalgia, now's the perfect time to start!

Finally, I've been thinking of my own development projects, and what I'd like to do next. I realized that Star Quest was still technically in Beta 2.0 and I've considered updating the battle system and gameplay. Generally speaking, I'd like to turn it into a classic console-style RPG. This would mean that I would need to increase the overworld, make some other changes, but overall I don't think that it would be too daunting of a task.

However, there are other options for the future of Star Quest. I've also considered porting the game to Byond using the same graphics, style, and story but adding online multiplayer functionality. I truly feel like this is the best option for Star Quest because the simple graphical style would allow for easy expansions. The OHRRPGCE Beta 2.0 feels like a sketch. I picture player-controlled robots and rogues hanging out in shady arcades and mugging other players for their quarters.

I'm also reworking the way in which the arcade machine's work, but I'm throwing around a lot of options.

It's also possible that I just move on to Star Quest 2 using OHRRPGCE...one never knows.

Pixel Art: Star Quest 2 Mock-Up

This is somewhat interesting: an old promo I made for Star Quest 2, a game which is still in the early stages of brainstorming development. The idea was to follow Princess as the story continues...

I really like the style I used for this sprite, and I think it would suit Star Quest 2 well.

Play Star Quest! (and a huge Star Quest secret)

Star Quest is an epic adventure that's as much fun to play as it was to create. You control the Spaceman on a mysterious planet and it's your quest to assemble your party and beat the 4 dungeons. Once you've done this, you gain access to the spaceship's computer (have you found the secret room in the spaceship? Look hard in the arboretum on board...your ship contains much more than you realize). Only after you've defeated the Scientist will the information in the Starship computer's databases be accessible. Somehow, all this is tied to the arcade machines and the robots which populate this strange planet. You'll have to talk to everyone, make ethical decisions, and outsmart your foes in this game. It's free to play so let the Star Quest begin.

The Official Star Quest Page

Also, there is a guide if you get stuck.

If you email me an ending screenshot, I'll send you more information on the game and a secret computer entry revealing even more of the plot.

Play STAR QUEST

Star Quest is the ultimate 8-Bit adventure. It is a game of exploration, conversation, and arcade machines. The diction is, at times, strange and miltonic, but the NPCs tell a mythic story about a small planet.

This planet resembled an earth town. It resembles a town as Earth represents them in video games.

It is a real place, and because of this, it has arcade machines. The games, sometimes, don't seem very different from the "real world," which is itself, a game.

You'll have to defeat the bosses, rescue heroes to help you on your quest, explore other world, travel through space, search for quarters, philosophize, laugh, cry, and be amazed.

You can go to the official post and download Star Quest.

Over one-hundred maps and hundreds of NPCs.

Dozen of plot threads informed by 1980s video games and the international literary canon.

The strangest fucking game you've ever played.

Seriously what the fuck are you waiting for download Star Quest and play it now!

STAR TRACKS: The Star Quest Soundtrack

Several readers asked about the soudntrack and even more commented on the amazing music. Well, here it is! Star Tracks: The Star Quest Soundtrack. 30 tracks were used in the game, but the download includes 5 bonus tracks that did not make the final cut.

These represent years of searching the internet for the very best midis, as well as blatantly ripping off the most intoxicating pop hits of the 20th Century. Star Quest deals with complicated ideas of paramount importance; the unnecessarily epic music, therefore, is fitting.

I didn't create any of these songs, but a lot of other people did. I wish I knew who made these midis. I can't even identify some of the songs (ao.mid for example), I've just had the files for 10 years. Some of them I downloaded off of webpages in the late 90s, when people often played them on websites (early html was highly functional with embedding and playing midis!).

No infringement is intended, and this download is intended for scholarly use only. The entire enterprise is not-for-profit, including this website, so don't sue me.

DOWNLOAD STAR TRACKS: THE STAR QUEST SOUNDTRACK (under 4 Megs)

STAR QUEST WALKTHROUGH AND TREE DUNGEON SOLUTION

Click the image to see the map of the first dungeon and an incomplete world map (from an early build of Star Quest, crazy!).

The is the Star Quest Walkthrough!

Many people have emailed with Star Quest's first dungeon. How do I beat the first dungeon? How do I solve the first dungeon in Star Quest? How can people google search for this post? Quite easily, although redundancy threatens to destroy any positive message herein conveyed.

1. Mini Walkthrough

Check the above image. Princess is being held in room with the blue dot. You need to walk around the area marked with white dots to chase away the spiders. Quarters are strewn about. Taking a KillPill after rescuing the Princess is the smart thing to do, or you can chase the spiders away by walking around the room at the bottom.

After you save Princess, go into the other door in the tree and defeat Ax Man.

Now you can explore the entire world.

In order to access Skull Castle you need to:
-Rescue the King from the Gold Castle
-Defeat the Carpenter Bee
-Rescue Lobtron from the Lava Castle
-Defeat the Computer Monster

The entrance to the Carpenter Bee Boss fight is blocked by a red soldier on the island until you rescue the King. Use the friendly robots to block the evil Fish Man from killing you. Make sure to save before entering.

Rinse, repeat with Lobtron and the Computer Monster.

Enter Skull Castle and defeat the Scientist.

Find the Library, where the end of the story is revealed in full.


2. ABOUT THE ARCADES

You need a quarter to play a game! You can find some around the world, and even in a few arcade machines!

You will gain access to more arcade machines after you clear the Tree Dungeon. Every game has a unique item that you can earn by finding a secret room, completing a quest for an NPC, beating a skill-based game, solving a mystery, and other adventures. These items will help you during the Final Battle, and other actions throughout the game will also have an effect.

The arcades also function as gateways... clearly something strange is going on with these things. What is the arcade back alley? How does space function in such a weird way? Are the games real places?

Certain items may unlock doors in the Arcade Back Alley. Completely arcade games and progressing through the dungeons will unlock more arcades in the back alley. Not every machine unlocks an arcade.

Every time you beat a game, however,

Look for secret exits in Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man.

There are many, many arcades and many different machines. Some machines are very rare (like the legendary fantasy hit "Solar Adventure").


3. The Secret That Will Blow Your Mind

There is a secret door in the Spaceship Grotto... your ship contains many ancient secrets and phenomena.

Star Quest Promo Art: Graves

A single robot watches over three graves. To understand the context, you have to beat the game. I'll give you a hint, however, this event takes place BEFORE the game even starts.

Star Quest Promo Art: Solar Adventure Princess

Solar Adventure is a legendary arcade machine. It's pretty rare, so you'll have to search around for one. If I were the arcade owner, I'd keep a machine like this in the back room where people couldn't play it...

Star Quest Promo Art: Ax Man

The first boss! He has 7 axes that fly around randomly. Hit space to kill him!

Star Quest Promo Art: The Computer Monster

The Computer Monster used violence and cunning to slaughter the people of Lava Mountain. Although the Computer Monster assumed control of a Castle, rumors persist that Lobtron, a revolutionary freedom fighter, has been imprisoned deep inside the labyrinth.

You'll need to navigate the Mountain Maze and find Lobtron to even have a chance at defeating this boss!

Star Quest Promo Art: The Carpenter Bee

The second (and my favorite) boss. This sly motherfucker managed to steal the King's castle and paint it gold. He commands an army of evil bees, but factions exist in the insect world. You will notice that not all of the bees on the Planet support the Scientist's minions.

Get the entire Carpenter Bee story, and more, by downloading Star Quest now!

I'll post another piece of Star Quest art this afternoon... who should it be? If anyone requests a character I'll post that one, otherwise it'll be random. (It can be any character in the game!)

STAR QUEST

After two years of development, Star Quest is finally finished! You play an unnamed Spaceman who suffered memory loss during a 5,000,000 space journey to a strange planet. Explore the world, meet unforgettable characters, bask in the 4-Bit, sweet-as-hell graphics, and tap your foot to the rad midi music.

The story so far...

An astronaut travels space for millions of years,
Forgetting the past for the sake of his journey.

The Starship Computer lands on a strange planet,
The Computer says the Star is here,

The Star Quest has begun!

You'll explore dungeons, Castles, and dozens of stunning, original areas. There are over 70 maps to explore and 10 arcade games to master. Once you've beat the game, play through again with all of your unlocked characters and items. You can always start another New Game + at any time after beating the game for the first time!

-Amazing Retro Graphics
-Inspiring philosophical storyline
-New Game + Mode
-10 Original Arcade Machines
-16 Unlockable secret characters
-Tons of hidden areas and secrets
-FREE DOWNLOAD!

Star Quest is like the RPGs you've played before, but in many ways it's unlike most other games.

DOWNLOAD STAR QUEST BETA 1.1

The download includes:

Starquest.exe (The Game)
Starquest.rpg (The Game Data)
ReadMe.txt (More important info)
An Official Star Quest Poster
License and other .dll files needed to run the game.

OLD TRAILER:


CONTROLS:

Arrow Keys - Walk around
Space - Talk/Interact/Attack (you must let go of the arrow keys!)
ESC - In-Game Menu

Check out these screenshots:

Star Quest News

What did I do today? I didn't work on Star Quest and write hundreds of lines of dialogue, created dozens of characters and maps, nor iron out several major bugs? Oh wait, I totally wrote hundreds of lines of dialogue, created dozens of characters and maps, and ironed out tons of bugs.

Star Quest should be moving into closed beta soon! Enjoy the sprites!

Status Update

I don't usually do these, most posts on 8bc are on topic. But who cares? This post functions as an explanation for the recent lack of posts.

So the website hasn't been updated in a long time, does that mean 8bc is dead? Of course not! Running this site has been nothing but a blast, and I love exposing lesser-known games to more of the internet. The problem? almost everything has been written on, therefore, to realistically run this blog I have to explore lots and lots of obscure video games, and it can take an enormous amount of time before I play one enough to thoughtfully write about its intricacies.

Also, I've reviewed most of the games I have been playing lately. New games are released, but I feel less and less interested in the major console releases. I actually saw a commercial last night for a game bragging about how "movie-like" the game was. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of art. Modernist painters like Picasso were concerned, among other things, with treating paint like paint. Poets, like Wallace Stevens, used words as words, wrote poems about poems. Therefore, make video games like video games, and not like a Hollywood blockbuster. So what is the essence of video games? Well, partly, that's what we explore on this blog, and it's a question worth asking and discussing.

Part of that answer I've said on many occasions: almost nothing worthwhile comes from the mainstream game industry. Even if the games are fun they aren't new. They aren't original, they don't make the player question the nature of video games, and they certainly don't encourage the player to make their own game (who could possibly program a major-release on their own?).

A little-known game named ZZT, however, consumed a good chunk of my weekend. I'm pushed for time so just go here and download it, read about it, love it.

Eschewing all transitions, I update you on Star Quest: most of the world is complete, and about 70% of the art is finished. All that remains is the script, a major project that I have been postponing for months. Star Quest is not canceled, production continues, and I'm pretty pleased with what I have accomplished so far.

Star Quest Trailer

Official trailer! This is from the current build of Star Quest, which is made using the same engine as Skeletronic. Watch the trailer!



It's also available on youtube here.

I'm going on a Beach Quest next week, so I'll be afk.