Should joystick/paddle only games be download-only

[Arcadian]

As I understand it, jsbeeb doesn't support joysticks - so should games that are joystick-only (e.g. Bandits at 3 'o clock*) or paddle-only (e.g. Tricky's Circus & Ripcord emulations) only feature a Download button?



* = To enable Bandits at 3 to be playable we could potentially add the Electron version to the archive, as that features keyboard control (maybe feature the loader from the BBC version however - which has a multi-channel tune).

[lurkio]

As I understand it, jsbeeb doesn't support joysticks - so should games that are joystick-only (e.g. Bandits at 3 'o clock*) or paddle-only (e.g. Tricky's Circus & Ripcord emulations) only feature a Download button?

Haven't checked Circus or Ripcord, but this version of Bandits is keyboard-controlled:

http://bbcmicro.co.uk/game.php?id=200

Is there another version that's joystick-only?

[tricky]

Matt did say that he could add mouse=joystick fairly easily, which should work well for Circus and OK for RipCord.
If it isn't too much trouble, it might be better to replace the "Play" button with a "Requires paddle or analogue joystick" message?
Once the mouse works as an analogue stick, could the message be replaced with a "Play with Mouse" button?
I'm happy either way, but it would be nice to explain why you can't "Play" if people aren't reading the controls section.

[pau1ie]

Here is a list of games which according to metadata are joystick only.

• Protector
• Jump Jet
• Chieftan
• Lawn Tennis
• Tank Attack
• Tennis/Walltrap
• WallBall (AKA Wall Ball)
• Tombstone (AKA Shoot 'Em Up)
• City Defend
• Dogfight (AKA Bandits At 3 O'Clock) (AKA Dog Fight) Alternative to Bandits At 3 O'Clock (AKA Dogfight) (AKA Dog Fight)
• Powerboat Racing (AKA Power Boat Racing) Alternative to Powerboat Racing (AKA Power Boat Racing)
• Circus
• Rip Cord (AKA Ripcord)

On some but not all I noted in the details page that there are joystick only. I considered that a user might want to see what the game looks like which is why I didn't disable the button. There isn't room on the search screen to make the play button say much more than "Play" or else be absent.

Edit: Fixup URLs

[tricky]

Sorry, I was thinking of the large play buttons on the game's page.

[pau1ie]

That is doable. I will have a look later in the week.

[Arcadian]

What if the 'Play' buttons were to be removed from the Search page, but retained on the individual page for each game (together with an appropriate label or warning that it is not fully playable online).

At least that should prevent someone unknowingly running a non-playable game?!

[pau1ie]

What if the 'Play' buttons were to be removed from the Search page, but retained on the individual page

Currently I have a custom URL of NONE to disable the play button. This is used for games which don't work in jsbeeb, or picture discs for adventure games, where we can't automate a disc change.

So it would seem to make sense to have another special custom URL to indicate a game where the play button should be disabled from the search page and enabled in the game page with a generic message under the compatibility line. The button could be changed to the amber Warning colour. e.g.

This game doesn't work
properly in jsbeeb.

[Download]
[Play Anyway]
[Back to List]

The notes field could optionally have more details.

[pau1ie]

Done. Updating the custom URL field updates the last updated time, so you can see what I have done by sorting by latest updates.

[tricky]

Looks good

[Arcadian]

Thanks for sorting this Paul, all looks good