Locomotive  (Preview)
Platform: Commodore 64
Gametype: Undefined
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198? Duncan Kershaw
Status: Preview, Findability: 5/5

Coding: Duncan Kershaw
Graphics: Duncan Kershaw
Sound: N/A

More from the creative mind of Duncan Kershaw – this time an impressive clone of Super Locomotive.   It was more based on Tony Crother’s Loco game than the arcade original though to Duncan’s own admission.

This was being done roughly in the late 80’s by Duncan, and although coming on in leaps and bounds – Duncan didn’t feel that he had the coding skills to finish the game and felt it was too ambitious.

As a result, it was never completed and was laid to rest.  It isn’t known why Duncan didn’t resurrect the game when working fully with Players – as it would have made a great budget title.  It is possible that due to clones already out there by Tony Crowther, that it was decided not suitable to finish.

For almost 25 years – the game was left on a disk, until Duncan preserved it for GTW to show people for the first time.  The game is meant to be playable, with the ability to shoot bombs and steam – but I wasn’t able to make the train move faster and progress.  The game also looks brilliant with some lovely graphics throughout.

It is a preview and there seems to be no title screen at this stage – unless i’m missing something.

Although there isn’t much to do – it is a great showcase of a modernized Loco clone on the C64 which could have done well on the Players label.  Another one which we can only imagine how it could have been if completed.  Duncan does offer to pass on the source code – which means that maybe someone might be up for completing it.  We shall see!

Contributions: Duncan Kershaw

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Duncan talks about work on Locomotive:

“At the time I didn’t have the coding skills to finish this game, it was a bit too ambitious. You can increase the speed of your train, and shoot steam and puffs of smoke.

You’ll note the background and side scrolling are linked together, a nice feature. Shame I didn’t finish this. I have the source code if anyone wants to complete it ;-)”


http://www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/locomotive/
