NODE RUNNER by Winged Yak Productions 
Previewed by Victor Putz, Designer

Ever notice how new shareware press releases have a 'Monster Truck Rally--
Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY!' feel?  "MondoPlay Software presents a game that
will BLOW you off your FEET!  Sesame Street Mega Truck Follies on Ice uses
SUPERIOR graphics technology AS USED IN AMERICA'S SPACE PROGRAM to provide
QUAD-POWERED 4-d gouraud-shaded TURBO-Surround FURY that'll keep you on the
EDGE of your SEAT!  TRUCK-DRIVIN', HIGH-STICKIN' MUPPET-MASHIN' ACTION!!"

Node Runner is not such a game.

Since the old days of the Apple II, Lode Runner by Broderbund software has
remained a classic game of logic and thinking only recently revived in much
of its original form by Dynamix.  As a complement to the fairly rigid
revitalization of the game, Winged Yak Productions is proud to present a
much looser interpretation of the original.

The goal is simply stated: guide the Node Runner through a maze of various
tiles to gather all the jewels scattered about the level, opening the gate
to the next.  Stopping you are various killers who, though slower, always
know your location and always take the shortest path to your present
position.  Armed only with your wits and the ability to dig away sections
of the screen, gathering the jewels and reaching the exit can be a
difficult, often near-impossible task.

Yet rather than limit this to the fixed-size static playfields of the
original Lode Runner and its successor, Node Runner uses large sprites and
a smoothly scrolling playfield of variable size to add a fresh new
perspective to the game; ranging from long, flat levels to tall chimneys to
huge playfields over four times the size of the original Lode Runner, Node
Runner's levels can drive you to the brink of frustration and back. The
animation is quite fluid, with several frames of motion for each direction
of travel.  The result is a fast-moving action-packed game requiring fast
reflexes, rapid transfers of attention from the local area to the all-
important full-playfield radar and back, and a claustrohpobic, panicky
feel.

Further additions include:

  * Killer lures!  When activated, these spinning beacons redirect the
    killers' attention giving the player just enough time to give them
    the slip -- or trap them.

  * Doors!  Three different types of doors operated by any number of
    switches create logical puzzles of fiendish difficulty.  Even without
    killers, some levels are darn tough-- and darn rewarding.

  * Armor!  Find a suit and actually take the offensive for a few
    sweet seconds of killer-bashing.

  * Speedups!  Already fast, Node Runner doubles his movement rate for
    a short time, vastly outspeeding the killers and covering serious
    acreage in record time.

  * Kill Squares!  Destroying any living thing that enters them, kill
    squares can end your life with little notice-- or save your bacon
    as you throw the right switch, dropping the killers to a sudden
    death.

  * Repellent!  Located in small vials, its vile stench reverses the
    killers' movement, allowing you to chase them for a change.

  * Transporters!  Zapping the player from portal to portal, transporters
    can be used in combination with doors and switches to truly evil
    ends.

  * Healing stations!  Gone are the days of "one hit, one kill"-- take
    damage and you'll survive, especially if you can get to a red
    cross and regain some lost health.

  * Digital Sound and Music!  Sampled sounds and digital music pieces
    graciously donated by various Internet artists provide a good
    backdrop for many sound cards ( pas-16 and GUS supported through Otto
    Chrons' DSMI interface ).

  * The Editor!  Registered users will recieve the Node Runner level
    editor/packager, enabling them to create their own fiendish levels
    and terrorize their friends!

But don't take my word for it.  Here's what the playtesters had to say:

   Node Runner remains true to the original--expanding on it logically
   without destroying the old Lode Runner's distinctive charm and style
   of play.  This is the long-awaited return of a much-loved game...
   [ it ] captures virtually all of the delightful subtleties of
   the original--but in a fresh new context...[ Winged Yak has ] done the
   LR fans of the world a great service, and it was a pleasure and an
   honor being one of the level developers.

  --Gordon Hogenson, playtester and level designer.

   Ooo!  Yow-- Hey!  Hang on a sec... um... yeah... ARGH!  I HATE THIS!
   Hang on though... one more try...

  --Robert Fulkerson, playtester.

   They're really two very different games; [ Node Runner ] has a much
   more claustrophobic and action-game feel, and I think it will not
   only appeal to Lode Runner fans but also bring in platform-game
   aficionados.

  --Hank Leukart, playtester and level designer.

   Hang on, Vic; you can have the computer right after this.. I'm pretty
   sure I can get this level with one more try...

  --Jo Carter, wife of NR's programmer, three minutes into her frst game.

Node Runner, from Winged Yak Productions, will be available in a few short
weeks as an independent release ( the sound routines are being problematic,
so a firm release date will not be set... )

( ...yet ).

This preview is Copyright (C) 1994 by Victor Putz for Game Bytes Magazine.
All rights reserved.
