VVVVVV again

So you wanted to talk about…

Scott: Yeah.

VVVVVV again.

Scott: Yeah. Yes. Em…

You finally bought the actual game.

Scott: Yes, finally – now I don’t have to ask you to play it on the computer.

How is it?

Scott: Awesome!

It’s old school, isn’t it?

Scott: Low-fi, in other words. £7.20 download. If you’ve got a more modern 3DS, you probably won’t find it. But here’s how to do it if you want to get it. Check “sort slash filter” and then do creator and then go to price and do zero to eight and then you’ll find it next to some other cheap things. Well, expensive really…

And what do you need to do?

Scott: Em… Pixelated human in zero-gravity flip shock – that’s one way to describe the whole thing. My favourite room is what I just told you. If there’s bridges that make you go a different way like you’re bouncing along it, like it zig zags. Soul finding – that’s a course, sometimes you’ll just go totally still.

How much of the game have you completed?

Scott: Doesn’t save.

Not at all?

Scott: Yes.

So you have to complete it all in one go?

Scott: Yeah, but it still won’t save. It’ll say “game saved”, but it doesn’t.

It copies old ZX Spectrum games.

Scott: How?

The way it looks, it’s like Manic Miner or Jet Set Willy.

Scott: What’s Jet Set Willy like?

The follow-up to Manic Miner, it’s a platform game.

Scott: What’s it like?

It’s a man searching for things in a house.

Scott: What are you supposed to find?

I can’t remember, money I think.

Scott: Is it like Luigi’s Mansion?

Sort of, but with worse graphics.

Scott: Honestly…

VVVVVV

VVVVVV?

Scott: Yes – that’s exactly what I was thinking…

What is VVVVVV?

Scott: I know you’re going to put the demo into the blog, aren’t you?

I’ll try, but I don’t know if I can…

Scott: Hmm.

So what is it?

Scott: Well, it’s… I really wish… It’s a 3DS download and a PC download and I really want the 3DS download. Can you put some money in. It’s only £7.30 – same as putting £10 on.

Tell people what you have to do.

Scott: It’s quite easy, really. All you have to do is walk and change the gravity.

It’s like an old Spectrum game.

Scott: Yes – but a bit harder.

It’s really great fun to play, isn’t it?

Scott: Yeah.

But we’ve just played the demo.

Scott: Yeah, but it’s a bit rubbish – you can’t teleport in it.

So who do you control?

Scott: Captain Viridian. It’s six Vs remember… Captain Viridian is the first, crashes his spaceship and has lost his five team-mates whose names also happen to begin with V, and that’s how it’s six Vs. Can we download it for the 3DS?

I think we’ll do it soon.

Scott: Now! Today…

But it’s bedtime…

Scott: Can’t you just put the money on for it? Because I don’t have enough money for it.

You’ll need to save up.

Scott: Really?

Yes – and you still owe me some money for the Trash Packs garbage truck you got yesterday.

Scott: Yeah, I know. I know. I know. I know…

So get saving, Buster!

Scott: (laughs) That’s all I really have to say. If I get in the good book, I can ask you to put some money on to buy VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV… Are you writing all the Vs down?

• Unfortunately, I couldn’t embed the demo – but you can play it here.

 

Computers

What is a computer?

Scott: A computer… You’d have to be very stupid not to know what a computer is, so what’s the point of saying?

But can you describe what a computer is?

Scott: Oh, it’s a… It’s a…. It’s a… ICT is Information Communication Technology.

But what’s a computer?

Scott: An electricity object.

What does it do?

Scott: It gives you lots of cool websites, if you know what I mean.

So, computers are getting better and better and…

Scott: Every single second. They’re getting better right this moment.

What do you think computers will be like when you’re my age?

Scott: So big and so powerful and so expensive that only the five richest – I mean the top 10 richest – people could afford them.

Computers will get more powerful, but they usually get smaller and cheaper.

Scott: But soon they’ll get bigger and expensiver – what the cheapest you’ve ever seen a computer at?

I think you can get a decent one for £200 now.

Scott: So, if you sold your car you could get a couple of hundred computers?

Maybe two…

Scott: I thought you said less than £200, so let’s say you could buy… If your car cost… If you sold your car for £400, you could buy two. If you sold it for a million, you could buy… Five?

What were computers like when I was young?

Scott: Not very good… Graphics.

But the games were great to play.

Scott: If they can’t get good colour or sound, they have to try and at least make the gaming bit good.

I wish you could play the games I did.

Scott: I wish I could as well!