Wycheweald
A downloadable ZX Spectrum game
Wycheweald is a first-person role-playing adventure game for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum featuring exploration, minor puzzles and turn-based combat.
It’s designed to run on 48K and 128K machines.
The 48K version does not have the music or NPC portraits and the dialogue is heavily cut down.
Features
- Scrolling, textured 3D world and sprites
- Animated combat
- Auto-map and mini-map
Quick Controls
The game is completely controlled via keyboard and the keys cannot be redefined.
| Forward | W | 7 | Up | Move forward. |
| Turn back | S | 6 | Down | Turn 180 degrees. |
| Turn left | A | 5 | Left | Turn 90 degrees left. |
| Turn right | D | 8 | Right | Turn 90 degrees right. |
| Interact | E | 0 | Space | Talk/use/examine. |
| Inventory | I | View and use/equip items. | ||
| Options | O | Game settings, load/save. | ||
| Map | M | Map, objective (128K). | ||
| Lamp on/off | L | Provides light. | ||
| Reposition | P | Move character positions. | ||
| Toggle music | V | Music on/off (128K). |
Pressing 1 to 4 will open the Character Sheet for the corresponding position. Here you view character statistics and spend Skill Points (SP) to unlock new abilities.
Combat and other menus are operated by following the prompts in the message window.
Over-clocking
If you are using a ZX Spectrum Next or similar that can run software over-clocked you can adjust the rendering speed and BEEPer sound effect timing.
In the main/options menu:
- Select Sound Speed Setting and set to match the CPU over-clock multiple (3.5Mhz = x1, 7Mhz = x2, 14Mhz = x4, 28Mhz = x8).
- Select Movement Speed Setting and set to a finer/slower setting.
- Select Text Speed Settings and set to a slower setting.
Tape file images
The .zip file contains two .tap files.
A fast loading tape (wycheweald.tap) and a slow loading tape (wycheweald_slow_load.tap).
Both tape files load the 48K and 128K versions (extra memory is taken advantage of when it's available).
The slow-load tape image was included as (in my experience) fast loaders are more prone to tape loading errors.
Download
Click download now to get access to the following files:
Comments
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Next Saturday we will be broadcsting the Planeta Sinclair GOTY. Your game competes in several categories.
Thanks! I'll try to watch if I can :)
I need you email adress, so I can send you the certificates + GOTY badges. You can send me via PM on Spectrum Computing ;)
Thank you for a wonderful game! Are there any plans to release a sequel?
Thanks!
I have planned out a potential sequel, but I haven't started any real development. I'm not sure when (or if) I'll get around to it.
Hi,I've started playing this wonderful game and have saved a couple of save game files to tape from within the program.
I'm running this on a real 128K+2 Spectrum.
However, when I go to load the save games using option 5, it asks me if I am sure. I hit Y, it tells me to Ready The tape And Press Play, but immediately tells me to Stop The Tape without waiting for anything to load.
I have tried numerous times to get a save game to load but each time it does the same. Please can you advise on how I can get my Saved games into the program?
Many thanks. :)
Hi,
That is unexpected behaviour. The ROM routine to load to a memory address should wait for tape input.
The only real hardware I had to test on was a 48k speccy, which was able to load and save fine. The code and save file data are the same in 128k mode and it worked via the Fuse emulator's tape emulation on all the 128k ROM versions. I think I recall other real hardware 128k user's being able to load from tape, so I'm fairly confident it should be working.
Could you try loading the game in 48k mode and see if you can load the save file data? Are you able to save and load other data with your tape drive (like a simple BASIC program)?
Sorry for the difficulties.
Thank you for the reply. I am able to save and load to and from tape when doing so for BASIC programs and other games on tape.
I'll give the 48k mode a try and see what happens. I'll let you know, but it might be a while before I get to it again. :)
Thanks.
Completed...
Fantastic job, what a great game!!!
Thank you :)
Probably one bug founded. Even if I have 185 pennies, I can't buy anything from the witch.
https://maps.speccy.cz/temp/wycheweald.z80
Oh no!
I wonder how I missed that in play testing. I probably never saved up so many pennies. I'll have to patch that sometime.
Thanks for the bug report, and for playing!
Thanks, great game!
Fixed and updated!
If you haven't already finished and your emulator allows it, you can POKE 45651,210 for a quick fix.
Existing tape save-games will load on the updated version.
Perfect!
A very good game, congratulations! I'm enjoying it a lot. It's simple enough to play without breaking your head, but complex enough to be interesting and have to develop a strategy to win.
Thank you for making the game, and giving it away for free!(though I hope those of us who can afford to, donate at least a couple of euro). I look forward to giving it a go on my Next (mapping keys to my controller) All the very best, and thanks again.
Hi! Thanks for playing :)
48K Spectrum cursor keys (5/6/7/8/0) are one of the alternate direction control key sets, which just so happens to map exactly to the Cursor Joystick standard :)
You may just have to set a Next joystick port to be Cursor.
However, combat and menus are still completely keyboard driven.
If you don't like W/A/S/D/E, you can also use the "arrow" cursor keys and spacebar on 48K+/128K machines and the Next.
Hello. Great game for spectrum. Is there any forum? I am stuck at the witch place... I don't know how to continue, she won't let me continue...
Completed, what a game!!!!! A pity it was released 1st of January 2023, or it would be a serious contender to 2022 GOTY.
Wow, thanks! Always 2023 though :)
How do you pass the witch?
You don´t pass the witch. You need her to give you some info and buystuff
How??
Hi!
If you've just got started and encounter the witch in the north of the forest, and not at her house, then she is strategically blocking you from accessing the whole of the forest. You're not supposed to get around her. Your current objective lies to the east of there. Press M to check the map and see where you haven't been yet.
Hope that helps!
I think I've explored all map. In the dungeon there are two doors that don't open...
I like the game a lot :0)
Wow, that looks fantastic! I'll try it on my ZX Spectrum + tomorrow. Any chance for a cassette version? I'd love to play it on my 128 +2A.
EDIT: ok, I managed to get it on a real cassette with the help of tapir and my trusty old cassette recorder. Works perfectly fine on my +2!
That's so cool! I don't have a +2 to test it on myself (I relied on emulators to test all the various machine revisions).
Yeah, I relied on ZXSpin (or Spectaculator) for years myself. Last year I decided to get a bit of the real hardware in the house - and couldn't stop: I now own a ZX Spectrum 48, ZX Spectrum Plus, ZX81 and a +2 at the moment. A grey +2 (modded for external cassette players) is on the way... :D From time to time there are affordable offers (most offers are way overpriced though). But it's something very different to experience the games on these real machines, more conscious, more fulfilling. And the scene is so lively and active it's a real joy to be part of it.
Thank you for developing that gem!
What a great age to live in! :3 Thank you!
Thanks a lot!
Awesome game!
Thanks!
Looks great! thanks
Thanks!
thank you, looks splendid, donated.
Thank you!
Gracias por el juego
Thanks for playing!