Re: Thexder

[rubywand@aol.com (RUBYWAND)]

re.  ... a mod was developed to allow joystick control ...

>Really? What's it called, and where can I find it?
>
    In COMPUTIST #67, David Selig identifies this Thexder as version 2.7*.
Sierra may have some of the diskettes in a box somewhere. Otherwise, check
with game players in a local users' group. 

    When Sierra released Thexder, the game received high marks for
graphics, sound, and action. For some reviewers, this was 'good enough';
others slammed the game for failing to offer Joystick control and the
absence of a Save/Load option.

    Obviously, Thexder was released before it was finished. Brian Troha
(in '#62) tells about discovering another version of the game, named
"OTHEXDER", on the game diskette!  OTHEXDER had been deleted after the
for-release version was added; so, when Brian tried an Undelete on the
diskette, he was able to detect the file, Undelete it, and play the Other
(Old?)  version. It turns out that OTHEXDER has some refinements not
present in the first released version. Most likely, at deadline time there
were still some loose ends; and, so, Sierra settled for a no-frills
version.

    It was not much later that A+ magazine reported Sierra's release of a
Thexder version which supports Joystick and allows a killed-off player to
continue play beginning at the start of the current Level-- still not a
Game Save, but, better than going back to the start of Level 1.

   *Unfortunately, v2.7 seems to contain a notable bug (which I have
confirmed on my Thexder-with-Joysick diskette).  David Selig tells of
trying the game and discovering that Joystick control works fine in all
directions, EXCEPT Rightward!

    David contacted Sierra and, with persistance, eventually managed to
get an 'explanation' from Kerry in Tech Support. Kerry said that Sierra
had designed Thexder to work only with the Apple brand of Joystick!?
Though such a notion is, of course, nonsense, it does have one virtue.
Some Thexder purchasers might accept the explanation; because, by 1987, no
one used Apple brand Joysticks.