KARL QUAPPE == FROGGER

See, FROGGER is one of my favourite games...
Here comes the story how it was brought back to life... So the green jumping will never come to an end.
Sometimes, when I'm feeling lonely or if I'm just bored with myself I sit in front of my computer, do really a lot of nothing, looking totally occupied to all those people around me who know not a lot about computers.
One day in 1994, it was just one of those days, you know, just sitting in front of that darn electronic bastard that allways keeps you occupied even if there is nothing to do. Just deleting some files, sorting directories, running 'chkdsk' on all drives (yes I know there is another program called scandisk, and it'll work so much better...) Starting this program, getting bored just so much faster and so on, the luck actually was on my side, for a change WINDOWS did not do anything to my FAT, all partitions were in working order (strange!), I knew for sure that this big blue OP wouldn't work with my CD ROM, so there was no need to try to install that again ... Even LINUX was setup... (a pitty actually that I happened to start browsing under DOS, otherwise there might have been a nice X-version of FROGGER .
Anyway there was this compiler of an unknown small company. What was its name again, borland, yes I think borland it was, well as I said, I was browsing thru my directories and there happened to be this compiler. It lay there in its directory. It was screaming out. Screaming that it wanted to be worked with again (ever heard a compiler scream? it's not like sort of a YELL more like SCREECHING, you know what I mean, don't ya). I didn't really want to use it again, it gives me all those headaches when it comes to the debugging part... (If you want an essay about my experience debugging with borland tools just send me an email, and I will happily go on gloating over that subject...) Now however, I really would like to do some more programming using that DJGPP compiler, but porting to that compiler having used BC is a bit tedious, but I promise, if I ever do some programming again, that I can start from scratch I will certainly use DJGPP. (Tell me about reuseability (spelling!?!?)) Writing action games usually involves some parts written in assembler, ever heard something about 'coff' and using 'AT & T' assembler conventions (have I got that straight!=!)"?).
Well I guess I'm drifting away a bit to far and to fast, what was I talking about, ah-> FROGGER , actually my version's name is supposed to be 'KARL QUAPPE' but I allways say FROGGER see- I'm a German guy - and the name 'KARL QUAPPE' is pretty German too. You see - 'KAULQUAPPE' translates to 'tadpole', 'QUAPPE' then is a shortcut of tadpole, and KARL is just a name that is similar to 'KAUL' (hey, all you linguistic people out there, what's the correct name for this kind of gambling with words 'ANAPHER', 'METAPHER', 'YET-ANOTHER'?). So if you want to translate it to, for example English, you might get something like 'CHARLES POLE' (charles being the English version of karl) or Pegpole ('Peg' being a name which sounds similar (sort of) to 'tad'...). Oh my, I'm writing really a lot of sh... (sorry) crap...
So after being bored, having made contact to a screeching compiler and finally finding a new name (guess PARKER's copyrights are still valid, even if they are probably not very much concerned about it anymore...) (the name was evolved by my ex-fiancee), the hard work was done. I just had to do some programming...3 weeks later a pre-release version was finished.
After heavy bugfixing (none!!) the version number was fixed to 0.99 (being convinced that no program, has no bugs to start with). I tried publishing it as shareware, putting it in some mailboxes... (a version containing just three levels, everything else same as the full version). Well, now after two years I dare say it was well worth it. The people that registered can be counted with one hand (even if 4 fingers are missing!!!). I'm a bit dissapointed. It's not because I didn't make any money with it, the shareware idea was just for fun, I wanted to see how many people are still interested in a game like that. The main reason for me to do my own version of the game was, that no other version existed that I liked. I had fun programming it, (even if I hated every pixel I had to draw, drawing/painting IS hard work and NOT an art!!!), I'm still proud that I did it and I still enjoy it now and then. But I think it a pitty that nobody is interested in a game that I like very much.

OS needed...........: MS DOS (or the like)
Processor needed....: 386 (probably about a DX 40 needed with
                      the well occupied levels)
Sound...............: I'm using MODOBJ of Mark J. COX 
                      better switch sound off while running windows
                      don't expact anything spectacular its OLD
Grafics mode........: 320x200 (modeX)
Graphics interface..: MODEX library of Matt Pritchard (modified)
Input/Output........: Keyboard (own handling, might get in trouble with
                      multitasking OS's)
Language............: C (dirty...), assembler
Sourcecode..........: provided, just download it, but better get some
                      aspirins too, it'll give you an headache...
                      (I'm a registered owner of MODOBJ, I'm NOT
                       supposed to give away a registered version of it.
                       I've tried 3 times to get in contact with Mark 
                       J. Cox, I can't reach him. I want to give away 
                       the whole package. Since his library is really 
                       sort of ancient, and there are way better once 
                       available for free (sort of free) like MIDAS 
                       sound system, I think nobody in his right mind
                       should have anything against distributing it for 
                       free as well. SO-> With the sourcecode I do 
                       give away my registered version. 
                       Mark if you are still out there say something 
                       to me!!! Is that allright with you? If not I will 
                       immediately withdraw your library from the package 
                       (and finaly use MIDAS with this game too...))

Before I describe what it does and what it doesn't do: It's not intended to be an exact CLONE of the arcade machine. I haven't seen one in the last 12 years or so, and I will possibly never see one again, so for me there is no way to verify anything. I did however play the arcade machine, and some memories are still there (but not many...) The cars certainly look different (no idea what the original ones looked like). The music is different, that is something I certainly regret, everytime I hear the YANKEE DOODLE it reminds me of the FROGGER days of my life... . If someone out there has a decent version (MOD), please send it to me and after ten minutes we'll have a FROGGER version with the original tune. (I'm not very good at drawing, but just thinking about composing gives me a shiver, I'll never do that...) You don't have to (actually,- you can't) insert coins. And so on...

BUT

All I want to say is, that the instructions are written out in German. If there are some requests I'll translated them, but people tend to be not very interested in FROGGER games, so there will probably be no need for that... The gameplay after all is pretty obvious, no instructions needed for that. However if you are interested in level design and want to set up your own levels, it will be neccessary for you to get some instructions. If you want to do that and need instructions you may contact me.

FINALY DOWNLOAD IT HERE: