LOMTAP: The Lords of Midnight, Topfield TF5x00PVR Version

“Night has fallen and the Foul are abroad...”

Latest version: Beta 2, released on 3 December, 2005.

Also available: The Lords of Midnight, Java Version

The Lords of Midnight is a classic game originally written by Mike Singleton for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum and released in 1984 by Beyond Software. This version, written for the Topfield TF5x00PVR, recreates faithfully the look and feel of the original 8-bit epic game, allowing you to visit once again the land of Midnight: from the comfort of your armchair, using your TV and remote control, you can wield the Powers of Vision and Command to defeat the evil Witchking, Doomdark!

The Lords of Midnight is not a standard adventure game, nor is it a standard war game; it is what was termed an epic game. In the game, you guide characters on vital quests but will also command armies that must endeavour to hold back Doomdark's legions.

More information is available from the in-game help pages. The original game manual has been reproduced on Chris Wild's site.

Download the game

Download the TAP file (153KB)
(place this in the ProgramFiles folder of your PVR)
Download the map image (107KB)
(optional; place this in the DataFiles folder of your PVR)

Screenshots

All the screenshots below were captured using Hauppauge's WinTV32, at 640x480 resolution.

Shadows on the Plains of Ogrim
The Lord of Shadows about to do battle with a pack of wolves.
Farflame at the Citadel of Dreams
Farflame the Dragonlord rides to the rescue of the Citadel of Dreams.
Luxor on the Plains of Gard
The player consults the Help screen as Luxor encounters the Frozen Wastes.
Gard in the Mountains of Ishmalay
The Lord of Gard spies an army ahead; this could mean trouble...
Saving a game
The player prepares to save his game and return to fight another day.
Paused
The game is in suspended animation while the player catches up on the latest news.

Remote button controls

This list is intended as a summary. More detailed instructions are available within the game itself; once you have loaded the game, press the Info button to access the in-game help screens.

The controls shown below are for the Topfield TF5800PVR. The buttons shown in brackets should work on the TF5000PVR, but have not been tested; feedback is welcome.

Directional controls
Button	Action
2	North
3	Northeast
6	East
9	Southeast
8	South
7	Southwest
4	West
1	Northwest
V-	Anticlockwise
V+	Clockwise

General controls
Button	Action
OK	Move
TV/Radio (UHF)	Look
TV/STB	Think
Opt (Sleep)	Choose
Recall	Night
WHITE	New Game
TEXT (Next PIP)	Save
Archive	Old Game
OK	Yes / Confirm
EXIT	No / Cancel

Character selection
Button	Action
RED	Luxor
GREEN	Morkin
BLUE	Corleth
YELLOW	Rorthron
P-	Previous character
P+	Next character
MENU	Select

Window controls
Button	Action
PIP (Prev. PIP)	Hide/restore game
Info	Help screens
Guide	Show/hide map screen

Release History

Beta 2 (3 December, 2005)

The SELECT menu has been implemented.
A bug that allowed characters to flee into Frozen Wastes has been fixed.
A minor formatting bug has been fixed.

Beta 1 (28 November, 2005)

Original port.

Known issues

This game has only been tested on the TF5800PVR, with no other TAPs running. I have not tested it on other Topfield PVRs, nor do I know what effect it will have with other TAPs.
The map image is fairly poor quality. Better versions are available from the downloads area on Chris Wild's site.

If you experience any issues with the application that aren't listed here, please contact me.

Legal notice and disclaimer

Lords of Midnight is © 1984 Mike Singleton. This port is © 2005 Keith Jones.
The images, data, and game logic have been shamelessly stolen from the original ZX Spectrum version.
You may not run this port on a handheld device such as a PDA or mobile telephone; nor may you decompile, disassemble, reverse-engineer or use any part of the source code for such a purpose. Sorry, but that's the rules.

This software is provided entirely without warranty. I cannot guarantee that this game will perform well on your device. Use at your own risk.