What is SEUCK?
SEUCK = Shoot 'Em Up Construction Kit

This is a utility which was made back in 1987 by Sensible Software for Outlaw Software, and it was originally published by Palace Software (As full a price product on disk+tape), Domark (As a Toolbox package which came with the 'Light Fantastic Pack' of the Commodore 64, and GBH (Gremlin Graphics) as a £4.99 budget software title back in the early 1990's. SEUCK was also released on Atari ST and Commodore AMIGA, but differed slightly to the C64. Unlike the 2017 Spanish SEUCK Compo, which also allowed entries from other home computers... This competition is for the Commodore 64 (or C64C) fans/users only - as it has always been, since I first started the compo :)

The Shoot 'Em Up Construction Kit (Or SEUCK for short) allowed people with a creative mind to design brand new game creations, without the need of programming strings of code, and assembling the instructions to a full program. Instead, SEUCK has a variety of options, that in order for the user to create a brand new C64 game, a series of built in editors are crammed to one file. That is unless you're using Advantages' NTSC version of the editor of course.

SEUCK allowed you to create your own sprites, and create actual objects as players, bullets, deaths and of course the enemies. Then later on, you could design and construct your very own in game background, with use of the characters, tiles, and map editor. You could also setup player limitations (lives, length and height of play field, collision type, etc). There is also a very simple level setup, where you can choose to push or constantly scroll the game screen. Still timers could also be set to time levels.. Also there are limited attack wave patterns, where you could insert new enemies or link existing ones to build a boss, etc. You could create any type of blaster you wanted to (or even push SEUCK further to do randomly different things).



Example of a push scroller: Tank Blasta by TND Games


Example of a general constant scroller: Border Blast 3 - Mission to Save America by Alf Yngve

In the leap year of 2008, the Sideways Scrolling SEUCK was built. Jon Wells managed to build a special version of SEUCK which can scroll SIDEWAYS instead of DOWNWARDS. There is only one version of the SIDEWAYS SEUCK at the moment, which is the Sideways scrolling LEFT version of the tool. A version to scroll the other direction was mentioned back in 2013, that it will go ahead, but time constraints is the major issue. You can find Jon Well's Sideways SEUCK here. Which is absolutely free to download from his site..


CETI 21 by TND GAMES was created and designed in the Sideways SEUCK module.

A Little History lesson

Between 1987 to the present year, people around different parts of the world have been creative and made SEUCK game creations. A lot of the games were too much rushed, but there were also some TOP QUALITY SEUCK titles, which had no enhancements (or did have the odd new subroutine added to it). The games appeared on different C64 magazines and fanzines on cover disks, and cover tapes.

What about the SEUCK Compo?

The SEUCK compo has been going on for many years, since the early 2000's. The first SEUCK compo was hosted by AKIRA, who hosted Shmups.com, at the time. Since time was a major issue, and (should I have remembered this correctly). The author lost interest in the compo.  I was given kind permission to host the SEUCK compo. The SEUCK compo has been continuing, although there have been breaks in between years. The aim of the competition was originally create a new SEUCK game without enhancements, or anything in particular (apart from music). This was until 2014, onwards, where I allowed mods and minor enhancements to be added to your own SEUCK creations. Such as huge sprites, sprite/behind background priority Now come 2018, this compo is brand new, and major changes have been made. The SEUCK Compo 2016 went slightly over the beginning of 2017. That was the reason for why there was no compo in 2017, unless you can count on the Spanish SEUCK Compo 2017 run by Errazking.  SEUCK Compo 2018 was originally a themed based compo, but the theme restrictions sort of put people off entering the compo. So this year a set of new compo rules (and some old ones with modifications have been added to the compo page.

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As usual. The object of the Official SEUCK Compo 2019 is to design, plan and develop your very own SEUCK game creation. This year's compo has no particular category or theme. It is multigenre. However the idea of this year's competition is to develop and create your own game that should stun the gamers. As usual the game compo is open to beginners as well as advanced users. You can use either the standard or sideways scrolling version of the Shoot 'Em Up Construction Kit.


Last year's winner was Eleanor Burns with 'Valkyrie 3 - The Night Witch', followed by Dream World by Eleanor Burns in 2nd place, and Third Place: Battle in the Woods by Pinov Vox. The prize of course (only for the winner) will be:

The winner's game gets full enhancements as a prize and will be emailed to them first before the prize package (at the end of the compo) has been launched on D64 on the TND SEUCK Compo page.

Depending on the type of game's compatibility, The prize version of the game will be tested on SEUCK Redux (If suitable) and showed to the winner - if suitable. Otherwise the prize will be on standard SEUCK. Either way this will include:

- Front end with author's credits and music
- Hi Score table
- Full tape master with loading picture and music

Prize version of game will be respectably submitted to the game author before release with the SEUCK compo prize package in July/August 2019

VALKYRIE 3 - The Night Witch
 

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How entries should be submitted:

- Compo organizer (TND Games) is also allowed to submit entries in to the compo, which is likely to happen, but  the same rules apply as to all the compo entrants.
- Entries are allowed to be in Standard SEUCK or Sideways SEUCK. Enhancements may be added by yourself and entries mastered with SEUCK Redux are also accepted.
- All entries must only be your own work. That is unless you are working within a group of friends i.e. the Demo scene, or a game development team with your submission. If that is the case please credit the other people who are/were involved. Or let us know who was involved, so that the credits before the game are 100% accurate.
- Entries are Remote Email based and can only be submitted to: richardcbayliss@gmail.com 
- Entries must be in .D64, .TAP or .PRG format. VICE or CCS64 snapshots are also accepted, but you must state which version of VICE/CCS64 you have used to capture the snapshot. Should you have difficulties saving your game to D64 or TAP format.
- Loading pictures for your games, are welcome, although not compulsory.
- Maximum of 3 entries allowed in the competition, as always.
- Please ensure that a SEUCK/Sideways SEUCK game all data work file (FILENAME        .I) has been included with your submission if you can.
- Entries should contain new sound effects, rather than the existing example sound effects provided with the SEUCK utility itself. 
- Entries could at least have 1 collectible object which (later on) can be reserved as a random or progressive power up collectible (as main prize). Alternatively, the extra lives feature could be used as a power up. That's just an idea, not crucial.
- Use of the TND SEUCK School tips are welcome. If you wish to try and make a new front end for your SEUCK game, and you know a bit of assembly code, you might want to try this feature on making a new front end.
- Old unreleased SEUCK games of your own are accepted. - As long as the entry has not been released anywhere on the Internet before the compo.
- Submissions can be PAL or NTSC compatible (PAL is preferred). 
- Language used should be in English, but games in other languages are also accepted.
- Optional presentation: Using SEUCK's front end and character set - New score/lives chars and also a title logo. To make the logo - simply edit the unused letter chars to make the shapes that can possibly form the logo.
- SEUCK Compo 2019  entries are allowed to be updated and replaced - but in fairness,  will not be accepted if the deadline is reached - or was actually released publicly before being submitted for the SEUCK Compo 2019. 

VERY IMPORTANT RULES - YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS:

- Do not submit a game or update of a previously submitted SEUCK compo entry, or a game that was already publicly released on the date before the SEUCK COMPO 2019. Sadly one or two entries had to be turned down, earlier on this year. Due to the game being released on the author's web site before the competition even started. Anything not suitable for the SEUCK compo, due to it being released publicly might be considered as a release for the TND Friends/Contributor's page instead of the compo.
- Do not use graphics / assets from commercial game titles, or other people's games. 
- Do not use copyrighted material from films, books, video games, etc as the name of your game. The exception is of course: Parody game tributes with different names :)
- Do not use your entry to cause any form of conflict, politics or upset. 
- Do not use example attack waves, graphics from example SEUCK game demos. They must be your own work. You'd be surprised that many SEUCK games I saw actually used Slap 'n Tickle's attack waves time, and time again. Most definitely not recommended.
- This competition is also open for beginners as well as advanced SEUCK users. 
- Do not use obscene material, such as swearing, scenes of adult nature, etc.
- Please make your own sounds with the SEUCK's SFX editor, or replace the SFX with in game music (Should you wish to).
- Try not to make your game too short. 
- Try to not put in too many sprites on the same screen. This will cause SEUCK slowdown syndrome. Remember that on one line - the C64 can handle only 8 sprites horizontally.
- Do not rip logos and assets from existing demos, games, etc if they are not classed as your own work. Recycling of your sprites / background graphics from existing games of your own work is okay.
- All entries must be exclusive for this competition, and must not have been seen elsewhere before your entry has been uploaded on to the competition page. 
- NO SELF-VOTING when the voting phase takes place. If the game is yours, when you're voting it must be marked as a '0'. The scoring is inspected thoroughly.
- Deadline extensions may be possible, depending on the number of entries submitted to this year's compo. This will be announced, should that occur!

When submitting - Please provide the following:

Name of game:
Author:
Musician (if any):
Modifications (if any)

Instructions:

All entries submitted to the Official C64 SEUCK Compo 2019 will feature a suitable and exclusive piece of music on the front end of your game - unless of course you request no music to be added to the front end, or you already have a tune added by yourself.

NEW FOR 2019: Entries will be mastered with a credits linker, and loading screen on both D64 and TAP compo versions.




- Competition starts on 1st January 2019
- Last submission date is 31st May 2019 
- Vote sheets will be available some time after the closing submission of the compo.

HAPPY BLASTING AND HAVE FUN!

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TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTES = 25
TOTAL NUMBER OF VALID VOTES = 21
TOTAL NUMBER OF REJECTED/SPOILED VOTES (Where every game has a same low score (1), and one as (10), which refuses to be counted) = 4

RANK	GAME	SCORE
1.	Pagoda Warrior 2 by Stefano "McValdermar" Canali	163
2.	Legion of the Damned by Eleanor Burns	140
3.	Fulgur by Alf Yngve	135
4.	Squibblies 3 by TND Games	127
5.	Roboform X by Pinov Vox	123
6.	Nuclear 447 by Leonardo Vettori	121
7.	Protox-1 by Pinov Vox	119
8.	Star Mig by Pinov Vox	117
9.	Demon Star 2 by Mo Dernart	114
10.	Langrangian Point by Recycled Arts	107
11.	Summit Fever by PieVSPie	102
12.	Snake Eyes (They Call me Snake Eyes) by Mo Dernart	99
13.	Araignee by Mo Dernart	92

Congratulations goes to Stefano Canali, with Pagoda Warrior 2, which wins a brand new front end, with in game enhancements,  high score table, additional music, etc. Also well done to Eleanor Burns with Legion of the Damned 3 and Alf Yngve with Fulgur for making second and third place in the SEUCK compo 2019. They both get a new front end with a few in game enhancements exclusively for their game, should they be required. As for the rest of the contestants. A huge thank you for taking part in the competition. Sorry if you haven't made the top 3, but maybe next year when we start it again in early 2020. :)

AND NOW ... FOR THE OFFICIAL C64 S.E.U.C.K COMPO 2019 PRIZE PACKAGE

NOTE: BUILT FOR PAL ONLY, BUT GAMES MAY WORK ON NTSC, EXCEPT FOR SEUCK REDUX FILES (PAGODA WARRIOR 2 - PRIZE, SQUIBBLIES 3 - REDUX)



CLICK IMAGE ABOVER TO DOWNLOAD THE PRIZE PACKAGE

THE DISK VERSION:

There are two different disk formats for the Official C64 SEUCK Compo. 4-d64S, and a D81. Both formats are compiled with all of the entries that were originally submitted for the Official C64 SEUCK Compo 2019, along with a new disk menu. The compo disk also features all of the prizes/enhancements and bonus releases, including the outside compo submissions. The selected program can be cycled up/down, using a joystick in port 2 (up/down) and FIRE will load the game.

THE TAPE VERSION:

The tape version has multiple .tap releases of ALL of the compo entry submissions, sorted in order of top rank - bottom rank. There is also a separate folder for the prize and bonus .tap files. Here's a taster of the prize entries for you.

THIRD PLACE GAME:

FULGUR by Alf Yngve

Third place prize for this game, unlike previous compos, where games just had a plain front end. This compo prize features a bit more additional code. Fulgur now features a loading picture, featuring the title screen logo, which I originally made in DIV game Studio and improved it to make it a C64 bitmap. There is also a brand new front end, which features background animation, a few jingles, get ready, game over, ending and high-score detection. There is also in game background animation, such as flowing water and blinking lights. Also implemented inside the main game, a pretty nifty smart bomb feature and boss objects destroying everything once destroyed by the player. When the players pick up the crystal, hold down on the fire button for a short while to activate this power up. Due to the nature of this game, and level editor using the 'Continue' command and enemies that should not have appeared, seemed to have appeared from nowhere. This game wasn't able to work in SEUCK Redux. So the original game source was used instead, with additional code programmed into this game. Sadly the flicking score panel at the bottom of the game screen could not be fixed to stop flickering. Still, don't let that put you off. This is a great SEUCK title, which I'm sure you'll enjoy even more with these enhancements.


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SECOND PLACE GAME:

LEGION OF THE DAMNED 3 by Eleanor Burns

Eleanor earned second place with a visually stunning game sequel in the Legion of the Damned trilogy. Once again the SEUCK game wasn't really compatible with the SEUCK Redux source, due to the amazing enhancements and efforts Eleanor had put to this game. Like with Alf Yngve's SEUCK game creation. Legion of the Damned features a loading picture, once again created using DIV and converted to C64. The game also features a new front end with logo, and inverted charset with raster colours behind the set. There is also a game over and high score check routine. The score panel has been reduced to one score. There's also some atmospheric in game music, which replaced the sound effects. There wasn't any need for me to add any additional in game enhancements, such as power ups or background animation, as Eleanor did this herself already. A much deserved prize for a much deserved second place.




THE WINNER'S GAME:

PAGODA WARRIOR by Stefano 'McValdermar' Canali

The prize has been decided by TND for the winner. A SEUCK  Redux special edition of the game, featuring a lot of major updates to the SEUCK game. This game features a loading picture, a new front end with sound options and high score table, in game power ups, to enhance game play. Also a brand new version of the game's intro and end screen was programmed - so that it was more compatible on tape, etc. Finally, like back in 2010, when I launched the Sideways SEUCK Compo. The cover inlay idea is back.






But is all not over yet. We have one more extra treat for you, inclusive with the Official C64 SEUCK Compo 2019 Prize Package as a BONUS:

SQUIBBLIES 3 Redux

Finally to end the SEUCK Compo 2019 Prize package, tape section. We have a bonus extra for you. It is a special SEUCK Redux edition of Squibblies 3. Well, honestly I just could not resist in making this possible. Squibblies 3 features a CRL style tape loader using Martin Piper's Tape Tool Build. The game was imported into SEUCK Redux and features a new front end, with hi-score table, some simple in game power ups, and some level tweaking with the colour scheme. There is also in game music, Get Ready,  Game Over and End screen. This game's scroller is more stable, and no SEUCK Slowdown Syndrome - Although I don't believe there was much slow down in the original game either. Background to sprite bugs also fixed.


  

And that's it everybody. The Official C64 SEUCK Compo 2019 is finally over. :) If you are still writing good quality C64 games, with the Shoot Em Up Construction Kit and would like to contribute to the TND Contributor's page, or maybe a future issue of Reset Magazine's Mix-I-Disk. Then please don't hesitate to submit your game to me and I'll evaluate it to see if it's worth releasing. :) All programs on this page and contributor's pages are PUBLIC DOMAIN games. Which mean, you are allowed to copy the games, but you are NOT permitted to SELL the games without permission from the original game Authors themselves.







Sideways SEUCK Compo 2010
The official Sideways Scrolling SEUCK Compo, which I ran in 2010.

Also features:
POUR LE MERITE by BAMSE
(Compo winner)



Standard SEUCK Compo 2010
The official Vertical Scrolling SEUCK compo, which I ran in 2010

Also features:
THE MAGE by Gaetano Chiummo
(Compo winner)

Sideways SEUCK Compo 2011
After the success of the last Sideways SEUCK Compo in 2010, I did it again with yet another sideways SEUCK Compo in 2011. Which was yet again, another successful competition.

Also features:
FORGOTTEN FOREST by Alf Yngve
(Compo winner)



SEUCK Compo 2013
After a long break in 2012, with not so much going on ;)... This competition started as a mixed SEUCK compo, and was quite a success. Catering for both normal, and sideways scrolling versions of SEUCK.

Also features:
SHEER EARTH ATTACK by Gaetano Chiummo
(Compo winner)


SEUCK Compo 2014
The second mixed SEUCK Compo which was launched in 2014.

Also features:
DOUBLE OR NOTHING by Alf Yngve
(Compo Winner)


SEUCK Compo 2015
Another quite successful mixed SEUCK Compo 2015. Despite having to increase the deadline now and then for submissions.

Also features:
ABYSSONAUT  by Ant Stiller
(Compo Winner)


Sideways SEUCK Compo 2015
A mini SEUCK compo, which catered for only the sideways scrolling SEUCK compo.

Also features:

RETRO RETO PAN by Errazking
(Compo winner)


SEUCK Compo 2016
A very successful mixed SEUCK Compo 2016, which also ran over to start of the year 2017. Some real stunning entries also.

Also features:
BORDER BLAST 3 by Alf Yngve
(Compo Winner - Back to Basics)


The Spanish SEUCK Compo 2017
Run by Errazking, which I stepped down for a year or so. Features a whole lot of new SEUCK compo entries and also catered for other systems as well as the Commodore 64. Some nice games, some pretty old ones as well.

Also features:
VALKYRIE 2 - The Templar by Eleanor Burns - The Winner of Spanish SEUCK Compo 2017 :)


SEUCK Compo 2018
A themed based Shoot 'Em Up competition

Also features:
VALKYRIE 3 - The Night Witch by Eleanor Burns
(Compo Winner)





The SEUCK Vault
A SEUCK fan web site, run by Andrew Fisher, featuring a large archive of previously seen/unreleased SEUCK games. Also includes some additional articles, tips and tricks.

SEUCK School
My very own SEUCK enhancement tips page, including various POKEs and assembly / ML listings to help boost the improvement of SEUCK game creations. Also includes the C64 framework for SEUCK, and a few other cool tips.

Sideways Scrolling SEUCK
Jon Well's adaptation of the original Shoot Em Up Construction Kit. Create C64 games, which can scroll across the screen instead of downwards. Also comes with an example game demo called 'Breakthrough'. Current version only scrolls from left to the right, but is still worth checking out. Included on the page, Imaginator and Nyaaaah! 11, for you to play or work files, which you can muck around with.

Martin Piper's SEUCK Redux Framework
Martin Piper's open source framework for SEUCK games, and other bits. With this frame work, you are able to make SEUCK games more stable, and use better pixel perfect collision. You will be required to use the ACME cross assembler compiler (Martin's version is available with his full download pacakge), and a lot of programming knowledge. 

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