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Digger is a Canadian computer game released by Windmill Software in 1983, popular in the era of the IBM PC with a CGA graphics card and monitor. It generally requires a genuine CGA card and runs too fast on computers faster than the original IBM PC 4.77 MHz. In an exception to the CGA requirement, it is possible to use a CGA emulator to run Digger on a Hercules graphics card. Digger was resurrected by Andrew Jenner in 1998, when he reverse engineered it to run using VGA on fast Pentium based computers.
Description
Many features of Digger are similar to those in the arcade game Mr. Do. As in that game, the player is placed in an underground maze, and can dig horizontal and vertical tunnels through it. At least one tunnel already exists at the start of play. At various points on the board are emeralds (usually in clusters) and bags of gold. Monsters (initially in the 'nobbin' form) appear at the top right-hand corner. If earth is excavated from under a gold bag, then the bag will wobble for a few seconds and then drop; if it falls more than one row, it will break open after falling, releasing gold which can be collected. Bags can also be pushed left or right into vertical paths, with similar results. Falling bags will squash monsters that they fall on; they will also squash the digger. The digger also has a weapon, which will fire in a straight line, but takes several seconds to recharge(this taking longer as the levels go higher).
Monsters will sometimes change from the 'nobbin' form to the 'hobbin' form, more frequently on higher levels. Hobbins also have the power to excavate, and can destroy emeralds and gold bags while so doing.
When a monster is killed, another will appear at the top right-hand corner of the screen, up to a maximum number which depends on the level. Once all the monsters for the level have been created, a cherry appears in their place. If the digger collects this, bonus mode is entered, and for about fifteen seconds the digger is able to eat the monsters. Accordingly, the monsters now run away from the digger rather than towards it.
A level ends when all the emeralds are gone or all the monsters have been killed.
Scoring
The player scores 25 points for collecting an emerald, with a bonus of 250 if eight are collected in immediate succession. Killing a monster by shooting it or dropping a gold bag on it scores 250 points; in bonus mode, the player scores 200 points for the first monster eaten, 400 for the second, and so on, doubling each time. Collecting gold earns 500 points, and entering bonus mode 1,000. A new life is awarded at each multiple of 20,000 points.
Original CGA version
Digger was developed by Rob Sleath, the primary developer of Windmill games in 1983. In 1984, Digger was converted to run on IBM PCjr and IBM PCJX, the Japanese version. The last original version was released for a Canadian computer Hyperion running at 6 MHz.
During normal game play the Popcorn theme is used as background music. In bonus mode the Ouverture to Wilhelm Tell by Gioacchino Rossini plays. If the player dies, a rendition of Frédéric Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat Minor (also known as The Funeral March) is played.
Remastered version
Digger was "remastered" (disassembled and rewritten) by Andrew Jenner in 1998. This led to the creation of a new gaming culture for the game that was centered around creating new gaming styles and distributing them through the newly added "record" feature.
The remastered version has been ported to many platforms including Windows 95, GNU/Linux and Java. Its source is licensed under the GPL with permission of the original author Rob Sleath.
Multiplayer version
Alawar Entertainment has released a new multiplayer version for the PC called Digger Adventures.
External links
- The Digger-remastered website including other Windmill history and games such as Styx.
- Windmill Software website, they no longer publish games but now specialize in custom software for property management and MIS.
- Digger XP - a digger clone.
- Digger Adventures - multiplayer digger clone.
"Digger (computer game)"