A downloadable game for Windows and Linux

A really cool platform game like Bubble Bobble, Lode Runner, or Super Mario.

Its completely free. (released under the zlib license)

Features:

 - many fun and challenging levels
 - LAN networked game mode with up to eight players
 - many unique enemies and items
 - bombs you can carry and throw
 - rockets you can ride and steer
 - movable lifts you can ride
 - switches that change blocks solid and back
 - springs that let you jump very high
 - keys that open locked blocks
 - doors to transport you to other places in the level
 - cloners that copy enemies and items
 - podzilla plants that pop up and shoot at you
 - helpful pop-up messages to help you figure stuff out

 - user definable setup for keyboard and/or joystick
 - homemade sound effects
 - a music track by Russel Hoy
 - fancy scrolling help screens with images and animations
 - the game can handle almost any screen or window size
 - very smooth moving graphics
 - zoom in and out, fullscreen or windowed while game running
 - you can choose between 15 different colors for your player
 - nice graphical level selector

And the best feature of all: The Level Editor to make your own levels!
If you create new levels, please send them to me.
The only levels I get to play are ones that I created myself, and how challenging could that be?

System Requirements (or systems that I tested it on):
Windows XP 
Windows 7
Windows 10
ubuntu-16.04.4-desktop-amd64
ubuntu-17.10.1-desktop-amd64
linuxmint-18.3-cinnamon-64bit
elementaryos-0.4.1-stable.20180214
antergos-18.4-x86_64
CentOS-7-x86_64-LiveGNOME-1708
CentOS-7-x86_64-LiveKDE-1708
Fedora-Workstation-Live-x86_64-27-1.6

The netgame works identically across all platforms

See the help file for more details, or email me. (mweiss001@gmail.com)

If you play it, please take a few minutes to send me some feedback.

Send your comments to:
mweiss001@gmail.com
Email me your new levels as e-mail attachments.

Created with:

Allegro 5.2.4
MinGW-w64 7.2.0
Code Blocks 17.12
libnet-0.10.11
zlib-1.2.8


StatusReleased
PlatformsWindows, Linux
Rating
Rated 4.3 out of 5 stars
(3 total ratings)
AuthorMichael Weiss
GenrePlatformer
Made withAllegro
Tagsallegro, martians, michael, purple, weiss
Code licensezlib License
Average sessionA few minutes
LanguagesEnglish
InputsKeyboard, Joystick
MultiplayerAd-hoc networked multiplayer

Download

Download
purple_martians_7.05_windows.zip 3 MB
Download
purple_martians_7.05_linux.tar.gz 4 MB

Install instructions

The game does not need to be installed. 

Simply extract and run pm.exe.

Nothing is stored or accessed outside of the games folder.

Development log

Comments

Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.

I am the author. Thank you so much for you very detailed review!

The version here on itch.io is from 4 years ago though. (7.05)

I have been working on and off on this game for over 25 years now.

There is a newer version, with many changes.

The best place to look is on my project page at github:

The version there is 7.24.1 from October 2022.

But I have been madly working on it since then. Its not ready for another release yet, but I have made so many changes..

Some of the biggest ones are the multiplayer, which has been completely redone

and now works great over internet connections as well as LAN..



The official master repository is: https://github.com/mweiss001/purple_martians

The documentation pages are here: https://mweiss001.github.io/purple_martians/

This project is written in C/C++ and uses:
Allegro 5
gcc / MinGW-w64 zlib
libnet
Code::Blocks

Development envoronments can be set up for windows or linux, see: docs/dev_setup/

Please send me an email (mweiss001@gmail.com) with any questions, comments, suggestions, etc...

Project page on allegro.cc: https://www.allegro.cc/depot/PurpleMartians

Youtube channel with Purple Martians demonstration videos and original music: https://www.youtube.com/mweiss0001



Level 8 just requires that you jump on the switches in certain order to get past the first part.

The second part, you have to destroy a huge brick wall with bombs to proceed.

The last part, you have to collect all the keys, jump on all the switches, get another key, then do it again.

Thank you again for your interest. Please try the new version. Email me direct if you have any questions.

Played some of it and it is a fantastic experience: interesting graphical choices, challenging but not impossible mechanics, and UX that feels old-style and natural at the same time. Well done!

(2 edits)

"Purple Martians" got featured on the arcane cache, and underground blog for underground games.

The games atmosphere is rather unique and surely belongs to a category that is reserved for obscure independent games that are untouched by commercial orientated streamlining – it bears some resemblance to „Risk of Rain“, but is even more outlandish and quirky (what I consider as great). Yet both the refinement and scope of the game are uncommon for productions of this size – „Purple Martians“ offers a vast amount of fun for adventurous platformer veterans and underground game connoisseurs alike.

https://thunderperfectwitchcraft.org/arcane_cache/2023/02/20/purple-martians/

Great job!

In the file called readme_linux:

The executable is called 'pm'

But you can't run it directly until the libraries are set up.

Option 1:
Use the script 'pml' to run the game:
The contents of pml are:  "LD_LIBRARY_PATH=./linux_libs ./pm"

Option 2:
Copy the contents of /linux_libs to /usr/lib
Then you can run 'pm' without needing the script

Currently only 2 libraries are needed:
liballegro_monolith.so.5.2
libdumb.so.1

>error while loading shared libraries: liballegro_monolith.so.5.2: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

Debian 9

Great idea, I wanted to adapt this into a manic miner multiplayer style platformer if thats ok?