Talk:Superman (1979 video game)/GA1

GA Review

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Reviewer: Indrian (talk · contribs) 14:43, 6 April 2023 (UTC)

I’ll take this one. Comments to follow soon. Indrian (talk) 14:43, 6 April 2023 (UTC)

Overall, this article is in great shape. I've taken the liberty of making a few edits for grammar and article flow, but there are a small number of items I would like you to address as well.

Sure. I've gone through your edits and generally agree with most (it's so hard to call "first ever" this or that for example, as early video game history doesn't have a lot of hard and set dates for some material. At least, available to us. Andrzejbanas (talk) 20:33, 12 April 2023 (UTC))

Gameplay

• "To capture a crook or carry Lois Lane and bridge pieces" - Lois Lane is introduced here without context. Why does Superman carry Lois from time to time?

• He doesn't have to, but he can. It's just something you can do in the game. I've known players to put her inside the Daily Planet making her less likely to be at some unknown location on the game map, but it's not required to meet a goal/objective. I've moved the Lois Lane section earlier to explain what she does gameplay wise, I've removed the statement about moving Lois (as yes, you can, but no, you don't need to. It's not an essential thing for a reader to understand when reading about how to play the game). Andrzejbanas (talk) 20:33, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

• "The game was made prior to the introduction of side-scrolling" - I am not sure what the point of this statement is. Sure, scrolling was not being done yet, but it's not like Robinett or Dunn needed permission from someone or to wait for someone else to do it first if they wanted to make a side-scroller. As game designers, they clearly decided this was the best way to implement this kind of game on the VCS under the constraints of the time. This decision would not have hinged on whether side-scrolling had been "introduced."

  I've included this as I believe it's important to note that moving between screens like this in games was a relatively new thing gameplay wise. This is elaborated on later in the reviews section where one reviewer does note that moving between screens was unusual. Andrzejbanas (talk) 20:33, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

• "with the largest marker showing Luthor or one of his henchmen" - Why does this show only one? Is only one on the screen at a time? Does it show just the closest to you? A little more context is needed on Luthor and his henchmen for this to make sense.

• I've tried to expand on this a bit. It's a bit more like radar than a map, so I've clarified that as well. I'm not sure if more than one show on a map at once, but the manual doesn't go into that detail. From my own experience, it's only one, but I don't think anyone reading this is going to misinterpret this too wildly as you can only carry one thing at a time. Andrzejbanas (talk) 20:33, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

• "After entering through a subway door way, traveling upward off screen through different area differentiated by their colors, then exiting by moving off screen left, right or down." - Sentence fragment. These steps need to be rewritten.

  I've tried to make this more clear. Andrzejbanas (talk) 20:33, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

Development

• There is a lot of missing material here on Dunn taking over the project. Interviews with Robinett and Dunn indicate that Dunn volunteered to take on the game because he was a fan of Superman and saw an opportunity to improve VCS graphics programming.

• I assume you are referring to this interview, while I did read through this and found it's information interesting, I couldn't clarify the of the source as following WP:RS standards. Unless there is some other source you have. I don't think Dunn did that many games (I think MobyGames listing on him is mixing him up with another Dunn (or two possibly), so if you have sources for this, I'd be excited to apply them. Andrzejbanas (talk) 20:33, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

Ahhh I see that you are referring to this interview. I'm not sure if this site follows WP:RS either. :/ Andrzejbanas (talk) 14:13, 13 April 2023 (UTC)

• "According to the game's cover designer, DC Comics were not very hands on in the development of the game and did not give their input or opinions on the game's development." - That's fine, but why are we referencing the cover designer, who was not involved in the design of the game itself, for this fact when Dunn himself said the same thing in interviews?

• Again, if you can provide sources for this content, I'd love to add it, I've only applied material from content that follows WP:RS. Andrzejbanas (talk) 20:33, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

Release

• "The cover art for Superman was drawn by Judy Richter. According to Richter, DC gave them a playbook on exactly how Superman should look as the cover art was going to be crucial as that is what people would see on the store shelves." - Why is this in the release section? Also, the cover designer is not named until this section even though she is introduced into the narrative in the previous section.

I've re-arranged where she was mentioned. Maybe i'm used to writing film articles, but I feel like information on the game's marketing and the "how and why" about it, fits a release section. If you have a suggestion of elsewhere, I'm okay with moving that around. Andrzejbanas (talk) 20:33, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

And that's it. Despite the above concerns, the article is close to ready for promotion. Therefore, I will place this nomination  On hold while these concerns are addressed. Indrian (talk) 15:16, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

Thanks! All good responses. I've tried to address them. Andrzejbanas (talk) 20:33, 12 April 2023 (UTC)

Sorry it took so long for me to get back to this. I appreciate the changes you made and feel this article is ready for promotion. Well done! Indrian (talk) 18:32, 4 May 2023 (UTC)