199 replies to this topic

[7800Lover]

Spiffyone and all the other contributors here - this looks like some pretty neat stuff!  I'd definitely want to play a side-scroller like this on the 7800.

What about the other power-ups?  The milk bottles, honey girl and eggs with items might have to be adapted for Bentley Bear.

Would there still be rocks and campfires?  Hmm...maybe you could also explain why those fires are burning unattended.  Fires just don't start themselves...or do they?

[PacManPlus]

spiffyone, on Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:31 PM, said:

As the topic creator alluded, Wonder Boy was also on NES...as Adventure Island.  The reason for the change is pretty well known to Wonder Boy fans (Adventure Island fans seem to not know about it much, for some reason, however): while Wonder Boy was programmed by Westone, and the developer owns the game engine, etc., Sega, the publisher, actually owns the IP itself, including the characters and all related artwork, etc.  Westone was able to license the engine, and the gameplay therein, to other developers/publishers, and one of the games that came about that licensing was Hudson's Adventure Island.

I am of the opinion that when thinking of "new" games for retro systems, we have to keep in mind what was going on in the industry at the time the systems in question were "new" themselves (or originally on market during their actual product lifespans).  In this case, I don't think Atari 7800 could have gotten a "straight port" of Wonder Boy unless they secured the license from both Westone and Sega (not likely, unless they had secured those rights prior to Sega entering the hardware market in the US, ala the rights Atari had over home ports of the original Mario Bros.), or had the game published by Sega (again, not likely, as Sega had a competing platform)for the game engine and gameplay, with everything else changed (artwork, characters).

So the only way the game would have been on 7800 would've been in modified form, ala the NES's Adventure Island.  Therefore, the artwork would have to be "all new", with only the gameplay being the same (or highly similar).

Now...what character would replace Tom-Tom (the original Wonder Boy), and Master Higgins (the star of Adventure Island)?

IMHO, look no further than:

Bentley Bear (of Crystal Castles, and Atari Karts, "fame"):



Now...for a title....

Sega's Master System had Wonder (Boy), Nintendo's Entertainment System had Adventure (Island)...so maybe Atari's Pro System can have Bentley Bear on a Quest or going through a Calamity.

Bentley Bear in...

Crystal Quest
or
Crystal Calamity

I kinda like Crystal Calamity for this one.  Crystal Quest can be used for, I dunno...an action/adventure like a reworked of Monster Land (or Dragon's Trap) starring Bentley, much like the later Wonder Boy games became more than "just" platformers (and, ironically, so did the Adventure Island games as they moved onto Super Nintendo - Super Adventure Island 2 has more in common with Metroid and Zelda than it does Mario or the "original" Adventure Island game).

IDK, I kind of like "Bentley Bear: Crystal Quest" as the name...

Just as a side note, PAC-MAN-RED does absolutely WONDERFUL work with graphics from what I've seen here and other places.

[rorysl]

Hey all, just read through this thread and there are some really excellent, creative ideas flowing.  I'm always been a huge fan of Crystal Castles, definitely one of my favourite Atari games -- I purchased the 2600 version with my Atari (which didn't come with Combat oddly enough) and I loved it.  Likewise Adventure Island is a game I link so strongly to the original NES.  The idea of an Adventure Island port to the 7800 is exciting enough, the idea of a Crystal Castles Adventure Island Mashup is FANTASTIC.  I have no idea the amount of work that goes into such an endeavour but, as a writer, I'd be more than willing to contribute story-wise if it decided to move forward.  Further to that, if any new Crystal Castle homebrew came available, I'd be the first to line up to buy it!

[PAC-MAN-RED]

PacManPlus, on Fri May 4, 2012 4:10 AM, said:

IDK, I kind of like "Bentley Bear: Crystal Quest" as the name...

Just as a side note, PAC-MAN-RED does absolutely WONDERFUL work with graphics from what I've seen here and other places.

Yet without the hard work and diligence of programmers like you, my work would just be for show.

Illya

[PacManPlus]

This got me curious, so I did some mockups (with PAC-MAN-RED's help graphics-wise) of what the levels *could* look like.
Could look like a nice game...  Unfortunately I'm already working on two, so this will have to sit unless someone can do this.

[fernando marrin]

could it scroll as smooth as adventure island Nes on the 7800?

[PacManPlus]

I don't see any reason why not...

[rorysl]

Wow Pac-Man's Red and Plus those sprites and screenshots are AMAZING!  Gorgeous work!

[TrekMD]

That looks fantastic!  I hope it becomes a real game for the 7800!

[twoquickcapri]

Bentley Bear should unegg a go kart instead of a skateboard.

[rorysl]

spiffyone, on Fri Nov 25, 2011 5:31 PM, said:

I kinda like Crystal Calamity for this one.

I agree, Crystal Calamity rolls off the tongue and Calamity implies the kind of fun involved in the original game.

Bentley Bear!, on Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:14 PM, said:

Bentley's weapon of choice?  His magic chapeau of course!

So he would randomly unegg his hat and gain invincibility?

spiffyone, on Sun Dec 11, 2011 7:32 PM, said:

To save Tawny and break the spell, Bentley must collect life gems, brave the attacks of Berthilda's cronies while traveling through dangerous forests, snowy plains, and dark caves and, finally, defeat the evil witch once and for all.

I love the plot you've laid out spiffy, you've offered completely plausible adaptations of the storyline and mechanics or Wonder Boy to the world of Crystal Castles.  Some suggestions (bearing in mind that I looked at some footage of the NES Adventure Island 1, I'm not a programmer, and have no idea of the limitations of creating a game for the 7800):

- Given that the first game took place entirely in Berthilda's Castles, we would have to see Bentley make his way into a Castle at some point.  Could the Cave Levels not be adapted to become Berthilda's Castles?  The final one containing the witch herself (a la SMB1).

-  The totem poles that Bentley passes along the way could be statues of Gem Eaters as the shapes are similar.  Don't get me wrong, regular-size enemy Gem Eaters should appear as well but giant statues of them would be creepy and an interesting background to roll by.

-  One enemy from the original that can be adapted several times over are the Crystal Balls.  The large rolling boulders could be redesigned as the rolling Crystal Balls and the fiery skulls in the Cave Levels could become Fiery Crystal Balls.

-  Also, while I TOTALLY buy there being campfires in this forest world, could some of the campfires not become the Cauldrons from the original Crystal Castles?

Thoughts?

Edited by rorysl, Tue May 8, 2012 5:59 AM.

[PacManPlus]

Nice ideas.

The last mock up was meant to be in a castle (a lower level - an 'ice castle' so to speak) - so we are thinking along the same lines.

I also like the idea of a small fire as an environmental hazard (where there were 'rocks' in Wonderoy and 'cannons' in SMB).  The cauldron could also be in the castle.

[rorysl]

PacManPlus, on Tue May 8, 2012 6:19 AM, said:

Nice ideas.

The last mock up was meant to be in a castle (a lower level - an 'ice castle' so to speak) - so we are thinking along the same lines.

I also like the idea of a small fire as an environmental hazard (where there were 'rocks' in Wonderoy and 'cannons' in SMB).  The cauldron could also be in the castle.

Haha!  Apologies on that one, your pic is obviously a castle!  I got so caught up in story ideas I forgot that pic!

And yes, you're absolutely correct, campfire in the open and cauldron in the castle, that makes total sense!

The great thing about Crystal Castles is the diversity of enemies that can be used/adapted to a new game (as well as new ones, of course).  I'd forgotten about the ghosts and skeletons.

twoquickcapri, on Mon May 7, 2012 11:14 PM, said:

Bentley Bear should unegg a go kart instead of a skateboard.

I LOVE this idea but am unsure about how bulky a sprite that would create.  Would love to hear more thoughts on this one, as it'd be a shame not to give a nod to Bentley's only other video game appearance.

[Atarifever]

Someone please take my money for this game.  I know it doesn't exist at all, and it would be a huge undertaking, but please, please someone do this and then charge $100 for each copy if you want.  Christmas 2012 or 2013 could be Bentlyboy 7800 under my tree for me and nothing else and I would be happy.

[Atarifever]

rorysl, on Tue May 8, 2012 6:56 AM, said:

I LOVE this idea but am unsure about how bulky a sprite that would create.  Would love to hear more thoughts on this one, as it'd be a shame not to give a nod to Bentley's only other video game appearance.

Just a Kart helmet and a set of Kart wheels under his feet.  DIdn't he also have big aviator glasses or something in that game?  The manual can explain what it represents.  Something like "Bentley sometimes finds an egg with parts of his famous race kart inside.  Bentley straps in and zooms off."

Edited by Atarifever, Wed May 9, 2012 8:14 AM.

[rorysl]

Hmmm, not bad Atarifever, I'll buy that for a dollar.  Furthermore, if a skateboard is easier, the manual could even mention Bentley's prowess with a Race Kart makes him an excellent skateboarder as well.  At least in the manual you're making mention of his other video game appearance.

[twoquickcapri]

Someone should start a kickstarter project. Maybe it would make enough money to get the rights to game engine and Bentley Bear. Then maybe have enough left over to pay someone to program it.

[rorysl]

Not a bad idea....who in the world would own the rights to Crystal Castles at this point?

[GroovyBee]

twoquickcapri, on Wed May 9, 2012 9:08 AM, said:

Someone should start a kickstarter project. Maybe it would make enough money to get the rights to game engine and Bentley Bear. Then maybe have enough left over to pay someone to program it.

A noble idea but you really need a programmer and an artist that are willing to work on the project before you go down that route or it'll never go anywhere in my opinion.

[theloon]

This wouldn't be a simple port either.  As I understand sprites and scrolling are all software driven on a 7800 right?  It would take a grand ninja wizard programmer to make a complete scrolling platformer engine from scratch.

Edited by theloon, Wed May 9, 2012 1:14 PM.

[twoquickcapri]

GroovyBee, on Wed May 9, 2012 1:08 PM, said:

twoquickcapri, on Wed May 9, 2012 9:08 AM, said:

Someone should start a kickstarter project. Maybe it would make enough money to get the rights to game engine and Bentley Bear. Then maybe have enough left over to pay someone to program it.

A noble idea but you really need a programmer and an artist that are willing to work on the project before you go down that route or it'll never go anywhere in my opinion.

Totally understand wouldn't to take peoples money without hope of finishing the project. There is a Dreamcast game on kickstarter right now. It maybe an option one day for other homebrewers to get their project funded.

http://www.kickstart...-sega-dreamcast

[8th lutz]

rorysl, on Wed May 9, 2012 12:51 PM, said:

Not a bad idea....who in the world would own the rights to Crystal Castles at this point?

I know Infogrames/Atari goes, but I think Warner Bros might also have the rights. Inforgrames/Atari goes from the fact Tramiel  still had the rights from Atari's arcade division for games that were released in arcades, but at the same Atari's arcade division still had the rights to those games also after Tramiel didn't buy the arcade division of Atari.

I brought up Warner because Midway put Crystal Castles on Arcade complications in the past despite infogrames/Atari have the rights to the game since Midway had Atari's arcade division before they closed it. I know Warner Bros has the rights to most of Midway's assets. I just don't know for sure they have the rights to arcade games developed by Atari's arcade division before July 1984 anymore since Warner Bros didn't pick up all the assets of Midway.

Edited by 8th lutz, Wed May 9, 2012 5:51 PM.

[Jinks]

Well this would be cool. Wish there was more 7800 program wizards out there. It would take the ordinary guy  3 lifetimes to do a game like this if he wasn't already a 7800 wizard..
How many 7800 programmers are there  less than 5?

Edited by Jinks, Wed May 9, 2012 6:57 PM.

[PacManPlus]

Thanks for the kind words about the mockups.

As far as 7800 programmers there are 5: GroovyBee, Propane13, Schmutzpuppe, kenfused, and myself.  Although Schmutzpuppe I haven't seen around here lately
If I left anyone out, I apologize.

[GroovyBee]

PacManPlus, on Thu May 10, 2012 3:47 AM, said:

As far as 7800 programmers there are 5: GroovyBee, Propane13, Schmutzpuppe, kenfused, and myself.  Although Schmutzpuppe I haven't seen around here lately
If I left anyone out, I apologize.

You forgot Gorf, seemo, Tom, andym00, supercat, Wickeycolumbus, Eric Ball, Eckhard Stolberg, and Heaven/TQA too.