atari 8 bit lifespan cart

[Kyle22]

Does anyone have instructions for Lifespan? It is a very strange game from what I can tell. I have no idea what to do in the first stage. I figured out how to box in the bouncing characters in the second stage, not sure if I did it right. Then comes a Star Raiders looking stage, and I'm totally lost

[Atari8bitCarts]

Does anyone have instructions for Lifespan? It is a very strange game from what I can tell. I have no idea what to do in the first stage. I figured out how to box in the bouncing characters in the second stage, not sure if I did it right. Then comes a Star Raiders looking stage, and I'm totally lost

Just for curiosity, are you playing the original cart or the ROM that's floating around?

[Kyle22]

Just for curiosity, are you playing the original cart or the ROM that's floating around?

Actually, an .ATR. The real cart would be nice, though.

[Atari8bitCarts]

Actually, an .ATR. The real cart would be nice, though.

I was wondering, trying to get an idea of how many made it out before getting destroyed.

[Atari8bitCarts]

Does anyone have instructions for Lifespan? It is a very strange game from what I can tell. I have no idea what to do in the first stage. I figured out how to box in the bouncing characters in the second stage, not sure if I did it right. Then comes a Star Raiders looking stage, and I'm totally lost

please let me know how to do the first two levels. I assumed what might be the first level is an intro?

[Kyle22]

all I can seem to figure out ison the second level, you press button to pick up blocks from the stack in the lower left, and arrange them to box-in the characters that bounce around the screen. As long as you are holding a block, they will bounce off. You can surrond them by blocks and trap them.

 

It is a very strange game. I really don't understand it.

[phoenixdownita]

You probably already read it but:

 

http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-lifespan_2985.html

 

http://www.atarimania.com/magazine_review.awp?id=11

 

I report it here:

 

Anyone who still thinks electronic gaming is a mindless hobby should sit down to a few games of Lifespan. This multi-scenario action game is an analogy of a person's life experiences, from the cradle to the grave, with the ultimate objective of leading the longest, fullest life possible.

 

 

Each game begins with the birth spiral screen, wherein the player is treated to a pretty light sequence. While waiting for the fetus to "develop", the gamer can move the joystick in any direction to add musical tones to the birth chorus.

 

 

Gradually, the birth spiral fades away and the player becomes an infant in a playpen. The object of this screen is to isolate as many personality traits as possible (there are four altogether) to become as well-rounded a person as possible. To do this, garners move building blocks around the screen with their cursor, dropping the blocks near the corners of the playpen, thus keeping the free-bouncing personality traits from escaping. The more traits trapped, the sooner opportunities come knocking later and the longer the player's lifespan.

 

 

The third screen brings the gamer's character to the threshold of adulthood - the opportunity gates. The gates are actually a dark, forbidding corridor filled with tiny points of light.

 

 

Depending on the character traits trapped in early childhood, perfect and not-so-perfect opportunities whiz by on the screen. The best opportunities are those that look exactly like the player's character trait. Those with similar shapes but different colors (or colored alike but differently shaped) are decent opportunities, while those bearing no resemblance are the worst choices. The object of the screen is to locate the right opportunity, then enter it by passing through the center of its spiral.

 

 

Successfully entering an opportunity leads to the next scenario, situations and conversations. Unsuccessful tries have a negative effect on the gamer's health. This screen is an analogy to the social process, in which players must make contact with common interests (depicted as colored squares on the grid) in order to enter conversations with their peers. This must be done while avoiding creatures that rob the gamer of common interests. When enough common interests have been acquired and the player successfully joins a conversation, it's time for the most dangerous screen of all - the experience corridor.

 

 

Hurtling through the corridor at lightning speed, the player has to steer clear of the dark Worries, Fears and Doubts that threaten the health of the character. Large, bright lights are Hopes, which can reverse some of the debilitating effects of failure. If the player is strong enough to cope with life experiences, he or she is rewarded with an extra character dimension and a beautifully animated Insight before returning to the earlier screens to continue play.

 

 

The real payoff comes at the end in the form of a brilliant sound and light show, the electronic version of one's life flashing before his eyes. The better the player, the more spectacular the finale.

It's impossible to detail all the intricacies of the game in just one review. But it's a refreshing change to see a game that emphasizes aesthetics above scoring, without sacrificing a iota of playability in the process. John O'Neill, artist turned game designer, has succeeded in what he set out to do - to produce a great game that appeals to the psyche as well as the trigger finger.

[Kyle22]

Thanks, Phoenix.. It's my fault for not looking it up. I read about it here, saw that it was rare, started to research it, but found it on the CF card in my Incognito and started playing it.

 

-K

[Atari8bitCarts]

Search this board for information. But Lifepan by Roklan was never released. It was manufactured but they went belly up and destroyed all the inventory. A few made it out as samplesa I believe. It would not be considered a "production" cart, it's more like a prototype (in final release stage).

I'm now wondering if Roklan actually sold Lifespan for a microscopic time period then stopped. I have two carts now and one was from a Roklan employee, the other looks like it was from a person that just bought it. That would change it's status from an unreleased prototype to production cartridge with a low quantity. Not unlike Matterhorn or Espial.

[Atari8bitCarts]

Another theory was listed on this eBay auction. What I find strange is that Roklan used the yellow housing for production carts. And that the explanation in the auction suggests that these were "development review copies"? Creating labels etc for review copies. So does that mean Lifespan was sold, or passed around as a "review" copy?

Also note, that the auction provides a statement from an individual that worked at Roklan.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATARI-PROTOTYPE-STAR-MAZE-DEV-In-Progress-Cartridge-400-800-800XL-XE-XL-XEGS-/171404304640?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item27e87e2100#ht_701wt_1363

"My name is Ron Borta. I founded Roklan Software.

 

Ron's own Linked:

Vice President, Computer Technology Group Roklan Corp.

 

1980 – 1983 (3 years)

Created a new division in an existing company.
Full responsibility for the division. Developed software for Coleco, Parker Bros., Scott-Foresman, Bally/Midway, Walt
Disney, Atari, Children’s Television Workshop, Radio Shack, CBS, Hayden Books, etc.
Products included PAC-MAN, Zaxxon, Popeye, Donkey Kong, Gorf, Wizard of Wor, Frogger, Robotron, Carnvial, Mousetrap, Donkey Kong, Jr., etc.

 

He worked there only 3 years.

I too have a Diamond Mine in the same yellow format. But what appears that was purchased by a consumer?

[+MrFish]

Two of the three Roklan yellow carts pictured in this thread are marked as "Samples": LifeSpan - How Many Found?

 

The first picture in this thread has several Roklan carts that appear as pre-production: LifeSpan Cartridge and Other Stuff

 

[Atari8bitCarts]

Two of the three Roklan yellow carts pictured in this thread are marked as "Samples": LifeSpan - How Many Found?

 

The first picture in this thread has several Roklan carts that appear as pre-production: LifeSpan Cartridge and Other Stuff

 

Thanx, I have those carts in my possession and those are clearly works never finalized (outside of Lifespan and Du'Fuzz). And it seems like yellow housings were the chosen look.

The ones marked in the post as "samples" are interesting. I would think that they would have been identified in some way like that.

[AtariGeezer]

Whomever (AtariGeezer?) snatched Lifespan from this unsuspecting owner, please post a pic. I'm curious to see if it's the same one that has been floating around.

Nope, wrong again! I bought Star Maze in an auction where I beat you by a penny, but I don't have a LifeSpan cartridge...

[Atari8bitCarts]

Star Maze? I have one outside of eBay. How's that 1090?

[Tempest]

Products included PAC-MAN, Zaxxon, Popeye, Donkey Kong, Gorf, Wizard of Wor, Frogger, Robotron, Carnvial, Mousetrap, Donkey Kong, Jr., etc.

 

For what systems?

[Atari8bitCarts]

C64 is my guess. He seemed to do a lot of ports.

[Atari8bitCarts]

Just received from Ron Borta (Roklan VP of development):

 

"Chris;

Neither cart was sold to the public. Those carts contain EEPROMs.
Lifespan was the creation of an artist we were working with and he could never get to "complete". He just kept developing and developing until we decided to cancel the project and he went back to Ireland.

Da'Fuzz was created by me. It took a back seat to projects we were getting big bucks to complete for Disney, Atari and others. It never really got completed.

There were maybe 6 to 8 cartridges of each floating around. I've got 1 of each. Don't know what happened to the rest."

[AtariGeezer]

Star Maze? I have one outside of eBay. How's that 1090?

It wasn't me who bought the 1090...

You must have me confused with that guy who did buy it...