Homebrew Idea; Death Race (Exidy) Colecovision Port

[Gribble101]

Now I know this topic has been talked about before but I just wanted to jog everyone's memory so maybe there can be a little more work done on it. I've put below links that talk about Death Race by Exidy being ported and a rough rom by Dav. I'd like to work on the game, although I don't know much about Colecovision programming at the moment. The point of this post is just to see how many people would like to see this happen? Maybe we could get a group together and work on it in our spare time or whatever and come out with a finished/polished project that works on real hardware and also uses the steering wheel module.

 

Dav's Post: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/56238-death-race-for-colecovision/

 

ColecoFan1981's Homebrew Post: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/173540-what-colecovision-homebrews-would-you-like-to-see-next/

 

Pixelboy's Post: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/226335-so-this-is-destruction-derby/

 

VectorGamer's Post: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/221781-arcade-games-you-want-on-the-colecovision/?hl=%20colecovision%20%20death%20%20race

[digress]

I played this once in a a good sam campground I believe. Not much to the game though very simple. I guess the idea would be to get it to work with the driving module.

 

To make it with regular controller support only would not be a hard task at all. I question if there would be much interest in the game though once it was completed. I supposed taking the graphics from the cabinet and making a nice label would dress it up quite a bit

 

Of course you could have an enhanced coleco graphics mode and the regular mode and that might bring it more alive.

[Atari_Bill]

A very nice copy was recently released for the O2 system. Very well done. The only thing missing is the steering wheel. If it could be done for the CV with the wheel it was be awesome! I'd love to see a nice CIB version with the wonderful machine art.

[Gribble101]

I played this once in a a good sam campground I believe. Not much to the game though very simple. I guess the idea would be to get it to work with the driving module.

 

To make it with regular controller support only would not be a hard task at all. I question if there would be much interest in the game though once it was completed. I supposed taking the graphics from the cabinet and making a nice label would dress it up quite a bit

 

Of course you could have an enhanced coleco graphics mode and the regular mode and that might bring it more alive.

The cabinet graphics are a really good idea for the label, I wouldn't of thought of that. As far as interest goes that's basically why I made the post, to see how many people would reply and give their input on the idea.

[+LS650]

I have the O2 release. It's a fun, simple game for one person, but two-player really rocks!

[+Darrin9999]

Here`s some pics of the O2 release

[Gribble101]

Wow, that's really cool. I didn't know about the O2 release until it was mentioned earlier. I'd like to do the same thing with the Colecovision, although I'd like to let the player select between b/w or color to keep it original to the arcade.

 

Here's some gameplay of the O2 port

 

[chart45]

for once it could be a upgrade port for the colecovision ?

[NIAD]

Never really understood the whole love affair with Death Race besides how cool the arcade cabinet looks. If a ColecoVision version were to ever be released, I would hope that the whole game concept would be greatly expanded upon much the same way that Parkfun is doing with his Light Cycles game. If it's just a staight port, I could see playing it once or twice and then putting it back in it's box and on the shelf never to be played again like too many other games.

[Pixelboy]

for once it could be a upgrade port for the colecovision

Indeed. I could see lots of possible ways to upgrade the game into something great. But the more ingredients you add to the recipe, the longer it takes to finish the software.

[Hyperboy]

I would definitely be in for this one, It would go well with my O2 version!

[digress]

Well, I for one would add bloody smears whenever you run them down and then put up the tombstone.

 

Now if you add a crash up derby aspect to a 2 player or versus computer mode, make the characters zombies and the loser gets eaten as his car no longer functions you might be on to something. Put in some more obstacles like jumps.

 

Perhaps a visit from a skelton with a scikel in a special ghost car occasionally, the new level opens a temporary gate to hell and the zombies crawl out , and the hole closes up again.

[+Tarzilla]

Never really understood the whole love affair with Death Race besides how cool the arcade cabinet looks. If a ColecoVision version were to ever be released, I would hope that the whole game concept would be greatly expanded upon much the same way that Parkfun is doing with his Light Cycles game. If it's just a staight port, I could see playing it once or twice and then putting it back in it's box and on the shelf never to be played again like too many other games.

I think the appeal is that it isn't emulated in MAME and a lot of people haven't played the original. It has an urban legend level of notoriety due the news reports from the time. It is a great two player game when played on the original cabinet, but the original is limited gameplay wise. The screams are neat tho. I know someone is working on an Intelliivision version that extends the gameplay. I believe he is also working on a Colecovison version.

[Pixelboy]

Well, I for one would add bloody smears whenever you run them down and then put up the tombstone.

 

Now if you add a crash up derby aspect to a 2 player or versus computer mode, make the characters zombies and the loser gets eaten as his car no longer functions you might be on to something. Put in some more obstacles like jumps.

 

Perhaps a visit from a skelton with a scikel in a special ghost car occasionally, the new level opens a temporary gate to hell and the zombies crawl out , and the hole closes up again.

Now, now, don't get your creative juices flowing too much here, you still have Mr Turtle to finish...

 

But for what it's worth, I like your ideas. One would not only run into zombies, but also collect gas cans to keep the car going. If you run out of gas, you can get out of your car and grab the gas cans on foot, but then you become vulnerable to the zombies!

[+LS650]

Personally, I like that the O2 version is a tribute to the original arcade experience and doesn't stray too far from the original. I think if folks want to offer more features, they should be offered as a 'plus' in a startup menu so that folks can choose either 'enhanced' or 'classic'.

[Pixelboy]

Personally, I like that the O2 version is a tribute to the original arcade experience and doesn't stray too far from the original. I think if folks want to offer more features, they should be offered as a 'plus' in a startup menu so that folks can choose either 'enhanced' or 'classic'.

I agree 100%.

[Gribble101]

I'm not opposed to an upgraded version either, I think it would open doors for more people to play it rather than if it was just a straight arcade port. I love the game just the way it is though, it's really fun and really simple.

[Atari_Bill]

Personally, I like that the O2 version is a tribute to the original arcade experience and doesn't stray too far from the original. I think if folks want to offer more features, they should be offered as a 'plus' in a startup menu so that folks can choose either 'enhanced' or 'classic'.

Absolutely. If the original game play isn't supported I think you lose the charm if the original. I have a HUGE nostalgia factor for this game. It's the first arcade game I ever played. I would be a guaranteed buy if made. I bought the O2 version and will buy the Vectrex version when complete as well.

[digress]

I think the original gameplay exactly as is would be necessary and a enhanced version as well. If it was just the original version I think the interest would be limited.

Not for me of course as I stated I played the original at least once if not more than once.

Of course My War game was actually based on BIplane which was a un mame able game as well so I played all these back when they were the new and current thing. So I get the appeal of the original

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEKVGHu-Frk

 

"you still have Mr Turtle to finish... ;)"

 

Made some progress on that last few days. The first screen now has everything working including pearls collecting, air gauge, death by lack of air, shark death, refill gauge by jumping to get head above water. And I have the other stages storyboarded.

[Gribble101]

Is anyone interested in helping with the programming, or am I on my own with that?

[+Tarzilla]

It was mentioned above that there is already a ColecoVision version underway (along with an Intellivision version.) Somewhere there is gif of an early alpha version of the Intellivision.

[Gribble101]

Do you know who the user is that is working on it? Doing a search isn't bringing anything up for me.

[Gribble101]

I didn't mean to steal someone else's project if they are in fact in the process of making a Colecovision port, but who's to say that it will ever get released? I wanted to have something that is getting worked on presently rather than 6 months or a year down the road.

[chart45]

on this page there is a rom of death race didnt try but its there

 

http://www.beeslife.com/colecovision/colecovision.php

[Pixelboy]

I didn't mean to steal someone else's project if they are in fact in the process of making a Colecovision port, but who's to say that it will ever get released? I wanted to have something that is getting worked on presently rather than 6 months or a year down the road.

It does reveal the problem with this kind of situation, doesn't it? A homebrew programmer may decide to make a game for the ColecoVision and stay out of the spotlight so that he can work on his project at his own pace and avoid the pressure of having to give progress reports, but by not revealing his project, he can't declare dibs on his game and someone else may decide to work on the exact same project in parallel.