Port Ladybug, LaserBlast, Mouse Trap, and Zookeeper

[peteym5]

 

Wouldn't a 32K ROM cartridge work even with going with 16K RAM in the A8 as the default standard? That's what was done with the 5200 back then. Obviously, since then, there's been 512K ROMs produced at least on the 5200 side.

 

And what platforms would these games be ported from if the word is being used literally?

Any cartridge would work with any amount of RAM. However those that swap out the entire cartridge memory area on a bank switch do need to copy some of the game to RAM to jump from one bank or the other. Gets more complicated if some banks contain data and others contain program.The Williams and AtariMax carts only map 8K from $A000 to $BFFF. What I did with some programs is copy the bank that contains the main game loop and level inits to RAM so the game can bank switching.With XEGS 16K is mapped and only the first 8K gets swapped in bank switches. The game loops and level inits are stored in the steady area. If this still does not make sense, think of reading a book and you are in the middle of a page, then you jump to another page and try continuing from reading from the same point on that page, then what you reading makes no sense. Some programmers copy a common jump table to all the banks but that starts to take up space and CPU time.

 

With these 16K games I think I am still able to squeeze a pretty good size game into the memory area. With help of compression and advance optimization techniques games that required 32K games are being fit into 16K. The "RTS TRICK" is a good example of saving memory. I had posted some of these techniques inside the programming sub-forum.

Edited December 16, 2015 by peteym5

[peteym5]

I have made some progress with Laser Blast and Megaoids in the last month as I am finding time to work on these games. I may choose to focus on Laser Blast or Megaoids to finish it and submit it to be beta tested. I already made Laser Blast more colorful than the 2600 game. I am thinking about giving a unique altered name so I can call it my own. Like Laser Blasters or Laser Blast X, etc.Which game is something I need to decide on myself seeing which one looks and plays better and amount of work needed to get done.

 

Ladybug, Zookeeper, and Mouse Trap still had not been touched other than renaming something created out of a template. I had not done any graphics work yet. I had given thought about this go around and eat dot Pac-Man like thing, and it may be better to come up something more original.

[peteym5]

I vote for Zoo Keeper since it never made it to any computer/console back in the day - and prob not ever.

 

 

+1 for Zoo Keeper. Mucho underrated game and seems to be consistently ignored by the classic gaming community for some strange reason. Have lots of ways to play Lady Bug and Mouse Trap already and across a variety of platforms.

 

Speaking of Zoo Keeper, Bagman is *another* great classic that doesn't get enough love. Turtles is yet another!

 

 

Zookeeper would be brilliant !

 

Quantum is a 68000 game...might be pretty challenging to convert.

It does use 2 POKEYs so.....

 

I know there is a lot of interest in me doing Zookeeper because nothing like that had been done on the Atari. It may be started up as the next project. I am considering cancelling Ladybug, Mouse Trap, or any Pac-Man similar game at this time for several reasons. I am currently busy trying to get several other games completed that had been in development for years. If you had been paying attention, my last two releases were not direct ports of anything from another system, but original titles. I am cutting back the number of games that are ports due to problems trying to contact the copyright holder. I am still moving forward with Laser Blast, Megaoids, and several other games that had been in development for over a year. From what has been happening on this forum in the past, I discovered it is problably better not to announce the game until it is ready for release.

Edited January 4, 2016 by peteym5

[peteym5]

I recently found Midi files for Mouse Trap music, cannot find anything for ZooKeeper or Ladybug. So I would almost have to attempt to "play it by ear" or use some other music for it. I am considering something that is a combination of these Pac-Man like games. However, I am finishing up one more game that fits on a 16K cartridge, and put a freeze on everything else so I can focus on the big adventure games.

 

Now if anyone feels 16K ROM is limited and won't have features, I have to say these use Inflate the decompresses parts of the game into RAM like self modifying code subroutine, fonts, etc. So you are getting up to a 24K game

 

One other game that is on the list is a Surround (2600)/Tron/Slither game with the "Cycles" with a path behind them and the objective is to surround the computer opponents. Being all ML and using the player/missile multiplexer, I can have you go up against several computer player. It will have lots of options like multiplayer, play the "growing snake" thing, dodge moving obstacles , etc. Been looking for ideals for other things I can have you dodge or surround on the screen.

Edited August 1, 2016 by peteym5

[peteym5]

+1 for Zoo Keeper. Mucho underrated game and seems to be consistently ignored by the classic gaming community for some strange reason. Have lots of ways to play Lady Bug and Mouse Trap already and across a variety of platforms.

 

Speaking of Zoo Keeper, Bagman is *another* great classic that doesn't get enough love. Turtles is yet another!

 

I am proposing "BagMan"/"Super Bagman" like clone to Video61. He responded he has a clone called "DESMONDS DUNGEONS" for $19.95 with 16K. Must run on any Atari 8-bit Machine. This was done be another programmer. Copyright 1984.

Must be splitting up Player/Missile graphics with DLIs so it has plenty of moving objects on screen and multiple levels.

 

 

I have other games I am doing including something like ZooKeeper. I am waiting until I get enough of it working before I post any Work-In-Progress videos up on YouTube.

[Level42]

Something I didn't notice at first: why do your beta-testers need to be in the US ? You offer 5 bucks per cartridge for anyone assisting. I would do it for free if you make the cartridge 5 dollars cheaper.

Edited August 7, 2018 by Level42

[peteym5]

Something I didn't notice at first: why do your beta-testers need to be in the US ? You offer 5 bucks per cartridge for anyone assisting. I would do it for free if you make the cartridge 5 dollars cheaper.

First of all, I have asked help from people in PAL regions to assist with development of stuff like Super-IRG, Shorten Font Characters, 480i, and syncing the DLIs used in Multipexing the Player/Missile graphics. Many of my newer games put a delay if running on NTSC machine so it plays at the same speed as if it running on PAL. I do check the new games runs OK in PAL mode on an emulator to see if there are any issues also. Since Altirra 2.8, the PAL and NTSC emulation is accurate.

 

Why have you not sent an email to Video 61 and ask him if you can be a beta tester and sign a non-disclosure agreement? Also I do not have your full name and other identification information.

 

I was having people test some stuff outside of Video 61's circle of beta testers, but decided to end it after a friend of Video 61 discovered a version of the "Delta Space Arena" demo got posted up on a website without my knowledge. It was the version with options to work with different controllers like the Track-Ball, Paddles, Indy 500 Driving. I wanted to make sure everything was working ok, before doing a public post. I however did not make any requests to have it remove because it is a demo.

 

Now Laser Blast X and Megaoids are available on the 8-bit. Megaoids also has been released on the 5200, other games soon to follow.

 

Edited August 8, 2018 by peteym5

[Mclaneinc]

Petey, a rare comment to you and done in a non judgement way that needs no reply..

 

Start trying to be a little more trusting of the very people you want to sell to, in all this time how many of your released games have hit the piracy scene....NONE...The one that you felt bad about was a demo, which in itself isn't harmful and actually advertises the game but you shut beta people off because of it..

 

You are worrying about the wrong people in the first place and the very folk I'm talking about have not pirated your games, now that means they are either too bad to bother pirating which isn't the case (and its fair also to say the pirates of old would have released a txt intro as a new release or that they are respecting the property of all the new items out that people have put up for sale.....You could add a possible third option that there are no pirates these days on the 8 bit scene but that's not been the case..

 

The point, you want a properly checked version of a game in a video standard that you are not in then give proto's to people in those places, most would be more than happy to test just for the buzz of it and you game would be be safe, just as safe as all the other games out there that never got pirated...

 

I thanked you previously for the very kind offer to test some stuff and I had to turn it down because I have too much on my plate but I was chuffed , especially with our record of not getting on all the time to be asked but I didn't want to mess you about..

 

I've spoken to Lance in the recent past and he seemed a really really nice bloke and I hope you both make something out of this and I hope the people who want software get the quality of stuff they expect.

 

Work as a team with some of the people....It will help both sides...

 

Paul..

[flashjazzcat]

No slight intended to the peerless accuracy of the superb Altirra emulator, but do not rely on emulation alone for testing PAL behaviour - especially on a 'commercial' product. Apart from anything else, emulation can be flattering to interlaced graphics modes which frankly look awful on real PAL hardware.

[peteym5]

I have been open lately with some of the newest stuff I am working on by providing work-in-progress videos and screen shots. The "Secretum Labyrinth Dark Castles" is the next game in that series, and provided some videos during its progress.

 

This Zookeeper & Mouse Trap clones, and next few games will not be using Super IRG , 480i, or any interlace software driven mode. Can get away with 5 color Antic 4 modes. I will be using mutli-colored sprites that overlay 2 players to generate that 3rd "OR" color. I thought about using scrolling screens, but not sure how those can be incorporating into these concepts.

 

The idea of porting Coleco/2600 games like Laser Blast, Mouse Trap, Lady Bug, Chopper Command, and Enduro came from KJMANN when we were working on Venture. A few of them I passed by and decided not to do them. Enduro seems to had been made into that "Great American Road Race."

 

Something people do seem to demand is games that use the Indy 500, Trackball, Paddle, and other controllers. I know everything is not playable with different controllers. Many people bought Megaoids, Tempest Elite, and the updated Delta Space Arena simply because it now supports these controllers.

[+MrFish]

Enduro seems to had been made into that "Great American Road Race."

 

This is one case where Activision had the right idea in bringing a game from the 2600 over to the 8-bits, with very good results.

Edited August 8, 2018 by MrFish

[peteym5]

Here is an early work in progress screen shot of a Zookeeper clone. I have not given a title yet. I am going to put a few different animal species and options in the game. Since the game just has the control character moving along a perimeter, I may look into different controller options.

Edited August 11, 2018 by peteym5

[peteym5]

I am being more open about new games I am overdeveloping, show some work in progress Screen Shots, Youtube Videos, descriptions what I have in mind. However, I am keeping beta testing with people I do know and also work with for a few years now. There has been a history of games and source code being ripped by someone claiming to be "part of a team" with many games in the past. Not just here, but all over the internet. That is why developers and companies are now having people to present credentials, sign contracts, and non disclosure or confidentiality agreements.

 

I would be happy to do more demos if it really did increase sales to around 10 percent of the people who tried it. The games with demos currently are not selling any better than those without a demo. I have considered demos for a few games that had been selling slow after they been out for awhile. I may port a few for expos and for those looking to write preview articles. I am working on an update for Secretum Labyrinth King's Gold (demo) also to demonstrate a few things going on with SL Dark Castles.

 

Now I am working on something like Zoo Keeper, Solar Fox, and Klax. Doing graphics tests with each one to make them look really good, as you can see with the Zoo Keeper clone screen shot. More games will be using the tri-colored sprites, the PRIOR mode that overlays two players to generate the "OR" color. Take advantage of what the Atari can do over other systems.

 

Would a game like Zoo Keeper be playable with alternate controllers like a trackball, indy 500 driving, or paddles?

[+Stephen]

I seem to be experiencing a weird Deja-Vu on this forum. It's sort of like every time you make a post pete, you spout off about people pirating / sharing games. I've not been very vocal in the past but for god's sake man. Cut the shit, it's getting very annoying. You're one more post like this away from permanent ignore.

[peteym5]

Anyone interested in beta testing, send me a PM with full name, location, and email, and I will forward the information to Video 61.However, we may have enough testers for now. No further discussion.

Edited August 16, 2018 by peteym5

[Gunstar]

I seem to be experiencing a weird Deja-Vu on this forum. It's sort of like every time you make a post pete, you spout off about people pirating / sharing games. I've not been very vocal in the past but for god's sake man. Cut the shit, it's getting very annoying. You're one more post like this away from permanent ignore.

Give him a break! He doesn't want to lose all those millions of dollars in sales because of pirates! These modern games take years and millions just to produce! He could lose tens of thousands of possible game sales if people leak his games! All those damn Atari pirates just waiting to get their grubby hands on copies and post to the hottest BBS's! Oh, wait, is this 1985? Well, at least he doesn't want to lose those dozens of sales, he's got to pay the rent! Because we all know how rampant Atari 8-bit piracy still is, we are all a bunch of thieving little brats that get are games at copy parties...oh, wait, I reverted back to 1985 again...sorry.

Edited August 16, 2018 by Gunstar

[peteym5]

I am ignoring other unrelated subjects. Moving on. I am working on making this new set of games look and play the best I could. I am giving the Zookeeper and Ladybug (or Mouse Trap) clones new titles and doing some alterations so I can make the game my own for copyright. Like some different animals,bonus items, different color of the bricks, etc. will be in the Zookeeper clone. Working on different controller options also because I got a boost in sales for games I did that supported the driving controller like Tempest Elite, Delta Space Arena, Megaoids, and Surround'Em.

 

I am also working on increasing exposure about my Atari retro games beyond AtariAge and AtariIO. Any good retro game sites with people trading Atari games and hardware? As long as they have a "for sale" section. I am working on my own web page. Trying to see what I can do at these conventions and expos. Just a few ideas I am working with. Any other suggestions?

Edited August 16, 2018 by peteym5

[gilsaluki]

You go! I loves it!

[+therealbountybob]

Just some more of my thoughts Pete ... try and focus on the gameplay - play your games alongside some similar ones and see how you can make them the best versions of all, this is what it comes down to. If people enjoy one of your games they will probably try another one so see if you can make them alll killer. As for the games wilth loads of settings and options try and include them all in a single game mode so there is a good variation and progressive challenge, I feel that just having them all selectable leaves the player wondering which is best and perhaps meant the programmer hadn't gone the extra mile of pulling it all together

[peteym5]

Just some more of my thoughts Pete ... try and focus on the gameplay - play your games alongside some similar ones and see how you can make them the best versions of all, this is what it comes down to. If people enjoy one of your games they will probably try another one so see if you can make them alll killer. As for the games wilth loads of settings and options try and include them all in a single game mode so there is a good variation and progressive challenge, I feel that just having them all selectable leaves the player wondering which is best and perhaps meant the programmer hadn't gone the extra mile of pulling it all together

I am still in the early stages of development of this next set of games and had not came up with which options to have. Some may have original Arcade Mode, and an Enhanced Extra Mode that turn on extra features. Maybe different controller options for some. Several of my prior game ports like "Laser Blast X" and "Surround'Em" had very simple game play concepts to begin with. I knew they will not sell well on $40 cartridges, so I had to add many game options. There were early discussions between KJMANN, Video 61, and myself about alternate media, but I cannot disclose all the details.

 

"Laser Blast X" default mode is similar to Laser Blast on the 2600, going against 3 tanks. Takes advantage of 8-bit graphics modes, parallax scrolling, or more sprites on screen Enhanced modes include 4 tanks, 4 tanks + 4 fighters, or 6 tanks on the ground. Also can choose the enemies to shoot missiles.

 

"Surround'Em" the default is similar to arcade Tron, but can choose max of 3 or 6 enemies. I have moving obstacles also. It is progressive where less enemies in lower levels, and adds more obstacles as you go. Different modes include growing Slither, Dodge Survival, and Space Web Rescue. Video 61 is proud of Space Web Rescue, where the enemies are building a web to surround you and you need to rescue men in space suits. Can use the driving controller, but the beta testers said they like the joystick the best. Also has a 4 player joystick mode if playing on an Atari 400/800 (or Multijoy8 joysticks 1-4.)

Edited August 17, 2018 by peteym5

[+therealbountybob]

That's all great Pete, but what I'm suggesting is combining all the modes options into a single mode (this can be as well as having all the options) to make a game that progressively challenges the player.

[256 colors]

Can't wait too play Zookeeper that screen shot looks really good

[peteym5]

That's all great Pete, but what I'm suggesting is combining all the modes options into a single mode (this can be as well as having all the options) to make a game that progressively challenges the player.

I had considered this for some prior games.But games like I mentioned, you could only do so much. Laser Blast X modes with more than 3 tanks has progression in them. The 4 tanks + fighter mode. After several levels, the tanks also launch a smart bomb up at your ship, and the fighters start being able to change altitude to the point where you may need to dodge out of their path. I suppose it could had a progressive mode with less tanks to start and add more in levels. Surround'Em, I do not see how I could switch between its mode as some game options is plays a totally type of different. Reason for the options was to give the game cartridge replayability. I did this for Putt 18 Miniature Golf where you can play 4 different courses, and Secretum Labyrinth Dark Castles will have some screens altered depending on which Quest you play.

 

Can't wait too play Zookeeper that screen shot looks really good

Zookeeper clone is currently a work in progress and is one of several games I am testing for my next cartridge game. Most of them will be completed. We have review the progress and see how things are looking, what needs to be adjusted, and how much work it will need to have a complete game. I may start doing work-in-progress videos in a few months on some upcoming titles.

[peteym5]

I am working on a centralized web page for my games which will have the Title of each game in a box, screen shots. Youtube video links, descriptions, prices, maybe some demos. This is an early work in progress thing I am also doing now. It is intended to help buyers look over and decided which games to buy. It is part of my recent efforts to give games more exposure elsewhere on the web.

 

Maybe I can expand this into a centralized web page for all the Atari homebrew 8-bit games made in the last 20 years, but that is going to require the help of several people looking to sell their product. The all homebrew game page should not be company or individual specific. Does not matter if AtariAge, AtariSales, Gr8, etc is selling it. Does not matter if the game is sold on Cartridge, Floppy, Tape, or by Digital Download. I am going have to work out the details, but will not be set up like a forum.

 

I see these people already have a site. https://www.vintageisthenewold.com/but only listing 2 Atari 8-bit games.

Edited August 19, 2018 by peteym5