40 replies to this topic

[Rom Hunter]

So are we thinking that some of those missing Zimag part numbers might go to Mysterious Thief and Fire Spinner?

 

Yes, I'm almost certain of that.

[Rom Hunter]

From the DP Psychopedia:

 

The Zimag library also consists only of Bit Corp titles with different game names.

Since the game Open Sesame has a sampled voice at the beginning in the PAL version, while its NTSC counterpart "I want my mommy" does not, it appears that the Bit Corp games are the originals, and that Zimag was just another distributor for Bit Corp.

It seems very unlikely that enough space could be found in a 4K game to add voice for the PAL conversion, if the NTSC was the original. 

Therefore, it looks like the Zimag/Emag/Vidco prototypes of Pizza Chef, Mysterious Thief and Fire Spinner are actually Bit Corp games that never got released under the Bit Corp label.

Instead they later were released them under the CCE label in Brazil.

Only IMO it's the other way around: Puzzy/Bitcorp took out the complete second level and the animated bosses of the ZiMAG/Emag/Vidco versions, added an opening screen with speech and replaced the bosses with one static 'boss'.

The Home Vision versions look closest connected to the ZiMAG versions.

 

 

Edited by Rom Hunter, Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:57 AM.

[Tempest]

Too bad we don't know any of the programmers for these games.  Even if we could get a hold of only one, they could probably sort this whole mess out.   

[Rom Hunter]

Too bad we don't know any of the programmers for these games.  Even if we could get a hold of only one, they could probably sort this whole mess out.   

IMO checking and comparing the code of the different versions is the only way to deal with this.

 

The ZiMAG/Emag/Vidco versions look like the most 'finished' (most genuine) ones to me.

 

Edited by Rom Hunter, Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:56 AM.

[Supergun]

Just caught up on this thread. Excellent research & deductive reasoning at work here. I really enjoy it when information is uncovered simply by analyzing the evidence. Especially if & when product numbers are involved! Thanks!

[Rom Hunter]

Almost forgot the bizarre ZiMAG background history:
http://atariage.com/...emag/?p=3085065

As you can see from Waggie's excellent research, Emag and Vidco were indeed founded later: both in october 1983.

Vidco included the ZiMAG carts (with a ZiMAG label on the front and a molded Vidco logo on the back) in their Copy Cart boxes:
http://www.atarimani...cart_20117.html

And Vidco most probably used the left-over Home Vision stack of Repro Carts:
http://www.atarimani...cart_20253.html



 

Edited by Rom Hunter, Fri Jul 21, 2017 1:21 AM.

[jhd]

I am really enjoying this discussion; the level of analysis is truly astounding!

 

Are there contemporary reviews and/or advertisements for any of these titles? 

 

That sort of external evidence may help determine which version came first. 

[Rom Hunter]

According to Omega's findings many years ago the Home Vision logo is too long to fit in the ZiMAG logo position of Dishaster.

This could also lead to the conclusion that the ZiMAG version is the original one.

It would be interesting to know if Plate Mania from Home Vision carries the Home Vision logo.

Unfortunately we still don't have the ROM dump of this one...

Edited by Rom Hunter, Fri Jul 21, 2017 12:55 PM.

[Rom Hunter]

Some other leads to ZiMAG versions being the originals:

Edited by Rom Hunter, Sat Jul 22, 2017 8:42 AM.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Cool findings. It is nice to see when a technical analysis result and speculation is confirmed that way.

 

Then the only question left for me is: Why does the "Mommy" look like an apple?

[up2knowgood]

Cool findings. It is nice to see when a technical analysis result and speculation is confirmed that way.
 
Then the only question left for me is: Why does the "Mommy" look like an apple?

You mean your Mother isn't a giant apple?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Some other leads to ZiMAG versions being the originals:

Have you checked CloneSpy? 
 
For I want my Mommy, you can identify two very distinctive groups (A..F and G..I) and some sub-groups within those groups. For example you can clearly see, that Teddy Apple is an independent hack and that Abre-te Sesamo! is probably (the percentages are too close to be sure) the original hack, where all other Open Sesame hacks are based on. 

 

You should do the same for other ZiMAG games and draw your own conclusions.

 

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[Rom Hunter]

Have you checked CloneSpy? 
 
For I want my Mommy, you can identify two very distinctive groups (A..F and G..I) and some sub-groups within those groups. For example you can clearly see, that Teddy Apple is an independent hack and that Abre-te Sesamo! is probably (the percentages are too close to be sure) the original hack, where all other Open Sesame hacks are based on. 

 

You should do the same for other ZiMAG games and draw your own conclusions.

 

 

Yes, CloneSpy confirms my I Want My Mommy findings.

I'll check the other three.

The four ZiMAG games were released in january 1983 at the winter CES, the first Home Vision titles were released in september 1983.

LOL, the mother isn't a giant apple.

Mommy shows up in level two, Thomas.

Edited by Rom Hunter, Sat Jul 22, 2017 2:08 PM.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Hm, looks more like a doll to me.

[up2knowgood]

Hm, looks more like a doll to me.

Considering you're a teddy bear in that game, I think it's entirely possible that 'Mommy' is a doll.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Makes sense.