Ghostbusters?

[Jinroh]

 

That's a good thought too. And Ghostbusters II would be cool and probably more worth the effort. I like the NES version.

 

I just think we have the capability to make MUCH better games for the Atari computer's so I don't see why we shouldn't. I just started using CC65 the other day (after all these years) and there's a lot of power there! So much easier to keep everything in check than with old school programming, yet you get the best of both worlds since you can combine assembly language routines with C.

 

Anyway won't go off topic more, just saying.

 

I agree. Something way better could be done, I'm going to work on the A8 after my VCS homebrew is done, but dunno if it'll be a Ghostbusters.

 

On topic though I need to get me a copy of Ghostbusters for my A8 cuz I love that game.

Edited October 14, 2015 by Jinroh

[Savetz]

Yes, that's a pretty old thread, years old. But probably, despite its age, let me correct this: The speech is not synthezised, but it is indeed digitized. It is just heavily compressed by the "Electronic Speech Systems of Berkeley" algorithm. The same type of speech compression was also used for "Kenedy Approach".

 

Here's my interview with the founder of Electronic Speech Systems: http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-interview-101-forrest-mozer-pioneer-in-digitized-speech

[Lynxpro]

I never had the A8 version because I didn't have an A8 back then. I was disappointed that Activision brought out the 2600 version instead of a 7800 version; although the 2600 version was pretty good considering...

 

From what I've read elsewhere, the C64 version has slightly better graphics and more sampled audio because they didn't have to write for a 48K system like almost everyone did for A8 back then despite how many 800XLs sold.

[Tickled_Pink]

The List of Ghostbusters video games implies that the C64 and Atari versions were released at/around the same time.

Here in the UK my recollection, e.g. times drawing the logo on graph paper to then input onto the Atari wanting a port , was that the A8 version came much later than the C64 version?

 

However, the speech replay routines can of course be played on the A8.

 

I can tell you with absolute certainty that Wikipedia has it wrong - unless the disc version was released in the US much earlier than we got it. I've always felt that it was released much later. It hadn't even been released in the UK by Christmas 1985. I know because I'd chosen four games from my mum's catalogue. I knew I was getting an 800XL for Christmas so picked out four cassette games - Activision Decathlon, Dropzone, Bruce Lee and Ghostbusters. The catalogue sent Ghost Chaser instead because Ghostbusters wasn't out yet. Or at least it wasn't out on cassette. In the end, I was one of the lucky ones who got a disc drive as well.

 

On the face of it you'd be surprised if a company like Activision didn't release their titles to a global audience but I suspect the same thing happened to Trolls & Tribulations. It was a disc-only game that was never released in the UK AFAIK. The UK market was always more cassette focused than the disc-focus of the US.

[Mister-VCS]

I never had the A8 version because I didn't have an A8 back then. I was disappointed that Activision brought out the 2600 version instead of a 7800 version; although the 2600 version was pretty good considering...

 

From what I've read elsewhere, the C64 version has slightly better graphics and more sampled audio because they didn't have to write for a 48K system like almost everyone did for A8 back then despite how many 800XLs sold.

 

 

My first game for my "new" 1050 is "Ghostbusters" - The POKEY-sound, speech and music is good - but some colors are ugly.

[rdefabri]

I see a few are citing the C64 version - both the A8 and the C64 are very similar, other than slightly more speech on the C64. Graphics, sound, and game play are almost identical.

[+Philsan]

I see a few are citing the C64 version - both the A8 and the C64 are very similar, other than slightly more speech on the C64. Graphics, sound, and game play are almost identical.

Ghostbusters (player) sprites are better on C64 (and Atari VCS too!).

It would be nice if a new version would fix this.

[rdefabri]

Ghostbusters (player) sprites are better on C64 (and Atari VCS too!).

It would be nice if a new version would fix this.

 

Yes, it's noticeable, but not enough for me to get too worked up over. Some of their games leverage sprites well and the difference is noticeable (e.g., Panther). I actually thought the C64 ghosts are sort of crummy, but very similar to the A8 version.

[ApolloBoy]

Well here's a thread I didn't expect to see again haha

[_The Doctor__]

Yes a redo is in order!

no reason the samples can't sound off without stopping the action either!

[Tempest]

Funny, it clearly sounds like "Ghostbusters! Hahahahahahahahaha!" to me.

 

(I still need to figure out how - I'm sure it's possible - to filecrack the Apple ][ version.)

 

I finally got around to listening to the opening from a non-cracked version on youtube. I'm fairly sure that they screwed up the voice on my cracked copy when they cracked it. It doesn't sound like that at all.

[ijor]

 

I finally got around to listening to the opening from a non-cracked version on youtube. I'm fairly sure that they screwed up the voice on my cracked copy when they cracked it. It doesn't sound like that at all.

 

Not the cracker's fault There are two published versions. A newer version with the digitized voice, and an older without it. I don't remember exactly the story behind the two versions. Atarimania (Bertrand?) probably does.

[Tempest]

 

Not the cracker's fault There are two published versions. A newer version with the digitized voice, and an older without it. I don't remember exactly the story behind the two versions. Atarimania (Bertrand?) probably does.

 

My version has a 'voice' but it's not very clear. Also I'm talking about the Apple II version, not the Atari version.

[ijor]

 

My version has a 'voice' but it's not very clear. Also I'm talking about the Apple II version, not the Atari version.

 

Oops. Sorry, didn't realize you were talking about an Apple version.

[ultrasteve]

I'll need to fire up my Mastertronic re-release cassette (UK). I used to play this a LOT on my 800XL, but pretty sure I had a cracked disc version at the time.

[devwebcl]

I have found an old program to create accounts

https://manillismo.blogspot.cl/2017/10/cuenta-ghostbusters-antiguo.html

[zzip]

I grew up with the Apple II version. It had pretty garish colors, but it played well. The 'speech' at the beginning was unrecognizable, I don't think I found out it was saying "Ghostbusters" until years later.

 

The Atari version was clearly saying Ghostbusters. But I thought the speech on "Castle Wolfenstein" was much clearer on the Apple than Atari.

 

The tune for that song was actually stolen from a "Huey Lewis and The News" song called "I want a new drug".

 

I actually don't think those songs are that similar. I mean in the 80s there were lots of songs that sounded similar to each other, and some even closer than this.

 

 

Yes, it was, but I was disappointed. My friends c64 version had more digitized speech!

 

I first played it on a C64 at Sears, and was impressed. I thought the Atari version was a decent port, with a little less speech. Talking games were a big deal then

 

 

It's an odd game since, when you face it today, it's quite a boring game… but there is also something magic around it, probably because Ghostbusters I is such an awesome movie.

 

It starts off very slow, but gets extremely frantic towards the end. It would probably be a much less boring game if it weren't so slow in the beginning

[_The Doctor__]

lol it's true it was stolen there is a whole history about the song.... it is what it is... in the sue crazy world of the late rap days, that would be in court quicker than the flash could leave your eye

[diamax]

Hi,

 

I try to play ghostbuster atari 8 bits version today with Altirra ,and I'm stuck on the screen selection of the accessories , I have placed all the 3 accessories and I type E at the end to change screen and nothing is happening

[baktra]

2 hours ago, diamax said:

Hi,

 

I try to play ghostbuster atari 8 bits version today with Altirra ,and I'm stuck on the screen selection of the accessories , I have placed all the 3 accessories and I type E at the end to change screen and nothing is happening

You need to buy at least one ghost trap at screen 2.

[Sinjinhawke]

Couple year ago on the Intellivision a version of GB was released that looked more like the Atari 2600 version. 

 

But this year a new Ultimate version is coming out with enhanced graphics, cutscenes, 6 channel sound and around 20 voice samples.

It also uses the existing account number logic from back in the day making your old accounts usable on this version.

 

Imagine what could be done with the A8 hardware today.

 

[Bill Loguidice]

7 minutes ago, Sinjinhawke said:

Couple year ago on the Intellivision a version of GB was released that looked more like the Atari 2600 version. 

 

But this year a new Ultimate version is coming out with enhanced graphics, cutscenes, 6 channel sound and around 20 voice samples.

It also uses the existing account number logic from back in the day making your old accounts usable on this version.

 

Imagine what could be done with the A8 hardware today.

 

 

Definitely impressive. And absolutely, every platform can benefit from a remastering or refactoring of just about every classic game from back in the day.