Wanted: List of Lynx Prototypes

[Albert]

As we're working feverishly to bring the Lynx section online, I'd like to enlist the help of AtariAge visitors. Specifically, I'd like to know what Lynx prototypes exist out there, and if possible, get my hands on the binary images so I can take screenshots in the Handy Lynx Emulator. If such binaries are not available, I'd be happy with just screenshots, as long as they're not compressed. But most important is just putting together an accurate list of prototypes that are known to exist, and which companies were responsible for them. Also, names of people who worked on these titles are also useful, along with any additional details that can be provided.

 

I'm also compiling a list of games that were announced in some fashion but never saw the light of day. These can be games that were mentioned an official press release, were written up (even briefly) in a magazine or catalog, shown in a press kit, appeared in an advertisement, and so forth. These won't appear in our online rarity database, but will be listed separately.

 

Thanks in advance for any insight that is sure to spring forth from the many wonderful message board participants we have here.

 

..Al

[Songbird]

Al, be sure to bug me on this, as I can provide some info on unreleased games, as well as screen captures for the protos I own.

[Albert]

quote:

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Originally posted by Songbird:

Al, be sure to bug me on this, as I can provide some info on unreleased games, as well as screen captures for the protos I own.

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Okay, I'll make sure to do that. Thanks!!

 

..Al

[Cybergoth]

quote:

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Originally posted by Albert:

Okay, I'll make sure to do that. Thanks!!

 

..Al

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Hi Al!

 

I was just scanning through all the interviews I did with Epyx programmers so far, searching for Lynx information. Here's a few various Lynx quotes that might be interesting/entertaining:

 

Peter Engelbrite: "Slime World (Lynx)

Disgustingly good fun. The original demo had toilet paper rolls as power up indicators. This was later ported to the Genesis."

 

Peter Engelbrite: "Barbarian Bodyguard (Lynx): Incomplete

I was about a quarter of the way through this game, when Atari and Epyx were going at it hammer and tongs. Atari said that they would not

pay us any more money for games, so we stopped all Lynx development. Too bad, it was an interesting concept. You could switched (or play

two player) between playing as the bodyguard or the princess. Either could pick up a powerup, but the powerup would have completely different

uses depending on who got it."

 

Peter Engelbrite: "Gates of Zendocon (Lynx)

The original name was "Escape from Alien Death or Gates of Eternity" - marketing forced the name "Zendocon" on me. What does

Zendocon mean anyway? Conning Zen Buddhists out of a lot of dough? This game was started before the Lynx was even designed. The first

version was on an Apple II, where I emulated the graphics system in ASCII text on the screen. The bouncing eyeballs in the first level stated out

as asterisks on an Apple II. If you think game programming is difficult, try writing a game where the game system is changing and being

re-defined on a daily basis. It ended up as a pretty fun game. In one of the later levels, there are monsters based on "Life"."

 

Craig Conder: "While I was visiting EPYX, I met R.J. Michael and Dave Needles. They

were a couple of guys who had helped put the original Amiga together.

R.J. did the operating system and Dave did a lot of the hardware. They

were both very interesting to talk to. At the time they were working in

the back lab on a secret project. R.J. joked that they were working on

a solar-powered flashlight. It turned out that that was the Lynx game

machine. That never really caught on and I think that's what killed

EPYX."

 

Matt Crysdale: "Lynx was a great machine, really ahead of it's

time. To bad Atari sunk it. Oh well."

 

Joel Mariano: "Atari

sat on the product--not producing very many games, and the products fizzled

out. It was quite advanced in terms of a handheld--a portable Amiga

basically built by the guys made the Amiga. There has never been a better

gaming portable ever since. The Sega Game Gear and Colored Gameboy didn't

even hold a candle to it."

 

Arthur Koch: "I made a 3d model of the Blue Lightning f16 in Swivel 3d and used it as

reference

for the animation. In 1989 I had no idea 3d would become so big! There was

also a little cinematic movie in the game."

 

Richard Ditton: "Epyx dies a horrible death after they spent a lot of development money on

the Lynx."

 

Tom Pinnock: "Chips Challenge was relatively easy as we were supplied with the original

Lynx A.I sourcecode ) (The Lynx was 6502 as well)

This was then ported to Z80 by Tony Mack for the Spectrum version. The Z80

version was then ported to 8086 by Gavin Wade for the PC version.

 

The Original Programmer (Chuck Summerville? Not sure of the spelling) had

also sent a note discussing how he would have done the sprite routines if he

was doing the c64 version (But I ignored him... ) )

 

The Amiga + ST version ignored the A.I code completely (The guy never worked

in the industry again!)

This led to there being so many bugs with those versions, that they took

levels out (The ones that had teleporters usually) to get it out in time!"

 

So, enough for today Find out all about Epyx sooner or later using the link below regularly, since I'm sitting on more than 30 interviews I've not yet published...

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[Albert]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cybergoth:

I was just scanning through all the interviews I did with Epyx programmers so far, searching for Lynx information. Here's a few various Lynx quotes that might be interesting/entertaining:

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Hi Manuel! That's great stuff, thanks for taking the time to compile it! Will definitely be able to use that information in the game notes we write up about each game, plus the tidbits about games that weren't completed (like Barbarian Bodyguard) are also cool. I hadn't heard of that one before, I bet it's lost forever. I'm sure someone must have asked Peter Engelbrite if he still has a copy of the game, or at least the source.

 

Thanks again!

 

..Al

[Cybergoth]

quote:

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Originally posted by Albert:

Hi Manuel! That's great stuff, thanks for taking the time to compile it! Will definitely be able to use that information in the game notes we write up about each game, plus the tidbits about games that weren't completed (like Barbarian Bodyguard) are also cool. I hadn't heard of that one before, I bet it's lost forever. I'm sure someone must have asked Peter Engelbrite if he still has a copy of the game, or at least the source.

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I asked him about such things, but he owns no Atari/Lynx related prototypes.

 

There's a lot of Epyx stuff lost in the void. I know for sure that "Silicon Warrior" and "Summer Games" were done for the Coleco for example...

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[irata_99]

Originally posted by Cybergoth:

Peter Engelbrite: "Barbarian Bodyguard (Lynx): Incomplete

I was about a quarter of the way through this game, when Atari and Epyx were going at it hammer and tongs. Atari said that they would not

pay us any more money for games, so we stopped all Lynx development.

 

I know that I am going quite OFF TOPIC, but you know it makes me angry (still), to read this, when I always wondered, why did Atari put on a law suite with EPYX, who not only invented the Lynx, but also made the most original games for it. So does any body know why Atari went this way?

 

AE

[Albert]

There's a lot of Epyx stuff lost in the void. I know for sure that "Silicon Warrior" and "Summer Games" were done for the Coleco for example...

 

Wow, it would be cool if those were located someday. Epyx created some great games that I enjoyed when I was younger, primarily on my Atari 8-bit. Stuff like the various Apshai games, the Summer/Winter/California Games titles, and of course several Lynx titles. I've never played Silicon Warrior, and I see you've rated it an "F" on your site.

 

..Al