Burger Time for the 5200?

[DEBRO]

Hi Ken,

 

I don't remember if I ever responded to this but I have been following the development and I'm impressed. I like what I see.

 

Are there any plans to releasing the source?

[Charlie_]

No matter what the name, I'll be picking this game up, but I have to say, the name BEEF DROP doesnt sound fun at all. I think its the word "Beef" and how it makes one think of the slaughter of cows. While I'm all for that, it doesnt seem to go well with a video game.

 

Charlie

[Bruce Tomlin]

I think the name sounds silly in a David Letterman sort of way. You know, like when he says "Here, have a ham." I find it to be a somewhat amusing name.

[+Allan]

Hey Kenfused,

Just wanted to say thanks for not only making this great game but also posting all your progress with it. It was really great to see it get better and better. I can't wait to see what people do with the contest and ultimately can't wait to get it on cart with a cool label. It will go great right next to Castle Crisis.

 

Any ideas on what your going to do next? I would love to see you post all your progress with your next project as you did with Beef Drop. Please consider it no matter what game or system you program for. Although I hope you do another 5200 game.

 

If you need a break from a big project you could always do a few more conversion as well.

 

Please!

 

Allan

[DEBRO]

A few suggestions Ken...

 

1) How about a demo that could run during the attract mode? This would eliminate the need to cycle the colors because something would be moving on the screen at all times. Also, it gives people something to look at when your game is on display

 

2) When the player is done entering their initials go ahead and move Pete to the area to end the entry so they don't have to move down there on their own.

 

3) Is it possible to have Pete move under the SPA, RUB, and END literals better? Right now it takes 2 moves for each.

 

4) The enemies do seem to follow Pete instead of trapping him. Either that or I've gotten better at Burger Time over the years I was never good at this game.

 

5) Is there a way to keep screen state? For instance I partially walked over a bun and lost a life. When I came back I had to completely walk over the bun to get it to fall.

 

These seem minor but they would polish the game a bit. I still think you've done a great job with this.

[NoahsMyBro]

2) When the player is done entering their initials go ahead and move Pete to the area to end the entry so they don't have to move down there on their own.

 

3) Is it possible to have Pete move under the SPA, RUB, and END literals better? Right now it takes 2 moves for each.

 

5) Is there a way to keep screen state? For instance I partially walked over a bun and lost a life. When I came back I had to completely walk over the bun to get it to fall.

I recently spent a lot of time playing the genuine Burgertime in MAME, and while annoying, the three items listed above are consistent with the original arcade BT. Staying true to the original will dictate those remain as you've described. Whether or not that's desirable is up to Ken.

(I haven't yet tried the Beef Drop ROM, though, so I'm taking your word the game behaves as you've said.)

[DEBRO]

I recently spent a lot of time playing the genuine Burgertime in MAME, and while annoying, the three items listed above are consistent with the original arcade BT. Staying true to the original will dictate those remain as you've described. Whether or not that's desirable is up to Ken.

I just played the ROM and MAME and you're right. It does act the same way. I must be thinking of another version of Burgertime that kept the screen state or my memory is going bad

 

It's up to Ken whether he would want to do these things but I still think it would make a more polished game.

[Tempest]

recently spent a lot of time playing the genuine Burgertime in MAME,

 

I actually have a Burgertime machine in my room. I'll have to compare this to it and see how it plays.

 

Tempest

[DEBRO]

A few more suggestions and it's probably too late for them but...

 

Could you add more color to Pete? I was okay with the current Pete until I played the game via MAME.

 

Looking at the game from MAME shows that Peter could be colored via DLIs. Are you using software sprites for your players? I haven't looked at the code but I assume so because of the flicker. With a kernel Pete could have more color.

 

Also how about more animation for Pete? When he moves horizontally how about moving his arms a bit. Adding more color to him would help the vertical animation.

[kenfused]

A few more suggestions and it's probably too late for them but...

 

Could you add more color to Pete? I was okay with the current Pete until I played the game via MAME.

 

Looking at the game from MAME shows that Peter could be colored via DLIs. Are you using software sprites for your players? I haven't looked at the code but I assume so because of the flicker. With a kernel Pete could have more color.

 

Also how about more animation for Pete? When he moves horizontally how about moving his arms a bit. Adding more color to him would help the vertical animation.

Pete and all of the enemies use Players. Pete has a dedicated player, the enemies may share players and flicker if more than three are on the same row (or even close to the same row).

 

The DLI only kicks in every 8 scan lines but it has to potentially change 6 horizonal position registers and 3 color registers so color changes on Pete when he crosses one of these zones would be a little tricky).

 

The yellow on Pete and the Enemies is a missile behind the players.

[kenfused]

A few suggestions Ken...

 

1) How about a demo that could run during the attract mode? This would eliminate the need to cycle the colors because something would be moving on the screen at all times. Also, it gives people something to look at when your game is on display

The main reason I haven't done this is the time it would take to do it.

2) When the player is done entering their initials go ahead and move Pete to the area to end the entry so they don't have to move down there on their own.

On purpose so it behaves like the arcade

3) Is it possible to have Pete move under the SPA, RUB, and END literals better? Right now it takes 2 moves for each.

On purpose so it behaves like the arcade. I did miss one little movement feature of the arcade though that I might correct, if you press down when you are in the row above SPA,RUB,END and are to the right of them it should jump down to END.

4) The enemies do seem to follow Pete instead of trapping him. Either that or I've gotten better at Burger Time over the years I was never good at this game.

 

5) Is there a way to keep screen state? For instance I partially walked over a bun and lost a life. When I came back I had to completely walk over the bun to get it to fall.

You can play an older demo version before I added the code to that to make it behave like the arcade. :-)

These seem minor but they would polish the game a bit. I still think you've done a great job with this.

Thanks for the comments.

[Vic George 2K3]

Where's Claude Peller from the old Wendy's commercials when you need her? She would've been great for a commercial ad for this game: "Where's the beef? In your 5200...new from AtariAge!"

[kenfused]

pre-preview of version with new arcade like demo mode. It works fine on Atari800WinPlus but screen goes black after the first demo screen on a real 5200 :-(. I haven't tested the computer version yet on the real thing yet. Let me know if there are any side effects in game play since it did require changes here and there to the main game logic.

demo0714.zip

[~llama]

works fine in my VSX, too, which makes a lot of sense since its based on Atari800Win PLus...

 

i've been following this game since the beginning and i must say, you're doing a phenomenal job! keep up the good work.

[bjk7382]

... but screen goes black after the first demo screen on a real 5200 :-(.  I haven't tested the computer version yet on the real thing yet.

 

Yep, the game locks after the first demo screen. Nothing brings it back except for a reload of the game.

 

The game still plays good if you don't let the demo play

[kenfused]

I think I fixed the demo problem but I havent played it much to see if there are any other side effects.

demo0715.zip

[sku_u]

I can't wait to see this one released as a cart. You're a 5200 programming guru, Ken!

[kenfused]

Hopefully the last test version. Pause function should hopefully work better on a real 5200. Game and enemies speed up after approx 3 minutes like the arcade game.

demo0727.zip

[kenfused]

Dunno if it is to late.

 

Well I played the arcade one real quick and the only main diff I can see "gameplay wise" is in certain cases the baddies do not dissapear and come from the left/right side all the time.

 

Alot of times they re-appear from wherever the burger stopped and climb out to the platform above it.

 

I think I mentioned this earlier, but maybe I did not phrase it correctly.

 

Either way it's the best conversion I've played on any system and that is saying alot!!

It appears that in the arcade the enemies will spawn from where they dropped to (doesn't necessarily have to be at the bottom of the screen) as long as you have dropped two or more. I don't really think I can implement this in a reasonable period of time. I did experiment with trying to add this is a small amount of code. I would also have to add a safe amount of time where an enemy can't kill you (like the arcade) since they can spawn on the screen. My current solution to this problem has always been starting the enemies a little farther off of the board than the arcade does.

[Shannon]

Dunno if it is to late.

 

Well I played the arcade one real quick and the only main diff I can see "gameplay wise" is in certain cases the baddies do not dissapear and come from the left/right side all the time.

 

Alot of times they re-appear from wherever the burger stopped and climb out to the platform above it.

 

I think I mentioned this earlier, but maybe I did not phrase it correctly.

 

Either way it's the best conversion I've played on any system and that is saying alot!!

It appears that in the arcade the enemies will spawn from where they dropped to (doesn't necessarily have to be at the bottom of the screen) as long as you have dropped two or more. I don't really think I can implement this in a reasonable period of time. I did experiment with trying to add this is a small amount of code. I would also have to add a safe amount of time where an enemy can't kill you (like the arcade) since they can spawn on the screen. My current solution to this problem has always been starting the enemies a little farther off of the board than the arcade does.

 

Yeah I figured you overlooked this feature due to the complexity of it. It did not look like it would be easy to implement. Non the less the game is still a lot of fun.

[DEBRO]

Hopefully the last test version.  Pause function should hopefully work better on a real 5200.  Game and enemies speed up after approx 3 minutes like the arcade game.

Are these the only changes?

[kenfused]

Are these the only changes?

These should be the only apparent visible changes (besides the date on the title screen) unless I have forgotten something. Any problems or observations?

[DEBRO]

These should be the only apparent visible changes (besides the date on the title screen) unless I have forgotten something.  Any problems or observations?

Nah, I just wondered if there was anything else I should look for. It seems I'm getting better at this game every time I play test it

[GrandviewCoin]

Ok, so enough already.. who won the art contest?

 

 

Daniel

[Albert]

Ok, so enough already.. who won the art contest?

 

I will be posting an announcement later today.

 

..Al