CPUWIZ Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 My guess is that the label underneith is either Combat or one of these... (If it indeed is one of these labels, it may mean that this cart has a proto board inside, I would pop it onto a digital scale and weigh it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecycledGamer Posted November 14, 2005 Author Share Posted November 14, 2005 My guess is that the label underneith is either Combat or one of these... (If it indeed is one of these labels, it may mean that this cart has a proto board inside, I would pop it onto a digital scale and weigh it.) 964768[/snapback] Interesting thought - I'll weigh it as soon as I get back in town. and report back. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the 5th ghost Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Wow, you learn something new everyday! Add another numbered cart to the list. That is one awesome cart, thanks for finding it and sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.J. Franzman Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 (edited) I would be extremely surprised if it's a legit pre-/early-production Atari "space combat" label on top of a familiar 1978 "space war" label. That scenario just doesn't make any sense. I'm thinking CPUWIZ might be right about it being a proto label underneath, or perhaps another different earlier version of the label we can see (maybe with an error, or having some other different layout, color, or other issue that Atari decided to change.) It's also possible that it's a simple goof, with 2 of the same label on the cart. One thing I notice about the visible label, is that the "game program" text is too large, forcing the "™" to be above, instead of above and to the right of the final "m". The proto label CPUWIZ shows above is apparently from a later time when this layout issue was corrected. I don't know if this is significant or not. Edited November 14, 2005 by A.J. Franzman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Rescue Group Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 (edited) I would be extremely surprised if it's a legit pre-/early-production Atari "space combat" label on top of a familiar 1978 "space war" label. That scenario just doesn't make any sense. I'm thinking CPUWIZ might be right about it being a proto label underneath, or perhaps another different earlier version of the label we can see (maybe with an error, or having some other different layout, color, or other issue that Atari decided to change.) One thing I notice about the visible label, is that the "game program" text is too large, forcing the "™" to be above, instead of above and to the right of the final "m". The proto label CPUWIZ shows above is apparently from a later time when this layout issue was corrected. I don't know if this is significant or not. 965204[/snapback] If the label is real maybe that was the/a original working name of the game--and one considered as the issue title to get the name on this label. The programmer isn't listed in the AA database to ask that question. I think the original 9 titles all have the TM above that m on the top, but not later labels. Edited November 15, 2005 by Atari Rescue Group Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxsolo2000 Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 So is the general consensus on this thing is that it is genuine? It just strikes me as strange that the moment it is identified the owner tells everyone it is going to be available on Ebay. This could be like the Space Mission thread and possibly too good to be true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchysuperman Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 It's not going to be on ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecycledGamer Posted November 15, 2005 Author Share Posted November 15, 2005 It's not going to be on ebay. 965856[/snapback] No it's not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 It's not going to be on ebay. 965856[/snapback] No it's not. 965976[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breakpack Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 It's not going to be on ebay. 965856[/snapback] No it's not. 965976[/snapback] 965992[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keilbaca Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 It's not going to be on ebay. 965856[/snapback] No it's not. 965976[/snapback] 965992[/snapback] 966002[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxsolo2000 Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 My this is a real fun thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Rescue Group Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 My guess is that the label underneith is either Combat or one of these... (If it indeed is one of these labels, it may mean that this cart has a proto board inside, I would pop it onto a digital scale and weigh it.) 964768[/snapback] Interesting thought - I'll weigh it as soon as I get back in town. and report back. Chuck 964896[/snapback] So how much does it weigh? In my opinion it's still not a real label variation. A two-digit number on an incomplete label with a Sears title don't jive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 In my opinion it's still not a real label variation. A two-digit number on an incomplete label with a Sears title don't jive. There is a logical explaination. Space Combat was probably the original title, as Atari may have feared that Space War was copyrighted. Once they got everything straightned out, they probably gave Sears use of the alternative title. If this were the case, then this is probably a pre-production sample of some type. Of course this is all just theory and speculation... Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxsolo2000 Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 But in your opinion this could be a genuine find? Your voice holds a lot of weight in these matters Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Hunter Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 I'm 100% certain that this is a genuine find. Nobody can come up with this one as a hoax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxsolo2000 Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 (edited) So you think that Space Mission is real too? Also why couldn't it be a hoax? Edited November 15, 2005 by Foxsolo2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Rescue Group Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 In my opinion it's still not a real label variation. A two-digit number on an incomplete label with a Sears title don't jive. There is a logical explaination. Space Combat was probably the original title, as Atari may have feared that Space War was copyrighted. Once they got everything straightned out, they probably gave Sears use of the alternative title. If this were the case, then this is probably a pre-production sample of some type. Of course this is all just theory and speculation... Tempest 966037[/snapback] I completely agree with that. I think it's genuine unless the underneath label turned out to be a released Space War one with a later label style. Pre-production sample yes, but still not a label variation (that's collectible). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RecycledGamer Posted November 16, 2005 Author Share Posted November 16, 2005 So how much does it weigh? 966026[/snapback] Bare cart weight = 2.5 oz. / 70 grams My scale is digital, but only shows 1/4 oz/5g increments. Crunchy will tell you all about it later this week, I'm sure. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atari Rescue Group Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 So how much does it weigh? 966026[/snapback] Bare cart weight = 2.5 oz. / 70 grams My scale is digital, but only shows 1/4 oz/5g increments. Crunchy will tell you all about it later this week, I'm sure. Chuck 966278[/snapback] I just weighed two carts -- one a regular Atari 2 digit cart ("11 Indy 500") that weighs 2.3 oz, and a loaner cart I got from Tempest which weighs 3.1 oz. I'm guessing that prototypes were sometimes different weights as they were made with different board/chip combinations. Crunchysuperman can hopefully weigh it again to get a more exact weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariAger Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 What are all you guys really, measuring on these scales? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 What are all you guys really, measuring on these scales? 966432[/snapback] How else do you think they get the money to buy all the 9's & 10's? Damn, you gotta be into the stock to spend that kinda cash on a game in the first place..jk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supercat Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 I just weighed two carts -- one a regular Atari 2 digit cart ("11 Indy 500") that weighs 2.3 oz, and a loaner cart I got from Tempest which weighs 3.1 oz. I'm guessing that prototypes were sometimes different weights as they were made with different board/chip combinations. 966429[/snapback] What game was the loaner cart? I'd expect one of three things for a cart of that vintage: -1- For a 2K or 4K production game, a single 24-pin DIP -2- For a 2K prototype, a 24-pin DIP and a 14-pin DIP -3- For a 4K prototype, two 24-pin DIPs and a 14-pin DIP Spacewar/Space Combat is 2K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtariAger Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 How else do you think they get the money to buy all the 9's & 10's? Damn, you gotta be into the stock to spend that kinda cash on a game in the first place..jk 966440[/snapback] ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.Whiz Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 I would venture to guess that this is a "marketing" prototype, not necessarily a game prototype. Makes sense that they would consider Space Combat since Combat has tanks and planes -- why not space ships? Perhaps it was even planned to be on the same cartridge as Combat, but with the variations they just ran out of room. So Space Combat was born. Of course not too long afterwards you got to think that someone decided that having two cartridges with similar names in a limited initial release of seven games (or whatever was immediately available) might not be the smartest move from a marketing standpoint. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is based on a semi-coin-op, is it not? I remember playing it as a kid before Atari came out - vector graphics like Asteroids with a small but gravitationally-strong sun in the middle... was this called Space War too? Who made it? Come to think of it, wasn't it the Enterprise vs. a Klingon ship? ~G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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