vectrex ?

[Dusk2600]

do u play your vectrex games with or without the overlays?> if u have the overlays?

 

for me it depends on my mood, the overlays are ok but i like b&W vectorbeam graphics

[JB]

Usually naked. The overlays cut down on streaking visibility, and I like the streaks.

[+remowilliams]

I'll vote for 'with overlays'

[jsoper]

It depends, some games like Pole Position are better with, while for some games like Minestorm the overlays don't seem to add much.

[uosipa llamxew]

Usually naked. The overlays cut down on streaking visibility, and I like the streaks.

 

Your Vectrex is a streaker, eh?

 

I always play mine naked! Actually, that's only because I don't own any overlays. If anyone has a Minestorm overlay (in good condition) up for trade... PM me!

Edited July 10, 2006 by mojofltr

[+remowilliams]

It depends, some games like Pole Position are better with, while for some games like Minestorm the overlays don't seem to add much.

True. I do play Minestorm without the overlay. In it's case it looks more like Asteroids

[n8littlefield]

Back when I used to play at a friend's house we never used the overlays, it was just a hastle to bother swapping them. I really wish I had his vectrex, such a neat little machine, shame they sell for so much now.

[SteveW]

I've only got overlays for two of my three games, that's because I bought Armor..Attack and Clean Sweep boxed at OVGE last year. I found that the overlays didn't really add anything to the gameplay, so I never bothered after the first time using it.

[awsomo3000]

I always use overlays, never realy even considered not using them

[Dauber]

When I had my Vectrex, I rarely used the overlays, but mainly because I was too lazy to deal with 'em.

[Paranoid]

I don't have overlays, but I think I would use them, if I had them.

[Lemmi]

im getting a vectrex from albert soon and i was wondering if there is any games that kinda need an overlay to play?

[Paranoid]

Unlike the arcade originals, almost all of the games seem to draw all the things you might collide with (for example, building walls on Armor Attack), so my general experience is that you do not need the overlays, they just add color and "rastar style" graphics where appropriate.

[Lord Thag]

I made my own overlays by having all of the scans printed on transparencies. It was kind of a pain to get the copy shop to size the correctly, but I now have a complete set. Total cost :$10

 

Overlays are the only way to fly.

[Lemmi]

cool i was just curious as i have a multi cart and no overlays

 

also is there anyplace that might have game manuals to look at?

 

heh nevermind i found a few

Edited July 11, 2006 by Lemmi

[Paranoid]

I printed out overlays for my MAME cabinet on 8x11 transparency paper with a deskjet, before I found the transparency art files. Oddly enough, 8x11 works just PERFECT for a 17" monitor. Well, close enough to perfect.

 

I've considered doing the same for the Vectrex, but, as you pointed out, sizing seems to be a difficult proposition with the Vectrex...

 

Additionally, I noticed that colors do not bleed through right on an inkjet printed transparency, like the original transparencies did at the arcade. For example, if I hold an inkjet transparency up to VERY bright light, I can see the intended colors (say olive green for the buildings in Armor Attack)... But, with a Vector game, there isn't a lot of radiated light... just lines on a black screen... they're not enough light to penetrate and light the transparency. The original transparency overlays were far more transparent than what you'll get with a deskjet and inkjet transparencies.

[uosipa llamxew]

I made my own overlays by having all of the scans printed on transparencies. It was kind of a pain to get the copy shop to size the correctly, but I now have a complete set. Total cost :$10

 

Overlays are the only way to fly.

 

I'd thought about going this route, but have yet to find some good high resolution scans or reproduction art on the web. Everything I've found has jpeg artifacts, is low resolution, or both. I had good intentions to photoshop my own, but got lazy.

 

Do you have some of that artwork left on your harddrive by chance?

[jsoper]

If anyone's interested, my site has some resizing information and links to a site with nice .GIF overlays (look in the Game section on his site).

[SteveW]

Additionally, I noticed that colors do not bleed through right on an inkjet printed transparency, like the original transparencies did at the arcade. For example, if I hold an inkjet transparency up to VERY bright light, I can see the intended colors (say olive green for the buildings in Armor Attack)... But, with a Vector game, there isn't a lot of radiated light... just lines on a black screen... they're not enough light to penetrate and light the transparency. The original transparency overlays were far more transparent than what you'll get with a deskjet and inkjet transparencies.

I've got an old dye sublimation printer that could print transparencies that would look as good as the originals. The problem is, i'm out of a couple colors of ink carts, and they stopped making them long ago. My good ol' Alps 4000 printer (with built-in photo scanner) was a nice little machine, but it's gone the way of the Dodo. I really appreciated ink carts that don't dry out if you don't use them every week. I haven't seen a new Alps printer in a store in years. If I could pop over to CompUSA and buy new carts, I'd still have that sucker hooked up through a SCSI adapter.

[Paranoid]

I've got an old dye sublimation printer that could print transparencies that would look as good as the originals.

 

Seems like a dye sub would lay down ink thicker and even less transparent than an inkjet.

 

Maybe the trick with overlays like Armor Attack was additional ambient lighting that reflected off of the colors on the overlay. The other example that comes to mind is that swordfight game, where the vector characters actually seemed to float ABOVE the er... overlay... I guess in this case it was an "underlay". The printed graphics in this case were purple stones, stairways, and two pits near the center that you could drive your opponent into. This game isn't available on the Vectrex, and really, even with MAME it is a difficult game to duplicate at home, as it used 4 flight-style joysticks (two each player) with top mounted fire buttons, per player to control the characters. It and Armor Attack were always broken whenever I encountered them, usually at the California State Fair.

[JB]

Maybe the trick with overlays like Armor Attack was additional ambient lighting that reflected off of the colors on the overlay. The other example that comes to mind is that swordfight game, where the vector characters actually seemed to float ABOVE the er... overlay... I guess in this case it was an "underlay". The printed graphics in this case were purple stones, stairways, and two pits near the center that you could drive your opponent into. This game isn't available on the Vectrex, and really, even with MAME it is a difficult game to duplicate at home, as it used 4 flight-style joysticks (two each player) with top mounted fire buttons, per player to control the characters. It and Armor Attack were always broken whenever I encountered them, usually at the California State Fair.

The second one was Warrior. And IT used a mirror, so the graphics WERE floating over the backdrop.

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter...p;game_id=10408

 

Armor Attack's color is probably just a matter of using the right tools for the job.

Edited July 13, 2006 by JB

[Paranoid]

Warrior. Such a cool concept. Unfortunately, all but utterly unplayable on MAME, in my experience. I guess I was wrong about the 4 sticks, though. I wonder what makes it so bloody unplayable on MAME.

 

I'm gonna have to go turn it on and check out the ROM and see if I can figure it out.

 

I agree, re: Right Tools for the Job. I just don't think the right tools are available to the average joe. An inkjet or dye-sub isn't going to cut it. Of course, the Vectrex overlays are a different ballgame altogether than the arcade. The arcade version does NOT draw the walls of the buildings, so you MUST have the overlay to play. The Vectrex version draws walls, so the game is playable even without the overlay.

[JB]

Warrior. Such a cool concept. Unfortunately, all but utterly unplayable on MAME, in my experience. I guess I was wrong about the 4 sticks, though. I wonder what makes it so bloody unplayable on MAME.

I always thought it was just an awkward game.

I admit to never playing an actual machine, though.

 

I agree, re: Right Tools for the Job. I just don't think the right tools are available to the average joe. An inkjet or dye-sub isn't going to cut it.

Sadly, you're probably right.

 

 

Of course, the Vectrex overlays are a different ballgame altogether than the arcade. The arcade version does NOT draw the walls of the buildings, so you MUST have the overlay to play. The Vectrex version draws walls, so the game is playable even without the overlay.

Thank goodness the Vectrex draws the walls.

 

Arcade overlays were pasted onto the screen instead of hung in front of it. Made the positioning of graphics a lot more precise once the display was adjusted.

On the Vectrex, not only are you incapable of adjusting the display to match the overlay, but the relation between the 2 planes will actually shift position with your viewing angle. So it would've been an unplayable mess without drawn walls.

[Lemmi]

does anyone know what version this cart is? or whats on it?

 

all it says on it is

sean kelly 2000

 

i bought this probably in 2005 sometime

 

i tried to search this site but people like to edit out all content after they sell shit

and seans website is no more

Edited July 13, 2006 by Lemmi

[Dusk2600]

it has all the vectrex games on it sopposedly