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2600 Defender Arcade - Pretty Much Complete!


PacManPlus

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Thanks guys. Updated binary to be posted soon... How do the 'new' landers look?

Sorry-- but concerning the new landers :thumbsdown: . They're still quite a step away from the arcade original look. The legs need to be converged more like a tri-pod

 

I haven't actually seen the game via emulator at all yet, but just judging purely by the screenshots, I like the landers they have now (the screenshots on top of the 3rd page) better than the ones you have in your screenshot.. theirs seems to match the arcade a little more. But then again, like I said I haven't tried either via actual gameplay :)

 

Defender%20Lander.gif

Defender%20Lander.gifDefender%20Lander.gifDefender%20Lander.gifDefender%20Lander.gifDefender%20Lander.gif

Edited by Major_Havoc
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I haven't actually seen the game via emulator at all yet, but just judging purely by the screenshots, I like the landers they have now (the screenshots on top of the 3rd page) better than the ones you have in your screenshot.. theirs seems to match the arcade a little more. But then again, like I said I haven't tried either via actual gameplay :)

 

Defender%20Lander.gif

Defender%20Lander.gifDefender%20Lander.gifDefender%20Lander.gifDefender%20Lander.gifDefender%20Lander.gif

I think you're right about the lander. The pixle hight is almost the same but the color pattern is the problem here; thats why the current lander looks kind of squat to me. But to each his own, Bob has the last say anyway... I'm just tring to help but yes, to get a pic of the actual arcade images just to compare would help much instead of relying on my own memory (I haven't played the original in a long time!)

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Sorry-- but concerning the new landers :thumbsdown: . They're still quite a step away from the arcade original look. The legs need to be converged more like a tri-pod as I already had done in the first bin I posted (which has a bug in the bonus screen that I missed earlier and fixed here). Also, in spite all the comments concerning the player's ship, no one addressed the rest of the enemies likeness, :ponder: which needs help as well, esspecially the bomber which is way too wide. I fixed most of them and re-did the lettering for the title. I also improved some of the on-screen messages with better fonts. I have provided a combined screen shot of all the graphical changes posted below along with the BIN utilizing them. It's kind of small and hard to see the differences. Please look at them carefully, I believe these sprites are as close to the arcade's as possible. This is going to be a great hack seeing how alot of people are now wanting to see this game look just right.

BTW, excellent contribution with the color scanner supercat.

--Put me down for cart as well. It's looking great! :ahoy:

post-7623-1154236074_thumb.jpgdefender_hack__w_credits.bin

 

Hey man :)

 

Thanks for the reply, but I have to respectfully disagree. Keeping in mind that the arcade game's landers are 9 pixels wide, and I only have 8 to work with, I believe I got it as close as possible. I have included a comparison below. (I only used 7 of the 8, because it should be an odd number of pixels - the middle column will look too wide otherwise) Also remember that the 2600's pixels are wider than the arcade (looks like almost twice as wide!)

Having said all this, I have to say I like your bombers (that just does *not* sound right :P ) I am changing the ones I have to yours. Thanks!

 

EDIT - Saw your post about the color patern. I agree with you there, I wish Atari had made the top *two* rows yellow; it would have matched better. The rows with green and yellow both are not possible, unfortunately.

 

@AndrewDavie - I agree... I kind of 'iffy' about putting it in in the first place, but I will take it out - also because a few more people have had their hands in it now...

post-1787-1154271299_thumb.jpg

Edited by PacManPlus
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Hey Jerky (king of hacks!) :D

 

You have to make sure it uses the -g6 option for z26 (tells z26 the rom image is a 16K (F6) bankswitch.

 

Bob

 

*EDIT* Found a bug with the color of the lander as a humanoid is being abducted (I was trying to find the colors and left this change in by accident). Here is the fixed rom.

 

Another bug found :( Not all of the Landers turn into Mutants when the planet explodes. Don't know why - need to figure this one out. They should all change into Mutants.

 

Damn.

 

Bob

defarcad.zip

Edited by PacManPlus
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Hey man :)

 

Thanks for the reply, but I have to respectfully disagree. Keeping in mind that the arcade game's landers are 9 pixels wide, and I only have 8 to work with, I believe I got it as close as possible. I have included a comparison below. (I only used 7 of the 8, because it should be an odd number of pixels - the middle column will look too wide otherwise) Also remember that the 2600's pixels are wider than the arcade (looks like almost twice as wide!)

Having said all this, I have to say I like your bombers (that just does *not* sound right :P ) I am changing the ones I have to yours. Thanks!

 

EDIT - Saw your post about the color patern. I agree with you there, I wish Atari had made the top *two* rows yellow; it would have matched better. The rows with green and yellow both are not possible, unfortunately.

 

@AndrewDavie - I agree... I kind of 'iffy' about putting it in in the first place, but I will take it out - also because a few more people have had their hands in it now...

Yes. I stand corrected now that you provided a direct comparision! :dunce:

It was the small yellow pixles between the lander's legs in the arcade version that I never noticed before and since it has to be green in the atari version is why it looked squat to me. I guess that's as close as it will get. Sorry for that speck in my eye.

BTW- you're gonna take your credit out? :?: ? Why? It's still your hack, and it's not your fault that other poeple want to contribute to it to make it better. I believe any contribution that you accept from others are like donations. Although others more now have there hands on it- the geneology still started with you, at least for this particular hack. I'm sure those who want to help know this. We're doing this for fun - it's a community thing, and I think it's good to let those who play it know who thought of it first. Anybody can make there own hack of the same program and give themselves credit for there own alterations -even refinements of someone else's finalized hack (if it's already done in their book)! I suspect it's because putting the name of another game in the title does not sound or look right. I mean, it's up to you if you want to take it out.

How bout' using your real name instead? ... or at least your initials?

-Just a thought. :|

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Hey Jerky (king of hacks!) :D

 

You have to make sure it uses the -g6 option for z26 (tells z26 the rom image is a 16K (F4) bankswitch.

 

Bob

 

*EDIT* Found a bug with the color of the lander as a humanoid is being abducted (I was trying to find the colors and left this change in by accident). Here is the fixed ROM.

 

Another bug found :( Not all of the Landers turn into Mutants when the planet explodes. Don't know why - need to figure this one out. They should all change into Mutants.

 

Damn.

 

Bob

 

 

I just checked my Mame Defender and yes the landers look more thin in the arcade version also the bombers too. The ship I was a little surprised to see has no sight that we all thought we remembered on it, that was the flashing color windshield?

 

I was wondering if the ship could be black and red or stripped in some spots to give a more appearance of looking like the arcade ship maybe for the windshield black red black red?

On the other hand it might just look like pieces missing?

 

Color scanner is great too, I am glad to see the best hackers all working to make this incredibly like the arcade probably even passing off the original Stargate game it started out as.

 

Wade :cool:

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I use Stella with built-in GUI and the older version of the game worked, but the latest worked on one setting I tried, but the mountains were no longer red, so I tried a different setting and now every time I run it, Stella closes. I tried re-downloading and renaming the file, but it still closes. Stella must remember the settings no matter what the file name is.

 

When you upload the next version, can you post what setting should be used with Stella, such as F6 or F6SC or F4 or F4SC and so on?

 

Thanks.

 

From the short bit I saw, the colorful scanner was a nice change. Do you think anyone could ever hack the game so that your ship explodes like the arcade version (kind of like fireworks) instead of looking like a tiny balloon popping? Since all of the enemies disappear in the Atari 2600 version anyway, it would be cool to use their sprites and missiles to help make the huge colorful explosion.

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I use Stella with built-in GUI and the older version of the game worked, but the latest worked on one setting I tried, but the mountains were no longer red, so I tried a different setting and now every time I run it, Stella closes. I tried re-downloading and renaming the file, but it still closes. Stella must remember the settings no matter what the file name is.

 

When you upload the next version, can you post what setting should be used with Stella, such as F6 or F6SC or F4 or F4SC and so on?

 

Thanks.

 

From the short bit I saw, the colorful scanner was a nice change. Do you think anyone could ever hack the game so that your ship explodes like the arcade version (kind of like fireworks) instead of looking like a tiny balloon popping? Since all of the enemies disappear in the Atari 2600 version anyway, it would be cool to use their sprites and missiles to help make the huge colorful explosion.

 

 

I now actually use the new Stella now that I actually have some hard drive space for it to run correctly. The setting I found was F8SC for the 8bit version and F6SC for the 16 bit version. If you chose the wrong one your screen goes black when you load the rom but if you press tab it will still get you to the properties to change to the correct one, remember after the change you need to let it load then press ESC and reload the rom.

 

Wade

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I now actually use the new Stella now that I actually have some hard drive space for it to run correctly. The setting I found was F8SC for the 8bit version and F6SC for the 16 bit version. If you chose the wrong one your screen goes black when you load the rom but if you press tab it will still get you to the properties to change to the correct one, remember after the change you need to let it load then press ESC and reload the rom.

Thanks. I knew about the screen going blank or the game not looking right after the title screen and that we have to reload, but whatever setting I tried is now locked in and Stella totally closes itself down if I try to run the game. Looks like I'll have to wait until the next version unless there is an easy way to edit the file Stella stores the information in.

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Yes the color is messed up now, that orange color not like the arcade defender. Also the landers are back to the wide bent leg landers instead of the thin straight leg landers like they were changed to?

 

The arcade has the thin straight leg landers.

 

I think the explosion can not be changed for the reason it looks at least to me that all explosions share the same sprite, I noticed shooting a lander or bomber looks the same as when my ship explodes.

Of course they all could be different just the programer decided to make all the explosions the same, not sure I would have to check, but I did have an idea to make the ships explosion look more like the partical ball rather then the lines. something like this.

 

OOXOXOXO

OXOXOXOX

XOXOXOXO

OXOXOXOO

Ahh looks too much like a checker board! LOL

 

It would need work but it is Bob's hack.

 

Wade

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I now actually use the new Stella now that I actually have some hard drive space for it to run correctly. The setting I found was F8SC for the 8bit version and F6SC for the 16 bit version. If you chose the wrong one your screen goes black when you load the rom but if you press tab it will still get you to the properties to change to the correct one, remember after the change you need to let it load then press ESC and reload the rom.

Thanks. I knew about the screen going blank or the game not looking right after the title screen and that we have to reload, but whatever setting I tried is now locked in and Stella totally closes itself down if I try to run the game. Looks like I'll have to wait until the next version unless there is an easy way to edit the file Stella stores the information in.

 

Wow sorry man I tried helping as much as I knew but you need someone with more tecnical experience with Stella. Maybe re-install stella?

 

I see that you love ET I hope you liked my ET's Candy Bars game! :D

 

But back on topic try maybe re-installing Stella and then setting the cart type to F6SC for this newest version of Arcade Defender.

 

Wade

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I think the explosion can not be changed for the reason it looks at least to me that all explosions share the same sprite, I noticed shooting a lander or bomber looks the same as when my ship explodes.

Yeah, I hoped that maybe a programmer that knows more than a hacker might be able to add an explosion for the player's ship that would be made of multiple sprites and missiles instead of keeping it within the area of one sprite. Just make a ball of as many dots as possible that spread out. Even if it flickers a bit, it would feel more like the arcade game. The arcade version fades out, but just plain white dots with no fade would be better than the way it is now.

post-13-1154331466_thumb.jpgpost-13-1154331514_thumb.jpg

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Just thought of an idea, you say stella works until you try to load that game, and you can not change the stella setting back because it closes down. Ok here is my idea it is a duct tape solution but it may work. Re-name the game so Stella thinks it is another game and goes back to automatic, then you can select the right setting for it.

 

Wade

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BTW- you're gonna take your credit out? :?: ? Why? It's still your hack, and it's not your fault that other poeple want to contribute to it to make it better. I believe any contribution that you accept from others are like donations. Although others more now have there hands on it- the geneology still started with you, at least for this particular hack. I'm sure those who want to help know this. We're doing this for fun - it's a community thing, and I think it's good to let those who play it know who thought of it first. Anybody can make there own hack of the same program and give themselves credit for there own alterations -even refinements of someone else's finalized hack (if it's already done in their book)! I suspect it's because putting the name of another game in the title does not sound or look right. I mean, it's up to you if you want to take it out.

How bout' using your real name instead? ... or at least your initials?

-Just a thought. :|

 

Hi:

 

Thanks for the post. :) It isn't to say that it's not my hack, It's just that I never felt right with it in there, and now moreso because there's been a few people that have helped me. Exactly like you said; it's a community thing, so for me to take all the credit for this hack isn't right. I did start it, so I will be making carts of it, but that's about it. :)

 

 

Also, Wade mentioned that the look of the landers changed? Not in the one I posted (see screen shot). Also as far as the ship, I've been doing comparisons with MAME to get the looks of the sprites (except the bombers) :ponder: and there seems to be *something* toward the nose of the ship (not quite sure what it is - see picture). But a few people have complained about this so if people think I should take out that little bump by the nose of the ship, I will do so.

post-1787-1154341868_thumb.jpg

post-1787-1154341964_thumb.jpg

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Just thought of an idea, you say stella works until you try to load that game, and you can not change the stella setting back because it closes down. Ok here is my idea it is a duct tape solution but it may work. Re-name the game so Stella thinks it is another game and goes back to automatic, then you can select the right setting for it.

Nope, can't trick it. I'll have to reinstall or wait for next version of the game.

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Seem alot of you like the label art and if anyone want to see some other origainl Pencil sketch I drew to make this label art for Defender Arcade as I done on the 5200 game Blaster I had to start from screash and drew the ships, ufo and others in a retro looks to them. Cuase you put alot of work on hacking this into a real arcade port of Defender its only fitting to have a even better label art for this game and that fact that theres not really is any good arcade flyer, sideart or any good arcade art at all so I too wanted this tome come out right and have this game cart to be as closes as I can draw them.

 

(Me think of going back on this label and add more stuff on it) :D

post-5587-1154347359_thumb.jpg

Edited by Atariboy2600
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Seem alot of you like the label art and if anyone want to see some other origainl Pencil sketch I drew to make this label art for Defender Arcade as I done on the 5200 game Blaster I had to start from screash and drew the ships, ufo and others in a retro looks to them. Cuase you put alot of work on hacking this into a real arcade port of Defender its only fitting to have a even better label art for this game and that fact that theres not really is any good arcade flyer, sideart or any good arcade art at all so I too wanted this tome come out right and have this game cart to be as closes as I can draw them.

 

(Me think of going back on this label and add more stuff on it) :D

 

The new art looks good...I'm curious to see an updated label design.

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Hey Atariboy2600

 

You already know how I feel about your work. I can't say enough good about what you can produce.

 

Also, when I do make carts for this, If I may use your label, I will get you a cart for only the price of the board and SARA chip.

 

Bob

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Hey Atariboy2600

 

You already know how I feel about your work. I can't say enough good about what you can produce.

 

Also, when I do make carts for this, If I may use your label, I will get you a cart for only the price of the board and SARA chip.

 

Bob

 

 

Um. That doesn't sound like a great deal to me! You use his art and in return he get a free... assembly of a cart?

Nice art Atariboy2600. Need to work on the spelling/grammar a bit, though.

Cheers

A

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Um. That doesn't sound like a great deal to me! You use his art and in return he get a free... assembly of a cart?

Nice art Atariboy2600. Need to work on the spelling/grammar a bit, though.

Cheers

A

 

... you know, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking. That's the last time I type something like that while I'm on the phone with a client. :roll:

(probably shouldn't be visiting here while I'm at work anyway) :ponder:

 

Of course he will get a free cart... sorry about that dude

 

Bob

 

P.S. as far as price goes, I'm not sure yet as I haven't purchased anything at this point. Still trying to get the game completed.

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Um. That doesn't sound like a great deal to me! You use his art and in return he get a free... assembly of a cart?

Nice art Atariboy2600. Need to work on the spelling/grammar a bit, though.

Cheers

A

 

... you know, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking. That's the last time I type something like that while I'm on the phone with a client. :roll:

(probably shouldn't be visiting here while I'm at work anyway) :ponder:

 

Of course he will get a free cart... sorry about that dude

 

Bob

 

P.S. as far as price goes, I'm not sure yet as I haven't purchased anything at this point. Still trying to get the game completed.

 

Aw dont worry guys its okay but thanks I liek that alot :D Soon Ill post the updated label art today after Im done with the other progect :cool:

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