Jump to content
Have You Played Atari Today?
2600|5200|7800|Lynx|Jaguar|Forums|Store  

Ranthulfr

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content Count

    641

  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Ranthulfr

  2. Posted

    Hey there, got yet another Adventure question for you code experts.

    This is really just nit-picking but I am curious why the dragons only ever face one direction? Why don't they flip to face right if they are moving right? In the awesome hack Grundle vs Rhindle both dragons turn around as they run back and forth on the basketball court so I know it's possible to do it. Was the Adventure code locked down to showing a static character that could not be rotated? Admittedly nothing else flips to face the right direction either (eg. the sword). Or was it just a case of the programmer didn't have enough time to put in that level of polish?

     

    My guess is that the dragon's mouth is programmed to zero in on the player. Simply flipping the graphic would result in the dragon attacking with the back of its head. So you would need to flip the sprite, not just the graphic. That would affect how the game tracks the dragon's position, etc. It could be that it was possible to do, but deemed not worth the trouble.

  3. Posted

    It's just like any other game, sound comes out of the TV. If you have a modded 2600 I guess you could run the audio out through an amp. Or even if your TV has a line out jack.

     

    Some televisions (especially smaller ones I'd think) have a headphones jack that could be used as a line out.

  5. Posted

    also have never seen a shrinkwraped game. you're right with the small tape on the top and bottom of the box, the cart is packed within a plastic bag

     

    That sort of makes sense if you're more worried about protecting the cartridge from bumps and scratches than you are about pilferage.

     

    I really like Tigervision games... The ones I've played anyway. They have a certain charm.

     

    R

  6. Posted

    As others have indicated, Adventure was as much fun to explore as it was to play with the goal in mind. The game probably stood out more at the time of its release, when almost every other game involved scoring points on a static playfield. Adventure and Superman broke new ground. I don't play it that much nowadays but in a way it is the measuring stick for every new game I try.

  9. Posted · Edited by Randy

    Actionauts sounds like a solid, original game concept and I am glad it is seeing the light of day! It is good to know that the only prototype will be made available to a collector. I do think, however, that the limited release of the game in cartridge form would be more appealing if the game was completed! With the famework of the game already done, it seems like the remaining work would involve alot of the fun, creative stuff. Stuff like designing sprites, levels, sounds, etc. I realize it would not be simple, and Mr. Fulop is probably a busy man. Ideally he would be the one to complete the game... But if he doesn't have time, maybe he could turn the code over to one of the proven programmers that frequent this web site? Mozart's final masterpiece was completed by one of his pupils! A cartidge of the half-finished game would be a nice collector's item. But the release of a finished game could be a really special event. Anyway, much thanks to Mr. Fulop for his recent efforts and for his past contributions to the 2600 library!

     

    Regards,

    Randy

  11. Posted

    I'm logging on AA at least once a day now, slowly getting back into the rhythm of reading forums and posting here and there (usually in General Chat) but what I'm really pondering is how I should get the passion back for Atari and I'm looking for suggestions. Are there specific VCS games I should be playing, buying, or looking for? Should I go on a holy grail quest to get a complete boxed copy of some rare game or pick up an R10? PAL games? Brazilian PAL-M's? I just can't figure out what direction to go or if I'd even be motivated. I could use some advice, I could use somewhere to start. I want to get my passion back.

     

    It sounds like you need a new goal to revive you interest. Try writing a review of a game you haven't thoroughly played yet. Or map out a game that hasn't been mapped yet. Explore some detail of the Atari 2600 world that interests you and share what you find.

  12. Posted

    If you are a Mountain King fan then check out these commercials that some kind soul posted here on Gamespot. It looks like one might be the storyboard mock-up for the other one. I was surprised to find a commercial for this game online. The only sad part is that they didn't use the 2600 version for the screen shots... But I guess you can't have everything.

  13. Posted

    What was the original purpose behind Mountain King's "hidden" upper region?

     

    The programmers figured there was no need to bounds-check the player's motion to ensure that it wouldn't go off the top of the screen since there was no way for the player to get up that high. In practice, it is possible to get up that high; doing so will result in the game taking data from areas of memory outside the map area and interpreting them as map data.

     

    I agree that some of the bizarre features could be the result of a data mix-up, but there are indications that the hidden area is deliberate... The way in seems too convenient to be there by chance. And the 5200 version supposedly has an easter egg (programming credits) hidden around the spider's lair. To me, the upper region looks like a bonus stage that went unfinished for some reason. Or at least, that's the explanation that I find most appealing.

  16. Posted

    Thanks for the responses. So far we have:

    1. Each of the 3 Swordquest games came with a poster / contest entry form.

    2. Many red-label cartridges came with a poster / catalog.

    3. A Phoenix poster was offered through the Atari Age club.

    4. Mario Brothers came with a poster / manual. (Anyone know more about this?)

    5. The Atari club sent out poster / newsletters in the UK.

     

    I have also learned that:

    6. There was an official Atari Age poster available through the club for about 4 bucks.

    7. At one point you received a Pole Position poster if you ordered the game through the club.

    8. The Imagic club offered to send you a game poster when you joined. There were several to choose from.

     

    Anything else?

  20. Posted

    I like both games for different reasons. I don't think it's nostalgia exactly, but to me, the the fact that Adventure was one of the earlier games does make it more impressive. The free-form (or non-linear, as someone called it) nature of the game was very appealing. There hasn't been another 2600 game quite like it, aside from homebrews and hacks. Superman is the closest thing I can think of. And the "easter-egg" in Adventure added another level of interest to the game.

     

    The elements that keep Secret Quest interesting are the new weapon/power-up on each level and the desire to complete the game. The music gives it a Metroid kind of mood and frankly I like the graphics. Especially the little spud-creatures.

     

    R

  25. Posted

    These AtariAge contests are awesome and this game looks great. But it seems to me that more people would participate if this was strictly an art/illustration contest. In other words I think the technical requirements of laying out front and end labels might discourage some people from submitting artwork. And while graphics software can produce some nice results I wouldn't mind seeing an old-school painting make it onto a label sometime. If nothing else it might add to the retro feel of the game.

AtariAge
Forums
Store
General
Follow AtariAge

Copyright ©1998-2021 AtariAge

×
×
  • Create New...