Nebulon
-
Content Count
1,982 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by Nebulon
-
-
NES for me.
While my first console was an Atari 2600 with the fake wood front and I do love the system, I prefer the richer gaming experiences the NES provides.
They're really so different that I don't compare them. Just in this thread.
Most of what I liked on the 2600 were arcade ports. These days I have classic compilations or MAME to give me near-arcade equivalent experiences. The same goes for much of my NES collection, but there are more unique games that I enjoyed on my NES than the 2600.
For the purposes of this thread, I chose NES too.
However, I actually think the Atari VCS has a wider variety of games.
I can't imagine life without good ol' Rabbit Transit on the 2600.
-
As you were mentioning, Bill, it could have happened a number of ways.
Here's some interesting information. This one talks about Coleco talking to a company in Hong Kong as early as 1980. Other articles I've read suggest that Eric Bromley had been working on developing ideas for what would become the ColecoVision as early as 1979. That, and he was known for making quite a few trips to Asia.
http://www.colecovision.dk/history.htm
And another link that I'm sure most of you have read (but is so entertaining that it deserves posting):
http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2010/09/feature_how_colecovision_became_the_king_of_kong
-
It's certainly a reasonable argument, but slapping "vision" on the end of things was common for the era so I seriously doubt that was in any way borrowed. It was just something obvious/natural for the era.
Anyway, as an owner of a CreatiVision (specifically the Dick Smith Wizzard versions), I can say that the controllers are not as similar as you might think from a superficial glance, but I do agree it's easy enough to draw a path from the Intellivision and then in turn to the ColecoVision. The CreatiVision has a somewhat similar woodgrain look (though cheaper), cartridges that plug into the side, and similar action buttons (though, strangely, they're more reminiscent of the crappy Intellivision II side buttons, which themselves were cheaper versions of what was in the Master Component), etc. However, other than possibly borrowing some ideas, I just don't know if the timing would work out for out-and-out copying. Both the Intellivision and CreatiVision were born out of 1970s design sensibilities, while the ColecoVision clearly was the start of the next generation of design in the early 1980s that would mark the new generation of consoles (and computers). In other words, there was a clear effort made to distinguish the console from what came before (and Coleco did a masterful job at that, obviously) as a sort of dividing line between old/new.
I just really think most of these similarities boil down to access to the same components, access to the same design standards, and other practical concerns, with liberal use of "hey, I like that feature in console x, so let's put it in ours!" It's also important to remember what was present in the ColecoVision prototypes (there are obviously plenty of photos of what was originally intended) and how the final design deviated from that. That to me is further evidence there wasn't out-and-out copying.
In any case, it's splitting hairs at this point. Hopefully the upcoming ColecoVision book will shed some light on the inspirations for the console and the reasons behind why certain chips were chosen from the people who were there. That, along with an Intellivision book, was something I was thinking about writing after finishing the "CoCo" book (which itself uncovered all of those things for the first time), but both of those were already spoken for. I look forward to reading the findings, which hopefully will settle whether it was more on the "era-specific coincidence/inspiration" side or more on the "copying" side.
Oh, and in regards to the Telstar Arcade, I was more referring to inspiration for all the expansion options for the ColecoVision. The Telstar Arcade obviously had most of its options onboard, which was rather clumsy, while the ColecoVision obviously split them all out, including the computer.
Yeah, the design process information on the ColecoVision would help a lot. As you can tell, I'm really just speculating based on what I know about released machines. When it comes to the CV, I really don't have any historical design information to draw upon. So yes, it really is a case of splitting hairs as you said.
I think carlsson has a good point about TI likely shopping their graphics and audio chips around. I've certainly seen that before in my years in the computer hardware industry. Texas Instruments appears to have been very happy to get their chips in to as many products as possible and 'boost those component sales numbers!'
I've been an owner and fan of the ColecoVision since it was first released. I just had a hard time seeing Coleco make such a big leap from their older game offerings without some kind of assistance (if that's the right word for it).
It's very cool that you have a CreatiVision machine. I still think it's a landmark machine -- based on what I can dig up so far.
-
I'm just not convinced. I mean, it's just as easy to make the argument that the engineers at Coleco were influenced by the Intellivision (name, controllers, etc.; 1979/80) for the ColecoVision design (1981/2), but then you could also argue that they were influenced by their own Telstar Arcade (1977) for several elements/ideas. Clearly companies liberally borrowed ideas of what worked/didn't work from each other, but I still say it all came down to what mated well to certain processors, what was available at what cost, etc. In other words, it wasn't necessarily (at least significantly) copying, it was practical reasons to release similar hardware. Unless you were going to spend significant time on R&D, you went with mostly off-the-shelf stuff that could be produced in quantity. Once the programmable home computer/console revolution was underway there was little time to do anything but your own spin on certain accepted standards. Creating something completely different would have presented challenges in both scale and being able to program to it properly. Look how long it took Motorola-based designs to take off with the Macintosh, ST, Amiga, etc., and even the Atari 8-bit was built off the back of the R&D first put to use in the 2600, which both were milked for many years thereafter.
On the one hand, I agree. Yes -- there's definitely an iterative design process happening here. And there's the use of the word 'Vision'. You could argue that CreatiVision took two ideas from the Intellivision (but they made enough changes to make it theirs, once you start to pick the machine apart and examine the guts of it).
On the other hand, the CreatiVision and ColecoVision are just too similar for the CreatiVision to not be an obvious precedent for the CV:
Same video chip.
Same audio chip.
Same amount of system RAM.
Same amount of Video RAM.
Same corded controller design (raised disc and keypad)
And almost identical name (both have 12 letters, both start with a capital 'C', both end with the word 'Vision' with a capital 'V' and both are two words combined into one.
I mean... really....
Of course, I do agree with you on the liberal borrowing that was clearly happening in the industry in general:
E.g.) the controllers --> Coleco Telstar Arcade for the raised disc component and Intellivision for the cord, keypad, and bays.
-
The Creativision pre-dates the ColecoVision by about a year, but we can't necessarily consider strong "influences" among videogame or computing platforms of the era. They all more or less had the same technology to build a platform around, so there are lots of similarities between various classes of platforms, particularly those based around specific processors and using essentially off-the-shelf video chips.
Well, you just re-defined everything for me. Despite the tendency for manufacturers to use similar off-the-shelf solutions, I'm a big believer in proof-of-concept. I spent four years with industrial designers, so I have a pretty good idea how this scenario likely played out.
- TI gives evidence of what the TI graphics and sound chips can do with the TI-99/4 in 1979.
- CreatiVision is released in the first half of 1981 with a form-factor that is
- 'copied' by Coleco for the ColecoVision (with the 6502 subbed-out for the Z80).
Clearly, someone at Coleco MUST have seen the CreatiVision (the shape of the controllers, the name of the machine, placing the controllers in storage spaces formed from the machine's case, ...).
I feel sorry for VTech now, since I think they deserve more credit.
http://www.videogameconsolelibrary.com/pg80-creativision.htm#page=reviews
-
Yep. After doing more digging, it looks like the RAM, VRAM, GPU, and sound specs between the ColecoVision and SG-1000 are indeed the same.
It also looks like the Spectravideo SV-318, SV-328, and the MSX machines all owe more than a bit to the ColecoVision (since I've yet to find a similar spec that pre-dates the CV).
-
Here's another couple sites I've run across that look useful.
http://niga.at.infoseek.co.jp/msx/free.html (has ngload, apparently a replacement for mgload and romload)
http://www.webalice.it/gnogni/ (this is the site with the repacked(?) firmware 2.2b and a flash utility)
http://www.symbos.de/ (GUI for MSX)
http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~hra/note/onechipmsx/index.htm (a stable(?) firmware release that seems a bit newer than the 2.2b, but I'm not sure how they tie together or what the difference between them is)
Has anybody found a source for a real MSX controller? I understand you can use an Atari joystick for single button games, but would like to find a proper controller at some point. Not much has turned up on ebay yet, but I'm still looking.
I spotted this:
Looks pretty darned cool.
-
I love the style and design of the game, I hate the poor control and complete BS difficulty. It would be so much better with a lightgun or mouse.
Ah. I see.
Yeah, I only wish there was a proper port or emulation of the arcade game out there somewhere. I still recall when it first hit the arcades.
-
1
-
-
Super Smash TV (SNES)
Wolfenstein (3DO)
Starblade (3DO)
I'm not proud of that last one.
Really? Starblade on 3DO is one of the better versions of the game.
-
In addition to save-states for ALL games being among the features most classic consoles don't offer which emulation does, I also like the ability to cut the speed in half or fourths. Or underclocking. This allows one to get past some difficult spots where timing and precision are unusually demanding. Not all emulators support this
I have to admit... I've been known to do this on Gravitar.
Hey -- it's a brutally hard game!
-
I gotta think this is referring to the Solid State removable storage used to hold the ROMs. Solid state (SD, Micro SD, CF, SSD drives in your computer, etc) is fast, but it can only write on the same areas so many times before it fails (by design). Usually the solid state storage specifies a limited number of WRITES before it is expected to fail. This varies by device and will keep changing as the sizes go up and technology improves. READS from the card are virtually unlimited. This would mean that it is only when you actually copy or WRITE new data to the flashcard that has a meaningful impact on the life of the solid state card.
This is how I understand it as well. Generally it's the number of write operations that impact the flash device. Having said that, one wonders about the electrical charge required for read operations and if they have any significant impact. Here's a neat PDF showing how complex all this read/write activity is for this type of storage:
As for the RAM comment earlier in the thread, RAM is the least-reliable storage medium, since it requires an electrical charge to maintain storage of data. And the idea that the flash device will re-allocate data to a good cell if a cell goes bad is a nice idea, but it doesn't happen automatically. That would require a re-write (as well as a deliberate piece of code to PUT that data in a location that is verified as good). Unless they come up with a managed redundancy system like the old SCSI RAID 1, but for flash memory. Now just how good is ECC for flash memory and how much user-intervention is required to make it work well? That's for someone more versed in this stuff to explain.
No storage medium is perfect or lasts forever. All the more reason to remember to make backups.
Nothing like a bit of entropy for your day
-
Can someone confirm the correct specifications for the ColecoVision and the SG-1000?
Both of these systems have varying specification listings on the web.
However, as a ColecoVision owner since day one, I know its specs as:
ColecoVision (1982)
CPU: 8-bit Z80A (3.58MHz)
RAM: 1 KBVideo RAM: 16 KB
Video Display Processor: Texas Instruments TMS9928A
Colors: 16
Sprites: 32
Resolution: 256x192 pixels
Sound: TI SN76489AN. Channels: 3-tone, 1-noiseAs for the SG-1000 (1983), I'm pretty sure it's the same.
However, I see some reports claiming that the SG-1000 has 2 KB of RAM and 16 KB of VRAM.
Others claim that it has 1 KB of RAM (like the CV).
I tend to think the specs between the two machines are actually the same -- except for the system ROM and the memory maps.
-
Galaga - SG-1000
Monaco GP - SG-1000
Star Force - SG-1000
-
While the CV versions could be improved VASTLY, I would rather see the homebrewers work on games that haven't already made an appearance on the CV. I have actually come to like and appreciate the fact that the same game is different in ways across numerous platforms although it is disappointing when games such as Gorf, DK, DK Jr., Congo Bongo, etc. omit complete levels.
Versions of Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. already exist with the missing levels added back in again for the ColecoVision.
In response to an earlier post requesting Mappy. That's already been done on the MSX, so we have an idea of what that would look like on the CV (not great, unfortunately).
Galaga (SG-1000), Dig-Dug (MSX), Pop-Flamer (SG-1000), and Elevator Action (SG-1000) look more promising though.
-
Hustle Chummy - SG-1000
TRON Deadly Discs - Intellivision
Golgo 13 - SG-1000
-
Robotron runs pretty darned well on the XBOX controller using the dual analog sticks.
I'm now saying it's better that the arcade sticks -- just really good.
-
2
-
-
I'd love it if someone would refine the Keil emulator for the Color Computer so that the sound is clean. I've yet to be able to run it without the sound coming out scratchy.
The OP mentions the main things (audio synch, organized ROMs, properly configured keys, etc..).
I think the rest comes down to convenience and presentation (and controllers or course).
-
And then I found this:
http://www.avalaunch.net/docs/manualv2.2.pdf
Example of a “List”:
<list name="Games">
<path scanlevel="2">E:\Games</path>
Path should be directed to the folder you want to scan for xbe’s. The scan level (2 in this case) sets the levels of
sub folders to scan from the starting point. If not defined, it will simply default to 2 sub folders. Meaning that all
default.xbe in:E:\Games
E:\Games\<folder>will be included in the list.
If you want to divide your applications into sub-categories you can add 'List' items to a list
Example:<list name="Games">
<list name="Action">
<path>
E:\Games\Action
</path>
</list>
</list>As far as I can tell, any disc with default.xbe in the root directory should boot automatically. I'll have to test this out.
It would be nice to start with an existing emulator disc (like BAED) and then modify its ISO on a PC, then burn that to a DVD and run it on the XBOX. I wonder if Qwix will allow me to do that... ?
-
I see that these are arranged as files instead of ISOs.
I guess I could load them on the XBOX hard drive (however, I need to learn more about the folder structure). I've yet to figure out where the AvaLaunch dash is getting its menu item names from.
I don't suppose you know where I can find information on how to make my own bootable custom XBOX DVDs, do you? I'm pretty sure there's an app on the PC that can read XBOX discs...
-
I recall hearing a urban legend about a young man in his 20's dropping dead of a massive heart attack while playing Frenzy (I think it was Frenzy, it may have been Beserk) in the arcades. The cornor report found evidence of a pre-existing heart condition and scar tissue around the heart, indicating a already weak and damaged heart and that any number of things could have caused his death. Still, the legend is out there.
It's true. It was Berzerk.
After reading the news report and the background on it, it is as you mentioned -- a pre-existing condition. And he had actually stepped away from the machine just before he collapsed. Of course, the media went "berzerk" with it and played it up as much as they could for shock value.
-
Bump 'n' Jump - Intellivision
Galaxian - Atari 2600
Double Dragon - NES
-
Yep, Frenzy does indeed kick ass. Of course I only played it on the CV, so...off to try it on MAME!
For the record, I think I managed to kill one of the charging five Ottos and lived to tell about it. Todd Rogers watched me do it.
Now THAT's fast!
"Flash is fast, Flash is cool."
-
You need to download the latest madmab edition version of atarixlbox where the 5200 mappings are done correctly. Not only that but it was updated to use the xbox analog sticks as true analog and has overlay support, among other things.
Try here http://www.emuxtras.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3746
Third post links to a site with lots of goodies and a link to a place where you can get the emulators... you might have to join to see that post, I can't remember.
Thanks!
I was wondering about the analog controls. Good to see that they addressed that too.
Very cool.
-
I sure wish they'd bundle a copy of a programming language with every operating system that's sold or included on a new machine.
Sort of like how most of the old 8-bit machines were supplied with BASIC.
Sure, only some will every use it, but at least it's conveniently accessible for those that are interested in giving it a try.
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
AtariAge on Instagram
Watch us on YouTube
Chat on Discord
Pole Position II
in Arcade and Pinball
Posted
Congratulations on the purchase.
Great game!
You'll likely want to get a set of fuses for it. As for the power supply -- perhaps it can be repaired? I was told by a coin-op tech that the American power supplies are very rugged.