Alpine Games final run

[Alpine Games final run]

My copy came today, it is excellent! I think this will replace california games for awhile as my quick pick up and play for 10-15 minutes game. A shame it doesn't fit in the lynx 1 (my preferred lynx), but as with most people, I think it is preferable to have the plastic encompassing the cart. The cart quality and the material quality of the manual and box is top notch! I also enjoy the little character descriptions in the manual! There's so much intrigue behind the scenes of this innocent alpine competition! (in true 1990s form, none of which is actually part of or material to the game )

The graphics are really impressive! Some of these mini games easily look like they could have been parts of gameboy advance games, a handheld that came out 11-12 years after lynx!

For Duranik's next lynx game, my input would be the following!

1) Flashback style game
2) Top down shooter like zarlor mercenary!
3) Lotus/outrun style game

[Alpine Games final run]

Mine is en route. I think I heard this can't fit into the lynx 1? Does that mean only that the door cannot close but the game will load, or the game card cannot be put into the cartridge slot due to the plastic design? I have a lynx 2 anyways, but typically prefer using the lynx 1 when playing.

[If you could do a Jaguar dream project?]

If it counts for purposes of this thread I would most want an Atari lynx convertor akin to the super gameboy. Outside of that I'd love another top down shooter along the lines of a toaplan game. Additionally you could probably put any game published by apogee in the mid 90s and I'd love it and it would feel in keeping with the jags current library to me (death rally, terminal velocity, Halloween Harry etc)

[Jaguar vs. N64]

I think Skyhammer could be comparable to some n64 games.

[Atari Jaguar vs 32x vs Segacd]

Unfortunately even the 32X is going up in price very rapidly now. If you don't have a genesis already, expect a genesis and 32x to cost on average $70, which may or may not include shipping if you buy from ebay. That's about on par with a loose jaguar. Many 32x games are still cheap as loose carts, but as with the jag, there are several rare and interesting quality titles such as Blackthorne which typically hover around the 50-70 range.

[Leaving batteries in atari lynx + using ac adapter?]

How long is too long to reasonably keep batteries in. For instance, I put new batteries in my lynx in December 2014, played my lynx about 1-3x a month, and recently took the batteries out as I figured its probably better to be safe than sorry and leave them in/forget about them and have them leak at some point in the next 6 months. Of course the batteries have an expiration date that is a long time from now, but isn't there something about having them plugged in that causes them to be more prone to leaking?

[Raspberry pi inside atari lynx]

Cool! That's pretty neat seeing Wipeout coming out of an atari lynx.

[Want to get into the lynx but cannot find in wild]

Definitely go with best electronics. I got a used/refurbished lynx 1 from them last year, it was in excellent shape and worth the money.

[Fred Gill (ATD) Interview.]

^ Agreed, for all the shortcomings that people point to about cybermorph, at least it looked somewhat "next gen" for its time compared to games on the snes/genesis. Something I can't really say for Trevor Mcfur.

[JAGUAR, 3DO, AND THE CDI]

Here's another description of that broadcast from 1993, including some funny bits. "Hot stuff, Herb!"
http://www.amigareport.com/ar129/p1-6.html

 

Cuts from Crescent Galaxy, Cybermorph and Raiden were shown being played:

"The first time Jaguar software has been seen on TV. The games are
colorful, fast-paced, with lots of action."

Atari President Sam Tramiel said, "I love shoot'em up games. That's what
people like to play.... The big thing is to have a lot of fun with your
software. That's the key."

Glenn Rubenstein, a videogame reviewer for the San Francisco Examiner, was
seen having been given some time to spend with a Jaguar. "For 250 dollars,
I'm very impressed with the Jaguar." Rubenstein laughed, "I would actually
spend my own money. Not a lot of journalists would say that about a
product, but I would actually go out and buy a Jaguar."

Weisbaum closed his report on Atari by saying Rubenstein would have to
wait until November for the Jaguar's San Francisco and New York rollout,
with national distribution coming in 1994.

He then pointed out that 3DO is going to the stores now. For $700. CBS
This Morning anchor Harry Smith asked Weisbaum, "Who's going to pay that?"

Weisbaum answered, "They [3DO] say people will for brand new technology."

He also added that the machines (both 3DO and Jaguar) will be able to
connect to digital networks to enable players to play games linked across
the country.

Harry Smith neatly summed up the segment, "Hot stuff, Herb."

[WTB 3DO FZ-1]

I am still looking.

[Anybody else absolutely -LOVE- California Games?]

I like california games a lot too. It is probably one of my most played lynx games. Looking forward to Alpine Games for some similar style mini games.

[FOR SALE: Sega Saturn Games Collection]

Let me know if you would consider breaking it up down the line. I am interested in a few pieces from the collection, including the FZ-1.

[WTB 3DO FZ-1]

I'm looking for a working USA or Japanese FZ-1 with at least one 1st party controller to keep my Jaguar company. You would need to be US based as I recall these units are heavy and a little bulky and I expect international shipping would kill the deal (previously owned some 3DOs and had to sell them circa 2012).

The amount I would consider to pay is flexible, and I'm willing to pay more if you have done any repair/restoration work such as replacing capacitors or the worm gear in the cd unit that is prone to failure. Would also be interested in purchase of a small lot if you have games as well (depending on the games).

Please PM me if you have something

[Super Burnout: No Music]

My copy came (used) this way as well, I think rather than switching off the music, the previous owner had adjusted the music volume to 0 in the in-race options that you get to with a combination of the pause button and one of the action buttons. Likewise my tempest cartridge had the music switched off. What's up with these previous owners, the music is part of the game and its certainly not bad in either of these titles!

[Doom, impossible difficulty?]

I've recently experienced doom on jaguar. As anyone who has played this version knows, in lieu of saving, you select levels from the main menu and the game will start you at the level with only a pistol as a means of continuing your game.

Is this to say that ID Software thought it might be somehow technically feasible to beat any level of the game just by starting with the pistol and the 40 or so bullets you will get? I have been playing the later levels lately (high teens and early 20s) on the "not too rough" difficulty, and it seems completely impossible to beat many of these levels despite your doom skill level without having to resort to cheat codes. Here are my reasons why:

-You may find ammo for advanced weapons, but it is not so frequent that you will find the actual weapon, such as the chaingun or plasma rifle. Without the weapon in your inventory, you cannot use the ammo/weapon.

-It is not so common to find the shotgun, a reasonably powerful weapon that can be used effectively by experienced players, as the later levels have primarily demons/imps etc rather than the shotgun wielding soldiers or shotguns lying around generally.

-It is difficult to maintain bullets for your pistol since these later levels have more of the hellspawn type enemies who have higher hitpoints (taking up more of your precious bullets) and do not leave any replacement ammo once you kill them rather than the soldier enemies.

-There are too many enemies that deal large amounts of damage per hit to permit simply running around and collecting keys and finishing the levels without minding the enemies.

-When you run out of ammo, you will have to use your brass knuckles, which essentially mandates that you will take close range damage from anything you are trying to hit - and you will very quickly die if you are facing a group of more than one enemy.


What do you think? Is it legitimately impossible or is my Jag Doom skill level just not up to the task? I pose a similar question for Wolfenstein 3D on the jag, whether it is possible to beat the later levels just by starting with the pistol and a small amount of ammo (what happens if you die on a level and do not reload your save game) - at least in that game you will get replacement bullets from almost all enemies.

[Lynx 1 problem - powers on but blank screen, no sound]

Maybe there are some bad caps?

[Games that I would like for the lynx]

In terms of games that would have been appropriate around the time, I would have liked Xevious and Race Drivin.

[I joined the jaguar cd club today!]

When I look on the CD add-on and compare it to the actual Jaguar console, it got me thinking that he CD add-on must have been developed pretty early, since the basic console is shaped the way that there "seem to be a add-on missing".

 

The shape, with the lower level with the sharp edges, and with the round hill in the middle, got me thinking that Atari developed the CD add -on early and just throw it to out on the market at the very end, just trying to get as much money out of it as possible before the boat sunk. Since they already got it from the beginning as a part of the plan.

 

Therefore: Jag CD maybe wasn't a late "bad turn", but something from the very beginning or at least more early than late. The way the add-on fit can't be a late solvent, to me it looks "well thought out" as there is a male and a female part.

 

Hope one day some old Atari staff writes a book on all the inside material on issues like this. Would have been a cool read.

Ding ding ding, I just saw this article about the upcoming Jaguar system, dated 1993, featuring a picture of the Jag CD!

 

It seems that the idea was for the CD unit to be a high end upgrade from the get go. I suppose cost of providing the CD unit in the stock system might have been a significant factor circa 1993 (or 1992/1993 when development of the hardware was occurring). To keep costs down to compete with the 16 bit systems might have been an idea.

 

[Checkered Flag - no sound?]

The previous owner of my Tempest 2000 cart had muted the music. Heresy!

[Doom question]

I recently got Jag Doom, a used cartridge. All the levels seem selectable from the main menu, probably bc the last owner beat them all... But is there any save feature like in wolfenstein? If I play the game in multiple sittings, do I always have to start a level with only the pistol (unless I use a cheat code)?

If that is the case, is there anything done to compensate for this, like more advanced guns are more commonly available in later levels compared to the pc version?

[Alpine Games final run]

Sent my request

[Brag worthy deals?]

Missile Command 3D for $28

[JAGUAR, 3DO, AND THE CDI]

My preference for games is arcade pick up and play stuff. I also like early 3d graphics, but am not that interested in FMV based games.

With that in mind, the CDI is out. The game library does not compare to the others in terms of what I like.

The 3DO and Jaguar are about even for me.

On the 3DO, the crystal dynamics games have held up well for the era and I get enjoyment out of them. Road Rash and Need for Speed are quite good as well. I am also a fan of the FZ-1's design and the design of the controller.

Interestingly enough, I was excited to get a jag (in the 21st century, after experiencing 3do) because, based on the cartridge medium, I knew I would not have to wade through FMV games and figured things would be easier to pick up and play. But by golly, due to the limited production values, small development teams, tight deadlines for creating software, lack of support/tools from atari, etc, there are many Jaguar games that honestly seem really subpar or just not fun. There are several standout quality titles and I find the system fascinating, but it is not clear to me that the jaguar's game library beats the 3dos.

If it were the early 90s, cost of the systems aside, I definitely would have gone with the 3do. I played one as a kid back in 93 and crash n burn blew my little kid mind. Nothing about the jaguar could have steered me away from wanting that game at the time.

[Brag worthy deals?]

I always try to wait until I can get below the typical price of jag games/equipment when I buy them. It helps me space out the expense and the enjoyment of getting and focusing on one or two things at a time. That being said, now that it's 2015, I feel that a lot of the games are at a price point where even if I can manage 5 or $10 less than normal, it still doesn't feel like a "deal" to me, especially when ports of that game on other more mainstream 16 or 32 bit systems go frequently for under $10 (Rayman, Doom, cannon fodder, raiden, flashback, etc). Recently, I bought the Jaguar CD unit for about $120. I guess that's a deal in terms of buying them elsewhere, but my personal opinion is that $120 is still a lot when you consider what that could buy you in (for instance) sega console hardware.

My one real deal, was when I spent $20 to buy my first jaguar from a kid in highschool circa 2002 with one controller. I didn't appreciate it at the time and later wound up selling it - only to spend $70+ to buy a jag and 2 controllers 12 years later.