silverpoodleman

There are much worse activities to be engaged in when falling asleep.....trust me on this one. I speak from unfortunate experience

This is much harder than I remember - Why--does------my----------- guy------------------ move-------- sooooooooooooooo---------------------------- S L O W???????????????? (reference Jim Ignitosky, Taxi, "What does a yellow light mean?" "Slow down" "OK--------Whaaaaaaaaat doooooooooeeeeeees a yelloooooooooow liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeean?") Started off at 10,340 but was able to crank it up to 23,410 after ten games or so. And now a musical interlude, sung to the opening tune from Gilligan's Island - I hate this game, I hate this game I hate this game so much I hate this game, I hate this game I hate this game so much (repeat while playing) Further updates as events warrant. TTFN

I think it is already too late. I go to bed thinking about strategies for getting to the next level of Solar Fox and get upset wondering why more forum space isn't dedicated to my newest favorite game - Bump N Jump! I now dream about running people off the road or jumping like the General Lee and landing on them. Then, of course, that leads right into my dream of Catherine Bach - you know, the one where she unzips.....oops.....that is for a different forum. Or the one where she bumps into me and I jump her and....damn....same forum! Hey, not all is lost! I've still got Daisy Duke and my non-Atari dreams! Never mind.......

2,690 in my first attempt at the High Score Club - Here we go Galaxian!!!! This week, I'll get the score posted in time.......

As of this morning, I have 193 titles in my 2600 collection (with more coming soon). I should mention that while I have spent a good sum of money, I did not get into this for collecting purposes, but rather to relive good childhood memories and build new ones with my family. So for those of you who have large collections, what is the best way is to work myself through this collection? Does it make sense to go through by category? I have been thinking of going through by the highest rated games and mastering a few before picking up a few more. Does that make sense? How about from A to Z? This is not a joke topic. I am seriously trying to get the most enjoyment from the time and money I've spent in this endeavor. The problem is that I keep coming back and playing the same fifteen games (Solar Fox, Bump N Jump, KaBoom!, Super Breakout, Pitfall 2, River Raid, Gunfight, Boxing, Jr Pac-Man, Space Invaders, etc.,). Any thoughts you have on the subject would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

I quite like Super Breakout: Game 7, where the grouping of bricks come closer and closer to the paddle. The others don't do a whole lot for me. What I like about it is the simplicity - when you think about it, Breakout is simply a vertical version of Pong with targets as opposed to an opposing player. There are no codes to remember, no secret rooms, nothing to fire at or kill - just simple hand-eye coordination - a tribute to the days of substance over style. In summary, it is a game that is incredibly easy to learn but hard to master. Thumbs up from Maryland!

I'll try that and see how it goes. Thanks

As a young'un, I only had twelve Atari games with my 2600. When I was tired of saving the world from invading space creatures, warlords or things that go "pong" in the night, I played bowling. I think it was my favroite game for quite some time...until it became just boring. By that, I mean to say that if I didn't score 300, it was a bad game. This is not youthful boasting or a "Big Fish" story. In fact, I'm surprised not to hear more stories about this. Most of my friends had bowling and pretty much did the same thing. Here is what I did - - - put your bowler as far down as you can go. Realease the ball and count the spin rotation 1 - 2 - 3 and yank the joystick up and to the right (Northeast). HERE IS THE TRICK --------> do not let the joystick go until after the strike. If you do, then you will most likely get a split (or at best a spare opportunity). I'll have t0o play it again and see if it does the same thing

I wound up researching some more and came up with a very similar list. There are a series of games that owe it's roots to Pong. I would include Breakout and Warlords in that group. You could even include No Escape! in that group. In terms of KaBoom!, I started a KaBoom!-like group that would include games like Eggomania and Lost Luggage. One could also make the argument that there could be a Food category that would include games like Pressure cooker and Piece O Cake. I suppose you could also put Tapper in it as it involves serving food, or at l;east getting the right order to the customer. There does seem to be a need for a NICHE or MISC category. I honestly cannot think of a category that Stampede would fit in. If there were a ROLLER DERBY game, we could link the two, but I do not think there is.

I have the Starpath "Stella Gets A New Brain" CD and I'm ready to play. However, I need the supercharger first. Do any of you know where I cab find one?????????? Mind you - it is not entirely for me, but for my eight-year old daughter who is a Frogger freak! She loves the standard version and is getting better at Frogger II Threeeedeep! However, she's never seen the Official Frogger by Starpath, which is OH-SO-MUCH-BETTER!!!!!!!!!!! I've seen many requests on this forum for this exact product, yet I've seen few responses. On my honor, this is so my daughter can experience Frogger the way it is supposed to be played! (A few words on her - she is eight, in the fourth-garde - reads on an eighth-grade level - takes math on a seventh-grade le - tested into the gifted and talented program at school - plays the piano - rides horses at horse shows - plays soccer and basketball - loves homework (let me repeat that one - SHE LOVES HOMEWORK) - is hooked on neopets and ABSOLUTELY LOVES the ATARI 2600!!!!! This child obviously needs to spend less time pursuing academics and more time learning the finer points of the world's greatest video system ever!!!!!!!! Won't you PLEASE HELP? Thanks - Marc silverpoodleman

I thought it was something like that. Boy, it seems that so many people have such strong memories to this game. I've been telling my daughter why I only had twelve 2600 games growing up - They were expensive and I only got new games for birthdays and special events. So yeah, I understand the attachment.

Hey there "Fishing Derby, Solaris and GI Joe Cobra Srike" selling guy - good to hear from you - I still value the $0.99 solaris cart I got from you as a great buy. It was (still is) in mint condition. I appredciate your feedback and I'll check out your current game listing. Take care Marc AKA Silverpoodleman

Hey, I'm with you. I play in the dark, sitting in my reclining "control chair" saving the world againa nd again wile listening to Thelonious Monk. I'll tell ya, if you're looking for an escape, there it is!!

Hey folks - I'm about two months into my own Atari 2600 revival, have upwards of 180 titles, and spend way too much time reading through new and archived forums (and other computer based Atari time wasting - searching eBay, reading reviews, visiting every Atari site, and hunting for information on games I want to buy). I also spend much time playing all these game. One game I keep coming back to is Adventure. According to everything I read, it is one of the best games in the storied history of the 2600. In fact, the most recent poll of atariage.com rates it as the BEST 2600 game ever!!!! (#49 of Ataritimes.com). Exactly what am I missing? Don't get me wrong - I love the 2600 and find the game design to be incredibly creative, humorous and, well, neat. I also love the simplicity of games like KaBoom!, Super Breakout - hell, even Pong! OK, so there is this square dot as the main character and I'm okay with that. I got the story - rather thin, but acceptable. I understand the mission and what I'm supposed to do. Nonetheless, I just don't get it. Can somebody please explain why this game is as highly rated as it is? I'm not trying to be thick here - remember, I am a 2600 fanatic - but it seems that the love for this game may be more sentimental than actually based on Gameplay, Graphics (obviously) or Advanced Gaming Theory and Apllication. I am asking for help here, so please do not GET ANGRY for my ingnorance. I should also say that I understand the sentimental value of one of these games (after my father lost the physical ability to bowl, we bought 2600 Bowling, which is a pretty awful game but we used to play it together and I still love it. Same thing with games like Sky Diver, Human Cannonball [though my father never did either of thes..wait a minute - I guess he did], Black Jack, etc.,). So, please - help me find reasons to try this game again and get excited about it (like everyone else seems to be). Thanks for your help.

1. Solar Fox 2. KaBoom! 3. Pitfall 2 4. Dodge'em 5. Activision Boxing 6. Gunfight 7. Jr. Pac-Man 8. River Raid 9. Millipede 10. Pitfall

Speaking of Dragonstomper and Escape from the Mindmaster, well, about all Starpath Games, do you know where I can find the Starpath (arcardia) Supercharger? I have all the games from Starpath, but no supercharger to convert from the tape/CD to the atari game system. BTW, does anyone know where I can buy one of these Starpath (arcardia) Superchargers?

Many games would have to go in more than one category and you might go crazy trying, so gave up on categories. 925933[/snapback] Nah -can't do that. Hell everything I own or do fits neatly into an Excel file somewhere! It might be tough to figure out at first, but eventually, it will all make sense to me. In short, the compilation of a well-oiled spreadsheet is its own reward (feel free to quote me on that!). For example, I will reference my DVD collection again. I have three Genre columns. This helps distinguish, let's say, Mob-themed movies that are serious Dramas (like The Godfather) compared to Mob movie with a comic slant (The Freshman), or those which fall in the middle as a Dramedy (like, Things Change). This is an example of a Two-Genre listing (1. Mob 2. Drama)(1. Mob 2. Comedy)(1. Mob 2. Dramedy) Another example, would be how I separate TV Series (Genre 1). Let's say I want to list a British TV Series (Genre 2) which is a Dramedy (Genre 3) (let's use, at Home With The Braithwaites: Season Two). Now compare that with a solely comedic, British, TV Series, like Monty Python's Flying Circus and I think you'll see the value in this method. This is an example of a Three-Genre listing (1. TV Series 2. British 3. Dramedy) (1. TV Series 2. British 3. Comedy Ultimately, you need to make the decision on how valuable a tool like this is to you. For me, I have over 800 DVD titles, so being able to micro-manage the list like this is worth it to me so that I can truly find a title that falls into what my family and I want to watchwhat I want to watch. As I also am nearing 200 Atari 2600 titles (not including duplicates and door stops), a list like this helps me find a game in the genre I am in the mood for - at the time - in the basement - on the couch - boy, how do I end this without a preposition? - oh yeah! - etc., Anyway, THANK YOU EVERYONE for all the suggestions! They were very helpful! Marc

Based on my disassemly of Pitfall! it should be no problem to create many different map layouts. 925567[/snapback] But a random Pitfall would be impossible to complete, as you couldn't know which tunnels to take and which to avoid, and there isn't enough time to visit more than about 3/4 of the screens (if even that many) by staying above ground. 925673[/snapback] Yeah, but........there has to be something in destroying what is known to find out what else is there. I remember Bobby Fisher tried to push a version of chess that had all the pieces assignbed randomly on the back two rows. He said all the great chess games have already been played and because of that new players had to master the history before they could do anything in the game. He also felt that the window to become truly innovative was rapidly closing. Think about it...when was the last time you heard of a chess prodigy that wasn't a super-computer? While Fisher is an anti-semitic, anti-American lunatic, I have always thought he was onto something with the scrambling of a known standard - Why not take what has become the norm and flush it - start over blind and see if it is better. Who is to say that if we take Pitfall! and add a random sequencer, the game couldn't be improved? Perhaps innovations like pylon-transporters could put hat boy closer to the treasure or perhaps in an alligators mouth. Alright, I guess I better smoke something and cool down or else before you know it the Renaissance will be here and everyone will be painting.

I suppose I ought to clarify. One of my favorite games is River Raid. However, one of the things I do not like about it is that every part of the game is exactly like it was the previous game - every helicopter, every fuel barge, etc., I would love to play Pitfall 1 or 2 with things being different - different order of screens, different location of treasures, etc., I understand conquering a game after playing it for a few months (my story with Pitfall2 and the eight minutes a day I was able to play it!), but I also love the way I am able to beat games like Solar Fox, which while they have the same 20 screens, the guns shoot at you differently each game.

I am logging in the Atari 2600 games I own into an Excel/Acess file I've created. However, I am having trouble coming up with categories. Some are obvious and easy (1st Person Shooter, Sports Themed, Action/adventure, Space Invader-clone, Pac-Man-Clone, Frogger-Clone, etc.,). However, other games are more niche and unique and I am having trouble categorizing them (i.e., M*A*S*H, Tape Worm, Solar Fox, etc.,). Does anyone have any suggestions? The idea is to be able to link games together in any number of different formats. As a spreadsheet/statistics freak, I like to manipulate data. I already have all my 2600's listed by title, Video Game Critic percentage rateing, my own percentage rating, rarity rating, manufacturer, and Year Realeased. If I am able to put together ten or twelve game categories, then I can really have fun manipulating the data. As an example, I have a listing of my 793 movies which I have on DVD. The movie categories include Drama, Comedy, Dramedy, Documentary, Mockumentary, War, Mob, Woody Allen, Hitchcock, Thriller, Horror, etc., So it is easy to pick out a Drama from the 1940's which I haven't yet watched and need to review. Thanks for your time and efforts in assisting me here.

I am a big fan of games that play differently each time you play. Which are the best random program games?

I recently purchased two Spectravision (technically Spectrvideo) carts - Gas Hog and Master Builder. Each had an 8/10 rarity rating and were well priced, I thought I was getting quite the deal. Upon insertion (clean thoughts please), I realized that they are PAL games. I am only about six weeks into Atari 2600 collecting (just under 200 carts) so some things are going to slip through the cracks. Since the games are not NTSC (it turns out the were originally from Germany), is there any way I can play these with my current Atari 2600? They are not working now - MB just hums a high frequency and GH has severe vertical hold issues. Thanks for your help!

this is a false statement.... Maybe you hate E.T. but don't drag others into your twisted fantasy world. 925221[/snapback] My twisted fantasy world has very little to do with ET and more to do with Halle Berry (in a catsuit) hot oil wrestling Serena Williams ( in a catsuit) with special guest referee Michelle Pfieffer (in a catsuit). I admit that I am working the bell at ringside and playing ET between rounds. So you see, ET only plays a VERY small part of my twisted fantasy world :!:

GOOD LORD - ENOUGH ABOUT ET!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES - IT SUCKED! MOST PEOPLE HATE IT! HOWEVER, AND AMAZINGLY, SOME PEOPLE LIKE IT! WAY TO STAND UP AGAINST THE TIDE. I ASK YOU, IS THERE ANY CHANCE WE CAN MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVES????????? ------------------------------------------------ Here, then, is a list of alternate questions you should use whenever the urge hits to post n ET SUCKS or ET DOESN'T SUCK message - 1. Which games are have random programming so the game is not always the same? Whichj of those are the best? Why? 2. Which of the ultra-rare games are worth pursuing from a gaming standpoint? In other words, I'm not interested in shelling out $100 for a game which is very rare but sucks. I only want the games with good playability. 3. I am logging in the Atari 2600 games I own into an Excel/Acess file I've created. However, I am having trouble coming up with categories. Some are obvious and easy (1st Person Shooter, Sports Themed, Action/adventure, Space Invader-clone, Pac-Man-Clone, Frogger-Clone, etc.,). However, other games are more niche and unique and I am having trouble categorizing them (i.e., M*A*S*H, Tape Worm, Solar Fox, etc.,). Does anyone have any suggestions? 4. Now that there are two Supreme Court Justice openings, what Atari 2600 game best captures the skill needed by the future Justices? Explain. 5. Are there any games based on movies by Steven Speilberg? Did it sell well? How does it play? Damn! Almost got five questions out without referring to ET! Well 4 out of 5 gives us an 80% chance of avoiding ET (far better than the odds of avoiding those damn pits!). This puts us on par with the four Dentists that recommend sugar-free gum for their patients who chew gum. People, there is so much else in life to wrap our passions around. It is a beautiful day, butterflies are humping right outside my window, my doog is barking at the rabbit running through the yard, etc., Lets give ET some rest and give him the time he needs to finally phone home. Fare-the-well, ET, fare-the-well

Uh, yeah. Perhaps you have some unique cleaning technique I don't know about. The eraser and Qtip/rubbing alcohol yielded nothing. Hell, even straight whiskey didn't work. Of course I poured that down my throat. Vodka didn't workkk eitthherrr. Lettttt mee tri taaaaakeeela. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Wait a nimute, I meeeen wain am inueet. Noooooooopa. Letssssssssss triiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii beeeeeeeeeeeeeer. Oh yaaa. Sweeeeeeee lick her eeeeeeeeses the paynemmmmmmmmmmmm (hic!) I like muffffffffffffffffinssssss. Yeah-ha-ha babeeeee (hic!)