Is bB Ready For Primetime?

[MausGames]

The first ever complete game release from MAUS Games will be posted as a binary to the AtariAge Forums.

 

The game: Robot Wants Love

You must help R.A.L.F. explore his environment, solving problems and helping people, until he has everything he needs to build a partner. This is a 32k SuperChip game for the Atari VCS. One player or Two player vs modes.

 

 

I'm very satisfied with the current version of bB and many of my past projects are wrapping up, so expect at least one or two MAUS Games releases every month for the next year. I hope everyone enjoys the new wave of bB homebrews for the VCS and continues to support the scene. They aren't inferior to games done in assembly, just different. Opinions?

Edited December 9, 2007 by MausGames

[+Random Terrain]

Expect a complete game from me once every 25 years.

[MausGames]

Any screenshots from the one you're doing for this 25? I've been working on games in bB for a while, so I just have a lot of older games to finish and post.

[Mirage]

Sounds great! I need to finally start buckling down on learning bB. Can't wait to see what you've done.

 

Is there a list somewhere of all bB games so far? Sorry for my ignorance if this should be something easy to find.

[Atari Charles]

It's nice to see more done with the elusive 32K CHIP. I look forward to this release.

[Crazy Climber]

Will these be for sale in the Atariage store?

[+atari2600land]

Is there a list somewhere of all bB games so far? Sorry for my ignorance if this should be something easy to find.

There's one on my website here. It needs to be updated since Combat DX is apparently finished/cancelled, and I need to add some more.

[Mirage]

Is there a list somewhere of all bB games so far? Sorry for my ignorance if this should be something easy to find.

There's one on my website here. It needs to be updated since Combat DX is apparently finished/cancelled, and I need to add some more.

 

Cool, Thanks! Gonna have some Krok cart fun tonight, then I can answer this poll!

[neotokeo2001]

Batari Basic games can be great and just as enjoyable as other homebrews. There are several BB games that I would recommend to anyone.

 

BB is a test bed of ideas and most games never get the polish they need to be good games. Most people are learning Basic and dealing with the constraints of the 2600 at the same time.

[CPUWIZ]

Will these be for sale in the Atariage store?

 

I highly doubt they will be for sale at all.

[+atari2600land]

Will these be for sale in the Atariage store?

 

I highly doubt they will be for sale at all.

 

What? Is it because it uses the SuperChip? But I want to release GoSub 2!

Edited December 5, 2007 by atari2600land

[+batari]

Will these be for sale in the Atariage store?

 

I highly doubt they will be for sale at all.

 

What? Is it because it uses the SuperChip? But I want to release GoSub 2!

Don't worry (yet...)

 

I started on a Superchip board that doesn't need an actual Superchip (just a regular SRAM chip) but put it aside since the prototype didn't work, but I may revisit this if CPUWIZ's board will no longer be available.

[CPUWIZ]

Will these be for sale in the Atariage store?

 

I highly doubt they will be for sale at all.

 

What? Is it because it uses the SuperChip? But I want to release GoSub 2!

 

I am out of boards and the 2 people interested in me having more made, are not ready yet. Aside from that, I don't have any more SARA chips, only donors.

[Shawn]

Yes, I've played some bB games and I didn't like them very much. Most seemed very primative IMO and that is said with no disrespect to the authors of said games either, I just think ALOT more could be done with the excelent language that Batari created.

 

And as far a SARA boards, I know I went threw well over 100 of them pretty quick.

[Mirage]

I played a bunch tonight on the Krok Cart, and a few of them I really didn't see the point of (other than as someone trying to figure out how to do various things in bB), but some of them really show promise, if they were fleshed out a little. "Because It's There" was an interesting idea, and could use polishing, but is a great start. Combat DX looks pretty great. I didn't have anyone to play it with, so only flipped through the variations, but it looks pretty nice. I'd like to see it finished. Jumper could use a little touching up, but is nice. Melbourne Tatty was a clever concept. I'd like to see this tweaked as well.

 

My overall impression was that, yes, good stuff can be programmed with it. I'm looking forward to seeing more!

[sandmountainslim]

Am I correct in believin that Phantom/Pirate is a BB game?

WP

[MausGames]

I wasn't aware of the lack of SuperChips or Batari's plans for an SRAM SuperChip board. So far only a binary release is planned for Robot Wants Love. If there is ever a cart release, there will be an updated binary with game save and high score features.

 

Phantom II & Pirate were both programmed in bB, and were included in the first ever bB multicart.

[MausGames]

Yes, I've played some bB games and I didn't like them very much. Most seemed very primative IMO and that is said with no disrespect to the authors of said games either, I just think ALOT more could be done with the excelent language that Batari created.

 

And as far a SARA boards, I know I went threw well over 100 of them pretty quick.

 

I think part of the problem is that people have been slow to team up, so until just recently most games were done by one person; game, plot, graphics, sound and all. Now that people are starting to share their specialties with each other, the quality of new projects is definately raising the bar for all the loners. Nobody has been interested in cocreating anything with me, so I've been doing this and that to dozens of various projects over the last year, sometimes obsessing over graphics, sometimes gameplay, etc. It's just a shame that I haven't gotten really good at any one specific thing. Probably a good place to start would be to get really good at writing clean, legible code.

Edited December 6, 2007 by MausGames

[sandmountainslim]

Phantom II & Pirate were both programmed in bB, and were included in the first ever bB multicart.

 

Well...I thought so...in that case I LIKE bb games I am votin in favour of them.

WP

[Mark2008]

I thought your point about teaming up is very true.

 

4 people I think, a programmer, a game designer, an artist and a sound person.

 

It's a rare thing, to put together a productive team...because productive people are rare, and they don't necessarily get together that often to work on a shared vision.

 

it's good thing, when it happens though.

[+Propane13]

Hi,

 

I don't think the poll is entirely fair.

bB can be good, and it can be bad. Depends on the programmer.

 

I absolutely love Phantom/Pirate. It's a great game.

 

On the other hand, I can't believe I wasted $40 on "The Last Ninja". What a horribly unpolished game. Had the community been involved, it would have been a lot better, instead of a 7-second game that is shorter than Airlock.

 

I am really looking forward to "Cave In". It is everything that "The Last Ninja" should have been. About 200 rooms, randomness for placement of objects, ending screens, different variations-- it's looking awesome! I have money waiting for a copy when it's done.

 

So, my opinion is, if used properly, bB is a great tool, and can make great games.

However, if people want to do a crappy game just to make a few bucks, then that's just unfortunate, and not the fault of the tool.

 

-John

[Crazy Climber]

Will these be for sale in the Atariage store?

 

I highly doubt they will be for sale at all.

lame

[MausGames]

Will these be for sale in the Atariage store?

 

I highly doubt they will be for sale at all.

lame

 

We'll see about that, I wouldn't put a year into making games that are impossible to distribute in their intended format.

 

I keep wanting to change things, so it's going to be challenging to get this done in the next 24 hours. If I cause unexpected bugs or something else strange happens, it still wouldn't cause much of a delay at all. I'd be pretty disappointed in myself if I didn't release a game in 2007.

 

Here is one of the game maps. The white house is R.A.L.F.'s home. The big purple thing in the background is The Church, where you'll find the last item you need to finish the game. The clouds loop and the trees all look the same because this

a screen-at-a-time game, it doesn't scroll. If I have extra time I'll add more variation.

 

If any of you artists or hobbyists can improve on any of these graphics, please do I would really appreciate it!

 

 

Edited December 8, 2007 by MausGames

[Atari Charles]

I for one, commend Maus Games for going forward with this project and others later in time. You are always going to have your detractors who don't want you to joind the Illusive Thrust-35 Club House for homebrewers and hackers, but luckily there are a variety of tools and programs out there that you can use to make your homebrews or hacks come true.

 

People can team up to make a game or any program a possibility, which is a great thing because more can get accomplished in a faster time scale.

 

Good luck with the R.A.L.F., just make sure the gaem isn't about Ralph the Mouth from Happy Days. That's be a lame game about two bums living in a garage.

[MausGames]

People can team up to make a game or any program a possibility, which is a great thing because more can get accomplished in a faster time scale. Good luck with the R.A.L.F.

 

Thanks for the encouragement

Edited December 9, 2007 by MausGames