New Unreleased Atari 8-bit Game in 100% Assembly Language

[SectorWars]

I worked on the development of a machine code video game for the Atari 8-bit Computers in the early 80's and had plans to get it published. Unfortunately for various reasons I never managed to complete the game, although it was 98% complete (just the game over sequence wasn't coded so the game has unlimted lives). Rather than let all that hard work be wasted (over 18 months of programming in my spare time), I thought it might be worth trying to raise some money for a good cause, and help some young children/adults with Cystic Fibrosis.

 

Once a target amount is rasied for the charity I will upload an emulator image of the video game 'Sector Wars' on my website for download. The image willl run on most emulators for the Atari 8-bit computers (eg: 400/800/XL/XE). Please visit www.sectorwars.co.uk for full information and to see screenshots of this previously unreleased Atari 8-bit game from 1985, written in 100% assembly language I will also release some of the commented source code which might be of interest for those who are interested in 6502 assembly language programming.

 

All donations go direct to the charity via JustGiving and are not paid to me in any way. Please spread the word so we can help raise money for Cystic Fibrosis.

 

Thanks!

 

www.sectorwars.co.uk (please note this .co.uk and not .com)

Out of interest the title forthe game was taken from the 'talking' Sega Arcade game 'Astro Blaster' where the speech in the game said 'Fighter pilots needed in Sector Wars... play Astero Blaster'.

Edited October 22, 2008 by SectorWars

[Rybags]

Good luck with the fundraising.

 

You would probably have a lot more success if you could put up a YouTube video of the game being played.

[SectorWars]

Many thanks. I will do that over the next week or so.

 

 

Good luck with the fundraising.

 

You would probably have a lot more success if you could put up a YouTube video of the game being played.

[Warriorisabouttodie]

Looks like a great game. It's too bad it never got released back in the day. Looking forward to giving it a try. I'm not sure how much you will get in donations, but I think if you put a screen in the game or included a text file that explained where you could donate you might get more donations from people that have actually played and enjoyed your game.

 

 

 

Good luck!!

[keitaro]

Hi,

The game looks fantastic (I love shoot'em ups). How about release the game to play it in a real Atari (cartridge, cassette for example), and part of the sales donate to the charity?

[JayoK]

A novel idea. How much is your target for your charity before you will release the game?

 

BTW seeing as its for charity I would contribute.

[JayoK]

A novel idea. How much is your target for your charity before you will release the game?

 

BTW seeing as its for charity I would contribute.

 

Never mind, I just went through the site and seen the £2,000 target.

 

So until the target is reached even if I contribute, I don't get the game?

[SectorWars]

Thanks for all your comments. Sorry I did not reply sooner - I just got back from holiday.

 

For years I was going to upload a image of the game but never got around to (or had the time or motivation) to create a website, etc. for it. When the charity idea came along this finally motivated me to do it. The fund raising target might be a little high - I have no idea at this stage. Every little donation helps - even donations of £1 are greatly welcomed.

 

I hadn't thought about selling copies of the game for 'real' Ataris - thanks for the idea. I will see how the current idea goes for a while, but will explore other options once I get some free time.

 

I am not planning to send copies of the game to people who donate, just to upload the game and some source code when the target is reached. Please think of any donations as a gesture of goodwill, rather than a way of purchasing a copy of the game.

 

The game currently has unlimited lives - I need to add an end of game check, etc. to it, although I will need to get my head around code again as it has been over 20 years since I looked at it! All the best.

 

www.sectorwars.co.uk

Edited November 4, 2008 by SectorWars

[tjb]

It looks like a fun game. I'm willing to donate but I'm afraid in the long run you may not meet your goal. What then? Are you certain you don't want to sell it in cartridge form? You could also sell the source separately. I for one would purchase both. I just think you would earn more money for the cause.

 

tjb

[Atari Smeghead]

Yeah, I have to agree with tjb on this one. I suspect people would be more willing to donate some money to this worthy cause if they actually received a copy of the game. Say, donate $20 USD or more and get the file sent to them, or a link to a private page on your website where they can download it. (You would want to make sure they understand not to share the game with anyone else... but it being for charity, I'd assume people would honor the, er, honor system. I know I certainly would.)

 

When you do release this file version, will it be an ATR, XEX, or something similar? If so, it can be put on an AtariMax cart and can be played on a real A8 as well as via emulator, presumably.

 

It does look fun! I like the old-school shooter games as well. The video jumps around a bit, from level to level, right? Is the "Phoenix" looking level the final boss level?

 

I wish you all the luck on this worthwhile project.

 

Cheers,

Smeg

[ThomSW]

The game looks neat. But one question - does the potential "fundator" receive the copy of the game? If not - don't expect your gama-release until the end of the next millennium. Charity is good but you'd better talk with some game publisher, release the game by his hand, and then spend dasired amount earned money for that noble target.

 

But I say: your game - your problem.

[Rybags]

I think you'd have a lot more success by just asking for a minimum $5 donation, then emailing the game to each person.

 

To say "we have x $ target and will then release the game" doesn't have any incentive to it. Aside from that, people would be reluctant anyway to buy something before playing a demo or at least seeing some video of it in action.

[potatohead]

I share this concern, and see comments like "I've not looked at it", 'It might need..."

 

Those are kind of red flags, given your target size!! I would not consider a contribution given these things. Not seeing the game is a very real possibility. If you work to deal with that, you are gonna have more takers!

 

Good luck with your efforts to find a way to release your game.

[miker]

Yeah, agreed too. The game may appear as cartridge version, too (as there are many people who prefer this kind of media). This may raise the buyers' amount form sure. Have you talked with some publisher already? I don't think the charity will suffer here...

Edited January 6, 2009 by miker

[SectorWars]

Thanks everyone for the very helpful and constructive comments. I was originally thinking of sending the game to people as soon as they contribute but at the time thought that it only takes one bad apple and the game could find itself on the internet. I can see all the points about their not being an incentive, so will look at releasing the game some other way. I didn't know about the cartidge option - that sounds interesting. Thanks for the ideas - hope to be back soon with an update.

 

www.sectorwars.co.uk

[+Philsan]

We spend money for our Atari hobby so I think it's a good idea to donate for this good cause.

http://www.sectorwars.co.uk/

Edited May 30, 2009 by Philsan

[atarian63]

Thanks everyone for the very helpful and constructive comments. I was originally thinking of sending the game to people as soon as they contribute but at the time thought that it only takes one bad apple and the game could find itself on the internet. I can see all the points about their not being an incentive, so will look at releasing the game some other way. I didn't know about the cartidge option - that sounds interesting. Thanks for the ideas - hope to be back soon with an update.

 

www.sectorwars.co.uk

I would buy it if released on cart!

[Mclaneinc]

Sadly I suspect we will never see this game, the target to raise is 1,500UK, at the moment the amount raised is 87.00UK. I admire the OP's wish to help a charity but I feel the target was way too high.

 

The game looks great but unless the owner just puts it into the public domain for people to enjoy then it's never going to reach anywhere near the wish.

 

In some ways it's almost a 'wind up', especially to those of us who were from that era and would have been over the moon to have purchased that sort of game.

[Rybags]

Problem is, we don't even know what "sort of game" it is.

 

A couple of pictures won't sell a game. Promise to deliver all proceeds to charity won't either.

At the very least, a demonstration video, and preferably a cut down playable demo is required.

 

And, just because a game is 100% Assembler, and/or on cartridge, doesn't necessarily mean it's of commercial quality.

Edited May 31, 2009 by Rybags

[+Philsan]

I am not particularry interested in this game but I think that we can donate some pounds for a good cause.

Obviously the author will never reach the foundraising target, even if he will program the best A8 game.

I think he will release the game after have reached a lower target.

For those interested in the game there is a video of the gameplay.

[Mclaneinc]

Problem is, we don't even know what "sort of game" it is.

 

A couple of pictures won't sell a game. Promise to deliver all proceeds to charity won't either.

At the very least, a demonstration video, and preferably a cut down playable demo is required.

 

And, just because a game is 100% Assembler, and/or on cartridge, doesn't necessarily mean it's of commercial quality.

 

 

Hi Rybags, It's a gorf style game and actually looks pretty good for the era, I would have been happy to pay for it at the time.

 

 

For a GP vid...

Edited June 3, 2009 by Mclaneinc

[tjb]

Problem is, we don't even know what "sort of game" it is.

 

A couple of pictures won't sell a game. Promise to deliver all proceeds to charity won't either.

At the very least, a demonstration video, and preferably a cut down playable demo is required.

 

And, just because a game is 100% Assembler, and/or on cartridge, doesn't necessarily mean it's of commercial quality.

 

 

Hi Rybags, It's a gorf style game and actually looks pretty good for the era, I would have been happy to pay for it at the time.

 

 

For a GP vid...

 

Looks like it would be fun to play. I like the huge boss level. It reminds me of the one on some versions of Demon Attack (like the INTV and TI-99 versions). I was always jealous of those versions. We basically got a straight port of the VCS version. It looks to have quite a bit of variation. I'd buy it.

 

tjb

[atarian63]

Problem is, we don't even know what "sort of game" it is.

 

A couple of pictures won't sell a game. Promise to deliver all proceeds to charity won't either.

At the very least, a demonstration video, and preferably a cut down playable demo is required.

 

And, just because a game is 100% Assembler, and/or on cartridge, doesn't necessarily mean it's of commercial quality.

 

 

Hi Rybags, It's a gorf style game and actually looks pretty good for the era, I would have been happy to pay for it at the time.

 

 

For a GP vid...

Looks like my kind of game! I would love to have it on cart.

[SectorWars]

As mentioned in another thread I will finally release this game, this week.  I have been making some tweaks in the last couple of weeks including some additional sound effects.

 

In the meantime here is some gameplay in a Mame Arcade cabinet (via Altirra) :). 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Vic

Edited April 20, 2020 by SectorWars

[lmich391]

it looks great. Are you going to do a cart release?