Besides GCC Millipede...

[prostx23]

Hi,

 

Besides the GCC prototype of Millipede is there any other GCC prototypes or unreleased games floating around out there for the 2600? Also, what is the gereral feelings about these folks (GCC) here? Almost all of their arcade conversions are amongst my favorite games for the 2600.

 

thanks,

Mike

[jaybird3rd]

I don't know whether they produced any other unreleased 2600 prototypes, but GCC was awesome. My understanding is that GCC really helped keep Atari afloat in the years before the Tramiel acquisition, developing what I think were some of the best 2600 and 5200/800 titles released by Atari during that period (and delivering them faster than Atari's own in-house engineers). Then there was the Atari 7800, designed for Atari by GCC, which would have been a more appropriate follow-up to the 2600 than the 5200 was, and was a much better system overall.

 

In case you haven't heard it, you should check out the 7800 20th Anniversary Presentation by Steve Golson (formerly of GCC) and Curt Vendel; it sheds some interesting light on the history of GCC and its productive relationship with Warner/Atari.

[prostx23]

I don't know whether they produced any other unreleased 2600 prototypes, but GCC was awesome. My understanding is that GCC really helped keep Atari afloat in the years before the Tramiel acquisition, developing what I think were some of the best 2600 and 5200/800 titles released by Atari during that period (and delivering them faster than Atari's own in-house engineers). Then there was the Atari 7800, designed for Atari by GCC, which would have been a more appropriate follow-up to the 2600 than the 5200 was, and was a much better system overall.

 

In case you haven't heard it, you should check out the 7800 20th Anniversary Presentation by Steve Golson (formerly of GCC) and Curt Vendel; it sheds some interesting light on the history of GCC and its productive relationship with Warner/Atari.

Thanks Jaybird,

 

I've listened to that a few times now. I never knew that they were responsible for the arcade version of Ms. PacMan. I wonder how different some of The GCC 2600 games would have been if they had been done by the Atari programmers?

 

Mike

[jaybird3rd]

Thanks Jaybird,

 

I've listened to that a few times now. I never knew that they were responsible for the arcade version of Ms. PacMan. I wonder how different some of The GCC 2600 games would have been if they had been done by the Atari programmers?

 

Mike

Well, even though Atari had lost many of its best programmers to other companies by that time, they did have several talented programmers on staff who probably could have done a great job with those titles ... if they had been given the chance. Golson says in his presentation that GCC's contract was with Warner Communications and that GCC's output was essentially "force-fed" to the Atari division, and some of the Atari engineers confirmed this during one of their CGE roundtables some years ago. One example they mentioned was an in-house Battlezone prototype, which attempted to replicate the vector graphics of the original coin-op, but was killed off after GCC finished their version first. I've read that there was also some argument over the GCC and Atari versions of Millipede, even though GCC's version was developed and submitted to Atari unsolicited.

 

I'm sure the Atari programmers probably saw GCC as a competitor who kept stealing their thunder, while Warner probably saw GCC as a reliable outside source of high-quality product (and as a potential way of avoiding the inflated salaries and royalties that had become an industry standard by that time). One thing is certain: GCC did excellent work, and it's a pity that their relationship with Atari came to an end under the Tramiels. The initial set of 7800 games they developed were among the best ever made for that system, and I would have liked to see more from them.

Edited November 10, 2009 by jaybird3rd

[Godzilla]

I'd love to see atari's original version of battlezone... gotta be weird to have a contractor beating you to the punch on ports of your own games... but their 7800 stuff, especially, was exceptional. Anyone know 'where are they now?' type info?

[godzillajoe]

Eaxctly which released games did GCC do for Atari?

[Wickeycolumbus]

Eaxctly which released games did GCC do for Atari?

 

 

Atari Video Cube

Battlezone

Centipede

Dig Dug

Galaxian

Joust

Jr. Pac Man

Jungle Hunt

Kangaroo

Moon Patrol

Ms. Pac Man

Phoneix

Pole Position

RealSports Tennis

Track & Field

Vanguard

[jaybird3rd]

Thanks for that list. I didn't realize they did Tennis and Video Cube.

 

In addition to their 2600 titles, I've heard that they did about half the 5200 library and a bunch of 400/800 games as well. Then, of course, there was the 7800 and the first dozen or so games that were made for that system. They did a few Atari coin-ops too; the only ones I can remember off the top are Food Fight and Quantum.

Edited November 12, 2009 by jaybird3rd

[godzillajoe]

If those were the only games ever released for the system, I would have still wanted one.

Edited November 12, 2009 by godzillajoe

[Godzilla]

not a lot of original titles, tho. still, awesome ports for sure.