Opcode protos going to eBay

[Crazy Climber]

Cool! Lokking forward to more SGM development. Can't wait to play Donkey Kong arcade while sipping an ice cold coca-cola, oh yeah!

[opcode]

Just listed copy #3.

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160431601262

[opcode]

Copy #4/5 listed

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160435569909

[opcode]

Last chance.

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160438865335

[Pixelboy]

Last chance.

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160438865335

So what will be next after Exerion, if you don't mind me asking?

[opcode]

 

So what will be next after Exerion, if you don't mind me asking?

 

I don't mind you asking...

Surprise, surprise.

[opcode]

Thanks everyone for making the Exerion auctions such a success. With the money from those auctions I can now resume development of the Super Game Module.

Anyway, I plan to continue the prototype auctions with a few more games I have here.

Next one is a true arcade classic, Galaga. The version I will be auctioning came from the SG-1000. The SG-1000 version isn't a perfect port by any means, but it is quite ok considering the 1KB RAM size limit (Sega did magic to make the game fit). For example the sprites are single color and the version lacks the challenge stages. I started porting Galaga years ago just out of curiosity but abandoned it about halfway. Due to constant request from CV fans I have finally completed the port and it runs exactly like the SG-1000 version. Please check this video to see how the game looks and plays:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pVnecfqxo8&feature=related

Just like with Exerion, I will be auctioning 5 copies of the game. Once they are gone, they are gone. I also reserve the right to revisit Galaga in the future, though this specific version won't be made available again.

 

Ok, so I will come back in a few hours with the eBay listing for copy #1.

 

Eduardo

[opcode]

Just listed Galaga #1/5.

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160441909508

 

[Pixelboy]

Once they are gone, they are gone. I also reserve the right to revisit Galaga in the future, though this specific version won't be made available again.

As I understand it, it's the arcade version you really wanted to port anyhow.

 

The SG-1000 version looks good in motion, but after playing with it for a while, you realize the enemies always come into the screen using the same patterns. Once you've memorized those patterns, the game becomes less difficult, and also less fun. The arcade version offers more variety in that respect, so I do hope you won't give up on your project to port it to the CV in the future, Eduardo.

[youki]

Seing the price where your prototypes end. if i were you , i will sell only prototypes!

[Pixelboy]

Seing the price where your prototypes end. if i were you , i will sell only prototypes!

Indeed. It's practically a license to print money!

 

I dare not imagine how high the bidding would go if Eduardo made prototypes of the SG-1000 version of Elevator Action. It's a decent port, even though the MSX version is better. I know Elevator Action has been on Eduardo's long-term to-do list for years.

[opcode]

Guys, I just listed Galaga copy #2/5 on eBay:

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160446101718

[opcode]

Sorry, forgot to post about copy #3 here:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160449187508

 

Only 2 days left.

[eightbit]

That Galaga does look nice...wish I could afford it

 

But, great thing that this is helping to fund the SGM. I can't wait to see that in action! Good luck with the sales man!

[opcode]

Galaga copy #4/5 up on eBay:

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160452701297

 

Thanks!

[opcode]

Last chance, copy #5/5:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160456452208

[Pixelboy]

Congrats on your earnings with your five Galaga proto carts, Eduardo.

 

Can't wait to see what's coming next!

[opcode]

Thanks everybody again for making the Galaga auction such a success. I hope the winners are enjoying the game.

Ok, so now for the 3rd game. This one is very special to me (or as the South Park guys would say, this is my favorite episode, I mean, game ). It is a port of one of an early (1984) Konami game for the MSX called Comic Bakery. Gameplay is very old school and arcade-ish. Here is some info from Wikipedia:

"The game was set in a bakery, where the town baker tries to bake and deliver bread while fighting off raccoons. Pieces of bread would move along a factory line while the raccoons tried to eat your bread and also try to switch off your machines. You had to keep your machinery running and also scare away the raccoons. If you did this your delivery truck will be loaded with bread and drive off (to the bakery shop, where 4 kids wait for their treats, produce less than 4 breads and you loose a life), advancing to a level with exactly the same layout (but different graphics) on a more challenging difficulty."

 

The Coleco port is an exact copy as usual. And again I will produce 5 copies. I wish I could have released this game in full package, but I just don't think there is a market for it.

 

I will the first copy on eBay later today, as well as pictures, etc.

For now, here is a very nice (and funny) review of the game from Youtube:

 

Please notice that the review game is running at 50Hz (PAL system), while the ColecoVision version will run at 60Hz on NTSC machines (so a little faster than the video) and 50Hz on PAL machines. BTW, the ColecoVision version got a lot of graphics optimizations, so while it still runs at the same speed as the MSX version, almost all video "tearing" has been eliminated.

 

Eduardo

[opcode]

There, copy #1/5 listed:

 

eBay Auction -- Item Number: 160459875669

 

Thanks!

[King_Salamon]

Comic Bakery looks like a title I would buy and I think there would be a market for it... Galaga too... so other than the prototypes, you won't be releasing these in the future? I understand needing to raise funds for the project you are working on but to never release these games at a later date seems odd.

 

Regardless, best of luck with the auctions and raise as much money with them!

[+5-11under]

Comic Bakery looks like a title I would buy and I think there would be a market for it... Galaga too... so other than the prototypes, you won't be releasing these in the future? I understand needing to raise funds for the project you are working on but to never release these games at a later date seems odd.

 

Regardless, best of luck with the auctions and raise as much money with them!

 

Yeah, it's a shame. Oh well, maybe someday someone else will "re-port" them. I've never heard of it, but it looks like a fun game. I guess there's always (MSX) emulation.

5-11under

[Murph74]

Interesting game! Kinda looks like Mappy and Keystone Kapers had a kid.

 

Just throwing it out there, and I know it's OpCode's property to do with as he sees fit, but would love to be able to purchase .rom files of these protos directly from OpCode to compliment the forthcoming AtariMax SD Cartridge! I'd think anywhere from $2-$5 would be fair just for the file to use on a real CV.

[opcode]

Comic Bakery looks like a title I would buy and I think there would be a market for it... Galaga too... so other than the prototypes, you won't be releasing these in the future? I understand needing to raise funds for the project you are working on but to never release these games at a later date seems odd.

 

Regardless, best of luck with the auctions and raise as much money with them!

 

Things aren't that simple. Usually I need to sell 80~100 copies of a game before I can recoup the money I spent with packaging. For most MSX ports it means months or even years until they can sell that many copies. Arcade ports on the other hand sell fast and usually recoup all money day 1. That is why I am concentration on arcade games for my next releases (so we are using Exerion, Sega Galaga, Comic Bakery, etc, to finance games like Donkey Kong Arcade, Arkanoid, Pengo, etc, a pretty good deal if you ask me).But I am not forgetting the MSX either, as I have a half dozen MSX ports that I also want to release as packaged games (most of them already completed), but they are the crème de la crème of the MSX library. It isn’t a matter of being greed, it is just that I don’t have unlimited resources, so each game must fund the next one. And as I said, in some cases it is kind of frustrating, like it is being now with Comic Bakery, but I just don’t see that game selling 80~100 anytime soon if ever.

Specifically about Galaga, that is a game that I can redo in the future, though based on the arcade code.

About the 2 prototypes titles I sold so far, all buyers got the ROM image, and it is up to them to release it as they see fit. But I am pretty sure eventually someone will do that.

But there is some good news too… I officially resumed work on Donkey Kong Arcade today, after a long hiatus. It is still my goal to have the game finished this year together with the SGM, even if a release doesn’t happen until next year. In fact that is what I believe is going to happen, especially considering that the SGM needs to be properly tested, and that should involve a half dozen people using/playing it during a few months at least.

[retroillucid]

Interesting game! Kinda looks like Mappy and Keystone Kapers had a kid.

 

Just throwing it out there, and I know it's OpCode's property to do with as he sees fit, but would love to be able to purchase .rom files of these protos directly from OpCode to compliment the forthcoming AtariMax SD Cartridge! I'd think anywhere from $2-$5 would be fair just for the file to use on a real CV.

 

The best idea would be that Eduardo takes 50 payments at 50$ per rom file

when he get all payments, he then send rom file to pre-paid orders

 

EDIT: (per rom file)

Edited July 24, 2010 by retroillucid

[opcode]

Interesting game! Kinda looks like Mappy and Keystone Kapers had a kid.

 

Just throwing it out there, and I know it's OpCode's property to do with as he sees fit, but would love to be able to purchase .rom files of these protos directly from OpCode to compliment the forthcoming AtariMax SD Cartridge! I'd think anywhere from $2-$5 would be fair just for the file to use on a real CV.

 

I am not going to sell the image because as I mentioned, the terms of the auctions state that the buyers would have exclusive rights to the games, including the right to distribute the ROM image freely if they want (though they cannot sell the images).

But again, I am pretty sure someone will eventually release the ROM files.