RPG for ATARI 2600 ?

[Lord-Chaos]

Is there some kind of role-playing game for ATARI 2600 ?

 

AFAIK the Intellivision had a D&D game , the Colecovision had Gateway to Apshai , but I don´t know a similar game on the VCS.

 

I think it should be possible to create something similar to Gateway to Apshai...

 

Thimo

[MattyXB]

I think no in the moment.

 

Only some adventures like:

Adventure, Raiders of the Lost Ark & Dragonstomper (Supercharger).

[liquid_sky]

Riddle of the Sphynx is pretty close to an RPG

[AtariDude]

I think it would be next to impossible to do a traditional RPG on the Atari 2600. There are simply not enough resources in the machine to do something worthwhile that would last more than a few hours. Most people how play RPGs want a game that will take at least a few weeks to solve.

[inextremis staple]

if im not mistaken i do believe there were one or two D&D games made for the 2600

i do think you can find em by searching under screen shots on the 2600 page

 

is

[Big Player]

Dragonstomper is a true RPG. It uses the extra memory and multi-load capablity of the Supercharger to create a large world the 2600 just couldn't handle alone.

 

Here's a link to Stan's strategy guide at Atarinvader.com

 

http://www.atarinvader.com/modules.php?nam...rticle&artid=55

 

Those D&D games are unreleased M-Network games. TSR still holds the copyrights. I wish the Blue Sky Rangers would release them. I really want to play them and would be willing to pay for it.

 

Or could someone hack out all D&D references? The Intellivision D&D games have about as much to do with D&D as Adventure.

[Goochman]

Crypts of Chaos?

[StanJr]

Thanks for the plug, Big Player!!!

 

Yeah, DS is about as close as you get, with some other notable exceptions mostly listed above. Most atari games border on Adventure types with a little RPG hinted at here and there.

 

Secret Quest is pretty close as well.

 

And I think by now, this question should be added to the FAQ.

[moycon]

Don't forget Dark Mage and the LOTR hack. But yeah I agree with Stan Jr. this topics been well covered.

 

Also I have a rom at home that looks like someones attempt to make a RPG. You can move around a playfield and such... I'll have to try and find that ROM, I havent seen it in awhile but I think it's on one of my older PCs. I haven't seen it anywhere since. I got it off the net a few years back.

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Also I have a rom at home that looks like someones attempt to make a RPG.

Probably an attempt form the Stella Mailing List,. The ROMs are floating around the web under the name 'Overhead Adventure'.

[moycon]

That may be it Thomas, although the one I downloaded I couldn't get any movement. Still it did look like that. What ever became of this??? That looks like the utimate Atari 2600 RPG!

[Thomas Jentzsch]

What ever became of this???

Don't know, probably it was abandoned (like so many other promising projects).

 

You should browse the Stella Mailing List archives, maybe you can find some more info there.

[Paul Slocum]

There's some source for an RPG thing on The Dig by Erik Mooney. I've never looked at it though.

 

http://www.neonghost.com/the-dig/source/source.php3

 

I'm sure someone will do an RPG at some point. Maybe I'll do one for my next project when I get some time to do 2600 programming again in a few months (if someone hasn't already). It's something I've been considering for a while.

 

-Paul

[Osbo]

Hi, what about the proto of Lord of the Rings, it is not an RPG?

Just my two cents

[Paul Slocum]

I think the element that's missing to make any 2600 games feel like true RPGs is the ability to save your place. Every existing game is designed to played from start to finish in one sitting. But a new game could be programmed with a code based save system.

 

-Paul

[Tempest]

Personally I think Dragonstomper was the closest the 2600 got to a true RPG.

 

Tempest

[MagMax667]

Dark Chambers is pretty close to a RPG. You and the enemies have HP and you need to collect idems. It's kind of like a cross between Riddle of the Sphinx and Berzerk.

 

I've never played Dragonstomper, as I don't have a Starpath Supercharger.

[Tempest]

Yeah but that's like saying Gauntlet was an RPG. I guess it all depends on your definition of an RPG.

 

Tempest

[NE146]

Well you often see the Zelda's named as "action/RPG's" (although I personally disagree) but if that's your viewpoint, then yeah I'd say Dark Chambers is one as well

[MegaManFan]

.. Secret Quest?

[King Atari]

I think of Dark Chambers as an action RPG. You had to collect stuff to help you through the levels, but none of it was "Legend of Zelda" style.

[Cupcakus]

I think the element that's missing to make any 2600 games feel like true RPGs is the ability to save your place.  Every existing game is designed to played from start to finish in one sitting.  But a new game could be programmed with a code based save system.

 

-Paul

 

Wonderfull.... Now I have to come up with a Non-Volatile RAM cart so homebrew authors can save games in progress... Thanks a lot Paul :-)

[King Atari]

Use a code feature like Secret Quest.