No 2600 Robotron?

[Sir Plus]

Hey! No problem, really! :) Keep on tossing out those suggestions.

Discussing things like this keeps the homebrewers from reprogramming

the world's computer systems to take over the world, so its great to

hear from somebody when they aren't saying "I want to program an

idea for this game but I dont know how to program could you tell me

how to program this game and if you dont you are a big meanie "

 

We all like to hear about ideas and ports that haven't been done yet

on the increasingly versitile 2600. A lot of things considered impossible

have been made a reality (or at least tried). Bouncing ideas about how

to approach the problems can only help develop them

[Paul Slocum]

As I was dusting cobwebs off of and reading the old threads,

I came across this thread.  Is that where the inspiration for

Combat Rock and Mr. Roboto came from?

 

I did Combat Rock and Roboto long before that. I was saying maybe I would next do a current song rather than older songs. But that's probably not going to happen since I'm pretty much set on doing Girl U Want by Devo if I ever get around to doing another one.

 

-Paul

[Sir Plus]

Yeah, I wasn't reading it right (are all the threads mixed up like that?)

I posted a followup after seeing it. Made interesting reading though.

 

 

I do, I do, I think I do?

[Inky]

I still say a version of Liberator could -- and should-- be done on the 2600!

[Sir Plus]

Liberator - the official Atari Force game.

 

 

Never could get the hang of that one for some reason.

Man, I suck.

[Inky]

Liberator - the official Atari Force game.

 

 

Never could get the hang of that one for some reason.

Man, I suck.

 

I was never too good at it in the arcade, but on MAME, I'm addicted.

[Sir Plus]

Hmmm.... maybe I should try it out again (gets prepared for more

embarassing pain).

 

But yeah, that one should be doable I think. Programmers?

[ZylonBane]

The mockup I posted represents a 40x16 grid of Grunts -- in actuality a low-rez framebuffer with each pixel representing an enemy. Nothing technically special there... we've seen these sort of displays since the Surround cart. At 5 bytes per line, this buffer would consume 80 bytes of RAM. This would be the only RAM required by the Grunts, no matter how many were on screen. It would basically be a screen-sized cellular automaton, with the rule for each cell being "move toward player". Under this scheme you could reasonably cram 300 Grunts onscreen.

 

So 128 - 80 leaves 48 bytes of RAM. Figure 3 bytes per enemy for X/Y/heading/etc. That gets you 15 enemies + 1 player. But of course you also need RAM for game stats, flicker algo, and other overhead. So knock that back to a conservative 8 enemies. That doesn't sound like much, but if you budget those 8 toward the enemies that directly threaten you (Brains, Enforcers, Tanks) it should be more than enough.

 

I think it would even be acceptable to players to have new enemies "warp in" during a wave.

 

IIRC, the only enemies in Robotron that shoot at you are Enforcers, Tanks, and Brains. Enforcer and Tank projectiles move pretty fast, so you could use the ball for one shot at a time onscreen. Brains launch Cruise Missiles, which are slow and rely on swarming for effect, so these would probably have to be cut. The only threat of Brains then would be their ability to turn Humans into Progs. So you'd have to reformulate Brain Waves to rely move heavily on Grunt presence.

[Goochman]

So who is going to hack up Berzerk and turn it into Robotron?

 

Can we say that most of the core elements are in there already?

[Thomas Jentzsch]

________________

Dont ask

You sure sound like someone who knows something about Atari programming. There are not too many people with such knowledge, so one day we will find out who you are!

[Sir Plus]

heh heh It's a line from "My Blue Heaven"

 

I know programming, yes. VCS programming is something completely different and virtually alien to me. But give me an 800 and I'm happy

 

@Inky

Not a chance! I still suck at Liberator, even after all these years. Good suggestion, though. Kept me out of trouble for a while

[slapdash]

The mockup I posted represents a 40x16 grid of Grunts -- in actuality a low-rez framebuffer with each pixel representing an enemy. Nothing technically special there... we've seen these sort of displays since the Surround cart. At 5 bytes per line, this buffer would consume 80 bytes of RAM. This would be the only RAM required by the Grunts, no matter how many were on screen. It would basically be a screen-sized cellular automaton, with the rule for each cell being "move toward player". Under this scheme you could reasonably cram 300 Grunts onscreen.

 

So 128 - 80 leaves 48 bytes of RAM. Figure 3 bytes per enemy for X/Y/heading/etc. That gets you 15 enemies + 1 player. But of course you also need RAM for game stats, flicker algo, and other overhead. So knock that back to a conservative 8 enemies.

 

What about Mommy, Daddy & Mikey? Flicker 8 of them with the 8 enemies?

[Big Player]

7800 robotron was like, arcade perfect. I don't know what you're on.

 

D'OH! I meant the 5200. Boy, getting the two mixed up in my old age.

[ubersaurus]

Yeah the 5200 version wasn't as great at the 7800 one by far, so I agree with you on that!

[NE146]

I still say that Paul Slocum should hack up Jungle Hunt to

 

1. have the Tarzan graphics and make it the true JUNGLE KING

 

2. And ADD THE ARCADE MUSIC!

 

[ZylonBane]

What about Mommy, Daddy & Mikey? Flicker 8 of them with the 8 enemies?

Humans are missiles. Since they're basically just bonus items, they could could be programmed to stick to their own horizontal zones to avoid flicker.

[Sir Plus]

I still say that Paul Slocum should hack up Jungle Hunt to

 

1. have the Tarzan graphics and make it the true JUNGLE KING

 

2. And ADD THE ARCADE MUSIC!

 

 

Another excellent suggestion! Possibly incorporating Johnny Weismuller's Tarzan call.

(though maybe not, considering what happened when the estate of ERB sued the arcade developer).

 

[Sir Plus]

< wishes that he still had his dual pad for 800's Roby >

[Inky]

Humans are missiles. .

 

Somehow, that's an ironic phrase...

[MegaManFan]

Another excellent suggestion! Possibly incorporating Johnny Weismuller's Tarzan call.

(though maybe not, considering what happened when the estate of ERB sued the arcade developer).

 

I would never have guessed it was so controversial before I read up a little on the Jungle King/Jungle Hunt legacy, but it's obvious that it still lives on today. Every time I fire up Kingdom Hearts on the PS2, I get a message that Tarzan and the blah blah blah are copyright ERB and used by permission blah blah blah. That estate has one nugget of value to anyone and they're going to continue to bleed that turnip dry for eternity just like Graceland does Elvis.

[CPUWIZ]

Oh I so whish that David would join this board, he told me he SAW IT RUNNING at CES with the prototype keyboard add-on on the 2600 ! So a prototype did exist of this game (maybe still does in someones basement).

[NE146]

Another excellent suggestion! Possibly incorporating Johnny Weismuller's Tarzan call.

(though maybe not, considering what happened when the estate of ERB sued the arcade developer).

 

I would never have guessed it was so controversial before I read up a little on the Jungle King/Jungle Hunt legacy, but it's obvious that it still lives on today. Every time I fire up Kingdom Hearts on the PS2, I get a message that Tarzan and the blah blah blah are copyright ERB and used by permission blah blah blah. That estate has one nugget of value to anyone and they're going to continue to bleed that turnip dry for eternity just like Graceland does Elvis.

 

Actually screw the Tarzan call (I sort of doubt it could be done too well anyway). I'd just be happy with the background music! I mean if you played Jungle King/Hunt in the arcades what stands out in your mind? Well it's that loopy music of course! Somehow it's just not the same swinging the vines in absolute silence on the home versions. I'm not sure if the music can even be added to Jungle Hunt/King (not enough free cpu cycles?) but if it's possible, that would be one more majorly sweet hack

[ROBOTRON2084]

I want my own ROBOTRON machine!