Should Team Pixelboy publish Hyper Rally?

[Pixelboy]

I'm debating whether or not to publish the MSX port of Hyper Rally for ColecoVision. Eduardo Mello hasn't begun porting the game yet, and if I do ask him to port it to the ColecoVision, I would like the game to be as enjoyable as possible for all players.

 

The problem with the original MSX game is that when the road goes into a curve, the car becomes very hard to steer when driving at top speed: You can zoom towards the outside edge of the curve, but coming back towards the inner edge is quite a slow process, and dodging cars in this situation is next to impossible. And when you apply the brakes or reduce speed to avoid collisions, you end up wasting both time and fuel.

 

I saw some footage of Hyper Rally on YouTube, which demonstrates a tip for avoiding collisions in curves. This "tip" involves exploiting a design flaw in the game, namely a safe spot at the outer edge of the curve, where other cars do not go. This safe spot is not always safe, however, because cars that change lanes WILL collide with you in this safe spot. Suffice it to say that having to exploit a design flaw to survive in a racing game is not exactly my idea of good game design.

 

Ideally, what I would like Eduardo to do (while he's porting the game to the ColecoVision) would be to tweak the physics of the car in road curves, just a little bit to make steering slightly easier. I think that would be enough to make the game fully enjoyable without necessarily making it too easy. However, Eduardo would charge me extra money for implementing this tweak, and I would already be paying him a good sum of money for the basic MSX port. Any additional cost would add several dollars to the selling price of the game, which is already guaranteed to be over 40$US.

 

The bottom line is that I don't mind going through all the trouble of publishing this game if I know people will buy it and enjoy it when it is finally released. That's why I would like you guys (and gals?) to track down the ROM of the original MSX version of Hyper Rally, play it for about 10-15 minutes under emulation, and let me know if you agree that the car physics could really use some tweaking.

 

Thank you.

Edited March 27, 2011 by Pixelboy

[retroillucid]

I would accept paying a few dollars more, if it means having a car that handles slightly easier in curves.

 

AND also if its compatible with the Expansion Module #2

[+opcode]

I would accept paying a few dollars more, if it means having a car that handles slightly easier in curves.

 

AND also if its compatible with the Expansion Module #2

 

Support to EM #2 would be done I guess, as we have plenty of space still available.

[retroillucid]

I would accept paying a few dollars more, if it means having a car that handles slightly easier in curves.

 

AND also if its compatible with the Expansion Module #2

 

Support to EM #2 would be done I guess, as we have plenty of space still available.

 

Great!

 

More games need to be done using the Exp Module#2

[VectorGamer]

I will buy it if it works with the driving controller...we need more games that use the driving controller and the roller controller

[lucifershalo]

First I wasnt really keen on the idea of a racing game (not my favorite genre) as a homebrew but it if is fun and using the Driving Controller...

[youki]

I could buy it if it support the driving module. Otherwise not , i already own it on for my MSX.

[Pixelboy]

I would accept paying a few dollars more, if it means having a car that handles slightly easier in curves.

 

AND also if its compatible with the Expansion Module #2

 

Support to EM #2 would be done I guess, as we have plenty of space still available.

Seriously? You'd be open to try implementing support for the steering wheel in Hyper Rally? I'm a little surprised, since you seemed to have something against implementing Roller Controller support in Arkanoid. All those interrupts flooding in and all that...

[rpgcollector]

I will buy any game that uses the driving controller, so few do and I want more use out of it!!!!!

[Pixelboy]

Eduardo, I do believe a certain happy button got pushed when the steering wheel was included in the current discussion...

[retroillucid]

Eduardo, I do believe a certain happy button got pushed when the steering wheel was included in the current discussion...

 

Oh yeah!

[purenergy]

Support Expansion Module #2, and I would definitely buy this game.

 

Thanks

[newcoleco]

I've tried so many times to play racing games, and I'm not good at it... regardless if it's the 2D ones like Bump'n Jump or the (pseudo) 3D ones like Pole Position, I keep losing over and over again. So, it's not my kind of game but I like the look of these games and the boost of adrenaline they provide, and sometimes the music used in these games like Out Run (otherwise I will not have done a Coleco rendition of Splash Wave music).

[Ikrananka]

Is it just me or is this games just uninspiring and repetative. The only real variety in the game appears to be the occasional switch between daytime and nightime scenes. Where are the interesting mix of road hazards and/or branching roads? The only hazards are overtaking other cars on either straight or curved sections of road. Seems to be less exciting than my drive to the shops. I just don't see the attraction - sorry. Or am I missing something?

[XavierGames]

I will buy it ! so please release it ! thanks pixelboys!

[Jordiway73]

Hey if it forces me to drag out my steering wheel, YES I would buy it.