Spy Hunter with Steering Wheel - Would you buy it?

[Pixelboy]

The general response in my Hyper Rally poll thread has revealed that people would like to have more games compatible with Coleco's Expansion Module #2 (a.k.a. the steering wheel). With this said, one thing I've never understood is why Coleco released Spy Hunter with Super Action Controller support instead of steering wheel support, especially considering the original arcade game is played with a steering wheel!

 

Last year, I released a version of Destructor that is designed to be played with the regular stock controller instead of the steering wheel module. It sold relatively well, so now I'm wondering if I could do the same with Spy Hunter, only in reverse: I would replace the existing stock/SA controller support with steering wheel support:

 

- Turn the wheel left and right to steer the car left and right.

- Press the gas pedal to accelerate, let go of the pedal to decelerate.

- Press DOWN on player 2's joystick to fire the machine guns (other directions do nothing).

- Press [1] on player 2's keypad to activate the oil slick (hold down keypad button to produce longer slicks)

- Press [2] on player 2's keypad to activate the smokescreen

- Press [3] on player 2's keypad to fire a missile

- Press [*] on player 2's keypad to pause/unpause the game

 

Keep in mind that I'm not sure this alteration can actually be done. There may be technical difficulties (like lack of space in the ROM for example) that could make it impossible. But assuming it can be done, would you buy such a re-edition of Spy Hunter? If there's enough interest, I could add it to the "outsourced project" section on the Team Pixelboy web site.

[Yurkie]

The general response in my Hyper Rally poll thread has revealed that people would like to have more games compatible with Coleco's Expansion Module #2 (a.k.a. the steering wheel). With this said, one thing I've never understood is why Coleco released Spy Hunter with Super Action Controller support instead of steering wheel support, especially considering the original arcade game is played with a steering wheel!

 

Last year, I released a version of Destructor that is designed to be played with the regular stock controller instead of the steering wheel module. It sold relatively well, so now I'm wondering if I could do the same with Spy Hunter, only in reverse: I would replace the existing stock/SA controller support with steering wheel support:

 

- Turn the wheel left and right to steer the car left and right.

- Press the gas pedal to accelerate, let go of the pedal to decelerate.

- Press DOWN on player 2's joystick to fire the machine guns (other directions do nothing).

- Press [1] on player 2's keypad to activate the oil slick (hold down keypad button to produce longer slicks)

- Press [2] on player 2's keypad to activate the smokescreen

- Press [3] on player 2's keypad to fire a missile

- Press [*] on player 2's keypad to pause/unpause the game

 

Keep in mind that I'm not sure this alteration can actually be done. There may be technical difficulties (like lack of space in the ROM for example) that could make it impossible. But assuming it can be done, would you buy such a re-edition of Spy Hunter? If there's enough interest, I could add it to the "outsourced project" section on the Team Pixelboy web site.

 

 

Issues that come to mind right away, after reading your control plan.

 

Firing by pressing down on player 2 joystick. Firing in this game is almost a continuous, very frequently at least. This would mean that only one hand (left) would be on the wheel and one hand (right) would be resting on or moving the joystick.

 

When oil slick, smokescreen or missile was used the players hand would have to come off the joystick (stop firing) and he/she would look down for the correct key for the desired function. To me this doesn't seem like much of an improvement.

[Pixelboy]

Issues that come to mind right away, after reading your control plan.

 

Firing by pressing down on player 2 joystick. Firing in this game is almost a continuous, very frequently at least. This would mean that only one hand (left) would be on the wheel and one hand (right) would be resting on or moving the joystick.

 

When oil slick, smokescreen or missile was used the players hand would have to come off the joystick (stop firing) and he/she would look down for the correct key for the desired function. To me this doesn't seem like much of an improvement.

Not a bad point... But adding a small layer of difficulty to the game would not necessarily be a bad thing.

 

One thing that could be done would be mapping the oil slick to the LEFT direction on player 2's joystick. That way, you could fire the machine guns and drop oil simultaneously by pressing the joystick diagonally. The missile and smokescreen would still be mapped to the keypad (keys [1/4/7] and [3/6/9] respectively) so the original stock controller overlays could be used.

Edited April 4, 2011 by Pixelboy

[patbb]

What I would like to see is to have the possibility to use the SuperAction controler with the steering.

The steering in one have and the SuperAction in the other, with the same button mapping that we have now.

[ColecoDan]

Unless you are fixing bugs that crash a game like burgertime or beamrider or totally revamping the game to make it authentic and better like Opcodes Donkey Kong I really don't care to buy any of the current games just tweaked a little.

I would rather get a whole new game that I have never had.

Work on some of your projects like Utopia, Quest for the Rings, K.C. Mega Maze, Module Man, Pick Axe Pete, Arabian, Discs of Tron. Those are the amazing games that I am drooling over.

[NIAD]

While I like very much the new controller layout used in Destructor SCE (I always hated using the steering wheel in the original Coleco release) so much so that I've probably played it more in the last couple months than I did back in the day, I don't see the need for Spy Hunter's controls to be hacked. I think the controls currently implemented work very well, especially with the Super Action Controller and I would rather spend my money on a new game that was never available for the ColecoVision.

 

I will admit, however, that if you do go ahead with development and a sunsequent release... I would probably buy it. I just can't help myself!

[purenergy]

Yes, I would buy Spy Hunter for use with the Steering Wheel.

But, constantly using the keypad (second player's controller) for the weapons controls makes me wonder if a Super Action Controller would work better (and possibly last longer.)

 

Very interesting idea. Hope it works out!

[ozma wars]

Hi Luc

forget it

SPY HUNTER was great as arcade game but totally disappointing game for Colecovision.

Steering wheel : also if I play alone I feel myself ridicoulous at 43 using it.

If I have to use it I would prefer new driving games for this expansion.

 

The day you decide to release UTOPIA ... send you PM.

MAX

[lucifershalo]

I am interested but not for the full price and complete game

what about offering those games (the ones you changed the controller like Destructor and Spy Hunter)as a loose cartridge?

 

I would buy them , then

[Pixelboy]

I think I'm getting enough mixed messages here to realize that it's a bad idea, so I'm dropping it.

 

Besides, only people with working steering wheels would be able to play this version, and there aren't tons of those people out there. For that reason alone, I don't think Spy Hunter for EM2 would sell very well.

 

So I consider this matter closed. Thanks for voting, guys.

[lucifershalo]

that is a shame

but thanks for always coming with new ideas and projects, Luc

it is really appreciated....

[NIAD]

I second Lucifershalo's thanks Luc. Even though this one won't pan out, we appreciate your efforts and all the work you put forward into coming up with new ideas to provide enjoyment for all us CV enthuisiasts. +1