Jump to content
IGNORED

Horse Racing (a demo)


else

Recommended Posts

Okay, here's a really early demo of the 'isometric version' of Horse Racing from the Coleco flyer. It's more of a graphical proof-of-concept at this point.

 

- The game does not end.

- The horses do not move in the correct directions.

- There's some graphical markers present that I put in for debug of my scrolling routine, so ignore them.

- Other misc graphical things that need cleaning up.

 

So does this look anything like how Coleco would have done it?

 

Feedback? Impressions?

HorseRacingIsometricRev01.zip

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I honestly don't think that's what Coleco intended. Is there any proof to what you say? I think the catalog picture was just a quick drawing some artist made, without much thought put in to it -- largely copying the Intellivision version. The flyer version was probably done when someone actually sat down and put some actual time and effort in to it.

 

Also note that the curve comes off at the ***precise*** angle needed for isometric scrolling. That's just too much of a coincidence in my book to be an accident.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I honestly don't think that's what Coleco intended. Is there any proof to what you say? I think the catalog picture was just a quick drawing some artist made, without much thought put in to it -- largely copying the Intellivision version. The flyer version was probably done when someone actually sat down and put some actual time and effort in to it.

 

Also note that the curve comes off at the ***precise*** angle needed for isometric scrolling. That's just too much of a coincidence in my book to be an accident.....

 

You may be right, but I'm sure that's how it was planned by Coleco, otherwise the isometric concept is really boring if you ask me while having the 2 concept in one game makes the game look better

 

 

Anyway, keep up the great works on Horse Racing! :thumbsup:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whatever Coleco intended, I have to say that that's an impressive piece of coding with the isometric scrolling.

 

I see where retroillucid is coming from with mixing this with your 2D version, however I believe that switching from the 2D to isometric view would be disorientating for the player. You would certainly have to ensure that the up and down movements are the same in both views so that there is no reverse or break in the controls. But to be honest I'm having difficulty envisioning what would be a good way to go. We should also remember that some game concepts are dumped simply because the game designer realises that it just won't make a good game. I know that this is not necessarily the case here but I feel that the 2D version works quite well - just needs more fun added to it (e.g. hurdles, water features and obstacles like moles sticking their heads up)

 

Anyway, rambled enough - time to stop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The colors match on the two Horse Racing pictures? Here's what I see...

 

- different track colors

- different horse colors

- different jockey colors

- different railing colors

 

Also...

 

- horse sizes different

- shadow under horses vs no shadow

- different grass (border vs no border)

- different scoreboard

- stadium vs no-stadium

- different horse movements

 

I have a hard time finding anything that matches between them. I guess the color of the sky and grass is the same, but I would kind of expect that much :)

 

Like I say, the thing that really clinches it for me is that the angle of the curve finishes exactly at the correct isometric angle. I mean, it could be a coincidence, but it just seems highly unlikely....

 

Anyhow, I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything. Just a difference of opinion between fellow enthusiasts, right? :)

Edited by else
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whatever Coleco intended, I have to say that that's an impressive piece of coding with the isometric scrolling.

 

Thanks. Unfortunately it runs kind of slow for my taste, and I'm not sure what else I can do to speed it up. I've tried a lot of things already, but I feel as if I'm running out of things to try.... :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyhow, I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything. Just a difference of opinion between fellow enthusiasts, right? :)

 

Yep, same here :)

 

 

I'm actually looking a the 2 different screens.....

 

Looking at it again, I use to think that everyhing is like the "curve" screen, then approching the goal line makes a zoom and everything goes like the "goal line" screen ... kind of zoom in

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unfortunately it runs kind of slow for my taste, and I'm not sure what else I can do to speed it up. I've tried a lot of things already, but I feel as if I'm running out of things to try.... :(

 

How about posting the slow code to see if other developers can speed it up?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great work on this game! I'm not a programmer so maybe I shouldn't have any suggestions...but about the background scenery...I was thinkin that a few less cars, trees, people, etc. may accentuate the graphical background items that you made. You know, kinda like less is more, type thing. I don't mean to knock any of it though...great work! :)

Edited by Brockolye
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

What about this...

 

 

It almost sounds like all they were going to do is have you bet and you wouldn't be controlling the horse. I like the idea of changing weather. It would be cool to see it snowing as they ran :)

That was the part I liked the most in Turbo when the weather would change.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SpaceDice: I'm pretty sure almost every picture from that catalog was a artist rendering as I don't think a single frame from that book matches the released product. :)

 

ColecoDan: I agree, I think the original game was going to be more along the lines of "learning to bet on ponies", not controlling the horse. But I don't find that to be much fun! :) Of course, they could have been going after the "fathers" market and such to try and get them on a simulation for their non-button mashing enjoyment.

 

Else: What about a side view of the track ala Turbo where, say, the right edge of the screen turned upwards to indicate you were going around the bend? I certainly wasn't again the oval 'radar' display from what I think was the MSX version mentioned here previously. If you're controlling the horse, it would be good to know how much further you have to go! :) Great work on this, too! Love following the dev part!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

What about this...

 

I really loved playing the Intelivision version of horse racing. I was working on a ColecoVision version based on this picture, but it is challenging to get the rendering to work out with graphics like that with the Coleco video bleeding restrictions, to say the least. I'll probably revisit it at some point though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Hello, Else! It’s been about 2 years since you last did ANY work in your demo take of the ColecoVision prototype game Fidelity Electronics’ Horse Racing Challenge.

 

What I see from the catalog entry page for item #2442 is:

(1) This game is a sort of a calque port influenced by Intellivision’s more successful Horse Racing game, but with the entry color assignments CHANGED.

(2) The once-planned (but NEVER released) version of this game uses natural colored horses with brightly colored jockeys atop (whereas your demo version—and INTV’s game—both use solid-colored horses; the INTV race horses are more blockier than those on CV).

(3) Trying to incorporate BOTH the straight side-scrolling AND quasi-isometric semi-rotoscaping on the turns would be HIGHLY DIFFICULT indeed! Intellivision has it RIGHT by sticking with the straight side-scrolling view of the playfield screen.

(4) When I redid the animated graphics for this game, I offer 2 different versions of appearance for the CV race horses: A more realistic look—natural-hued horses with bright colored jockeys atop—like Coleco and Fidelity intended to use, and a solid silhouette colored scheme—similar to how INTV’s game depicts them. I also made a nice WHITE 4-stall starting gate to replace your simplistic yellow barrier.

(5) A new set of game overlays have been created; they have a grass green background (like the new game box I’m also doing). The colors for the horses have also been REASSIGNED, according to the pictures made available from concept drawings:

1:RED 2:YELLOW 3:BLUE 4:PURPLE

5:ORANGE 6:PINK 7:GREEN 8:SILVER

The (9) key is for placing a BET (planned types include: Win, Place, Show, Exacta, Quinella, Trifecta, and Box), while the (0) key starts a race. The left fire button is to coax, and the right fire button is used to whip a horse.

The types of track surface are also colored: DRY TURF MUDDY.

Amongst the tradeoffs made include: Removing the white square armbands (which would have had the entry number thereon) from off the jockey’s right arm, and substituting the placement of the entry number (drawn-in onto each horse in a contrasting color for easy visibility) on the saddle pad area of the horse. The on-track scenery and props (grandstand, foliage, fencing, ... .) will be cleaned up to look more professional.

Please consider helping me in releasing this fine once-vaporware game to all us ColecoVision fans. Thank You!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The images for the Fidelity Electronics’ Horse Racing Challenge project are found on Google Drive, in the CV/Adam Projects folder; then—under Games, look for FE Horse Racing Challenge.

 

It’ll need some associated sounds programmed for the game:

(1) Opening Theme—an excerpt from The Lone Ranger TV show

(2) The Call To The Post bugle number

(3) A short continuous bell ring sound—to be played when the horses burst forth from the starting gate

(4) A short whip sound (like that on the INTV game)

(5) A crowd cheer fanfare number (again—like that on INTV).

 

As the fictional race track featured on Intellivision’s game is called Plympton Downs, we should call the CV version’s track Fidelity Electronics Park.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Um, I don't know how to say this without sounding like a dork, so I'll just be direct:

 

1) Who are you, and are you a ColecoVision homebrewer?

 

2) Are you volunteering to do Horse Racing on the CV even though else started his own rendition of the game (but never finished it)?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello!

 

I go by RT12 Productions here at AtariAge (just signed up yesterday); my name is Robert, and currently live in Augusta, ME. I'm quite a NEWCOMER to game programming, so I need your fellow members' help on my new game projects. I post items for them on Google Drive (I invite y'all to check out Google Drive).

 

Although the user known here as Else started his 7 demos for this game, I'd like to help him finish this game off (with his approval, of course). So, I made some all-new graphic sprites for the race horses and starting gate. Else will still do the heavy duty programming, but now with my input. I'm a big horse racing fan—it all started out when I was younger (my kindergarten days). My late dad used to drive me and the kids to local race tracks to see the horses race live (it was harness sulky racing up in Maine in those days, and we went to the races mostly at night). I also started seeing Thoroughbred racing on TV (mainly on the weekends).

 

I recently started RT12 PRODUCTIONS for my videos and video game creations.

 

Thanks, PixelBoy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

I'd like to see this game taken back a bit and have it play more like the terrific INTV version. Keep it simple, lose the complex stamina and stamina display, make betting more like INTV style. On INTV, at start-up, horses are randomly assigned strengths and weaknesses (acceleration, top speed, durability (fatigue rate), response to challenge, response to coax, response to whip, response to various conditions (dry, turf, muddy, etc.). You learn which horses are best at various conditions as the game plays out. New horses are generated when you restart the game. Just do it with better graphics and sound.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Hello!

 

It looks like HardHat is interested in taking over to do the programming for FEHRC; meanwhile, I’ve been doing quite a bit of mock-up work on the sprites and game screens. With my other projects going on, please expect FEHRC to be fully released around the time period for this year’s Breeders’ Cup (sometime later on this upcoming fall).

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...