Albert Posted March 4, 2013 Author Share Posted March 4, 2013 Wow, two and a half years? That's the definition of patience and faith! The hobby needs more people with your level of foresight, it's very much appreciated. Well, to be fair, we were originally shooting for a 2010 release. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FujiSkunk Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 And the "thirty years late" message was on the boxes even then? I get the feeling you got the feeling you wouldn't hit that 2010 release date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 (edited) 30 years late? Who cares; it's out now so game on! I was born in 1981, so I was still in diapers when the 5200 came out. I do remember a working Tempest arcade at my daycare center I attended though. LOL, my favorite game back then was Kangaroo (they also had a Kongo Bongo and Joust cabinet, and some busted pinball tables that didn't work). I had dreams at night that I snuck out and stole that Kangaroo machine and stuffed it in my bedroom, but as an adult, I think Tempest was more cool and unique. And the only one that didn't get a proper port to Atari back in the day (I tried out the 2600 prototype and it sucked donkey). I just don't think it's worth hunting down a working 5200 just to play Tempest though. I've got too many consoles cluttering up my bedroom as it is, and the VCS is more than enough to keep me occupied. Edited March 5, 2013 by stardust4ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRTGAMER Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 (edited) 30 years late? Who cares; it's out now so game on! I just don't think it's worth hunting down a working 5200 just to play Tempest though. I've got too many consoles cluttering up my bedroom as it is, and the VCS is more than enough to keep me occupied. There are unique games on every console worth getting. In the case of the 5200 it would be Space Dungeon, The Williams games Robotron and Defender and now the best version due to the Arcade sized Trakball; 5200 Tempest! I just posted over at Assembler to get the word out. This game has so much history behind it and plays very very well! Still working on the review at Racketboy, Trakball opened, cleaned up and took pictures of it, 5200 Tempest Set and a certain Laser Disc that started me on this path. Edited March 5, 2013 by CRTGAMER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andromeda Stardust Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 (edited) There are unique games on every console worth getting. In the case of the 5200 it would be Space Dungeon, The Williams games Robotron and Defender and now the best version due to the Arcade sized Trakball; 5200 Tempest! I just posted over at Assembler to get the word out. This game has so much history behind it and plays very very well! But I've got too many consoles already, mostly Nintendo brand: Atari VCS / 2600 NES SNES Genesis N64 Game Cube (w/ Game Boy Player attached) PS3 Wii-U (w/ all my old Wii software/accessories) 3DS / DS And soon I'll be adding a Uzebox (8-bit DIY homebrew console) and an Ouya (new upcoming Android-based game console) to the mix. IMO, that's a lot of clutter, so I have to be selective. VCS has the biggest library and was the original Atari console and only one to truly beat out all the competition; I only just bought the VCS in 2012 to see what all the rave was with Atari (by comparison I've been retro gaming on NES since 2002), then I got hooked on it and despite the initial perceived "rawness" of the graphics / audio, it has some pretty good games available. But I may end up buying a CIB Tempset anyway just to support the community. It's currently on my wishlist in the web store. Tempest or not, I would buy a 7800 before I get a 5200 IMO. Edited March 5, 2013 by stardust4ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtshark7 Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 (edited) the 5200 have seemed to skyrocket in price as of now...they used to go for around $60-$80. It's definitely worth owning a 5200 if you enjoy playing arcade quality games and the trak ball is great! If you are looking to buy a 5200 I'd wait until the price ends up dropping. Edit: Also stardust4ever, I wouldn't say you have too many video game consoles, you have a nice collection but there is always room for more Edited March 5, 2013 by Mark T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectorGamer Posted March 5, 2013 Share Posted March 5, 2013 Oh, if people want to post reviews of the game in the AtariAge Store, that would be most appreciated. http://www.atariage....t_detail&p=1014 Thanks! ..Al I did a review for the latest issue of Retrocade Magazine. Also did a game play video: http://youtu.be/E_bzb4Mrbg4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRTGAMER Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 I posted an extensive review Racketboy. It is very extensive with pictures, links and a section on cleaning the insides of the 5200 Trakball. Enjoy! Atari Age 5200 Tempest Review: http://www.racketboy...=724273#p724273 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orion1052003 Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 I think we should get a "kickstarter" or something to make a box & label just like in the cloak and dagger movie, and figure out a solution for a spinner controller to play the game. I talked to the Vectrex guy, GEOFURY George Pelonis, and he says the spinner controller he says would have to be modified to make it work, and that controller could no longer be used for the Vectrex after the mod. Maybe there are some other alternatives? It would be awesome with the box and the controller. We should totally get on this as a community. Speaking of awesome, it is really amazing that this actually came out! After so many years, and the original programmer and everything. So Awesome. Bought one, and trying to figure out the controller thing, but not a hardware knowledger. The system is analog as far as I know, and should be able to handle a spinner controller I would think. Then there is the issue of the pins that go in the ports, and I imagine the start and pause buttons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captcapcom Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Mine arrived yesterday... couldn't bring myself to stop playing. It is a masterpiece! Writing the Review this weekend ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I did a review for the latest issue of Retrocade Magazine. Also did a game play video: that is a well-done game play video ! You are playing the game well, in control of your spinner and displaying slow crawls and some quick bursts of spin speed. I have not seen the red levels yet, so I was surprised to see them in the video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nathan Strum Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 (edited) I didn't see Pulsars in the video. Didn't they show up in the red levels in the arcade game? Edited March 8, 2013 by Nathan Strum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydro Thunder Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 I have never been any good at Tempest, but have always appreciated the game for its sound, its character and how interesting it is. I finally got around to playing my 5200 copy today, and I'm still terrible at it... But am slowly, ever so slowly getting better. I normally get to around level 6 on a decent run, so yes, I need much improvement. I have to agree with most of the reviews I'm seeing, the game is amazingly well put together. The manual is gorgeous and well thought-out, the graphics and sound are fantastic, and I love that they threw in a demo mode. Very professional all around, what a gem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atarian63 Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 cant wait t get mine,glad to see they are shipping! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRTGAMER Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 I have never been any good at Tempest, but have always appreciated the game for its sound, its character and how interesting it is. I finally got around to playing my 5200 copy today, and I'm still terrible at it... But am slowly, ever so slowly getting better. I normally get to around level 6 on a decent run, so yes, I need much improvement. I have to agree with most of the reviews I'm seeing, the game is amazingly well put together. The manual is gorgeous and well thought-out, the graphics and sound are fantastic, and I love that they threw in a demo mode. Very professional all around, what a gem! Agree, the game really is put together well. Try Tempest with a Trakball, so much better control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tep392 Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Here's what I would like to do as a little hardware project. If I can replace the ball in my 2600 trakball with a spinner, I can modify the electronics to mimic the 5200 controller and wire the right button for the super zapper. I can handle the electronic part. The mechanical part of integrating the spinner is going to be the challenge for me. Maybe use a bevel gear to rotate a wheel that in turn rotates the existing shafts in the controller? Or re-orient the encoder wheel and put on the end of a spinner. I would have to rely on friends to help with the fabrication. What are the options out there for low cost spinners that can be wired to the existing electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRTGAMER Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 (edited) Here's what I would like to do as a little hardware project. If I can replace the ball in my 2600 trakball with a spinner, I can modify the electronics to mimic the 5200 controller and wire the right button for the super zapper. I can handle the electronic part. The mechanical part of integrating the spinner is going to be the challenge for me. Maybe use a bevel gear to rotate a wheel that in turn rotates the existing shafts in the controller? Or re-orient the encoder wheel and put on the end of a spinner. I would have to rely on friends to help with the fabrication. What are the options out there for low cost spinners that can be wired to the existing electronics. Using a modded 2600 Trakball looks like an interesting approach, it could work if you can get the electronics adapted to the 5200 port since 5200 Tempest has very quick response. Maybe verify with the electronics conversion before going ahead with the mechanical part of the mod? I modified an older ball mouse to work as a Spinner for the PC and with a SmartJoy adapter; it also works in the Playstation. I used a glass sliding door roller assembly to provide the shaft support. Maybe you can do something similar with the 2600 Trakball? Arcade Spinner Mod: http://www.racketboy...=353752#p353752 Back on topic, are there any hidden unlocks for 5200 Tempest? A way to continue thru the levels with unlimited lives or maybe even a "God Mode" that disables collision detection as in the beta? In normal mode I found out levels are unlocked as you beat them, but only after you complete every few levels. There is no way to save the levels completed in normal mode other then leaving the 5200 permanent on and using the RF bypass if a 4 port model. Expert mode does have access up to the 81st level, but would like to try the upper levels in the normal mode. Edited March 12, 2013 by CRTGAMER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tep392 Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Thanks for the info. I don't recall the model of my trakball, but it does have a switch for joystick or trakball mode. Regardless, it has the signals I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[d2f]Iggy*SJB Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Just finished ordering a copy of that, and Scramble for the 7800. Can't wait to play them!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marialisar Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 is it on preorder again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uzumaki Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Now you just need to create some 5200 Battlezone and 2600 Tempest boxes, and you can just about recreate the video game store scene from Cloak and Dagger! The 2600 Tempest can have striped underwear instead of 2600 cart. If you didn't get it, you'd need to go back about 10 years for this one: http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/13392-atari-underwear/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 is it on preorder again? No, you can purchase a copy in the store here: http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1014 I won't be able to ship more copies until early next week, though, at which point I will be able to get caught up on all Tempest orders. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[d2f]Iggy*SJB Posted March 14, 2013 Share Posted March 14, 2013 Fortune smiles on me! I just won a trackball controller for the 5200 on ePay. $13.99 + $15.00 shipping. A little heavy on the shipping, but those things look pretty damned big, and I have no idea how heavy they are. $29 for something that's relatively hard to find, I'm happy with it. Question is which is going to get here first, the games or the controller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted March 15, 2013 Author Share Posted March 15, 2013 Iggy*SJB' timestamp='1363295944' post='2715888']Fortune smiles on me! I just won a trackball controller for the 5200 on ePay. $13.99 + $15.00 shipping. A little heavy on the shipping, but those things look pretty damned big, and I have no idea how heavy they are. $29 for something that's relatively hard to find, I'm happy with it. Question is which is going to get here first, the games or the controller. Very likely the controller, as I won't be shipping more copies of Tempest until the middle of next week. I do have more 5200 circuit boards now, so I'm all set there. On Monday I'll be building another batch of Tempest 5200 carts so I can ship any outstanding orders. ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRTGAMER Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Iggy*SJB' timestamp='1363295944' post='2715888']Fortune smiles on me! I just won a trackball controller for the 5200 on ePay. $13.99 + $15.00 shipping. A little heavy on the shipping, but those things look pretty damned big, and I have no idea how heavy they are. $29 for something that's relatively hard to find, I'm happy with it. Question is which is going to get here first, the games or the controller. Very likely the controller, as I won't be shipping more copies of Tempest until the middle of next week. I do have more 5200 circuit boards now, so I'm all set there. On Monday I'll be building another batch of Tempest 5200 carts so I can ship any outstanding orders. @ Iggy - Great price on that 5200 Trakball! This gives you time to give it a good roller cleaning inside. It really needs to be at top form to get the most out of Tempest. Be careful of the sensor wheels and to prevent damage, do not unplug the button PCB from the base on the inside. @ Albert - If you don't mind me asking, how many 5200 Tempest orders have been placed so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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