Brian R. Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Came across this searching Atari on Google news. It seems to say someone made a Polybius game for the 2600, and was going to be selling it at the expo. Did a search and didn't see a mention. Did that happen? Any info on it? Just curious. http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-21212-pac_from_the_grave.html Most relevant part: How good could such a simple game be? There’s a Portland-centric urban legend about a game called Polybius, which had an addictive effect on gamers. As the story, which has been referenced on The Simpsons, goes, the Polybius cabinet was planted in a Portland arcade by the government as a seizure-causing mind-control device. The game is usually described as involving giant flashes of fast-moving colors. Weis asked Trimiew to re-create it for the Atari. “I emailed him back in five minutes and told him there’s no way in hell you can pull off something that complicated on an Atari. Your microwave has infinitely more processing power than an Atari 2600 does,” Trimiew says. “I started toying around with it and came up with an idea, maybe even in a dream, of how it could work. There’s all the subliminal messages and stuff like that—it was just one idea grown on another and another. Then I emailed him back about four months ago and said, ‘Let’s do it.’” Trimiew will be selling a small batch of around 30 copies of Polybius at this year’s Retro Gaming Expo. He expects it to sell out in less than an hour, even though it costs almost as much as Grand Theft Auto 5 or Call of Duty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Damn....I wish I was there. I'd love to have a copy of that game! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle22 Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 (edited) I want an XL/XE/Incognito version! Maybe even a VBXE Ultra version. Please, make the subliminal messages in it say Conservative things, instead of COMMIE (64) stuff. Use as much RAM as you have, take advantage of 65816 accellerators, and any other hardware that will help. Ability to be run under SpartaDOS-X would be AWESOME! (you MAY use OS-RAM, and you MAY use certain XE / Axlon banks. (XE / Axlon are addressed TOTALLY Differently). Read the SDX docs. I think it's spartados.com. All the new techniques of pulse modding the GTIA would be great, as well as stereo POKEY support (if installed), otherwise, support single POKEY and GTIA sounds. Anyway, I think that this game would be GREAT on the A8! -Kyle Edited October 9, 2013 by Kyle22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Manhattan Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 30 copies, sold out in 5 minutes. Apparently the author is going to make more. I'd really like a copy just for the WTF factor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Jentzsch Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 How many $$$? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian R. Posted October 9, 2013 Author Share Posted October 9, 2013 So it was real, huh. Anyone here get one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toymailman Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I got one, and there was a special collector one that was sold in the live auction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 30 copies, sold out in 5 minutes. Apparently the author is going to make more. I'd really like a copy just for the WTF factor. Who is the author? EDIT: I meant to say, what is his screen name here at AA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr SQL Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 ... recording what happened to the players. There were rumors that the government was using the machine to test subliminal messages and mind-control through the flashing screens of the arcade. Just as quickly as they appeared, every arcade cabinet vanished, never to be seen again. This is awesome! The 2600's design is pefect for embedding subliminal messages; not just every frame but literally every scanline can be controlled. This is far more advanced than just inserting a frame to get movie goers to buy more Popcorn and Coke in the 50's. The embedded content is rendered completely malleable and can span just part of a frame or be delivered in portions as a complex Mandelbrot pattern timed to be reconstructed by the subconscious with varying effects; Players may well find themselves suddenly buying Nature Fresh Milk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectorGamer Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I saw a game play video of Polybius and honestly I wasn't impressed. Despite the fact that the developer couldn't give a rat's ass about my opinion, I'll offer it anyway: Polybius is a legend about an arcade name - not a VCS game. Having said that, it really waters down the significance of having said game developed for the VCS. Am I taking this too seriously? Unfortunately yes. Reason being I would like to see someone develop Polybius the arcade game based on what we know about it in the legend. That would be really cool. An arcade cab offers more in the user experience than a VCS can. Don't mean to piss in the Cheerios, just being honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I saw a game play video of Polybius and honestly I wasn't impressed. Despite the fact that the developer couldn't give a rat's ass about my opinion, I'll offer it anyway: Polybius is a legend about an arcade name - not a VCS game. Having said that, it really waters down the significance of having said game developed for the VCS. Am I taking this too seriously? Unfortunately yes. Reason being I would like to see someone develop Polybius the arcade game based on what we know about it in the legend. That would be really cool. An arcade cab offers more in the user experience than a VCS can. Don't mean to piss in the Cheerios, just being honest. http://www.sinnesloschen.com bad link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectorGamer Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 http://www.sinnesloschen.com Yeah I downloaded it and when I ran the exe it blue screened my laptop...sweeeet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Yeah I downloaded it and when I ran the exe it blue screened my laptop...sweeeet... Really? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VectorGamer Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 Really? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennybingo Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I downloaded that years ago from the same site and ran it successfully. I don't know what to make of it. My apologies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nathan Strum Posted October 9, 2013 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I saw a game play video of Polybius and honestly I wasn't impressed. Despite the fact that the developer couldn't give a rat's ass about my opinion, I'll offer it anyway: Polybius is a legend about an arcade name - not a VCS game. Having said that, it really waters down the significance of having said game developed for the VCS. My disappointment with it stems from the lack of effort/creativity that went into it. It looks like it was thrown together in 5 minutes with batariBasic. With all of the amazing 2600 demos out there and the unique capabilities of the system, they could have come up with something truly mesmerizing, and for the legend that is Polybius, they should have. (See also my comment here.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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