Where Was the Intellivision Born?

[mr_me]

I always get them confused. Which one is which?

...

 

With the updated "realistic steering" if you push up on the disc the car always drives straight. Wih the original "directional steering" straight on the disc depends on which direction the car is facing on the TV. Its explained in the instructions. Both can be frustrating, but the original is very difficult.

[DZ-Jay]

With the updated "realistic steering" if you push up on the disc the car always drives straight. Wih the original "directional steering" straight on the disc depends on which direction the car is facing on the TV. Its explained in the instructions. Both can be frustrating, but the original is very difficult.

 

Then I am sure I had the original. I recall sort of turning the controller to face the direction of the car on the screen in order to steer properly. It was strange, but I was convinced that it was better ("real simulation" and all that, at a time when the Atari was just "video games").

 

-dZ.

[carlsson]

To confuse further, the Wikipedia article refers to the first version as "realistic" steering and the second version as "intuitive" steering, while you just referred to them as "directional" followed by "realistic".

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_Racing_(video_game)

[mr_me]

To confuse further, the Wikipedia article refers to the first version as "realistic" steering and the second version as "intuitive" steering, while you just referred to them as "directional" followed by "realistic".

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auto_Racing_(video_game)

Wikepedia has it backwards. They probably got their information from intellivisionlives.com who also has it backwards (unless you read the posted game instructions there which is correct). They should have referenced intvfunhouse where it is correct ( http://intvfunhouse.com/games/auto.php ). The other thing is Auto Racing was originally programmed with realistic steering, its in the game as a hidden feature. I think this is how the programmer originally intended the game. Not sure how directional steering came about but it doesn't work well. See this post for more information. http://atariage.com/forums/topic/231069-rom-variants-auto-racing-etc/?p=3342367

 

Edit: the "intuitive" mechanic in wikepedia is what we call "directional". Realistic means left on disc to turn the car left, right on disc to turn right. Which one is more intuitive is debatable.

Edited November 3, 2016 by mr_me

[mr_me]

Wikipedia is now fixed.

[carlsson]

Apparently your sources were not good enough, and your edit got reverted within 50 minutes... Wikipedia in a nutshell.

[1980gamer]

I learned to play... Left on the disc turns the car left! If the car is going south, facing the bottom of the screen, left on the disc turns the car to the right of the screen.

The car turns left!!!

 

I cannot play the other version, The way I learned @ 10 years old, is completely ingrained!

 

We need an SP Auto Racing!

[m-crew]

I learned to play... Left on the disc turns the car left! If the car is going south, facing the bottom of the screen, left on the disc turns the car to the right of the screen.

The car turns left!!!

 

I cannot play the other version, The way I learned @ 10 years old, is completely ingrained!

 

We need an SP Auto Racing!

 

OK now I know why I never really played that game,,,, So Dazed and Confused now... lol

[DZ-Jay]

I learned to play... Left on the disc turns the car left! If the car is going south, facing the bottom of the screen, left on the disc turns the car to the right of the screen.

The car turns left!!!

 

I cannot play the other version, The way I learned @ 10 years old, is completely ingrained!

 

We need an SP Auto Racing!

 

That's how I remember it! Oh yes, that's it! I recall contorting my arms and twisting the controller to point it downwards in order to follow the way the car was facing, at least until my brain adjusted like you said.

 

Now, is that "original" or "fixed"?

 

-dZ.

[mr_me]

That is the fixed version. It seems far more common in the mattel labels. Sears Auto Racing is the updated fixed version. The original broken version does show up again among the white label cartridges.

[DZ-Jay]

That is the fixed version. It seems far more common in the mattel labels. Sears Auto Racing is the updated fixed version. The original broken version does show up again among the white label cartridges.

 

Hmm... the IntellivisionLives site says the following:

 

 

 

 

In the original version, steering is realistic -- it is oriented to the car.

 

I understand that it could be inaccurate, but how can we confirm either way? I believe Joe Z. reverse-engineered the source code and provided a detail analysis with some conjectures regarding how the changes were applied, based on the way the various versions evolved over time. I'll look that thread again to see what it concluded.

 

-dZ.

[mr_me]

Do you have a copy of Auto Racing instructions? Only the original instructions has the point and drive "directional" steering.

http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/games/instructions/sports/autorace.txt

http://www.intvfunhouse.com/games/auto.php

 

edit: intellivisionlives.com does contradict itself

Edited November 5, 2016 by mr_me

[DZ-Jay]

Do you have a copy of Auto Racing instructions? Only the original instructions has the point and drive "directional" steering.

http://www.intellivisionlives.com/bluesky/games/instructions/sports/autorace.txt

http://www.intvfunhouse.com/games/auto.php

 

edit: intellivisionlives.com does contradict itself

 

Never mind, I found the old thread and it supports your thesis: you were basing it then on the manuals (which was a very compelling argument that even I accepted then), and Joe Z. was confirming it based on changes in the ROM code.

 

Anybody interested should check out that whole thread, it is chock-full of information on the changes between ROMs as Joe Z. goes through his reverse-engineering process and evolves his understanding.

 

-dZ.

[First Spear]

An Intellivision, playable by the public for use with a manufactured cartridge game, , was first rolled off the assembly line in Hawthorne CA on December 3rd, 1979.

 

Is that a reasonable statement?

[mr_me]

An Intellivision, playable by the public for use with a manufactured cartridge game, , was first rolled off the assembly line in Hawthorne CA on December 3rd, 1979.

 

Is that a reasonable statement?

Manufacturing was by GTE Sylvania at that time. Not sure where that facility was, maybe more details at papaintellivision.com. The Dec 3, 1979 date is according to this document at http://papaintellivision.com/pdfs/CCF10232011_00016.pdf. It was a Monday. That was delivery day according to the document, don't know if people could buy one that day.

 

Did the test market Intelllivisions come with a pack-in cartridge? Anybody know?