In Pursuit of the Pink Panther Rom?

[awhite2600]

Who currently owns the copyright (etc.) to the Pink Panther character?

 

Has anyone made inquiries about the cost to obtain a license so that the game could be officially released?

 

I very recently saw a new television commercial for Owens-Corning insulation featuring the character, so someone is still actively licensing it.

 

Oddly, in the commercial, the character was wearing pants. IIRC, he never did so in the original cartoons.

 

A license like that will probably be VERY expensive. Rights holders don't offer licenses for cheap - even for something like a homebrew game with 100 copies.

[jhd]

I agree that acquiring a license would be very expensive, but at least knowing the specific amount provides a starting point. Someone who really wants to see the ROM properly released can then start fundraising.

[Shawn]

I agree that acquiring a license would be very expensive, but at least knowing the specific amount provides a starting point. Someone who really wants to see the ROM properly released can then start fundraising.

 

While probably not the case with Pink Panther specifically, I've aquired licenses before for free as the IP holder found the idea of an Atari game based on the work to be amusing. As long as it is done in low production numbers (ie 50 - 100 units or less) they normally don't even want a copy to do QC you just show them what you are doing with it. Over that number then there is real money and time involved as they need to make sure you are doing right by the IP. Be ready to send an Atari to the company with a copy of the game. as a sticking point I've come into was that they didn't have a machine to test the game on and wanted to\had to after X number of units.

Edited October 3, 2018 by Shawn

[hizzy]

PP looks cool, but I wonder if the game play is would hold my attention. Atari Protos has a description of the game:

 

http://www.atariprotos.com/2600/software/pinkpanther/pinkpanther.htm

 

Does the game get harder with each time you beat it?

 

Since Power Lords is out there, I'm sure someone has dumped Pink Panther. It's just a matter of time before the rom turns up.

[Shawn]

Looks like MGM owns Pink Panther. That is a mountain and a half to climb. Mind you, The Pink Panther is involved in a lot of Charity works for Cancer so maybe sending the profits to a Cancer Charity of some sort would get them on board?

[Shawn]

And PS, Getting Pink Panther reproduced the fist time was no small feat so those involved with making it even work on mondern pcb's for the 2600 will surely need to be paid (as they should be). Don't forget that part either.

[jhd]

Looks like MGM owns Pink Panther. That is a mountain and a half to climb.

 

And here is the full-text of the Court decision for those handful of IP-nerds who actually enjoy reading such things...

http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2008/06/19/0655307.pdf

[Supergun]

The legal issue isnt really the reason for the snag. And thats been stated ten times already. Rather the game used very unique architecture which cannot easily (nor cost efficiently) be replicated & mass produced, at this time.

 

Sooner or later, someone will tackle this again, and at the very least, a second & larger run of carts will be made so more members of the community can play the game.

 

Until then, for those who really want one bad enough, search eBay or put up a wtb post here and then just pay up for one. Otherwise, keep waiting.

[Shawn]

The legal issue isnt really the reason for the snag. And thats been stated ten times already. Rather the game used very unique architecture which cannot easily (nor cost efficiently) be replicated & mass produced, at this time.

 

Sooner or later, someone will tackle this again, and at the very least, a second & larger run of carts will be made so more members of the community can play the game.

 

Until then, for those who really want one bad enough, search eBay or put up a wtb post here and then just pay up for one. Otherwise, keep waiting.

 

The work is already done and like the first time round, the cost is reasonably effective. Open yours up and have a look at whats inside if you haven't already.

[Supergun]

Well, Ive only peaked inside my cart by sliding down the dust cover. I didnt want to risk tearing up the nice cart label. The artwork was too good to risk ruining! But it was enough to verify that I saw it had a Melody board inside.

 

I went ahead and played it for about 20 minutes last night. And to answer a previous question, yes, it does get a little bit more challenging with each subsequent loop. The jumping is what takes some getting used to. He can double jump, very similar to (if not the same as) how it works in Smurf. So the jumping heights & distances are adjustable & can vary.

 

The graphics & music are excellent, especially for a 2600 game. It has multiple action screens & nice cut scenes. Its quite enjoyable. It also has 4 different game selections, with increasing difficulty to them. The scoring is a bit unbalanced at times. Such as in the first scene, where its better to linger around & continue catching bricks at 100 points a piece, then to exit the stage and get the time bonus points, which are barely rewarding.

 

Hmm...I also have no idea or clue as to what the purpose of wiggling his tale is for. (which is done by pressing the button while standing still) Silly & funny, yes. But pointless! Perhaps it was merely intended as attitude; similar to how Sonic behaves when you stand still with him or get too close to a ledge.

[awhite2600]

Is anyone able to provide some more details about the "special RAM, ROM and bankswitching" that's used?

 

It sounds like a Melody board was used for the existing reproductions. Is the board modified in some way? There are only so many techniques that can be shoved into a cartridge. When you consider that the game was originally made in the 80s then it would certainly be less complex than the ARM based processor in the Harmony.

[ave1]

Supergun,

 

The tail extension can be used to catch bricks with the tip of the tail which makes for a little more of a challenge if you're so good you need something else to get good at.

[classicgamer74]

I live about a half hour south of Chicago. Does anyone who has the game live remotely close to me? I'd love to try it out, as I want to do an episode on my YouTube channel about it. But I'd really like to play it first. I can bring dinner or whatever. Let me know.

[ave1]

i was just in Chicago recently...may go back sometime around March...

[classicgamer74]

Okay. Maybe we can get together. I'll buy dinner and bring beer.

[Swami]

So, just to be clear, are these statements true?

 

1. the ROM has been dumped but not made public.

2. The ROM works on the Harmony cart

3. The ROM works on a Melody cart

(I'm not sure, 2 and 3 may be the same)

 

4. Stella is sorta close to being able to run the ROM

[classicgamer74]

So, just to be clear, are these statements true?

 

1. the ROM has been dumped but not made public.

2. The ROM works on the Harmony cart

3. The ROM works on a Melody cart

(I'm not sure, 2 and 3 may be the same)

 

4. Stella is sorta close to being able to run the ROM

 

Swami, I hope that ALL the above are true!

[Supergun]

I can personally 100% guarantee you that #3 is true.

 

Because my own cart, which came from the limited run of cartridges that were made, has a melody board inside of it. I visually confirmed this the day I obtained it by sliding down the dust cover & looking inside.

 

Regarding #1, if an emulated screen shot can be found for a game, then that is the confirmation that the rom data has been dumped.

 

Regarding #2, Melody & Harmony are similar in their architecture, so whatever tech wizard gets a complicated rom to work on a small Melody board can certainly do so for a big Harmony board. An updated bios or firmware might be needed, but yes, it could be done.

 

(probably same thing as for running the rom on Stella)

 

The only snag here I think is that the game cant be put on a normal production board. As in, no donor cartridge exists out in the wild among the production carts.

[Swami]

Regarding #1, if an emulated screen shot can be found for a game, then that is the confirmation that the rom data has been dumped

I was unsure if the shots came from emulation or were recorded from real hardware.

 

Also, I guess I can conclude I couldnt just load the rom on a harmony encore and expect it to work, but maybe a harmony encore with a firmware update.

[Dr Manhattan]

I would love to just play it. Once. Or maybe twice.

 

Same here. I would even back a Kickstarter campaign to get a small batch of these carts made for the AA community.

[toiletunes]

I would even back a Kickstarter campaign to get a small batch of these carts made for the AA community.

 

+1

[classicgamer74]

 

Same here. I would even back a Kickstarter campaign to get a small batch of these carts made for the AA community.

Count me in, too.

[iesposta]

Having pursued Pink Panther and given up owing one, I have played it.

I haven't played it extensively.

I don't know how much cart RAM it uses, but I couldn't see the need for a lot of RAM playing the game.

It's not keeping track of lots of enemies like in Millipede or say the gems collected in Crystal Castle.

There is a nice de-rez, sort of transporter-like disappearing effect that may need RAM for that, but that is only a visual thing.

 

It just happened to be the only thing released on a new board designed to access lots of RAM in a new way.

Every company's bankswitching and access to added RAM had to be designed originally (if not stole by copying) due to the fact that there is no write line on the cartridge port.

Just amazing companies figured out tricks to do bankswitching and external RAM access!

 

It is great for what it was, but classic and new homebrew games are much more fun to play.

Someone like myself could probably duplicate most of the game using batari Basic, but not owning the game that's impossible to do from memory playing it one day for a few minutes.

 

Those who made the first run, have no interest in doing it again.

AtariAge would risk too much even being involved in a second party or third party way.

 

It would take someone who owns the cart, dumping that code, and another cartridge hardware emulator board (Uno cart?), and then reverse engineering how the game bank switches and access RAM, and then coding that into the cart's firmware.

Even buying Uno carts is going to cost around $50 each, and that's before buying labels, manuals, boxes, postage, etc.

[classicgamer74]

If it were possible to have it dumped into a bin, I would even pay for that.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

The fact that a batch of the carts were made on Melody boards already tells you that the ROM has been dumped and exists. I'm hoping another run of them gets done in the future as I was sorry I missed out the first time.