Rikki & Vikki

[MegaManFan]

Yep, and I highly recommend trying both of the adjustment facilities provided by the game before modifying your console. We added these specifically because of the different mixing circuits present in the hardware, both official and aftermarket.

I will point this out to the modder in question too.

[boxpressed]

I decided to hook up my modded 7800 to my projector just to see how the projector does with S-Video. Voila! Looks fantastic at 100"! Rikki & Vikki is the first S-Video input this projector has ever received.

[NostAlgae37]

I decided to hook up my modded 7800 to my projector just to see how the projector does with S-Video. Voila! Looks fantastic at 100"! Rikki & Vikki is the first S-Video input this projector has ever received.

 

Wow, that's gorgeous! I'm really impressed with how good the screen images look at such a large size considering that even the 320 modes on the 7800 are still relatively low-res by modern standards.

[boxpressed]

 

Wow, that's gorgeous! I'm really impressed with how good the screen images look at such a large size considering that even the 320 modes on the 7800 are still relatively low-res by modern standards.

 

Thanks, I thought so too! I started a new thread on S-Video through projectors. Added a couple of other images from the 7800 library.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/289672-an-alternate-s-video-solution-projectors/

[iesposta]

Just tried my 7800 copy of Rikki and Vikki I received this week.

 

If you have been delaying getting this game for your 7800, I recommend it as completely as the reviewers have. It is a solid, fun, unique presentation of what the 7800 hardware can do.

 

My 7800 SVideo modded with UAV looks like the original trailer (and the above projector images) - with scan lines - on my Sony WEGA CRT.

 

 

The Composite signal has the color artifacting, but that doesn’t affect game play at all.

The game doesn’t use artifacting for different areas of color, like Tower Toppler does.

 

Some more photos:

 

 

[phoenixdownita]

 

Just tried my 7800 copy of Rikki and Vikki I received this week.

...

 

The Composite signal has the color artifacting, but that doesn’t affect game play at all.

The game doesn’t use artifacting for different areas of color, like Tower Toppler does.

 

It may not use it the way Tower Toppler does it but something tells me the water is not supposed to look like this (from the post above):

 

 

I'm pretty sure artifacting is used to generate extra colors (more like blending), I do not know if the 7800 really needs it but ... (same for the top of the rocks, those white stripes are there to generate a lighter tone on top).

[TailChao]

I've been absent for awhile, but for a good reason...

 

...Rikki & Vikki are on their way to the ZX Spectrum!

 

This definitive edition will contain five puzzles and features sound. Based upon Steam metrics, we've decided that removing both the co-op mode and ability to play as Vikki will make for a better experience. You'll need at least 48KB to enjoy this game cassette. But we're also planning to use this version as the basis for the upcoming Dendy and Sega Dreamcast ports of the game.

 

 

 

Yeah, yeah - April Fools.

But not entirely! More on that tomorrow...

 

 

[Sapicco]

I have an av modded 7800. I havent tested the game yet, I hope it works properly!

[TailChao]

It may not use it the way Tower Toppler does it but something tells me the water is not supposed to look like this...I'm pretty sure artifacting is used to generate extra colors (more like blending).

The game visuals were drawn to take advantage of chroma smearing when it's there, but also work fine without it.

 

Keep in mind the Windows version looks fairly close to playing the Atari 7800 over S-Video. But I do feel Rikki & Vikki looks best when playing on a CRT over RF.

 

 

I have an av modded 7800. I havent tested the game yet, I hope it works properly!

There's very little reason for the cartridge to be incompatible with an AV modification, but if you encounter any issues let us know.

[bikeguychicago]

I've been absent for awhile, but for a good reason...

 

...Rikki & Vikki are on their way to the ZX Spectrum!

 

This definitive edition will contain five puzzles and features sound. Based upon Steam metrics, we've decided that removing both the co-op mode and ability to play as Vikki will make for a better experience. You'll need at least 48KB to enjoy this game cassette. But we're also planning to use this version as the basis for the upcoming Dendy and Sega Dreamcast ports of the game.

 

 

 

Yeah, yeah - April Fools.

But not entirely! More on that tomorrow...

 

 

And here I was hoping for a Timex/Sinclair 2068 cart!

Edited April 1, 2019 by bikeguychicago

[Machine]

Imagine if you said an Atari Lynx version was announce????

[Jess Ragan]

April Fool's or not, I'd love to have a Dreamcast version of this. It'd give my GDEMU something to do.

[RushJet1]

I don't know anything about a Speccy port, but it's coming to Genesis.

 

 

 

There's my late-day April Fool's joke I guess.

 

[NostAlgae37]

I've been absent for awhile, but for a good reason...

 

...Rikki & Vikki are on their way to the ZX Spectrum!

 

 

I don't know anything about a Speccy port, but it's coming to Genesis.

 

rv_genesis.png

 

Cool fake screens, guys, nicely done.

[Jinks]

So how is Rikki and Vikki 2 doing? Looking forward to the 7800 release in 2023.

[iesposta]

My cart was #297. ALMOST 300! Fantastic!

A great many sales in only the first 3 months of availability — for an original idea game as well!

 

It may not use it the way Tower Toppler does it but something tells me the water is not supposed to look like this (from the post above):

I'm pretty sure artifacting is used to generate extra colors (more like blending), I do not know if the 7800 really needs it but ... (same for the top of the rocks, those white stripes are there to generate a lighter tone on top).

 

 

I stand corrected! The water does use chroma bleeding.

 

This in no way is meant as a criticism of the graphics.

Merely an interesting observation that does not affect the game play.

 

My S-Video bleeds enough I didn’t really notice the solid water was alternating color with black horizontally.

 

Everyone who who owns a 7800 should already know how different they can behave and output.

With a video mod, one can choose to add a switch that adds or removes the color signal from the TIA chip, as this is not needed for 7800 games.

 

The following iPhone pictures of a CRT consumer TV show Composite with and then without TIA color signal, and S-Video with and then without TIA color signal. The same machine and game in all 4 shots, the last shot running out of time.

Differences in Composite are huge, the TIA causing the “yellowish” water.

Differences in S-Video are more subtle, mostly being the red is a bit fuzzy with the TIA signal, and sharper overall without.

(Files are unedited except the size reduced 50%.)

 

Composite with TIA signal:

Composite without TIA signal:

 

S-Video with TIA signal:

S-Video without TIA signal:

[TailChao]

...yes, yes - this was a dumb April Fools gag. But did you know RushJet1 did a ZX Spectrum mix of Rikki & Vikki's soundtrack?

1) Open "./Data/FoxBox.cdf" in your favorite text editor.
2) Change "RV_Samples.smp" to "ZX_Samples.smp".
3) Change "RV_Macros.ins" to "ZX_Macros.ins".
4) Relaunch and... enjoy?

Of course, this is a Windows exclusive bonus feature. There might be more...

I don't know anything about a Speccy port, but it's coming to Genesis.

...feature : has background graphics.

The lowest end console hardware to do a faithful port would actually be a TurboGrafx-16 or Genesis, mostly because of the 320px resolution and sprite bandwidth requirements.

April Fool's or not, I'd love to have a Dreamcast version of this. It'd give my GDEMU something to do.

You'd be surprised (or maybe not) with how much this has actually been requested. It's like the Dreamcast is becoming the Nintendo Switch of dinosaur hardware in terms of ports.

So how is Rikki and Vikki 2 doing? Looking forward to the 7800 release in 2023.

Wouldn't a Jaguar release make more sense for a sequel?

To be honest though, if I do another large project like this I'd rather it be something other than a sequel to Rikki & Vikki.

My cart was #297. ALMOST 300! Fantastic!
A great many sales in only the first 3 months of availability — for an original idea game as well!

It's now past 300 copies as of a few days ago. For an Atari 7800 title with very little promotion this is okay, but we need to get the Steam numbers up.

Everyone who who owns a 7800 should already know how different they can behave and output.
With a video mod, one can choose to add a switch that adds or removes the color signal from the TIA chip, as this is not needed for 7800 games.

Definitely. Another option here is to digitally mix the TIA and Maria's chroma outputs (i.e. with an OR gate) instead of just mashing them together with two resistors. This gives much cleaner results.

[fluxit]

Surely the Game & Watch version is next in the pipeline.

[MegaManFan]

By the way if I didn't already say so, thanks to Crossbow's excellent technical advice, we were able to fix the audio output on my AV modded 7800 without having to crack open Rikki & Vikki. The game sounds beautiful again. That soundtrack gets stuck in my head and just makes me want to play more!!

[TailChao]

I finally had some time to work on the ProSMS and got an ugly prototype together.

Reminder : I won't be mass producing and selling these, but the design materials will be freely available once completed.

 

Jumper on the bottom selects one or two button mode, this'll be a locking switch in the final. Operates happily with super long extension cords and all other sorts of inconveniences. The set of blue resistors on the left are current limiters to protect the RIOT in case a game configures any pins as outputs. Decoupling capacitors are hidden underneath the board.

Now to try and cram this into a dual DB9 hood .

Surely the Game & Watch version is next in the pipeline.

I actually wouldn't mind making a Game & Watch. It'd be a good way to get rid of the hundreds of low-end PICs I have around .

But something like that would be expensive to manufacture from the upfront tooling costs. You've got numerous small plastic pieces, one or more fixed character displays, and the metal plates on the case. The (real) Nintendo ones are incredibly well made despite their simplicity.

By the way if I didn't already say so, thanks to Crossbow's excellent technical advice, we were able to fix the audio output on my AV modded 7800 without having to crack open Rikki & Vikki. The game sounds beautiful again.

Excellent!

[bikeguychicago]

...yes, yes - this was a dumb April Fools gag. But did you know RushJet1 did a ZX Spectrum mix of Rikki & Vikki's soundtrack?

 

1) Open "./Data/FoxBox.cdf" in your favorite text editor.

2) Change "RV_Samples.smp" to "ZX_Samples.smp".

3) Change "RV_Macros.ins" to "ZX_Macros.ins".

4) Relaunch and... enjoy?

 

That's all fine and good but this guy's still hungry!

[TailChao]

That's all fine and good but this guy's still hungry!

Haha, alright - now that I've read more about this ridiculous computer I'm definitely interested, especially in the 512x192 graphics mode. But it looks like they're a little pricey... so how about an Apple //gs version instead?

 

It'll be a specially designed port with exclusive content, characters, and story.

Infact, there'll be so many exclusive features that you might not even recognize the game.

[bikeguychicago]

Haha, alright - now that I've read more about this ridiculous computer I'm definitely interested, especially in the 512x192 graphics mode. But it looks like they're a little pricey... so how about an Apple //gs version instead?

 

It'll be a specially designed port with exclusive content, characters, and story.

Infact, there'll be so many exclusive features that you might not even recognize the game.

It was basically the US version of the Sinclair Spectrum but with added features that made it practically incompatible with the original.

 

Apple IIgs works for me too

Edited April 12, 2019 by bikeguychicago

[+sixersfan105]

Haha, alright - now that I've read more about this ridiculous computer I'm definitely interested, especially in the 512x192 graphics mode. But it looks like they're a little pricey... so how about an Apple //gs version instead?

 

It'll be a specially designed port with exclusive content, characters, and story.

Infact, there'll be so many exclusive features that you might not even recognize the game.

How 'bout Macintosh Color Classic? The odd resolution you mentioned above reminded me of the Color Classic's 512 x 384 resolution, which didn't work with a lot of color games of its time. I need more games for my Color Classic! What say you?

[TailChao]

How 'bout Macintosh Color Classic? The odd resolution you mentioned above reminded me of the Color Classic's 512 x 384 resolution, which didn't work with a lot of color games of its time. I need more games for my Color Classic! What say you?

There's plenty of color games for this machine, you just need to find their elusive "Color Disks" .

 

While I did actually have a Color Classic around 15 year ago, if I was to work with any ancient computers it'd probably be the Apple ][ line since that's what I actually used. Either way I can't make any hardware promises at the moment.