ColecoVision Prototype Consoles

[retroillucid]

1 minute ago, youki said:

Very interesting.  Do we have some technical information on that thing?...   i guess there are some RAM in the module plugged in the expension where the Tape content is loaded.   Do we know how much was planned?

 

Good question, if there's technical informations out there, it must be along with other AtariVCS technical stuff 
It's using the same hardware (except for the adapter that plug into the CV Expansion Interface) 
And it's using actual CV cartridge obviously (so games were specifically made for the CV, not the tapes)

*I think (If I remember it correctly) Berenstein Bears proto was also found. 

[NIAD]

2 hours ago, youki said:

Wow!... what is it?   It is a tape reader for the colecovision?...  something like the supercharger on Atari VCS?

 

It’s the CV version of the KidVid Voice Module that Coleco releases for the Atari 2600.

 

Pretty sure a working interface was ever completed for the CV, but who knows... R&D might have completed it.

 

The picture J-F posted is from a Dealer Catalog/Press Kit from 1984. I have to get off my arsh and scan that one already especially since it contains pics of other Arcade Cabinet boxes for Adam Super Games.

 

There are 2 Proto rom images available of Kid Vid games, Smurf and Berenstain Bears... both are just short demos.

[youki]

9 hours ago, NIAD said:

 

There are 2 Proto rom images available of Kid Vid games, Smurf and Berenstain Bears... both are just short demos.

Is there screenshot somewhere of  Berenstain Bears on colecovision?

 

Interesting coleco published this thing first on Atari VCS before Colecovision.

 

 

[NIAD]

Pretty sure it was Ralph Baer who helped Coleco with the Atari 2600 KidVid. Aside from that, no rhyme or reason why the Atari unit came out first except maybe the much larger installed base of 2600 systems compared to the CVs.

 

The Berrnstain rom image should be available on numerous sites such as CVAddict.

 

[+nanochess]

44 minutes ago, NIAD said:

Pretty sure it was Ralph Baer who helped Coleco with the Atari 2600 KidVid. Aside from that, no rhyme or reason why the Atari unit came out first except maybe the much larger installed base of 2600 systems compared to the CVs.

 

The Berrnstain rom image should be available on numerous sites such as CVAddict.

 

Why I never saw this? Had to see it by myself

 

Berenstain Bears proto https://cvaddict.com/profile.php?gameid=290

Smurfs Save the Day proto https://cvaddict.com/profile.php?gameid=295

 

Hey @NIAD you need to update your Rarity Guide in order to account for these ROM discovered.

[JEFF31]

5 hours ago, nanochess said:

Hey @NIAD you need to update your Rarity Guide in order to account for these ROM discovered.

I believe that Ikrananka now takes care of the list...

 

 

[Ikrananka]

5 minutes ago, JEFF31 said:

I believe that Ikrananka now takes care of the list...

NIAD already has those two prototypes listed in the rarity list so nothing to change.  There is no specific list for ROMs that have been found/dumped/released from those prototypes listed.  At this time I don't have any plans to add such a list unless someone else wants to compile it.

[1980gamer]

Was there ever an Intellivision Expansion Module prototype?

[retroillucid]

11 minutes ago, 1980gamer said:

Was there ever an Intellivision Expansion Module prototype?

It was rumored, but I never saw any evidences 

[retroillucid]

Here's the Prototype Arcade Cabinet boxes for Adam Super Games
I'll need to scans my catalogs/press kit (I own around 60 different ones) 

Meanwhile: 

[NIAD]

13 hours ago, 1980gamer said:

Was there ever an Intellivision Expansion Module prototype?

It has been said that 1 Proto unit existed/exists. Off the top of my head, I can’t recall who it was reported that had it. It wasn’t one of the Greenberg’s grandsons (reported he had the CED player), so maybe Bill Rose or one of the other R&D people.

[doubledown]

The ADAM DDP "arcade cabinet" packaging is some of the best of all times, hands down (although the manual has to be bent to fit inside).  It just sucks there were so few of them.  

[NIAD]

9 hours ago, doubledown said:

The ADAM DDP "arcade cabinet" packaging is some of the best of all times, hands down (although the manual has to be bent to fit inside).  It just sucks there were so few of them.  

The Sub-Roc Super Game was all ready to go for a late ‘84 release and it wouldn’t surprise me if the Arcade Cabinet box and manual were actually produced. Guess if we stick around long enough, we might be surprised one day like I was last year when the Jeopardy manual was found.

[retroillucid]

The Expansion Module #2 was planned to be sold with Bump n Jump

I never ever saw one though, so I doubt it was ever made, but still cool nonetheless!

[+cmart604]

On 7/7/2020 at 8:16 AM, NIAD said:

It has been said that 1 Proto unit existed/exists. Off the top of my head, I can’t recall who it was reported that had it. It wasn’t one of the Greenberg’s grandsons (reported he had the CED player), so maybe Bill Rose or one of the other R&D people.

You don't say.... ? I'd buy that for a dollar....or two...

[1980gamer]

5 hours ago, retroillucid said:

The Expansion Module #2 was planned to be sold with Bump n Jump

I never ever saw one though, so I doubt it was ever made, but still cool nonetheless!

I never had Module #2.  Does Bump 'N Jump work with it?

One of my favorite 1 player games on the Intellivision.  But I would certainly go after #2 and a Bump 'N Jump cart if it did work!

 

I had played turbo back in the day.  Don't remember to much about it.  But I know it wasn't worth the $79 it was selling for.  A lot of money for a 12 year old!

I eventually got the super action controllers and the trackball.  Played with the batting practice a little.  But by then I was 14 and had other interests

 

Even the Intellivision was in the back of the closet for 2+ years and then this catalog from Triton came one day...  1 player Sports games..  LOL

 

[retroillucid]

33 minutes ago, 1980gamer said:

I never had Module #2.  Does Bump 'N Jump work with it?

 

 

Yes, Bump 'N Jump is compatible with the Expansion Module #2 
  

[1980gamer]

26 minutes ago, retroillucid said:

Yes, Bump 'N Jump is compatible with the Expansion Module #2 
  

That is awesome.  I remember playing it in the arcade with the steering wheel.  May have been burning rubber?  But basically the same game!

Time to do some shopping

 

[retroillucid]

Just now, 1980gamer said:

That is awesome.  I remember playing it in the arcade with the steering wheel.  May have been burning rubber?  But basically the same game!

Time to do some shopping

 

 
It totally worth it!
The Expansion Module #2 is really fun (My favorite CV controller) 
Playing Bump 'N Jump along with Pitstop, Turbo were my favorites!

 

[doubledown]

10 hours ago, 1980gamer said:

That is awesome.  I remember playing it in the arcade with the steering wheel.  May have been burning rubber?  But basically the same game!

Time to do some shopping

 

Bump 'n Jump uses an 8-way joystick in the arcade cabinets (both on the DECO and Bally/Midway versions)...

 

 

...I've never seen this game with a steering wheel.  I've also never even considered playing this CV port with the expansion module, due to having to try to use the nubby joystick as the "Jump button"...and it's arcade inaccurate.  ?

[Pixelboy]

11 hours ago, retroillucid said:

 It totally worth it!
The Expansion Module #2 is really fun (My favorite CV controller) 
Playing Bump 'N Jump along with Pitstop, Turbo were my favorites!

Pitstop and Turbo (as well as Destructor) were fun to play with the steering wheel, but I had a basic problem with Bump 'n Jump: Setting up a jump by moving the car left or right was rather slow to do with the steering wheel. And moving sideways in mid-jump was pretty slow too. You really had to turn the wheel fast to match the more accurate controls provided by the standard controller. So BITD, after deciding that the steering wheel wasn't optimal for Bump 'n Jump, I went back to the stock controller.

 

[1980gamer]

On 7/10/2020 at 11:24 AM, doubledown said:

Bump 'n Jump uses an 8-way joystick in the arcade cabinets (both on the DECO and Bally/Midway versions)...

 

 

...I've never seen this game with a steering wheel.  I've also never even considered playing this CV port with the expansion module, due to having to try to use the nubby joystick as the "Jump button"...and it's arcade inaccurate.  ?

I didn't consider the Jump button with the Coleco version

 

But I could swear I played Bump 'n Jump or Burnin' Rubber with a gas pedal and steering wheel on a standup cab.  In a hockey rink in Concord MA.  Spent a lot of hours in that place!

They also had a pole position 2 and later a player choice or play 10 or something like that.  Basically it had 10 NES type games you could select from.

 

Funny,  I also remember playing way to much Donkey Kong and Scramble in a hockey rink in Worcester MA.  Another place I spent a LOT of hours!  Oh to be young again... LOL

 

Miss the arcades all over town... and a machine or to in the convenience stores.   Oh the Zayre's a few blocks from my house had a Monaco GP sit down...  I miss this game!  Moon Patrol and Defender..  

Yes Mom, I will walk to the store with you!  LOL

 

[retroillucid]

We've acquired 2x Destructor prototypes!

 

Now we need to check out if there's any differences between those prototypes and the final release

We'll soon post the rom files for preservation

 

Meanwhile, here's the prototype box concept for your to enjoy!

[youki]

On 7/10/2020 at 5:24 PM, doubledown said:

Bump 'n Jump uses an 8-way joystick in the arcade cabinets (both on the DECO and Bally/Midway versions)...

 

 

...I've never seen this game with a steering wheel.  I've also never even considered playing this CV port with the expansion module, due to having to try to use the nubby joystick as the "Jump button"...and it's arcade inaccurate.  ?

i have also never seen a Burning Rubber or a Bmp'n Jump arcade cabinet from 80's  with a steering wheel.

 

But the Colecovision 's Driving module appear on the box of the cartridge .

 

[doubledown]

There's no doubt that the ColecoVision port of Bump 'N Jump allows for use of the Expansion Module #2...it's the first option to select after the title screen.  Why they chose to port an 8-way joystick arcade game to the CV with this feature however, is unknown...other than the fact that they could then promote 1 more game with compatibility to increase the hardware sales.  Like I said, I just assume it would be really clunky trying to use the Hand Controller's joystick for the "Jump" button, and as Luc mentions, the insensitivity of the wheel for steering may also be an issue; I've never tried it so I'm not sure.  I can say though...as a person who owns an actual Sega Turbo arcade cabinet, and have obviously played the ColecoVision port of Turbo (which is actually pretty good, although the graphics are a bit lacking when compared)...this "insensitivity" is how it's supposed to be for Turbo.  You don't just slightly or slowly move the wheel a few degrees off of center and you car whips from side to side of the road.  You really have to quickly spin the wheel about 30-60 degrees either way to move out of the way of traffic...which on the arcade cabinet, with a weighted metal steering wheel works great, but the light weight plastic wheel from the Expansion Module #2 (plus the base's lack of weight), makes this not work as well with the ColecoVision.  I'll have to try Bump 'N Jump with the Expansion Module to see if this is the same scenario.  My guess is that whomever ported it, used the same number of encoder pulses - per on-screen pixel of movement, that was used on Turbo...just a hunch.