Jump to content
IGNORED

Super Game Module 2


opcode

Recommended Posts

For me it would be by title, not by year, Although if forced to choose, the 80s would be a good range. I don't necessarily care when the game came out...what the game is matters more to me. I like the classics.

 

Question for those following this thread:

So far we are covering only Atari era content (pre-crash). How do you feel about post crash arcades?
How far in the timeline should I go? What would be the cut-off year for arcade ports on OMNI?

Edit: let me narrow options a bit:

1) 1983
2) 1984
3) 1985-1986
4) 1987-88
5) The 80s
6) I don’t care


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, 1985 as the cut-off date should be an interesting compromise and can keep me busy for a long time.

That opens some interesting doors, Gauntlet, Gradius, Ghost’n Goblins, Commando, Tiger Heli, Terra Cresta. A lot of cool stuff...

I really want to take something a little more demanding to see how far the hardware can go.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As the Omni is supposed to be an equivalent to a console that could have been released in 87/8 and assuming the console would have a lifespan of approximately 5 years, I suppose it's reasonable to have arcade ports up to the early 90's. However, personally I'm not a big fan of most 90's arcade games. Also, I hope the plan is to still have updates of Odyssey 2 games, sequels to Atari classics and hopefully some original games. While I am really looking forward to the arcade ports I've seen Opcode working on so far, I would be disappointed if all or even most of the Omni games ended up just arcade ports.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would say the cutoff should be at least 87 if not just open to the 80s. There was some great Atari and other arcade games up to 87 like APB, Toobin, etc that could be real cool to have.

 

Although it could be interesting to stick up to 85/86 at first. Let's have some Peter Pack Rat, I, Robot, Major Havoc, Marble Madness, Quantum, and the two Star Wars arcade games, etc from the Atari side.

 

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, 1985 as the cut-off date should be an interesting compromise and can keep me busy for a long time.

That opens some interesting doors, Gauntlet, Gradius, Ghost’n Goblins, Commando, Tiger Heli, Terra Cresta. A lot of cool stuff...

I really want to take something a little more demanding to see how far the hardware can go.

 

 

 

How about Super Mario Bros. (Just the first level to see if it can be done)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think there should be an arbitrary cut off year. Whatever the hardware can do, it should do. Setting a limit would be like putting a Ford Pinto engine in a Lamborghini body.

... vice versa would be interesting

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about Super Mario Bros. (Just the first level to see if it can be done)

 

 

A NES game isn't going to tax OMNI, not even close. :D

 

 

I don't think there should be an arbitrary cut off year. Whatever the hardware can do, it should do. Setting a limit would be like putting a Ford Pinto engine in a Lamborghini body.

 

 

That would be usually true, but in our case the point isn't about graphics and sound, it is about gameplay. As we traverse the timeline, gameplay "evolves" from score-focused to stage-focused. There is a clear change in gameplay style or midset through the 80s. So being OMNI first and foremost a console for the Atari era enthusiast, I just want to be cautious as not to subvert the whole thing with some content that seems more appropriated somewhere else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

A NES game isn't going to tax OMNI, not even close. :D

 

 

 

 

That would be usually true, but in our case the point isn't about graphics and sound, it is about gameplay. As we traverse the timeline, gameplay "evolves" from score-focused to stage-focused. There is a clear change in gameplay style or midset through the 80s. So being OMNI first and foremost a console for the Atari era enthusiast, I just want to be cautious as not to subvert the whole thing with some content that seems more appropriated somewhere else.

The ColecoVision was extrordinarily short-lived. Most popular consoles continue with game support for at least 8-10 years, sometimes 15 years. If we predict this would have come out 1987, I would say any 8-bit , 16-bit or arcade game up to at least 1994-1995 would qualify. As you say, though, you may or may not want to go arcade accurate with some of the most advanced arcade games of that time.

 

As far as power, I'd estimate, technically possible: G.I. Joe SNES

 

Technically, not possible: G.I. Joe Arcade (here come the polygons)

 

???Possible???

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, 1985 as the cut-off date should be an interesting compromise and can keep me busy for a long time.

That opens some interesting doors, Gauntlet, Gradius, Ghost’n Goblins, Commando, Tiger Heli, Terra Cresta. A lot of cool stuff...

I really want to take something a little more demanding to see how far the hardware can go.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

These are some great games and would love to see all of them ported to the Omni, which leads me to a couple of questions. What happened to the CV port of Moon Cresta from Opcode? It would be awesome for us CV owners to get that before the Omni version of Terra Cresta. Also, I ask again as my previous comment was not responded to, the Omni isn't morphing into an arcade port only console, is it? I still want the Odyssey 2 game updates, Atari classics sequels and some original games too.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Careful there, Eduardo... Gotta keep in mind the rules of engagement when making contact with a gaming community, especially retrogaming:

 

1) The more you try to please everyone, the less likely you'll be to achieve that goal.

 

2) Give people an inch, they'll ask for a light year.

 

3) Getting people's hopes up about what a gaming system can do will eventually come back to haunt you, no matter how noble your intentions are.

 

 

With this said, my take on this is that you should position yourself in a solid manner. The ColecoVision's history is a good teacher in that respect: Coleco acquired licenses to a lot of little-known arcade games (in addition to some heavy-hitters like Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr) and it really paid off towards the console's long-term reputation.

 

Faithful reproductions of arcade games on cartridges is a good angle, especially for collectors, but everyone has MAME installed on their home computer today. On the other hand, retrogamers have demonstrated again and again that they'll buy officially licensed retrogames as long as the price is right, even if they have access to MAME to play those same games. So it's a 50-50 gamble.

 

This is just my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt, but what I think you should do is look at the Atari 2600 library and see which games you could take and expand upon, to create something new yet familiar. The specs of the Omni seem perfect for that.

 

Some examples off the top of my head:

 

1) Keystone Kapers: Pursue Harry Hooligan not just across the Southwick Emporium (as in the original game) but through other city locations as well, and plug in Kaboom! as a mini-game.

 

2) Riddle of the Sphinx: A Zelda-style remake of this Imagic game would surely turn some heads.

 

3) If RPGs are in the cards, a full remake of Dragonstomper or Crypts of Chaos seems like a no-brainer.

 

4) Some shooters have interesting potential, such as Fantastic Voyage or Solaris.

 

You already seem to share this vision with some Odyssey-2 titles, but I think the Odyssey-2 has limited appeal in that respect. There's a greater wealth of potential remakes in the 2600 library, and there are also several ColecoVision titles that lend themselves easily to re-imagining and expansion.

 

Just my two cents.

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Question for those following this thread:

 

So far we are covering only Atari era content (pre-crash). How do you feel about post crash arcades?

How far in the timeline should I go? What would be the cut-off year for arcade ports on OMNI?

 

Edit: let me narrow options a bit:

 

1) 1983

2) 1984

3) 1985-1986

4) 1987-88

5) The 80s

6) I don’t care

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How far you can go is going to depend on how powerful the Omni videogame system is going to be. For example if the Omni videogame system was capable of emulating 16 bit 1990-1999 videogames then that would be awesome. However if the Omni is only capable of emulating 1976-1989 videogames then that well be the programmers limitation.

 

The Xbox and Playstation are going to be more powerful videogame systems, and the Omni videogame programmers in theory well try and push the Omni to its maximum video and audio capabilities.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I vote no cutoff but the focus should be that precrash era.

 

I would love to see :

 

Outfoxies and The Great Ragtime Show as both of those ultra amazing games have never been ported to anything! The Sega Saturn was supposed to get Great Ragtime but missed out. Games from the precrash era are great and should be the focus, but there are lots of games from post crash that would be amazing, especially if they have never been made on home versions at all.

 

I love the idea of the Omni being the console that has ports of amazing arcade games that have never been made into home versions.

 

 

Great Ragtime Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qas3FT9AlS0

 

 

Outfoxies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yce_pex0Qhw

 

Can an old fashioned somewhat slightly updated version of Dark Tower be made? That board game was amazing with an electronic tower and it would be interesting to see how the Omni could handle that type of entertainment.

 

 

The suggestions like HERO and Riddle of Sphinx from the other posters are great and yes you have lots of great ideas for a long long time.

Edited by imstarryeyed
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Careful there, Eduardo... Gotta keep in mind the rules of engagement when making contact with a gaming community, especially retrogaming:

 

1) The more you try to please everyone, the less likely you'll be to achieve that goal.

 

2) Give people an inch, they'll ask for a light year.

 

3) Getting people's hopes up about what a gaming system can do will eventually come back to haunt you, no matter how noble your intentions are.

 

 

With this said, my take on this is that you should position yourself in a solid manner. The ColecoVision's history is a good teacher in that respect: Coleco acquired licenses to a lot of little-known arcade games (in addition to some heavy-hitters like Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr) and it really paid off towards the console's long-term reputation.

 

Faithful reproductions of arcade games on cartridges is a good angle, especially for collectors, but everyone has MAME installed on their home computer today. On the other hand, retrogamers have demonstrated again and again that they'll buy officially licensed retrogames as long as the price is right, even if they have access to MAME to play those same games. So it's a 50-50 gamble.

 

This is just my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt, but what I think you should do is look at the Atari 2600 library and see which games you could take and expand upon, to create something new yet familiar. The specs of the Omni seem perfect for that.

 

Some examples off the top of my head:

 

1) Keystone Kapers: Pursue Harry Hooligan not just across the Southwick Emporium (as in the original game) but through other city locations as well, and plug in Kaboom! as a mini-game.

 

2) Riddle of the Sphinx: A Zelda-style remake of this Imagic game would surely turn some heads.

 

3) If RPGs are in the cards, a full remake of Dragonstomper or Crypts of Chaos seems like a no-brainer.

 

4) Some shooters have interesting potential, such as Fantastic Voyage or Solaris.

 

You already seem to share this vision with some Odyssey-2 titles, but I think the Odyssey-2 has limited appeal in that respect. There's a greater wealth of potential remakes in the 2600 library, and there are also several ColecoVision titles that lend themselves easily to re-imagining and expansion.

 

Just my two cents.

 

That was more of a thought experiment. :grin: Aliens Arcade from scratch would probably be a tremendous undertaking for any homebrewer, to say the least. The SGM2/Omni does sound like it might be something that would combine the best of the NES and 7800 for enhanced or expanded versions of or sequels of pre-crash games and accurate versions of later 80's games. I think that would be amazing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had asked that question a few days ago, here is Opcodes answer. Does not seem to be an issue given his solution below...

 

 

I just have ONE request!

 

Will the sgm2 be able to do vector graphics?

 

 

 

Posted Tue Apr 30, 2019 9:35 PM

imstarryeyed, on 30 Apr 2019 - 8:38 PM, said:snapback.png

...

Seeing this new videos detail I have to ask, have you done any tests with vectors and vector graphics like Tempest or Major Havoc?

I bet they would look good seeing as your board supports key resolutions in arcade games. Just had to ask.

 

Opcode responded.....

"We don’t have any vector function in hardware, however we can do stuff in software. 68000 was quite capable with just 2MIPS, so I guess the 12MIPS in our 16 bit cpu should be able to handle vectors just fine.

Now, for some games, like Asteroids, we can just go raster. Sort of 7800 asteroids, just with better resolution and colors. In fact I was wondering if the the enlargement functions would be used with a port of Star Trek using raster graphics. "

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...