Simon Says Touch Me!

[Mr SQL]

Play online or download the ROM below.

 

Simple fun colorful game for one or more players that is timeless!

 

One or more players create increasingly larger patterns of any complexity constructed from primary colors and chromatic chord progressions.

 

Who can build the largest pattern?

 

Simple Instructions:

 

This simple memory game starts immediately, reset will restart the game.

One or more players create increasingly larger patterns using only up, down, left and right.

Purple screen filter shows when it is the next turn to match the pattern

Klaxxon noise and screen shake showns when a mistake occurs (unlimited turns to match the pattern).

Score (version 2) progress bar at the bottom of the screen shows how big the pattern gets.

Computer AI (version 3) press the button anytime (even mid turn) and the Atari 2600 will take a turn!

 

Streamlined design optimizations for this genre:

 

Computer opponent - press the button for the computer to go.

 

TouchMe assistant - press the button anytime and the TouchMe assistant will help complete your turn.

 

Party play considerations - There is no time delay penalty for composing and matching patterns.

 

Intuitive audio visuals - color cues, tones and filter transitions are used to recreate the tactile feeback best implemented in Simon with it's four directional colored buttons rather than side-by-side buttons of Atari Touch Me.

 

I set the buffer at 54 92, it could easily be expanded but I haven't seen anyone get 1/3 of that.

 

Any Simon and Touch Me experts out there want to give it a go?

 

New! Version 5 with chord progressions:

SimonSays_TouchMe_V5.binSimonSays_TouchMe_V5_AFP.bin

SimonSays_TouchMe_V5.wavSimonSaysAtariVCS_v5_AI.txt

Version 4 with AI and more features crunched to fit in 10 lines of BASIC:

SimonSays_TouchMe_v4_AI.bin

SimonSays_TouchMe_v4_AFP.bin

SimonSays_TouchMe_v4_AI.wav

SimonSaysAtariVCS_v4_AI.txt

 

New! Version 3 with AI, play against the VCS:

SimonSays_TouchMe_v3_AI.binSimonSays_TouchMe_v3_AI.wav

SimonSaysAtariVCS_v3_AI.txt

 

SimonSays_TouchMe_v2.binSimonSays_TouchMe_v2.wav

SimonSaysAtariVCS_v2.txt

 

SimonSays_TouchMe.binSimonSays_TouchMe.wav

SimonSaysAtariVCS.txt

 

This game is only 10 lines of BASIC (a few lines more for version 3) and is competing in the 2019 BASIC Programming Contest, more info here on this Atari programming forum thread, hope to see more people writing 10 line BASIC games for the Atari 2600!

 

EDIT: Palette adjustment, added video playing a few rounds, simple instructions and game design, v2 with a score, v3 added computer opponent, v4 added new features and crunched the code, cross-compiled an Atari Flashback Portable Version, v5 added chord progressions!

 

TouchMe assistant inspired by Siri, Alexa and Cortana. Cover art inspired by the Virtual Reality version.

Edited March 23, 2019 by Mr SQL

[+cvga]

Cool. I'll have to give it a shot.

 

I think Video Reflex and Off Your Rocker are also Simon-based games for the Atari.

Edited March 13, 2019 by cvga

[Mr SQL]

Cool. I'll have to give it a shot.

 

I think Video Reflex and Off Your Rocker are also Simon-based games for the Atari.

 

Thanks! I've never heard of those titles - off Your Rocker is similar and very good, should have been released. Video Reflex I still need to figure out.

[+Random Terrain]

Looks like it's going over 262. And I seem to need some kind of instructions. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. Does it use a joystick or paddles? When I move the joystick, the screen jumps and makes a kaklang noise.

[Mr SQL]

Looks like it's going over 262. And I seem to need some kind of instructions. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. Does it use a joystick or paddles? When I move the joystick, the screen jumps and makes a kaklang noise.

 

Gameplay is surprisingly similar to Off Your Rocker RT, another Simon Says/Atari Touch Me implementation which I had not seen until after I wrote this game.

 

The game is designed to make the Klang noise and shake the screen whenever you mess up the pattern - then you can try again or the next player can try.

 

If you don't mess up the pattern keeps growing on each players turn; it's sort of like playing Jenga if you've never played Simon or Touch Me bitd.

 

Each time the pattern get's longer, a visual cue (change in all screen hues) will let you know it's time for you or the next player to take a turn at repeating the pattern and making it longer.

 

Here's the BASIC 10 line contest thread you might like with more info on this game and lots of interesting 10 line BASIC games for the Atari 400 and 800:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/287756-2019-basic-ten-liners-contest/?p=4236937

[+Random Terrain]

Maybe my old version of Stella is incompatible or something. There is no pattern. A note symbol is just sitting at the top left and if I press the up and left arrow keys, the note symbol moves to the top middle. If I press up, it goes Bong, then it just sits there. I can press up 200 times and it will just sit there and BONG. Most Simon games I've played show a sequence that I have to copy. They just don't sit there and stare at me.

 

This is what I'm seeing:

 

youtube.com/watch?v=tTNYGIlhSD8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTNYGIlhSD8

[Mr SQL]

Maybe my old version of Stella is incompatible or something. There is no pattern. A note symbol is just sitting at the top left and if I press the up and left arrow keys, the note symbol moves to the top middle. If I press up, it goes Bong, then it just sits there. I can press up 200 times and it will just sit there and BONG. Most Simon games I've played show a sequence that I have to copy. They just don't sit there and stare at me.

 

With this version the players (one or more) create the pattern, so it's possible to create a pattern that never changes by just pressing up repeatedly; your video shows you actually played a few rounds building a pattern (up, up up, up up up) and started another turn but you didn't complete it by expanding the pattern again.

 

The game is challenging enough and I wanted to support extended party play so I didn't add a time penalty if you need extra time to complete a pattern, just a reset for when the pattern gets too difficult for anyone to repeat.

 

Take a look at the video I uploaded in the first post where the player creates a more complex pattern that better illustrates the Simon Says/Atari Touch Me gameplay than just using pressing up.

[+Random Terrain]

So a single player has to make a pattern, then repeat his own pattern? If a person wanted to do such a thing, how does the person know when he is done creating the pattern so he can repeat his own pattern? Does he press the fire button?

[Mr SQL]

So a single player has to make a pattern, then repeat his own pattern? If a person wanted to do such a thing, how does the person know when he is done creating the pattern so he can repeat his own pattern? Does he press the fire button?

 

No the purple filter automatically tells the players when a new pattern has been created:

 

The purple filter is applied to the entire screen as a visual cue to let you know it is the next turn every time a pattern is successfully created.

 

In the example above the purple filter is applied to 2/3 of the image to make it stand out more; this game adds an additional solid purple bar to the top of the screen as an additional indicator that may be easier to spot if the filters spectrum shift is too subtle.

[+Random Terrain]

 

No the purple filter automatically tells the players when a new pattern has been created:

 

The purple filter is applied to the entire screen as a visual cue to let you know it is the next turn every time a pattern is successfully created.

 

PurpleFilter.JPG

In the example above the purple filter is applied to 2/3 of the image to make it stand out more; this game adds an additional solid purple bar to the top of the screen as an additional indicator that may be easier to spot if the filters spectrum shift is too subtle.

 

Seems like something that needs to be in the instructions that there is no need for. Tell them about the purple thing and that this isn't a real Simon-like game where the game comes up with patterns that the player has to copy. Single players have to come up with their own patterns. Those are two major items that should be in the instruction. You might also want to mention that the player has to press the joystick diagonally up/left to start.

[Mr SQL]

 

Seems like something that needs to be in the instructions that there is no need for. Tell them about the purple thing and that this isn't a real Simon-like game where the game comes up with patterns that the player has to copy. Single players have to come up with their own patterns. Those are two major items that should be in the instruction. You might also want to mention that the player has to press the joystick diagonally up/left to start.

 

Thanks RT, great feedback!

 

I expanded the first post with these instructions, and explained the streamlined design considerations for the genre port.

 

I also explained there are no diagonals, only up, down, left and right. I thought that was straight forward but it may also seem like a design deviation considering Simon looks to have diagonal buttons - Off Your Rocker probably uses diagonals for that reason.

[Mr SQL]

I added a score in version 2 and a computer opponent in version 3! Press the button and the CPU will take a turn - lots of fun but impossible to beat

 

Some obsevations on this genre:

 

I think in this modern age of constant cell phones, email and online computing we cannot play Simon Says or Touch Me nearly as well as people in the 70's who were more reliant on their own faculties.

 

[+Random Terrain]

Some obsevations on this genre:

 

I think in this modern age of constant cell phones, email and online computing we cannot play Simon Says or Touch Me nearly as well as people in the 70's who were more reliant on their own faculties.

I never played a version of Simon in the late 1970s or 1980s where I had to make my own single-player patterns. It's kind of like playing something like Tic-Tac-Toe, chess, checkers or catch by yourself. It can be done, but it's not much fun.

 

If you ever make a version of Solitaire, I hope you won't make players draw the numbers and faces on 52 blank cards with a virtual Sharpie, then make them shuffle the cards by jerking the joystick back and forth 260 times.

[Mr SQL]

I never played a version of Simon in the late 1970s or 1980s where I had to make my own single-player patterns. It's kind of like playing something like Tic-Tac-Toe, chess, checkers or catch by yourself. It can be done, but it's not much fun.

 

 

? Not sure if you noticed my post above yours - I just added a version with a computer opponent.

 

When I write 10 line BASIC games I often also write more feature complete versions, I'll see if I can crunch v3 with the AI to fit in 10 lines by the contest deadline otherwise I'm submitting v2.

 

Memorization genres are fun by yourself because you're competing against your recall abilities, it's a self diagnostic where you can challenge yourself to improve unlike the logic and skill genres of Chess, Checkers and Catch. Those genres require a different opponent to be interesting; consider that in Breakout you do play catch with yourself, but it's the other opponent (the board you clear in Breakout or the recall abilities you improve in v2) that holds your interest.

[+Random Terrain]

Memorization genres are fun by yourself because you're competing against your recall abilities, it's a self diagnostic where you can challenge yourself to improve unlike the logic and skill genres of Chess, Checkers and Catch. Those genres require a different opponent to be interesting; consider that in Breakout you do play catch with yourself, but it's the other opponent (the board you clear in Breakout or the recall abilities you improve in v2) that holds your interest.

I'm just talking about the original version of your program. Simon gave you a pattern and it was up to your recall abilities to copy the pattern. It was a different "AI" opponent. Coming up with your own pattern is kind of like hiding Easter eggs in the yard and going right back out to look for them yourself. It needs another person or some kind of AI to be fun.

 

Speaking of memory games, I personally like flipping over cards to find matches more than Simon-style games. Copying flashing lights with accompanying boops and beeps was never that fun to me.

[Mr SQL]

I'm just talking about the original version of your program. Simon gave you a pattern and it was up to your recall abilities to copy the pattern. It was a different "AI" opponent. Coming up with your own pattern is kind of like hiding Easter eggs in the yard and going right back out to look for them yourself. It needs another person or some kind of AI to be fun.

 

 

Alright, well how do you like the AI in version 3?

 

I used your suggestion to implement it with a button press, also added the ability for the AI to assist players by completing their turns if things get tough and the pattern becomes too long or complex to remember.

 

You can even keep pressing the button and watch the Atari play against itself.

[+Random Terrain]

Alright, well how do you like the AI in version 3?

 

I used your suggestion to implement it with a button press, also added the ability for the AI to assist players by completing their turns if things get tough and the pattern becomes too long or complex to remember.

 

You can even keep pressing the button and watch the Atari play against itself.

It's better than coming up with your own pattern. Controls seem to be sluggish when trying to copy a pattern. When the same note is repeated by the AI, the note should probably flash off and back on for a fraction of a second if possible to make it twice as clear that a note is being repeated.

[+Nathan Strum]

There was another homebrew version of Simon done some time ago: http://atariage.com/software_page.php?SoftwareLabelID=873

[Mr SQL]

That Simon homebrew looks pretty cool, very inspiring the programmer fit it into 2K!

 

I just added Version 4 with more features and the AI crunched to fit into 10 lines of BASIC with even some room left over for a few comments (or more features if we they can fit in the comment space!)

 

The game program is still highly readable as uncompressed BASIC with no obfuscation or other tricks to add extra code.

 

I think this is the version I will be submitting for the contest, thanks everyone (especially RT) for the awesome feedback and motivational participation on this thread! Finding out three Simon/TouchMe ports already existed for the VCS was really cool though I'm glad they did not influence my design

 

[Mr SQL]

Added chromatic chord progressions to version 5!

[Shawn]

Anything functional in 10 lines of basic is impressive.