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We need a better Pole Position!


Greg2600

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Was flipping through roms on my Harmony, when it hit me, Pole Position by Atari is a decent port, but it's lack in so many ways.  Graphics, and of course, there's no engine sound!  To name a few.  With so much work being done to spruce up other titles and/or port new ones from arcade, why not PP?  For that matter, why not Pole Position II?  You'd think Champ Games or similar programmers would already he on to that?  It was hands down the most popular sit down arcade racer for years, prior to Cruis'n. 

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I disagree. I actually loved 2600 Pole Position. I wouldn’t change a thing. The only thing I “added” (and still add to this day!) is every time I play I always say: “Prepare to Qualify” out loud when the opening chime music ends. It’s a habit. I can’t help myself.

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Well now, a 2600 Pole Position 2 would have been cool indeed. Implementing the other 3 tracks is really the only major thing it would have needed. The graphics & sounds of 2600 Pole Position were great. And the play control was perfect. The only thing that looked “meh” were the other cars on the track. But everything else looked & sounded excellent.

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On 8/22/2019 at 10:27 PM, Thomas Jentzsch said:

I once did a hack (Checkered Flag) for Atari(?) where I also change the track. I can't remember though how much effort that was. 

 

The ROM was never released, but I suppose I have it somewhere on my HDs.

Is this the hack you're talking about? Looks like the ROM was released after all...

 

Checkered Flag (Pole Position Hack) (2005) (Thomas Jentzsch).bin

 

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3 hours ago, Impaler_26 said:

Is this the hack you're talking about? Looks like the ROM was released after all...

 

Checkered Flag (Pole Position Hack) (2005) (Thomas Jentzsch).bin 8 kB · 4 downloads

 

Yup, that's it. I forgot that I had posted it once.

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The only graphical improvement to PP I'd like to see is the shapes of the oncoming cars. Pretty sure it isn't just a case of doing a graphic hack as the limits of the display kernel probably dictate what detail you can get.

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Exactly. Nothing else needs to be touched. The detail of the colors & graphics used for the main car are excellent. Don’t touch a thing. The race track, the background, the music & sound effects, etc. are also all excellent as well. And play control is absolutely perfect. The game was very well made.

 

The only thing that ever looked bad in this game was the boring single color yellow blocky 1977 street racer graphics used for the opponents cars that you pass. That’s it. Nothing else ever bothered me about this game. There are a few games that “we needed a better version of” over the years, like PacMan & Donkey Kong, but Pole Position was never among them. I couldn’t disagree more with anyone “messing with it”.

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On 8/22/2019 at 10:27 PM, Thomas Jentzsch said:

I once did a hack (Checkered Flag) for Atari(?) where I also change the track. I can't remember though how much effort that was. 

Interesting. Was it intended to be one of the built-in games in the Flashback II console?

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