Simulation/God games for the Atari 8-bit

[Gunstar]

Something I'd love to see ported to the A8 are simulation/god games like Simcity, Civilization and Populous. Especially with the extended memory and storage options available to us today, they could work even better than if they had been made when the Amiga/ST/C64 were getting versions. 

 

Is there anything like them on the Atari 8-bit already (I'm aware of the Simcity demo)?

 

Commodore 64 videos are only for examples.

 

 

[Gibstov]

Sim City on the A8 would be awesome.

[carlsson]

There also seems to exist a Civilization demo: http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-prev-civilization_4101.html

[Wrathchild]

A very nice screen from the graph2font site:

 

 

Though would be very tricky to do

[+sixersfan105]

Already available, not that I know of. But A8 should be capable of ColecoVision's excellent Fortune Builder:

 

 

[Gunstar]

Wow, I never knew Fortune Builder was an early Simcity! I think this is obviously the inspiration for Simcity. Of course some things would need to change, like game play beyond 5 years, full screen, maybe some natural disasters, etc. like Simcity. And of course the graphics could be vastly improved for the Atari, unless one was trying to squeeze it onto a 16K cartridge.

 

Ironically, I've got a Colecovision flashback with this game on it, and I never tried it. But I didn't realize what type of game it was! So now I'll have to give it a go! But I'd love Simcity, or even an improved version of this game on the A8.

[carlsson]

Sometimes less is more. While not being a God simulation game per se, I can't help stop thinking about M.U.L.E. in this context. It looks very spartan and may not have that many options of game variation but gosh... haven't we all played it over and over for the past 35+ years? I mean perhaps Fortune Builder is balanced as it is, and adding more complexity wouldn't necessarily improve it. For that matter many years ago I briefly tried Sim City on the C64, which I found a pixelated mess and no joy at all compared to the game I used to play on my Amiga 500. Then again these days I'm having a hard time with original Sim City on a low end PC as well.

[R0ger]

I know about quite advanced attempts to port SimCity (from BBC IIRC) but AFAIK it's dead. Will try to get some update on that.

[Gunstar]

Honestly, as good and popular as M.U.L.E may be, I've never played it. For one, I've always been a solitary gamer on the A8 and so multi-player games don't interest me unless they are also able to, and fun to play as a single player. Maybe I can play M.U.L.E against the computer, but it just never interested me to try. Maybe I am missing out. And yes, the simple graphics of mule are a big turn-off to me, that and being multi-player I was just never interested. But maybe it's time for me to give it a chance. But even if I find I love it, even as a solitary gamer, I just can't ever see it making up for a lack of other sim/god games for the system. Any or all of the ones I mentioned are really what I'm interested in. I used to love them when I had an ST about a decade and a half ago, and since I'm an A8 fan and not really an ST fan, I'd like to see them on the A8, or even an original sim/god game similar to them would be fine too.

 

Fortune Builder would be acceptable as-is, but with more memory and graphic options on the A8, compared to the Colecovision, improving it graphically and adding some more to it along the lines of Simcity should be a simple matter for the programmer.

 

I just can't see why an A8 version of Simcity can't be done, and why a ground-up or port undertaking hasn't already happened. After all, even the Gameboy has a version!

 

Edited October 8, 2019 by Gunstar

[carlsson]

M.U.L.E. rather is a computerized board game than a simulation, so not what you're looking for even if it is a lot of fun to play even against three computer players.

 

But yes, perhaps someone will give it a go to develop a BYO game like the ones discussed here. It reminds me of Corporation (C64, not on Atari) which I even owned but never got into playing. Another candidate perhaps is Colony (on the Atari)?

[Gunstar]

I'll have to look into 'The Corporation" more, that link doesn't say or show much about it. Colony I've looked into, but didn't mention it here because it's just not a simulation/god game like the ones mentioned here, it's arcade strategy and just too different for me to consider it in this context, even if it may be a good game in it's own rite.

[AMenard]

I wonder why the 8bit guy never considered porting Planet X2 to the A8 line...

[mimo]

Does this count? 

[carlsson]

Hm, looks very text based which might be enjoyable but even less like Sim City, Populous & c:o.

 

[Wrathchild]

1 hour ago, Gunstar said:

I just can't see why an A8 version of Simcity can't be done

I thought it was reported that a C&D put paid to what xxl was doing?

[Tezz]

1 minute ago, Wrathchild said:

I thought it was reported that a C&D put paid to what xxl was doing?

Yes, a cease and desist stopped that one in its tracks sadly.

[R0ger]

3 hours ago, Gunstar said:

I just can't see why an A8 version of Simcity can't be done, and why a ground-up or port undertaking hasn't already happened. After all, even the Gameboy has a version!

 

I'm quite sure this is Palm OS version. Doesn't meant it would be impossible on Atari though.

[_The Doctor__]

4 hours ago, Tezz said:

Yes, a cease and desist stopped that one in its tracks sadly.

Rename it and make some changes... there were a few BBS versions of that sort of game... ... the c&d people got their ideas elsewhere too! The world of litigation....

Edited October 8, 2019 by _The Doctor__

[Gunstar]

3 hours ago, R0ger said:

I'm quite sure this is Palm OS version. Doesn't meant it would be impossible on Atari though.

Well it was a gif taken from a site talking about a Gameboy version, that's all I know.

[Rybags]

Megalomania was a favourite of mine on the Amiga - it'd be good to have it ported but would likely need 128K at least.

 

I remember that old game on the TRS-80 (text only) where you were dictator of a kingdom and had to set taxes and policies and do resource management to keep the serfs happy - if you didn't do well they'd die off or flee the country.  Did that game make it to Atari?

[Alfred]

That C64 SimCity looks sad, but the Civilization looks good. Is the Civ an actual released game at this point ?

 

Civ would be good to have, maybe RR Tycoon as well, I played that a lot. The problem is it always comes down to artwork. Lots of people can program the various games, but good artists that'll work for free on a 30 year old platform are pretty rare. So nothing ever gets finished, or started. I've always wanted to port Millenium from the ST but I can't draw all those screens, and I don't know anyone who can.

[AMenard]

10 minutes ago, Alfred said:

That C64 SimCity looks sad, but the Civilization looks good. Is the Civ an actual released game at this point ?

 

Civ would be good to have, maybe RR Tycoon as well, I played that a lot. The problem is it always comes down to artwork. Lots of people can program the various games, but good artists that'll work for free on a 30 year old platform are pretty rare. So nothing ever gets finished, or started. I've always wanted to port Millenium from the ST but I can't draw all those screens, and I don't know anyone who can.

Do or do not... there is no try.

[kiwilove]

1 hour ago, Alfred said:

That C64 SimCity looks sad, but the Civilization looks good. Is the Civ an actual released game at this point ?

 

Civ would be good to have, maybe RR Tycoon as well, I played that a lot. The problem is it always comes down to artwork. Lots of people can program the various games, but good artists that'll work for free on a 30 year old platform are pretty rare. So nothing ever gets finished, or started. I've always wanted to port Millenium from the ST but I can't draw all those screens, and I don't know anyone who can.

If you want/need some graphics done - for any project - you can only ask...  There seems to be enough talent graphics people around... and I think it's just a matter of whether a particular graphics person is keen on the game you're working on?  Porting graphics is much simpler to do - as I think coming up with original (or new) designs involves some much more work.

 

Certain graphic styles puts me off playing that particular game.  I was never a fan of the Maniac Miner \ Jet Set Willy style - and would have liked to have someone have a go at redoing the graphics entirely for it.  Just like it would be nice to see someone redoing the Miner 2049'er graphics - though it's author may not be so keen with this being done?

 

Harvey

[Gunstar]

2 hours ago, kiwilove said:

If you want/need some graphics done - for any project - you can only ask...  There seems to be enough talent graphics people around... and I think it's just a matter of whether a particular graphics person is keen on the game you're working on?  Porting graphics is much simpler to do - as I think coming up with original (or new) designs involves some much more work.

 

Certain graphic styles puts me off playing that particular game.  I was never a fan of the Maniac Miner \ Jet Set Willy style - and would have liked to have someone have a go at redoing the graphics entirely for it.  Just like it would be nice to see someone redoing the Miner 2049'er graphics - though it's author may not be so keen with this being done?

 

Harvey

 

3 hours ago, Alfred said:

That C64 SimCity looks sad, but the Civilization looks good. Is the Civ an actual released game at this point ?

 

Civ would be good to have, maybe RR Tycoon as well, I played that a lot. The problem is it always comes down to artwork. Lots of people can program the various games, but good artists that'll work for free on a 30 year old platform are pretty rare. So nothing ever gets finished, or started. I've always wanted to port Millenium from the ST but I can't draw all those screens, and I don't know anyone who can.

I'm a good traditional media artist, who has dabbled with Atari 8-bit graphic arts programs over the years, but I've never done any "video game art" designing backgrounds or P/M graphics and character sets, but I've been thinking about trying, as in many cases I feel I could have done much better graphics in a lot of A8 games, and wanted to actually try and prove it to myself.

 

Of course I was planning on starting with still using graphic art software on the Atari to redo or spruce up graphic art in graphic text adventures. But I'm willing to attempt background graphics for animated video games and doing P/M, character and soft-sprite graphics too. I definitely prefer being able to do the actual graphics on the Atari using graphic and character editors and traditional graphic arts programs like Rembrandt. Not just doing graphics for the Atari, but doing graphics on the Atari, for the Atari. The whole point for me and where my interest lies is in being able to make practical use of my Atari, that's the end-all-be-all for me to stray from traditional art media to digital/graphic art. If any programmers out there want to give me a shot, Just point me to the Atari graphic art, P/M editor or character editor you can work with, and I'd be happy to learn to use the programs and make up a small portfolio of example graphic art to show what I can do. Hell, I'd be one of the people doing sprite hacks of games if I could do it using graphic/character editors instead of having to edit the code!

Edited October 9, 2019 by Gunstar

[carlsson]

7 hours ago, Rybags said:

I remember that old game on the TRS-80 (text only) where you were dictator of a kingdom and had to set taxes and policies and do resource management to keep the serfs happy - if you didn't do well they'd die off or flee the country.  Did that game make it to Atari?

I believe that is an entire category of games. Take your pick:

http://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-400-800-xl-xe-strategy-hammurabi-kingdom_genre_150_8_G.html