Astrosmash for our TI99: Super Astrosmash! - SSS Preorder

[tmop69]

Our beloved TI99 will be 40 years old within few months, so we need to prepare the celebration. Since the game Astrosmash for the Intellivision will also be celebrating its anniversary and we do not have if for the TI, I decided to create this Super Astrosmash version! ? 

 

 

Super Astrosmash has the same game mechanics, score system, number of levels, type of enemies of the original version, however I've introduced some changes to better adapt to the improved TI99 resolution, added some speech, etc. The game is not a direct porting, but rather my own interpretation of a possible TI99 conversion.

 

The initial release will be only in SSS module format. In the era of digital downloads, let's return back to the roots!

 

With the precious help of Ciro (aka ti99iuc from the TI99 Italian User Club) we are now working to prepare a small batch of SSS, complete with labels and manual. The module will have two versions of the game: the Super Astrosmash and the Legacy version.
It runs on the console + 32K memory expansion, supports joystick and keyboard. The Speech is optional.

 

 

If you are interested in the SSS, please contact the TI99 Italian User Club using the website (http://www.ti99iuc.it/web/index.php?pagina=contacts) by the end of September, so it will be possible to determine the final cost and prepare the shipping for Christmas.

 

 

In attachment a video of the gameplay from the beginning of the game up to level 2 and a preview of the manual/cover design.

 

We will post additional material/info in the next days, so stay tuned.

 

 

[+eebuckeye]

Looks terrific!  Can everything be a little faster?

[tmop69]

1 hour ago, eebuckeye said:

Looks terrific!  Can everything be a little faster?

The speed starts to increase from 3rd level. The feedbacks received from the testers convinced me to reduce the speed of enemies at the beginning. The initial versions were really too tough at the beginning and then frustrating to play. The game should spur to improve the peak score, so to arrive at 6th level.

 

The Intellivision has a lower resolution and uses big sprites, so everything is faster from the beginning, otherwise the gameplay could be too boring while arriving at 6th level to beat your previous peak score.

 

The module also includes a "Legacy" variant of the game with 2x sprites and a different speed.

 

I'll try to add some videos of the last levels in the next days. 

[+dhe]

In time for Christmas? ?

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Very cool, nice adaptation/interpretation!  I still have my Intellivision and play Astrosmash periodically.  One suggestion might be to adjust the sound channels so that the spinner sound is not interrupted while it is making its approach to the ground.  Probably tougher with multiple spinners in later levels if you implemented that.  Anyway, thanks for sharing the video and great work.

[tmop69]

8 hours ago, dhe said:

In time for Christmas? ?

Exactly, that was the idea! Probably most of us have received the TI99 for Christmas, so why not trying to recreate part of such magic feel with a new SSS game 40 years later? And the choice of an iconic game for another system, never released for the TI, was not casual.

 

The package will have, in addition to the SSS, the manual ("classic" style) and two labels. We are investigating also for a box, however I suspect that the final price will be to high. In any case, let's see.

[whoami999ster]

BRAVO  Star Rader !

[ti99iuc]

a first mock-up... on how it will appear once completed

 

 

 

[+Ksarul]

I will need several of these. . .

[+retroclouds]

On 9/6/2020 at 8:36 AM, tmop69 said:

Exactly, that was the idea! Probably most of us have received the TI99 for Christmas, so why not trying to recreate part of such magic feel with a new SSS game 40 years later? And the choice of an iconic game for another system, never released for the TI, was not casual.

 

The package will have, in addition to the SSS, the manual ("classic" style) and two labels. We are investigating also for a box, however I suspect that the final price will be to high. In any case, let's see.

 

Yeah, a box would be mighty cool!

 

Guess that would make it the first new cartridge in a complete package.

Unfortunately it makes things more expensive and probably not easy to design and source.

[+Ksarul]

8 hours ago, retroclouds said:

 

Yeah, a box would be mighty cool!

 

Guess that would make it the first new cartridge in a complete package.

Unfortunately it makes things more expensive and probably not easy to design and source.

Actually, the second new boxed cartridge, as Dragon's Lair also had a box (and the Mr. Chin disk did too).

[Tursi]

This is where I got the Dragon's Lair boxes. They have a fun 3D designer. I didn't want to use the thin cereal-box cardboard so many releases get, so I went full corrugated. The downside is that the print is /not/ as sharp, but if you keep your text big enough it looks decent and is nice and solid.

 

https://packola.com/

 

(Edit: dug out my records, and they worked out to under $4 each.)

Edited September 9, 2020 by Tursi

[tmop69]

A couple of additional videos of gameplay. The first one is the beginning of the fourth level of Super Astrosmash. Enemy now are faster.
The second video is the beginning of the Astrosmash Legacy version that will be included also in the SSS.

 

I apologize for the recording of videos on PC, since aren't so fluid (unfortunately, I don't have any dedicated recording card) at FullHD.

If interested, these are the last days to register for a copy using the link in the main post. We will then be able to determine the final price of the batch and communicate it (of course, no obligation to confirm the preorder if the price is higher than expected).

 

The requests for the SSS received till now are really discouraging, so if there is not enough interest, I'm sorry, but we will never have any SSS version of the game. So, it's really the last chance.

 

 

[ti99iuc]

[senior_falcon]

Is this written in assembly language or is it compiled XB?

[+eebuckeye]

Looks terrific! Really love the classic Intv version too!

 

I registered for a copy but did not receive any confirmation - should I?

[wolhess]

Today I registered for a SSS version of the game too.

 

I hope I can get one!

 

 

[ti99iuc]

Hello Guys, 

It seems like the address linked for the contact in the main thread have something wrong, the right one is this:

CONTACT US 

for the people that just subscribed here i will count the same, for the others please, send the message or subscribe here your interest.

thanks.

[+Ksarul]

Ciro, I will need three of these. . .I also registered using the original address, the one that doesn't seem to work right.

[+DuaneAL]

I also “registered” at the site. Just wanted to let you Ciro  and tmop  know I’m case the registration page is acting up.

[Dutchboy]

I registered at the previous contact and will register again. I am looking at one copy and maybe 2. Thinking of getting my brother one.

[+fdr4prez]

I don't have a TI99, so good luck with the sale.

 

Does it have the auto-fire feature that the Intellivision version does?

Edited September 28, 2020 by fdr4prez

[tmop69]

On 9/28/2020 at 11:35 PM, fdr4prez said:

I don't have a TI99, so good luck with the sale.

 

Does it have the auto-fire feature that the Intellivision version does?

You should get a TI99... ?

 

I've not implemented the auto-fire, I do not like such feature. Anyway, there are some joystick that have an autofire switch in case.

 

[tmop69]

On 9/27/2020 at 4:19 PM, senior_falcon said:

Is this written in assembly language or is it compiled XB?

 

If an experienced coder like senior_falcon has doubts if the game is coded or not in assembler, it means that the final result is good. ?

 

The goal was to verify if it's possible to obtain, in 2020, an assembler comparable result in coding a fast action/arcade game using a modern approach and a compiler. With TI99's era machines, the use of assembler was a must, while starting with Amiga/Atari ST it was possible to use a C compiler to obtain great results.

 

A clarification is needed: this is not a game written in XB and then compiled, but is expressly designed for the compiler. You cannot literally play the game in XB. It's not slow, it does not work at all! ? 

 

In modern development, the productivity of high level languages vs assembler is measured in lines of code (KLOCs). An high level language is more productive than assembler. In this case, there was surely more productivity in writing the code, however the code has to be debugged and I was not able to use the facilities provided by the interpret, so I had to manage this phase with a different approach, more time consuming. With assembler you can use the great debugging tools provided by emulators like Classic99 to inspect registers, etc. In summary, the time gained in coding with an high level language was wasted with the additional efforts required by debugging.

 

Regarding the speed, it was quite enough. I was able to have additional moving objects on the screen and at faster speed, however I had reduced both, since the game was really too much difficult. So the speed was not a great problem. However the memory space was more critical. It's better to optimize all from the beginning.

 

To summarize, for the final result (that is the most important thing), I can say that there was no difference (at least in this case) in using one or the other language. The game was as it was imagined. I don't think I've gained too much time in the development phase, after all.

Surely, the same result should have been practically impossible in '80s, developing using the real hw. Too much time expensive. That was assembler's era.  

 

 

[ti99iuc]

TIMELINE-END UPDATED to 15th October 2020

 

 

Hello Guys, 

because the problem with the not working link for the contact in the main post (the right one is this: CONTACT US) we decided to extend a bit the pre-order date.

The people that already subscribed to the preorder will receive a message in the next 10 days to confirm interest,
If you will not receive any message please just contact me.

for the others interested additional people, please, send a message or subscribe to the Contact US link.

 

COSTS:

for Europe the cost of the cartridge will be approximately € 40.00
(it will include the cartridge, the manual, 2 different labels)

 

The shipping costs will vary depending on the country:

 

- Italy       € 9.00 (fast shipping with tracking)

- in EU      € 15.00-25.00 (it depends on the country)

- extra EU € (ask please).

 

Remaining a limited number of availability.

 

thanks