Fired up the old ADAM...

[Inky]

... last night, and YAY! My floppy drive still works! Unfortunately, I have a crapped out Data Tape drive, and my DDP's of DK, DKJr, Zaxxon and Dragon's Lair all bit the dust. Fortunately, I was able to play some protos that I had dumped on floppy about 10 years ago... Super Dambusters, The Fall Guy, Cabbage Patch 128K, DKJr. 4 screen, and I was also able to play some carts I had on disk as well.

 

I did not realize that I had 3 different versions of basic, and 3 different versions of the much-lamented CP/M OS (I loved CPM!). I didn't realize that I also had the MACADAM Assembler for the ADAM either (Like I know anything about Z-80 assembly)

 

I also have several Telegames licensed product on Floppy (yes, it was legal ), Pitfall 2, Rock N Bolt, Boulder Dash and Alcazar. Gave Rock N Bolt a few rounds. What a great game that is!

 

I also gave a few carts a go thru. WarGames is, quite simply, the best title for the ColecoVision.

 

Oh man, it was a time of nostalgia! I will be bringing this baby out to either the VGS or the Midwest Classic!

[Tempest]

ortunately, I was able to play some protos that I had dumped on floppy about 10 years ago... Super Dambusters, The Fall Guy, Cabbage Patch 128K, DKJr. 4 screen, and I was also able to play some carts I had on disk as well.

 

I would be interested in a copy of that disk.

 

I have an ADAM as well. Well actually I *own* and ADAM, but I still haven't seen it. Last year at PC4 I bought a nice boxed one, but discovered I had no way of getting it home. I sent it home with a friend, but we haven't gotten it around to shipping back to me yet. So I'm going to pick it up at PC5 (I'm driving this year). A whole year later...

 

I picked a box of cool ADAM tapes and a disk drive at AGE that I'm dying to test. I think Dragon's Lair is in there along with a bunch of other weird stuff.

 

Tempest

[Inky]

ortunately, I was able to play some protos that I had dumped on floppy about 10 years ago... Super Dambusters, The Fall Guy, Cabbage Patch 128K, DKJr. 4 screen, and I was also able to play some carts I had on disk as well.

 

I would be interested in a copy of that disk.

 

Tempest

 

Surprise, surprise.. I'll see what I can do about duplicating those floppies (I think they're on 4 floppies.). I neglected to mention that I also have the SubRoc Supergame on floppy also, as well as the Jeopardy! proto rom for the ADAM.

 

 

I have an ADAM as well.  Well actually I *own* and ADAM, but I still haven't seen it.  Last year at PC4 I bought a nice boxed one, but discovered I had no way of getting it home.  I sent it home with a friend, but we haven't gotten it around to shipping back to me yet.  So I'm going to pick it up at PC5 (I'm driving this year).  A whole year later...

 

I picked a box of cool ADAM tapes and a disk drive at AGE that I'm dying to test.  I think Dragon's Lair is in there along with a bunch of other weird stuff.

 

The ADAM, in it's own little way was really a unique machine, no doubt about it. Between it's proprietary stuff, to the access to whole other apps thru the CP/M OS (I have Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for hte ADAM on a CP/M floppy), it really had great potential.

 

Dragon's lair wasn't exactly like the arcade, play-wise, but when it had to make compromises, it did so admirably. I may have some copy utils that you may find handy. I'll try to dig 'em up.

[Zaxxon]

Do you have the Super Front Line demo or know where to find a copy? Do you have Smartbasic Bonanza?

[Inky]

Do you have the Super Front Line demo or know where to find a copy? Do you have Smartbasic Bonanza?

 

I have Smartbasic Bonanza, and I didn't know there was a Front Line demo out there! Although I do recall it being pictured on the box.

[Zaxxon]

I have SB Bonanza on tape and can't figure out if my copy is bad or do I need to load SB first then do something to load the Bonanza. Do you know or know where I can find a disk image of it? If I had a .dsk image I could run it on the emu at least.

[Inky]

I have SB Bonanza on tape and can't figure out if my copy is bad or do I need to load SB first then do something to load the Bonanza. Do you know or know where I can find a disk image of it? If I had a .dsk image I could run it on the emu at least.

 

I think you have to load SB first.

[Tempest]

I just read somewhere that there was a CD Rom drive made for the ADAM (although they say it was never actually released). Now THAT'S impressive...

 

Tempest

[Inky]

I just read somewhere that there was a CD Rom drive made for the ADAM (although they say it was never actually released).  Now THAT'S impressive...

 

Tempest

 

Dunno about a CD-rom, but in the early 90's, a HD kit was made for it. I think you can still get it from http://www.ecoleco.com

[Tempest]

Dunno about a CD-rom, but in the early 90's, a HD kit was made for it. I think you can still get it fromhttp://www.ecoleco.com

 

Interesting. But this wasn't some hack or homebrew, this was an official item! Back in 84-85 a CD Rom drive was almost unheard of.

 

I can't wait to get my damn Adam...

 

Tempest

[joeybastard]

I just read somewhere that there was a CD Rom drive made for the ADAM (although they say it was never actually released).  Now THAT'S impressive...

 

Tempest

 

Maybe this is what you're thinking of?

 

From Video Games and Computer Entertainment, June 1991: 'Talk of the future reminds Baer of the aborted, ahead-of-its-time project he launched in 1982. The ideal interface, the ColecoVision video game console and an RCA CED player. "Things advanced to the point that RCA actually made a few CED peripherals. Then along came the ADAM computer and ended it all. What I'd like to see is not going to happen." He'd like to see CED revived, instead of the industry going to CD. He worries that CD will fail to deliver the full-motion video that people expect.'

[Tempest]

Yeah I thought of that, but the page definetly said CD Rom. I guess the kid of some Coleco Vice President remembered getting one. AFAIK the CED adapter was never completed. Although that could be it. Who knows?

 

Tempest

[Inky]

Here's what I'll do. I'm going to hook the ADAM up again this weekend to see if I have a copy program on floppy. If I do, I'll cut some copies of the 'proto' disks (Fall Guy, Jeopardy, Super SubRoc, Wizmath, Yolk's on you, DKJr 128K, Cabbage patch 128K) and send them out to whoever wants them for $2.50 to cover postage and floppy cost

Just PM me with your address info.

 

I need to see if I have a copy program first before I can do this, however.

 

Also, anyone remember in smartbasic how to change drive? I somehow can't recall this.

[Tempest]

Wizmath was actually released.

 

Tempest

[Jess Ragan]

Dragon's lair wasn't  exactly like the arcade, play-wise, but when it had to make compromises, it did so admirably.

 

I've got to hand it to the designers... they perfectly captured the gameplay, or complete lack of it, in the Adam translation of Dragon's Lair.

 

So hey, Inky, is there any chance you could get some of those ADAM prototypes dumped and distributed on the Internet? I'd love to try that version of Donkey Kong Jr. with the exclusive Mario's Kitchen level.

 

(What the heck is Mario doing holding a caged gorilla in a kitchen, anyway?)

 

JR

[Jess Ragan]

Oops, my bad. It seems as though many of those games are already available on Romshare. I just hope I can find an emulator that can actually PLAY them!

 

JR

[Inky]

Wizmath was actually released.

 

Tempest

 

Huh.. I didn't think it was, as it was on the same floppy as Yolks On You...

 

@ Jess These are available on Romshare? Hmmm... I may have to find a 5 1/4 drive to put these on.

[Jess Ragan]

Wizmath was actually released.

 

Tempest

 

Huh.. I didn't think it was, as it was on the same floppy as Yolks On You...

 

@ Jess These are available on Romshare? Hmmm... I may have to find a 5 1/4 drive to put these on.

 

Sure seems that way. I'm going to take them home later tonight and see how (if?) they run. The ADAM isn't well emulated yet (even in MESS) but if there's even a slim possibility that these games will run I'm sure as heck going to try them.

 

JR

[Inky]

Wizmath was actually released.

 

Tempest

 

Huh.. I didn't think it was, as it was on the same floppy as Yolks On You...

 

@ Jess These are available on Romshare? Hmmm... I may have to find a 5 1/4 drive to put these on.

 

Sure seems that way. I'm going to take them home later tonight and see how (if?) they run. The ADAM isn't well emulated yet (even in MESS) but if there's even a slim possibility that these games will run I'm sure as heck going to try them.

 

JR

 

Have you tried ADAMEM?

[Jess Ragan]

Have you tried ADAMEM?

 

I was pretty much forced to, since MESS refused to work with many of the ADAM games I downloaded. The emulator would let you select the software, but when you tried to RUN it, you'd be thrown out of the ADAM's simulated environment and back to the interface. I think the designers of MESS have a lot of kinks to work out of their ADAM emulation.

 

Anyway, it was a thrill to play all these games. They've given me a pretty good idea of what the Super Game Module would have been like, if Coleco had released it. My favorite ADAM games so far are Super Donkey Kong Jr., Super Zaxxon, and (surprisingly enough) Jeopardy!.

 

Super Donkey Kong Jr. is great because it includes a fifth round that's exclusive to the ADAM. It's surprisingly well designed, very colorful, and hilariously inventive. In this round, Mario conforms to yet another Italian stereotype, pulling piping hot Sicilian cuisine out of a flaming oven and dumping it on poor Junior's head. The best part of this round is that you can actually turn the tables on the chubby carpenter, briefly knocking him out with fruit.

 

Super Zaxxon is a fun sequel to the original ColecoVision game, with the same look and feel but new rounds and bosses. You'll often encounter walls bristling with guns... destroying all the guns rips a bite sized chunk out of the wall, which you have to fly through to reach the next round. You can save the game whenever you like, although it's really not necessary... you can reach the end of Super Zaxxon in about thirty or fourty minutes. The ending is great... the pilot of your ship actually gets out of it and floats away in an astronaut suit! Ground control to Major Tom... ground control to Major Tom...

 

Jeopardy! was the biggest surprise of the bunch. It's actually based on the 80's incarnation of the popular game show, and not the original version which dates back to the 1960's. I could have sworn that Alex Trebek's Jeopardy! debuted after the video game crash... but I digress. Anyway, I compared this directly to Rare's NES version of Jeopardy!, and the two match up pretty well. The graphics in NES Jeopardy! are only marginally better than the ones used in the ADAM game. The big advantage of the ADAM version is that you can use the keyboard to input your answers, rather than madly scramble for letters with the joypad in the NES game.

 

I just wanted to thank you for reviving my interest in the ADAM computer. It's always fun to play classic video games for the first time, twenty years after they're released... it really makes you feel as though you're reliving the 1980's.

 

JR

[Zaxxon]

I've got to hand it to the designers... they perfectly captured the gameplay, or complete lack of it, in the Adam translation of Dragon's Lair.

 

So hey, Inky, is there any chance you could get some of those ADAM prototypes dumped and distributed on the Internet?  I'd love to try that version of Donkey Kong Jr. with the exclusive Mario's Kitchen level.

 

(What the heck is Mario doing holding a caged gorilla in a kitchen, anyway?)

 

JR

 

Why rag on the ADAM version of DL? I'm no fan of the arcade version but I liked this version a lot. It's one of the most graphically impressive games from that era I've seen, definately the best on the ADAM/CV. I like this version of DL 10x more than the arcade since it's actually playable/controllable. You're not just watching a movie playback. Some of the screens are pattern based but others are free roaming(the flaming ropes, the electric knight, the dragon, the falling platforms). Yeah, I can imagine how it would be a drag if you didn't have the patience to learn the patterns for those screens but once you know them the game is a lot of fun. I have a tip sheet with the hints/patterns. I still have trouble with the weapons room though.

 

Back when I had my first ADAM and my copy of DK jr. on tape that I got from a user group, I had a code for it that I can't remember exactly. I don't know if the DK Jr. revision that is on the net is the same as the one I had and if it'll work with it. I recall my version saying "RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN" on the title screen and the 5th screen and the intermission with DK jr. hanging onto an umbrella, following Mario's helicopter was only accessable by entering the code. The version I have for ADAMEM looks like the retail version. At the level select screen press in the left and right buttons and see what happens. At this point I would enter a code while holding in the buttons. The code was something like 132, 1,2,1,2 or 123, 1,2,1,2 ; can't remember exactly. Adam's House said they sell the public domain version.

[Zaxxon]

bump

[Sega Ages]

Why rag on the ADAM version of DL? I'm no fan of the arcade version but I liked this version a lot. It's one of the most graphically impressive games from that era I've seen, definately the best on the ADAM/CV. I like this version of DL 10x more than the arcade since it's actually playable/controllable. You're not just watching a movie playback. Some of the screens are pattern based but others are free roaming(the flaming ropes, the electric knight, the dragon, the falling platforms). Yeah, I can imagine how it would be a drag if you didn't have the patience to learn the patterns for those screens but once you know them the game is a lot of fun.

 

Yep, Super Dragon's Lair on the ADAM was elite back in the day.

 

And I gotta say, this thread brings back some memories!

[MegaManFan]

I have an ADAM as well.  Well actually I *own* and ADAM, but I still haven't seen it.  Last year at PC4 I bought a nice boxed one, but discovered I had no way of getting it home.  I sent it home with a friend, but we haven't gotten it around to shipping back to me yet.  So I'm going to pick it up at PC5 (I'm driving this year).  A whole year later...

 

That's too funny Matt. I even remember razzing you about it last year after the show - something like, "And if it gets lost in the mail you're not out anything." I thought for sure you would have gotten it back to Michigan by now though! *heh*