Any good 'arcade games for beginners' sites?

[Atariman]

I've had my Blasteroids arcade game for a few years now and have just recently been looking around on the internet to try to learn more about them. I really don't know a whole lot about them...

 

For instance, can I just plug in another PCB from another game from around the same time as Blasteroids, plug in different controls, and play it? I have heard about the JAMMA pinout that is used now but was unsure about whether my machine was JAMMA or something else... Like I said, I really don't know much about them. I'm just not sure where to get started. Any information would be great!

[Dr Galaga]

Here's some info: http://www.gamesx.com/arcade/primer.htm .

If you click on the Back To X button at the top it will take you to the home page and near the bottom of the menu there is some information about JAMMA.

You can also check out the KLOV board at http://forums.webmagic.com/ubbthreads/ubbt...ds.php?Cat=&C=2

A lot of information can be found by reading about people's problems and suggestions on how to fix them.

 

What part of Indiana are you located?

[Atariman]

ah, I thought that website looked familiar. Although I didn't know that it had arcade information on it, I did notice, however, that their NES controller pinout information, as far as I can tell, is incorrect.

 

I wish I had the parts to be able to just tinker with boards and learn about them that way. With the cost of monitors, it looks like it will be awhile before I can do that.

[Atariman]

also, while checking out the KLOV site about Blasteroids, I a particular screenshot grabbed my attention.

 

http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter...=B&game_id=7146

 

The very last screenshot on that page shows two faces and some other things I didn't recognize on the screen. What is this? It wasn't mentioned on the KLOV website and I've never seen them before. I looked around on the internet and didn't find anything on it, either...

[Dr Galaga]

The very last screenshot on that page shows two faces and some other things I didn't recognize on the screen.  What is this?

Wow, beats the heck out of me. I used to play Blasteroids all the time in the late 80's (pizza place I worked at had one for awhile ) but have not played it since. I never remember seeing that screen either!

[Atariman]

Well, I tried a trick that I hadn't played around with very much in hopes that I could find those 'mystery faces', but with no luck. Perhaps there is something else I must do after trying this:

 

After starting a new game while still in the level selection menu, I let my ship run out of energy. I continue and it starts me out in a level where the background is screwed up (looks like all of the colors are inverted.)

 

The map is messed up, too. Initially, it looks like a regular map. After reaching the edges, I realized that I couldn't select the outer levels! So basically, after beating what is the equivalent of the 'easy' map, the game still thinks there are 7 more sectors to clear.

 

Unfortunately, there is no way to select those sectors which results in HAVING to stop continuing since there is no way to reach Mukor. I still have had no luck in any documentation of this weird easter egg and I'm wondering if perhaps the version of Blasteroids has anything to do with it. I am unsure as to what version mine is... Any guesses?

[Dav]

It's only in the prototype roms. That's the programmers Ed Rotberg's head.

 

"To find his head, start a game on medium difficulty... complete the first wave, then pick the upper right hand wave next. Shoot the blue crystal rocks until they turn into spinning heads."

[Atariman]

Thanks! that's pretty cool. Too bad it was only in the prototype ROMs

[Stingray]

Although it's primarily focused on building MAME cabinets, I still find the forums at the Build Your Own Arcade Controls site ( http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php ) to be a better resource that the one at KLOV. It's much more active and the members there are a lot friendlier IMO. There are several people on that board who know a lot about dedicated machines as well as conversions & MAME setups.

 

To answer one of your questions, no Blasteroids is not JAMMA based. To my knowledge there is no easy way to convert it to another game.

 

-S