ColecoVision Astro Invader Homebrew

[Albert]

ColecoVision fans will be glad to learn that Scott Huggins has created a flawless port to the ColecoVision of the fast-paced arcade game Astro Invader. Scott has brought the thrill of the arcade game home to your ColecoVision, faithfully reproducing the sights, sounds, and gameplay of the original. How many waves of alien invaders can you fend off before being overwhelmed? Astro Invader is making its debut at the Oklahoma Video Game Expo on June 18th, featuring original box, label and manual artwork by Joe Kollar. If you're not able to attend the show, you can pre-order Astro Invader and it'll ship to you the week of June 20th.

 

 

For those lucky enough to be attending the show, Scott Huggins will be onhand to demonstrate and talk about Astro Invader. He's bringing a tabletop MAME cabinet, on which he'll have the arcade version of Astro Invader running so you can see side-by-side how it compares with his new ColecoVision version.

 

..Al

[Mindfield]

That's pretty damn cool! Very faithful to the original.

 

One question though.

 

"Plays like the the arcade classic?" :-)

[Albert]

That's pretty damn cool!  Very faithful to the original.

 

One question though.

 

"Plays like the the arcade classic?"  :-)

868768[/snapback]

Whoops! Guess that copy is going to be a rare collectible someday! We still have to go through some editing passes on the label, manual and box--I just needed to print materials that I could use to take some pretty pictures with--the final version will not have that error.

 

..Al

[joeybastard]

I'm such a dumb ass! I can't believe I put "the" in there twice. I'll be sending a fixed version for the next round, Al.

 

I'm shocked I could stare at something working on it for so long and not notice that.

 

Sorry Scott!

 

EDIT: just sent off fixed versions.

Edited June 6, 2005 by joeybastard

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

I have a question: Is this based on the original arcade asm code like one of opcodes conversions, i.e. resulting into an almost 1:1 conversion?

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[joeybastard]

Hi there!

 

I have a question: Is this based on the original arcade asm code like one of opcodes conversions, i.e. resulting into an almost 1:1 conversion?

 

Greetings,

Manuel

869042[/snapback]

 

 

I don't know how it was done, but I can tell you from playing it on a CV and then playing it in MAME that except for some very minor(almost unnoticeable IMHO) graphic differences they play almost identical. However he did it, it's GREAT port of the game.

 

EDIT a CV emulator I should have said. I need more coffee this morning.

Edited June 6, 2005 by joeybastard

[ScottHuggins]

Cybergoth,

 

Nope...I did it the old fashioned way. I studied the heck out of the original and tried to make the CV imitate it. Totally programmed from scratch.

 

Scott

 

 

 

Hi there!

 

I have a question: Is this based on the original arcade asm code like one of opcodes conversions, i.e. resulting into an almost 1:1 conversion?

 

Greetings,

Manuel

869042[/snapback]

 

 

I don't know how it was done, but I can tell you from playing it on a CV and then playing it in MAME that except for some very minor(almost unnoticeable IMHO) graphic differences they play almost identical. However he did it, it's GREAT port of the game.

869044[/snapback]

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

Nope...I did it the old fashioned way.  I studied the heck out of the original and tried to make the CV imitate it.  Totally programmed from scratch.

869042[/snapback]

 

Hm... so is it an easier or tougher job then?

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[ScottHuggins]

Hmm...not sure what you are getting at. It's the only way I know how to do it. Disassembling an existing game and using the ASM code to port to another platform is WAY beyond my abilities.

 

 

 

Hi there!

 

Nope...I did it the old fashioned way.  I studied the heck out of the original and tried to make the CV imitate it.  Totally programmed from scratch.

869042[/snapback]

 

Hm... so is it an easier or tougher job then?

 

Greetings,

Manuel

869064[/snapback]

Edited June 6, 2005 by ScottHuggins

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

Hmm...not sure what you are getting at.  It's the only way I know how to do it.  Disassembling an existing game and using the ASM code to port to another platform is WAY beyond my abilities.

869071[/snapback]

 

Oh...

 

Well, I was just curious why you chose the route you went. I thought when the arcade was already based on Z80 code, it would've probably been easier to base your version on that, instead of completely rewriting it. If it it was based on a totally different processor on the other hand, rewriting it from scratch might be the better way to do it.

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[ScottHuggins]

Actually, you're completely correct. I guess I shoulda tried that.

 

Hi there!

 

Hmm...not sure what you are getting at.   It's the only way I know how to do it.  Disassembling an existing game and using the ASM code to port to another platform is WAY beyond my abilities.

869071[/snapback]

 

Oh...

 

Well, I was just curious why you chose the route you went. I thought when the arcade was already based on Z80 code, it would've probably been easier to base your version on that, instead of completely rewriting it. If it it was based on a totally different processor on the other hand, rewriting it from scratch might be the better way to do it.

 

Greetings,

Manuel

869075[/snapback]

[ZylonBane]

I've played this in MAME a couple times.

 

It's not a particularly fun game.

[joeybastard]

I've played this in MAME a couple times.

 

It's not a particularly fun game.

869086[/snapback]

 

To each his own, I think it's a lot of fun. I actually prefer it to Space Invaders which I think would be the obvious comparison even though the gameplay is different.

[Albert]

I've played this in MAME a couple times.

 

It's not a particularly fun game.

869086[/snapback]

 

To each his own, I think it's a lot of fun. I actually prefer it to Space Invaders which I think would be the obvious comparison even though the gameplay is different.

869092[/snapback]

I agree, this is one arcade game I had access to when I was younger, and I remember pumping a ton of quarters into it. It gets hard pretty quickly, and can be a challenge to stay alive after a few waves of motherships. When Scott originally told me he was working on a version of Astro Invader for the CV, my initial reaction was, "Hmmm, that sounds vaguely familiar". Then when I looked on KLOV.com and saw what game it was, my reaction was, "Hot damn!" And Scott did a great job of porting it to the ColecoVision!

 

..Al

[Time-Bandit]

Hi there!

 

Hmm...not sure what you are getting at.   It's the only way I know how to do it.  Disassembling an existing game and using the ASM code to port to another platform is WAY beyond my abilities.

869071[/snapback]

 

Oh...

 

Well, I was just curious why you chose the route you went. I thought when the arcade was already based on Z80 code, it would've probably been easier to base your version on that, instead of completely rewriting it. If it it was based on a totally different processor on the other hand, rewriting it from scratch might be the better way to do it.

 

Greetings,

Manuel

869075[/snapback]

 

If you're looking for the ultimate results, taking the Z80 assembly language code, and modifying it to work on the ported console (in our case, the Colecovision) would probably give you the best results, since you're not really porting any of the gameplay, you're copying the code. Where's the real homebrewing in there? You're not creating anything, you're just manually converting a game to work from one platform to the next. There are many platforms that are similar to the Colecovision, so in that spirit of things, why not just take games from those platforms, convert them, put our names on them, and call it a classic game creation? I think it's unethically wrong to sell something where the majority of the code is not yours. It might not bother some people, but personally, as a programmer, it would bother the hell out of me.

 

What you're looking at here, is a complete original port of a classic game. Congratulations Scott in succeeding such an awesome port! I'm definitely buying a copy of this arcade game classic!

[+5-11under]

I've played this in MAME a couple times.

 

It's not a particularly fun game.

869086[/snapback]

 

To each his own, I think it's a lot of fun. I actually prefer it to Space Invaders which I think would be the obvious comparison even though the gameplay is different.

869092[/snapback]

I agree, this is one arcade game I had access to when I was younger, and I remember pumping a ton of quarters into it. It gets hard pretty quickly, and can be a challenge to stay alive after a few waves of motherships. When Scott originally told me he was working on a version of Astro Invader for the CV, my initial reaction was, "Hmmm, that sounds vaguely familiar". Then when I looked on KLOV.com and saw what game it was, my reaction was, "Hot damn!" And Scott did a great job of porting it to the ColecoVision!

 

..Al

 

869130[/snapback]

Agreed. I've had a chance to play the CV version, and it's a great game. Try it in MAME, if you haven't already.

5-11under

[Lord Helmet]

Looks like I'm gonna need some more cash at OVGE

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

If you're looking for the ultimate results, taking the Z80 assembly language code, and modifying it to work on the ported console (in our case, the Colecovision) would probably give you the best results, since you're not really porting any of the gameplay, you're copying the code.  Where's the real homebrewing in there?  You're not creating anything, you're just manually converting a game to work from one platform to the next.  There are many platforms that are similar to the Colecovision, so in that spirit of things, why not just take games from those platforms, convert them, put our names on them, and call it a classic game creation?  I think it's unethically wrong to sell something where the majority of the code is not yours.  It might not bother some people, but personally, as a programmer, it would bother the hell out of me.

869139[/snapback]

 

Hm... mixed emotions here. Personally I'm all for perfectionism, but I'm also against stealing someones work.

 

I'm totally against selling hacks, but I somehow can't consider a port from one system to another a hack: No matter how simple it may be - before the game just didn't exist on the other hardware.

 

And then, where's the real difference between a 1:1 port from scratch and an 1:1 port from the original code? You can hardly see it in the final product, no?

 

(Still, regardless of how carefully you examine the original, a port from scratch will never be as close to the original, then the original code itself)

 

As for this argument "Where's the real homebrewing in there? You're not creating anything, you're just manually converting a game to work from one platform to the next.":

 

If you don't want to port a game, why don't create something more original then? If the aim of a port is to get it as close to the orignal as possible, there's another way for you to go then if you want to have something written from scratch. Which is more fun to the programmer is just his own descission, I'd think.

 

Anyway, that's just very general thoughts and I never said anything good or bad about this port of Astro Invaders. I haven't seen it, so I can't review it. And I both appreciate original work and perfectionism. As I said, plain and simple, I just wanted to know which route Scott went and why he preferred to do it like that...

 

Greetings,

Manuel

[Time-Bandit]

ColecoVision fans will be glad to learn that Scott Huggins has created a <a href="http://www.atariage.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=310">flawless port</a> to the ColecoVision of the fast-paced arcade game <a href="http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=&game_id=6948">Astro Invader</a>.  Scott has brought the thrill of the arcade game home to your ColecoVision, faithfully reproducing the sites, sounds, and gameplay of the original. How many waves of alien invaders can you fend off before being overwhelmed?  Astro Invader is making its debut at the <a href="http://www.ovge.com">Oklahoma Video Game Expo</a> on June 18th, featuring original box, label and manual artwork by Joe Kollar.  If you're not able to attend the show, you can <a href="http://www.atariage.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=310">pre-order Astro Invader</a> and it'll ship to you the week of June 20th.

 

<a href="http://www.atariage.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=310"><img src="/images/forums/astro_invader.jpg" border="0"></a>

 

For those lucky enough to be attending the show, Scott Huggins will be onhand to demonstrate and talk about Astro Invader.  He's bringing a tabletop MAME cabinet, on which he'll have the arcade version of Astro Invader running so you can see side-by-side how it compares with his new ColecoVision version. 

 

..Al

868720[/snapback]

 

Here's another typo:

 

reproducing the sites, sounds, and gameplay of the original.

 

Reproducing the sites? Which sites? Web sites? I think sights would be more appropriate here...

[Albert]

Reproducing the sites?  Which sites?  Web sites?  I think sights would be more appropriate here...

869581[/snapback]

Thanks, I write "sites" (as in web sites) so often now that I sometimes use that word when I mean "sights". I fixed this mistake, and in four different copies of that same text I wrote up.

 

..Al

[Jess Ragan]

I've grown weary of cynics raining on the parades of homebrewers, usually using their own built-in sprinklers to do it. Yes, yes, we know the games aren't legal to produce. Yes, yes, it would be nice if hobbyists came up with their own great ideas rather than borrowing them from classic arcade games. Still, it's very exciting that these games have been made available on older systems like the ColecoVision and Atari 2600. It's also satisfying to see these systems being pushed to their limits... the ColecoVision in particular had some very poor arcade conversions which left players disappointed. Thanks to programmers like Eduardo Mello and Scott Huggins, we can finally have ColecoVision games that really DO look and feel like their arcade counterparts, not craptastic titles like Omega Race and Gorf which look like the inbred mutant second cousins of the originals.

 

JR

[+batari]

Scott has brought the thrill of the arcade game home to your ColecoVision, faithfully reproducing the sights, sounds, and gameplay of the original.

868720[/snapback]

I've always loved Astro Blaster - I think it was underrated. Pity that I fried my Colecovision a while back by using a TI 99/4 power supply

[joeybastard]

Scott has brought the thrill of the arcade game home to your ColecoVision, faithfully reproducing the sights, sounds, and gameplay of the original.

868720[/snapback]

I've always loved Astro Blaster - I think it was underrated. Pity that I fried my Colecovision a while back by using a TI 99/4 power supply

869624[/snapback]

 

This is Astro Invader a different game but excellent in it's own right.

 

Not this one

 

This one

[+batari]

Scott has brought the thrill of the arcade game home to your ColecoVision, faithfully reproducing the sights, sounds, and gameplay of the original.

868720[/snapback]

I've always loved Astro Blaster - I think it was underrated. Pity that I fried my Colecovision a while back by using a TI 99/4 power supply

869624[/snapback]

 

This is Astro Invader a different game but excellent in it's own right.

 

Not this one

 

This one

869700[/snapback]

I meant Astro Invader...

 

But at least I didn't put "the the" on a label

[Cybergoth]

Hi there!

 

Wow! Now I now why this game looked so suspiciously Taito-ish!

Ha! Because it is from Taito!

 

-> http://emustatus.rainemu.com/games/kamikaze.htm

 

Any chance of releasing a Taito edition of this game?

 

Greetings,

Manuel