Arkyology - New prototype discovered - Finished Game!

[Swami]

I try to leave the top most inner ladders for last.

 

I wonder if they tried three alligators and found it impossible or maybe that is a horror waiting on level 7 or 8.

[Swami]

 

Point taken. Revisions will be called Arky-Mod. The animation can now be turned off with the previously-unused B&W switch...and Noah's movement was never changed (that was just a suggestion to get the game easier to control on the portable version. This is no fault of the program, but the portable's cheapo controller).

One glitch that was fixed is the 77-cycle issue which skewed the display in the original game - move down the ladder immediately after starting to see what I mean. From what I can tell, this does not impact actual gameplay.

The three color changes (only done so it was easier for me to see) have been changed back.

The "ship bounce" was happening because the INTIM timer value used was just barely straddling a 76-cycle interval between displays...was this intended? Does it happen with the proto? Or is it just an issue with Stella?

The goal of getting a stable scanline count is a priority to me because modern LCD televisions can freeze the display if it ever deviates. Again, this is no fault of the program (or original 2600 hardware either), but just the fact that CRTs are becoming more scarce as time goes on.

Currently, only the transition to and from the Zzz intermission roll the display, but it's getting close.

Hacking credo: It's easier to give an apology than to get permission.

 

 

At some point, I think it would be fun to have a hack where I could start at level 4, so I could practice jumping alligators just to see if it is possible. That would be like a game in and of itself.

[alex_79]

In Stella, the ship display jumps all thoughout gameplay in the original dump. This does not alter the scanline count, tho...everything is just drawn 1 scanline lower intermittantly (the roof above the score is 1 line thicker). Doesn't happen on the portable, that's why I wondered if it was just Stella's problem (I don't own an actual VCS). Rather annoying effect IMO if it was intended

I didn't notice that in Stella nor on real hardware (but as I said I didn't have the time to properly play this game yet, I just gave it a quick test). I'll try it more extensively in the next days. Are you using the latest Stella version?

 

Many thanks for the PAL conversion!

 

[Swami]

I didn't notice that in Stella nor on real hardware (but as I said I didn't have the time to properly play this game yet, I just gave it a quick test). I'll try it more extensively in the next days. Are you using the latest Stella version?

 

Many thanks for the PAL conversion!

 

It only happens right at the beginning of each stage id or ark stage. The screen shudders for about 200 milliseconds. Its not constant.

[Nukey Shay]

@Swami

No...I was referring to the screen bounce with the original Rom. The entire screen moves down by 1 scanline inconsistantly during gameplay. If a shudder is still happening on each transition in the current hack, I got a little more work to do.

BTW I don't believe that jumping alligators is possible. He'll move right with you.

 

@alex_79

Stella 5.0.2

I suppose I should update then

[Swami]

@Swami

No...I was referring to the screen bounce with the original Rom. The entire screen moves down by 1 scanline inconsistantly during gameplay. If a shudder is still happening on each transition in the current hack, I got a little more work to do.

BTW I don't believe that jumping alligators is possible. He'll move right with you.

 

@alex_79

Stella 5.0.2

I suppose I should update then

I was referring to the original version on Stella. I only see it at the beginning of the stage id screens and ark stage screens. I never see it during game play. Of course, it may work differently for different computers or possibly a different Stella version. I am using the latest version of 5. Possibly I have something set differently in the program or it is filtered out by the monitor or driver.

[Nukey Shay]

Current version installed...yeah, the ship bounce was only present in the older version of Stella. But that is fixed for those still using it.

[Nukey Shay]

 

I wonder if they tried three alligators and found it impossible or maybe that is a horror waiting on level 7 or 8.

 

All 3 gators would be impossible...there's no platform to freely move then.

 

 

BTW the game operates on a repeating 8-day interval to set alligators:

;bits 1-3
LDAF0:
       .byte $00 ;  $DAF0 no gators
       .byte $00 ;  $DAF1 no gators
       .byte $04 ;  $DAF2 lower gator only
       .byte $02 ;  $DAF3 middle gator only
       .byte $05 ;  $DAF4 upper and lower gators
       .byte $02 ;  $DAF5 middle gator only
       .byte $05 ;  $DAF6 upper and lower gators
       .byte $01 ;  $DAF7 upper gator only

[Swami]

 

BTW I don't believe that jumping alligators is possible. He'll move right with you.

 

 

It is possible to jump the alligators, just extremely difficult.

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/155420-arkyology-new-prototype-discovered-finished-game/?p=3318918

[Supergun]

I havent been able to do it. But then again, I stopped trying. I mean, by the time I get to that point, I just dont want to risk wasting any of my extra lives in attempting it.

[Nukey Shay]

Call me a skeptic, but I can't pull it off even when single-stepping though frames.

 

By starting on Day 5 with infinite lives (so the gator is right there with you), wait 8 frames before moving (this must be done or it's jaw will be up and catch your foot later). Enable Left to move toward it until you are 6 pixels away from it (legs down). Enable INPT4 to jump. Your legs will -just- be able to clear it's closed jaw. However, you will step on it's tail as you move downward after the jump.

[+fdr4prez]

 

I wonder if they tried three alligators and found it impossible or maybe that is a horror waiting on level 7 or 8.

 

I've not played, but I don't think there should be 3 alligators because all animals entered in pairs into the ark...unless they had little baby alligators along the way

[Nukey Shay]

Excellent point.

 

Come to think of it, I haven't seen 3 turtles or 3 birds at once either!

[Nukey Shay]

Scratch that...looks like an extra turtle is aboard.

[Swami]

 

I've not played, but I don't think there should be 3 alligators because all animals entered in pairs into the ark...unless they had little baby alligators along the way

 

Seven pairs of each clean animal, but I don't think any of the critters we see are Kosher.

[DirtyHairy]

@Swami

No...I was referring to the screen bounce with the original Rom. The entire screen moves down by 1 scanline inconsistantly during gameplay. If a shudder is still happening on each transition in the current hack, I got a little more work to do.

BTW I don't believe that jumping alligators is possible. He'll move right with you.

 

@alex_79

Stella 5.0.2

I suppose I should update then

 

 

There was a dynamic algorithm in Stella 5.0.x that tried to center the screen, unless a constant ystart was configured. We changed that in Stella 5.1 to autodetect ystart once at startup and keep it fixed after that - berfore, ROMs that have varying VBLANK intervals required a constant ystart to be configured. On Stella 5.0.x, you can fix the issue by setting ystart. The same holds for 6502.ts, where I didn‘t remove the dynamic algorithm - you need to set ystart to a fixed value (30 is fine), otherwise the screen shakes as the algorithm tries to recenter it.

 

We may be removing the variable ystart in a future version of Stella altogether, and just keep it at a fixed value. This would mean that games are not centered vertically, just like on a real TV set.

[Supergun]

Call me a skeptic, but I can't pull it off even when single-stepping though frames.

 

By starting on Day 5 with infinite lives (so the gator is right there with you), wait 8 frames before moving (this must be done or it's jaw will be up and catch your foot later). Enable Left to move toward it until you are 6 pixels away from it (legs down). Enable INPT4 to jump. Your legs will -just- be able to clear it's closed jaw. However, you will step on it's tail as you move downward after the jump.

Sounds to me like it is impossible to do. Perhaps Pauls memory is failing him on that possibility. Or maybe it was possible at one point during programming but it was inadvertently altered while changes were made. Either way, I tried a few times, and got the feeling it was too difficult, if not impossible. And since I soon realized it was easier to lead the aligator away anyhow, that was the method I chose to stick with.

 

The thing here is that this isnt just a difficult game, its also a low scoring game. So the sense of accomplishment in that area is very low when you play. So that part doesnt encourage or inspire you to play again. But, because of the progression of the storyline through the use of the passing of the days & the animation of Noah sleeping during the nights, thats where you get the sense of achievement & success which makes you want to keep playing.

 

Also I feel a great part of the replay value for me, personally, is getting to see all the animals. They are of course (simplistic) as most 2600 graphics are, but yet somehow they look warm & inviting. I dont know if its the colors or the shades or what, but those sprites look really good to me when I play & I love seeing them as they pop up on the screen.

 

But I cant say it enough here. This game is really good. I mean, like an 8 out of 10 for me. But what gets me is that I think just a few minor tweaks could have made it a 9 for me.

 

1) slightly easier difficulty

2) slightly higher scoring system

3) bonus items randomly appearing for extra points.

(like Paulines purse & hat & umbrella in Donkey Kong)

 

I mean, even with having just one action screen, (but used twice mind you for 2 unique tasks) it still somehow manages to come off as an action/adventure game for me. A solid 8 with potential to have been a 9. And as a point of reference, here are some 2600 action/adventure games that I personally consider to be perfect 10s.

 

Jungle Hunt, Hero, Pitfall 2, Montezumas Revenge

 

Thats a heck of a neighborhood up there, so for 1 Atari game out of over 400 to be just below that is impressive. Paul had a winner on his hands. Its just unfortunate how the game industry was back then.

[hizzy]

At day 4, this game becomes tough! I wish there were more screens of varying styles. I, too, would like to see bonus items. I would buy this on cart!

[hizzy]

Does anyone have a trick for getting off the ladder smoothly? I get stuck pretty often

[Thomas Jentzsch]

Does anyone have a trick for getting off the ladder smoothly? I get stuck pretty often

Me too. Probably something that would have been fixed during final polishing.

 

Players want to fight the game, not the controls!

[Shawn]

Me too. Probably something that would have been fixed during final polishing.

 

Players want to fight the game, not the controls!

 

I'm sure that is something Nukey can address (or you can for that matter).

[pwalters]

Sounds to me like it is impossible to do. Perhaps Pauls memory is failing him on that possibility. Or maybe it was possible at one point during programming but it was inadvertently altered while changes were made. Either way, I tried a few times, and got the feeling it was too difficult, if not impossible. And since I soon realized it was easier to lead the aligator away anyhow, that was the method I chose to stick with.

 

<snip>

 

I mean, even with having just one action screen, (but used twice mind you for 2 unique tasks) it still somehow manages to come off as an action/adventure game for me. A solid 8 with potential to have been a 9. And as a point of reference, here are some 2600 action/adventure games that I personally consider to be perfect 10s.

 

Jungle Hunt, Hero, Pitfall 2, Montezumas Revenge

 

Thats a heck of a neighborhood up there, so for 1 Atari game out of over 400 to be just below that is impressive. Paul had a winner on his hands. Its just unfortunate how the game industry was back then.

 

 

Haha, well my memory could very well be deteriorating with advancing age... We wanted the alligator to be impossible to jump. I remember the first time I saw him get jumped, George was playing the game in one of our high-score competitions, and on one of the higher really difficult levels he jumped the alligator. Up until then we thought it was impossible. After that we all started trying it and eventually got to where we could do it in about 1 in 20 tries. I haven't dissected the pixel-by-pixel movements of the player vs alligator, but I do remember it being just barely possible.

 

On the rating, wow! thanks! To be even mentioned in the same review with those titles is quite a compliment.

 

There were a number of things you mentioned we had planned, and some that we had implemented. Unfortunately we were stuck with 8k ROM and just couldn't fit it all in, so we had to cut. On the higher scoring, do you remember that quite a few games back then started simply adding an extra zero, or 2 (or just x100) at the end of the score so it looked higher? We didn't want to do that and thought it would be a better feeling if the player earned the higher score. Perhaps we were purists, but that's why the score isn't overly gratuitous. It's just a preference, but I do understand looking at a score of 100000 feels better than looking at 1000.

[pwalters]

Me too. Probably something that would have been fixed during final polishing.

 

Players want to fight the game, not the controls!

 

I designed the movement on and off the ladders. Getting on is easy, if Noah is standing within a few pixels of the ladder he will 'jump' onto the ladder by moving the joystick up or down.

 

Getting off the ladder is easy to do so on an original joystick or even with keyboard using stella if you move in the stick in diagonal directions. If so then he stops moving when he reaches the next platform (either upper or lower) he stops moving exactly at the jump off point whereupon you simply move the joystick in the direction of travel you want to go.

 

We didn't do the jump off the ladder while midway up/down it because Noah's head would disappear in the area of the animals and tubes.

 

Just an observation on the suggestion to mod it to be easier -- IMHO - If you play a mod to make a game easier then you aren't really playing the game.

[Swami]

Does anyone have a trick for getting off the ladder smoothly? I get stuck pretty often

Me too. Probably something that would have been fixed during final polishing.

 

Players want to fight the game, not the controls!

 

I designed the movement on and off the ladders. Getting on is easy, if Noah is standing within a few pixels of the ladder he will 'jump' onto the ladder by moving the joystick up or down.

 

Getting off the ladder is easy to do so on an original joystick or even with keyboard using stella if you move in the stick in diagonal directions. If so then he stops moving when he reaches the next platform (either upper or lower) he stops moving exactly at the jump off point whereupon you simply move the joystick in the direction of travel you want to go.

 

We didn't do the jump off the ladder while midway up/down it because Noah's head would disappear in the area of the animals and tubes.

 

Just an observation on the suggestion to mod it to be easier -- IMHO - If you play a mod to make a game easier then you aren't really playing the game.

Thanks for your responses on the alligators and ladders. I have found that getting off the ladders sometimes can be a bit frustrating, since it seems you have to be in a pixel perfect position that is easy to overshoot with a joystick. A few pixels more leeway in getting off would probably be more in line with realism in getting off a ladder. I would agree that being able to jump off the ladder at 1/8 to 7/8 of the way up might be a bit much in making the game easier, but if you are very close to the bottom of the ladder, like bottom 1/8th, I don't think it should be a major hurdle to get off. Although, it is a similar problem I have with Aardvark, were it gets a bit frustrating sometimes trying to center the tongue over a hole to go through it and I often overshoot the hole backwards a forwards a time or two before getting centered properly, which can be very irritating as time is of the essence even more so in Aardvark.

 

As far as a higher scoring system, I don't really see the point. Like Paul said, its just adding a zero to the end. Maybe its just me, but if beating level 7 means getting 2000, 20,000 or 200,000, its all the same.

[accousticguitar]

 

1) slightly easier difficulty

2) slightly higher scoring system

3) bonus items randomly appearing for extra points.

(like Paulines purse & hat & umbrella in Donkey Kong)

 

 

I would like to see a version like that also, especially the easier difficulty. Later Atari games often had easier difficulty levels for children (and adults who were just average players).