The "unidentified game from your childhood" thread

[Herbarius]

I remember the two games from my childhood. I just wished I could find them again. We always played two games in high school on the apple II's (I think they were II's) One game was called "Taipan" the other was called "Hard Hat Mack" they were both on 5.25" floppy disks. The Apple machines we had used two disk drives. I do not know enough about apple machines to even guess what speed they were or what they were exactly.

 

You know their titles but you can't find them? At least "Hard Hat Mack" immediately rings a bell and should be relatively easy to find online. At least I know the C64 version is

 

Well I quickly searched and without much effort found both games for the Apple II online. They're both available at the usual place, but other sites come up as well.

[Nukey Shay]

ftp://ftp.cuhk.edu.hk/pub/oldies/apple2/images/games/action/hard_hat_mack.dsk.gz

 

ftp://ftp.cuhk.edu.hk/pub/oldies/apple2/images/games/simulation/taipan+.dsk.gz

[thebiggw]

ftp://ftp.cuhk.edu.h...hat_mack.dsk.gz

 

ftp://ftp.cuhk.edu.h.../taipan+.dsk.gz

 

Thanks, what do i use to open them and play them with?

[Nukey Shay]

Winzip, Winrar, 7zip, etc.

[Herbarius]

Extract them with whatever you have to extract gz files (whatever you have for zip files should take them as well), and then use the dsk images with your Apple II emulator.

 

I'm not really an Apple-II-guy, so I don't know if there may be better choices out there, but I am using AppleWin.

Edited June 16, 2010 by Herbarius

[+thegoldenband]

Know what? I should have looked at your link sooner.

The reference to a "skeleton key" inside the T-Rex rings a faint bell as well.

 

So, now I do think we're thinking of the same thing.

I never got to the top floor, so never saw the automat. I only got to the second floor, IIRC.

 

Curses! Seems that anyone who played this game had no idea what it was called, yet has like one single memory of it.

I'm guessing that if we systematically went through one of the Apple IIe software archives, we'd find it sooner or later. But otherwise, the game itself -- or at least any reference that would unambiguously identify it -- seems weirdly absent from the whole Internet.

 

I think we're all pretty sure this was like an Apple IIGS or Apple IIE game, right?

Absolutely an Apple IIe game since that's what we had in our local public school system (which is where I played the game), and definitely not IIgs since I never saw one of those machines until the mid-1990s.

[thebiggw]

Winzip, Winrar, 7zip, etc.

 

OOPS I re-read what I typed... I should have asked what emulator should I use?

[Nukey Shay]

The Applewin suggestion above is solid. It's free and compatability is the best out there.

 

If it doesn't work for you, head over to Zophar's Domain.

[+Propane13]

I'm guessing that if we systematically went through one of the Apple IIe software archives, we'd find it sooner or later. But otherwise, the game itself -- or at least any reference that would unambiguously identify it -- seems weirdly absent from the whole Internet.

 

And, that, would be a travesty. We need to figure this one out!

 

I found this website, which had some interesting items:

http://www.inthe80s.com/compgame.shtml

 

There is a "Mysers house" listed, which I found zero information on while Google searching.

Then, there is "Mystery House", which seemed a little better, but the results are still not the same.

 

I also found "Hugo's House of Horrors", which also seemed to not fit the bill (not sure if this was an apple game, but "felt" similar:

 

I think we can do this.

In fact, I really want to find this.

 

-John

[Nukey Shay]

You could search through the FTP archive above. AFAIK, it's the largest collection of Apple software in a single spot...and it's still leechable if you want to download in your sleep (right-click, copy to folder).

[madmax2069]

You could search through the FTP archive above. AFAIK, it's the largest collection of Apple software in a single spot...and it's still leechable if you want to download in your sleep (right-click, copy to folder).

 

Another place of possible prospecting http://mirrors.apple2.org.za/

[+Propane13]

I have an odd suspicion that it's "Crickety Manor".

Can't verify it now.

 

But, I found these 2 threads that make it intriguing:

http://www.vintage-computer.com/vcforum/showthread.php?16459-Looking-for-info-on-the-Apple-II-game-Crickety-Manor

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&viewas=0&gid=2209243375

 

There isn't a single screenshot of this game available on the web; otherwise, I would probably be able to verify.

Can anyone easily produce one? That, or I can try this game in emulation tonight after work.

 

Thanks!

-John

[+Propane13]

Here's more evidence that our games are linked:

http://www.virtualapple.org/support/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=675

 

The dinosaur, mummy, and napoleon are all together.

 

Virtual Apple is an interesting application-- it's allows your browser to play Apple ][ games.

Anyone ever use it? That could be a quick way for me to sort through what it isn't.

 

Unfortunately, it does not support Crickety Manor, so I'll still have to look for that on my own.

 

-John

[+thegoldenband]

So are we thinking the game is Crickety Manor, or History Mystery? If the latter and it's a Microzine publication, it sounds like those disk images are hard to find, and have some copy protection to deal with as well. I wasn't able to find either game in the archives linked above (and thanks to Nukey Shay for those).

 

It sounds perilously close to exactly the kind of nightmare scenario we fear: a game that used to be ubiquitous, but which has all but disappeared because it was considered ephemeral/disposable. Let's hope it shows up!

[+Propane13]

So are we thinking the game is Crickety Manor, or History Mystery? If the latter and it's a Microzine publication, it sounds like those disk images are hard to find, and have some copy protection to deal with as well. I wasn't able to find either game in the archives linked above (and thanks to Nukey Shay for those).

 

It sounds perilously close to exactly the kind of nightmare scenario we fear: a game that used to be ubiquitous, but which has all but disappeared because it was considered ephemeral/disposable. Let's hope it shows up!

 

I'd just be happy to get a name, at this point.

 

If it's History Mystery, here's someone that claims to have it:

http://www.mobygames.com/forums/dga,2/dgb,4/dgm,103664/

 

The post is from 2009-- maybe we could ask that person about it?

 

-John

[Nukey Shay]

Crickety Manor is supposedly from a Microzine Jr. "Twist A Plot" disk by Scholastic. Could be included in one of the disk collections that contain multiple files...but I'm not gonna search through that mess.

 

Somebody is selling a 2c with that game (among others), so it's definately out there someplace. And a user on this page found it archived (but unfortunately, responded via PM instead of giving a straight answer).

[+Propane13]

Sorry in advance for the information overload, but I made some progress.

 

Ok, so I got the feeling we were kind of close on this one, so invested a little more time.

I tracked down an owner of History Mystery, and asked them for "what they remember" about it.

And, surprisingly, they were willing to help, which I think is very promising, and way cool.

Most people would probably not bother to answer questions about a game that's so incredibly old.

 

Without further ado, here is the info they provided:

 

"The setting is a museum, at night, which I believe was revealed at the

beginning to be haunted. I can't remember exactly how the movement

worked, but I'm fairly sure was represented graphically, either

top-down or some sort of isometric-type view. You moved from room to

room in the museum, where various historical displays were located.

The device used to teach you about history was a casette tape tour of

the museum. When you entered a room, either automatically or upon

player request (by hitting 'T' or something) some text describing the

room would be shown. I remember in particular a room dedicated to

Robert Fulton, who created the first practical steam boat. There was

also a cafeteria with an automat, if I recall correctly.

 

There was some room in which you would be asked questions (by a ghost,

I think), and I think you could collect some items.

 

At some point you'd do something and a person (a criminal? a ghost? I

can't recall exactly) would chase you through the museum (slowly). I

don't recall right now what was the winning condition."

 

I also asked if it was related to the Microzine "History Mystery".

In digging, I found a version from Microzine #18, and here is the a link:

http://www.worldcat.org/title/microzine-no-18/oclc/14876512

Note the year-- 1986. Seems early for what we were looking for, but maybe not.

 

Anyway, I sent the link as well.

Here's the reply I received:

 

"The particular disk that you linked to in worldcat isn't the one I

have--mine has just History Mystery and The Big Nap on it."

 

So, I am willing to concede that this may be the game.

It covers the nighttime museum idea.

Certainly, I believe this covers thegoldenband's game.

It seems that this is a game with an automat-- that seems to be the main link.

My thanks goes out to thegoldenband for coming up with the name--

How did you find that out anyway?

 

I'm going to try some more research based on the newly provided info.

 

Oh, and incidentally-- if it ever came to it, is there anyone here who has expertise in preserving Apple II games?

 

Regards,

-John

[+Propane13]

Found a link that shows the box art to a lot of microzine games (including History Mystery):

http://neighborhoodvalues.com/nv/else/Tech/071ev.htm

 

-John

[telengard]

Cool thread! For the longest time I've been trying to find this helicopter shooting game. I recall flying around buildings and shooting at stuff. This was NES or later. It was sorta isometric (diagonal view) and top down if I remember right. It reminded me sorta of Blue Max.

 

Not much to go on, but maybe someone has some ideas...

 

~telengard

[yuppicide]

Good post. I posted in my other post that I found out what the game was.

 

I have another game I've been trying to find, but it's an Arcade game. Nobody has been able to point me in the right direction yet.

 

All I remember is this deli had generic cabinets and swapped out the games inside every few weeks or so.

 

One game had a black case.. I thought it said Omni on it, but I can't remember.. I was probably 8 - 12 years old at the time.

 

You flew a space ship and went to the right. There were enemies to shoot and hoops you could go through. Colliding with the hoops and you died, but going through them scored you points.

 

Unfortunately it's about all I can remember.

[Herbarius]

A friend asked me about a game he remembers seeing as a child and which didn't ring a bell with me either.

 

It was some PC (IBM-compatible) game from the 1990s, which he doesn't remember all that much about. However, he recalls that in the intro you saw a guy running over a mountain and after that a huge mushroom cloud. He's pretty sure it wasn't a 3D rendering, but a more traditional, "pixel-art" type of intro animation. The intro had a rather dark overall appearance.

 

He doesn't remember what kind of gameplay it was, it may have been a first-person shooter, but not sure.

 

We've already ruled out Duke Nukem 3D and Command&Conquer.

 

 

It's not much, and propably a little newer than the average post in this thread, but maybe someone can help anyway?

Edited July 9, 2010 by Herbarius

[Herbarius]

A friend asked me about a game he remembers seeing as a child and which didn't ring a bell with me either.

 

It was some PC (IBM-compatible) game from the 1990s, which he doesn't remember all that much about. However, he recalls that in the intro you saw a guy running over a mountain and after that a huge mushroom cloud. He's pretty sure it wasn't a 3D rendering, but a more traditional, "pixel-art" type of intro animation. The intro had a rather dark overall appearance.

 

He doesn't remember what kind of gameplay it was, it may have been a first-person shooter, but not sure.

 

We've already ruled out Duke Nukem 3D and Command&Conquer.

 

 

It's not much, and propably a little newer than the average post in this thread, but maybe someone can help anyway?

 

The game I was looking for was Zone 66. I found it out here...

 

 

By the way, wouldn't it be a good idea to "sticky" this thread?

[+Propane13]

For those interested in the "Lost in the Museum" game, I got bored this morning and did a renewed search online.

And, I found the front and back of the box-- and the back has a screenshot.

 

Here's the box:

 

Here's the zoomed-in screenshot.

 

I know it's lossy, but I'm pretty sure THIS IS IT.

 

-John

[+thegoldenband]

Hey, great revive, I was just thinking about this thread. I don't immediately recognize the screenshot, but frankly I scarcely remember what the game looked like anyway, visually speaking.

 

Assuming it hasn't been archived already, do you think the History Mystery owner mentioned earlier would be willing to arrange to have his disk copied?

 

Ha, suddenly I got a splash-screen flashback -- some vague, long-shrouded memory of a startup screen, maybe common to all these games.

Edited August 18, 2011 by thegoldenband

[Rex Dart]

Name this helicopter game for PC, please... EGA graphics I believe, sort of like choplifter, though I can't remember if you picked up people or not. You had a base you could restock missiles at. You could shoot bullets that were affected by gravity, or missiles that went straight ahead. The best part was the ground that could be destroyed. I liked just digging strange tunnels through the sides of mountains with bullets & missiles.