the-topdog Posted December 13, 2010 Author Share Posted December 13, 2010 I sent my latest prototype to the-topdog earlier this week, so hopefully he'll share some of his impressions once he's had a chance to try it. I got the evaluation cartridge on Friday but had an extremely hectic weekend... I will try out the latest revision tonight or tomorrow. I am very excited about it, each revision is an evolution of the project. This last one looks like a work of art, I will take pics and do a demo video of the new menu functionality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 Just a quick update on the Aquaricart before we get any closer to the holiday break. I've finished re-typing most of the original instruction manuals, including all of the manuals for the Aquarius games. I still have some artwork to collect and some formatting to do, but thankfully the really tedious work is just about done. The only manuals left to be finished are the ones for the languages and applications: Logo, Extended BASIC, FileForm, and FinForm. These are "lower-priority" items that will probably be included only in an "abridged" format, with a command reference and other essential information, omitting the examples and tutorials and other "non-essentials." This is mainly to save space and time, but also because I'm not convinced it would be useful to have all that stuff in the cartridge, especially since full scans of the original manuals will be available on the Aquaricart website for anyone who wants to look at them. The other remaining tasks are: smoothing over some of the rough edges in the user interface, writing a manual, designing a set of labels, putting together the website, and assembling all the material into the final cartridge ROM. I should still have enough time this month to finish it all, but probably not before the holiday break. Unfortunately, this means that I won't be ready to start shipping until early January. I hate to keep everyone waiting, but this will give me enough time to finish it off properly; besides, many of the people who have written me to express interest in it have said that they won't be ready until January anyway. I'm also waiting to hear back from one of the owners of the Aquarius properties that I plan to include in the Aquaricart: I contacted them some months ago to make them aware of the project, and we've been discussing the possibility of forming a licensing agreement. Delaying until January will allow them to get through the busy holiday season so we can continue those discussions. I'd obviously like to keep everything "on the up-and-up" as much as possible, so I want to have that issue resolved before I start shipping. I'll post another update toward the end of this month, when I should have a better idea of when everything will be ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+evg2000 Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 thanks for the update Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-topdog Posted December 20, 2010 Author Share Posted December 20, 2010 Sorry it took me so long to post this update for everyone... I had the chance to play around with Jay's latest revision to the multi-cart (v1.4). It looks awesome, as it is on an actual production board. The menu system is easy to navigate with BOTH the keyboard or a hand controller. I made a video to demonstrate the differences in the menu system from the earlier version. Some great additions are the "Help" screen that is accessed via hitting "?" on the keyboard, and the bonus content such as game trivia and documentation. The manuals are great because he took the time to include graphics for both the instructions and representations of the overlays. I think this is as close to a homerun as you can get. The only think I miss about v1.3 is the ability to "boot" into a specific game by holding the appropriate menu letter while switching the Aquarius on. Once again, fantastic job jay! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 Thanks very much for taking the time to make the video! Here's an embedded link, in case anyone would find it more convenient: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LQfxHvOaJc I do plan to restore the "quick boot" feature (holding down the corresponding letter on power-up to boot directly to a cartridge), but it will take some work to do it with the new software. I've also made some slight improvements to some of the screens, along with a few other tweaks, but what you see in this video is still very close to what the final product will be like. The use of the illustrations in the on-screen manuals is one of the reasons it's taking so long to finish them: since I'm using the same character set that is used in the games themselves, it seemed crazy not to try to reproduce the in-game graphics for the illustrations (as you can see in the video in the Night Stalker manual). Several of the Aquarius manuals actually recycled their illustrations from the corresponding Intellivision manuals, or were inaccurate in other ways, so it's involved a lot of correcting and a lot of experimentation along the way. This is especially true for manuals like AD&D Treasure of Tarmin, which contains lots of illustrations of the magic items and the enemies. I'm having to play through the game so I can collect screenshots of the enemies, and I'm afraid I'm having trouble getting deep enough to find them all because I'm not very good at it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+swlovinist Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 :lust::lust::lust::lust: Wow, the menu system and extras look amazing. Thank you for making this project happen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck D. Head Posted December 21, 2010 Share Posted December 21, 2010 :lust::lust::lust::lust: Wow, the menu system and extras look amazing. Thank you for making this project happen! Easy big fella! Pace yourself, or you will explode before he gets em ready to ship! Morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Well, I promised an update "toward the end of this month," and since I can't put it off too much longer, I thought I'd better post it now. I've actually taken a bit of a break from the project over the last week or two, and frankly, I didn't realize until after I stepped away from it how badly I needed the break. I'm still picking away at the supplemental materials whenever I have time, but it's been a pretty long slog. (Just how long does it take to re-type the entire Command Reference section from the Aquarius Logo manual? A looong time.) I suppose it's not unusual for the last 10% of a project of this kind to feel like the longest and hardest of all, and this project is certainly no exception. I'd say I'm about 85% done with this final phase, and once the holidays are over, I'm going to work hard to get it finished, and to get the licensing issues resolved as quickly as possible, so I can finally begin shipping cartridges. I won't make any promises about how long it will all take, but I still anticipate a January release, so please be patient with me for just a little while longer! Beyond that (and since this is New Year's Eve), I'd just like to say a word of thanks to everyone who has followed this project with such enthusiasm over the last year. It's been an amazing journey, and it's fun now to be able to look back over this thread and to see it all documented so nicely. I'll probably start a new thread for the finished product when I'm finally ready to begin taking orders, but for now, thanks again to all of you for your interest and your encouragement. This project would not have grown as it has without your input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+cmart604 Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Well, I promised an update "toward the end of this month," and since I can't put it off too much longer, I thought I'd better post it now. I've actually taken a bit of a break from the project over the last week or two, and frankly, I didn't realize until after I stepped away from it how badly I needed the break. I'm still picking away at the supplemental materials whenever I have time, but it's been a pretty long slog. (Just how long does it take to re-type the entire Command Reference section from the Aquarius Logo manual? A looong time.) I suppose it's not unusual for the last 10% of a project of this kind to feel like the longest and hardest of all, and this project is certainly no exception. I'd say I'm about 85% done with this final phase, and once the holidays are over, I'm going to work hard to get it finished, and to get the licensing issues resolved as quickly as possible, so I can finally begin shipping cartridges. I won't make any promises about how long it will all take, but I still anticipate a January release, so please be patient with me for just a little while longer! Beyond that (and since this is New Year's Eve), I'd just like to say a word of thanks to everyone who has followed this project with such enthusiasm over the last year. It's been an amazing journey, and it's fun now to be able to look back over this thread and to see it all documented so nicely. I'll probably start a new thread for the finished product when I'm finally ready to begin taking orders, but for now, thanks again to all of you for your interest and your encouragement. This project would not have grown as it has without your input. Nice idea to take a break from all your hard work jay. Take your time and get it completed the way you want it and we'll be waiting with baited breath. Congrats on what you've accomplished so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 make sure im still on the list jaybird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 make sure im still on the list jaybird! Absolutely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcfrick2112 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Jaybird3rd, Sorry, I've been off for a while. Thank you for the update! I can hardly wait for my cartridge! You have certainly put a lot of effort into this, Jay! You deserve a little break. And I laughed a little when you mentioned having touble with Treasure of Tarmin I made it to level 22 once 'White Battle Axe: 300 gold pieces, White Crossbow: (broken) 200, White Map book: 400... Dancing around the Dragon King like a fool, PRICELESS!!' make sure im still on the list jaybird! Absolutely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Jaybird3rd,Sorry, I've been off for a while. Thank you for the update! I can hardly wait for my cartridge! You have certainly put a lot of effort into this, Jay! You deserve a little break. And I laughed a little when you mentioned having touble with Treasure of Tarmin I made it to level 22 once 'White Battle Axe: 300 gold pieces, White Crossbow: (broken) 200, White Map book: 400... Dancing around the Dragon King like a fool, PRICELESS!!' Thanks, Marc. I'm just about done transcribing and formatting the new material, and that was the most time-consuming task. I've been busy with teaching classes at my Alma mater (I was finally awarded an adjunct contract for this semester last week), but I'm still working through Treasure of Tarmin when I have time, because I want to get screenshots of all the enemies and items so I can reproduce them accurately in the electronic manual. I think I have five enemies left to find. Fortunately, the Dragon King illustration is the largest in the manual, and it's detailed enough that I can work from that instead of having to find him in the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MattelAquarius Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Jaybird3rd,Sorry, I've been off for a while. Thank you for the update! I can hardly wait for my cartridge! You have certainly put a lot of effort into this, Jay! You deserve a little break. And I laughed a little when you mentioned having touble with Treasure of Tarmin I made it to level 22 once 'White Battle Axe: 300 gold pieces, White Crossbow: (broken) 200, White Map book: 400... Dancing around the Dragon King like a fool, PRICELESS!!' Thanks, Marc. I'm just about done transcribing and formatting the new material, and that was the most time-consuming task. I've been busy with teaching classes at my Alma mater (I was finally awarded an adjunct contract for this semester last week), but I'm still working through Treasure of Tarmin when I have time, because I want to get screenshots of all the enemies and items so I can reproduce them accurately in the electronic manual. I think I have five enemies left to find. Fortunately, the Dragon King illustration is the largest in the manual, and it's detailed enough that I can work from that instead of having to find him in the game. I'm fairly adept at trouncing around the dungeon of Tarmin. On easy, the Dragon King starts appearing on the third floor. What kind of screenshots do you need? You want screen shots using the emulator's built in snapshot function, or do you prefer the print-screen type? Which monsters do you need? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I'm fairly adept at trouncing around the dungeon of Tarmin. On easy, the Dragon King starts appearing on the third floor. What kind of screenshots do you need? You want screen shots using the emulator's built in snapshot function, or do you prefer the print-screen type? Which monsters do you need? Wow, if you wouldn't mind taking a few quick screenshots for me, that would be a big help. I'm slowly getting the hang of it, but it still takes me a very long time to find my way around, and the interesting monsters don't even begin to appear until after the first floor. I've been using the screenshot feature in Virtual Aquarius, while the enemies are directly in front of me during battle. I think I've got the items covered except for the Crossbow. The monsters I still need are: Griffin Dinosaur Jackal Wizard I have to say that I'm very impressed by the artwork in Treasure of Tarmin. Given such a limited character set, they did a remarkably good job of creating recognizable renditions of all the items and all the enemies, in different sizes and from different angles, and they even worked in some "shading" on the walls to create a sense of depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MattelAquarius Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Wow, if you wouldn't mind taking a few quick screenshots for me, that would be a big help. I'm slowly getting the hang of it, but it still takes me a very long time to find my way around, and the interesting monsters don't even begin to appear until after the first floor. I've been using the screenshot feature in Virtual Aquarius, while the enemies are directly in front of me during battle. I think I've got the items covered except for the Crossbow. The monsters I still need are: Griffin Dinosaur Jackal Wizard I have to say that I'm very impressed by the artwork in Treasure of Tarmin. Given such a limited character set, they did a remarkably good job of creating recognizable renditions of all the items and all the enemies, in different sizes and from different angles, and they even worked in some "shading" on the walls to create a sense of depth. I'm on it. I am also a big fan of the programming and artwork that went into the Aquarius AD&D. The Wizard is my favorite. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psquare75 Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Another Tarmin fan.. Yes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+MattelAquarius Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 I think I've got the items covered except for the Crossbow. The monsters I still need are: Griffin Dinosaur Jackal Wizard Will these do? AD&D screenshots.zip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Will these do? Yes, indeed! Thank you so much for taking the time to capture these. I haven't had time this past week to fire up Treasure of Tarmin again, so this will be a tremendous help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrozoneorg Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 This is great work Jay. Just reading about everything you have done is impressive. Then I look at the video and the photos and I realise how much work has gone into this. Thanks so much for doing this. It gives us all a chance to enjoy Aquarius games on a real system. I can't wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-topdog Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Hi Jay, I have given a screw fit cart to my friend this morning(caught him on the way to work wile I was scraping ice off my car!). As soon as I have some solid info I PM you the results. Thanks again for all your hard work:) Best, Chris Any news from your friend about cart shell costs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Any update Jay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaybird3rd Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Any update Jay?I'm still working on it, but my progress has been slow. I haven't had much free time this past month (mostly because of my new job as a part-time instructor at my alma mater), and of course I thought of two new software features that I decided to add at the last minute. But I'm finally getting back to it; in fact, I just finished importing and formatting the AD&D artwork that Jason was kind enough to provide. That was the most time-consuming of all the manuals to convert, aside for the really looong ones like Logo. I hate to keep everyone waiting, but I'm reluctant to give estimates because I know how easy it is for me to miss them. But I'm getting close, and I've also started writing up some technical documentation for the SuperCart I (the cartridge board that I designed for this project), so that other interested programmers can begin using it for their own projects. I'll post that in the Intellivision Programming subforum this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 Any update Jay?I'm still working on it, but my progress has been slow. I haven't had much free time this past month (mostly because of my new job as a part-time instructor at my alma mater), and of course I thought of two new software features that I decided to add at the last minute. But I'm finally getting back to it; in fact, I just finished importing and formatting the AD&D artwork that Jason was kind enough to provide. That was the most time-consuming of all the manuals to convert, aside for the really looong ones like Logo. I hate to keep everyone waiting, but I'm reluctant to give estimates because I know how easy it is for me to miss them. But I'm getting close, and I've also started writing up some technical documentation for the SuperCart I (the cartridge board that I designed for this project), so that other interested programmers can begin using it for their own projects. I'll post that in the Intellivision Programming subforum this weekend. Thanks for the update. We eagerly await. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirage Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I just got a beautiful baby Aquarius, so now looking for an Expansion Block and looking forward to this multi-cart! EDIT: Got one. Just need multi-cart now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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