HSC7 Game 13: Missile Command

[+therealbountybob]

Still a day and a bit left to play in the July Bonus Round "Time for Desert" if you're done please check your scores are correct in the table on post #2. Gonna start the next game for those with itchy trak-balls

 

Missile Command

 

Atarimania has ROM version, fandal has XEX version

 

Game Closes on Sunday 15th August 10am BST

 

Atarimania rating 7.4 (kiddingly low for one of the best games ever.)

 

Play on default settings with "bonus" cities every 10K

Space is pause

Press control and T to toggle trak-ball/joystick mode.

if you want to practice the harder levels, Control and C starts you on level 5!

 

HSC Bonus Point challenges

• 
  
• Highest score on first screen (with end of screen bonus)
  
• For making 100K
  
• Highest score for top three places in Wedgies mode (press S or Control and Z on title screen)
  

I've added a HSC Hall of Fame and a new thread "Other games you are playing". If you post on other parts of atariage please put a little HSC advert on your signature to entice a few more players

Looking forward to playing this one

 

Game On!

[Divya16]

I'll start things off using arrow keys:

[roadrunner]

25,865

 

 

 

 

[a8isa1]

Atarimania rating 7.4 (kiddingly low for one of the best games ever.)

That's close. 7.0 would be my assessment back in the old days.

 

I didn't have a trackball back then. I found the joystick control and the single missile base made for a very mediocre port of this arcade classic.

 

Today, with an improvised mouse (read below) I'll call it 8.4 (a very solid 'B').

 

Having learned that an ST mouse will function like an A8 trackball (in trackball mode only) I did a search for a conversion for a modern mouse to ST mouse. This is possible but with a bit of work. However, I was ecstatic to learn that it is much easier to convert an old bus mouse (Microsoft or Logitech). I was even able to make the Logitech left and right handed. (Buttons 1 & 3 are wired together so both work on A8 as trigger. Button 2 Should function properly when used on an ST. I don't own an ST so I can't verify this).

 

Combining my new mouse together with Paul Lee's MC hack, Missile Command Plus, bumps the gaming joy meter to 9.6 (A+, and now one of the best arcade ports for A8)!

 

Back to the subject of regular Missile Command. It's a nice change of pace from trudging across the desert

 

- Steve Sheppard

[atariksi]

Atarimania rating 7.4 (kiddingly low for one of the best games ever.)

That's close. 7.0 would be my assessment back in the old days.

 

I didn't have a trackball back then. I found the joystick control and the single missile base made for a very mediocre port of this arcade classic.

 

Today, with an improvised mouse (read below) I'll call it 8.4 (a very solid 'B').

 

Having learned that an ST mouse will function like an A8 trackball (in trackball mode only) I did a search for a conversion for a modern mouse to ST mouse. This is possible but with a bit of work. However, I was ecstatic to learn that it is much easier to convert an old bus mouse (Microsoft or Logitech). I was even able to make the Logitech left and right handed. (Buttons 1 & 3 are wired together so both work on A8 as trigger. Button 2 Should function properly when used on an ST. I don't own an ST so I can't verify this).

 

Combining my new mouse together with Paul Lee's MC hack, Missile Command Plus, bumps the gaming joy meter to 9.6 (A+, and now one of the best arcade ports for A8)!

 

Back to the subject of regular Missile Command. It's a nice change of pace from trudging across the desert

 

- Steve Sheppard

 

You can put a pull-up resistor (like 4.7Kohms) in an ST mouse from pin 7 (+5v) to pin 9 and button #2 should work without affecting anything from it being used in an ST. One of the few soldering things I have done recently. But ST mice are usually more expensive to get than PC mice which are just throw-away items these days (PS/2 type and bus ones).

[a8isa1]

Atarimania rating 7.4 (kiddingly low for one of the best games ever.)

That's close. 7.0 would be my assessment back in the old days.

 

I didn't have a trackball back then. I found the joystick control and the single missile base made for a very mediocre port of this arcade classic.

 

Today, with an improvised mouse (read below) I'll call it 8.4 (a very solid 'B').

 

Having learned that an ST mouse will function like an A8 trackball (in trackball mode only) I did a search for a conversion for a modern mouse to ST mouse. This is possible but with a bit of work. However, I was ecstatic to learn that it is much easier to convert an old bus mouse (Microsoft or Logitech). I was even able to make the Logitech left and right handed. (Buttons 1 & 3 are wired together so both work on A8 as trigger. Button 2 Should function properly when used on an ST. I don't own an ST so I can't verify this).

 

Combining my new mouse together with Paul Lee's MC hack, Missile Command Plus, bumps the gaming joy meter to 9.6 (A+, and now one of the best arcade ports for A8)!

 

Back to the subject of regular Missile Command. It's a nice change of pace from trudging across the desert

 

- Steve Sheppard

 

You can put a pull-up resistor (like 4.7Kohms) in an ST mouse from pin 7 (+5v) to pin 9 and button #2 should work without affecting anything from it being used in an ST. One of the few soldering things I have done recently. But ST mice are usually more expensive to get than PC mice which are just throw-away items these days (PS/2 type and bus ones).

 

Great!

 

As I said, I don't currently own an ST. However, I've got plenty of 4K7's so I might as well put one in.

- Steve Sheppard

[a8isa1]

OK, here's my first game.

 

[a8isa1]

47,235.

 

1020 on the 1st screen.

 

 

- Steve Sheppard

[4Ks]

12,415

 

Finally, a game I actually own.

[a8isa1]

The 'wedgie' mode doesn't seem to be available using the ROM image from Atarimania. Also, although the trackball does work, there is no indicator to show it has been activated as there is with the XEX.

 

- Steve Sheppard

[zylon]

One of my favorites. 58,400

I still prefer the 5200 version but this one's cool too.

[+therealbountybob]

First go and nearly a p.b.

1,030 Screen 1

136,525

I'm hoping you're up for this one _Fandal_

 

Post for Anna (my sister who I made play!):

14,830

[+therealbountybob]

Finally, a game I actually own.

 

If you've got a disk drive I could post you a couple of disks of likely HSC games if you let me know what you have

 

I'll start things off using arrow keys:

If you're using emulation atari800win+4.0 lets you capture the mouse and set it to trak-ball mode. For other emulators etc or keyboard use may be try mapping a block of 9 keys so you can use the diagonals on single keys or Get a Joystick sorted already

[a8isa1]

What is the max for the 1st screen?

 

I got 1035 this time.

 

[+therealbountybob]

What is the max for the 1st screen?

 

I got 1035 this time.

 

1030 you're disqualified

[atariksi]

The 'wedgie' mode doesn't seem to be available using the ROM image from Atarimania. Also, although the trackball does work, there is no indicator to show it has been activated as there is with the XEX.

 

- Steve Sheppard

 

The ROM image blows up the "The End" sign at the end whereas that XEX doesn't. What's the "wedgie" mode? If that's the one with those triangle spacecrafts only, I have seen that before on cartridge-- perhaps there's a key to enable it. When you switch to trackball on ROM, it flashes.

[4Ks]

Finally, a game I actually own.

 

If you've got a disk drive I could post you a couple of disks of likely HSC games if you let me know what you have

 

I don't have a disk drive, unfortunately. I usually have to use Atari800winplus when I play in the HSC.

[a8isa1]

87,070

 

Edited August 2, 2010 by a8isa1

[Divya16]

What is the max for the 1st screen?

 

I got 1035 this time.

 

1030 you're disqualified

1040, you both are really disqualified.

 

Are we getting a bonus point for this?

[+therealbountybob]

The 'wedgie' mode doesn't seem to be available using the ROM image from Atarimania. Also, although the trackball does work, there is no indicator to show it has been activated as there is with the XEX.

 

- Steve Sheppard

I wonder if there are other ROM versions out there Does the inbuilt XEGS have this mode When did this mode get added I bet there has been a thread on this on the main forum way back when

 

 

Yes divya16, 1 bonus point up for grabs - see 1st post

[atariksi]

The 'wedgie' mode doesn't seem to be available using the ROM image from Atarimania. Also, although the trackball does work, there is no indicator to show it has been activated as there is with the XEX.

 

- Steve Sheppard

I wonder if there are other ROM versions out there Does the inbuilt XEGS have this mode When did this mode get added I bet there has been a thread on this on the main forum way back when

 

 

Yes divya16, 1 bonus point up for grabs - see 1st post

 

Thanks for that reminder, XEGS has missile command built-in w/AV jacks so I may take that with me to work and play this game.

[+therealbountybob]

Thanks for that reminder, XEGS has missile command built-in w/AV jacks so I may take that with me to work and play this game.

... in your lunch break (just in case)

They built a home computer into the missile command game box.. wow

 

On *wedgies mode I got erm 173,045

[edit * smart missiles, look who read the instructions on atarimania, kinda fun finding out what is really going on, insert nostalgia emoticon here] [there's tons of good tips etc here ]

 

PRESS S on ROM version for wedg smart missile mode :!:

[zylon]

Some improvement: 67,200

I'll take a few more shots at it, then go running back to my 5200.

[atariksi]

What is the max for the 1st screen?

 

I got 1035 this time.

 

 

Maximum is 1045 theoretically since taking two shots takes you down to 1040 (which I just achieved). So if you can kill all missiles with one shot, it would be 1045.

[zylon]

Best I've ever got on 1st screen was 1035. If I could get the satellite to emerge at just the right spot...

Some further improvement in the game as well. 76,685