Intellivision Hombrew Idea Thread

[GroovyBee]

All that said, I don't think you get fast enough to be fun. The divide is about 25% of the execution cycles, so making it free would only get you to about 6FPS.

 

Now there's a challenge .

[tz101]

2 more came to mind:

 

Why not an Intellivision version of Qix? Graphics are simple and would most likely work well with the system.

 

Also, Tapper and Bubbles would be great additions.

 

OK, so maybe it was 3 that came to mind...

[catsfolly]

The problem with Qix is that it requires a bitmapped display, where every bit can be turned on or off.

The Intellivision has a character based display. There are 64 characters that can be defined by the program, for the background and the sprites. So, out of the 20 by 12 character display, the Qix play area could only be about 8 by 7 characters. And, only 2 colors can be used on a character, so the "filling in" of squares would have to be done with fill patterns.

 

(non-artists conception...)

[sack-c0s]

No version of hunchback? Surely there's a good warmup exercise for someone?

[GroovyBee]

No version of hunchback? Surely there's a good warmup exercise for someone?

 

Good call! I never really got the hang of it on the Speccy. Mind you that was a long, long time ago .

[jaybird3rd]

The problem with Qix is that it requires a bitmapped display, where every bit can be turned on or off.

The Intellivision has a character based display. There are 64 characters that can be defined by the program, for the background and the sprites. So, out of the 20 by 12 character display, the Qix play area could only be about 8 by 7 characters. And, only 2 colors can be used on a character, so the "filling in" of squares would have to be done with fill patterns.

Some version of Qix might be possible, but your movements would probably be limited to the borders of the background cards. You might want to check out Thin Ice if you're looking for that kind of game on the Intellivision, because it's somewhat similar.

[GroovyBee]

The problem with Qix is that it requires a bitmapped display, where every bit can be turned on or off.

The Intellivision has a character based display. There are 64 characters that can be defined by the program, for the background and the sprites. So, out of the 20 by 12 character display, the Qix play area could only be about 8 by 7 characters. And, only 2 colors can be used on a character, so the "filling in" of squares would have to be done with fill patterns.

Some version of Qix might be possible, but your movements would probably be limited to the borders of the background cards. You might want to check out Thin Ice if you're looking for that kind of game on the Intellivision, because it's somewhat similar.

 

If you use colours squares mode (used in Snafu) the colour block resolution would be at 40x24. By overlaying some sprites you could get smoother movement between colour blocks. The Qix and Sparx could be done with sprites. You'd be limited to the first four Inty primary colours e.g. black, blue, red and tan for matching colours in the block.

 

As jaybird3rd said you could also do it with GRAM cards where you trace around the edges.

[tz101]

The problem with Qix is that it requires a bitmapped display, where every bit can be turned on or off.

The Intellivision has a character based display. There are 64 characters that can be defined by the program, for the background and the sprites. So, out of the 20 by 12 character display, the Qix play area could only be about 8 by 7 characters. And, only 2 colors can be used on a character, so the "filling in" of squares would have to be done with fill patterns.

 

(non-artists conception...)

 

That image looks like an acceptable form of Qix on the Intellivision. I wasn't expecting an arcade-close translation, but Thin Ice and Snafu give ideas of what may be possible. i was also thinking of the graphics in Tron Maze-a-Tron. Some background images in that game look close to Qix or Sparx.

[intvnut]

Not to seem like a grumpy gus, but has any one taken a stab at story boarding or otherwise working up a game concept that isn't just a straight port of an existing game? It's all too easy to say "How about a port of 'X'?"

 

One of the complaints Keith Robinson made at CGE this year when asked what he thought of the existing homebrews was that they're all just ports, and nothing new and original. I have to say I agree: I'd like to start seeing unique new games for the Intellivision. I guess I'm as guilty as any with my previous Intellivision games. My next new game will not be an arcade port.

 

GroovyBee's been porting his games over to the Intellivision, but they are his own originals. That's quite welcome, IMHO.

[jaybird3rd]

Not to seem like a grumpy gus, but has any one taken a stab at story boarding or otherwise working up a game concept that isn't just a straight port of an existing game? It's all too easy to say "How about a port of 'X'?"

 

One of the complaints Keith Robinson made at CGE this year when asked what he thought of the existing homebrews was that they're all just ports, and nothing new and original. I have to say I agree: I'd like to start seeing unique new games for the Intellivision. I guess I'm as guilty as any with my previous Intellivision games. My next new game will not be an arcade port.

 

GroovyBee's been porting his games over to the Intellivision, but they are his own originals. That's quite welcome, IMHO.

I totally agree. I've been beating that drum for a long time myself, actually:

 

 

I've complained about this before, but I also wish that "mainstream classic homebrew development" (if that isn't a contradiction) wasn't so stuck on the idea of making carbon copies of old arcade games. They're great to have ... and I'm not trying to disparage anyone's work. But, now that we have emulation on every imaginable platform, I'm not sure why anyone would put hours and hours of development into a game that can only come as close as possible to recreating another game (which you can already play anyway). Setting aside the possible legal issues, what experience does that give the player that he or she can't already get? I'd much prefer to see original games, but with the way the homebrew market has evolved, I think it's in danger of discouraging original games rather than encouraging them ("hey, this doesn't look like anything I recognize, so I don't think I like it").

 

The standard answer I get when I present these kinds of arguments is that it's easier and less risky to use existing ideas than to develop new ones. I'm also told that homebrew developers are not game designers (or that particular developers don't have any special abilities in that area), but are doing it primarily as a technical exercise. I can certainly sympathize with the creative risk and the difficulty involved in creating something original, but to me, that should be the whole point of engaging in creative hobbies of any kind. As mos6507 said in the thread I linked to in my quote:

 

 

... I think when the inevitable topic of "what would you like to see next for a homebrew" the assumption is that we're talking about which PORT would you like to see next. The idea that someone would come up with a totally original game, like Oystron which I hold up as the gold standard, is not even considered. And in the Coleco thread people are making a justification why originals are a bad idea that sounds like the marketing department of Infogrames! "Sorry, new ideas are too risky. Known properties will sell better." Is this what the hobby has turned into?

 

 

The Intellivision in particular is just begging for new game ideas, especially since it is such a unique system with strengths and capabilities all its own. Ideally, a new homebrew game for the Intellivision would be designed to play to those strengths as much as possible, instead of taking ideas for other systems and shoehorning them into what the Intellivision can do. You'll never get to see what the system really has to offer that way.

[+DZ-Jay]

The Intellivision in particular is just begging for new game ideas, especially since it is such a unique system with strengths and capabilities all its own. Ideally, a new homebrew game for the Intellivision would be designed to play to those strengths as much as possible, instead of taking ideas for other systems and shoehorning them into what the Intellivision can do. You'll never get to see what the system really has to offer that way.

 

I agree wholeheartedly with you and Joe. That said, I am also guilty of the same, for I am currently working on my very first game, which happens to be a port.

 

The reason I chose this particular game has actually to do with early childhood dreams and wishes, that only now seem attainable to me. (All those video games will pay off, mom!)

 

While working on it, I've learned so much so far that I've imagined a million and one ideas of how I could port this other game and that. But, I won't.

 

My next game will most certainly not be a port or a clone; it'll be a completely original design, if not concept, of a game. If I can't come up with a cool original idea, I won't bother. Of course, it'll probably be inspired by the games of my youth, but that's just because we gravitate to what we love.

 

However, that's a long ways ahead still. First I need to finish my first one.

 

-dZ.

Edited September 27, 2010 by DZ-Jay

[intvnut]

The standard answer I get when I present these kinds of arguments is that it's easier and less risky to use existing ideas than to develop new ones. I'm also told that homebrew developers are not game designers (or that particular developers don't have any special abilities in that area), but are doing it primarily as a technical exercise. I can certainly sympathize with the creative risk and the difficulty involved in creating something original, but to me, that should be the whole point of engaging in creative hobbies of any kind.

Indeed.

 

When I wrote Space Patrol, it was because I loved the game that inspired it, and I thought I could bring something new to the game concept, and also thought I could do the definitive home system version. I had grown up with the TI-99/4A Moon Patrol and thought it was a mere shadow of what was possible. I was still getting my legs as a game programmer, so yeah, I fell back on "reasonably well defined game concept" so that I could focus on the engine and push the Intellivision to new limits there. In the process, we did end up coming up with a lot of new material that is unique to Space Patrol. But it will always be tainted with the word "port," even though I feel it's gone far beyond that.

 

One of the things that turned out to be rather important to SP's success, though, was collaboration. Specifically, I collaborated with David Harley, who did all of the level design and much of the play testing. I worked on the engine. Since SP has 8 separate courses, and David is rather talented at course design and tuning for fun, this worked out tremendously well. SP would not have turned out as well as it had if it had remained a one man show. (Also, SP's music is as good as it is thanks to Arnauld Chevallier. I'd be remiss to not tip my hat his direction for that.)

 

My point is: If you think you're not that great at some aspect of game design, team up with someone who is! Threads like this have the potential to highlight collaboration opportunities. The folks bringing the ideas still have a lot of homework to do to keep up their side of the bargain. Making good games is a fair bit of work, whether designing, drawing artwork, composing music, coding, testing or debugging. Everyone involved needs to pull his or her weight.

Edited September 27, 2010 by intvnut

[jeremysart]

I'm always here for the artwork aspect. I also have a lot of well thought out creative ideas.

It has been one of my dreams since I was a kid to design the graphics and box art for an Intellivision game, since after all, it is my favorite console (or at least very closely tied with the VCS).

 

If you have not seen my work already, feel free to check out the link in my sig, or wait for upcoming releases from CollectorVision.

 

I think soon I will brainstorm, come up with a plausible, original idea, and "story board it" with illustrations.

With games like Thunder Castle and Tower of Doom, and home brew/ demos I have seen like Space Patrol and Castle.. a lot is possible on this great and under appreciate console.

[Rev]

I'm always here for the artwork aspect. I also have a lot of well thought out creative ideas.

It has been one of my dreams since I was a kid to design the graphics and box art for an Intellivision game, since after all, it is my favorite console (or at least very closely tied with the VCS).

 

If you have not seen my work already, feel free to check out the link in my sig, or wait for upcoming releases from CollectorVision.

 

I think soon I will brainstorm, come up with a plausible, original idea, and "story board it" with illustrations.

With games like Thunder Castle and Tower of Doom, and home brew/ demos I have seen like Space Patrol and Castle.. a lot is possible on this great and under appreciate console.

 

i would love to see some of your intv art.

[psquare75]

Late to the party but.. What about GTA? like that fake commercial?

[+cmart604]

Late to the party but.. What about GTA? like that fake commercial?

 

Yah, that ad was awesome! If anyone made that game I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

[Rev]

Late to the party but.. What about GTA? like that fake commercial?

 

Yah, that ad was awesome! If anyone made that game I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

yeah, anyone who made an atari or intv port of GTA would be forgiven of not making an original game.

 

running over hookers FTW!

[1980gamer]

Space Patrol is very cool. I loved the TI version of moon patrol!

Actually a better game with arrow keys than a joystick to me.

 

I think Parsec would make a great voice port for the Intellivision and ship speed setting with keypad.

 

However, original games would be great. A star runner type game would be fun. I never finished that game. Level 14 or 15 I think was my highest.

If you haven't played it... Get a ti99 emu and check it out. Actually it would be a great colecovision game.

 

The other thing with intellivision arcade ports, it lets me tell all of my old atari 2600 friends, Intellivision has X and it kicks the 2600's butt.

 

Any of the coleco games from scratch would be good. The in-progress donkey kong is awesome. But Zaxxon is just as bad as DK

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

1980gamer

[zylon]

Some random ideas: a good pinball, Missile Command with all 3 firing bases, a chase-view racing game, Threshold, Robotron using both discs.

[GroovyBee]

Some random ideas: a good pinball, Missile Command with all 3 firing bases, a chase-view racing game, Threshold, Robotron using both discs.

 

The Inty isn't very good at drawing arbitrary lines as required by Missile Command and it can't have enough sprites on screen as the same time to do a passable Robotron without turning it into a flicker-fest.

[+DZ-Jay]

Some random ideas: a good pinball, Missile Command with all 3 firing bases, a chase-view racing game, Threshold, Robotron using both discs.

 

The Inty isn't very good at drawing arbitrary lines as required by Missile Command and it can't have enough sprites on screen as the same time to do a passable Robotron without turning it into a flicker-fest.

 

I agree about Missile Command, but Robotron should be simple by sequencing GRAM. The robots in Robotron are fairly slow and not all move at the same time, so it should be simple enough to just draw them in the BACKTAB, as suggested by Joe's "geese" demo of the SDK 1600.

 

-dZ.

[GroovyBee]

I agree about Missile Command, but Robotron should be simple by sequencing GRAM. The robots in Robotron are fairly slow and not all move at the same time, so it should be simple enough to just draw them in the BACKTAB, as suggested by Joe's "geese" demo of the SDK 1600.

 

I haven't looked at that particular demo. However the Robotron baddies can all overlap each other multiple times on boundaries that aren't aligned with convenient BACKTAB tile boundaries. It wouldn't look good if the different types of baddie occupied the same BACKTAB cell due to the single foreground colour limit. Having said that, a game in the style of Robotron/Berzerk is entirely possible tho .

[+cmart604]

Having said that, a game in the style of Robotron/Berzerk is entirely possible tho

 

[catsfolly]

> The Inty isn't very good at drawing arbitrary lines as required by Missile Command...

 

Well, that's true, but the Atari 2600 isn't good at drawing arbitrary lines either, and Atari still managed do to a simplified version of Missile Command for the 2600 that captured the essence of the game (with a lot less arbitrary lines.)

 

Probably something similar could be done on the Intellivision...

[the-topdog]

A Logan's Run game using Night Stalker mechanics would work very well, I would think.

 

But how would you get the people chanting "renewal" to sound right?