Matej Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Amazing game! But maybe there can be better music... I like it but after few minutes is monotone... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwilove Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 People can say what they like to - freely here - and I don't mind. There are always things I could have improved upon - here, there and everywhere - but since I was the one doing the graphics I had to go by what I thought and liked. The Hawkquest graphics especially went through several upgrade revisions ending up to what they are now. I didn't fancy designing from scratch all over again. And I thought it would be a neat idea to revisit the graphics and upgrade them, showing the difference from 1986 to 1989 to 2012 to 2016. And it was like a weird trip in a time machine to be able to have the opportunity to do so. If I had to come up with all original artwork - this project would have not got started at all. I decided to pay homage to past games - and I thought it would be neat to make use of the Atari Robot and Spaceship demo graphics within a game context - etc. To do so is a very rare opportunity - like doing the Atari Joke video animations - using the hardware to do so instead. Though I did not see the Atari Joke videos when I worked on these graphics. This project did get to be too big and long - such that there was a time, I felt that there was a possibility that it would not be finished - and would end up stopped in it's tracks. That it was taking too long and too much time. So everyone is lucky - that it did not go that way. This was never intended to be a commercial product - and it isn't. It was always going to fall short of being the perfect game - or the best game ever, etc. We are both fully aware of what is missing from it - and what it needed done with it - to make it more complete etc. But if you ever get to work on anything of this size and magnitude - you'd know decisions have to be made and you have to go by what you feel is right - at the time it is done. We did have some music guy to do some music - but he dropped out altogether very early. I would guess because of 'life' stuff. Different music was tried - but I voted for the current music, as I thought this was the best available - from what was tried. And my personal reaction was - it did suit this game better than elsewhere? If you can do better - then of course, have a go at doing so. I would like to see people doing better - or even different... I do think people are entitled to make whatever comments they like to. So only positive comments can seem to be unreal? 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emkay Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I do think people are entitled to make whatever comments they like to. So only positive comments can seem to be unreal? Don't you think, you reaction is a little over? The game is looking great and plays nice. The variation of graphics isn't just outstanding, it's really unexpected great. But music has been always a stepchild on the A8. It would have been great to have a fitting tune to the different levels. As you're writing on Atariage for somewhat longer, you could have asked for people adding tunes, and which restrictions would be needed. POKEY is as colourful as GTIA, but there is just one .... not really fitting ... tune for all levels. I'm with Matej, as the game would get fully unique, if music fitted the leveldesign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 The graphic effects and animation are astounding! There is so much variation as well. Thanks for sharing this awesome work! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 As I said before, if this game had have been released back then it would have shifted Atari's off the shelf.. That's pretty high merit... Obviously time travel has not been invented (well not that I know of) and it can't happen but its a cracking project... Paul and co should be so proud, it could quite have easily never happened because of the timescale and other things but I'm damn glad it did... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irgendwer Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 (edited) *** double post *** Edited September 10, 2016 by Irgendwer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irgendwer Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 (edited) As I said before, if this game had have been released back then it would have shifted Atari's off the shelf.. How much did an 1MB eprom cost back then? I don't want to play the grinch here and it's good to know that kiwilove not take critics too serious, but I'm asking myself if this "compilation" is bigger than it's parts? Would I prefer AB or a go in "Zaxxon", a round in "Blue Max" or a try in "Scramble", "Zybex", "Warhawk" etc. I understand the concept of an "ironical cite of classic shumps" in conjunction with the funny music, but it just don't work for me. Technically you could but some kind of motion video on an 1MB cart, so when using this much space, something 'huge' has to be the result. Compared to "Space Harrier" with its big moving objects, digi-sound and unique game-play on the A8 I find SH much more impressive. Nevertheless I like to thank Paul and Harvey for putting so much efforts and dedication into a new title for free. Edited September 10, 2016 by Irgendwer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Forget the naysayers, I think it is amazing. Thank you again for all of your time and effort and I know I will enjoy AtariBlast for many years to come. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Ok Irg, you got me with the 1MB cart As for your thought, good to hear them, we are not The Borg, we are individuals and we have all sorts of tastes and wishes, I agree with what you are saying to some levels of a degree but its horses for courses as they say and you don't like the horse as much as you wanted to, fair comment... I'm a sucker for a shump so I was partly sold straight away, its pretty, and it actually has gameplay so it ticks ->my<- boxes but each to their own.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Cafeman Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 The 2 background planes , animated as well, astounds me. How is this done? It appears the distant background scrolls 'behind' the next layer of background, which I'm pretty sure the A8 hardware can't do right? So is it just clever tile / charset manipulation? (Or is it a SECRET?) Concerning the music ... any constantly-playing music will get repetitive. It would be great to have the option to silence it with the press of a key. Or even just mute the harmony and just play the nice bass line by itself for a stretch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irgendwer Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 (edited) The 2 background planes , animated as well, astounds me. How is this done? It appears the distant background scrolls 'behind' the next layer of background, which I'm pretty sure the A8 hardware can't do right? So is it just clever tile / charset manipulation? (Or is it a SECRET?) Have a look at 1986 type-in-game Jump!: http://a8.fandal.cz/detail.php?files_id=2140 Individual char manipulations. Edit: Same technique: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/183817-a-jaguar-game-with-parallax-scrolling/page-13?do=findComment&comment=2314954(of course) Edited September 10, 2016 by Irgendwer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emkay Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 How much did an 1MB eprom cost back then? Load from floppy and some less levels would have stand it. Actually, you see stuff in the game that give a hard time to believe to others 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I had to look twice, then look deeper at the title screen. Nice effort there, I don't think that's been done much before. The music... I got deja vu, almost sure I've heard it before in the Fantasy World Dizzy or something. Really IMO that tune belongs in a kid's cutsie platformer. The game... some nice effects and stuff but it gets a bit monotonous, the enemies are somewhat predictable. The powerups a bit confusing. Overall, I'm just hoping this isn't a final release. There's potential not yet realised, hate to say it but some more work needed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FifthPlayer Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 (edited) Concerning the music ... any constantly-playing music will get repetitive. It would be great to have the option to silence it with the press of a key. Or even just mute the harmony and just play the nice bass line by itself for a stretch. I'm really thrilled this game made it out of "demo" status and became a playable game, and a good one at that - contender for best shmup on the A8. But an option to turn off the music would be appreciated. I agree with Rybags that the music, while catchy and a very nice Pokey composition, is better suited to a cutesie platformer than a shootem-up game. Edited September 10, 2016 by FifthPlayer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 The music... I got deja vu, almost sure I've heard it before in the Fantasy World Dizzy or something. Really IMO that tune belongs in a kid's cutsie platformer.. The original tune is from a C64 game called Flimbo's Quest (side scrolling platformer), think its from the 2nd level, the port of it has also been in a recent Atari game but the name escapes me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irgendwer Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 The original tune is from a C64 game called Flimbo's Quest (side scrolling platformer), think its from the 2nd level, the port of it has also been in a recent Atari game but the name escapes me... (AFAIK the first appearance was "Animal Party" then "Strictly Gone Bananas") 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irgendwer Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 (edited) Load from floppy and some less levels would have stand it. Actually, you see stuff in the game that give a hard time to believe to others As long as a single level needs less than <48/64k. You can already spend 8k for 8 charsets to get the layered animation for one style, maybe they are banked. Paul can answer this question... Edited September 10, 2016 by Irgendwer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+playsoft Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Paul, will you post the u1mb compatible file ? Attached is Rambo 1088 memory expansion version - there's a xex file plus various disk sets for different format disks should anyone want to boot it from a real drive. I have only been able to test the SSSD set on real h/w. ab1088.xex ab1088_sssd.zip ab1088_ssdd.zip ab1088_dsdd.atr 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+playsoft Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Forget the naysayers, I think it is amazing. Thank you again for all of your time and effort and I know I will enjoy AtariBlast for many years to come. Thank you Fletch. It got a better reception here than I thought but I expected some people to be disappointed. I didn't expect insults though, a little hobby which is supposed to be fun... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Attached is Rambo 1088 memory expansion version - there's a xex file plus various disk sets for different format disks should anyone want to boot it from a real drive. I have only been able to test the SSSD set on real h/w. I've got a Rambo 512k system...where is the mod instructions to make Rambo a full 1088K?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mclaneinc Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I think the opposing opinions were a bit harsh but there were some valid points just raised in a bit OTT way but free speech is just that. As one of the people who love the game, the music and the fact its been finished I'd say just don't let it irk you, we love it and thank you for all the work by you guys, we are very grateful for the time taken to write this gem. Paul.... And yes, it should be fun, sorry its been soured a little but horses for courses.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam242 Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Attached is Rambo 1088 memory expansion version - there's a xex file plus various disk sets for different format disks should anyone want to boot it from a real drive. I have only been able to test the SSSD set on real h/w. Thanks for this... playing this game on an Incognito 800 is a fairly mind-blowing experience! (the xex works fine from the CF card) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snicklin Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I for one will say that this is the Atari game that I've played the most in quite a while. The last one that had me stuck on my computer was Space Harrier. There have been good games in-between though. With regards to the comments about it not being fully complete, what game is? We loved games like Zybex back in the day, but they were fully released games which sold a lot, but the game wasn't as complete as this is. If any more time had been spent on this game, then people would say, "It's taking too long", so Paul and Harvey can't win either way. I think their attitude of, "We'll do it our way" is completely valid. Get 100 people in a room, whatever decisions are made, never do you get 100 people agreeing. Personally there are small things I'd change about this game, but I'm sure that if I did change them, there'd be people who'd change them back. Was it Steve Jobs who said, "Opinion is noise"? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popmilo Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Thank you Fletch. It got a better reception here than I thought but I expected some people to be disappointed. I didn't expect insults though, a little hobby which is supposed to be fun... This project is just awesome ! Yeah it's not the best game in the world, and music is not the best on Atari, but man how much stuff you packed in one single game... Even if it's all on one big cartridge, someone still had to code, draw and make all that... I loved that 'color sequence codes'. So cool... I would take it as a great step towards even better games. When can we expect new game from you ? 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snicklin Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 The thing that I liked most is the way that the game doesn't play in just one way. It changes, not many games go do that. The code seems to completely remove itself from its graphic mode and it doesn't scroll one way but two. With regards to that, I'd be interested to know whether there is one routine which works with the scrolling: As in: Does the code say something, "Increment one position" and then it finds the right code for the direction of travel. Or: Is there a whole routine for scrolling right and a whole routing for scrolling up? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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