Magnavox Odyssey Homebrews

[ManCaveArcade]

On 5/19/2020 at 7:19 PM, slydc said:

Hi MCA,

 

Thanks for the scans of the Shooting Gallery, i already added it to the M.O.Archive! Since i have just an ordinary flat bed scanner

integrated with the printer, the major problem i have are the overlays as i would need to scan a small overlay in 4 parts (iisshh!).

So if you have a bigger scanner (or anyone here), i would so much appreciate 600dpi scans of small overlays (no need of the big

ones).

 

I also don't have the x4 1973 extra games in my collection so if anyone wants to scan them, i would appreciate it very much!

But i think i still have Thomas Holzer original scans which i used for Interplanetary Voyage and W.I.N.

 

Any contributions will be very appreciated! :):):)

PM SENT

[zhorton]

On 5/19/2020 at 7:24 PM, slydc said:

 

Another game ?! OOOOhhh....smells like a Game Pack #3 will be released soon!

 

Like the name of the game in Latin which translate to "Are you Brutus ?" in English. Sorry but since i'm a Quebecian (French-Canadian),

French comes from Latin so it was easy to translate.

 

Can't wait to see the whole content of Game Pack #3.

 

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback!  The video captures some of the game, but since it is so much about hidden information (that the camera doesn't see) and subtle deduction, playing it in person is the only way to truly understand it.  I'll just say this: this is, personally, my favorite game on the Odyssey.

 

Overlay scans:  We actually scanned every original Odyssey overlay (including the '73 games and Soccer) at 400 dpi using an overhead large format scanner.  When we launch the OdysseyNow website, which is an archive of information about every game, it will include each scan, as well as a vector version for print.  The website was supposed to launch this spring, but COVID-19 shut down the university and delayed those plans.

[Atari2008]

5 minutes ago, zhorton said:

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback!  The video captures some of the game, but since it is so much about hidden information (that the camera doesn't see) and subtle deduction, playing it in person is the only way to truly understand it.  I'll just say this: this is, personally, my favorite game on the Odyssey.

 

Overlay scans:  We actually scanned every original Odyssey overlay (including the '73 games and Soccer) at 400 dpi using an overhead large format scanner.  When we launch the OdysseyNow website, which is an archive of information about every game, it will include each scan, as well as a vector version for print.  The website was supposed to launch this spring, but COVID-19 shut down the university and delayed those plans.

It looks like a very fun, intricate game. I commented in the Facebook group but I love the artwork of the overlay on this one as well! Looking forward to playing.

 

That's great that the overlays are scanned and will be available for printing! This will be a great resource for anyone who may have the cards but not the overlays or who may want to print new overlays to prevent wear and tear on the originals. Thank you for all your hard, great work!

[Blazing Lazers]

On 5/21/2020 at 1:51 PM, zhorton said:

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback!  The video captures some of the game, but since it is so much about hidden information (that the camera doesn't see) and subtle deduction, playing it in person is the only way to truly understand it.  I'll just say this: this is, personally, my favorite game on the Odyssey.

 

Overlay scans:  We actually scanned every original Odyssey overlay (including the '73 games and Soccer) at 400 dpi using an overhead large format scanner.  When we launch the OdysseyNow website, which is an archive of information about every game, it will include each scan, as well as a vector version for print.  The website was supposed to launch this spring, but COVID-19 shut down the university and delayed those plans.

Thank you so much for working hard at preserving the Odyssey, and especially for the overlay scans. That really will save wear and tear on my originals. Theoretically, if they're now vectorized, they can be resized and printed in much larger sizes to fit newer flatscreens, right?

[slydc]

On 5/21/2020 at 1:51 PM, zhorton said:

Overlay scans:  We actually scanned every original Odyssey overlay (including the '73 games and Soccer) at 400 dpi using an overhead large format scanner.  When we launch the OdysseyNow website, which is an archive of information about every game, it will include each scan, as well as a vector version for print.  The website was supposed to launch this spring, but COVID-19 shut down the university and delayed those plans.

 

Great! Then i don't have to worry about scanning any overlays then as i have a small size scanner (an all-in-one printer/scanner/fax, etc).

Once the overlays scans online, can i put a copy of them on my Archive account (for archival purpose) and i'll put a text note that these

come from you guys at VML ? This way if anything happens to your website, they will be doubled backed-up.

 

Oh and BTW, i have FINALLY received the Game Pack #2 two days ago after 6 weeks!!! I know that because of the pandemic all delivery are

delayed but it's kinda ridiculous when it could take a 9 hour drive to get to Pittsburgh. And now, you just released Game Pack #3 and i think

i'll wait 3-4 weeks before buying it since deliveries are still delayed. Haven't unpacked it yet but will do by the end of the week.

 

- Sly -

[zhorton]

On 6/1/2020 at 9:56 PM, Blazing Lazers said:

Thank you so much for working hard at preserving the Odyssey, and especially for the overlay scans. That really will save wear and tear on my originals. Theoretically, if they're now vectorized, they can be resized and printed in much larger sizes to fit newer flatscreens, right?

Thanks for your kind words!  Yes, theoretically they could be produced at any size, but practically, it's very hard to print them on the proper translucent film they were designed for at large sizes.  I'm trying to find a professional service that might be able to do it, though...

[zhorton]

12 hours ago, slydc said:

 

Great! Then i don't have to worry about scanning any overlays then as i have a small size scanner (an all-in-one printer/scanner/fax, etc).

Once the overlays scans online, can i put a copy of them on my Archive account (for archival purpose) and i'll put a text note that these

come from you guys at VML ? This way if anything happens to your website, they will be doubled backed-up.

 

Oh and BTW, i have FINALLY received the Game Pack #2 two days ago after 6 weeks!!! I know that because of the pandemic all delivery are

delayed but it's kinda ridiculous when it could take a 9 hour drive to get to Pittsburgh. And now, you just released Game Pack #3 and i think

i'll wait 3-4 weeks before buying it since deliveries are still delayed. Haven't unpacked it yet but will do by the end of the week.

 

- Sly -

Yes, absolutely--as long as you credit and link to the OdysseyNow site for the scans, feel free to mirror them on Archive.

I'm glad your Pack #2 finally arrived!  6 weeks is a ridiculously long time for that to have been in the mail, especially given the short actual distance it traveled!  Shows how much difference a border, a pandemic, and bureaucracy can make!  I doubt that anything like that bad of a delay would happen now, but as another option, you could purchase Pack 3 now and I'd be happy to hold it for whatever ship date you prefer.  I just don't want them to sell out on you, if you want one.  There are only 7 left, and I haven't even announced this on AtariAge yet...

[David.H]

Hi ?.  would like to be put down for a spacewar and percepts box please. Thank you!

[zhorton]

Well, just in time for Halloween, I've finally announced OdysseyNow Game Pack 3 on AtariAge, even though only three copies are left...  Here's the thread:

 

 

I also just posted a playthrough, with properly spooky lighting, of my revised version of Haunted House, the original Odyssey game.  It was included in Game Pack 3:

 

 

Game Pack 3 is very Halloween themed, between this and The Haunting of '72.  Playing these should make for a decent quarantined Halloween, right?

 

[zhorton]

The latest OdysseyNow game is here: Immunity!

 

 

This game debuts our Transparency Holder, which attaches to the top of TVs, adjusts to fit different screen sizes, and enables multilayered transparencies to be added and removed quickly to the standard overlay during gameplay.

 

Immunity highlights the potential optical effects of overlay stacking on a TV screen, building on the Odyssey's pioneering use of combined reflection and refraction with its overlay system. The game mimics anatomy textbooks from the 1950s through the 1980s that often made use of transparencies to provide "slices" or layers of the human body. In that spirit, Immunity is designed to be an educational game. Its disease mechanics were meticulously researched and designed to be as accurate as possible by pre-med students.  As a cooperative game, one to two players play as the human immune system against the various diseases that beset it.  Players learn about infection and immune response as well as different diseases while they play this fast-paced game!

 

This is the most difficult game we've ever designed, and took almost three years to complete!  So many interactions had to be designed: between the various bodily systems, the various diseases, the complex co-op gameplay, etc.  We went through quite a few prototypes of the transparency system until we got it right.  The game also required a great deal of medical research, a lot of artwork, and quite a bit of playtesting.

 

 

Game credits:
 

Body and Systems Paintings: Christina Suders

Concept and Transparency Hanger design: Zach Horton

Medical Research and Game Design: Farah Khan, Stephanie Lachell, Collin Higgins, Ellen Kruczek, Kyle Valker, Markell Hodges, Skylar Daily, Sarah Schneider, Madelyn Sheridan

 

 

[Odysseus]

Sign me up! Looks awesome

[+stupus]

Yep, 1 for me as well

[zhorton]

1 hour ago, Odysseus said:

Sign me up! Looks awesome

 

58 minutes ago, stupus said:

Yep, 1 for me as well

Thanks, folks!  This will be included in OdysseyNow Game Pack 5.  As usual, it will be announced on the OdysseyNow Facebook group when it is available.  I'll also post a link here.  I love hearing your feedback on games, but no need to sign up for anything.  As with our past releases, the announcement will be accompanied by a direct purchase link (which will expire after the 15 copies have all been sold).

[Mikebloke]

Impressive stuff, very inventive! 

[zhorton]

On 10/31/2021 at 4:56 AM, Mikebloke said:

Impressive stuff, very inventive! 

Thank you!  Here's another new game:

 

Earth utilizes a photograph of the earth taken in 1972, the year the Odyssey was released, combined with an opaque overlay layer that conceals the player spots when they aren't actually on the planet.  This game also utilizes our Transparency Hanger to add pollution overlays over the Earth, visually altering it and making it more difficult for players to achieve their on-screen objectives.  It's a cooperative game for 2, where you alternate between screen rounds and tabletop rounds.  The game has a full gameboard (actually a nice neoprene playmat) in which players scramble against time to find ways to reduce pollution.  This game really leans into the optical effects possible with Odyssey overlays, as well as the screen + tabletop (video game + board game) format.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Odysseus]

Another awesome looking game!

[zhorton]

3 hours ago, Odysseus said:

Another awesome looking game!

Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it!

[Odysseus]

3 minutes ago, zhorton said:

Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it!

Your teams work is certainly incredible! It’s amazing to see what Odyssey is capable of almost 50 years later

[zhorton]

Introducing Bathysphere, an OdysseyNow game. This game makes use of our newly designed game card, #15, and a beautiful collection of creature cards. It is based upon the pioneering dives of the original bathysphere in the early 1930s, which became famous for the sea creatures it discovered in the depths of the ocean. The famous illustrations of those (based upon the descriptions of the divers) were made by Else Bostelmann and disseminated to the public. So fantastic were these never-before-seen-by-humans creatures that many didn’t believe they actually existed. This game is a tribute to Else Bostelmann, ecologist William Beebe, and engineer Otis Barton.

One player uses our custom English Controllers to control the depth of the bathysphere, a second player attempts to visually "capture" sea creatures as they appear, and any number of other players alternate controlling sea creatures, whose identities, dispositions and movements are dictated by a series of cards laid out in advance. Some creatures will try to avoid the bathysphere, some will be curious about it, and some will try to attack it! The bathysphere players must quickly size up the situation and react accordingly. This is our gameplay video:

 

 

Here are a few of the creature cards included in the game:

[Dastari Creel]

19 hours ago, Odysseus said:

Your teams work is certainly incredible! It’s amazing to see what Odyssey is capable of almost 50 years later

As I think is true of just about any console the need to turn a quick profit meant that never saw what any of them were capable of until the homebrew community came along. You just need to invest a lot of time in figuring out how to make great games that push any system to its rails. 

[zhorton]

OdysseyNow Game Pack 5 is now available to purchase!

 

 

This Pack includes Bathysphere, Earth, and Immunity.  It also includes our custom Game Card 15 and our Transparency Hanger system.

 

We have 3 copies left of our 15-copy run.  No more will ever be made.  We also have one set of English Controllers.  These are required to play Bathysphere, and were included in Game Pack 2.  If you don't own Pack 2 and want this one, you can nab that extra set.

 

Both items are available to purchase directly on this page.

[Sohl]

Question for @zhorton or perhaps others... these new Magnavox Odyssey homebrews... is it true that at least some of them are using a new circuit game card/cartridge along with new screen overlays and accessories, or are they all just re-implementations on one of the original game card/cartridge set? I would think the range of possible alternate games possible with new plug-in cards would be fairly small, but I'm curious how it could-be/is-being done and how much is possible in the future. My family had an original Odyssey system when I was young, so the new publicity online of the original games has been nostalgic for me and the new game development is really amazing!

[Dastari Creel]

3 hours ago, Sohl said:

Question for @zhorton or perhaps others... these new Magnavox Odyssey homebrews... is it true that at least some of them are using a new circuit game card/cartridge along with new screen overlays and accessories, or are they all just re-implementations on one of the original game card/cartridge set? I would think the range of possible alternate games possible with new plug-in cards would be fairly small, but I'm curious how it could-be/is-being done and how much is possible in the future. My family had an original Odyssey system when I was young, so the new publicity online of the original games has been nostalgic for me and the new game development is really amazing!

Oh there is definitely room for expansion. One of the reasons is that they are developing "active cards", which is an idea that Ralph Baer had where more complex circuitry is put on the card to allow the system to do things for which it wasn't initially designed. Another thing that they've done is create different controllers, which is also an idea that Baer had, although his idea was only for a putting controller in addition to the rifle that was made.

 

I know that another Odyssey innovation that was being worked on at the time was a four-player Odyssey, which I learned about from Magnavox engineer Don Emry when I interviewed him. Now, that would be incredibly expensive, since they'd need to create a whole new system rather than add-ons to the existing system, but it would be neat to see what kind of games could be devised with a four player odyssey, which in all other ways acted like the original system. 

[Mikebloke]

On 11/23/2021 at 6:27 PM, Sohl said:

Question for @zhorton or perhaps others... these new Magnavox Odyssey homebrews... is it true that at least some of them are using a new circuit game card/cartridge along with new screen overlays and accessories, or are they all just re-implementations on one of the original game card/cartridge set? I would think the range of possible alternate games possible with new plug-in cards would be fairly small, but I'm curious how it could-be/is-being done and how much is possible in the future. My family had an original Odyssey system when I was young, so the new publicity online of the original games has been nostalgic for me and the new game development is really amazing!

Yes the stuff that zhorton knocks out on a regular basis include added circuitry to the card to allow for more complex behaviours. This is manipulation of what the console is doing already but in clever ways. The multicard that Boojakascha developed only turns things on and off like the original cards do, but can create a few new unique combinations. It's more 'versitile' than the custom cards but the custom cards are more exciting. The multicards do have the ability to add extra circuitry to it for those that are technical enough however.

 

There is some shooting mechanics possible, and some of the stuff zhorton and crew have come up with is probably about as good as it gets without modifying the inside of the console. 

 

There is a bit more we can get out the system, but there is a limit of what it can handle. That limitation is what draws many of us to make homebrew for it, each new feature development brings new wonders to a console that for commercial reasons were stripped of opportunity at the time. I try to imagine the bucket filling game and how it would have appeared (in colour!) had it not been for cost analysis forcing it to be cut. Would features like that have been enough to push it further? Would it have got copy cat, licensed and clone devices that pong got? I don't know. The introduction of Fairchild and the RCA studio II would have probably happened anyway but perhaps the odyssey could have been milked better in its 3-4 year headstart had the risk been taken. 

[zhorton]

I know many of you have seen this in the Odyssey Facebook group, but our website has finally launched!  This first version covers all of the original games released by Magnavox, including lots of images, a gameplay video for each, an explanation of the rules, and fully scanned files of all components.

 

It also includes all homebrews released for the Odyssey except for OdysseyNow games (those will arrive in a future update).  And as a bonus, I've included (as a free download), a never-before-released homebrew called Cops and Robbers. It was made a couple of years ago by a team of my students, but isn't an official OdysseyNow game. Please contact me with any typos or other errors you discover on the site, as well as suggestions for future content.  This is meant to be the master archive of all Odyssey materials that this console has lacked for so long.  (In the future we'll include in depth hardware information, electronic information, including how to repair common issues, all OdysseyNow games, and all OdysseyNow peripherals and hardware experiments.)

 

I hope you enjoy everything we have up so far, and the site's retro aesthetics!

 

www.odysseynow.org