Millipede 5200

[christo930]

19 hours ago, space_dungeon said:

I disagree that 2600 Millipede plays more like the arcade Millipede and there people on here that agree.

I have no reason to doubt there are people who like the 8 bit and 5200 versions better.  It really comes down to personal preference. To me, the 2600 version feels more authentic.

 

19 hours ago, space_dungeon said:

In comparison, 5200 Millipede looks, sounds, feels, and plays better than the 2600 version. The 2600 version is only a little faster. But the 5200 version speeds up in the later boards.

It certainly looks and sounds better.  You'd be hard pressed to find a port that doesn't look better than the 2600 version.

 

 

[Tempest]

Funny this topic should come up again.  Programmer Stephan Crandall just emailed me last week.  He didn't have anything new to add about Millipede other than the 5200 port was killed off by the Tramiel takeover like we've always suspected.

[space_dungeon]

8 minutes ago, christo930 said:

I have no reason to doubt there are people who like the 8 bit and 5200 versions better.  It really comes down to personal preference. To me, the 2600 version feels more authentic.

 

It certainly looks and sounds better.  You'd be hard pressed to find a port that doesn't look better than the 2600 version.

 

 

 

 

The 2600 Millipede color difference between the play area and the player wand is a problem. The colors between the grey, and the pink color is so poor, you can lose your player in the mix. The number of enemies that share the same color makes this game that much more unmanageable at times.

You have to focus on your player and rely on peripheral vision to take out the millipede unless the millipede starts getting close. This all does effect 2600 gameplay and the feel of the game.  

Edited March 12 by space_dungeon

[christo930]

4 hours ago, Tempest said:

Funny this topic should come up again.  Programmer Stephan Crandall just emailed me last week.  He didn't have anything new to add about Millipede other than the 5200 port was killed off by the Tramiel takeover like we've always suspected.

It's a shame that Tramiel was just as blind as the rest of the industry and mistook a shakeout for a total collapse of an industry, as if video games were the hoola-hoop of the 1980s.  He could have kept the consoles alive during the period he took over until he released the 7800.  There were a bunch of games that were basically done and could have been released pretty cheaply.  Though I dislike Tramiel, there is no denying he is good at cost cutting and may have been able to keep Atari profitable while keeping the consoles alive. 

 

All the "industry insiders" and "experts" really thought the game console was dead and that gaming, if it had a future at all, would rely on the home computer.  They just ignored how crowded the home computer market was and could not see that it was already consolidating down a few computers worldwide and that further consolidation was coming.  The last successful home computers to launch was like a year away (ST and Amiga). Every one of them missed it.  Every one of them missed the big N.  In like 3 years video gaming went from a near exclusive American industry to 100% foreign.

 

There is a pretty famous book from the era about "excellence in business" called "In Search of Excellence"  This was required reading in businesses and schools across the land.  This book was about these very special companies who embodied the very essence of "excellence' in management, customer service and most of all, profitability!!  These were the standard bearers the rest of the business community across the land could learn from and do their best to imitate.  Everyone took this book really seriously.  A best seller for 4 years in a row and selling over 3 million copies. The book is loaded with examples who went on to crash and burn fantastically barely after the ink was dry.  Atari, IBM, Wang and many others were listed in this book. 

 

Most of the time, these people are friggin clueless. Whether its academics writing books on excellence in business or executives in respect to their own fields. CLUELESS!

[christo930]

5 hours ago, space_dungeon said:

The 2600 Millipede color difference between the play area and the player wand is a problem. The colors between the grey, and the pink color is so poor, you can lose your player in the mix

Can you try to explain this differently, maybe add a screen shot?  I really don't understand what you are trying to say.

[RB5200]

On 12/10/2023 at 12:21 PM, Albert said:

have a ton of 5200 box inserts that were made to fit 5200 carts, so it would be unnecessary to hack up a 2600 insert.  If anyone needs some, please let me know, I'll sell them for $2 each plus shipping.

 

 ..Al

@Albert pm sent

[space_dungeon]

7 hours ago, christo930 said:

Can you try to explain this differently, maybe add a screen shot?  I really don't understand what you are trying to say.

Basically when you go through the different colors, the overall playing field blends together and you lose your place especially when the game goes fast.  

 

 

 

Edited March 13 by space_dungeon

[space_dungeon]

On the 5200, there's way more contrast and detail. 

[phuzaxeman]

9 hours ago, space_dungeon said:

Basically when you go through the different colors, the overall playing field blends together and you lose your place especially when the game goes fast.  

 

 

 

Great point. . There are times on the higher levels when the mushrooms (rectangles) begin to crowd the screen, and the game flickers, and you have the "bugs" coming from diagonal; it's hard to see where you are. 

[Dutchman2000]

Some comments about 5200 Millipede from Ed Logg:

 

"Months ago I also reviewed a Millipede for the 800 (or 5200 I don't remember). I sent my comments back and just last week received a letter back for Richard Frick thanking me and giving me a list of changes they have implemented. When I talked to him he recalled when the comments came back and how the programmer grumbled about doing any more changes. However after the changes were made the programmer has become very excited about the new program. Now ISN'T that a heart warming story. It sure made my week. I hope we see more cooperation like that in the future."