Hard Hat Mack

[CaptainBreakout]

6 hours ago, carlsson said:

Considering it was part of the first set of 5 games that Electronic Arts ever released (mainly Atari 8-bit and Apple II versions, the C64 ports seem to have been released later in the year), it is strange that then-current-day EA didn't pay a little more attention to it. From what I understand though, they still have or used to have conference rooms named after M.U.L.E. which also was contemporary with Archon, Axis Assassin and Worms? (question mark part of the game name).

 

Now as a publisher, I suppose their rights to the games ended many years ago, or the original development teams bought those back over the years. I'm quite sure current-day Ozark has full rights to M.U.L.E, that Jon Freeman & Anne Westfall has the rights to Archon etc. Dunno about Hard Hat Mack and the others.

Yes, it was odd to me. Certain franchises tended to be treated with reverence... M.U.L.E.  was one. Chuck Yeager Advanced Flight Trainer was another, and obviously Madden. One obscure one that the old guard held in high regard was Seven Cities of Gold.

 

But yeah, I bet if I mentioned Hard Hat Mack, Axis Assassin or even more recent ones like B.O.B. or James Pond... it was all deeply obscure in the company culture. EA in the early days was really not totally sure on its identity, and when I was there the company was all about managing their sports titles, the Harry Potter and LotR licenses, and the various companies they just purchased outright (Maxis, Westwood, Origin and many others).

 

EA's deep past, especially their old odd franchises, (HHM being a perfect example) was a good ticket to get laughed if you brought it up in conversation. They weren't afraid to cancel games they were developing in-house, and did many times while I was there. Some even right on the doorstep of release.  Company culture was if you weren't 100% behind milking the hot current mainstream stuff (Harry Potter, etc), you were not pulling the line.  From my perspective, for a company that built its original identity around innovation of what computer entertainment could be, they became surprising stifling of original ideas like their launch titles -including their launch titles!

 

 

[NIAD]

On 7/6/2023 at 2:46 PM, Captain Cozmos said:

Is this a cart because it is already available on DDP, disk and rom

I mean, I'm pretty sure I have a working rom sitting around someone on my server.

HHM is only available on data pack or disk images of The Best of Electronic Arts… 2 game compilation that includes Pinball Construction Set. The actual code that makes up HHM is ADAM-centric and required a lot of re-programming to get it to work as a CV cartridge for this new CollectorVision release.

 

If you indeed have a CV rom image of HHM, then it is either a data pack or disk image that was improperly named as *.rom or someone ported the ADAM version to CV format in the past and no one knew about it.

Edited July 9, 2023 by NIAD

[Captain Cozmos]

2 hours ago, NIAD said:

HHM is only available on data pack or disk images of The Best of Electronic Arts… 2 game compilation that includes Pinball Construction Set. The actual code that makes up HHM is ADAM-centric and required a lot of re-programming to get it to work as a CV cartridge for this new CollectorVision release.

 

If you indeed have a CV rom image of HHM, then it is either a data pack or disk image that was improperly named as *.rom or someone ported the ADAM version to CV format in the past and no one knew about it.

Nope.
I have a working "rom" of Hard Hat Mack for the Colecovision which you only need a stock hardware.
I extracted it from a DDP something like 7 years ago and recompiled it to work on a Colecovision similar as I did for Diablo which we are still waiting for JW to finish.

It wasn't a big deal and turned out to be only 16k.

All I have seen so far as Collectorvision is they made a cartridge version that you need extra the hardware.  Anyone can put two and two together as to how they did it by looking at their older games.

Edited July 10, 2023 by Captain Cozmos

[CaptainBreakout]

I'm glad this game is getting a release.

 

This reminds me of the back and forth I used to see back when the Apple II was still happening. Who could take credit for doing what... Sometimes a black hat would turn and become a white hat and start writing original games... (A guy who's handle was Hot Rod was the best example I can think of for this... He wrote Alf and many others for the Apple II but started out as a hacker.)

 

This is why I wish I could find the time to get into programming (again).  I kinda want to participate in this more directly.  I'd love to port games from the MSX or write them from scratch but life has me pulled in too many directions lately.

 

Anyway, like I said I'm glad this is getting a release.  The best payoff for this from my perspective is a game on a cartridge. Hard Hat Mack is an especially beloved game to me, and I have a Phoenix. I'm happy to support anyone who can release a physical game for it. Looking forward to this one especially... It's currently in the mail.

 

[NIAD]

On 7/9/2023 at 7:58 PM, Captain Cozmos said:

Nope.
I have a working "rom" of Hard Hat Mack for the Colecovision which you only need a stock hardware.
I extracted it from a DDP something like 7 years ago and recompiled it to work on a Colecovision similar as I did for Diablo which we are still waiting for JW to finish.

It wasn't a big deal and turned out to be only 16k.

All I have seen so far as Collectorvision is they made a cartridge version that you need extra the hardware.  Anyone can put two and two together as to how they did it by looking at their older games.

The last I heard, JW will not release his port of Diablo for his own personal reasons.

 

Cool to hear that you created your own CV version of HHM. Did the original ADAM version require more than 1K of RAM seeing as the programmer didn’t have to deal with that CV limitation with all the extra RAM provided by the ADAM?

 

Well, not everyone can put 2 and 2 together without possessing the necessary programming chops… ie: me!!! 😜

[Captain Cozmos]

4 hours ago, NIAD said:

The last I heard, JW will not release his port of Diablo for his own personal reasons.

 

Cool to hear that you created your own CV version of HHM. Did the original ADAM version require more than 1K of RAM seeing as the programmer didn’t have to deal with that CV limitation with all the extra RAM provided by the ADAM?

 

Well, not everyone can put 2 and 2 together without possessing the necessary programming chops… ie: me!!! 😜

My version of Diablo is completed and awaiting Publishing.  I will not speak for JW but....We all know...

 

Hard Hat Mack consists of 3 levels.
They are 3 generic screens, a few sprites and logic to move things around.
Everything is within the 1k limitations.

What some people get confused over is that most of that program is the loader and the Pinball Construction Set.

To break it down in simple terms

If you wrote the game from start to finish it would take you around 11k max and well within the resources of the Colecovision.
But grabbing a whole 256 datapack, put a wrapper on it to use within the SGM environment seems to be an easier deal.
I am only speculating how they did it based off earlier games they have released so that is my disclaimer.  Whatever works for them, go for it.
 

So the difference is work vs $$ and also the fact that you can't use it unless you have a piece of hardware marked up 800% that you can't find anymore.
 

Edited July 15, 2023 by Captain Cozmos

[+lawdawg710]

What are you talking about?  What piece of hardware are you looking for that you cannot use anymore?  SGM is readily available from Opcode!! If you are talking about the Phoenix, ok yeah it is currently not available however you do not need that in order to play it!!  Who pissed in your cheerios??!!!!  Seems you have a hardon for Collectorvision....wonder why that is Itchy Scratchy!!

[Captain Cozmos]

On 7/20/2023 at 1:27 PM, lawdawg710 said:

What are you talking about?  What piece of hardware are you looking for that you cannot use anymore?  SGM is readily available from Opcode!! If you are talking about the Phoenix, ok yeah it is currently not available however you do not need that in order to play it!!  Who pissed in your cheerios??!!!!  Seems you have a hardon for Collectorvision....wonder why that is Itchy Scratchy!!

I have nothing against Collectorvision, they do their own thing.  I looked on Ebay and the only one I found is a first run with a starting bid of $100.

The basic core of the SGM is memory, a sound chip and some logic.  Knowing a thing or two, in my opinion, is extremely overpriced but if people are willing to pay then go for it.

I own a Phoenix which is well worth the price for what you get.  If I can ever find the time then I will work on the ADAM core for it.

 

If you want to discuss the Colecovision hardware, software or programing then I am more than happy to help you out in any way I can.

But, if your only purpose is to gaslight people then I refuse to engage with you further.

Please visit my page for a status update because I won't be in the area for awhile due to a family emergency.
CC

[+lawdawg710]

On 7/21/2023 at 1:19 PM, Captain Cozmos said:

I have nothing against Collectorvision, they do their own thing.  I looked on Ebay and the only one I found is a first run with a starting bid of $100.

The basic core of the SGM is memory, a sound chip and some logic.  Knowing a thing or two, in my opinion, is extremely overpriced but if people are willing to pay then go for it.

I own a Phoenix which is well worth the price for what you get.  If I can ever find the time then I will work on the ADAM core for it.

 

If you want to discuss the Colecovision hardware, software or programing then I am more than happy to help you out in any way I can.

But, if your only purpose is to gaslight people then I refuse to engage with you further.

Please visit my page for a status update because I won't be in the area for awhile due to a family emergency.
CC

I dont need to engage with you nor care if you do me, however you obviously have something against Collectorvision, and I will call it how I see it!!  People can like me for being honest and blunt, or think I am rude and callous.....either works for me...as I am more of an "in your face" person rather than someone who will be non confrontational and vague.  You do you, whatever works for you, but I have seen on more than one occasion your vague words with negative anotations towards certain "people"!!!

 

As for the "over priced" SGM.......sorry I don't see it that way, even if you know a thing or two about hardware...there is design that went into the SGM, parts, packing material etc.  Nothing is free in life and I see no issues with what is charged as long as there is a demand for it!! We have yet to see anything you have done come to fruition in physical form, maybe then you will see the true costs incurred to produce something people want to collect and use!!   Anyway, live long and prosper dude!!!

[CaptainBreakout]

As much as I can appreciate good programing, ultimately I'm going to side with whomever can produce a physical copy and publish something. That brings me joy and it's the whole reason I'm into this scene.

 

Publishing a cart is a pretty monumental effort that takes cleaver real-world resources, time, money and guts. 

 

It just reminds me of an anecdote when I was in computer animation school.. there was a particularly skilled artist named Huy who was quick to criticize anything, published or otherwise, schoolwork or professional.

 

Huy was really good. Particularly at superheros in exoskeleton suits. His work was awesome inspiring and unique. Even to this day I think back on his stuff with admiration.

 

But he had his limits.  His abilities to draw animals were lacking.  He also couldn't draw a sexy female to save his life. 

 

One time in class he started trashing some work the instructor was showing on the projector. It was a dragon. The animation and model was not up to Huy's standards. He let everyone know it in detail, speaking up loudly from the back.

 

After a certain amount of time listening to Huy's relentless critique of the clunky dragon from the back of the class, the instructor asked loudly "How many dragons have you done, Huy?"

 

Huy kept talking.  The instructor repeated the question. Huy kept talking.

 

The instructor repeated the question one last time with authority. 

 

"How many dragons have you done, Huy?"

 

I'll leave it to the reader to image how the scene played out. I don't honestly remember. All I can say from here is I'm grateful this exchange brought this incident back to mind. Cheers all!

 

Got my copy of Hard Hat Mack on cart. I'm happy.

Edited July 25, 2023 by CaptainBreakout