Super Cobra Improvements

[Zzalg_Repus]

 

Yes, that's what it shows on the arcade version.

 

Maybe that's why the original A8 Cobra is so huge/long...

 

I seem to remember the booty just fits under its fin or tail (or whatever it is in heli lingo).

[Gunstar]

If anyone is wondering what are all the Scramble/Super Cobra clones or similar games that Gunstar is referring too? Here are 9 I got from Fandal's site, not including the three (best) I mentioned before.

Scramble_SuperCobraClones.zip

[+MrFish]

I love the firing sound used in Eliminator.

[Zap!]

 

I guess part of the problem is that the the standard A8 controllers only have one button.

So, how do you allow for firing 2 weapons... keyboard isn't so great -- unless it's a weapon

with very limited ammo; a combination move of the joystick with the button can work

sometimes. Here they just compromise and let the button fire both. It's a different

gameplay dynamic too; but seems to work well enough for Super Cobra.

 

 

 

I have a Tac-2 with two buttons. I wonder if there is any way to utilize the second button...

[Gunstar]

 

I have a Tac-2 with two buttons. I wonder if there is any way to utilize the second button...

It could be modified to work with both buttons on a 7800 for 7800 games that use both buttons, but to use it on the 8-bit like that, the software would have to be written for it.

[Fingolfin]

Thanks for sharing all of these Gunstar!

Some very cool games here; one's I have been able to try so far.

I love the firing sound used in Eliminator.

 

And the rainbow bullet fire too!

[Fingolfin]

MrFish, I believe Zzalg_Repus is onto something: using NTSC machines (130XE and 800XL) I am unable to pick up the booty at the end using your hack, version 4a to be specific.

This results in the game not being able to get to the congratulations screen, which should come after successfully capturing the booty, and so as is the game cannot reset to the beginning; the player gets stuck trying to complete the first level (last stage) as the code expects you to be able to grab the booty.

 

As it exists, 4a allows you to contact the booty $ but not pick it up; there's no crash of the copter either so there does seem to be some sort of response/interaction (if incomplete) between the copter in your hack and the booty $ object: if this incomplete connection/response/interaction seems to be there gameplay wise, then it should be there code wise too, right?

 

As Zzalg_Repus has wondered, the size of the copter may indeed need to synch up with the booty $ object.

I think the hack copter size change might be preventing the booty from being picked up but am not certain.

 

Would it make any sense to look at the code and look for the congratulations screen routine and what needs to happen in order for it to be triggered/called?

 

Edit/addition:

Would it make sense to try to find the booty $ object and alter it to fit the new size of the hack copter?

 

I tried to complete the game using your original .zex posted and the cartridge (specifically a .car version): although I've improved a little, I lack the skills at the moment to complete the original version. Even with unlimited continues, the final two stages are very hard to navigate with the original copter.

 

FWIW, I found this YouTube of what appears to be the Atari version being completed even though it is entitled Super Cobra Atari/Commodore.

 

Hope this helps!

Edited April 23, 2018 by Fingolfin

[kiwilove]

The other game with impressive sound effects _ from that compiliation is Wzyle!

 

Games which benefit from two buttons in use - I think should adopt the use of a MegaDrive/Genesis controller.

This has been mentioned before - but no one has hacked games to make use of this.

 

I'm guessing a Genesis controller can be picked up - more easily than most other gamepads?

Though it's a matter of luck if you do come across a used one - that is in pristine condition.

I don't know the story as regards other controllers for the Genesis - were there any produced that were popular?

Maybe SF2 joysticks? as StreetFighter 2 fans would insist on the arcade atmosphere this provides.

 

Harvey

[Gunstar]

The other game with impressive sound effects _ from that compiliation is Wzyle!

 

Games which benefit from two buttons in use - I think should adopt the use of a MegaDrive/Genesis controller.

This has been mentioned before - but no one has hacked games to make use of this.

 

I'm guessing a Genesis controller can be picked up - more easily than most other gamepads?

Though it's a matter of luck if you do come across a used one - that is in pristine condition.

I don't know the story as regards other controllers for the Genesis - were there any produced that were popular?

Maybe SF2 joysticks? as StreetFighter 2 fans would insist on the arcade atmosphere this provides.

 

Harvey

I've got a Genesis controller I modded too use two buttons on the 7800 too, but I just bypassed the controller IC entirely and hard-wired it the same way the 7800 pro-controller is hard-wired. I use it on my 8-bit too, for some game, like Space Harrier definitely. The Sega Master System controllers and the European 7800 thumbpad controllers could also be used with 2 buttons on 8-bits.

Edited April 23, 2018 by Gunstar

[+CharlieChaplin]

If anyone is wondering what are all the Scramble/Super Cobra clones or similar games that Gunstar is referring too? Here are 9 I got from Fandal's site, not including the three (best) I mentioned before.

 

Earth 2500 is available as a single/stand-alone fileversion from Homesoft... (since it's not a good game, there is no need to waste a 90k disk/image when a few KB are more than enough). Bellum is also available as a single/stand-alone file at Homesoft's page...

[Gunstar]

 

Earth 2500 is available as a single/stand-alone fileversion from Homesoft... (since it's not a good game, there is no need to waste a 90k disk/image when a few KB are more than enough). Bellum is also available as a single/stand-alone file at Homesoft's page...

Thanks, yeah I just went to Fandal's site and did a "quick" scroll through the entire archive from 0-Z and found what clones and similar games I could. I wasn't paying attention to format. You're lucky some weren't .cas! There may be more clones out there in other archives, I have vague memories of others. There were a few of these I either hadn't heard of or didn't recall, myself.

Edited April 24, 2018 by Gunstar

[tjlazer]

Shocked this game was not officially ported to the Commodore 64!

[Gunstar]

Shocked this game was not officially ported to the Commodore 64!

I am a bit shocked to hear that too. The C64 has Scramble though and a clone called Skramble I stumbled upon too, which looks better than Scramble.

Edited April 24, 2018 by Gunstar

[tane]

Very good improvement, I like v2, maybe with a new missile shape will look great also.

What tool do you use to make the hack?

[kiwilove]

A little tidbit of information. I read somewhere that Scramble was created using the Galaxian hardware.

This would explain why it was mounted with a vertical monitor - and unusual to have a horizontal scrolling game with a vertical monitor.

And because Super Cobra was the followup to Scramble - hence Super Cobra ended up being the same way.

 

Harvey

[Mclaneinc]

The Tale of Beta Lyrae, 1983 shoot-'em-up by Philip Price (Alternate Reality), has an interesting feature: the landscape is randomly generated.

 

And adjusted its play to your ability..iirc?

 

And perhaps one (or perhaps two) of the only games ever written in a shack on a beach in Hawaii

 

There's worse places to work

Edited April 26, 2018 by Mclaneinc

[Rybags]

Many of those early 80s games even from different manufacturers used very similar hardware - and that was before standardization became a thing like Atari System 3, Jamma, and the various Sega systems.

 

Z80 was almost universal and if you look at games like Frogger, Galaga, Galaxian, Scramble - they all have similar attributes for fonts, colour, sound capability.

[Mclaneinc]

Grr Matt......You missed a very nice home grown scramble type game which I hacked and with a mate added a whole set of new screens..

 

The Original is Sidewinder (reviewed by me in Atari User, and the hack by me under the name of Mole Eater is called Raid Over Libya with a whole set of brand new screens by a chap called Big Mac..wasn't the hardest hack in the world, a key scan bodge.

 

Sidewinder was a very nice scramble clone, a tad hard but Futrurewares first release, really nice lads...Noel Daniel one of the lead prgrammers went on to make Thunderfox, Oral Cornelius the muscian made music for various 8bit games and Orb of Zaramier and Quest for the Maltese chicken were titles they published via introductions from me..

 

 

Sidewinder (1986)(Futureware)(GB).atr

Raid over Libya (19xx)(Mole-Eater)h.atr

Edited April 26, 2018 by Mclaneinc

[+slx]

It could be modified to work with both buttons on a 7800 for 7800 games that use both buttons, but to use it on the 8-bit like that, the software would have to be written for it.

 

As it probably doesn't have the required wires present in the stock cable, you'd need a new cable and all the connectors inside the TAC-2 changed over to the new cable. The circuitry for the second button shouldn't be too complicated, there are lots of schematics around.

 

I am not sure it would be pleasant to play, though, especially on games where you need the second button a lot, as pressing it would require releasing the stick. The standard 7800 controllers (both Painline and Joypad) are built to have both buttons in easy reach. At least it would keep me from accidentally using Hyperspace in 7800 hyperspace...

 

If you really go ahead, it might be worthwhile to include a switch to exchange the buttons.

[+slx]

Honestly, though, I find dual buttons for multiple weapons needing a little too much thought, when you're

facing a constant onslaught of enemies needing to be dealt with using one or the other (as in the arcade

version of Super Cobra). So, the trade-offs for not having the extra button kind of equalize the whole

thing in this particular scenario.

 

Apparently growing up in a single-button game results in decreased ability to use multi-button joypads. When I got a Jaguar aged about 26 I found it quite hard to navigate between three buttons and still fail epically when trying to use present-day multi-button joypads with multiple sticks, buttons and shoulder triggers.

 

Is it just me (or my almost doubled age) or is it harder or at least takes longer to change direction using a joypad than using a stick. I can't emulate quick wiggling of the stick (as required for shooting in Shamus) with a joypad.

[Gunstar]

Grr Matt......You missed a very nice home grown scramble type game which I hacked and with a mate added a whole set of new screens..

 

The Original is Sidewinder (reviewed by me in Atari User, and the hack by me under the name of Mole Eater is called Raid Over Libya with a whole set of brand new screens by a chap called Big Mac..wasn't the hardest hack in the world, a key scan bodge.

 

Sidewinder was a very nice scramble clone, a tad hard but Futrurewares first release, really nice lads...Noel Daniel one of the lead prgrammers went on to make Thunderfox, Oral Cornelius the muscian made music for various 8bit games and Orb of Zaramier and Quest for the Maltese chicken were titles they published via introductions from me..

 

 

As I said, I'm sure there are more, I just didn't find (or remember) them all in my "quick" scroll through everything on Fandal's sight, but after that, I didn't feel like looking any more, and had plenty to make my point. I'm glad you brought these up though, as they were a couple I remembered vaguely, but not the names. Isn't there a Sidewinder II as well?

Edited April 26, 2018 by Gunstar

[Gunstar]

 

Apparently growing up in a single-button game results in decreased ability to use multi-button joypads. When I got a Jaguar aged about 26 I found it quite hard to navigate between three buttons and still fail epically when trying to use present-day multi-button joypads with multiple sticks, buttons and shoulder triggers.

 

Is it just me (or my almost doubled age) or is it harder or at least takes longer to change direction using a joypad than using a stick. I can't emulate quick wiggling of the stick (as required for shooting in Shamus) with a joypad.

For me the newer multi-button controllers were a fantastic improvement since I wouldn't have to stretch for the keyboard for additional controls any more, like so many did on systems with one button controllers. I'd love to play Lucasfilm games and flight/combat sims without stretching for keyboard controls, even games like Defender where I don't have to take my hand off the controller to reach for the space bar to hyperspace! So I totally disagree with the notion that multi-button controllers made games too complicated...only for consoles, computer games where almost always too complicated for a one button controller and had to use keyboards which are far, far more cumbersome to use with fast action games!

[+slx]

So I totally disagree with the notion that multi-button controllers made games too complicated...only for consoles, computer games where almost always too complicated for a one button controller and had to use keyboards which are far, far more cumbersome to use with fast action games!

 

Don't doubt that, it's just that I always mix up buttons that way while I rarely miss the mark on a keyboard. Maybe I should play more Jaguar or buy a Playstation

[+MrFish]

Grr Matt......You missed a very nice home grown scramble type game which I hacked and with a mate added a whole set of new screens..

 

The Original is Sidewinder (reviewed by me in Atari User, and the hack by me under the name of Mole Eater is called Raid Over Libya with a whole set of brand new screens by a chap called Big Mac..wasn't the hardest hack in the world, a key scan bodge.

 

Sidewinder was a very nice scramble clone, a tad hard but Futrurewares first release, really nice lads...Noel Daniel one of the lead prgrammers went on to make Thunderfox, Oral Cornelius the muscian made music for various 8bit games and Orb of Zaramier and Quest for the Maltese chicken were titles they published via introductions from me..

 

I thought about mentioning Sidewinder in this thread. Even though it has nice graphics and so forth,

I find it too hard to be enjoyable. So, I find it to be a game that just sits unused in the the collection.

 

I hadn't seen your hack before though. It looks good. And in a few short minutes, I can see much

more playable than Sidewinder.

[Lord Thag]

 

Apparently growing up in a single-button game results in decreased ability to use multi-button joypads. When I got a Jaguar aged about 26 I found it quite hard to navigate between three buttons and still fail epically when trying to use present-day multi-button joypads with multiple sticks, buttons and shoulder triggers.

 

Is it just me (or my almost doubled age) or is it harder or at least takes longer to change direction using a joypad than using a stick. I can't emulate quick wiggling of the stick (as required for shooting in Shamus) with a joypad.

I never had an issue adapting to the newer controllers. I quite like the Xbox and Switch Pro controllers. All the buttons allow for more features etc.

 

That said, I still love the old single button arcade stuff. I have my Atair 8 bit set up next to my PS4 and Switch. I jump back and forth all the time.