TRAIN - New Game for Atari 8-bit

[baktra]

The BAHA SOFTWARE group (a brand for collaborative efforts of BAKTRA Software and HardCore) from the Czech Republic presents its second game for Atari 8-bit computers named TRAIN.

Train is a port of the Vlak game for IBM PCs from 1993 created by Miroslav Němeček.

The Game

You are a cargo train driver and your mission is to collect and load all items on the screen. For every item loaded, the train is elongated by one car. During the run, you must not collide with any obstacles or with the cars of your own train. When you load all items, a gate opens and you can proceed to the next screen.

To win the game, you must finish all 50 screens. You also play for a high score.

You begin the game with three lives. For each item collected and loaded, you are given 10 points. If you finish a screen, you are awarded 200 points for each remaining life. If you lose a life, 300 points is deducted from your score (a payment for the lost cargo). You get a new life for each 5000 points. The game ends when you lose all lives. A new game can begin from any screen you have already reached.

System Requirements

Atari 8-bit computer with 48 KB of RAM, one joystick.The stereo upgrade is supported, but not required. The game is NTSC tolerant.

Credits

HardCore: Idea, music, most graphics, screens

Baktra: Code, sound effects, some graphics

Utilized Hardware Comparison

Vlak: 8086 (4.77 MHz, 1979), VGA (320x200x256, 1987), IBM PC Sound System (1981)

Train: 6502B (1.77 MHz, 1978), ANITC+CTIA (1979), 2 x POKEY (1979)

Screenshots

Vlak (PC, MS-DOS, 1993):

Train (Atari 8-bit, 2018):

Download Train

Download from the BAHA SOFTWARE's website (Czech): http://baha.webowna.cz/

Download Vlak

The original game (run in DOSBox): http://www.retrogames.cz/play_487-DOS.php?language=EN

Edited April 23, 2018 by baktra

[Mclaneinc]

Thank you, looking forward to having a play....

 

Looks fun....

 

Paul...

 

Just played, yup, hits the fun spot...Well done to all...

Edited April 23, 2018 by Mclaneinc

[+CharlieChaplin]

Reminds me of snake - but I like it !

 

And the game starts slowly/easy enough, so that even a bad player like me can solve several levels.

Edited April 23, 2018 by CharlieChaplin

[Sikor]

Nice game. Thx for sharing.

[Mclaneinc]

Damn its addictive

[xrbrevin]

many thanks!

[adam242]

Very nice! Simple, fun, additive, colorful... ticks a lot of boxes for me.

[Gibstov]

Pretty fun game. It plays like nice enhancement of the game Snake.

[baktra]

As a bonus for those of you who still own a data recorder, I have uploaded a dual track tape version of the game to our website. The game loads in 5 minutes.

[darwinmac]

Thanks for producing the game. I have only played it a little bit, but it's fun to play. I haven't played a ton of snake-like games so I am not tired of the concept.

 

Bob C

[R0ger]

Haha .. the different cars for different goods is nice touch

[Fingolfin]

Great game! Thank you for making and sharing TRAIN, baktra!

I love all things trains and this is wonderful; I agree with R0ger that different cars for different goods is great.

 

One of the reasons I enjoy living in Colorado -- besides the mountains -- is the great train scene we have.

We have busy and active BNSF and UP lines coming through Denver, maintenance yards for both and several locations where you can see cars being loaded.

 

There's the Moffat Tunnel and the Big Ten and Little Ten nearby too. There's also amazing historic railroading throughout Colorado too like the Durango & Silverton and several others.

And she ain't what she used to be but Amtrak's California Zephyr still comes through Denver twice a day, once each way.

 

And we have recently opened Caboose, formerly world famous Caboose Hobbies, right here in Lakewood (old store used to be in Denver).

 

Thanks again for making and sharing TRAIN baktra.

[baktra]

Get a glimpse of TRAIN at Youtube.

 

[baktra]

Is there anyone who can confirm the game works with the good old and real Atari 800 with 48 KB of RAM?

This time, the nature of the game allowed us to support the pre-XL/XE machines that are so rare in our country.

[baktra]

There is another video of the game. This time not recorded by BAHA SOFTWARE, but from an "independent" source.
You can see more screens. Thank you, Saberman!

[baktra]

If you like the game, download Train 2 and Train 1 Remaster from BAHA Software.

[Swami]

 

 

 

What am I doing wrong that I keep getting an html instead of the xex? I tried clicking on it and the "Save Target As".

 

Edit: Download works in Mozilla, but not MS Edge.

[baktra]

What am I doing wrong that I keep getting an html instead of the xex? I tried clicking on it and the "Save Target As".

 

Edit: Download works in Mozilla, but not MS Edge.

You cannot do much with Edge. The page is html5 compliant. If Edge decides .xex file is a web page...

[a8isa1]

Is there anyone who can confirm the game works with the good old and real Atari 800 with 48 KB of RAM?

This time, the nature of the game allowed us to support the pre-XL/XE machines that are so rare in our country.

I can confirm that all three English language binaries start and run on my NTSC 800.

 

Thank you!

 

-a8isa1

 

P.S. Train 2 also works. Sorry I missed downloading it earlier.

Edited December 19, 2018 by a8isa1

[Faicuai]

 

What am I doing wrong that I keep getting an html instead of the xex? I tried clicking on it and the "Save Target As".

 

Edit: Download works in Mozilla, but not MS Edge.

 

Seems like you are not getting the answers you need.

 

It is not really a good idea (for safety reasons) to hang loose "EXE", "COMs", etc. for downloads in public pages on the open-wild (better to always wrap with .ZIP, like AtariMania, etc.)...

 

In any case, if you are in Edge, just right-click and "Save As", and change .HTML extension to .EXE or .XEX or .OBJ, and then proceed to save locally. If after saving, you find that ".HTML" extension has been added AFTER your correction above, simply erase manually from the name of stored file, and that's it. Launch with Altirra or directly from SIDE/2 CF or from your favorite SIO-emulated Drive.

Edited December 19, 2018 by Faicuai

[R0ger]

 

What am I doing wrong that I keep getting an html instead of the xex? I tried clicking on it and the "Save Target As".

 

Edit: Download works in Mozilla, but not MS Edge.

 

Let me shorten the question a bit, and it will become clear: What am I doing wrong ? MS Edge.

 

[baktra]

 

Seems like you are not getting the answers you need.

 

It is not really a good idea (for safety reasons) to hang loose "EXE", "COMs", etc. for downloads in public pages on the open-wild (better to always wrap with .ZIP, like AtariMania, etc.)...

 

In any case, if you are in Edge, just right-click and "Save As", and change .HTML extension to .EXE or .XEX or .OBJ, and then proceed to save locally. If after saving, you find that ".HTML" extension has been added AFTER your correction above, simply erase manually from the name of stored file, and that's it. Launch with Altirra or directly from SIDE/2 CF or from your favorite SIO-emulated Drive.

 

I am using the .xex extension for these reasons. I am not a skilled web developer/admin, so I have no idea how a browser decides whether to display or download. Perhaps the server plays a role too. I have a knowledge gap in this area to remove.

The zip idea is OK, of course. Only a little complication for mobile users.

With Android I had a lot of fun determining where the .zip was actually downloaded by the browser and then even more fun looking for a reasonable App to unzip it (and not sharing my personal data with half of the world in the process). I think it was only Firefox that allowed me to choose a directory where to store the downloaded file. Ok, enough of my personal problems.

 

I know html5 supports download attribute for the a element, so I am using it in the page source code. Edge 13.0 supports the attribute too, according to the w3schools.

 

 

 

Let me shorten the question a bit, and it will become clear: What am I doing wrong ? MS Edge.

 

 

 

I think it is not necessary to mock Edge. It is just a lightweight browser.

I am testing the web page with the Edge browser, but I cannot re-create the problem. Edge offers me to download the .xex file.

[baktra]

I can confirm that all three English language binaries start and run on my NTSC 800.

 

Thank you!

 

-a8isa1

 

P.S. Train 2 also works. Sorry I missed downloading it earlier.

Thank you very much for testing it!

[baktra]

Since this thread shows some life. I will ask a question.

 

Would there be any interest in a downloadable dual track tape MP3 for Train 2? This time with my own recorded voice and not the robotic one.

I am still thinking of some good and free loading music. No need to provoke Giorgio Moroder two times.

Edited December 19, 2018 by baktra

[Swami]

 

Let me shorten the question a bit, and it will become clear: What am I doing wrong ? MS Edge.

 

The new Firefox is SUPER slow compared to the last version. Before that I always used Firefox. Now, I only use it when Edge doesn't work and six months later, Firefox still takes at least 30 seconds to load. There was something about Chrome I didn't like, but I don't remember now. Probably some security setting in Edge settings that isn't allowing executable downloads by this method.