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Opcode ColecoVision wishlist....


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21 hours ago, Ikrananka said:

My understanding is that the F18A takes the original 256×192 (4:3) image and pixel-doubles it to 512×384 (4:3), and then centres this in the 640×480 (4:3) resolution area.  This preserves the original 4:3 aspect ratio throughout.

 

I certainly don't see a "narrow aspect ratio" from the F18A on my monitor (Dell U2410) whether it is set to display 1:1 (no scaling) or aspect (where it enlarges the image to fill the vertical height of the screen while preserving the input 4:3 aspect ratio).  In fact taking measurements of the screen displayed with the display set to 1:1 it is exactly 4:3.

 

That isn't how it works. TMS9918 pixels aren't square. That has to do with the dot clock. Dot clock dictates how long a pixel last, or how horizontally wide it is. In order to have perfect 4:3 pixel aspect you need a dot clock of 6.14MHz, while TMS9918 is 5.37MHz. That means pixels are 1.14 times wider than taller. F18A on the other hand has square pixels because it uses VGA timing. You may prefer square pixels, but that isn't how an actual ColecoVision video looks on an analog TV.

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3 minutes ago, opcode said:

 

That isn't how it works. TMS9918 pixels aren't square. That has to do with the dot clock. Dot clock dictates how long a pixel last, or how horizontally wide it is. In order to have perfect 4:3 pixel aspect you need a dot clock of 6.14MHz, while TMS9918 is 5.37MHz. That means pixels are 1.14 times wider than taller. F18A on the other hand has square pixels because it uses VGA timing. You may prefer square pixels, but that isn't how an actual ColecoVision video looks on an analog TV.

Yeah, sorry I've been a bit slow on the uptake.  I've been doing some reading and have a much better (not good, but better) understanding of it now.  Some good reading here and this image is good.  That said, the differences in aspect ratio shown in the video Swami linked to is not representative of the difference between a non-F18A and F18A system.  The difference is actually much less than shown.  I'd say there's some display scaling going on there exaggerating the difference.

 

Anyway, sorry for taking the thread off-topic (but I enjoy learning new things so thanks for educating me).  I'll shut up now. 

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On 11/18/2019 at 5:31 PM, opcode said:

I would appreciate some input. I am looking for 50 and only 50 people that would be interested in getting my printed boxes for DKA and SGM Pro. No actual game or module, only boxes. Boxes are in new shinny state, and no more will be sold or made available, remaining stock will be discarded (for the game, even if when it get released, I won't be able to offer boxes anyway). The money would go to fund a very special project that I would present later this year. I want to speed up thing with this project and I know a lot of people have been waiting. Please contact me if you be interested. Eduardo [at] opcodegames [dot] com

Hi Ed, I replied to you newsletter which auto sent an email to info [at] opcodegames [dot] com and today I got an undeliverable error email.  I'll resend to your email above.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Ed are you still contacting folks about their interest in the boxes and new colorline games?  I requested the first day you opened up responses but have not heard anything yet at all?
 
 


Hi. I am waiting until next week, when I start shipping Front Line and Elevator Action, to contact people about those boxes. Bad experiences in the past with PayPal, if we get too many orders not marked as shipped, they could place my account on hold. Like what happened in early 2016. But if you sent me an email, I will contact you.


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13 hours ago, opcode said:

UPDATE: I will start shipping the two new color line games this week, and will also start contacting people about those boxes. :)

Thanks again for all the support! :)


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Can't wait to hear about the boxes!!!   

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Yesterday I shipped the first 1/3 of orders for Front Line and Elevator Action. I am still waiting for more PCBs, but I should be able to ship another 1/3 on Monday.
That said, I also started selling the boxes for DKA and SGM Pro. About 30 are taken already, only 20 left, first come first served. Money goes to finish the controller design.

Thanks,

Ed


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On 12/14/2019 at 11:53 AM, opcode said:

Yesterday I shipped the first 1/3 of orders for Front Line and Elevator Action. I am still waiting for more PCBs, but I should be able to ship another 1/3 on Monday.
That said, I also started selling the boxes for DKA and SGM Pro. About 30 are taken already, only 20 left, first come first served. Money goes to finish the controller design.

Thanks,

Ed


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I sent you a request for the pair of DKA/SGMP boxes and paid for them. I sent an e-mail requesting confirmation I will receive them twice, but have not heard back. Can I get a confirmation or invoice showing I am on the list to receive them? I don't know if or when they are going out since they are already constructed.

 

Has anyone gotten confirmation or an invoice for these after paying?

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7 hours ago, Swami said:

I sent you a request for the pair of DKA/SGMP boxes and paid for them. I sent an e-mail requesting confirmation I will receive them twice, but have not heard back. Can I get a confirmation or invoice showing I am on the list to receive them? I don't know if or when they are going out since they are already constructed.

 

Has anyone gotten confirmation or an invoice for these after paying?


I will be shipping boxes today and tomorrow. If you paid if should receive yours soon. In fact you should receive an email with tracking as I ship them. 
 

As for the games, unfortunately PCBs are super late. ETA was Dec 19th but I am still waiting for them. Tracking shows they are already in the US but still in transit. I guess Christmas is delaying things. 

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3 hours ago, opcode said:


I will be shipping boxes today and tomorrow. If you paid if should receive yours soon. In fact you should receive an email with tracking as I ship them. 
 

As for the games, unfortunately PCBs are super late. ETA was Dec 19th but I am still waiting for them. Tracking shows they are already in the US but still in transit. I guess Christmas is delaying things. 

Okay. Thanks.

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14 hours ago, opcode said:


I will be shipping boxes today and tomorrow. If you paid if should receive yours soon. In fact you should receive an email with tracking as I ship them. 
 

As for the games, unfortunately PCBs are super late. ETA was Dec 19th but I am still waiting for them. Tracking shows they are already in the US but still in transit. I guess Christmas is delaying things. 

 

Opcode are you still contacting people about the boxes and orders for the 2 new games?  I have not gotten any communications from your company but I realize you are super busy so no hurries, please feel free to PM me if you think mail is getting lost too.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
 
Opcode are you still contacting people about the boxes and orders for the 2 new games?  I have not gotten any communications from your company but I realize you are super busy so no hurries, please feel free to PM me if you think mail is getting lost too.
 
 


Hi,

Actually I contacted you. Maybe it went to your spam box?


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  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/11/2020 at 1:38 AM, Neogeoman said:

Would love to see a arcade faithful conversion of Congo Bongo with all 4 screens. The Colecovision version is the best home port despite missing one screen but it would be nice to play it on the coleco complete. 

An arcade-faithful Congo Bongo would be awesome. I remember as a kid being amazed at the arcade version's sharp isometric perspective graphics (like Zaxxon) and how this made it a 3D twist on Donkey Kong. The Apple II version was actually my favorite, and I used to play it all the time. The existing CV version is definitely better than the Atari 2600 offering by a million miles, but if Opcode could do a new version justice I'd buy a copy for sure and play the heck out of it.

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On 1/12/2020 at 4:54 PM, epoxy2600 said:

An arcade-faithful Congo Bongo would be awesome. I remember as a kid being amazed at the arcade version's sharp isometric perspective graphics (like Zaxxon) and how this made it a 3D twist on Donkey Kong. The Apple II version was actually my favorite, and I used to play it all the time. The existing CV version is definitely better than the Atari 2600 offering by a million miles, but if Opcode could do a new version justice I'd buy a copy for sure and play the heck out of it.

Yea I agree with you 100%. I love playing it in the arcades as well and it's one game that gets overlooked. Never played the apple version, but always loved the colecovision version. At least that port had 3 of the 4 screens where as most of the others only had two. Hopefully someone can find a way to get that 4th screen put in and tweak the graphics a bit and I'd be down for a copy 

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  • 1 month later...

For the past couple of weeks I have been working on something that a lot of people have been waiting for many years. A patch for a certain pack-in game. ;)
So what I am doing now exactly? Basically I am rewriting the code to play exactly like the arcade. Without going into too much technical detail, the old code didn’t compensate for the y axis reduction (arcade screen was vertically oriented). Now it does. I have stage 1 redone like that. 3 more stages to go. The plan is to make this “upgrade” available in the 1st semester.


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