Tempest Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 How many STE/Mega STE only games were made? Surely there must be a few. Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heaven/TQA Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 hmmm... ste only? do not know but STE support: - wings of death - lethal excess - a game by assembly line (with the 3d molecules shooting around....) - a bomberman clone - pinball game by UDS, maybe even substation... maybe more Thalion games... do not know... hve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maarten Martens Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 -Obsession -Substation -Team -stardust -zero 5 ... PD games -Pacman on E's -Tomtar? ... That's what comes to mind at the moment ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 Didn't Dragon's lair and Space Ace support the STE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayreon Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 Sleep Walker by Ocean. STE/TT version of LLamatron. the bomberman clone... Dynabusters+ by tSCc A really great and fun 6 player game (if you make your own adaptors for the Jag game ports on the STE) Download it here: http://www.tscc.de/waitsite.html Dragonslair and Space Ace work on the STE, but not using the E hardware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendon Posted July 10, 2003 Share Posted July 10, 2003 Pac-Man STe (I believe that's the name); great version of the game!! Mendon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted July 10, 2003 Author Share Posted July 10, 2003 Hmm... sounds like it's not worth investing in an STE just for a handful of games since it's not reall compatibile with normal ST games. I'll just stick with the Mega ST. Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lais Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 Hmm... sounds like it's not worth investing in an STE just for a handful of games since it's not reall compatibile with normal ST games. I'll just stick with the Mega ST. Tempest Then you'd be missing out on Obsession, a true masterpiece of STE gaming. I've found very, very few games to be incompatible, mainly games written in STOS (and even these can be patched). I recently thought of a hardware project and considered using the 520STFM under my desk, but after some thought, I went to my local music store and picked up a 2MB 1040STE for £25. I see hardly any disadvantage in having the better machine. For example, programs like Photochrome allow you to view pictures in 19,200 colours (achieved with extreme palette switching and clever interlacing - you'll never see better graphics on an unexpanded ST), there are great music programs that are STE enhanced, not to mention demos. When the STE was Atari's only ST model on offer, it was even bundled with some old (but good, like Blood Money) ST games, it was definitely sold as a gamer's machine (the 520 model, whereas the 1040 was pitched towards the home office user) and the number of games that don't work is wildly blown out of proportion. On the STE you also get a blitter chip and stereo sound as standard, improved TOS, analogue controller ports (AKA Jaguar Powerpad - though these were originally made for the STE first and you can occasionally find these, they are grey with blue A, B, C buttons, see http://www.myatari.net/issues/jul2003/nuonexp.htm for a picture). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted July 13, 2003 Author Share Posted July 13, 2003 So for a ST gaming machine which would be my best bet? A Mega ST, 1040 STE, or a Mega STE? Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lais Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 So for a ST gaming machine which would be my best bet? A Mega ST, 1040 STE, or a Mega STE? Tempest Probably 1040STE, and it will cost the least as well. In fact if you only want it for games then I don't imagine you'd want to spend a great deal on it. My personal choice is the Mega STE, I've got one and so far easily worked around all compatibility problems, with the added advantage that I can get some games to work at 16 MHz. Very useful for 3D vector games. Read this for more information: http://www.myatari.net/issues/sep2002/megaste.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted July 13, 2003 Author Share Posted July 13, 2003 Well money isn't really a problem since even the most expensive setups are only $200 or so. I guess I'm looking for the most powerful system that will play the most games. found very, very few games to be incompatible, mainly games written in STOS (and even these can be patched). What's STOS? Some kind of crappy ST basic? Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 TOS: "The Operating System" it's to the gem desktop what MS-dos is to windows. I don't know what the "S" in the STE version is though...Super? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 Well money isn't really a problem since even the most expensive setups are only $200 or so. I guess I'm looking for the most powerful system that will play the most games. found very, very few games to be incompatible, mainly games written in STOS (and even these can be patched). What's STOS? Some kind of crappy ST basic? Tempest STOS is a decent basic programming language desinged for creating games. It's not half bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lais Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 Well money isn't really a problem since even the most expensive setups are only $200 or so. I guess I'm looking for the most powerful system that will play the most games. found very, very few games to be incompatible, mainly games written in STOS (and even these can be patched). What's STOS? Some kind of crappy ST basic? Tempest Then go for the Mega STE. I've had one for over ten years now and I can tell you the overwhelming majority of games worth playing work on this machine out of the box, otherwise you can use workarounds like described in my article, and even enhance some with the extra CPU speed (16 MHz versus 8 MHz). Yes, STOS is a variation of BASIC, geared towards games creation. I've found the majority of STOS games to be amateurish (STOS was a quite high-profile product in its prime and quite unique in the ST world, alas, tools alone do not make a craftsman) and not worth more than a couple of plays - of course, there are notable exceptions but few and far between in my opinion. If you must play them, you can still patch them. The choice is not massively difficult, and how many games can one play in the hours sent to us anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted July 13, 2003 Author Share Posted July 13, 2003 The choice is not massively difficult, and how many games can one play in the hours sent to us anyway? No kidding! I've got a pile of games still awaiting my attention. Tempest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lais Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 The choice is not massively difficult, and how many games can one play in the hours sent to us anyway? No kidding! I've got a pile of games still awaiting my attention. Tempest Well I've given a fair amount of information, including links to information on getting past some compatibility issues, perhaps you could list your most played games? Or even buy one STFM and one STE (they're cheap enough now) if the money is not a great obstacle for you and you insist on having total compatibility. I still say go for the Mega STE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayreon Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 I would say STE too. The standard audio out connectors alone are worth it Unfortunatle the YM sound is still mono, but it sounds so much better from a decent audio set than from your tv or monitor. You'll know what i mean when you play games like Lethal Xcess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Sauron Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 I'd love to grab a MegaSTE myself, but they're quite hard to come by here in the US. That's why I'll just have to settle for a Falcon...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lais Posted July 13, 2003 Share Posted July 13, 2003 I would say STE too. The standard audio out connectors alone are worth it This is what totally blew me away about the XEGS when I saw it in 1987-88. Unfortunatle the YM sound is still mono, but it sounds so much better from a decent audio set than from your tv or monitor. If it doesn't shatter your windows first! There's a strangely named feature in Steem which made me nearly fall off my chair laughing when the Steem guys explained it to me. Apologies if this is already in the documentation (which I'll bet it is), but it's the "Emulator Sound" and "Sound Chip Sound" which toggles between what you'd hear through a good sound system and a (simulated, rather authentic) rubbish television speaker respectively... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo Posted July 14, 2003 Share Posted July 14, 2003 Hey, Shiuming! What are these 3D vector games on STe? I think I am a bit late on STe gaming... I should plug that colour TV again, and use the Falcon for Papyrus (fighting with my brother ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lais Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 Hey, Shiuming!What are these 3D vector games on STe? I think I am a bit late on STe gaming... I should plug that colour TV again, and use the Falcon for Papyrus (fighting with my brother ) I didn't mean STE-specific 3D vector games, what I meant was that the Mega STE, with its 16 MHz CPU, can boost the speed and/or smoothness (frame rate) of these games, as they rely on raw CPU power for the 3D rendering. Saying that though, Robocop 3 will use the STE DMA sound. In the TV newsreader sections, for example, you can hear the sound panning left and right. It's rather primitive to be honest and the whole Robocop 3 game I found as exciting as watching paint dry. Fighting over your brother's Falcon, I can understand! That is a nice machine! (This is Sergio, right?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maarten Martens Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 I thought Robocop 3 was an awesome game ... graphics and gameplay ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lais Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 I thought Robocop 3 was an awesome game ... graphics and gameplay ... It failed to excite me. I found the graphics bad in terms of movement, very sluggish (only improved slightly by playing the game at 16 MHz on my Mega STE), and especially the handling of the car in the very bland driving section (over-ambitious to attempt such a large play area on a system of that era). The handling dynamics of the car are so poor it's like, to quote someone I can't remember (I think it was on an AA forum) trying to steer an oil tanker on an ice rink. A good driving or racing game has good vehicle dynamics which are responsive, like No Second Prize. When you do something right, like a fancy overtaking move going between two opponents, the satisfaction and exhilaration is wonderful, but at the same time, if you crash, you know it's your fault and never blame the game engine, you just want to try harder again and succeed. I suspect the handling dynamics of Robocop 3's driving section were perhaps even deliberately made ridiculously unrealistic like that to hide the fact there is not a lot else interesting happening, and trying to control the car becomes the challenge itself! By the way, keep up the great work on your web site, I really enjoy reading all the reviews of great old Atari games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ayreon Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 Almost forgot, Ultimate Arena is a STE/Falcon fighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lais Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 Almost forgot,Ultimate Arena is a STE/Falcon fighter. Oh yes, I remember that. Somewhere on my Mega STE hard disk I also have a one-level technical demonstration version of an STE-only Street Fighter 2. It uses the same graphics as the ST version but is in greyscale, moves faster and smoother and has better sound. It was done purely to show how much better the ST version could have been (then on the other hand US Gold wouldn't have sold 20,000+ copies of the ST version by restricting it to STE-only, though STE enhancements were certainly possible). I think it was done by a French programmer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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