opcode Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Hi! Ok, Space Invaders Collection is now just a few days away from its planned release date. So maybe a few of you were wondering if it was really coming out. In fact SIC program was completed a while ago and I am now completing package design. Well, not me, but in fact Dale Crum from Ataricart. I surely will show it here soon, but in the meanwhile let me try to describe the package: SIC is a CV cartridge featuring both Space Invaders and Space Invaders Part II/Deluxe arcade games. The games look and play about exactly like the original games. There is an option screen allowing you to change all original arcade settings, as well as choosing between US and Japanese versions and screen types (color schemes). The cartridge will be manufactured from brand new PCBs (with gold platted contacts) and EPROMs. This first run will use recycled Coleco plastic cases, but starting this October I will switch to brand new custom cases with a nice Opcode logo created by Dave Giarrusso engraved in the back. Label, manual and box will be offset printed in full color and high quality paper. No laser printers here guys, I am talking about professional offset printing. Jess "ManekiNeko" Ragan, from the Gameroom Blitz and Digital Press fame, has written the 16 pages manual text, so no one needs to worry about my bad English... Dale Crum from Ataricart is the graphic designer for all printed stuff, and I must say his work is nothing less than top-notch. There are still a few extra surprises which I don't want to ruin... So I can say SIC is the collaborative work between me, Dale and Jess for the most part. Of course several other friends have helped me too, and I would to like to give all of them a big "thank you". A very special thanks would go to Joe Santulli, who helped me funding this project and who was modest enough to not want his name on it. Thank you Joe! I will be in dept with you. The final price is now set at $25 plus shipping (around $5 to the US) which I think fares well among others boxed titles. Now things are well underway with SIC, I have got back to Pac-Man Collection and I have already done some extra progress. Bellow is a screenshot took from the actual code running on MESS. Ever if it looks simple, generating a perfectly scaled down maze on the CV was a major challenge, as it required me to map all dots and maze elements using a lookup table. My next challenge would be slowing the game speed down properly (3/4). But I will work on it later, after completing all intro sequences. It's due to the fact I will need two game engines here, a for the actual game, which is scaled down 3/4 from the arcade, and another to the intermissions and opening, which use the same scale as the arcade game. It also includes two sets of sprites for every game character, a scaled down version and a normal sized version. Level counter (fruits) was inflated on purpose… Eduardo Mello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 The final price is now set at $25 plus shipping (around $5 to the US) which I think fares well among others boxed titles. $25? How on earth are you going to make any money (or break even for that matter)? I thought offset printing was really expensive? Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted August 5, 2003 Author Share Posted August 5, 2003 The final price is now set at $25 plus shipping (around $5 to the US) which I think fares well among others boxed titles. $25? How on earth are you going to make any money (or break even for that matter)? I thought offset printing was really expensive? Tempest Hehehe.... Sometimes it's advantageous to live in a country where the local currency isn't worth this much. Sometimes... Eduardo Mello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Thanks for the update. I can't wait to see (and hold) the finished product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clock Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 As printing goes, Offset is not that expensive (all printing costs a bit) and allows for pictures and text of a fairly good quality. Most packaging is offset for idea of quality. Now if it was silkscreened.... that would be expensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEBRO Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Level counter (fruits) was inflated on purpose So, can you not fit them (and the reserved lives) on the bottom of the screen? Does the maze take up all your available scan lines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted August 5, 2003 Author Share Posted August 5, 2003 As printing goes, Offset is not that expensive (all printing costs a bit) and allows for pictures and text of a fairly good quality. Most packaging is offset for idea of quality. Now if it was silkscreened.... that would be expensive! Ummm... well, we use the words silkscreen and offset here in Brazil, but I am not sure if they mean the same as in the US. I have heard the word silkscreen used with clothes stamping. Here we use the word offset to name the process of which involves creating photoliths with color separation (in this case 4 colors), pressing copies, die cutting, folding and glueing. It's the method used to print magazines, flyers etc. I don't know if it's the same as silkscreen... Eduardo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaineMaxwell Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Can't wait to get my copy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted August 5, 2003 Author Share Posted August 5, 2003 Level counter (fruits) was inflated on purpose So, can you not fit them (and the reserved lives) on the bottom of the screen? Does the maze take up all your available scan lines? Nop. The CV screen shows just 192 pixels vertically and the arcade shows 288 pixels. But the maze area is 256 pixels tall in the arcade and if you get 3/4 of it, you end with 192 pixels! Beside that, in the arcade the allocated memory for mapping characters in the score and lives screen areas is logically detached from that for the maze. Ever the mapping orientation is different (horizontally for the maze and vertically for the score and lives area). So I just remapped both areas to the right side in the CV screen. But I was meaning I changed the program to display 8 fruits ever if it was the first round. I wanted to show as many fruits as possible in that screenshot… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holygrailvideogames.com Posted August 5, 2003 Share Posted August 5, 2003 Any chance you would make Galaga for the Atari 5200? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted August 5, 2003 Author Share Posted August 5, 2003 Any chance you would make Galaga for the Atari 5200? For the 5200?! I don't think so, but maybe for the CV... There are many good 5200 homebrewers around. Maybe they would be interested... If I was going to program a 5200 game, it would be Zookeeper. I find it a perfect fit for the machine capabilities. By the way, I have tried to contact you but your mail server keeps bouncing my email... Eduardo Mello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 I'm looking forward to Space Invaders But I am loving the idea of playing Pac-Man on my beloved CV Nice work! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaineMaxwell Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 I think Zoo Keeper would be a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holygrailvideogames.com Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 By the way, I have tried to contact you but your mail server keeps bouncing my email... Eduardo Mello I sent you an email with a different email account. If you still can't get ahold of me, please send me a private message on this board. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybergoth Posted August 6, 2003 Share Posted August 6, 2003 Hi there! Ok, Space Invaders Collection is now just a few days away from its planned release date. Woohoo! Can't wait to receive my copy! You know that I bought myself a Coleco extra for this game? I didn't even unpack it yet Greetings, Manuel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted August 6, 2003 Author Share Posted August 6, 2003 Hi there! Ok, Space Invaders Collection is now just a few days away from its planned release date. Woohoo! Can't wait to receive my copy! You know that I bought myself a Coleco extra for this game? I didn't even unpack it yet Greetings, Manuel Hi Manuel! A PAL Coleco? It´d be interesting to see SIC running on a PAL system. I suppose you will able to get a higher score, since it will run a little bit slower... Eduardo Mello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted August 6, 2003 Author Share Posted August 6, 2003 Hi there! Ok, here is the fantastic label Dale Crum created for Space Invaders Collection. I should have the printed version early next week... Opcode labels will be color themed, so SIC is red, PMC will be yellow and so forth. Just wait to see the box and manual... Dale is an incredible artist. Eduardo Mello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyranthraxus Posted August 9, 2003 Share Posted August 9, 2003 Nice artwork This CV release looks like it could surpass in quality all of the recent Atari homebrews! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted August 9, 2003 Author Share Posted August 9, 2003 I found a strange bug with SI. In the first I thought it was a problem with my version, but now I have confirmed it will happen in the original arcade too. The bug will result in the UFO being destroyed as soon as it enters the screen but without getting hit. The chance of this happening is very, very small. And here is as the bug "works": If you hit a UFO in the exact moment it exits the screen (which is very difficult to accomplish. Your shot needs to hit the UFO in the same "interrupt" as the later exits the screen, which is a 1/30s thing), the UFO won't explode right there, but will be "hit" as soon as it enters the screen next time. Funny, eh?! Opcode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Posted August 9, 2003 Share Posted August 9, 2003 I have played Space Invaders Collection on a real ColecoVision (we demoed it at our booth at AGE two weeks ago) and Eduardo did a fantastic job on it! It truly plays exactly as the real Space Invaders games, right down to the sound effects. This is definitely a must have if you're a Space Invaders fan and have a ColecoVision. I can't wait to try out the Pac-Man Collection! And having worked with Dale Crum often, I know the label, box and manual will all be stunning! ..Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaManFan Posted August 9, 2003 Share Posted August 9, 2003 So when can we expect e-mails to confirm our pre-orders and how to send you payment for SIC? I definitely want to get the PMC too later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opcode Posted August 9, 2003 Author Share Posted August 9, 2003 So when can we expect e-mails to confirm our pre-orders and how to send you payment for SIC? I definitely want to get the PMC too later on. Well, your pre-order has been already confirmed... :wink: But serious, I am waiting to have SIC really ready to ship before accepting payments. Carts are already assembled. It's now a matter of having all printed stuff done. I am confident everything would be ready to ship till August 20 at most... Eduardo Mello Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holygrailvideogames.com Posted August 27, 2003 Share Posted August 27, 2003 Any updates on this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NE146 Posted August 27, 2003 Share Posted August 27, 2003 I found a strange bug with SI. In the first I thought it was a problem with my version, but now I have confirmed it will happen in the original arcade too. The bug will result in the UFO being destroyed as soon as it enters the screen but without getting hit. The chance of this happening is very, very small. And here is as the bug "works":If you hit a UFO in the exact moment it exits the screen (which is very difficult to accomplish. Your shot needs to hit the UFO in the same "interrupt" as the later exits the screen, which is a 1/30s thing), the UFO won't explode right there, but will be "hit" as soon as it enters the screen next time. Funny, eh?! Opcode LOL Man I guess I have to read the forums a little more closer, because you sent me a message asking about this on Aug. 6th, and of course in my grand style I responded on Aug 21, not realizing you had already figured it out That's awesome that you figured out the exact reason why this happened. I do remember it happening every now and then and now I see exactly why it happens. I guess if you UFO "hunt" a lot, you'd be more apt to shoot the UFO in such a later manner occasionally and thus trigger the bug. Veeerrrryyyy interesting. It's great to see light being shed on these ancient 'mysteries' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ventrra Posted August 28, 2003 Share Posted August 28, 2003 So when can we expect e-mails to confirm our pre-orders and how to send you payment for SIC? I definitely want to get the PMC too later on. Well, your pre-order has been already confirmed... :wink: But serious, I am waiting to have SIC really ready to ship before accepting payments. Carts are already assembled. It's now a matter of having all printed stuff done. I am confident everything would be ready to ship till August 20 at most... Eduardo Mello I'll have to admit that I'm curious, too, about how much longer the process might take. However, I know things don't always go as planned or in the time frame that they are planned in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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