ColecoGamer Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 (edited) …so please bear with me as I explain this to everyone. A long time ago, I used to read a Commodore magazine named INFO. In one issue (I can’t remember the issue number), they discuss Readysoft’s release of Dragon’s Lair for the Amiga. Halfway through the article, they mention company Mitchtron and how they released a Laserdisc player with a RS232 cable to connect everything to the ST. It came with a playable laserdisc version of Dragon’s Lair for the Atari ST. An Amiga version was released and I was able to track it down on Youtube. Does anyone here know about the ST version of this setup? The game code comes on floppy. I would REALLY love to have the ST version of this setup! Edited August 24, 2022 by ColecoGamer 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzip Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 Never heard of it, does the Readysoft release contain the code that sends the RS-232 signals to control it or do you need a separate version of the game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 24, 2022 Author Share Posted August 24, 2022 The Readysoft version is not needed. The coin-op game instructions come on Floppy and interact with the Laserdisc Player like in the arcade version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 24, 2022 Author Share Posted August 24, 2022 Basically, the instruction ROMs (that control the player’s reactions) come on floppy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 24, 2022 Author Share Posted August 24, 2022 8 minutes ago, zzip said: Never heard of it, does the Readysoft release contain the code that sends the RS-232 signals to control it or do you need a separate version of the game? It comes with a Dragon’s Lair laserdisc, a Laserdisc Player, and the game code on floppy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 24, 2022 Author Share Posted August 24, 2022 (edited) Apparently this setup was released in Germany during late ‘89, the early 90s. Edited August 24, 2022 by ColecoGamer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 Anyone? I was hoping someone here might know something about this setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterMotorola Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 All I can say is this reminded me of the Pioneer LaserDisc interface for Atari ST. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atarian1 Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 It's out there somewhere. My friend who went to a World of Atari show back in the day saw it in action. I remember him describing the setup but I didn't believe him. LOL. When I saw the program that MasterMotorola posted (which came on the disk from an issue of STart magazine), then I thought ahhhh, I get it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMaddog Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 Actually I had read about it somewhere in Antic magazine but can't recall wihich issue it was. It was a preview article about a Michtron product that controlled a laserdisk, via ST, and described the game as Dragon's Lair but never mentioned it's name. If I come across it then I'll post a link, if someone else hadn't already. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMaddog Posted August 25, 2022 Share Posted August 25, 2022 Found it! Called Journey to the Lair... http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-journey-to-the-lair_29234.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 6 hours ago, MrMaddog said: Found it! Called Journey to the Lair... http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-journey-to-the-lair_29234.html Yes! Thank you, thank you! My lifelong search has finally been confirmed, thanks to you! The next step for me is to hunt down the equipment needed to make it a reality. The documents supplied on that website doesn’t mention the LD player used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 25, 2022 Author Share Posted August 25, 2022 Interesting. Atarimania states that an unexpanded 520ST could play the game. There’s also a mention of a single floppy disk, which contains the instructions to play the game. Looks like my search isn’t over yet. As far as I’m concerned, this is a holy grail item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 8 hours ago, MrMaddog said: Actually I had read about it somewhere in Antic magazine but can't recall wihich issue it was. It was a preview article about a Michtron product that controlled a laserdisk, via ST, and described the game as Dragon's Lair but never mentioned it's name. If I come across it then I'll post a link, if someone else hadn't already. Please let me know if you remember what issue of Antic it appeared in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 Does anyone know if the floppy disc to control the game exists somewhere in an online archive? That’s half the battle right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bfollowell Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 (edited) This seems like something that would've sold very few copies, lessening the chance even further that it would've been archived out there anywhere. It definitely doesn't seem like something that your average game image archive would have a copy of. While I can't say with any certainty, I'd be extremely shocked for a floppy image of such an obscure title to be floating around out there anywhere other than AtariMania. If they don't have a copy of it and list it as missing, I'd say it's completely lost to the ages until, and if, someone finds a copy in their personal collection and archives it. Just my opinion. Good luck in your grail search though. I wish you luck! Edited August 26, 2022 by bfollowell 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickster Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 21 hours ago, ColecoGamer said: Interesting. Atarimania states that an unexpanded 520ST could play the game. There’s also a mention of a single floppy disk, which contains the instructions to play the game. Looks like my search isn’t over yet. As far as I’m concerned, this is a holy grail item. That is actually not unusual. The dragon's lair coin op game uses a mainboard that has a z80 for its main cpu. The computer only has to take player control input and then output a small amount of serial data to jump to the proper laser disc video frame. Dragon's lair 2 coin op used a stock 8088 motherboard to run its game. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 27, 2022 Author Share Posted August 27, 2022 I found the issue of Antic that mentions Journey to the Lair. It appears in ANTIC VOL. 6, NO. 4 / AUGUST 1987 Not much is said, though. In Journey to the Lair, adapted from the arcade game Dragon's Lair, you'll help Dirk the Daring try to save Princess Daphne. The Dragon's Lair disk is $29.95, as is the video laser cable, hut the entire package costs $49.95. https://www.atarimagazines.com/v6n4/stnewproducts.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynxpro Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 That was unobtainium for most of us who were kids back then. Like in MT-32 price land just to game with. I do remember there were hopes that more LaserDisc arcade games would become available in a similar fashion although Dragon's Lair was clearly the most popular game of that niche. If I recall correctly, Space Ace might've also been available too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterMotorola Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 This Pioneer PDF mentions compatible LaserDisc players with the Antic software in my post above and has the pinouts for anyone wanting to make their own cable (use the CC-12 same as the IBM and Amiga). Pioneer LaserDisc Cable Interface Chart.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oky2000 Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 From what I remember it was 99.99 in the UK for either and it came with a cable for specific Laserdisc players that had a control port (Lan-C or something). All the heavy lifting is actually done by the Laserdisc player, the 68000 on ST or Amiga was more than up to the task of controlling the Laserdisc game. It sold bugger all copies from Microdeal in the UK but it was on the cover of many magazines at the time that were covering the 'cutting edge' and it had the wow factor I guess. Extremely rare but it did come out for both I am 99% sure. After that there was a version released for DVD players as well I think. I don't think much of the arcade game though, brilliant to watch an expert play but pretty shit to be the n00b player back then. A true coin guzzler 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MasterMotorola Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 I am willing to bet a lot of those "Journey into the Lair" LaserDiscs ended up in video collections with people not realising it was a game. There is one on eBay right now for $800US! A cheaper option would be the Blu-Ray version which you play with the remote. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMaddog Posted August 30, 2022 Share Posted August 30, 2022 It was a real shame that laser disk players never took off in the mainstream for movie watching, let alone for gaming. If they had then all that was needed was a simple computer or console to control the LD player. The Pioneer Palcom, using a custom MSX machine, was the only commercial product that came out abeit in Japan only... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 10 hours ago, MasterMotorola said: I am willing to bet a lot of those "Journey into the Lair" LaserDiscs ended up in video collections with people not realising it was a game. There is one on eBay right now for $800US! A cheaper option would be the Blu-Ray version which you play with the remote. Wow. I realize its shrink wrapped and new, but even I wouldn’t spend that much on a DL Laserdisc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColecoGamer Posted August 31, 2022 Author Share Posted August 31, 2022 (edited) I wonder if there is a way to track down ex Mitchtron employees. Do any ex employees frequent AA, I wonder? Edited August 31, 2022 by ColecoGamer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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