Could there be a better port of 2600 Tempest or is this what we have to put up with?

[BIGHMW]

I DO have a few variants of this classic tube-shooter and while I already picked my favorite port of it (no not the "blue speedo" version) I do believe that given both more time and more ROM that much like with Chaotic Grill (Burgertime in 32K) and Lucky Chase (Lock 'n' Chase in 32K) there can be a much better port than the 8K version, in which is not so bad for 1983 standards, as I thought Carla Meninsky did a great job on getting us at least a working version of it, but, there can be SO much more we can do here in 2023, what do you guys think?

[Prizrak]

I agree a newer version should be attempted and I think it can be pulled off considering the sheer amount of programing wizards we have around here. I think if we can do Qix then I think Tempest is within probability.

[davyK]

It would be more feasible if the web design was constrained to best fit the 2600 - for example - if your movement was restricted to mostly vertical movement on the left or right side of the screen then you could have several enemies moving toward you with little in the way of flicker because the enemies wouldn't be sharing scan lines.

[Prizrak]

I get what you mean, sort of like how Zeek in Champ Games Zoo Keeper is a vertical sprite on a horizontal plane as he goes around the cage. There's some things even with ARM that the 2600 just can't do. 

[davyK]

I mean - you could say it isn't Tempest any more but I doubt it would be done any other way.  One could say that Beamrider is a Tempest like game.  One of the Tempest levels is laid out that way.

 

It might be possible to create a game where the level moves and the player stays still (like the Tempest tribute in atari50) but you are still going to have problems with multiple enemies on scanlines scaling as they get closer.

 

I mean Crackpots is like a Tempest game with the web flattened out. Flatten out the web and it isn't Tempest any more.

Edited February 12, 2023 by davyK

[+GoldLeader]

It does seem like there'd be a way to do something...

 

Maybe someone who programs homebrews will try to figure something out.  If they do,  I suspect you'd get a game with Tempest-like elements,  not an actual port...

 

BITD I bought Challenge of Nexar because (IIRC) every magazine review compared it to Tempest in some fashion,  and it's a fun game in its own right. 

[4ever2600]

Yep, until one of the gurus takes it on, your stuck with the underwear version...

[davyK]

Beamrider is kind of like a Tempest game too - albeit with one web.

[DeafAtariFromKansas]

On 2/11/2023 at 3:10 PM, Prizrak said:

I agree a newer version should be attempted and I think it can be pulled off considering the sheer amount of programing wizards we have around here. I think if we can do Qix then I think Tempest is within probability.

Qix been taken by Champ Games, it called QYX, 😉

[davyK]

One cannot draw a comparison between Tempest and Qix. They are entirely different games - sure - Qix has a lots of lines drawn on the screen but it's a 2D flat game with no perspective or scaling enemies. Tempest is a completely different proposition entirely.

 

Beamrider could be taken as a source - you could change the enemies - maybe have some that move about when they reach the player end of the grid to introduce some tempest style play - and maybe have the player "move" down the grid at the end of the level - avoiding spikes - but to try and do anything else would be extremely challenging.

Edited February 21, 2023 by davyK

[BIGHMW]

On 2/21/2023 at 6:57 AM, davyK said:

One cannot draw a comparison between Tempest and Qix. They are entirely different games - sure - Qix has a lots of lines drawn on the screen but it's a 2D flat game with no perspective or scaling enemies. Tempest is a completely different proposition entirely.

 

Beamrider could be taken as a source - you could change the enemies - maybe have some that move about when they reach the player end of the grid to introduce some tempest style play - and maybe have the player "move" down the grid at the end of the level - avoiding spikes - but to try and do anything else would be extremely challenging.

You have a rather brilliant idea there, just like Bob Decrescenzo @PacManPlus himself hacked 2600 Stargate to create the rather brilliant Defender Arcade, someone can do the same with Beamrider, also another game that sorta plays like Tempest, although back and forth as well as up-and-down is Turmoil, in which Sirius Software put out and that 20th Century Fox put out a 2600 version of.

 

BTW, for those who might want a go at making Tempest batter, here are 4 different versions of it in which I downloaded years ago (right here off of AA) including the "underwear" (Original) version so if anyone is interested here they are!!!

TempestCircular.bin TempestLinear.bin TempestOriginal.bin TempestU.bin

[Crazy Climber]

Just do a graphics hack of Gyruss

[+Gemintronic]

The problem is the 2600 has two real sprites.  The player usually takes up the first sprite.  Enemies, power ups etc.. time share the second real sprite.  They need flicker in order to share the same horizontal space as other enemies.  They start in the  center and pretty close to eachother.  Flicker.  Flicker.  Flicker.

[Keatah]

56 minutes ago, Crazy Climber said:

Just do a graphics hack of Gyruss

Please no!