Albert Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Another long-lost prototype for the Atari 2600 has been discovered! This time it's Dune, an unreleased game based on the 1984 movie of the same name. It appears that Dune was to be an action/adventure style game similar to Atari's classic Adventure, but given as the game was never finished, we'll never know for sure exactly how it would have turned out. This prototype appears to be only about 30% complete--the game engine seems to be done, but many of the gameplay elements and graphics are missing. Many thanks to Curt Vendel of AtariMuseum.com for allowing us to share this binary with the public. You can download the binary here and read an indepth review of the prototype by Matt Reichert at AtariProtos.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanJr Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 MEGA SHIBBY! Sweet. Is this something Matt has been sitting on? Or something newly discovered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad2600 Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Alright! *commence ass kissing* Another awesome reason to check out Atariprotos.com. *stop ass kissing* What else does Tempest have up his sleeve? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Vendel Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 MEGA SHIBBY! Sweet. Is this something Matt has been sitting on? Or something newly discovered? Nope its something I found about 4-5 days ago, had two programmers have a look at it and got it back into a functioning state, delivered to Matt for him to extensively examine and then gave it to Albert last night to post. Curt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanJr Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 GREAT GREAT find Curt. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost Monkey Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Wow! I thought I might be the first to release a game based on a David Lynch movie.. The world will never see "Mulholland Drive EX".. Thanks Curt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophero Sly Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 I'm surprised to learn that a game based on the movie was even planned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyXB Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Nice find. Can someone scan the cartridge and post it here? I will see, how it look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 AWESOME! I love 2600 games based on movies. Too bad it's so incomplete. The 2600 could use more adventure style games. Still very interesting reading about what could have been at AtariProtos.com. I had never even heard a game about Dune was even in development. Thanks for the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liquid_sky Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 NICE! i was thinking it was the RTS dune.. now THAT would have been even more impressive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nukey Shay Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 That would make sense...since there is no point to having a maze represent the surface of Dune. More likely the screen was intended for the palace or the caverns. What do you suppose the objective of the game was intended to be? Collecting 100% spice? Defeating the Baron and his minions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sku_u Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 This is definitely one of the more interesting prototype discoveries. I haven't had time to read Matt's review of the game yet, but I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 That would make sense...since there is no point to having a maze represent the surface of Dune. More likely the screen was intended for the palace or the caverns. Probably. We really have no idea what the other rooms would have looked like. There probably would have been a castle screen, a desert screen, some screen wehre Paul could get water, and other stuff like that. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inky Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 I'm surprised that it's an ATARI proto... I was initially thinking it was a FOX one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liveinabin Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Cool, I wonder if someone will use this game engine to produce a full game (not necessarily Dune) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaXpress Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Yet another awesome review from Tempest and a first-class generous move from Curt for letting us all check it out. This is one of those great days for classic gaming fans. Even an incomplete game like this gets the imagination running, picturing the promotions, the box art (I'm sure we'll be seeing some samples soon enough) and how good the whole game may have been. Another chance to curse those who let Atari fall in the glory days. Another opportunity to have that "new Atari cart" sensation. This was another good day to be logging in to AtariAge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolt Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Was this in fact an Atari-created game or was it a different company? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Man! Awesome! I love dune, and I think its wild that there was a 2600 game in the works! Maybe the game is set underground in the caverns of the freemen? Anyway, I cant wait to try the rom. Still amazes me how stuff is found to this day. Great work guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marco Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Still amazes me how stuff is found to this day. This really is what makes the Atari 2600 the greatest system of all. I'm sure finds like these will keep us mesmerized for years to come! Great work guys! Absolutely! Cheers, Marco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassidy Nolen Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Earth Shattering Cool work fellas! Can't wait to get to an emulator this weekend. Work frowns on that sort of thing.... Cassidy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Was this in fact an Atari-created game or was it a different company? It was an Atari game. Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaManFan Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Lest ye all forget, Atari made Krull. A Dune is not unreasonable, and I wish it had been finished (I loved the movie then, still do now). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 maybe we can get some dune fans to help keep it as close to an actual dune game as possible and combine with a willing homebrewer and complete it? :-) im sure paul slocrum could do some porting of the movies music? :-) Use adavies still pic technique to add title screen/ maybe a few incendental cinemas during key points in the game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 SWEEET Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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