Tempest Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 How come Atari users got cheated out of the best RPG series in classic gaming (ok my biased opinion)? I played them all on my Apple back in the day, but when I went to go look for them for my Atari I discovered that they were never made! Was the Atari 8-bit line too antiquated by the time BT came out that Interplay didn't bother or was it something else? Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xevious Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Bard's Tale 3 on C64 disk is one of my favourite games ever. Even if I didn't work out the Geomancer / Chronomancer thing straight away. As for no Atari versions, I don't know. Every other format was done at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Lange Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I think that by the time The Bard's Tale came out around 1985, the Atari 8-bits where on the decline. Also, the high rate of piracy made creating new software for the Atari machines unprofitable. Currently there is a new version of The Bard's Tale being developed for the pc. There is some info here - http://www.cheek.org/bard/about.htm Also, if you like The Bard's Tale, you might what to try Dragon Bane I and Dragon Bane II on your Palm or WinCE device. There is more info here - http://www.palmcreations.com/ Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+davidcalgary29 Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I don't think that any realistic argument can be made that the 8-bits weren't sophisticated or powerful enough to handle "The Bard's Tale" gaming series. I don't think we'll ever discern the real reason why EA stopped developing A8 titles despite the established user base (and prolonged whining / nagging from computer users), but I'm sure that it was a combination of all of the factors that have been discussed both here and in other threads. I'm surprised, if at anything, that EA didn't develop "The Bard's Tale" for the PAL market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted October 20, 2003 Author Share Posted October 20, 2003 How difficult would it be to take the Apple or C64 version and convert it to the Atari? I assume its possible but very VERY time consuming (not to mention illegal). Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 It would be time consuming. Hopefully there will be chunks of similar code in both versions that would help you identify where the core engine is, then you'd need to write a new front end. -Bry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Eidolon Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Bards Tale I was released for the Atari ST. Perhaps they decided only to support the newer of Atari's lines of computers? Of course, I don't think Bards Tale 2 or 3 ever made to any Atari platform. --The Eidolon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempest Posted October 20, 2003 Author Share Posted October 20, 2003 Of course, I don't think Bards Tale 2 or 3 ever made to any Atari platform Nope they sure didn't. In fact I'm surprised they made it to the Apple at all (not that I was complaining). Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godzilla Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Of course, I don't think Bards Tale 2 or 3 ever made to any Atari platform Nope they sure didn't. In fact I'm surprised they made it to the Apple at all (not that I was complaining). Tempest I thought bard's tale came from the apple? correct me if I'm wrong... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 EA published it that's why, they only published crappy titles for the Atari by the time Bard's Tale came out, and then dropped it all together when sales were low on the crappy games (Gee...God forbid you give Atari users GOOD games and see how THEY sell). The Atari could certainly do a better Job than the Apple version, and at least as good as the C64 ( I have the C64 version and the graphics are no better, and arguably worse than 'Alternate Reality:The Dungeon' on the Atari.) But, the final thing I have to say about this is that I don't think Atari did miss out on the best RPG series; as far as I'm concerned it was ALTERNATE REALITY and is a far, far funner game and better all around RPG that Bard's Tale on the C64 anyday...IMHO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 How come Atari users got cheated out of the best RPG series in classic gaming (ok my biased opinion)? I played them all on my Apple back in the day, but when I went to go look for them for my Atari I discovered that they were never made! Was the Atari 8-bit line too antiquated by the time BT came out that Interplay didn't bother or was it something else? Tempest Antiquated? Compared to Apple 8-bit? LOL!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! That's the funniest thing I've heard in a LOOONG time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Lange Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 Tempest - How difficult would it be to take the Apple or C64 version and convert it to the Atari? I assume its possible but very VERY time consuming (not to mention illegal). All of the graphic images are available online. There are also lists of spell, weapons and magical items and their effects available online. Check out this site - http://adventurersguild.org/1/ The hard part would be to recreate the game engine. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emkay Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 The funniest thing about the "not available" Bard's Tale is, that by putting the graphics window on the A8 to the right side, it would look like something similar to the PC version... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy California Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I'm surprised, if at anything, that EA didn't develop "The Bard's Tale" for the PAL market. What PAL market? At the time, the only important and well organized market was in Germany. The UK didn't really care about the A8: you had US Gold and Databyte distributing American stuff, adventure games, budget software and "some" conversions from time to time (Spindizzy, Arkanoid, Gauntlet...). That's all. ++ RC ++ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted October 20, 2003 Share Posted October 20, 2003 I don't think Atari did miss out on the best RPG series; as far as I'm concerned it was ALTERNATE REALITY and is a far, far funner game and better all around RPG that Bard's Tale on the C64 anyday...IMHO! Except that Alternate Reality didn't have a plot. Take the plot away from an RPG and all you have is a fantasy survival simulator. Now, AR: The Dungeon was much better in this regard. Still pretty thin plotwise though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heaven/TQA Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 the website is cool... esp. the comparisson of all versions... remembering the artifact discussion on the other thread... does the apple ][ has artifacting as well? like the screenshot shows??? (see the text window...) hve ps. ehm... even a spectrum version is existing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Artifacting is the basis of the Apple II's color generation, so of course it uses it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunstar Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 I don't think Atari did miss out on the best RPG series; as far as I'm concerned it was ALTERNATE REALITY and is a far, far funner game and better all around RPG that Bard's Tale on the C64 anyday...IMHO! Except that Alternate Reality didn't have a plot. Take the plot away from an RPG and all you have is a fantasy survival simulator. Now, AR: The Dungeon was much better in this regard. Still pretty thin plotwise though. Actually, the whole series including 'The Dungeon' was what I was refering too (as stated), but I still enjoy playing 'The City' FAR more than I do Bard's Tale 1&2 on my C64! As for the plot being "thin" it has a lot of mini quests in it and a HUGE overall plot, part of which is concluded if you finish 'The Dungeon' (unfortunately te series was dropped so the over-all plot was "lost"), but I find "more linear" RPG's with a weak central plot, like 'Bard's Tale' far more boring and pitiful than a bunch of outstanding mini-quests and the open-endedness of a format like AR that allows far more control over where you go and what you do next up to you. That, to me, is far closer to a true RPG as you get to play the ROLE as you like, as you do with your own real life, not forced to go one main path not of your choosing. Not to mention the real character-building involved with Guilds and such and not being limited to a single type of character like a Wizard, Warrior or Thief; you can be all and more! I'm not trying to put down 'Bard's Tale' as a good RPG here guys, I like it and would like to see it ported, but I am putting it down in comparison to AR and the assessment that 'Bard's Tale' was "the best." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 I don't think petitioning for the C64 or Apple source would get us too far but maybe worth a try - I for one would love to port this! The Dragon Bane looks good and certainly the first game (if written in C) could be ported as the Palm 4 color scheme @ 160x160 matches the Atari quite well. But the project isn't open-source and so obtaining the source maybe complicated. Again, shouldn't hurt to ask. Regards, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heaven/TQA Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 zylone... ah...thanks. havent know that. hve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Artifacting is the basis of the Apple II's color generation, so of course it uses it. Yeah, but there's a difference. On the Apple II you actually get several colors and documented control over which one you get. The method is similar to the artifact colors on the A8 (and it's a lousy way to fake a color signal), but it's more useful with predictable results. Do you have to alternate pixels on the Apple to get color? -Bry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Nah, you just set a color and draw. On a color monitor it looks fine, but on the mono green-screens (which were more the rule than the exception in high-school computer labs), colorful images came across as a chaotic mix of vertical stripes. The Apple II is definitely a machine that succeeded in spite of itself. Almost everything about it was an awkward hack. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 The Apple II is definitely a machine that succeeded in spite of itself. Almost everything about it was an awkward hack. I guess that's your privilege when you're first. What was really genius about Apple is that they continued to get big $$$ for their crappy system when everyone else was forced to slash prices. -Bry 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZylonBane Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 Yup. Ironically, what made it a huge success was the same principle that let the IBM PC eventually crush it: It doesn't matter how inferior your hardware is-- if it's "good enough" and supported well, people will buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted October 21, 2003 Share Posted October 21, 2003 I guess that's your privilege when you're first. What was really genius about Apple is that they continued to get big $$$ for their crappy system when everyone else was forced to slash prices. LOL. Remember when the Apple IIC was selling for more than the Amiga 500 and the Atari 1040ST in the last 1980s? I'm a mac user now, but at the time, I thought apple was the king of "overpriced and underpowered". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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