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Now Available: Protector / Y*A*S*I Vectrex Games!


Rob Mitchell

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Just the new carts are produced in America.

 

The original Protector cart (Limited Edition) clocked in at just over $50 USD with the exchange rate and shipping from the UK....

 

I guess he made enough to retire on from those, and the rest is just giving back to the community!! ;-) :-)

 

desiv

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Am I understanding this right.....this game was developed in the UK and produced in America :?

 

The Protector game was programmed in the UK .. Initial run of 100 carts with custom box and overlay were produced in the UK.

 

Current general release of Protector (no overlay) with first release of YASI are being manufactured by in Michigan by Mark Shaker.

 

I got my two carts yesterday! Any comments on the credits screen? :D

 

For those who don't know: Both of these games will save and preserve on cart! the highest scores with the initials of those who have achieved those scores. And when used with the VecVoice module, the YASI invaders speak and insult you!

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

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I finally got mine today... Canada Post isn't known for it's speed. All I have to say is WOW. I'm thoroughly amazed with what both of these games manage to do with the Vectrex hardware... both of them are almost arcade perfect, and the credits disc just blew me away (a little hard to read though). Just a few questions:

  • The YASI manual says that there are 7 game modes that can be unlocked... while I don't want the secrets spoiled, are these unlocked purely via scores? Or is there something else like button combinations that unlock stuff? My high score at the moment is 6710, and I have the first four game modes (A-D) available.

[*]Is there any way to convince Protector to use a control scheme like the other Defender home ports? That is, using left/right instead of thrust/reverse? I'm not at all used to the arcade style controls (although I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually).

[*]What is with the screen calibration stuff in YASI? Are there different models of Vectrex's (Vectrii?) out there that require different settings or something? Option Q seems to work best on mine, and if I choose something else, the collision detection gradually goes screwy.

[*]What exactly is the VecVoice? Is this a fan-made device, or an actual commercial Vectrex hardware release?

--Zero

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Purely by scores.

 

[*]Is there any way to convince Protector to use a control scheme like the other Defender home ports? That is' date=' using left/right instead of thrust/reverse? I'm not at all used to the arcade style controls (although I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually).[/quote']

 

No.

 

[*]What is with the screen calibration stuff in YASI? Are there different models of Vectrex's (Vectrii?) out there that require different settings or something? Option Q seems to work best on mine' date=' and if I choose something else' date=' the collision detection gradually goes screwy.[/quote'']

 

Every Vectrex is a little quirky .. so choose the setting that lines up best and play!

 

[*]What exactly is the VecVoice? Is this a fan-made device' date=' or an actual commercial Vectrex hardware release?[list']

 

Richard Hutchinson developed the VecVoice in 2002. YASI is the third release that uses this device. It is a box that plugs into the left controller port and makes robot speech according to what the programmer requested. www.vectrex.biz

 

PM me about the VecVoice! I make them for gamers in North America.

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

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  • 11 years later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Now Available: Alex Herbert's Protector / Y*A*S*I Vectrex Game Cartridge!

 

Mark's Video Game Manufacturing is pleased to announce the release of Alex Herbert's Protector / Y*A*S*I Cartridge for the Vectrex Graphic Computer System.

 

Protector features:

* Very intense Defender style game play.

* Outstanding graphics & sound.

* Non-volatile storage of Hall of Fame entries.

 

Y*A*S*I features: (Yet Another Space Invaders)

* Space Invaders style game play.

* Arcade perfect graphics and sound.

* 7 unlockable game modes.

* Support for Richard Hutchinson's Vec-Voice module.

* Non-Volatile storage of High Score, Unlocked Game Modes, Highest Completed Level and Screen Configuration.

 

What the cartridge is not / has not:

* This cartridge is NOT a limited edition.

* Cartridges are NOT numbered.

* Overlays are NOT included.

 

What the cartridge is / has:

* Two of the best games ever created for the Vectrex Graphic Computer System.

* Clam-shell storage box with outstanding cover art by Manu Pärssinen.

* A great price of $11.50 + shipping.

 

See www.vectrexcarts.com for ordering information.

www.herbs64.com

 

 

I think YASI will appeal to the Space Invaders purists .. and Protector is a very challenging port of Defender!

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

WOW, I paid like over $100 for this with shipping back when it was first released. The games really are great though.

 

John Dondzilla used to be a Vectrex FREAK and released I think over 12 games for the system and all on multi-game carts for $20. His games are some of the best on the Vectrex.

I am really surprised there isn't a LOT more homebrew for the Vectrex because it's so unique and can do both bitmap and vector graphics (especially vector graphics).

I haven't played in a while, but I think Trackers is the best homebrew game for this system. I've played this game to death so much I actually found some bugs in the game and let John know about them ( i knew him). I wish he was still doing the Vectrex games. Every release was getting better and by now he would be a master at the machine.

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There is quite a lot of Vectrex development. http://vectrex.wikia.com/wiki/2015

 

Last year there was as well. http://vectrex.wikia.com/wiki/2014

 

In addition, Binary Star is about to release NOX/Deathchase, and possibly Frogs N Flies/Vector Pong/Connect 4, Vectrexagon is being discussed for physical release, Tutstronix is close to releasing Vector Patrol, Fury states a 10/30/15 release for Hellhole, Luchs Soft has announced his next game will be Flak, Packrat says they will carry HEX, Verzerk, and rerelease VeCaves plus Chris Tumber is working on several intriguing games.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I will be releasing a ROM image soon, but it still needs a real Vectrex to run (via multi-cart, VecRAM, ROM simulator, whatever). My games are not compatible with any emulator I have tried. MESS renders a blank screen, outputs garbage sound and the controller buttons seem to be pressed randomly. DVE has the exact same problems with sound/controls but does at least try to display something, although it's still very broken.

 

Perhaps this release will encourage people to hunt down a real Vectrex, or at least prompt the emulator developers to fix them?

 

 

No. Both games fit into 32K so there would be no cost saving by excluding one game or the other. It's just a convenient way of releasing YASI and making Protector available to those who missed out at the same time. If I'd had another game completed then I probably would have re-released Protector on one cart, and put YASI and whetever on another.

 

BTW, the hidden game "Spike Goes Down" is not included in this version and will remain exclusive to the Limited Edition Protector.

 

Heh, and if you don't like the idea of having the same game twice, then I don't know what you'll make of my current project. It actually requires that you have 2 copies! And 2 Vectrexes!

 

Alex

www.herbs64.com (still not updated yet.)

Are you making a dungeon crawler or phantom-slayer type of game for the Vectrex? The screen shots look awesome!

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WOW, I paid like over $100 for this with shipping back when it was first released. The games really are great though.

 

John Dondzilla used to be a Vectrex FREAK and released I think over 12 games for the system and all on multi-game carts for $20. His games are some of the best on the Vectrex.

I am really surprised there isn't a LOT more homebrew for the Vectrex because it's so unique and can do both bitmap and vector graphics (especially vector graphics).

I haven't played in a while, but I think Trackers is the best homebrew game for this system. I've played this game to death so much I actually found some bugs in the game and let John know about them ( i knew him). I wish he was still doing the Vectrex games. Every release was getting better and by now he would be a master at the machine.

Bitmap graphics or pseudo-bitmap graphics?

 

To my knowledge, there's no way that an X-Y vector monitor can scan actual raster graphics.

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Bitmap graphics or pseudo-bitmap graphics?

 

To my knowledge, there's no way that an X-Y vector monitor can scan actual raster graphics.

FAIK, the Vectrex can draw vectors, only. Using vector drawing it can draw graphics that are made out of pixels (e.g. most text on the Vectrex consists of characters made out of pixels). I'd call this "bitmap graphics drawn by a vector beam". Some experienced developers like Alex Herbert, Martijn Wenting or Kristof Tuts use this bitmap technique for objects in their games.

 

(The monitor of the Vectrex has no raster/pixels in the phosphor but old b/w TVs hadn't a raster, either. A raster in the phosphor was needed for colour TVs with various types of phosphor for the three colours RGB next to each other.)

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  • 1 year later...

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