Alternate Reality: The City by Philip Price for Atari 800

[Xebec's Demise]

Wow, they attack with a poison sword!?

 

So not only did you get hit, but you got poisoned too?

[analmux]

Aaargh! How do you get tables to line up in a post?

878509[/snapback]

 

Easy. Just use spaces instead of TABs, but don't forget to keep counting

Edited June 23, 2005 by analmux

[analmux]

So an 8Mb cart has 128 banks of 64K, a bank being your smallest

erasable block size.

875360[/snapback]

 

I could be mistaken but isn't the smallest erasable block size (on Atarimax's 1 megabyte Flashcart) 64kbyte, or is this just the stupid 64kbit/byte mistake??

Edited June 23, 2005 by analmux

[Gunstar]

Wow, they attack with a poison sword!?

 

So not only did you get hit, but you got poisoned too?

879291[/snapback]

You would be poisoned IF you are powerful enough, with enough hitpoints to survive, but I only had like 39 hitpoints, which quickly diminished when each hit is like 20 HP! So if you are just like a level 1-6 or so character with less than 50 HP, you die of injuries before any poison could effect you.

[Gunstar]

So an 8Mb cart has 128 banks of 64K, a bank being your smallest

erasable block size.

875360[/snapback]

 

I could be mistaken but isn't the smallest erasable block size (on Atarimax's 1 megabyte Flashcart) 64kbyte, or is this just the stupid 64kbit/byte mistake??

879787[/snapback]

this was already discussed either earlier in this thread or in the other AR thread that Wrathchild started. The answers are all there if you look.

[Xebec's Demise]

Wow, they attack with a poison sword!?

 

So not only did you get hit, but you got poisoned too?

879291[/snapback]

You would be poisoned IF you are powerful enough, with enough hitpoints to survive, but I only had like 39 hitpoints, which quickly diminished when each hit is like 20 HP! So if you are just like a level 1-6 or so character with less than 50 HP, you die of injuries before any poison could effect you.

879841[/snapback]

 

What kind of armor did you have on?

[Gunstar]

Wow, they attack with a poison sword!?

 

So not only did you get hit, but you got poisoned too?

879291[/snapback]

You would be poisoned IF you are powerful enough, with enough hitpoints to survive, but I only had like 39 hitpoints, which quickly diminished when each hit is like 20 HP! So if you are just like a level 1-6 or so character with less than 50 HP, you die of injuries before any poison could effect you.

879841[/snapback]

 

What kind of armor did you have on?

879960[/snapback]

\

 

I was equiped with studded leather armour and a magical shield and magical sword.

[analmux]

So an 8Mb cart has 128 banks of 64K, a bank being your smallest

erasable block size.

875360[/snapback]

 

I could be mistaken but isn't the smallest erasable block size (on Atarimax's 1 megabyte Flashcart) 64kbyte, or is this just the stupid 64kbit/byte mistake??

879787[/snapback]

this was already discussed either earlier in this thread or in the other AR thread that Wrathchild started. The answers are all there if you look.

879844[/snapback]

 

It might have been discussed before, but then I probably didn't read it all.

I was just saying that I have my doubts about the smallest ERASABLE bank size (64kB instead of 8kB). And what you replied is not answering my question. So maybe I wasn't clear.

Edited June 24, 2005 by analmux

[Wrathchild]

You're correct. To summarize:

 

1Mbit (128KByte) cart has 16 erasable blocks of 8KBytes

The switching model gives 16 banks of 8KBytes.

 

8Mbit (1024KByte or 1MByte) cart has 16 erasable blocks of 64KBytes

The switching model gives 128 banks of 8KBytes.

[Gunstar]

So an 8Mb cart has 128 banks of 64K, a bank being your smallest

erasable block size.

875360[/snapback]

 

I could be mistaken but isn't the smallest erasable block size (on Atarimax's 1 megabyte Flashcart) 64kbyte, or is this just the stupid 64kbit/byte mistake??

879787[/snapback]

this was already discussed either earlier in this thread or in the other AR thread that Wrathchild started. The answers are all there if you look.

879844[/snapback]

 

It might have been discussed before, but then I probably didn't read it all.

I was just saying that I have my doubts about the smallest ERASABLE bank size (64kB instead of 8kB). And what you replied is not answering my question. So maybe I wasn't clear.

880055[/snapback]

 

Sorry, my bad. I didn't realize that you were too lazy to go back ONE page (which is where your answer is) to find your answer. God forbid you should review a page or two.

[Chunder]

@Gunstar/Xebec

 

I recall seeing an assassin and a weaponsmaster before - but not recently; the poison attack rings bells, too.

 

I'm currently running around the City with a hacked character trying to catalogue as much as I can - encouters, potion effects, jewel values, etc.

Still haven't got a Magical Flamesword, or encountered a Nightstalker yet :-(

[analmux]

Sorry, my bad. I didn't realize that you were too lazy to go back ONE page (which is where your answer is) to find your answer.    God forbid you should review a page or two.

880098[/snapback]

 

* YAWN *

 

My god you have a bad temper, man. NO it was NOT on the previous pages, and Wrathchild just gave me the right answer....in fact BEFORE I posted my question I already had a look on the previous page IN FACT THAT's where I got my quotes from...there it was claimed that on the 8mbit cart the smallest erasable block was 8 kB or 64 kbit, but it turned out that I was right about my doubts, so maybe YOU should start to read better, that's all I have to say to you. Then I'll shut up (i.e. not the trolling again )

 

(note to self: don't get annoyed again )

Edited June 24, 2005 by analmux

[Xebec's Demise]

@Gunstar/Xebec

 

I recall seeing an assassin and a weaponsmaster before - but not recently; the poison attack rings bells, too.

 

I'm currently running around the City with a hacked character trying to catalogue as much as I can - encouters, potion effects, jewel values, etc.

Still haven't got a Magical Flamesword, or encountered a Nightstalker yet :-(

880103[/snapback]

 

Post it if ya got it.

 

When I am playing, I spend a lot of time entering stuff into a database, taking screenshots and notes also. I am not using hacked characters though because I don't know if I would trust the data. I am recording things such as which stats go up on which levels based upon how much extra experience over the necessary amount gained when leveling, encounter types, and levels of hunger thirst and weariness. The game is so incredibly complex it's difficult to make very many generalizations. Take any modern game and you can easily figure out a definate pattern, correlate the data and then make definate charts or predictions.

 

But, in Alternate Reality...

[Xebec's Demise]

AR just keeps amazing me as I play, even things that I normally take for granted within AR are incredible when compared to other games.

 

Has anyone ever played any another game where the amount of daylight progressively increased and decreased with the rising and setting sun?

 

Ever play another game where the likelihood of winds blowing or the chance of rainfall was in relation to the time of day/temperature and the seasons?

 

How about another game, where drinking too much not only affected your performance, but also visually and physically caused you to black in and out and stumble about in different directions? Not only that, but where you could build up a tolerance to chemicals such as alcohol and poison?!

 

Or how about another game where neurological disorders such as delusion or diseases could cause you to think that your abilities were better than they actually were, along with hidden stats and abilities?

 

In most other games you have a stat or number and that number is what is shown to you, or it’s either daylight or darkness, or the weather is just a random code or if you are drunk you might loose ability, but visually nothing happens.

 

There is so much more in AR…

[Xebec's Demise]

Check this out:

 

http://home.uchicago.edu/~djm2/archives/se....02/game.addict

[Gunstar]

Check this out:

 

http://home.uchicago.edu/~djm2/archives/se....02/game.addict

881350[/snapback]

 

That's very interesting and even humurous, but I really think it's urban legend, the so-called "mental disorder" is far, far, to specific to be real. Although I can understand the obsession, AR is a cool game and there were plenty of times in my life where I went on for days playing it and skipping meals and hygene, etc. while i was engrossed in the game...

 

Besides, if that story were true, the kid would have only wanted an Atari 8-bit and the ORIGINAL version of A.R. as anyone who would be so dedicated/engrossed with the game would want the best version. I could understand this happening with the A8 version, but if it were truely the Amiga version then this kid would have to have mental problems far beyond just this one game...

Edited June 27, 2005 by Gunstar

[Xebec's Demise]

Check this out:

 

http://home.uchicago.edu/~djm2/archives/se....02/game.addict

881350[/snapback]

 

That's very interesting and even humurous, but I really think it's urban legend, the so-called "mental disorder" is far, far, to specific to be real. Although I can understand the obsession, AR is a cool game and there were plenty of times in my life where I went on for days playing it and skipping meals and hygene, etc. while i was engrossed in the game...

 

Besides, if that story were true, the kid would have only wanted an Atari 8-bit and the ORIGINAL version of A.R. as anyone who would be so dedicated/engrossed with the game would want the best version. I could understand this happening with the A8 version, but if it were truely the Amiga version then this kid would have to have mental problems far beyond just this one game...

881536[/snapback]

 

*laughing*

 

AGREED!!! He truly must have been nuts to have wanted the Amiga version, the "magic" is not in any other version except the original Philip Price version

 

Only the Atari 8-bit version has the hypnotizing subliminal messages that flash across the screen for a fraction of a second in large 25 point white text, saying things like "this is the best game you have ever played," "Philip Price is a programming god," "This Atari version is far better than any other," "You are not tired of playing AR, you are having tons of fun, keep playing, nothing else matters" "Ignore everything around you, focus on this game only!"

 

[Chunder]

Another Alternate Reality challenge:

 

(I didn't want to start another thread on this - but perhaps it should be?)

 

1) Screenshot the date/time in an inn

2) Visit *every* tavern in the city and take a screenshot of the tavern interior showing the alcoholic drink you've purchased

3) Once you've visited them all, screenshot the date/time at an inn again

 

Whoever gets around them all in the shortest space of time wins... (kudos only, unfortunately!)

 

Any takers?

 

The FAQ at eobet.com has the opening hours for all the taverns, as well as the membership fees for the three private clubs (so yes, you'll need at least 54,500 coppers, plus drinks money! )

 

Other fun challenges would be more than welcome (e.g. dress entirely in hard-to-find colours such as white or purple, try to insult every smithy and shopkeeper, etc.)

[Gunstar]

LOL! That sounds like a cool idea to me, there's nothing wrong with a little "bar hopping," especially with a time concern , and a matter of fact, this should be the first in a series of "challenges" to complete. These could be done with any character, no matter your level/Exp. and stats too. If you happen to have a fast/powerful character, more power to you! Reward for the hours of hard work put into the character. The only thing I'd frown on would be a character made with a character editor.

 

Other types of contests could be almost anything; collect so many gems/jewels/potions, collect other things, get stumbling drunk (with blackouts, etc.) and have a race from one point to another or around the city, starting at particular Tavern's and Inn's and ending at a specific Inn, so times can be checked.

 

Ahh! reminds me of the old days at Sigma Chi with our similiar contests (while drunk)...

Edited June 28, 2005 by Gunstar

[Chunder]

@Gunstar

 

Definitely agree with you about the hacked characters... to a degree!

 

Where there's a competition (the AR:City high score one, this one, any others where it's the luck-of-the-draw how well you do) then hacking a char is unfair.

 

It would come into it's own, however, if we set up a specific character for everyone to use - for example, who can last the longest with a character who's got no money, is diseased and poisoned, and close to starvation? Who can survive with very low offensive skills (0 STR, CHR, INT), but high defensive skills (255 SKL)?

 

[Xebec's Demise]

Sounds like some fun ideas! Once everyone has a decent character that can survive almost anything, these would be fun challenges. I am not quite there yet, not a pro like you Chunder! Maybe I should just go ahead and list them and people can compete as they are ready?

 

Bar Hopping Challenge!

 

Scavenger Hunt!

 

Race Across Town!

 

Fashion Show!

 

Indiana Jones: Most valuable Gem!

 

Bare Naked Survival!

[Chunder]

Sounds like some fun ideas!  Once everyone has a decent character that can survive almost anything, these would be fun challenges.  I am not quite there yet, not a pro like you Chunder!   Maybe I should just go ahead and list them and people can compete as they are ready?

 

Heh -

 

Scavenger Hunt!

How would this work?

 

Race Across Town!

All start at one inn, screenshot time/date; race around town to all other inns getting a screenshot of time/date at each; finish up at first inn with a final time/date screenshot. Cool.

 

Bare Naked Survival!

Not sure if you can actually get nekkid in the City - easy enough to say "No armour allowed", but what about potions of protection? Sometimes you may accidentally imbibe one when your wisdom is too low to allow an accurate identification...

 

Could be some fun times, though

[Xebec's Demise]

Scavenger hunt would be who could find an item or several items in the fastest amount of game time. Take a screenshot at an INN, then go and try tofind and buy a Fine Purple Dragonskin Toga, for example.

 

Or it could be anything really. First to encounter an Assasin, first to find a jewel worth over 90 gold, first to find a Magical Dagger, etc.

 

Bare Naked Survival would be for advanced characters. You would have to wrestle and box your way around town with no armor or weapons. Maybe starting at one inn and trying to make it to another.

 

You know, now that you mention it, I wonder if there is a way to drop clothes?

[Chunder]

You know, now that you mention it, I wonder if there is a way to drop clothes?

 

Doesn't appear to be - you get the option to drop Armour or a Weapon... I'm not going to chance selecting "Armour" to see if it then asks which piece to drop just in case it dumps my Magical Plate Mail! (I strongly suspect that it doesn't give you the option of dropping clothes, though - I've never seen it do so before...)

[Gunstar]

Ok, here is the low-down on A.R.:The City as played on an NTSC 800, 10k rom, 48k, 2 810's.

 

Time: 1 A.R. hour~3 real min. It's definately a bit slower than the XL/XE time of ~2:50 (55?), but still doesn't account for the supposed 4 min. hour as stated in the manual/guide book. The closest is still the PAL (test done on a NTSC 1200XL 64k, PAL ANTIC (50hz refresh), which I clocked in at ~3:50. IIRC, this was confirmed by Xebec's Demise with similiar enulator settings.

 

Disk loading is frequent and frustrating, every single thing you do besides move requires a load with the "One moment Please" on the screen. the extra 16k+ in XL's and XE's really make a difference on how frequent the loads are, and the 800 doesn't even have the A.R. font on the "swap disk" screens. I can see why people with 800's might have been discouraged by load times, before realizing it was worth it, to play the game. Even with 2 disk drives and no swappig beyond disk 1.2, it's a real test of your attention and patience to play on the 800. If the cartridge works on the 800, people that played it on an 800 and hated it may even love it now. I'm glad I started playing on a 130XE, it really made a difference.