Vectrex Regeneration for iOS - OUT NOW!!!

[RCM]

Search "Vectrex" in the app store and start playing. It doesn't replicate the graphics in a way I would have liked, but it's still cool. The app is free and comes with Minestorm. For an additional $7 you can buy a "mega pack" of vectrex games. It looks like you get 10-15 titles in the "mega pack." There's some other seemingly cool features too, but I haven't gone deep enough to give this is a thumbs up or not.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Wonder if it runs off of rom images and if it's possible to side-load roms on a non-jailbroken iOS device. (At least for the games not included for sale, which I'll gladly purchase.)

oooh ... iCade compatible

*rushes off to buy & play*

HOLY CRAP games are NOT playable with overlays on. See screencap below. (They're fine without in the classic black/white vector graphics).

The developer needs to either UP the brightness on the simulated vector lines or drop the transparency of the overlays.

Also, dev needs to add some additional screen control options (virtual d-pad, etc.).

Otherwise seems like a good start. Love the retro 80s/90s bedroom menu system.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b328/FrankieViturello/D12612BA-39A7-4040-9906-CDDE38ED8841-24569-000002DD9FAC1681.jpg

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I'm tweeting with one of the devs about it now, luminosity issues may be isolated to iPhone 4 users, and they're working on fixes/options.

I'll report back with more info as I get it.

[Tanooki]

Doesn't look like that on my ipad 2 using the latest OS on it.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Doesn't look like that on my ipad 2 using the latest OS on it.

YES! You're right, the lack of luminosity is strictly an iPhone 4 issue.

I downloaded it on my iPad 2 tonight and it looks MUCH better, also has on-screen control pad.

I haven't purchased the official game pack, but Minestorm and the 4 homebrew titles that are available (Thrust, War of the Robots, Continuum and Vectrex 21) look great.

I haven't paired it with my iCade yet, but the on-screen controls are decent, I'm not a fan of the analog stick moving outside of a restricted area, if I lift my left thumb off the screen it winds up getting teleported over to the buttons side of the screen when I'm tapping away there.

I hope they clear up the iPhone 4 display issues, but even if they don't it seems to be a winner on the iPad.

[Leo_A]

Looking forward to getting this.

I wish it replicated a vector display a bit better though. There's a good YouTube video that shows them side by side and it's not even close with the real deal (And that's with watching the video on a LCD computer monitor so it's not out of reach to get this looking more like a vector display).

Not sure why they seemed to replicate the humming since I thought that was something a Vectrex wasn't supposed to do and was instead a common problem when a wire would come loose inside. It's a nice touch but I think I'd rather not have it (I suppose what I heard on YouTube might be an issue with the recording itself but it sure sounds like what a real Vectrex does so I imagine it's the software doing it).

How does multiplayer work? Can two devices connect via WiFi while both utilize BlueTooth connections to a proper controller? Or are you stuck with touch screen controls with the BlueTooth connection tied up handling the multiplayer connection?

This is apparently the team behind this. They're a heck of a lot younger looking than I'd of pictured. Nice to see that their heart seems to have been in this since the Vectrex is probably older than every last one of them in the picture.

http://venturebeat.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/team-rantmedia-games.jpg

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

How does multiplayer work? Can two devices connect via WiFi while both utilize BlueTooth connections to a proper controller? Or are you stuck with touch screen controls with the BlueTooth connection tied up handling the multiplayer connection?

From the dev - wifi only. Install/run app on both. Go to 'Vectrex' view on iPad. Tap 'Controls' then 'Connect'. Assign iPhone to P1 or P2. :)

They're very responsive to correspondences on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/vectrexregen

[Leo_A]

And iPhone #1 & 2 then can each connect to BlueTooth controllers (I think there are gamepads that operate like an iCade out there) for actual controls then, right?

If I had someone around that routinely liked playing classic games, that would be an excellent option to have so I'm glad to see it here. Too bad I'll probably never take advantage of it though.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

And iPhone #1 & 2 then can each connect to BlueTooth controllers (I think there are gamepads that operate like an iCade out there) for actual controls then, right?

If I had someone around that routinely liked playing classic games, that would be an excellent option to have so I'm glad to see it here. Too bad I'll probably never take advantage of it though.

Right. Bluetooth is reserved for controllers.

[c0ldb33r]

This is great, I've been waiting for this.

I don't have an icade as I only have an iphone, not ipad. I can't wait for the icade jr. to be released :)

http://www.ionaudio.com/products/details/icadejr

[Hawksmoor]

Where is the Android version?! :(

[dgdgagdae]

This is great, I've been waiting for this.

I don't have an icade as I only have an iphone, not ipad. I can't wait for the icade jr. to be released :)

http://www.ionaudio.com/products/details/icadejr

It looks like that's already a real product, and it's on sale at ThinkGeek. It's too small to fit the newer iPhone and iPod Touch though, unless you leave the top open. That's a shame.

[c0ldb33r]

It looks like that's already a real product, and it's on sale at ThinkGeek. It's too small to fit the newer iPhone and iPod Touch though, unless you leave the top open. That's a shame.
Hey thats awesome thanks for letting me know! :D

I only have an iphone 4 so that should fit like a beaut. Also it's 40% off right now.


http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/f12f/?srp=3

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Hey thats awesome thanks for letting me know! :D

I only have an iphone 4 so that should fit like a beaut. Also it's 40% off right now.


http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/f12f/?srp=3

Awesome sale price on that! Couldn't pass it up!

[dgdgagdae]

Awesome sale price on that! Couldn't pass it up!

I just wish it fit the iPod Touch 5 properly. Maybe the next version.

[Leo_A]

Anyone been using this with a tv/out adapter?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I just wish it fit the iPod Touch 5 properly. Maybe the next version.

Yeah, I'm fully prepared to make a black foam-core top to compensate when I get an iPhone 5.

[Tanooki]

Anyone try this on icade? I have one but just keep forgetting to resync the thing. I lucked into one early this year for $10 at a flea market and the few times I've enjoyed it but was depressed some fools won't add it to common sense titles (like Capcom for Marvel vs Capcom 2.)

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

GUH

I'm not finding iCade Jr. to live up to the pedigree of daddy.

I'm not sure if this is addressed on jailbroken devices or newer versions of MAME4ALL for iOS but the version of MAME that was available on the App store has some major issues with the buttons that iCade Jr. has mapped to the front 4 buttons working simultaneously with the joystick.

I spent a good hour TRYING to re-map the buttons in MAME to work in some combination where you could simultaneously move and press a button with no luck, it only works partially or not at all in all cases.

iCade Jr. has 4 buttons on the back side the seem to be more friendly with moving and jumping/shooting simultaneously, but that doesn't really help.

The good news is that the device seems to work pretty okay with most of the compatible software on the App Store (I don't give it any strong recommendation though, so buyer beware!) ... so, for the sale price I paid I don't feel TOTALLY burned, but a bit bummed ... I was just hoping to get it running well with MAME.

;(

*edit*

[deleted incorrect assessment that you can't move and press a button at the same time]

...it's not awful with games that have iCade Sr. compatibility, and it doesn't seem to have the same problem with multiple inputs not working [see update about buttons working now].

I'm [LESS] bummed don't recommend paying full price for this, but its not completely useless.

[B]
*EDIT EDIT*

OKAY, I figured out that on the front control panel, you CAN assign in-game buttons to the top right and bottom right buttons on the front panel and those can be operated simultaneously with a directional push on the joystick.

So, if you want to use this thing with iMAME pick a game that only needs one or two buttons and assign them to the top right and bottom right front buttons.

[StealthLurker]

GUH

I'm not finding iCade Jr. to live up to the pedigree of daddy.

I'm not sure if this is addressed on jailbroken devices or newer versions of MAME4ALL for iOS but the version of MAME that was available on the App store has some major issues with the buttons that iCade Jr. has mapped to the front 4 buttons working simultaneously with the joystick.

I spent a good hour TRYING to re-map the buttons in MAME to work in some combination where you could simultaneously move and press a button with no luck, it only works partially or not at all in all cases.

iCade Jr. has 4 buttons on the back side the seem to be more friendly with moving and jumping/shooting simultaneously, but that doesn't really help.

The good news is that the device seems to work pretty okay with most of the compatible software on the App Store (I don't give it any strong recommendation though, so buyer beware!) ... so, for the sale price I paid I don't feel TOTALLY burned, but a bit bummed ... I was just hoping to get it running well with MAME.

;(

*edit*

Spent more time with it and I can confirm that this thing is NOT compatible with any game that needs to use the joystick AND buttons simultaneously in the version of MAME that was on the App Store briefly.

However it's not awful with games that have iCade Sr. compatibility, and it doesn't seem to have the same problem with multiple inputs not working.

I'm still bummed and I still don't recommend paying full price for this, but its not completely useless.


I've noticed similar problems with the iCade Mobile. For example I can't crouch and kick at the same time in Darkstalkers. I'm using a jailbroken device and the iMAME4iOS (uses the most recent version of MAME across all 3 versions of MAME that exist for iOS) and iFBA.

What's interesting though is that I don't have these problems on the iCade 8-bitty (just like the original iCade).

.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I've noticed similar problems with the iCade Mobile. For example I can't crouch and kick at the same time in Darkstalkers. I'm using a jailbroken device and the iMAME4iOS (uses the most recent version of MAME across all 3 versions of MAME that exist for iOS) and iFBA.

What's interesting though is that I don't have these problems on the iCade 8-bitty (just like the original iCade).

.

I was JUST coming back here to post an update...

so, after giving it a few days and poking around on the web I determined that the iCade Jr. Buttons that show up as "joystick button 1 joystick button 2 joystick button 3 joystick button 4" etc. in the in-MAME button assignment menu (ie the two RIGHT-MOST buttons on the control panel) DO in fact allow for motion in all directions with a simultaneous button press.

I SWEAR I had tried that initially with no success, but I guess I did not.

So, the maximum number of buttons that you're going to get away with on the front panel of the iCade Jr. is TWO if you need simultaneous character movement with the buttons.

Not a total bust after all, and most of the games I want to play on this thing only have 1 or 2 buttons anyway.

If you have one of these just assign Button 1 and Button 2 in MAME to the top right and bottom right button. You can assign coin/start to the left buttons or the buttons on the back.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Also, for those who never got the answer to the question, how is Vectrex Regeneration on iOS with an iCade,

after the most recent update, it's pretty great, functions as you'd want it to and has adjustable joystick sensitivity to compensate for the digital vs. analog.

Though, take note you have to buy the full game (which includes all of the games) to get iCade compatibility.

[otaku]

yet another awesome product I can't get on my android devices I'm about to get another iphone haven't had one since 3gs a 4 or 4s sounds pretty good

[RCM]

iCades and similar devices are going for $70 on Amazon now. I'm tempted to pick one up but have a feeling I'd never use it.

[Tanooki]

That's the problem I've run into with my iCade, I never use the thing. The only thing is I really don't care as I lucked into one on accident mid year at a flea market out west where I was living and I got it for $10. The dude wanted $20 but I asked if he tested it, didn't, and I couldn't so it worked out that way. As it is, my 1yr old girl is just the right height for the two plastic cabinets(mini) it stands upon to stand and use it like a real arcade cab. I don't have the iPad in it but she'll just stand there and move the joystick and smack the buttons a few times for a bit every day which I find worth it.

I know I would use it if without jailbreaking people would literally stop being lazy pricks and add real support. It's nauseating idiots like at Capcom can pop out Marvel vs Capcom 2 and NOT support the iCade arcade cabinet.

[BricatSegaFan]

This app sucks...it does not work on my vectrex :(

How am I supposed to play emulated vectrex games on my vectrex? :confused:

[dgdgagdae]

This app sucks...it does not work on my vectrex :(

How am I supposed to play emulated vectrex games on my vectrex? :confused:

You might need to get the Vectreverdrive.