Pac-Man Collection - firsts screenshots...

[opcode]

I am in process to port Pac-Man and Ms Pac-Man for the CV, and here are the firsts screenshots. Now I have figured out almost the entire game opening and I have put together a little piece of code. The game is already booting, showing the grid and the character name screen (I have removed the memory test, as it was too time wasting for a home game). There isn't any animation yet, but it is just a matter of time now...
As a extra surprise from my effort, I have found a secret screen which I don't know if someone was aware. The screen shows "Made by Namco" as shown bellow and needs a trick to be activated...
As soon as I have the entire opening sequence ready, I would post a bin file at my web site, so every one here would check my progress.

:D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid46/p433dc6d09479e3d37e24004b4ce19608/fcd16d58.gif http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid46/p14ab35650c3031a27042516b11b56e77/fcd16d55.gif http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid46/p82709add7db75e69a9252c076092b488/fcd16d5b.gif

8)

[Raccoon Lad]

Kewl!

But are you porting Puc-Man or Pac-man? I know there's hardly any difference, but I think most people would prefer the non-japanese ghost names.

[ManekiNeko]

It'd be even better if the names alternated between American and Japanese, depending on whether you were playing Pac-Man or Exciting New Pac-Man Plus.

JR

[opcode]

But are you porting Puc-Man or Pac-man? I know there's hardly any difference, but I think most people would prefer the non-japanese ghost names.

Both them. In fact the differences are very small. But I like to start working with the original Japanese versions... :)

[Aswald]

(Uses old hypnotic coin ordered from Incredible Hulk comic book in 1975...)

Tempest. Tempest. Tempest...make Tempest your next project...Tempest...

[Magus]

Thats the good thing bout retro games, you can do like this cat is doing....IF you have the skills....bravo i say, bravo indeed.

[Aswald]

The rounded shapes and eyes are truly remarkable. Even the Atari 7800 version doesn't have that. How do you get a ColecoVision to do that so well?

[Arcade Antics]

Awesome! :D

[GENESISNES]

man that looks cool.

[kainemaxwell]

Very impressive!

[ManekiNeko]

"The rounded shapes and eyes are truly remarkable. Even the Atari 7800 version doesn't have that. How do you get a ColecoVision to do that so well?"

I think I know. It's a combination of the system's high resolution, coupled with the designer's attention to detail. The arcade translations on older systems COULD have looked more like the actual arcade games, but the programmers didn't think it was important. That's why some of us have been hacking their games to make them look more faithful to their arcade counterparts.

JR

[opcode]

Tempest. Tempest. Tempest...make Tempest your next project...Tempest...

Uhmmm... Tempest... I really think Tempest is a great game, but I had never thought about it... Interesting... I was thinking on creating a poll to choose my next port. But I will do it latter as Pac-Man Collection will keep me busy for several months yet... And I still need to release SIC in cart format too. I am having a little problem with cart cases but be assured it will evently be released... and it is probably going to be distributed by a big US dealer... :)


Thats the good thing bout retro games, you can do like this cat is doing....IF you have the skills....bravo i say, bravo indeed/quote]

Thanks, thanks a lot. It's really nice to know many of you are appreciating the effort. When I started programming SIC, I was determined to finish the game even if nobody cared about it. Now I have the motivation to keep programming. It isn't I am moved by compliments, but it just isn't fun to make a game just to myself. I mean, when the game is ready I am already tired of it! And I was able to meet a lot of friends here. It's the really good part... :-D

[quote]The rounded shapes and eyes are truly remarkable. Even the Atari 7800 version doesn't have that. How do you get a ColecoVision to do that so well?

Hi Asward! How is your game coming along?
There is nothing special about the graphics. The CV resolution is better than the usual 7800 resolution, so no surprise. I keep saying the CV is a very powerful machine, if you do full use of its capabilities...


That's why some of us have been hacking their games to make them look more faithful to their arcade counterparts.


By the way, I am aware of the nice new CV hack I think many here will love... ;) I am sorry I haven't answered you yet ManekiNeko, but I came back from a little vacation this week and now I am trying to put all things back in order...

Now back to code...

[o2william]

I was thinking on creating a poll to choose my next port.

That would be great! I hope you do.

I know everyone wants to see their favorite hit arcade game ported, but I would actually be more interested to see ports of more obscure games that have never been treated to a home console version. Pleiades, Bagman, Kaos, Zookeeper, Mad Planets (though you'd have to have a custom controller for that one), etc.. This Pac-Man port is jaw-droppingly impressive, but my excitement is somewhat reduced by the fact that I can already play Pac-Man on dozens of other systems.

I'd LOVE to see a Kaos or Pleiades port. (Did Pleiades actually come out for the Arcadia 2001? Was it any good?)

Keep up the good work!

[ManekiNeko]

"Did Pleiades actually come out for the Arcadia 2001? Was it any good?"

Yes, and no. There's an Arcadia version, but it isn't all that special... at least judging from what I've played on an emulator.

JR

[opcode]

Hi William! How are you doing? I talked to you many years ago about the Brazilian O2 and helped Marcelo Ribeiro to complete the Brazilian O2 game list... :D


Pleiades, Bagman, Kaos, Zookeeper, Mad Planets (though you'd have to have a custom controller for that one), etc.. This Pac-Man port is jaw-droppingly impressive, but my excitement is somewhat reduced by the fact that I can already play Pac-Man on dozens of other systems.

Beside Pleiades I have never played [or ever heard, excluding Zookeeper] any of these games. Pleiades is indeed a nice game and a few CV fans have already asked about porting it together Phoenix. But now Scott Huggins is porting Phoenix to the CV, so maybe he decides to port Pleiades after that, as the games are very similar. The problem with obscure games is few people know [or care] about them. You see, if programming a game had been an easy and quick task, I wouldn't mind porting some of these, but the process is very time consuming. I think maybe not so obscure games would be a better option, like Bosconian or Rally-X...
After Pac-Man Collection the next logical step in classic gamming relevance would be Donkey Kong, but I think most CV owners are already happy with the existing version...
By the way, wasn't a 2600 Pleiades prototype found?

Eduardo

[ManekiNeko]

Yep, there's a 2600 version of Pleaides out there, well, somewhere. Whoever owns it won't dump the ROM. The same goes for Funky Fish.
Now I've got a question for you, Ed... who's this Scott Huggins guy, and does he have a website? I'd like to check out his progress on ColecoVision Phoenix.

JR

[kainemaxwell]

My vote's for Zoo Keeper!

[opcode]

There is a CV programming list. To subscribe send email to:

colecoprogramming-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Scott is a member of this list. But he hasn't released any screenshot or demo yet... I will send you his email in pvt...

[Aswald]

Opcode, you'd better brace yourself. You are going to be FLOODED with requests!

It's interesting how much better the ColecoVision versions could've been. I saw the MSX version of Galaga; why were the creatures in the formation single-colored? In Atarisoft's Galaxian, enemies in formation were multi-colored and very nicely detailed. Even when they became single-colored in an attack dive, it was done in a very good-looking way.
I have a 4-screen version of Donkey Kong Junior. Granted, it could use a bit of polish here and there, but it is COMPLETE! And, only 16K out of the 32K! Where was it in 1983?

By the way, your CV version of Space Invaders looks to easily outdo the NES version. As does your Pac-Man.

Too bad someone like you didn't do the CV versions of Mr. Do!, Donkey Kong, Gyruss, and others. They would've been far better.

[opcode]

It's interesting how much better the ColecoVision versions could've been. I saw the MSX version of Galaga; why were the creatures in the formation single-colored?

It was the easy route. The TMS 9918 (the CV and MSX video chip) suffers from a color mapping limitation but there is a few ways to get around it. The problem is you are going to need to pay extra effort to implement these tricks... Anyway the gameplay in the MSX version of Galaga is very accurate...


In Atarisoft's Galaxian, enemies in formation were multi-colored and very nicely detailed. Even when they became single-colored in an attack dive, it was done in a very good-looking way.

I really think the Atarisoft programmers were some of the best available in the time. Every Atarisoft CV game uses a lot of advanced programming techniques...


I have a 4-screen version of Donkey Kong Junior. Granted, it could use a bit of polish here and there, but it is COMPLETE! And, only 16K out of the 32K! Where was it in 1983?

Good question... :-D


Too bad someone like you didn't do the CV versions of Mr. Do!, Donkey Kong, Gyruss, and others. They would've been far better.

Gyruss is a favorite of mine, as are several others shooting games: Galaga, Bosconian, Time Pilot, Xevious... But Gyruss is heavily dependent on good sound and the CV sound subsystem is a little limited... Lets see...

[opcode]

Someone in another forum has asked about a new DK version. Here is a mock up image for how the first DK would look in the CV. I can assure the screenshot bellow is perfectly feasible in the CV... But squeezing the 256 pixels tall arcade into a 192 pixels tall CV screen was a bit challenging. Nevertheless I think the resulting screen looks indeed nice and preserves most of the original layout.... :)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid46/pe5b12ef964b57bbcfc23ab3ac758bb7e/fcc9c6cc.gif

Eduardo

[ManekiNeko]

Ooh, delish!
You know, though, I managed to squeeze most of the Donkey Kong playfield (all but the top half of Pauline) into an even smaller resolution... 240x160 pixels to be precise. I've got a ton of concept artwork for a variety of Game Boy Advance games on my site... you can find them on the bottom of this page.

http://grblitz.overclocked.org/advance.htm

JR

[ubersaurus]

Yep, there's a 2600 version of Pleaides out there, well, somewhere. Whoever owns it won't dump the ROM. The same goes for Funky Fish.
Now I've got a question for you, Ed... who's this Scott Huggins guy, and does he have a website? I'd like to check out his progress on ColecoVision Phoenix.

JR

Actually, the 2600 protos of Pleaides and Funky Fish if I recall, are currently in the hands of the atariage guys, who were trying to dump them...but the carts use some wacky new bankswitching scheme, impeding their progress. This was a few months ago, although the lack of any ROM surfacing would let one assume they have not been successful.

[Aswald]

Someone in another forum has asked about a new DK version. Here is a mock up image for how the first DK would look in the CV. I can assure the screenshot bellow is perfectly feasible in the CV... But squeezing the 256 pixels tall arcade into a 192 pixels tall CV screen was a bit challenging. Nevertheless I think the resulting screen looks indeed nice and preserves most of the original layout.... :)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid46/pe5b12ef964b57bbcfc23ab3ac758bb7e/fcc9c6cc.gif

Eduardo


Could it be...after 20 years...finally, a GOOD VERSION of Donkey Kong for the ColecoVision?
Nice!

[coleco_chris]

Sorry-little bit late on the topic-been busy.

For my two cents, I'd kill to have Zoo Keeper on the Colecovision. Very nice job on the other titles-I can only offer my financial support to the classic community, so keep 'em coming!

[opcode]

Ooh, delish!
You know, though, I managed to squeeze most of the Donkey Kong playfield (all but the top half of Pauline) into an even smaller resolution... 240x160 pixels to be precise. I've got a ton of concept artwork for a variety of Game Boy Advance games on my site... you can find them on the bottom of this page.

http://grblitz.overclocked.org/advance.htm

JR

Nice work, eh! Maybe if you break the platform every 3 chars instead 2, it would be possible to fit the entire Pauline on screen...
I have checked the others screen and everything looks incredible. Bosconian has caught my attention... :-)
Hey, congratulations for your new "job" as a DP writer! I really find your writing style very enjoyable...

Eduardo

[opcode]

Just a small update...

The intro sequence is almost done now. I have just implemented the alternate ghost names. Everything is working nice, but I still need to finish a graphic shape routine. I already have a rough version of the intro, with the ghost having no eyes! Ugh! When the shape routine is ready, the eyes will be placed there. But so far I am very happy about how accurated the intro is shapping up. Everything animates with tenths of second precision.
As soon as the entire sequence is done and polished, I will make a demo available... For now, I am posting a new screenshot. It was took using Adamem. Not too different or great but...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid47/p50d60398c5cb1518a68816176da0d343/fcc405b6.gif

Eduardo

[opcode]

A more screenshot. Not a big deal, but just a more screen finished.
Animation is proving very challenging. Perhaps sound would be next.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid48/p135f47dc90592dd1dc803aaf9fbd818e/fcc040cf.gif

Pac-Man is roughly 20% done now... :)

Eduardo

[diskoboy]

I am in process to port Pac-Man and Ms Pac-Man for the CV, and here are the firsts screenshots. Now I have figured out almost the entire game opening and I have put together a little piece of code. The game is already booting, showing the grid and the character name screen (I have removed the memory test, as it was too time wasting for a home game). There isn't any animation yet, but it is just a matter of time now...
As a extra surprise from my effort, I have found a secret screen which I don't know if someone was aware. The screen shows "Made by Namco" as shown bellow and needs a trick to be activated...
As soon as I have the entire opening sequence ready, I would post a bin file at my web site, so every one here would check my progress.

:D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid46/p433dc6d09479e3d37e24004b4ce19608/fcd16d58.gif http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid46/p14ab35650c3031a27042516b11b56e77/fcd16d55.gif http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid46/p82709add7db75e69a9252c076092b488/fcd16d5b.gif

8)

Too bad those codes have been up here for at least 2 years. I own a Pac-Man machine.. This is where I go if I need some help fixing it.

http://users.erols.com/mowerman/pacfile.htm#Piggyback%20Socket%20Notes

Scroll a good ways down.... You'll see the code is:
Up 4 times
Left 4 times
Right 4 times
Down 4 times

You must do this when the game is in test mode. I've done it, and it DOES work.