Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 21 to 40 of 53

Thread: Is there anyone like me that can't get into... the C64?

  1. #21
    Flawless Rawkality Flack's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    OKC, OK
    Posts
    14,273
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4
    Thanked in
    3 Posts

    Default

    As a long time C64 owner and a guy who still has a real Commie hooked up in his computer room, I have to admit that I do most of my C64 game playing via emulation. I'm not saying it's as authentic but it sure is a lot more convenient.

    Track down one of the GameBase releases. They are up to version 6.0 now but for most people, the changes between even something like version 3 and version 6 are relatively minute (what's a hundred games in a collection of 20,000?). As far as I know they all (or at least the vast majority) work in WinVice. I second Mayhem's recommendation of putting WinVice in true 1541 emulation mode and then hitting alt-w to warp past the load times ... the true emulation mode loads a lot more "non-cracked" titles.

    Two collections I recommend are the Blast Collection and the Arcade Collection. I don't remember when or where I found them, but each one contains over a thousand games and both weed out a lot of the crappy BASIC games that you end up getting. Just like iTunes, with such a large library, there's a lot of low quality crap out there and some of the collections like Blast have weeded a lot of it out for you.

  2. #22
    Startin' From Scratch Custom rank graphic
    AB Positive's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    not on the coast of massachusetts
    Posts
    6,201
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2
    Thanked in
    2 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Ze_ro View Post
    You still haven't really told us exactly what's happening beyond "it doesn't work". What is going on? Are all these games locking up at a black screen, or not loading at all, or what?

    One thing you may need to keep in mind is that in a lot of cases, you're better off getting cracked copies of games rather than the original. Some of the more aggresive forms of copy protection still don't work well in emulators. Remember and Nostalgia are two of my favourite cracking groups out there, and both of their web pages have download links on them so you can get disks you KNOW work. Though keep in mind that both groups are European, so you will probably have to set your emulator to PAL if you haven't already (I know at least a few crack intros cause my real life NTSC C128 to lock up).

    --Zero
    Waha - you may have found my turrican issue - I have Remember's versions from gamebase, but I do believe I'm running as a ntsc machine. I'll give the switch a try.

    C64 Giana Sisters to me plays way better than the Amiga version - I can see why there's fans now, as bad as that sounds

    The funniest one I've tried is "Galaga" ... there's two actually, B&W and color, and both have every sprite as just three or four pixels a piece. But... the ships and enemies move rather smoothly. Looks like a ZX81 game but was kinda fun to play. Certainly an interesting find.

    As Arkhan said - I started with TOSEC when I was first getting frustrated with the emulator, I've found better ones to try. I agree with the 'finding gems in the crap' but in a way so does the NES and the Genesis so I'm seeing why it has fans. I may have to find that power brick and get one of those XE connectors again off eBay. (I had done a 64HDD setup but never really clicked with the machine)

    edit - nope it's Crazy Town or something for Turrican one... goes to a screen saying how to skip levels Turrican+9 trainer and just holds - with no key or button press seeming to move it. Turrican II worked moving to PAL so I got to try that... think the Amiga ruined that one for me, heh.
    Last edited by AB Positive; 12-05-2009 at 01:35 PM.
    -AB+

    Holy crap. It's been a while.

  3. #23
    Chaos Knight
    Mayhem's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    London, England
    Posts
    8,916
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    Xbox LIVE
    Mayhem64

    Default

    For Turrican, I grabbed the version @ GB64 and tried that. It's asking you Y/N for the questions about whether you want infinite lives etc, so hit Y or N to answer the questions. After running through them, the title screen should boot up.

    If you have True Drive Emulation turned on in Vice and running in PAL (although I also tested up to the title screen in NTSC and it works fine), not sure what to suggest... what version of Vice are you using?

  4. #24
    Startin' From Scratch Custom rank graphic
    AB Positive's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    not on the coast of massachusetts
    Posts
    6,201
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2
    Thanked in
    2 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mayhem View Post
    For Turrican, I grabbed the version @ GB64 and tried that. It's asking you Y/N for the questions about whether you want infinite lives etc, so hit Y or N to answer the questions. After running through them, the title screen should boot up.

    If you have True Drive Emulation turned on in Vice and running in PAL (although I also tested up to the title screen in NTSC and it works fine), not sure what to suggest... what version of Vice are you using?
    Yep - that was it. Son of a... I had no idea it was prompting me, I guess I expected it to be at the bottom not middle.

    I've tried a fair number of the suggestions made in this thread... and perhaps I should ask a different question - are there any games that are either exclusive or that the 'best port' is on the C64?

    I have an a500 so while Rick Dangerous is good per se - the miggy version seems more solid. Turrican 1 and 2 similarly so. Archon and Alternate Reality: The City have great A8 versions... and admittedly I can't play Starflight on anything but a Genesis (I know, heresy...)

    Space Taxi I tried and was quite fun and I've not heard of a version of that on any of my other systems so there's on in it's column.
    -AB+

    Holy crap. It's been a while.

  5. #25
    Flawless Rawkality Flack's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    OKC, OK
    Posts
    14,273
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    4
    Thanked in
    3 Posts

    Default

    I suspect that most games that were ported to 16-bit machines like the Amiga and Genesis are going to look better on those platforms than on the C64. Some of it probably comes down to preference as well. I spent so many years behind a Commodore keyboard that games like Skate or Die or California Games, while available on multiple 8-Bit machines, "look" and "feel" right to me on the 64. It's something about that machine's graphic aspect ratio and color palette. The Apple II and NES versions of those games never did it for me.

    A lot of it too -- and this goes for all of retrogaming, I suppose -- is that it was the best in its time frame. For example, there were games like ... oh, Kung Fu Master or Yie Ar Kung Fu that I think the C64 home ports were some of the best. Today you can simply fire them up in MAME and play the originals and no, I don't think the C64 versions are better than the arcade versions. Back in the mid-80s, you could either play a pretty good home port or save up some quarters and then beg your mom to take you to the arcade to play them.

    I will have to run down my game directory later and pull out some C64 exclusives for you. I can tell you that when I'm bored, I often pull out Park Patrol, Toy Bizarre, Jumpman, Paradroid, and Bruce Lee (which, after 20 something years, I finally beat!)

  6. #26
    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Neptune
    Posts
    1,155
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    PSN
    TurboArkhan

    Default

    legacy of the ancients and legend of blacksilver are great exclusives

    temple of apshai trilogy is best on the C64....

    mayhem in monsterland and creatures 1&2 are greatstuff.
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

  7. #27
    Pear (Level 6) Soviet Conscript's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Pittsburgh
    Posts
    1,361
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Arkhan View Post
    temple of apshai trilogy is best on the C64....
    any reasons why? i'm curious cause i read the Amiga version was better

  8. #28
    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Neptune
    Posts
    1,155
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    PSN
    TurboArkhan

    Default

    fuck the Amiga.

    All they did was slap an assed up GUI over the game and the graphics are all primitive looking, and then the audio is bleh. The SID version of all of the audio beats out the Amiga which is really stupid to say the least. They could have sampled in some really great stringed instruments and made it sound fucking epic, but they opted for bleepbloopery

    It could have sounded like this:
    For the string fans
    www.aetherbyte.com/downloadables/toa.mp3

    for the plain ol' organ fans:
    www.aetherbyte.com/downloadables/toao.mp3

    for the ambient organ fans who run around with cravats and coat tailed jackets with laces (me!):
    www.aetherbyte.com/downloadables/toab.mp3

    any of these would have been doable on the Amiga as they're all 3 channel songs (Paula can do 4!), and using synths that existed BEFORE the Amiga even came out. crickey.

    They could have done SO MUCH with the music but they didn't. Its stupid

    Playability wise the C64 wins out as it doesn't over-complicate a simple game with clunky interfaces, also the graphics LOOK BETTER ON THE C64. However that happened is a mystery.

    and the music sounds great. The little ambient sfx you get while playing sound good too.

    I mean really, with the Amiga, who is inept enough to have to mouse over a drop down and click "THRUST T"

    press the goddamn T key! *facepalm*

    The Amiga one looks like a game that had a stroke, and fell out of the ACK, whereas the C64 one looks like a nicely polished RPG.

    and the effing Atari version. Cmon.

    They mouse-whored the game up.

    Id put TOA Trilogy for the C64 in my top 5 for the computer.
    Last edited by Arkhan; 12-06-2009 at 08:01 AM.
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

  9. #29
    Startin' From Scratch Custom rank graphic
    AB Positive's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    not on the coast of massachusetts
    Posts
    6,201
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2
    Thanked in
    2 Posts

    Default

    So far, early favorites from suggestions include Park Patrol, Toy Bizzare and Space Taxi. And boy, does Toy bizzare in a quick 4 second intro melody show why the SID is so loved. The level-start melody is damn near epic.

    I'll tuck in on some of the RPG suggestions but since they take longer to evaluate... etc... however I can see why folks like it. If I can find a cheap c128 brick I may have to dig it out and set it up. It's missing a key, but it's an inconsequential key and the parts underneath still work anyway.
    -AB+

    Holy crap. It's been a while.

  10. #30
    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Neptune
    Posts
    1,155
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    PSN
    TurboArkhan

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AB Positive View Post
    So far, early favorites from suggestions include Park Patrol, Toy Bizzare and Space Taxi. And boy, does Toy bizzare in a quick 4 second intro melody show why the SID is so loved. The level-start melody is damn near epic.

    I'll tuck in on some of the RPG suggestions but since they take longer to evaluate... etc... however I can see why folks like it. If I can find a cheap c128 brick I may have to dig it out and set it up. It's missing a key, but it's an inconsequential key and the parts underneath still work anyway.
    I know someone who can get you a C128 w/ power brick for piss-cheap... he lives in the Nevada regions though so it might be a bit to ship!

    hell I think you could get a 1571 or something too?.... i can ask if you are interested.
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

  11. #31
    Peach (Level 3) ghostangelofcky's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Denver
    Posts
    757
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts

    Default

    I think one of the main driving points for this computer and many others from this genre and age is the nostalgia factor. Example:

    I own a Apple IIe, why? Because when I was a kid this was my first video game system. As a matter of fact it's the exact same one that i used to curse at when I died playing Lode Runner. A lot of this hobby for me is playing the games that I loved and finally getting to play the games and systems that I wished I could play when I was younger. No more drooling over that pic of the Turbografx w/CD attachment! Your sexy misshaped ass is mine now

    But that's just me, also probably why I don't own any systems newer than the Dreamcast.

  12. #32
    Startin' From Scratch Custom rank graphic
    AB Positive's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    not on the coast of massachusetts
    Posts
    6,201
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2
    Thanked in
    2 Posts

    Default

    Nostalgia tends to be pretty limited for me when it comes to gaming. For me I pretty much lived and died (gaming wise) by the sega genesis. NES had some great games but other than Mario 3 I really don't remember getting too into it.

    Retro computers are a different thing altogether - it was like a brand new frontier with games I had never heard of. So for these I have zero nostalgia and I'm coming in completely eyes wide open.


    Atari 8-bit line - awesome. First party support helps but my favorite games are still Archon, Alternate Reality and Yoomp! - they keep me coming back, and trying out others too. I guess they give me a "reason" to have the setup.


    Amiga - Turrican I and II, Rodland, Sensi and the Dizzy Collection keep me coming back here. That and the amazing amount of hackery and craziness one can do with the Amiga line given time and money.


    Spectrum - OK I don't own one but if you haven't played Renegade on it you're missing out. I would love to own one at some point. Great arcade ports, unique sound (which I like :P ) and just an interesting setup all around.



    C64 was baffling to me on the idea of "But it's so popular, why don't I see the draw?". I've liked a few games so far but haven't found that "Hook" game like AR, Turrican or Renegade. Sometimes for me it just takes one game that's a "must play" to have me want the system.
    -AB+

    Holy crap. It's been a while.

  13. #33
    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Neptune
    Posts
    1,155
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    PSN
    TurboArkhan

    Default

    in order to better force-feed you C64 games, whats your favorite style o' game.

    has you tried neuromancer? It rules.
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

  14. #34
    Startin' From Scratch Custom rank graphic
    AB Positive's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    not on the coast of massachusetts
    Posts
    6,201
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2
    Thanked in
    2 Posts

    Default

    Good point - a point of reference would help, huh?

    Console RPGs like FF or Phantasy Star, early Castlevanias, Genesis Starflight (as mentioned earlier, I can't get into the fighting style on the computer originals), Strat-RPGs, Archon, Dizzy, Alt. Reality the City


    Mainly RPGs, some action, platformers are good (Harlequin is a favorite too)... I love fighting games but really that didn't happen until the 16-bit era.
    -AB+

    Holy crap. It's been a while.

  15. #35
    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Neptune
    Posts
    1,155
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    PSN
    TurboArkhan

    Default

    If you like RPGs the only ones of any consequence on the C64 are going to be Legacy of the Ancients and Legend of Blacksilver


    the rest can be experienced with DOS with less of a headache involved. im sure you dont want to swap 5.25" disks every time you go to a new place.

    all of the Ultima games with DOS have been EGA/VGA'd and have music now if they had it in the first place so dont let anyone tell you youve got to play it on the C64. They're probably high. The SID music on the C128 versions arent worth the disk swaps.

    Wasteland: Same concept. You even get a mouse which makes things easier

    Bards Tale: They look like crap on every computer, so you might as well play it on DOS where there's no loading mess.

    Wizardry: Its ok, but its no better than any other Wizardry incarnation.

    M&M: same as wizardry really. Though I prefer II on the PC

    actually, you're going to find that most games in 2009 are not worth loading on the C64 because of disk swapping. DOSbox + PC versions allow you to enjoy the game without losing your immersive factor every time you gotta swap disks


    aside from Legacy of the Ancients and Legend of Blacksilver, your other must-play RPGs are Wizards Crown, Eternal Dagger, and Temple of Apshai Trilogy.

    the rest (goldbox especially) exist in DOS, and are much more accessible to you.......

    so its possible you arent really going to ever get to into the C64 since the nostalgia factor isnt there.

    You might have been really into it back when it was new though!. It DOES have alot of RPGs and when it was current, did a great job, but hey! its all ancient now, might as well pick the convenient one...


    You can try alternate reality on the c64, and maybe Knights of Legend and Times of Lore, but I am thinking you will try the DOS versions and go "oh, right".

    strategy RPG wise, theres some wargames? like war in middle earth and crap, but theyre iffy if you're looking for really in depth stuff. Sword of Aragon for PC, now theres a good one.
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

  16. #36
    Startin' From Scratch Custom rank graphic
    AB Positive's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    not on the coast of massachusetts
    Posts
    6,201
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2
    Thanked in
    2 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Arkhan View Post
    You can try alternate reality on the c64, and maybe Knights of Legend and Times of Lore, but I am thinking you will try the DOS versions and go "oh, right".
    Therein lies the rub though:

    1) I find disk swapping to have more immersion - makes one feel like they're 'back in the time' regardless of if you experienced it or not. I have no problem with floppy swapping.

    2) Alternate Reality is crap on anything but an A8. Phillip Price knew what he was doing with Atari ASM and the ports suffer greatly. Sometimes having the easy DOS port isn't the way to go.


    AR is an extreme example though - how often is a game ported away from it's "Home system" and loses *so much* in the translation?


    I guess the question becomes "How many C64 RPGs are the superior version across all ports"? Sort of like the aforementioned Apshai trilogy.
    -AB+

    Holy crap. It's been a while.

  17. #37
    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Neptune
    Posts
    1,155
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    PSN
    TurboArkhan

    Default

    Well let me put it to you this way then

    If you dont mind disk swapping and are in fact LOOKING for disk swapping, all the RPGs of the era kick fucking ass on the C64.

    The sort of drab VIC-II palette actually complements most of the games.

    so really if you are looking to get into the C64 and like being in front of one, fire up:

    Legacy of the ancients
    Legend of Blacksilver
    Ultima V
    Demons Winter
    any of the bards tales
    Wasteland
    Curse of the Azure Bonds


    also a non-rpg which is great on the C64 is Myth.

    If you play the above mentioned RPGs and do not enjoy yourself, theres no hope then.

    (PS: Of the above mentioned ones my favorites are Ultima V, Curse, Wasteland and LofAncients)
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

  18. #38
    Startin' From Scratch Custom rank graphic
    AB Positive's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    not on the coast of massachusetts
    Posts
    6,201
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2
    Thanked in
    2 Posts

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Arkhan View Post
    If you dont mind disk swapping and are in fact LOOKING for disk swapping, all the RPGs of the era kick fucking ass on the C64.
    No kidding right? Ever try to play AR the City with a single disk drive?

    (I really should get a second 1050 drive...)

    When I get home I'll have to fire a few up and give them a try.

    I will give the C64 this - even before I started this learning experience, last time I had a full physical setup, Maniac Mansion is incredibly well done on the Commie.


    EDIT: I should note one thing - trying the C64 turricans showed great games but they're totally unplayable for me compared to the Amiga versions. Some may say this is the updated graphics but really it amounts to one thing: I'm partially color blind. Amiga Turrican has letters on the powerups, C64 goes by colors. I can't tell what I'm picking up :/

    Otherwise, it's an obviously great game. One that is just unplayable for me specifically. Same thing with Puzzle Fighter II Turbo. Lets just say I keep red on one side, blue on the other, and hope the green/yellow ones are touching their own color when I go to break one.


    Ninja EDIT2: Hey - it's Montezuma's Revenge on the C64. I know it won't have the final boss like the A8 prototype version has but MR is great on every system it's on. Gotta try that too as I want to know what the sound's like on it, heh.
    Last edited by AB Positive; 12-08-2009 at 11:01 AM.
    -AB+

    Holy crap. It's been a while.

  19. #39
    Apple (Level 5) Arkhan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    Neptune
    Posts
    1,155
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    0
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    0
    Thanked in
    0 Posts
    PSN
    TurboArkhan

    Default

    Yeah. Dont forget to try Neuromancer also. Another good one.
    Aetherbyte: PC-Engine and more homebrew

  20. #40
    Red (Level 21) Jorpho's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    We're all mad here
    Posts
    13,554
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1
    Thanked in
    1 Post

    Default

    But Neuromancer is also available for DOS, and also looks better there than it does on the C64:
    http://www.mobygames.com/game/neuromancer/screenshots

    (I guess the sound wouldn't be nearly as good, though. Sampled music in 1988 is something DOS could hardly dream of.)
    Last edited by J'orfeaux; 12-08-2009 at 03:13 PM.
    "There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge." --Bertrand Russel (attributed)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •