Post by hydrophilic on Feb 12, 2016 4:08:52 GMT
I just recently had the urge to write, err, port a fun shoot-um-up to the C128.
I was thinking Asteroids 128 would be a fantastic thing...
BUT... if you believe the pages I've found via Google... there never has been an official releases of Asteroids for the C64 (my presumed 'port source')!
Searching on the internet, I found a "teaser" web page (look here). It says,
"DEMO ... still not available"
"PURCHASE ... cartridge: not available"
"PURCHASE ... tape: not available"
"PURCHASE ... digital download: not available"
Um, can we all say a collective WTF???
That web page spends a few paragraphs to say why a C64 was never done... basically it was "too hard for the C64"... until these guys came along (who still haven't released anything... or so it seems... correct me if I'm wrong). Umm, can you say VAPORWARE? Good... I knew you could!
But seriously, Asteroids was released on the Atari 2600 back in 1981. As some us already know, the 2600 uses a 6500-class CPU, and, in terms of RAM, ROM, and I/O, the 2600 is totally outclassed by the C64 (and thus the C128). And, (most damning), the original arcade version of asteroids ran on 6500-class CPU as well!! (According to wikipedia... I don't own an Asteroids arcade game to confirm!)
As far as I can tell, the biggest problem with a direct port of the arcade to the 64/128 would be the fact that the arcade used a vector-graphics chip (instead of a more conventional raster-graphics chip). But I mean, really, if the Atari 2600 can play Asteroids, then surely the C64 (and thus 128) can too... and probably better!!
So this is just a shout-out, invitation to any/all who might know more about a C64 version of asteroids?
[Edit]
This guy ported the Atari 800 version to the C64... he says except for issues involving "consistant speed" (which I think is VERY important for an arcade-type game), his C64 port is faithful to the original arcade version... right down to the audio samples...
I'm investigating now... maybe it will be good enough for a 128 port? Anyway, thought I should let everybody know...
[/Edit]
[Edit 2]
After playing the Atari 800 -> CBM 64 port, there are three things I found interesting:
I was thinking Asteroids 128 would be a fantastic thing...
BUT... if you believe the pages I've found via Google... there never has been an official releases of Asteroids for the C64 (my presumed 'port source')!
Searching on the internet, I found a "teaser" web page (look here). It says,
"DEMO ... still not available"
"PURCHASE ... cartridge: not available"
"PURCHASE ... tape: not available"
"PURCHASE ... digital download: not available"
Um, can we all say a collective WTF???
That web page spends a few paragraphs to say why a C64 was never done... basically it was "too hard for the C64"... until these guys came along (who still haven't released anything... or so it seems... correct me if I'm wrong). Umm, can you say VAPORWARE? Good... I knew you could!
But seriously, Asteroids was released on the Atari 2600 back in 1981. As some us already know, the 2600 uses a 6500-class CPU, and, in terms of RAM, ROM, and I/O, the 2600 is totally outclassed by the C64 (and thus the C128). And, (most damning), the original arcade version of asteroids ran on 6500-class CPU as well!! (According to wikipedia... I don't own an Asteroids arcade game to confirm!)
As far as I can tell, the biggest problem with a direct port of the arcade to the 64/128 would be the fact that the arcade used a vector-graphics chip (instead of a more conventional raster-graphics chip). But I mean, really, if the Atari 2600 can play Asteroids, then surely the C64 (and thus 128) can too... and probably better!!
So this is just a shout-out, invitation to any/all who might know more about a C64 version of asteroids?
[Edit]
This guy ported the Atari 800 version to the C64... he says except for issues involving "consistant speed" (which I think is VERY important for an arcade-type game), his C64 port is faithful to the original arcade version... right down to the audio samples...
I'm investigating now... maybe it will be good enough for a 128 port? Anyway, thought I should let everybody know...
[/Edit]
[Edit 2]
After playing the Atari 800 -> CBM 64 port, there are three things I found interesting:
- The game is very much like the original arcade (rather hard... I think this is a controller issue [using keyboard/gamepad ])
- There is no sound
- Alhough there are some timing issues, overall the game is very playable
Anyway, nice for nostalgia.