18 replies to this topic

[Wickeycolumbus]

I recently acquired these two work in progress versions of Oscar and Big Bird. Big Bird is dated 5/2/83, and Oscar is 3/30/83. Both are quite different from their released counterparts.

First, here are some pictures of the carts themselves:





The carts have several labels on them, I can only imagine what it says on them Anyone know of a safe way to check? I don't want to ruin any of the labels in the process.

Big Bird is similar to the 5-17-83 prototype, but has several differences that I've noticed:

* No title screen
* Big Bird graphics different
* You only need to catch one egg in the first level
* No graphics glitches on the eggs caught screen (see picture)
* Big Bird is small on the eggs caught screen



Oscar on the other hand, looks very different from the final version. See for yourself:



The playfield is completely different. Also, it plays a song, not sure if that made it into the final game (haven't played it long enough).

Finally, here are the ROMs, enjoy

 Big Bird\'s Egg Catch 5-2-83 .bin   8K   75 downloads
 Oscar\'s Trash Race 3-30-83 .bin   8K   93 downloads

[Tempest]

Wow I'll have to add those to my page. I've been far too lazy lately...

Tempest

[iwan-iwanowitsch-goratschin]

Very interesting! Thx for sharing, Wickey!

[Wickeycolumbus]

I found something else interesting about the Big Bird proto, when TV type is set to black and white, the Egg tracks slowly disappears (like some of the variations do in the final version).

[Rom Hunter]

Fantastic.

I'll add these to the V6 collection.

Thanks, Wickey!

Edited by Rom Hunter, Thu Apr 29, 2010 2:56 PM.

[Crimefighter]

Tempest, on Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:34 PM, said:

Wow I'll have to add those to my page. I've been far too lazy lately...

Tempest

How much do you have yet to add that you've been sitting on again?

[Tempest]

Crimefighter, on Thu Apr 29, 2010 10:09 PM, said:

Tempest, on Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:34 PM, said:

Wow I'll have to add those to my page. I've been far too lazy lately...

Tempest

How much do you have yet to add that you've been sitting on again?

Nothing earth shattering, just some WIP games that are close to or are the final version (2600 and 7800). I also need to do some unreleased 8-bit carts that are fairly complicated like Destiny: The Cruiser and Lifespan. Stuff that needs to be done, but nothing that people are falling over themselves to see.

I will have a VERY interesting 2600 review showing up soon, I just need the rom first.

Tempest

[Rom Hunter]

Looking forward to it, Matt.

If you have any WIP ROMs not in the V5 collection yet, please let me know.

[Crimefighter]

Tempest, on Fri Apr 30, 2010 7:37 AM, said:

Nothing earth shattering, just some WIP games that are close to or are the final version (2600 and 7800). I also need to do some unreleased 8-bit carts that are fairly complicated like Destiny: The Cruiser and Lifespan. Stuff that needs to be done, but nothing that people are falling over themselves to see.

Some unreleased 8-bit carts? Color me interested.

[SoulBlazer]

Crimefighter, on Fri Apr 30, 2010 7:18 PM, said:

Tempest, on Fri Apr 30, 2010 7:37 AM, said:

Nothing earth shattering, just some WIP games that are close to or are the final version (2600 and 7800). I also need to do some unreleased 8-bit carts that are fairly complicated like Destiny: The Cruiser and Lifespan. Stuff that needs to be done, but nothing that people are falling over themselves to see.

Some unreleased 8-bit carts? Color me interested.

Same. Anything you post on that site I'll read with major intrest, Tempest. It's one of the best video game related sites on the web, hands down.

[Tempest]

Wickeycolumbus, on Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:28 PM, said:

The carts have several labels on them, I can only imagine what it says on them Anyone know of a safe way to check? I don't want to ruin any of the labels in the process.

Well it's not really a safe way to check, but I used to drip a little Goo Gone on the label. That would make it transparent enough to see the label underneath before it dried. Probably not a good way to do it, but it worked with no damage to the label (from what I could tell). I discovered it accidentally.

Tempest

[Tempest]

Wickeycolumbus, on Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:28 PM, said:

Big Bird is similar to the 5-17-83 prototype, but has several differences that I've noticed:

There's a 5-17 prototype? Where is that? I must have missed it.

Tempest

[Wickeycolumbus]

Tempest, on Sun May 2, 2010 10:06 AM, said:

Wickeycolumbus, on Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:28 PM, said:

Big Bird is similar to the 5-17-83 prototype, but has several differences that I've noticed:

There's a 5-17 prototype? Where is that? I must have missed it.

Tempest

It was actually in the collection of ROMs you posted Here you go:

 Big Bird\'s Egg Catch (Grover\'s Egg Catch) (Kid\'s Controller) (Children\'s Computer Workshop) (05-17-1983) (Atari, Christopher H. Omarzu) (CX26104) (Prototype).bin   8K   65 downloads

There is a picture of the actual cart here:

http://www.atariage....post__p__775751

[Tempest]

Wow I guess I never got around to reviewing that one. What's different about it?

[Wickeycolumbus]

From what I can tell:

* No Big Bird animation in the beginning
* A few of the levels are different
* The 'Eggs caught' screen is a bit different (see picture)
* Sound is a bit different
* Tracks disappear slower




There are probably others... the game is too painful to play to figure them out.

[Tempest]

Wickeycolumbus, on Sun May 2, 2010 10:36 AM, said:

There are probably others... the game is too painful to play to figure them out.

Tell me about it.

What did you mean that the graphics glitch from the 5-17 prototype isn't in the 5-2 prototype?

Oh and when you say you found some differences in the 5-2 prototype, is that list as compared to the 5-17 prototype or the final? Same with the 5-17 differences you listed, are those as compared to the final or another version of the prototype?

Tempest

[Wickeycolumbus]

Tempest, on Sun May 2, 2010 10:48 AM, said:

What did you mean that the graphics glitch from the 5-17 prototype isn't in the 5-2 prototype?

When it displays more than one egg on that screen, the first one glitches. After further inspection, it appears to be present in my version too.

Quote

Oh and when you say you found some differences in the 5-2 prototype, is that list as compared to the 5-17 prototype or the final? Same with the 5-17 differences you listed, are those as compared to the final or another version of the prototype?

Tempest

The 5-2 version was compared with the 5-17 version, which was compared with the final.


I also noticed that it is impossible to catch some of the eggs in the 5-2 version. Oscar seems to be unplayable, though the joystick ports are accessed in the code.

[Tempest]

Oscar's Trash Race seems to be a self running demo. It has some odd graphics glitches when the trashcan falls in the hole it appears to cycle through graphics). Very odd.

Tempest

[Tempest]

Ok I updated my site with the new protos. Thanks for the help guys!

Tempest