13 replies to this topic

[Tin_Lunchbox]

I recall Tempest in 1980s videogames arcades pretty well. Beautiful vector graphics and a fly-wheel controller. It was a really good and innovative game. Had the fly-wheel approach been done before? I don't think so. The game involved a crab-like abstract vector player-entity circling around sequential pseudo-3D pits of various shapes that enemy creatures were attempting to crawl out of.

Anyhow I became aware of a remarkable modern retro Atari 8bit version of Tempest, a remarkable modern retro Atari 8bit version of Tempest. I looked at some videos of it on the dominant video-sharing website, as well I looked at "Tempest 2000" videos for the Atari jaguar JaGuAr JAGUAR, but I realized the 8bit version seems to be better. The Jaguar thing has graphic and aural advantages and does a lot of neat flourishments, some of them mindbending and novel. But it's different from the original Tempest. The 8bit version is much more faithful.

So I'd like to purchase Tempest Xtreem, but my reservation about it is that it doesn't have the fly-wheel controller possibility. The controller was integral to that original Tempest gameplay. Now how does one get there from here? I say the Atari 2600/Sears VCS 360-degrees steering controllers that were released with Indy 500/Race would be a way to get there. Yeah, these are oddball controllers from 30 to 40 years ago, and they're not fly-wheel, which means spin a bit after you let them go, but they do go 360 degrees.

QUESTION: who agrees and thinks there might be some way to get a Tempest Xtreem upgrade that includes support for these steering controllers?

[orpheuswaking]

Pm KJMann and ask him

[Warriorisabouttodie]

Tin_Lunchbox, on Sat Jul 23, 2011 2:22 PM, said:

I recall Tempest in 1980s videogames arcades pretty well. Beautiful vector graphics and a fly-wheel controller. It was a really good and innovative game. Had the fly-wheel approach been done before? I don't think so. The game involved a crab-like abstract vector player-entity circling around sequential pseudo-3D pits of various shapes that enemy creatures were attempting to crawl out of.

Anyhow I became aware of a remarkable modern retro Atari 8bit version of Tempest, a remarkable modern retro Atari 8bit version of Tempest. I looked at some videos of it on the dominant video-sharing website, as well I looked at "Tempest 2000" videos for the Atari jaguar JaGuAr JAGUAR, but I realized the 8bit version seems to be better. The Jaguar thing has graphic and aural advantages and does a lot of neat flourishments, some of them mindbending and novel. But it's different from the original Tempest. The 8bit version is much more faithful.

So I'd like to purchase Tempest Xtreem, but my reservation about it is that it doesn't have the fly-wheel controller possibility. The controller was integral to that original Tempest gameplay. Now how does one get there from here? I say the Atari 2600/Sears VCS 360-degrees steering controllers that were released with Indy 500/Race would be a way to get there. Yeah, these are oddball controllers from 30 to 40 years ago, and they're not fly-wheel, which means spin a bit after you let them go, but they do go 360 degrees.

QUESTION: who agrees and thinks there might be some way to get a Tempest Xtreem upgrade that includes support for these steering controllers?

you know there is an option in the Jaguar version to be more faithful to the original arcade version.

[Tin_Lunchbox]

Warriorisabouttodie, on Sun Jul 24, 2011 1:21 AM, said:

you know there is an option in the Jaguar version to be more faithful to the original arcade version.

No, I didn't know that. Looking now at the Jaguar forum here, it seems there has been a lot of discussion about Tempest 2000, including the possibility to use 360 degree rotary controllers on it such as the one by Chaos Reins. I didn't mean my comment as criticism of Tempest 2000, really. This "faithful mode" option wasn't evident in the video I watched.

There's also a list I happened to see somewhere here at Atari Age of games that support the 2600/VCS steering controllers. It is a short list but includes some 2600/VCS Thrust versions and evidently one of the games on the AA Christmas 2007 2600/VCS compilation cartridge.

[accousticguitar]

Tin_Lunchbox, on Sat Jul 23, 2011 2:22 PM, said:

QUESTION: who agrees and thinks there might be some way to get a Tempest Xtreem upgrade that includes support for these steering controllers?

I agree. It seems like every time someone programs a Tempest clone they use joystick controllers. Playing Tempest with joysticks is just wrong!

[wood_jl]

accousticguitar, on Sun Jul 24, 2011 8:11 AM, said:

Tin_Lunchbox, on Sat Jul 23, 2011 2:22 PM, said:

QUESTION: who agrees and thinks there might be some way to get a Tempest Xtreem upgrade that includes support for these steering controllers?

I agree. It seems like every time someone programs a Tempest clone they use joystick controllers. Playing Tempest with joysticks is just wrong!

The driving controllers would be awesome, but I'd settle for the more common paddle controller, too. I thought the market was cornered with digital-control Tempest games.

[rdemming]

wood_jl, on Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:15 PM, said:

The driving controllers would be awesome, but I'd settle for the more common paddle controller, too. I thought the market was cornered with digital-control Tempest games.

Paddle controllers won't work because they have a start- and an end-position (you can't do more than 1 rotation). While with tempest you do multiple rotations of the controller to move continuously in one direction.
Or you must use the paddle to determine the speed and direction of your player, instead of continuously rotating the controller.

Robert

[Synthpopalooza]

Question: How does one program the Driving controller on the Atari 8-bit computer?

I saw this:

http://www.atariage....ri-2600-paddle/

Which indicates there seems to be a memory location, and you read 4 bit pairs which determine the position of the controller wheel.

[sloopy]

Synthpopalooza, on Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:48 PM, said:

Question: How does one program the Driving controller on the Atari 8-bit computer?

I saw this:

http://www.atariage....ri-2600-paddle/

Which indicates there seems to be a memory location, and you read 4 bit pairs which determine the position of the controller wheel.

you read the four I/O bits of the PIA... (the STICK(x) command from basic will read them)

sloopy.

[sloopy]

oh yeah, i am STILL waiting for my tempest xtreem cart :'/

maybe i will get it when driving controllers are supported?

sloopy.

[Stormbringer]

rdemming, on Sun Jul 24, 2011 1:14 PM, said:

wood_jl, on Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:15 PM, said:

The driving controllers would be awesome, but I'd settle for the more common paddle controller, too. I thought the market was cornered with digital-control Tempest games.

Paddle controllers won't work because they have a start- and an end-position (you can't do more than 1 rotation). While with tempest you do multiple rotations of the controller to move continuously in one direction.
Or you must use the paddle to determine the speed and direction of your player, instead of continuously rotating the controller.

Robert

The Indy 500 controllers dont have a hard stop.

[spookt]

Stormbringer, on Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:39 AM, said:

rdemming, on Sun Jul 24, 2011 1:14 PM, said:

wood_jl, on Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:15 PM, said:

The driving controllers would be awesome, but I'd settle for the more common paddle controller, too. I thought the market was cornered with digital-control Tempest games.

Paddle controllers won't work because they have a start- and an end-position (you can't do more than 1 rotation). While with tempest you do multiple rotations of the controller to move continuously in one direction.
Or you must use the paddle to determine the speed and direction of your player, instead of continuously rotating the controller.

Robert

The Indy 500 controllers dont have a hard stop.

Well I think some kind of rotary controller would make this gave so much better. I'm sure there was a discussion about it at the time but Sal just said they weren't going to put it in (or weren't able to).

[Philsan]

spookt, on Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:47 AM, said:

Well I think some kind of rotary controller would make this gave so much better. I'm sure there was a discussion about it at the time but Sal just said they weren't going to put it in (or weren't able to).

I remember this discussion too.

[Tin_Lunchbox]

Philsan, on Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:23 AM, said:

spookt, on Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:47 AM, said:

Well I think some kind of rotary controller would make this gave so much better. I'm sure there was a discussion about it at the time but Sal just said they weren't going to put it in (or weren't able to).

I remember this discussion too.

Yeah, I as well remember it kinda, though couldn't quickly find it. Maybe if several people pledged to buy the new version if the 2600 steering controller possibility were added?

I so pledge, anyone else?

TiN[]BoX