31 replies to this topic

[chjmartin2]

After some soul searching and realizing that I do really love this stupid little machine, I find myself wanting to port one game to Aquarius. I don't want to write my own, and I do not want mission impossible. My video player is almost done (I just have some timing and syncronization issues to work out) but I have been looking at games and various ports and have some ideas of what might port well, but I am not sure. I'd like your ideas on what game to port. I *may* be convinced if there is enough interest.

[Pixelboy]

I'm always up to suggest ideas for ports to homebrewers, but I don't know a whole lot about the Aquarius. From what I've read just now, it has a Z80 CPU, resolutions of 40x24 for text mode and 80x72 for graphics mode (I assume those are tiles of 8x8 pixels) and 16 colors. With no hardware sprites, I'd say the only games that could be ported to this machine are ZX Spectrum games, am I right?

[GroovyBee]

Looking at what's available in the Aquarius font the following might be good candidates :-

- Lode Runner
- Space Panic
- Pick Axe Pete
- Boulderdash

Have a look at the Videopac (Odyssey 2) games for some inspiration too.

[jaybird3rd]

Well, first of all, thanks for considering a new game project for the Aquarius! I've got a few ideas of my own, and I'm going to try to get started on the first of them early next year, but it's nice to know I'm not the only crazy one out there who's interested in developing for the Aquarius.

It sounds as if you've already been looking at games for other similar machines to find some initial ideas, and I think that's a great place to start. The Speccy is certainly one such machine, and there is also the Sharp MZ-700, which another member was inquiring about earlier this year (I posted some MZ-700 screenshots, which look very much like Aquarius screens, in another thread).

I hadn't really looked into these computers until recently, but I'm amazed at what people have created even on very limited systems such as these, and I'd love to see something similar for the Aquarius. Another place to look would be the TI 99/4A, which had several really great character-oriented games (Tombstone City and Sneggit come to mind).

EDIT: I really like Mark's suggestions, too. Something similar to Lode Runner and Boulder Dash would be perfectly feasible on the Aquarius, and you know you'll have plenty of bankswitched ROM space for level data! Needless to say, I'll be glad to provide as many cartridge boards as you'll need when the time comes.

[proteanthread]

The Aquarius could nearly handle most of the early 2600 games easily: Night Driver, Outlaws, heck even Adventure.

[Aquaman]

I also am considering to try and write some playable conversions on the Aquarius. I still have high hopes that Jay produces the Font extension board to give them some more realistic look. As for porting however I agree with the others about the magnavox Odyssey2 (or Videopac to us Europeans), ZX spectrum and Sharp MZ700. As an addition I would add the Emmerson Arcadia games which seem possible.
I am sure every new homebrew for the Aquarius will be appreciated by the community.

[proteanthread]

Anything new (hombrew or not) or freshly updaed is appreciated.

Edited by proteanthread, Thu Dec 1, 2011 2:50 PM.

[revolutionika]

How about porting some of those oddball Aqaurius cassette games to Intellivision!!!

either that or a new game on Aquarius would be fine.

[chjmartin2]

I thought of Lode Runner (http://www.mobygames...ner/screenshots) as well, Demon Attack was interesting to me as well, but you'd be surpised that Atari 2600 games have a lot of resolution freedom we don't have on the Aquarius. I also thought a port of a graphic text adventure like Transylvania (http://www.mobygames...nia/screenshots) or Ulysses and the Golden Fleece (http://www.mobygames...ece/screenshots.)

Also, TRS 80 Model I/II/III (http://www.mobygames...e/games/trs-80/) games look interesting as well, but even that computer had a higher resolution.

I only plan on writing one port, so I want to make it worth it... decisions, decisions... Boulderdash is too hard...

Lode Runner seems iconic enough, and quite possible...

 Title.bmp   180.05K   16 downloads
 loderun.bmp   180.05K   21 downloads

 Title_Aq.bmp   1.14MB   21 downloads
 Lrun_aq.bmp   1.08MB   20 downloads

Obviously the converter puked on the game screen - funny that it did pick the top of the Aquarius guy!!!

[proteanthread]

What about Caverns of Khafka?

[the-topdog]

Lode Runner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GroovyBee]

Why is boulderdash too hard?

[lucifershalo]

I am in for any release....
great, guys!

[DZ-Jay]

the-topdog, on Fri Dec 2, 2011 12:37 AM, said:

Lode Runner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lode Runner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[revolutionika]

oh! what about Popeye?

[jaybird3rd]

DZ-Jay, on Sat Dec 3, 2011 6:25 AM, said:

the-topdog, on Fri Dec 2, 2011 12:37 AM, said:

Lode Runner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lode Runner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like the idea of doing Lode Runner, but it occurs to me that the screen layout will be a challenge. As I recall, the original Lode Runner playfield was divided into about 28x18 on-screen "cells", including the score display and divider rows at the bottom of the screen. Replicating this on a 40x25 Aquarius screen will probably require changing the size of the playfield. You can either shrink it to 20x12 cells, and create each cell using a grid of 2x2 Aquarius characters, as in this example:



Or, use "half-width" cells made up of 1x2 Aquarius characters, the same size as the "running man". This would certainly give you more space, but it would also make it a lot harder to draw satisfactory renditions of the original objects, particularly the bricks and ladders.

Fortunately, since this is a new game, you're free to depart from a carbon-copy clone of Lode Runner. If the original level designs will need to be modified or replaced because the screen is too small, or if the original objects won't look good enough with the Aquarius character set, you can come up with something new to make up the difference. I've always wanted to see a two-player option, for instance.

[Aquaman]

What about the likes of Dig Dug, Mr Do, Pittfall or Jumpman Jr.?

[Jay Silverheels]

This is very exciting for Aquarius fans, ChJMartin.

I will happily pay for whatever you come up with, because based on your demos thus far, you put a lot of effort into your work.

As for ideas, how about working to complete the original list of games announced by Mattel?

-Bump 'N' Jump
-Masters of the Universe
-Lock 'N' Chase
-Sea Battle
-Reversi
-Shark! (started by Mattel, but never announced)

From the list, (thinking only as a novice programmer), if I had to choose between too challenging and too easy, I'd probably set my sights on Lock-N-Chase or Shark!.

I'm looking forward to hearing what you ultimately decide!

-Jason

[marcfrick2112]

Oh man.. What can I say... I love the Aquarius.... but I still love my 2600's too .

Seriously, I would be beholden to ANYone who could make a decent port of either Demon Attack, Atlantis, or Pitfall (1 or 2, yer choice, LOL!)

Ooohhh... Wizard of Wor for Aquarius???

*I'd LOVE an Aquarius version of Galaga, Gaplus, etc... tho, I wonder if the Aq. is up to it...

I HAVE to take off my virtual hat to ALL those working in the Aquarius scene right now.... Jay's Aquaricart is FANtabulous, and those demo's are pretty damn impressive!! You ROCK!

[revolutionika]

How about...............wait for it.....................intelliTanks!!!!!!!!!

Edited by revolutionika, Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:24 PM.

[DZ-Jay]

revolutionika, on Mon Dec 12, 2011 10:24 PM, said:

How about...............wait for it.....................intelliTanks!!!!!!!!!

I'm not very familiar with the Aquarius Computer. Does it have better graphics capabilities than the Intellivision?

-dZ.

[GroovyBee]

DZ-Jay, on Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:46 AM, said:

I'm not very familiar with the Aquarius Computer. Does it have better graphics capabilities than the Intellivision?

Imagine making games with just GROM characters and no sprites and you've pretty much got the Aquarius graphics capability. However it does have more GROM characters than Inty.

[DZ-Jay]

GroovyBee, on Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:51 AM, said:

DZ-Jay, on Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:46 AM, said:

I'm not very familiar with the Aquarius Computer. Does it have better graphics capabilities than the Intellivision?

Imagine making games with just GROM characters and no sprites and you've pretty much got the Aquarius graphics capability. However it does have more GROM characters than Inty.

But are you able to control the beam like in Stella, or are you just stuck with GROM?

-dZ.

[GroovyBee]

I think some experiments are about to start with updating characters in its display RAM just ahead of the beam.

[DZ-Jay]

GroovyBee, on Tue Dec 13, 2011 4:26 AM, said:

I think some experiments are about to start with updating characters in its display RAM just ahead of the beam.

Yes, I saw that. I was just wondering if there was more access to the hardware. For instance, on the Intv, you only get access to the VBLANK interrupt, that's it. There's absolutely no way to access or influence the data stream as it is sent to the STIC.

-dZ.