53 replies to this topic

[Songbird]

Which games would you love to see published in the future for the Lynx? Here are some possibilities:

CyberVirus (full version - COMING SOON!)
Ultravore
Wolf 3D clone
Distant Lands
Remnant: Second Wave

Are these games you're excited about? Are there other games (either lost games or incomplete hobby efforts) you wish could be published?

And just to address this for the millionth time this year, AvP is NOT going to be published - the game is incomplete, and no source code is available anyway. Let alone the license issues...

[Albert]

Is there some place we can learn more about the games you listed? I know about CyberVirus since you're about to release it, but know very little about the other games you listed (as may be the case with other people here). Although "Wolf 3D clone" is pretty obvious.

Thanks,

..Al

[Songbird]

Yes, check out http://songbird.atari.net for most of the above. There are a few other non-Songbird hobby projects in the works, check out my links page on Songbird for more info.

[AtariDude]

As a fan of the original Castle Wolfenstein and of course Wolfenstein 3D, I have to choose the Wolf3D clone.

Some of the other games sound interesting but I don't know about any of them. Could you give us a short description of them?

Thanks.

[Zeptari]

Any rpg with battery save!
Dungeon master,zelda,final fantasy or diablo like. anything!!

[Ze_ro]

Of course: Eye Of The Beholder.

The only version of the ROM I've found is basically just a slideshow unfortunately, but I've heard there's a more finished version out there. I'd also love to see Vindicators.

By the way, does Distant Lands have anything to do with Guardians: Storm Over Doria? They look pretty similar.

--Zero

[Songbird]

For descriptions of some of these games, please check out the Projects page on http://songbird.atari.net.

Distant Lands is an overhead RPG, similar to Guardians in that respect, but is not based on the Guardians concept or code. And it should have EEPROM save, too.

[Jay]

A Wolf 3D clone would be most people's (and mine) answer, but the game I'd love to have would be Rolling Thunder and after that TNT Terry a great Bomberman clone! get the source etc off Lauren!! Bribe if you have to!

[Songbird]

For anyone interested in a Wolf 3D clone, you've got to get CyberVirus in the near future. It's basically Wolf 3D set outdoors. There are weapon powerups, health powerups, multiple foes, buildings, trees, mission objectives, and more!

[Albert]

I would love to see something along the lines of Distant Lands becoming a reality. Or any RPG-type game on the Lynx. Unfortunately these games usually take the most amount of time to develop, and I'm speaking from personal experience here. If I was developing Lynx titles, I'd probably go with more arcade-style games that I could crank out faster. However, if someone takes the time to write a decent RPG for the Lynx I'll certainly stand in line to buy it!

I'd also love to see Eye of the Beholder completed and released for the Lynx. Since EotB is basically a ripoff of Dungeon Master from the Atari ST, I'd be quite happy to see it released on the Lynx. But if there's only a "slideshow" version out there, then that would probably take considerable effort to complete.

I'm not interested in fighting games at all, so Ultravore would be at the bottom of my list. I haven't had a chance to play Remnant yet, so I can't comment on Remnant: Second Wave except to say that I enjoy space-combat/exploration games. As for a Wolf 3D clone, having just played Doom on the Gameboy Advance, I think I'd be disappointed by anything less than Doom on the Lynx.

..Al

[Atari-Jess]

i like wolf3d clones, i still play the original wolf3d all the time.
"Die evil nazi dudes!"

[Gunstar]

Cybervirus and Distant lands are the one's I'm anticipating most, although I'm planning on getting your already released Champ Rally racing. I also want Remenent, but I have been waiting for the "full" version that you said would be coming out just before you released the shortened version at that show (the one that's available now). Is this new version of Remenent the "full" version? What about this "mechtiles" I've heard a little about? that sounded like it would interest me (anything from Beyondgames at least interests me), what's it about?

[Atari-Jess]

i would like a 2d fighting game, i think that would be (if anygood) a title i would be sure to get.

[Songbird]

I would love to see something along the lines of Distant Lands becoming a reality. Or any RPG-type game on the Lynx. Unfortunately these games usually take the most amount of time to develop, and I'm speaking from personal experience here. If I was developing Lynx titles, I'd probably go with more arcade-style games that I could crank out faster. However, if someone takes the time to write a decent RPG for the Lynx I'll certainly stand in line to buy it!


Yes, RPGs are consume an incredible amount of time and energy to develop. That's why my personal efforts have centered around more arcade-like games (Ponx, Remnant, etc.). But hopefully Distant Lands will make it out mid-2002.


I'd also love to see Eye of the Beholder. But if there's only a "slideshow" version out there, then that would probably take considerable effort to complete.


EotB is a *finished* game on the Lynx. The real problem is the licensing (as is the case with too many lost games... *sigh*).


As for a Wolf 3D clone, having just played Doom on the Gameboy Advance, I think I'd be disappointed by anything less than Doom on the Lynx.


True, I don't think Doom is going to make it to the Lynx. Although given it can handle a Wolf 3D clone, it's not a huge leap to go to Doom. The GBA definitely has some nice features including a superior CPU, hardware assist (the Lynx can scale but not rotate sprites), and more RAM and colors.


Is this new version of Remnant the "full" version? What about "Mechtiles"?


What I'm proposing here is a sequel to Remnant. The version of Remnant released at CGE in 2000 is a complete game. I made the mistake at the time of suggesting that I wanted to do a sequel down the road with even more features, so some people may have assumed this version is not a finished game, which is not the case. In fact, a sequel to Remnant would likely be a completely different game, and not include the gameplay and waves found in the first version.

I did purchase Mechtiles from Beyond Games, but it's so incomplete that I doubt anything will ever be done with it. It's once again the BattleWheels 3D engine, this time in a setting with giant robots and cybernetic dinosaurs. The engine is of course solid, but the game itself is about 10% finished.


i would like a 2d fighting game


Check out Ultravore.

Thanks for all the feedback! Keep it coming.

[Songbird]

Sorry, that URL should have been:

Ultravore

[Atari-Jess]

what bit system is the lynx anyways, and if computers like the falcon were 32 bit computers what are we at now?

[Songbird]

The Lynx has a 8-bit 65C02 CPU, and a 16-bit sprite engine.

[Albert]

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EotB is a *finished* game on the Lynx. The real problem is the licensing (as is the case with too many lost games... *sigh*).

Wow, I didn't know that. Now I really want to play this on the Lynx! Wouldn't it be possible to just change some of the game's graphics and gameplay to skirt the licensing issues? Hell, I'd be glad to help contribute to that cause if it meant we could see an Eye of the Beholder-like game on the Lynx. Have you approached SSI (or whoever has the rights now) about this title yet?

quote

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True, I don't think Doom is going to make it to the Lynx. Although given it can handle a Wolf 3D clone, it's not a huge leap to go to Doom. The GBA definitely has some nice features including a superior CPU, hardware assist (the Lynx can scale but not rotate sprites), and more RAM and colors.

Rather than port Wolf 3D to the Lynx, I think the time would be better spent developing original games, or completing existing projects that were never finished. Sure, it'd be nice to play Wolf 3D, but if I want a portable 3D shooter I'm going to fire up my GBA and play Doom. Or play it on my Cassiopeia E125, on which it looks even better.

I haven't played Doom very much on the Jaguar, but from what I recall the GBA version is much smoother. Of course, the GBA version is also running on a lower-resolution display, so that certainly helps.. Still pretty impressive seeing it run in a completely contained $89 toy.

..Al

[Zeptari]

What!??! Eye of the Beholder is 100% complete! Yet we the Lynx fan's can't play it? Damn! Didn't Atari liscense the name out to make that game? And if they did who if anyone can release this game legelly?
I like Al's idea of changing the game just enough so it can be sold. How about it songbird??

[Atari-Jess]

does that make the lynx basicly 8-bit or 8-bit plus? or 16-bit or 16-bit minus?
(ima thinking 8-bit plus. cause the sprite engine isn't exactly the most important thing.

[Gunstar]

quote:

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Originally posted by Atari-Jess:
does that make the lynx basicly 8-bit or 8-bit plus? or 16-bit or 16-bit minus?
(ima thinking 8-bit plus. cause the sprite engine isn't exactly the most important thing.

---

As far as I knew, the "sprite engine" Carl (Songbird) referred to is the entire graphic processor for the Lynx and the Lynx would be nothing without it. it is the same situation as several other systems in the past, such as the Turbographics 16 (turboduo), Jaguar and NEOGEO and others, where the graphics processor(s) is/are the most powerful part of the system. I always go buy the Buss bandwidth when dealing with systems that have multiple bit processors; If the system Buss is 8, 16, 32, 64+bit, then so is the system, otherwise you get bottlenecking and the point is moot. So what is the buss bandwidth of the Lynx? 8 or 16-bit?

[Songbird]

I would generally refer to the Lynx as a 16-bit handheld. It's clearly superior to the NES in almost every aspect, and almost as good as the Sega Genesis in some ways.

Yes, the 16-bit sprite engine is truly the heart of the Lynx. Even the 8-bit CPU can access 16-bit addresses, so for the most part, the Lynx is 16-bit. Whatever that means.

What is better is to compare it to other handhelds, and a few home systems like I did above with the NES. You'll find out that the Lynx absolutely blows away the GBC and Game Gear, and is competitive with the TurboExpress and even the GBA in some ways (although the GBA benefits from a better resolution, rotating sprites, more colors onscreen, and larger game ROMs).

It took Nintendo over ten years to develop a handheld that could outclass the Lynx...

[Albert]

quote:

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Originally posted by Songbird:
What is better is to compare it to other handhelds, and a few home systems like I did above with the NES. You'll find out that the Lynx absolutely blows away the GBC and Game Gear, and is competitive with the TurboExpress and even the GBA in some ways (although the GBA benefits from a better resolution, rotating sprites, more colors onscreen, and larger game ROMs).

It took Nintendo over ten years to develop a handheld that could outclass the Lynx...

---

After seeing Doom running on the GBA, I was finally convinced that it's a reasonably powerful system and a worthy competitor to the Lynx. It saddens me that we've had to wait an entire decade to get a portable game system that's superior to the Lynx and well-supported by developers. And even then it *still* doesn't have a backlit screen, which is a major shortcoming in my opinion. I won't be playing many games on the GBA until either Portable Monopoly releases some kind of lighting kit or Nintendo releases a Gameboy Advance Advance that has a backlit screen (preferrably with some type of rechargeable Lithium Ion battery!)

..Al

[Jay]

I know what you mean, there was rumours of a color Gameboy years before it actually came out, and when it did it was only marginally better, which disapointed alot of people, releasing a color version of Tetris just doesn't make up for it! Now the Advance is here sure there are some good games for it, i.e Doom which I've been playing the last week or so, luckily the people who ported it included a option to lighten the graphic levels by a factor of 6, otherwise it would be very hard to see, it's still hard even under a bright light, and thats the major let down of the Advance, the damn screen is so dark it defeats the object of a handheld when you have to find refuge under a light to actually see the bloody game!

[Holmes Atari]

The game I would purchase instantly, and maybe even two or three copies.... would be a bomberman clone. TNT Terry? How finished was it? Can it be finished?

Holmes