37 replies to this topic

[Rob Mitchell]

Now Available: Alex Herbert's Protector / Y*A*S*I Vectrex Game Cartridge!

Mark's Video Game Manufacturing is pleased to announce the release of Alex Herbert's Protector / Y*A*S*I Cartridge for the Vectrex Graphic Computer System.

Protector features:
* Very intense Defender style game play.
* Outstanding graphics & sound.
* Non-volatile storage of Hall of Fame entries.

Y*A*S*I features: (Yet Another Space Invaders)
* Space Invaders style game play.
* Arcade perfect graphics and sound.
* 7 unlockable game modes.
* Support for Richard Hutchinson's Vec-Voice module.
* Non-Volatile storage of High Score, Unlocked Game Modes, Highest Completed Level and Screen Configuration.

What the cartridge is not / has not:
* This cartridge is NOT a limited edition.
* Cartridges are NOT numbered.
* Overlays are NOT included.

What the cartridge is / has:
* Two of the best games ever created for the Vectrex Graphic Computer System.
* Clam-shell storage box with outstanding cover art by Manu Pärssinen.
* A great price of $11.50 + shipping.

See www.vectrexcarts.com for ordering information.
www.herbs64.com


I think YASI will appeal to the Space Invaders purists .. and Protector is a very challenging port of Defender!

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[Ze_ro]

Wow, this looks great! I heard that the first run of Protector carts had sold out before production even started though... is this a seperate run?

$11.50 is an amazing price!

--Zero

[Vectrex-Atari]

Is this a scam? 11.50 is too cheap for some reason. There is nothing on Herbs64 site saying anything about this.

I got scammed one to many times to trust the net.

[CPUWIZ]

Vectrex-Atari said:

Is this a scam? 11.50 is too cheap for some reason. There is nothing on Herbs64 site saying anything about this.

I got scammed one to many times to trust the net.

I've dealt with Mark, you can trust him.

[sku_u]

I've been looking forward to getting Protectors since I bought my Vectrex. This is excellent news

[Vic George 2K3]

I like the ripped-off Defender-style cover art for Protector.

[Ze_ro]

I love how the cover art dresses up the Vectrex as an arcade machine

Well, I shot off an email to the guy... this deal is far too good to pass up. EVERY Vectrex owner should have this cartridge. I just hope he doesn't get too swamped with orders.

$11.50 is a very low price, but if you read the site, he claims not to make any profit off of this (except for the repro cases, since he promised not to undercut Sean Kelly, who actually does sell them for profit I believe). He's just a nice guy who wants to help out the Vectrex community

--Zero

[Rob Mitchell]

Vectrex-Atari said:

Is this a scam? 11.50 is too cheap for some reason. There is nothing on Herbs64 site saying anything about this.

Of course NOT!! Mark Shaker is a pillar of the Vectrex community .. and has been selling Vectrex game carts for years. I imagine Alex Herbert will update his site soon.

Ze_ro said:

Wow, this looks great! I heard that the first run of Protector carts had sold out before production even started though... is this a seperate run?  $11.50 is an amazing price!

The first run of 100 carts at $50 each were sold out within four weeks of announcement. This is the general release.

Some Vectrex programmers do not require a commission fee .. thus Mark can sell near to his cost.

Sean Kelly does not make a profit from the sale of his mulitcart as this is a specific request of the owner of the copywrite of the original Vectrex games.

I plan to order two of these .. one for each of my nephews who have received Vectrex consoles as Christmas presents from me.

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[MrRetroGamer]

It is an excellent deal and Mark is an honest guy. Keep in mind this just for the cart with the two different games on it (Protector AND Y*A*S*I*) and some printed instructions and a case. It does not come with the "Official" limited edition box or overlay for Protector. If you missed out on that part of the package, you are out of luck. If you have not played Protector on the Vectrex, you don't know what you are missing. If you don't have a Vectrex, this may be a reason to GET ONE!

[SteveW]

I'd like to get a Vectrex, but have never been lucky enough to find one I could afford. I might pick up Protector anyway, so i'll have something to play (other than Minestorm) if I ever do get my grubby paws on a Vectrex.

[Jess Ragan]

That's a great price, but it doesn't really do anyone who doesn't own a Vectrex any good. When can we look forward to the ROM?

JR

[Rob Mitchell]

Vectrex consoles go for $60 - $70 on eBay .. there you go!

Actually I will sell a working console with converted Genesis controller for $65 plus shipping .. PM me.

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

[MegaManFan]

Is there a YASI only version? Having two copies of Protector seems a little redundant to me.

[Alex H]

Jess Ragan said:

That's a great price, but it doesn't really do anyone who doesn't own a Vectrex any good.  When can we look forward to the ROM?

I will be releasing a ROM image soon, but it still needs a real Vectrex to run (via multi-cart, VecRAM, ROM simulator, whatever). My games are not compatible with any emulator I have tried. MESS renders a blank screen, outputs garbage sound and the controller buttons seem to be pressed randomly. DVE has the exact same problems with sound/controls but does at least try to display something, although it's still very broken.

Perhaps this release will encourage people to hunt down a real Vectrex, or at least prompt the emulator developers to fix them?

MegaManFan said:

Is there a YASI only version? Having two copies of Protector seems a little redundant to me.

No. Both games fit into 32K so there would be no cost saving by excluding one game or the other. It's just a convenient way of releasing YASI and making Protector available to those who missed out at the same time. If I'd had another game completed then I probably would have re-released Protector on one cart, and put YASI and whetever on another.

BTW, the hidden game "Spike Goes Down" is not included in this version and will remain exclusive to the Limited Edition Protector.

Heh, and if you don't like the idea of having the same game twice, then I don't know what you'll make of my current project. It actually requires that you have 2 copies! And 2 Vectrexes!

Alex
www.herbs64.com (still not updated yet.)

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[MrRetroGamer]

Alex H said:

Heh, and if you don't like the idea of having the same game twice, then I don't know what you'll make of my current project.  It actually requires that you have 2 copies!  And 2 Vectrexes!

Alex

I like that very much! Are those hooked together, and if so how? :wink:

[Mayhem]

Alex H said:

BTW, the hidden game "Spike Goes Down" is not included in this version and will remain exclusive to the Limited Edition Protector.

I was meaning to ask at some point... how do you get it?

[Ze_ro]

Alex H said:

Heh, and if you don't like the idea of having the same game twice, then I don't know what you'll make of my current project.  It actually requires that you have 2 copies!  And 2 Vectrexes!

Wow, that looks really cool... although I wonder how many people actually have enough Vectrii to take advantage of it I'm guessing you connect a cable between two joystick ports?

Actually, that screenshot reminds me of the dungeons in Ultima 1 back on the old C64....

--Zero

[MegaManFan]

Alex H said:

No.  Both games fit into 32K so there would be no cost saving by excluding one game or the other.  It's just a convenient way of releasing YASI and making Protector available to those who missed out at the same time.  If I'd had another game completed then I probably would have re-released Protector on one cart, and put YASI and whetever on another.

BTW, the hidden game "Spike Goes Down" is not included in this version and will remain exclusive to the Limited Edition Protector.

I never did figure out how to access it. Some website posted a supposed solution where you found a hidden menu item and hit the right series of buttons on the controller, but it didn't work for me.

Anyway I suppose I could do far worse than end up with a second copy of Protector for that price. What's your PayPal address?

[desiv]

Haven't seen the hidden game myself either.. Oh well.. :-)

Too bad the multi-Vec game isn't Protector, since apparently I'm going to have 2 copies when I get YASI!!

:-)

desiv

[Jess Ragan]

Spike... Goes Down? This wouldn't happen to costar his girlfriend Molly, would it?
Anyway, thanks for the information, Alex! Is there any reason the games won't play on an emulator? Are you using unique programming techniques previously unexplored by other Vectrex programmers?
I've watched the footage of Protector and the game looks bitchin'... I can certainly understand why the Vectrex emulators currently available would have a hard time keeping up with it.

JR

[slapdash]

Got a funny story, that kind of involves Mark... He was selling Tour De France, which was still a pretty new discovery, at CGE 2001 (IIRC), but only had 10 copies. I'd been helping Joe et al set up, but I realized that with the show about to open, I should probably have a badge, so figured I'd better go get mine. But, since Mark only had 10 copies, and I figured they'd sell out fast, I bought one first. So, there I go, walking OUT of the hall before the show opens and get in line for my badge. And inevitably people look at/ask what's in my hands, and it's Tour De France. Envious looks and many questions follow.

What larks...

[Ze_ro]

Well, I put in my order... says he'll ship on saturday

I'm excited already!

--Zero

[Rob Mitchell]

Re: Spike Goes Down

To access this game you must score 20k on Protector. Only then will SGD appear on the selection menu. It took me two weeks of Protector gameplay to get to 20k once!!

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA
(I suck at video games)

[desiv]

I heard that (about the 20,000) and since I'm not doing that great (I think I got 11,000 something once), I even brought it into work. A guy here is a game freak. He liked it but maxed out at 16,000.

I'll have to either get serious (Which I'm sure I can. Back in the day, I wasn't bad..) , or bring it in again to have him reach 20,000.

desiv

(In his defense, he only had a few real attempts to try at it. Work kept getting in the way. So he's convinced he can hit 20,000.. :-) )

[JagWarlord]

$11 for Protector/Y*A*S*I is such an AWESOME price!
I orderd 2 of these babies...can't wait for it to arrive!