39 replies to this topic

[Foxsolo2000]

I don't know if this has been asked before but how many prototypes were actually shown at game shows only to disappear altogether? The only one I can think of is Choplifter by Atari which was said to have been shown at an 83 convention only to disappear without trace but were there any others that were actually shown and have yet to turn up again?

[jbanes]

Quote

The only one I can think of is Choplifter by Atari which was said to have been shown at an 83 convention only to disappear without trace

I still don't get how it was supposed to work with only one button? It can't both be mapped to "fire" and "turn copter"! I've thought up a couple ideas about getting around the control issue, but nothing that isn't rather clunky.

[Shawn Sr.]

Foxsolo2000, on Mon Jul 17, 2006 5:01 PM, said:

I don't know if this has been asked before but how many prototypes were actually shown at game shows only to disappear altogether? The only one I can think of is Choplifter by Atari which was said to have been shown at an 83 convention only to disappear without trace but were there any others that were actually shown and have yet to turn up again?

Papa Smurf's Tresure Hunt for the 2600 was shown IIRC but there isn't even a screenshot to be found of it now, just a part number on a list

[Tempest]

I can think of a few:

2600
-----
Robotron
The Impossible Game
Sky Blazer


7800
------
Electrocop


Tempest

[supercat]

jbanes, on Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:09 PM, said:

Quote

The only one I can think of is Choplifter by Atari which was said to have been shown at an 83 convention only to disappear without trace

I still don't get how it was supposed to work with only one button? It can't both be mapped to "fire" and "turn copter"! I've thought up a couple ideas about getting around the control issue, but nothing that isn't rather clunky.

The VIC-20 version of choplifter used one button. Push briefly to fire or bomb (depending upon heading); push and hold to turn the chopper. I don't remember for sure, but I think pushing and holding while the joystick was centered would turn the chopper toward the player; pushing and holding when moving left or right would turn the chopper in that direction. Wasn't too bad.

[Tempest]

supercat, on Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:56 PM, said:

jbanes, on Mon Jul 17, 2006 4:09 PM, said:

Quote

The only one I can think of is Choplifter by Atari which was said to have been shown at an 83 convention only to disappear without trace

I still don't get how it was supposed to work with only one button? It can't both be mapped to "fire" and "turn copter"! I've thought up a couple ideas about getting around the control issue, but nothing that isn't rather clunky.

The VIC-20 version of choplifter used one button. Push briefly to fire or bomb (depending upon heading); push and hold to turn the chopper. I don't remember for sure, but I think pushing and holding while the joystick was centered would turn the chopper toward the player; pushing and holding when moving left or right would turn the chopper in that direction. Wasn't too bad.

Atari 8-bit version works the same way.

Tempest

[A.J. Franzman]

jbanes, on Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:09 PM, said:

I still don't get how {Choplifter} was supposed to work with only one button? It can't both be mapped to "fire" and "turn copter"! I've thought up a couple ideas about getting around the control issue, but nothing that isn't rather clunky.

IIRC there was a version for the Commodore 64 that did exactly that -- a quick press would fire, while holding the button down a bit longer than that would turn the chopper. It worked very well.

[Foxsolo2000]

Shawn Sr., on Mon Jul 17, 2006 10:51 PM, said:

Foxsolo2000, on Mon Jul 17, 2006 5:01 PM, said:

I don't know if this has been asked before but how many prototypes were actually shown at game shows only to disappear altogether? The only one I can think of is Choplifter by Atari which was said to have been shown at an 83 convention only to disappear without trace but were there any others that were actually shown and have yet to turn up again?

Papa Smurf's Tresure Hunt for the 2600 was shown IIRC but there isn't even a screenshot to be found of it now, just a part number on a list

Now that is one I have never heard of before I knew there was one proposed for the Colecovision but I had no idea they were going to attempt to convert it to the 2600. Robotron would have been an interesting one to see, wonder what happened to them?

[Dusk2600]

there in a basement somewhere, or elsewhere, with people not knowing their value

[BLarry71]

what about the games that are on that atari protos site?? there's alot there that arent here, where can we get them??

[Foxsolo2000]

Dusk2600, on Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:48 PM, said:

there in a basement somewhere, or elsewhere, with people not knowing their value

And that is what we all hope and pray for there stil stands a chance that they might surface. The worst case scenario (and probably most likely one) was that they were destroyed or simply just thrown out I pray that they will surface again though like the proverbial phoenix from the ashes for where this is still hope, there is an atari proto just waiting to return to the light

[Rom Hunter]

Foxsolo2000, on Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:52 AM, said:

Shawn Sr., on Mon Jul 17, 2006 10:51 PM, said:

Papa Smurf's Tresure Hunt for the 2600 was shown IIRC but there isn't even a screenshot to be found of it now, just a part number on a list

Now that is one I have never heard of before I knew there was one proposed for the Colecovision but I had no idea they were going to attempt to convert it to the 2600.

Shawn is talking about this one:

Edited by Rom Hunter, Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:50 PM.

[Shawn Sr.]

Rom Hunter, on Tue Jul 18, 2006 6:48 PM, said:

Foxsolo2000, on Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:52 AM, said:

Shawn Sr., on Mon Jul 17, 2006 10:51 PM, said:

Papa Smurf's Tresure Hunt for the 2600 was shown IIRC but there isn't even a screenshot to be found of it now, just a part number on a list

Now that is one I have never heard of before I knew there was one proposed for the Colecovision but I had no idea they were going to attempt to convert it to the 2600.

Shawn is talking about this one:

`

Nope your dead wrong, thats not what I'm talking about. Thats a flyer for Smurfette's Birthday not Papa Smurfs Treasure Hunt. The name kinda gives it away right from the get go don't you think?? What the hell would have made you think Smurfette's Birthday is or has anything to do with Papa Smurfs Treasure Hunt when they are 2 totally different games aside from the fact that you read "join us on a treasure hunt" on that poor scan of a flyer for a different smurfs game?

Edited by Shawn Sr., Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:22 AM.

[Rom Hunter]

Shawn Sr., on Thu Jul 20, 2006 1:18 AM, said:

Rom Hunter, on Tue Jul 18, 2006 6:48 PM, said:

Foxsolo2000, on Tue Jul 18, 2006 2:52 AM, said:

Shawn Sr., on Mon Jul 17, 2006 10:51 PM, said:

Papa Smurf's Tresure Hunt for the 2600 was shown IIRC but there isn't even a screenshot to be found of it now, just a part number on a list

Now that is one I have never heard of before I knew there was one proposed for the Colecovision but I had no idea they were going to attempt to convert it to the 2600.

Shawn is talking about this one:

`

Nope your dead wrong, thats not what I'm talking about. Thats a flyer for Smurfette's Birthday not Papa Smurfs Treasure Hunt. The name kinda gives it away right from the get go don't you think?? What the hell would have made you think Smurfette's Birthday is or has anything to do with Papa Smurfs Treasure Hunt when they are 2 tottaly different games?

Papa Smurf's Treasure Hunt (or Smurf's Hunt) was later called Smurfette's Birthday, but never released.

Don't try to outsmart me, Shawn.

You will loose that game.

[Shawn Sr.]

Rom Hunter, on Thu Jul 20, 2006 2:28 AM, said:

Papa Smurf's Treasure Hunt (or Smurf's Hunt) was later called Smurfette's Birthday, but never released.

Don't try to outsmart me, Shawn.

You will loose that game.

There is 2 unique unrleased games of Smurfs for the 2600 I can say that much for sure from the info I have come across here and there. Who the hell are YOU to try and tell ME different? AND I will loose what? Please I could care less if you think I can or can't outsmart anyone or anything. Fly Off.

Edited by Shawn Sr., Thu Jul 20, 2006 12:44 AM.

[Foxsolo2000]

Well apart from that flyer was either one ever shown at any gaming convention? That is the part I am interested in. I can see from the flyer that it was an artist rendition of the game although after seeing Snow White it was more than feasible to pull off. I will ask the question again in the hope someone might bother to add their 2 cents but does anyone else know whether Battlezone 2 ever got off the drawing board?

[Bill Brasky]

Rom Hunter, on Thu Jul 20, 2006 2:28 AM, said:

Don't try to outsmart me, Shawn.

You will loose that game.

I will tighten that game!

[Rom Hunter]

Bill Brasky, on Thu Jul 20, 2006 2:27 AM, said:

Rom Hunter, on Thu Jul 20, 2006 2:28 AM, said:

Don't try to outsmart me, Shawn.

You will loose that game.

I will tighten that game!

LOL

That's the Colecovision flyer and as you can clearly see it's the same game as Smurfette's Birthday.

Thanks, Bill.


BTW: here's the Intellivision flyer:



Convinced now?

Edited by Rom Hunter, Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:56 AM.

[Foxsolo2000]

Rom Hunter, on Thu Jul 20, 2006 8:52 AM, said:

Bill Brasky, on Thu Jul 20, 2006 2:27 AM, said:

Rom Hunter, on Thu Jul 20, 2006 2:28 AM, said:

Don't try to outsmart me, Shawn.

You will loose that game.

I will tighten that game!

LOL

That's the Colecovision flyer and as you can clearly see it's the same game as Smurfette's Birthday.

Thanks, Bill.


BTW: here's the Intellivision flyer:

Was it released for the Intellivision?

[Rom Hunter]

No.

And neither was the Colecovision version.

Edited by Rom Hunter, Thu Jul 20, 2006 6:19 AM.

[Foxsolo2000]

Interesting that they were planning to release it for 3 systems and had boxes and artwork ready before the plug was pulled.

[Rom Hunter]

Yes, indeed.

Fox, about Battlezone 2:

Are you talking about the unreleased Voice Controller version or perhaps one of the two other unreleased versions of Battlezone (Steve Woita/Dan Hitchens version and Carla Meninsky version)?

Edited by Rom Hunter, Thu Jul 20, 2006 4:52 PM.

[Foxsolo2000]

Rom Hunter, on Thu Jul 20, 2006 11:39 PM, said:

Yes, indeed.

Fox, about Battlezone 2:

Are you talking about the unreleased Voice Controller version or perhaps one of the two other unreleased versions of Battlezone (Steve Woita/Dan Hitchens version and Carla Meninsky version)?

In truth I dont know. For years I have heard of the rumours of this game and yet only recently came to realise that there were other versions of Battlezone being developed at the time. I always thought it was a sequel such as Combat 2 but perhaps Atari were just being cheap and thinking of releasing one of the other work in progress versions. I guess we will never know

[Rom Hunter]

Perhaps Tempest knows more about this.

[Foxsolo2000]

Was the voice controlled Battlezone ever seen or was it just a rumour?