Obscure Systems

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pacman000
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby pacman000 » January 10th, 2018, 9:17 am

https://www.fastcompany.com/3063298/ed- ... -black-vid

Ever heard of the APF Imagination Machine?

Sut
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby Sut » January 11th, 2018, 1:00 pm

Ahh yes I remember reading Chronogamers game reviews of the console portion (this is a console / computer hybrid, or combiner in Transformers terms).
Unfortunately it’s just got the usual clone games that all these early systems seem to have, but it’s Space Invaders clone (Space Destroyers ?) is a good one.
I seem to remember the emulation being a bit janky last time I tried but that is going back a while.

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pacman000
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby pacman000 » January 11th, 2018, 4:35 pm

Screenshots make the Imagination Machine look reasonably powerful for the time, maybe on par with the Astrocade.

FusekiGames
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby FusekiGames » January 11th, 2018, 11:39 pm

Sut wrote:
scotland wrote:I'll add one more - its also part of the Atari Video Pinball unit along with the pinball variants (some use flippers, some use a pong paddle) and the breakout/breakthrough, and that's BASKETBALL. What makes this different from a pong game (although its obviously is descended from it, is that you *bounce* the ball on your paddle like volleyball, but then you shoot through three breakout-like bands - you get variable points for the number of bands the ball goes through. Its been awhile, but I think you need to catch the ball coming through as well.


Ahh this explains why you showed an interest in the Basketball game on Supersportic for the PC-50x. I’ve played Basketball Pong variations, but like the PC-50x version they play more like Breakout with a basket to aim at rather than bricks.
The Atari one you mention seems somewhat unique with the ball bouncing mechanic which perhaps elevates it above the multitude of Pong sports games ?

Unfortunately it appears Atari Pinball consoles never saw a release in the UK. So this is one first generation variant I won’t get to play unless it get’s simulated. I won’t import one as the chances of getting a 1970’s NTSC RF console to agree with UK TV sets are close to nil.

As an aside how close is the 2600 port of Video Pinball to the dedicated console version ?


Completely different. This video shows the various games- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YNwiuAh_Ws

I have one of these consoles (the white case version), but I need to replace one of the resistors to get the right side flipper to work. It's just been sitting for the past ten years awaiting repair...

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scotland
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby scotland » January 12th, 2018, 11:16 am

Thanks Fusemigames. I kept meaning to answer Sut's query, but I hadn't yet.

Also, those Video Pinball Units are not expensive, so if the resistor surgery doesn't pan out, maybe you can snag the woodgrain model.

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pacman000
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby pacman000 » January 12th, 2018, 12:51 pm

scotland wrote:Thanks Fusemigames. I kept meaning to answer Sut's query, but I hadn't yet.

Also, those Video Pinball Units are not expensive, so if the resistor surgery doesn't pan out, maybe you can snag the woodgrain model.

That is a cool-looking system. Wish someone would port its games to the 2600.

Sut
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby Sut » January 12th, 2018, 3:33 pm

FusekiGames wrote:Completely different. This video shows the various games- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YNwiuAh_Ws


Thanks !
Like I said I’m pretty sure this didn’t make it over pond so I will have to wait and see if someone can ‘simulate’ it.

lynchie137
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby lynchie137 » January 15th, 2018, 8:06 pm

Been perusing this site while on break at my work a lot lately, and I found this strange little beauty....

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/com ... st=2&c=880

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pacman000
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby pacman000 » January 16th, 2018, 9:56 am

lynchie137 wrote:Been perusing this site while on break at my work a lot lately, and I found this strange little beauty....

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/com ... st=2&c=880


"The Tank Battle game produced by the AY-3-8710 chip from General Instruments, is often missing from available cartridges for this type of systems (based upon GI chips). There is one good reason. All the other games use analog controllers whereas the Tank Battle must be played with digital controllers (like direction buttons for example). And all these video-game systems were designed with analog controllers and no numeric ones. However, some systems, like the SHG Blackpoint FS-1003 offered optional digital controllers (pads with 5 buttons: directions and fire) with the Tank Battle cartridge... "

Good to know.

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scotland
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Re: Obscure Systems

Postby scotland » January 16th, 2018, 10:09 am

pacman000 wrote:
lynchie137 wrote:Been perusing this site while on break at my work a lot lately, and I found this strange little beauty....

http://www.old-computers.com/museum/com ... st=2&c=880


"The Tank Battle game produced by the AY-3-8710 chip from General Instruments, is often missing from available cartridges for this type of systems (based upon GI chips). There is one good reason. All the other games use analog controllers whereas the Tank Battle must be played with digital controllers (like direction buttons for example). And all these video-game systems were designed with analog controllers and no numeric ones. However, some systems, like the SHG Blackpoint FS-1003 offered optional digital controllers (pads with 5 buttons: directions and fire) with the Tank Battle cartridge... "

Good to know.


The dedicated Coleco Telstar Combat (tank) Game has controllers that are notoriously prone to be broken. Its nice in that you get twin sticks to maneuver each tread, like an arcade game, but I recall when I was actively seeking them that the controllers are often broken. I believe they are digital, having a leaf spring to make a 'go' contact.

Some neat things I've read about this unit though is that the tanks have inertia, unlike the Atari Combat cartridge we are all familiar with.


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