SQUAREZ 2015 - new vectrex game (demake of the flash game)

[la1n]

download at: atariage.com/forums/topic/233522-squarez-2015-new-vectrex-game-demake-of-the-flash-game-squares/

hi there,

it is done, after the atari 2600 game AXE, here the latest real retro game SQUAREZ 2015. it is a demake of a quite addictive flash game. it is simple: make as much points as possible. collect the bonus and avoid the squares. simple to understand. but don't be too greedy! of course programmed in assembler (much more fun than the 6502 on atari2600). but don't look into the code - i will never get into the assembler heaven with this.

the game was tested with ParaJVE (Emulator) and on one my real vectrex.

the vectrex is quite a cool hardware with cool libraries. quite a cool game engine (we had to say in our days .-). i will never understand why atari didn't brought this out itself - they were the masters of vectors.

after this i would like to finish my intellivision game. is there someone who would sell me a multicard, so that i can test the software on real hardware? thanks for any help or tipp or someone who would sell it to me.

have fun

t00cg@la1n

;***************************************************************************
; SQUAREZ 2o15 BY LA1N
; (A RE(DE)MAKE OF THE WELL
; KNOWN FLASH GAME SQUARES)
;***************************************************************************
;
; @ixistenz
;
; THIS IS A DEMAKE OF THE FLASH GAME SQUARES (2002)!
; I THOUGHT IT IS A SIMPLE GAMEMECHANIC HHH
; CODED IT AFTER AXE (ATARI 2600) AND INTELLIVISION GAME*
; * NOT YET RELEASED
;
; MECHANICS: MAKE AS MUCH POINTS AS POSSIBLE.
; COLLECT FOR POINTS. AVOID SQUAREZ!
; THERE CAN BE AT LEVEL7 UP TO 12 SQUAREZ ON SCREEN!
; DONT BE TOO GREEDY!
;
; YOU WILL FIND OLDER PROJECTS OF LA1N AT WWW.LA1N.CH
; OR LOOK FOR OUR GAMEART AT WWW.AND-OR.CH
;
; CREDITS GO TO RICHARDH FOR HIS MULTICARDS (THANKS!)
;
;***************************************************************************

[VectorX]

Jan 6, 2015 18:54:30 GMT -5 la1n said:

after this i would like to finish my intellivision game. is there someone who would sell me a multicard, so that i can test the software on real hardware? thanks for any help or tipp or someone who would sell it to me.

If someone doesn't respond to this in a few days, you could try posting this again in the For sale, wanted, trade forums.

[50tbrd]

Nice. I had to go back and check out the Flash game and remember it being mentioned somewhere before. I liked playing that and think you've done a pretty good job capturing the spirit of the game.

I do wonder if you could add an analog mode.

Did you think about using the 3D Imager for colors?

People tend to hang on to the programmable multicarts but you can get new ones from both jfmateos(here) or 5-11under(atariage). Richard Hutchinson only makes VecMultis every once and a while and despite asking several times, have never been able to get one.

[cNp]

Yay, more new games... cheers for sharing!

I will check this out tonight on real hardware (x3) and let you know how it goes.

cNp

[la1n]

hi togehter,

thanks for the responses.

some answers and questions:

# squares
i just found out that there is a game squarez - that has nothing to do with squares. therefore here is the link to the version 2 auf the game:
www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=1725.0

# analoge mode
what is an analoge mode?

# 3d imager for colors
at the moment we don't have yet a 3d imager - so i couldn't test it, even if i would write one. i saw that it is quite expensive to get one. so i am not sure .-)

# multicards
sorry for the miss understanding - i have a multicard for vectrex from richardh. but i am searching one for intellivision. this seems even more impossible .-(

# new vectrex stuff
forget to say in this forum: working now on a shootemup for the vectrex. let's look how this game is developing. .-)


t00cg @ la1n

[50tbrd]

Analog refers to controls. This is in opposition to digital controls. While digital only tells direction, analog tells direction and pressure/distance. With analog controls, the players square would return to the center when not touched. The movement of the players square would be faster and more similar to the original flash game. It would require that the player have an original controller and since they're both expensive and difficult to come by, that's why I suggested the option of both digital and analog controls. BTW, Starhawk has options for both digital and analog controls for example.

There are definitely people who would be willing to help test it with their 3D Imager if you were able to code the colors. It was just a suggestion though. I would like to see someone use the colors someday.

The Madtronix reproduction Imager is worth every penny. I'd consider it a must have.

[hcmffm]

Welcome at the VGF and thank you heaps, t00cg@la1n, for providing SQUAREZ for the Vectrex! :-) The Vectrex is a really nice console but not so commen, it's great everytime a new title and a new Vectrex programmer "appears". :-)

I've played SQUAREZ a bit on ParaJVE which turns out to be a bit difficult to control due to the keyboard. I guess on the real hardware it's much more fine, looks like I have to grab my VecFlash.

== Initial square position and direction
After playing a bit I soon found out that the square to hunt always moves from bottom to top. And it happens that the square to hunt appears not at a fully random position but in a narrow area in the middle of the screen. This makes it very easy to hunt and to play.
Not sure whether the permanent bottom to top direction is on purpose or not, I think random direction would make the game even more interesting and challenging. I'd consider the non-random square position as a bug because it makes the game almost boring and easy (39 caughts using the keyboard).

Again, thank you very much for your effort and thanks for providing SQUAREZ for free!

[la1n]

# analoge joysticks
ah ok, i didn't know that it is an analoge joystick in the vectrex pad. but if i look now on it it is clear (in those days there were also anloge scripts made like this. i will try and look how complex it is and to integrate this in the game.

# madronix game imager
i just looked at ebay and saw the prices. but you are right - the thing vom madronix is payable - so i bought just now one and a lightpen and and and .-)

# control
i will look into the control for the emulation

# random
yes at the moments it is not random. i will also here look into functions. there is one build in but i didn't knew how to implement correctly. but i will look also at that. i hope i can find it out. from 40 points it will be more challenging. and the game ist about breaking the highscore.

thanks for the hints - i hope i have the time to look at it (at the moment i work on a shootemup for vectrext)

till soon

t00cg

[50tbrd]

Like I said, some people can't afford things like original controllers or 3D Imagers, so its always nice to have options. Look at Chris Malcolm's Vector Pong which has options for both digital and analog or how George Pelonis had options for both a 2D or 3D Lord of the Robots.

BTW, I forgot to praise you not only for working on Squarez but also for the working on your "shootemup" because that's the true strength of the Vectrex and I look forward to all development for this unique system.

[binarystar]

3D headset supprt isn't necessarily an easy thing to add in to a game but I think you could get away with it in this game. You essentialy need to split the frame into 6 'draw' portions (Left eye Red,green,blue then right eye, red greeen, blue) and show the correct stuff each frame, synced to the incoming pulse from the headset.

[hcmffm]

Jan 6, 2015 20:28:45 GMT -5 50tbrd said:

... Did you think about using the 3D Imager for colors?

A thought on colours: From what I've learnt 3D programming is quite some effort. Audience is limited and wearing the imager is medium fun. Flickering can happen easily because the image has to be calculated and drawn twice (left eye/right eye).
I think that's a lot of limitations and effort for just colours; effort which I think is better spent into other areas. Nevertheless it's a good idea and might be added as option once all the other fine-tuning has happened.

[madtronix]

I can also send you an RGBRGB color wheel (2nd RGB instead of opaque black). Won't have 3D then but colours with less flickering.

[BobCat Warrior]

Medium Fun with the imager? I was totally blown away by the 3d effect. Granted, I used the MadTronix imager (Shameless plug), but it was FANTASTIC. Too bad theres only a few games that support it, Crazy Coaster is a blast once you get a hang of the controls. MineStorm is great too...

>>......Audience is limited and wearing the imager is medium fun.

[gliptitude]

Feb 24, 2015 8:42:53 GMT -5 madtronix said:

I can also send you an RGBRGB color wheel (2nd RGB instead of opaque black). Won't have 3D then but colours with less flickering.

Interesting. Has this been done before experimentally, using the imager in a way optimized for color, rather than 3D? That has been my hope ever since I got my hands on one of your Imagers, Vectrex in color.

[hcmffm]

Feb 26, 2015 5:01:27 GMT -5 BobCat Warrior said:

Medium Fun with the imager?...

Right, the 3D effect is special and very cool. But wearing an imager for a longer while is not so much fun for various reason: Cable, weight, warmth, possibility of dizziness, ... And I guess that it's hard and a lot of effort to program a good 3D game due to the two images that need to be calculated.
So for a "Wow!" effect the imager is good, but for serious playing I think not so much. But I admit that I haven't played the 3D games much and I wear glasses.