Warrior update.

[sj]

Have you guys seen the update for Warrior on Furys site? There is a shot of the final overlay design.

[matthewdfisher]

I have. I admit that I was a little disappointed that George didn't use the original artwork, but he sent out an email explaining why he didn't and it made perfect sense. Really looking forward to this one!

[sj]

Yes, I got the same email, and yes, it makes perfect sense.

[VectorX]

What's the explanation? And there's now 25 more copies made?

[sj]

Feb 4, 2012 10:05:14 GMT -5 VectorX said:

What's the explanation? And there's now 25 more copies made?

Bugger... I deleted the email. I could have copied/pasted it. The problem George had was that the original game projected the graphics down onto the playfield (cobbles, stone floor etc.) making the warriors appear on the surface. The Vectrex projects from behind, making it look like the warriors were under the floor.
If you're reading this George (and you're not too tied up ), you might be able to further enlighten.

[VectorX]

...especially since he can never mind my other question, as I recall now he said originally he might do some more copies. So that made that easier

[fury]

Yes, I'm here.


START EMAIL

Hi again!

I've received many emails praising the new overlay design, and I appreciate
the overwhelming response that I've gotten. Thank you for that!

I also received a couple of queries regarding the drastic differences between
the Vectrex overlay and the original arcade game artwork. First off, that's my
fault for using the artwork to advertise the game so I'm not offended by
anyone who asked about it.

In a nutshell, the arcade game has wonderful artwork featuring cobblestone
floors, walkways, and steps. I know that a lot of you are already aware of this, but
the vector warriors in the arcade version were actually projected on top of the artwork
(see link below). It's not an overlay, but visually it works as an "underlay". That's how
the warriors appear to be standing on the floor, walking up the steps, etc.

With the Vectrex version, it's a traditional overlay. Including the cobblestones and
steps would have been a visual monstrosity as the warriors would have appeared
beneath the flooring. I tried it out, and it simply didn't work.

You can see that the overlay is a completely reworked design. I took a new approach,
while still retaining artistic elements of the original arcade game. The Warrior logo sits
along the bottom of the overlay, and the torch flames from the arcade bezel grace
the side borders. The cobblestone flooring is removed, but the transparent portion of the
overlay is bordered by cobblestone silhouette edges, representing the walls of this
dungeon-like arena. With the torch graphics and silhouette walls, it made perfect sense
to complete the effect by "lighting" the warriors with a fiery red color. Finally, the two pits
are slightly reworked artistically, but are fundamentally the same as the arcade original.

Sorry for the essay, but I wanted everyone to understand the amount of thought and effort
that has gone into this. That said, I am open to any comments/suggestions regarding
the overlay design (for a few days, before I finalize with my new screenprinter).

Thank you!
George

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrior_(video_game)

END EMAIL


So that's pretty much it. I have now added back in a pair of warrior re-spawn points, per the requests of several emailers. These were removed for the same reason that the flooring was removed (they obscured the vector graphics). I came up with a new reworked version of these that will be 100% transparent. Currently I have them in the gold color, which means that the warriors will be gold when re-spawning, but it also means that they'll be gold while fighting in those zones too. The only other way to avoid the color change is for those to be red with an outline.

The other request that I'm getting is to change the transparent red to blue. I haven't decided on that yet. We sure do have a lot of blue overlays, guys. Just off the top of my head...Berzerk, RipOff, MineStorm, Space Wars, Polar Rescue, and on and on. Technically, I can make the warriors white just like in the arcade game, by having the transparency be clear with no color tone, leaving the pits red. To me, that sort of minimizes the coolness of an overlay.

Most people have sent only positive remarks about the new design, but I'm open to any suggestions you may have.

[sj]

A clear overlay with some areas of colour sounds a great idea. Less is more in this instance, I reckon.
And was there ever an overlay like that before?

[vectrexmad]

I guess its to do with personal taste, but I agree with George: having a clear transparency with no colour tone negates the point of an overlay. Most overlays don't add anything to the game, being of constant colour with some printed graphics on the overlay edge. But boy when they do add something more the results can be beautiful. Of the original games Pole Position is one of the few overlays that really gives the effect of colour and in my opinion really enhances the look of the game. Of the new games, Vectrexians and Vector Pilot are fantastic overlays also. The colours are thick and not transparent and really do make the games seem in colour. So my request to George is please don't make these overlays clear.

[VectorX]

Feb 6, 2012 20:39:40 GMT -5 vectrexmad said:

Of the original games Pole Position is one of the few overlays that really gives the effect of colour and in my opinion really enhances the look of the game.

Not that it was real spectacular or anything, but I liked how Star Trek was done, with the target area being colored.

[fury]

Yeah, this overlay will have color throughout. Sorry sj, but it seems to be an unpopular idea based on the emails that I've received, all pretty much saying the same thing as vectrexmad.

[sj]

Fair enough George. I'm just trying to think 'out of the box'. If not clear, how about a grey/graphite colour with brighter accents... reds, golds, blues?
If you take me up on that idea, any chance of a small royalty?

[fury]

No, what you describe (if I'm understanding correctly) won't work too good. First off, doing a shade of gray is still going to have the vectors appear white. It will only make them dimmer which, in turn, would mean that I would have to display them brighter to compensate for the gray. So that would be pointless. Secondly, a lot of different colors is going to make the warriors change colors during the game play and I think that's undesirable. Finally, and I think you were joking, but no I'm not offering any royalties if an idea is used. The only reason why I opened up to suggestions is because I wanted to allow anyone who was expecting something different to have an opportunity to have their idea(s) heard and possibly used. Most people like the overlay, and at this point they are emailing me asking me not to change it. So I think I've heard all the suggestions and will proceed with one final revision of the artwork and then go ahead and have these printed. Thanks to everyone for your suggestions!

[sj]

I was joking...

[celtroniclabs]

Hello, I'm a new member of this forum, have never been on it before just signed up today. I joined this forum because I have a strong interest in classic vector style arcade games, especially those made by Cinematronics. In addition I happen to be an iOS Developer.

This discussion over this homebrew Warrior's overlay reminds me of what Tim Skelly apparently went through when designing Armor Attack. I read in one of his interviews online that he wanted to utilize a backdrop with a half-silvered mirror for the playfield on Armor Attack (just as he had done with Warrior) and that Cinematronics' management was too cheap to do this and insisted that he have to make do with an overlay. He has several times, made reference to the penny pinching cheapness that the Cinematronics principals were noted for during those times.

Backdrops are impossible to use with the Vectex system (unless you want to build your own cabinet with half-silvered mirror and backdrop art work to house your Vectrex monitor), therefore this homebrew has to make do with an overlay type playfield just as Armor Attack did.

My question to the developer of this Warrior Vectrex game is how are you able to legally use the Cinematronics/Vectorbeam game names for your software products? Are these Cinematronics titles of yours officially licensed products? Who is the legal copyright holder of all the old Cinematronics vector games?

Cinematronics has been defunct since 1987, when they became the Leland Corporation and then sometime in the early 90s the Leland Corporation was absorbed by someone else so I have no idea who currently owns the rights to these old games. I am pretty sure Tim Skelly doesn't own the rights to them. I am curious as to who does..

Atari Interactive has already purged the iOS store of anything resembling their old vector games, Vector Tanks and Vector Tanks Extreme were victims of their recent cleansing operation.

What is disappointing to me about the Fury Unlimited Warrior game is that only 150 people will be able to own a copy of it. I can understand that though due to the production cost of creating a physical cartridge and a physical overlay to place over the monitor on this old Vectrex system.