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Post by VectorX on May 16, 2012 17:55:40 GMT -5
For those that don't know (shame on you!), VectrexMad! had created these, which reportedly works for 100% of all controllers, both modern/hacked and the original, allowing rapid fire by holding down a button, saving wear and tear on the controller.
Aside from the latter part of that sentence, I never figured I would have a need for one until I got Gravitrex Plus yesterday and started playing the bonus hidden game of Paratroopers. Freakin' Christ, why the hell didn't Dondzila allow you to shoot by holding down button 4 (rather than pressing it every time) like with other games such as Bedlam? I'm going to have to get one now at some point once I get a mess fixed with my bank account (hence why I can't grab anything from overseas/PayPal) and when he starts making them again (although he could have a batch ready right now, I don't know).
So, what other games are good candidates for these? I'd say Vector Pilot since I've yet to play it, but VectrexMad! created the Dongle after becoming the Beta tester for the game. Probably Mine Storm too, although I hardly play that any more (got tired of it over 20 years ago!).
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Post by desfeek on May 17, 2012 13:49:28 GMT -5
Star Castle? oooo Scramble! I'd buy a dongle if VecMad! put together a few more - especially if he produced more cases. I am also dying for a VecVox/AtariVox. To stimulate further conversation, I have heard rumblings that my buddy Recycled Gamer ( www.recycledgamer.com ) has been working on an analog (!) driving controller for use with Pole Position and Hyperchase. I believe he is still in prototype phase with that project, but it seems very cool with on-wheel shifters and a gas pedal wired up as button 4. Obviously (being 2nd all-time in Veccy Pole Position), I am excited to try one of those! |
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Post by fury on May 17, 2012 14:43:44 GMT -5
Revival Magazine mentioned the 1-shot firing in their review of my Zantis game. So while I nominate Zantis as a candidate, I will mention that the game's difficulty is partially based on the firing routine. In other words, Zantis will be made very easy with rapid fire.
...and of course, none of this makes any sense because I'm reading too quickly and fuctioning on 2 hours of sleep ;D
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Post by VectorX on May 17, 2012 18:10:12 GMT -5
Star Castle? oooo Scramble! Interesting thoughts  I'd buy a dongle if VecMad! put together a few more - especially if he produced more cases. Is he right now? I am also dying for a VecVox/AtariVox. Anyone heard ANYTHING in regards to the latter AtariVox+?! I contacted Albert of Atari Age about it weeks ago but never heard back, which he's usually good at replying to e-mails. But then he had moved so maybe he's at a backlog right now; it took him months to give me credit for several 2600 games I sent to AA for credit on, as he usually can be seen replying to an occasional e-mail with a local gaming group I'm on. I asked when on earth those AtariVox+s would be ready just out of curiosity but hadn't heard anything back. Or maybe he doesn't know either  To stimulate further conversation, I have heard rumblings that my buddy Recycled Gamer ( www.recycledgamer.com ) has been working on an analog (!) driving controller for use with Pole Position and Hyperchase. I know of someone who's making a controller with buttons on the side to simulate playing Spinball properly...like a real pinball machine  |
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Post by desfeek on May 17, 2012 21:33:01 GMT -5
Anyone heard ANYTHING in regards to the latter AtariVox+?! I contacted Albert of Atari Age about it weeks ago but never heard back, which he's usually good at replying to e-mails. But then he had moved so maybe he's at a backlog right now; it took him months to give me credit for several 2600 games I sent to AA for credit on, as he usually can be seen replying to an occasional e-mail with a local gaming group I'm on. I asked when on earth those AtariVox+s would be ready just out of curiosity but hadn't heard anything back. Or maybe he doesn't know either I *think* it was the.golden.axe over on AA who said he'd create some by the end of the year. The way he's liquidating his backstock to pay his mortgage, however, tells me someone else has to step up for the project. I know of someone who's making a controller with buttons on the side to simulate playing Spinball properly...like a real pinball machine Yes! Yes! Yes! |
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Post by VectorX on May 17, 2012 22:03:03 GMT -5
Anyone heard ANYTHING in regards to the latter AtariVox+?! I *think* it was the.golden.axe over on AA who said he'd create some by the end of the year. The way he's liquidating his backstock to pay his mortgage, however, tells me someone else has to step up for the project. Yeah I saw once where Richard H. had posted saying he was getting fed up at the guy who was supposed to ship them out (might've been him, I'm not sure). Sucks when someone else slows you up and makes you look bad in the process  |
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Post by vectrexmad on Jun 6, 2012 17:51:52 GMT -5
For those that don't know (shame on you!), VectrexMad! had created these, which reportedly works for 100% of all controllers, both modern/hacked and the original, allowing rapid fire by holding down a button, saving wear and tear on the controller. Aside from the latter part of that sentence, I never figured I would have a need for one until I got Gravitrex Plus yesterday and started playing the bonus hidden game of Paratroopers. Freakin' Christ, why the hell didn't Dondzila allow you to shoot by holding down button 4 (rather than pressing it every time) like with other games such as Bedlam? I'm going to have to get one now at some point once I get a mess fixed with my bank account (hence why I can't grab anything from overseas/PayPal) and when he starts making them again (although he could have a batch ready right now, I don't know). So, what other games are good candidates for these? I'd say Vector Pilot since I've yet to play it, but VectrexMad! created the Dongle after becoming the Beta tester for the game. Probably Mine Storm too, although I hardly play that any more (got tired of it over 20 years ago!). Yes, I believe I got repetitive strain injury in my "fire" finger from VectorPilot, and it was that game that caused me to create the autofire dongle. I'm not making them at the moment due running out of PCBs. If you think you'll would like to buy one in the future send me an email or reply to this topic and I'll add you to a (no obligation) list. When there is enough interest i'll place an order for a new batch of PCBs and begin manufacture again. |
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Post by vectrexmad on Jun 6, 2012 18:01:36 GMT -5
Following the above, here's an old interview that the Video Game Trader magazine published a couple of years back:
Editior: Hello VectrexMad! Why did you suddenly produce these AutoFire dongles for the Vectrex, isn’t writing Vectrex articles for VGT enough to fill your spare time?
VectrexMad!: It’s all because some months prior to the release of the AutoFire dongle, my finger had started to hurt. Whether this has been caused by playing too many video games or using the mouse button too much at work I don’t know, but my finger was really becoming swollen and I couldn’t enjoy playing Vectrex games anymore. I therefore produced a small prototype circuit that emulated multiple pressing of the fire button with a single button press on the controller. It works really well. Then I thought, hey it’s fairly likely that in the demographic of Vectrex owners there are likely to be other people like me who could also benefit from the AutoFire dongle. And it is true, immediately after the launch of the AutoFire dongle, I received a number of emails from people who said they didn’t play the Vectrex anymore because of repetitive strain injury.
Editior: I suppose the AutoFire dongle not only saves your finger but also the controller?
VectrexMad!: Yes, Vectrex controllers do take a bashing. I think because of the typical Vectrex game style they often take more of bashing then game controllers on more modern video games. The original arcade games wanted your money which meant that play was frantic and the game duration didn’t last very long to encourage you to feed in more coins to play again. Many of the original Vectrex games mimic this playing style not for any monetary reason but just because that was the status quo of the period. This means in a Vectrex game you end up hitting the fire button a lot of the time and a great number of times. Considering the controller is over a quarter of a century old it is not surprising that you see them for sale often with the statement “not all buttons fully functional”. So the AutoFire should also help to preserve the fire button.
Editior: Ignoring the commendable finger saving benefits, one might argue that the Auto Fire dongle is just a cheating aid to proceed further in games.
VectrexMad!: Well for me, a side effect of the AutoFire dongle is that it brings back new interest in old games. Now, with the AutoFire dongle, getting to later game levels is possible much earlier on. My girlfriend has jokingly said to me that I’ve have made a cheating device and that I should keep quiet about it. Perhaps, owning or not an AutoFire dongle does signify the end of fairness in the competitions which homebrewers occasionally hold when they release their new games. My thoughts are that Vectrex fans are a decent bunch so I don’t think there will be any foul play involved to win a competition. Anyway, a video is always required for proof of reaching a particular game level and it would be pretty obvious if an auto fire circuit was in use.
Editor: In the publicity surrounding the AutoFire dongle you claim there is a microchip in the AutoFire dongle. What is the purpose of this; couldn’t the same functionality be achieved with some basic electronics instead?
VectrexMad! Yes there is a chip in there. It’s actually a PIC Microcontroller. I would say its computing power is on par with the 6809A processor used in the Vectrex! So you could argue that plugging in the dongle gives the Vectrex a co-processor!
It is true that the auto fire functionality could have been achieved with say the well known (at least in the electronics world) 555 timer chip. However, with the PIC, fewer support components (just one resistor) are required and it also gives the dongle some programmed “intelligence”. When powering on the Vectrex and pressing button 4, normal operation (no auto fire) can take place without having to remove the dongle.
Editor: How are you finding home brewing, will you be releasing anything else in the future?
VectrexMad!: Yes, I am enjoying the experience. It’s nice to be able to say you made a product which is being purchased by more than one person. I’m also getting a lot of positive emails from other Vectrex users. My next Vectrex project is a game, it’s currently 60% finished, but time permitting I want to release before January next year. It will be a game of the type never seen before on the Vectrex, so I don’t want to say too much more just yet.
Editor: Thanks for your time and we wish your finger good health…
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Post by TrekMD on Jun 6, 2012 18:02:15 GMT -5
Well, I've been put to shame for not knowing about these autofire dongles. How do I get one so I can stop being ashamed?
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Post by VectorX on Jun 6, 2012 19:36:11 GMT -5
Wow, didn't know your finger had gotten in such bad shape!
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Post by vectrexmad on Jul 5, 2012 7:12:00 GMT -5
Well, I've been put to shame for not knowing about these autofire dongles. How do I get one so I can stop being ashamed? Not making any at the momemt but have received quite a few requests, so I will probably order another batch of PCBs to make some more - time permitting. But busy with other stuff at the moment - check out my new Veccab blog on my site. |
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Post by TrekMD on Jul 5, 2012 8:00:10 GMT -5
Well, I've been put to shame for not knowing about these autofire dongles. How do I get one so I can stop being ashamed? Not making any at the momemt but have received quite a few requests, so I will probably order another batch of PCBs to make some more - time permitting. But busy with other stuff at the moment - check out my new Veccab blog on my site. Cool. I've bookmarked your site. Thanks! |
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Post by VectorX on Jul 5, 2012 10:06:55 GMT -5
But busy with other stuff at the moment - check out my new Veccab blog on my site. Oooh, finally making progress on that, eh? ;D Did you get my last three high scores, by the way? |
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Post by vectrexmad on Jul 6, 2012 4:37:45 GMT -5
But busy with other stuff at the moment - check out my new Veccab blog on my site. Oooh, finally making progress on that, eh? ;D Did you get my last three high scores, by the way? Yes and yes. Veccab blog is actually behind in respect of reporting progress - I've got loads of images to up load. Yes I got your scores, along with some from other persons. I am just looking for some time to upload them to the scores page. |
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