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Post by gliptitude on Sept 28, 2012 12:27:22 GMT -5
I only discovered Vectrex last winter, so my 'first impression' was not so long ago. It continues to intrigue me, but still it occurred to me recently that it does not seem as mysterious as it had. (I've gotten caught up in playing the same 3 games over and over again, going for high scores etc.) ...So I've been trying to recall and recreate that initial experience. I suppose many people here encountered Vectrex in their youth, and I imagine it was taken as less of a curiosity and more of a "high performance machine", as billed by GCE. But I'm sure that this experience overlaps mine in many ways, that the novelty as well as the simplicity, and even the elegance of some of these old games are part of what continue to stimulate your imagination when you play the Vectrex. ... Really I am interested in implementing some of these old mysterious flavors in the (Vectrex) game designs that I am working on, so I am trying to gauge others' experiences. ... But also I would just like to hear what attracted you to Vectrex in the first place, and what it felt like when you were first discovering this universe, any aspect or appearance of any game that really stuck in your memory. ... Also, if you ever saw something in a video game (vector or otherwise) that you misinterpreted in some memorable way, (like you thought the space ships were insects for example), I would be quite interested to hear about that. ... Please be as vague or off topic as you like.  |
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Post by VectorX on Sept 28, 2012 13:09:13 GMT -5
Unfortunately I don't really recall my first impressions since they were from nearly 30 years ago. The whole gaming market was exploding (and soon to implode with the upcoming crash, unfortunately) and everything was new and exciting then. The Atari 2600 was still selling, even though the Intellivision and ColecoVision were more powerful, and especially games on home computers were even more powerful than those two consoles, etc., etc. I'm sure my whole thought on it (since I liked the arcade vector games too) was that it was "cool", although with most of the consoles and computer offerings then, I thought the same way with those as well. any aspect or appearance of any game that really stuck in your memory. ... Hyperchase's overly-sensitive joystick was a bit of a shock when I played it at a store display. This was at a Sears, which an employee there let me try out some for demo-only games that he had under the counter. That was one of them. Web Wars, on the other hand, totally blew me away once that Cosmic Dragon came out! That was killer. Also, if you ever saw something in a video game (vector or otherwise) that you misinterpreted in some memorable way, (like you thought the space ships were insects for example), I would be quite interested to hear about that. As I mentioned in what would make an interesting Vectrex game that should be made in the other thread, I thought that with Spike, we only saw *part* of the building at a time, and that once you climbed to the topmost ladder on the screen, you were taken to another screen, then had another few ladders to climb, and then finally with a third screen or something you'd rescue Molly (hence that's the way I think a Spike 2: The Second Story should work). Imagine my surprise when I was only able to pick up that game just a few years ago! Oh well, it's still a unique one anyway, especially with the voices! |
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Post by TrekMD on Sept 28, 2012 13:32:28 GMT -5
My first impression was about a year ago and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the system. I had heard a lot about the Vectrex and seen articles in retro magazines but I had never actually tried one out. I started looking at videos on YouTube and hearing some of my friends to play retro games talk about it and decided that I had to get one. A friend was trying to sell some of this older systems and he sold me his unit along with several boxed games at an excellent price and that just got me started and here we are today.  Love the damn thing and can't get enough of it. |
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Post by gliptitude on Sept 28, 2012 23:09:44 GMT -5
Hyperchase's overly-sensitive joystick was a bit of a shock when I played it at a store display. This was at a Sears, which an employee there let me try out some for demo-only games that he had under the counter. That was one of them. Web Wars, on the other hand, totally blew me away once that Cosmic Dragon came out! That was killer. Hmm, I might have to try Hyperchase again. That's one I've barely played. ... Web Wars blew me away too, really it's the game that most made me want to get a Vectrex, and once I played it I was completely fulfilled. ... I don't trust people who do not like this game. As I mentioned in what would make an interesting Vectrex game that should be made in the other thread, I thought that with Spike, we only saw *part* of the building at a time, and that once you climbed to the topmost ladder on the screen, you were taken to another screen, then had another few ladders to climb, and then finally with a third screen or something you'd rescue Molly (hence that's the way I think a Spike 2: The Second Story should work). Imagine my surprise when I was only able to pick up that game just a few years ago! Oh well, it's still a unique one anyway, especially with the voices! I was never sure I understood what you were describing with Spike, maybe because this is another one I've barely played. The character just clashes with me so much I kind of immediately tune out.  ... I guess the way it really works is that Spike is making his way across to the right? And you're idea (and what you originally thought was the deal) is to keep climbing up? That would be way cooler! ... Just wish it was someone other than Spike doing it, like perhaps a more regular shaped humanoid. |
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Post by VectorX on Sept 28, 2012 23:19:09 GMT -5
Web Wars blew me away too, really it's the game that most made me want to get a Vectrex, and once I played it I was completely fulfilled. ... I don't trust people who do not like this game. Heh! I was never sure I understood what you were describing with Spike, maybe because this is another one I've barely played. I guess the way it really works is that Spike is making his way across to the right? No, you're still going up, but you have to make your way left and right, just like with Donkey Kong, where you move right, up, then left a bit, etc., you're moving up and across platforms. With Spike you have to jump across gaps too (kind of like level 2 on Donkey Kong once a rivet has been collected). And you're idea (and what you originally thought was the deal) is to keep climbing up? Yeah, like three sets of screens worth. Maybe each screen could have different dangers to it as well. |
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Post by gliptitude on Sept 29, 2012 1:46:42 GMT -5
Yeah, like three sets of screens worth. Maybe each screen could have different dangers to it as well. Sounds interesting. It would be much easier for me to think about if the Spike character was eliminated from the equation though. I could go with a person, a monkey, a mouse, a bird, a robot... I will definitely revisit that game at some point, and will keep your idea in mind when I do. Another interesting thing about that game for me is how the platforms are moving at an angle to convey a 3D effect. Interesting and very unique in the Vectrex library, but a game that just has so much silliness and clumsiness to it that I am always hesitant to look at it. From a design and aesthetics standpoint it is an ugly game in my opinion. Initially it is surprising to me that this character has been reprized several times in homebrew games. But I guess he is really the only "character" from the GCE Vectrex days. ... I never would have realized on my own, but when I saw an interview with a game designer from the Sega Genesis days (bonus feature on ps2 genesis collection) he was talking about that era of console games as an era dominated by "characters". I immediately recognized this and found it interesting, that games were built around central characters during that time (NES, SNES, Genesis...). ... I think he was comparing more to subsequent games being less character driven, but it's also true of games prior to that. ... Trying to think of classic arcade characters and all I can come up with is Donkey Kong and perhaps Pac-Man. ... But even those, it's a pretty limited idea of "character". ... Seems like the stuff of lengthy platformers (Mario, Sonic, Megaman, (various Disney characters) and countless others)... |
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Post by VectorX on Sept 29, 2012 8:06:22 GMT -5
Initially it is surprising to me that this character has been reprized several times in homebrew games. But I guess he is really the only "character" from the GCE Vectrex days. Vecto needs to make an appearance in a homebrew. He was the alien character in the only issue of the Vectrex club Passport magazine, claiming to have invented the Vectrex and dropped it in on us lucky earthlings. He was a regular cartoon though, and not vector drawn. |
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Post by sj on Sept 29, 2012 10:01:48 GMT -5
Please be as vague or off topic as you like. To convert pounds to kilos just multiply by 2.2046.  |
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Post by gliptitude on Sept 30, 2012 0:58:09 GMT -5
To convert pounds to kilos just multiply by 2.2046. Well you've got off topic down. Now try vague. |
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Post by sj on Sept 30, 2012 3:06:53 GMT -5
To convert pounds to kilos just multiply by 2.2046. Well you've got off topic down. Now try vague. eh?... oh. Um. Ok I'll get right on it... in a minute. er... |
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Post by sj on Sept 30, 2012 3:12:46 GMT -5
My first thoughts of the Vectrex were 'I'm far too grown up for that (17) and this will interfere with my mission to procreate with as many females as possible.' Not that many as it turned out.
My second thought about the Vectrex (aged about 45) was 'what a cool bit of kit. Where have you been all my life.'
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Post by Mayhem on Sept 30, 2012 8:59:53 GMT -5
I'd seen pictures and video footage of the Vectrex, but I didn't actually get to try one until 1999 at a local videogame gathering. Really liked the vector graphic output, and some of my favourite arcade machines are from that early vector era (Star Wars, Tempest, Battlezone). Ended up walking away from the meet with a unit in my hand (which is still working today)... and so my addiction began |
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Post by vectrexmad on Sept 30, 2012 17:46:08 GMT -5
The following is a summary excerpt of my entry in Vectrex Stories, Vectrex Wiki: vectrex.wikia.com/wiki/Vectrex_Stories:_VectrexMad! "I remember I was on a school trip to London in early 1983. As well as touring all the famous sites we visited the famous Hamleys toyshop on Regent Street. Upstairs was a whole section for games machines and home computers. In one side of this section was a darkened area with multiple Vectrex consoles glowing with different games and hordes of kids gathered around them. At the time I owned a 1K Sinclair ZX81 (for US readers this was the equivalent of the Timex 1000) where a space invader character was typically represented by a upper case character from the alphabet and pixel resolution extended to a measly graphics array of just 64 x 48 pixels. This was before the 1984 software programs which were able to trick the ZX81 display into showing higher resolution images. So imagine my amazement then, at seeing the superior vector line graphics which looked identical to some of the games machines found in the arcades I now and then visited. At that time I didn’t know why the “resolution” looked so good and wasn’t really familiar with the concept of vector graphics. I didn’t even realise at that time the Vectrex was only a black and white machine and the colour effects were achieved via a plastic coloured overlay. Of course the price tag was way out of reach for a poor school boy who had spent nearly a year saving up his pocket money in order to purchase a ZX81. For some years afterwards I always dreamed of getting a Vectrex system. But the desire dwindled as my computer ownership evolved to more advanced machines including Memotech MTX512, Acorn Electron, Commodore 64 and than various PlayStations and IBM PC compatibles. Then late in 2007 I accidently came across a mention of the Vectrex on a retro gaming website and was reminded of this console again. I started to make some investigations and this rekindled my interest in the Vectrex. First I downloaded the ParaJVE Vectrex emulator and started playing the old Vectrex classics like Mine Storm and Armor Attack on my PC... The following month I managed to purchase a Vectrex on eBay. The particular Vectrex I had “won” wasn’t pretty, had paint splattered all over its casing, and the joystick controller, though functional, did not return to its centre position (a common condition for overplayed controllers). It came with five cartridges including the built-in game Mine Storm. Despite the well used condition of the Vectrex, I was over the moon. " |
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Post by gliptitude on Sept 30, 2012 20:50:54 GMT -5
Wow cool story vectrexmad! (I also read the unabridged version you linked.) I especially liked to hear about your very first encounter in the big city toy store, and not comprehending the black and whiteness of it. Sounds like a really cool encounter.
I'm also interested in this commentary you omitted from your shortened post (and wondering if you could elaborate):
"Vectrex games seem to have a different quality to those on other systems. The wire-like drawings seem to be as a result of a different mind concept. The graphics architecture of the Vectrex is different to the pixel based raster scan technology found in all other computer systems of then and today. Therefore, Vectrex programmers had and have different issues when writing programs for the Vectrex. If they make Vector images that are too full in detail then there is a display speed overhead to pay. Without the luxury of detailed graphics to fill the gamer’s imagination, the programmers had to make more effort with game play design."
I never thought of it this way, that Vectrex graphics were 'less detailed' than the raster graphics of its day. For sure the images we see are a result of "a different mind concept" and also assuredly the Vectrex has limitations that necessitate economical game designs ... but I always thought of the Vectrex (as well as other vector games) as the most pure presentation of video gaming. Compared to other consoles of it's time, Vectrex (and vector cabinets) were able to prioritize speed and movement and the things that are most essential to articulate in video games. ...The unnecessary graphics (color pixel arrays) were removed and there was a fruitful trade-off in the process. ...It's as if what we are looking at is what was hiding behind the other games, and what really makes video games work.
I kind of liken it to drawings vs paintings. When we elevate art works in museums we are most accustomed to seeing paintings, which are generally very lengthy undertakings and big productions, aimed at creating convincing illusions. ...Many people are almost entirely preoccupied with how realistic these images are, or what the literal content is. ... But in drawings you can see how people actually think, and how the (artist) actually interacted with what he was looking at (or thinking of). In the absence of the painter's obligation to resolve every single area of the picture in a cohesive and comprehensive way, the draftsman is allowed to move from one spot to another in a cognitive and intuitive way, responding instantaneously, the way his mind does. Often times drawings retain a perceivable record of this cognitive process, which is otherwise hidden and repressed in paintings. It's a more tactile manner of image making.
xxxx this is the end of my comment, but just in case anyone actually decides to go look at drawings as a result of my comments, I will say that some of the best examples of what I am talking about are the DRAWINGS of Rembrandt as well as Giacometti. ... In the case of Giacometti, his 'paintings' are also basically 'drawings', as far as my distinctions go.
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Post by vectrexmad on Oct 1, 2012 6:56:39 GMT -5
I'm also interested in this commentary you omitted from your shortened post (and wondering if you could elaborate): "Vectrex games seem to have a different quality to those on other systems. The wire-like drawings seem to be as a result of a different mind concept. The graphics architecture of the Vectrex is different to the pixel based raster scan technology found in all other computer systems of then and today. Therefore, Vectrex programmers had and have different issues when writing programs for the Vectrex. If they make Vector images that are too full in detail then there is a display speed overhead to pay. Without the luxury of detailed graphics to fill the gamer’s imagination, the programmers had to make more effort with game play design." For example I read from an interview with Tom Sloper (designer of Spike) that the Spike character was the way he was because if they gave him any more detail it would have been too many vectors. Too many vectors on the the Vetrex display gives rise to shakey and flickery graphics. So programmers often used clever line drawing representations to portray the real world. Look at the piannist in meledoy master, or the cylist in tour de france - there is something really nice about them, and it is perhaps the pureness of it. The explosions and crashes are also often interestingly displayed. No benefit of red and yellow pixellated explosions, so they used almost cartoon like representations of explosions. The effect is uniquely different as you know to other systems. I had a chance to play a Vic 20 the other day and the graphics really looked old fashioned. I told myself that I wouldn't be missing anything if i never played the Vic again. However, I don't get that feeling with the Vectrex which is why I am such a fan of it. |
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Love the damn thing and can't get enough of it. 
... I guess the way it really works is that Spike is making his way across to the right? And you're idea (and what you originally thought was the deal) is to keep climbing up? That would be way cooler! ... Just wish it was someone other than Spike doing it, like perhaps a more regular shaped humanoid. 
