Vector Blaster Game Headed Our Way

[Brad Adrian]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.dig-concepts.com/?HwDLEGtHHahh' target='_blank'>http://www.dig-concepts.com/?HwDLEGtHHahh</a><br /><br /></div>You know, it always hurts my feelings when somebody describes an object as "retro" when I can remember when it was in its heyday. But once again, here's a game that's going to be published soon for the Pocket PC and SmartPhone that's "retro," but I can recall spending quarter after quarter in the arcade on similar "state-of-the-art" games when I was in college.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/vectorblaster.gif" /><br /><br />Features of Vector Blaster<br />• One word: Retro. This game combines stellar 3D graphics, a unique interface and polished sound effects to take you back to the golden age of gaming in a very new way. <br />• Graphics: A 3D engine built from the ground-up and unique real-time physics spring life into your mobile device you never thought it had. With full screen anti-aliasing, it's like the Vectrex rose from the grave and obtained super-natural powers. <br />• Music: Original soundtracks and sound effects were created for Vector Blaster that best utilized the DSP's in mobile devices. <br />• High Score List: Show your friends your crazy mad skillz when you sign your three letter initials into the high score list! <br />• Controls: Interface is completely customizable. On Pocket PC the stylus can be used to recreate the feel of a trackball. <br />• Camera: Game can be played in two different camera modes...rotate or steady. <br />• Orientation: Playable in four display orientations. <br /><br />I couldn't find any kind of demo version, but you can get a registered version of Vector Blaster <a href="http://www.dig-concepts.com/?VB-Preview">here</a> for a limited-time introductory price of $7.99. I'll be sure to let you know how good this game is...if I can find time in-between levels.

[gonzo]

You can buy it from the Digital concepts site, it's been avaliable since the 12th.
I got it on release date and think it's a fantastic game! :-)

[Brad Adrian]

You can buy it from the Digital concepts site...
Thanks!

[popabawa]

Verrrry nice retro blasting fun. Gets nice & hard quick quickly!

Where's the d*mn smart bomb though?!? I could do with it for the swirly thing at the end of level 5!

Runs nice & smooth on my 2210 from the SD card too.

Two thumbs up here!

Iain.

[bitbank]

I've been working on some retro emulation lately with the people at StarROMs. So far we're only targeting Desktop PC, but I've got my own "prototype" Pocket PC emulator which can handle 132 games so far. Here is a screen shot of Tempest. The vector drawing needs to be cleaned up (anti-aliasing and so on), but it is very playable on a Pocket PC. If there is enough interest in Atari retro on the Pocket PC I will talk to StarROMs about releasing the PPC version. What do you think? Do Crystal Castles, Missile Command, Centipede, Tetris and Tempest deserve PPC versions? For those of you who know me, HIVE (2.0) still lives and will become more commercial products soon.

http://www.bitbanksoftware.com/downloads/HIVE.JPG

[MLO]

Whooop! Whooop! Warning! Warning! Nostalgia Alert! Nostalgia Alert!

Holy cow does this bring back memories. I don't usually download games for my Pocket PC, but I might have to break tradition for this one.

MLO

[jngold_me]

BRING BACK GORF!

[joechen]

I was a big Tempest fan back in those days. I don't normally like the buy to try games, but for $8, I thought it might be worth the try. Paid, downloaded, tried... at first glance I'm a little disappointed.

The game LOOKS like tempest, but the feel of the game is different. Your ship moves considerably slower across the screen. And I found the controls a little difficult, even with the stylus.

Wished they had a trial version.

[sundown]

$8 is a pretty good deal for a PPC game, I think. $8-$12 is probably the key price range for me.

[MichaelA]

Do Crystal Castles, Missile Command, Centipede, Tetris and Tempest deserve PPC versions? For those of you who know me, HIVE (2.0) still lives and will become more commercial products soon.

Larry, have you experimented with any of the newer Atari games? I'd love to see a port of Rampart, Gauntlet, Klax, or some of the Atari System I games. I'm just wondering if an ASUS A620 could handle emulating a 68k. If not yet, then I imagine it should be possible with the next generation of Pocket PCs.

The games you mentioned would definitely be welcome though. If you added network syncronization between two emulators (simlar to MAMEnet or Kaillera http://mamedc.kaillera.com/), it would be incredible.

[Don't Panic!]

Hi Larry, Geoff Macdonald did the defintive missle command port in his freeware Pocket PC game I.C.B.M. Maybe someone would like to buy the emulator though. 10 bucks a pop sounds reasonable.

I'd still like to see your versions of Galaga and Galxian released for Pocket PC's.

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[bitbank]

MichaelA,
I have been experimenting with 68K games and the PPC is still just a bit slow. The wimpiest 68k game is Terra Cresta from Nichibutsu and it runs at about 90% of full speed on my iPAQ 2215. Taito's Puzzle Bobble runs at about 60% of speed and it has specs similar to the Atari games. So for the moment, games like Gauntlet and Marble Madness are a bit too "heavy" for a Pocket PC to handle.

I have some networking support in my emulators, but the vendors I work with have not wanted to include it yet. This will hopefully change in the near future.

Don't Panic,
Not sure what the pricing will be exactly, but it will be very reasonable (take a look at the StarROMs site). Galaga and Galaxian work perfectly on my emulator (full speed with sound), but I have not found anyone to sponsor them yet (probably big $ to Namco).

Larry B.

[MichaelA]

Thanks for the information Larry. Even with the speed gain of an A620 I guess it couldn't do 100% on Terra Cresta. Hopefully in the next generation of Pocket PCs we'll get processors that can handle it.

I was just thinking that network support over Bluetooth (or Wifi) would be really cool. Who'da thunk we could be playing arcade games on a wireless PDA 20 years from when they were released? :D

[gonzo]

My argument is not with the unofficial emu's....it'd be cool if they could emulate "(Insert bla here)", but what I would much rather is a policy of doing TRUE conversions of games that would work well...I can reccomend off the top of my head

1) Syndicate (low work HIGH turnover, guaranteed)
2) Abuse (still going on tonnes of other formats)
3) Paradroid 90 (I say its THE PERFECT pocket pc game......)
4) Laser Squad (Best stratagy game that could be released)
5) (and this is an easy one) Microsofts own "CLOSE COMBAT" series, would be perfect for PPC....

as well as all teh old arcade, atari etc reviews, I belive those products as commercial releases would do brilliantly

[bitbank]

Sorry, I overwrote the screen capture from the real Tempest with a screen shot of my emulator running in VGA mode on the new Toshiba e805. Here's the correct shot.

http://www.hive.speedhost.com/downloads/CAP0001.JPG

Larry B.