In article <33374704.17387342@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, you wrote:
>>I heard a rumor that there was a group of people working on a rpg
>>for the 2600, but they stopped/gave up/whatever. Anyone know anything
>>about this?
>
>They had storyboards and some other stuff ready, but couldn't find a
>programmer who knew how to implement the bankswitching (16k minimum would
>be needed and probably Superchip RAM, possibly more) and was willing to do
>it.
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Not only did they put the cart infront of the horse by designing a game
without a programmer who could tell them what can and can't be done, but
they expressed an extreme reluctance to have the game designed for the only
existing system for the 2600 that could easily let them pull off most of
their goals: The Supercharger.
They had pretty lofty goals for the game too at that. And even with the
multiload capability of the Supercharger they would have had to make many
sacrifices and comprimises to the game in order to have it done at all.
I believe they've made the fruit of their efforts available on a webpage
somewhere, so if someone is stuck for a game idea they can also pop over
there and see what of the game can be salvaged.
I'm thinking of doing a very simple (hopefully multi-load) RPG game for
the 2600 that is more like Adventure than Zelda.
Although I've been trying to decide which I should do. Would it be best
to make the swordplay like Adventure, or something where the sword swings
out in the direction you're facing, like in Zelda.
I've also been pondering the dialogue problem. Programming in zelda-like
dialogue between characters on a 2600 would be a real nightmare.
What might work would be a companion book for the game. Instead of showing
the dialogue on the screen, it gives you a chapter in the book and you
read this chapter, then go back to the game when finished (but we're talking
short, two or three page chapters here, we don't want the book to become
a novel). This would be interesting because I could develope character depth
beyond a Zelda-like RPG as well, I could include illustrations in the book
to enhance the game experience.
Of course, this package could run into big bucks to produce then.
But this project is still a long ways off for me, I've got to finish this
semester first before I'll get any serious programming time in.
CRACKERS
(Where's my TIME MACHINE from hell!!!)
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