All very interesting, you sound like an amazing guy! The concept of a co-operative mode is really good because if you have 2 players where there is a big skill disparity, it can help keep the more novice player engaged rather than have them wait for long periods just wishing their opponent would crash soon! I really love what you've done and would love it even more if you could ever do the same thing for the 8 bit version, however much of a long shot that seems! It's a shame about the source code thing, but I guess that's life. Who actually owns the source code to these old classic games? I understand river raid was coded by a lady called Carol Shaw who worked for Activision. Would it up to her to release it if she ever wanted to, or would it be for Activision? What happens when these companies go out of business? If is has been several decades since these games were last sold commercially, it's hard to see why anyone would object to the release of the code but maybe I'm missing something! 😊
Nope but thanks. I'm really a pretty average guy with my own set of talents. If I were amazing I would have had the 7800 port out by now instead of goofing off with near-meaningless side projects too much. But, I'll take the compliment anyhow and thank you for it. We all like to think our unique talents make us special and amazing... and they do to a degree. We all have our own set to develop... or to not develop.
I'm happy to hear you like the co-op adaption of River Raid, and why. This is precisely why I like co-op games so much... and, indeed, there are not enough of them out there. Although, not all my multiplayer games are co-op... so, apparently, I like competition as well (and why River Raid Squadron has two 2P modes, I suppose: one full co-op; the other less so).
Large/lucrative properties like the ones owned by Activision are rarely abandoned... even when a business goes bust. In that case they are typically sold off or given to various stakeholders. So, yeah, Activision owns the old River Raid source code and the game design itself (which is why I did not include the original gameplay here). Occasionally, companies do release the code and other rights to their old titles--I've seen a few of those--but don't recall who off the top of my head. These are usually the smaller companies trying to generate some buzz... and/or as a favor to the world just before they close their doors. Carol Shaw has mentioned she has a printout of the source code at her house, but it would not be up to her to release it as, technically, she does not own it. Think of games as just like any other widget. The people who paid her to engineer and build it, own it. As to why not release it, you never know when an old property and/or trademark is going to become popular again with some remake or who-knows-what.
Thanks very much indeed for offering such thorough insight. I guess that all makes sense. I'd love to have an online co-op game with you one day, should that ever be possible 👍
In the mean time I look forward to the Atari port of the great work you've already done whenever you get round to it and thanks again!
If you mean online River Raid Squadron... yeah, that's not outside the realm of possibility after I solidify the tech first with Sendit Soccer. I've always expected to do more with Sendit's online tech--much much more--including likely pulling RRS into it. I mean, I already have the source code, so it shouldn't be that much work, right? A networked web version could also be the best place to test 8 players before trying it on an old console.
I don't have great gaming skills, btw. Stuttering tends to affect your motor skills as well as your speech. Yes, you can learn to control it and improve it and appear normal, but there's always a ceiling of rhythm capability at perhaps 80% of norm. I don't game online much. In fact, I've only gone there during the pandemic with friends and the local game-dev guild members. It doesn't mean I would say no to an invite, I just don't place a high priority on it (even though I build for it).
I somehow missed this last reply of yours. Thank you for pointing me to this. I find it interesting that someone is trying to market a retro stick like the UNITHOR. Good to see they are using microswitches as well. After us breaking several controllers when we were young, my older brother built his own with microswitches from Radio Shack. Then I saw the Epyx 500XJ come out and I've been playing with a couple of those ever since. Personally, I don't see the UNITHOR beating the 500XJ... but that's me. I never understood the flight-stick style -- too hard to hold, too much throw, too much assigned to one hand.
Okay, after fiddling with a 500XJ just now, I can say the switch on the fire button is too heavy by today's standards. It could be dropped to 1/2 or 1/4 the current force, and then it would be truly awesome. I'll add that mod (or 3D-print project [even though I don't yet have a 3D printer]) to somewhere near the bottom on my todo list.
I also have some fuzzy memory of players holding the 500XJ wrong and trying to press the button too high, and/or using their finger tip to press it when they could use their middle segment instead.
The Mindscape Powerplayer/Powerplayers is another favorite with microswitches. I should get one someday to give it a try... done.
That's awesome, great idea 👍
Unfortunately I don't have the skills to do anything like this myself, but after doing some reading online, I thought of a project that I'm getting some help with. It involves creating a Bluetooth version of my favourite joystick that was actually originally for the SNES, by putting in the board from a wireless 8 bit do mini Bluetooth joypad instead. Still work in progress, please see photos 😀
As a side note, just because you got me thinking about this, if this game were more popular, what I would likely do after publishing the 7800 version, is then start work on the next version for, perhaps, the Lynx (or a better 7800 version [assuming it can be better... I have my doubts]). That version would likely take some inspiration from the 800 version (plus other versions https://www.oldgames.sk/en/game/river-raid/pictures/). I would also add as many players as the systems can handle (8 players on the Lynx or Jaguar would be utter chaos--and need much much more creative game balance work). Then, if the audience demanded an 800 version, that is the version I would backport to the 800 (limited to what the 800 can handle, of course). But that's just a guess. If the audience would still rather have a 2P port of the original 800 version versus an improved 800 version... I tend to work on what the most people are telling me they want me to work on.