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I picked one up a few months ago, and let me tell you, I have really been enjoying it.
I'll start off by saying that I am not typically a HUGE fan of 1st and 2nd-generation game systems (i'm a 16-bit kid), but there is something unique about having vector graphics easily available in your home. Emulation just doesn't give it justice.
I don't own one yet, but I've always wanted one. They're not cheap, and I hear it's very expensive to buy separate controllers for it, so if I purchase one someday, I'll try for one with 2 controllers.
While I haven't played it, "Scramble" looks like it's probably one of the best titles for it, and the console was ahead of it's time. Unfortunately, it didn't sell as well as they hoped.
I've missed two chances to buy one so far. But I did get a chance to play one at a friend's house a few years ago. Very interesting machine.
Played some games emulated, very cool and unique system but the library (original) is a bit small. There appears to be a homebrew effort for it though which is cool.
The smooth animation is just awesome, and so are the overlays.
EDIT: Though it would make an appropriate addition to the thread:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8eZOJr5rs4
EDIT2: Also this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De80w-ZuQYw
The homebrew scene has generated some quality knock-offs of arcade games that should have been released on the system
Here is one of my favorites; Protector/YASI, which has an awesome Defender clone and Space Invaders clone on the same cart. And it saves scores!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSCwxflTzoo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzyR4LgCuoY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-6Y3livAtU
After I bought my Vectrex I started looking for a second controller and it turned out being cheaper just to buy a second complete one at the time.
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/w...f/Stuff206.jpg
I had problems with my first controller, so I had to buy a second one.
It must have flown under the radar on ebay, because it ended at ~$30 which is a great price.
I have since repaired the broken controller, but it was not easy. I had to make a spring by hand in order to fix the issue of the joystick not centering.
That rotating CD looks amazing o_O, and the music is great too!Quote:
Originally Posted by Robivy64
I love the Vectrex, it's a great little system. Hard to find games for it though, at the moment I only have one, the Heads-Up Soccer Game which frankly, is terrible.
Been looking for Berzerk and some of the other better ones for a while now. Although I must say Minestorm itself is worth the price of admission for the system.
Let me see if I can find where I bought my copies of Vecmania and Protector/YASI. I remember them being under $20 each.
EDIT: Here we go http://www.classicgamecreations.com/ordering.html
Well worth the price, and Vecmania has most of these games incorporated into one cartridge.
I don't know if John is still making/selling these, but he was as of a few months ago.
I'm a huge fan of the Vectrex, I've had mine since 1984 and have twenty games for it.
It's my favorite game system with the Sega Genesis second.
The Vectrex rocks. I've never owned one and had to settle for playing a friend's quite a ways back. It's a unique system in that the vector graphics paired with the built in monitor is not easily replicated. They're also surprisingly durable.
I was a big vector graphics fan back when they were current and always lamented not owning one of these...
The Vectrex is amazing for it's time. The best of all old school consoles. I have one, but the controler is broken, and I don't have any games.
There are only a few original releases, but 90% of those are very good games.
Wow! You can't put a price on that!Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris
If this guy actually released his BASIC compiler to the wild I'm sure homebrew would REALLY take off:
http://www.revival-studios.com/?page=32
Five years ago I had a Fortress of Narzod overlay made at the UPS store in Station Square and it turned out great.
Now, I've just bought a multicart and would like to have overlays for Pole position and Polar Rescue. Problem is, Steven who owned that store sold it two years ago.
I'm wondering if anyone knows of a really good print shop in the Burnaby, east Vancouver, New Westminster, Coquitlam area that has someone working there who is smart and dosen't mind spending a little time to make me these.
I looked it up on the internet to see how they are made, and an inkjet photo printer or dye sublimation printer work best and the image is put onto a transperant film then laminated.
When I had the Fortress of Narzod one made it did'nt take long and was laminated in the usual way using heat with extra paper on each side so the film would'nt melt.
Apparently laminating using self adhesive laminating sheets can also be used.
I thought getting these made would be so easy but I've been to several places in the last two days and although a couple of places had friendly people working there , most had limited english, were unfriendly or were young and just wanted to get back to their fancy phones. Nobody had the supplies or knew how to do it.
I'm starting to get frustrated, does anyone know of a really good, friendly helpful place to get these made, does a place like this still exist around here.
I've never really understood the whole Vectrex thing, I mean its a cool enough system, is quirky, and the controllers are pretty awesome, but really for its time it doesn't seem to do much of anything very well.
Although saying that there's something about the system which still makes me want to own one too.
:?
Does this play all the old vector graphics games from the arcade? These were my favorites:
Major Havok
Rip Off
Space Duel
Space War
Tac Scan
I lucked upon one a few summers back, think I posted here about it. Neat console, I enjoyed it. Love how vibrant all of the colors are with the overlays. I got several games with it too. I've still got the thing displayed out on the shelf in my bedroom.
You really have to see it in person to appreciate it -- it feels like actually going to an early 1980s arcade, in a way that no other console can duplicate. There's just something about vector graphics...the pinpoints of light, the perfect scaling, and the fact that onscreen objects feel almost like real shapes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Thenewguy
The "old" game library isn't that impressive -- Minestorm is probably the best game! -- but some of the homebrewers are doing amazing stuff. The Vector Pilot homebrew is an absolute work of art, especially with the overlays which transform the game into a prismatic wall of gorgeous colors.
Rip Off and Space War, yes; the others, no. A port of Major Havoc would be great. The Rip Off port is great fun with two players.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bones Justice
Has anyone experimented with writing modern vector graphics games for multicolored laser projectors? The Vectrex's biggest limitation is the monochrome display. I think there's still room in the modern world for the vector graphic aesthetic, and a projection-based system would be great for public gaming events...
There was an arcade at an old mall that we used to go to that had Space War. It was strictly two player versus mode only and you paid by the minute. The controls were buttons only and you could program the options that you liked, like gravity, etc. We loved this game. Is it the same game on the Vectrex? If so, is it also only for two players?
Rip Off was a good game, too. It was the first co-op arcade game that I can remember playing. It was okay playing alone but much better with two players!
It may not be the most well rounded system but it does shooters really well, and had the only home racing games with hardware scaling at the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Thenewguy
It's pretty much the same game (except you play to 10 points), and there is a one-player option on the Vectrex. The CPU opponent is respectable, but the 2-player mode is definitely where it's at.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bones Justice
Agreed. I had a great time playing this last summer with an old friend of mine, especially after a couple drinks when we found ourselves trash-talking the CPU. "Get your hands off my #$%$#% triangles!!!"Quote:
Originally Posted by Bones Justice
I have actually played on one before, they had them at the Eurogamer expo last year, I actually spent most of the Expo playing on Vectrex and Jaguar funnily enough, it was cool as I usually stand around bored whilst my friend plays the latest Assassin's Creed.Quote:
Originally Posted by goldenband
How so? I don't think I've ever seen anything which put the C64 to shame, especially not to the level that offsets the fact that the graphics are black and white with simple overlays.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeoZeedeater
How much more untapped potential was there for the system?
The scaling is certainly a valid point, I don't think anything in the era scaled anywhere near as well as that.
I'm a big fan of Asteroids and Mine Storm was the closest you could get that arcade experience at home. I don't think it's a better game than Commodore's Omega Race ports but the true vector graphics make it smoother anyway. I love Armor Attack and Narzod as well. They're simplistic but there aren't really any equivalents to them on other systems. And Web Wars was like the Rez of its time: nothing new for gameplay but cool for the crazy special effects. Yeah, the C64 has more quality shooters but I'm happy with what the Vectrex offers for that genre.
As for untapped potential, I would have liked to have seen more platformers or dungeon crawlers for it. Spike's not that great and the genre's a major area of weakness for the system's library.