I...robot ??

Hi Folks,

After a month i have posted this reply on AtariAge forum, i was expecting someone to
reply back on this specific line: "After that, connected player 1 the same way for
player 2 (robot) and seeing the Odyssey play versus itself was pretty cool!"

I have written that intentionally to see if someone would see the problem, and alas,
no one did within the past month. The problem is if you add a robot circuit to either
player 1 or 2, the robot will follow the ball when the player moves the "english" knob
like is this example:

BUT if you add a robot circuit for both players, how can both follow the ball if either
robots hasn't control of the "english"?? See the logic ? Well simply put that adding both
players with robot circuit is the same as putting both players returning the ball without
touching the "english".

There's NO angles in the Magnavox Odyssey console as each players can control their own
"english" since there is no wall so that the ball can rebound itself.

Oh damn...forgot to mention by adding a Robot circuit, the AI follows the vertical flight
of the ball, same thing i've implanted in the OdySim for certain games so if a player moves
it's "english", the robot follows...simple as that!

I will tell and show how to add the robot circuit in a real Odyssey console AFTER i have
finished the OdySim and i intend firmly to release the missing "official" games on the
OdySim this year (2019), surely this summer as i will have some spare time, ;)

Until next post, take care Folks! =)


--- Sly DC ---

OdysseyNow Game Pack 1 - part 2

Hi again Folks!

So now i'm back from work, i can now discuss more about the "OdysseyNow Game Pack 1".

The "Game Pack 1" was first annnounced on AtariAge forum (click HERE) on April 7, 2019 and
only 10 copies of this game pack were available (all copies sold). The game pack consists of 3
games (Fukushima, Tannhauser Gate and Super Cat and Mouse) and here's the list of accessories:

* Fukushima overlay and manual
* Tannhauser Gate overlay and manual
* Super Cat and Mouse overlay and manual
* Damocles controller + manual
* Game Card #13 with switch controller
* x1 Fukushima card and x26 Tannhauser Gate cards (x9 "Scan" cards, x9 "Explore" cards
and x8 "Gate" cards).

The quality of the overlays are fantactic! Very robust and a good thickness and their size are
about 15 1/4 inches X 11 1/4 inches and diagonally, they are about 19 inches. The manuals
are plain letter papers with god descriptions of each games and how to play them.

All the game cards (Fukushima and Tannhauser Gate) and also very robust and plastified so
they can withstand a very long period of time....Heck! let's see if they will resist 47 years like
the Magnavox Odyssey (1972 to 2019)....LOL!

The "Damocles controller" is a great add-on accessory and well made. I haven't opened it yet
to see the internal circuit but be sure i will do it someday. But this thing is a power gobber as it
needs 12 Volts DC with 1 Ampere to power it up, so this add another power supply besides the
one for the Odyssey. Would have been great if it would only needed 5 to 6 volts (exactly 5.6 or
6.2 volts depending on the model) to power it up.

And finally, the Game Card #13 with the switch controller. This one too is very well made, i can
even say "professionally made" and same for the switch controller. But...after i have reverse-engineer it, i was disappointed to realize that it has the same pinout as the Game Card #8 except for the switch
of course. The switch is only for "shorting" pin #10 of the Game Card #13 with pins #6-8-12-14-20-22, and this makes the wall display in half (ON - like the Game Card #7) or as a full wall (OFF).

So if you want, you can make your own game Card #13 by simply put a switch in between pin #10 and pins #6-8-12-14-20-22 on a game Card #8 (McGyver style!...lol!!).

And finally, i have tested the "OdysseyNow HAL" emulator, which you can get HERE and is only for MC or Windows 64-bit. As a first released, it is OK as you can play all 12 games cards (even the
unreleased #11) but also you can play 4 new game cards (#13 to #16).

Here's the menu of HAL:

You can configure a lot of things like sizes of the ball or players or wall, coincide (extinguish), etc. and can play full screen or in window modes. But here's all the "pros" stops as it has more "cons" than "pros"...and i know, it's only the first release version.

So want to know (as version 0.1.1) all the things that need to be fixed ? Here's the list:

#1 - Already before downloading the HAL emu, it is only available for Mac or Win 64-bits, but what
about folks (like me) who uses Windows 32-bit ? My computer and the one i'm using for the TV in the living room have both Windows 7 32-bit. I had to use my daughter laptop to try out the emulator.

And yes, you have a point folks, the OdySim is only for Windows 32-bit (no Mac or Linux) but
the OdySim can be build for some OSes like Mac, Linux, Win 32&64-bit, etc... as i'm using the LOVE engine but you'll need the source code which is not yet available.

#2 - There's no "Read-me.txt" as to know which buttons to use with the emulator. I had to check on Github to know which buttons to use. And i found an undocumented feature: If you press either the keys "[" or "]", you can change Game Cards without returning to the menu.

#3 - Where's the Ball Speed buttons ? Because the ball goes pretty fast. ;)

#4 - No overlays but it is the first version so scratch this one. ;)

#5 - Game card #5 has a wall, but originally it doesn't!

#6 - Game Card #7 has a full wall, it supposed to be half, not full.

#7 - Game card #8 Wall is centered but can slide it on the config menu (scratch also this one).

#8 - Game Card #9 and #10: Missing the light gun and Card #10 has a wall ??!?

#9 - Game card #11 has the wall centered but can slide it on the config menu, but it is
the same thickness as the other wall as originally, it is half-thick.

#10 - No documentation for Game Cards #13 to #16.

Ok, i think that's enough for today. So until next, take care Folks!


--- Sly DC ---

OdysseyNow Game Pack 1

Hi Folks!

I have received Monday the latest homebrew...err...homebrews from Zack Horton & Team
which is called "OdysseyNow Game Pack 1". I am one of the few lucky (yes..few as there is only 10 copies of this game pack) to get one of these game pack.

So here's some pictures of this game Pack 1:

The whole Game Pack! Pretty neat!

The "Fukushima" overlay

The "Tannhauser Gate" overlay

and the "Super Cat and Mouse" overlay

The quality of these overlays are very professional, but i must confess that i still haven't tried

out on a real TV how is the opacity shows but neitherless, super job!

 Game Card #13

 Front view of Card #13

 Back view of Card #13

and the switch for the Game Card

 The "Damocles Controller"

And, yes, it uses a 12 volts DC/1 Amp to power up this little beast.

 The game cards included (front view)

(back view of cards) 

(better view of back cards for the Tannhause Gate game) 

and a quick view of the cards for Tannhauser Gate

I will discuss this Game Pack later on as i must leave for work right now!! I will aslo talk about the "OdysseyNow HAL emulator v.0.1.1"

So until next, take care Folks! =)

--- Sly DC ---