Topic: New Atari 7800 game is being worked on

http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/154016-coming-soon/

Failsafe is being worked for the Atari 7800. It is a sequel to the Atari 5200 game Countermeasure. Failsafe was called Countermeasure 2 before the author was asked to change the name.

The author that is doing this game is also responsible for Space Invaders, Space Duel, Asteroids Deluxe, Pac-man Collection, Jr. Pac-man, and Super Pac-man.

The author said the differences between Countermeasure and Failsafe are the following:
This game is 'destination-based', meaning you need to reach the other end of the level to get one of the hexidecimal numbers for the code

• It scrolls left/right instead of up/down. You start on the left and work your way right. You cannot scroll backward.
• There are 4 digits in the code, 0-9 and A-F. There are 6 Levels in total, 5 of which give you a random position in the code.
• The 6th level has the Missile Silo, and you must get through a minefield to get to it.
• If you don't reach the Missile Silo in time, or you cannot guess the launch code in time, the planet explodes, and the game ends.
• If you do enter the correct code, the game starts over, but harder :twisted:
• Two new types of enemies, aside from the Pillboxes, Jeeps, and Cruize Missiles found in the original
• want to put 'powerups' in the game, but not sure if I'll have the room.

The game is a work in progress. I was one of the people that download the game and I feel the games difficulty is a an issue. It is extremely hard even on the first level on Novice mode. Other people that tested the game had problems with that also. I don't know if this was the case with Countermeasure since I never own an Atari 5200 or played any Atari 5200 games. The graphics are good for an Atari 7800 game though.

The difficulty is being worked on the programmer, so this issue will be solved.

I don't know if the AtariAge store will have this game once it is finished. The store is still down.

My best advice is to be an Atariage member because the people that make the games actually sell the games to other Atariage members with there being a limited amount of cartridges being made before the Atariage store gets them sometimes.

There is also a new Atari 7800 game being planned called Arkanoid. The source is http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/154267-something-else-im... .

It sounds like the Arkanoid will use Atari 2600 game paddles or an Atari 2600 Driving Controller. There only is a mickup screenshot at this time at the link I provided.

The author doing Arkanoid did Atari 7800 game demos before like a Megaman style game demo, and a Legend of Zelda game style demo.

You need to stop using the DeLorean, my friend. Hand over the keys. This is not 1985.

Last time I checked, the hottest game on the Wii is a throwback Mario game! So much for your "Back to the Future" jokes!!

There is nothing wrong with 80s retro games or being excited about new homebrew games.

@7th lutz

I appreciate your updates! The future continues to look bright with those new titles on the horizon... I treasure my Atari 7800 like every true gamer should.

I just wish the AtariAge Store was back online because some of the games I want for Christmas were only available there. It's strange how the site relaunched and the plug was mysterously pulled just 3 weeks later.

Sorry. I couldn't resist.:

Oh, it's homebrew. Whatever.

Don't write it off StarFox as a lot of these games end up being made into carts you can play on the actual hardware and many are better than actual releases of the time (check out the incredible Ladybug port for the 2600). I'm almost tempted to pick up a 7800, but I've already got 3 Wiis -- please Atari, get the 2600 on the Virtual Console or at least put out a compilation a la Intellivision Lives!

Christmas is saved!

I just ordered 5 Atari homebrews. And believe me, I'm going to party like it's 1985!!

Failsafe for the Atari 7800 is get close to be completed. Failsafe is being checked if the game works in pal format and the author is trying to figure out a good picture for label/box for Failsafe.

I played the NTSC version of Failsafe. The game went a long way since the first bin for play testing. The difficulty isn't too bad at all. It has the right balance of difficulty.

The author of Failsafe is working on and off with a port of Frenzy for the Atari 7800 that the author anticipates having a two-player simultaneous mode.

Frenzy oh man. Does the 7800 have a good Berzerk port or any Exidy arcade games (Mouse Trap, Venture, Pepper II) -- seriously I'd get one if I could satisfy my desire for old arcade IPs who have rights in limbo land and no real chance of a Wii port -- besides I could get some classic 2600 carts as well!

The only question would be what kind of controllers to use (I've seen some interesting ones at look like NES pads with sticks, but I'm not sure how comfortable they would be) and how to get past the wife (she's been fairly tolerant of the row of Wiis, but if it looks like I'm heading into console collection territory I may have some heavy negotiating to do)...

The Atari 7800 doesn't have Berzerk. The only version that is available for the system is the 2600 version. The only Atari 7800 Exidy game is Crossbow and that is a light gun game. Mouse Trap,and Venture are in Atari 2600 Cartridge form only. I can't tell you the big differences with those two games for the Atari 2600 and the arcade since I was born in the late 1970's. The amount of Atari 7800 Exidy ports might change in the future. The author of Failsafe mostly does Arcade ports from the late 1970's to 1983. The catch is besides Frenzy, and finishing Failsafe, he has his hands full with trying to help a new Atari 7800 programmer for finishing or fix bugs with 3 games.

I have an answer for controllers. The Nes style controller for the Atari 7800 works good on some games like Commando. The controller is considered a thumb pad by some. The problem is that controller has problems with some games like Pac-man style games. American Atari 7800 owners call the Nes Style Controller for the Atari 7800 the Euro pad.

The Atari 7800 Pro line controllers are terrible for games like Commando. The proline Controllers are completely different than the Nes style Controller.The Proline Controllers in some ways are like the control sticks found in the arcades.

The Proline controllers are not the most comfortable controllers on the planet, but they are not the worst controllers ever though. The Proline controllers bothers my wrist or my arms cramp up for some games like Double Dragon and Commando after 30 or 40 minutes .

A good amount Atari 7800 games work with 1 button. That means you can use a 2600 game controller, 3rd party Atari 2600 controllers for the Atari 7800 without using a control converter.

The author of Failsafe, PacManPlus has been offered work on 3 games and finish them by Atariage user named Gorf. Gorf has bugs in his 3 games that he was working on the Atari 7800 that he find the bugs in. The three games are Gorfw/ all screens, Ufo -port attempt of the Odyssey 2 version, and Warbirds - not based on the Atari Lynx game. I figure those games will be worked on after Failsafe is done or Gorf finds the bugs.

I recall the 2600 version of Bezerk being very playable, so I guess it's not the end; it would have been nice if the 7800 played 5200 games or 8-bit computer carts though!

Crazy Otto got ported for the Atari 7800. It not decided if there would cartridges for it at this time. The game is found at http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/155794-happy-new-year/ .

For those who don't know, Crazy Otto was originally conceived as a bootlegged hack of Pac-Man. Crazy Otto was turned into Mrs. Pac-Man by Midway with them changing the sprites of Crazy Otto to fit the Pac-man universe.