knudsen@ihnss.UUCP (11/11/83)
I got ahold of the new Vectrex Light Pen (bundled with Art-Master cartridge, $40) and tried it out at lunchtime today. The system does what a basic vector/litepen combo should do, and has a few surprises. It's all based on drawing dots and drawing a line between the last dot and the present cursor/pen position. The latter includes "rubber band" action -- as you move the pen, the one or TWO lines connected to the dot stretch along with it! The best surprise is the "Animate" mode. Here you draw successive frames, each containing the same set of dots and lines, except in different positions for some o the dots/lines in each frame. As you advance to create the next frame, you can pick up a point and drag it around, with its lines following. The previous frame can be displayed in the background dimly, so you can judge what you're doing. A command menu along the screen bottom, plus the four action buttons on the joystick panel (you don't use the stick itself at all) gives you instant access to options. The real thrill is when you "play" the animation; instead of just flipping thru the frames you've drawn, the Vectrex INTERPOLATES the dot positions over time between successive frames, so you get smooth, continuous motion as each frame flows into the next. The effect must be seen to be appreciated. Yes, it's easy for us CS types to figure out how easy this is to implement, but... anyway, the whole system costs $140. You can "gearshift" the speed up & down over a wide range. At last, this toy is more than just games...mike k