[comp.sys.atari.st] Game topics

dmb@TIS.COM (David M. Baggett) (01/13/89)

Neil,

   Here are a few thoughts on ST game implementation.  They are in no 
particular order:

	1) Games are hot now.  Like it or not, the ST is turning into
	   an entertainment machine.
	2) Very popular games have been:
		a) Dungeon Master
		b) Time Bandit
		c) Gauntlet
		d) MidiMaze (!)
		e) Starglider
		f) Others (how about in Europe?)
	   It seems like we could figure out what it is about these that
	   made them successful...
	3) Horizontal scrolling is tricky.  All other 2D graphics problems
	   are essentially non-issues at this point since the necessary
	   routines are written or are easy.
	4) Background music is almost taken care of, but may steal too
	   much time from the graphics.
	5) Digitized sound hasn't been explored much, but would be a nice
	   touch.
	6) Making a real time (arcade) game multiplayer through the
	   MIDI port a la MidiMaze is feasible and, in fact, pretty
	   easy.  I did this to Hacman -- one player on each ST,
	   connected thru MIDI.  Didn't slow the game down noticeably.

   Kinetic Microsystems won't be selling games any time soon since we
don't have the advertising budget to do it right.  (Know how much
four-color full-page ads cost these days?)

Comments?

				Dave