40th Anniversary of SPACE INVADERS
Hopefully some one will resurrect this concept for current VR:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM1MGhJJHyM
Forum Discussion
Hopefully some one will resurrect this concept for current VR:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM1MGhJJHyM
13 Replies
- Space invaders becomes a very different game when you make the aliens aim their shots at the player. :)
(Occasionally I do a half day class on teaching highschool kids an intro to game programming (for my college, it's not a personal project). We make Space Invaders with Lua and a custom engine I wrote, then mess with the gameplay in various ways)
If Space Invaders went into VR, here's how I'd want it to look:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Bpx63wkbA
(after the 50sec mark)
Voxeliens looks like it would be a good fit for VR:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=28&v=QiA0OxKeKto
It's space invaders in 3D, you use the shadows of aliens to know where to shoot. Imagine if the game is set playing as a miniature on top of a cocktail cabinet arcade machine, so you can move your head around it to get a better view. - There is one Space Invader VR game that needs to be remade:
I am so unhappy about the pleathora of DK1 game concepts that were abandoned after the FB acquisition and move to DK2 and eventual CV1. This game is one of those that needs a second life, and I think the Duck Hunt game borrows a lot from the thinking behind this narrative. Although I'm interested in VR versions of classic arcade games... I'm still massively into the originals. I've spent some time getting emulators working via simple desktop shortcuts (Daphne and Mame) so I can quickly dip into some favourites.
Would love a working arcade cabinet for my Oculus Home.
DaftnDirect said:
....
Would love a working arcade cabinet for my Oculus Home.
Yes, its weird what happened to that whole [Ready Player One inspired] retro VR arcade concept - I noted that comments about the available "VR arcade cabinets" seemed to end abruptly. Not sure if they walked into a IP issue that had not been expected, or if the individuals driving this just moved on?
As a ex-exec with Atari (after the Infogrames acquisition) I know how difficult it can be to manage IP - and when the legals get involved all things change in a bad way.
Anyone know what happened?
DaftnDirect said:
Although I'm interested in VR versions of classic arcade games... I'm still massively into the originals. I've spent some time getting emulators working via simple desktop shortcuts (Daphne and Mame) so I can quickly dip into some favourites.
Would love a working arcade cabinet for my Oculus Home.
Have you ever played New Retro Arcade on Steam??
http://store.steampowered.com/app/465780/New_Retro_Arcade_Neon/
you can also load your own rom collection- Real shame the MAME VR project never achieved any momentum.
@kevin729 and @vannagirl, yeah I remember playing VR retro arcade on the DK2... I'm sure it was free back then but may be wrong. It seems to have become very low profile now and I think you're right Kevin, it's an IP thing, if you don't own the original machines you can't legally own the ROMs. I'm sure I remember it shipping complete with all the games ready to play though... but now I believe there are only 3 games (no doubt ones that have been OK'd to distribute) and you have to do the same thing you do with MAME & DAPHNE, for all the other games... source your own ROMS. Probably too much work for the casual gamer.
@vannagirl, if retro arcade ever becomes a multiplayer thing, I'll invite you to share in my nostalgia... spent too many lunch breaks in the Crystal Rooms arcade in Leicester Square back in the 80s.
DaftnDirect said:
...I think you're right Kevin, it's an IP thing, if you don't own the original machines you can't legally own the ROMs. I'm sure I remember it shipping complete with all the games ready to play though... but now I believe there are only 3 games (no doubt ones that have been OK'd to distribute) and you have to do the same thing you do with MAME & DAPHNE, for all the other games... source your own ROMS. Probably too much work for the casual gamer.
As one that has had to activate coin-op IP licenses - I never brought into the "...it will be easy!", or "...we have permission!" statements made back at the time when the platform was launched. The way that certain individuals brushed off how easy it would be to just plug-n-play arcade classics in their VR version.
I remember one exec claiming that "...because the games are over x year's old, they don't have any IP issues!!!" Obviously that exec's long gone, and the project seems to be added to the growing bulge in the middle of the carpet. ;)
Also, you have to be VERY careful with the MAME platform - the number of companies that thought its okay to use use that platform without reading the fine print on the download is amazing.
Question - did the SEGA games ever come out on that VR arcade player? It was for GVR and Rift.. right?... spent too many lunch breaks in the Crystal Rooms arcade in Leicester Square back in the 80s.
I got hocked in the 80's and was pulled into the industry - if you remember the CR then you will remember the Troc and also Las Vegas in the "London arcade circle". If you are still in London there will be a new amusement site opening soon.
Separate to the London project, I had a weird experience over the weekend getting my arcade thrills back - with the opening of a brand-new retro arcade in Croydon! Amazing how you can enjoyably waste time completing Metal Slug 3. :D- I do indeed remember and I think the Trocadero was the first place I saw VR headsets being used in an arcade in the early 90s, that was a bit too far to walk in a lunch break from the office though. The whole area was a great place for sight seeing in the summer if you know what I mean!
You'd think that everyone these days was aware of the IP issues, in these litigious times. I'm trying to develop a VR version of London for overlaying interesting information but I'd used a method of converting Google Earth data into 3ds max, now I'm trying to get all the data from open sources cos I doubt Google would have been ok with it. Ordinance Survey is proving useful but I'm practically starting again from scratch.
DaftnDirect said:
I do indeed remember and I think the Trocadero was the first place I saw VR headsets being used in an arcade in the early 90s, that was a bit too far to walk in a lunch break from the office though. The whole area was a great place for sight seeing in the summer if you know what I mean!
You'd think that everyone these days was aware of the IP issues, in these litigious times. I'm trying to develop a VR version of London for overlaying interesting information but I'd used a method of converting Google Earth data into 3ds max, now I'm trying to get all the data from open sources cos I doubt Google would have been ok with it. Ordinance Survey is proving useful but I'm practically starting again from scratch.
Yes, the good old Troc - you are right that the first "dedicated" Virtuality VR arcade was held in Lunar Park, then expanded into its own area. We had a lot of links with the owner up until the day of the SEGA hand over. Now the site is scheduled for hotel and shops!
Regarding your project - can I give some free consultancy. Your plan involves city information - approach the Lord Mayors office and get them involved. They can facilitate a lot of the IP issues away if it helps promote the capital (they also have interest in AR and VR projects). :smile:
