Design a NEW retro LED game.

MarbleMad · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 5:37 pm Post subject: Design a NEW retro LED game.

i have a little sideline designing and selling little craft and electronics kits. I've been toying with the idea of doing a 'retro handheld videogame' kit.
It's been perculating for a while and I've been wondering what kind of game would work well in LEDs which hasn't already been done.

Today I realised a good candidate would be Gyruss or Tempest.
I mocked up a quick led array layout to see if it'd be feasible and came up with this:

there are 2 btw because I may do it as a 3d game - I've got a couple of thousand lens arrays that'd be ideal for making a tomytronic 3d type viewer. If you want to see it in 3d use the 'cross eye' technique.

anyway the idea is still in its infancy and I'd like a little feedback.

1 Would you buy a new LED game?

2 would you want it in kit form?

3 would you want an expensive custom case to come with it? Probably laser cut. I could look into vacuum forming I suppose.

4 would you like it to fit inside an existing game case? and if so which?
It would have to be something easy to get and which you wouldn't mind gutting.

5 do you think i've picked the right game?
[img][/img]

Rinku · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:02 pm Post subject:

OOH OOH OOH! I LOVE this!

1. I sure would!
2. Kit form would be fine.
3. Custom case would be okay, but...
4. I'd rather put it in a Coleco Pac Man.
5. Gyruss would be fine, but I'd also like to see a Berzerk game made...

MarbleMad · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:05 pm Post subject:

i thought about berzerk and robotron but i'm not sure i could make them any good using just LEDs
Are coleco cases plentiful? They're a bit thin on the ground in the UK.. I was thingking Astrowars or invaders from space (round screens and common).

Rinku · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:07 pm Post subject:

You could if you use overlays to shape the sprites.

MarbleMad · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:13 pm Post subject:

yes, like entex invaders .
But there's more to it than that. Take Berzerk,, could do walls and bullets in one set of leds then have a second set of leds overlayed with a mirror with the robots.. gets complicated though.

Rinku · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 6:23 pm Post subject:

Hmm... Well, here are the arcade games I like that have never been made into an vintage (or vintage-style) electronic game...

Berzerk
Asteroids
Missile Command
Bubble Bobble

Oh, and if you use one of those two games, PLEASE use Astro Wars, not Invader from Space! Astro Wars is so much cooler-looking.

Rik · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:51 pm Post subject:

That's really cool, I love the 3D effect... Cool

As for cases, Astro Wars would definitely be the choice I'd go with in the UK. Coleco Pac-Man is probably more common in the states though, maybe try to design a kit that could work in both? The only problem I see with Astro Wars is if you want to design a 4-directional game... But for Tempest/Gyruss, it would work fine.

The Gyruss theme would be pretty cool, I always loved that game. It's too bad VFDs have to be manufactured, I'd love to see some new VFD games made. But with an overlay you could probably fake it pretty good...

BTW, what other LED crafts do you make? Do you have a website? I'm always into blinky things... Mr. Green

Rik

MarbleMad · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 12:36 am Post subject:

Gameinhand · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 1:22 am Post subject:

Very Cool Concept!

I would love to see Tempest or Berzerk as my first two choices.
2D is fine but 3D would be super.
I'd go for a kit if it werent too difficult to put together.
I'd think you would sell more though if you sold completed games.
Keep us posted.
Definitely an interest here!

Rich
gameinhand.net
momandboysshop on EBAY

pergessle · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 2:25 am Post subject:

pookdolie · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:31 am Post subject:

Rinku · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:34 am Post subject:

The Elevator Action one is supposed to be horrible... Rik posted a link to a review of it somewhere in the Cool Item on eBay! thread...

pergessle · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2009 10:43 pm Post subject:

MarbleMad · Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 11:46 am Post subject:

I worked out a pcb layout for the screen. I'm quite pleased that I've worked out a way to do either a 2D version with 1 pcb or a 3D version simply by using 2 of the pcbs side by side with one rotated through 180 degrees.

EAGLE pcb layout

How it should look with LEDs and an overlay.

cross eye 3D

anaglyohic 3D (red/blue glasses)

Rik · Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:35 pm Post subject:

Another thing you could (although it would require re-designing the board) is to use dual or tri-color LEDs... Then you can have red bad guys moving up, and your green shots moving down (thinking Tempest there)... And not need to make more real estate for LEDs...

Just a thought. I like the design so far though!

Rik