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Homestar Runner Atari 2600 RPG Nears Release

Posted by simoniker on Wed Mar 31, 2004 03:06 AM
from the ready-for-a-little-rpg? dept.
Thanks to Atari Age for pointing out an updated demo of the Homestar Runner Atari 2600 RPG has been made available on their forums, and an attached message notes "...new bigger tiles, bigger map, ability to move between different maps and enter some buildings, [and a] partially done inventory screen." There's more information on this previously covered title at the official Homestar Runner RPG site, which lists pertinent features for the game, which is due to be released this May, including: "Will be released as a cartridge for the Atari 2600", and "Strongbad is not playable because he is the villain!"
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  • by Oncogene (708031) on Wednesday March 31 2004, @03:10AM (#8723288) Homepage
    Ye find yeself in yon dungeon. Ye see a FLASK. Obvious exits are NORTH, SOUTH, and DENNIS.
  • by mythosaz (572040) on Wednesday March 31 2004, @03:11AM (#8723293)
    Will he use his powers for good, or awesome?
  • by Kris_J (10111) * on Wednesday March 31 2004, @03:29AM (#8723351) Journal
    The first 8 or 9 people that can come to my house in Perth, Western Australia, with one of these carts in their hand can have, free, an Atari 2600. Earlybirds get their choice of 6-switch, 4-switch and Jr. 9V power supply is your problem, but I will make sure the Atari works before you leave. Follow the link to my website for my email address.

    I'm not affiliated with the game in any way, I just collect old video games stuff and have more Atari 2600s than I know what to do with.

    • It's not like I have a problem with this or anything, but when 2 out of 10 posts on slashdot are from us west aussies there is definately something funny going on. Or these americans just act all tough but they sleep just like everyone else!
  • Here we go (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jetfuel (755102) on Wednesday March 31 2004, @03:36AM (#8723372) Homepage
    Cue hundreds of people getting +5 Funny for posting verbatim transcriptions of their favorite Homestarrunner lines. Then hundreds more also getting modded up for replying with the next line of the scene.
    • Re:Jesus why? (Score:5, Informative)

      by Alizarin Erythrosin (457981) on Wednesday March 31 2004, @07:43AM (#8724131)
      If you haven't seen some [homestarrunner.com] of the [homestarrunner.com] (at the end they have some games to play) other [homestarrunner.com] games [homestarrunner.com] they have on their website, they make them in old skool Atari look... blocky graphics, 8-bit sound, the whole 8 yards...

      Just a natural extension. I think it's cool, but my Atari probably doesn't work anymore.
  • by Kleedrac2 (257408) <kleedrac@hotmail. c o m> on Wednesday March 31 2004, @08:13AM (#8724289) Homepage
    What's more interesting to me than the game itself (though as an avid Strongbad fan I can't wait for the game either) is how are they going to produce an Atari 2600 cartridge? If this process is easy (which I can't imagine it would be) then why haven't we seen more Atari/NES/(S)NES games come out from the indie scene. If this process is difficult then I wonder if there would be a tutorial/HOWTO on the process somewhere?

    Kleedrac
    • Well, on some of the other projects on his page, he links to the atariage.com store. I looked there, and they provide services to homebrew game makers. Kinda cool actually, though they say that for the shell they take an old 2600 game, clean off the label, and use the shell. That seems kinda wasteful (and destructive). I mean, it's a small plastic box. How hard could that be to manufacture??
      • though they say that for the shell they take an old 2600 game, clean off the label, and use the shell. That seems kinda wasteful

        Recycling is now wasteful? Man, Earth is screwed...
        • LOL. OK. That didn't come out right. I was thinking about it like melting down a valuable coin collection for the metal. I guess I should have said 'destructive' and left it at that. I didn't think there were that many old 2600 carts still around. I still have my collection from when I was a kid (not that I play them...), and I can't imagine ripping them apart just for their plastic case. I do remember reading about all those ET cartridges buried in the desert somewhere... Those would make good plast
          • Those would make good plastic shells.
            Actually, they used a type of label that's a complete bastard to get off. But there are plenty of common 2600 carts out there that deserve to be converted into something new. It's impossible, for example, to buy an Atari 2600 collection these days without getting two copies of Space Invaders. I recently shipped 30+ carts off to AtariAge for recycling. Half of them were Space Invaders and Asteroids.
      • Yeah, because god forbid someone destroy a copy of ET or Custer's Revenge (although the latter probably didn't sell in large numbers).

    • by kisrael (134664) * on Wednesday March 31 2004, @11:06AM (#8725699) Homepage
      There's a reasonably active indie/homebew scene.

      For the 2600, it's based on the [stella] mailing list, and for the manufacturing, AtariAge.com is a great bet for someone who just wants their game manufactured and publicized and not (nec. maximizing pure profit, just taking a royalty per cart)

      I just had my first atari 2600 game JoustPong [alienbill.com] made, released it at "PhillyClassic 5". You can order it at atari age.

      People interested in trying it themselves...it's not easy to learn to program it, but isn't too bad if you know assembly or at least are good in some high level languages. I recommend my own tutorial, 2600 101 [alienbill.com] for people looking to learn.
  • by PhilipMatarese (609325) on Wednesday March 31 2004, @09:12AM (#8724701)
    Strongbad is not playable because "You can't control me! [homestarrunner.com]"
  • by b0r0din (304712) on Wednesday March 31 2004, @09:49AM (#8725045)
    I wouldn't mind playing a futuristic cyber warrior with a cyber shield.

    Let's examine possible games with characters other than Strongbad.

    Homestar Baseball 2004 - Let's play ball. Except of course, the game requires using a baseball bat, and some people don't have any arms.

    Bub's Burger Time - This game I could see playing. Although watch out for invisible villains sneaking off with your Swiss Cake Rolls.

    Coach Z's Street Basketball - "Where my lasers at?"

    Marzipan's Dance Dance Revolution - can you really go wrong with Carol as lead guitar?

    Trogdor's Burninating Rampage - Burninate all the people...in their THATCHED ROOF COTTAGES!!!

    Pom Pom's Pong - Just pong pom pom around with two old-school paddles.

    The Cheat is Not Dead - Max Payne style, starring the Cheat as an undercover raver and ladies' man. He fights the law...he also fights the crime, but not as much.
  • expensive (Score:4, Informative)

    by kc78 (651501) on Wednesday March 31 2004, @09:52AM (#8725063) Homepage
    I was planning on purchasing it until I found out it was going to cost around 45 dollars. I'm hoping they have an emulator version for the rest of us then.
    • Re:expensive (Score:5, Informative)

      by DJayC (595440) * on Wednesday March 31 2004, @10:23AM (#8725341)
      You're in luck.. right off the homepage:

      - Will be released as a cartridge for the Atari 2600
      - ROM will also be released for emulators
    • "Around $35 without a box or around $45 if we decide to do a box." I'm estimating on the high side to account for unexpected costs, so it could certainly cost less. We're trying to make it as cheap as possible, but the materials can add up and it's a lot of work to manufacture new carts.

      -paul
  • Duck? (Score:2, Interesting)

    by FubarPA (670436)
    So, soes Homestar get to release a duck to go after Strongbad?

    Somebody get this freakin' duck away from me!.

    For those that don't know, one of the menus is gaming themed, and selecting one of the options displays Strongbad with a trophy running from a dragon from Adventure. Good stuff.

  • ...is Fhqwhgads a playable character?