The Commodore 64 Appreciation Thread

[dave7g]

The bigger the box the better when it comes to old c64 stuff. I loved the big Rick Dangerous box I had

 

If I could afford it I would buy all that stuff back.

[Unofficial Who]

I wouldn't mind if we had a thread where we pick a compilation and play and comment on the games within, similar to what I was doing in the Commodore Format Thread (which I will return to soon!)

[Qazimod]

So who else was never introduced to "Contra" or "Probotector", but instead enjoyed firing up Gryzor?

 

 

The name might be silly, but the daftness is only there to distract you from the real issue - trying to run, jump and shoot when you only had a one-button joystick. God bless all of the "big toe outstretched to the space bar" warriors.  

 

EDIT: wait, or was it one of those where you can use a second joystick as a second fire button? Hmmmm....

[Unofficial Who]

9 hours ago, Qazimod said:

 

EDIT: wait, or was it one of those where you can use a second joystick as a second fire button? Hmmmm....

 

Both. I used to play games like this (and Commando) with the C64 on the floor, toe ready.

 

And then I worked out the following. The fire button for the port one stick was also space. So if a game required the space bar for a secondary function and the main controls were through port two you were good to use a second stick on the floor.

[Vimster]

In non-gaming related news, there was what could be described as a C64 hardware music album put out a couple of years back called DUB_CRT. It cost an absolute fortune (about £60) but it was totally unique, featuring lots of original music from C64 musicians and more traditional electronic musicians. I must confess I was asked to provide music for it but was unable to at the time, much to my regret.

 

Anyway, the cartridge has finally been cracked and is freely available to try out on an emulator or real hardware - https://www.goto80.com/dubcrt-has-been-cracked

 

Probably not everyone's idea of classic Commodore 64 music, but it can't be denied how much of an impact the SID chip has had on musicians down the years.

 

 

[Vimster]

Do you like SID music? Do you own a turntable? You might like this - https://zooparty.org/order/finnsids

Also more SID on vinyl, this time SID Chip Club, house and techno -

 

[Vimster]

"After seven years of development" Super Mario Bros 64

 

 

Grab it before Nintendo step in.

[Vimster]

Parasol Stars is being ported to the C64

And C64 music legend Jason Page is doing the music. He posted a video on his Facebook of the work in progress. He uses SIDTracker64 on iPad to make his music.

[crocked]

Good to see it coming. Parasol Stars on the amiga was a great game. I think there was never an arcade game and it was originally developed for the pc engine. I remember reading the story of what happened to the original c64 development and thinking that it was a pity although I can understand how these things can happen in a breakup.

[Qazimod]

I remember magazines continually rumouring about the original C64 version and when I first started getting into emulation I was curious enough to find a different system that the game was ported to, just so that I knew what it was about. I never found it as moreish as RI but it's still fun.

 

The funniest thing to me is that Parasol Stars was going to be "Rainbow Islands 2"... but not "Bubble Bobble 3" because that's a completely different thing.  

[crocked]

1 hour ago, Qazimod said:

I remember magazines continually rumouring about the original C64 version and when I first started getting into emulation I was curious enough to find a different system that the game was ported to, just so that I knew what it was about. I never found it as moreish as RI but it's still fun.

 

The funniest thing to me is that Parasol Stars was going to be "Rainbow Islands 2"... but not "Bubble Bobble 3" because that's a completely different thing.  

 

Well rainbow islands was seen as bubble bobble 2 at the time although I know there were bubble memories and bubble symphonies as I saw them much later on mame. I assume they were released much later and from what I recall were more like bubble bobble.

 

I had almost the opposite experience with rainbow islands in terms of just one more time but I that may be due to me getting stuck on one of the bosses in rainbow islands and then giving up. I found parasol stars more like bubble bobble and it was one of the few games my mother ever played seriously. We even finished one path of the game if I recall correctly.

 

 

[Mr Do 71]

 

[Nathan Wind]

I feel a bit sick.  I feel like I'm shaming my ancestors. You could slice me down the middle when I was young and find 'Amstrad' written within, but I have recently found myself very curious about the C64.  You shut your mouth, @Clipper!

 

I've been watching YT videos, looking on eBay, investigating modern loading options, nosing around a couple of FB groups, and I think I'd like a recapped C64c with one of those new(ish) TapeCart SD readers.  They seem like a good solution for beginners.  Although I'm used to using Goteks and the likes of the DDI-3 floppy emulator on Amstrad, I'd like the absolute minimum of fuss in order to poke around the C64's catalogue and the speeds those things load at look amazing.  So it's just a case of hanging around for the right machine to crop up, spending some time looking at the must play games while I wait, that sort of thing.  Hold me. And softly whisper any beginner tips and pointers in my ear while you're at it.

[Clipper]

Welcome to the light side my son

 

I use this

 

https://www.thefuturewas8bit.com/sd2iec-info

 

with a fastload epyx cart as the sd loading uses the 1541 serial process which is slow, the cart speeds it up to very fast indeed. The interface is an 8bit program you read from the drive as if it were a 1541 disc drive. You scroll through the menus and choose game etc and it loads. it isn't as seamless as whdload or gotek things.

 

Some say compatibility isn't great but it works for everything I've tried including newly released stuff.

 

I got SD2IEC a long while ago and I haven't seen Tapecart SD - things move on quickly so maybe it is the new standard I don't know.

[Camel]

1541 Ultimate is what I use. It's ridiculously good. Press a button on the cartridge, browse your directories of disk images, cartridges, T64s or what-have-you onscreen and run. 

[Vimster]

Plus you can mount disk images and save to them.

[Gabe]

Man, seeing the boxes for the 10 Computer Hits collections brought back some memories. I always looked at them and thought they were so exotic (could never afford them so looking is all I did). The 8-bits really was the golden age for compilations, wasn't it? Happy times.

[Nathan Wind]

Any opinions on The C64 full sized edition?  By the time I've bought a refurbished/recapped original, a joystick and a loading solution I'll have spent quite a bit more than one of these new ones.  I realise it's emulation but I like that it's a halfway house in that it captures the look and feel of the original harware but with modern conveniences like loading games from USB, and it's not going to die any time soon. I'm not going to be doing anything more than exploring the games library. Anyone got one?

 

Edit - after reading and watching stacks of stuff about them, I've gone ahead and ordered a The C64 full sized machine and an extra joystick.  They look absolutely perfect for what I'm after.  Makes no sense at all to spend more on a half decent 40 year old example.

 

Exciting times!

[AceGrace]

Ah you say that but about 5 years ago I went on a C64 buying streak and bought all the classics. I've got about 4 tubs worth of games as well as 3 c64's,  1541 disk drives and the fast loader 6 cartridge.  I had the hardware already which I got in a large box for £5 in a car boot about 15 years ago.

 

However, I have the C64 mini, the full size one (TheC64) and the Vic-20 version as well.  

 

I flippin' love the C64. Had one in my teens and absolutely loved it.

[squirtle]

On 19/03/2019 at 01:41, dave7g said:

I can't believe there are no c64 game podcasts.

Stay tuned...

[carleton]

On 16/01/2021 at 02:01, squirtle said:

Stay tuned...

Interesting, is there a C64 podcast in the works?

 

In the meantime Retro Hour cover the C64 often, there was a great one recently with Simon Pick. And then there’s this episode featuring me!

 

https://theretrohour.com/commodore-64-new-and-classic-games-ep217/

 

 

[squirtle]

39 minutes ago, carleton said:

Interesting, is there a C64 podcast in the works?

 

I can confirm that something is definitely in the works, yes... 

[simms]

On 27/03/2019 at 16:19, Qazimod said:

So who else was never introduced to "Contra" or "Probotector", but instead enjoyed firing up Gryzor?

 

 

The name might be silly, but the daftness is only there to distract you from the real issue - trying to run, jump and shoot when you only had a one-button joystick. God bless all of the "big toe outstretched to the space bar" warriors.  

 

EDIT: wait, or was it one of those where you can use a second joystick as a second fire button? Hmmmm....

My god that Gryzor cassette tape cover art brings back memories 

 

I remember trading in my zx spectrum with 3 carrier bags full of tapes for a C64 and a handful of games.  It was a crap deal and I rightly got told off for it by my mum.  I didn’t care at the time as it was my first ‘full colour’ gaming experience.  When I first heard The Last Ninja’s loading music I was blown away.  Paradroid I think was my most played game.  May play emulated versions this week to see how they hold up today.

[ScouserInExile]

On 14/01/2021 at 19:44, Nathan Wind said:

Any opinions on The C64 full sized edition?  By the time I've bought a refurbished/recapped original, a joystick and a loading solution I'll have spent quite a bit more than one of these new ones.  I realise it's emulation but I like that it's a halfway house in that it captures the look and feel of the original harware but with modern conveniences like loading games from USB, and it's not going to die any time soon. I'm not going to be doing anything more than exploring the games library. Anyone got one?

 

Edit - after reading and watching stacks of stuff about them, I've gone ahead and ordered a The C64 full sized machine and an extra joystick.  They look absolutely perfect for what I'm after.  Makes no sense at all to spend more on a half decent 40 year old example.

 

Exciting times!

You've probably made the right decision there. 

 

I wanted a C64 setup for years but couldn't work out how to get it to work with the space and existing hardware I have without the costs skyrocketing. I tried emulation, which just never felt right mostly due to the keyboard layout being all wrong. 

 

I got myself a The C64 and it very much scratched that itch. It's basically plug and play and, although I'm always aware that it's just emulation, it just feels right. 

 

If you want to play C64 games on something that feels like a C64, it does the job perfectly. 

[Nathan Wind]

5 minutes ago, ScouserInExile said:

You've probably made the right decision there. 

 

I wanted a C64 setup for years but couldn't work out how to get it to work with the space and existing hardware I have without the costs skyrocketing. I tried emulation, which just never felt right mostly due to the keyboard layout being all wrong. 

 

I got myself a The C64 and it very much scratched that itch. It's basically plug and play and, although I'm always aware that it's just emulation, it just feels right. 

 

If you want to play C64 games on something that feels like a C64, it does the job perfectly. 

That's reassuring.  Everything I've seen points to it being a pretty authentic experience. 

[Camel]

10 hours ago, simms said:

My god that Gryzor cassette tape cover art brings back memories 

 

I remember trading in my zx spectrum with 3 carrier bags full of tapes for a C64 and a handful of games.  It was a crap deal and I rightly got told off for it by my mum.  I didn’t care at the time as it was my first ‘full colour’ gaming experience.  When I first heard The Last Ninja’s loading music I was blown away.  Paradroid I think was my most played game.  May play emulated versions this week to see how they hold up today.

 

Paradroid is still a very good game. The Last Ninja is terrible, but always was.

[Vimster]

The Last Ninja games are definitely in the category of "had to have played them at the time", they look and sound amazing but the gameplay has not aged well at all.  The notorious bit where you have to cross a river, good luck with that, and fighting was basically flailing about hoping the enemy's energy hit zero before yours did. 

 

Paradroid on the other hand is the epitome of elegant game design that plays to the strengths of the machine. Play the Metal edition which uses low-res graphics but makes the stages a bit easier to navigate. 

[Nathan Wind]

8 hours ago, ScouserInExile said:

.

Don't suppose you know if you can use any old USB mouse with these?  It'd be a boon for Maniac Mansion, Lemmings, Arkanoid etc.

[ScouserInExile]

1 hour ago, Nathan Wind said:

Don't suppose you know if you can use any old USB mouse with these?  It'd be a boon for Maniac Mansion, Lemmings, Arkanoid etc.

Not a clue. I hadn't actually considered that a C64 could use a mouse. Though I think a mate had one for hisnow u think about it. It was 30 years ago now, so I might be misremembering. 

[Nathan Wind]

Nah, you remember right. I’ll look into it!