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THEC64

Started by MiniHexer, June 22, 2021, 03:24:47 PM

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88mmkwk

Curious regarding the draw of the physical hardware approach to this.  I am a C-64 SSI Panzer Stike/Typhoon of Steel fanatic and regularly play them still...  I even play the dynamic campaigns and have often thought about posting vids of it, but wondered if anyone else would even care.

But I use the C64 Vice emulator app running on my HP laptop PC to play, and get all the sounds and effects of the regular games.  It's pretty easy to find D64 files to play with C64 Vice.

I'll admit that if just "plug it in and play" is a draw and C64 Vice takes some setting and config tweaking.  But I'm sure there are other reasons why some folks would rather have THEC64 and I'd love to hear about it.... Maybe the old school joystick?  Admittedly, the games I play are keyboard driven.  Is it the preloaded games?
Gaming Rig:
HP Spectre x360 Convertible Laptop w/Pen Support
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8550U CPU @ 1.80GHz w/16GB RAM
HP Omen Thunderbolt 3 External GPU/Storage Chassis with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti and 1TB SSD
27" Dell S2716DG 144Hz 1440p with GSync at 2560x1440

-----------------------------------
"Still here and alive. On kindlenso thisnwill be short.  Of wtf.
Day 3 to.borrow.  weather is bad.  Had first fall; good call on gloves.  Heavy rain tomorrow.ngut check.  Inshall prevail.  Jesus thisnisnworse than a drunk post.  F you kindle."        - Toonces

MiniHexer

#46
Quote from: 88mmkwk on June 30, 2021, 03:35:17 PM
Curious regarding the draw of the physical hardware approach to this.  I am a C-64 SSI Panzer Stike/Typhoon of Steel fanatic and regularly play them still...  I even play the dynamic campaigns and have often thought about posting vids of it, but wondered if anyone else would even care.

But I use the C64 Vice emulator app running on my HP laptop PC to play, and get all the sounds and effects of the regular games.  It's pretty easy to find D64 files to play with C64 Vice.

I'll admit that if just "plug it in and play" is a draw and C64 Vice takes some setting and config tweaking.  But I'm sure there are other reasons why some folks would rather have THEC64 and I'd love to hear about it.... Maybe the old school joystick?  Admittedly, the games I play are keyboard driven.  Is it the preloaded games?

well great to meet a c64 gamer, I will give my reasons why i would want a THEC64 console, but others may have diff reasons, first of it is old skool yes, second the joystick is a VERY big must too, third it starts up and is running in seconds, third you can store thousands of games on a USB that is just left in so no looking or loading for a game, then the keyboard is a BIG BIG Must a remake so all the keys are in diff places and without it it would just be a box. THEC64 has four snapshot saves for every game, The included 60 games dont even scratch the surface of the games you can get. It runs on any TV even old LowDef 720s and no need for an expensive PC & monitor, you can play two player i dont remember if vice does that, its cheap to me anyway, it feels like the 80s running it, you can program on it without a PC, its practcally an enhanced C64 does everything but with USBs, there is prob other reasons im not thinking of

MiniHexer

 You realise Im going to have to hunt down SSI Panzer Stike/Typhoon of Steel now :)

Grim.Reaper

Do you have a link to purchasing the full size THEC64?  Looking through Amazon I could only find the "mini" version.

MiniHexer

#49
Quote from: Grim.Reaper on June 30, 2021, 06:56:55 PM
Do you have a link to purchasing the full size THEC64?  Looking through Amazon I could only find the "mini" version.

if your in the uk search on amazon for this "The C64 (Electronic Games)" its also on prime next day delivery and they have them in stock now . you dont need to be a prime member to buy, But you can take a free 30 prime trial to get it next day if you wanted. i think its about 3 days if you are not priime

88mmkwk

Quote from: MiniHexer on June 30, 2021, 05:01:44 PM
You realise Im going to have to hunt down SSI Panzer Stike/Typhoon of Steel now :)
I'm biased but I believe that that Panzer Strike (PS) and Typhoon of Steel are the most amazing 64K of gaming code I've ever played.  For PS, imagine all of the below in 64K of memory:

  • Multiple fronts, including the ability to fight on the East Front, West Front, or even in the Desert
  • Individual and squads tracked down to the individual soldier
  • Individual vehicles modeled, with separate stats for each Main weapon and any MG's if present
  • Realistic weather effects allowing for battles simulating any time of year on any front
  • Fog of War as units are not shown on the map unless they are in LOS and visible
  • Realistic visibility modeling, where things like desert sandstorms can drastically reduce LOS
  • Multiple levels of terrain elevation and cover
  • Sound effects allow audio identification of a main weapon or MG firing
  • A full scenario builder tool that lets you create maps and build scenarios
  • A custom unit creation capability that lets you build a unit format with exactly what you want
  • A random scenario generator that lets you build a new scenario with few key clicks - you'll never run out of scenarios!
  • Battles can be micro-managed with orders issued to each unit, or a more realistic Command Order mode can be used where orders flow down a chain of command and cost points.  Issuing orders at a higher level affects more units and costs fewer points, but keeps you from micromanaging.  More realistic IMHO and the mode I play in most of the time.
  • Command Range ratings, making you want to keep your units in relatively close format to increase their chance of receiving orders.  Radio vs. non-Radio equipped vehicles are also modeled.
  • You issue orders to Command units and then sit back and watch the action unfold as 3 phases are executed.  The game continues to run until you indicate you want an order phase, and it will then stop for orders at the end of the current 3-phase turn
  • And what is the most amazing capability?  A full random campaign generator!  You can build up a unit to fight in any front starting in any time period and the game lets you pick period-appropriate units.  You can select pre-built ones (e.g. a 1942 PanzerGrenadier Battalion, or you can manually build the units from a set of individually assembled squad/vehicles.  It's up to you how much time and customization you do.  Once your unit is ready, you can even name it whatever you want! My current campaign is with my (imaginary) Schwere Panzer Abteilung 569  ;) .  Once your campaign begins, you'll fight battles generated by the computer and with different missions.  You will of course take casualties and those units will be able to have replacements for the next battle.  Survivors gain experience and get better (increasing first shot and multi-shot probabilities.  Replacement units cost points and you get more points if you won.  But you can also use points to upgrade existing units to better equipment, again being period appropriate (no King Tigers in '40!).  And if that wasn't enough, units are also able to switch to different fronts!  So my current SPzAbt 569 unit started in North Africa in 1941 and subsequently transferred to the eastern front (NOT as punishment!) in 1942.  You'll start to gain fondness for units that have performed well, and will want to preserve their experience by frequently upgrading their equipment, but new equipment costs them some experience (as it should!).  If you survive a campaign, you will get a final score that indicates your relative success or lackadaisical performance.
  • And if all the above doesnt get you, then play Typhoon of Steel and you can battle in the Pacific, with special jungle rules and more!
  • All of the above in a game that runs in 64K????  Are you friggen kidding me!!  As noted earlier, I still play both games to this day on my PC using the C-64 Vice emulator.
  • I can't articulate exactly why the games resonate so well with me.  I like the "give an order and then sit back" nature of it, plus I love the campaign generation capability.  Probably the closest modern game to this is Graviteam's excellent Mius Front series.  But that takes a notable amount of time to learn and become proficient in.  After a long day at work, sometimes I just want to kick up PS or ToS and watch the battle unfold as a form or relaxation.

Both games come HIGHLY recommended!!!!
Gaming Rig:
HP Spectre x360 Convertible Laptop w/Pen Support
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8550U CPU @ 1.80GHz w/16GB RAM
HP Omen Thunderbolt 3 External GPU/Storage Chassis with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti and 1TB SSD
27" Dell S2716DG 144Hz 1440p with GSync at 2560x1440

-----------------------------------
"Still here and alive. On kindlenso thisnwill be short.  Of wtf.
Day 3 to.borrow.  weather is bad.  Had first fall; good call on gloves.  Heavy rain tomorrow.ngut check.  Inshall prevail.  Jesus thisnisnworse than a drunk post.  F you kindle."        - Toonces

MiniHexer

#51
it sounds great , I just got "d64_Typhoon_of_Steel_Pacific_v1.1_1988_SSI.zip" of archive.org, you have definatly sold it, and if it was not free I would of bought it :)   I shall give it a rumble later today. OK I just had a look, and thats the best wargame I ever saw on an old computer, very very detailed, i did not know what i was doing yet it was keyboard heavy too, looked great! you def knew you had a wargame.

here is a link to aaplications, very interesting

https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_c64_applications

MiniHexer



ok I fixed a coin count bug, & expanded the graphics, but i ran out of memory while trying to draw it with better graphics

https://manyone88.itch.io/c64-fruit-machine-coded-2021-c64

JasonPratt

Looks like it'll be next weekend before I can finish taking a tally of what I've got -- too much holiday this weekend, and too much 'work' work coming in the week.


I do have Beachhead in the collection, by the way. ;)
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

MiniHexer

after seeing your old collection, I went and dugup my Amstrad , the disk drive is noisy and dosnt load the backup MSDOS , i dare not put the orignals in.






Staggerwing

Minihexer, go check out the youtube channel 'Noel's Retro Lab'. He does a refurb of one of those old Amstrad luggables and even upgrades it a bit with a color screen. Also, there are solid state disk drive solutions out there including the GOTEK emulator. I can't recall if Noel explores them in his refurb vids but you can track them down.
Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?  -Voluspa

Nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls and nothing's ever worth the cost...

"Don't you look at me that way..." -the Abyss
 
'When searching for a meaningful embrace, sometimes my self respect took second place' -Iggy Pop, Cry for Love

... this will go down on your permanent record... -the Violent Femmes, 'Kiss Off'-

"I'm not just anyone, I'm not just anyone-
I got my time machine, got my 'electronic dream!"
-Sonic Reducer, -Dead Boys

Gusington

That keyboard really moistens the old loins.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

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MiniHexer

Quote from: Staggerwing on July 03, 2021, 07:03:34 AM
Minihexer, go check out the youtube channel 'Noel's Retro Lab'. He does a refurb of one of those old Amstrad luggables and even upgrades it a bit with a color screen. Also, there are solid state disk drive solutions out there including the GOTEK emulator. I can't recall if Noel explores them in his refurb vids but you can track them down.

wow I cant believe i could get this going again thanks

MiniHexer

Quote from: Staggerwing on July 03, 2021, 07:03:34 AM
Minihexer, go check out the youtube channel 'Noel's Retro Lab'. He does a refurb of one of those old Amstrad luggables and even upgrades it a bit with a color screen. Also, there are solid state disk drive solutions out there including the GOTEK emulator. I can't recall if Noel explores them in his refurb vids but you can track them down.

yes , just watched the 3 vids, that floppy emulator looks really good, but I would need a way to read my system disks or get an image to actualy put on the emulator, but yes its a way to reuse the ppc thanks

Toonces

I have to say, this is one of my favorite threads to visit.  Just fantastic nostalgia.   O0
"If you had a chance, right now, to go back in time and stop Hitler, wouldn't you do it?  I mean, I personally wouldn't stop him because I think he's awesome." - Eric Cartman

"Does a watch list mean you are being watched or is it a come on to Toonces?" - Biggs