Wizard of Wor for VIC-20 FOUND!

orion70 · Post by **orion70** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 1:59 am

I didn't know Fred was the seller, but still my point is: why doesn't he try and dump BEFORE selling it? Presenting with a WoW effectively running would not damage the bid, on the contrary it would help it a lot

Vic20-Ian · Post by **Vic20-Ian** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 2:35 am

orion70 wrote:I didn't know Fred was the seller, but still my point is: why doesn't he try and dump BEFORE selling it? Presenting with a WoW effectively running would not damage the bid, on the contrary it would help it a lot

Does it make a difference now you know it is Fred?

Apparently he has no Vic-20 anymore. I have been contacting to support and find a way to test so we have data to prove it is or is not WoW rather than conjecture.

My previous points were all about helping Fred to do this and dispelling the statements that it looks like a fake therefore it is a fake. vs a more constructive and evaluative approach.

I deal with conjecture and poor business decisions made on the basis of untested data a lot.

I agree it is likely to be a Scott Adams cart with a mischievous label but nobody we know knows or remembers if or how a WoW prototype was produced and this remains untested for now.

I voted to help Fred verify it and make a bit more money or find it is not WoW and save his Ebay reputation.

e5frog · Post by **e5frog** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:31 am

I wrote to the seller and it seems he has no interest at all forwarding information about Vodoo Castle having the same numbered chip as this loose pcb with modern labels, he'd rather let those who don't know keep hoping and bidding.

orion70 · Post by **orion70** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 5:54 am

...and this seems to suggest he may be in bad faith - but admitting he's a man of good will, he'll surely let us help with the issue of reading the carts' content

e5frog · Post by **e5frog** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 8:52 am

It's not necessarily an issue, well an issue of plugging it into a VIC and write SYS32592 and press Return... if it's not broken. Desoldering it to place in an adapter (if needed) and read it in an eprom reader is a bit more work.

Vic20-Ian · Post by **Vic20-Ian** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:02 am

I emailed him to suggest he take it down so it can be tested.

The listing is now ended.

I think he has done the right thing.

e5frog · Post by **e5frog** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:04 am

I got a reply that it has been taken down to be tested by some "VIC20-ian" at some forum, mysterious fellow I have never heard of.

(and also a nearby friend)

You should ask to look in those other boxes, maybe there is a find somewhere.

Boray · Post by **Boray** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:22 am

Vic20-Ian wrote: Did they ever experiment / repurpose chips - surely

You can't reuse a ROM chip. Once it's made, it's contents is unchangeable.

Vic20-Ian · Post by **Vic20-Ian** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:34 am

yes Boray that is correct.

But you still have no proof of what was written to that chip, ok?

Vic20-Ian · Post by **Vic20-Ian** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:37 am

e5frog wrote:I got a reply that it has been taken down to be tested by some "VIC20-ian" at some forum, mysterious fellow I have never heard of.
(and also a nearby friend)

You should ask to look in those other boxes, maybe there is a find somewhere.

LOL

A rummage would be nice but a bit difficult from the middle east just now.

One day maybe.

Boray · Post by **Boray** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:42 am

Vic20-Ian wrote:yes Boray that is correct.

But you still have no proof of what was written to that chip, ok?

If that makes you feel better then - no I have no proof of that. But my feeling is that the possibility for finding Wow on that cart is about as big as to write an eprom with random numbers, plug it into a vic-20 and find Wow on it. That is actually a possibility. Not very likely, but possible. Maybe I should do that and try to sell it as possible rare vic game prototype. That would be completely true right!?

e5frog · Post by **e5frog** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:42 am

At least it's nice that he makes an effort to check it.

No, you can't be too sure, maybe they stuffed some Wizard of Wor chips in the production line of Voodoo Castle.

Or perhaps at that time so they got the same (wrong) markings.

Protos are often in programmable ROM of some kind, aren't they?

Yes Boray, do that, sell carts with random numbers written to the eprom and sell them as potential "any game". Don't test them before you sell.

rmelick · Post by **rmelick** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 10:10 pm

e5frog wrote:At least it's nice that he makes an effort to check it.

No, you can't be too sure, maybe they stuffed some Wizard of Wor chips in the production line of Voodoo Castle. Or perhaps at that time so they got the same (wrong) markings.

Protos are often in programmable ROM of some kind, aren't they?

Yes Boray, do that, sell carts with random numbers written to the eprom and sell them as potential "any game". Don't test them before you sell.

Maybe my vision is declining in my old age, because I don't still use the 22-column screen on a regular basis (or that is the only thing left I can still see clearly), but as I review the numbers under magnification, I wish Commodore used a better "3". What a crappy 3! 325338-01 looks to me like any of the following:

325398-01
325998-01

The only "3" that looks like a "3" is the first one. The others could be "9" or really sloppy printing / photography.

Vic20-Ian contacted me and asked if I would be willing to test. The seller has yet to reach out to me. Maybe there are a few Denial members in the pool of potential testers? I'll let the group know if s/he reaches out to me.

6502dude · Post by **6502dude** » Tue Aug 20, 2013 10:49 pm

Is it too soon for this to be funny?

rhurst · Post by **rhurst** » Thu Aug 22, 2013 6:34 am

No, that's funny anytime. But where's the Atari VCS adapter for VIC?

BTW, there's this easy-to-use VIC Software Sprite Stack available for download that enables the gifted programmer a "quik" method of porting WoW. Love to see that happen.