Mega-Cart

Modding and Technical Issues

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ral-clan
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Post by ral-clan »

The version I had (a copy) in the early 1980s here in Canada was called Blitz.

Who knows where it had been copied from (I just traded it with friends during datasette tape swaps).
16KVIC20
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Post by 16KVIC20 »

Oh, that's interesting ral -clan. That will teach me to make assumptions! :)
I saw Citybomber, tried it and up came Blitz, except all the in game titles were Citybomber (eg Press any key to play Citybomber).

My original copy was on a tape that was bundled with my original VIC in Jan 1983. On the tape was RACE, HOPPIT, TYPE A TUNE, and BLITZ. This was the standard welcome cassette in the VIC 20 starter pack sold in the UK, certainly towrads the end of the VIC's commercial life.

Maybe the game had been released originally as citybomber, and it was changed at some point for some reason?
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Mayhem
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Post by Mayhem »

You know, until this point, I hadn't made the connection between the two, but having fired both up in GB20, then yes, you can see they have to be the same program, just with different titles.

Blitz by Commodore
City Bomber by Creative Software

Both 1982, so I have no idea which came first, if one is licensed from the ether, or even if the same third party licensed to both.
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16KVIC20
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Post by 16KVIC20 »

Mayhem wrote:You know, until this point, I hadn't made the connection between the two, but having fired both up in GB20, then yes, you can see they have to be the same program, just with different titles.

Blitz by Commodore
City Bomber by Creative Software

Both 1982, so I have no idea which came first, if one is licensed from the ether, or even if the same third party licensed to both.

Oh, so the publisher is the difference, I hadn't spotted that. Thanks for that. I reckon CBM must have bought it from Creative.
6502dude
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Post by 6502dude »

ral-clan wrote:The version I had (a copy) in the early 1980s here in Canada was called Blitz.

Who knows where it had been copied from (I just traded it with friends during datasette tape swaps).
I own the copy of City Bomber that was included.
It was tape based file and converted by NBLA000
Image Mega-Cart: the ultimate cartridge for your Commodore Vic-20
16KVIC20
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Post by 16KVIC20 »

I still love playing it anyway, whether it's called Citybomber or Blitz doesn't really bother me. The coolest thing? I don't have to load it anymore!
Kerosene
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Post by Kerosene »

I'm finally ready to take my place at the back of the line for a Mega Cart... but it looks like www.mega-cart.com is gone. It just goes to a domain parking page.
Is there another way to place an order?
6502dude
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Post by 6502dude »

Kerosene wrote:.... it looks like www.mega-cart.com is gone. It just goes to a domain parking page.
Thanks for heads up that site not online.
This will be looked into and problem resolved.
Image Mega-Cart: the ultimate cartridge for your Commodore Vic-20
SparkyNZ
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Post by SparkyNZ »

6502dude wrote:
Kerosene wrote:.... it looks like www.mega-cart.com is gone. It just goes to a domain parking page.
I wish there was a 'queue status' link on the website - it would be good to see how MegaCart orders are progressing. I know.. I'm impatient.. or maybe I'm just really looking forward to receiving mine. :)

Can somebody please give me an idea of how long you've had to wait between having your order confirmed through to payment and then through to delivery? I just bought a Vic from someone who reckons he had to wait about 2 years but I don't know whether that was an exageration or not??
6502dude
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Post by 6502dude »

Currently working on orders placed in late May 2011
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PhotoJim
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Post by PhotoJim »

I placed an order yesterday, but I haven't received a followup email. Should I be concerned that my order wasn't received, or does it take some time to get a confirmation?

I assumed that one would pay when that email came, or does one pay when the unit is closer to production?
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6502dude
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Post by 6502dude »

PhotoJim wrote:I placed an order yesterday, but I haven't received a followup email. Should I be concerned that my order wasn't received, or does it take some time to get a confirmation?
Sometimes it takes a few days for confirmation e-mail.
PhotoJim wrote:I assumed that one would pay when that email came, or does one pay when the unit is closer to production?
Payment request will occur about 5 business days before MegaCart order is ready to ship.
Image Mega-Cart: the ultimate cartridge for your Commodore Vic-20
SparkyNZ
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Post by SparkyNZ »

Are there any plans to add a VGA type connector to the MegaCart in the future similar to the C64 Chameleon cart? (Just curious - I just fear the day when there are no longer any S-video capable TVs :) )
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Mike
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Post by Mike »

I suppose that's one of the things easy to write, but practically impossible to implement in the supposed way.

There exist of course some cartridges for the VIC-20, which provide a new external display system, with an own video chip, and own video memory. These carts are, however, only compatible with themselves.

Most simple BASIC programs and ML programs which happen to use kernal I/O will work, but anything that accesses the screen directly (or the VIC registers) most probably won't - regardless whether the the external video chip is something that displays 40 or 80 columns or is a VGA-enabled replica of the VIC chip.
SparkyNZ
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Post by SparkyNZ »

Mike wrote:I suppose that's one of the things easy to write, but practically impossible to implement in the supposed way...video memory. These carts are, however, only compatible with themselves.
Hmmm. So what you're saying is that a cartridge of this form would be similar to the "80 column" type cartridges that used to appear for the Vic (ie. built for purpose, not for compatability). Maybe I should actually read what the Chameleon does - I thought it was a VGA output for the Vic-II chip on the C64 but I could be wrong. Dreams are free. :)
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