Hi there,

I have a new MSX title under development, Pac-Man Collection DX. Pac-Man Collection is a port of my ColecoVision game of same name, which in turn is a compilation of 3 arcade games: Pac-Man, Ms Pac-Man and Pac-Man Plus.
My plans are to have PMC DX released later this year, in cartridge format. The game will require just a standard MSX2, though SCC will be an option. With a SCC cartridge plugged in PMC will sound virtually arcade perfect.

Here is a partial list of features:

- Includes 3 arcade games: Pac-Man (both Namco and Midway versions), Ms Pac-Man and Pac-Man Plus.
- Arcade quality graphics.
- Arcade quality sounds, when using a SCC cartridge.
- Playgame is MAME level accurate; you can run MAME and the MSX version side-by-side with no noticeable difference in gameplay. Not even the PSX version is that accurate.
- Will come in cartridge format (1Mbit) with color box and manual, everything professionally printed (using offset printing).

The first playable demo will be available later this month from my website. It has been recently hacked so I am still reworking everything. I will also have a page with my progress.

Pac-Man Collection is the first of my three planned MSX games. The others are Akumajou Dracula DX for the MSX2+ (a remake of the original Dracula, now with smooth scroll. I have it 20% done already) and a port of the Capcom arcade game Commando for use with the GFX9000 video board (still very early in development).

Back in a few days with the first playable demo.



Eduardo Mello

looks nice

if namco is not banning you from doing such thing, which kind of price have you thought for such pac cartridge? And how many units you are gonna make?

Are you going to make boxed version too?

I am always interested to hear about new cartridges!

disks... blahh...

Wow, very interesting projects!!

Hi,

From my previous projects, I can say that a Pac-Man Collection cartridge is going to cost $25~$30. Usually I make 200 units per game. Bellow you have two examples of games that I released for the ColecoVision, so you can get an idea of the quality of the package. Of course we are going to redesign everything for the MSX, I am not going to use the same box or manual templates...



Yie Ar Kung-Fu is more less a mix between the MSX and the Famicom versions. And there is a two players versus mode. I released a MSX version for free too...



Space Invaders Collection is my best seller CV title, with around 200 units sold. Ricbit ported it for the MSX, but to be honest the port isn't 100% accurate, there are several bugs and missing bits.

About Namco banning me, I have learned from my other projects that probably I am too small to get noticed, and I am not causing that much damage, since I am selling software for long dead (from a commercial point of view) platforms, and the run is too small. And of course the sales are just enough to cover my expenses. I have a good, solid job as a system engineer, and it's just a hobby.
Taito once contacted me about Space Invaders, I tried to deal with them, offered to port SIC for the MSX for free, so maybe they could sell it with MSX Magazine, offered to include free flyers of Taito games inside the box, but once they found about the size of the project, they just lost interest and never contacted again since.

Eduardo

PACKMAN RULES

Very nice project ! We need more "Classics" ported to the MSX

Very nice

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Pac-Man Collection is the first of my three planned MSX games.

Great!... let's hope to see that demo soon!

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The others are Akumajou Dracula DX for the MSX2+ (a remake of the original Dracula, now with smooth scroll. I have it 20% done already)

Are you using graphics made on your own, from the MSX2 version or from another platform??

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Quote: The others are Akumajou Dracula DX for the MSX2+ (a remake of the original Dracula, now with smooth scroll. I have it 20% done already) Are you using graphics made on your own, from the MSX2 version or from another platform??

Background graphics are mostly from the MSX2 version, while sprites are mostly from the Famicom version. As I said, I replaced the MSX weapon system with the classic Castlevania system, so now you never loose the whip for exemple. I am keeping the unique MSX item system though, as it adds a lot of depth to the game. Later I will redesign all the level. Gone is the circular level engine from the MSX2 version. The new engine uses linear levels, but I am adding a lot of branches and secret rooms so the player still have a lot of places to explore.

Eduardo

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Background graphics are mostly from the MSX2 version, while sprites are mostly from the Famicom version. As I said, I replaced the MSX weapon system with the classic Castlevania system, so now you never loose the whip for exemple. I am keeping the unique MSX item system though, as it adds a lot of depth to the game. Later I will redesign all the level. Gone is the circular level engine from the MSX2 version. The new engine uses linear levels, but I am adding a lot of branches and secret rooms so the player still have a lot of places to explore. Eduardo

In that case... have you seen "Castlevania 3 : Dracula's Curse" ??... you can try to convert it... or take ideas, enemies, endbosses and maps from there and make some kind of hybrid... I really like that game it should be converted to MSX2!!

About the main character... I like the sprite of Trevor Belmont a lot!!

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Quote: Background graphics are mostly from the MSX2 version, while sprites are mostly from the Famicom version. As I said, I replaced the MSX weapon system with the classic Castlevania system, so now you never loose the whip for exemple. I am keeping the unique MSX item system though, as it adds a lot of depth to the game. Later I will redesign all the level. Gone is the circular level engine from the MSX2 version. The new engine uses linear levels, but I am adding a lot of branches and secret rooms so the player still have a lot of places to explore. Eduardo In that case... have you seen "Castlevania 3 : Dracula's Curse" ??... you can try to convert it... or take ideas, enemies, endbosses and maps from there and make some kind of hybrid... I really like that game it should be converted to MSX2!! About the main character... I like the sprite of Trevor Belmont a lot!!

You're right, Trevor (or Ralph in Japan) sprites and Castlevania 3 are really cool. In fact Castlevania 3 is probably the best version available on 8 and 16 bits machines. But in this case I would need to completely recreate the game graphics (background at least), the engine is more sophisticated, etc. So lets start with the original game then we can move to the sequel in a later time. I am a big fan of Akumajou Dracula series, mostly the early episodes, and I would love to work on a sequel.

Eduardo

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Hi there, I have a new MSX title under development, Pac-Man Collection DX. Pac-Man Collection is a port of my ColecoVision game of same name, which in turn is a compilation of 3 arcade games: Pac-Man, Ms Pac-Man and Pac-Man Plus. My plans are to have PMC DX released later this year, in cartridge format. The game will require just a standard MSX2, though SCC will be an option. With a SCC cartridge plugged in PMC will sound virtually arcade perfect.

This is a great news! :-) I would like to buy one cartridge, that's for sure. :-)

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Pac-Man Collection is the first of my three planned MSX games. The others are Akumajou Dracula DX for the MSX2+ (a remake of the original Dracula, now with smooth scroll. I have it 20% done already) and a port of the Capcom arcade game Commando for use with the GFX9000 video board (still very early in development).

I'm looking forward to see Dracula DX. About this one, I suggest you to add Audio CD support. Using CD, you can have all the great castlevania songs remixed with great quality and without needing extra sound board, like Moonsound. I think that will make playing Dracula DX better than any other 8 bit version. :-) Is that possible?

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I'm looking forward to see Dracula DX. About this one, I suggest you to add Audio CD support. Using CD, you can have all the great castlevania songs remixed with great quality and without needing extra sound board, like Moonsound. I think that will make playing Dracula DX better than any other 8 bit version. :-) Is that possible?

Hmmm... That's an interesting idea. I was a bit uncertain about which sound system to use. To be honest I don’t like CD sound tracks cause they can’t loop forever and I find it a bit distracting when music fades-out and restart. In other hand, CD music consumes very little CPU resources and it’s good when you’re working with a slow CPU.
SCC is another good candidate, since it was the Konami sound IC. Moonsound would be great, but then it would use a lot of resources. IMHO there isn’t a perfect sound solution for the MSX. A Moonsound like device but with a separated Z80 controlling it would be great. Dracula DX started as a game for an expansion module which I was designing for the ColecoVision. In the first I was going to use the V9958 as a replacement for the ancient TMS9928. But that’s another story… Anyway in my module I was going to use a second Z80 for controlling all sound subsystem. The main Z80 would then make a bus request for the sound Z80, load the sound program and data in the sound memory, release the bus and then reset the sound Z80. From there the main Z80 would just need to send sound codes thru a special I/O port, which in turn would generate an interruption in the sound Z80, forcing that to read the sound code. The sound driver was going to use the FM timers to keep everything in sync, not relying on VDP interruption for that. That would help creating sound drivers which work more like pro music modules. If only I could manage to convince someone to implement it…

Eduardo

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You're right, Trevor (or Ralph in Japan) sprites and Castlevania 3 are really cool. In fact Castlevania 3 is probably the best version available on 8 and 16 bits machines.

It's the best 8 bit Castlevania for sure!... and the japanese soundtrack is simply amazing!!

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But in this case I would need to completely recreate the game graphics (background at least), the engine is more sophisticated, etc. So lets start with the original game then we can move to the sequel in a later time. I am a big fan of Akumajou Dracula series, mostly the early episodes, and I would love to work on a sequel.

You're right... step by step...it's a good beginning. I really hope you succeed with it!!