For those too young to remember, video arcade games once used an X/Y, oscilliscope-type display called vector graphics. Vector games like Asteroids, Battlezone, Tempest and Lunar Lander were played in computer labs and arcades around the world starting in the early 70’s.
Retro Thing: ZVG vector arcade interface
Some of the most memorable arcade games from the 1980s are the hardest to emulate with modern raster-scan monitors. Smash hits like Asteroids, Tempest, Battlezone and Star Wars use vector graphics — straight lines and dots — to generate futuristic images that scroll smoothly across arcade displays. Here’s a brief look at a vector generator that brings these razor-sharp classics into the 21st century.
Zvg The $239 ZVG (Zector’s Video Generator) is a PC-driven vector generator that’s compatible with MAME arcade software. It connects to an ECP-compatible parallel printer port and drives any analog X/Y Monitor including any dual channel oscilloscope that can be set to an X/Y mode. The company even offers a variety of cables to simplify assembly. [thanks, Tom McClintock!]
“There were more than 30 vector based games made in the 80’s. To acquire a collection that includes all these games would be a monumental feat. Just to find that many vector monitors alone would be no easy task, not to mention the cost! Vector based arcade monitors haven’t been made in 20 years, and you can’t simply use one vector monitor for all these games. Each monitor has different specs and runs at different speeds, making them incompatible between different gaming hardware. The hardware was unique for most of these games, making multigame conversion kits difficult to design. [until now]”
“Living in the eighties…”
None of these games were so good as to buy a $240 card and monitor to play them. Lunar Lander was awful and shouldn’t even be mentioned whereas the lack of Star Castle is a serious oversight.
http://www.download-free-games.com/online_games/star_castle.htm
Of all of them, Tempest was by far the best but without the controller it just wouldn’t be the same.
I would like to have back all the quarters I spent in those machines! But, the memmories are priceless!!! Roller skating, video games, junk food, ………………………………………………………. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
mmmm 2d graphics. I still think packman beats alot of the games that are out today.
Definitely the coolest vector game was Stars Wars, the one where you are Luke Skywalker trying to destroy the Death Star. But it had to be the system you sat in with the fighter jet controls.
I not only remember these (Battle Zone being my favorite), I still have my VECTREX, including several cartridges. BTW… the system not only played games, but also had a light pen, and 3-D games/adaptor.
J/P=?
I own a vector Star Wars 🙂
http://thebrokenjoystick.com/pictures/starwars
I wouldn’t sell it for the world
Brian
Funny thing is I used to sell the Vectrex. My buddy still has the arcade-like display stand in his basement. I even had the 3D glasses once.
You can still get a Vectrex console and a lot of cartridges on eBay.
I remember those old vector graphics arcade games. Tempest was hypnotic, talk about getting into the zone – I remember spending hours on that thing, jacked up on 39 cent Big Gulps and handfuls of Starbursts.
good times ….