Vectrex

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Vectrex
Vectrex
Manufacturer General Consumer Electric
Type stationary game console
generation 2nd generation of consoles
publication
JapanJapan June 1983
United StatesUnited States November 1982
EuropeEurope May 1983
Main processor Motorola 6809
Storage media Game module
Controller 1 removable, 2 port
Online service none
Units sold unknown
Most successful game unknown

The Vectrex is a stationary game console that came on the market in 1982. The most striking feature is the built-in portrait format black and white vector screen for outputting the vector graphics . This compact structure led to the classification by trade magazines in a separate category: mini arcade . The lead developer was Jay Smith , who designed the Microvision handheld console for Milton Bradley (MB) back in 1979 . The console was manufactured and published in the USA by General Consumer Electric (GCE) from 1982. In Europe andJapan (together with Bandai ) MB took over the sales . In 1984 MB stopped sales.

construction

Open console with a view of the power board for supplying power to the picture tube (vertical) and the logic board (below)
Logic board with CPU and sound chip

The Vectrex was an "all-in-one" device. The supplied controller was placed in a holder provided on the front so that the device could be transported using an integrated handle. In the ROM was with Minestorm one, Asteroids - Clone , already Game found.

Additional game modules could be plugged in via a slot on the right side. On the front there were 2 connections for two controllers as well as the on / off switch, which also served as a volume control. The controls on the controller were an analog joystick and four buttons arranged side by side.

Each game was accompanied by an overlay film, which was placed in a corresponding holder in front of the picture tube. In this way, on the one hand, static structures (buildings, screen windows) could be separated from one another without special identification, and on the other hand, individual areas could be colored. The difference in the game impression with or without an overlay is amazing. The concept has been Jay Smith at Microvision - handheld use.

The computer part consisted of a 1.5 MHz clocked Motorola 6809 - microprocessor provided with two 512 -byte RAMs k (1024 bits × 4) of the type 2114 and one (for M2764A compatible) 64 bit EPROM (8 kbit x 8: 4 k B “Executive” and 4 kB for Minestorm). As sound chip one came AY-3-8912 of General Instrument used. The I / O lines were controlled by a Rockwell R6522 controller. The image construction was completely CPU-controlled, ie the CPU controlled the drawing on the screen in real time via an X / Y control of the picture tube .

The screen of the Vectrex is a black and white monitor (model Samsung 240RB40) with a screen diagonal of 240 mm. It is a cathode ray tube that was otherwise used on small black and white televisions.

Games

Game module Blitz! with overlay for the Vectrex
Vector graphic screen: Heads Up Action Soccer Game

The number of game developments for the Vectrex was quite manageable due to the short lifespan. When the console went on sale, 12 games were available. In Europe, 21 games were sold by MB. A total of 31 titles were published. In the late 1990s, Jay Smith released all titles for free copying for private use, so that practically all titles, including some prototypes, are available as new modules. Since around 1996 new modules have been appearing again, most of them are freely available or are being sold in small editions.

For all freely available games there is also the option of playing them on the PC using an emulator . However, the appearance of the vector graphics can only be partially reproduced on the line-based PC monitors. The MAME is an emulator for the Vectrex .

Extensions

In addition to a second controller, there was also a light pen and the 3D imager, glasses in which the image was released alternately for the left and right eye through a mechanical perforated grid disk, similar to LCD shutter glasses , and thus a 3D display allowed. The perforated grid was also a color wheel at the same time, so that the resulting images could also be displayed in color. Among other things, a 3D port of the hit game Pole Position was in preparation in 1984 . Shortly before Vectrex production ceased, the 3D imager came on the market in small numbers with the games "Crazy Coaster 3D" and "Narrow Escape 3D".

As further developments in the prototype stage, a touch-sensitive screen , which was compatible with all light pen applications, and a keyboard or computer extension were planned. As with other consoles, the latter should enable expansion into home computers in order to counter the threat to the console market posed by the emerging home computers.

Others

In the 1982 science fiction film Android , several Vectrex consoles were installed in the sets of a communication station. The film-specific programming comes from Mark Indictor.

Technical specifications

Vectrex in operation with Scramble game
  • CPU: Motorola 6809 A
  • Clock: 1.5 MHz
  • RAM: 1 kB (2 modules type 2114)
  • ROM: 8 kB
  • Cartridge ROM: up to 32 kB
  • Display: 22 cm black and white monitor, portrait with 256 × 256 positions
  • Sound: AY-3-8912 via built-in speaker

Games released in Europe

  • Armor Attack (1982)
  • Bedlam (1982)
  • Berzerk (1982)
  • Blitz (1982)
  • Clean Sweep (1982)
  • Cosmic Chasm (1982)
  • Flipper Pinball (1982) - Spinball in US / Canada
  • Fortress of Narzod (1982)
  • Hyper Chase (1982)
  • Minestorm (1982) - built in
  • Minestorm II (1983)
  • Rip Off (1982)
  • Scramble (1982)
  • Soccer Football (1983) - Heads-Up AS in US / Canada
  • Solar Quest (1982)
  • Space Wars (1982)
  • Spike (1983)
  • Star Hawk (1982)
  • Star Ship (1982) - Star Trek in US / Canada
  • Web Warp (1983) - Web Wars in US / Canada

equipment

  • Second controller
  • 3D imager
  • Light pen
  • carry bag

Web links