Black Matrix
Well-known member
Hey all,
I was just reading a post about a guy wanting to trade a Star Wars cockpit for a Warrior game when I had an odd string of thoughts.
Bear with me:
1st. Star Wars was released in 1983 as a vector game in a 19" upright and 25" cockpit form, and I think I heard 2500 cockpits was manufactured, but only a fraction was sold leaving a surplus of CP cabs.
2nd. Return of the Jedi was Released in 1984 as a raster game in a 19" inch UR and the surplus 25" SW cockpits but I think they only had a 19"raster montitor rather than a 25" raster monitor.
3rd. Empire Strikes Back is Released in 1985 as a kit form to reinvigorate the surviving Star Wars cabs that were apparently still popular enough to warrant a kit even though the experiment that was vectors were quintessentially considered a failure due to the problematic vector monitors.
Here's my thoughts.
1. Why was Return of the Jedi released before The Empire Strikes Back. I know ROTJ had dropped a year earlier, but assuming the nerd fan programmers at Atari had already seen all 3 movies, wouldn't they have picked ESB as it is generally considered the best of the 3. Plus, it would have increased the likelihood that 3 games would ultimately be produced.
2. Why was ROTJ (Jedi) designed in a Raster format and put in an odd aspect ratio that imitates Zaxxon. I know Zaxxon was popular in its day(1982), but I can't believe the earnings figures for Zaxxon would have been anywhere near Star Wars. And Atari should have known those figures unless they had their collected heads up their arse. So why not develop it in Vector and use those SW cabs they had laying about for another vector.
3. If they had good reason for both 1 and 2, then why would they have failed to use a 25" raster monitor in them as they were surely available. Considering Galaxian had already been the first game to offer a 25" color raster in it way back in 1979. Although, anyone that has a ROTJ with a 25" raster that they know is original is free to correct me. I can't say it didn't have one for sure. But if it didn't, why not go the extra distance to make the game special.
4. Assuming most game companies had a 1 year lead time for the planning and development of a game, why not wait to release the ESB (Empire) game in the surplus Star Wars cabs as a limited release dedicated unit. They surely knew that ESB was coming. Hell, it should have come first. So why not wait.
5. Since ESB was only released in a Kit upgrade, it was never dedicated. The kit included the marque translite overlay. Why did Atari never offer a silk screened marquee for ESB. I am sure many of the cockpit owners would have wanted them. Maybe I have never seen them. Has anyone here ever seen an ESB glass marquee for the cockpit conversion.
I was mostly just curious. I know hindsight is 20/20, but it seems any self respecting nerd of the day could have pointed out these oversights and at great length probably in a off key high nasally pitch. I was mainly fascinated by the order of the title drop. And I am sure I will get a lot of speculation. If I was speculating, here's my best guess.
1. Atari got permission to license another SW title in 1983 when SW the arcade game was still hot and ROTJ the movie had just dropped. So they figured they would cash in.
2. Amplifone production was in the crapper with massive amounts of parts request for the "dead Red" flybacks since Atari had their wet wire issue with the flybacks. So Atari opted for a Raster design. However, between 1983 and 1984, I would still argue that either most of the SW arcade games were still working or ROTJ the arcade game may have originally been slated as a vector game. Why imitate Zaxxon? Hell if I know on that one. Galaga would have been a better choice,....or Xevious, or R-Type or Vangaurd OR..........
3. In 1984 the video game crash had all the companies scared for their life and Atari, just wanted to unload all the excess inventory in an half-assed attempt to save money.
4.Unless Atari was scared for its mortal life, I have know idea on this one unless, Atari had no plans of making an ESB game until after ROTJ (the arcade) dropped.
5. Atari felt that not enough cockpits dropped to warrant a silk screened glass marquee for those guys or figured most would opt to not convert the much nicer cockpits.
Of course all this is speculation as I really have no idea. I thought maybe some of you guy's would know for sure. Either way, my conclusion is as follows. ESB needs a glass marquee(I'm looking at you Rikitiki). Second, once that marquee has been produced, its a moral imperative that some crazy Star Wars fan assemble all 3 cockpits in order each running a bright sharp 25" monitor. I know there's a psycho game collector out there for this one somewhere. You probably already own both the SW CP and ROTJ CP. Now you just have to swap in that 25" monitor you have in the corner into it. Might I suggest a nice K7000 with the narrow mount frame. That or pick up Takeman's new frame mounts he's working on. Hopefully he's doing 25" as well. And lastly, Star Wars and arcade fans alike are lucky as hell that Atari had the foresight to release its final vector title in 1985 even when the popularity of those games was waning. Admittedly, it may not have been AS GOOD as Star Wars, but it was still good, and it was better than ROTJ dammit! Thoughts comments and perplexities are now welcomed. And to anyone that may be offended either by the comments, tone, or suggestions of these statements, please consider that I have a head and chest cold and I may be slightly hopped up on codine cough suppressant....so there
I was just reading a post about a guy wanting to trade a Star Wars cockpit for a Warrior game when I had an odd string of thoughts.
Bear with me:
1st. Star Wars was released in 1983 as a vector game in a 19" upright and 25" cockpit form, and I think I heard 2500 cockpits was manufactured, but only a fraction was sold leaving a surplus of CP cabs.
2nd. Return of the Jedi was Released in 1984 as a raster game in a 19" inch UR and the surplus 25" SW cockpits but I think they only had a 19"raster montitor rather than a 25" raster monitor.
3rd. Empire Strikes Back is Released in 1985 as a kit form to reinvigorate the surviving Star Wars cabs that were apparently still popular enough to warrant a kit even though the experiment that was vectors were quintessentially considered a failure due to the problematic vector monitors.
Here's my thoughts.
1. Why was Return of the Jedi released before The Empire Strikes Back. I know ROTJ had dropped a year earlier, but assuming the nerd fan programmers at Atari had already seen all 3 movies, wouldn't they have picked ESB as it is generally considered the best of the 3. Plus, it would have increased the likelihood that 3 games would ultimately be produced.
2. Why was ROTJ (Jedi) designed in a Raster format and put in an odd aspect ratio that imitates Zaxxon. I know Zaxxon was popular in its day(1982), but I can't believe the earnings figures for Zaxxon would have been anywhere near Star Wars. And Atari should have known those figures unless they had their collected heads up their arse. So why not develop it in Vector and use those SW cabs they had laying about for another vector.
3. If they had good reason for both 1 and 2, then why would they have failed to use a 25" raster monitor in them as they were surely available. Considering Galaxian had already been the first game to offer a 25" color raster in it way back in 1979. Although, anyone that has a ROTJ with a 25" raster that they know is original is free to correct me. I can't say it didn't have one for sure. But if it didn't, why not go the extra distance to make the game special.
4. Assuming most game companies had a 1 year lead time for the planning and development of a game, why not wait to release the ESB (Empire) game in the surplus Star Wars cabs as a limited release dedicated unit. They surely knew that ESB was coming. Hell, it should have come first. So why not wait.
5. Since ESB was only released in a Kit upgrade, it was never dedicated. The kit included the marque translite overlay. Why did Atari never offer a silk screened marquee for ESB. I am sure many of the cockpit owners would have wanted them. Maybe I have never seen them. Has anyone here ever seen an ESB glass marquee for the cockpit conversion.
I was mostly just curious. I know hindsight is 20/20, but it seems any self respecting nerd of the day could have pointed out these oversights and at great length probably in a off key high nasally pitch. I was mainly fascinated by the order of the title drop. And I am sure I will get a lot of speculation. If I was speculating, here's my best guess.
1. Atari got permission to license another SW title in 1983 when SW the arcade game was still hot and ROTJ the movie had just dropped. So they figured they would cash in.
2. Amplifone production was in the crapper with massive amounts of parts request for the "dead Red" flybacks since Atari had their wet wire issue with the flybacks. So Atari opted for a Raster design. However, between 1983 and 1984, I would still argue that either most of the SW arcade games were still working or ROTJ the arcade game may have originally been slated as a vector game. Why imitate Zaxxon? Hell if I know on that one. Galaga would have been a better choice,....or Xevious, or R-Type or Vangaurd OR..........
3. In 1984 the video game crash had all the companies scared for their life and Atari, just wanted to unload all the excess inventory in an half-assed attempt to save money.
4.Unless Atari was scared for its mortal life, I have know idea on this one unless, Atari had no plans of making an ESB game until after ROTJ (the arcade) dropped.
5. Atari felt that not enough cockpits dropped to warrant a silk screened glass marquee for those guys or figured most would opt to not convert the much nicer cockpits.
Of course all this is speculation as I really have no idea. I thought maybe some of you guy's would know for sure. Either way, my conclusion is as follows. ESB needs a glass marquee(I'm looking at you Rikitiki). Second, once that marquee has been produced, its a moral imperative that some crazy Star Wars fan assemble all 3 cockpits in order each running a bright sharp 25" monitor. I know there's a psycho game collector out there for this one somewhere. You probably already own both the SW CP and ROTJ CP. Now you just have to swap in that 25" monitor you have in the corner into it. Might I suggest a nice K7000 with the narrow mount frame. That or pick up Takeman's new frame mounts he's working on. Hopefully he's doing 25" as well. And lastly, Star Wars and arcade fans alike are lucky as hell that Atari had the foresight to release its final vector title in 1985 even when the popularity of those games was waning. Admittedly, it may not have been AS GOOD as Star Wars, but it was still good, and it was better than ROTJ dammit! Thoughts comments and perplexities are now welcomed. And to anyone that may be offended either by the comments, tone, or suggestions of these statements, please consider that I have a head and chest cold and I may be slightly hopped up on codine cough suppressant....so there

