24 replies to this topic

[Rawd]

File Name: Ice Cold Beer (Standalone Desktop/Cabinet Version)

File Submitter: Rawd

File Submitted: 11 May 2021

File Category: VPX Recreations

Author(s): Rawd
Manufacturer: Taito
Year: 1983
Permission to MOD?: Yes, with approval

V 1.0.2 - This is a standalone title that does not require Visual Pinball.
 
I hope you all enjoy this re-creation/emulation of Taito's Ice Cold Beer!  I did my very best to preserve the machines physics and gameplay rules.
 
Thanks very much to the multiple hardware beta testers that found bugs that I would not have known about (using only one set of hardware).  These guys worked hard to relay important information to me, and it is appreciated.
Allen Rubin
James Ricalde
Walter Whitmer
Thanks to Todd Moore for the 'Fantasy mode' music.
Thanks to Steely for providing the playfield model and texture as well as work on the control panel texture, and thanks to the Visual Pinball table authors for providing the bezel artwork and game sounds.
 
Press 'O' for options. - All options will be saved for next time you load the game.
 
 
Key Input information:
 
The following keys are hard coded into the game, but you may customize the KB keys in the game options.  You can use the analog sticks of a gamepad as well.
Left Bar Up - A, Left Control, Up Arrow key
Left Bar Down - Z, Left Shift, Down Arrow key
Right Bar Up - K, Right Control
Right Bar Down - M, Right Shift
'1' - Game start
'2' - Toggle Game Mode
'O' - Options menu
'V' - Toggle view
'B' - Toggle Bezel
'Esc' - Quit Game
I make these games because it is a passion of mine.   If you would like to help keep me motivated for more future projects, you can buy me a beer at [email protected] with Paypal.  Or, just send me a message of thanks.  I appreciate those a lot
Enjoy!
Rod Ferguson.
 
 

Click here to download this file

[Shockman]

That's nice. It plays very well and is presented beautifully.

 

The physics really is good stuff.

The options are good.

 

Some issues I had;

 

- Background graphic. It's nice but not right.

- Ball/hole size. The ball is too small or the holes are too big. Just a bit. This makes the game easier. Not that that is a bad thing.

- Maybe a one off thing but it had the fan on my 1080 crying for mercy.

- After the inactivity monitor timer the bar should just move up a bit. The action you have then is more like a tilt movement.

[Rawd]

That's nice. It plays very well and is presented beautifully.

 

The physics really is good stuff.

The options are good.

 

Some issues I had;

 

- Background graphic. It's nice but not right.

- Ball/hole size. The ball is too small or the holes are too big. Just a bit. This makes the game easier. Not that that is a bad thing.

- Maybe a one off thing but it had the fan on my 1080 crying for mercy.

- After the inactivity monitor timer the bar should just move up a bit. The action you have then is more like a tilt movement.

Thanks for the suggestions Shockman!

 

1. The background graphic.  I am not quite sure what you mean..  This was made in a 3D environment, but maybe its the wider angle lens I used.

2. Ball/Hole size.   I tried painstakingly to get this correct, but I am open to trying what you would suggest.  If I make the ball size bigger, won't that make the game easier?

3. Yeah, My GPU also runs hot..  I have a feeling it has something to do with v-sync.  I have left it off in this version..  I used to have it as an option, but it was causing other issues.  I will look further into this.

4. Thank You!  I have been trying to figure out the exact 'nudge' movements on the bar when the 'promt' timer runs out.  Any suggestions you could give me here would be appreciated..   You say it moves just a bit?  both sides?  any idea how much?  Does it move a bit and then wait again for the timer?

 

Thanks,

Rod.

[Shockman]

There are two actions we are talking about. First is a nudge. That is a physical nudge on the cabinet that will nudge the bar too and if it's hard enough to knock the ball off the rod then the rod will reset.

 

The other action is related to pausing when playing the game. If you don't move the rod after the set time runs out the rod will swiftly but smoothly move up about an inch or a bit more.

 

There is a link to my version in my sig. Judging by videos I have seen those actions are about right. You know the time it allows you to wait without moving the rod will get shorter and shorter until very short indeed like only a second or maybe less. A newer DX has killed the joystick control however and the keyboard re-mapping so I use a xpadder profile for my sticks (xbox360) with the game in keyboard mode.

A larger ball will indeed make it harder. A ball rolling on the edge of a hole should look like it will fall in but shouldn't. My version has a small hotspot (zone) on the center of the ball and a small hotspot in the center of the hole (the size of that collision zone is based on the difficulty setting). So like in real life you will find that you almost have to mask the hole with the ball in order for it to fit in the hole. Look at it from the other angle. A smaller hole would not make it easier and relatively it's the same thing. It's a real snappy rod though so it might make it too hard and it's not a problem anyway.

 

Thanks for the game. I haven't tried the other mode yet.

Edited by Shockman, 12 May 2021 - 05:13 AM.

[Wylte]

This is great, thank you!  Was really surprised by the Fantasy mode - I was expecting an unrealistic re-skin, not an endless mode!

 

I have no idea how the real game feels, but I had fun with the short time I've played this version   I did get distracted watching Tapper and get the "nudge" lol.  Didn't run long enough to notice GPU temps, but if I do later I'll make a note here.

[Ben Logan]

Was fun to follow development of this one via YouTube. Nice to see it released. Looking forward to playing. Thanks!

[Rawd]

Cool Shockman, thanks again.   I will look into getting that nudge movement exactly emulated for an update.  I believe there is a 3rd nudge movement.. The Prompt time?  It is in the dip settings, and it changes per dip, and also per level.   Maybe Im confused as to how its supposed to work..   I will look further into it, and check out your version closer.  

 

 

This is how I have it coded right now..

 

Tilt - I have nothing coded

 

Prompt time - its set to move the bar after 'x' seconds of not touching it.  This changes depending on your dip setting and the 'level' you are on, and I have it set to continuosly move until it recieves action from the player.

 

Bonus timer runout. - set to kill you by forcing the ball to a hole.

Edited by Rawd, 12 May 2021 - 05:30 AM.

[Shockman]

"Bonus timer runout". No no. The other timer counts down the bonus points. Those points are not transferred, they are lost. This timer should be set right after the music ends. When that timer runs out points are taken off the bonus and the timer resets. This timer is unrelated to the bar movement timer and does not move the bar.

 

Another timer that is unrelated is the timer that tallies the bonus by taking it out of the bonus slot and into the score 10 points at a time when a target hole is scored. A timer I wish I put in options in my version when the bonus is big and the countdown seems slow.

 

Nudge is not a biggie. Unlike pinball it is there to punish abuse only and has little or no game function. I doubt it would take much to have the ball knocked off the rod. (just a nudge) 

 

"Prompt time". Timing seems correct and being dynamic as you say is correct. Just should move the bar, both sides, keeping the angle, up a few centimeters, stop, give control back and reset the timer.

Edited by Shockman, 12 May 2021 - 06:13 AM.

[Rawd]

 OK, I'm reading your edits.   Thank you for clarification on how the bar is supposed to move after the prompt time runs out.  I will fix this.

 

The only thing I don't understand then, is what is supposed to happen when you are playing and your bonus time runs down to 0 ?

Edited by Rawd, 12 May 2021 - 06:15 AM.

[Shockman]

1. Nothing. There will be no bonus, but that's all. If you mean the bonus points. If you mean the countdown timer give it a floor (don't let it get to zero).

2. You are almost there. Use the subroutine you have. Just stop it after a second or so (a few centimeters) instead of control input.

Edited by Shockman, 12 May 2021 - 06:24 AM.

[Rawd]

1. Nothing. There will be no bonus, but that's all.

2. You are almost there. Use the subroutine you have. Just stop it after a second instead of control input.

Great, thanks!  I will get these fixes into the next update.

 

I had just assumed that the bar would 'kill' you after the bonus timer runs out.    I have played one before, and I thought that's what I remembered, but I am an old man now. 

[Shockman]

I played one many decades ago too. I was just at drinking age when this was new. I remember little about it.

Edited by Shockman, 12 May 2021 - 06:37 AM.

[marcio clauss]

Very Good thank you Rawd

[Rawd]

I updated the file with the following fixes.   Thanks Shockman and MAME-FAN for your input and help..

 

• - Changed the Options button from 'G' to 'O'. 'G' was causing issues with iPac right stick default set to 'G'
• - Made changes to the hard-coded arrow keys. Defaulted Up and Down arrow to left stick (as thats what iPac defaults to) Thanks MAME-FAN for your input.
• - Fixes to the Prompt time bar movement, and removal of the 'death' after the bonus timer runs to 0. Thanks Shockman for your input.

[Rawd]

Apologies for the quick succession of updates..

 

 

v 1.0.2 -

• - Small but important fix on the nudge movement that I missed on the last update.  (It was trying to nudge after a target hit (If a nudge put the ball in the hole), sometimes causing catastrophe )
• - Moved Decor arcade cabinets in closer and made the credits poster smaller.

Edited by Rawd, 13 May 2021 - 06:37 AM.

[Shockman]

If it's how you roll best don't apologize.

 

Any chance of a level editor?

[ringa12]

is it possible to make for 32 bit system?

Edited by ringa12, 08 March 2022 - 10:16 PM.

[Itchigo]

Rawd was correct. There was a "death mode" when the timer ran out. I still enjoy playing Shockman's .exe version on my bartop. I wasn't a fan back in the day, but I loved getting hammered at Todd's party and still able to make it to the top multiple times.

[Rawd]

Rawd was correct. There was a "death mode" when the timer ran out. I still enjoy playing Shockman's .exe version on my bartop. I wasn't a fan back in the day, but I loved getting hammered at Todd's party and still able to make it to the top multiple times.

Good times Itchy.   Have you tried this one?

is it possible to make for 32 bit system?

I could probably compile a 32bit version.  Not sure how well it would run though if your system demands it.  What are your specs?

[Itchigo]

I had it on the cab before I got Shockman's version, but I found it harder to play on the long screen using flipper/magna save buttons. I have it on the bartop, but I got a free computer for the bartop (2008 HP with 1 gb of ram and no graphics card). Good enough for mame with no problem.