Homestar Runner RPG
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[[Image:hsr_rpg_atari2600_tv.jpg|thumb|220px|Atari'd!]] | [[Image:hsr_rpg_atari2600_tv.jpg|thumb|220px|Atari'd!]] | ||
| - | '''Homestar Runner RPG''' was the first planned official console game for [[homestarrunner.com]]. It was under development for the [[Atari 2600]] by [[Paul Slocum]]. Due to the immense scope of a full 2600 RPG, as of February 2006 the ''demo'' is approximately 1/3 finished. As of August 2008, | + | '''Homestar Runner RPG''' was the first planned official console game for [[homestarrunner.com]]. It was under development for the [[Atari 2600]] by [[Paul Slocum]]. Due to the immense scope of a full 2600 RPG, as of February 2006 the ''demo'' is approximately 1/3 finished. As of August 2008, the project has been abandoned. |
| - | Gamers would have been able to play as [[Homestar Runner]], [[Homsar]], or [[Strong Sad]] and possibly [[Marzipan]] and [[Coach Z]] against the villain [[Strong Bad]] and possibly [[The Cheat]] and [[Strong Mad]] in a traditional swords and sorcery RPG. The enemies would have included those from other games in the Atari family. The map was comparable in size to the early computer RPGs. Gameplay was planned to be turn-based with lots of mini-games and story text with codes given to "save" game. | + | Gamers would have been able to play as [[Homestar Runner]], [[Homsar]], or [[Strong Sad]], and possibly [[Marzipan]] and [[Coach Z]], against the villain [[Strong Bad]], and possibly [[The Cheat]] and [[Strong Mad]], in a traditional swords and sorcery RPG. The enemies would have included those from other games in the Atari family. The map was comparable in size to the early computer RPGs. Gameplay was planned to be turn-based with lots of mini-games and story text with codes given to "save" game. |
The game would have been released in an Atari 2600 cartridge for the dedicated old-school gamer, and as a downloadable ROM for systems with an emulator. | The game would have been released in an Atari 2600 cartridge for the dedicated old-school gamer, and as a downloadable ROM for systems with an emulator. | ||
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I can. Sorry it's taking so long, but that's life."</blockquote> | I can. Sorry it's taking so long, but that's life."</blockquote> | ||
| - | + | [[Matt Chapman]] indicated the game may not materialize as he said this in [[Bobby Blackwolf Interview - 5 Sep 2005|an interview]] on September 5th, 2005: | |
<blockquote>I think it's— it's sort of in limbo. I mean he— know he's talking— I think it was really pushing the limits of what the 2600 could do, especially with an RPG, and so uh, I think he was getting a little overwhelmed. He realized that all the work he had done, which was, you know, hours and hours and hours, amounted to like 2% of what the game would finally be. And so he just kinda— I think he kinda freaked out. So he kinda— he was on hold on that for a while, but he did say that he— he's— he's willing to look into some uh, other 2600 projects that are a little more, you know, within the normal 2600 realm. Not necessarily trying to, uh— I think that's gonna be his opus, and so the Homestar Runner was sort of just being applied to it. He could make an RPG that really didn't have to be Homestar Runner or not. So uh, so I hope he makes it someday 'cause— 'cause I would love to play an RPG on the 2600 for sure.</blockquote> | <blockquote>I think it's— it's sort of in limbo. I mean he— know he's talking— I think it was really pushing the limits of what the 2600 could do, especially with an RPG, and so uh, I think he was getting a little overwhelmed. He realized that all the work he had done, which was, you know, hours and hours and hours, amounted to like 2% of what the game would finally be. And so he just kinda— I think he kinda freaked out. So he kinda— he was on hold on that for a while, but he did say that he— he's— he's willing to look into some uh, other 2600 projects that are a little more, you know, within the normal 2600 realm. Not necessarily trying to, uh— I think that's gonna be his opus, and so the Homestar Runner was sort of just being applied to it. He could make an RPG that really didn't have to be Homestar Runner or not. So uh, so I hope he makes it someday 'cause— 'cause I would love to play an RPG on the 2600 for sure.</blockquote> | ||
| - | + | On August 12, 2008, Paul Slocum confirmed in a [http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=642739&cid=24564745 Slashdot.org comment] that the game was abandoned: | |
<blockquote>We had to abandon it, it was just too ambitious, and during the time that I was working on it my schedule was gradually getting more and more ridiculous. The display code for that RPG was pushing the Atari so hard, and so it was very delicate and became time-consuming to keep in balance. Most of the display, music, map-handling, and memory management was in place. But the battle system and overall RPG design were just getting started. I've had some people interested in the code for other 2600 RPG projects so something may still come out of it. | <blockquote>We had to abandon it, it was just too ambitious, and during the time that I was working on it my schedule was gradually getting more and more ridiculous. The display code for that RPG was pushing the Atari so hard, and so it was very delicate and became time-consuming to keep in balance. Most of the display, music, map-handling, and memory management was in place. But the battle system and overall RPG design were just getting started. I've had some people interested in the code for other 2600 RPG projects so something may still come out of it. | ||
<br><br> | <br><br> | ||
Revision as of 15:57, 12 August 2008
Homestar Runner RPG was the first planned official console game for homestarrunner.com. It was under development for the Atari 2600 by Paul Slocum. Due to the immense scope of a full 2600 RPG, as of February 2006 the demo is approximately 1/3 finished. As of August 2008, the project has been abandoned.
Gamers would have been able to play as Homestar Runner, Homsar, or Strong Sad, and possibly Marzipan and Coach Z, against the villain Strong Bad, and possibly The Cheat and Strong Mad, in a traditional swords and sorcery RPG. The enemies would have included those from other games in the Atari family. The map was comparable in size to the early computer RPGs. Gameplay was planned to be turn-based with lots of mini-games and story text with codes given to "save" game.
The game would have been released in an Atari 2600 cartridge for the dedicated old-school gamer, and as a downloadable ROM for systems with an emulator.
On January 4th, 2005 the developer published this statement:
"The game's on hold for a while. I'm too busy with my band and other projects to work on it right now, but I do plan to return to it when I can. Sorry it's taking so long, but that's life."
Matt Chapman indicated the game may not materialize as he said this in an interview on September 5th, 2005:
I think it's— it's sort of in limbo. I mean he— know he's talking— I think it was really pushing the limits of what the 2600 could do, especially with an RPG, and so uh, I think he was getting a little overwhelmed. He realized that all the work he had done, which was, you know, hours and hours and hours, amounted to like 2% of what the game would finally be. And so he just kinda— I think he kinda freaked out. So he kinda— he was on hold on that for a while, but he did say that he— he's— he's willing to look into some uh, other 2600 projects that are a little more, you know, within the normal 2600 realm. Not necessarily trying to, uh— I think that's gonna be his opus, and so the Homestar Runner was sort of just being applied to it. He could make an RPG that really didn't have to be Homestar Runner or not. So uh, so I hope he makes it someday 'cause— 'cause I would love to play an RPG on the 2600 for sure.
On August 12, 2008, Paul Slocum confirmed in a Slashdot.org comment that the game was abandoned:
We had to abandon it, it was just too ambitious, and during the time that I was working on it my schedule was gradually getting more and more ridiculous. The display code for that RPG was pushing the Atari so hard, and so it was very delicate and became time-consuming to keep in balance. Most of the display, music, map-handling, and memory management was in place. But the battle system and overall RPG design were just getting started. I've had some people interested in the code for other 2600 RPG projects so something may still come out of it.
We still may release a H*R Atari 2600 game at some point -- we've talked about some other ideas that would be much more reasonable.
