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Vectrex 3D Imager - REVIEW [message #55569] Sun, 05 May 2013 23:18
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Message-ID: <656@eisx.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Jan-84 13:44:25 EST
Article-I.D.: eisx.656
Posted: Tue Jan 10 13:44:25 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Jan-84 05:02:59 EST
Organization: American Bell, South Plainfield NJ
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Over the holidays I got a few new Vectrex items.  Here are my official reviews:

3D COLOR IMAGER  ----------------------------------------------------------

The imager comes packaged with 3D MINE STORM.  I also picked up 2 other
3D games: NARROW ESCAPE and CRAZY COASTER.  I'll review these as well.

First, lets discuss the imager itself.  There are two aspects in the imager to
consider.  Its ability to produce color and its 3D effect.  Both are EXCELLENT!
The colored vectors work better than I expected.  The images look like pieces 
of colored plastic, or like neon signs.  Vectors joined to other vectors (at 
the end points) are somewhat brighter, providing an illusion that there is a 
bead of "glue" holding them together.  The effect is very pleasing.

There is a color wheel that comes with each 3D game, 50% of which is opaque.  
The wheel spins quickly (and quietly) inside the imager.  A small index whole 
in the color wheel apparently sends a pulse to the main Vectrex unit which 
maintains the wheels speed and synchronization with the vector display.  

The shades of color you see depend on the colors used in the transparent
50% of the wheel.  3D MINE STORM uses green for the mines and blue for 
just about everything else (boring).  NARROW ESCAPE and CRAZY COASTER came 
with an equally proportioned red/green/blue wheel and its colors were brighter
and more interesting.  I also noticed the use of composite colors in NARROW 
ESCAPE (e.g. yellows, oranges, and light blues created through additive 
combinations).

For those of you who have been studying the picture of the 3D imager, the color
wheel is inserted from the bottom through a slot.  A button is pressed to 
disengage the wheel spindle-lock mechanism for color-wheel removal and 
insertion.  It seems to work pretty well for me.  I suspect that young children
might have a problem with it though.  The protrusion that looks like a nose 
piece in the pictures is actually the motor compartment.  Unfortunately 
it sits (you guessed it) right on your nose.  So after a 3 hour session you 
walk away looking like Rudolf the raindeer.  Luckily, you can eliminate this 
problem by adding a little more padding around the head rest.

The 3D effect takes some getting use to.  The first time you see it you
might see doubles.  I found that sitting about 4 feet away helped me
focus my eyes the first few times.  When your eyes finally get the hang
of it you can start moving closer.  WOW, you're no longer playing the game... 
your INSIDE IT.  The effect is so fantastic I don't think I can describe it.
Its really beautiful.

So lets talk about the games...


3D NARROW ESCAPE  -----------------------------------------------------

Let me say this.  If I knew the Vectrex could display 3D color graphics like 
this game, I would have been willing to pay several hundred dollars more for 
it.  Thats right!!  I've never experienced anything like this before.  I 
think 3D NARROW ESCAPE it is the neatest video game I have ever played in my 
life (including coin-ops)!

Your orange space ship (a couple of inches BENEATH the screen) starts out 
flying in a trench.  The green and blue walls of the trench extend far into the
distance and move toward and around you.  Your joystick controls your ship's 
left/right/up/down.  Button 4 fires alternately colored red, green, or blue 
missles at approaching enemy ships which come from afar, pass your ship,
and finally disappear when they're about 4 inches OUTSIDE THE SCREEN.  After
you've destroyed your quota of enemy ships you escape the trench and enter
a room filled with brightly light neon squares, each one moving toward you and
having a hole in it just large enough TO FIT YOUR SHIP!!  Careful steering 
gets you to faster trench scenarios and finally the dreaded MOTHER SHIP, which
shoots 3D photon torpedos at you (super)!

Outstanding!  Very intense game play which gets progressively harder.  I've 
topped out at about 35,500 points so far.  I've got several recommendations.

    * Play it in the dark.
    * Play it in an extremely comfortable chair (so your body can
      FLOAT within the game... I'm serious).
    * Play it loud (if you haven't installed a phono jack and connected the
      Vectrex to your stereo yet, now is the time).
    * Play around with your Vectrex brightness control to get maximum grey 
      scale.  I found that the game appeared the most realistic when the 
      farthest items are just barely visible.
    * Try playing at at various distances (purchase two JOYEX 9 ft. video game
      extension cables - standard hobbiest gear).  The farther away you are 
      the deeper the stereo effect becomes.

One other point.  The 3D graphics in this game seemed harder (of the games
reviewed) for my eyes to focus on.  I'd say I played it about 5 hours before
I really zero-ed in on it.  Some of my friends had no problems at all ( he
didn't where glasses, I do.  I wonder if this has something to do with
it).  In any case, don't abandon the quest.  With practice your brain finally 
comprehends all the depth relationships in the game, and you get sucked into 
one hell of a trip.  Enjoy!


MINE STORM ---------------------------------------------------------------

This game comes packaged with the 3D color imager.  Its regular MINE STORM 
alright, except that now the saucer lays 3 planes of mines.  The plane closest
to you (to your face) is the one that your ship is on, the other two are 
further beneath the screen.  The mines have a 3D shape now, like spinning 
pyramids and blades.  When you shoot all the mines in your plane, the 
remaining planes move forward, etc. until all mines are destroyed and... 
(DUMM dumm dumm dummmmmm) the saucer appears and lays the next level of mines
as in the 2D game.

At first I was too overwhelmed by 3D NARROW ESCAPE to get into 3D MINE STORM,
but later on I started playing and liking it.  Its pretty good... not as good 
as some of their great 2D games (like WEB WARS), but after all, its free.  I
recommend you play this one about 4 ft from the screen.


CRAZY COASTER ------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry to report this but... this game had a bug in it which caused the 3D 
imager to consistently drop sync with the vector display.  This caused the 
color wheel and motor to come to a gradual stop.   I called G.C.E. about this 
and their technician verified the problem.  Its in the ROM folks so I suggest
you hold off on this game.  I was, at least, encouraged to find that they now
have a toll-free number to call for problems, staffed with real technicians 
there to answer REAL questions.  They were even polite!  Boy, they've obviously
come a long way over this last year.

	- Don deCourcelle
	South Plainfield, NJ
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