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All about the Vectrex

CiDeRmAn

Hi,

I know I am one of a couple of Veccy owners here, so I thought I might make a dedicated thread for Vectrex matters, especially as the scene seems so lively right now.
Certainly, there have been several significant releases over the past two to three years that have made the Vectrex's USP, aka the display, very attractive to collectors but even more so to players of videogames.

The Pitrex has really set things on fire, while the earlier Vecfever was a new technology that married the display to computing power it was quite limited.
The Pitrex is relatively simple but accomplishes a lot of the same things, and is entirely self-contained, no connection to a PC required, aside from setting it up.
It's a hybrid device, pairing a custom made pcb with a RPi0.

The device has allowed two main threads of development.
One uses the Linux environment to run a Mame branch called VecMame, this is pretty impressive but has needed a bit of setting up and it can be slow.
The other is Baremetal, which is the one I am following.
Again, the RPi needs a Linux environment installed at the start, but once the image is flashed to your SD, after that it is just a matter of extracting the appropriate zip file from Malban, the main developer of this branch, and you are off to the races, so to speak.
He has allowed the entire back catalogue to be played as if on a normal flash cart, he also has a range of arcade titles running on the Veccy, from BattleZone to Asteroids Deluxe, which look incredible on a vector monitor.
What been a very interesting development though is an option called "Speedy Vectrex" which is an enhanced environment for a selection of standard Vectrex games.
Scramble, a port of the Konami classic, was released back in '82 on the Vectrex and looks and plays great, but playing it on the new Speedy option and it's a revelation, it could well be the best version of Scramble on any system, including arcade, smooth and crisp.
Malban has also provided the latest version of his outstanding Vectorblade game, up to 1.10 now, and a new one to this environment called ZBlast, which is a conversion of a Linux title of the same name from about 18 years ago, and this looks astounding on the Vectrex monitor also.

So, that's where things lie for me at the moment, this hasn't really gone into the other homebrew that's emerged over the past few years, Vector Pilot, WireOut and Vector Patrol.
If you have a Vectrex I can't recommend them highly enough.

But, to repeat, if you have a Vectrex you should get a Pitrex soon.
They seem to be out of stock right now but the supplies are supposed to be coming and the device is dead cheap, and it really is incredible what the volunteer group of developers are producing for the new hybrid format.

Here's Zblast, just added to the Pitrex baremetal package yesterday,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4JYf_vwDNI

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CiDeRmAn

New PiTrex image from Malban here
http://vide.malban.de/pitrex/pitrex-baremetal-download

Looks like Elite is not too far away, and he has developed USB keyboard compatibility with a form of Basic...
Not sure what it's all about, to be honest!

He's also got the Sega vector games working, though it's not completely finished.

A new Tron inspired light cycle game is also in the new image, and it looks fantastic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov65YNd8JiQ

I haven't tried this out so if someone else wants to give it a go and let me know what it's like

Burzum

Just seen this on done deal and thought was best place to share, some one selling a Vectrex.https://www.donedeal.ie/games-for-sale/vectrex-1982/28144853

CiDeRmAn

Burzum wrote: »

Just seen this on done deal and thought was best place to share, some one selling a Vectrex.https://www.donedeal.ie/games-for-sale/vectrex-1982/28144853

They really are rare to see these days, especially from an Irish seller
I'd nearly buy it to have a spare!

eddhorse

Might sell mine, more room needed, will put on marketplace when I test it.

CiDeRmAn

A nice new shooter for the Vectrex on the way,
Vryzon, and it works on the base console, no PiTrex required.
It looks fantastic, another in the style of Galaga or Gorf but using the vector display to full effect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzPYitfuAac

eddhorse

Anyone do a cap kit on their Vectrex? Any links for caps or info?

CiDeRmAn

eddhorse wrote: »

Anyone do a cap kit on their Vectrex? Any links for caps or info?

The Last Bandit did the work on mine.
This is a set, following a quick Google, but it is based in the US.
https://console5.com/store/vectrex-cap-kit.html

The Last Bandit

Ya console5 do them, but I'd not recommend replacing them unless they are actually causing trouble as those motherboards as ba$tards to work on and thruhole plating is terrible so most caps need to be solder on both sides

eddhorse

The Last Bandit wrote: »

Ya console5 do them, but I'd not recommend replacing them unless they are actually causing trouble as those motherboards as ba$tards to work on and thruhole plating is terrible so most caps need to be solder on both sides

So you are saying you will do it for me?

The Last Bandit

Haha not a chance

Doge

Did anyone see the Robotron 2048 port coming to the Vectrex called Vobotron?

CiDeRmAn

Doge wrote: »

Did anyone see the Robotron 2048 port coming to the Vectrex called Vobotron?

Nope, you got a link to that?

Doge

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Nope

I didn't either! :pac:

Sorry, I was in a joking mood, I promise to never again.

Doge

Free pitrex case to avoid a ban?

eddhorse

vectrex.org.uk/roboclone.html

CiDeRmAn

eddhorse wrote: »

vectrex.org.uk/roboclone.html

That page hasn't been updated since 2003!
It was planned to be finished in 2004!

CiDeRmAn

God help me, but I have bought a conversion kit for an arcade stick, turning it into an analogue Veccy stick based on the Hall Effect.
It uses a magnet glued to the bottom of the stick shaft (ooh-er missus) and a custom PCB, and includes the connections too for buttons and whatnot.
Fingers crossed this thing works out!
Not that cheap, 51 sterling shipped...
Hopefully it will work as expected, and I won't bollix it up!

CiDeRmAn

This is the proto of a Hall effect stick working,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbFGQ9oBMoI

[Deleted User]

Haha same here not sure what exactly I'll do with it yet but will probably be bigger than the vectrex itself

deadl0ck

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Hopefully it will work as expected, and I won't bollix it up!

We'll be the judge of that when you post the pictures

CiDeRmAn

The PiTrex is back for sale!
https://www.ombertech.com/pitrex.php

The Last Bandit

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

The PiTrex is back for sale!
https://www.ombertech.com/pitrex.php

I’ve not even unwrapped the one I bought in the last round

CiDeRmAn

Don't know if this is going to work or not...

(Title of my sex tape!)

Vide Malban is at it again!

Having taken a break from Pitrex development, for a few months, he's back and is converting a game called World War Vi, which debuted on the Vecfever enhanced Veccy cart.

That is quite a limited run device, not to mention expensive, so it appearing on the relatively cheap and available PiTrex is a great thing.

Malban has only put a couple of hours into this and already it looks great.

Hopefully it'll have an early release in the coming week or two.

Edit: no, the YouTube link didn't automatically work...

Edit2: works now!

https://youtu.be/vEGlSXToHB4

SuperBowserWorld

Was playing Control, in 4K and the smoothness, sharpness and movement of a certain floating enemy in that game reminded me of BattleZone.

So, maybe now with 4K and 60FPS we are finally reaching the quality of that ancient game display technology 😊

[Deleted User]

Updated the vector area for some pre vectorwars practice.. Competition starting soon if anyone is interested in competing, it's a fun few days and gives a great excuse to play some vectrex games which you may have previously ignored.. Last year I found I had great fun playing tour de France which i had all but dismissed beforehand

CathalDublin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117982697#Comment_117982697

Did I ever tell you I’d no Vectrex Mozie me old pal

eddhorse

2 Vectrex on a cocktail cab, what a life.

CiDeRmAn

I'd love to take part but things here mean I can't, my dad isn't well so I'm providing nurse cover along with my wife.

But those Veccys look fantastic.

[Deleted User]

Finally after two years I've managed to snag myself a vecfever cart from Thomas himself.. Looking forward to getting stuck in

deadl0ck

New adapter for Vectrex to allow you to use almost any Bluetooth joystick/joypad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jkDIhEILic&t=29s&ab_channel=BDub