The Arcade Machine
{{Short description|1982 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = The Arcade Machine
| image = The Arcade Machine cover.jpg
| designer = Doug Carlston
Chris Jochumson
| programmer = Louis Ewens (Atari)
| publisher = Broderbund
| platforms = Apple II, Atari 8-bit
| released = 1982
| genre = Game creation system, fixed shooter
}}
The Arcade Machine is a game creation system written by Chris Jochumson and Doug Carlston for the Apple II and published by Broderbund in 1982. Louis Ewens ported it to Atari 8-bit computers. Broderbund ran a contest from January–June 1984 where the best user-created game was awarded a prize of $1,500 in hardware and software.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fi4EAAAAMBAJ |title=InfoWorld |date=30 January 1984| publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. |via=Google Books}} Jochumson also wrote Track Attack for Broderbund.
Gameplay
The game allows players to create alien attacks like those seen in Galaxian. The inbuilt editor allows players to: design/animate enemies, players and explosions; give enemies instructions on moving/firing; drawing backgrounds/title screens, creating sound effects/music, and setting various gameplay rules. Finished games can be saved to a self-booting disk to allow them to run without this program.{{cite book |title=The Arcade Machine Manual |date=1982 |publisher=Broderbund |url=http://www.digitpress.com/library/manuals/atari8bit/arcade_machine.pdf}}
Reception
John F. Besnard reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World, and stated that "The product itself provides a tremendous amount of power to the user. Try a few of the demo games supplied on the back of the disk to see the versatility potential of the product."{{cite magazine |last=Besnard |first=John F. |title=The Arcade Machine |magazine=Computer Gaming World |date=Jan–Feb 1983 |volume=1 |issue=8 |pages=32, 45}}
The New York Times described the game as a "hierophant" due to giving non-programmers the ability to create games; furthermore, the publication suggested that with a bit of aesthetic improvement, The Arcade Machine would "be a game one can play almost forever".{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/05/24/science/personal-computers-the-imaginative-path-to-designing-games.html|title=THE IMAGINATIVE PATH TO DESIGNING GAMES|date=24 May 1983|work=The New York Times}}
In 1984, InfoWorld deemed it a "fabulous program," and compared it favourably to Pinball Construction Set. InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers cited it "a real tour de force".{{Cite book |last=Mace |first=Scott |url=https://archive.org/details/InfoWorlds_Essential_Guide_to_Atari/page/n85/mode/2up?view=theater |title=InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers |date=1984 |publisher=Harper & Row |year=1984 |isbn=978-0-06-669006-3 |pages=75}}
Steve Panak of ANALOG Computing wrote, "The Arcade Machine is not for the weak of stomach, nor for the weak of mind. Complexity is a key word here. However, despite its complexity, the program is surprisingly user-friendly, thanks to excellent documentation." In the conclusion he warned, "Many, many, many hours are needed to create and hone your game to perfection-and that's if you're not a perfectionist."{{cite journal|title=The Season's Software Sampler |issue=25 |date=December 1984 |last1=Panak |first=Steve |journal=ANALOG Computing |url=http://www.cyberroach.com/analog/an25/seasonsoftware.htm}}
The game was "a best seller", according to the September 1984 issue of Creative Computing.{{cite journal|journal=Creative Computing |last1=Uston |first1=Ken |date=September 1984 |url=http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n9/157_A_family_affair_behind_t.php|title=A family affair; behind the scenes at Broderbund. |volume=10 | issue=9 |page=157}}
References
External links
- [http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Micro%207/micro7_numero12/Micro%207%20N12%20(Janvier%201984)%20-%20Page%20077.jpg French review by Jeux]
- [http://www.atarimania.com/list_games_atari-400-800-xl-xe-arcade-machine_devlanguage_1_8_G.html List of games created using The Arcade Machine]
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=fi4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22The+Arcade+Machine%22+broderbund&pg=PA54 InfoWorld 30 Jan 1984]
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=8y8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22The+Arcade+Machine%22+broderbund&pg=PA4 InfoWorld 4 Apr 1983]
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=DjAEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Arcade+Machine%22+%22broderbund%22&pg=PA30 InfoWorld 25 Oct 1982]
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=nQQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22The+Arcade+Machine%22+broderbund&pg=PA78 Kiplinger's Personal Finance]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arcade Machine}}
Category:Atari 8-bit computer games
Category:Video games developed in the United States
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