| Re .0:
I taped the signals. The screen simply flashes all on (in green) or
all off. It can flash twice per frame (once when the odd lines are
drawn and once when the even lines are drawn) -- with the result that
pausing a VCR can give a stopped picture that is clearly flickering on
and off. The robot probably just waits for significant increases or
decreases in light beyond the amount it receives on the average (or
maybe beyond an amount set at the factory). I haven't bothered to
decode the signal, but I think playing back a tape will get the robot
to go through the same motions. You just need to be sure to give a
little extra time when making the tape, in case the robot has slightly
weaker batteries later on -- it would move a bit more slowly and miss a
signal if it is not ready in time.
I finished Gyromite, although I had to cheat a bit on one of the
screens in the second game. It seemed necessary to pause the game at
one point while waiting for the robot to move.
-- edp
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| Is R.O.B. worth owning? (especially with two large shedding dogs)
Is R.O.B. absolutely required for Gyromite?
Ditto Stack-Up?
If not required, are the games less enjoyable?
If not required, are the games less enjoyable if I did not know what
I was missing?
Thanks, Stapes
|
| Re .3:
> Is R.O.B. worth owning?
That will depend upon a lot, like your personal tastes. Right now, I
only turn it on when guests are interested.
> Is R.O.B. absolutely required for Gyromite?
Strictly speaking, no, but I don't think there is much point in the
game without the robot.
> Ditto Stack-Up?
Yes, the robot is required.
-- edp
|
|
What is the robot good for? I kinda see it as a waste of money?
but thats my opinion? I've never seen it work, and really, doesnt
matter if i do, my sons into taking things apart now and then
and I'd rather spend the fifty bucks on another briliant game.
these things are addicting,you know what i mean.
|
| Re .5:
I'm not sure the robot is available anymore, so it might not be worth
worrying about.
There are two games that use the robot, Gyromite and Stack Up.
In Gyromite, you move a character around a screen with ledges, ropes,
and cylinders that can move up or down. The character has to collect
all the dynamite in a room before it explodes while avoiding little
monsters that walk around. To give a command to the robot, you press
Start and another button. The robot's arms can move up or down to
about six positions (three in Gyromite because it moves twice as far as
it can in each step). The arms can turn counterclockwise or clockwise
to five positions. And the arms can open or close.
Surrounding the robot are: Two holders for gyroscopes/tops, two
platforms, and one motorized spinner. The platforms are spring-loaded
and move down when weight is on them, pressing a button on a Nintendo
control pad. The blue platform lowers blue cylinders in the game and
the red platform lowers red cylinders. Thus, at certain points in the
game, you must raise or lower the cylinders by manipulating the
gyroscopes with the robot. Raising or lowering cylinders can let the
professor by a blocked passage, lift or lower him to another ledge,
block a monster, or crush a monster.
At the most difficult spots, you must lower both sets of cylinders
simultaneously. This requires lifting a gyroscope, moving it to the
spinner, letting it spin, moving it to a platform, releasing it,
picking up the other gyroscope, and putting it on the other platform.
If you are going to lift that last platform again next, you do not need
to spin the gyroscope; merely hold it in place with the robot without
opening the arms. But at the worst, you need to press blue, press red,
release blue, release red. This requires getting both gyroscopes
spinning at once.
The Stack Up game used different accessories for the robot. There were
five platforms and about five circular blocks. Games involved giving
commands to the robot by hopping a character around the screen to light
up five squares in a row or column of an array. Computer or human
enemies would be working against you. One player's goal might be to
pick up blocks from the center platform and move them to either of the
platforms on their side of the robot. Another game involved trying to
stack the colored blocks in a pattern matching that on the screen as
quickly as possible.
Stack Up had no feedback from the robot to the game. Gyromite did, via
the control pad placed in the connector to the platforms.
I sold Stack Up but keep Gyromite. I finished the games long ago, but
keep it around because I like it. I keep the robot mostly set up and
half on display in some unused space in a bookcase, so it can be shown
to guests easily.
-- edp
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| I do not use the robot anymore, too long to set up, needs batteries,
not solid looking. However I use gyromite to play two players at a time:
One is running the character while the other one takes care of the cylinders
with the other joystick. moving the cylinders is easy, and it is
a good task to do for little children who cannot play too complex games.
Conclusion: Robot not worth, Gyromite worth some of your money.
Yves
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