Thursday, July 8, 2021

Windows -> 3d Pinball: Space Cadet

 


Come gather 'round, Grandchildren, and listen to this old fogie's tales of how Windows used to be more fun.  How you could waste hours upon hours on the simple joys of their built-in technologies like Solitaire and Hearts and Minesweeper.  And they are technologies; make sure to call them that during your job interviews.  

Now they're all gone!  You want your gaming fun, and it's Facebook and Facebook alone where you'll find it.  Or maybe... what's the new GameBoy?  Is it all just on your Smartphone (TM) now?  Anyway, a few Windows iterations ago, they had this here 3D Pinball deely-bopper... and no, it wasn't real 3D, just this flat 2D thing, but it's not bad!  If you're in to that sort of thing.  Reminds me of Atari's terrific Super Sprint video game; that kind of 3D.  And, in addition to being impossible and frustrating, like real pinball, there's also power-ups, different levels, different hierarchies.  Every bumper and ramp's got some kind of system, much like the Sock and Pillow Fight games on Facebook... is poking an actual game yet?  No one does that anymore?  Thank God!  I've only made it to the rank of Ensign, so clearly I don't have what it takes to make it as a space cadet, not like Richard Branson et alia.  But they do keep pretty good track of high scores; unfortunately, you have to add your own timestamp to them.  But the big, big question is: how did I resurrect this game?  I managed to save enough of the old game files to do it; I know, shame on me.  Whelp, I figure the damage is pretty localized; as for Cinematronics making a buck, well... sorry, guys, but the work's going to really have to be its own reward here.