Chimney Hunt 2020

Chimney Hunt 2020 edition and matching collector pin, available NOW.

The game on novelty PCB is 20 pounds and each collector pin is 6 pounds. If you’d like one just email me.

2020 has been hard on us all and due to Covid restrictions, Cyber Santa can’t afford to make enough presents AGAIN!

The gifts he’s lost over the years whilst delivering down chimneys would be enough to cover the shortfall if only there was an economic way to collect them all.

Elf boffins from the temporal engineering department to the rescue. By adapting the space folding technology that lets Santa deliver presents to 7 Billion people in one night, they’ve managed to space-warp every chimney on earth into one gigantic mega-chimney.

You must fly down the mega-chimney and collect all the lost presents to save Christmas.

Dare you enter the Mega-Chimney?
Good Luck!

Chimney Hunt novelty PCB for Vectrex
Chimney Hunt novelty PCB for Vectrex
Chimney Hunt Collector Pin
Chimney Hunt Collector Pin

Vectrex Collectors Pins

I’ve designed a set of Vectrex collector pins.

Vectrex collectors pins.
Vectrex collectors pins.

Very much inspired by the Atari collector pins, these are hard enamel badges roughly 3cm in size.

Stramash Zone pin.
Stramash Zone collectors pin.

I’ve had a test run of the Stramash Zone pin manufactured and am pretty pleased with the results. If it looks like there’s a demand i’ll get the others made one at a time (i’d love to get the lot done at once but it costs money).

Stramash Zone pin.
Stramash Zone collectors pins.

These should appear in the shop eventually.

OH, if you happen to have an Atari Crystal Castles, Liberator or Quantum collector pin, I’d be keen to buy or trade you something very nice for it.

Quantum, Crystal Castles and Liberator.
Looking for Quantum, Crystal Castles and Liberator Atari collector pins.

 

The J.I.B. A Vectrex joystick interface board.

Vectrex Joystick Interface Board.

Joystick Interface Board
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The Vectrex Joystick Interface Board (JIB) is a device that allows you to attach digital joysticks, arcade control panels and all kinds of other devices to the Vectrex, very simply, using a common ground.

Wiring a joystick and 4 buttons.

This is designed to be a way of hooking the Vectrex up to digital joysticks and buttons that is simpler than the currently popular hack. It was developed so I could hook my Vectrex up to an unmodified asteroids control panel but it has uses way beyond that. It even allows connection to micro controllers like arduino and raspberry pi so the potential is almost limitless.

Not only does the JIB have large breakout lugs that will accept crocodile clips or banana plugs, or can be soldered to directly, but it also has header sockets that allow hats or shields to be attached to expand the devices capabilities. All manor of custom interfaces can be designed and added.

Joystick Interface Board and blank “shield” or “hat” board.

If you would like one of these boards they are now available in my shop.

DOWNLOAD: JIB Manual

 

Ultraviolet Glowing Vectrex Overlays

There’s a lot of exciting things being created for the Vectrex all the time. It’s remarkable how much support this ancient console has and it’s not just games. People have been developing controllers, light guns, speech synths, extra processors, 3D Imagers and all kinds of peripherals for it.

One of the loveliest and most original innovations has to be the UV Overlays recently created by Laurence Bennion. His overlays are printed in invisible UV inks which are revealed as beautiful glowing lines when illuminated with a UV light source. These luminous graphics complement the glowing vectors generated by the Vectrex perfectly.

UV overlay Grid and 2D Narrow Escape
UV overlay Grid and 2D Narrow Escape

 You can use large UV lights to activate the overlays or you can mount UV LED strip to your Vectrex, that works well too.

A selection of UV overlays created by Laurence Bennion.
A selection of UV overlays created by Laurence Bennion.

I took it a little further though and created a mounting frame that masks and angles the LED strip for optimal viewing.
I’ve created 2 variants:

  • 24 LED version that’s powered by a 12 volt mains power supply (not included).
  • 12 LED version that draws power directly from the Vectrex joystick port.

If you would like one of these illumination systems they are now available in my shop.

Right Click here to download the manual.

If you would like some of the wonderful overlays, contact
Laurence Bennion on facebook or drop him an email at
laurencebennion(AT)gmail.com

If you want more information, the subject has been discussed extensively in Vectex fans unite!

ASTEROIDS DELUXE with UV overlay and 5 Volt UV Frame.
ASTEROIDS DELUXE with UV overlay and 5 Volt UV Frame.
AZTARAC with UV overlay and 5 Volt UV Frame.
AZTARAC with UV overlay and 5 Volt UV Frame.
AZTARAC with UV overlay and 5 Volt UV Frame.
AZTARAC with UV overlay and 5 Volt UV Frame.
Stramash Zone with UV overlay and 5 Volt UV Frame.
Stramash Zone with UV overlay and 5 Volt UV Frame.

Shine on you crazy diamonds.

Chimney Hunt

Merry Christmas.
My present to you, a free Vectrex game. Get the rom below.

Chimney Hunt.

It’s Christmas time but disaster! Due to price increases Santa can’t afford to make enough presents!
The gifts he’s lost over the years whilst delivering down chimneys would be enough to cover the shortfall if only there was an economic way to collect them all.
Elf boffins from the temporal engineering department to the rescue. By adapting the space folding technology that lets Santa deliver presents to 7 Billion people in one night, they’ve managed to space-warp every chimney on earth into one gigantic mega-chimney. You must fly down the mega-chimney and collect all the lost presents to save Christmas.

Dare you enter the Mega-Chimney?

Good Luck!

DOWNLOAD: ChimneyHunt

Stramash Zone. Some notes.

I thought i’d share some of the notes and sketches i did in creating Stramash Zone. These are pretty obscure and random. They’re not designed to be viewed by anyone but me, but I thought some of you may like an insight into how my brain works. Messy, isn’t it?

Stramash Zone is available now in the shop.

Stramash Zone available now.

Stramash Zone Available now in the shop!

Stramash Zone for Vectrex, in development since 2013 ! is FINALLY available to buy.

Battle tanks, missiles and rockets on the baron surface of mars because.. baron surfaces are easiest to render.