. 31 years ago the video game crash had torn the Vectrex to death. Since its closure prototypes of games are circulating, which were on the verge of publication. Some of the prototypes as Pitcher's Duel or Dark Tower were subsequently made public by Vectrex fans. Now it looks that way, as if another GCE original title could make it into the Vectrex public: engl.: Mail Plane.

Mail Plane is an educational game that is operated with the light pen and the controller. The player has to load a mail plane (engl.: Mail Plane) with packages and bring them safely to their destination. For this, the aircraft has loaded, a route on a map chosen, the aircraft started, be flown and landed. Mailplane is certainly not a super exciting game that all players have been waiting for eagerly. Nevertheless, it is by the operator with the light pen an interesting title and especially a title.

Exciting is the story of Mailplane, me a little lost in the centuries Ring in Tolkien “Lord of the rings” remind:
Only 1997, So many years after the closure of GCE, was first in the magazine “Retrogames” of Mailplane reported. “forgery!” were then the first reactions, but at that time published details and pictures sounded absolutely believable. F. R. Wilk, a former GCE employee was owned by Mailplane and three other prototypes, he finally 2008 For 5000 offering dollars on ebay. The auction ended with no bids and Vectrex fan Shawn SCALLEN acquired the prototype directly for 2900 Dollar. Shawn had before, the Mailplane prototypes as full version with box, posting module and instruction. The effort and cost of producing a full version at that time could not of the Vectrex fans are applied, so the Mailplane prototype for years on the shelf, bored precisely in the safe of Shawn.
Three weeks ago, then dipped a second, runnable prototype at Digital Press and a week ago then a third Mailplane was listed Prototype on ebay. This auction ended yesterday and Chris Romero (Vectrexer) has bought the Mailplane prototypes. Chris plan, read the EPROM of the prototype and to publish on the Internet for free.

A publication of about Mailplane 31 Years after the company breakdown of GCE Vectrex had a small sensation and in addition to the publication of the binary there are already plans for the manufacture and production of a full version. Stay tuned…

addendum: Chris Romero As announced the ROM image of Mailplane published on its website.

Of the over spilled from America Halloween I myself am not so enthusiastic. The good thing about Halloween is but, that you can easily remember another date, namely the 1. November. Correct, there is Allerheiligen, but above all because the place Play-Your-Vectrex Day instead!

There is indeed the Universal Children's Day, the world Health Day, the World Animal Day and many other world-so and so-days, because you will not miss a world-Vectrex tag. Der Play-Your-Vectrex-Day (loosely translated: Spiel-Deine-Vectrex-Tag) takes place annually on 1. Of November to commemorate the Vectrex.

The aim of the Play-Your-Vectrex Days is fun playing Vectrex and the common thought and remembrance of the Vectrex. The rules for participation can be read in the Vectrex-Wiki (English) and are simple:

This Friday, 1. November, a Vectrex game on the play and then enter your full name, first name or a pseudonym with the game played on the Wiki page yourself, contact the Wiki-Admin Darryl or send a forum message to Darryl (VectorX) in the Vectorgaming Forum.
If you should have difficulties due to the English language, then please let me know via e-mail, this shouldn't keep you from participating. who would, you can make even more (see section “Bonuses” on the Wiki page).

I look forward to an active participation in the Play-Your-Vectrex Day and am curious, how many Vectrex fans will attend this year! Now: (Vectrex on)² on the Play-Your-Vectrex-Day!

___
addendum on 3. November:
The official election results final Results are not yet available, it should again this year to the 20 have been at the international play-Your-Vectrex Day participants. More details on the Wiki-Seite des Play-Your-Vectrex-Days.

This time a short post on his own behalf: VEXTREX.de is a German language website for the Vectrex console. And it will remain that way; All articles will continue written in German. Thus, the information available to a wider audience available, is VECTREX.de is multilingual since today. So no longer merely “Man spricht deutsch” (alluding to Gerhard Polt Satire), but we also speak English, Spanish, French, and Japanese.

The translation of the texts is done by machine, not expect too much of, so please, translations will read quite bumpy. but to understand the content, it should be enough. The language is automatically determined by the browser setting, if the 'time did not work out, then your language from the selection list “TRANSLATION” (right) select manually. Oh yes: “thank you!” to Ofer Wald for his excellent Plug-In Transposh.

In this sense: Hello Vectrex world!

EDIT: As far as I've seen in the server logs, automatic language detection doesn't work very well using the submitted browser values. The language is now always set to German and changes only with manual selection.

Length, length, long had you heard of Manu Pärsinnen. Very, very, very surprising because Manu's music video of the summer hit “Get Lucky” of the French duo “Daft Punk” on the Vectrex:

Following the album title “Random Access Memories” Manu named his demo “Random Access Vector” called. You can see the change of an animation with squares and lettering “Random Access Vector”, a still image of the duo with the Tron-helmets and three animated leg pairs.

a review: Manu developed over the years 2000 to 2004 a variety of game demos, the demos were each at an early stage. Completed he had the game VecSport Boxing. Manu listed all its developments in a kind Programming Biography, which is still on the web online today. After nine years pause the music video is a nice jump for the Vectrex in modern times . Whether this is a re-entry into the Vectrex programming and will be more to come from Manus page?

Who his own called a VecFlash or VecMulti and wants to use his Vectrex as Jukebox, can the ROM (Binary) the music video download. must sing one but himself, this one song lyrics. thank you, Manu and Yzi for the great idea and nice implementation and a salute to Finland!

After the summer lull and the last post there are various interesting news and current topics for Vectrex, I here once loose enumerate:

Retrocade Magazine before from
Organised by Rob Maerz Vector War proceeded without major abnormalities, as in previous years, the Forum of Retrocademagazines for carrying and transmission of high scores was used. Now threatens the Retrocade magazines and all the Forum Off: As in the forum should be read by you, creates Rob Maerz it in time no longer, create the quarterly Retrocade Magazine and is this discontinue. To fall for him away revenue and plans resulted Rob, close the Forum. What happens next with the Vector was then, is currently unclear.

Classic Game Creations: No more orders
Speaking at bad news: Recently I reported here, that John Donzila to 31.12.2013 will close its platform Classic Game Creations. After the announcement of the end John was filled with orders almost, so that John has pulled the emergency brake and he already stop accepting orders. The successor is being discussed, hopefully it continues in some form. Surprisingly, it has the Website Classic Game Creations learn even an update, but the site is still under construction and a download option for its various Vectrex title, there are not yet.

Vector Patrol: Beta version
The Belgian developer Kristof Tuts has recently provided a beta version of its Vector Patrols to test. The me present trial is already making a very good, stable impression. Despite the completely different display options, the implementation is graphically re amazingly close to the original Moon Patrol. In particular, the Parallax-Scrolling, the 1982 a real eye-catcher was, is reacted fine with a total of three levels and the depth effect is good out. All of Moon Patrol ago known game elements are included, ranging from craters, UFOs with shots and bombs, of, Tanks and some more. Here the first foretaste of a screenshot Vector Patrol with color film. More screenshots are on Kristof's website.

The completion date of Vector Patrol is not yet known, but it will be no longer a year but only by months.

Play Your Vectrex Day
Already in 20 Days is November; the 1. November should mark Vectrex enthusiasts in their calendars: As the world proclaimed Play Your Vectrex Day takes place. Vectrex enthusiasts around the world play on the Vectrex and register and document this online. Soon there will do is give a separate article to.