Sweet Mary mother of god!!! Pong Clock

[RayB]

Insomnia = Updated: http://www.sporeproductions.com/wip/pong_clock.html

Time isn't updating yet.

[missioncontrol]

THat is going to be awesome great work so far

[quarterback]

Insomnia = Updated: http://www.sporeproductions.com/wip/pong_clock.html

Time isn't updating yet.

Looking cool RayB!

Some thoughts (which maybe you're already thinking about but, if not, I thought I'd throw them out there)

(1) speed of ball - I don't have an original 'pong', but the ball movement seems too fast.  I feel like it should be more 'floaty' or 'dreamy' in its movement, particularly since this is going to run perpetually on my wall. 
(2) vibrating paddles - Is this how the original was?  I have a mental image of the paddles being completely static when the ball hits them.
(3) mirrored paddle movement - I'm assuming you're working on this so the paddles aren't making the same up/down movements at the same time.  Yes?

Man, I really appreciate the work you're putting into this.  I'm psyched!

[versapak]

(1) speed of ball - I don't have an original 'pong', but the ball movement seems too fast. I feel like it should be more 'floaty' or 'dreamy' in its movement, particularly since this is going to run perpetually on my wall.

n/m

I confused myself writing the gibrish that was formally here.

[RayB]

(1) speed of ball -

I'm not sure how fast it should go. It seemed fairly fast in the Pong Clock movie.

(2) vibrating paddles - Is this how the original was?

[Kremmit]

Why program anything at all? 

All you need to do is record a 24-hour long .avi file, with the right player scoring exactly every 60 seconds and the left player scoring exactly every 60 minutes. 

[Sasquatch!]

Windows boxes are not stable enough for that.  The last thing I want is something that's supposed to be as no brainer as a clock that I have to reboot every second day.

If you can't keep a Windows computer from having to be rebooted every second day, something is seriously wrong, my friend.

Back on topic, I would so buy one of these clocks if/when they make them available. 

[RayB]

So I tried the screensaver. It's made with FLASH! hahaha

[quarterback]

Man, their screen-saver is pretty good, but NO SOUND?!?!?   And not enough "radical gameplay" (as noted by Havok here)

(1) speed of ball -

I'm not sure how fast it should go. It seemed fairly fast in the Pong Clock movie.

It just seemed a bit fast.  I haven't played "real" pong in forever, so I can't be 100% sure.

(2) vibrating paddles - Is this how the original was?  I have a mental image of the paddles being completely static when the ball hits them.

That's just left-over from my original Spore Pong. If you guys want as authentic as possible, I'll take it out.

IMO, I'd say 'take it out'.  It makes it too much like a 'modern update' to me.

Looking forward to your version, RayB

[Howard_Casto]

just saw this... have a good use for it....

anyway to clear up some questions about the original

Pong's speed is variable... it starts slow and speed increases with each successful save. 

Also the sounds are off.... if you'll excuse my poor description.... the ball makes a blip sound when it hits a paddle and a bloop sound when it hits a wall.  The sound is keyed to the ball speed, so it can't be done with samples, rather a generated sound must be used.  The easiest way to do this (in xp) is to use the system beep sound with a modified pitch. 

Hope that helps

[NinjaEpisode]

* NinjaEpisode eases his way in, looks around...

Ahem!

[Stingray]

How's your version coming along Ray?

-S

[RetroJames]

Just had a thought.  Aren't games like PONG one of the reasons we HAVE screensavers? 

What is my CRT going to look like after a few weeks of the new PONG "screensaver?"

My god it was all a clever ruse to get us to buy new CRTs, I bet the site is hosted by Zenith or RCA!

[versapak]

Just had a thought. Aren't games like PONG one of the reasons we HAVE screensavers?

What is my CRT going to look like after a few weeks of the new PONG "screensaver?"

My god it was all a clever ruse to get us to buy new CRTs, I bet the site is hosted by Zenith or RCA!

LOL

That is a very good point. The "net" doesn't ever change other than when that tiny little "ball" passes by it, and even then isn't really changing as it is still white.

This thing is definitely cool, but a saver of screens it is NOT.

[Jabba]

Do new monitors still get burn in?

[RayB]

Do new monitors still get burn in?

Yeah they do if you leave the same image sitting there for a long period...

crap, this has me thinking twice about releasing mine. I don't want any lawsuits!

PS: What happens when the hour has to change? I know people have been saying that player 1 misses, but the thing is, the player 2 score also has to change to "00", so what happens? Player 1 misses yet both scores change? That doesn't make sense.

[ChadTower]

It's very simple... make it a 90% screen image and slowly swing it back and forth over the course of each minute.

If done right the movement would be almost imperceptible and burn in would not happen.

[Stingray]

To really recreate the pong feel, the monitor needs to have burn in.

-S

[ChadTower]

Seriously, who is going to be dumb enough to hang a damn CRT on their wall anyway?

[Stingray]

Seriously, who is going to be dumb enough to hang a damn CRT on their wall anyway?

Hmm.

**looks at wall**

You could be right. I guess I'll take it down.

-S

[RetroJames]

Seriously, who is going to be dumb enough to hang a damn CRT on their wall anyway?

oddly enough my freakin' wife.  We have a running argument because she wants me to put a tv up on the wall on one of the metal arms.  I keep telling her I am not going to sit there with my head craned up to look at a TV like Im in a hospital!  Arg. 


blondes

[ChadTower]

And you want that for a clock?

Wouldn't a clock be a bit counterproductive if you have to alter the whole wall in order to hang it?

[RetroJames]

And you want that for a clock?

Wouldn't a clock be a bit counterproductive if you have to alter the whole wall in order to hang it?

ahhh no, her thing has nothing to do with the pong clock.

[missioncontrol]

just a thought....


what does the clock do for daylight saving time?

[Howard_Casto]

Instead of actually using the pong scoring to set the time, wouldn't it be easier to just post the windows time?  I mean someone can still miss every minute, but the fact that you'd have to calculate the scoring manually seems dumb to me, afterall, it's a screensaver, it isn't actually playable.

[Kremmit]

What happens when the hour has to change? I know people have been saying that player 1 misses, but the thing is, the player 2 score also has to change to "00", so what happens? Player 1 misses yet both scores change? That doesn't make sense.

From the Pong Clock FAQ:

What happens every hour?
The left player finally scores, he sucks at playing pong compared to the right player. Because of his lack of talent we reward his point, by erasing the right players score. You know what? After that he still sucks at playing pong.

[RayB]

Instead of actually using the pong scoring to set the time, wouldn't it be easier to just post the windows time?

[missioncontrol]

I downloaded their screen saver version. I've got it on my laptop right now. I use as my clock at work. It's allright can't wait for your version RayB

also a kid at work has a missle command screen saver for his linux lap top it doesn't keep time and he didn't even know it was missle command.

[c64rulez]

It's cool alright.
But you can have a PING clock for free.
Just need to calculate some multiplications and you got the time.

Now, how about a chess board made of INTEL processors ?

[Harry Potter]

That'll show those pesky pentiums. Thinking they can play chess. NOW THEY ARE CHESS!!!

calm down.

Edit: I just realised they're actually 486s. DOH!

[RayB]

In Soviet Russia, chess plays You!

[MPTech]

Can someone provide a link to the screensaver? (either one)

When I click on the company link, I get an error.

thanks

[gprime]

Just picked me up a $31 tablet off eBay. Pong Clock, here I come

[missioncontrol]

Can someone provide a link to the screensaver? (either one)

When I click on the company link, I get an error.

thanks

it appears the pong clock is temporarily unavailable to the public. I can e-mail you the zip file if you want.... just PM me your e-mail address

[missioncontrol]

FYI mac users....

I did find a MAC version of the pong clock.... I have not downloaded it or used it since I don't have a MAC but thought I'd pass it along....

http://www.rogueamoeba.com/utm/posts/Random/PongSaver-2005-11-28-10-00.html

[gprime]

Oh man....

A guy on eBay with perfect feedback, of 100+ was selling a Tablet PC. A Beautiful 1.something GHz, 1GB of ram, fingerprint authentication, thin, 2lbs, 3hrs of battery life with stock battery. Basically, an awesome computer + portable device. He mislists the item under "Book Covers" and only me and 3 other people see the computer. I end up winning this $2000+ machine it at $31 + shipping.

The guy emails me after I won, trying to wiggle his way out of the sale. "I'll have to send with $1000 of insurance and you are going to get a hefty custom fee when it arrives." I keep insisiting for him to send it anyways. Eventually, a couple hours later.. I get an email that he has closed his eBay account.

Damn, I could have gotten a brand new tablet for $31! eBay sniping finally pays off.. and the guy doesn't want to go through with the deal. I mean I don't blame him, I would have probably tried to get out of it too... but darn... so close to getting the deal of a life time

So long, Pong clock! Maybe in another life time..

[Stingray]

What's new Ray?

-S

[RayB]

 

[ChadTower]

Why would you want to make a $2000 machine into a pong clock?

[gprime]

Why would you want to make a $2000 machine into a pong clock?

Well I guess I wouldnt have. I was searching for cheap tablets and came across that. But if I could have sold it for some good dough, gotten a cheaper one, and made a bit of profit off the whole deal

But... It was never meant to be.

The only "cheap" ones I can find now are $100+. Not worth that much for a clock, IMO.