Squad Challenge - Cybermorph (Atari Jaguar)

[Justin]

 

 

 

Cybermorph
Atari Jaguar
Controller: JOYPAD / KEYBOARD / PLAYER'S CHOICE
Difficulty Level: Access Code 1008, Player's Choice of any world from Default Screen
Play on: Real Hardware / Dedicated Console / MAME / Emulation OK! ✔
Squad Challenge ends 11:59 pm PST December 14, 2020

 

 

Objective

Play for the highest possible score using the difficulty settings defined in the challenge. Post a photo or YouTube video of your score in this thread. Scores must be achieved between December 1st through December 14th, 2020. Screen captures are not allowed as they are more easily manipulated for falsified scores. Multiple submissions are permitted. The player with the highest score at the end of the competition is the victor!

 

Eligibility

Anyone can join in. All players are welcome!

 

Play Rules

Games may be played on real hardware, Flashback / Mini console, or emulation, using any controller or keyboard, following all rules and game settings defined in the challenge. Choosing between real hardware or emulation, and choosing which controller to play on is part of formulating your strategy. Enhancements, rewinds and hacked versions of this game are not allowed.

 

Difficulty Level

Start game with Player's Choice of any world from Default "Select Destination" Screen (Access Code 1008). You can start with any world on that screen you'd like, and play through he worlds in any order you choose.

 

Fair Play

Your integrity is everything. Players should play fairly, be honest, and have fun! Falsified scores will result in your immediate removal from the site. It goes without saying that we will not allow cheats, hacks, cartridge frying, enhancements, rewinds, deceitful photo manipulation, subterfuge, or any other unfair advantage. Everybody hates a cheater.

 

More

To review detailed rules on how to play, please visit the High Score Squad page here: 

 

 

Message

Welcome to our 93rd Squad Challenge, and our VERY FIRST EVER ATARI JAGUAR SQUAD CHALLENGE! We break the ice with one of the Atari I/O Team's favorite games to play at Christmas time, Cybermorph, the original pack-in game for the Atari Jaguar. Nothing gets me ready for winter like the sound of Cybermorph, the crackle of logs in the fireplace, making holiday meals, and hearing DS9 coming on TV in the other room. @btbfilms76 hosted a Holiday Special featuring Cybermorph which we will share below as an introduction to the game. Begin your game with the Default "Select Destination" Screen, which uses Access Code 1008. You can start with any world on that screen you'd like, and play through the worlds in any order you choose. Cybermorph was developed alongside the Atari Jaguar (and initially Atari Panther) and was released in 1993. For many gamers, Mario 64 was their first introduction to a 3-D open world. For those of us who grew up with the Jaguar through, we got to experience this three years earlier with Cybermorph. We just had two Squad Challenges in a row which introduced us to MAME and required us to get our Emulation setups in order. It wasn't easy, but we did it! Playing our first Squad Challenge on Atari Jaguar is going to be a similar experience. The Jag isn't as common as, say the 2600, and emulation support is essentially non-existent. It may be difficult for some of you to join in this Squad Challenge and participation may be lower than we'd like. But for those of you with an Atari Jaguar, Cybermorph is one of the most common games released for the system, so we're playing a game that most Jaguar players will have already gotten their paws on. Instructions are provided below. Good luck to everybody participating! Where did you learn to fly?

 

NOTE: Our next Squad Challenge will be the 2020 F-ZERO Christmas Challenge for Super Nintendo! Be there!

 

 

 

 

 

Cybermorph.pdf

[Justin]

 

[RickR]

I volunteer to try out some emulation applications and try to get this working.  I'll start with MESS. 

[Justin]

6 minutes ago, RickR said:

I volunteer to try out some emulation applications and try to get this working.  I'll start with MESS. 

Thank you Constable @RickR! Seriously, that's very nice of you to step forward and volunteer. 

[HDN]

18 minutes ago, Justin said:

Where did you learn to fly?

Where did you learn to be an ***hole?

 

I don't think I'll be able to participate in this one, sadly. The Jaguar is supposed to be impossible to emulate. Thankfully, our next challenge is for F-Zero! I think this is the first Squad Challenge we've had where I actually had the game before the challenge started!

[RickR]

46 minutes ago, Justin said:

Thank you Constable @RickR! Seriously, that's very nice of you to step forward and volunteer. 

Fun fact:  Just searching for the word "Jaguar" in MESS causes the program to crash.  I'm not kidding!  I'll try something else.

[Sabertooth]

@RickR, if you haven't already, try Phoenix or Virtual Jaguar. Both should be compatible with Cybermorph. 

@Justin I am pumped to finally see the Jaguar represented in the challenge! I guess it's only natural for the first game to be Cybermorph. I hope those of you that have the ability to do so, choose to try out some of the few emulators that do run Jag. 

I'll definitely be posting a score to this one! 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Sabertooth

[RickR]

6 minutes ago, Sabertooth said:

if you haven't already, try Phoenix or Virtual Jaguar. Both should be compatible with Cybermorph

I have them downloaded and will try them as soon as time permits.  Thanks!

[nosweargamer]

9 hours ago, Justin said:

 

NOTE: Our next Squad Challenge will be the 2020 F-ZERO Christmas Challenge for Super Nintendo! Be there!

I am super happy to see the next Squad Challenge being mentioned as well! It gives me a chance to potentially dig out the game if I own it.

I would be totally happy if this becomes the norm. 😉

Edited December 4, 2020 by nosweargamer

[socrates63]

Ok, I jumped on the bandwagon and got myself a Jaguar a few minutes ago. I'd been thinking of getting one for a while, and the squad challenge gave me excuse reason to add another Atari console to the stable. I picked it up from a local gamer/seller.

[Sabertooth]

A quick one to get it started. 83,100. 

 

[btbfilms76]

Yes! Let’s get it on!! 
don’t forget to make some Kahlúa this holiday season as well gang. 

[btbfilms76]

85050 1st run tonight 

 

[RickR]

Emulation experience so far (I'm on a Windows 10 PC):

• Virtual Jaguar - works for some games, but does NOT work on Cybermorph
• Phoenix emulator - I was able to get Cybermorph running, but have not tried to play yet.  See screenshot below.  This emulator is in Russian, but there is an English language patch.  Search for "Phoenix Emulator" and download that, then search for "Phoenix Emulator English Patch" and download that as well.  UnRAR the first file, then UNRAR the second into the same directory as the first.

I will try to actually play a game later today.

 

[btbfilms76]

Nice work Rick!

[Marco1019]

I'll be sitting this one out as I never touched Cybermorph when I had my Jaguar. Good luck to everyone in the Squad Challenge!

[HDN]

I'll be sitting this one out as well. I'll be back for F-Zero!

[RickR]

24,950 on emulation.

@Justin, can you help me with the 1001 access code?  When I start a game, it's on 1008.  If I enter a code of 1001, it just goes back to 1008.  Is that a quirk of emulation?

 

[Sabertooth]

@RickR 1008 is the default starting code. I think 1001 is a typo. 

Edited December 9, 2020 by Sabertooth

[Sabertooth]

103,250

Second play. Cleared the first planets and hit a wall on the hilariously named "Headhunter." I have to remember how to beat him. 

[socrates63]

Because of family circumstances, I find myself having to operate the family business (dry cleaners) this week. It's been extremely slow because of the pandemic, so I don't have much to do all day at the store. And then the 💡 finally went on in the dark recesses of this brain. I have an unused 20" Trinitron in the house, and I brought it to the store 🙂 And today, I brought the Jaguar and fired it up for the first time.

Here are my impressions from playing 15 minutes of Cybermorph this morning.

• The original Jaguar controller feels fine and works well. I had read about how terrible it is.
• The Jaguar throws up some mean looking beautiful graphics! I haven't seen an Atari ST era game in person since the early 90s, and the look and style is very reminiscent of those times. I look forward to seeing ST games ported to the Jaguar. I am in heaven.
• Cybermorph looks very pretty on my Trinitron, and I'm using composite. I was thinking about getting the s-video cable later, but right now, I don't feel the need. The photo does not do it justice.
• Still trying to figure out the game display.
• The game feels very responsive.
• Initially, Skylar the AI reminded me of Ilia (the bald lady character from Star Trek: The Motion Picture). After playing a bit, Skylar looks a little scary and reminds the illustrations of the AI from the game System Shock (I've never played SS).
• I'm having fun with Cybermorph. I had read it wasn't that good and wasn't well received.
• The instruction manual was a fun read, and the backstory was humorously written.

Also, I wanted to drop a thank you to the I/O and Justin for this high score challenge. If it wasn't for this occasion and the folks here, I would not have gotten a Jaguar and would have missed out on this beautiful machine.

 

[RickR]

That is awesome @socrates63!  And you can use the "pause" feature if any customers come in! 

I agree with you on every point.  The only bad thing I can think of on the controller is the keypad (it just seems so outdated on a system from that era).  Otherwise, it feels fine and works great. 

Have fun!  Post your high score. 

 

[RickR]

PS - I've wanted a Jaguar for a long time.  I haven't ever found one for sale at a decent price is all.  The emulation stinks.  I need the real thing!

I'm hoping once the pandemic ends and the retro game shows are back on, I'll finally find one.  That's how I got my TG16.  After years of looking, I found one for a slightly elevated price from a vendor at PRGE, and BOOM -- been loving it ever since. 

[socrates63]

The TG16 looks to be the console of my dreams -- its game library is strongly appealing to my sensibilities. I actually pre-ordered and got the mini (still unopened) but would prefer playing on actual hardware. That's one I may want in the future (is there anything that I don't want outside of Pokemon games? 🙄 😁)

I got my Jaguar, composite cable, one controller, and three games for $300 from a local seller. With the conventions gone this year, local guys have been selling online regularly. I believe Pink Gorilla has a Jaguar for $350 for the console and probably controller (can't remember). With the extra games, composite cable, and no 10% sales tax, I figure I saved at least a Benjamin.

[RickR]

TG16 is so much better than I thought it would be.  I honestly like it more than Genesis or Super Nintendo.  If you decide to buy one, make sure to budget an extra $100 for the everdrive.