Red Baron
Red Baron was an arcade game developed by Atari, Inc, and released in 1980. The first first-person flight simulator game, the player
takes the role of a World War I ace in a biplane fighting on the side of the Allies. The game is named after the nickname of
Manfred von Richthofen, German flying ace. The game utilizes the same monochrome vector graphics and similar arcade hardware as
Atari's own immensely popular Battlezone; both were developed at the same time. Like Battlezone, the player is presented with a
first-person view of the action. Both Battlezone and Red Baron required additional hardware, an 'auxiliary' board, to perform the
mathematical computations required for simulating a 3D environment.
The game is divided up into many rounds, although most are repetitive in nature. Most rounds are divided into air combat (shooting
from one to three airplanes in formation) and ground combat (two zeppelins and multiple ground targets). While the game does not
feature accurate flight physics, it is possible to crash the player's biplane into vector-rendered mountain ranges; the player
cannot, however, crash the plane into any location. Enemies include formations of enemy biplanes, zeppelins, pillboxes, turrets,
and enemy buildings.
Red Baron adjusts its own game difficulty by maintaining a consistent average game time from the last 32 games played. The NVRAM stores top three scores as well as average game times. In other words, this game has 'adaptive difficulty.' The goal of this feature was to adapt to the skill level of the typical player at that location and prevent excessive game times.
Battlezone and Red Baron upright versions share the same cabinet. In Battlezone, the player looked through a window that was shaped like a tank periscope. Side-view windows were available on both sides for people not playing the game to watch the action. Battlezone utilized a two-way mirror to superimpose the monitor display (mounted horizontally) on a tank 'interior' background. Although Red Baron uses the same cabinet as Battlezone, no mirror is used and the monitor is mounted vertically, with the player viewing the display directly. Battlezone had two joysticks that only went forward and backward, and one button to fire (mounted on the right joystick). Red Baron had one analog joystick and it moved in all four directions, with the fire button mounted on the top of the stick.
The Battlezone game and the Red Baron games both used the same Analog Vector Generator circuit boards and by switching the PROM's they could be interchanged (with very minor jumper additions). Red Baron and Battlezone use different auxiliary boards which are not interchangeable. The Battlezone game came out about one year before the Red Baron game.
When a player shoots down an enemy biplane at maximum distance, the "Charge" theme can be heard. Other than that, there is no music in the game, though there is a sound effect that is supposed to represent the 'engine' of the player's plane.
The game is divided up into many rounds, although most are repetitive in nature. Most rounds are divided into air combat (shooting
from one to three airplanes in formation) and ground combat (two zeppelins and multiple ground targets). While the game does not
feature accurate flight physics, it is possible to crash the player's biplane into vector-rendered mountain ranges; the player
cannot, however, crash the plane into any location. Enemies include formations of enemy biplanes, zeppelins, pillboxes, turrets,
and enemy buildings.
Red Baron adjusts its own game difficulty by maintaining a consistent average game time from the last 32 games played. The NVRAM stores top three scores as well as average game times. In other words, this game has 'adaptive difficulty.' The goal of this feature was to adapt to the skill level of the typical player at that location and prevent excessive game times.
Battlezone and Red Baron upright versions share the same cabinet. In Battlezone, the player looked through a window that was shaped like a tank periscope. Side-view windows were available on both sides for people not playing the game to watch the action. Battlezone utilized a two-way mirror to superimpose the monitor display (mounted horizontally) on a tank 'interior' background. Although Red Baron uses the same cabinet as Battlezone, no mirror is used and the monitor is mounted vertically, with the player viewing the display directly. Battlezone had two joysticks that only went forward and backward, and one button to fire (mounted on the right joystick). Red Baron had one analog joystick and it moved in all four directions, with the fire button mounted on the top of the stick.
The Battlezone game and the Red Baron games both used the same Analog Vector Generator circuit boards and by switching the PROM's they could be interchanged (with very minor jumper additions). Red Baron and Battlezone use different auxiliary boards which are not interchangeable. The Battlezone game came out about one year before the Red Baron game.
When a player shoots down an enemy biplane at maximum distance, the "Charge" theme can be heard. Other than that, there is no music in the game, though there is a sound effect that is supposed to represent the 'engine' of the player's plane.