Williams Robotron promo video 1982

[@larry0218]

People have been commenting on the graphic in the video when the humans are killed in the game. It is not simply a matter of the video showing pre-release and the skull and crossbones being in the final release. In fact, the video was a great historical capture of a very small window of time. The game was originally designed with the skull and crossbones graphic that you see in the final game. When the game was being seen on test and in the showroom, pre-release, there were concerns raised that the skull and crossbones was too extreme for parts of the young audience that play our games (it is clear that this is way ahead of the Mortal Kombat era where these discussions were a lot more interesting). Joe Dillon, (a wonderful friend, amazing sales representative and revered VP of sales, loved by all in the industry, may he rest in peace) was insistent that the sales of the game would be measurably affected by the negative reaction to the skull and crossbones on the screen for the human characters. It was decided to replace the skull and crossbones with the X'ed out human you see in the video. The test games were updated and the video was shot. A very short time later, Eugene was so upset about the change, he made an 11th hour plea to Michael Stroll, who made the call to put the skull and crossbones back in the game. My memory is that this was done before production, however I know I've seen posts from people that have games with the X'ed out software.

[@geech55]

Cool! Thanks for the insight Larry. Love hearing tales from the inside.

[@Legend813a]

I'm guessing you are the LED on the high score list?

[@play_history]

@@Legend813a Mr Larry DeMar himself!

[@wildernessgames]

Thank you for the clarification sir; I own a Black Knight and unless I'm mistaken you did the code,which I love as its a deeper game than most realize, the lit spinner with Robotron efx is great too. Respect, Mitch

[@billkeithchannel]

That isn't a skull and crossbones. It is a person with their hands up with an X through their body.

[@-Digital-Reality-]

The sound FX in the transition between completing each wave and the next is quite possibly the greatest sound FX of any arcade game of the golden era... Ever! Robotron 2084 - my all-time favourite classic arcade game. Put simply - it's a work of total genius and a complete masterpiece.

[@JimHawkwind03411]

DYK: The familiar Williams Sound originated not in video games, but in pinball. It originated with their System 3 games, but it really took off with System 4 and their hit game, Flash, the first game with continuous background sound, programmed by Randy Pfeiffer, who would later create Taito’s Qix after leaving Williams. Eugene Jarvis, despite having no background in audio design, developed a complex sound package for the hit game, Firepower, that would be used in the majority of Williams’s pinball (up to System 11) and video games, ending with 1986’s Joust 2. Williams’s other sound guys, like John Kotlarik, Bill Parod, Chris Granner, and Brian Schmidt, also contributed to the Pfeiffer/Jarvis library. Did Larry DeMar create any unique sounds?

[@billkeithchannel]

The sound chip was the exact same one used in their pinball machines. This was done to cut development cost by reusing what tech they could. This same chipset was used in Hyperball too.

[@chrisnizer5702]

Robotron is one of the few games that I can remember the first time I saw one and played the game. It was at a movie theater in Costa Mesa and they had a machine in the lobby. My cousin and I make the drive to the theater several times afterwards just to play the game. We were absolutely blown away with the graphics, sound effects, twin-stick controls. Just an EPIC classic arcade game. Thanks to all who contributed to the production of Robotron-2084. 👍 👍

[@gynandroidhead]

The greatest video arcade game of all time.

[@ClayCowgill]

That opening animation really needed to be a full story segment in Heavy Metal. (P.S. Hey Duncan!)

[@cpthnsolo]

I was thinking the same thing man!

[@joeharvey5556]

Im almost heading to 60...im feeling young But this made me laugh cry sob and realize life is fast I was 17 when i played this and will be 117 in 2084 We r getting cloer to this date.. Even though its far away and i migh5 not make 117 lol I am 60 yrs into this time period and its insane..lol 2084 back in 1984 was like way in future Now almst 2030 and i will be in my 80s in 2050s Its crazy really Even 2000 was so far away in 1984.. Life is fun hope everyone enjoys it cause it goes fast

[@ffletch5277]

i never saw this video during the 80's..although i was a child of the 80s and Robotron was my favorite game......I had to wait until youtube was invented and the year 2022 to see it..... crazy.....

[@billkeithchannel]

This was made for arcade owners to see probably at trade shows.

[@miked4377]

legendary Game 1982 was the best year ever!!!!i was there...

[@cdczmb8492]

What a gem, thank you so much for the upload.

[@davidshuman4469]

[dramatically] "Five THOUSAND life-giving points..."

[@giftedunderachiever]

Thanks for uploading, I love these old arcade and pinball promos. I still play this game all the time.

[@guardshack9865]

Interestingly, the best adjective to describe this game "intense" is never spoken by the narrator.

[@arzelaascoli9189]

Average time per credit 42s, sounds a bit high...

[@power2084]

In the latest versions of the game , the versions most of us know, humans killed by a Hulk were shown as skull and crossbones, while in this early version of the game, if take a look at 3:32, you will see it's just a human with an "X" on top of it !

[@sladkinable]

Why does the animated part of the promo always makes me think of Robotomy?

[@billkeithchannel]

I still own my copy of Robotron:2084 that I bought off of eBay back in 1999.

[@power2084]

First time I see that !! Thanks so much !!!

[@Duvmasta]

The narrator sounds like the one that narrated "Surviving Edged Weapons"...

[@rhombusMN]

Spoiler alert - ultimately you will lose! Great video, thanks for uploading.

[@Topesio66]

Holy crap this is completely amazing.. where did you find this treasure? The graphics and sound, atmosohere..time capsule!

[@mnemot]

seems like that fever dream was looking for a dreamer way before 1984 lol

[@BurstError]

so cool! anyone happen to know what the music is from in the beginning?

[@duncanfbrown]

There's a credit for it at the very end.

[@BurstError]

@@duncanfbrown doesn't credit the music unfortunately, I will keep looking though! thanks for uploading this video, so neat to see

[@duncanfbrown]

@@BurstError Oh I assumed the music was done custom for the credited short film. I've had no luck even tracking diown the fillm though,.

[@skunkman9815]

I’ve played this game in LEGO dimensions

[@butterbagboy]

That intro animation was great, was that from something else?

[@thps1]

I love this

[@joysticksnjukeboxes]

Wow, who did that animation in the beginning of the video?

[@duncanfbrown]

Watch until the very end - it's in the credits.

[@billkeithchannel]

That isn't a skull and crossbones. It is a person with their hands up with an X through their body.

[@carluzjubahib9993]

(c)1982,2022 WB Games inc.

[@LouisKoziarz]

Early software? The family kill animation is different...

[@duncanfbrown]

Well, you know how the photo shoot games are always the earliest examples...

[@LouisKoziarz]

@@duncanfbrown Still a cool piece of history. Where are you finding these tapes?

[@duncanfbrown]

@@LouisKoziarz The Larry archives - grabbing scans of stuff befoe it goes off to the museum.

[@joeharvey5556]

I once played all these games every other day... i worked partime blew my money on them ..lol Now im trying to almost retire ... boom. Life is fast people. Please enjoy life. Save for pension. Love ur family Life too short for grudges Im telling u it felt like 4 yrs ago i was playing these game in 1982 ... now its 2022... its insane ...and 😳... fast Take care everyone

[@blackout6403]

Sounds like Terminator

[@Zehcnas89]

wtf was that ending LMAO