Poly-Play is an arcade cabinet developed in East Germany in 1985; it is the only such machine to originate in the GDR. It was created by VEB Polytechnik and contained a number of games, including a Pac-Man clone.
Poly-Play ran on a U880, a clone of the Zilog Z80CPU, which was clocked at 2.457600 MHz and a custom sound chip. Its display ran at a resolution of 512*256 at 50 Hz and supported a palette of ten colours, though it could also use coloured overlays. The machine's coin slot was designed for 50 Pfennig, but it was flawed - the pressure sensor could be deceived by pressing a 1-Pfennig coin very sharply into the top of the slot. However, this was largely tolerated because the machine was not a capitalistic commercial venture, but a state-owned product found predominantly in FDGB holiday homes, youth hostels and non-profit clubs. The machine ran with a deactivated coin slot in many youth clubs. However, the free play often caused large crowds to form around it, which incited their reactivation.
Hirschjagd (Deer Hunt) is similar to Robotron: 2084. Translation from the game: The fleeing deer must be pursued and hunted, but only 10 shots are available. A shot that hits the deer is not deducted. Around every 15 seconds, a shot must be fired or it will be lost.
Hase und Wolf (Hare and Wolf) is a faster-paced Pac-Man clone and was based on the Russiancartoon series Nu, pogodi!, popular in the GDR. The Hare must eat everything that it can get. It has to avoid the Wolf, who wants to eat it! Scoring: Pea 1 point, carrot 5 points, pear 7 and/or 10 points
Abfahrtslauf (Downhill) is a simple sport game in which one must ski between the flags. The gates go from 6 metres wide, half the screen size (very easy) down to 0.2 metres (impossible). This game can become very fast.
Schmetterlinge (Butterflies) with Pittiplatsch or Mole, both stars of children's television series in the GDR; however, the game is more suited to adults. The flowers act as obstacles that must be traversed.
Schießbude (Shooting Gallery) is a Carnival clone. Shoot to score. A balloon gives you one point; a duck, two; and a flower, three. Ammunition can be reloaded by shooting into the left magazine. For each of the three rows there is, in the top right, a multiplier field to hit (coloured yellow, blue and pink). The longer one plays, the greater the number of ducks to emerge; ducks in the lowest row can steal one's ammunition if not dealt with quickly.
Autorennen (Motor Race) is a racing game. The player's red car must win 2 out of 4 rounds. It is not a very difficult game as you start in a good initial position and can pass the first curve more easily than the other racers.
Merkspiel (Memory Game) Remember all pictures and reveal them, playing against time. Each picture also has its own sound. If you forget a picture, its sound plays.
Wasserrohrbruch (Water Pipe Burst) This is the last Poly-Play game. The objective is to prevent a room from flooding. In the room above, a water pipe bursts. By catching drops with the bucket, you can prevent the water level from rising. The bucket can be emptied out of the cellar windows (play button). If the bucket is full, one does not obtain any points. Scoring: Water level too high: -1 game; Caught drop: +5 points; Bucket emptied into the cellar: -x and Bucket emptied out of the window: +3x (where x = amount of drops caught); with good play: +1 game (max. 3).
Alternate cabinet of Poly-Play, displayed as part of the Game On exhibition in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, March 2005
The eight aforementioned games were made available to be playable with the emulator MAME in 2000. Additionally, the names of four other games were found in the source code: Der Gärtner (The Gardener), Im Gewächshaus (In the Greenhouse), Hagelnde Wolken (Hailing Clouds, a Space Invaders clone) and Der Taucher (The Diver, a game where malicious fish attack a diver).[7] All four games have been installed on at least some machines, the same goes for the games Im Irrgarten (In the Maze), Der Lindwurm (The Lindworm), Fly and AFU. Another game titled UFO is actually the original version of Hagelnde Wolken, but was edited due to being deemed too martial by the authorities.[8]
PolyPlay.de - German Website about Poly-Play, here you can play the Poly-Play-Games.
Poly Play at robotrontechnik.de (in German, with images of all known 17 games)
December 15, 2023
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Poly Play is an arcade cabinet developed in East Germany in 1985 it is the only such machine to originate in the GDR It was created by VEB Polytechnik and contained a number of games including a Pac Man clone Poly PlayDeveloper s VEB PolytechnikPublisher s VEB PolytechnikPlatform s Arcade K 1520 busReleasec 1985 1 Genre s VariousMode s Single playerA total of about 2 000 units of the cabinet were manufactured 2 Contents 1 Hardware 2 Games 3 Further reading 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHardware edit nbsp Poly Play on display at the Computerspielemuseum Berlin September 2013Poly Play ran on a U880 a clone of the Zilog Z80 CPU which was clocked at 2 457600 MHz and a custom sound chip Its display ran at a resolution of 512 256 at 50 Hz and supported a palette of ten colours though it could also use coloured overlays The machine s coin slot was designed for 50 Pfennig but it was flawed the pressure sensor could be deceived by pressing a 1 Pfennig coin very sharply into the top of the slot However this was largely tolerated because the machine was not a capitalistic commercial venture but a state owned product found predominantly in FDGB holiday homes youth hostels and non profit clubs The machine ran with a deactivated coin slot in many youth clubs However the free play often caused large crowds to form around it which incited their reactivation A Poly Play machine was on display in the Museum of Computing in Swindon England in 2004 1 From 2005 the same machine was part of the touring video game show Game On and was exhibited in multiple museums such as the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and the Science Museum in London 3 4 Two machines can also be seen at RetroGames e V in Germany 5 It is also prominently on display at the Computerspielemuseum Berlin 6 Games edit nbsp The game selection screen of Poly PlayHirschjagd Deer Hunt is similar to Robotron 2084 Translation from the game The fleeing deer must be pursued and hunted but only 10 shots are available A shot that hits the deer is not deducted Around every 15 seconds a shot must be fired or it will be lost Hase und Wolf Hare and Wolf is a faster paced Pac Man clone and was based on the Russian cartoon series Nu pogodi popular in the GDR The Hare must eat everything that it can get It has to avoid the Wolf who wants to eat it Scoring Pea 1 point carrot 5 points pear 7 and or 10 pointsAbfahrtslauf Downhill is a simple sport game in which one must ski between the flags The gates go from 6 metres wide half the screen size very easy down to 0 2 metres impossible This game can become very fast Schmetterlinge Butterflies with Pittiplatsch or Mole both stars of children s television series in the GDR however the game is more suited to adults The flowers act as obstacles that must be traversed Schiessbude Shooting Gallery is a Carnival clone Shoot to score A balloon gives you one point a duck two and a flower three Ammunition can be reloaded by shooting into the left magazine For each of the three rows there is in the top right a multiplier field to hit coloured yellow blue and pink The longer one plays the greater the number of ducks to emerge ducks in the lowest row can steal one s ammunition if not dealt with quickly Autorennen Motor Race is a racing game The player s red car must win 2 out of 4 rounds It is not a very difficult game as you start in a good initial position and can pass the first curve more easily than the other racers Merkspiel Memory Game Remember all pictures and reveal them playing against time Each picture also has its own sound If you forget a picture its sound plays Wasserrohrbruch Water Pipe Burst This is the last Poly Play game The objective is to prevent a room from flooding In the room above a water pipe bursts By catching drops with the bucket you can prevent the water level from rising The bucket can be emptied out of the cellar windows play button If the bucket is full one does not obtain any points Scoring Water level too high 1 game Caught drop 5 points Bucket emptied into the cellar x and Bucket emptied out of the window 3x wherex amount of drops caught with good play 1 game max 3 nbsp Alternate cabinet of Poly Play displayed as part of the Game On exhibition in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago March 2005The eight aforementioned games were made available to be playable with the emulator MAME in 2000 Additionally the names of four other games were found in the source code Der Gartner The Gardener Im Gewachshaus In the Greenhouse Hagelnde Wolken Hailing Clouds a Space Invaders clone and Der Taucher The Diver a game where malicious fish attack a diver 7 All four games have been installed on at least some machines the same goes for the games Im Irrgarten In the Maze Der Lindwurm The Lindworm Fly and AFU Another game titled UFO is actually the original version of Hagelnde Wolken but was edited due to being deemed too martial by the authorities 8 Further reading editMit Pittiplatsch auf Pixelfang In Suddeutsche Zeitung 1 Oktober 2007See also editBSS 01 the only video game console that was released in East Germany Polybius a fictitious arcade game with a similar name References edit a b Fancy a game comrade BBC Wiltshire 2004 07 20 Retrieved 2015 03 31 BSS 01 Wie die DDR mit volkseigener Konsole den sozialistischen Nachwuchs erzog VICE www vice com 27 March 2015 Retrieved 2020 08 05 Andy Welburn Poly Play Information andys arcade Retrieved 2015 04 03 Stefan Schmitt Exhibit Review Half a Century of Digital Gaming Game On Society for the History of Technology Archived from the original on 2008 05 18 Retrieved 2015 04 03 Poly Play VEB Polytechnik 1986 RetroGames e V last access 2011 01 20 Poly Play videogame machine Computerspielemuseum Berlin Retrieved 2015 04 03 Andreas Lange 2000 05 19 Dem Volk was dem Volk gehort in German Telepolis Retrieved 2015 04 03 Spielautomat Polyplay in German robotrontechnik de Retrieved 2015 04 03 External links editAndy s Arcade page with many internal views of the surviving cabinets RetroGames e V German Club with two working Poly Play machines Poly Play at the Killer List of Videogames BBC article about Poly Play PolyPlay de German Website about Poly Play here you can play the Poly Play Games Poly Play at robotrontechnik de in German with images of all known 17 games Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Poly Play amp oldid 1183036185, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
