Millipede (GCC Version)

 

This prototype is the version that GCC did before getting permission from Atari.  It's not 100% clear why GCC decided to go keep going ahead with their own version after discovering that Atari was doing one internally, but they probably figured that if they upstaged the internal Atari programmers and got their version to marketing first Atari would go with it (a similar incident had happened with Battlezone).  However in this case Atari decided to stick with their own programmers and chose to release Dave's version instead.

While the GCC version has a spiffier title screen and plays faster, it's really hard to call it the superior version.  Both versions have their pros and cons, and in the end it's all a matter of personal taste.  Atari would have done just as well had they released this version instead, but by backing their own team they  gained some much needed brownie points with the disgruntled Atari programmers.

According to Doug Macrae, Millipede shares about 50% of its code with Centipede.  This isn't surprising given that GCC also developed the 2600 port of Centipede and that Millipede plays quite similarly (being the sequel and all).

 
Atari Version
GCC Version
Player
Mushroom
DDT Bomb
Millipede
Spider
Bee
Beetle
Inchworm
Mosquito
Earwig
Dragonfly

 

Prototype Differences
The title screen is different.  This version has a patch of mushrooms arranged into a giant mushroom picture.

The graphics are very different:
     - The mushrooms are much taller
     - The player is shaped like a space ship instead of being a square block
     - The Spider is shaped differently
     - The Beetle is much smaller and less detailed
     - The Inchworm is smaller
     - The earwig is larger and shaped differently
     - The bee is different
     - The mosquito is much smaller
     - The dragonfly is shaped differently
     - The DDT bombs are simple rectangular blocks
     - The DDT cloud is different
     - The poisoned mushrooms look like different colored regular mushrooms (no glowing dashes)
The colors are different (such as the the area where your player can move)
The score font is different
The sound effects are different
The game is much faster and harder overall
There are more mushrooms on the screen from the start
There is no game over screen.  The game simply goes back to the title screen
There is no "Select Starting Score" stage select
This version contains a children's mode (indicated by a teddy bear)
Extra lives are accquired at 10,000 points rather than 15,000

 

 

Nice title screen!

 

Notice the teddy bear option

 

Nice thick mushrooms...

 

Those Millipedes looks suspiciously like Centipedes to me...

 

Bee swarm!

 

Is that the earwig or did someone barf?

 

The "brick" DDT bombs are hard to see

 

Spider 600 points!

 

 

Return to Millipede