The Dovetail Group
Encyclopedia
The Dovetail Group, Inc. was one of the earliest video game developer
s to specialize in music video game
s. The Dovetail Group's products were designed for second generation
systems such as the Atari 800 and the Commodore 64
. Notable games developed by The Dovetail Group include Halftime Battlin' Bands (1984), Coco-Notes (1984), and Movie Musical Madness (1984). These games are notable as they represent some of the earliest examples of the music management subgenre of music video game
s.
cheerleaders
) cheer for the team that is winning. The player is scored based on time it takes to complete a good routine and quality of the routine.
In Coco-Notes (also published by CBS Software), the player is stranded on Coco-Note Isle where he must fish for musical notes in the form of coconuts
and tunes in the form of fish. The player may then use these notes and tunes to create melodies in a free form manner. The game also features a quiz
minigame where The Jazz Scats (a group of castaway
hipsters
) perform the first half of a jazz
song and the player must then complete the song before Mr. Cool Clam (a square
note-eating clam
) eats the song.
Movie Musical Madness is a 1-player music management game in which the player takes the role of a musical film
director as he attempts to create an appropriate score for, select an appropriate plot for, and direct the actions of his group of actors, The Jazz Scats. The Jazz Scats (a group of bearded
actors) can be set to perform in dozens of scenes ranging from city scenes to jungle scenes to outer-space scenes.
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
s to specialize in music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
s. The Dovetail Group's products were designed for second generation
History of video game consoles (second generation)
In the history of computer and video games, the second generation began in 1976 with the release of the Fairchild Channel F and Radofin 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System....
systems such as the Atari 800 and the Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
. Notable games developed by The Dovetail Group include Halftime Battlin' Bands (1984), Coco-Notes (1984), and Movie Musical Madness (1984). These games are notable as they represent some of the earliest examples of the music management subgenre of music video game
Music video game
A music video game, also commonly known as a music game, is a video game where the gameplay is meaningfully and often almost entirely oriented around the player's interactions with a musical score or individual songs...
s.
Games
Published by CBS Software in 1984, Halftime Battlin' Bands is a multiplayer game that requires a player to compose a marching tune and then lead a rank of band members in complex formations to outmaneuver the opponent player (Single-play mode means that the opponent was the computer). In order to prevent the other band from accomplishing their goals, a bench of weapons are available for use against the other band. As the two opposing teams compete, The Jazz Scats (a group of early beatnikHipster (1940s subculture)
Hipster, as used in the 1940s, referred to aficionados of jazz, in particular bebop, which became popular in the early 1940s. The hipster adopted the lifestyle of the jazz musician, including some or all of the following: dress, slang, use of cannabis and other drugs, relaxed attitude, sarcastic...
cheerleaders
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
) cheer for the team that is winning. The player is scored based on time it takes to complete a good routine and quality of the routine.
In Coco-Notes (also published by CBS Software), the player is stranded on Coco-Note Isle where he must fish for musical notes in the form of coconuts
COcOnuts
COcOnuts is the second album released by Jane, comprising Animal Collective member Panda Bear, and Scott Mou. It was originally self-released on CD-R's, but later became the first album released by Psych-o-path Records in 2005. The Psych-o-path version was remastered by Rusty Santos and Edik Kleyner....
and tunes in the form of fish. The player may then use these notes and tunes to create melodies in a free form manner. The game also features a quiz
Quiz
A quiz is a form of game or mind sport in which the players attempt to answer questions correctly. In some countries, a quiz is also a brief assessment used in education and similar fields to measure growth in knowledge, abilities, and/or skills.Quizzes are usually scored in points and many...
minigame where The Jazz Scats (a group of castaway
Castaway
A castaway is a person who is cast adrift or ashore. While the situation usually happens after a shipwreck, some people voluntarily stay behind on a deserted island, either to evade their captors or the world in general. Alternatively, a person or item can be cast away, meaning rejected or discarded...
hipsters
Hipster (1940s subculture)
Hipster, as used in the 1940s, referred to aficionados of jazz, in particular bebop, which became popular in the early 1940s. The hipster adopted the lifestyle of the jazz musician, including some or all of the following: dress, slang, use of cannabis and other drugs, relaxed attitude, sarcastic...
) perform the first half of a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
song and the player must then complete the song before Mr. Cool Clam (a square
Square (slang)
Square used as slang may mean many things when referring to a person or in common language.In referring to a person, the word originally meant someone who was honest, traditional and loyal. An agreement that is equitable on all sides is a "square deal"...
note-eating clam
Clam
The word "clam" can be applied to freshwater mussels, and other freshwater bivalves, as well as marine bivalves.In the United States, "clam" can be used in several different ways: one, as a general term covering all bivalve molluscs...
) eats the song.
Movie Musical Madness is a 1-player music management game in which the player takes the role of a musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
director as he attempts to create an appropriate score for, select an appropriate plot for, and direct the actions of his group of actors, The Jazz Scats. The Jazz Scats (a group of bearded
Goatee
Goatee refers to a style of facial hair incorporating hair on a man’s chin. The exact nature of the style has varied according to time and culture.Traditionally, goatee refers solely to a beard formed by a tuft of hair on the chin...
actors) can be set to perform in dozens of scenes ranging from city scenes to jungle scenes to outer-space scenes.