KoalaPad Software

[Atari Smeghead]

Howdee!

 

I recently picked up a KoalaPad in a lot from a thrift store. I've never had or used one, so I have no clue.

 

I did a search for software online. All I could find was Koala MicroIllustrator, but the only .atr files I found were all cracked to use the joystick.

 

Anyone have any .atrs of any usable KoalaPad software? What all is there? I'm not even sure, at this point, how to test the thing.

 

Thanks,

Smeg

[_Fandal_]

Howdee!

 

I recently picked up a KoalaPad in a lot from a thrift store.  I've never had or used one, so I have no clue.

 

I did a search for software online.  All I could find was Koala MicroIllustrator, but the only .atr files I found were all cracked to use the joystick.

 

Anyone have any .atrs of any usable KoalaPad software?  What all is there? I'm not even sure, at this point, how to test the thing.

 

Thanks,

Smeg

838207[/snapback]

 

Try Spider Eater game. It requires koala pad...

 

F.

[Atari Smeghead]

Thank you, Fandal, for the reply! I'll give that a try in a bit.

 

I did some more research, for anyone who ever ends up caring...

-------------

 

Subject: 8.7) What programs have a paddle(s) or Koala Pad mode?

 

Andreas Magenheimer contributes:

 

Super Breakout (Atari) Breakout clone

Live Wire (Analog) tempest clone

Live wire 2 (Analog) tempest clone

Planetary Defense (Analog)

Pong (Antic) Pong clone

Pong (Analog) Pong clone

PlatterMania from Epyx

Clowns and Balloons

Super Ball (Compy Shop Magazin) Breakout clone

Arkanoid (Taito/Imagic) Breakout clone

Koala/Micro-Illustrator (Island graphics/Koala Ware) graphics program

Chiseler (Antic or Analog) a Breakout clone

Slime (Synapse) a slimy shooter...

Chicken (Synapse) catch the Chicken eggs...

One on One (Compute!) a breakout/warlords clone

Paratroop Attack by David Plotkin

all Pinballs created with the P.C.S.

(use left paddle trigger for left flipper and right paddle trigger for

right flipper; or simply use a joystick and left/right/fire button);

many more Pong and Breakout clones

(forgot their names, maybe someone can help here!)

- many more programs (which I do not remember right now!)

 

for Koala Pad only: - Micro-Illustrator / Koala Painter

- other Koala Pad painters or programs

 

Now, since it says Paddles *OR* Koala, I'm not sure if this means most of these won't work with Koala. But I'll give some of them a try and report back.

 

...just dyin' to know, aren't ya?

 

Smeg

[www.atarimania.com]

There are some other programs from Koala Technologies and other companies that work with the KoalaPad but they haven't been dumped yet...

 

--

Atari Frog

http://www.atarimania.com

[JB]

Now, since it says Paddles *OR* Koala, I'm not sure if this means most of these won't work with Koala.  But I'll give some of them a try and report back.

 

...just dyin' to know, aren't ya? 

 

Smeg

842925[/snapback]

I suspect it means that the KoalaPad reads as a pair of paddles. Sort of like an Etch-a-Sketch, one knob is your X axis,the other your Y axis.

 

Edit: pruned the quote down to the relevant part.

Edited April 24, 2005 by JB

[Dr. Van Thorp]

Smeg

842925[/snapback]

I suspect it means that the KoalaPad reads as a pair of paddles. Sort of like an Etch-a-Sketch, one knob is your X axis,the other your Y axis.

842971[/snapback]

 

Yep. The Koala software could be used with a pair of paddles, but I don't recomend it.

 

Also, most paddle-based games could be played with Koala Pad, but it might not work very well.

[Atari Smeghead]

Well, I tried Spider Eater and although it is a Koala Pad game, it apparently needs an overlay for it to make any sense at all. From what I gather, the game overlay is some sort of keyboard-lookin' thing. Ya hit notes to eat the spider.

 

So, without the overlay, I couldn't do much. But at least I was able to do something! It recognized some of my movements.

 

I also tried to use Rambrandt that Guitarman posted in a surprisingly similar topic in the Marketplace…

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67875

 

...and it, too, has apparently been altered to use a joystick. At least, with most of these games, the left and right buttons move the cursor but nothing I do on the pad does anything.

 

I loaded Livewire, and it kinda worked as well. But, attempting to use the KoalaPad as a paddle is nearly impossible, as far as I can tell. There's just no way to know what does what.

 

Of course, my Pad may be faulty. Which is why all I really want is something simple, an art program or a test program, that will allow me to drag my finger across the pad and make it do something tangible on the screen.

 

Thanks for the input, everyone!

 

Smeg

[frogstar_robot]

Well, I tried Spider Eater and although it is a Koala Pad game, it apparently needs an overlay for it to make any sense at all.  From what I gather, the game overlay is some sort of keyboard-lookin' thing.  Ya hit notes to eat the spider.

 

So, without the overlay, I couldn't do much. But at least I was able to do something!  It recognized some of my movements.

 

I also tried to use Rambrandt that Guitarman posted in a surprisingly similar topic in the Marketplace…

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67875

 

...and it, too, has apparently been altered to use a joystick.  At least, with most of these games, the left and right buttons move the cursor but nothing I do on the pad does anything.

 

I loaded Livewire, and it kinda worked as well.  But, attempting to use the KoalaPad as a paddle is nearly impossible, as far as I can tell.  There's just no way to know what does what.

 

Of course, my Pad may be faulty.  Which is why all I really want is something simple, an art program or a test program, that will allow me to drag my finger across the pad and make it do something tangible on the screen.

 

Thanks for the input, everyone!

 

Smeg

843329[/snapback]

 

 

I had a Koala pad a long time ago. My memory is that the thing worked but it wasn't very sensitive. MY pad may have been faulty but I had to bear down on it quite hard to get accurate tracking.

[Jeff Lodoen]

I also tried to use Rambrandt that Guitarman posted in a surprisingly similar topic in the Marketplace…

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67875

 

...and it, too, has apparently been altered to use a joystick.  At least, with most of these games, the left and right buttons move the cursor but nothing I do on the pad does anything.

 

I suspected what the prob was. If you read the docs (boot side 2 of RAMBrant) it says to plug the joystick in PORT 1 and the pad in PORT 2. Select Atari or Koala on the boot screen. (The Atari pad has a third button on a wired stylus, and I think the axes are reversed.)

 

RAMBrant will start in stick mode. SHIFT-P will activate the pad in PORT 2. SHIFT-S will switch back to the stick in PORT 1.

[Mot]

Smeg

842925[/snapback]

I suspect it means that the KoalaPad reads as a pair of paddles. Sort of like an Etch-a-Sketch, one knob is your X axis,the other your Y axis.

842971[/snapback]

 

Yep. The Koala software could be used with a pair of paddles, but I don't recomend it.

 

Also, most paddle-based games could be played with Koala Pad, but it might not work very well.

842990[/snapback]

I tried my KoalaPad on my 7800 with Kaboom! and Warlords and it work but not very well.

 

It only controls the paddles in about an inch range at the bottom right. Up down for player one, and right left for player two. The button on the right for player one and left for 2.

 

It was very hard to play.

Edited April 25, 2005 by Mot

[+CharlieChaplin]

Well,

thats the reason why I splitted the list in the A8FAQ subject 8.7, the first (long) part counts games that should work with both devices, but where Paddles are much better than koala Pad. the second part (only one program "micro-illustrator") should count the programs which could also be used with both controllers, but where a koala-pad would be the better device... Andreas Magenheimer.

[Atari Smeghead]

Andreas,

It's a very helpful list. In fact, that whole website is a fantastic reference. I've used it many, many times over the years. I'm glad you contributed your knowledge to it!

 

As for the Koala Pad...

 

Jeff, thank you VERY MUCH for the info on how to use RAMbrandt. I, like most people, tend not to read the instructions.

 

I've come to the conclusion that this thing doesn't work well at all. With RAMbrandt, I could get the cursor to move around the four corners of the screen, by running my finger along the edges of the surface, but never could I get it in the middle. The majority of the surface just didn't do anything.

 

I'm done messing with it. So... I figure, easy come, easy go.

 

If anyone wants this KoalaPad, I'd sell it for the cost of shipping and PayPal... so, like 50 cents American plus actual shipping.

 

PM if interested.

 

Thanks again, everyone!

 

Smeg

[+x=usr(1536)]

On 4/16/2005 at 9:59 AM, Atari Smeghead said:

Howdee!

 

I recently picked up a KoalaPad in a lot from a thrift store. I've never had or used one, so I have no clue.

 

I did a search for software online. All I could find was Koala MicroIllustrator, but the only .atr files I found were all cracked to use the joystick.

 

Anyone have any .atrs of any usable KoalaPad software? What all is there? I'm not even sure, at this point, how to test the thing.

 

Thanks,

Smeg

16-year-necrobump FTW

 

I'm running into the same problem: the one .atr of KoalaPainter I've tracked down was also the cracked version with joystick-only support.  What I really need is an original, uncracked/hacked copy of the disk version.

 

Does anyone have an original KoalaPainter disk, or, better yet, an .atr image they can share?

 

This one frustrates me, because I had the disk version (complete with KoalaWare disk cover) growing up - in fact, until I started looking into this, I didn't even realise there was a cartridge version.  Better get in the time machine and go back 35 years ;)

[+DjayBee]

1 hour ago, x=usr(1536) said:

the one .atr of KoalaPainter I've tracked down

Do you mind posting it here?

[+x=usr(1536)]

1 hour ago, DjayBee said:

Do you mind posting it here?

Sure.  Attached!

KoalaPainter.atr

[+DjayBee]

Ah, this is Micro Illustrator and not Koala Painter.

 

Try these (straight from the a8preservation torrent):

Micro Illustrator, The (1983)(Koala Technologies)(US).atx

Micro Illustrator, The (1983)(Koala Technologies)(US).atr

[+x=usr(1536)]

Thank you!  That version definitely works with my KoalaPad.  However, it doesn't appear to support the light pen (CX75, not Koala).  I suspect that I'll need a copy of KoalaPainter for that; IIRC, it was the one version of the software that could handle both.

 

Right now there doesn't appear to be an image of the KoalaPainter A8 disk floating around, which was apparently a flippy with the C64 version on the other side.

 

FWIW, the file I attached earlier was downloaded from pokeysoft.no - I just renamed it from "Utility U160b.atr" to "koalapainter.atr" to better keep track of it.  Completely missed that it was Micro Illustrator, not KoalaPainter.  Apologies for any confusion.

[+x=usr(1536)]

Necrobump Part Deux: I did find a flippy disk version of KoalaPainter (C64 on the front, A8 on the back) some time ago.  Haven't really looked at it yet, but it is buried around here somewhere.

 

When I can find time, I'll see about digging it out and running it through the Kryoflux.  I have an odd recollection that an unsuccessful attempt was made at loading it from a 1050 at one point before it was filed away, but may be confusing it with something else.