GroovyBee Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Taken from eJagFest 2011 on Saturday :- There will be a short video of the XEGS keyboard in operation on the XM status page shortly. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Also, while just a thought, Mark is considering allowing players to enter your high score initials into a game via xegs keyboard It won't be a change to the HSC BIOS. The HSC needs a complete rewrite to handle PAL/NTSC and XEGS in my opinion. Its up to developers what they do with XEGS. I'll just be providing a snippet of code in the XM technical manual. "Halloween", Apple Snaffle and Outpost 26 will be XEGS enabled on their high score charts shortly. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NML32 Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Also, while just a thought, Mark is considering allowing players to enter your high score initials into a game via xegs keyboard It won't be a change to the HSC BIOS. The HSC needs a complete rewrite to handle PAL/NTSC and XEGS in my opinion. Its up to developers what they do with XEGS. I'll just be providing a snippet of code in the XM technical manual. "Halloween", Apple Snaffle and Outpost 26 will be XEGS enabled on their high score charts shortly. Fantastic!!! Anyone know where one can just buy the XEGS keyboard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Anyone know where one can just buy the XEGS keyboard? It looks like both Best and B&C sell them. However, you might want to call and check. I suspect that you'll get something cheaper from eBay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zonie Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Cool option, but given the problems of finding a good XE keyboard, wouldn't it make more sense to make it PC keyboard compatible? Millions of those around for the taking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Cool option, but given the problems of finding a good XE keyboard, wouldn't it make more sense to make it PC keyboard compatible? Millions of those around for the taking. Unfortunately POKEY only has one serial port so you'd lose SIO. Somebody could create a SIO based PC keyboard adapter and write the software (if it isn't available for the A8s already) or even create a XEGS to PC keyboard interface. At this late stage in the project (with the plastics already done) we won't be adding native PC keyboard support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Cool option, but given the problems of finding a good XE keyboard, wouldn't it make more sense to make it PC keyboard compatible? Millions of those around for the taking. I don't think it's a biggie personally. Many Atari Agers have an XE and a 7800 and the XEs are pretty common on Ebay and the dealers. How many active 7800 owners with active XMs are also going to need an XE Keyboard if they don't have one now? Probably a couple hundred at best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rybags Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 In theory you could make a cable XM -> 8-bit joystick ports and use an 8-bit Atari running sotware to simulate an XEGS keyboard. A bit cumbersome, but as a DIY thing would only cost a few bucks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Allan Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Would this keyboard work with any of the original 7800 computer software like Basic or the Word Processor? Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Would this keyboard work with any of the original 7800 computer software like Basic or the Word Processor? I don't think so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indiana Quack Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Hi, Sorry if this has already been answered. What can the Xegs Keyboard do that it would warrant people getting them. I would like to know everything before I'm thinking about picking up a keyboard. Thanks in advance 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Hi, Sorry if this has already been answered. What can the Xegs Keyboard do that it would warrant people getting them. I would like to know everything before I'm thinking about picking up a keyboard. Thanks in advance It depends on the game developer. For example, my games will allow you to enter your initials into their high score charts on the XEGS keyboard (as well as navigating to the letter on the stick). Other games might use the XEGS keyboard to display several pages of information e.g. an Elite style game with fore, aft, starboard and port views. It also allows text adventures to be written/ported where you enter commands to control your actions. If somebody were to do a Disk Operating System (DOS) for the SIO on the XM then it could be used to type in commands into that too. Once developers get to grips with the XM I'm sure the keyboard will be incorporated more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Kai Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Hi, Sorry if this has already been answered. What can the Xegs Keyboard do that it would warrant people getting them. I would like to know everything before I'm thinking about picking up a keyboard. Thanks in advance It depends on the game developer. For example, my games will allow you to enter your initials into their high score charts on the XEGS keyboard (as well as navigating to the letter on the stick). Other games might use the XEGS keyboard to display several pages of information e.g. an Elite style game with fore, aft, starboard and port views. It also allows text adventures to be written/ported where you enter commands to control your actions. If somebody were to do a Disk Operating System (DOS) for the SIO on the XM then it could be used to type in commands into that too. Once developers get to grips with the XM I'm sure the keyboard will be incorporated more. Excuse me for putting this so bluntly. On the surface that sounds like a complete waste of money for end-users. The ability to put my initials in with the keyboard when it's already easy enough with the joystick? And the other options you're talking about, possibly a new Star Raiders type game, why can't programmers utilize the Atari keypad controller? Which unlike an XE keyboard, more of us actually have ready to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petik1 Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 For initials, the XE keyboard sounds like it's optional. An Atari keypad isn't as, well, sophisticated as a keyboard. You can do more with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Excuse me for putting this so bluntly. On the surface that sounds like a complete waste of money for end-users. The ability to put my initials in with the keyboard when it's already easy enough with the joystick? And the other options you're talking about, possibly a new Star Raiders type game, why can't programmers utilize the Atari keypad controller? Which unlike an XE keyboard, more of us actually have ready to use. Nobody is forcing you to buy a XEGS keyboard or anything else to connect to your XM. Since we are being blunt, as a developer I'll support whatever I want in my games. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimo Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 My name has letters in it so a Keyboard will be much more useful. Plus, I think I am correct in thinking that at some point in the future the 7800 will have some sort of BASIC language so we can write our own games etc. Plus plus, like Mark has stated, no one is forcing you to buy anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Kai Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Excuse me for putting this so bluntly. On the surface that sounds like a complete waste of money for end-users. The ability to put my initials in with the keyboard when it's already easy enough with the joystick? And the other options you're talking about, possibly a new Star Raiders type game, why can't programmers utilize the Atari keypad controller? Which unlike an XE keyboard, more of us actually have ready to use. Nobody is forcing you to buy a XEGS keyboard or anything else to connect to your XM. Since we are being blunt, as a developer I'll support whatever I want in my games. Look, there's already a list of great games that will ONLY BE COMPATIBLE with the XM right? It's not a great leap to think that with full keyboard support, that there will in time be a list of great games that are ONLY COMPATIBLE with the XE Keyboard on the 7800 XM. Seems like something like this only dwindles the amount of end-users that will be able to enjoy the games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyx Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Game makers will take into account the limited amount of folks with XEGS keyboards when making their games. In fact, I doubt there will be any keyboard-only games. More likely the keyboard will be used for the development of games. Look, there's already a list of great games that will ONLY BE COMPATIBLE with the XM right? It's not a great leap to think that with full keyboard support, that there will in time be a list of great games that are ONLY COMPATIBLE with the XE Keyboard on the 7800 XM. Seems like something like this only dwindles the amount of end-users that will be able to enjoy the games. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GroovyBee Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Developers will do whatever they want to do. It's their free time and they can spend it doing whatever they want. That means games could have no XEGS support, optional XEGS support or be fully reliant on it. If developers want to support SIO for loadable level packs its up to them. Its an expansion module at the end of the day. Its your choice what you buy for the XM. If you don't like it, vote with your wallet but don't dictate what developers should and shouldn't do when you aren't paying the bill for the 100s of hours it takes to get a game out of the door. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DracIsBack Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Look, there's already a list of great games that will ONLY BE COMPATIBLE with the XM right? It's not a great leap to think that with full keyboard support, that there will in time be a list of great games that are ONLY COMPATIBLE with the XE Keyboard on the 7800 XM. Seems like something like this only dwindles the amount of end-users that will be able to enjoy the games. And the killjoys strike back ... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Kai Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Developers will do whatever they want to do. It's their free time and they can spend it doing whatever they want. That means games could have no XEGS support, optional XEGS support or be fully reliant on it. If developers want to support SIO for loadable level packs its up to them. Its an expansion module at the end of the day. Its your choice what you buy for the XM. If you don't like it, vote with your wallet but don't dictate what developers should and shouldn't do when you aren't paying the bill for the 100s of hours it takes to get a game out of the door. Where did I say anything to the contrary? All I'm saying is that if programmers ever plan on maybe making some money off their games, programmers should consider that not every owner is going to have a keyboard. I'm certainly in no position to dictate anything. And you're correct, I can vote with my wallet, it's my only skin in the game. And since I did vote with my wallet by ordering an XM, you're telling me and any other potential customer of games that I shouldn't have any opinion on game development for the product that I bought. Who's the one dictating here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Kai Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Look, there's already a list of great games that will ONLY BE COMPATIBLE with the XM right? It's not a great leap to think that with full keyboard support, that there will in time be a list of great games that are ONLY COMPATIBLE with the XE Keyboard on the 7800 XM. Seems like something like this only dwindles the amount of end-users that will be able to enjoy the games. And the killjoys strike back ... We should never talk about any potential downsides. Ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoyx Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 (edited) You are coming off as a troll. Your opinions really don't make sense. You do know that there are a boat load of non-keyboard games coming out. Can you name any keyboard-only games? Where did I say anything to the contrary? All I'm saying is that if programmers ever plan on maybe making some money off their games, programmers should consider that not every owner is going to have a keyboard. I'm certainly in no position to dictate anything. And you're correct, I can vote with my wallet, it's my only skin in the game. And since I did vote with my wallet by ordering an XM, you're telling me and any other potential customer of games that I shouldn't have any opinion on game development for the product that I bought. Who's the one dictating here? Edited November 26, 2011 by Zoyx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Usotsuki Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 I for one, when I have the capability to test and develop, have as my main interest getting an OS, BASIC interpreter, and maybe Z3 interpreter running on the XM. That naturally requires the keyboard >. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Kai Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 You are coming off as a troll. Your opinions really don't make sense. You do know that there are a boat load of non-keyboard games come out. Can you name any keyboard only games? Where did I say anything to the contrary? All I'm saying is that if programmers ever plan on maybe making some money off their games, programmers should consider that not every owner is going to have a keyboard. I'm certainly in no position to dictate anything. And you're correct, I can vote with my wallet, it's my only skin in the game. And since I did vote with my wallet by ordering an XM, you're telling me and any other potential customer of games that I shouldn't have any opinion on game development for the product that I bought. Who's the one dictating here? Just trying to look ahead is all. I can see how what I'm saying is completely misplaced at this point in time. I'm really reacting to this by GroovyBee: Once developers get to grips with the XM I'm sure the keyboard will be incorporated more. That's pretty much what I'm arguing about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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