Should I switch from IIe to IIgs? Questions...

[Bill Loguidice]

I believe the Amiga 500 is the best overall Amiga for game compatibility unless you really want to play AGA games in which case you'll need a 1200 or 4000. I use a 2000 myself.

 

 

In my opinion, the ultimate Amiga is an Amiga 1200 with compact flash card and trapdoor accelerator with extra memory. You can buy pre-configured 4GB or 8GB compact flash cards that plug right into the 1200's IDE connector, and the accelerator/extra memory card slides right into the trapdoor. With the pre-configured flash cards you can play all Amiga software, including stuff for the CDTV and CD32, which is also all included on one of those cards. Compatibility is also superb with a combination of a later Kickstarter chip and that compact flash card. Again, all simple upgrades and minimal to no hassle for bringing it up to modern usability standards (of course, no matter what Amiga you get you still need a compatible RGB display like a Commodore 1084 or some type of SCART or similar adapter capability (not quite as good as going direct to the RGB monitor).

 

The 500 is great and I still have my original one along with most other Amigas, but if you're going to really go for it, you're better off with a 1200 setup over a non-AGA machine despite a slightly higher cost of entry.

[Tempest]

I actually sold my 1200 setup that was exactly as you described and got the 2000 instead. I just hated how the 1200 looked and having to boot different Kickstarts/WB versions or disable the accelerator to get games to work. With the 2000 + WB 1.3 99.99% of non-AGA games work perfectly (there are still a handful that need WB 1.0 or something stupid like that). I never found most of the AGA games interesting since they were mostly bad ports of games that were on the PC at that point and looked worse than their VGA counterparts.

 

One thing I miss is WHDLoad, but if I can find a reasonably priced accelerator I can run it on my 2000.

[Bill Loguidice]

I actually sold my 1200 setup that was exactly as you described and got the 2000 instead. I just hated how the 1200 looked and having to boot different Kickstarts/WB versions or disable the accelerator to get games to work. With the 2000 + WB 1.3 99.99% of non-AGA games work perfectly (there are still a handful that need WB 1.0 or something stupid like that). I never found most of the AGA games interesting since they were mostly bad ports of games that were on the PC at that point and looked worse than their VGA counterparts.

 

One thing I miss is WHDLoad, but if I can find a reasonably priced accelerator I can run it on my 2000.

 

As far as I'm concerned, with WHDLoad and Kickstart 1.3, the 1200/4000 are the best possible Amigas, period. I've run into no compatibility issues with my main 1200 when properly loaded. My main Amiga 1200 is a UK model with an 8GB CF, an ACA-1231/42 MHz CPU 68030 with MMU and 64MB RAM and RTC, and KS 3.1. I also have a US model with a 4GB CF and a more modest accelerator/memory combo that's less compatible (and I think it only has KS 3.0).

 

I'm tempted to try replacing one of my Amiga's floppy drives (most likely on the 2000HD I have) with a Gotek HxC USB Floppy Drive Emulator and 8 GB pendrive, but I'm in no rush because the 1200 as-is pretty much does everything I need. Still, it's nice to see Amigas outside the 1200/4000 and 600 getting some flash-based options.

 

On the other hand, the Atari ST I use the most is an Atari Falcon, and that DOES have some compatibility issues that requires me to use some of my other ST models. It's no big deal, really, because I also use multiple models of other computers in my collection, like the Apple IIGS and Apple IIe Platinum; C-128DCR and C-64c; Atari 1200XL, 600XL, and 800; etc. I suppose if you get really into a platform, it's inevitable in many cases to get multiple system variations (assuming a platform even had multiple system variations).

[airsoftmodels]

A ROM 01 IIgs with at least 2MB of RAM and a SCSI card for a hard drive (or CCFA card if you can find one) will be about all you need for a IIgs setup.

I am glad to hear that, not going to waste time and money looking for a ROM 3 with 16MB of RAM. ; )

 

I believe the Amiga 500 is the best overall Amiga for game compatibility

thats good to know, i like the looks of the compact amiga 500.

 

You might want a 1040ST instead of the 520ST. I think some games needed the extra memory, but I might be wrong on that.

i appreciate the suggestion. i will see which is cheaper or easier to find and probably buy that one. don't need to play everything

Edited July 20, 2015 by airsoftmodels

[Tempest]

I am glad to hear that, not going to waste time and money looking for a ROM 3 with 16MB of RAM. ; )

 

thats good to know, i like the looks of the compact amiga 500.

 

i appreciate the suggestion. i will see which is cheaper or easier to find and probably buy that one. don't need to play everything

 

The ROM 3 is nice because it has more built in memory and fixes some flaws in the motherboard traces so there isn't as much 'interference' in the sound when disk drives are accessing and what not (there can be a very slight buzz). However the ROM 3 adds some incompatibility with certain games. I'm not sure which goes for more money honestly. However stay away from the ROM 0, they have some serious issues (they're rare so I doubt you'd find one anyway).

 

Much like the Amiga, Atari mostly catered to the lowest common denominator so I'm sure a 520ST will be fine.

[SSG]

I like my Apple ][+