Do you feel it is somewhat cheating/blasphemous to use a modern controller?

[+KaeruYojimbo]

That's what I was saying.

 

I thought you might be, but I wasn't sure.

[the_8bit_gamer]

The sad fact of the matter is there will always be "that guy" who will judge you for using anything other than what they feel is the right hardware. Especially if you are a younger player new to atari. Also in my experiance the people in the real world are far more critical than the fine group of people who post on atari age. Often because the people at atari age want to encourage others to play, while the people who will judge you often do not play anymore and simply view your new fancy controller as an insult to their childhood memories. I grew up in the age of the dpad and when I first started out on atari i used a sega controller, because well all my atari joysticks were broke. Now i almost always use a stick of some kind. Isn't one of the simple joys of playing atari enjoying games in spite of limited hardware and software? I still prefer my sega controller on a few games, but I wouldn't dare plug that controller into my father in law's atari for fear of hearing another lecture on how when he was a kid he had to play games in the snow walking 5 miles uphill both ways.

Edited July 14, 2015 by the_8bit_gamer

[+KaeruYojimbo]

"That guy" isn't unique to gaming. There's one out there for everything you enjoy, waiting to tell you you're doing it wrong.

[SSG]

Nahhh. Its not cheating.

[Rhomaios]

"That guy" isn't unique to gaming. There's one out there for everything you enjoy, waiting to tell you you're doing it wrong.

 

Why don't you learn to post better, forum n00b.

[Crimefighter]

No, I don't find it blasphemous to use a modern controller. I can tell you right now the CX-40 joystick is freaking painful to use and my left hand around the thumb is still quite sore after last weekend's Video Game Summit.

[AtariKid81]

Yes, Atari did hit a home run with the CX-40! I have tried about everything else - both old school and new - and spent tons of $$$ in the process. Nothing else compares.

 

I must admit to being somewhat of a "purist" too. But if the CX-40 sucked, I would be using something else.

 

I have wondered,for some time, why Atari created the CX-23 Proline controller. They could've saved a lot of time and trouble by simply adding a second fire button to the CX-40. I figure, most would've been more-than-happy with this configuration.

 

I do like the CX-23 for some games. It could've been a pretty good joystick - seems like Atari went cheap on the internal part quality and design.

[+grips03]

Use whatever controller provides the most enjoyment for you. It is only gaming after all.

[Mr SQL]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aghqgf6qqRw&feature=player_embedded

For an alternate perspective, this game simply doesn't work with the sega-pad because it registers as broken hardware and isn't fully compatible with the Atari. You could go ahead and use a genuine atari-pad or a modified sega-pad, but the game is designed specifically for the hair-pin reaction time only possible with a joystick; the AI literally takes over if your reflexes are too slow!

 

If you want to blaspheme the C64 you could plug an unmodified sega-pad in and burn out the filters on that awesome subtractive analog synth chip, and you could also stick a fork in an outlet; I'm not the guy who will tell you not to, just the guy who wrote this game and the awesome Virtual World BASIC that lets you write games like this

 

If you like the artifact colors and hypnotic moire swirls packed into this 6k gaming experience, you probably shouldn't mod your Atari with composite either, and maybe even go as far as to seek out a six switch or a vader model and an antique Television, maybe get a shag carpet and a Lava lamp too

 

[AW127]

In my opinion, it`s no cheating or blasphemous to use a modern controller, because at the time when the Atari-2600 came out, the home-controllers simply were not so far developed. If Atari back in the time would had something like the "Competition Pro" in their product-line, then i am sure, that they would have recommended this stick to their Atari2600-customers for having more precise steering while playing. The controllers at that time was not bad, but also not so solid like a Competition Pro for example. I killed about three CX40 joysticks back in time with normal, not rough playing. And my girl-cousin, which had an Atari 2600 Junior, destroyed some of there CX24. The CX24 seems to was even more sensitive than my CX40. So in my opinion, every player should use that input-device, which allows him the best steering. The ones who likes gamepads should use this, others a Competition Pro, Quikshot, TAC-2 or the original-controllers when they like them and so on.

[mikey.shake]

They're games, and they're for fun, so whatever controller brings you the most fun is the one you should use.

 

If one were going to be didactic, the only argument I could see is when debating the "Atari experience". A lot of the games for the system were designed with a specific control TYPE in mind (stick, one button), so if one wanted to experience those games as someone would have back in the late '70s / early '80s, I would suggest they try a "stick/one button" input device to get the flavor that was LIKELY intended when the game was designed and see what they think. But that's only if pursuing that "generic authenticity" is what the person wants. If they don't care about "back in the day", all that's irrelevant.

 

Play with whatever you like best, because this is all supposed to be about fun.

[+sramirez2008]

Hunger Shark and Bomb On Pixel City.

[+sramirez2008]

Hunger Shark and Bomb On Pixel City.

 

Oops! This was meant for the "What 2600 games are you playing right now" thread.

[Major_Tom_coming_home]

Modern Controller on a 2600...Nah, I have a Genesis controller somewhere but I mostly use a TAC-2. For games that have a first person or behind view (like Solaris) I use a Wico Bat. I'll admit that a Genesis controller is pretty nice for Pitfall though.

 

 

Emulation...I don't emulate Atari 2600 any more since I have the actual console, a cartridge collection, and a harmony cart. If I was emulating Atari I'd use my iBuffalo USB Famicom gamepad. If I was being lazy and didn't want to hunt down the iBuffalo then I'd use the XBox 360 controller already attached to my computer. Now that is blasphemy!

Edited July 25, 2015 by Major_Tom_coming_home

[RangerG]

I get what the post is saying. I don't like using a controller that wasn't available at the time of the console. For example, something doesn't feel right about using a modded NES controller on a Colecovision. It works well, but for me it takes away from the vintage set-up. I do like getting the crazy high-end controllers for the respective systems that would have been available (like the Starcon for the 5200, the Questar for the Colecovision, etc.) - I would have never been able to get these systems, not to mention these controllers, so it is fun living the luxury experience :-). I guess I lean towards purist gaming, actual system on a vintage monitor or tv with period correct controllers just make for a fun nostalgic experience.

[Zonie]

If anything, that would be a handicap, wouldn't it?

 

I don't want to speak for other purists, but for me it's more about the definitive overall experience, not necessarily what came first. The beauty of that is it can vary from person to person. Maybe there are people out there who got an Atari early on and only ever used CX10s, and maybe there were PlayStation players who never used a DualShock. I doubt that describes very many people, but it's conceivable that they're out there. But most of us probably used CX40s and DualShocks and wouldn't think of it (or be thought of by others) as cheating.

 

"Cheating" really isn't the right word for this topic anyway. I still don't see using a different controller as somehow giving an unfair advantage, unless it's got a magic button that maxes out the score or something. A Genesis pad doesn't suddenly get one of those when you connect it to an Atari.

I First played at a friends house who had CX-10's. When I got mine, It came with CX-40's. I felt ripped off.

[Andromeda Stardust]

Reminds me of this thread I posted back in the day...

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/200515-is-it-blasphemy-to-use-a-stock-genesismegadrive-controller-with-the-vcs/

 

Pretty soon, I built my own "arcade" controller for the Atari.

Edited August 2, 2015 by stardust4ever

[Cobra Commander]

The CX40 is Atari's 72pin connector. I wish they would have buried it in a landfill deep in the desert.

[+KaeruYojimbo]

I have noticed that whenever comes over to our place, see the Atari and wants to play, they're always a little disappointed when I hand them something other than the "Atari Joystick." To anyone who hasn't played an Atari game since 1984, the CX-40 is the "authentic" experience they're nostalgic for. It probably doesn't help that most third party controllers for current systems are cheaper and lower quality that the first party controllers, so they assume the same is true for third party Atari sticks.

 

For the record, when I play an emulator, I use a modern gamepad with one of the shoulder buttons mapped to take a screenshot so I can do that without taking one hand off the controller to hit F12.

Edited August 2, 2015 by KaeruYojimbo