+davidcalgary29 Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 (I thought I'd ask this here, rather than in a private message, as others may have some interest in it). Nir, I've just received Sunmark's "Rampage" cartridge and am having quite a bit of fun playing an old favourite. The cartridge plays without problems on my 800XL, but doesn't like my XEGS at all -- the game tends to freeze just past the title screen when I do try it. Mark DiLuciano advised that he had the same problem, and suggested that I try to play "Rampage" on the XEGS with keyboard attached (I haven't tried this yet). How does the XEGS keyboard effect gameplay? And why is it needed to play certain joystick-only games? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetboot Jack Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 I would assume that's quite simple -- Rampage was released on Disc and Cassette orginally, not cart, so it was meant for 8bit computers (my disc original says for 800xl/65xe/130xe)... So the developer is assuming there is a keybaord for "some" reason :-) sTeVE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Jefferson Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 I just thought of something: If you don't have the keyboard plugged in, Missile Command will be mapped in, right? (I'm still looking for a XEGS.. don't own one yet.) Maybe Rampage requires BASIC to be present, and the only way you get basic is to have the keyboard plugged in. (???) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mendon Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 I just got done trying Rampage on my XEGS with keyboard attached and had no prob's at all playing it. But stupid, senile me, forgot to try it with the keyboard detached before I put it away..sigh.. Also works fine on a 65XE. Mendon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetboot Jack Posted June 18, 2003 Share Posted June 18, 2003 mmm.. missile command, maybe the game checksums the ROM to make sure there is no backup ROM system installed -- missile command could look wrong to the game (rather than need it, which the game does not -- the disc works on my 1200xl with a translator and no cart I seem to remember).... sTeVE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+davidcalgary29 Posted June 18, 2003 Author Share Posted June 18, 2003 mmm.. missile command, maybe the game checksums the ROM to make sure there is no backup ROM system installed -- missile command could look wrong to the game (rather than need it, which the game does not -- the disc works on my 1200xl with a translator and no cart I seem to remember).... sTeVE My copy of "Rampage" simply shows a screen filled with garbage (and then freezes) when I plug it into my XEGS (keyboard detached). Perhaps this is just a tragic flaw idiosyncratic to my own XEGS, though I haven't noticed such problems with other carts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetboot Jack Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 But what hppens when u have the keyboard plugged in before inserting teh cart -- I susupect it NEEDS the keyboard to be connected (and thereby missile command disabled)... sTeVE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndary Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 There is a clowd in how the ATARI XEGS operated with a keyboard is plugged before powering the machine to one without.. I will have to find the XEGS schematics & do reverse engneering to find that out.. when you plug a keyboard into the XEGS computer it will operate like an XE/XL compatible computer.. when you dont plug a keyboard.. it works like a game machine.. and not exactly like an XE or XL computer.. it could be the way the OS boot, differnet PIA Mapping, Memory Allocation for missile command etc.. When you plug a keyboard.. it does not means that BASIC automaticly boots.. it works just like a regular XL.. boot with option key.. and you dont have basic. RAMPAGE, does have some addressing routines to keyboard & keyboard pointers.. i.e. after the intro pic is loaded you can press the space to start the game.. In Rampage Cartrige there is no change in the orignal code beside the fix to make the game work on NTSC computer.. and this was just a change of value of the VBI counter. In such games you must plug a keyboard before powering on the computer.. i would assume that the game will not boot from a disk and play well either when a keyboard is not connected to the system too.. but this needs to be tested.. Nir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Slightly off topic... Is the multicart supported in A800WinPL (I have 3.0)? If not, then if you can supply the code diffs needed integrate it? then I'd be happy to make a few images for Sunmark. Regards, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ndary Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Mark, Atari800winplus 3.1 already support the Mega-cart... you can download it from: http://atariarea.nostalgia.pl/PLus/index_us.htm ops.. the link had died!?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted June 19, 2003 Share Posted June 19, 2003 Cheers located it under http://atariarea.histeria.pl/PLus/downloads_us.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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