what do you want the FB3 to be?

[gamer1682]

From gathering the snippets of info, we can conclude that the atari flashback 3 WILL use cartirges and WILL be an 8 bit core system. but what do YOU eant it to be? a 2600/5200/7800 combo with some form of cartrigde port, or do you want a recreation of a 400/800 8-bit computer that has a cart port plays games, lets you run typing,educational, and other programs whatnot and MAY/POSSIBLY have a printer. although since these would be conventional units, dont expect anything really special like an add-on for the 2600/5200/7800 combo or memory expandibility, the most you would get is either peripal re-creations or recreations of carts (yay!). but either way you would have a really good system.

 

WARNING: I am not a personell/staff of infrogames atari. this isnt a poll that will decide this matter what the FB3 will be like, this is just for fun to see who wants what and why.

 

feel free and post replies about the subject.

[Lord Helmet]

mini 5200 all the way!

 

With self centering sticks

 

My guess is that it will look like a 5200, but use 400/800 roms that already have digital control i nmind...

 

My pipe dream would have backwards compatible 5200 sticks that resolve some of the issues of the originals...

[+remowilliams]

I want it to be an XL/XE class machine under the hood with at least 64K. I want it to be a seperate base/controller unit like the FB2. If it has proprietary game carts thats fine. I don't expect it to have these things (keyboard, a REAL cart port, SIO, etc) as retail features, but I do want it to be able to have them modded in afterwards. I do want it to be 100% A8 compatible.

 

Basically along the lines of excellence of the DTV64. But Atari. And not an integrated stick.

 

Though in all likelihood I'm guessing (if the FB3 is in fact an A8 based product) we're looking at a 5200 remake, which would be a shame. If you're going to put in all the sweat for an A8 core blob, don't make it a limited A8

Edited September 26, 2005 by remowilliams

[brendano]

I want it to be a full fledged 128-bit Jaguar II (downward compatible with Jaguar and all other Atari consoles with the use of cartridge adapters) with CD and cartridge slot including Alien vs Predator and 19 other Jag games built in with a line up of brand new games to be available on cd and old games to be on compilation cds (2600, 5200, 7800, Lynx and Jaguar). This new console will take the gaming market by storm and crush Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony because of it's new 3D and CPU power. Next companies would beg for atari to license their games and then Atari will once again reign the supreme master of terror and all that exists. But then again i'm just thinking about the most excellent system ever.

[n8littlefield]

I'm really unsure what to expect for the FB3. I was a huge Atari fan back when the 2600/7800 were out, but I didn't know a single person with either of the systems in the poll. I know they are both good - but given the huge number of TV games type systems, I'm really not sure if either stand out from the crowd, or would sell nearly as well as the FB2 appears to be.

 

How about an arcade console with built in games, or usb connectivity to sites like Starroms to allow new games to be added? I would think something like a Mamebox could be released really cheaply that could run 90% of the 1980's arcade games, especially the Atari ones.

[potatohead]

I would like to see an 8bitter with an added chip or feature set to allow for homebrew / new games. Whatever they do, it should have a cart port and said port should be open.

 

The homebrew scene is really good right now, but it really depends on old hardware. The FB2 brought a nice refresh, if a bit buggy, to the classic crowd and the price was good! $30 is a steal!

 

IMHO, this is all about the classic feel. The 2600 embodies that, but is a bit limited. My FB2 has seen a lot of play from the kids and a few interested adults. Well worth the dollars.

 

If the price were, say $50, but carts could be added and it brought a few extensions to the table, Atari may well find that they have opened a door long thought closed.

 

I think the whole thing depends on expectations set. The FB works because the old Atari is remembered and it has a feel that is unique. The games have a real time element because of how the games had to be written. Rather than escalate this by moving up the chain to full computer capability, (400 / 800 style) I would add a coupla features to the 2600 way of doing things that enable better games that preserve the overall feel.

 

IMHO, the 2600 defines classic. Go newer and the expectations quickly rise. Unless they are properly set, people won't get the same enjoyment out of the whole thing. Make the machine too good, and it then gets seen as modern and limited. Kind of like a game boy or NES that connects to the television. Maybe that's the way to go. I'm not sure, but it would not be the same and it gets a lot more expensive to produce. I would love such a system though as there are a ton of 8bit computer games that are very fun.

 

How to incorporate them is the problem. Cart only keeps a lot of games off the table. Save states & other such things become a part of the equation, which detract from the simple, turn it on, choose your game and have fun factor.

 

If it were me, I would keep the focus on 2600 style games. These games are simple, yet fun and can be rewarding.

 

I would add a feature or two to allow better productions to happen and contract out a coupla of the better developers here to showcase the new stuff.

[Zonie]

I want it to be a full fledged 128-bit Jaguar II (downward compatible with Jaguar and all other Atari consoles with the use of cartridge adapters) with CD and cartridge slot including Alien vs Predator and 19 other Jag games built in with a line up of brand new games to be available on cd and old games to be on compilation cds (2600, 5200, 7800, Lynx and Jaguar). This new console will take the gaming market by storm and crush Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony because of it's new 3D and CPU power. Next companies would beg for atari to license their games and then Atari will once again reign the supreme master of terror and all that exists. But then again i'm just thinking about the most excellent system ever.

938612[/snapback]

 

Maybe that's what Atari is working on as a mainstream console, 'eh? FB3 would not be the right venue for it.

 

I think the next best thing would be some sort of console that would allow 5200 and 400/800 carts to be played, like the dual slot NES clone that is coming out.

 

The problem is the keyboard. a lot of 400/800 games need the thing. A keyboard would drive cost up. Of course, PC keyboard compatibility would solve that like the C64DTV, but there would be copromises. A membrane keyboard like my 400's would also be kind of neat.

 

The XEGS was probably almost ideal, if it allowed 5200 carts to be played, it would have been better.

 

Ultimately, I think it will be some sort of 5200 with built in games with a cart slot to boot. I think they could really make a good 5200 controller now, using a self centering joystick and hall effect sensors in the joysitck like the Dreamcast controllers have. I'm sure the PS and XBOX controllers are built this way too.

 

There it is: a mini 5200 with 40+ games, a slot for 5200 carts (or compact flash slot instead of both) , and modern 5200 controllers (or jaguar controllers) for about $40 and you'd have a hit.

Edited September 28, 2005 by Zonie

[Shannon]

Nothing against the 5200 but a good portion of it's titles compromised arcade translations. A good portion stuff that atari does not have any copyrights for. That being said the XEG system had much more variety and there are numerous disk based and tape based titles that would work just as well with a few "special" buttons for certain key presses.

 

Plus all the "better" 5200 versions of some titles have been ported over to the 8-bit computers in some form.

[sidcrowe]

Neither.

 

I want it to be a 2600 with a shitload of stuff (more games, more homebrews).

 

Still waiting for the FB3 in Canuckstan

[sidcrowe]

Neither.

 

I want it to be a 2600 with a shitload of stuff (more games, more homebrews).

 

Still waiting for the FB2 in Canuckstan

 

 

EDIT. SORRY please junk previous where I cite "FB3"

Edited September 28, 2005 by sidcrowe

[ATARIeric]

I would like to see the FB3 to sorta look like these new next gen systems that are coming out & the FB3 will use a smartcard sorta like the atmel funcards but this system needs to be able to play 2600/7800/5200 games on it. The smart cards need to be iso7816 & have a back door entrace to the card so the cards can be hacked & all we need to do is program whatever .bin file from any of the 3 systems on the card then flip a switch on the FB3 to either 2600/7800 or 5200 insert card & play

 

I wouldnt mind waiting til 2008 for this system to come out, Ive waited 3 years for the 2600 on a chip to come out "FB2"

Edited September 30, 2005 by ATARIeric

[K3V]

I want a mini Jaguar

[keilbaca]

I want it to be a 2600, with a pause feature, and more compatibility with carts, as well as more games on the chip. Boing! anyone?

[supercat]

I want it to be a 2600, with a pause feature, and more compatibility with carts, as well as more games on the chip. Boing! anyone?

940598[/snapback]

 

Implementing a "pause" feature on a "real" 2600 hardware platform running real software would be, to put it mildly, difficult. If one wanted to design the hardware from the ground up to support it, it wouldn't be totally impossible, but I don't think it would be worth the effort required.

 

Basically, it would be necessary to have hardware that could take a 'snapshot' of the hardware state at the falling edge of vsync and then restore that state at the start of every frame while the pause was enabled. Even doing that, things might be "interesting" if the player moved the controls (unless the hardware took a snapshot of the control states, including paddles, at the start of vsync and didn't let the software see the "live" state).

 

Well, actually, there are two more approaches that might work: (1) add a framebuffer which gets written while the game software is running, and that could be recycled when it's paused (this would require about 32Kbytes of RAM), or (2) have the game show a fixed "PAUSED" screen whenever the pause function is engaged. Approach #2 might actually not be too bad, thinking about it, and could probably be done fairly practically.

[HP Atari King of Michigan]

Make it a 5200 on a chip!!! Just like the FB2!

[Shawn]

7800 Round 2. Do the FB1 the right way with real 7800 hardware and better games.

[HP Atari King of Michigan]

7800 Round 2. Do the FB1 the right way with real 7800 hardware and better games.

942208[/snapback]

 

That's also a great idea!

[doctorclu]

New recreation of an Atari 8-bit computer with built in games and some kind of SIO2PC connection for loading games and others.

 

Joystick ports, and the ability to add a keyboard.

[+LS650]

There it is: a mini 5200 with 40+ games, a slot for 5200 carts (or compact flash slot instead of both) , and modern 5200 controllers (or jaguar controllers) for about $40 and you'd have a hit.

My guess is that it'll be something like this, but with the same controllers as the FB2 and with any 5200-only games converted from analog-input.

There'd also have to be some dedicated buttons for keyboard functionality; how could you release a 5200/8-bit without including Star Raiders??

[Artlover]

If we have to pick from the two choices, 2600/5200/7800 all the way.

 

If I can have a free formed option, a magical box that accepts any media from any system, controlled by thought and projects a full color 3D HD hologram.

[+Random Terrain]

I want it to be this:

 

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76376

Edited January 9, 2006 by Random Terrain

[jaybird3rd]

These aren't exactly valid options because a 2600/5200/7800 hybrid is highly unrealistic (and bordering on impossible) for reasons I tried to explain in this post in the main FB3 thread. I'm still pulling for a 400/800 clone with its incredible library of games, and with the best 5200 games ported over to it. Based on some clues that Curt has dropped, I don't see how it could be anything else (although there's no way to tell until we actually see it).

Edited January 9, 2006 by jaybird3rd

[Zonie]

Regardless of what platform is chosen, A compact flash type card with a PC compatible file structure would serve us best. Then we could dump whatever ROM we want to the card, pop it in, and play.

 

I Think a 2600 based unit would be a waste of silicon and plastic. It's been done. We all have one now.

 

The 7800 would be nice, but enough folks here have stated the obvious... the 8-bit computer line had the largest library. Also, the FB1 kinda spoiled the 7800 effect and the 7800 was not a well known product anyway.

[Dreamwriter]

How about an Atari Cosmos??? NOBODY got to play those games...

[Foxsolo2000]

I was torn between the two. I would love to see an 800 computer but I went for the 5200 combo for the simple reason the 5200 never made it to these distant shores and I would love to be able to see whether it was as bad or good as everyone made it out to be