Gunstar

Yeah, so true, I've never even been on twitter until I went to look at this thread. And I still can't find the images or comments posted for either Atari 8-bit image. I tried to make sure I didn't miss any responses or sub threads, but obviously I did.

And the programmer used DLI's on the title screens, strange he didn't do too on the game screens.

I went back to the twitter thread but could not find this posting.

Well, here is my "official" version I did. I think it should still be posted as an alternative 8-bit Atari image. OUTATIME. 47 colors. OUTATIME-FullControlImage.xex

To me the game play is reminiscent of a few games, Donkey Kong Jr. comes to mind, maybe mixed with a bit of Henry's House (though I haven't played it in over 20 years; time to give it another go...). I just wish it was as colorful as H.H.

I was enthralled by the animated lion on the second level of P.A.M, but all the animation in this game is just top-notch and maybe the best in-game animation of any platformer on the Atari. I can't say over-all, as, if nothing else, Lucasfilm's Eidelon creatures come to mind right away.

Here is my first attempt. This is a cropped 4:3 ratio 160x240x120* color PAL mode. Though I intend this to be more of an example and intend to convert it again to achieve better results. But also, after looking at the twitter thread, it appears all computer conversions are using the full original image and are all probably sacrificing resolution with a letter-boxed image on 4:3 ratio graphic modes. So I am working on a full original image ratio that is converting to 160x213x120 color PAL mode now. Another key difference here, I think, in "Rasta" mode on the Atari is that it is capable of showing the full palette on-screen, but most conversions use less, averaging about half the colors of the palette, but always different. And other computer images on twitter they seem to be labeling all converted images with the maximum number of colors allowed on-screen, like the Amiga's 32 colors from a palette of 4,096, or the Genesis/MegaDrive's 61 colors from a palette of 512. This particular conversion on the Atari has 44 colors of a possible 120 out of a palette of 120. I'm just making a point of all of this because I'm not sure how the Atari's color should be classified/labeled as. It appears all other versions on twitter are just giving the maximum screen resolution of the graphic mode that is used, regardless if the image is letter-boxed and not using all of the vertical resolution like in the Atari Rasta version of the full original control image. Again, I don't think this image should be the one posted as the Atari example on twitter; either my full control image version, or some one else's (if anyone else is working on one) full control version should be the official example. I'm only unsure of the labeling/classification of number of colors possible or used and if it's considered a 120* or 128 color palette. *I think, IIRC, PAL Atari's only have 120 color palette instead of NTSC's 128, as one color and it's 8 shades levels are doubled. OUTATIME. 44 colors. OUTATIME.xex

I guess you haven't seen any of my previous automobile images if you have to hope...

Attempting a conversion now. Though it's cropped to 4:3 for maximum resolution, hopefully that's OK. I'll do a full letter-box version second, but it won't look as good losing about 27 lines of resolution...

I have been slowly restoring, upgrading and modding my 800 over the past couple of years, and though there is more to come, including a Turbo Freezer, Sophia 2, Multi-PIA and more ports, I've come to a stopping point while I await these further upgrades to arrive or be produced and released. What had been done so far, for almost a year, is an Incognito upgrade, a mod to the right cart port to support The!Cart in the left, video upgrade, keyboard and internal/underneath LED lighting and keyboard repairs. What I just did this past week is install a Pokeymax Quad auto+covox and while I had the old gal open, and needed to install a stereo out for the Pokeymax anyway (headphone jack style), was also install a second SIO (one of 5, 3D printed ones I pre-ordered from The Brewing Academy) with Pokeymax out on the right rear underside and S-video, mono audio and composite video (the red RCA jack is composite video) outs underneath on the left side. If looking at it from the rear. I may still use the original SIO from time to time for dead-end devices or temporary connections if I borrow a peripheral from my 1200XL. I did these mods because I have never liked the SIO and monitor cables sticking out the side of the 800 cluttering up my desktop and looking untidy to me. Plus I wanted standard audio/video outputs. I'll eventually put up pics of it's guts in a blog in my profile that documents everything with pictures and descriptions of the process. I already have this blog up at the Atari Owner's Club site & forum (Administrated by @Timothy Kline who gave me the 800) I'll do the same for my tricked-out 1200XL eventually too, though I've shown it before in different threads.

Yes, thank you guys. I'll be looking forward to checking all of this out once I'm done modding my 800 further.

Could it have been a name copyright issue due to Hard Hat Mac? http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-400-800-xl-xe-hard-hat-mack_2393.html Published by EA in the states and by Ariola in the U.K.

I've recently installed the same version Pokeymax, though I have yet to test, beyond making sure it's working as a standard Pokey replacement, I haven't installed audio outs for it yet and I'm installing other upgrades at the same time, but soon, and it's in my 800 with Incognito installed, so I'll probably need the same help.

Cool! I'll start looking for my copy in the post. Though I'm pretty sure it's about time for me to renew my dues if not past time. Do members get notified whens it's time to renew? Or is it up to us to make sure? Normally anyway, I know they are under new management and still sorting things out as I inquired during a PM conversation with @skr last summer, and at the time he said they were re-organizing all of that at the time. I'm sure I'll find out now that I've tagged him here... I guess I better go check on that membership now anyway...

Though I prefer just turning my monitor as pictured for just viewing Rasta Images. Though I am finding I like surfing the net with my monitor and Windows 7 vertically oriented at the same time as it's meant to be.

It works for me with Windows 7.

Maybe, maybe not. You better find out if people are using SIDE 2/3's successfully with the Turbo Freezer, it may be susceptible to the same timing issues anyway. If you go with an SIO storage device you are probably correct. I never even had an issue to begin with because the first PBI device I bought was the Syscheck with it's on-board PHI2 signal generator. I might have the same issue as you if I tried to use MyIDE II and Turbo Freezer only on my XL.

@orgi666 Anyway, it just occurred to me why your MyIDE II works in the Syscheck with it all plugged in together, but not the Turbo Freezer alone. As @HiassofT said, it's a timing issue; this has to do with the PHI2 signal which he also mentioned. Obviously the reason it WILL work on the Sycheck board and not the Turbo Freezer is because the Syscheck produces it's own PHI2 signal on board to alleviate those timing issues, apparently the Turbo Freezer does not produce it's own PHI2 signal, so you get the Timing issues Hias spoke of. This happens when there are too many extensions on the Atari, through cartridge and PBI busses, which is why with some PBI devices and some other upgrades some developers have started including PHI2 signal generation on their boards. With all the upgrades we have these days, and many people installing as many as possible, timing issues are bound to crop up without some help. So it's not that your MyIDE II and Turbo Freezer are incompatible, it's just that timing issues are occurring with all of it plugged in together (minus Syscheck) and no PHI2 on the Turbo Freezer like is on the Syscheck. The Syscheck PHI2 is allowing it all to work together because it fixing the timing issue caused by a weak PHI2 signal over all those circuits, with only the MyIDE II and Turbo Freezer you don't have the Syscheck's PHI2 signal to correct it. The MyIDE II in conjunction with any PBI device that does not produce it's own PHI2 signal would probably have the same issue as MyIDE II & Turbo Freezer.

And this is why it's probably a good idea for me to use the Turbo Freezer with my Incognito's CF drive too, since it's essentially a Side 2 drive. But I thought you said at first that the MyIDE II does work with the Freezer as long as you plug the Freezer in behind the Syscheck and the MyIDE II into the Syscheck? If it works fine that way, what's the problem? Why not just use it that way instead of looking for an alternative to the MyIDE II? Just make sure you aren't attempting to use sram in the Freezer and Syscheck at the same time.

Right, but I believe @HiassofT is referring to IDE/CF carts having timing issues in conjunction with Turbo Freezer. I use my MyIDE II fine with Syscheck too, however on my XL the MyIDE II is plugged into the 1200XL's cart port, not the Syscheck. But that shouldn't make a difference, and apparently it doesn't since you say MyIDE II works fine plugged into Syscheck. Apparently it's a matter of an issue only between the MyIDE II and the Turbo Freezer.

Ok, I'll test it out on my XL with MyIDE II and Syscheck before I install it in my 800 w/Incognito. My Turbo Freezer is still in the post from Greece right now though...maybe it will show up today.

I think @HiassofT meant the issue was with IDE/CF cartridges for the Atari, not CF cards. Has anyone else installed the Turbo Freezer 2011 in an 800 with Incognito? I thought I'd heard others did it already. Is there an issue with Incognito's CF drive and the Turbo Freezer? Incognito's CF drive works identical to a Side 2, correct? Any issues with SiDE 2/U1MB abd Turbo FReezer?

I was going to be using my Turbo Freezer (I'm still waiting for it to arrive) on my 1200XL w/PBI with both Syscheck 2.2 and MyIDE II as well. I didn't think about MyIDE II having some hiccups. But with Syscheck 2.2, original, I thought the cartridge port on it only worked with XE's anyway, I think it says it in the manual or maybe it's even print on the PCB? So it would not be an option for me to use the Syscheck 2.2 cart port. But I did recently ask @HiassofT if there were any issues using Turbo Freezer and another PBI device together and if it was better for the Turbo Freezer to be first or second on the PBI chain too. He told me that it didn't matter what order they were in, but that the Syscheck and Freezer's sram is the same type using the same addresses and would clash. Not that I was looking to use both anyway, and I assumed that it would work fine to have Syscheck 2.2's memory disabled and just use the sram on the Turbo Freezer. However, I have now decided to install the Turbo Freezer internally on my 800 Incognito instead, connected to Incognito's PBI output and mount the Turbo Freezer in the 800 with an access hatch on the 800 giving it a standard PBI port at the same time. I had been planning a DIY PBI port on the 800 Incognito anyway, like I did with my 1200XL, but using the Turbo Freezer for the port will be much cleaner and easier to do. I'll most likely have to swap out the connector for the Turbo Freezer cart on it's adapter board for a right angle one so it will all fit in my 800.

I just tried it, and it's better than nothing, I suppose, but Altirra is in a much smaller window itself in that orientation, instead of a much larger image if you physically turn the monitor. Though going full screen in Altirra helps get a larger image in either orientation. Here is what my set-up looks like, currently, when I display these images. The monitor's stand braces it against my wall. Though since I'm using the same monitor for my PC, and the 800 isn't booted at the moment, I just used Altirra for the screen shot instead of the real thing:

That would be a nice feature in Altirra, since these horizontally oriented images allow subject matter such as game-box & poster art that had to be cropped far more or in a 3:4 windowed box on the Atari screen and far less pixels for far less detail. Though since I'm doing more of these images now, I've already planned on fabricating a DIY stand for my 21" LCD I use with my 800, that will allow me to just turn the actual TV screen 90 degrees and back at any moment. I plan on doing some of my own art with Atari graphics programs that will use this orientation too, an Atari touch-tablet is perfect for working this way as I can just turn it 90 degrees for drawing. I know these images aren't for everyone who view them on real Atari's due to the bodily contortions required or hardware abuse to see the images properly, but I like what I can do with this orientation and intend to do more, though it will probably only be about 25% of my over all Rasta image conversions. I just happen to have a few I'm running right now at once.