Propane13

Hello folks, For those unaware, z26 was a very popular Atari 2600 emulator in the 1990s and 2000s. The emulator was essential to homebrew software development efforts and was an integral part of the community. Over time, z26's usage has faded, but many of us still have fond memories of using it back in the day. The entire public history of z26 is still available for download at its original site (including source code releases and artifacts): https://www.whimsey.com/z26/z26archive.html I thought it might be helpful to take all of the great work that has published on whimsey.com and reformat it into a mirror on github. It is my hope that the https://www.whimsey.com website stays up forever, but I'll admit I was a bit shocked when I looked on github.com and found that there was only one z26 mirror, and that it only contained a copy of the latest release from 2019. There isn't any preservation of history. So, I tried to be a bit more surgical, making commits at each source code milestone, giving them the proper dates, making releases, and attaching binaries. The end result of this porting effort can be found here: https://github.com/johnkharvey/z26 After all of the work, I have to admit that whimsey.com did a fantastic job of archiving data. In the end, the repository is only missing one single artifact: the 4.00 Windows binary. It should be downloadable here (according to the archive page): https://www.whimsey.com/z26/z26_400_win10.zip but instead it returns a 404 error. Because of this, that artifact is absent as a release artifact on the mirror, but that's the only one. If you have a copy of that version, please let me know and I'll attach it to the 4.0 release. In my investigation. I also found a few beta releases that I was unable to capture, but I thought I would mention. The Windows BETA release from Feb 8, 2003 (https://www.biglist.com/cgi-bin/wilma/wilma_hiliter/stella/200302/msg00056.html) because https://whimsey.com/z26beta/ returns a 403 error (which makes sense). The Linux BETA release from Apr 16, 2004 (https://www.biglist.com/lists/stella/archives/200404/msg00328.html) because http://www.hardcoders.org/z26/z26_linux_work_20040416.tar.gz returns a 404 error. Hopefully, this effort is helpful to somebody. I thought it could be interesting from a preservation perspective for users to be able to quickly view the differences between different source versions of such a beloved emulator using modern tools. And, love or hate github, they seem to have a good likelihood of lasting a while, which is why I chose to make the mirror there. If users want to make their own forks, feel free. In addition to this z26 mirror github repository, I noticed that a few binaries were occasionally referenced in the z26 release notes, so I captured those in another repository "just in case": https://github.com/johnkharvey/z26-extras This emulator was a wonderful tool back in the day. Hopefully, this is useful for some; if not, it may be a fun trip down memory lane for others.

Do we know how many pieces in total are in the game's inventory?

And, today's final updates through cleaning and replaying. Mario Bros: * Of all the games I had, this had the dirtiest case. I played the heck out of this in my younger days. Mat Mania Challenge: * I still don't get it. I only picked this one up to complete my collection; it never seemed very fun. Mean 18 Ultimate Golf: * I'm glad this had a resurgence in the community and is finding its footing. It's pretty good for what it is. Meltdown: * My light gun isn't handy, so I couldn't play. But, I will say that the opening music is really quite good for using the TIA Midnight Mutants: * I helped with the walkthrough on this one back in the day, so it has a special place in my heart. I really ought to play this every Halloween. It's really good. Missing In Action: * I don't think I gave this one enough of a shot when I picked it up. I remember having trouble with level 2 and falling though things. * The level select is nice, but it's a bit jarring if you forgot about it and your 7800 was on the wrong settings * I really ought to play this one again. Or maybe, just watch a youtube playthrough someday. Moon Cresta: * It's great, but I'm TERRIBLE at this game Motorpsycho: * I loved how you could just fly through the sky on this one. But, I never learned how to properly slow down and play this game. I always just go as fast as I can, and crash often. Maybe someone on these forums is an expert and has some know-how they'd like to share? * I was a bit sad to remember part of the label on my copy was damaged years ago. But, as it is my original copy, it's still very special and it's certainly going to stay in my collection. Ms. Pac-Man: * While a solid port, oddly, I'm more nostalgic for the 2600 version (especially the music). It's not arcade perfect by any stretch, but it has its own personality. Ninja Golf: * Newer forum users may be surprised to learn there's a Joystick Test in here. It's a fun thing to hunt for on real hardware. * One of the best mash-ups of all time * I still suck at Kamikaze difficulty One-on-One: * Will Larry Bird EVER make that opening shot on the intro screen? I keep hoping for him. * Years ago, I played with another One-on-One enthusiast and we unlocked a strange foul. I only ever saw it once. I wonder if others are familiar with it. Pac-Man Collection: * PacManPlus at his finest Pete Rose Baseball: * Better than you might think, but still not the best to play. Still, I appreciate what they did here. Planet Smashers: * I still hate this game because I hate the sound of the shots firing, and when too much shrapnel gets past you, you immediately end up on your last life. I have never beaten this game, and I have no idea how with that constraint unless you shoot EVERYTHING or just keep warping. I would be interested in what others have to say; I know others have succeeded.

Just started doing this again! Continuing where I left off. Food Fight: * This game is till fantastic fun. Galaga: * A classic Halloween 2007 cart: * I haven't thought about this one in a LONG time. It was a great little trip down memory lane. Hat Trick: * On the Easy 1-player mode, if the puck comes up from the bottom, I can always score on the opponent within a matter of seconds. If it comes down from the top, though, I have no strategy * Have you ever watched the screen to see when the ice changes color (so it can change back during the zamboni sequence)? If memory serves, it subtlely happens at the 1 minute mark. Ikari Warriors: * One of my favorite games to finish. Loads of fun Impossible Mission: * I spent WAY too much time getting Possible Mission working, and then verified. So, this is always familiar to play. * One interesting thing-- on a "cold startup" for me, the first room on my left is always a Code Room, and I can hear the first few sequences of the notes in my head whenever I go in there since I played this so much as a kid, hoping to beat it * Someday, I would love to put a "punchcard code" guide out there. If memory serves, there were tons of possibilities. Jinks: * I hated this one growing up. It felt like a waste of my money, and I hated the gameplay. However, now I can appreciate it a bit more. The music / intro are fantastic for non-Pokey sound, and even has an echo effect. But the sounds during gameplay-- ugh. Too loud. And, moving in the Interlude is painful. I am curious if each of the 4 levels only has a certain number of difficulties; I've frankly never gotten that far. Joust: * Best port of the game available, in my opinion. It's still fun to this day. Jr. Pac-Man * Another fantastic port by PacManPlus Karateka: * I didn't realize that if you wait, there's an intro screen. And, it's pretty long. * I can get to the guy with the bird, and I can keep the bird away with high kicks, but dang, does it get tough from there on out. When I was younger, I got either one or two more levels past the bird. Now? I'm not sure I want to. I wish the controls weren't so clunky. * I never saw the "bad ending" where you approach the damsel in distress incorrectly * There was a hint somewhere back in the day (maybe Atarian magazine?) saying if you run vs. walk between assailants, you face less of them. My guess is this was not true on the 7800 version, but I don't think I ever confirmed it. Klax: * Nice to see the programmers' initials in there! Kung Fu Master: * Same music / effects as the 2600 version. And, a few gameplay strategies still apply. * For the bosses, do I just need to wail on the buttons as fast as I can? I feel like I'm too slow. Maybe the proline joystics are a bad option here.

Interesting. So a fun experiment idea (if anyone wanted to try)-- I wonder if anyone has used clonespy to see if perhaps the 7800 cart contains some of the contents of PEBBLE.18M? It might be interesting to see if there are similarities. It could possibly mean the ability to make custom courses to some degree. If that doesn't work, I think there's an Apple / Atari ST / Amiga version out there that may have some similarities. I don't have a Windows computer at the moment, otherwise I'd try. It's possible they made their own data set, but if I were writing a port of a game, I'd try to port what I could to make it easier.

Does Mean 18's course equate to one of the maps from the PC version?

I also am interested.

I am very much looking forward to this game. Glad it's getting a release!

Would anyone be able to post a screenshot or a screen capture? Also, I would like to know more about the original DOS game, but I can't find much.

I thought it might be fun to try to brainstorm what some 7800 sequels could have looked like. For example: 1) What if Basketbrawl expanded its universe to "Basebrawl" or "Footbrawl"? 2) "Crossbow 2: The Race to Space" featuring our heroes going to a launchpad, a rocket, the moon and beyond, meeting astronauts, cosmonauts and aliens from Alien Brigade along the way? 3) How about a 4-player Ballblazer 2 with special power-ups like in Mario Kart where you can cause the players to spin out? Or maybe the course is more maze-like? Of course, it would have an amazing soundtrack to it. 4) Ninja Golf 2: Pebble Beach or possibly Ninja Mini Golf I personally would have loved if Scrapyard Dog 2 or Alien Brigade 2 came out. But, I can't really imagine what features they would have. What do you think could have been a fun sequel?

Works for me! As a side note-- back in the day, I disassembled the 7800 diagnostic cart and found out that it needs specific plugs to work. Essentially, it needs something like this: The odd thing is that the 2600 diagnostic plugs are completely different. And, at this point, no Atari 7800 diagnostic plugs have ever been found that I'm aware of. So, I've always thought it would be a good idea if somebody could make a special set of plugs just for the 7800, since frankly, they don't exist but without them the 7800 Diagnostic cart is completely useless. I would be happy to help with such a project. But, as you mentioned, the 7800 "fit" has always been the problem. If you want to read my write-up from years ago, it's here: https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~harvey/7800/diag.html. But, I was a LOT younger then; enjoy the ride. If you have any interest in going down the 7800 plug path, I'd be happy to help however I can.

These look great! I was thinking about it and was curious if there could is a way to make a solution that is a little more 7800 friendly. I have a 3d printer and some familiarity with modeling software. Not sure if that could be useful, but I would be willing to help and thought I would ask.

First of all, thanks for sharing! There's a lot going on with this game, and it's nice to learn a little more about the journey itself. Wishing you the best of luck on this. Sounds like a hard-to-debug effort with only 2 end states-- it either works or it doesn't. While it may feel like the project has minimal followers, I have a completely different expectation that the level of interest will explode if you ever get to a "hey, I think I want to try to sell planet 1 and see what happens" phase. This thread has been fascinating since it's basically a development blog. But, it's much more detailed and frequently updated than a lot of other development threads here at atariage. In other cases, most of the posts seem to drop big feature release dumps every few weeks or months, which is different from here where it's micro-additions at a rapid frequency that can occur even hourly (or less, sometimes). I'm pretty sure jumping in on a 20-page thread can be daunting for many users here; some folks may only be checking it monthly or less since it's so active but very technical in a lot of areas; others may be waiting for an alternate "it's ready" kind of post and have moved on until that sort of event occurs. But, in the end, I think the project is going to be really special and generate a lot of interest. I am not convinced that this single thread's response rate is indicative of potential interest as a whole. Of course, I wouldn't suggest to open the floodgates at this state with "hey, I might make a cartridge", since that sort of statement usually attracts a lot of "hey Wen Release" type discussions, which is counter to where you are now in development. Perhaps Depeche Mode said it best: "Enjoy the Silence". If you did want to gauge / increase interest in a different way, you could try creating a one-time alternate thread called something like "Survey: Wen Hop graphics" or "Wen Hop: Level designers wanted" and see if you get more traction. I'll bet a lot of people don't realize how far along this has come; maybe there's some psychological effect of seeing frequent mini updates and thinking "it's going to be a while-- I'll wait a year or so to check in". In lieu of one being available, could you give us some parameters of what's workable in the engine? The following would be helpful: Current X/Y grid size Is the X/Y coordinate where the player starts on the grid fixed or defined per level? Any limitations? Does there need to be a border on the grid? Is the total number of coins needed to win fixed or defined per level? Any restrictions? Is the Y-coordinate where the water/lava starts fixed or defined per level? Can we set whether it stays still, or if it moves up or down? Does faucet flow into the water make it rise faster? Is the rate of rising fixed, or can it be slowed or increased? What's the current list of objects definable in the grid? I know there's a lot. I almost forgot about the gravity flippers. Is the win condition still going to an exit square? Is that dynamically located or static? Is the timer for a given level static or defined per level? I think with the above, even without a level editor, some designs could be created even via simple paint programs to give a sense of possibility. We definitely appreciate the hard work invested so far!

That looks fantastic! If you feel like you are hitting a lull, it might be interesting/different to take a minute and talk a bit about the game itself and how far it has come. Some possible questions: How is the conversion going? What is your favorite feature that you have already developed so far? Do you have a feature that you are most looking forward to implementing? (for me, it's bombs with differing explosion radii if that becomes a thing) Is there any specific feedback that you are looking for? There could be many things that the community missed in the thread that we could take a second look at if helpful. I am pretty sure this thread has many lurkers like myself. What can we as a community do to help you? (Level design, ideas, feedback, playtesting, etc...) What is your favorite "ah ha" moment that you had during this experience? Personally, I really look forward to seeing and reading new updates on this thread. You have accomplished quite a bit!

That was fun! Good content; I had no idea that Failsafe made it to the VCS store. My only suggestion would be that the microphone seems to cut in/out a bit making it a little hard to hear in some cases. I'm not sure if there's a cheap/easy podcast-friendly alternative you could try, but it might make things a little clearer. BTW, if you continue to make these, please continue to post on atariage so we can see them (I go to the 7800 page every few days).

Apologies if this was covered already, but is Bentley Bear's Crystal Quest safe from the upcoming removal? It's not listed as such, but I wasn't sure if there was some sensitivity due to the title character.

Thinking of things that can go through the pipes- I wonder if a little robot could be designed. I'm guessing that is probably impractical with the graphics limitations, but it could be something special. You could send the robot through the pipes, switch to the robot, move the robot to flip a switch, and then become the main character again. The main character is just too big to go through the pipes, but it's no trouble for a robot. I could also see the pipes being a conduit for bombs.

Feedback: * I really like the water animation effects * The refactor of the falling coin behavior makes a lot of sense and looks good. * The pipe remover is a great feature. While it's still early in the pipe-making / deleting stage of things, have you thought about limiting the amount of pipe that's available in some levels (and maybe having it quietly make a buzzing noise or something if you have used too much)? I could see an interesting puzzle where there are multiple taps available but only a limited amount of pipe in order to solve a level, so you have to carefully decide on placements.

This is one of my favorite WIPs. Glad to hear it's still actively being worked on.

The water shape isn't too bad. Is there a way to run it at 2x speed?

Thank you so much! You were 100% correct. This is very helpful.

Hello! Thanks for all the replies. So, I got a bit farther, and here's what I see: 1) Log in as myself 2) Go to "System" 3) "Remove Account" 4) I select the old account I want to delete and press A 5) "Are you sure you want to delete?", I select Yes and Press A 6) Nothing happens. I'm pretty sure this is because I'm trying to delete somebody else's account from my own, which I'm guessing isn't allowed. I think at this point, my next step is to reset the old owner's password, ask if they can tell me the new PIN, and then try logging in and that user and deleting. That, or some sort of "Factory Reset" option, but if I do that I have a feeling I may lose everything I've already downloaded. Just giving the update; if I get any farther I will update the thread.

Ooh.. at about the 58 second mark, there's a pop up. I must have missed that before. Is it some sort of timer/counter? Interestingly, it opens up a possibility I hadn't considered. Since the playfield objects have very limited shape/pixel resolution rules, you could make up for it but drawing a special large 4-boulder-sized object in rate cases. It might only be for background, like when unlocking new areas, but could be useful.

Hello again, I just bought Basketbrawl, an old favorite of mine for the Atari 7800. I noticed one oddity-- I couldn't figure out how to go back to the title screen. The "back" and "squiggle" buttons on the controller seem to just reset the game. The only way I could figure out to return was to hard-reset the console by pushing the button behind it. Is thst normal? Or, am I missing something obvious? Thanks!

Hello! I was wondering if there is a thread or a site I can go to that rates/ranks the VCS releases. I didn't find too much online, except for coverage of the system itself, mostly discussing its price point. Any indie games that stand out? Any remixes of classics that are fantastic? Any great head-to-head or co-op games? Thanks!