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Koopa64

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Posts posted by Koopa64

  1. Posted · Edited by Koopa64

    Well I always juggled that idea of making a game for an old console that I love. I already know that Assembly is as hard as programming gets (unless you want Binary) and every little thing needs to be coded from game physics to events, variables, pointers, tables, integers and all that good stuff. I was just wondering how difficult the Atari 2600 was from a person with hands-on experience.

     

    I know something like this is probably out of my reach but it's one of those things that might be fun... And frustrating at the same time. Forgive my noobishness... ;)

     

    EDIT: BTW, considering Atari sold BASIC carts for the 8-But computers for the home consumer market, would it be safe to say that learning BASIC is within the reach of the average tech-savvy person? I always wondered about that, a 30-year old father giving his son a BASIC cart for the family Atari computer and the kid comes up with an actual game.

  2. Posted · Edited by Koopa64

    Perhaps a #/10 scale would be easiest?

     

    I know that most of the good, commercial 2600 games released back in the day used a lot of tricks and work arounds to get the most out of the system. With that said, is it just as hard to program for the Atari 2600 as it is to program for most assembly-based consoles like the NES?

     

    Oh yeah, I do understand a few of the fundamentals to programming but that's about it.

     

    *Puts noob flame shield up*

  3. Posted

    It's possible that the ROM chip died. I've had that happen on a couple of my 2600 games.

     

    Mitch

     

    I don't think so, the game produces vertical lines on the screen or makes sound like any other game I have that doesn't wanna boot but does work. If the ROM chip was indeed dead I wouldn't get anything out of it.

  4. Posted

    anytime. i cant say how easy the carts and disk are to come by, im sure someone here will point you in the right direction, they use 2600 sticks, ,so lots of options there. good luck!

     

    Wow! If the software is as easy to find as a good compatible controller, I'd probably be sold on an Atari 800 or something. :o

  5. Posted

    All of my 7800 and 2600 games work fine except for Desert Falcon, I cleaned it and it was pretty clean and the edge connector looks just fine but I can't get it to boot, all I ever get is vertical colored lines, rolling vertical lines or stuck sound. I'd assume this means the game is just dirty and the chips haven't shorted out (via by water, static shock or other).

     

    Anyway, can't you open these cartridges? They couldn't have molded the plastic around the circuit board at the factory, there's a seam all the way around the cart. Hell, the label on Desert Falcon even seems to be showing signs of stress from opening the cartridge up. Comeon, someone spill the beans, this is just stupid. >_>

  6. Posted

    the 7800 is a fun system to own, ,i didnt really like them at first either but as its been said. pacman collection alone is worth it, ninja golf is great, also,rampage, i like the version of double dragon,, one on one basketball is great imo. many many great titles! on the 5200 , personally it is my favorite. dig dug is great on it imo. then you have space dungeon , centepede , real sports baseball,qix ,robotron 2084,berzerk, joust is almost arcade perfect. if you get a multicart ,you can play the 8bit donkey and dkjr, rescue on fractalus i could go on and on,it has a great trak ball controller. and if your somewhat handy the controllers are not that hard to maintain. i also got an xegs before i got my 5200's and it just isnt the same to me. but it depends on what you want,, if you want disk drives and such, ,of course the 8bit is the way to go. between the 7800 and 5200 , imo , own both if you can,, but if i could only have one or the other,, it would have to be the 5200. yeah alot of folks dont like the controllers. i just never thought they where that bad. also if the stock 5200 sticks are not your thing, there are alternatives. wico. y cables, masterplay interface which allows the use of 2600 sticks,, so yeah in the end. its all up to you. it is always debated which version is better on what system, i say, which ever version , you think feels best and looks best, is best for you!

     

    Thanks for the suggestion man, what interested me about the 5200 was exactly what I've said before, the games. If it weren't for the massive size of the equipment and the poor quality of the controllers I'd be all over it. Yes I am quite handy and wouldn't have any problem cleaning the controllers every once in a while but what I'm after is the best. If games are easily available for the Atari 8-Bit computers and they can use good controllers then I'd likely look into one of those instead.

     

    Maybe I should take this to the Atari 8-Bit computer forum but what do you guys say? Are Atari 8-Bit computer carts and disks easily available? How are the compatible controllers? Help me out here!

  7. Posted · Edited by Koopa64

    It IS pretty rare to see 8-bit computers at yard sales, thrift stores, etc. ... still I've seen more of them out in the wild than I have 5200's. Don't worry about a monitor... it is NOT necessary for use with an Atari computer. They hook up to your TV just the same way your 7800 does. I haven't done recent price checks on Ebay, but a 800XL/XEGS shouldn't really cost much more at all than a 5200 (and you should save on the shipping, as the computer are much smaller!)

     

    Well, now that I myself have looked on eBay, an Atari 800 doesn't seem that expensive, glad to hear I don't need a $200 monitor. :D

     

    But the question I have is how hard are the disks/carts to find? I highly doubt I'd find Atari 8-bit software at a pawn shop (I've only ever seen a few 2600 carts at this one store), there's no local flea markets as far as I know and I since I don't have a full driver's license I can't go yard sale hunting either. There is one Thrift store left but I haven't been there yet, the Salvation Army shut down a while back.

  8. Posted

    Pac-Man Collection is $30. A reasonable price to support the homebrew market.

    http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?ma...products_id=849

     

    Donkey Kong and Dig Dug are both really good ports on the 7800. DK Jr. is really fun also.

     

    $30 doesn't sound too bad, maybe it's because for the longest I've been a cheapass collecting this old stuff but for Pac-Man it seems a bit much, official Pac-Man games are highly common and go for dirt cheap.

     

    Get a 5200 if you want one, but I prefer the 7800, or even the XEGS. The 5200 just has a lack of controller options. With the 7800, XEGS, and 2600, you have a lot more controller options.

     

    I'd want a 5200 because the 7800 doesn't have great games like Gremlins and Montezuma's Revenge. Shipping is murder on the stuff but IMO on eBay it looks like nobody wants the 5200.

     

    Don't pay $100 for an Apple IIe... I have 3 IIe's and 3 IIgs' and haven't paid a dime for any of them. I'm sure you can find a much better deal. Apple II software can be found in the Interwebs and transferred to 5.25" floppy via a serial connection and ADTPro.

     

    I betcha I could get it for less if I haggle, that same ][e has been for sale for quite some time now, I'd say for around a year, maybe longer.

     

    You'll find Pacman Collection to be quite similar to Ms. Pacman, as it's a masterfully done hack of Ms. Pacman, adding in the orignal Pac-man, Pac-man Plus, new mazes, and some other cool options.

     

    Are the hacks any good on it? I'd think not since there's only so much you can do with Pac-Man but please explain more on the Pac-Man collection cart.

     

    The 2600 has tons of great, great games! This thread shows the top 100 as selected by the membership here. If you like Seaquest (great game!), you'll find many other Activision games are of similar quality. (River Raid, Pitfall, Pitfall 2, Kaboom, and H.E.R.O. leap to mind as some of the must-have classics.)

     

    I'd probably get Pitfall and Pitfall 2, then go from there.

     

    This is somewhat controversial, but I'd highly recommend an Atari 8-bit computer (probably a 800XL or the XE Game System) over the 5200. The 5200 and the computers share very similar hardware, but use different cartridges and slightly different internals, making them incompatible. The game library for the computers is much larger, contains almost all of the 5200 titles, and you don't have to deal with the lousy 5200 controllers.

     

    Old 80s computers are a bit of a rarity where I live, I was surprised to see an Apple][e for sale up here, I highly doubt I'd find an Atari 8-Bit machine for a decent price. My main source for old game stuff is eBay and not only would shipping be high on a computer with a monitor but everything 80s computer is overpriced as hell there. That's why I was looking at the 5200, I could probably get one for cheap and really only pay highway robbery on the shipping alone, not the actual item too.

  9. Posted

    So eventually the label will shrivel off or something? :(

     

    Most likely not. I have LOTS of severely Actiplacqued labels that are stuck on there really well.

     

    I thought Pac-Man collection was a homebrew game and due to low quantities is a pricey game. Is Dig Dug a good port or would I be better off looking elsewhere? If Donkey Kong has poor sound I'd rather find a different version. Lastly, I'm not a fan of Asteroids or Space Invaders.

     

    Pac-Man Collection! is WORTH MORE THAN EVERY CENT! Trust me!

     

    Dig Dug is a decent port, although I prefer the version that was on the Atari XE line...graphically, the 7800 version is good, but sonically not so -- in fact, the sound on the 7800 version is EXACTLY the same as on the 2600 version, partly because both consoles use the same sound processor.

     

    I never thought the Donkey Kong sound was bad. Good port, if you ask me.

     

    No matter what the game I have trouble swallowing a pricetag that's higher than $60. If the game is worth less than that, I'd consider getting it. Concerning Dig Dug, I guess I should have assumed that since I was already aware the 7800 sound processor is also used in the 2600, I was just wondering if it looked ok graphically, the 5200 port reminds me of the Apple][. Lastly, I would really like to find a good port of Donkey Kong, hopefully not on DK64 or something like that, what is the best for consoles older than 1990?

     

    A couple more great 7800 only games-

     

    Alien Brigade

    Midnight Mutants

    Ninja Golf

     

    Thanks, I'll keep those in mind. :)

     

    I went back to play some 7800 and for a few days now I've been really enjoying Ms. Pac-Man, top notch game even if it's a tad watered down. I love those sound effects (like for when you eat a Super ball thingy). :D

     

    Any decent 2600 games? I don't particularly mind the simplistic graphics or sound, they're a bit meh but there's plenty of more recent games that are total eyesores. I like Seaquest quite a bit, it's just simple fun.

     

    Lastly, would any of you recommend an Atari 5200 overall? I find an Apple][ would be hard to find stuff for, there's an Apple][e available for $100 locally but I'm not sure about it. Is the 5200 a good console to get most of the fun mid-80s games for?

     

    Thanks for all the help up to this point guys!

  10. Posted

    2nd: What do you mean by that?

    Actiplaque = Mottling of labels that frequently occurs with Activision games because of the particular glue/paper combination.

     

    http://www.atariage.com/common/glossary/gl...actiplaque.html

     

    So eventually the label will shrivel off or something? :(

     

    One reason to own the 7800.....................Pac Man Collection :D That is pretty close to the Arcade plus it has plus modes Ms Pac man, Hangly man, random mazes etc etc.

    Dig Dug is pretty good on the 7800.

    Donkey Kong is excellent as long as you turn the sound down, why oh why did they not use POKEY :( ? also like the majority of ports of this game it is missing the pie factory.

     

    If you want an arcade like Asteroids then Asteroids Deluxe is excellent, as is space Duel. If you can find it 7800 Space invaders is a very cool game to own for the system.

     

    I thought Pac-Man collection was a homebrew game and due to low quantities is a pricey game. Is Dig Dug a good port or would I be better off looking elsewhere? If Donkey Kong has poor sound I'd rather find a different version. Lastly, I'm not a fan of Asteroids or Space Invaders.

     

    Are there reasons to own a 7800? Any good games?

    Thanks for reading. :D

    Yes. Owning one is fun.

     

    Be sure to check out the AA Rarity Guide http://www.atariage.com/software_search.html?SystemID=7800 There are also links to game reviews for each game. Of the AA Homebrews Beef Drop and Pacman collection are my favorites.

     

    If you are looking for other places to purchase NEW or USED games here are some good sources.

     

    (O'Shea New In Box Never Opened Games) https://www.oshealtd.com/atariorderform.htm

    (Atari 2600.com New/Used/Loose) http://www.atari2600.com/ccp51/cgi-bin/cp-...N10&catstr=

    (Best Electronics has everything under the sun hardware wise and games too) http://www.best-electronics-ca.com/text.htm

     

    I have purchased games from the above and found them all reliable.

     

    You can also find great deal on:

    http://www.chasethechuckwagon.com/

     

    As well as the AtariAge marketplace forums.

     

    There are other sites you can get games from, but I only listed the ones I have had experience with.

     

    Cool, if I want some more games I'll check those places out, thanks. :)

     

    Thanks for all the help so far guys! :D

  11. Posted

    Centipede is my favorite game on the 7800. That game alone makes it worth owning. The 2 player cooperative variation is great! Some other great games are:

    Asteroids

    Commando

    Dig Dug

    Donkey Kong

    Food Fight

    Galaga

    Joust

     

    Hmm, those do seem pretty good now that you mention them. Are the Dig Dug and Donkey Kong ports faithful to the arcade originals? More so than other ports like on the NES for example? (was Dig Dug even on the NES??)

     

    Also, I have Joust on NES, is the 7800 version better? I thought I read somewhere that it was... >.>

     

    How do I open up the cartridges for cleaning? I can't find any screws so I'm at a loss here. I have never owned an Atari console before... Ever.

    You don't need to open them. Insert a paper clip or similar object into one of the small notches on the dust cover and push in to expose the contacts.

     

    Why does the label for Seaquest look dirty? Like it got water spilled on it? The label is in alright condition and doesn't appear to have been subjected to water. Is it just the game or is it this specific copy?

    Actiplaque.

     

    I'd assume I have a late model, it doesn't have an expansion port anywhere on it, I'm correct on this right? Btw, where would the expansion port be?

    It would be on the left hand side of the console.

     

    1st: Huh, now that I never knew about. Could have fooled me.

     

    2nd: What do you mean by that?

     

    3rd: Ok, there's definitely no signs of an expansion port on the left side. Thanks for clearing that up. :)

  12. Posted

    Hi guys, I just recently bought an Atari 7800 from a friend of my older bro's for $50. Here's what came with it:

     

    Atari 7800 (probably a late console, I looked for an expansion port all over the unit and found nothing. The serial number has "88" stamped on it)

    AC Adapter

    Really old RF switch

    RCA to Coaxial adapter

    Two Proline controllers (both missing joystick balls)

    Ms. Pac-Man

    Choplifter

    Desert Falcon (doesn't work even after cleaning)

    Karateka

    Xevious

    Pole Position II

    Seaquest (2600)

    Earth Attack (2600)

     

    Here's a few questions:

     

    1: How do I open up the cartridges for cleaning? I can't find any screws so I'm at a loss here. I have never owned an Atari console before... Ever.

     

    2: Why does the label for Seaquest look dirty? Like it got water spilled on it? The label is in alright condition and doesn't appear to have been subjected to water. Is it just the game or is it this specific copy?

     

    3: I'd assume I have a late model, it doesn't have an expansion port anywhere on it, I'm correct on this right? Btw, where would the expansion port be?

     

    Now some other stuff. Since having it the Atari 7800 doesn't seem all that hot. I don't know whether it's just that I haven't owned an Atari console before, I don't have the right games for it or something else, it just doesn't strike me as being an insta-love console like the NES, Genesis or Saturn, all three of which I have only owned in recent years. I hate to say it but it almost feels as if I wasted my time getting it, anyone care to change my mind on this? Are there any really good games on 7800 (or 2600 for that matter) that I should look into? There's also a slight chance the guy might want this Atari back, apparently he didn't feel like selling it. If he really would want it back I'd sell it back to him for the original $50 no problem, otherwise I suppose I'm stuck with it.

     

    All this thought on the 7800 has made me start thinking about the 5200, for a while now (before I got the 7800) I wanted to get back those old classics I used to adore on the Apple][ (it was an Apple][e specifically). After some searches, a couple of those games were on 5200 and were fantastic ports from what I've seen. Other games are either on random pre-NES consoles or strictly on computer platforms but the Atari 5200 actually looks decent. Aside from the absolute massive size of the console which I would have a hard time warming up to and the controllers suck and 3rd party ones are hard to find, I'd really consider keeping my options open for a 5200. :)

     

    Anyway, here's a brief summary of the questions in the last two paragraphs for people who hate walls of text:

     

    Are there reasons to own a 7800? Any good games?

    Is the 5200 an alright console? Do the bad controllers and the gargantuan size of the console impede the good games for it?

     

    Thanks for reading. :D

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