disjaukifa

You can reprogram the cart via USB for a bug fixed or improved BIOS (menu, driver etc.). Yes, and there will be an update before too long (I forgot to include the code to improve 7800 compatibility, for example.) Some will work, but microSD is not required to support the protocol we are using, so compatibility with microSD is not guaranteed. MMC cards may work as well, but these also are not required to support the protocol and may be too slow for the driver, so no guarantees here either. All SD cards should work, however. FWIW, I am using a Sandisk microSD on one without problems. If you have name-brand cards, you are probably fine. When you get your Harmony, if you can report what microSD cards you have and whether they work or not, that may help others in the future. Actually all of mine are Sandisk as well but I can test out all of them and let you know what works and what does. As a funny side note. I was looking for a 4 megabyte SD card online . . . and all I could find was 4 gigabyte. I think I have a 16mb SD card somewhere in my house, which I might use for the harmony, but its funny, you really can't buy new at least anything under 256 megabyte for SD and MicroSD. -Disjaukifa

That's exactly what I mean. As for the holes I can live with the two difficulty switch holes, the A/B expert/novice wording on top forms a handy guide! I think that would work, hahah wow a Darth Vader Heavy Sixer :!: I would still see if you could find a way to cover up the holes, but if you don't care don't worry about. The question now is who is going to do this mod and post pictures . -Disjaukifa

The Harmony is not programmed to write to the SD card. Maybe Chris can say for sure, but while (I think) it may be theoretically possible to write a program for the microcontroller with driver support on the PC side that could write files to the SD, it would be difficult to do, and it would be slow. The cart uses a USB-to-serial chip and its maximum speed (limited by the microcontroller) is a fraction of even USB 1.0, much less that of USB 2.1. You are better off writing the SD with a card reader. Thats fine, its easy enough to pull it out and stick the SD card in a reader, I just thought I remember reading it had a usb cable, maybe it was something else. Do you know if the Harmony will work MicroSD card with an SD adapter? For some reason I don't have SD cards, just MicroSD with the adapter for SD. Thanks Disjaukifa

No problem with super-long filenames. However, only the first 24 characters will be displayed in the current version of the menu. Another thing I should point out is that you may not be able to tell from the menu whether the binary is NTSC or PAL as that is usually at the end of the filename. If you select a game in the wrong TV format, the screen may roll. I recommend deleting the files that you can't use (I personally used Windows "find files or folders" on the SD card, searched for files containing "PAL" and deleted them.) Hey Batari, I'm not sure I remember reading this or not, does it have a place where you can connect a USB cable to the cartridge to talk with the SD or did I just come up with that out of thin air (I vaguely remember reading something along those lines . . . .) Thanks Disjaukifa

I just sold my 2600 Jr, I liked the look of the console and it worked really well, there is just something about having 6 metal switches that you can hear go "CLICK" that I enjoy. -Disjaukifa

Hey Guys, I just had an idea that just hit me :!: I'm pretty sure this will push the cartridge into 8K game range but it would be well worth it. For those of you that have downloaded and tried what I have now, do you think it was be fun to also have a two player mode to see who can last the longest? It won't be that difficult to program and I think it would be fun to play against someone else as well!!! Let me know what you think. Tonight I am going to be working on programming the console switches (can't test that till I get my Harmony in next week), making title screens (simple), and adding a two player mode. I'm even thinking about making it a 16K game just because I have some neat ideas for animation but animation takes up space. Let me know what you think, I will post another binary tonight with what I have been able to accomplish! UPDATE: I had a thought that I could do 3 game modes, 1 Player, 2 Player VS, 2 Player COOP. Here is some sketches in paint I did. Its pretty straight forward: Thanks Disjaukifa

I think that would work . . . but the open holes in the back of the machine would really bother me . . . maybe you could fiberglass it or something to fix it. -Disjaukifa

Hey thanks for the response MausGames! I have broken up your post to help me make sure I answer all of you questions and I have some questions of my own. I guess what I mean by a cleaner play field is something that is more refined, and doesn't have the lines breaking it up, which will be fixed soon. I will add the fire button to start and the if switchreset then reboot this afternoon. I actually have it set for when the game ends . Ok as I am really new to this (less than a week doing Batari Basic), I have two questions: 1st. How do I check how many scan lines my project has? 2nd. What is considered normal for game? Yeah I was thinking about making it so that other particles bounce around. I have never used pfcolors and PF0 so I will need to do some reading to see exactly how that works!! Really? I didn't realize you could do that, I need to go back in the other thread and see if anyone has an example of how to do that, that sounds very interesting. I still thinking about just using the multisprite kernel as it produces a cleaner play field and a bigger play field. I am going to mess around with it this afternoon when I get home. Thanks for the feedback guys!!! Disjaukifa

Well yeah I know that . . . even though I don't use it . . . I guess what I meant was an IDE provided by Atari. For example, Apple provides Developer Tools for the iPhone/iPod Touch. I guess that is what I was thinking of an official Atari IDE vs a homebrew created IDE (which I think works great and everything, but it had to develop instead of being released with the system!!!) -Disjaukifa

You bet. Can I get an autographed copy ? -Disjaukifa

Out of curiosity what did you mean by: "I guess I should proofread better before I hit that "post" button. "? Thanks for posting a reply!!! Always helps motivate me to keep on programming!!! I'm thinking about changing the game play here and there. I would love for the other atomic matter to bounce around but I have gotten to figuring out how to do that yet. I left the straight line missile more to see if the game would be fun to play or not. I'm glad you enjoyed what I have so far, I need to make a finishing screen for if you finish, just haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm trying to decide if I want to use the mutlisprite kernel or not. I know it gives you a much cleaner playfield, even though it has to be symmetrical, which I think this game would highly benefit from. What do you think? I also to want to play the game with a joystick, keyboard is just not the same and my reaction time is slower (don't I sound like a geek). Thanks for posting accousticguitar!!!! -Disjaukifa

So much for doing it without having to Dremel the Atari 2600s . . . I really thought that was going to work too!!! -Disjaukifa You don't need to dremel! Just switch out the top parts. Personally, the vader model seems cheaper since they just left the wood grain off. Not to change the topic but why is it called the Darth Vader anyway??? All it really is a Black Atari 2600, which they were trying to get out of the 70's wood grain look. Or is there some neat piece of trivia behind it that I have completely missed? -Disjaukifa

I can't agree with your last bulletin point enough. I really hate how restrictive todays consoles are. I think it one of the reason I love the Atari 2600 so much, really anybody can program homebrew for it and its NOT frowned on. I would love to see a console that did the 2600, 5200, and 7800, let you do your own game dev and homebrew without having to hack the @(#@*#&@(* thing. Also I think it would be nice if to have hardware that allow for more complicated and graphically complex games. But that has all be said. I would just love a commercially heard of system, be it the Atari 15600, that encouraged homebrew games . . . I think it would be a huge success!!! -Disjaukifa

Agreed, I've used 5200 controllers before and I just don't like them as much as the good ole CX-40. -Disjaukifa

Well can you give us a link to the auction? I would like to see this item in the auction and then what it looked like when it got to you. Agreed its hard to hell without pictures. If its a collectible it can be for a good portion of the auction however like Videogamecollector123 said pictures would help. -Disjaukifa

So much for doing it without having to Dremel the Atari 2600s . . . I really thought that was going to work too!!! -Disjaukifa

Hey guys, I know I just start a thread on Earth Invaders which I am going to continue to work on, however yesterday I played accousticguitar's game "Miss It" after he made a comment in another of my threads about never having made a game that used missiles: Well being frustrated with the stupidity of how I programmed Earth Invaders (NO subroutines . . . a complete nightmare) I just wanted to play some fun Atari games, so I went checked out accousticguitar's Miss It. If you haven't played it yet, you need to its completely addicting!!! Here is a link Miss It! Anyways what got me about accousticguitar's game was how simple the game and yet just how addicting it was. Well I went to bed last night and no kidding at about 3:30 am I woke up with an idea for a game called Atomic Meltdown. I wrote down my idea at 3:30 and went back to sleep because I didn't want to forget. Well all day today I had this game messing around in my head, when I got home today I started programming it and in a matter of hours (less than 6) I have the basis what I feel has the possibility of being a very fun and addicting game. I pulled two elements from accousticguitar's Miss It game, mainly you don't want to hit anything and your score is determined by how long you last. Original my goal was for it to be a 2K game, however I have add some animation which I feel makes Atomic Meltdown better so now its going to be a 4K game and possible 8K game because of ideas I have. Well to give you an idea how much this was in my head today, I have already come up with the Atari Label and the premise behind the game is this: "A nuclear reactor core stabilizer and containment field has failed unexpectedly and you, the technician, have to manually stabilize the atomic matter until containment field can be initialized. The containment walls will start enclosing around the atomic matter as the containment field is brought back online. However because the containment field is down, other random atomic matter is being project around the reactor core. The manual stabilizers have not been calibrated on schedule so they do not stabilize the atomic matter correctly which has resulted in the atomic matter to jitter around. If two pieces of atomic matter collide or if the atomic matter collides with the walls before the containment field has been initialized, then the whole nuclear reactor wild explode." I know the label is simple but I like it . I am going to be changing and modifying stuff but I feel that the core of the game is pretty solid. If you switch your Atari 2600 or Stella (not sure how to do it in Stella) to Difficult A (Pro) then the game gets harder, however I have not really tested it out yet so no promises on it working correctly. Anyways this game is not down yet, but I like to think it is well on its way. I have attached the binary. Download it and play it and let me know what you think!!!! Thanks Disjaukifa atomic_meltdown.bin

Hey guys correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the panel with the switches just "pop" out? I know on my Heavy Sixer and my Light 4 switch the panel that the switchs go trough just pops off, I don't see why you couldn't combine a Darth Vader 4 switch with a Heavy Sixer . HAHAHA Dark Vader Sixer and the Heavy Four banger!!! -Disjaukifa Wow didn't really think of that, but the controller ports are positioned differently as I notice when I'm playing my 4 & 6 switchers aren't they. Or is that just me ? -Dylan AHHH I totally forgot about the different controller ports . . . where are the ports on the Light Sixer? -Disjaukifa

Hey guys correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the panel with the switches just "pop" out? I know on my Heavy Sixer and my Light 4 switch the panel that the switchs go trough just pops off, I don't see why you couldn't combine a Darth Vader 4 switch with a Heavy Sixer . HAHAHA Dark Vader Sixer and the Heavy Four banger!!! -Disjaukifa

NUSIZ0/NUSIZ1 is the key. I know I have said this before but I really really need to read up on NUSIZ0 and NUSIZ1, sounds like they are the solution to alot of my issues I am having with Earth Invaders. -Disjaukifa

Hey Batari, Thanks for the code sample, I will have to look at it, I am very interested to see how you did that. I'm in the middle on a re-write at the moment because I didn't know what I was doing . -Disjaukifa

SOLD!!!!

SOLD SOLD SOLD I've got some stuff just taking up space that I am sure someone wants so I'm selling some of my stuff that I don't use. Up for sale is an Atari 2600 Jr Console only (No controller or plugs . . . I just don't have enough, I only have one set somehow). The console has been mostly cleaned and it works perfectly. Here are some pictures: I have done some cleaning to this unit. I picked it up at a yard sale with some other atari games. The console works great, I just don't use it and I really don't have the room for it. I only use my Heavy Sixer . If you have any questions please feel free to ask and I will get back you as soon as I can Make an offer!!! Thanks Disjaukifa

Hey Batari, how did they do at the Expo? I keep waiting to hear, but nothing has been posted. -Disjaukifa

I really enjoyed the pictures, thanks for posting them!! -Disjaukifa