Has it really been 30 years since the CRASH!

[Has it really been 30 years since the CRASH!]

I was born in 1983 right when the crash happened, like some others i obviously had no idea. All i know is my parents were young with very little money at the time so on my 5th birthday my mum bought me my first ever system a 2600JR with 3 games (Midnight Magic, Realsports boxing and Missile Command). I assume this was at the time they were trying to clear Atari systems off the shelf for around $25 or so.

 

As a 5 year old i was over the moon about having my own, rather then waiting to play Missile Command on my mum's friends 'old' six switch. It was awesome because my mum's boyfriend at the time came from a well off family and they gave me around 30 odd games (All the classics like Adventure, Combat so on and so on). 5 years old, my own system and tonnes of games i was like a pig in shit.

 

What video game crash? i was just getting started

[Atari 2600 Select, Reset, and Pause from NES controller]

Just an idea about resetting to the Harmony cart if it was a SNES controller or had additional buttons you could assign a button to the power switch. That way it will only power off when then button is depressed sort of like BigO was saying, but may leave enough time to clear all variables eliminating glitches. I am no guru and i could be wrong but a brief cut in power would leave some variables stored that could cause problems right? that's if i am understanding the hardware correctly.

[Unusual Ms Pacman Cart]

Nice find i for one have never seen these floating around Aus, curious as to where you found it? Anyway welcome to AA mate.

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Great scores guys, everyone has done a brilliant job keeping the competition bar raised high while showing good sportsmanship.

This super roo (TT2600) can't beat my personal times with the allocated time i have, however had a great time competing.

Also a standing ovation here at the team Australia complex for team Tibet, great job with the win guys :thumbsup:.

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Sorry that I haven't helped my team until now, But I can't get nowhere near the scores you have

Is all good, every point makes a difference you don't have to win a medals. I never expect to win in hi score club competitions, just being part of it is the fun. When i played the 2011 hi score competition i knew i could never get amazing scores like Vocelli, Gorfy, Stan or Jacob just to name a few the top runners. However i made my own little goal and that was to not place last lol, which i didn't so i was happy with that .

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Hey guys, unfortunately i have had an unexpected move of house so i may have some trouble with getting some runs in. Very long story and related to apartment living , glad to be out that's all i can say. I will still be around but very busy with work and moving at the same time so yeah sorry to let team Australia down .

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Cool! Then I will join Team Australia and try to achieve my first scores later!

Thank you very much for the warm welcome

Welcome to the team mate

[My attempt to replicate a 'pong like' game as a stepping stone project]

Nice, thanks for the link these are great examples. I will have a good look over them and see what i can come up with.

[My attempt to replicate a 'pong like' game as a stepping stone project]

G-Day guys, started getting into programming for the 2600 or should i say in general so yeah i have no programming experience other then a few simple variable hacks ect.

 

I would just like to present the code i have so far, i will warn experience and novice coders that this will probably look very messy (I am aware of this ). Like i said it's just a stepping stone program to get some knowledge how things can be achieved for later methods. I am also aware i have not 'assigned' any variables but rather used the key names like ballx ect for statements.

 

The part i am stuck on is getting the ball to move in the y axis motion on collision, i am thinking this is where 'assigned variables' are needed with some math. I am also looking into these 'bit operations' as i think in order to make the top half the paddle direct the bally motion bally - 1 vice versa i may need to 'toggle bits'. Anyway i will post the BAS here if anyone wants to have a look, maybe there is some really unnecessary methods i have used that someone can point out. Like i said programming in general is still a bit alien to me.

Pong-Like

default.bas

 

Edit: Just so you know i have made a few projects like the typical space invader shooter with multisprites, very messy but i might attach that here too. Someone may have some pointers

Multisprite shooter

default.bas

 

 

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Team Aus Reporting In

 

{Winter Games - Biathlon} 1:13.5

 

{Winter Games - Slalom} 59.7

 

{Winter Games - Speed Skating} 24.5 23.9

 

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Team Aus Reporting In

 

{Winter Games - Hot Dog} 9.1

 

{Winter Games - Luge} 31.6

 

{Winter Games - Speed Skating} 25.1

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Team Aus Reporting in

 

{Winter Games - Biathlon} 1:27.6

 

{Winter Games - Hot Dog} 8.6

 

{Winter Games - Luge} 34.4

 

{Winter Games - Slalom} 1:26.1

 

{Winter Games - Speed Skating} 27.7

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Team Australia

player JacobZu7zu7

The croud was shocked when Danni Minogue did some techno show on stage, with sparklers! I checked it out myself... got distracted, and did terrible at Mogul Maniac or, Minogue Maniac I could say, yes Tony our singing cheerleader made me look! ...

 

Mogul Maniac (game 9 B/B)

2:10.01

 

I warned you....Maybe it wasn't the best idea to have the sisters as cheerleaders

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Small Update

 

{Mogul Manic} 1.07.9

 

{Winter Games - Ski Jump} 170.6

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

ANOTHER CORRECTION:

 

i RETRACT MY MOGUL MANIAC SCORE -- SEE ENTRY # 55

 

I don't know if I went through both runs on that one. I suspect not, since I'm not able to get close to replicating the score.....

 

My apologies to Jake, all the participants of this event, and the Dalai Lama.

Yeah unfortunately you were also at the first checkpoint, after the second run it shows high score in green under the overall time. First run shows the flag count under in yellow for second run, is all good simple mistake.

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

mogul maniac gm9.......pushed forward and went "Kamikaze" style!

You still got another screen to finish that's the halfway checkpoint point . When you see the striped banner and hear the little tune after the second round that's your complete time

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

TT2600 reporting in

 

{Skiing - Game 5} 30:62 update {Skiing - Game 5} 28:66

 

{Ice Hockey} 10-9 Victory update {Ice Hockey} 11-8 Victory

{Winter Games - Bobsled} 49.8 update {Winter Games - Bobsled} 33.2

 

{Winter Games - Ski Jump} 153.6 update {Winter Games - Ski Jump} 166.7

 

{Winter Games - Hot Dog} 7.2

 

{Mogul Manic} 1.10.1

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 "sign up" time!]

Starts tomorrow yeah? Should be a fun competition can't wait to hit the slopes.

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 *Closing Ceremonies*]

Well i can gladly say here at the team Australia complex, the first ski jump was finally landed without resembling a big night out at the local pub *throws arms up applauding oneself*.

 

With the arrival yesterday of our good friend Jacob practice sessions are now in full swing besides, some distractions from the Minogue sisters .

I blame the sisters distracting me for any poor performances.

 

Kangaroo's are watching curiously while luge practice runs are underway on four wheeled beer eskies

 

[What if Imagic was still around today?]

I imagine they'd be putting out shovelware fps like everybody else. Or maybe an obscure company who makes amazing ios and android apps.

I have to agree, everyone is producing what's making the cash at the time. I am sure some at Activision and so forth would like to see some remakes, yet i understand they won't make the sales to keep the business alive. Most the video game industry is aimed at one main audience (teenage lads) because well they are the largest consumers in the industry. Shame the video game industry has become comfortable sticking with the safe approach. Gone of the days when software companies shrived for completely new ideas, not just sub-par updates of the same games for years on end.

[Winter Olympics - Atari 2600 "sign up" time!]

Well... I was lurking around Stockholm, and Goetborg Sweden to visit my ancestors (Ansikte mot ansikte), BUT I noticed Stan flew in and completed that team already. Which is okay because I played for my Swedish history in 2010.

 

This made me PACK my Kangaroo (good luck charm) and fly down to Team Australia to support cities and places like Perth, Brisbane, Sydney that no mans land (desert in the middle) "is that a skeleton on the barbie!?"... anyway, I need a warmer climate to practice in!

 

Seems this Kangaroo likes Taco Bell... what the bugger?!

 

 

 

 

maybe Tony the 2600 and I can get cheerleader support from the Minogue sisters!

:grin: :thumbsup:

haha Welcome to team Australia but you don't want the warmer weather we're getting. I live in South Aus (Adelaide) It's one them famous 40+ degree waves we get, been going for a few weeks now. 30+ degrees at night and 42 odd by around 8am, anyway welcome aboard

Anyway the Minogue sisters as cheerleaders will atleast make up for the lack of skills i have on ski jump

[Looking For Atari 2600. Have Any Free?]

Think i may have capsized the vessel though, so i do apologize to the OP, AA and others for any offense i may have caused.

[Looking For Atari 2600. Have Any Free?]

Whatever you do. DO NOT do a google search using these NSFW keywords:

 

retrogamer64 girlfriend

 

It clearly illustrates why one does not use the same nickname across gaming and.. ahem.. video entertainment web sites!

haha wtf wonder if her 'toy' was a second hand freebee too

[Just replace them?]

Cool. No problems with Towering Inferno now. Thanks, cvga. I never would have thought to use the "wrong" joystick. Decent gameplay and kind of fun...now that I can move around.

 

And...Starmaster also works. So, thanks to Tony The 2600 for that tip. Looks like this one is a little more complicated than I gave it credit for. Not a turn on and play type of game. Time to study that manual.

 

Yep, I give them a good cleaning as soon as I get them, especially from flea markets. Usually the ones ordered from more reputable sites seem to be ready to go out of the envelope.

 

Such odd gameplay for both of these, or ways to go at playing them. Thanks for the tips, y'allz...

 

 

 

No worries mate, yeah may seem odd using console switches for some games. You haven't seen nothing till you pick up {Space Shuttle: A Journey Into Space} lol. http://atariage.com/manual_thumbs.html?SystemID=2600&SoftwareID=1313&ItemTypeID=MANUAL

Also Welcome to AtariAge

[Just replace them?]

Starmaster uses the colour/black and white switches for warping (warp zones), you have to flick the switch and a screen pops up. Move the player pixel to areas with one, two or three small pixels (they represent enemy fighters) and press fire. You will notice the ship go into warp speed and the green cockpit control panel will turn red indicating enemy within the area. Blast em and when none remain the cockpit colour will change to green repeat process until game complete. The larger pixels on the map are refuel ships that you can dock (refills the "E" meter). Starmaster is one my favorites from back in the day, a little too easy but nonetheless still fun.

 

PS: you gotta read the manuals there is nothing wrong with your system or the carts, just haven't read the manuals.