moderntimes99

One idea would be to add the Delta tune as in-game music to Oystron (if it's technically possible to cram in the scanlines + RAM required by the music player). Haven't thought about it before, but Oystron actually has a kind of "Delta feel" to it... (Or why not a music hack of Gravitar!? That should also work out relatively well.) Regards, "Moderntimes99"

Hi! Here are my two latest creations for the 2600. Both songs are made using Paul Slocum's Music Kit v2.0, but they are fairly different in nature. The first song, which is loosly based on the title theme from the C64 game Druid, uses some of the noisiest of the 2600's sounds ('saw' + 'pitfall' + 'bass') to create a fairly rich sound. druid_chip.mp3 The second song, which is a close rendition of Rob Hubbard's Delta theme (also from the C64), is an attempt to create some multichannel music on the 2600. The melody is played on a combination of 'lead' + 'square' which are used as a single instrument that spans over almost 4 octaves. Further, the channels are time shifted in order to avoid unwanted interference (due to notes not being in tune on the 2600...). This is more or less the same technique as I have used before in my version of the Boulder Dash theme (posted as bd_chip.mp3 to the Boulder Dash thread in this forum). delta_chip.mp3 Now, I would like to hear your comments - which one do you prefer? Best regards, "Moderntimes99" PS. If you'd like to include any of these tunes in your game or demo, then just drop me a note. (I have, though, already given a first chance offer to Marc Oberhäuser to use the Druid tune, so that one might not be "available").

There's a smaller version of Puyo Puyo called Puyolin (which was released as a keychain LCD game by Tiger). Puyolin only has three different types of "tiles" and therefore should be much more feasible to implement on the 2600... Regards, "Moderntimes99"

This all sounds very good! However, I personally think that spending time on the compatibility issues is much more important than both tweaking the built-in games and designing a portable version. For me, it's not very interesting with a portable version of the Flashback 2.0 unless it will be able to run my favourite games... Regards, "Moderntimes99"

For those of you who don't have a PSP, try the links below. Online version: FreeArcade.com - Sweep Clone (very well implemented!) for Windows PC: Kaikai's Homepage - Lumines for win32 Regards, "Moderntimes99"

Hmmm....I missed this one. Yes, the CyberTech board works with PAL machines. I have a PAL JR that I used for testing....it's wonderful. The only downside is that all PAL machines have mono audio. This is true of any mod you do because there's only one sound channel coming out of the TIA chip. -Chris 914155[/snapback] I would love to have the CyberTech board installed in one of my PAL JRs. Are there any websites that still are selling the mod? Are there step-by-step instructions that an ordinary person (I've done a fair bit of soldering in my life, but I'm really a software person only and have no deeper knowledge in electronics) can follow for installing it in a PAL unit? Regards, "Moderntimes99"

Sure it would require a lot of new negotiations, no doubt about that. I'm only saying that I would be prepared to pay for a fair license fee for each of those games listed... Regards, "Moderntimes99"

This only makes the compatibility issues more important to sort out. Anyone that knows if Thrust runs on the FB2 (with cartridge mod)? Regards, "Moderntimes99"

This sounds all very good - how do we know this isn't waporware? Regards, "Moderntimes99"

Hi! Are there any plans for when the PAL version of the Flashback2 will be released? Is it designed already or will there be time to sort out some of the compatibility issues before it goes into production? (Personally, I'm most concerned about H.E.R.O, Pitfall 2, Defender II/Stargate and Activision Checkers, but it would be nice if it also could support Galaxians, Dig Dug and Berzerk) At least I hope that the development of the PAL version of the Flashback2 has higher priority than the NTSC version of the Flashback3! :-) What are the chances that the list of games will be updated for the PAL version? I would definitely be willing to pay a much higher price if the following games were included - (actually *all* of my Top 10 Atari 2600 titles are missing in the NTSC version!): Thrust H.E.R.O Man Goes Down RealSports Tennis Pitfall2 Edtris Midnigt Magic My Golf Defender II/Stargate KLAX JR Pac Man Moon Patrol Ice Hockey (Activision) QB Gravitar (Especially, it would be a great mistake of Atari to not accept the conditions required to include Thrust on it!) Best regards, "Moderntimes99"

Well, you could always take a photo of a TV at a relatively slow shutter speed (e.g. 1/8s or similar)... I used to do some reviews of computer games for a local magazine in the 80s and that was the way we did it then... Regards, Moderntimes99

Looking for a SuperCharger for my Atari 2600. Arcadia or Starpath, NTSC or PAL doesn't matter. Not interested in game tapes, just the cartridge in good working order. Regards, Moderntimes99

Yes it works, I am using a NTSC SC myself. No further problems, only the loading screen may roll. 889591[/snapback] Thanks! Regards, Moderntimes99

That's exactly what I'm after. Theoretically it should work, but I'd really like to hear from someone who has tried it. (NTSC Supetchargers are by far more common on eBay...) Regards, Moderntimes99

Hi! This might be of common knowledge, but I have surfed around a bit and haven't been able to find any information on it: Can a NTSC Supercharger be used with a PAL system? Are there any other things affected than perhaps the colours looking wierd while loading? Any suggestions of a good place to find one? Best regards, Moderntimes99

Hi! Here's an improved "chip" version of the Boulder Dash theme. It should be less blippy than the previous version. Also, a few notes causing noise have been tweaked. Binary version: bdchip.zip (Run in z26 at fixed 60fps for true NTSC speed, e.g "z26 -r60 -d2 bdchip.bin") Source code: bdchipsrc.zip MP3 version: bdchip.mp3 (Sampled from my own 2600, no sound processing has been added.) Regards, Moderntimes99

Why not start a competition? Maybe for the whole title screen? (As the music really should work together with a display kernel to be useful.) I attach the source code for my "chip" version of the Boulder Dash tune (in true open source spirit) and encourage anyone who likes to include it in a display kernel for the title screen or try to improve it to do so. bd2600src.zip It will be very interesting to see what can be done along the softsynth path, but so far I think that my attempts towards a "chip" tune version at least has served the purpose of demonstrating that the 2600 is at all capable of playing the tune! From here things can only be improved upon! Best regards, Moderntimes99

You're absolutely right about the "blippiness" - that's unfortunately a necessary evil to overcome some very badly sounding interference that would otherwise arise between the two channels. Believe me, you don't want to hear it! It is my conviction that this is about as far as the poor old 2600 can be pushed. It is hard enough to find notes that represent the melody reasonably well that don't sound too horrible together! However, I would gladly find myself to be proven wrong and therefore invite anyone that likes to make a version that's even closer to the original to give it a try! If for nothing else it's quite an interesting experience to try to make music on the 2600 - you can't believe how primitive it really is (and how bad it can sound!) until you have tried it out on your own... Regards, Moderntimes99

In case of the Boulder Dash intro tune I think that the 2600 can actually reproduce it fairly well making all Red Box/Blue Box stuff unnecessary. The mp3 file below is a sample from a real 2600 playing my translation of the tune. bd2600.mp3 And here is the corresponding binary (this is more or less the same as bd_plain.bin posted earlier to this thread, but with a few smaller adjustments). bd2600.zip Best regards, Moderntimes99

Here's a "plain" version of the Boulder Dash tune, without any percussion whatsoever. It should also have the correct "NTSC tempo" when played in Z26 at 60fps. bd_plain.zip Best regards, Moderntimes99

A very good comment indeed! And maybe something that I wouldn't have thought about otherwise! As I live in Sweden I'm of course used to the slower PAL rendition and used this tempo (even if the .bin file I posted yesterday was timed for 60fps) just because this is what I think Boulder Dash should sound like. I am right now rewriting the tune, from 1.5 to 3 in tempodelay in order to allow for some finer adjustments in speed. In the final version the tempo at 60 fps should of course be the NTSC tempo. Just out of curiousity, if you run the current .bin file at a fixed fps within Z26 - which fps do you find gives the "right" tempo? 65, 70 or even 75 fps? Regards, Moderntimes99

And here is the ImpulseTracker file in case someone would like to play around with it... bd_erik_v3_experimental3.zip Regards, Moderntimes99 878746[/snapback] And here is finally my attempt at implemting it on the 2600... What I have done is to put the melody in channel 1 only, in order to avoid channel 1 and 2 being out of tune. The melody is played on a combination of saw, lead and square in order to cover for the 4 octaves required by the melody. Notes that have a lot of noise in them are played slightly shorter than notes that are in tune (might have to remove this in order to not generate unwanted 50Hz buzz...). It is all based on Paul Slocum's excellent Sound Kit v2.0. The song as an mp3 (sampled from my real 2600): bd_erik__from_real_2600_.mp3 alternative link: bd.mp3 The song as a binary: bd_erik.zip Best regards, Moderntimes99

Yes, I will be putting more speech in there. 880159[/snapback] Great to see you back here Alex! One thing I'm wondering about is what else you consider doing with Man Goes Down - especially as the latest beta posted to this thread looks really finished... Regards, Moderntimes99

And here is the ImpulseTracker file in case someone would like to play around with it... bd_erik_v3_experimental3.zip Regards, Moderntimes99

Nah, the 2600 can do much better. 877577[/snapback] Hmm... what I meant was that the melody easily translates to only one channel and then leaves the other channel for some simple rythmic elements. This also has the benefit that channel 1 does not have to be in tune with channel 2, which might be hard to achieve on the 2600. In the two channel example below, the melody goes in channel 1, and a simple hihat+snare in channel 2. (Sorry for the old ST-01 sounds, but that's what I usually like to play around with... bd_erik_v3_experimental3.mp3 Regards, Moderntimes99