-^CrossBow^-

Not sure if anyone cares about this game. But I on a whim since lots of other games were broken I decided to see what was fixed. Low and behold Jinks is now playable again...well as playable as it could ever be that is.. just an FYI...

Okay..so while some games work...others that were before are now broken. For instance I can't get Commando, Dark Chambers, Cracked, Kungfu Master, Mean 18, Midnight Mutants, Motopsycho, and too many others...they all do the same thing.. That is..they lock up just after the fuji logo during the encyrption check. So is there a problem with the Roms...or are this many games broken now in this new release? Because Winter, Summer Game, Tower Toppler, and Impossible Mission all work... Just curious..

Actually Dan...Tower Toppler is hit and miss.. sometimes you load it up...and start playing the game..and they look fine...except that they look like an old PC type CGA graphics mode...very odd. But it is easy to see what it going on...then sometimes during game play the graphics will go screwy. Best way to describe it...is that the graphics form what looks like ASCI characters instead of the blocks to form the tower...but the character sprites seem fine. Here are some shots to show what I mean: Good: Bad: So I hope that gives a better example of what it looks like. BTW Dan...Thanks for the awesome work on the 7800 driver for MESS even if they neglet to mention it in their updates, just know that the rest of us here do appreciate it!

Well Eric, What he did was simply add microswitches to the left side fire buttons. While this may work really well, I think the best option would have been for him to add Aluminum coating or pads to the left side fire buttons. However, using the microswitches would eliminate the case where the rubber on the buttons sometimes...sticks and doesn't come back up completely off the contact. As for his aluminium coating process. I actually found that I just use Foil tape or even cheaper...I get a packages of stickers that have a foil back to them and simply stick them onto the cleaned carbon pads on the inside of my 5200 sticks. Last time I checked...both my 5200 sticks were still working 100% and they are going on 6 months now... His mod isn't anything new. I have heard of people who actually replaced all the carbon contacts inside with actual microswitches to eliminate the need for the constant cleaning. I still the foil tape on the buttons is the best, cheapest, quickest, fairly reliable method yet found. For me at least...

Don't forget that while the 7800 could handle lots of sprites...it is also still a scanline renderer like the 2600.

I am referring to a little plasitc like post that is usually red in color. It will have wire wrapped around it several times...hence the "Coil" portion of the name. This is actually a potentiometer to adjust the signal of the RF to the TV. Basically when audio and picture become fuzzy...this is where the adjustments are made to resync them back up. I haven't had to mess with the ones on my Atari's yet..just the one on my Colecovision. But it worked. I had the opposite however in that I had great picture..but fuzzy audio. Slight turn and they were both good. I haven't seen the inside of a 2600 JR. so I am not exactly sure where the Adjustment is. But it should either be inside...or just to the outside of the RF box itself. If it is inside it, then look for an adjustment hole to access the Octagon shaped screw that has to be turned in the RF Coil potentiometer. Okay..I think I just repeated myself like 3 times there. I hope that more or less clears it up more. Perhaps if someone else on the board can provide a scan of the JR. board they can highlight or circle the potentiometer I am talking about.

Hmmm..I see what you mean..but the only Crystal Castles I have is an original 82' release and it has the actual dust door on it needing the posts on the 2600/7800 cart connector to open it up for the pcb to access the connector. The ones you show in your scan are newer made carts..starting with about 84' I would say...to about 86-87 is when I have seen these cheap dust spring blocks put on the carts.

Well assuming your using the same switchbox for all...then I say you need to take an Allan wrench to your RF coil for some slight adjustment.

Okay...so let me correct myself, The 2600 VCS actually used a 6507 and not a 6502. But the 7800 did indeed use a 6502c that was customized to allow program halts.

Okay,,, so finding it was easy enough..just a little replace one page link with a 7800 on the end sorta thing. Now as to the data on the pages themselves...there are a few corrections that must be made. For starters you need to email Curt Vendel or Keita Ida for the use of at least their keyboard picture. I know you have a link to them and all...but proper netiquette dictates that you should contact them anyway even to link to them you should contact them. Also...you have listed in the History section where the 3600 prototype was a pain to program for...this is correct...however, later on down the page you mention that the 2700 was what they looked back at and developed into the 7800. This is incorrect as the 2700 was the prototype Atari VCS 2600 clone Remote control system based console which failed due to limited range, cost, and interference with your neighbors garage door opener. Also you state on the Specs page that the Processor is referred to as (Sally?). Where did you hear about this? Cause if memory serves the Proc in the 7800 is just a modified Stella 6502. Basically the chip layout in the 7800 consists of a Stella, Riot, Tia, and the graphics beauty Maria. Also the inhouse project name for the 7800 was "Ginger". Oh...and you might want to add that the 7800 processor was duel speed. It only ran at 1.79 mhz when it was in 7800 mode utilizing the Maria graphics chip. In 2600 mode the proc ran at 2600 speed or 1.19 mhz. Just a few little things. I know the 7800 FAQ doesn't mention the proc speed dual mode here at AtariAge...but other sources on the Web do reveal this info and it makes sense or else the timings would be shot on the 2600 games thus making the 7800 not compatible other than in cart connector and onboard hardware. [ 12-31-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

Was playing some more games last night and found a few old enemies I had forgotten previously: I don't know about anyone else but I can safely say that I completely find the Cobra Fighters in Solaris to not only be completely frustrating and hard to kill...but a most unbalanced enemy in just about any game I have played. I can sit there and do just dandy in Solaris until these jerks have to be dealt with and then...BAM! I am sure to lose at least one ship or five in the process to take em out. Ze_ro mentioned gravity being a problem for him. I agree with this to some extent but it is absolutely needed for pinball games. If there weren't any gravity then what fun would Pinball be?! However, I do have to admit that I have tossed a controller to the floor more than once when Midnight Magic has carefully placed the ball just in the dead center on the way out, preventing me from being able to keep it alive. Actually this happens for real on the actual machines to I guess it is realistic. Another annoying enemy I can't stand is Death in the Gauntlet games!!! It isn't bad enough that we have to sit there and endure legions of 20+ sorcerors or demons in that game. So they decide to throw in an enemy that can only be killed off by a potion. Which I never seem to have at the time. Plus they are fast...and are way better at getting around the maze than myself. Lobbers deserve a mention as being ultra annoying as well. Since they can take off health from so far away and yet be placed in impossible to get to places sometimes. Thats it for now...I am sure if I fire up some more game tonight...I shall find more, wouldn't we all?

Most people dislike this port on just about any system. I actually like the game...both the 2600 and the 5200 version. The 5200 version looks more like the arcade and sounds pretty much dead on. I do remember playing the 2600 version quite a bit a kid. Now when I want to jump around and smack some monkeys...I just plug in the 5200 version and thrash my controller a bit... I do agree that it seems odd that you hit the bell and have to come back down the level to collect all the fruit...especially when you get more points the quicker you complete the level...

Yeah...sounds like the contacts are getting dirty...or something. Cause this is the kind of thing that happens on other systems if you bump into them or something like that... I haven't seen anything like that happen on my unit. However, I do have a Gyruss cart that used to flake out on me like that... Cleaned the cart contacts...and also cleaned the connector and it hasn't done it since.

Haven't I and several others mentioned this on more than one occasion? Emulation will never replace the real thing. I imagine Marco will come in here with his statement on this... [ 12-28-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

I used to be an avid Garfield reader. Although Garfield was annoyed by Nermal (who is a He BTW, your thinking of the pink female cat who used to pester him as well from time to time) there were a few strips in the books where Garfield would show that he was actually looking after Nermal from time to time. My guess is that the story is something to the effect that Nermal has gotten stuck on the roof. Garfield actually feels some compassion and is trying to rescue him. However, in typical Garfield fashion...he takes his time doing it...by eating burgers etc...on the various screens before he finally saves him. I can't remember a specific strip that was like this...but I am sure there is one. It makes sense that way. Just my thoughts about the undiclosed story of the proto...

Actually LT. Luna..I am surprised you didn't mention my most hated enemy in one game on just about any platform. For me...the controller thrashing frustation creator enemy for me...has to be the damn Crater Makers from none other than Moon Patrol. I mean so many times I have to sit there and time those jumps and shots perfect to clear a section of 2 rocks a crater another rock a crater then a rock and a tank...and then...when I think I am clear...out pops the Tri-balled Crater Makers and just as I dispatch that last one...he manages a dropping just prior to perishing...and of course it happens to land right next to another crater that is up and coming and well...basically impossible to jump over or avoid. BAM!!! Another buggy lost to the AI that is Moon Patrol... [ 12-27-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

Hey, No rush, your the man behind the wheel of your own project. I say take as long as you need and focus more towards making the game you really want to make and not making something to satisfy us. That mistake is already made all too often in the software business now. In fact, now you see why so many game companies try not to but a date on when they expect something to be released or finished because of delays which always come up. Just use the politically correct response of "It will be done, when it is done." And you will be more the happier.

Ze_ro... I know replacing that cable isn't hard...but some people who aren't technically inclined would cringe at the thought of opening up 20 year old electronics. So replacing the cable is a big deal for them. As for the coax to f phono adapters...I totally believe these are the way to go if you can't dare yourself enough to modify to use composite. I personally have 3 of them in use right now for my 7800, ColecoVision, and Intellivision. My 5200 just used the coax that it came with on the switchbox. Also Radio Shack has both a Standard Chrome plated connectors for 1.99 each...and also a shinier gold plated one for 2.99 each. My personal preference is that I have both...and besides one being a buck more than the other....there is ZERO difference in picture and sound. So I say use the cheaper 1.99 chrome plated ones...and play your Atari!!!!

Unless of course the actual RF connector is missing...and hence why the describtion states it looks like Speaker wire?! Lets hope this isn't the case. It would be easy to fix by simply getting a mono rca cable...but then of course would actually required opening of the 2600 and replacing the cable where it plugs into the RF portion on the board.

I actually got several Atari related items this year for X-mas. Among them were mainly new Lynx games...hehe...always fun. The wife apparently discovered 4Jays this month and did most of my shopping there. She got me for the Lynx NIB: Crystal Mines 2 Steel Talons Used CIB she got me Bill and Ted's. However, when I opened the box I discovered the cart wasn't in there?! Also from some other place on-line my wife got me my 3rd...yes...3rd Atari related T-shirt. It has a screen grab of the game Asteroids (Arcade version) on the front and on the back has the wonderful Atari Fuji Logo...also the whole shirt was done in an offset red and blue to give it all a 3-D look with the old 3D comic glasses...heheh...too bad I don't have a pair so I could really see the effect. Anyway, lots of fun for me...and Cyrstal Mines 2 Rocks!!! Steel Talons is also fun but difficult trying to meet all the objectives in so little time. Still it has speech and is impressive to see polys on a portable that dates from 88'...hehe Atari on dudes!!!

Actually it could be this fact as well. Your 2600A you stated was made in Hong Kong. I am almost 100% sure that my 2600A 4 switch woody I got in 82 was made in Sunnyvale. And it is a little known fact that variances in the units exist in quality of the units construction and quality of the picture and sound depending on country of manufacture. I am not saying that all the 2600s made over seas suffer from the problem you described, but I will state that I have seen these problems in those units from overseas more often. I also know that my 7800 had a pretty nasty looking picture to it compared to both the 2600s I had and even to my Colecovision and Intellivision units. I finally traced it to several things acting in concert causing the various snow and distortion I was getting on the screen. First the rf connector on the 7800 was fairly corroded. A little fine grit sandpaper to remove the rust and some alcohol to clean up and that helped a bunch. Then the other problem was that I have about 9 gaming systems all connected up on a bookshelf. Well there was some small noise being introduced into the 7800 rf cable from the other cables and power supplies that were in the area. I don't know the specifics of yours other than where it was made. With that I had to either agree that the RF switchbox is flakey or the 2600 could be at fault or it could be other cables or power adapters in the area. Also you can try and plug the 2600 into a seperate wall outlet or better yet one on a different immediate circuit to eliminate any noise coming from the power which could also cause this. Lots of stuff to check... [ 12-26-2001: Message edited by: -^Cro§Bow^- ]

Yeap... While I was visiting the Atlanta area this past July, I took it upon myself to spend a whole day looking where I could for some good stuff. Those two gameswaps were the best of the lot. You guys speak of high prices!!! I actually thought they were pretty good. After all one of them had a Pitfall2 cart they only 5 bucks for and it was in really good shape. In fact I bought my cart of MASH there also for 5. The 5200 carts were priced the same though at the time I didn't have a 5200 yet so I really didn't look that hard. They do have complete units they sell also for I believe 20 bucks each? Anyway, their lot consisted mostly of Jr. models that I saw. I travelled over 150 miles that day alone looking for stuff and all I was able to find that I needed was the MASH cart, Fast Food, and I found me a copy of Generations Lost for the Genesis. In all I spent less than 15 bucks and I also found me one of those old Intel Bunnymen stuffed dolls. He was in the first Flea Market I visited and became my Mascot for the day. Now he sits in the corner of the room atop one of my Cambridge soundworks speaker cubes...hehe...

Problems are still present...half the messages I tried to post yesterday never actually showed up at all on the message boards. The ones that did also aren't complete and don't show me logged in properly. However, as I type this...it clearly says "Displayed Name: -^Cro§Bow^-" So we shall see...you not the only one...

You guys are starting to scare me...

Isnt' there a Link in the 2600/7800 FAQ that points you to those fonts? That was how I got them in the first place over a year ago... Or is that the problem and the link isn't good anymore?