Beeblebrox

Cool, looks an amazing port.

Yeah, it was contemplated but as I understand it would be a major undertaking to take the rc code and rework it to use gpu's.

The A8 certainly has some tricks up it's sleeve when it comes to cramming colours in. Check out the likes of Graph 2 font and also the Windows Rastaconverter too, which use a lots tricks and processing (especially Rastaconverter), to produce some astounding static images. With Graph 2 font, (more here), they are painstakingly created by hand and the images are smaller in file size and don't take up much CPU power. A few examples. G2F also can mix graphics modes (the skull is a difference graphics mode/resolution to the rest of the image): Rastaconveter (RC) uses modern computing power needed to computate the millions and often billions of variations needed to create images, where they then get outputted as an executable XEX 20-22k file to then load/run on any A8. Downside is it take up a lot of resources, (using a combo of the aforementioned DLIs, then Player missile graphics (PMGs), Vertical blank interupts/CPU processessing cycles, etc to get up to 9 colours per scanline - resulting in theroretically images with up to 128 colours. I've only managed 113 on screen. The downside is that the images are on average 22k each, and because they take up so much of the A8s resources, it means they aren't really able to easily be integrated into actual games... although... recently we've had International karate enhanced, with RCX versions of the game with new backgrops added, which are RC created and look utterly amazing: https://forums.atariage.com/topic/352421-international-karate-rc-and-rcx-cartridge-conversion-all-in-one/ I am a rastaconverter nut. The Windows software came out around 12 years ago, and thousands upon thousands of images have been created. And recently the original coder who made the software, Ilmenit, and some other dedicated geniuses, have improved the tool. Check out these amazing RC conversions, where these images will run off real A8 hardware(!): IMHO, the biggest scope for RC images is in graphic adventure games - and - if in the right coder's hands, there is potential for point and click game to utilize RC images as part of the games. In fact, years ago - the creator of RC (again the aforementioned Ilmenit), created a Windows tool to create point and click adventures, called Adventure studio. It still needs some coding knowledge, but it had so much potential. Check it out:

Just a quick thought, and sorry if missed it, but does your A8's joystick port definitely work running an Atari joystick? Just wanted to double check your actual machine/it's port and pokey is ok

Mr Proper is only a Demo btw. Impressive visuals though.

Might be some insight here above btw

So do you not have a standard joystick (DB9, Atari compatible)? Loads available on ebay of all shapes and sizes.

Iirc it runs on a standard joystick as well on 128k machines, but you'd have only fire and movement with your standard joystick. I also assume you know about the two Doom engines on A8?

Plus VBXE Popeye, Gacek, Heartlight, Commando, Quadrillion, etc

Indeed. That particular demo is from Globe a few years back. Would be great to see it as that basis of a game, which may well be the case...who knows. (Globe also bought us the excellent fully fledged FPS game Final Assault) BTW here is the aforementioned 128k ray casting engine in motion, where this video doesn't show the run mode, which is fast and just shows you what the A8 is capable of in terms of 3d.

Sure. So SNACK is SNES only, corded. SNACK aso supports games that have been coded for it, with multi button functionality. Check out this proof of concept 128k ray casting engine, which supports most of the buttons on a snes controller. So you can cycling through weapons, call up maps, straf, run, fire, etc etc.

Love it!!!

Don't know much about Sega and adapters but you have to be mindful of the voltage pin(s) as different on the Atari, so things can get fried. There are existing threads on the subject if I recall. Personally I'd recommend the established SNACK adapter, which allows snes controllers to be used. See the link in my signature.

Thanks. I think I am gonna abandon the idea tbh. Might keep it at stock for now. Thanks all for the input.

Ah, gothcha. So a quick search yields this. I could get two of these? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152329198663?

Ah yours is a stock ntsc, fair enough All I meant was rf is inferior to av composite, which in turn is inferior to svideo. However, without modding and or one of the many video upgrades, you currently only have and rf output. The difference between rf and svideo on these is night and day. Either way, glad you are happy with your setup.. The 600xl is one of my fav a8s.

Judy looking on Ebay UK, trying to find the 4 x 44256 ram chips is proving difficult.

Bit of a bump here. Do you perchance have a link to the instructions for this for the 320k chip upgrade on 65xe boards with the 4 x 18pin ram spaces?

Don't worry, we've all been there before.

AFAIK you can boot the machine without the BASIC rom chip in place just to see. Try removing it and booting up a game cart. Obviously you'll need to get a replacement.

100% agree. All the more reason to get these images into games, etc. Your Caterpiller image is amazing btw!

The 600XL (and 800XL) keyboards - which are interchangable - are a mixture of either a mylar based ones. or mechanical ones. The mechanical ones are better, and if you get the ALPs made one, or the right AWC one - they are great to type on. I'd say getting a 600XL and upgrading the ram to 64k is a good bet. All 600XLs are socketed. Or get yourself an 800XL, but try to get a Hong Kong made one - as fully socketed. For both stock XLs above, you'll need to hook up Chroma to use Svideo, (by far the best stock video output). Exception is an 800XLF (an 800XL with a freddie chip). Latter you'd not know was an XLF until you open it up. One last thing - depending on where you are you'll wanna get either a PAL or an NTSC model. There are Secam versions of A8s. PAL is UK, Europe and Austrailia. NTSC is North America and Canada. Generally, you'll wanna have 64k of ram to give yourself the best access to most games. Check out the pinned thread on AA for newbies and retuning Atarians - and for the most part just search AA as all of these questions have been answered 100s of times before. Edit: do yourself a fav though - avoid connecting your chosen A8 to your TV via RF. AV composite is the common one, but Svideo is the best stock connection. There are loads more options with upgrades, but cross that bridge when you have first fallen in love with the A8 of your choice....which I guarantee you will

Don't slow down... speed up...more excellent images.😍 Also, really glad the master (who created RC in the first place) is back on the scene alongside Sheddy et al - all respect to Ilmenit!

A belated reply. I had commitments at the weekend. Thanks so much for all the input. In short: R42 removed or present made no difference R140 and C200 are components I couldn't find on either boards. (I checked the Sams service guide also - no reference to them on the silkscreen). Both boards are Chelco boards recenrtly acquired this year. I've had to move on so I'll revisit at some stage as I am sure there is a fix. Good thing is of course is that I have a fantastic output on Sophia2 in both cases.

No worries. Well deservered. Any plans for some Rastaslide slide show creations? in 2022/23 I made some slideshows for Bladerunner and Skyrim related conversions I did. Really nice way of grouping themed images. I reckon you have a great cache of images to do these. People will love em. Have the occasional slide with text (created using Sheddy's text tool) to tell a story perhaps? You could almost have a themed into to a game like Witcher 3 with related witcher conversions and text. More or less along the lines of Windows PC game. I've always loved intros to games with images, introducing a plot, history or Lore. In the Witcher 3, whilst the stills are semi animated and moving, you can imagine them as stills. Edit: