phuzaxeman

I use the original sticks 99% of the time. I think the adapter for 2600 sticks are good for those people that can't work with the 5200 sticks. There's only one game I use using an adapter and that is 5200 Pitfall.

It looks like it goes to about medium fast. That's pretty good. But on the hard levels, going fast to the left and right ends of the screen is pretty important to stay alive.

On Galaxian, using the 5200 controls to control the ship speed is an advantage to maneuver around the missiles. The strategy and gameplay are different from the arcade. My scores were much lower when I used the digital stick. A digital adaption would be limiting (like the atari 8bit) because you only can move one speed. I'm not sure how fast or slow the computer version works.

You've done a lot with the game already and I'm thankful for that.

At the end of the day and through this whole discussion, the 5200 controllers are a really good controller and work well with Super Breakout. Modern technology like the gold dots and new flex circuits have helped solve the reliability issues of the past.

You are again contradicting yourself. On one hand you're saying the 5200 controllers is the "wrong" controller and the 5200 controller is "bad" in comparison to the original arcade Super Breakout. But then you now say the controller is a really good controller. I understand what you're saying. But there wasn't any console that could replicate Super Breakout as the same arcade experience not even the 2600 paddles could do that. You don't need to think like an engineer to understand that the 5200 sticks are accurate and work well for Super Breakout. That's all that matters to me. That it worked. In worked great in 82 just like it works great in 2023. If you want to dive into another discussion about the engineering with other engineers, that's fine with me. I'm not going to pretend I understand the engineering behind the 5200 sticks. The engineering I know is that I rebuilt my sticks and they have lasted over 12+ years. Here's the thing, this version (5200 Breakout) was created to work with the analog sticks. Countermeasure and Real Sports baseball and other games were also created with the 5200 controller. This is where we are going in circles. You also contradict yourself. You said the controller was "bad." Now it's "not bad but not right." You can say that it's not the exact one like the arcade. What's right for me maybe not right for you. I'm not changing the thread's subject. You originally said, that "Breakout is supposed to be played with a paddle." My original point is I disagree with that statement. That's what you think. That's your opinion. 5200 Super Breakout was designed for the analog sticks even if the original arcade version used a paddle. Again you're not understanding my point. My point was never about the arcade experience but about your 5200 controls for Super Breakout comment. What Atari did in 1982 was pretty amazing because you had a controller that could play both paddle games and standard. Intellivision or Colecovision and the 2600 couldn't do that. Like what another person said (and I'm repeating myself), the 5200 controllers isn't the wrong scheme. It's just different. Case in point, when Street Fighter 2 came out on the SNES, it was an amazing game that was ported to play at home. People weren't complaining it was the wrong controller. It was different from the arcade. People learned the new controls. Today, people are playing newer versions on ps or xbox controller at home.

So now I'm not qualified to talk? lol. Are you moderator? lol I had the stick to paddle conversion I bought from someone a long time ago. It was good, but it felt unnatural. I ultimately resold it. Like you are an arcade purist, I am an atari 5200 purist. The 5200 Super Breakout was like you said "born" and "created" with the analog sticks.

There were no console controllers that were the same as the original arcade. It doesn't mean they are bad, it means they are different. This "various levels" assessment you have created is completely subjective.

But my response to you was not about the arcade experience. My response to you was about the 5200 controls for 5200 Super Breakout. No, I did experience playing Super Breakout later as an adult. But not in the 80s. I already mentioned this. Super Breakout version on the 5200 was never designed for the paddle because there was not paddle available regardless if the arcade had a paddle. Those are two different versions. So not only is the 5200 controller "wrong" and "bad", there are various degrees? Interesting rating system....all which is subjective. Again, my response was not about in comparison to the 5200 to the arcade in the arcade experience. I'm commenting on the 5200 controls. Do you not understand? You're allowed to make a comment that is a sub topic from the main topic. You said the 5200 controls are "wrong" and "bad" for Super Breakout and that is completely your opinion even when compared to the arcade experience. One can say it's not original or different but to say it's wrong or bad is off.

I never compared the 5200 Super Breakout to the arcade because in that time, I never had played the arcade. I played the arcade when I was older. My first comment regarding your initial post was about the 5200 controls for Super Breakout. That's it. Part of why I reply about the 5200 controls subject (not just your posts) is because people just automatically think the controls are bad and don't work. It's given the 5200 a bad reputation for years. You see all kinds of YouTube videos dogging the 5200 because of the controls. Yes, the 5200 controls are unreliable but that's been resolved. And they do work well for Super Breakout.

Everything working good on proto 2. Thanks again!

Ryan, had a chance to play Intellidiscs with my son. First time to play 2 player mode. It's a lot of fun. Thanks for including that option in the game.

With this logic, you can say 5200 Super Breakout (which is a different version than the arcade or any version in its time) has the best controls using the analog sticks because that is what this version was born with and designed for.

I'm quoting what you said in that "nothing is better than the arcade" which is an opinion. You're contradicting yourself. Again, that is your experience. Good for you. I'm not disputing that. I grew up on both 2600 paddles and the 5200 controllers give me higher scores on Breakout because they feel better precision for me. To say that "The 2600 had even better precision" applies to you. To say the paddles on the 5200 applies to you. That's not my experience. My original comment was in response to your comment the 5200 controllers are bad. Now you say the 5200 controllers are bad when your considering the arcade experience? Like another posted said, it's different. It's not bad. You have a weird definition of "bad." You also said the 5200 controllers where "bad" because they are using the wrong controller for Super Breakout? lol. With that logic, what could you say about every game on home consoles in the 80's. Flawed thinking. When did I say the analog sticks are paddles? Why are you even bringing up digital sticks? If I like the 5200 sticks for Super Breakout and they are more precise than the paddles, that's my opinion. I don't care what you think. You said, "there is no such thing as a different controller being better than the original, get it?" I completely disagree and many would disagree too. It's different. Everyone has their own tastes in controls and if I prefer the 5200 sticks for Super Breakout, that's my choice.

This is cool! Thanks again for your time and effort!

Again, I'm not disputing which is better arcade vs 5200. We're talking about the controls. You said they were bad controls. They are not. To say "nothing is better than the arcade" with any game is still an opinion. Again, that is an opinion. I grew up on both and the 5200 controllers give me higher scores because they feel better precision for me. 5200 Super Breakout was made for the analog sticks and 5200 track ball which are both exclusive 5200 controls for the 5200. So the 5200 controllers are "bad" because they are using the wrong controller for Super Breakout? lol. We might as well call all kinds of controllers "bad" (i.e., intellivision, etc) because they are the "wrong controller." Your logic is flawed. Again, I'm not debating about the controllers giving us the exact arcade experience. You said the controllers were "bad" for Super Breakout. You also said it was bad because they are the wrong controllers. lol It's all your opinion. So now you swearing. Go back to my posts. I'm talking about 5200 controls. People like you just say the controllers are "bad" and "wrong" when I see them differently. Yes, there is such a thing. I don't even need to explain this one.

For sure in the hardware dept. I will say there were some great 8bit games though in that era. Then again, I wondered as a kid why many games were not ported to the 8bit line though...which is a different story.

Like what I mentioned before, I never saw Super Breakout in the 80s. I played it many years afterwards. To say the arcade version is the "best version" is your opinion. That is not a fact. I like the 5200 Super Breakout better. This 5200 Super Breakout version was exclusive to this system and program to work for analog sticks and 5200 track ball. No other console had the precision of these two exclusive cotrols. Again I disagree. That's a myth. You can't claim the 5200 controls are "bad" even compared to a paddle, when people are attaining records and high scores on Super Breakout. I'm not talking about arcade experience. Our conversation has been about the 5200 controllers. First of all, nobody here was bringing up Defender. Since you brought up Defender, the 5200 sticks are the only sticks in that era that could fire and press the smart bomb in one hand. Accurate to the arcade? That's not what we're talking about. We're talking about the design of the game and how the game uses an analog stick. I'm not disputing arcade accuracy or the "arcade experience." You changing the subject. Here again I'm not debating the differences between the arcade and 5200 accuracy. We're talking about the controllers. The 5200 version is unique because of the speed of the game and the use of analog controls.

At the time, I really didn't know why Atari even bothered with this computer/console.

Yes, but you said there were no new 8bit systems at the time. And the XE Game System was new in 1987.

The XE game system was released in 1987 which is basically an XE computer and Atari's way to expand the 8bit.

I wouldn't be wasting my time writing about Super Breakout if I didn't like the game. I definitely do suck at it. lol.

I'm not sure which time frame you're talking about but there was still many 8bit users into late 80s to early 90s in the US. I attended Atari user groups up into in the early 90s and there were a lot more 8bit users than ST owners at the meet ups.

Not in my mind in 82. I've never seen a Super Breakout machine. 5200 Super Breakout was designed and configured for the 5200 console. 5200 Super Breakout is technically not the same game. There are also differences between the arcade and the 5200. You said the controllers were "bad" controllers. Again, the best controller is subjective. You're stating your opinion which I don't agree. Again, you're bringing up the arcade Galaxian. I said the 5200 Galaxian. You're post is showing you don't know the difference between the arcade and 5200 Galaxian. 5200 Galaxian was made for the analog 5200 sticks because you can go fast and slow going left and right. I have two of the Atari Age Galaxian records. Go break them using your digital sticks and share your video and I'll send you a 2 cases of beer. lol/

Yeah, it's a fun game. I'm actually good at using the 5200 sticks and was able to play decent but a dead zone would be perfect. Thanks again for your work!