Article: Transporting Atari Computer Programs to the 5200

[ClausB]

25 years ago I dissected a friend's 5200 and noted how it differed from my Atari 400. I also disassembled the ROM and compared it to the 400/800 OS. I then used the info to convert the 5200 PacMan cart to run on the 400/800. From those notes I wrote this article for ANALOG magazine:

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/cons...nv_to_5200.html

 

My question to all of you is this: Which game conversions were done using the info in that article?

[classics]

I referenced it pretty heavily the first few times. So I guess that would be... nearly all of them? :-)

 

Steve

[carmel_andrews]

25 years ago I dissected a friend's 5200 and noted how it differed from my Atari 400. I also disassembled the ROM and compared it to the 400/800 OS. I then used the info to convert the 5200 PacMan cart to run on the 400/800. From those notes I wrote this article for ANALOG magazine:

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/cons...nv_to_5200.html

 

My question to all of you is this: Which game conversions were done using the info in that article?

 

 

 

 

 

So, it was you that wrote that article...I thought it was

[Curt Vendel]

I have the source code to 800 Desert Falcon, anyone want to port it over to the 5200? I also have the sources to 800 Galaxian, it would be awesome if someone would write a Galaga conversion to it for the 800, then port it over to the 5200 as well...

 

 

Any takers?

 

 

 

Curt

 

 

 

25 years ago I dissected a friend's 5200 and noted how it differed from my Atari 400. I also disassembled the ROM and compared it to the 400/800 OS. I then used the info to convert the 5200 PacMan cart to run on the 400/800. From those notes I wrote this article for ANALOG magazine:

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/cons...nv_to_5200.html

 

My question to all of you is this: Which game conversions were done using the info in that article?

[carmel_andrews]

Nothing personal curt...DF on the A8 was a pile of cack, i can't see the 5200 version being any better unless it was done to mimic the 7800 version (which was the best of the versions available)

[+Allan]

Nothing personal curt...DF on the A8 was a pile of cack, i can't see the 5200 version being any better unless it was done to mimic the 7800 version (which was the best of the versions available)

 

True but there still might be useful parts of the code that could be used.

 

Allan

[ClausB]

I have the source code to 800 Desert Falcon... I also have the sources to 800 Galaxian...

Would you happen to have the source code to Star Raiders to share?

 

Well, I can dream, can't I?

[Rybags]

Have you done any more towards your Star Raiders HD effort?

 

I think if the game could be reverse-engineered, there would be potential for some good enhancements.

[+Allan]

Somebody want to start a thread about a new Star Raiders and what could be added to it within a 8-bit real-world game?

 

Allan

[Curt Vendel]

Yes I do, but I have been asked not to release it.

 

 

 

Curt

 

I have the source code to 800 Desert Falcon... I also have the sources to 800 Galaxian...

Would you happen to have the source code to Star Raiders to share?

 

Well, I can dream, can't I?

[carmel_andrews]

You can't beat Star Raiders...It can only be equalled

[MrFish]

Nothing personal curt...DF on the A8 was a pile of cack, i can't see the 5200 version being any better unless it was done to mimic the 7800 version (which was the best of the versions available)

 

If the miserable scrolling routine was fixed it would probably be a decent game.

[carmel_andrews]

perhaps they could borrow the routine from Blue max/BM 2001 or panther...might make for a better game

[ClausB]

25 years ago I dissected a friend's 5200 and noted how it differed from my Atari 400. I also disassembled the ROM and compared it to the 400/800 OS. I then used the info to convert the 5200 PacMan cart to run on the 400/800. From those notes I wrote this article for ANALOG magazine:

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/cons...nv_to_5200.html

Unfortunately, there were some typos in the published article. I sent them a clean printout and a floppy disk with the proofread article in some Atari format. They said they could not convert the disk to their typesetter so they manually retyped it and filled it full of typos. When I sent a letter to the editor with corrections and updates, they edited out the corrections!

 

The typos survive on the Web copies too. Here are some I noticed:

 

"POKEY's registers are all addressed at page $EB in the 5200 as opposed to $D2 in the 400/800." That should be page $E8, but luckily any page from $E8 through $EF will address POKEY.

 

"The even pots (POT0-POT6) give the horizontal positions of range from 1 to 228;" That seemingly poor English is really the start of one sentence grafted to the end of another. Between "of" and "range" should be something like "the joysticks and the odd pots give the vertical positions. The position values".

 

In the cartridge pinout table, pin 9 should be "-Enable 80-BF", not "Enable 80-8F", and pin 10 should be "-Enable 40-7F".

 

I recall their were more typos, but that's all I can find now. Has anyone else found others?

[R.Cade]

Is it possible to make a cartridge for the 5200 that contained the missing ROMs (reworked) and could boot from a disk drive and run games that way? It seems that you could, since the serial port signals exist on the expansion connector.

[+Allan]

Is it possible to make a cartridge for the 5200 that contained the missing ROMs (reworked) and could boot from a disk drive and run games that way? It seems that you could, since the serial port signals exist on the expansion connector.

You would need to develop a new operating system. Plus just like an Atari 400, you would need more RAM for the DOS, which would have to be written as well. Not impossible but a lot of work. You could do things with the serial lines. Atari was developing a computer keyboard and a musical keyboard.

 

Allan

[kiwilove]

I do have a request for a mod for Star Raiders - which I think was needed from day one.

 

That is to not have the green screen present, during actual combat - as I always liked the black starfield illusion (of travelling through deep space) to be present during gameplay. Perhaps the text window could be 'green' to signify the shields are on.

I think this mod will add to the overall enjoyment of the game.

 

Of course, if someone wanted to update the game entirely - it would be to change it from a low res graphics mode to a higher one - with much improved graphics. And it would be a real challenge to do that, without a slow down for the gameplay, etc etc.

 

Harvey

[+playsoft]

25 years ago I dissected a friend's 5200 and noted how it differed from my Atari 400. I also disassembled the ROM and compared it to the 400/800 OS. I then used the info to convert the 5200 PacMan cart to run on the 400/800. From those notes I wrote this article for ANALOG magazine:

http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/cons...nv_to_5200.html

 

My question to all of you is this: Which game conversions were done using the info in that article?

 

I used it for my two recent ports thank you.

[wt808]

I do have a request for a mod for Star Raiders - which I think was needed from day one. That is to not have the green screen present, during actual combat - as I always liked the black starfield illusion (of travelling through deep space) to be present during gameplay.

 

See the patched rom attached to post #8 here:

 

http://atariage.com/forums/topic/181833-star-raiders-hack-wanted/

[ClausB]

Cool! You're welcome.

 

I used it for my two recent ports thank you.

 

[Lynxpro]

Yes I do, but I have been asked not to release it.

 

 

 

Curt

 

I was under the impression most thought the 5200's version of Star Raiders was the best 8-bit version out there, including over the original A8 version...

[baktra]

Better late than never. I ported the Curse of the Lost Miner game to Atari 5200 using the guide back in 2015.