Games Computers Play, Inc. - Multiplayer Online Game

[Gunstar]

Has all the client software ever been found for GCP? Mainly the games?

 

I think it would be cool if the software could be hacked to run on a local area network, maybe even a home-brew LAN through joystick ports or SIO like Gamelink II* or cartridge network like Eightlink* just between 8-bits or the new "Dragon II"ethernet devices.

 

*excerpt from The Serious Computerist's Atari 8-bit FAQ PDF, downloadable here: https://seriouscomputerist.atariverse.com/media/pdf/book/Atari%208-Bit%20FAQ%20(Letter).pdf

 

 

==> GameLink and GameLink-II

Two hardware designs by Chuck Steinman of DataQue support the linking of two

or more Atari computers. Each supports multiple user head-to-head gaming

where each player uses a separate computer (each with separate TV/monitor).

(GameLink and GameLink-II descriptions by Andreas Koch)

a) GameLink: This hardware was developed in 1989/90. It links two

computers together via the joystick ports. It is limited to a maximum

of 2 computers and thus 2 or 6 players, meaning one free port per

XL/XE computer and 3 free ports per 400/800 computer. However, the

few existing games for this hardware merely support 2 players.

b) GameLink-II: This hardware was developed in 1991/92. It links 2 to 8

computers together via the SIO ports. One computer will then act as

the master and has to boot up the software (from tape, disk, hard disk,

etc.) first. Then all other "slave" computers connect to it and boot

off of this master computer (one after another of course). In Europe

we call this device "Multilink", mostly because of the games written

by Bewesoft (Jiri Bernasek) called Multi-Dash, Multi-Race, Multi-Worms.

A two computer network can easily be done with one SIO cable, just

open the end of the SIO cable and exchange cables number 3 and 5. You

now have an easy two computer (2-4 players) network cable.

For some available software for hardware such as GameLink and GameLink-II

please another section of this FAQ list, "What programs support Atari computer

networking?"

==> AT-Link (Alphasys)

Arianne Slaager writes:

I was actually surprised to read about the GameLink, as I made a similar

cable myself, called the AT-Link. This cable could also be used to

communicate with Commodore 64 computers, and I made driver software for both

systems at the time. There were 2 drivers. One as relocatable machine code,

and another as device driver. Also in the package was a 2 player Battleships

type game where Side A had the Atari version, and Side B the Commodore 64

version.

...wasn't more than two old joystick cables in a crosslink configuration,

(Pin 1 and 2 linked to pin 3 and 4 of the other cable respectively)

==> EightLink (Alphasys)

Arianne Slaager writes:

I also made a special high speed Atari to Atari cable, called the EightLink.

This one was cartridge based system, with a PIA inside, which boasted a 8 bit

bidirectional, parallel databus, and a 4 bit crosslinked control bus.

Transfer speeds were such that two Ataris on opposite ends of a large hall

could transfer disk data faster than it could be read or written. The actual

cable connecting the two was a flatcable with 33 leads, alternating ground and

a dataline across the width to minimise crossover disruption of data. Also

for this link system, I made drivers both in relocatable code, as well as a

device driver.

[doctor_x]

Necro thread revival - but with the "success" of PLATO reversing and also with somewhat of a resurgence of 8 bit BBS'ing, networking, etc.. I thought I would go ahead and drop a reply and see if the parties who gave VERY intelligent comments here might still have an interest in resurrecting GCP?

[evilmoo]

Somehow I neglected to post my github repository for this.  99% of the brains on the client were in term.com, so that's what I focused on disassembling:

 

https://github.com/jduerstock/gcp.term

[jamm]

Seems like a prime candidate for FujiNet reworking

[doctor_x]

welp.... i dont do machine code - about all im good for dev wise is basic, visualbasic.net, asp, js, etc... 

 

What i *could* do though is put some money towards one of those freelancer accounts that everyone is using these days to help fund this along with others... I would very much like to see this come to frution - and possibly even be expanded into a "new graphical online world for your network enhanced atari computer" lol...

 

And i'm serious.. I didnt get to experience this or the atari 2600 based cartridge game delivery system (of which I have one in my display case)... So to see someone pull this off and get to experience what I missed PLUS anything new someone might write for it - maybe an adaptation of a game door, etc... It would definitely be worth a few hundred bucks out of my pocket at least.

[gambler172]

Anybody get Space Lords to run on altirra?

[evilmoo]

15 minutes ago, gambler172 said:

Anybody get Space Lords to run on altirra?

It's never going to work without the corresponding server back end.  We need a substitute GCP server first.

[Bill Lange]

@evilmoo

Do you have a good understanding of the codes that the GCP client and server are sending back and forth?

 

 

Edited December 9, 2020 by Bill Lange

[+Allan]

I just uploaded a scan of a multi-page pamphlet for Games Computers Play.

 

https://archive.org/details/games-computers-play-inc-pamphlet