Tempest Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Odd questions, but has anyone converted Ghostbusters to work on a 5200? Tempest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GameGirl420 Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Someone needs to do justice to this game.I'd love to see this on Atari as the NES version was total crap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schuwalker Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 Someone needs to do justice to this game.I'd love to see this on Atari as the NES version was total crap I thought the atari version wasn't bad at all but the nes version did suck..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moycon Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I only played the C64 version but I'm assuming they were very similar? Was one of my favorite games as a kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GameGirl420 Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I remember the arcade version was sort of like Gauntlet where 4 players can play at once. That would be sweet for the 4-port 5200 ..to make it just like the arcade.Slimer and the Staypuft Marshmallow Man should be in there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slampam Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 There are 6 reasons why you'll never see Ghostbusters or any other A8 converted game on the 5200. As conversions go, A8 to 5200 is the cleanest. It's not even a conversion in the sense of SC-1000 to Colecovision. It's just equates & control swapping and keeping track of interrupts. Still, it takes a programming whiz to get the ball rolling. Programming whizzes are busy being whizzes on something that's new to show off instead of old - that's human nature. Even a programming whiz will be troubled by converting game RAM of 48k or 64k down to a lowly 16k (even as 16k was a huge selling point in '82). Having the original source probably is a minimum. As converting RAM isn't likely - upgrading hardware RAM is feasible - but it's a hen before the egg scenario. A programmer won't bother converting a 48k/64k game until the 16k RAM is swapped out by a hardware guru who in turn won't bother swapping out that physical RAM until there's a 48k\64k program to run the alteration upon. You need a Colecovision/A2600 style fan base. The A8 robs the 5200 of that uniqueness. If Tempest can't goad a programmer into doing this conversion, then who can? * Ignore everything I said above. That's what I do. Bravo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+FujiSkunk Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) Edit: Never mind. Edited February 20, 2009 by skunkworx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg2600 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 The 5200 is the system which makes best use of the Flash Multicart, IMO, thanks to conversions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Fandal_ Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 (edited) Hi all! There are 6 reasons why you'll never see Ghostbusters or any other A8 converted game on the 5200. As conversions go, A8 to 5200 is the cleanest. It's not even a conversion in the sense of SC-1000 to Colecovision. It's just equates & control swapping and keeping track of interrupts. Still, it takes a programming whiz to get the ball rolling. A8 to 5200 conversion is not too difficult IMHO. Programming whizzes are busy being whizzes on something that's new to show off instead of old - that's human nature. Very very good point!! Even a programming whiz will be troubled by converting game RAM of 48k or 64k down to a lowly 16k (even as 16k was a huge selling point in '82). Having the original source probably is a minimum. I think that almost all games designed for 48k could be converted. Usually, most of code is static as well as most of data so it can be stored in cartridge area. 16k of RAM should be enough in most cases. But yes, doublebuffering is a problem... As converting RAM isn't likely - upgrading hardware RAM is feasible - but it's a hen before the egg scenario. A programmer won't bother converting a 48k/64k game until the 16k RAM is swapped out by a hardware guru who in turn won't bother swapping out that physical RAM until there's a 48k\64k program to run the alteration upon. Yes, 5200 has its limitations but all consoles have some... You need a Colecovision/A2600 style fan base. The A8 robs the 5200 of that uniqueness. Yes, that's a problem. Why should I care about 5200? I don't have it as there is not PAL version available and it's basically A8 computer with very limited game base... If Tempest can't goad a programmer into doing this conversion, then who can? Well, I think that mission is possible. Ghostbusters is a 48k game. I don't have its source code (yet) but I have the tools. May be I'm too self-confident but I think I can handle it. It should be matter of one weekend. I always dreamed of convering something from 5200 to A8 and yes, I was successful and the game will be released to the public next month. Now I should try to convert something from A8 to 5200. You know, just for fun. But I'm not sure if Ghostbusters is THE game needed by 5200 freaks... And to be honest, I would like to start with something a little bit easier. Ghostbusters is too much for the very first try IMHO... Any ideas what should be my first target? * Ignore everything I said above. That's what I do. Bravo! F. Edited February 20, 2009 by _Fandal_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GameGirl420 Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 games for the 5200 i'd like: Zookeeper Mr Do's Wild Ride Cutie Q Gauntlet Tetris ( I think Tetris for 5200 would be kinda cool,and easy to make) Donkey Kong (or any of the Mario games) Why Ghostbusters? I do think that game would be better on 5200 than the NES version tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slampam Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Hi all! ...Now I should try to convert something from A8 to 5200. You know, just for fun. But I'm not sure if Ghostbusters is THE game needed by 5200 freaks... And to be honest, I would like to start with something a little bit easier. Ghostbusters is too much for the very first try IMHO... Any ideas what should be my first target? F. Holy crap! I got Fandal! I think I wet myself. This was my wish list. I once decompiled Thrax Lair because it looked convertible. According to the 1982 manual it runs on 16k. It plays like Caverns of Mars in reverse, plus you get to shoot lasers out of a bat’s eyes. Bad ass! Maybe somebody has a better (16k) game suggestion? People should be jumping all over this - but it’s the weekend. On a side note: Curt Vendel posted the Galaxian Source Code awhile back. Galaga anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slampam Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 games for the 5200 i'd like: Donkey Kong (or any of the Mario games) Here’s your Donkey Kong lushgirl_80 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bohoki Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 games for the 5200 i'd like: Zookeeper Mr Do's Wild Ride Cutie Q Gauntlet Tetris ( I think Tetris for 5200 would be kinda cool,and easy to make) Donkey Kong (or any of the Mario games) Why Ghostbusters? I do think that game would be better on 5200 than the NES version tho. i never liked ghostbusters i woudl rather have a video pinball and rampage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Fandal_ Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Hi all! ...Now I should try to convert something from A8 to 5200. You know, just for fun. But I'm not sure if Ghostbusters is THE game needed by 5200 freaks... And to be honest, I would like to start with something a little bit easier. Ghostbusters is too much for the very first try IMHO... Any ideas what should be my first target? F. Holy crap! I got Fandal! I think I wet myself. This was my wish list. I once decompiled Thrax Lair because it looked convertible. According to the 1982 manual it runs on 16k. It plays like Caverns of Mars in reverse, plus you get to shoot lasers out of a bat's eyes. Bad ass! Maybe somebody has a better (16k) game suggestion? People should be jumping all over this - but it's the weekend. On a side note: Curt Vendel posted the Galaxian Source Code awhile back. Galaga anyone? And what about Galactic Chase? It seems to be a very good starting point for some hacking. Or has been this game hacked already? F. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schuwalker Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Ghostbusters was one of those games that kind of grew on me. First played at a friends house in the early 80's on the c64, it was alright. Later played it on the 2600, ok. Played it on the nes, sucked!. Finally played on the sms, the best version, my opinion! Went back played on the 2600, have to admit, not damn bad. The arcade version to me suckeddddd. All it was one of those quarter munchers, no strategy involved..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjchamp3 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I knew Gremlins was on 5200 I had no Idea about a Ghostbuster version WOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I knew Gremlins was on 5200 I had no Idea about a Ghostbuster version WOW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjchamp3 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I knew Gremlins was on 5200 I had no Idea about a Ghostbuster version WOW How ya doing mr. Waite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slampam Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 And what about Galactic Chase? It seems to be a very good starting point for some hacking. Or has been this game hacked already? F. Yep, Galatic Chase was high on my wish list. The routines seem more Galaxian-like than the released Atari Galaxian. Glad to see you got the other whizzes onboard. Dropzone & MrDo! are the Holy Grails of doable conversions. (Both use 48k). I thought they were too large but I forgot the xex file could be compressed down to 24k (size wise). Not sure if this same trick can be done with a rom (bin) file? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrathchild Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Nice going Fandal! One thing for the others to consider is that often the game's original memory requirement is not necessarily an issue as typically their runtime RAM requirement is <16K, it is just that the rest of the game needed to reside in RAM on the 800/XL too. Obviously this helps when either you have the original sources or have reverse engineered the game yourself and come to a good understanding of how it works and then are able to relocate the code yourself, but when coding for cartridges the code flow can swap in a different bank of code when required. E.g. I've done this with adventure game parsers (e.g. Scott Adams) and so even something like that could be ported to the 5200, though novel, using the keypads to type your actions could wear off after a short time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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