"universal" 9-pin not working on 7800

[tripletopper]

On 2 Button games for the Atari 7800 (Choplifter, Karateka, One on One) The Quickshot Python 1, which says works for Atari, MSX/Coleco, Amstrad and Sega, works for my Sega Master System in SMS Mode, but in Atari mode playing the 7800, Choplifter butons don't work, and Xevious has one button operate both fire and bomb. I had problems on both an American version and a European version. I have yet to try it for my Colecovision. And I was wonder if the Amstrad mode would work for the Bally Astrocade, or is the Bally a fifth "9-pin" format controllerwise? I think it might be a mechanical problem, because one button has a wire pop out after I cleaned it, and even though the buttons didn't work, the game One on One worked except for the fact tha the butttons didnt work. Since this is close to the button mechanism, I'm assuming he circuit is working correctly, but buttons cannot be fired. If the circuit didn't work then the game would be messed up. Just looking for some advise on how to get a quickshot, (a far more comfortable stick than the ro-line) working on my 7800.

[gdement]

In Choplifter, does 1 of the buttons still work (fire), but just the 2nd button doesn't work (rotate)? Or do none of them work?

 

If 1 of the buttons still works, then it's probably wired for the Sega pinout and not 7800 pinout.

When it says it works for Atari, they might only be talking about 1-button 2600-style compatibility.

The 2-button wiring on the 7800 is different than for other systems, so only 1 button normally works with generic controllers.

 

For Xevious, the fire+bomb behavior is controlled by the difficulty switches. Try fiddling with those.

[tripletopper]

I checked the switch and it switched to the appropriate system, Sega with SMS, Atari for 7800. Xevious had one button work for both for the Quickshot, but the 7800 pad had separate firing and bombing, and the difficulty switches were not touched. By the way, the josytick was manufactured in 1991 when the Master System and 7800 were going out of style, so it should be 7800 compatible. And I know that in any mode, it reverts to one button mode if you put the wrong system in, (7800 stick in SMS system or vice versa, Colecovision stick in either system, or vice versa) and one-button mode is universal (except for Bally Astrocade). Also Tower Toppler does not work with either joystick, it always skips screens and doesn't let me control the game with either joystick in joyport 1.

[tripletopper]

In Choplifter, neither button works, and Xevious, the thumb button activates both guns and bombs simultaneously, and I changed the difficulty Switches, and it had no effect with the Quickshot, but the Joypad changed between independent and simultaneous guns and bombs. And I made sure I was in Atari Mode.

 

I'm wondering if the Colecovision or the Bally Astrocade work in one of the modes. I'm thinking maybe MSX mode for Coleco, since I read that Colecovision was a console version of an MSX. Is a Bally most closely related to an Atari, a Commodore, and MSX, and Amstrad, or a Sega?

 

Oh, by the way, Tower Toppler works with two joysticks plugged in, not one. But the Quickshot in port 1 was in 1-button mode, while the 7800 pad was in 2 button mode (at least I think it was in 2-button mode. I don;t know if Tower Toppler is a 1- or 2-button game)

[gdement]

It sounds to me like the Quickshot only supports 1 button mode on Atari. It wouldn't really surprise me, even in 1991 the generic term "Atari" was usually associated with the 2600. Also, the wiring on 7800 2 button joysticks is unique, not like any other system.

 

I'm actually not sure what happens if you plug a 2600 joystick into Choplifter - I thought fire would still work but I don't have a 2600 stick to test.

If a game automatically switches to 2 button mode, without testing the joystick for compatibility, then it will end up with none of the buttons working.

 

I'm pretty sure Xevious tests the joystick for 2 button support, and falls back to 1 button if 2b mode fails. That would explain why it acts the way you describe.

[+Mitch]

It sounds to me like the Quickshot only supports 1 button mode on Atari. It wouldn't really surprise me, even in 1991 the generic term "Atari" was usually associated with the 2600. Also, the wiring on 7800 2 button joysticks is unique, not like any other system.

 

I'm actually not sure what happens if you plug a 2600 joystick into Choplifter - I thought fire would still work but I don't have a 2600 stick to test.

If a game automatically switches to 2 button mode, without testing the joystick for compatibility, then it will end up with none of the buttons working.

 

I'm pretty sure Xevious tests the joystick for 2 button support, and falls back to 1 button if 2b mode fails. That would explain why it acts the way you describe.

 

I think you've nailed it pretty well. And yes, Choplifter requires a 2 button 7800 joystick to function.

 

Mitch